§1 I shall first give you some general advices on the subject now before us. And, first, let some practical writer be daily read. Practical religion is important to ourselves and a practical strain of preaching is important to our people. We shall thus form ourselves to words and a proper way of expression.
§ 2 Read them at once with a view to your improvement as Christians and preachers. Make observations on their matter and style.
§ 3 Mingle authors of various strains. Otherwise you will learn a disagreeable imitation of one. Seem not to have any writer in view in the manner of your compositions. Water running through a bed of steel is apt to take a chalybeate (metallic) taste and tincture.
§4 Make references to remarkable passages, that you may review them a second time. Nor will it be amiss to mark them in the margin, if the book is your own. Keep a catalogue of such things as you would read before you preach upon any subject.
§5 Having made these general remarks, I proceed to give you the characters of several practical writers of our own nation, which may be divided into four classes:
The Puritans - the Nonconformist of the last age - those of the present - and the authors of the established church.
§6 I recommend to you, first, to form some acquaintance with the Puritans, though they are too often despised. There was good sense and learning in those days as well as ours. Our grandmothers had real beauty, though the change of fashions has made their dress ridiculous to us. I shall name but few:
§7 (Samuel) Bolton He had been a great and notorious sinner and was reclaimed by great terrors. He is therefore excellent both for conviction and consolation. His style is rather inclined to bombast yet there are many expressions truly great and magnificent. The beauties of imagination are most visible in his Four last things but his most useful treatises are Directions for comfortable walking with God and for Comforting distressed Consciences. There we see the traces of a soul most intimately acquainted with God.
§8 Bishop (Jospeh) Hall. The most elegant and polite writer of his age. He abounds rather too much with antitheses and witty turns. In some of his writings he seems to have imitated Seneca and Austin. His sermons are much the worse for a compliance with the taste of the age in which he lived. His Contemplations are incomparably valuable for language, criticism and devotion. Next to them his Meditations, his Letters and Balm of Gilead are worthy of your attention.
§9(Edward) Reynolds. A most elaborate writer. He has many surprising similes. His style is remarkably laconic. A world of things are gently touched upon, which shew his extensive acquaintance with human nature, as well as great labour. His works contain a judicious collection of scripture, both in the text and margin.
§10(Richard) Sibb(e)s His language is nervous and decent. His dedications are very handsome. His style pathetic and tender, especially so in his Bruised Reed and Soul's Conflict.
§11(Samuel) Ward Worthy to be read through. His language is generally proper, elegant, and nervous. His thoughts are well digested, and happily illustrated. He has many remarkable veins of wit. Many of the boldest figures of speech are to be found in him beyond any English writer; especially Apostrophes, Prosopopaeias, Dialogisms and Allegories. There is indeed a mixture of fancy in his writings but pardonable, considering his youth, and that many of his sermons were not prepared by himself for the press, but copied from his mouth while preaching. He died before he was 28 years old. Had he lived, he would probably have been the phoenix of British preachers.
§12(John) Hales of Eton. Generally called the ever memorable. He is remarkably witty; has many very uncommon thoughts and vast learning. There are many curious passages in his works fit for a commonplace book but little judgment. He has no good order and connection. Very little of a true unction appears in him, the mere scholar also is too apparent. He writes like one that knows not much of human life - with an affectation of driving things to the utmost, which, by overdoing, weakens the cause he designs to support. His Golden Remains and additional Tracts should be read. None show the man more than his Christian Omnipotence.
(Orton expresses surprise that Doddridge says nothing about Perkins, Preston, Burroughs and Hildersham. He also makes remarks on Thomas Jackson)
