him turn to a definite account knowledge which he now picks up carelessly, and often leaves undigested; I would have him master of those subjects upon which all not only talk but act, and on which it is to be desired that some at least should be able to talk and act sensibly. I would have him never lay aside the greatest works of human genius, of whatever age or country; they are not so numerous as to overwhelm him; and whatever be his particular studies, some of these, whether philosophers, poets, or historians, should be always on his table, and daily in his hand, till his mind, catching a portion of their excellence, is able to work with tenfold power upon whatever subjects he may submit to it. And if for these great instructors, he be content to leave unopened many of the volumes which are now thought so essential to theological learning, let him not be afraid of the results of his exchange. Always supposing as the foundation a constant, critical, and devout study of the Scrip

tures themselves, and the use of those philological and antiquarian works which are essential, and alone essential, to the understanding of them; he will find that in the comparison of human works, both spiritually and intellectually, the works of the greatest minds will be most useful to him; that he may be well content to be ignorant even of Bull and Pearson, if he is thus enabled to become more intimately familiar with Bacon and Aristotle.

There is however one branch of study which deserves especially to be recommended, as not only forming a most valuable part of church history, but as amounting almost to a devotional exercise at the same time; I mean the biography of good Christians of all ages; and above all, whenever it is to

* Would it not be possible and desirable to make more use than Protestants have commonly done of the ancient Christian biographies, known by the name of the Lives of the Saints? I profess to know only a few specimens of

be obtained, their own expression of their spiritual wants and affections, and the record of their deaths. It is not desirable to think that error is truth, or foolishness wisdom, because a good man has uttered it. But it is even less desirable that our sense of his errors or foolishness should destroy our sympathy with his goodness. The pur

these; but it could not be difficult, I should imagine, to select a sufficient number, wholly unexceptionable, and which would unite the interest of tales of heroic action and suffering with sound Christian edification. I should not object to retaining the miracles in these narratives, provided there was nothing grotesque or profane in them; for it might be stated in the preface that they were rather stories with a foundation in fact, than perfectly true in all their details. But they would, at any rate, show the feelings of the times in which they were written; and they would help to fill up that wide chasm in our Christian sympathies which extends with many almost from the apostles to Luther; with no objects of interest in this long interval, except the churches of the Vaudois, and a few individuals who may have denounced the abuses of Popery. Whereas hundreds of good men are recorded in the Lives of the Saints, who well deserve, like Boromeo and Pascal at a later period, to be ranked with the truest members of our Christian brotherhood; and in whose sufferings and active holiness we might find a support and example for ourselves.

suit of ecclesiastical history will necessarily show us too much of the quarrels and infirmities of Christians; it is most wholesome to turn to a picture which will display their union and their strength. And in those portions of good men's lives which exhibit them in their direct relations towards God, opening their hearts before him, convinced of their own sin and of his mercy in Christ, showing the true marks of Christ's servants, a quick and tender conscience, and an entire trust in God; we see in all ages, and in all countries, the true unity of Christ's Spirit, the true agreement of Christ's people. Or again, if in the lives and writings of Christians we have found too many marks of human weakness, marks which show that they still are surrounded with this world's infirmities; yet how delightful is it to watch them in their deaths, when being delivered from their several tempations, their lamps are seen to burn with the same heavenly brilliance, inasmuch as all are fed by the same oil. There the

weak mind has parted with its weakness, the angry with its over vehemence; there the narrow-minded learns the largeness of God's love, and the understanding, which perhaps had felt too keen a consciousness of its power, is softened by the overwhelming sense of God's perfections now more clearly discerned. So in all Christ is glorified, and we can perceive even here the beginnings of that perfect communion, in which all shades of difference being melted away, Christ's servants will be one for ever in him and in the Father.

These remarks have run out to a greater length than I had intended, yet I cannot think them unseasonable. That theological education in England is in an imperfect state at present is generally allowed, and various plans have been suggested for its improvement. But the evil appears to me to be too deeply seated to be removed by a more effective execution merely of the present