ΤΟ

THE RIGHT REVEREND

GEORGE HENRY,

LORD BISHOP OF BATH AND WELLS,

NOT LESS DISTINGUISHED

BY THE SUCCESS ATTENDANT ON HIS SCIENTIFIC AND

LITERARY PURSUITS IN THE UNIVERSITY,

THAN

BY HIS CONSCIENTIOUS

AND UNWEARIED EXERTIONS IN THE DISCHARGE

OF THOSE HIGH DUTIES

TO WHICH HE HAS BEEN SUBSEQUENTLY CALLED,

THESE PAGES,

INTENDED TO FACILITATE THE PROGRESS OF STUDENTS

IN ONE IMPORTANT BRANCH OF

ACADEMICAL LEARNING,

ARE INSCRIBED

BY HIS OBLIGED HUMBLE SERVANT,

M. BLAND.

PREFACE.

ON submitting to the public another Volume in addition to the many valuable ones which have already appeared on the same subject, some apology may seem due, some explanation requisite, of the motives which led to the undertaking, and of the object proposed to be accomplished.

Several years ago, Dr. CRAVEN, then Master of St. John's College,-a man of primitive simplicity, of unostentatious merit, and a Christian indeed without guile, anxious that the Students of the Society over which he presided, should receive some religious instruction in addition to the usual course of College Lectures, directed that all those over whom he had any control, should be lectured and examined in the Gospels or Acts of the Apostles, every Sunday during term:—his directions were warmly seconded by those who were engaged in the tuition of the College:—and it may be added from a personal experience of several years, that there seemed to be, in by far the greater portion of the young men themselves, a regularity, attention, and anxiety for information more general and more eager than was usually to be found in their ordinary studies. Considerable difficulty, however, arose respecting the Books to be recommended

for their perusal. For though nothing could be easier than to present them with a long catalogue of Authors who have gained a reputation by the mode in which they have treated the subject: and in those cases in which the usual academical pursuits were neglected, a selection might not perhaps have been attended with much trouble:-yet in a course of instruction, in which the foundation only was to be laid whereon a goodly edifice might in due time be erected;-where other branches of science were required;-and where degrees and honors were conferred by the University without any reference to religious knowledge or acquaintance with any part of Scripture (though happily this disgrace has since been removed) it could scarcely be expected that sufficient time could be allotted to the perusal of a multiplicity of books: and it was much regretted that some of those which were most frequently met with, contained matter, ignorance of which would have been deemed bliss in the opinion of all who were anxious for the welfare of the Students or the general good of society. In a system of education, where the mind is to be informed, the heart impressed, and thus the real good of others promoted, especial care ought to be taken that nothing drop even incidentally that can offend those whom our Saviour calls little children that believe in him, that can either stagger their faith or corrupt their hearts: and it was not therefore without considerable uneasiness that observations were discovered of a nature widely different from those which a Christian would wish to have first imprinted on young and inexperienced minds. Such were the insinuations and doubts conveyed in extracts from other writings respecting the

miracles of our Saviour and his Apostles, and the Divinity of two of the persons of the Holy Trinity, inserted at considerable length, and with much greater force than any attempted answers.

Considerations of this nature, aided and strengthened by a wish to do good wherever an opportunity might occur, suggested the idea, that a portion of the leisure hours which the duties of a very small parish left unoccupied, might be usefully employed in arranging some of the materials which had been collected for private use; increasing them from the stores of the old Divines of the English Church, than whom we shall look in vain for more sound expositors of Holy Writ; and occasionally endeavouring to illustrate and confirm interpretations deemed the best, by the opinions of the Fathers and early writers. It is needless to add that free use has been made of the best and most eminent authors that could be obtained; so that whatever appeared important, instructive, or impressive, has been unhesitatingly incorporated in the following pages. Novelty Novelty in Theology indeed has not been aimed at, nor could it be expected in such a work as the present:-to arrange, unite, and reduce to a convenient form what has been said by others, has been the object chiefly kept in view :-and a consciousness of good intentions with a willingness to follow in a good cause will, it is hoped, have guarded against any erroneous views:-—will plead an apology for any imperfections which may be observed, or defects which may have escaped attention. Had the desire of fame only been considered, some other department of composition would have been chosen: but if the present volume