desire was also somewhat increased by the fact, that the Theological Institution with which I have the happiness to be connected, has adopted a course of study very similar to that which Dr. Campbell recommends; a course, which does not require a connected scheme of theology to be formed by the student, till he shall have carefully studied in the original languages, the whole of the. New Testament and the most important portions of the Old. It has, however, been thought best to republish only the first of those Lectures which have been placed, in other editions, at the commencement of the volume, and which have been entitled Introductory Discourses. The omission of these Discourses will be satisfactory to all, when it is stated that, with the exception of the first, they are almost throughout of a local nature, having reference to the peculiar state of things in the established church of Scotland, and in the college at Aberdeen, of which the author was Principal. For the same reason, the first paragraph in the first Lecture on Systematic Theology has been omitted. The Lectures on Pulpit Eloquence need no recommendation. During the several years in which I have given instruction in the department of Pastoral Duties, I have met with nothing so well adapted to prepare a student for the composition of sermons. This, however, does not imply that every thing contained in these Lectures is indispensable, or is in fact just as it should be. Some may doubt the utility of the author's exact distribution of sermons into the various kinds which he mentions. Some, again, may fear that sermons executed according to his directions would be like marble statues, graceful indeed, and polished, yet destitute of living expression. But of what system of directions on any subject, as used by a beginner, may not the same complaint be made? Shall the artist then refuse to study rules? Shall we have no books on rhetoric? It requires no uncommon share of good sense either in a student or an instructer, least of all in the affectionate pastor, to derive the contemplated benefit from a system of directions, and, at the same time, to avoid the stiffness of scholastic rule. Experience will soon render the application of rules easy; and to the correctness which the study of rules may impart, will add a happy adaptation to the characters and circumstances of men. For this adaptation, as for true eloquence, 'labor and learning may toil, but they will toil in vain. They cannot compass it. It must exist in the man;' and it can be cherished and perfected only by his com ing into contact with his fellow-men. He must be a slow learner indeed who does not soon discover, that one of the most important rules for preparing profitable sermons in the actual state of a minister's people is, not to be so fettered by any rules respecting the choice of a subject or text, or respecting the manner of discussion, as to be prevented from embracing a favorable opportunity for impressing religious truth. A correct acquaintance with the Scriptures, a mind deeply imbued with their sentiments, good common sense, an affectionate solicitude for the salvation of men, an abiding sense of responsibility to God, are the grand requisites for useful preaching. And did a man possessing these, never read Fordyce, Claude, or Campbell, he still might become a highly valuable minister of the gospel. But of the utility of some helps in this part of the minister's duty, who can doubt? That helps have been sought to an extreme, is painfully evident from the fact that such books as Simeon's Skeletons and Hannam's Pulpit Assistant, have found purchasers. The other extreme would be, for an unpractised man to neglect all helps. A suitable medium is furnished by Dr. Campbell, whose directions proceed from a correct view of human nature, and are adapted to call forth and sharpen the mental powers of the preacher. In preparing this edition, my aim has been to make the work more fitted to students in this country, and more profitable to those whose studies have not extended beyond their own language. In former editions, sentences occur in the Latin language without a translation. These are now made intelligible to the mere English reader. The last paragraph of the Introductory Discourse has been omitted, as it only contained the author's reasons for not writing his Lectures in Latin. In the third and fourth of the Lectures on Pulpit Eloquence, as published in former editions, are remarks specially adapted to natives of Scotland; in these two Lectures six sentences have been omitted as not applicable in this country, and four others have been modified so as to retain what would be universally applicable. In the same Lectures, for the word elocution the word expression has been substituted, a word used by Dr. Campbell as conveying essentially the same idea as he intended to convey by the word elocution. But as the word elocution has now an entirely different meaning, no doubt were Dr. Campbell living, he himself would employ a different word. The reader who is accustomed to Dr. Campbell's style, will also perceive that the pronoun you, for the nominative plural, has been substituted for the antiquated ye. A few other peculiarities of Dr. Campbell which occur in this work, it was not thought expedient to alter. The excellence of Fenelon's Dialogues concerning Eloquence, their general agreement with the sentiments of Dr. Campbell's Lectures, and their more ample discussion of certain topics connected with preaching, render their insertion in this volume quite appropriate. These Dialogues Dr. Doddridge has called 'incomparable dialogues on eloquence; which,' he remarks, may God put it into the hearts of our preachers often and attentively to read.' It will be perceived that the copious Greek and Latin notes introduced by Fenelon are not translated. The reasons for not translating them are simply these. The reader who is acquainted with merely the English language, is not embarrassed by them, and does not, in consequence of them, lose any of the author's thoughts. The classical reader will also perceive, that the notes, for the most part, express the same ideas as are expressed in the text, and seem intended by Fenelon as confirmations of his sentiments, derived from the distinguished writers of antiquity; or rather, as proofs that he drew his notions of eloquence from the great masters of oratory. Newton Theological Institution, H. J. RIPLEY. ADVERTISEMENT TO THE FIRST EDITION. THE favourable reception of the Lectures on Ecclesiastical History, and the desire of many to have an opportunity of perusing Dr. Campbell's prelections on the other branches of his theological courses, have led to the publication of the following work. The Lectures on Ecclesiastical History the author had prepared for the press, having carefully transcribed and corrected them. The prelections now published were composed for the benefit of the students of divinity in Marischal College, without any view to publication. They were first delivered in the years 1772 and 1773, and the author continued, during his professorship, to read them to the students, as they had been at first composed. Indeed, they were written so closely as to admit very little addition or alteration. But though they want the benefit of the author's corrections, the language, it is presumed, will not be found very deficient in that of perspicuity, precision and accuracy, which distinguished Dr. Campbell as a writer. His other acknowledged qualities as an author, the judicious and attentive reader will not be at a loss to discern. He will discover in this volume great ingenuity with no affectation of singularity, freedom and impartiality of spirit without any propensity to fabricate new theories, acuteness of understanding without precipitancy or impatience in judging; endowments perhaps rare, but of the first importance in theological discussions. To students of theology these discourses will be highly useful. They are more of a practical nature, than his lectures formerly published, and they abound in valuable counsels and remarks. From this volume and from the author's work on the Gospels, the student will learn, both by precept and example, how his industry and ingenuity may be most profitably employed. The greater part of the abstract theological questions, which have afforded matter of inexhaustible contention, and the precarious speculations of some of our late intrepid theorists in religion, Dr. Campbell regarded as worse than unprofitable. In these theorists he observed a fundamental mistake, in regard to the proper province of the reasoning faculty. Impatience in judging, he thought, was another great source of the evil alluded to. "Some people," he remarks in his last preliminary dissertation to his work on the Gospels, "have so strong a propensity to form fixed opinions on every subject to which they turn their thoughts, that their mind will brook no delay. They cannot bear to doubt or hesitate. Suspense in judging is to them more in. sufferable, than the manifest hazard of judging wrong." He adds a little after, "In questions, which have appeared to me, either unimportant, or of very dubious solution, I have thought it better to be silent, than to amuse the reader, with those remarks in which I have myself found no satisfaction." Never could teacher, with a better grace, recommend a patient cautiousness in judging. His premises, which are often of greater importance than a superficial reader is aware of, are commonly sure; the proper and obvious inferences he often leaves to the reader to deduce. The conclusions, which the author draws, are so well limited, and expressed in terms so precise, and so remote from the ostentatious |