was welcomed by them as a valuable addition to their company, and they were glad to have among them a mind so richly gifted. As this promising combination was perfectly in harmony with the statutes of the university and of the college, and tended most happily to promote diligence in study and regularity of conduct, it was very kindly patronized by several of the professors, continued in a flourishing state during Bengel's four years at Tübingen, and was kept up by one succession of students after another through the whole of the last century. As it had been of such important service to Bengel at the outset of his manly piety, and as so many of his early and happy recollections were associated with it, he felt the most sincere joy at hearing, in 1747, that a revival had taken place in this society; and in 1748, when he was on a visit at Tübingen, he took a most friendly part at one of its meetings.†

Besides this advantage from like-minded fellow-students at Tübingen, his residence there was particularly beneficial to him in respect of his tutors. Several of them, being men of lively faith in Christ, laboured to promote the spiritual as well as scientific improvement of their pupils; and among them we may especially name Dr. Christopher Reuchlin, and Dr. A. A. Hochstetter. Bengel speaks of the former as "a truly noble character,” and says that "his lectures, and particularly those he gave just after morning prayers-indeed, whatever things he uttered at any time-were refreshing like the morning dew, full of power and full of life. He had nothing of affectation; neither used any high sounding expressions; but all was just with him as it should be; and at returning from his lectures, one felt as if returning from a sermon full of unction and energy. His manner was as instructive as it was persuasive and stirring; and whoever came to college in right earnest about practical religion, was soon made fervent in spirit by his means. He was clearly in the scripture sense strong in spirit;' and was instant and very affectionate in prayer. It was always profitable to get near him."

Bengel had the advantage of much intercourse with him; for it was one of Reuchlin's excellences, that he devoted himself most gladly and willingly to the students. Personal acquaint

* Charles Henry Rieger, afterwards rector of the cathedral church at Stuttgart, was then one of the students belonging to it.

+ For his brotherly and edifying address on that occasion, see Part II. chap. i. sect. 2, at the end.

ance with such a man must have been more valuable just then than ever; as he was ripening under severe trial for his approaching abrupt removal to a better world. He fell asleep in Jesus on the 11th of June, 1707, shortly after Bengel had terminated his divinity studentship; and the elegy inserted in his Memoir by some pupils who heard the last lecture he ever gave, was composed by Bengel.

Hochstetter also, who, as we have seen, was very useful to Bengel in learning, was equally so in promoting his welfare as a Christian. He was a sincere Christian himself, and a very learned divine; serving God with zeal, conscientiousness, and unwearied endeavours to extend the influence of vital Christianity. The following extract from a funeral discourse which he delivered upon the death of Reuchlin, where he strikingly describes the character of a true Christian, may serve to give us a better idea of himself.

"The children of this world," he says, "commonly use the words godly and pious in a way of ridicule. Of whatever rank or profession any one may be, if he will no longer live irrationally, extravagantly, or profligately as they do, and especially if he venture in brotherly kindness to remonstrate with his erring neighbour, that he may not suffer sin upon him; he is bantered or abused by them as a pietist, by which of course they mean a heretic. Nevertheless, there are such beings in the world as persons truly pious; persons who are in earnest to please God, having hearts of honesty, and not hypocrisy; persons who live by the faith of the Son of God; who, though they despise no man, cannot but love good order, and observe it in their conduct. Nay more, they are merciful persons, who, knowing what it is to feel christian love, evince what they feel by a sincere regard for the temporal and eternal interests of their fellow-men, go straight forward in the narrow way which leadeth unto life, and turn neither to the right hand nor to the left, to unsound doctrine or to ungodly and careless living. They are upright in their dealings, attentive to the duties of their station, and busy not themselves with other men's matters. These are they who are justified by Jesus Christ; their lives attest this fact; their study is to conduct themselves as the elect of God, holy and beloved; and to be holy in all manner of conversation, because he who hath called them is holy. Their upright walk before him is after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ; that example which he hath purposely left us, that we should follow his steps. And

though things often go strangely with them in the present life, and they are sometimes treated as the offscouring of all things for Christ's sake, and have to pass through this vale of tears amidst many peculiar hardships and privations; still their outward tribulation, what is it but secret joy of spirit? and all the shame put upon them, what is it but their true honour and glory? Corrupt as is the present generation, we have not been without some bright examples of persons like these. Was not our departed friend, Dr. Reuchlin, a righteous man; and yet did he not seek all his righteousness in Jesus Christ?. If there be any one who can contradict either of these facts, let him come forward and do so. Verily he gave all diligence to live holily, humbly, peacefully, meekly, and patiently. He could He could say with the apostle, Being reviled, we bless; being defamed, we entreat; and he showed himself a very Nathanael, 'an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile.' Did he 'speak the word of God? It was 'with all boldness.' Did he visit the afflicted? He would never leave them without consolation. He set himself in opposition to false doctrine, and equally so to all unholy and hypocritical living.”

A sincere minister of God who thus describes the character of a true Christian, is describing himself, or at least the standard he aims at, and to which he heartily wishes to conduct others. We may therefore safely rank Hochstetter with those by whom Bengel's youthful spirit received salutary impressions of the glory of genuine Christianity. But the benefit he thus derived from time to time by christian society, scripture, and excellent pious books, his heavenly Instructor saw fit to increase by a long severe sickness, which confined him to his bed in the year 1705, and which became so serious, that among his friends, though not by himself, his immediate death was fearfully expected. At this season of trial he enjoyed peculiar communion with God, who comforted him with the Psalmist's secret assurance, (Psa. cxviii. 17,) "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord." After he had thus passed some time under the discipline of the Cross, he recovered gradually, and was at length enabled, amidst the affectionate blessings of his parents, who had nursed him all the while with exemplary care and tenderness, to return from Maulbronn to his studies with renovated vigour, and enriched with most valuable experience from affliction. The whole residue of his years was one continued proof that his purpose "to devote entirely to God's service and glory this renewed

grant of temporal life," was none of those vain resolutions which so many in affliction have made with no better effect than to deceive themselves, and to dissemble with God.

During his second residence at Tübingen, as Hochstetter's curate,* he kept a regular diary, for the promotion of his own knowledge and practice of christian truth. Every day he wrote on a separate leaf one or more thoughts that had occurred to him in meditation, reading, &c.-a practice, the advantage of which may be seen in the few instances we here bring forward.

"1711. June 25. A Christian should not leave off praying, till his heavenly Father, as I may say, give him leave, by permitting him to obtain something."

"June 26. As Böckler wrote memoirs of characters, in imitation of Velleius, so might memoirs be drawn up of scripture characters, as of Abraham, David, Joab, &c. But it requires much knowledge of scripture and of mankind to do it properly, for sacred and common biography are not the same. In the holy volume, the faults even of the best of men are impartially set down, and there we are informed how even such faults were graciously overruled to bring about good. But memoirs written by uninspired men are apt to dwell chiefly upon the good qualities and actions of their worthies; notwithstanding, there are times when the whole character of one and of another looks very critical."

"June 27. The greater genius and power of memory any one possesses, the more careful should he be not to neglect the cultivation of his judgment."

"June 28. That person will acquire moderation, who is ready to ask upon every occasion, Is it not time to refrain? And that person will acquire the power of silence, who on every occasion asks himself, Is it not time to be silent? But can any one excel in these things who is always quick at imagining, Is it not time to speak? Is it not time to eat, drink, sleep, &c. ?"

"June 30. One's attention in hearing sermons will become more lively and fixed, either by taking notes, or by the habit of turning each matter, as we hear it, into prayer.”

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July 1. In medical science there are three things in the following order; observation, consideration, application. It is so upon many other subjects."

"Aug. 1. The prohibited degrees in marriage may be com

pared to those consecutive tones in the musical scale which cannot harmonize, because they are too near together."

"Oct. 12. If in the course of conversation with others you find any subject upon which you are deficient, apply yourself immediately when alone to remedy the defect."

"Oct. 22, We should so arrange and contrive, as that all matters which are to occupy the attention at one and the same time may aid and support each other."

"1712. To keep the true middle way between too much activity and too much retirement, is one of the main duties of a Christian."

"The more crooked the mind, the oftener will the straightforwardness of Christ our Saviour have to cross it."

"1713. Passiveness towards persons and things, which is a kind of negative quality, is only of value as it respects the activity of God. When this finds a place in it, it is highly to be commended; otherwise it is good for nothing."

How may I know that I am become an heir of heaven? How may I know that God is in me of a truth? When I have the earnest of the inheritance, that is, when I am habitually led by the Spirit of God, so as to walk in love, with my heart crying to him, Abba, Father! and listening to every whisper of his Holy Spirit. These are the fruits of (spiritual) baptism.'

"We find in the Scriptures one and the same grand matter throughout. This is a delightful truth."

"We sit as it were in the centre of Christianity. What will God require of us, to whom he has committed so much!"

"Christ's own special commandments were no novel ones: Moses had delivered them long before. Is not the love of God and our neighbour the very substance of them? and yet the Socinians would teach us to regard Christ as a new legislator; yes, and as nothing more. Hence they choose entirely to overlook his priestly office; but that they may not appear to reduce him to an ordinary man, they extol his mission as a teacher sent from God," and spin out christian morals very refinedly, as may be seen in John Crellius's Ethics.""

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