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 to 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, when their instructions doctrinally and vitally
degenerate from the fundamental axioms of divine truth,
or the essential principles of divine faith. Lamentably
should I fall short of the task 1 have undertaken, were the
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. Mathew 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