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our minds with the ideas of religion ; sermons for families are the emblems * the helps , and ^ not unfrequently , the substi * tutes of family-worship . Mr . Butcher appears not row before the public for the , first lime in the character of a writer of " Sermons for the Use of
Families z" a former volume of his discourses has been so well received , that he is encouraged to publish a » second volume , as also a secend edition of the first volume . The judgment of the public , thus unequivocally expressed in his favor , ought perhaps to incline candid criticism to a like decision ; the piety , liberality , and amiable spirit which breathe in the sermons must , certainly , disarm criticism of its severity ,
The number of sermons in the volume is twenty-two . They are on the following subjects : The proper Disposition for receiving Religious Instruction—The Character of Job—Ac- * quaintance with God—The Character of the Apostle Paul—* The Progressive Nature of Religion—God ' s Question to Adam - —God remembered in Youth—The Divine Protection—The
Birth of Christ—The Message of John the Baptist to Jesus— . Continual Rejoicing the Duty of a Christian—The Faith of Abraham an Example to Christians . —Conscience—The Consequences of Sin—The Result of Righteousness—Religious Gratitude—The Conquest of Anger enforced , from the Conduct of David towards Nabal—Sympathy—Religious Retirein en t—Sickness and Recovery—" Patiently-waiting for Death- **
The Final Congregation of Good Characters m Heaven . The character of these sermons is plainness and familiarity . It will be seen , by a reference to the list of subjects , that there is nothing in them peculiarly suitable to families : they are all , in fact , on personal religion : domestic duties , as such , are not , that we remember , once handled . None of the discourses
are doctrinal ; nor do the author ' s opinions on disputable subjects frequently , much less ostentatiously , appear . Texts of Scripture are more frequently accommodated in them than explained ; and indeed , had they been more critical , they would have been less plain . The author seldom , ventures upon a general argument , or c * meddles with nice metaphysical specu-Jations : " when hey'does , he is not alwavs successful .
The merit of the sermons consists in their eaiy style-, earnest and affectionate address , rational sentiments ^ ardent and uniform piety , candid spirit , and benevolent tendency . They who look for these qualities alone in a sermon will be fully gratified with them : they who look for other qualities also which are not to be found must yet be pleased to observe these excel- * Jcncies prevailing in so eminent a degree .
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Butcher ' s Sernwns * 544
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vol . \ f 4 A
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1806, page 545, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1729/page/41/
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