and poets, or physicians, should be conversant with that course of reading, which will supply rules and models of excellence in their own particular department. He begs leave to offer a list of pieces of this class at the end of this preface. He recollects that when Mr. Mason's "Student and Pastor," underwent the review of the Monthly Critic at that period, the writer of the article observed with some degree of censure, the total omission of catechising in the enumeration of the ministerial functions. He has endeavoured to supply this omission. Under some other heads he has made such additions as appeared to him to be important and useful, if not necessary. He was the more ready to do this, that he might avail himself of the opportunity to bring forward and preserve some interesting passages, from excellent, but fugitive pieces *. N. B. The capital letters of the Roman alphabet, mark the editor's additions. The The editor cannot conclude this preface without one remark, the truth and force of which he hopes will be owned and felt by every young minister: namely, that it is of the utmost moment to cherish and keep alive the true spirit of the pastoral office. Rules may direct the performance of its functions: but it will be, however correct, a merely artificial, laboured, he is almost tempted to say, an insincere and hypocritical discharge of them, if it be not animated by that earnestness of mind, that love of its duties, that zeal to attain its end, that ambition to approve ourselves to our divine Master, the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, which constitute the spirit of the office. "A minister of religion who dislikes the business of his calling, who has not even an ardent love to it, must lead a very unpleasant life. He saunters away life in listlessness; he turns to his proper functions with reluctance; le toils through them with distaste; he performs them ill; and is dissatisfied with himself; and from this dissatisfaction, again performs them worse, and is more uneasy in his own feelings and reflections *." Whereas the sublime, generous spirit of the profession will secure diligence, rouse to exertion, create delight and fill the breast with satisfaction. and hope. Happy will the editor think himself, unostentatious as may be the task he has undertaken, if the re-publication of these valuable tracts should renew, and secure to a further extent, the pious and worthy ends which the excellent author proposed by their first appearance from the press. * Gerrard's Pastoral Office, p. 93. Tracts Tracts on the Ministerial Character, besides those to which Mr. Mason refers. Dr. WATTS's Humble Attempt for the Revival of Re ligion. FORDYCE'S Art of Preaching. Dr. LEECHMAN's Temper, Character and Duty of a Minister of the Gospel. Mr. JOHN JENNINGS's Two Discourses on Preaching Christ, and Experimental Preaching. Mr. PHILIP HOLLAND'S Character, Offices and Qualifications of the Christian Preacher, in the second volume of Sermons. Mr. ORTON'S Life of Dr. Doddridge, and Mr. Philip Henry. Dr. GERRARD's Pastoral Care. Mr. ORTON's Letters to Mr. Stedman. -Letters to Dissenting Ministers, 2 vols. Mr. SAMUEL PALMER'S, Abridgement of Baxter's |