conversion, new birth, means nothing-nothing, that is, to us: nothing to be found or sought for in the present circumstances of Christians."

Sometimes, even when convinced yourself of an opinion, it is not well to propound it, unless you are sure that you are convinced on good grounds. Do not attempt to demonstrate the doctrine of the Trinity from the appearance of three divine persons to Abraham on the plains of Mamre,' nor from the text, "Let us make man in our image.' These texts are good as corroborative evidence, but are insufficient proof.

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Again, avoid uninteresting matter, however important. I do not think the arguments in the Epistle to the Hebrews, highly important as they are in themselves, are interesting to a modern congregation. Discussion on prophecies, and still more on types, do not seem to take general attention. Therefore, if you ever get on these topics, discuss them shortly. Generally, those subjects only fix the attention of your hearers which are plainly, closely, and directly connected with their salvation-except, indeed, controversial subjects, for these they unfortunately have too generally itching ears: but you must not gratify them.

Lastly. Let there be nothing in excess-"ne quid nimis,"3 not too much doctrine, nor too much history, nor too much argument; (a few good arguments in a sermon are better than many;) not too much of any one sort or form of argument, as interrogation, antithesis, simile. Let not your metaphors nor illustrations be far fetched-like "truths which are wrung from the subject," but let them "flow freely, like the juice of the grape, from the first pressing of the vintage." Do not exhaust your subject; let there not be too many brilliant and sparkling passages-they weary

1 Gen. xviii.

3 See Claude's Essay.

2 Gen. i 26.

4 Bacon.

and distract the hearer: a striking truth, which would have been well remembered and deeply rooted, is driven out by something equally, or more striking, immediately following; just as the traveller's mind is overloaded, and his admiration wearied by a too rapid succession of novel and striking sights. It is necessary that there should be repose—that is to say, after a burst of brilliant language and ideas, should succeed some plain truth or narrative, dressed in the simplest garb; many eloquent sermons are spoiled by the neglect of this rule. The grand truths of Scripture are equally adapted to either the most brilliant or the most simple language. The proper tone of language depends not so much on the subjects themselves, as on the circumstances of their introduction.

Even of good materials there may be too much. I shall not venture to express an opinion as to the precise length of which a sermon ought to be. Bishop Wilkins says that one hour is allowed by all to be a competency." Modern congregations would, perhaps, be content with half that time. And you must, in some degree, consult their taste, and allow for circumstances. You do no good when you address a wearied congregation. Long sermons in a morning will keep your country parishioners at home, for they dine at one long sermons in the afternoon will send them to sleep, for they have just dined. In the evening you may allow yourself more latitude, for they have come to pass away their time. But each clergyman must judge for himself, by observing how long he is able to keep alive the attention of his hearers. The cause of long sermons is not in general the abundance of materials, but carelessness in composing, and want of revision. A certain writer sending a manuscript to another, apologized for its length, on the ground that he had no time to make it shorter. Compression is certainly one of the most difficult points in style.;

LETTER XXIII.

ON THE METHOD OF COMPOSING.

THE philosophers of Laputa constructed a machine, by the help of which, with a little manual labor, they proposed to write books, of all sorts, from an epic poem to a sermon. It was so contrived, that by placing in it all the words of the language, and then turning a wheel, an infinite variety of combinations came forth. These they carefully noted down, and there was nothing to be done then but to arrange them. In like manner I shall suppose you to have got together the materials of your sermon, not only by the exercise of your mind, but partly by the exertion of a little manual labor, in turning over the leaves of your Bible and Concordance; and now all that remains, is to put them in order.

Young sermon-writers meet with three principal difficulties in composition; some find themselves unable to make the scheme of a sermon; some are slow to clothe their ideas with language; others, again, fail in giving spirit and energy to their composition. The first cannot construct the skeleton, the second cannot find the flesh and blood, the third cannot breathe into it the breath of life.

If you find the first difficulty, you will be inclined, perhaps, to have recourse to Simeon's voluminous work, the "Hora Homileticæ." But this proceeding I should by no means countenance. The Hora Homileticæ has been truly called the easy-chair of theology." I should just as scon counsel you to furnish your study with a patent

lounging-chair, lined with air cushions. The more drowsy and inactive you find yourself, the more must you eschew such an indulgence as an arm-chair; the more you feel the want of assistance in composition, the less right have you, as a beginner, to use the Hora Homileticæ. I do not say that you are never to avail yourself of such a help. Should you have a very large parish under your care, and three or four sermons a week to prepare-or should you arrive at the dignity of Archdeacon, and have “ the care of all the churches coming upon you daily," then, in order to husband your time, you need not scruple to employ such aid that is, if you then feel the want of it; but, as a beginner, I should strongly caution you against it once get into the practice, and you will never write a good sermon as long as you live. If you must get the frame-work of your sermon from some external source, the best plan is to analyze a good sermon of some standard author; then lay the volume aside, and write it over again in your own language. This will help to improve your invention, by obliging you to anatomize, and observe minutely, the composition of good authors.

But the plan which I should recommend is, at all events, to make your own scheme. And first draw up a brief outline of the principal topics, and keep it before you. To experienced sermon-writers this process will be less necessary; but to a beginner it will be found useful in several ways. It will prevent you from wandering far from the subject; or, at any rate, it will help to bring you back again; and it will save you from the very common fault of being too diffuse in the beginning, and leaving no room for the development of your materials. The time so occupied will often be found to have been economically spent ; for a carefully made skeleton will save you the trouble of writing your sermon over twice. Not that I would dissuade you from writing it over twice, or even thrice, if you have time; for the very

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process of writing impresses it on the mind, and will help you very much in the delivery.

The design and composition of a sermon is well illustrated by the example of a painter. Look at a chef-d'œuvre of some first-rate artist, and you will see that his object has been to depict some one action or idea; and that all the parts of the picture are made subservient to the general effect. Is the subject, for instance, our Saviour on the cross? The principal light is thrown on the figure of the Redeemer, which is set forth more strongly by the surrounding gloom. Patient endurance is marked by contrasting his graceful body with the distorted limbs of the malefactors. His placid countenance is rendered more conspicuously divine by the ferocious visages of the soldiers, and the anguish of his weeping disciples. Every thing, in short, of circumstance, of drawing, and colouring, is so conceived as to direct the minds of those who look upon it to the principal object of interest. Thus, in preaching, you should choose one principal object, and group your materials so as best to illustrate that; keeping the main design always in your mind's eye.*

Such being your rule-which will be more fully developed as we proceed-you will next consider into what principal heads your subject should be divided; as the painter considers how the different objects should be disposed on the canvas. Look at the celebrated picture, by Raphael, of St. Paul at Athens. The subject is the preaching of the Apostle. This evidently divides itself into two parts-the energy and power of the preacher, and the effect produced on the hearers. Accordingly, you will see that though the principal figure is St. Paul himself, yet that the light is thrown on the countenances of the hearers. Your eye wanders first to one and then to the other; and yet the subject is one and undividedit is the preaching of St. Paul.