finds as much satisfaction in one class of passages as in another; and employs the one (he believes) as often, and as freely, as the other. Where the Inspired Writers speak in unqualified terms, he thinks himself at liberty to do the same; judging, that they needed no instruction from him how to propagate the truth. He is content to sit as a learner at the feet of the holy Apostles, and has no ambition to teach them how they ought to have spoken. And as both the strong Calvinists and Arminians approve of some parts of Scripture and not of others, such he expects will be the judgment of the partisans of these particular systems on his unworthy comments; the Calvinists approving of what is written on passages which have a Calvinistic aspect; and the Arminians, of what is written on passages that favour their particular views. In like manner, he has reason, he fears, to expect a measure of condemnation from the advocates of each system, when treating of the passages which they appear to him to wrest, each for the purpose of accommodating them to his own favourite opinions. He bitterly regrets that men will range themselves under human banners and leaders, and employ themselves in converting the Inspired Writers into friends and partisans of their peculiar principles. Into this fault he trusts that he has never fallen. One thing he knows, namely, that pious men, both of the Calvinistic and Arminian persuasion, approximate very nearly when they are upon their knees before God in prayer;-the devout Arminian then acknowledging his total dependence upon God, as strongly as the most confirmed Calvinist; and the Calvinist acknowledging his responsibility to God, and his obligation to exertion, in terms as decisive as the most determined Arminian. And what both these individuals are upon their knees, it is the wish of the Author to become in his writings. Hence it is that he expects to be alternately approved by both parties, and condemned by both. His only fear is, that each may be tempted to lay hold of those parts of his work only which oppose their favourite system, and represent them as containing an entire view of his sentiments. He well knows the force of prejudice, and the bitterness of the odium Theologicum; and he cannot hope to be so fortunate as completely to escape either. But, even if assailed on all sides, he shall

have the satisfaction of reflecting, that it has been his wish simply to follow the Oracles of God. The Scriptures and the Church of England have been claimed, by each of these two parties, as exclusively favouring their peculiar system; and if the same comprehensive and liberal character be found in his writings, he shall consider it, whatever may be the judgment of mere partisans, as no small presumption in his own favour.

There is another point also, in respect to which it has been his aim not to offend; and that is, in not so perverting the Scripture as to make it refer to Christ and his salvation, when no such object appears to have been in the contemplation of the inspired writer. He regrets to observe, in some individuals, what he knows not how to designate by any more appropriate term than that (which however he uses with much hesitation) of an ultra-Evangelical taste; which overlooks in many passages the practical lessons they were intended to convey, and detects in them only the leading doctrines of the Gospel. This error he has laboured earnestly to avoid; being well assured, that lessons of morality are, in their place, as useful and important as the doctrines of grace. In a word, it has been his endeavour faithfully to deliver, in every instance, what he verily believed to be the mind of God in the passage immediately under consideration: and in the adoption of this principle of interpretation, he trusts for the approbation of all, who prefer the plain and obvious comments of sobriety to the far-fetched suggestions of a licentious fancy. He wishes much that the practice of expounding the Scriptures, which obtained so generally, and with such beneficial effects, at the time of the Reformation, were revived. He has in his present work introduced many Discourses constructed upon this model; and he cannot but earnestly recommend it to his Younger Brethren in the Ministry, especially those who preach three times in the week, to reserve at least one of these seasons for exposition. It is his wish, however, to guard them against a desultory manner of explaining the Scripture; and to advise, that the leading point of the whole passage be the point mainly regarded; and the subordinate parts only so far noticed, as to throw additional light upon that. If this caution be not attended to, the minds of the people are likely to be distracted

with the diversity and incoherence of the matter brought before them. But if an unity of subject be preserved, the discourse will come with ten-fold weight to the minds of the audience; who will be led, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to search the Scriptures for themselves, and to read them with more profit at their own homes. To this it may be added, that it is not necessary the whole passage should be read for the text: let the most striking part of it alone be introduced in the first instance; and then the whole explained, with such remarks as are suited to impress on the mind the truths contained in it. This will be found to have been the course pursued in many of the following Discourses, to a greater extent perhaps than at first sight appears.

In order to render the work useful as a COMMENTARY ON THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, the Author has made it his object carefully to consider the context, and, in every passage which he undertook to examine, has uniformly limited his consideration of every distinct subject to the view of it presented in the context. The Author thinks it expedient, that discourses delivered before mixed assemblies should present a complete view of a subject, without reference to any preceding or following discourse and to this he has directed his attention throughout the whole work; so that any single Discourse will present to the Reader all that was judged necessary for the elucidation and improvement of the subject in hand. And, if in some few instances there be an idea repeated in two consecutive Discourses, it may well be accounted for, from the circumstance, that, though standing together here, many, so placed, were preached at the distance of twenty or thirty years from each other.

The Author has also sought to render the work useful for FAMILIES. It has often been a matter of complaint, that there existed few Sermons sufficiently plain and concise for the instruction of Servants: he has therefore filled up the outline of many of these sketches somewhat fully, hoping that Clergymen and others may find them not altogether useless as a Family Instructor.

The texts cited in the New Testament from the Old, or occurring more than once in the volume of Scripture, are treated only once in the volume, and that generally in the

place where it seems to the Author to occupy the most important station. This he particularly mentions, in order that the Reader may not be led to imagine, that a passage occurring in any one Gospel is left unnoticed, because no Discourse upon it is found in that particular place; or that a prophecy is not examined, because it is not considered in the book of the particular Prophet where it originally occurs. Some passages in the Prophets are cited in the New Testament no less than six different times, (particularly Ps. cxviii. 22, 23, and Isai. vi. 9, 10); but of course such passages are investigated only once.

In order that the agreement between the Author's views, and what he conceives to be the views of the Church of England, may be ascertained, he begs leave to refer the Reader to the Four Sermons on Deut. v. 28, 29, in which "The Excellency of the Liturgy" is delineated; and to that on 2 Cor. i. 13, wherein "The Churchman's Confession" is considered. And to any who may wish to become acquainted with the Author's views of what is called "Evangelical Religion," he begs to recommend the perusal of the Sermons on 1 Cor. ii. 2, and Psalm cxix. 128; which were written for the express purpose of exhibiting, in as clear and comprehensive a manner as he was able, his opinions upon that important subject. More especially, with this object, he would entreat their candid consideration of what he has called an "Appeal to Men of Wisdom and Candour:" (on 1 Cor. x. 15.) All these Sermons, together with those on the Liturgy, and those on the Offices. of the Holy Spirit, were delivered before the University of Cambridge. These Discourses, it may be added, comprehend all the topics which he considers as of primary and fundamental importance to mankind. On many other points there exists, and will probably continue to exist, a diversity of opinion and in writing upon the whole Scriptures, it would not be expected but that he should occasionally touch on such topics, as they presented themselves to him in his course. But as he has endeavoured, without prejudice or partiality, to give to every text its just meaning, its natural bearing, and its legitimate use, he hopes, that those who dislike his expositions of the texts which oppose their particular views, will consult what he has written on the texts which they regard as the sheetanchors of their system; and that, finding him, as he trusts

they will, free from party spirit, they will themselves endeavour to shake off party prejudices, and co-operate with him in maintaining and extending that comprehensive, and generous, and harmonious, as well as devout spirit in the Church, which, he ventures to say, it has been one of the great objects of his life to promote.

The Author has only to add, that by compressing thus every subject into the smallest space, he has given in this work, what, if a little dilated and printed in the usual way, would have occupied one hundred volumes. And if the Reader peruse one discourse every day of his life, the whole will occupy him exactly SEven years.