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 impor- tant station. This he particularly mentions, in order that the Reader may not be led to imagine, that a passage occm-ring 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 par- ticular 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 pur- pose 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, com- prehend 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 legi- timate 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 sheet- anchors of their system ; and that, finding him, as he trusts
xxviii PREFACE.
they will, free from party spirit, they will themselves endea- vour 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.