- Adams. T. B. jun
r - Isaac Hull
- Quincy Josiah jun
r
Heard Mr Lamson of
Dedham in the morning from Jeremiah 4.14. [“]O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from
wickedness that thou mayest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within
thee?[”] And in the afternoon from Luke 8.15. [“]But that on the good ground are they,
which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth
fruit with Patience.” These were two moral Essays, extremely well written and well
meditated— Sermons of this description are very pleasing to me; but there is an air of
family resemblance among them all which colours them all with one complection. What
would be the success of a Minister who should adopt the principle of giving to his
discourses as much variety as possible— Who should at one time describe a scriptural
character—at another discuss a point of controversy; at a third comment upon a
parable; at a fourth dwell upon a point of morals— Perhaps it would 265require a variety of Talent, with Genius and Learning; but such a preacher
must be generally pleasing— Mr Lamson’s Sermons had no
allusion to the thoughts of other men. Very little even to his texts; all was spun out
from the Reflections of his own mind— Differing in this respect from a Sermon of
Bourdaloue, which I read yesterday and
this morning upon the duties of Parents to their children— This is the first Sermon of
that celebrated preacher that I have ever read; but I think I shall read many more. He
was one of the most famous preachers of the time of Louis
14. but differing much in the manner from Bossuet, Flechier, or Massillon— Bourdaloue quotes the Saints and Fathers
in great profusion— His reasoning is much strengthened by quotations— His divisions of
his subject are artificial and ingenious— Part of his argument from the peculiar
character of the Tenets of the Romish Church, is not applicable to persons of the
Protestant Churches— But much of his doctrine belongs to general morality— He urges
that Parents have no right to controul the vocation of their children, and yet that
Parents are the persons responsible for the vices of their children. I read also the
Sermons 14 and 15. of the Volume of Dr Freeman—the first upon Irresolution, and the
second upon the extent of Christ’s Kingdom. Coll. Quincy spent the Evening with us; and told us
he should remove with his family next Wednesday to their Winter-quarters in Boston—
Thomas B. Adams junr. and Isaac Hull Adams dined
with us.