of Richard Baxter, no student of the English language, and especially no clergyman should fail to be familiar. He is, says Dr. Doddridge, " my particular favorite. It is impossible to tell you, how much I am charmed with the devotion, good sense and pathos which is everywhere to be found in him. I cannot forbear looking upon him as one of the greatest orators, both with regard to copiousness, acuteness and energy, that our nation hath produced;" and again, "he discovers a manly eloquence and the most evident proofs of an amazing genius, with respect to which he may not improperly be called the English Demosthenes." For judicious remarks on the excellence of Baxter's style, see Edinburgh Review for 1839 on the Life and Times of Baxter, and for 1840 on the British Pulpit.

Fifthly, the religious spirit which breathes through the trea tises of Fenelon, Herbert and Baxter, is of itself a sufficient rea son for insisting on their frequent perusal. They indeed contain some remarks which it should seem better to have omitted; but on the whole they exhibit the greatness of the sacred calling, so as to stimulate the preacher to an humble and earnest pursuit after excellence.

The editor has made scarcely any alterations in the phraseology of the treatises republished. In many instances he has retained the ancient punctuation even. He has omitted the Appendix which Palmer attached to the Reformed Pastor, and also a few irrelevant sentences from Campbell's Lectures. He has inserted an Introductory Essay, part of which he published in the Christian Review, Vol. IV. pp. 581-603.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY ON THE DIGNITY AND IMPORTANCE OF THE

PREACHER'S WORK, 11-46.

FENELON'S DIALOGUES CONCERNING ELOQUENCE;

PARTICULARLY THAT OF THE PULPIT.

FIRST DIALOGUE.-Conceits, far-fetched ornaments in a discourse,

51-55. The ultimate object of a discourse is not to please but to

improve men; Illustrations from the example of Isocrates, Demos-
thenes, Longinus, Homer, Virgil, from the nature of eloquence and
a comparison of it with other arts, from the opinions of Socrates
and Plato, 56-76. An orator should be a good man, 69-73. In-
tellectual furniture of an orator, 78-81. Evils resulting from his
deficient education, 81, 2. Criterion of true eloquence, 82, 3.

SECOND DIALOGUE.-Ornament essential to eloquence, 84. Distinc-

tion between true and false ornaments, 86-92. Difference be-

tween philosophy, poetry and eloquence, 84-92. Elocution: im-

portance of appropriate, natural gesture; of various, expressive

tones, 92-102. Preaching memoriter, extempore, from written

notes, 102-112. Formal divisions in a discourse, 112-116. Pro-

per order in a sermon, 115. Puerile ornaments in writing com-

pared to quavering notes in music, to the Gothic style of architec-

ture; Illustration from Isocrates, 117-120. Particularity, vivid-

ness, variety, plainness, appropriateness of style, 120-124.

THIRD DIALOGUE.-Qualities essential for an instructive preacher,

124-126. The simplicity of the Scriptures consistent with their

eloquence, 126–130. Reasoning in the Scriptures, 130, 131.

Preaching of Christ and his apostles, 132, 133, 137, 138. The Bi-

ble attended with supernatural influences of the Spirit, 133, 4.

Simple and vivid style of the Hebrew Scriptures, 135-137. Pro-

per method of biblical preaching, 139. Mistaken simplicity, want

of an affectionate manner in preaching, 141, 2. Importance of a

pastor's preaching to his own people, 143. Objections of the church

fathers to the study of profane literature, 144, 5. Importance of

studying the writings of the fathers, 145, 6. Character of their elo-

quence, 151-158. Proper style of preaching, 147-151.
The

choice and interpretation of a text, 158-160. The style of pane-

gyrical discourses, 161, 2.

HERBERT'S COUNTRY PARSON.

Or a pastor, 165. Diversities of situation, 165, 6. The parson's life,

167, 8. The parson's knowledges, 168, 9. The parson's accessary

knowledges, 169, 170. The parson praying, 170, 172. The parson

preaching, 172, 174. The parson on sundays, 174, 5. The par-

son's state of life, 176-178. The parson in his house, 178-181.

The parson's courtesy, 181, 2. The parson's charity, 182-184.

The parson's church, 184, 5. The parson in circuit, 185-187. The

parson comforting, 187, 8. The parson a father, 188. The parson

in journey, 188, 9. The parson in sentinel, 189, 190. The parson

in reference, 190, 1. The parson in God's stead, 191, 2. The par-

son catechising, 192-194. The parson in sacraments, 195, 6. The

parson's completeness, 197-199. The parson arguing, 199, 200.

The parson punishing, 200. The parson's eye, 201-204. The
parson in mirth, 204. The parson in contempt, 204, 5. The par-
son with his church-wardens, 206. The parson's consideration of
providence, 206-208. The parson in liberty, 208, 9. The par-
son's surveys, 210-213. The parson's library, 213-215. The
parson's dexterity in applying of remedies, 215–218. The parson's
condescending, 218, 19. The parson blessing, 219-221. Concern-
ing detraction, 221, 22.

BAXTER'S REFORMED PASTOR.

PART FIRST. The duty of ministers with regard to themselves, 228

-241. Reasons why they should be converted men, 228-232.

Why they should be well-educated, 232-236. Proper motives of
a minister, 236, 7. Consistency of ministerial character and deport-
ment, 237. Peculiar temptations of ministers, and peculiar evils
resulting from their unfaithfulness, 238-240. Good influence of
their piety upon their hearers, 240,41,

PART SECOND. The duty of ministers with respect to their people,
241-350.

CHAPTER I.-Design of preaching, 243, 4. Manner of preaching;

importance of energy, 244–246. The delivery and composition of

sermons, 246. Devotional parts of worship, sacraments, 247.

CHAPTER II.—Importance of the pastor's particular acquaintance
with his people, 247, 8. He should instruct the ignorant, especial-
ly on cases of conscience, 248, 9. He should encourage family re-
ligion, 350, 1. His duties to the sick, 251-254; to notorious of-
fenders, 254; to humble Christians, 254, 5.

CHAPTER III.-The minister's labors for his unconverted hearers,

255, 6; for several classes of those who are converted, 256-260;

for those of a doubtful character, 260, 1. Proper treatment of the

opinionated and contentious; Modes of suppressing schism, 261

-268. A minister should be, and appear to be superior to his peo-

ple, 261-263. He should excel his opponents in Christian activi-

ty, 266, 7.

CHAPTER IV.—Methods of inducing a people to attend to catacheti-

cal instruction, 269. Rules for giving such instruction, 270-275.

CHAPTER V.-Advantages of catachetical instruction to the ignorant

and ungodly, 277, 8; to the pious, 278, 9. Its influence on the

pulpit, and the general duties of the ministry, 279-283. Obliga-

tions and various motives to the performance of this duty, 283-287..

CHAPTER VI.-Rules for the public reproof of offenders, 288. Exhor-

tation to be connected with reproof, 288, 9. Prayer for the reproved,.

290. Endeavors for their moral restoration, 290, 1. Exclusion.

of the incorrigible from the church, 291, 2. Objections to church

discipline answered, 293–296. Reasons for it, 296–298.

CHAPTER VII.-Difficulties of the ministerial work, 298-300. Mo-

tives to its faithful performance from the nature of the work itself,

300-302; from its relations to the Spirit of God, 302; to the

church, 302, 3; to the Saviour of the world, 303, 4.

CHAPTER VIII.-Objections to the prescribed course of ministerial

duty answered, 304-315. The minister's congregation should not

be too large, 304, 5. His own improvement should be sacrificed, if

necessary, to the good of his people, but this is not necessary, 305–

307. His duties compatible with his health, 307-309. He should

abstain from idle amusements, 309, 10. He should delight in his
work, 311. The severity of ministerial duties will not deter proper
men from the profession, 311, 12. The opposition of his parishion-
ers, no reason for the pastor's becoming unfaithful, 312, 13. His
fidelity is required by the whole spirit of the Bible, 314, 15.

CHAPTER IX.-A minister should insist most on that which is most

necessary, 316, 17. He should preach so as to be understood, 317,

18; and so as to meet the varied wants of his people, 318. He

should divest himself of pride, vanity and ambition, 319-323. He

should preach with reverence, 323, 4; in a spiritual and biblical.

style, 324, 5. He should have a deep love for his people, 325, 6.

He should avoid a worldly spirit, 326-328. He should preserve a

patient and peaceable temper, 328-336. Discord results from

pride of opinion, 332, 3; from the love of novelty, 333; from the

narrowness of creeds, 333, 4; from magnifying the importance of

controverted opinions, 334, 5. Progress in theology must be ad-

mitted, 335. The purity of theology should be preserved, 335, 6..

Advantages resulting from meetings for ministerial communion,

336-339. Answers to objections against such meetings, 339–341.

A minister should desire and expect success, 341, 342, and should

rely for it on Christ alone, 342.

CHAPTER X.-General exhortation to the virtues appropriate to a

clergyman, 343–350.

CAMPBELL'S LECTURES ON PULPIT ELOQUENCE.

LECTURE I-Importance of the study of eloquence; objections

against it answered, 354-358. Helps for the attainment of the

art, 358-360.

LECTURE II.-The thoughts and sentiments in pulpit discourses, 360

-368. Rules for the narration, 361-363; for the explication, 363,

4; for the reasoning, 364-367; for the moral reflection, 367, 8.

LECTURE III.—The style of a discourse, 368–379. Grammatical

correctness and purity, 369-371. Plainness; defences against it,

371-376. The affecting style, 376—378.

LECTURE IV. The delivery of a discourse, 379-389. Grammatical
or correct delivery, 379–382. Rhetorical delivery, 382-384. The
practice of reading sermons compared with that of repeating them
memoriter, 384-387. Rules for the management of the voice, 388, 9.

LECTURE V. Various kinds of discourses, 390-399. Different fac-

ulties and susceptibilities appealed to, 390-392. Explanatory and

controversial sermons, 392, 3. Commendatory sermons, 393, 4.

Pathetic discourses, 394, 5. Persuasive discourses, 395. Compa-

rison of sermons with the orations treated of by the ancients, 395

-397. Theatrical performances, 397-399.

LECTURE VI.-Explanation of terms, 399-403. General principles

to be observed in the exposition and the lecture, 403-409.

LECTURE VII.-Explanatory sermons. Choice of a subject, 409, 10.

Design of preaching from texts, and objections to the practice, 410

-412. History of the practice, 413, 14. The text should be plain,

414-416; pertinent, 416, 17; full, simple, 417, 18; authoritative,

418. Exceptions to the preceding rules, 418, 19.

LECTURE VIII.-Explanatory sermons. Rules for the exordium,

420-422; the exposition, 422, 3; division; relation of it to the

text and the subject; 423-431.

LECTURE IX.-Explanatory sermons.

Arrangement of the heads,

431-433. Rules for style; for the use of Scriptural language, 433

-437; for the conclusion, 438-440.

LECTURE X.-Controversial sermons; their proper arrangement,

style and spirit, 440-450.

LECTURE XI.-Commendatory sermons; their proper style and spirit,

450-459. The historical, logical, grammatical arrangement, 452,

3. Reference to the ancient demonstrative orations, 452, 3.

LECTURE XII.-Pathetic discourses; rules for their composition, 459

-463. Persuasive discourses, rules for their composition, 463-468.

ERRATA.-Page 79, eighth line from top, read frame for "fame."
p. 317, sixteenth line from top, insert are after "time." p. 358, four-
teenth line from top, insert manner after" what.'