the qualities that should constitute the character of family

sermons.

Those pious persons, who are in the habit of assembling their children and domestics, on a Lord's day evening, for the purpose of devotion; intend, it is evident, in reading a sermon to them, to instruct them in, the principles of Christianity, to impress on their hearts a sense of the im portance of such principles, and excite in their minds devotional and virtuous feelings. But it is very difficult to procure compositions adapted to accomplish this truly Christian intention. Our great preachers, such as Taylor, or Barrow, or South, have a vastness in their conceptions, and a depth in their reasonings, by no means suited to the instruction of unexercised minds. Our moralizing preachers are too dry, too cold, too studious to avoid the peculiarities of the Christian scheme, while a third class of preachers, although zealous and highly evangelical, are yet deficient in method, technical in their language, often coarse and local in their illustrations, and devoid of all the proprieties and graces of good writing.

Family sermons being intended to convey instruction to children, who are not able to form very abstruse or complex ideas, or to pursue a train of abstract and subtle reasoning; and to domestics, who, though of larger growth, are for the most part children in understanding; should be distinguished by great plainness and simplicity. It might almost be questioned, perhaps, whether the plainness requisite in such works, is compatible with useful moral instruction, and the general interest and animation that: should pervade them. But, while the appeal is made directly to scripture, all our duties may be deduced by an easy process: the character of the virtues and vices may be rendered intelligible to very obtuse minds: and the constantly judicious use of scripture maxims and examplesof its threats and promises of its motives, derived from every quarter of the intellectual world, and touching ournature at every point,-would certainly give spirit and dignity to the most familiar compositions. As such discourses should be just and correct, rather than profound or sublime, they may safely dispense with the higher orna ments of style; but should be carefully purged from every thing low and vulgar in both the thoughts and language, from whatever would give an air of meanness to the mysteries of the gospel.

It being far easier to form in imagination the type of such a work, than to bring it into existence, perfect in all its parts, we, in the mean time, thankfully accept of the

Short Discourses of this very agreeable preacher. Several of the qualities requisite in a family preacher, he displays in a remarkable degree. In plainness of speech he is almost without a rival. While he reaches the understanding of rude and uncultivated persons, as well as touches their hearts instead of offending those of large views and cultivated minds, he fixes their attention, and contributes to their gratification and improvement. As it is this rare capacity of producing such opposite effects that constitutes, in our opinion, the peculiar excellence of Mr. Jay, and gives him a decided superiority over most other preachers, it may be worth while to employ a few words in the description of it.

He is possessed, then, of a prevailing desire to benefit the souls of men; which, while it makes him solemn, earnest, and sometimes severe, induces him not so much to aim at amusing or astonishing, as at becoming useful to his hearers. With gravity he unites mildness and affection. Although he does not appear to be studious of continuity in the thoughts, or of union and dependence among the paragraphs, of his discourses; yet there is a weight and point in individual sentences-a prettiness or importance in his. observations—a degree of truth, of freshness, vivacity, and universality in bis moral delineations-a mixture of both the didactic and historical parts of scripture in his proofs and illustrations, as well of its consecrated phraseology in his language-which never fail to interest, and often produce a powerful effect. Besides all this, he abounds in similes, which are always familiar, and sometimes wonderfully apt and expressive. He delights, too, in discoursing upon his'orical passages. Here he is most at his ease, and finds the greatest scope for his peculiar talents;—a remark in illustration of. which, we might point out several of the sermons both in this and the former volumes.

We must now cite a few passages, in order to verify the description that we have given of Mr. Jay's character, as a maker of sermons.-The following passage illustrates our author's very pious and solenn, yet striking and lively

manner

The spirit of grace is always a spirit of supplication. It brings a man upon his knees. It leads him to speak to God, rather than to talk of him. And much will he see, much will he feel, to urge him to seek the Lord. A hell to escape! a heaven to obtain! Sins to be pardoned and subdued! Duties to be performed! Trials to be endured! and God to be glorified! His generation to be served! His own wants! and the necessities of others! All these are enough to induce him to pray-and to pray without ceasing.' p. 176.

The next extract, though of a different description, is yet very characteristic of our author.

But be of good comfort, ye aged servants of God. He will not turn you out of doors now your labour is over. He remembers you the kindness of your youth. He accepts of your desires and designs. He pities your infirmities. He is the strength of your hearts, and your portion for ever. If the world is weary of you, he is not. lover and friend have been put far from you, and your acquaintances into darkness, the eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

If

Your salvation is nearer than when you believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. You are riding at anchor off the fair havens; and the next wind or tide will waft you in.' p. 299.

No man can mistake the meaning of the following passage from the discourse on Gehazi; and yet it is impossible to read it without being roused to caution and vigilance.

• See the encroachments and progress of sin, and learn how dangerous it is to give way to any evil propensity.

more.

Here is avarice leading on to lying, and one lie followed up by two One transgression breaks down the fence, and then others go in more easily, and by a kind of licence. One sin often renders another necessary to its execution: one sin often renders another necessary to its concealment. The obligation the sinner lays himself under in order to proceed in an evil course, is frequently endless; while every step of the progress he makes, blinds and hardens him still more. When a child leaves his house clean in his apparel, he is afraid to soil even his feet: but the first stain he contracts makes him less regardless of the second, and the second of the third: till he thinks himself so bad, that caution is needless, and he treads any where.

Thus we read that men proceed from evil to evil; that they wax worse and worse; that these things eat as do a canker; that when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished, bringiug forth death.

And is it only in the scripture that this truth is asserted? Do we not see it confirmed in actual instances every day? Over how many of late years have we had to mourn? But which of these unhappy characters became either infidel or vicious at once? They endured evil company, and then chose it. They trifled with the sabbath, and then profaned it. One thing after another was given up, till they said unto God, Depart from us; we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

Can we then be too early in our precautions? Can we be too much afraid of beginnings? Is it not better to crush the egg before it breaks forth into a fiery flying serpent?' pp. 314, 315.

The following extract d serves attention, as it shews the manner in which our author handies passages of scripture, how he employs a single phrase as an occasion of introducing pretty or important remarks, and the effect he produces by making his hearers take part in the scene he sets before them.

now

The second petition regards his enemies; and seems to have been offered up with peculiar solemnity and earnestness: for he kneeled down; and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. Behold here a proof of the grandeur of soul real religion inspires: It is the glory of a man to pass by a transgression. Behold an example of obedience to a command which infidels have ridiculed, and which thousands look upon to be impracticable: I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. Behold an instance of conformity to the temper of a dying Saviour, who prayed, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. The same spirit actuates the master and his disciples. The difference only lies here He received the spirit without measure, while we possess it in a limited degree. In him the exercise of it met with no counteracting depravity; but in us it is resisted by adverse powers; and hence a perpetual warfare; the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that we cannot do the thing that we would. But if we have not the spirit of Christ, we are none of his. The same principles that resided in him, must be found in us, and as far as they prevail, they will produce the same effect. Having said this, he fell asleep. Sleep has nothing formidable in it. A weary man, after a day of toil, feels no reluctance to lie down in his bed. The disease of the babe awakens all the anxiety of the mother, and she cries, Let me not see the death of the child; but it is otherwise when she views him asleep. She knows that it is in her power to awake him at pleasure; and to embrace him refreshed and improved. And this is the soft representation given of the believer's death in the scriptures; and it is so essentially just, that we here find a death of violence and anguish expressed by it. When David had served his generation he fell asleep but he died in a palace, in a fine bed, and surrounded with every indulgence. Stephen dies under a shower of stones, but he even he fell asleep.

I see his body left on the ground, mangled with blows, and covered with gore-But let it not be despised. That body, is the workmanship of God; it is the purchase of the Redeemer; it is the temple of the Holy Ghost; it shall be renewed, and fashioned like the Saviour's own glorious body-Accordingly we find that devout men carried Stephen to his burial, says our translation, but this is not in the original: they carried him from the place of execution to his house, and from his house to his grave: and made great lamentation over him.

Honour is to be valued according to the quarter from which it comes. Who would like to be deemed the favourite of Satan? And why should we wish to be admired and caressed by the world? The very world that crucified the Lord of glory, when he was on earth and would willingly do it again? You do not wish to stand high in the estimation of vagrants, traitors, ideots, and madmen-and what, as to religious concerns are numbers better-and yet how many things you often conceal, or sacrifice, or pursue, to gain their favour. But devout men; the saints that are in the earth-these are the excellent in whom is all my delight. To belong to them; to hear them coming around me, and saying, "My brother;" for them to rejoice when I

rejoice, and to weep when I weep; to be loved and esteemed by them, in life, in death; this is delightful; it is, to use the words of a beautiful writer, like walking in an eastern spice grove.' pp. 220-223.

We must terminate our extracts with the conclusion of a New Year's Day sermon, on the Barren Fig-tree. It is peculiarly solemn and impressive.

But I must address those of you in particular who have begun a new year without a new heart. Let me expostulate with you. You have long enjoyed the means of grace. The husbandman came three years to inspect this fig-tree-but God has come twenty-thirty-forty -fifty-sixty-is it possible that we can go further?-Yes, even seventy years to some of you, and yet after all has found no fruit!! -You have heard of the danger of unprofitableness under religious advantages; you have heard that the axe is now laid to the root of the tree; and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Many have been cut down during the past year in their sins; many, O dreadful exchange! have been sent to hell from the very house of God. Some perhaps less guilty than you, and to whose destruction you were the means of contributing. But you are spared, and you live to enter on another year. Ah! perhaps this is the year, the very year, for which the vine-dresser has been pleading. Perhaps he has said, Grant this and I will not ask for another hour! Perhaps upon this revolution of time all your eternal interest is suspended and if you are not saved this year, you are lost for ever. Perhaps at the end of this year, if you are not removed from this world, you may be abandoned of God, who, as you would have none of him will give you up to your own heart's lust, to walk in your own counsel.

One thing is certain: there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest; and therefore whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. And since you know not what will be even on the morrow, pray with David, Lord so teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

4

And what is wisdom? Wisdom is a relative thing: and this is so true, that what would be wise for one man to do, would be folly in another. The question then is, what would be a wise part to act, considering the circumstances in which you are placed. Now what does common sense teach us in other cases? If a man has an important journey to take, his wisdom consists in preparing for it. If a man be in imminent danger from an overhanging precipice, he would do wisely to flee. If a man be labouring under a threatening disease, we should reckon him a fool not to enquire after a remedy and a phy. sician. Avoid this folly. Betake yourselves to the friend of sinners. Fall at his feet, and say, heal me and I shall be healed; save me and I shall be saved; for thou art my praise. In him seek the justification of your persons, the sanctification of your natures; a title to heaven, and a meetness for it; with all the diligence the importance of these blessings demands; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching. Dedicate yourselves unresevedly to him who loved us and gave himself for us. And then, should the news, This year thou shalt die, be ad dressed to you, as it was to one of old, you may hear it without conVOL. VII. 4 N