The National Register. — London, England, 1808-12-25 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL lIEGISTEIt. DEC, 25• POPULAR PREACHERS. No. XX. That GLORIOUS Foam, that light antollktable, And that far-beaming blaze of Majesty, Wherewith he went, at Heaven's high council table, To sit the midst of Tat Iv A L UNITY He laid aside a and, here with us to be, Forsook the courts of everlasting day ; And chose with its a darksome house of Mortal cl 'ziay ! .3A ps. REV. GEORGE MATHEW, M. A. (CnßisTares DAY, 1808) 0P earstnricm, AND ST. JAMBS'S. " IT would now he extremely unadviseable," observes Illackstoue " to make any alteration in the Stowe op THE CHUIRCII ; unless by its own consent, or unless it could be 'hewn that some manifest impiety or shocking absurdity will follow from continuing the present forms. This po sition always struck me as equally entitled t o consideration and confidence, and as capable of being essentially extended in its application. Let me be indulged in briefly stating my reasons for this persuasion. It would seem ridiculous in me, as it would be super fluous in others, to write common-place commendations on the liturgy of our established church, A very different purpose now actuates my pen. I consider the Book of Common-Prayer' invaluable t not as containing the meer ritual part of the worship of the Church of England, but as an invariable standard of her Principles, as well as her practice. Men dispute ' often causelessly enough, concern ing the interpretation of particular sentences of Holy Writ, tud by this means endeavour to stagger the faith of nar rowed or weak minds ; but it is not upon dubious construc tions of contested passages of the Sacred Scriptures, not upon variations of critical exposition, that the Ecclesiasti al Establishment of this Country depends for its spiritual stability. While our national Creed. continue to be re ceived in the Church, and while what are known as the Thirty-rant Articles find their place in its Liturgy, our Religious Faith is unquestionably, and, may I add, irre vocably fixed ! To" this law and to this testimony," then, let us confidently appeal, whenever we are called npon to ;iicertain the merits of those Preachers on whom they are peculiarly binding. It is this consideration that principally excites my esteem for the forms of devotional service ap pointed by authority among us. They contain, I think, the Bible Test, the acknowledged rides of arbitration, amidst schism or dissent, in all clerical controversies,—the Criterion of our common Christianity. We may now dis cern the full importance of the admonition, laid down by the illustrious author whose sentiments have introduced these reflections on the 6* SERVICE OF THE CHURCH." Convinced myself of these things, and anxious to further their influence on the mintiv of those who honour this pa per with their serious attention, it must not be objected to me if, in the prosecution of my leading design, I happen occasionally to expostulate with those whose sacred province it is to impart the " glad-tidings" of salvation to their fel low -Creatures f and sometimes to remonstrate with such characters, w h en th e i r i nstruc ti ons d oc t r i na lly and vitally degenerate from the fundamental axioms of divine truth, or the essential principles of divine faith. Lamentably should I f a ll s h ort of the task 1 have un d erta k en , were th e displeasure of any individual sufficient to stifle, even under any circumstances, the candid expression of those opinions which fidelity required me to state. However disputable be may my pretensions to ability integrity it still with in lily reach. GEORGE MATHEW, M. A. of whom it now remains to give such account as it is in my power to render, it of Trinity.ulege in the University of Cambiidge. As the . Chaplain to a High-Sheriff for Suffolk; he was formerly requested to print two! Assize. Sermons. I have not seen either of the sermons, but am told that both of them '4 do him . credit." Mr. M athew has been fur some tune a morn ing preacher at Greenwich Church, and, in conjunction. with Mr, Stevens, Evening Preacher at the Magdalen. Ho also new preaches occasionally at St. James's Church, icx Piccadilly, during the absence of Dr. Andrewes. Here, in deed, is the place where his ministerial labours are likely to acquire him desirable distinction. Perhaps this Gentleman will not allow my estimate of his powers, when I confess it would be hyperbolical to de signate him as one of the most eminent preachers of his age. He is sound ;" and his delivery, if it cannot be called highly animated, is appropriate and efficient ; but there is in him nothing strikingly original,—nothing that separates character, that individualises excellence. He partakes too much of the caste of the priesthood. Mr, Mathew, it occurs to me, has, however uninten t'onally, lately fallen into an imitation of Dr. Andrewos. - Hence he has toe much of the lecturer, but too little of the preacher; too much of the rostrum, but too little of the pulpit. Hence, also, he excels rather in the evideo- , tial illustration of our religion. his discourses are fully historical, but they arc not sufficiently supplicatory. Let me nut he understood as wishing to pass couderona.. tion ou historical preaching altogether. It is often the safest mode of teaching, fur young divines to adopt ; and may sometimes, especially where there are numbers of yonng hearers, best answer the purposes of public instruc . tion. Still it forms - the food of babes" only—it is not the manna of manly nutrition. An historical faith is not a ik believing faith. ‘4 Our business," said Mr. Mathew, when last I heard. him, " is not to entertain, but to iustruct and save." Here we are devoutly agreed. "To entertain"' surely, no S " What I will he seek to dazzle me with tropes; " As with the diamond on his lilly hand ; " And play his brilliant parts before my eyes, " When I am hungry fur the bread of life ! " • is But to instruct and save" is, in truth, the end of preaching ; not forgetting, for one. instant, that salcatiol must be the aim of all religious instructien I The matter it now brought within limits.—What is the mode of divine Instruction, best calculated to produce human Salvation I have just hinted one of the most momentous enquiries. as it affects the christian clergy, with which I am acquaint ed. Paley's works are not the principal source whence such characters should seem ambitious of collecting their testimonials. Diffidence, I apprehend, is the great difficulty Mr. Ma' thew has to encounter. lie fears to diverge into danger ; he therefore keeps the beaten path, without considering whether it may be the hest ; and thus foregoes the advans tikes which he might possibly derive, from acting up for his own conceptions of the pulpit. Let him lay aside the primness of the priest, and divest himself of the servility of imitation. With more of Paul, and less of Paley, some thing really estimable may be yet expected from this ac complished and ingenious Divine. One circumstance had nearly escaped my recollection. Whether it is the consequence of that self-diffidence which I before noticed in Mr. Mathew, or whether it originates . • in the uncomfortable sensation of not knowing how best to dispose of his person when he enters the pulpit, he has an • awkward habit of busying himself by continually turning over the leaves of his sermon, seemingly employed in pre paratively reviewing their contents. This anticipatory occupation is attended with some decided disadsantages. It prevents the preacher from assuming that erect posture. which is so truly becoming in him the moments previously to beginning his discourse; while it disappoints the eyes of his congregation, who naturally look up for him when he appears in his sacred station; and, therefore, it too much • detach./ him from them, at the iaterestinz instant v. ben • ~, .. --~~ ~:~ • 191 . 1:6 . 161 ▪ 153 . If 2 r Cant of Ntr. 1 to a e. the ►ire MI, the oh- le va- VIS 00 , VA . 455 . 249 . 21 . V:VI . 215 • ~I