discourse. Chrysostom styles one of his homilies, an exhortation to those who were ashamed to come to sermon after dinner.' In his tenth homily to the people of Antioch, he commends them for the full assemblies which convened for public worship in the afternoon. It is probable that he did, at least occasionally, preach a third time, on the same Sabbath; for he certainly did sometimes preach in the evening; it appears from his fourth homily on Genesis, in which by an eloquent digression, he reproved his hearers for turning their eyes away from himself to the man that was lighting the lamps. The Apostolical Constitutions, speaking of the Christian Sabbath, say, On which day, we deliver three sermons in commemoration of him who rose again after three days.' The custom of modern Protestant churches, throughout Christendom, except in very high latitudes, or very scattered population, requires two services on each Sabbath. The ecclesiastical canons of Scotland require three in the summer and two in the winter; though general usage dispenses with one of these, in each division of the year.

It need only be mentioned on this particular, that, in the Romish church, at different periods, preaching, except on occasion of some public festival, was entirely suspended for ages together; as it has also been in some branches of the Greek church.

CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH PREACHING.

Posture of the preacher.-Ancient authorities are divided on the question, whether the common posture of the preacher was sitting or standing. The Scribes and Pharisees sat in Moses' seat.' Our Saviour, having

read a passage from the prophet Isaiah,-" sat down, to teach the people." "He sat down and taught the people out of the ship"-" He sat and taught his disciples in the mountain; "-and to his enemies he said, "I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple."

It is certain that sitting to preach was the attitude adopted frequently by Augustine, and commonly by Justin, Origen, Athanasius, and Chrysostom. It was probably the prevailing usage of ancient preachers, though often departed from by Christ, and by the early fathers.

Posture of hearers.-Justin Martyr says in his second Apology, that when the sermon was finished in the church of Rome, the people all rose up to pray ;-implying that they heard the sermon sitting, and united in the prayer standing. This was the general custom in the churches of Italy at that period; and in many churches of the east. But in the African churches, the indulgence of sitting to hear sermons, was strictly prohibited, except to the aged and infirm; and standing was the more prevailing custom of Christian assemblies for a long period.

Eusebius says that when he preached, in the palace of Constantine the great, the Emperor stood, with the other auditors, during the whole discourse. And when he entreated him to sit down on his throne, which was near, he refused, saying that ease and remissness was unbecoming in hearers of the divine word; and that standing in such a case, was only a decent respect to religion.

Classification of hearers.-In ancient Christian assemblies, distinct portions of the church were allotted to different classes of persons, designated by railings of wood; so that males were separated from females, and married from the unmarried.

Prayers.-The regular prayers of the ancient churches were offered after the sermon was closed. Ferrarius, however, informs us, that, before the preacher began his discourse, he always invoked divine aid in a short prayer, similar in kind and length, to those occasional supplications, which he offered in the current of his sermon, when any point of unusual difficulty came to be discussed. In the more set prayers at the conclusion of public worship, the people, having been silent to the close, united in the audible response,―Amen.

Reading the Scriptures.-The reading of the scriptures, either by the preacher, or some one in his stead, always was the first exercise of public worship. The subject of the sermon was usually taken from the passage read, and where the reader was a different person from the preacher, it often happened that a fortuitous selection of the passage at the time, required from the preacher an extempore effort in the exposition. This passage, however, was commonly determined by previous arrangement.

The Salutation, Pax vobis.-To secure the attention of the people at the commencement of worship, the deacons commanded silence; the preachers addressed them with an affectionate salutation and benediction; 'peace be with you,'-(the people answering, and with thy spirit;') and at the moment of commencing his sermon, he signified by his look, and the movement of his right hand, that he expected them to give audience to what he was about to deliver. This signal of his right hand, Lucan says, Julius Cæsar employed, when about to address the multitude. It was common with ancient orators, heathen and Christian. On such occasions St. Peter "beckoned with his hand; "-and so did St. Paul, repeatedly.

Text.-Ancient preachers did not select a text,

exactly in the modern manner. Sometimes the theme of discourse was deduced from a short clause of the lesson read, which was announced at or near the commencement of the sermon. At other times, this theme was taken from a whole lesson; at others, from several lessons. Basil, in one of his homilies, alludes to three, and in another to four distinct passages that had been read that day, from different parts of the Bible. This accounts in some measure for the fact, that the preaching of the Fathers had so much of the hortatory and discussive character, and so little unity of subject and effect.

LECTURE III.

HISTORY OF THE PULPIT.

Subjects of sermons.-Under this head, I might greatly extend my remarks; as a proper survey of the subjects discussed by preachers of different ages, would form a history of the pulpit, far more accurate and complete than any which has been given to the world.

Among the early fathers, sermons were adapted to two general classes of hearers, the catechumens and the faithful, or, (as they were sometimes called,) imperiti and initiati. In addressing the latter, abstruse doctrines, and the sacred mysteries of religion were often discussed; while the preacher, in instructing the catechumens, passed over these entirely, or touched them very lightly, dwelling on those simple truths and duties, which were adapted to their circumstances. Concerning the preachers of the second century, Mosheim says, The Christian system, as it was hitherto taught, preserved its native and beautiful simplicity, and was comprehended in a small number of articles. The public teachers inculcated no other doctrines than those that are contained in what is commonly called the Apostles' Creed; and in the method of illustrating them, all vain subtilties, all mysterious researches beyond the reach of common capacities, were carefully avoided. This will not appear surprising to those who consider, that, at this time, there was not the least controversy about those