The National Register. — London, England, 1811-04-07 00:00:00

NATIONAL RE MY2 . 'the Pulpit' No. X XXVIII. •••••111•••=1 Alas l what can some teach, and not mislead, Ignorant of themselves, of God much more ; And how the world began, and bow man fell, Degraded by himself, on Grace depending i---Nlivrtne. REV. RICHARD HARRISON, A. M. 4vIINISI ER OP BRONIPTON LIIAPEL. e t SERMONS should be so ordered," observes the excellent Author of Politica Sacra et Chills, " as that the texts proposed, and the doctrines and divine axioms thereof, may be cleared and understood, according to the drift and scope of the spirit. And the application should be pertinent, to inform the under standing with the truth, and remove errors; and, when that is done, to work effectually on the heart, and make it sensible of sin past, and also pertinent by the precepts, the comtninations and the promises, to comfort and raise up the soul dejected ; and this especially upon the promi. , :es of the Gospel, and upon mo tives to erhort -to duty, and upon reasons restrain from sin ? "— , Such neas his judgment as to sermons, who was himself an able divine during times when learning and religion, erudition and theology, were inseparable in the same breast. There is not touch of this preaching heard and felt in onr days. Perhaps it would be deemed rather hard to require of modern preachers such wegighty sermons as the ancient rule seems to demand. The Rev. RICHARD HARRISON, A. M.was early design •.. , ..- ter forthe clerical profession by his father ; whom he succeeded as Minister of Brampton Chapel, near Knightsbridge, and as ;•- I ,:rillkkernate Lecturer of St. Ilartio's in the Fields. He is also • Alternate Lecturer at St Botolples, Billingsgate, and Chaplain to -81 ~~'bis Grace the Duke of Hamilton. Many persons can yet re , •nrace the father of the present preacher. Critics were once .•• , 'leased to style hint the Garrick of the pulpit ! He was most tnquestionably the best reader or prayers that '1 remember to !nave heard. He did honour to that National Liturgy which was "undoubtedly compiled by one of the best and ablest men that ever adorned the Doctrine of Christ." This was his true • praise; nor is it light praise. Clergymen of great popularity are found but too often above the worth that gives devotion to the e • reading-desk. Such Mr. Harrison was not. Turn we now • to the natural descendant and clerical successor whom be has kit uA. • • The present preacher (Rev. Richard Harrison, A. M.) although by no means so eminently estimeted as once was his father, ranks respectably amongst that numerous claes of clergymen who are Mill fashionably popular in the pulpits of the established church. His person is pleasing, his manner easy, his diction correct ; end th . ougla there is something of lispiog in his speeen, n o so manages his articulation,notveithstandi• , g this impediment, as always to cl.:iiver his compositions with grace, and sometimes with pathos and force. He would improve the effect of his delivery, e hich is on the whole good, were his action changed from the left to the right. hire Han ison seems in no danger of incurring epi,or pal displeasure, either on acecenn of the sermons which he preaches or the manner in winch he preaches Pulpits cannot be rt-fwed to him, either by rectors or vi e u not conforming to modem practices. He writes the sermons be :nust preach—moral sernnis—and is well content to read them. This class of our divines, however, deserve their meed of pr.ise. They are of use when more efficacious ministers would not be heard at all ! This forms their use. Should they fail to arouse tae heart, they may instruct and calm the mind. Though tlLey should not accelerate our steps towards the path of life, etill they serve to kiir“t u 3, like finger-posts, oil the way there ISTER. Preaehars of this stamp still genre to keep up the-" guise" stud show of religion. ONESIMUS. "„• Onesimus has received " the free-will offering of an hao partial Layntan," being certain remarks on the first volume of '-The Pulpit,' which, it seems, " has fallen into his bands within these few days only." Onesimus believes that his book has some right to be " commended on the ground of impartiality," at least ; and the same feeling of impartiality now induces him not only R to excuse the freedom of the remark*" made by the Inv. partial Layman, but to request that he will point out any other inaccuracies which he can discover in the volume, for the pur pose of such unintended (although rather trivial) inaccuracies being corrected. As to matters of opinion, every one must think for himself. _ Zbeological Zioquioftforto. TO TIM ZDITOR OF Tali NATIONAL REGISTER. Sla—l am a new subscriber to your Paper, and think you do wisely in a Sunday Paper of introducing Religious Topics in an age where the extreme of Enthusiasm and Libertinism are so much in vogue. If you think the enclosed worth insertion, and my leiittre permits, I shall occasionally troub'e you with a ftw hints on the same subject, and am, Sir, your well-wisher. March 24, MIL ••••=iIiNESM Religion, practically considered, is the proper exereise of our duties towards God, our neighbour, and ourselves; the Christian. Religion, is the exercise of those duties, from a conviction of the , expiation made by the Saviour for our sins, and that suck a con viction or belief can be of no service to us, unit is we prove it by the practice of these obligations. Our duty towards God, forms . the spiritual part Of religion, the other duties its moral part ; . the ene springinglioni faith, the other from the necessity of obedience implicated with faith. Faith and Works, therefore, make up the substance of the Christian Religion, about which, as most necessary to salvation, there have been many controver sies, some placing their hope in faith, others relying on works.. I think it astonishing there should even be a difference of opinion such a subject, the Gospel explaining it too palpably for any un prejudiced person to misunderstand. By fisith alone we are saved, certainly, but it must be a faith connected with works; one is the tree, the other the fruit; and our Saviour cursed the barren fig-ti ee, consequently, according to the Christian System, works without faith cannot save, neither can faith without works. In regard to the nature of faith it is certainly very simple ::ad adapted to the meanest capacity, implying merely a belie from the heart, of the existence, power, wisdoin, justice, bene volenc and perfections of God, of the divine and human nature of Christ, of his life and death, and of that death being a sacrifice for the sins of all maLkind, who will make it efficacious to them selves by obeyiLg the commandments of the Gospel from such a conviction ; the belief of the Holy Spi. it is consequently attached to this; the abstruse parts of faith, such as predestination, eke- Con, &c. are, I hum:4y presume; too delicate to be canvassed too minutely, and have proved grievous stumbling blocks to many weak minds, at,d sources of desperation to many wicked one s. We are told that all who believe in;Christ, obey his com mandments shall be s:tved, we have therefore only to do that and not trouble ourselves briber, for if we do that and are not to be s iv ed it would argue the Gospel to be false, but as we know it (bles-ed knowledge !) to be true, we are assured that obeying its dictates will save us, and it i , .ridiculous for us to pry further into the matter, and indulge in abstruse speculations, which CI the mind with a fear that paralyzes virtue, and destroys the ener gies of the soul ; and if we so read these dogmas, as to believe, we are predestinated to be saved, it is too apt to produce pre sumption in the mind, and we are particularly told " to work out our salvation with fear and trembling;" that is, with a holy fear which includes love and- reverence, and a humility that leads 4 I .v