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in view the great point to which his instructions ultimately tend. Intellectual improvement is not his leading aim, although this he does not neglect; his students must all be clerically accomplished. These are therefore educated to preach. They are soon taught to preach, and soon sent out to preach; and, thus, they preach well. Preaching is the object of their wishes; preaching is the crowning of their studies.

Do not the seminaries of the establishment here come short? Without any exercise preparatory to the pulpit is not even the rotatory reading of prayers, customary at the universities, considered by the collegians as an unmeaning drudgery, which cannot be too soon got over; and which would subject a serious student, who should read them as they ought to be read, to the insupportable ridicule of his fellows? Sufficient solicitude is here evinced respecting the literary advancement of the youthful learner, of the rising preacher; but, notwithstanding this admission, have we not too much cause to say, adopting the reproof of Christ to the Scribes and Pharisees, these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone??

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Another incidental defect of our ecclesiastical establishment, and for which there seems no cure, arises entirely from the laity possessing patronage. Hence, indeed, it is that such numbers fly to the church, for the sake of mere bread, who had else rather trod the walks of active life. Fathers have livings to give; and, therefore, their sons must be parsons. Here then is one of those ministerial imperfections from which the dissenting candidates are on the whole more free. Property holds out to these few inducements to take up with the minis

try. Ambition may at first prompt some few of them to preach; but who can live long by the mere breath of popularity? The man of God must have his heart in his work, 'spend and be spent,' or he will stop short in it for want of heart! Dissenters will be found rather to wish to see their sons any thing but their ministers. Hence the lot of these, when they preach, has been their own choice.

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Thus would it mostly be with the clergymen of the church of this land,-as it ought to be!-had their friends none of its patronage, and did not fathers plan for sons. The Church,' as Lord Bacon once said, 'is the Eye of England; and if there be a speck or two in the eye, we endeavour to take them off, though he were a strange occulist who would pull out the eye.' Still it should seem both desirable and practicable to take off the specks. The light of the body (says Jesus Christ) is the eye; if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light!

The Rev. Mr. Spencer, who suggested to my mind the preceding thoughts, resides principally at the Aca demy at Hoxton; where, I find, he was one of the three Students who this year (June the 20th, 1810) delivered the customary anniversary orations, before the Supporters of the Institution, in the Chapel adjoining it. Whatever may have been the essential differénce' between the interior of Homerton and Hoxton;' while the latter college shall produce preachers like the present preacher, while, reflecting high honour upon the ability of the tutors and the diligence of the students,' it affords the prospect of ministers thus furnished with promising talents and respectable attainments,' Hoxton

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must rank high amongst places of clerical instruction. Spencer will divide the pulpit with Collyer. He may do more than this-should strength and health last-he may snatch it from him. Let him not misunderstand. me in this. Pious damsels may not be seen gadding after him; but manly christians will flock to his pulpit labours.

The faults of this youthful preacher are those of youth. He is too high at first; and too warm, and quick. His zeal breaks out at once, and seems to brook no curb. Were he to commence sedately and quite cool, he might preach with more ease; and, though with less rant, as he would gradually kindle, with more weight. His voice has some fine and full tones, which, did he not strain it so high, would break, and touch, and melt the soul. Preachers should thaw, not less than freeze, the hearts of their hearers.

His action is simply fine. Frequent preaching will give more grace and force to the present preacher. Feeling is the best source of action; and, since he feels the great truths which it is his lot to preach, this feeling, instructed by experience, will impart an oratorical efficaciousness to his gestures.

His language is perspicuous, yet polished; and, possessing a fine imagination, he seems to delight in occasionally introducing poetry as the impressive auxiliary of theology. Let him not too frequently endeavour, notwithstanding the high respectability of his attainments, the difficult and dangerous art of apostrophising the great redeeming and ascended Head of the Church! Eloquence seldom can soar to this awful eminence.

Uncommon commendation is due to those rising

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divines who prove their true theological acquirements. Mr.. Spencer is amongst these. He appears to have thought much, thinking for himself, and thus to have studied well. Already he can elucidate the Scriptures by facts; and facts by the Scriptures.' Let him judiciously continue to catch the manners' and pursuits of the generation in which he lives, and bring them to the touchstone of the word of God! Thus taught Jesus, who yet spoke as never man spake.' Thus likewise taught the eloquent and accomplished Paul, when, addressing the Athenians, he reprobated their inscription to the unknown God.'

ONESIMUS.

The loss of this preacher will be long felt.--Page 187.

"The sensation excited by the sudden removal of this young man, accompanied with such affecting circumstances, has not subsided, nor abated, as we are informed,' says the Rev. Mr. Hall, much of its force. The event, which has drawn so great a degree of attention, has been well improved in several excellent discourses on the occasion. The unequalled admiration he excited while living, and the deep and universal concern expressed at his death, demonstrate him to have been no ordinary character; but one of those rare specimens of human nature, which the great Author of it produces at distant intervals, and exhibits for a moment, while he is hastening to make them up amongst his jewels. The high hopes entertained of this admirable youth, and the shock, approaching to consternation, occasioned

by his death, will, probably, remind the classical reader of the inimitable lines of Virgil on Marcellus.

O nate, ingentem luctum ne quaere tuorum.

Ostendent terris hunc tantum fata, neque ultra

Esse sinent.

The writer of this,' adds the Rev. Mr. Hall, "deeply regrets his never having had an opportunity of witnessing his extraordinary powers; but from all he has heard from the best judges, he can entertain no doubt that his talents in the pulpit were unrivalled, and that, had his life been spared, he would, in all probability, have carried the talent of preaching to a greater perfection than it ever attained, at least in this kingdom. His eloquence appears to have been of the purest stamp→→→→ effective, not ostentatious-consisting less in the striking preponderance of any one quality, requisite to form a public speaker, than in an exquisite combination of them all; whence resulted an extraordinary power of impression, which was greatly aided by a natural and majestic elocution. To these eminent endowments, he added, from the unanimous testimony of those who knew him best, a humility and modesty, which, while they concealed a great part of his excellencies from himself, rendered them the more engaging and attrac tive. When we reflect on these circumstances, we need the less wonder at the passionate concern excited by his death: for it may be truly said of him, as of St. Stephen, that devout men made great lamentation over him.'

See the Note to a Discourse on the Discouragements and Supports of the Christian Minister; delivered

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