PAROCHIAL, OLD WINDSOR, AND CLUB SERMONS.

Tins is, for our secular journal, a rather unusual assortment of Sermon-books, but each set possessed of more than average merit, or of some accidental peculiarity which imparts an air of fresh- ness not always characteristic of pulpit oratory. We will take them in the order of their arrival.

I. Parochial Sermons. By the Reverend J. GARRETT, Professor of Poetry in the University of Oxford.

2. Old Windsor Sermons. By the Reverend Wurzem Grrroan COOKESLEY, M.A.

S. Five Club Sermons. By the Rev. A. GIBSON, M. A.

The first volume of Professor GARRETT'S Sermons we have not seen; but, judging from the title and internal character of this volume, we conceive they were preached before a mixed parochial congregation, where "plain people" predominated. At all events, the style is often of a designedly homely cast, and the topics as well as the sentiments are of a practical character, though strongly enforcing the highest religious excellence—give up "all that thou bast and follow me."

The plainness of style, or rather of manner, which we speak of, is attained without any sacrifice of force, though it does not admit of any nice refinement either of topics or treatment. Considered in a religious sense, this characteristic adds to the value of the pub- lication; for the discourses are applicable to all, and available to all, and, we think, without much regard to sectarian differences. In a literary sense, however, these Parochial Sermons are somewhat deficient in the raciness that springs from a peculiar idiosyncracy in the preacher. Moral and religious exhortations upon a Scriptural groundwork have been so often urged, and expositions of religious obscurities have been so often undertaken, that mere novelty of view has long since become impossible. The only mode of attaining originality of character in pulpit-oratory, is where some gifts of na- ture and peculiarity of study enable the preacher to select peculiar subjects and to treat them in a peculiar way. Such was the case with the Sermons of Mr. WILBERFORCE, which we lately reviewed. The metaphysical taste of the author led him to handle some of the most subtile questions of the schooltnen, which the genial character of his mind enabled him to endow with vitality and interest, pro- ducing a result at once novel and pleasing. Mr. GARRETT has not any similar singularity of mind ; and his discourses consequently differ from the generality of good sermons rather in degree than kind. The subjects contain exhortations to faith or practice,—as the discourse on the text of the marriage-garment involves the obvious arguments of the merciful condescension of the Divinity in offering a means of salvation and inviting mankind to partake of it, as well as the necessity of accepting it in time; the sermon on Paul's celebrated exhortation to charity elaborates the emptiness of all other qualities if this virtue be absent ; and so on with the other discourses. The views cannot with any propriety be called commonplace ; they are not even common or obvious to a con- gregation: but, critically and theologically speaking, they have something of both characteristics. A similar remark applies to the treatment. They differ from the mass of sermons in power and finish, rather than by any of those traits which mark originality of genius : they, so to speak, excel, rather than deviate. The qualities which distinguish Mr. GARRETT are soundness and safe- ness of doctrine—with probably one exception—aiming at practical results rather than theological niceties ; great plainness of diction with considerable force ; and much truth in the delineation of cha- racter within the scope of his congregation's apprehension. Here is an example from the sermon on "One Thing Lacking," preached from the example of the good young man with "great possessions," who "went away sorrowing" at the direction to sell all that he bad and take up the cross. (Mark's Gospel, ch. 10, v. 17-31.)

AMIABLE CHRISTIANS.

it is impossible, dear brethren, to have seen much of life without meeting here and there with just such persons as that young man who is described so touchingly to us in the text ; amiable, with a deep sense in many respects of God and of the soul, and keeping the Commandments, so far as they are moral rules of life, even from their youth upwards. You cannot help liking, you cannot help loving them—they are often so good and gentle, as well as useful, and towards all men blameless. And yet, when you come to know them, and to see what is in their heart, it cannot be concealed that, though they honour God, and, up to a certain point, do hope in Christ, yet that there are drawbacks in that honour and an unsoundness in that faith. Open vice, or bold words in God's dishonour, they regard with a true and un- affected horror. From showing an outward, nay, a sincere respect to God's word, and God's day, and God's sacraments, and God's ministers, they never turn away. But still, for all this, the whole heart is not given to him ; their real affections, the true choice, is fixed upon something else. And when the trial comes, and when it really is brought to this that God or their favourite idol must be set aside—in one word, that not this thing, or that thing, but everything must be surrendered—they have it not in their hearts to do it. When, moreover, you speak to them of the spiritual law of God, which searcheth the soul and trieth the very hearts and reins, there is something in this which jars upon them ; they do not like it. You cannot help seeing this. When you enlarge, as the fulness of the Christian heart will sometimes love to do, upon the exceeding mercies of God in his adorable Son, and the thousand ways in which the soul depends upon Christ, and draws life and joy from out of him, and bath nothing else but what is in him, there is something from which they shrink. When you talk about regulating all things, within us and without us, by the gospel rule—of observing that law of joy and liberty, unto which we are led by choice and constrained by love—when we speak the unquestionable gospel truths of holding all things to be nought but God's glory, and of sur- rendering all we have, without a reserve, at his bidding—they turn away; it is beyond them. With all their goodness, there is nothing in their heart that answers to it. The sword of the spirit is too piercing for them, and they can- not bear the edge of it ; nay, they murmur against it ; and they are sad at the saying that all must be given to Christ, for they have great possessions—if not in wealth, yet in youth, or in reputation, or in pleasure, or in some other idol wherein they have stored up their strong and real affections. And so they turn away with tears in their eyes from the face of Christ, sorrowing that he should ask so much.

The doctrine which we have presumed to mention as of ques- tionable soundness, is an opinion Mr. GARRETT appears to hold, that the heathen, ignorant of the gospel, will be judged by their works according to the law of nature : but it is possible that we may have mistaken an illustration or assumption for an affirmation.

A similar criticism applies to Mr. COOKESLEY'S Old Windsor Sermons as to Mr. GARRETT'S volume. The discourses resemble those of other able divines, pretty much as one person resembles another. There are traits of individual differences readily recog- nizable by an observing eye ; but these are not sufficient to suggest the idea of a distinct race, or to excite that general attention which a very marked person always attracts. In Mr. COOKESLEY, as in Mr. GARRETT, there is good natural ability well improved by study, and probably a little softened or refined by the air of Windsor. They are as trained and accomplished gentlemen against the mass of men, but do not rise to the strength of Hercules or the grace of Antinous ; nor have they the peculiarity which at once separates from the crowd a Turk, or a Pole, or an Andalusian, by national costume.

Of the two divines, we think more force and cogency both of style and of argument belong to the Oxford Professor of Poetry ; but that Mr. COOKESLEY may probably be more popular with the bulk of persons who will purchase either of the volumes, from a greater amplitude of illustration, and perhaps a more tender mode of urging our duties upon us. In other words, each set of discourses was adapted to the congregation before which they were preached : for we incline to think that the poor are better satisfied with a plain cogency of view, than the more select audience of Old Windsor.

The question of merit, however, is very difficult to settle : but we will give a sample from each divine treating of the same topic.

DID THE DEVIL KNOW THE SAVIOUR WHEN HE TEMPTED HIM IN THE WILDERNESS?

Cookesley. It is plain, however, that we must use caution in speaking on such a matter as the conduct of Satan; because of the nature of evil spirits, as of the spiritual world in general, we have no personal knowledge : but we may remark, that it is by no means necessary to suppose that Satan was ac- quainted with the whole of God's purposes towards man. As be was an apos- tate and rebel, and an exile from the presence of God, we may presume that an ignorance of God's purposes and will was one of the penalties inflicted on his disobedience and rebellion. It is possible that he was not certain whether our Saviour was the promised Messiah or no. There were many things concerning the nature of man which the angels of heaven "in vain desired to look into "; how much more probable is it, then, that there should have been many things connected with that mysterious and astonishing matter the redemption of the world which were unknown to Satan ? But it he suspected that Christ was really the Messiah—if he believed him to be that great antagonist who was to rescue the ruined race of man from the bondage and misery of Hell—then we may naturally conclude that he would exert his utmost art to gain over the Saviour of the world; that he would leave no method unattempted for reco- vering an empire which was fast departing from his control. He had a great opponent ; the stake was worth playing for ; the prize was a noble one. If he could but detach the man Christ from his allegiance to his heavenly Father— if he could but win over the champion and defender of the human race, and, convert him, that was intended to be the Saviour, into the enemy of the world—oh ! it would be a glorious triumph : it was a project worthy to have been hatched in the brain of the father of wickedness and the ruler of Hell!

Professor Garbett. It may be as well to state to you at once, that, in the temptation itself, and the mode of it, there are many things which we do not and cannot understand. We do not know how far the great Tempter was ac- quainted with our Lord's true nature, and whether he really was aware that he was God of very God, and therefore utterly unapproachable by evil ! Probably he was not sure of it, though he knew his holiness and power, and that he was come to destroy his kingdom ; yet this glorious mystery of God manifest in the flesh, and at once very God and very man, was hidden from his eyes, subtle and. mighty spirit as he is ! Had it not been so—had he not at least conjectured that there were remainders of infirmity and tendencies to evil in bin:, as in other men—it is hardly to be supposed that he would have made an attempt which be himself must have considered as desperate. Accordingly, when our Lord's sinlessness became known to him, and he had issued uninjured out of the fiery trial, utterly trampling under his feet all his guiles and temptations, he departed from him. Nor, save when the hour of Darkness had arrived at the Crucifixion, does he seem to have returned ; he dared not tempt the Holy One ! And then, it was not to corrupt, but to torment during the short time in which power was permitted to him over the Redeemer's soul.

Mr. Ginsox's Fire Club Sermons possess plainness, strong com- mon sense, and an earnest purpose ; but they derive their character from the circumstances under which they were preached, which imparts to them an originality of the kind implied when we say of a person he is an original. The Vicar of Chedworth is connected with two Friendly Societies in his parish, and these discourses were preached before anniversary meetings of their bodies. Addressing an assembly with most of whom he held personal communication, and upon a business in which all were equally interested, he natu- rally takes a more personal or club tone than might be proper to a general congregation. Mr. GIBSON'S secular studies seem to have lain among political economists; and the very object for which the societies he was addressing were constituted naturally directed the preacher's attention to economical exhortation, so far as economy can be conjoined with religion ; which produces the raciness we have alluded to. His sermon on Independence shows the impossibility of total independence, (which indeed would be isolation,) the great advantages of the unavoidable restraints of civilized society over the freedom of savage life, and an application of the text to the matter in hand—" That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing." The two sermons on Marriage do not take for their text "Increase and multiply," but "Whatsoever thou takest in hand, remember the end, and thou shalt never do amiss." On this wisdom of Eccle- siastes be grounds a hortative to late marriages and early savings. "Give me neither poverty nor riches" leads to a panegyric upon "easy circumstances " ; and in his discourse on Giving and Re- ceiving, he thus brings home to his audience part of the text "It is more blessed to give than to receive." "The truth of this divine saying, considered as a general proposition, may be easily shown; but there is a sense in which it is self-evident and requires no reasoning, nor aught but an act of simple attention to bring out. It is the sense to which I alluded when I said that the words were capable of an ap- plication to the principle of this society and the business of this day. Now, undoubtedly, it is more blessed and happy to give—to be a contributor to the funds of this association, than to receive support from them ; because the giver is in health and the receiver is sick : the difference between which two con- ditions, as respects comfort and happiness, may, next to that between innocency and guilt, be pronounced the greatest that can exist between two persons. The difference between riches and poverty is as nothing when compared to this. There are thousands possessed of wealth who would willingly i lay their for- tunes down at the feet of any one who was willing and had it n his power to give them health in exchange for money. So would the sick member of your society account it a happy thing to exchange the terrible tossings of the sick- bed, or the agony of broken bones, for health and bard work—to resign his allowance and resume his payments. Such an one will see and feel the force of our Saviour's words, and confess that in this sense it is, beyond all doubt and all comparison, 'more blessed to give than to receive.'" There is a theological novelty in this application of a well- known text— PUT YOUR SHILLINGS IN THE SAVINGS-BANE AND "TOO SHALL FIND THEM AFTER MANY DAYS."

But without referring you to tables, I can safely say this, that whatever man among you should from youth to middle age, or a little later—till a period of life which none would call old age—put one shilling weekly in a savings-bank, and leave it there, would find himself in easy circumstances for the remainder of his days, able to leave off work if he pleased, master of an annual inde- pendent income, equal in amount to that of his earnings in the best years of his life. Many could save after this rate if they pleased, because I fear too many squander after as high a rate, spend as much upon vain and frivolous in- dulgencies which do them no good, or in gross and criminal ones which do them hurt, and are yet more expensive. If saving after the rate which I have mentioned—if a shilling a week regularly paid in, and swelled from year to year, as in our savings-banks it is, by the effect of compound interest, will make a man thus independent, and enable him thus honourably to crown " A youth of labour with an age of ease."

the smaller contributions which you all cast into the treasury of your club will place a man in circumstances of comparative independence and ease at the same period of life. You contribute more than enough to meet the demands of the sick. You will have each of you a considerable sum—a sum well worth having, and worth taking care of—to receive from time to time, at periods fixed by your rules. Cast this into the bank in your own names; leave it there ; add to it if you can. A time will come when it will stand you in much stead. It will be to you as the bread cast upon the waters, which the Scriptures tell us a man so doing shall find after many days.

We take leave of the Club Semtums with a piece of sound ad- vice to the lower classes of all creeds.

SAVE WHILST SINGLE.

Again, with a view to a nearer occasion—with a view to the expenses of the married state—bow wanting to themselves are thay who will not save during their single state ? Many years elapse between the time that a man begins to earn full wages and the time that he can prudently marry. A prudent man will employ this interval in saving for a family, and denying himself, in order that he may deny them nothing. This is a practicable, and many have found it an agreeable duty. Here also, as in the last case, the greatness of the end is a reward for the means. They who have not prudence to use the means— they who when single spend all their earnings upon themselves, are painfully straitened when they have more than themselves to provide for. Either the indulgences they were accustomed to when single must be left off, or they must pinch and neglect their families—those whom they have induced to trust to them for support, and canoed to come into the world—even their wives and children. In such circumstances, the temper is deteriorated ; the angry feel- ings displace those of benevolence and kindness; home is deprived of sweetness and the heart of joy. Many, we fear, miss the great prize of domestic hap- piness from this cause—from the want of forethought in this matter—from having neglected, while there was opportunity, to provide against wants cer- tainly very capable of being foreseen.