2. A Polemical Lecture designed to furnish a fair and comprehensive view of the most important controvercies of the present day; inculcating at the same time, the value and aportance of truth, and the absurdity and danger of scepti c.sm or indifference?

3. An Exegetical Lecture on some book of the Greek Testament, generally an epistle.

4. A course on Biblical Criticism, and the principles of sacred Philology and Interpretation.

5. Lectures on Preaching, and the other duties of the pastoral office. Dr. Dodandge's Lectures on those subJects are the text book.

6. Lectures on Ecclesiastical History.

II. A course of Lectures on the Elements of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, and Natural History.

III. A course on Logic and the Philosophy of the Mind. JV. A course on the study of Civil History and Antiqui tics; attainments prerequisite for that study, observations on historical writers, ruies and advices for securing the greatest sum of advantage from the pursuit, and an inquiry into the objects most interesting to a Christian divine, to which the study of history should be rendered subservient.

The preceding statement may be considered as a fair specimen of the usual course of study pursued in the best egulated of our Dissenting Colleges. The subject of the preceding memoirs received his education in the truly res pectable Academy at Hoxton.— -over that institution the Rev. Robert Simpson, the Rev. Henry Forster Burder, A. M. and the Rev. Hooper, A. M. preside with dis

tinguished ability.*

In these respective Academies, public examinations are annually held, in which a close and critical inquiry is made into the diligence-the acquirements, and the conduct of

each student.

* I should be happy to present a statement of the system adopted in that excellent institution, but I am not furnished with materials for the purpose. Such a statement was not deemed necessary by those of whom I requested information. I think it of importance to mention this, lest I should be consid ered as partial, in giving so minute a detail of the course at Homerton, and saying so little of the plans pursued at Hoxton.

No. II.

SPECIMENS OF MR. SPENCER'S EARLY

PREACHING.

EXERCISES IN

From the following outlines of some of his first sermons may be gathered what was his general style of preaching at the period of their composition.

ON PUBLIC WORSHIP.

Dated March 6, 1807.

. MATTHEW xviii, 20. For where two or three are gath ered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.' We shall make a few general observations on the text in the following order:

I. THAT IT IS THE DUTY AND INTEREST OF CHRISTIANS TO ASSEMBLE TOGETHER FOR THE PURPOSES OF

WORSHIP.

This duty was

1. Practised by ancient believers.

RELIGIOUS

Zion was the well

known place to which the tribes went up-Christ frequented the Synagogue. The apostles met together, &c.

2. It is enjoined in the sacred scriptures. See Ps. c, 4. Heb. x, 25.

3. Fraught with the richest blessings.

II. THAT IT MUST BE DONE IN THE NAME OF CHRIST.

1. In obedience to his command.

2. In the use of his appointed means.

3. In dependence on his assistance.

4. With a view to his glory.

III. THAT ALTHOUGH BUT FEW PERSONS THUS ASSEMBLE, YET THAT IS NO OBJECTION TO THEIR OBTAINING THE DIVINE FAVOR AND BLESSING.

'Wherever two or three,' &c.

We remark in the first place,

1. That God regards the sincerity of the worshippers, not their number.

2. The happy experience of worshippers in all ages of the world. As a confirmation of the sentiment,

3. The positive assertion of the text.

IV, THAT JESUS IS PRESENT WITH ALL THOSE WHO THUS

ASSEMBLE TOGETHER.

How is Christ present in his worshipping assemblies? For what purpose is Christ present with his worshipping people?

1. To observe the manner of their worship.

2. To bless those who are earnestly seeking him. .

REFLECTIONS.

1. The Lord Jesus Christ is God, or he could not be present in all the assemblies of his people at the same time.

2. How inexcusable is the conduct of those who neglect: public worship,

3. How great will be the happiness of the heavenly world, to all the sincere worshippers of Christ.

THE SECOND APPEARING OF CHRIST..

HEBREWS ix, 28.

And unto them that look for him shall

he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.' Let us contemplate,

IT.

1. THE GLORIOUS APPEARANCE OF THE SON OF GOD. The text informs us of

1. Its certainty.

2. Its order.

3. Its manner.

4 The end.

'He shall appear,' &c. .

The second time,' &c.

'Without sin,' &c.'/

Unto salvation.'

II. THE PERSONS WHO WILL BE HAPPILY INTERESTED IN & To those who look for him,

1. With ardent love.

2. With earnest longing. . 3. With patient waiting.

4. With due preparation.

From this subject permit me to make these remarks. What a great distinction among mankind will there be at the judgment.

Of what importance is it for us to know whether we are thus looking for him.

In what high estimation should we hold that Savior who is the first and the last in a sinner's salvation..

THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA.

JOHN iv, 28, 29. The woman then left her water-hot and went her way, into the city, and saith to the men, Come see a man which told me all things, whatever I did; is not this the Christ?'

3

From the text and its connexion we shall draw the three following plain observations:

I. THAT JESUS CHRIST IS POSSESSED OF THE

EXCELLENCIES.

GREATEST

We shall confine ourselves to those illustrated in his conversation with the woman of Samaria.

1. Profound humility. Though he was rich in the glories of his divine nature, he humbled himself and become a man, and so as not to be above holding conversation with a poor woman at a well. Let proud mortals contemplate this and be ashamed.

2. Consummate wisdom. He proceeds upon the plan established by the order of the everlasting covenant, and will not fail of converting all his chosen people. He knew where to find this woman-he knew all her circumstancesand what kind of conversation to hold with her.

3. Ardent benevolence. It was for the instruction and conversion of this poor woman, that he exerted himself. II. THAT THOSE WHO ARE ENABLED TO DISCOVER HIS EXCELLENCIES FEEL AN ATTACHMENT TO HIM.

The affection of that soul which has by faith contemplated and discovered the excellencies of Christ, is,

1. Reasonable. (Rational)

THAT THOSE WHO REALLY LOVE HIM ARE ANXIOUS

TO RECOMMEND HIM TO OTHERS.

1. By earnest entreaty.

2. By bringing them under the sound of the gospel

3. By prayer to God for them.

4. By a holy life.

IMPROVEMENT.

1. We here see that there is no worthiness in the instru

ment employed in a sinner's conversion.

The Samaritan woman was made useful in directing her fellow citizens to Christ.

2. This subject affords us a test whereby we may try our

own characters.

Are we really attached to Christ?

3. Are there any here desirous to see Jesus?

No. III..

CHRIST AT EMMAUS..

LUKE xxiv, 32. And they said one to another, did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?'

The connexion of this text shews us, that after the death and resurrection of the great Messiah, two of the disconsolate disciples, who knew not that he was raised from the dead, went to a village called Emmaus; that on their way thither they conversed, as was likely they would do, upon the wonderful events that had lately transpired in Jerusalem, and spake of him they loved. His person-his actions-his sermonshis prophecies-and, above all, his most extraordinary exit occupied their solemn attention, and afforded a subject for the most interesting discourse. Whilst they were thus engaged in conversing about him, with whom they had before been familiar, and from whom they had learned most excellent lessons, a third came up and joined them; this indeed was Jesus of Nazareth, who had been raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. But he chose, for wise ends, to conceal himself from them, and to cause that their eyes should be holden, that they should not know him, appearing to them as a stranger desirous of knowing the subject of their conversation, and the cause of their grief, and to sympathize with them under their sorrow-weeping with them that wept. They intimated to him their wonder that he, even supposing that he were but a stranger in Jerusalem, should be unacquainted with the things which were come to pass there in those days; then proceeding to tell him how Jesus, a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and the people, was condemned to death and crucified; giving him to