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opportunities for exercise in preaching, it required him to assist pupils in philology, philosophy, and divinity, which, with his having to preside at the regular doctrinal examinations, was likely to answer the very best purpose in completing his own acquaintance with each of those branches of learning. It also afforded him that intercourse with professors and old fellowstudents which was not a little conducive to his own development. Therefore," he observes in his own Memoir, "when one has spent some time among people out of doors, (in a country parish,) and acquired a gustum plebeium et popularem, become acquainted with the religious views, tastes, and prejudices of the common people, it is useful to return for awhile to college again in order to undergo a second theological education. Thus upon afterwards coming out, one is likely to labour with more matured experience and better success.'

Of his progress in sacred learning at this period we have evidence in a Latin treatise which he composed "On the Holiness of God," (Syntagma de Sanctitate Dei ;) which is highly spoken of in the "Corona Tübigensis," anni 1718, but was never in its original form committed to the press. The principal substance of it was embodied in his later works, as in his Commentary on the Apocalypse, 3d edit. page 310. It was a philosophical as well as theological treatise, and one of its objects was to show, from parallel passages of Scripture, that all the attributes of God are implied in the Hebrew expression wi (holy); and in ayos or oσtos, by which it is rendered in the Septuagint; in a word, that the Divine holiness comprehends all his supreme excellency. He alleged several reasons for it in accordance with Scripture, and adduced quotations from the most eminent divines of every period, to show that it was no new opinion. But he modestly yet decidedly opposed the cabbalistic idea of Professor Neumann, of Breslaw, that every letter of the word wi contains some deep mystery, and he communicated the substance of his treatise to the professor himself, in a Latin letter. This occasioned between them an interesting correspondence, from which Bengel seems to have derived his thought of applying himself in earnest to the study of the rabbinical writings, which the professor encouraged him to do. But Bengel having been promoted soon after to the head tutorship of a theological seminary newly set on foot at Denkendorf, his leisure for the purpose was diminished, especially as he had to undertake a

tour, at the expense of government, through a considerable part of Germany, to qualify him the better for his important situation. This tour he commenced on the 7th of March, 1713, and completed it in September. He visited Nüremberg, Altorf, Erlangen, Kloster-Heilbronn, Coburg, Saalfeld, Rudolstadt, Weimar, Jena, Naumburg, Schul-Pforte, Weissenfels, Merseburg, Critz, Hanau, Heidelberg, Leipsic, Halle, and Giessen. He had intended proceeding farther into the north of Germany, but was deterred by the prevalence of a serious epidemic in those parts. He every where on his journey kept in view the great object of it, and made it his principal business to get well acquainted with the classical schools and other institutions of learning, in order to examine and compare their various methods of instruction, and the relative advantages of those methods; he obtained much interesting information for his purpose, and this the more easily, as a spirit of rivalry had arisen among the adherents to the old system, who disapproved of each other's particular plans as much as they agreed in opposing the new method of Spener and Franke. Their contention was briskly kept up in actual experiments, rather than in useless paper war, and turned upon the question, what they ought chiefly to teach, and in what manner. Spener's followers complained most of the neglect of Greek; that the Greek Testament in particular was too little even read, and still less explained by familiar remarks of grammatical, historical, and practical interest. They wished that young persons might be led on to their requisite attainments, not so much by the bare exercise of memory, as by that of the understanding; and their plan of education embraced, beyond that of others before them, a development of all the intellectual faculties, the formation of character, and above all, the fitting it for eternity. In their views of school discipline they differed from the standing method, as wishing that pupils should be always under vigilant inspection, as much during play hours and amusements as at school. Utterly disapproving of all needless restraints, and much more of every thing like harshness of authority, they desired only that serious spirit of watchfulness over the pupils' welfare, which, as proceeding from affectionate kindness and good sense, was best suited to promote in young persons an ingenuous, sober-minded, and consistent demeanour.

As this general movement upon education was very helpful to our inquiring tourist, in collecting the complaints, plans, and

opinions, of the most experienced tutors, so it brought on a similar stir respecting theological instruction. While controversies about pietism grew warmer in many of the German provinces, enthusiastic separatists rose into considerable notice in others, and elsewhere fears were entertained lest the followers of Christian Thomasius should trouble the church with their subtle questions and opinions about natural law. Bengel kept accurate notes upon every thing he observed of this kind for his own future use. Some of them are in the writer's possession, and they evince how calm, considerate, and impartial an observer he was, and how he endeavoured to turn all to account. Hence he visited seminaries widely different from each other in their private plans and in their public confessions of faith, and made himself well acquainted with the theory and practice of their respective managers, which he describes with so much unbiassed simplicity that one is struck with the beautiful combination of his ability and modesty.

As he found this tour profitable to his general knowledge, as well as to his official purposes, we will mention an instance or two of its importance to him in his future capacity as an author.

Through his acquaintance with Mr. Stark, a very reputable professor of Hebrew, in the Leipsic University, he was confirmed in his conviction that Helmontius and Neumann were quite wrong in thinking that any hieroglyphical importance belonged to the Hebrew alphabetical characters. Stark had very seriously apprised Bengel of the dangerous errors into which such a speculation might lead, and instanced several learned persons who had thus almost reasoned themselves out of common sense. Bengel congratulated himself long after on being able to say, "that he knew nothing of cabbala, nor of alphabetical mysteries, nor of influences in astrology, nor of angelic appearances."

While he was staying at Heidelberg, Dr. Minz, of that university, drew his attention to the canons of scripture interpretation which had been published by Gerard Von Mastricht, which Minz strongly recommended to him as a clue to the intricacies of New Testament criticism. Of what importance this became as a hint to Bengel will be seen when we come to notice his own critical remarks upon the New Testament.

He heard, while at Halle, some of Dr. Anton's lectures on the Apocalypse; and afterwards got the whole course of those

lectures transcribed for him. Professor Lang also, of that university, drew Bengel's first attention there to Vitringa's “Anacrisis ad Apocalypsin," or "An Impartial Examination of the Different Opinions of Writers upon the Interpretation of the Apocalypse.” With that gentleman, as well as with other followers of Spener, he had several conversations upon those important developments of the kingdom of God, which they considered as approaching. These conversations suggested to his inquiring mind a train of ideas which formed the germ of his important system of Apocalyptical exposition.

CHAPTER II.

BENGEL'S RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

EXPERIENCE shows that those who attain to true practical piety are chiefly of two classes. The one, which is the least numerous, find their whole life pervaded by a tender conscience and intimate communion with God, the small beginnings of which may be traced to the very first forming of their minds, and which has characterised, though not always in the same degree, every period of their existence. With the other, and far most numerous class, this divine communion has had frequent and long interruptions, during which it seemed to have totally departed; but has suddenly reappeared through the mighty operation of divine grace. Thus it is only the latter who can speak of any particular time of their religious awakening; for the former have always been as it were awake, though they also have had their aberrations, stumblings, conflicts, and temptations; but they have always manifested themselves from their childhood as children of God, and have been accustomed to consider and feel themselves such from their earliest years. They have grown up all along like healthy plants, having profited by their heavenly Father's discipline, correction, and manifestations of love. The most important seasons of their growth in grace have never been attended with those vivid experiences or striking changes which others can remember, who have at some period of their life quite departed from the right way, and by long spiritual slumber have so lost sight of God's paternal character, as to enjoy nothing of it; or who, by frequent repetition of wilful sins and by confirmed habits of vice, have even trampled upon their birthright, and been found amongst his open enemies.