The National Register. — London, England, 1811-09-15 00:00:00

TIONAL The late Rev. T. SPENCER, . of LIVERPOOL. LETTER 111. TO THE EDITOR OP THE NATIONAL REGISTER. sia—With much diffidence, I resume my pen, to com ylate the task which an unfeizned friendship for the de ceased, and an admiration of his extraordinary gifts and talents as a preacher, have assigned me. Other, and far abler minds, learn, are employed in doing justice to his excellent worth : should, therefore, my humble tribute be esteemed but as a wild ower, thrown on the turf which now covers his " narrow house," my . wishes will be amply realized. A mind that is formed to be truly great, displays in the ear liest expansion and exercise of its powers (ndependently of all methodical tuition), an analogy between its own conceptions of • what is sublime and chaste, judicious and excellent, and those principles which have been stamped such by the authority of 'ages. Such a mind was SPENCER'S; and its powers being so early sanctified and fixed for the service of the REDEEMER, it 4 • could not he otherwise than that in due time, he should fulfil the sanguine expectation of his friends ; and in the display of his rich v.triety and excellence orpulpit-talent, command, as he did, the attention and admiration of thousands: and leave on their now sorrowful hearts, - the association of the name of Spencer with all that is good and great ! In so wide a field as the prosecution of this subject, if indulged in, would open, it is necessary to set limits to our thoughts. I therefore submit the following hints, as exhibiting (though in a very imperfect degree), those characteristics which appeared to me to distinguish the pulpit discourses of our departed friend. , Purity of doctrine,' and a clear corniirchedsive view of Scripture, are the invaluable attainments of those who study in the acaderny where Mr. Spencer was trained ; nor can it he otherwise, so long as tutors so judicious and good have the sup;:lintendance of their studies. In his choice of tarts—be was superior to those little whims, that lead some to select but one or two words; or a text that is quaint. He preferred those passages which convey a complete some, and exhibit the glorious truths of the Gospel ; judiciously esteeming such to he the most likely subjects to be honoured with the Divine blessing. In the discu!sion of his text—his exordium, or introduction, • was unifoimly appropriate ; because it either shed light on the connection which the text formed with the passage of Scripture from whence it was taken; or, in a more ger.eral way, it was introductory to the leading point to be inskted on in the discourse. There are some little minds who cannot discoeer the matchless dignity of simplicity, and who appear to have scraped together, on their own principles of the sublime and beautiful, a series of half a dozen melting and terrific exordiums, highly worked up, which they flourish off in the course of the year, as symphonies to twenty different sermons ! Such Institut exordiums (Erl,c:ri— erttia docet,) are the sure prelude to a dying Inn. In the division of his sulilict—ht- was an avowed enemy to a Multiplicity of heads and sub-divisions. Such sermons he used *9 call " all bones!" 44 I like," said he, " to give the people a Jew good bones, and well covered with the provision of lite." His divisions, therefore, were few, but perspicuous and impressive ; and the terms expressive of them were easily retained, because they were delivered in all the majesty of simplicity. His divi sions formed, in the whole. a striking gradation, and sweet har .. Mony of component parts: One step leading necessarily and un affectedly to the next ; until the whole presented the structure of a wise master-builder—simply grand ! His conelsoions were tender and elevated. In the general arrangement of his discourses e - T dignified sim plicity and gravity, winged with more than a Seraph's fire, beani. ed front the putipi t t where Spencer stood. Aware that one of tile chief designs of preaching, is to inform the understanding, he aimed at this by affecting the heart. The subjects he unitormly chose were in themselves so solid, evangelical and edifying, that these points were mutually advanced. Conviction ensued on. the u►ederstentdiug, by the impressions he made on the heart ; fur in his doctrinal instructions, he was pleasing and affecting; in his pleasing parts, he was instructive. Extraneous matter he carefully avoided ; such as deep, criti cal, and grammatical observations, wily fit for the closet of the student and scholar. When such impertinenries are much dealt in, they generally indicate a conceited mind, and always a miserably crude: taste. His powers were uniformly excellent. No sudden blaze of genius in some, discovered the poverty of other sermons ; for, though Spencer. lake all great minds, had his seasons of pecsdiar energy, yet his discourses in general were distinguished for ani mation and talent. He opened not his mouth even in addresses to children and young persons, but the simplest truths glowed with sublimity under his touch. With such attractive powers, it may naturally be inferred, that it would often be his lot to preach collection-sermons. let it be recorded to his honour, that on such occasions, he di'i not trim his discourses to work on the ft:dings, but, if possiblc, he laboured more intensely to inculcate the glorious doctrines LI the Gospel of his salvation, on the hearts and conscience's of thz• hearers; and then, at the close, with a neatness peculiar to him elf, lie would introduce as a natural inference for the due 'trines proposed, the duty and privilege of Christians, to he aiding in such collection as that of the occa.inn. There is a fashion in one day, with many Ministers, of preaching such sermons, as though their on!) , aim was to melt the animal spirits, and thus render the 'weaker part of the congregation more susceptible . of being is het into acts—can I say—of Chriatian beneficence Surely not ! A mind such as Spencer's, must hold such ow*. nmuurcs in sovereign. contempt; and experience has decidedly oved, to the honour of Christianity, that such artifices aro not necessary—for his collections were uniformly excellent—lre. quently splenk . r. , There is yet a duster of excellences . to be noted re—Excellences that gave life and vigour to all the rest. Whatever the subject might be, the SAvro eta was un?lormly and pre emincney exalted. Every lesser thought (like the sun-flower,) turned Its bosom to HI m, and from Hts presence derived its light and heat. The se. cond,tar in this cluatee was that, with Spencer, Scripture (pore and nroophisticateci) was the iuterpreter of ScriptUre ! " cpm.• paring spiritual things with spiritual."' A memory, lively and retentive, enabled him, most seasonably and impressively', to draw out from the rich stores of the BIBLE at pleasure; and in his hand, all its doctrines and its promises swertly harmonited. Again—lie displayed in all his discourses a 'narked decision of character. There are'some preachers who would fain pass for Orthodox, whose discourses exhibit every feature but deciiion. Their sermons possess something like glimmerings of the truth of the Gospel ; a kind of worm-light brightness—much shade and no heat. Not such were Spencer's. With all the manly elo quence and fidelity of a Paul, he was ever ready to proclaim— " I am not ashamed of the Gc,spel of Christ : wherefore 1 take you to record this day, that 1 am pure f um the blood of all. Men. For 1 have not shunned to declare unto yru all the counsel' of God !" He spoke of the value of the Saviour, and of the blessings of salvation, from his own crperknee of their worth ; and it was this depth of rich experience, in one so young, that imparted an unction to his discourses that must he felt to be' known. To these excellences of mind, add corporeal endowments in every way calculated to make, if possible, TRUTH more lovely—. idiO! •' What Mr. Spencer gloried in proclaiming as the coun#l God, is most ably set forth and unanswerably defended, by renowned Herman Witsius, in his " Economy of the Covenants. A work that should accompany the Bible in every ' library —Yea, with the Bible, it is 4 Christip's see ain pass for ut decision. ,f the truth h shade and manly elo- proclaim— efore 1 take of all men. counsel* of he blessings ; and it was imparted an wn. lowments in pion lovely— le counsel of ided, by the Covenants." y Christian's 's library of