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THE ART OF PREACHING, IN IMITATION OF HORACE's ART of POETRY.
LONDON, Printed: PHILADELPHIA, Re-printed, and sold by B. FRANKLIN, in Market Street. M,DCC,XXXIX.
[Page 3]
THE ART OF PREACHING, &c.
(a)SHOULD some strange Poet, in his Piece affect
Pope's nervous Stile, with
Ward's low Puns bedeck'd;
Prink
Milton's true Sublime, with
Swift's true Wit;
And
Blackmore's Gravity with
Gay's Conceit;
[Page 4] Would you not laugh? Trust me that Priest's as bad,
Who in a Stile now grave, now raving mad,
Gives the wild Whims of dreaming Schoolmen vent,
Whilst drowsy Congregations nod Assent.
(b)The Priests, 'tis true, have always been allow'd
To teach Religion, and 'tis fit they shou'd;
But in that sacred Name, when they dispense
Flat Contradictions to all common Sense;
Tho' Fools and Bigots wonder and believe,
The Wise 'tis not so easy to deceive.
(c)Some take a Text sublime and fraught with Sense,
But quickly fall into Impertinence.
On Trifles eloquent, with great delight
They flourish out on some strange mystick Rite;
Clear up the Darkness of some useless Text,
Or make some crabbed Passage more perplext;
But to subdue the Passions, or direct,
And all Life's moral Duties they neglect.
[Page 5]
(d)Most Preachers err (except the wiser few)
Thinking establish'd Doctrines,
therefore true:
(e)Others too fond of Novelty and Schemes,
Amuse the World with airy idle Dreams:
(f)Thus too much Faith, or too presuming Wit▪
Are Rocks, where Bigots, or Free-Thinkers split▪
(g)The very meanest Dabler at
Whitehall
Can rail at Papists, or poor Quakers maul;
But when of some great Truth he aims to preach,
Alas, he finds it far beyond his reach.
(h)Young Deacons try your Strength, and strive to find
A Subject suited to your Turn of Mind;
Method and Words are easily your own,
Or should they fail you—steal from
Tillotson.
[Page 6]
(i)Much of its Beauty, Usefulness, and Force,
Depends on rightly timing a Discourse.
Before the L—ds or C—m—ns far from nice,
Say boldly—
Bribery's a dirty Vice—
But quickly check yourself—and with a sneer—
Of which this Honourable House is clear.
(k)Great is the Work, and worthy of the Gown,
To bring forth hidden Truths, and make them known.
Yet in all new Opinions, have a care,
Truth is too strong for some weak minds to bear.
(l)And are new Doctrines taught, or old reviv'd,
Let them from Scripture plainly be deriv'd.
For Innovations, yet approve the same
In
Wickliffe and in
Calvin? Why are These
Call'd wise Reformers? Those mad Sectaries?
[Page 7]
(n)'Tis most unjust. Men always had a right,
And ever will, to think, to speak, to write
Their various Minds; yet sacred ought to be
The publick Peace as private Liberty.
(o)Opinions are like Leaves, which every Year
Now flourish green, now fall and disappear.
Once the Pope's Bulls could terrify his Foes,
And kneeling Princes kiss'd his sacred Toes;
Now he may damn, or curse, or what he will,
There's not a Prince in Christendom will kneel.
Reason now reigns, and by her Aid we hope
Truth may revive and sickening Error droop:
She the sole Judge, the Rule, the gracious Light
Kind Heaven has lent to guide our Minds aright.
(p)States to embroil and Faction to display,
In wild Harangues,
Sacheveril show'd the Way.
(q)The Fun'ral Sermon, when it first began,
Was us'd to weep the Loss of some good Man:
[Page 8] Now any Wretch, for one small Piece of Gold,
Shall have fine Praises from the Pulpit sold:
But whence this Custom rose, who can decide?
From Priestly Av'rice? or from human Pride?
(r)Truth, moral Virtue, Piety, and Peace
Are noble Subjects, and the Pulpit's Grace:
But Zeal for Trifles arm'd imperious
Laud,
His Power and Cruelty the Nation aw'd.
(s)Why was he honour'd with the Name of Priest,
And Greatest made, unworthy to be Least,
Whose Zeal was Fury, whose Devotion Pride,
Power his great God, and Interest his sole Guide?
(t)To touch the Passions let your Stile be plain;
The Praise of Virtue asks a higher Strain:
Yet sometimes the Pathetick may receive
The utmost Force that Eloquence can give;
As sometimes, in Elogiums, 'tis the Art,
With plain Simplicity to win the Heart.
[Page 9]
(u)'Tis not enough that what you say is true,
To make
us feel it, you must feel it too.
Show your
self warm'd, and that will Warmth impart
To every Hearer's sympathizing Heart.
When honest
Foster Virtue does enforce,
All give Attention to the warm Discourse;
But who a cold, dull, lifeless Drawling keeps,
One half his Audience laughs, the other sleeps.
(w) In censuring Vice be earnest and severe,
In stating dubious Points concise and clear;
Anger requires stern Looks and threatning Stile,
But paint the Charms of Virtue with a Smile.
These different Changes common Sense will teach,
And we expect them from you, if you preach;
For should you Manner differ from your Theme,
Or on quite different Subjects be the same,
[Page 10] Despis'd and laugh'd at, you must travel down,
And hide such Talents in some Country Town.
(x)It much concerns a Preacher first to learn
The Geuius of his Audience, and their Turn.
Amongst the Citizens be grave and slow;
Before the Nobles let fine Periods flow;
The
Temple Church ask
Sherlock's Sense and Skill;
Beyond the Tow'r—no matter—what you will.
(y)In Facts or Notions fetch'd from sacred Writ
Be orthodox, nor cavil to show Wit:
(z)Or if your daring Genius is so bold
To teach new Doctrines, or to censure old,
With Care proceed; you tread a dangerous Path▪
Error establish'd, grows establish'd Faith.
'Tis easier much, and much the safer Rule,
To teach in Pulpit what you learnt at School;
With Zeal defend whate'er the Church believes,
If you expect to thrive, or wear Lawn Sleeves.
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(a)Some loudly bluster, and consign to Hell
All who dare doubt one Word or Syllable
Of what they call the Faith; and which extends
To Whims and Trifles without Use or Ends:
(b)Sure 'tis much nobler, and more like divine,
T'enlarge the Path to Heaven, than to confine.
Insist alone on useful Points, or plain;
And know, God cannot hate a virtuous Man.
(c)If you expect or hope that we should stay
Your whole Discourse, nor strive to slink away;
Some venial Faults there are you must avoid
To every Age and Circumstance ally'd.
(d)A pert young Student just from College brought,
With many little Pedantries is fraught:
Reasons with Syllogism, persuades with Wit,
Quotes Scraps of
Greek instead of sacred Writ;
Or deep immers'd in politick Debate,
Reforms the Church, and guides the tottering State.
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(e)Those Trifles with maturer Age forgot,
Now some good Benefice employs his Thought;
He seeks a Patron, and will soon incline
To all his Notions civil or divine;
Studies his Principles both Night and Day,
And as that Script
[...] guides, must preach and pray.
(f)Av'rice and Age creep on: his rev'rend Mind
Begins to grow Right-reverendly inclin'd;
Power and Preferment still so sweetly call,
The Voice of Heaven is never heard at all:
Set but a tempting Bishoprick in view,
He's strictly Orthodox and Loyal too;
With equal Zeal defends the Church and State,
And Infidels and Rebels share his Hate.
(g)Some things are plain, we can't misunderstand;
Some still obscure, tho' thousands have explain'd:
[Page 13] Those influence more which Reason can conceive,
Than such as we thro' Faith alone believe:
In Those we judge, in These you
may deceive:
But what too deep in Mystery is
[...]hrown,
The wisest Preachers chuse to let alone,
How
Adam's Fault affects all human Kind;
How Three is One, and One is Three combin'd;
How certain Prescience checks not future Will;
And why almighty Goodness suffers Ill;
Such Points as these lie far too deep for Man,
Were never well explain'd nor ever can.
(h)If Pastors more than thrice five Minutes preach,
Their sleepy Flocks begin to yawn, and stretch.
(i)Never presume the Name of God to bring
As sacred Sanction to a trifling Thing.
(k)Before, or after Sermon, Hymns of Praise
Exalt the Soul, and true Devotion raise,
[Page 14] In Songs of Wonder celebrate His Name,
Who spread the Skies, and built the starry Frame;
Or thence descending view this Globe below,
And praise the Source of every Bliss we know.
(l)In ancient Times, when Heaven was to be prais'd,
Our humble Ancestors their Voices rais'd,
And Hymns of Thanks from grateful Bosoms flow'd,
For Ills prevented, or for Good bestow'd:
But as the Church increas'd in Power and Pride,
The Pomp of Sound the Want of Sense supply'd;
Majestick Organs then were taught to blow,
And plain Religion grew a Raree-show:
Strange ceremonious Whims, a numerous Race,
Were introduc'd, in Truth's and Virtue's Place,
Mysterious Turnpikes block up Heaven's High-way,
And for a Ticket, we our Reason pay.
[Page 15]
(m)These Superstitions quickly introduce
Contempt, Neglect, wild Satire, and Abuse;
Religion and its Priests by every Fool
Were thought a Jest and turn'd to Ridicule;
Some few indeed found where the Medium lay,
And kept the
* Coat, but tore the Fringe away.
(n)Of Preaching well if you expect the Fame,
Let Truth and Virtue be your first great Aim.
Your sacred Function often call to mind,
And think how great the Trust, to teach Mankind!
'Tis yours in useful Sermons to explain,
Both what we owe to God, and what to Man;
'Tis yours the Charms of Liberty to paint,
His Country's Love in every Breast to plant;
Yours every social Virtue to improve,
Justice, Forbearance, Charity, and Love;
Yours too the private Virtues to augment,
Of Prudence, Temperance, Modesty, Content.
[Page 16] When such the Man how amiable the Priest!
Of all Mankind the worthiest, and the best.
(o)Ticklish the Point, I grant, and hard to find,
To please the various Tempers of Mankind.
Some love you should the crabbed Points explain,
When Texts with Texts a dreadful War maintain:
Some love a new, and some the beaten Path;
Morals please some, and others Points of Faith;
But he's the Man, he's the admir'd Divine,
In whose Discourses Truth and Virtue join:
These are the Sermons which will ever live,
How such are read, and prais'd, and how they sell,
Let
Barrow's, Clarke's and
Butler's Sermons tell.
(p)Preachers should make us either good or wise,
Him that does neither, who but must despise?
If all your Rules are useful, short, and plain,
We soon shall learn them, and shall long retain:
But if on Trifles you harangue, away
We turn our Heads, and laugh at all you say.
[Page 17]
(q)But Priests are Men, and Men are prone to err,
On common Failings none should be severe;
All are not Masters of the same good Sense,
Nor blest with equal Powers of Eloquence.
'Tis true, and Errors with an honest Mind.
Will meet with easy Pardon from Mankind;
But who persists in Wrong with haughty Pride,
Him all must censure, many will deride.
(r)Yet few are Judges of a fine Discourse,
Can see its Beauties, or can feel its Force;
With like Indulgence some attentive sit,
To sober Reasoning, and to shallow Wit.
What then? Because your Audience most are Fools,
Will you neglect all Method, and all Rules?
Or since the Pulpit is a sacred Place,
Where none dare contradict you to your Face,
Will you presume to tell a thousand Lies?
If so, we may forgive, but must despise.
(s)In jingling
Bev'ridge if I chance to see
One Word of Sense, I prize the Rarity:
[Page 18] But if in
Hooker, Sprat or
Tillotson,
A Thought unworthy of themselves is shown,
I grieve to see it, but 'tis no Surprize,
The greatest Men are not at all Times wise.
(t)Sermons, like Plays, some please us at the Ear,
But never will a serious Reading bear:
Some in the Closet edify enough,
That from the Pulpit seem'd but sorry Stuff.
'Tis thus: There are who by ill Preaching spoil
Young's pointed Sense, or
Atterbury's Stile;
Whilst others by the Force of Eloquence,
Make that seem fine, which scarce is common Sense.
(u)In every Science, they that hope to rise,
Set great Examples still before their Eyes,
Young Lawyers copy
Murray where they can;
Physicians
Mead, and Surgeons
Cheselden:
But all will preach, without the least Pretence
To Virtue, Learning, Art, or Eloquence.
[Page 19] Why not? you cry; they plainly see, no doubt,
A Priest may grow Right Reverend without.
(w)Preachers and Preaching were at first design'd,
For common Benefit to all Mankind.
Publick and private Virtues they explain'd,
To Goodness courted, and from Vice restrain'd:
Love, Peace and Union breath'd in each Discourse,
And their Examples gave their Precepts Force.
From these good Men, the Priests and all their Line,
Were honour'd with the Title of
Divine.
But soon their proud Successors left this Path,
Forsook plain Morals for dark Points of Faith;
'Till Creeds on Creeds the warring World inflam'd,
And all Mankind, by different Priests, were damn'd.
[Page 20]
(x)Some ask which is th' Essential of a Priest,
Virtue or Learning? What they ask's a Jest:
We daily see dull Loads of reverend Fat,
Without Pretence to either this or that
But who like
Hough or
Hoadly hopes to shine,
Must with great Learning real Virtue join.
(y)He who by preaching hopes to raise a Name,
To no small Excellence directs his Aim.
On every noted Preacher he must wait,
The Voice, the Look, the Action imitate:
And when compleat in Stile and Eloquence,
Must then crown all with Learning and good Sense.
But some with lazy Pride disgrace the Gown,
And never preach one Sermon of their own;
'Tis easier to transcribe than to compose,
So all the Week, they eat, and drink, and doze.
(z)As Quacks with lying Puffs the Papers fill,
Or hand their own Praise in a pocky Bill,
Where empty Boasts of much superior Sense,
Draw from the cheated Crowd their idle Pence,
[Page 21] So the great
H—ley hires for half a Crown,
A quack Advertisement to tell the Town
Of some strange Point to be disputed on:
Where all who love the Science of Debate,
May hear themselves or other Coxcombs prate.
(r)When Dukes or noble Lords a Chaplain hire,
They first of his Capacities enquire,
If stoutly qualify'd to drink and smoke,
If not too nice to bear an impious Joke,
If tame enough to be the common Jest,
This is a Chaplain to his Lordship's Taste.
(b)If Bards to
Pope indifferent Verses show,
He is too honest not to tell them so.
This is obscure, he cries, and this too rough,
These trifling, or superfluous, strike them off.
How useful every Word from such a Friend!
But Parsons are too proud their Works to mend,
And every Fault with Arrogance defend:
[Page 22] Think them too sacred to be criticiz'd,
And rather chuse to let them be despis'd.
(c)He that is wise will not presume to laugh
At Priests, or Church Affairs, it is not safe.
Think there exists, and let it check your Sport,
That dreadful Monster call'd a Spiritual Court,
Into whose cruel Jaws if once you fall,
In vain, alas! in vain for Aid you call:
Clerks, Proctors, Priests, voracious round you ply,
Like Leeches sticking, till they've suck'd you dry.
FINIS.