not to tempt God, as if He were to be expected to instruct us as he did the apostles, miraculously, without study on our part.' Indeed, we cannot have the local information which they had without much learning. Besides, while the great apostle of the Gentiles was not destitute, as we have seen, of human learning naturally acquired; he both made use of that learning in defence of the gospel, and disputed with the learned Athenians on their own principles.

It is a very erroneous idea, that knowledge is prejudicial to faith. Religion is not the privilege of the ignorant. In fact, the worst enemies of Christianity have endeavored to keep Christians in ignorance. We see this both in Paganism and Popery. The ages of ignorance were the ages when Popery was dominant: and in the time of Paganism, the emperor Julian, one of the most artful and bitter opponents which the Christian religion perhaps ever had, well aware of the powerful use which Christians had made of learning, refused permission to them to study the classics.*

The most useful laborers in the church of Christ have been men of learning. Not to mention many of the Fathers, how much do we owe to the learning of Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, Ridley, Cranmer, Jewell, Usher, Hall, Leighton, and multitudes of others.

The revival of literature, and the reformation of the church, were connected events. The Reformers felt strongly the importance of learning; Luther says, ‘I am persuaded that true divinity could not well be supported without the knowledge of letters of this we have sad proof; for while learning was decayed and in ruins, theology fell too, and lay most wretchedly ob

With a view to keep the church in ignorance of the arts of reasoning and philosophy, he forbade Christian schoolmasters to teach Gentile learning, lest being furnished, says he, with our armour, they make war upon us with our own weapons. Our learning is unnecessary to Christians who are trained up to an illiterate rusticity, so that to believe is sufficient for them, and by this prohibition I only restore possessions to their proper owners.'

scured.

I am sure that the revelation and manifestation of the word of God would never have been so extensive and glorious as it is, if preparatorily, like so many John the Baptists smoothing the way, the knowledge of languages and good learning had not risen up amongst us. They are most exceedingly mistaken, who imagine that the knowledge of nature and true philosophy is of no use to a divine.' He says, in the Preface to an exposition of the 90th Psalm, There were at that time men, and more afterwards would arise, who despised theological studies, and indeed all studies; there ought therefore to be some to proclaim the praises of God, and to disseminate the knowledge of His word.'

IS PROFITABLE FOR ALL

RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE CLASSES. Laymen, and all Christians, are personally concerned in this subject. Men are too apt to think that the study of religion concerns ministers and not private Christians. Divinity, however, is not like medicine, or law, or navigation, which belong only to a particular class or profession; every human being has an immortal soul, the care of which devolves mainly on himself. Every human being is dependant on God and Jesus Christ, and is infinitely concerned to know His character and will. All Christians are called patra, disciples, or scholars. Their very name implies that they are learners.

The extensive usefulness of such laymen as Bacon, Boyle, Hale, Pascal, Boerhaave, Haller, Johnson, Beattie, Goode, and others, was closely connected with their general and religious knowledge and learning. Laymen are free from the suspicion of professional interest, and can therefore speak on religion with some advantages which a minister does not possess. The apostle in the direction, leave the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, and go on unto perfection, requires Christians in general not to be content with a slight superficial knowledge; and sup

poses, that after a certain time all ought to be able to instruct others for the time ye ought to be teachers. This direction is not immediately addressed to ministers, but to Christians in general.

It is affecting sometimes to hear laymen deliberately avow their ignorance of religion, either as what does not concern them, or as an evidence of their superiority to vulgar prejudice. What a low, dark, and miserable mind must theirs be! To be willingly and ostentatiously ignorant of that, which on the very face of it is the sublimest and most ennobling of all studies, relating to the great Lord of all, to both worlds and all ages; and affecting the character, the conduct, and the present, the mental, the temporal, and the eternal happiness of the whole human race! surely this very avowal can only be accounted for on the scriptural principle of having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance

that is in them.

It is the testimony of Boyle, one well qualified to say so, For an ordinary naturalist to despise those that study the mysteries of religion, as much inferior to physical truths, is no less unreasonable than it were for a watch-maker, because he understands his own trade, to despise privy counsellors, who are acquainted with the secrets of monarchs and mysteries of state; or than it were for a ship carpenter, because he understands more of the fabric of a vessel, to despise the admiral that is acquainted with the secret designs of the prince, and employed about the most important affairs.'*

In what respect is theology not adapted to the body of Christians? It is a science concerning the noblest subjects on which the mind of man can be occupied, it improves the student in piety, consoles him in af

Excellency of Theology, p. 170.

fiction, and prepares him for the everlasting enjoyment of the Divine Object of his studies.

If it be thought a great thing to keep a man from the grave, sometimes for a few days, and still more to restore him to health, so that he may enjoy life for some years, even though with troublesome diet and remedies, theology has yet higher and better ends. It shows the way of attaining spiritual health, endless life, and perfect happiness.

Laymen will be preserved from many temptations, by adequate Christian knowledge. If you know the scriptures and the history of the church, you will not be so apt to be misled by every fresh error, nor, as St. James expresses it, to be carried about with every wind of doctrine.

The CIRCUMSTANCES

IMPORTANCE OF STUDY.

OF THE TIMES SHOW THE

We live in a reading age,

when education is almost universal, and men think and speak on all subjects with the utmost freedom. All classes of people read much, and religious persons must not be behind them, especially in that knowledge which directly affects religion. And though the end of our studies is not to exalt ourselves above others, yet our profiting in our studies, as in other things, ought to appear to all men.

The various sentiments and doctrines which have arisen since the apostolic age, and are now abroad among men; and the history of the church, since that time, require knowledge and learning, if men would themselves discern what is truth, or be useful to those around them. A religious man, without any knowledge of history, or general information, or any comprehensive view even of the various parts of his religion, will speak with immense disadvantage, if called into discussion with well-informed persons of the world, who may have a greater speculative knowledge of religion. He may thus, to his great grief, be an

occasion of offence to others; and religion, which is dearer to him than life itself, may materially suffer from that incapacity and ignorance from which diligence in study would have saved him. Dr. Buchanan, after showing that God honors human acquirements, when used in subordination to His grace, says, 'Let us then honor human learning. Every branch of knowledge which a good man possesses, he may apply to some good purpose. If he possessed the knowledge of an archangel, he might apply it all to the advantage of men and the glory of God.'

MANY OBJECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AGAINST THE USEFULNESS OF LEARNING. It is objected, that learned men are sometimes infidels, and often merely nominal Christians; and the Apostle himself says, not many wise men after the flesh are called. This indeed is an important and humbling lesson to those who trust in human wisdom, which can never of itself attain divine grace, and often hinders and hurts the soul. It has pleased God to make manifest the inefficiency of human acquirements of themselves, that He might the more display the necessity and excellence of His own grace; but in every age there have been those who have been bright examples that piety and great attainments in learning are perfectly consistent. It was an old reproach against an Apostle, much learning doth make thee mad; Paul, though learned, was not mad.* Men of both learning and piety are requisite to

* Lord Bacon, answering the objection of divines, against learning, says, 'It is an assured truth, and a conclusion of experience, that a little or superficial knowledge of philosophy may incline the mind of man to atheism, but a farther proceeding therein brings the mind back again to religion; for in the entrance of philosophy, when the second causes which are next unto the senses offer themselves to the mind of man, if it dwell and stay there, it may induce some oblivion of the highest cause; but when a man passes on farther, and sees the dependance of causes on the work of Providence; then, according to the allegory of the poets, he will easily believe that the highest link of nature's chain must be tied to the foot of Jupiter's chair. To conclude, therefore, let no man, on a weak conceit of sobriety, or an ill-applied moderation, think or maintain that a man can