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an illustration of its obscurer parts; and, together, they comprehend almost all which, in a theological point of view, it is necessary for any private Christian to be informed of.

To the extensive sphere which is thus laid open for the researches of the Christian Preacher, we may add the prudent manner in which his duty is required to be performed. There are, in many of those works which have been writen for the conviction of heretics and infidels, too frequently to be found a tone of triumphant sarcasm and the bitter levity of satirical reproof. Even the wit and wisdom of the provincial letters of Pascal are, from this cause, not altogether worthy of the unmingled admiration of a devout Christian; and

The use of ironical language and railing upon serious subjects was objected to Pascal, by his enemies, even in his own day, and the eleventh Letter is devoted to a defence of his conduct upon this point; a defence more objectionable even than the fault which was attributed to him; inasmuch as it vindicates his method of controversy, by a very irreverent attempt to prove that irony and raillery have been adopted by the Deity and the Redeemer of the world. Yet strongly as I feel the justice of my remarks upon the style of Pascal, I should scarce have ventured to state an opinion, so contrary to the general prejudice in his favour, had I not been able to add the impartial and decided expressions of Schlegel in corroboration of my sentiments.

"The provincial letters of Pascal, have, in consequence of the wit and beauty of their language, become standard works in French literature, but if we would characterize them by their import and spirit, they form nothing more than a master-piece of sophistry......Every one must admit that the author, such

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when we recollect that it was the custom of Gibbon to gather fresh strength for the warfare of subtilty and sarcasm against Christian truth, by an annual perusal of these very letters, we may perhaps begin to doubt whether ridicule, severity and reproach, be legitimate weapons in a meek and defensive Christian. I am far, however, from thinking that triumph is not justified by the excellence, of the cause we have to defend, or from asserting that the misrepresentations and unfair sophistry of our adversaries, have not on some occasions, been wilful and worthy of strong censure. But I would seriously recommend those, whose only object, if they be sincere in their belief, ought to be the conversion of the unbeliever, to consider whether it is not at all times most consistent with the spirit and precepts of Christian charity, to presume (for who, but God, can know the hearts of men ?), that our opponents are as sincere as ourselves. Still more earnestly would I beseech them to reflect, whether it must not have a greater as he was, employed his genius in a very culpable manner, when he set the example of writing concerning religion, in a tone of apparent levity and bitter sarcasm."-Schlegel on Literature, vol. II. p. 188, 189.

"I cannot forbear to mention three particular books, since they may have remotely contributed to form the Historian of the Roman Empire. 1. From the provincial letters of Pascal, which almost every year I have perused with new pleasure, I learned to manage the weapon of grave and temperate irony, even on subjects of ecclesiastical solemnity." Gibbon's Memoirs of his own Life, p. 67. 4to. ed. of his Miscell. Works, vol. I.

tendency to promote the outward prevalence and inward influence of the Gospel, to strive to gain souls to Christ, by a forcible representation of our own views of the evidences of his divinity and truth, set forth in the winning words of his meekness, than by the most irrefragable demonstration of deistical errors, accompanied by the sharp and bitter reproaches of the pen. At least we may assume, that whoever ventures in the discharge of the duties which attach to the office of Christian Preacher, to introduce the violence of forbidden passions, and the use of ungentle language, will not only act inconsistently with the name he bears, but also transgress the positive rule which the wisdom of the Founder has laid down for his observance; the rule, I mean, of demonstrating in the most convincing and persuasive manner, the truth and excellence of Christianity. For he who renders railing for railing, may reason indeed or rebuke men into sullen silence; but never will he be able by bitterness to "persuade" them into an acknowledgment of the truth of what he defends, or by wrath to "convince" them of the excellence of the Gospel; whilst proving to demonstration, by his own conduct, how little is theefficacy which its precepts and principles have obtained over his own heart.

Mr. Hulse has thought it necessary to impose only two restrictions in the choice of subjects upon

those who may be appointed under the direction of his Will, and both these restrictions appear to have been dictated by the purest and soundest feelings and views. One of them relates to the evidences, the other to the difficulties of Revelation.

With regard to the evidences of Revelation, he distinctly prescribes that the Christian Preacher shall direct his efforts principally against those "notorious infidels, whether atheists or deists," who are the enemies of the common faith, and never descend (to use his own words) to any of those

particular sects and controversies, which are so much to be lamented, amongst Christians themselves, except some new or dangerous error, either of superstition or enthusiasm should prevail. In this latter case alone does he permit the multiplied differences and disputes of Christian divines to be nourished and perpetuated by attaining to the dignity of an authorised and public refutation. It would have been well for religion had this rule been more generally observed. Without alluding to any existing controversies, I think it may be fairly admitted, that many of those which ecclesiastical History presents to our view, as disturbing the beauty of the Church of Christ, were idle and unimportant in themselves. Yet were they often, in their day, as warmly debated, as the most vital doctrines, or precepts of religion, and were

accompanied by as much hatred, and variance, and emulation, and strife, as could have been supposed to arise from the passions of men, when interested in questions essential to the virtue or salvation of the world. That the faculties of the human mind were exercised and improved in these wars of reason may certainly be true, and I am not disposed to deny that some pearls may be detected amidst the filth and rubbish with which the Scholastics defended themselves or assailed their adversaries. We cannot however deny, that their talents might have been much more beneficially employed, in illustrating the simple doctrines of the Gospel, or enforcing its appropriate precepts. It may and indeed it must sometimes be necessary to resist the progress of error and correct the perverse disputers of this world by argument; but we should never needlessly descend into the arena of controversy, never forget the temper and prudence which the Christian contest requires, or make use of weapons disproportionate to the magnitude of the warfare. Every man is apt, either from a desire of stimulating his own energies, or from the effect of long contemplation upon one subject, to magnify the importance of that point of polemical Divinity upon which he is engaged, beyond its real merits, and to attribute such evil consequences to the opinions of his opponent, as that opponent himself would absolutely shudderat,