raifing his Subject too high, or running it down too low, than to lay before them the native Confequences of Things; and that which upon Reflection they may be all able to perceive is really true. Virtue is

fo good in it felf, that it needs no false Paint to make it look better; and Vice is fo bad, that it can never look fo ugly, as when fhewed in its own natural Colours. So that an undue Sublime in fuch Defcriptions does Hurt, and can do no Good.

When the explanatory Part of the Sermon is over, the Application comes next : And here great Judgment must be used, to make it fall the heavieft, and lie the longest upon fuch Particulars as may be within the Compass of the Auditory: Directions concerning a high Devotion, to a ftupid ignorant Company; or of Generofity and Bounty, to very poor People; against Pride and Ambition, to fuch as are dull and low minded, are ill fuited, and fo must have little Effect upon them. Therefore Care must be taken that the Application be useful and proper; that it make the Hearers apprehend fome of their Sins and Defects, and fee how to perform their Duty; that it awaken them to it, and direct them in it: And therefore the most common Sins, fuch as Mens Neglecting their Duty to God, in the several Branches of it; their fetting

their Hearts inordinately upon the World; their Lying in Difcourfe, but chiefly in Bargainings; their evil Speaking, and their Hatred and Malice, ought to be very often brought in. Some one or other of these, ought to be in every Application that is made, by which they may fee, that the whole Defign of Religion lies against them. Such particular Sins, Swearing, Drunkenness, or Lewdness, as abound in any Place must likewife be frequently brought in here. The Application must be clear and short, very weighty, and free of every Thing that looks like the Affectations of Wit and Eloquence; here the Preacher must be all Heart and Soul, defigning the Good of his People. The whole Sermon is directed to this: Therefore as it is fit that the chief Point which a Sermon drives at, fhould come often over and over, that fo the Hearers may never lofe Sight of it, but keep it still in View; fo in the Application, the Text must be fhewed to speak it; all the Parts of the Explanation must come in, to enforce it: The Application must be opened in the feveral Views that it may have, but those must be chiefly infifted on that are most suitable both to the Capacities and the Circumftances of the People. And in Conclufion, all ought to be fummed up in a weighty Period or two; and fome other

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other fignal Paffage of the Scriptures relating to it may be fought for, that fo the Matter may be left upon the Auditory in the folemnest Manner poffible.

Thus I have led a Preacher through the Compofition of his Sermon; I will next lay before him fome Particulars relating to it. The shorter Sermons are, they are generally both better heard, and better remembred. The Cuftom of an Hour's Length, forces many Preachers to trifle away much of the Time, and to fpin out their Matter, fo as to hold out. So great a Length does alfo flat the Hearers, and tempt them to fleep; especially when, as is ufual, the firft Part of the Sermon is lauguid and heavy: In half an Hour a Man may lay open his Matter in its full Extent, and cut off thofe Superfluities which come in only to lengthen the Discourse : and he may hope to keep up the Attention of his People all the While. As to the Stile, Sermons ought to be very plain; the Figures must be eafy, not mean, but noble and brought in upon Defign to make the Matter better understood. The Words in a Sermon must be fimple, and in common Ufe; not favouring of the Schools, nor above the Understanding of the People. All long Periods, fuch as carry two or three different Thoughts in them, must be avoid

ed; for few Hearers can follow or apprehend thefe: Niceties of Stile are loft before a common Auditory. But if an easy Simplicity of Stile fhould run through the whole Compofition, it fhould take Place moft of all in the explanatory Part; for the Thing being there offered to be understood, it should be stript of all Garnishing: Definitions fhould not be offered in the Terms or Method, that Logick directs. In fhort, a Preacher is to fancy himself, as in the Room of the most unlearned Man in his whole Parish; and therefore he muft fuch Parts of his Difcourfe as he would have all understand, in so plain a Form of Words, that it may not be beyond the meaneft of them. This he will certainly study to do, if his Defire is to edify them, rather than to make them admire himself as a learned and high-spoken Man.

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But in the applicatory Part, if he has a true Taste of Eloquence, and is a Master at it, he is to employ it all in giving fometimes fuch tender Touches, as may soften, and deeper Gafhes, fuch as may awaken his Hearers. A vain Eloquence here is very ill plac'd; for if that can be born any where, it is in illuftrating the Matter; but all must be grave, where one would per fuade: The moft natural, but the most senfible Expreffions come in beft here. Such

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an Eloquence as makes the Hearers look grave, and as it were out of Countenance, is the propereft. That which makes them look lively, and as it were fmile upon one another, may be pretty, but it only tickles the Imagination, and pleases the Ear; whereas that which goes to the Heart, and wounds it, makes the Hearer rather look down, and turns his Thoughts inward, upon himself: For it is certain that a Sermon, the Conclufion whereof makes the Auditory look pleafed, and fets them all a talking one with another, was either not right spoken, or not right heard; it has been fine, and has probably delighted the Congregation, rather than edified it. But that Sermon that makes every one go away filent and grave, and hastning to be alone, to meditate or pray over the Matter of it in Secret, has had its true Effect.

He that has a Tafte and Genius for Eloquence, muft improve it by reading Quintilian, and Tully's Books of Oratory, and by obferving the Spirit and Method of Tully's Orations: Or if he can enter into Demofthenes, there he will will fee a much better Pattern, there being a Simplicity, a Shortnefs, and a Swiftnefs and Rapidity in him, that could not be heard without putting his Auditors into a great Commotion. All our modern Books upon thefe Subjects, are fo

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