The f7th-century preaching was, generally speaking, a continu ation of that of the 16th century, the pattern having been set by the Council of Trent and by the principles and practice of the Reformers. In Spain and Germany, however, there was a decline of power, in marked contrast to the vigour manifested in France and England. In France, indeed, the Catholic pulpit now came to its perfection, stimulated, no doubt, by the toleration accorded to the Huguenots up to 1685 and by the patronage of Louis XIV. The names of Bossuet, Flechier, Bourdaloue, Fenelon and Massillon, all supreme preachers, despite a certain artificial pompousness, belong here, and on the reformed side are Jean Claude (d. 1687) and Jacques Saurin (d. 1730). In England, among Anglicans, are Andrewes, Hall, Chillingworth, Jeremy Taylor, Barrow and South ; among Puritans and Nonconformists, Baxter, Calamy, the Good wins, Howe, Owen and Bunyan. The sermons of these men were largely scriptural, the cardinal evangelical truths being emphasized with reality and vigour, but with a tendency to abstract theology rather than concrete religion.
The early years of the 18th century were a time of torpor as regards preaching. Generally speaking, sermons were unim passioned, stilted and formal presentations of ethics and apolo getics, seldom delivered extempore.
The Modern Period.—This dates from 1738, the year in which John Wesley began his memorable work. The example and stimu lus given by him and by Whitefield were almost immeasurably pro ductive. In their train came the great field preachers of Wales,
like John Elias and Christmas Evans, and later the Primitive Methodists, who by their camp meetings and itinerancies kept religious enthusiasm alive when Wesleyan Methodism was in peril of hardening. Meanwhile, in America the Puritan tradition, adap ted to the new conditions, is represented by Cotton Mather, and later by Jonathan Edwards, the greatest preacher of his time and country. Whitefield's visits raised a band of pioneer preachers, cultured and uncultured, men who knew their Bibles but often interpreted them awry.
Preaching, in modern times, has been so varied, depending, as it largely does, on the personality of the preacher, that it is not possible to speak of its characteristics. Nor can one do more than enumerate a few outstanding modern names, exclusive of living preachers. In the Roman Catholic Church are the Italians Ven tura and Curci, the Germans Diepenbrock and Foerster, the French Lacordaire, Dupanloup, Loyson (Pere Hyacinthe) and Henri Didon. Of Protestants, Germany produced Schleiermacher, Claus Harms, Tholuck and F. W. Krummacher ; France, Vinet and the Monods. In England representative Anglican preachers were : Newman (whose best preaching preceded his obedience to Rome), T. Arnold, F. W. Robertson, Liddon, Farrar, Magee; of Free Churchmen, T. Binney, R. W. Dale, Joseph Parker and J. H. Jowett (Congregationalist) ; Robert Hall, C. H. Spurgeon, Alexan der Maclaren and John Clifford (Baptists) ; W. M. Punshon, Hugh Price Hughes, Peter Mackenzie and W. L. Watkinson (Wesleyan) ; James Martineau (Unitarian). The Scottish churches gave Ed ward Irving, Thomas Chalmers, R. S. Candlish, R. M. McCheyne and John Caird. In America, honoured names are those of W. E. Channing, Henry Ward Beecher, Horace Bushnell, Phillips Brooks, Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878– ), to mention only a few. See A. E. Garvie, The Christian Preacher (1920) , a comprehensive survey with full bibliography. (A. J. G.)