learned are not always the most useful divines. In whatever degree the pursuits of literature detach its vo-, tary from the study of the Scriptures, from self-examination, from unaffected devotion, and from earnest prayer; in whatever degree they elevate the style of his sermons and conversation above the intellect* of his meanest hearers, or withdraw him from the humble but important duties of visiting the sick, of comforting the afflicted, and of imparting consolation to the contrite heart; in that same degree must literary eminence itself be considered as pernicious. We would by no means insinuate that Mr. Wainewright considers literary attainments as a substitute for religious principle-or as correspondent in nature--or as necessarily leading to a right perception of the truth. What, we mean to say is, that if literature be engrafted on religion, the union is happy, and the Of the difficulty which well-educated men almost invariably experience in rendering themselves intelligible by the lower classes of society, every clergyman must be able to furnish examples. There was a time, when respect seems to have been paid to the preacher in proportion to the dithculty of his sermons; but even in those days, we find instances of men, most eminent for learning, who were careful to accommodate themselves to the meanest capacity. "Of the learned Dr. Edward Pocock, the ornament and pride of his country, especially as an orientalist, we are told by his biographer, that as he avoided in his preaching the shew and ostentation of learning, so he would not by any means indulge himself in the practice of those arts, which at that time were very common, and much admired by ordinary people..... His care not to amuse his hearers with things which they could not understand, gave some of them occasion to entertain very contemptible thoughts of his learning, and to speak of him accordingly. So that one of his Oxford friends, as he travelled through Childry, inquiring for his diversion of some people, who was their mi nister, and how they liked him, received from them this answer, Our parson is one Mr. Pocock, a plain, honest man; but, master, said they, he is no Latiner!"-See Wordsworth's Eccles. Biography, vol. v. p. 345. fruit is excellent; but if the heart be a stranger to the influence of Divine grace, there is too much reason to apprehend that learning itself may be employed in the support of error, and in opposition to the revelation of God, Christ Crucified. A Sermon preached before the University of Cambridge, on Sunday, March 17, 1811, by the Rev. CHARLES SIMEON, M. A. Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, &c. &c. THIS discourse is on the emphatical declaration of St. Paul to the Corinthians, "I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.". We shall first give a brief analysis. of the sermon, and then subjoin a few remarks on the composition itself, and on a general subject con nected with it. Mr. Simeon begins by stating the importance of preaching as the chief instrument, employed by God, for the propagation of religion; and the consequent obligation of preachers to give so powerful an engine a right direction. The text he considers as stating in a striking and comprehensive sentence, the grand topic of the Christian ministry; and he proceeds first to explain these words--and, secondly, to vindicate them. In "explaining" the text, he contends, that the Apostle did not design to state that he dwelt continually upon the fact or history of the crucifixion; but that he considered the doctrine founded upon this fact as of paramount importance. There were two particular views in which he invariably spoke of the death of Christ-namely, as the ground of our hopes, and as the motive to our obedience. He then proceeds to shew, by some appropriate quotations, in what manner this doctrine kindled the hopes and constrained the o' edience of St. Paul. He concludes this head, by saying, that this is the subject which the Apostle comprehends under the term Christ crucified' it consists of two parts; first, of affiance in Christ for salvation, and next, of obedience to the law for his sake: had either part of it been taken alone, his views had been imperfect, and his ministry without success. Had he neglected to set forth Christ as the only Saviour of the world, he would have betrayed his trust, and led his hearers to build their hopes on a foundation of sand. On the other hand, if he had neglected to inculcate holiness, and to set forth redeeming love as the great incentive to obedience, he would have been justly chargeable with that which has been often falsely imputed to him,an autinomian spirit; and his doctrines would have merited the odium which has most unjustly been cast upon them. But on neither side did he err; he forgot neither the foundation nor the superstructure: he distinguished properly between them, and kept each in its place: and hence with great propriety adopted the determination in our text." pp. 12, 13. It vision is so included in the two first, as to form scarcely a distinct speci fication. But we were never less disposed to act the critic than after rising from the perusal of this ser mon. We do not envy the man from the Isle of Leon, and then sit who could read the late dispatches down, with the cold precision and plastered dignity of a recruiting serjeant, to discuss the propriety of the precise order in which the countermarch was conducted, or the line was formed; and still less should we envy him who, when so grave a subject as that before us, treated in a manner so unostentatious and solemn, is presented to his mind, should clap himself into the critic's chair to condemn the author for a word. Under the first subdivision, we find a sort of episode upon the term dern times. We give it to our readers, " evangelica!" as employed in moas affording a fair specimen of the as what has gratified ourselves, and manly and rational style in which this author here addresses the assembled University. "It pleased God to reveal his Son in the the heathen? and accordingly St. Paul tells Apostle that he might preach Ịм among preach the unsearchable riches of Christ.' This us, that this grace was given to him to I say, was his office; and this too the ministry of reconciliation which is committed to minsters in every age; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.' To the Apostles indeed the commission was He then proceeds to "vindicate" the sentiment of the text. was plainly from no enthusiastic fondness for one particular point, but from the fullest conviction of his mind, that the Apostle adopted this resolution; and so the word in the original imports: "I determined," as the result of my deliberate judg ment, “to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified." I have made it, and will ever make it, my theme, my boast, and my song. The reasons why he insisted on this subject so exclusively, and with such delight, according to the author, are, first, "because it contained all that he was commissioned to go forth into all the world, and to preach to declare; secondly, " because it contained all that could conduce to the happiness of man ;" thirdly, "because nothing could be added to it without weakening or destroy ing its efficacy." A severe critic would, perhaps, say (and Mr. Simeon will remember that we have a right to require the utmost adroitness in the tactics of sermon-making from him *), that the third subdi In maxima fortuna minima licentia est. -SALLUST. CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 113. the Gospel to every creature, whercas to sphere: but the subject of our ministry is us is assigned, as it were, a more limited the same with theirs: we have the same dispensation committed unto us; and woe will be unto us, if we preach not the Gospel.' "But as though men needed not to be evangelized now, the term evangelical is used as a term of reproach. We mean not to justify any persons whatsoever in using unnecessary terms of distinction, more especially if it be with a view to depreciate others, and to ag grandize themselves: but still the distinctions which are made in Scripture must be made by us; else for what end has God himself made them? Now it cannot be denied that 2 S the Apostle characterizes the great subject of his ministry as the Gospel; nor can it be denied that he complains of some teachers in the Galatian church as introducing another Gospel, which was not the true Gospel, but a perversion of it. Here then he lays down the distinction between doctrines which are truly evangelical, and others which have no just title to that name. Of course where, ever the same difference exists between the doctrines maintained, the same terms must be proper to distinguish them; and a just view of those distinctions is necessary in order to our being guarded against error, and established in the truth. "But we beg to be clearly understood in reference to this matter. It is not our design to enter into any dispute about the use of a term, or to vindicate any particular party, but merely to state, with all the clearness we can, a subject, about which every one ought to have the most accurate and precise ideas. "We have seen what was the great subject of the Apostle's preaching, and which he emphatically and exclusively called the Gospel; and if only we attend to what he has spoken in the text, we shall see what really constitutes evangelical preaching. The subject of it must be' Christ crucified; that is, Christ must be set forth as the only foundation of a sinner's hope and Holiness in all its branches must be enforced; but a sense of Christ's love in dying for us must be inculcated as the mainspring and motive of all our obedience. The manner of setting forth this doctrine must also accord with that of the Apostle in the text; the importance of the doctrine must be so felt, as to make us determine never to know any thing else, either for the salvation of our own souls, or for the subject of our public ministrations. Viewing its transcendent excellency, we must rejoice and glory in it ourselves, and shew forth its fruits in a life of entire devotedness to God; we must call upon our hearers also to rejoice and glory in it, and to display its sauctifying effects in the whole of their life and conversation. Thus to preach, and thus to live, would characterize a person, and his ministry, as evangelical, in the eyes of the Apostle: whereas indifference to this doctrine, or a corruption of it, either by a selfrighteous or antinomian mixture, would render both the person and his ministry obnoxious to his censure, according to the degree in which such indifference, or such a mixture prevailed. We do not mean to say, that there are not different degrees of clearness in the views and ministry of different persous, or that none are accepted of God, or useful in the church, unless they come up to such a precise standard: nor do we confine the term evangelical to those who lean to this or that particular system, as some are apt to imagine: but this we say, that, in proportion as any persons, in their spirit, and in their preaching, accord with the example in the text, they are properly denominated evangelical; and that, in proportion as they recede from this pattern, their claim to this title is dubious or void. "Now then we ask, What is there in this which every minister ought not to preach, and every Christian to feel? Is there any thing in this enthusiastic? any thing sectarian? any thing uncharitable? any thing worthy of reproach? Is the Apostle's example in the text so absurd, as to make an imitation of him blame-worthy, and a contor mity to him contemptible? or if a scoffing and ungodly world will make the glorying in the cross of Christ a subject of reproach, ought any who are reproached by them to abandon the Gospel for fear of being called evangelical? Ought they not rather, like the Apostles, to rejoice that they are counted worthy to suffer shame, if shame it be, for Christ's sake? The fact is indisputable, that the Apostle's commission was to preach Christ crucified; to preach, I say, that chiefly, that constantly, that exclusively; and therefore he was justified in his determination to know nothing else; consequently to adopt that same resolution is our wisdom also whether it be in reference to our own salvation, or to the subject of our mini strations in the church of God." pp. 14-18. Upon the great topic to which this discourse is dedicated, we shall not at present enter. If the paramount object of our work has been understood, it will be seen that we also have, in the enlarged sense in which it ought always to be under. stood, wisbed "not to know any thing" among our readers, "save Jesus Christ and him crucified ;”that, circuitously or directly, to make the doctrines of the Gospel known and valued by those around us, has been the specific object of our work. If this end has, in any degree, been accomplished, we “ do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice,” though it has cost us days and nights of toil; and though the suspicion of many of the good, and the enmity of the bad, should continge to follow us through every stage of our career. We say of this topic, as the patriotic Psalmist taught his captive countrymen to say of Zion, "If I forget thee, may my right hand forget her cunning." Into the general merits of the discourse before us, as a composition, it is not our intention to enter very largely. The author repels all criticism by his studious plainness and sobriety. He would, we think, lament that his sermon should draw off the attention of the readers, from the subject, to the ornaments with which it was invested. But if pul pit eloquence be that which fixes the attention, and ensures the serious ness of the auditors, and which is calculated, under Divine grace, to shake their prejudices and touch their best feelings, then this sermon may be considered as deserving the title of eloquent. We may have occasion, however, to advert to some of its qualities, when we come to the consideration of a subject with which we shall conclude this artiticle. Let us, before we turn to that topic, however, advert to the only paragraph in the sermon of which we do not entirely approve. "The Apostle" (says Mr. Simeon) speaks more strongly respecting this," i. e. the making any additions to this doctrine. "He tells us not only that the adulterating of the subject by any base mixture will destroy its efficacy, but that even an artificial statement of the truth will make it of none effect. God is exceedingly jealous of the honour of his Gospel; if it be plainly and simply stated, he will work by it, and make it effectual to the salvation of men: but if it be set forth with all the ornaments of human eloquence, and stated in the words which man's wis. dom teacheth,' he will not work by it; because he would have our faith to stand, not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.' Hence St. Paul, though eminently qualified to set it forth with all the charms of oratory, purposely laid aside all excellency of speech or of wisdom in declaring the testimony of God,' and ' used all plainness of speech,' lest by dressing up the truth in the enticing words of man's wisdom be should make the cross of Christ of none #feet,'" pp. 22, 23, that Now we find no scriptural authority, and certainly not quoted by Mr. Simeon, for saying that God will not work by the Gospel, although "set forth with all the ornaments of human eloquence." We conceive the Apostle, in the passage adduced by Mr. Simeon, modestly to strip his own ministration of the word of God of all pretensions to eloquence. He moreover intimates, that when human elo◄ quence is substituted for the Gospel, God will not bless such lessons to the teachers or hearers of them. He also adverts to the memorable manner in which the Gospel of Christ had been propagated without the aid of human literature; twelve unlettered men having vanquished the legions of philosophy. But, far from depreciating eloquence, the Apostle continually pays it the highest homage, by himself borrowing its aid. It might not, indeed, be difficult to select from the Gospels and Epistles, many passages, by an approximation to which the greatest writers would be content to measure their own title to eloquence. Indeed, Mr. Simeon himself, like good St. Jerome weeping over the beauty of his own Latin, will, perhaps, have to lament that his own sermon should exhibit some slight specimens of that criminal fervour of language and sentiment which men designate by the name of eloquence.-Our own view of the use of human attainments, in the diffusion of religious knowledge,in late celebrated Bishop Horsley. He, a degree corresponds with that of the as is well known, contended, with a little of that dogmatism which shaded his excellencies as a reasoner, that the chief, or indeed the whole, use (we should have said, one great use) of the miraculous gifts to the Apostles, was to supply the deficiencies of learning; and that now, learning is designed, and is competent, to supply the place of the miraculous powers. Both propositions contain a measure of truth. God, in the early ages of his Church, choosing, for his own all-wise pur poses, to work by feeble instruments, tempered them, as it were, by a flame from heaven. This miraculous influence is now withdrawn, and more is left to the natural powers and acquirements of man, guided and controuled by the operations of divine grace. It is then a fit object of human industry to polish, to point, to temper those instruments, by which the battles of the Cross are henceforward to be fought. We confess that it is with no common satisfaction we observe the rapid improvement in style and method, which so obviously characterizes the composition of many of that part of the modern clergy who are also distinguished by their piety. We see no reason why good English and good divinity should not go together; and why topics which of all other are calculated to inspire those feelings, and dictate those expressions, which are respectively the soul and the language of eloquence, should continue to weary or disgust by tame conceptions and a barbarous dialect. Learning is the natural ally of religion, and eloquence is the language in which learning speaks. There was a time, in our own country, when the most religious writers were also the most eloquent, and the pulpit gave the law to the schools. We hope to see this era revive. We are not afraid to trust the Christian in the groves of Academus; knowing that religion loves the day-light, and that fine taste is no foe to piety. Let him go out into the field of science, remembering only to cast his spoils at the foot of the Cross. We hope to see other Barrows in the chair of the University-at once constraining science to do homage to religion, and calling down religion to consecrate science. Nay, we trust to see men excelling that almost universal scholar and philosopher in doctrinal precision; and at the same time irradiating the world by discoveries as great, and language as sublime as his own. We have no doubt that Mr. Simeon will agree to all this; but if not, and he undertake to answer us, we hope and trust that he will write so well as to confute himself. We shall now call the attention of our readers for a few moments to a subject, which, as we premised, had been suggested to us by perusing the discourse before us. However fashionable it may havė become of late, to depreciate the universities of Oxford and Cam bridge, still none will deny that thế literature and piety of the land will, in a considerable degree, take their shape and complexion from the model exhibited there. The spring cannot be long tinged or medicated at its head, without the rivulets of the country participating in the new qualities thus communicated. We do not imagine that innovations of improvements are apt to arise first within the enclosures of the almæ matres; but when once they have got there, they soon scatter their seed throughout the nation. The very fences which at first forbid their introduction, afterwards preserve them from injury, and secure their permanency and growth. Is it possible, then, to contemplate the actual state of the two universities, and particularly that of Cambridge, without a great degree of satisfaction? If report be true, when, some years since, the author of this sermon first addressed a Cambridge audience, a general clamour was excited against him. For a time he is said to have stood almost alone. All sorts of follies and beresies, we understand, were imputed to him; and he certainly suffered enough, in the way of ridicule and contumely, to have dismayed any who did not value the approbation of God more than the good word of his fellow. creatures. But he was enabled to persevere, doubtless mending what was defective in his own plans as he proceeded; and we find bim at length delivering his sentiments in the university pulpit, not only without much outward expression of dis. satisfaction at his ministry, but to |