trying to hide the truth from myself, I have vites. They must recur to means, from which asked his opinion as a confirmation of my own-he has unmasked my heart to itself, by his wise and searching replies. His decisions were more according to circumstances than in most men; and, when he gave them, it would generally be with a declaration that other circumstances might wholly change the aspect of the thing; and he did this in such a manner-if I may judge by my own case-as often to make a man look about him, and bethink himself what a treacherous and blind party he had to transact with in his bosom.

To those who did not know him intimately, he might sometimes appear to want a quickness of perception. The appearance of this faculty is often assumed, where God has not given it. Where the mind does decide rapidly, its conclusions are generally partial and defective, in proportion to their rapidity. Intuition is not a faculty of the present condition of being, whatever it may be of that toward which we are advancing. He affected no such quality, yet he possessed more of it than most men. When he did not fully understand what was addressed to him, he said so; and his mind was so familiar with the difficulty of discovering the truth through the veils and shades thrown over her by prejudice and selflove, that he did not hastily bring himself to think that he possessed your full meaning.

His good sense and wisdom led him to AVOID ALL PECULIARITY AND ECCENTRICITY. He was decidedly adverse to every thing of this nature. "When any thing peculiar appears,” he would say, "in a religious man's manners, or dress, or furniture, this is supposed by the world to constitute his religion. A clergyman, indeed, is allowed by common consent, and indeed it is but decent in him, to have every thing about him plain and substantial, rather than ornamental and fashionable."

THE PERSONAL CHARACTER of Mr. Cecil had a manifest influence on his MINISTERIAL. We find him frequently accounting for those views and feelings which prevailed in his ministry, by a reference to his constitution and his early history.

a minister has no right to expect any thing. Their affairs are all the little transactions of this world. But a minister is called and set apart for a high and sublime business. His transactions are to be between the living and the dead-between heaven and earth; and he must stand as with wings on his shoulders. He must look, therefore, for every thing in his affairs to be done for him and before his eyes. I am at a loss to conceive how a minister, with right feelings, cal. plot and contrive for a living. If he is told that there is such a thing for him if he will make such an application, and that it is to be so obtained and so only, all is well-but not a step farther. It is in vain, however, to put any man on acting in this manner, if he be not a Levite in principle and in character. These must be the expres sions of a nature communicated to him from God-a high principle of faith begetting simplicity. He must be an eagle towering toward heaven on strong pinions. The barn-door hen must continue to scratch her grains out of the dunghill."

He thought that the life of a minister, with respect to worldly affairs, ought to be peculiarly above that of other men, a life of faith. It was his maxim to lay out no money unnecessarily-and, with this principle, he regarded his purse as in God's hands, and found it like the barrel of meal and the cruise of oil. He confessed that he could advise this conduct in no case but in that of a Christian minister, who was a wise and prudent, as well as right-hearted manager of his affairs. His habit was, to be the child of simplicity and faithacting as a servant of God, on those principles which he judged most suitable to his character and station.

He had exalted ideas of ministerial authority-not the authority which results merely from office, but from office united with personal character-not the claims of priestly arrogance, but the claims of priestly dignity. "I never choose to forget that I am a PRIEST, because I would not deprive myself of the right to dictate in my ministerial capacity. I cannot allow a man, therefore, to come to me merely as a friend, on his spiritual affairs, because I should have no authority to say to him, 'Sir, you must do so and so.' I cannot suffer my best friends to dictate to me in any thing which concerns my ministerial duties. I have often had to encounter this spirit; and there would be no end of it, if I did not check and resist it. I plainly tell them that they I have collected together his thoughts on this know nothing of the matter. I ask them if it subject in some sections of his "Remains;" and is decent, that a man immersed in other conI think it impossible that any young minister cerns should pretend to know my affairs and should read these thoughts, without imbibing duties better than myself, who, as they ought a higher estimation of his sacred office. More to believe, make them the study of my life. will be found on these points in the following I have been disgusted-deeply disgusted-at views of his ministerial character gathered from his own lips.

His SENTIMENTS ON THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE are scattered through his writings, as this was ever present to his mind. Wherever he was, and whatever was his employment, he was always the Christian minister. He was ever on the watch to do the work of an evangelist, and to make full proof of his ministry.

These views were most striking and sublime. "A minister is a Levite. In general, he has, and he is to have, no inheritance among his brethren. Other men are not Le

the nanner in which some men of flaming religious profession talk of certain preachers. They estimate them just as Garrick would have estimated the worth of players, or as Handel would have ranged an orchestra. 'Such an one is clever-he is a master.-Clever!—a mas

his matter was so moulded in preparation for sidered that vigorous conceptions would clothe them, by a few well turned sentences, that the themselves in the fittest expressionsillustration seemed to be placed in the ScripVerbaque provisam rem non invita sequentur. ture almost for the sake of the doctrine. The general features of the character or history Or, as Milton has admirably said-" True elowere left in the back-ground, and those only quence I find to be none, but the serious and which were appropriate to the matter in hand hearty love of truth; and that, whose mind were brought forward, and were thus present-soever is fully possessed with a fervent desire ed with great force to the mind. His talent to know good things, and with the dearest in discriminating the striking features, and charity to infuse the knowledge of them into connecting them with his matter, was so pecu- others, WHEN SUCH A MAN WOULD SPEAK, his liar, that the histories of Abraham, of Jacob, words, like so many nimble and airy servitors, of David, and of St. Paul, seemed in his hands trip about him at command, and in well ordered to be ever new, and to be exhaustless treasures files, as he would wish, fall abruptly into their of illustration. own places."

The turn both of his mind and of his experience seemed to lead him to this method. What he did, therefore, with ease and feeling, it was natural should be done frequently; and, accordingly, I have scarcely ever heard a sermon from him in which there were not repeated exercises of this peculiar talent; and in some sermons almost the entire subject has been treated in this manner.

His written style has less ease than that of his conversation or preaching. He excelled rather in strong intuitive sense, than in a train of arguments; and more in the liveliness of his thoughts, than in their arrangement. He would put down his thoughts as they aroseoften at separate times, and as suggested by the occasion-and was not always nice in rejecting obsolete expressions, or antithesis in This talent of illustrating his subjects, and sense. This occasioned a want of flow and ease particularly of seizing incidents for improve-in many parts of his writings, which was obviament, gave an edge to his wise admonitions in ted by the warmth of conversation or preaching. private, and fixed them deep in the memory. IMPRESSION was the leading feature of his Riding with a friend in a very windy day, the ministry. Perhaps the INFORMATION Conveyed dust was so troublesome that his companion by it to the mind was not sufficiently systemawished they were at their journey's end, tic and minute. He had seen so much the where they might ride in the fields free from evil of spending the preacher's time in doctridust; and this wish he repeated more than nal statements, that possibly there was some once while on the road. When they reached deficiency in this respect in his own practice. the fields, the flies so teased his friend's horse, When, indeed, he had to introduce religion to that he could scarcely keep his seat on the his congregations at St. John's or Cobham, saddle. On his bitterly complaining, "Ah! on his first entering on those charges, he dealt Sir," said Mr. Cecil," when you were in the with them as a people needing information on road the dust was your only trouble, and all first principles; but my remark applies to the your anxiety was to get into the fields: you habit and course of his ministry. For, howforgot that the fly was there! Now this is a ever true it is, that, when a man becomes a true picture of human life; and you will find serious reader of God's word, he must grow it so in all the changes you make in future. in the knowledge of the truth; yet many will We know the trials of our present situation; but still read the Bible with an indiscriminating the next will have trials, and perhaps worse, mind, unless their minister's statements give though they may be of a different kind." them, not only a lucid general view of doctrines, but somewhat of a systematic and connected view; and not a few-buried in the cares of the world-will derive all their notions of the system of divine truth from what they hear in public.

At another time, the same friend said he should esteem it a favor, if he would tell him of any thing which he might in future see in his conduct which he thought improper. "Well, Sir!" he said, "many a man has directed the watchman to call him early in Mr. Cecil wrote and spoke to mankind. He the morning, and has then appeared very dealt with the business and bosoms of men. anxious for his coming early; but the watch-An energy of truth prevailed in his ministry, man has come before he has been ready for him! I have seen many people very desirous of being told their faults; but I have seen very few who were pleased when they received the information. However, I like to receive an invitation, and I have no reason to suppose you will be displeased till I see it so. I shall, therefore, remember that you have asked for it."

which roused the conscience; and a benevolence reigned in his spirit, which seized the heart; yet I much question whether the prevailing effect of his preaching was not determination grounded on CONVICTION and ADMIRATION, rather than on EMOTION. When in perfect health and spirits, and master of his subject, his eloquence was finished and striking; but, though there was often a tenderness which His STYLE, particularly in preaching and in awakened corresponding feelings in the hearer, free conversation, was easy and natural. If yet his eloquence wanted that vehement pashe ever labored his expression, it was in search sion which overpowers and carries away the of emphasis, rather than precision-of words minds of others, which would penetrate the soul, rather than round his period and float in the ear. He con

-si vis me flere, dolendum est Primum ipsi tibi

meanness, its uncertainty, its deceit, its vanity, its vexation, its nothingness, he set fully in their view. He even made them look down with a generous concern on those who were buried in its interests, and who forgot, amidst the toys of children, the real business of life." Some of his printed sermons are perfect models of simplicity, vivacity, and effect.That, for instance, on the "Power of Faith."

His COUNTENANCE, though not modelled altogether after the artificial rules of beauty, beamed in animated conversation and in the pulpit, with the beauty of a great and noble mind. Dignity and benevolence were strongly portrayed there. The variety of its expression was admirable: nor could any one feel the full force of the soul which he threw into his discourses, if this expression was concealed from him by distance or situation. His ACTION was graceful and forcible latterly, owing perhaps to his increasing infirmities, and almost uninterrupted pain, it discovered, I think, some constraint and want of ease.

This is the great secret for getting hold of the heart. But as not much of the impassioned entered into the composition of his nature, and he was at the same time pre-eminent in genius and judgment, it could not but follow that ADMIRATION should affect the hearer more frequently than STRONG FEELING. A friend has told me that he has often lost the benefit of the truth which Mr. Cecil has uttered, in admiration of the exquisite manner in which it was conveyed. And I have again and again detected this in myself; and found I have been watching eagerly for what would fall next from him, not in the spirit of a new-born babe that desires the sincere milk of the word that I might grow thereby, but for the gratification of a mental voluptuousness. I desire no one will suppose that I impute to him any of the studied artifices of eloquence. No man sought more than he did that his hearers' faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. No man more sincerely aimed to have his speech and his preaching not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power; yet, moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he GAVE GOOD HEED, and SOUGHT OUT and SET IN ORDER the messages of divine mercy. The preacher SOUGHT TO FIND OUT acceptable words, yet that which was written was upright, even words of truth. He could not but treat his subjects in this exquisite manner, while his taste, his genius, and his nature remained; yet this could not but be sanctified to his Master's honor, while he retained the perfect integrity, the deep conviction, and the singleness of eye which his Master had given him. That it was the farthest possible from trick and artifice might be seen in his most His most striking sermons were generally familiar conversation; where his manner, those which he preached from very short when he was fully called out, was exactly texts, such as-My soul hangeth on thee-All what it was in the pulpit. His mind grasped my fresh springs are in thee-O Lord! teach me every subject firmly; his imagination clothed my way-As thy day is, so shall thy strength be. it with images-embodied it-gave it life-In these sermons, the whole subject had procalled up numberless associations and illustrations; it was realized; it was present to him; his taste and judgment enabled him to seize it in the most striking points of view.

There was a FAMILIARITY and an AUTHORITY in his manner, which, to strangers, sometimes appeared dogmatism. His manner was, in truth, like that of no other man. It was altogether original; and, because it was original, it sometimes offended those who had no other idea of manner than of that to which they had been accustomed. Yet, even the prejudiced could not hear him with indifference. There was a dignity and command, a decision and energy, a knowledge of the heart and the world, an uprightness of mind and a desire to do good; and all this, united with a tenderness and affection, which few could witness without some favorable impressions.

bably struck him at once; and what comes in this way is generally found to be more natural and forcible than what the mind is obliged to excogitate by its own laborious efforts: As the "His apprehensions of religion," Mr. Wilson subject grows out of the state of the mind at most justly observes, "WERE GRAND AND ELE- the time, there is that degree of affinity beVATED. His fine powers, governed by divine tween them which occasions the mind to seize grace, were exactly calculated to seize all the it forcibly, and to clothe it with vivid colors. grandeur of the Gospel. The stupendous mag- A train of the most natural associations prenitude of the objects which the Bible proposes sents itself, as one link draws with it its kinto man, the incomparable sublimity of eternal dred links. The attention is engaged-the pursuits, the astonishing scheme of redemp- mind is concentrated-scripture and life pretion by an incarnate Mediator, the native sent themselves without effort, in the most grandeur of a rational and immortal being, natural relations which they bear to the substamped with the impress of God, the fall of ject that has full possession of the man, and this being into sin, and poverty, and meanness, composition becomes easy, and even interand guilt, his recovery by grace to more than esting. his original dignity in the love and service of It was a frequent and very useful method his Creator, filled all his soul. He seemed with him, to open and explain his subject in often to labor with an imagination occupied a very brief manner, and then to draw inferwith his noble theme. He felt, and he taught, that no other subject was worthy the consideration of man. In comparison with it, he led his auditors to condemn and trample on all the petty objects of this lower world. Its

ences from it; which inferences formed the great body of the sermon, and were rather matters of ADDRESS to the consciences and hearts of his hearers, than of DISCUSSION; SO that the whole subject was a kind of applica

tion. This seems to me to have been his | advised him, since he was so near his en

most effective manner of preaching. Take an instance :-Mat. xviii. 20. I. EXPLAIN the words. II. Raise from them two or three REMARKS: Contemplate 1. The glory and Godhead of our Master: 2. The honor which he puts on his house and the assembly of his Saints: 3. The privilege of being one of Christ's servants whom he will meet: 4. The obligations lying on such servants-What manner of servants ought such to be?

He was remarkably observant of character. When I have asked his opinion of a person, he has frequently surprised me with such a full and accurate delineation of him, as he could have obtained only by a very patient and penetrating observation. The reason of this appeared, when I learned that it was his custom in his sermon notes, when he wished to describe a particular character, not to put down its chief features as they occurred to his mind from the general observations which he had made on men; but he would put down the initial of some person's name, with whom | he was well acquainted, and who stood in his mind as the representative of that class of characters. He had nothing to do then, when he came to enlarge on that part of his subject, but strongly to realize to himself the person in question, and he would draw a much more vivid picture of a real character than he could otherwise do. *

Mr. Cecil was not himself led to the knowledge of God through great terrors of conscience his ministry did not, therefore, so much abound in delineations of the workings and malignity of sin, as in those topics which grew out of his course of experience; nor did he enter frequently or largely into the details of the spiritual conflict. He was himself drawn to God, and subdued by a sense of divine mercy and friendship; he was led, therefore, to detail largely the transactions of the believing mind with God, in the exercise of dependance and submission.

He was more aware than most men of the DIFFICULTY OF BRINGING DOWN THE TRUTH TO THE

COMPREHENSION OF THE MASS OF HEARERS.

trance into the ministry, to lay aside all other studies for the present, but the one I should now recommend to him. I would have him select some very poor and uninformed persons, and pay them a visit. His object should be to explain to them, and demonstrate to them, the truth of the solar system. He should first of all set himself to make that system perfectly intelligible to them, and then he should demonstrate it to their full conviction against all that the followers of Tycho Brahe, or any one else, could say against it. He would tell me it was impossible: they would not understand a single term. Impossible to make them astronomers! And shall it be thought an easy matter to make them understand redemption!"

He gave the following account of his HABIT or PREPARATION FOR THE PULPIT :—

66

'I generally look into the portions of Scripture appointed by the church to be read in the services of the day. I watch, too, for any new light which may be thrown on passages in the course of reading, conversation, or prayer. I seize the occasions furnished by own experience-my state of mind-my family occurrences. Subjects taken up in this manner are always likely to meet the cases and wants of some persons in the congregation. Sometimes, however, I have no text prepared: and I have found this to arise generally from sloth: I go to work: this is the secret: make it a business: something will arise where least expected.

"It is important to begin preparation early. If it is driven off late, accidents may occur which may prevent due attention to the subject. If the latter days of the week are occupied, and the mind driven into a corner, the sermon will usually be raw and undigested. Take time to reject what ought to be rejected, and to supply what ought to be supplied.

"It is a favorite method with me to reduce the text to some point of doctrine. On that topic I enlarge, and then apply it. I like to ask myself— What are you doing?—What is your aim?'

A young minister may leave college with "I will not foretell my own views by first the best theory in the world, and he may take going to commentators. I talk over the subwith him into a country parish a determina-ject to myself: I write down all that strikes tion to talk in the language of simplicity itself; but the actual capacity to make himself understood and felt is so far removed from his former habits, that it is only to be acquired by experience. Hear how wisely Mr. Cecil wrote to a young friend about to take orders:-" I

me: and then I arrange what is written. After my plan is settled, and my mind has exhausted its stores, then I would turn to some of my great Doctors to see if I am in no error: but I find it necessary to reject many good things which the Doctors say; they will tell to no good effect in a sermon. In truth, to be effect* Lavater somewhere mentions an admirable prac-ive, we must draw more from nature and less tice of his own, which carried our friend's principle into constant use in his ministry. He fixed on certain persons in his congregation, whom he considered as representatives of the respective classes into which his hearers might be properly divided-amounting, as I recollect, to SEVEN. In composing his discourses, he kept each of these persons steadily in his eye; and labored so to mould his subject as to meet the case of every one-by which incomparable rule he rendered himself intelligible and interesting to all classes of his flock.

from the writings of men: we must study the book of Providence, the book of nature, the heart of man, and the book of God: we must read the history of the world: we must deal with matters of fact before our eyes."

In respect to mechanical preparation, Mr. Cecil was in the habit of using eight quarto pages, on which he put down his main and subordinate divisions, with such hints as he thought requisite. These notes, written in an