of the church. Many of the congregation fell into laughter, concluding that their young preacher would be at a stand for the want, or, at least, the derangement of his materials; but some of the more grave and better natured sort, gathered up the scattered notes, and carried them to him in the pulpit. Mr. Bull perceiving that most of the audience, consisting chiefly of sea-faring persons, were rather inclined to take delight in his mischance, replaced the leaves in the Bible, and shutting it, went on with the discourse to the end, without once referring to them. Having by this ready effort secured the good opinion of his flock, it was not long till he gained their affections; of which, on another occasion, they gave a striking proof. While Mr. Bull was preaching, a quaker came into the church, and in the middle of the sermon, cried out, "George, come down, thou art a false prophet and a hireling!" The people incensed at this indignity to their pastor, fell upon the poor quaker with such fury, that Mr. Bull was obliged to come down from the pulpit to rescue him out of their hands; having done so, he went up again, and finished his sermon.

The spirit which prevailed at this period, would not admit of the open and public use of the Book of Common Prayer; but Mr. Bull formed all his public devotions out of it, and was commended as a person who prayed by the spirit, by many who condemned the Common Prayer as a beggarly element," and "a carnal performance." A singular instance of this occurred to him on being sent for to baptize the child of a dissenter in his parish. On this occasion, he made use of the office of baptism

as prescribed by the Church of England, which he had got entirely by heart, and which he went through with so much seraphic devotion, that the whole company were much affected. After the ceremony, the father of the child returned him a great many thanks, intimating, at the same time, with how much greater edification those prayed, who entirely depended on the spirit of God for assistance in their extemporary effusions, than others did, who tied themselves up to premeditated forms; and that if he had not made the sign of the cross, the badge of popery, as he called it, nobody could have found the least objection to his excellent prayers. Bull on this shewed him the office of baptism in the Liturgy, containing every prayer he had used on that occasion; this, with other arguments offered by Mr. Bull in favour of the Common Prayer, wrought so effectually upon the good man and his whole family, that from that time they became constant attendants on the public service of the church.

PRAYING FOR OUR ENEMIES.

Mr.

The minister of a corporate town in the North of England having been affronted by the mayor, who was a butcher, determined on resenting it, and that too (most improperly) in the way of his profession. On the following Sunday, when preaching before the corporation, he introduced the following sentence in one of the occasional prayers: "And since, O Lord! thou hast commanded us to pray for our enemies, herein we beseech thee for the right

worshipful the mayor; give him the strength of Sampson, and the courage of.. David, that he may knock down sin like an ox, and sacrifice iniquity like a lamb, and may his horn be exalted above his brethren."

RIVAL CANDIDATES.

Two candidates of the name of Adam and Low, preached probation sermons for a lectureship, which was in the gift of the congregation. Mr. Low preached in the morning, taking for his text, " Adam, where art thou?" and made a very excellent sermon, with which the congregation appeared much edified. Mr. Adam, who was present, preached in the evening, taking for his text the passage immediately following that of his rival, Lo, here am I." This impromptu, and his sermon, gained Mr. A. the lectureship.

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CHARITY SERMON.

A dissenting minister at Liverpool preaching a sermon for the Infirmary, among other arguments to effect his purpose, pleasantly observed, "Such was the importance and excellence of the institution, that no man could possibly be prevented from bestowing liberally, according to his ability, but by some distress of circumstances. Whoever, therefore," he added, "shrinks from his duty on this occasion, must be inevitably concluded to be in debt." The consequence was, a plentiful contribu

tion.

SWIFT.

Dean Swift always performed the duties of religion with punctuality and devotion; but he could not forbear indulging the peculiarity of his humour when an opportunity offered, whatever might be the impropriety of the time and place. Upon his being appointed to the living of Laracor, in the diocese of Meath, he gave public notice that he would read prayers on Wednesdays and Fridays, which had not been the custom; and, accordingly, the bell was rung, and he went to church. On the first day he remained some time with no other auditor than his clerk, Roger, when he at length began: "Dearly beloved Roger, the scripture moveth you and me in sundry places," and so proceeded to the end of the service.

FOSTER.

"Let modest Foster, if he will, excel
Ten metropolitans in preaching well."

POPE.

Few preachers in London have enjoyed a greater share of popularity than Dr. James Foster, who delivered the Sunday Evening Lectures at the old Jewry, for upwards of twenty years. Hither resorted persons of every rank, station, and quality; clergy, wits, free-thinkers; and hither curiosity probably drew Pope himself, before he was induced to hand the preacher down to fame as "the modest Foster." His talent for preaching is universally allowed to have been eminent and extraordinary. His voice was naturally sweet, strong, distinct, harmonious;

and a good ear enabled him to manage it exactly. His action was grave, expressive, natural, free from all violence or distortion; in short, such as became the pulpit, and was necessary to give force and energy to the truths there delivered.

He began to preach at the age of twenty, at Exeter; he afterwards removed to Ashwich, under the mountains of Mendip. Here he preached to two poor plain congregations at Colesford and Wookey, near Wells, which, together, brought him in fifteen pounds yearly; yet in the midst of this poverty and fatigue, he retained great cheerfulness, and applied himself to his studies very intently. His sermon on the resurrection, and his celebrated essay on fundamentals, instead of allaying the ferment of party, raised him many enemies, and forced him to Trowbridge, where his congregation did not consist of more than twenty or thirty persons of the presbyterian persuasion. His fame as a preacher becoming at length known, he was invited to London.

The private character of Dr. Foster has been spoken of, by his friends, in the highest terms. They dwell with peculiar emphasis on his humanity, as a man perfectly free from every thing gross and worldly. His benevolence and charities were so extraordinary, that he never reserved any thing for his own future use; and had it not been for two thousand subscribers to his "Discourses on Natural Religion and Social Virtue," he would have died extremely poor.