ADVERTISEMENT. ARCHBISHOP SECKER directed his studies, with peculiar energy, to that great department of theology which respects Christian virtue. His skill in fcriptural criticism, and in the theory of religion, appear incidentally in the matter of his fermons; but when he pursued the detail of moral duty, he followed the bent of his genius, and held the path in which he was fitted to excel. HAD Dr. Secker remained through life in the more private fituation of a parochial pastor, his fermons would probably have been almost whol • ly of the fame class with those which compose this first volume of the new edition; but when his merit brought him forward into the highest ecclefiaftical fituation, it became neceffary for the Archbishop of Canterbury to attend to public cares, and to employ his talents on those fubjects which involved the interests of the state, and of a national church. Of course, there occur in his works a series of fermons, refpecting the rebellion, by which the religious and civil liberties of Britain were brought into hazard. There are fermons on occafions of war and peace, and on particular events affecting the state of the Royal Family. There are fermons 22 317007 : in |