PART II.

HIS OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS.

CHAPTER I.

AS TUTOR OF A THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY,

SECTION I.

IN THE SEMINARY ITSELF.

BENGEL returned in September to his native province, with a variety of useful information, fully resolved to devote his talents to the service of God. Meanwhile, the buildings for the seminary of Denkendorf were so nearly completed, that before the end of November he was able to commence residence there. Accustomed not to take any step without an eye to the Divine will, to submit to it with child-like resignation upon all occasions, and to supplicate help from above, he entered on his new employment with special prayer and renewed self-dedication, and could say, "What passed between God and my soul the first night of my residence at Denkendorf, gave me good ground of encouragement for the whole period of my abode there." The following memoranda of rules for his own conduct, which have been found among his papers, may certainly be regarded as the fruit of his pious reflections of that very night; though they appear to have received some additions from his pen on subsequent occasions.

"Prayer and thanksgiving. Self-reflection. Laboriousness. "Zealous exertion to advance the pupils of the Institution in their various departments of knowledge.

"Wise economy, especially in purchasing books.

D

"Temperance. Liberality to the poor.

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Looking to the Lord while engaged in the work.

"Careful observation of the least whispers of my thoughts and inclinations, as well those which arise of themselves, as those which are produced by outward impressions.

"Using all diligence to set an edifying example every where, and in every thing.

"Combating against fear and alarm of every kind.

"Perusal of the Scriptures: composition of spiritual songs." "Care of bodily health, especially of my eyes.†

"Devotion in prayer.

"Watchfulness against the devices of the Adversary. "Suitable employment of vacation days.

"Writing letters at hours of relaxation.

"Early rising; retiring in good time to rest.

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*

Guarding against those digressions from main reading, which may be occasioned by having to refer to a variety of books.

"Much thinking; little writing.

"Letting small matters pass.

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Writing down good thoughts immediately, in an album always at hand for the purpose.

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Constantly aim at introducing profitable conversation.

"To note passages that have struck me in reading; to read them over again, and extract them at convenient opportunities. "Careful attention to decorum.

"Frequent recurrence to these and other rules of prudence and holy living.

"Increased earnestness in listening to sermons, so as to lay particularly to heart whatever is especially delivered for that

purpose.

Withstanding all sudden strange thoughts and fancies.

"Never deferring to a more convenient season what may as well be done at the moment.

"He who has to impart wise and prudent instructions to others, must endeavour to have that clearness of ideas which will enable him to say much in few words; implying many things as pre-supposed, and leaving many others to be inferred."

* A few specimens of these are given in Part III. chap. xviii.

One of his eyes, without any diseased appearance, had been dim from his childhood, so that he could not read with it. Bajers' "Regimen Sanitatis Literatorum," was his general adviser upon health.

How conducive must the faithful observance of such rules have been to "faithfulness in that which is little," as well as in greater matters; to spiritual, as well as temporal comfort and prosperity! Only thus was it possible for him successfully to attend to so many comprehensive employments in private, without suffering them to interrupt his pressing official engagements; not to mention his correspondence, which obliged him to write about twelve hundred letters annually.

The solemn dedication of the new Institution, and its commencement of labour, took place early in the following December. On the seventh of that month, the prelate, John Frederic Hochstetter, delivered his inauguration speech as its president; on the eighth, in the forenoon, Andrew Christopher Zeller, as senior tutor, did the same; and Bengel, in the afternoon, as junior tutor. His subject, which was one of peculiar interest, was luminously invested with his own manner of thinking. It was De certissima ad veram eruditionem perveniendi ratione per studium pietatis, * (The diligent pursuit of piety is the surest method of attaining sound learning.) He began by remarking, how much it was to the honour of government that it had established this seminary at the present crisis, while the country was so menaced by hostile armies; † as it might be inferred, that Würtemberg regarded as real bulwarks her institutions of learning and piety, and considered it necessary to increase their number in the same proportion as her other bulwarks fell away. He then addressed the young persons who were to be received into this new nursery of theological learning, and showed what a privilege they ought to consider it to be placed at the most eligible season of life in a situation which afforded facilities for devoting all their time and strength to the noblest branches of learning. Hence it became them, as persons of integrity and prudence, to make the most diligent use of such providential advantages; for doing which, it was first and foremost indispensably necessary to be well aware what is that true centre of all valuable knowledge and exertion, around which alone every study and pursuit can beneficially revolve, and maintain such unity and consistency as are necessary to make them a real and permanent blessing. That this central and main

* The greater part of this speech is found printed in “ Pregizeri Suevia et Wirtembergia Sacra," pp. 353–56.

+ The French had lately taken Landau and Freiburg; so that Würtemberg was then in great peril.

matter had been ever one and the same for all undertakings in general, and for that of the sacred ministry in particular; in a word, that piety must be their focus, both primary and secondary. This was what had ever fashioned and governed the course of all the most truly learned and estimable characters; and if we admit Aristotle's position, that natural abilities, instruction, and application, are the three principal requisites for sound learning, then just so is fervent, practical piety, under the Divine blessing, the very life and soul of these requisites.

First, as to natural abilities. None but the practically pious man can develop these with that strength and that regularity which are needed for raising them to the highest improvement. For, the activity and efficacy of that grace of God which is bestowed upon the pious man, tends much more directly than the best natural tact, to help him with respect to all zeal and regular progress in science. And who can avoid seeing that there is no preservative like this against the many seductive allurements to which students, especially, are liable, and which have, in too many instances, blighted every hope and prospect of their attaining sound learning? Again, what is there like true piety to overcome our natural indolence, and to preserve the mind from disturbing passions; or that can impart to it that liveliness, force, and clearness, by which even a person of ordinary abilities, in search of the most recondite truths, will often outstrip the best gifted and most favourably circumstanced, who remain strangers to communion with God? What these can hardly learn, with all their diligence, and with the best assistances, will often present itself, as by a kind of intuition, to understandings no longer darkened with the exhalation of native corruptions and hereditary prejudices.

It was a favourite

Secondly, with respect to instruction. maxim, even of heathen philosophers, that true wisdom begins in the knowledge of ourselves. Who, then, is so likely to possess this knowledge as the person that is always obliged to converse with himself in order to commune with his God? Self-knowledge is a constant attribute of true piety. Besides, it is only the pious person who will have free access at every season to the prime repository of all genuine knowledge. That repository is the sacred volume; and I say that it is freely opened to the pious alone, for none but they will faithfully follow its instructions, and consequently possess the clew to those unsearchable treasures of wisdom and knowledge which it contains. And this

clew they possess for the benefit of others as well as for themselves; for whoever maintains real communion with God will be the better qualified upon every occasion to speak wisely and suitably to his fellow-men.

Thirdly, with respect to application. Surely it is only he who fears God that can find real content and satisfaction in his pursuits. Others may run after such satisfaction, but all their toil to overtake it in the fields of science will be in vain; and its phantom rather allures them on towards the most perilous abysses. Whereas, science itself, to those who love God, will be among the "all things that work together for their good."

He concluded with expressing it as his fervent and devout wish, that every pupil of the Institution would seriously address himself to God, imploring of Him that renewal of the heart and mind which is indispensable to real piety, and thus insure a prosperous and rapid advancement in all necessary and useful knowledge.

Bengel and his colleagues were now to enter upon the business of the Theological Seminary. The pupils were admissible from fourteen to sixteen years of age their knowledge of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, previously acquired at elementary schools, was here to be completed; and they were to be carried forward into the higher departments of classical and sacred literature. They were also to receive instruction in religion, in the elements of philosophy, and other necessary matters of general knowledge. In compliance with these requirements, Bengel, under the sanction of his colleagues, drew up a plan raisonné of study, for the use of the pupils rather than of the teachers, and entitled it, "The Denkendorf Dic cur hic?"" or, " Limites et Methodus Studiorum Alumni Denkendorfini ;" i. e. "A Rationale of Study for the Theological Seminary at Denkendorf, containing the reasons for each branch of study, the limits prescribed to them, and the method to be pursued." This plan was not a mere dry catalogue of various scientific objects, but it furnished appropriate introductions to the attainment of each, and specified the advantages to be expected by the method it recommended. Another design of it was to preserve the pupils from remissness and its attendant discouragements; or else to restrain them from that youthful presumption which at first setting out, especially in scientific pursuits, is apt to prompt the notion of having attained every thing at once. Hence he detailed with brevity,