against your studies tempting you to neglect devotion. Nothing is a more common snare, and none more ruinous than to think that knowledge is a more desirable attainment than piety-speculative truths than devout and holy feelings. You can neither obtain personal advantage from reading, nor be eminently useful among your fellow Christians, whatever literary acquirements you may obtain, without the spirit of devotion, and that impressive and realizing communion with God, which will give spirituality and unction in all your intercourse with others.

6. A CONTEMPT OF OTHERS IF THEY ARE IGNORANT, is another danger of study; if a man cannot with logical exactness define his sentiments, or does not know languages, or has not read certain books, a learned student will despise him; but, as Bishop Bedell observes, Religion is not logic, and he that cannot give a true definition of the soul, is not for that reason without a soul; so he that defines not faith truly, may nevertheless have true faith? But how little reason is there for contempt, when we remember that besides human industry, divine teaching dis absolutely requisite for acquiring saving knowledge; and a man cumbered with the whole load of human learning, may after all be a castaway, and only perish with an aggravated condemnation ; while a man with no more knowledge than the publican, or the dying thief, or the converted jailor, may yet be justified and for ever saved. We ought to honour all men. Every human being has an immortal soul, which is of more value than all the world. If only a man saves his own soul and thus secures his everlasting welfare, whatever other attainment he fails of,

or is disappointed in, he will in the result be found to be infinitely wiser and happier, than the most prosperous and learned worldly man who loses that soul. How instructive the history of the rich man and Lazarus !.

7. Another danger which may be considered under this head is not obvious at first sight, but is of very extensive and mischievous consequences, namely, that of LEARNING LEADING US TO SPEAK or preach RATHER TO THE CAPACITY OF THE LEARNED, THAN TO THE CAPACITY OF those whom we have chiefly to address, THE MIDDLE AND THE LOWER CLASSES. Nothing is more difficult than for a learned man to speak familiarly, plainly, and perspicuously to the poor, and to bring the great truths of religion, simply and obviously before them. It requires the highest stretch of intellect to do this. The following fact may illustrate these sentiments, Luther and Bucer had both been preaching at a meeting of Protestants, and Luther with remarkable energy and effect. 'After Bucer's sermon he supped with Luther, who in the course of conversation commended the discourse of his guest, but added that he himself was the better preacher. Bucer receiving this remark with his accustomed mildness, assented. Luther then spoke seriously and said, Do not think that I mean to boast foolishly, I well know my own deficiencies, and that I am unable to deliver such an ingenious and learned discourse, as we have this day heard from you, but when I am in the pulpit I consider who my hearers are; and because the greater part are an unlearned and simple people, I preach what I think they can understand. But you take a higher flight, but are not understood by our poor people.. In this I

act like a kind mother who gives her craving infant the breast, thus feeding it with her milk as well as she is able, and thinks this better for its nourishment than if mixed with the sweetest and choicest syrups, and preparations of art.' Luther said, on another occasion, They are the best preachers for the common people who teach familiarly, in a homely way, popularly, and most simply.''

8, INTELLECTUAL PRIDE is perhaps the chief danger of study. A man may so pursue even religious studies as to foster the most evil passions of pride, selfexaltation, ambition, love of power, and the like, He may seek to be a great divine rather than a sincere Christian, Dr. Owen speaks most instructively of this temptation, A man begins to be in repute for piety, wisdom, learning, or the like: he is spoken of much to that purpose; his heart is tickled to hear of it, and his pride and ambition affected with it. If this man now with all his strength ply the things from whence his repute, and esteem, and glory among men do spring, with a secret eye to have it increased, he is entering into temptations, which if he take not. heed, will quickly render him a slave of lust. So it was with Jehu, he perceived that his repute for zeal began to grow abroad and he got honour by it; Jonadab comes in his way, a good and holy man; now, thinks Jehu, I have an opportunity to grow in the honour of my zeal, so he calls Jonadab to him and to work he goes most seriously: the things he did were good in themselves, but he was entered into

See History of the Church of Christ, Vol. vi. and Melchior Adam's Life of Bucer and of Luther.

temptation, and served his lust in all he did. So it is with many scholars, they find themselves esteemed and favoured for their learning, this takes hold of the pride and ambition of their hearts; hence they set themselves to study with all diligence, day and night, a thing good in itself, but they do it that they may satisfy the thoughts and words of men wherein they delight; and so in all they do, they make provision for the flesh to fufil the lusts thereof. It is true, God oftentimes brings light out of this darkness, and turns things to a better issue. After, it may be, a man has studied sundry years with an eye upon his lusts; his ambition, pride, and vain glory; rising early, and going to bed late, to give them satisfaction, God comes in with his grace, turns the soul to himself; robs those Egyptian lusts, and so consecrates that to the use of the Tabernacle which was provided for idols.'1

The first suggestion of Satan was to excite unbelief, and the next was to foster pride. The first lesson in the school of Christ is to trust only in the Lord, and to renounce all our wisdom. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding. Be not wise in thine own eyes. The wish to set ourselves above all others, is a manifest evidence of our fallen nature.

This intellectual pride infinitely overvalues languages, literature, and human science, underrates our natural darkness, and slights Christ and His Spirit. Philip Henry (himself no contemptible scholar) remarks on Isaiah 1. 4. (The Lord hath given me the

1 See his Works, Vol. vii. p. 472.

tongue of the learned, &c.) The true learning of a gospel minister consists not in being able to talk Latin fluently, and to dispute in philosophy, but in being able to speak a word in season to weary souls. He that knows how to do that well is a learned minister.'2 How great is the danger of literary pride! It puts God at a distance from us. He knoweth the proud afar off. Psalm cxxxviii. 6. He dwells in the lowly bosom. There are some valuable remarks on this subject in a sermon by Bishop Blomfield, a prelate, from his own superior acquirements, well qualified to give such a testimony. After ably showing that the cultivation of the understanding gratifies the pride of man, from the contemplation of its own strength, discernments, and achievements, and its exultation in discovering the mistakes and failures of others, he observes, The pride of human reason thus fostered and flattered, comes at length to rely exclusively on its own energies and resources, doubts and disbelieves every thing which it cannot perfectly comprehend, erects its own standard of moral and religious truth, and suspends from its own shifting and uncertain centre, its balance of right and wrong. To such a case how awfully applicable are the words of St. Paul, Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth: and if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.' 1 Cor. viii. 1, 2.

8. MISUSING AND ABUSING TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE is also to be guarded against. There is need of this 'caution. How often is that text abused, Charity shall cover the multitude of sins-(1 Pet. iv. 8.) by applying

See Life, p. 207.

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