Highlands; and being certainly informed of the good hopes of Zachary M'Callum, that he is a quick youth, capable of learning, and that his father is not able to train up his children in that way, appoint him to be sent for to St. Andrews, and the Presbytery is willing to take the burden of his entertainment till the meeting of Synod." At the meeting, the Synod agree to maintain Zachary M'Callum, "a boy having the Irish tongue," at the grammar school of St. Andrews, for the space of a year, until he be ready for the college. Every church is to pay forty shillings towards his support.

I need say nothing of the Church's love of learning, and of her anxiety to promote its interests. So early as 1662, we find her making inquiry as to what books her ministers possessed-whether their libraries were adequate to their calling. Presbyteries are to see if the minister has the Scriptures in the original languages, and Tremellius's Translation of the Old, and Beza's of the New Testament-if he has works on Ecclesiastical History-and what Commentaries, and what course of reading he has pursued in controversies. A few years after, the Synod of Fife assist the College of St. Andrews in getting up a library for the use of learning, and agree to call for the benevolence of gentlemen in different parishes, in furtherance of the object. And as the means of a superior clerical education were provided, so considerable attainments were expected at the hands of candidates for the ministry. It appears from the records of the Synod of Fife, that, in 1624, they were required to bring testimonials of character-of blameless life and conversation-that they had passed through a course of philosophy-were twentyfive years of age—had conducted themselves well and usefully since leaving college. They are required to read the Greek Testament ad aperturam-and a chapter of Hebrew after twenty-four hours meditation. They are then to be examined on the grounds of religion, according to Calvin's Institutes and Beza's-question and answer-unless, from other learned writers, they are able to give of their own knowledge, the best and soundest replies. They are then to be questioned on controverted points, in which they are to be required to state the case and answers on both sides, in the form of Chemnisius, or any other learned divine who has written on controversy. Then they are to make a sermon, privately, in Latin and English, and next publicly.

In 1641, the General Assembly used her best exertions that "a sufficient maintenance be provided for a competent

number of professors, teachers, aud bursars, in all faculties, and especially in divinity, and for upholding, repairing, and enlarging the fabric of the colleges-furnishing libraries, and such like good uses, in every university and college." It is earnestly recommended that only the ablest men should be appointed to professorial chairs. And in 1645, it is enacted that at the time of the General Assembly, commissioners from the different universities of the kingdom shall meet and consult together for the advancement of piety, learning, and good order, in the schools and universities.

It is is scarcely necessary to mention, that while so earnest in promoting the interests of literature and knowledge, the Church never, for a moment, lost sight of the paramount claims of true religion, but on the contrary, made every thing else subservient to them. It is a striking illustration of this, that professors of languages and philosophy were required, along with their respective sciences, to ground their students in the first principles of Christianity. The Confession of Faith was translated into Latin, that it might be used as a text book by the young men at college. By an act of the General Assembly, at a later date, 1705, it was strongly 66 recommended to masters in universities, and all other instructors of youth, that they be careful to instruct their scholars in the principles of the Christian reformed religion, according to the Scriptures." We have seen what efforts were used to create and wisely administer bursaries; and what was their great end, but to assist and encourage young men in studying at the universities? Here, too, religion was the reigning object. Who were the bursars? They were youths intended for the ministry, especially in Gaelic parishes. Such was the anxiety of the Church to obtain a sufficient number for this work, that she ordered a contribution of forty shillings Scots from every congregation, yearly, to raise the necessary funds; and in 1648 there were not fewer than forty Highland youths, approven by the Synod of Argyle, in the course of training for the ministry. At the same time, were it not unduly protracting this chapter, it were easy to show that in the matter of university visitation there is also a parallel between the Protestant Church of France and the Protestant Church of Scotland; but enough has been adduced to show that both were, even in the earliest times the warm friends of enlarged knowledge and enlightened education, and enough has been brought forward to rebuke the silly and unfounded notion, that religious men care nothing about the

culture of mind, and are the enemies of knowledge. It will be difficult, indeed, for those who are so fond of arrogating to themselves, exclusively, the title of the friends of knowledge at the present day, to give evidence of such generosity, self-denial, and sincerity, in the cause, as the friends of religion, and the Protestant Presbyterian Churches have manifested all along.

We may take a specimen of the visitations of colleges from that of Glasgow in 1642. The Commissioners, among other things, ordained that the Greek text of Aristotle should be analyzed viva voce, and thereafter the sense of the text written-that the discussions of the students should continue in their classes and in the public schools-that the students in private should speak Latin-that they should be exercised in lawful games-all games of chance being prohibited-and that every master should educate his own students through all the four classes.*

After the reference which has been already made to learned works and learned men whom the Church encouraged, it is scarcely necessary to ask, were her various lobours in behalf of a superior educated clergy successful? Considering how unpropitious the disturbed times of James and Charles were to the peaceful pursuit of study, the Church was eminently successful in this department. I have already pointed to a galaxy of illustrious names; and, in conclusion, may just allude to the testimony which Livingstone, himself a man of decided attainments, gives in regard to leading men of his day, most of whose names I have already mentioned. Of himself, he says, that when in Holland he spent much of his time in biblical studies, in comparing Pagnin's version with the original text of Scripture, and with the later translations, such as Munster's, the Tigurine, Junius, Diodati, the English, but especially the Dutch; and that he was encouraged with the approbation of Voetius, Essenius, Nethenus, and Leusden; and that he wrote some emendations on Pagnin's translation, which were sent to Dr. Leusden. Such personal attainments render Livingstone more trustworthy when speaking of others; and he testifies what was otherwise well known, that Robert Rollock, a minister in Edinburgh, and principal of the university, was "very learned,"t-that

* See new statistical account of Govan, p. 707, whose minister at that period was one of the Commissioners.

† Beza having met with his commentary on the Romans and Ephe. sians, wrote to a friend, "I have got a treasure of incomparable va

John Scrimzeor, of Kinghorn, "was very learned, especially in the Hebrew,"—that Robert Boyd was "a man thoroughly learned, and had a great turn for poetry, as his Hecatombe Christiana shows,"-that David Calderwood lived long in Holland, "and wrote his learned book, entitled, Altare Damascenum, in Latin, and some other pieces in English, which helped to keep many straight in that declining time." After speaking in the highest terms of Samuel Rutherford, he relates, that "he wrote his Lex Rex, asserting the lawful liberties of the subject, and that it is reported, when king Charles saw it, he said it would scarcely ever get an answer; nor did it ever get any, except what the Parliament, 1661, gave it, when they ordered it to be burnt by the hand of the hangman." Of George Gillespie, he says, that when a probationer, he "wrote that elaborate piece, entitled The English Popish Ceremonies;" and when member of the Westmister Assembly, "displayed great learning and a deep judgment, and debated with perspicuity, strength of argument, and calmness of spirit, above any man in his time." Other testimonies to the learning of the ministeries of the Church of Scotland might be referred to, such as Robert Baillie's Opus Chronologicum, and David Dickson's Therapeutica Sacra, in Latin, and the published Discourses of the Scottish Commissioners, which were preached before Parliament, as compared with those of their English brethren; but this were to enter on a wide field. I would simply refer to what Mr. Row, the biographer of Blair, states of "The New Explication of the Holy Bible," which the General Assembly resolved upon. It would appear, that, as the commentaries on the Scriptures in English, if there were any, were expensive, and inaccessible to the great body of the people, the Church determined to write a Commentary for them herself. With this view, the several books were divided amongst a number of the most godly and learned of the ministry. Blair wrote on the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes; Dickson, on the Psalms, St. Matthew, the Romans and Hebrews; Hutcheson, on Job, and the twelve minor Prophets, and the Gospel of John; Fergusson, on several of the Epistles, &c. This Commentary, intended as it was for popular use, may not have afforded much scope for learning, though there are sufficient indications that the writers were no strangers to it; but it pre

lue, having never before met with the like for brevity, elegance, and sound judgment."

sents a fine specimen of the full and thoroughly scriptural style of instruction in which the ministers of those days so largely dealt, and which doubtless paved the way to that general religious knowledge, which, even among the commonalty," filled Bishop Burnet with wonder, and which enabled the people of Scotland so heroically to brave the persecutions and the martyrdoms of eight-and-twenty years. of tyranny.

SECTION IV.

THE CHURCHES OF FRANCE AND SCOTLAND CHERISH SYMPATHY AND BENEVOLENCE FOR THE SUFFERING.

In several of the former sections I have endeavoured to bring out some interesting features in the Christian character of the early Protestant Church of France, and especially in the period in which the edict of Nantes, might be said to be in considerable force. I have now to direct the reader's attention to another, an additional feature, and that one of great interest and beauty, viz: THE SYMPATHY AND BENEVOLENCE WHICH THE FRENCH REFORMED CHURCH MANIFESTED FOR THOSE IN SUFFERING, PARTICULARLY SUFFERING CHRISTIANS. Few aspects of character are more affecting, or more indubitably indicative of Christian principle. It may be added, that, in reference to the French Church, few are less known. The Saviour went about doing good to the bodies and the souls of men, sympathizing with the afflicted, and administering suitable relief. So has it been, so will it ever be, with his true followers, according to their circumstances and opportunities. The Protestants of France were not hardened by their own sufferings, into a selfish insensibility to the sufferings of others. This is generally the way of the world. As became Christians, their own afflictions only served to make them more alive to the afflictions of those who claimed their sympathy. We have many proofs of this. Not only as individuals, but as a Church, they took up cases of all sorts of distress, individual and collective: those which proceeded directly from the providence of God, and those which were the result of the persecuting wickedness of man. select a few illustrations: In 1620, Quevedo, a Spaniard, who had escaped from the Inquisition of the Romish Church, applied to the Synod of Alez for some relief, that he might live in the profession of the Gospel, for which he had suffered. The Assembly ordered him one hundred livres from

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