SYLLABUS OF THE FOLLOWING LECTURES. LECTURE I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. THE preaching of the gospel is a work, in preparing for which every attainable degree of perfection should be sought. No one should think himself already so perfect as to be above improvement. The requisite improvement is not to be made without one's own efforts. Opinion of Johnson on this point; his example, as a critic on himself. This process of correction requires more caution and judgment in regard to a sermon, than to an essay; but the danger lies more in wrong habits of writing, than in subsequent correction. Yet no man can be so perfect a critic on himself, as not to need some aid from the judgment of others; for two reasons; the imperceptible influence of habit. Partiality to faults which are his own. These principles somewhat modified by age. Other things being equal, the youngest men are generally least patient of criticism. LECTURE II. HISTORY OF PREACHING. What do you know of Enoch as a religious Teacher? and what of Noah? General form of religious instruction and worship in the patriarchal ages,-what was it?-Tabernacle. Schools of the Prophets,-what were they? What change took place after the Captivity, in the quali fications and duties of religious Teachers?-and for what reasons?-Reading of the Scriptures in synagogue worship; what parts?-in what method? Priests in Egypt and Persia; their public rank,—privileges, services. State of assemblies to whom Christ and the Apostles preached. Names of the preacher and of his discourse, among the Fathers. Place of public worship, among the early Christians. Erection of churches in time of Constantine;-Pulpit,-its name and form;-place of Presbyters and Deacons. Time of preaching;—viz. frequency of on week days; number of services on the same Lord's day; usage of the Romish and the Greek church in this respect. Posture of the preacher,-what?-also of the hearers,Classification of hearers,-Why their faces to the east? Prayer, before sermon and after. Reading the Scriptures. Connexion between the passage read, and the subject of the sermon ;-Consequence, as to unity of sermons. LECTURE III. HISTORY OF PREACHING. Subject of Sermons. In ancient assemblies, hearers distinguished into two general classes;-Adaptation of subjects to these. Most general character of subjects in the second century;-state of the church as to controversy. Influence of Platonic philosophy, in the third century, on the pulpit. From Chrysostom onward to the 15th century, state of preaching, as to subjects. Interpretation of the Scriptures in sermons among the Fathers. Influence of Origen; to what extent his system prevailed. Influence of mystical interpretation, in substituting human authority for that of the Bible. Reasoning in Sermons. Character of, among the Fathers. Preparation of Sermons. Extemporary method,-by whom introduced;-evidence that St. Augustine and Chrysostom sometimes preached in this manner;—but that general usage was in favor of written sermons. Eloquence of Sermons. The two most distinguished ancient treatises on this subject. Eloquent Latin Fathers; —also Greek Fathers, besides Chrysostom;—extract from the latter. Length of Sermons. Mode of measuring. Customary length, why difficult to be determined from printed sermons of the day. Effect of sermons; as to silence and order in assemblies: -applauses of hearers,-what, and how far encouraged by preachers. LECTURE IV. CHOICE OF TEXTS. From what principle this practice is derived. Why it is no objection to this practice that there is nothing analogous to it in secular oratory. RULES. 1. A Text should not be chosen as the mere motto of a sermon. General reason;--not respectful to the Bible. Which should be chosen first,-the subject or the text. Campbell's reasons for preferring the former course.1 Cases in which this must be adopted. Danger to be guarded against. General character of Motto Sermons. 2. There should be no affectation of peculiarity in the choice of a text. Professed motive in such cases.— -Examples. 3. A text should contain a complete sense of itself. Explanation of this rule. When it is violated, what is generally the motive;-examples of its violation. Omission of words and phrases in the middle of a text, though the sense is not destroyed. What advantages in a concise text. The proper course for the preacher when his text contains more matter than he wishes to discuss. 4. It should express a complete sense of the inspired writer. The taking from a compound sentence, a single clause, expressing grammatical sense, may or may not be a violation of this rule. 5. It should fairly contain or suggest the subject of discourse. Violations,-where there is a fanciful connexion of sound and sense ;-examples. Where there is no connexion of any sort;-examples. Where the apparent sense is not the true sense; examples. Accommodation of a text; -improper and proper kind of;-examples. 6. A text should have simplicity. Should not demand a nice, philological exposition. Nor a theological discussion to show that the apparent sense is consistent with the preacher's subject. Should not promise great efforts in the preacher. 1 Lectures on Pulpit Eloquence, p. 267. LECTURE V. SUBJECTS OF SERMONS. State of the Church in any period, how to be known from the prevalent strain of preaching. This principle applied to four different periods of the church. Choice of subjects will be according to the principal end of the preacher. Circumstances which have given character to the pulpit at different times;-viz. celebrated models,-great emergencies in the church. Circumstances which at all times will influence a judicious preacher in choosing his subjects:capacity and cultivation of his hearers;-time and occasion ;-his own talents and age;-his relation to the hearers. Four general classes of subjects. I. Doctrinal. Object of a doctrinal sermon. What is meant by essential doctrines. From what motives a man who believes these, may yet forbear to preach them. Reasons for preaching them. II. Ethical. Why this term is here preferred to practical and moral; doctrines are practical. Character of sermons commonly called moral; and influence on hearers. What sort of subjects belong to ethical discourses. Three cautions in public treatment of these. III. Historical. Including facts which respect an individual, a period, a community. Eulogies on the dead inexpedient, why? Maxim De mortuis, nil nisi bonum.' Nor may we describe all the bad qualities of the dead; the true course. Two difficulties in preaching on historical subjects. Several advantages; evidence of facts surpasses other kinds, (first) In familiarity and precision: (secondly) In vivacity of impression. Examples from the Bible of the difference between abstract teaching, and illustration of facts. IV. Hortatory. The most common fault in this sort of discourse; remarks on language of terror and denunciation. Three general remarks as to choice of subjects. The preacher should, Aim at variety; Avoid a vain love of novelty. Never be perplexed for want of subjects. |