Page:Biographical sketch of the life and labours of that eminent minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; the Rev. James Hall D. D. of the United Secession Church, Broughton-Place meeting-house, Edinburgh.pdf/6

 idea, that "he moved with the easy grace of an angel charged with the gracious behests of the Most High."

The style of his composition was lively, elegant, and perspicuous, frequently copious, but always replete with instructiceinstructive [sic] sentiments. This subjects were selected with judgment—uniformly adapted to the circumstances of his auditory, the peculiar aspects of Providence, and the particular occasions on which they were elucidated. His divisions and subdivisions, though sometimes considerably numerous, were well calculated to illustrate his text, assist the memory of his hearers, and furnish them with topics of improving meditation. In all his discourses he was eloquent and interesting: but hethe [sic] consolatory truth of religion, the peaceful sound of salvation, the good tidings of great joy, which were brought by the angel of the Lord to the highly-favoured shepherds of Bethlehem, were the themes on which he dilated with paramount pleasure. He was well qualified, indeed, for rousing the careless, alarming the impenitent, and impelling the guilty to flee from the wrath to come; but while exhibiting the love of God, the unsearchable riches of Christ, and the astonishing wonders of redemption to poor, miserable, wrath-deserving sinners, he never failed to shine with a surpassing lustre.

An extensive combination of attractive qualities entered in to the composition of his public character, which rendered his ministrations equally acceptable to persons of erudition and taste, and to ingenious minds that were total strangers to polite literature. He was blessed with a fascinating ease, energy, and ernestness of manner, a graceful facility of utterance, a compass of language which never allowed him to hesitate, or to return for a better word or a happier phrase—au amplitude of ideas which on all occasions rendered him rich and copious—a strength of imagination which supplied him with striking and instructive figures—a comprehensive knowledge of