fermon with them, particularly what was most suited to their capacity and circumstances. I affure you, I have often learned much from the answers of little children to fuch queries; learned what part of a fermon they best understood, were affected with, what kind of fentiments or language ftruck them; and fo knew how better to preach to children, that is, to nine parts in ten of every auditory; for fo many are children in understanding. To talk over with them any remarkable occurrence in the parish or neighbourhood, as the death of a child- fudden death-the feafon of the year phænomena-may be useful; or sometimes to give each a text of fcripture (always a fhort one) to remember and think of against the next meeting, and then talk it over with them; efpecially a text fuited to any particular failing in them, or circumftance of E 3 or uncommon their their family as againft lying, idleness, love of finery, of flovenlinefsfleeping at church or playing on the fabbath or fuppofe once in a year you were to preach a fermon to children, and give notice of it the preceding Sunday. -To have your notes with you in the pulpit, yet to enlarge, as occafion may require, is best. When pious, pertinent thoughts arife, pursue them, as far as you find matter flow eafily. Application is the life and foul of preaching: warm addreffes, according to your hearers' different characters, ftations and circumftances, will be useful. After your paftoral vifits or catechifing, keep hints of what you learn and obferve, which may direct the strain or pointing of your publick difcourfes. Teaching is one of the best ways of learning: and there is in a minifter's work, as in matter, action and reaction. His own foul and his people's - people's will thus be reciprocally influenced. Perhaps nothing is more neceffary, than frequently and plainly to caution persons, especially the fick, against laying an undue ftrefs on the Lord's Supper, having wrong notions of it, and expecting from it, what it was never defigned to produce or convey. I have known fome worthy clergymen complain of their great embaraffment in this refpect. And as it is very grievous to have any thing like arguing and difputing with the fick and dying, this fhould often be done in the pulpit and converfation when they are well. But enough of these fubjects. I am truly concerned on account of Dr. STONHOUSE's mournful accounts from India, and very tenderly fympathize with him under this fevere trial; knowing how much a perfon of his delicate frame and irritable nerves, must fuffer E 4 fuffer by fo unexpected an event.* But I pray and hope, that God will fupport him, and enable him ftill to go on with his Master's work. An acceffion of fpiritual children, begotten in Chrift Jefus by the gofpel preached by him, will be his beft relief and cordial under this heavy affliction; and in the prospect and hope of this, I truft he will perfevere. God often calls his minifters to peculiar trials, that he may exhibit them as examples of patience, meeknefs, ferenity, and even chearfulness, and lead them to recommend and enforce their publick exhortations thereby. It is good to have this in our thoughts in our afflicted feasons, and to do honour to our religion and profeffion, by a refemblance to our divine Mafter. To his affiftance, compaffion, and bleffing I heartily recommend him. *The death of his eldest fon. You You will do well to make MoSHEIM'S Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, translated from the Latin, by MACLAINE, familiar to you, as it is I think the best on the fubject and Dr. JORTIN, who was an excellent judge of a book of that kind, commends it as the most honest, impartial, and comprehenfive of any. he had met with.* : You have my best wishes and prayers for your good fuccefs. I am your affectionate friend, &c. JOB ORTON. "MOSHEIM's Compendium, fays Bp. WARBURTON, is excellent, the method admirable, in fhort, the only one deferving the name of an Ecclefiaftical History." As a Compendium, the editor prefers Dr. GREGORY's Hiftory of the Chriftian Church from the earliest periods to the prefent time; two volumes, octavo, printed for KEARSLEY, Fleet-fireet. LETTER |