ADVERTISEMENT

OF THE

AMERICAN EDITOR.

NOTWITHSTANDING the great reputation which the Sermons of Massillon have justly obtained, they were inaccessible to mere English readers until the appearance of the translation which forms the basis of the one now published.

However praiseworthy the intentions of the Scottish translator may have been, his work is in no wise calculated to convey an adequate idea of the original. His preference for a literal over a paraphrastic version is evinced in every page, while at the same time he frequently mistakes or perverts the meaning of his author, and in several instances has engrafted ornaments after his own taste upon the simple but beautiful eloquence of the French preacher. An American edition, however, of these Sermons being called for, it was thought proper by the publishers rather to print this translation, with such corrections as were absolutely necessary, than to undertake a new version. It has been the aim of the present editor, to free it as far as possible from the French and Scottish idioms with which it abounded, and to render it a more perfect copy of the original, by restoring the sense of passages which the English translator had mistaken. He is aware, however, that it may still be considered too close a translation, and that other defects may still remain; but it ought to be borne in mind that his duty was limited to the correction of the principal errors, and did not extend to a re-modelling of the entire work; and he trusts that, when compared with the English edition, it will be found to be greatly

improved. That some idea may be formed of the errors and insufficiency of the original translation, a few specimens are subjoined, selected almost at random from thousands.

Tout y est rempli, occupé par les créatures; où voulezvous que Dieu trouve sa place? (Sur la prière.)

SCOTCH EDITION.

It is wholly filled with the creatures; where then should God find his place in it?

AMERICAN EDITION.

It is wholly filled with created beings; where then should the Creator find a place in it?

Et certes rendez gloire ici à la vérité: n'est-il pas vrai que les jours où vous avez vécu avec plus d'attention sur vousmémes; &c. (Sur la prière.)

And after all, render glory here to the truth. Is it not true that the days in which you have been more guarded upon yourself; &c.

And after all, give the truth its proper glory. Is it not true that the days in which you have been most guarded; &c.

A cela je pourrois vous répondre d'abord, en établissant les fondemens de la doctrine chrétienne sur l'amour de nos frères : Cet homme pour vous déplaire et n'être pas de votre goût, en est-il moins votre frère, enfant de Dieu, citoyen du ciel? &c. (Pardon des offenses.)

Il a renversé votre fortune temporelle, je le veux; et en le haissant, vous renversez le fondement de votre salut eternel. (Pardon des offenses.)

(Omitted altogether in the English edition)

He has been the means of overthrowing your temporal fortune, you say; supposing this to be the case, by hating him you destroy the foundation of your eternal fortune.

On ne seroit pas déshonoré en trempant ses mains dans le sang de son frère; et on le seroit en obéissant à Dieu, et à celui tient sa place sur la terre? (Pardon des offenses.)

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It should be no dishonour to bathe your hands in your bro- | ther's blood, while it would be one, to obey God, and the prince who holds his place in the world!

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Shall it be accounted no dis

honour to bathe your hands in your brother's blood, and yet be considered disgraceful, to obey God, and the prince who repre

sents him on earth?

Comme la ressource vile et vulgaire de ceux qui n'ont rien qui les signale. (Pardon des offenses.)

As the vile and vulgar refuge of those who have nothing sig

nal to establish their character.

As the vile and vulgar refuge of those who have nothing wherewith to signalize themselves.

Voilà le secret divin de la pénitence: comme elle fait ici-bas envers l'âme criminelle, dit Tertullien, la fonction de la justice de Dieu, et que la justice de Dieu punira un jour par la privation éternelle de toutes les créatures dont le pécheur a abusé, &c. (La Pecheresse.)

Behold the divine secret of penitence! As it officiates here below towards the criminal soul, says Tertullien, as the justice of God; and as the justice of God shall one day punish guilt by the eternal privation of all creatures which the sinner hath abused, &c.

Behold the divine secret of penitence! As it performs here below, says Tertullien, the office of God's justice towards the criminal soul, and as the justice of God shall one day punish guilt by the eternal privation of all things which the sinner hath abused, &c.

Car com

Première raison de l'inutilité de notre ministère. ment voulez-vous qu'une démarche tout profane serve de disposition à la grace? (Sur la parole de Dieu.)

First cause of the inutility of This is the first cause of the our ministry. For how is it inutility of our ministry. For possible that a proceeding alto- | how is it possible that a progether profane, send a disposi-ceeding so profane should furtion to grace? nish a disposition to grace?

-et tandis qu'en secret vous êtes l'âme la plus lâche et la plus timide, la plus abattue au premier peril qui vous menace, la moins ferme contre les évènemens, la plus agitée au gré des espérances et des craintes frivoles de la terre, vous vous piquez de courage contre la vérité : (Sur la parole de Dieu.)

And while you are internally the meanest and most cowardly soul, the most dejected by the | first danger which threatens you, the most disheartened by the smallest accident, the very shuttle-cock of every frivolous hope and fear of the earth, you pique yourself, &c.

And while you are internally the most timid and cowardly of beings, dejected by the first danger which threatens you, disheartened by the smallest accident, and agitated by all the hopes and fears of this world, you pique yourself, &c.

Demandez à Dieu, à la bonne heure, pour la gloire de l'Eglise, et pour l'honneur de son Evangile, qu'il suscite à son peuple des ouvriers puissans en parole; de ces hommes que l'onction seule de l'esprit de Dieu rend eloquens, &c. (La parole de Dieu.)

Demand of God, good and well, that, for the glory of the church and the honour of his gospel, he raise up to his people labourers powerful in speech, of those men whom the sole unction of the Spirit of God renders, &c.

Pray to God, if you choose, that, for the glory of the church and the honour of his gospel, he may raise up to his people labourers powerful in speech, men whom the mere unction of the Spirit of God renders, &c.

Eh! pourquoi venez-vous vous arrêter à nos foibles talens et chercher des qualités humaines où Dieu seul parle et agit? (La parole de Dieu.)

O! why do you come to loiter away with our feeble talents, or to seek human qualifications where God alone speaketh and acteth?

Oh! why do you waste your time on our feeble talents, or seek human qualifications where God alone speaketh and acteth?

Avez vous consulté si la doctrine que Jesus Christ nous a apportée du ciel, souscrivoit à la nouveauté et au danger de ces maximes? (Sur le salut.)

Have you consulted whether the doctrine brought us by Jesus Christ from heaven subscribed to the novelty and the danger of these maxims?

Have you consulted whether the doctrine brought us by Jesus Christ from heaven sanctions these novel and dangerous maxims ?

La jeunesse s'eteint, les années se precipitent: et semblables, dit l'Ecriture, aux eaux que coulent dans la mer, et qui ne remontent plus vers leur source, nous nous rendons rapidement dans l'abime de l'éternité, ou engloutis pour toujours, nous ne revenons plus sur nos pas reparoitre encore sur la terre. (Mort du Pecheur.)

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Youth glides away; years hurry on; and like water, says the scripture, spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up again, we rapidly course towards the abyss of eternity, where for ever swallowed up, we can never return upon our steps, to appear once more upon | appear upon earth. the earth.

Youth glides away; years hurry on; and like streams, says the scripture, which roll their waters to the ocean, and return no more to their source, we are rapidly urged to the abyss of eternity, where for ever swallowed up, we can no more

En fin, séparation de toutes les créatures. Tout est anéanti autour de lui: il tend les mains à tous les objets que l'environnent comme pour s'y prendre encore; et il ne saisit que des fantômes, qu'une fumée qui se dissipe, et qui ne laisse rien de réel dans ses mains. (Mort du Pecheur.)

(Omitted altogether in the English edition.)

To conclude, a separation from all created beings. Every thing is annihilated around him; he stretches out his hands, as if to take a last grasp of the objects which environ him, and he seizes nothing but fleeting shades which escape from his hands. foiblement rejetée; une occa(Sur la tiédeur.)

Une naissance de passion trop sion de périls trop frequentée, &c.

A birth of passion too feebly rejected; an occasion of danger too much frequented.

The growth of passion too feebly checked; occasions of danger too little avoided.

Et qu'ils se croient heureux quand il leur reste un moment pour être à eux-mêmes, et jouir d'un loisir que la situation de leur fortune leur refuse. (Sur l'emploi du temps.)

Il ne s'agit pas ici pour que la mort vous surprenne, que la foudre tombe sur vous, que vous soyez ensèvelis sous les ruines de vos palais; &c. (Sur la mort.)

In order to be surprised by death, the question at present is not, that the thunder should fall upon your heads, &c. VOL. I.

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When I speak of your being surprised by death, I do not, mean that the thunder, &c.