CHAPTER IV.

Professorship of the oriental languages, and subsequently of divinity-Lectures instituted-Extracts from them -Labours for the spiritual benefit of the students -Academical works, and extracts from them.

FRANKE began his new office of professor of the Greek and oriental languages at Easter in the year 1692, consequently two years before the consecration of the university, with a Latin programme, in which he encouraged the students to the study of the languages of the Holy Scriptures-the Hebrew and the Greek. He filled this office, especially from the year of consecration, till the year 1699. In 1698 he had become regular professor of divinity; and the former professorship was therefore filled by another. He discharged the office of professor of divinity till his decease.1

In his capacity as academic teacher, it was chiefly owing to his endeavours that the theology of the Lutheran church was again led back from the scholastic and polemic position it occupied, to the Holy

He was also Pro-Rector of the University from 1716 to 1717, and proved himself fully competent to this office, which he had previously refused on account of accumulated occupation.

Scriptures, and that amongst the students of divinity, an animated interest for biblical and practical religion was excited. Even when member of the philosophical faculty, he read lectures on the books of the Old and New Testament, with practical application : and as member of the theological faculty, he saw that it was his duty, in all his addresses, to promote amongst the students the knowledge and application of the Holy Scriptures. It was his maxim, that the true divine should be born in the Holy Scriptures, and his endeavour, that his hearers should not obtain a mere inefficient and unfruitful knowledge, but a vital acquaintance with the truth. (See his “Idea Studiosi Theologiæ,” p. 222.) All his efforts were directed to the following points:

1. That those committed to his charge should thoroughly learn to understand in what true religion consists.

2. That they should learn how the doctrine of Jesus Christ should be preached in genuine apostolic simplicity and purity, and how every thing must be deduced from his redemption, and tend to it again.

3. To excite them to make it their chief and cordial concern to be themselves truly built on Jesus Christ, as that foundation to which they directed others. But that the students might attain this object, according to Franké's opinion, they required not merely their own human diligence, (which, however, he by no means disregarded,) but also the Holy Spirit, producing in them a living faith, which manifested itself in a holy life and conversation. In the third part of his "Lectures Paræneticæ," p. 184, he says, “I regard it as a fundamental error in the study of divinity, for any one to persuade himself

that he can study divinity in a proper manner without the Holy Spirit; so long as he continues in this error, nothing can result from it but blind pharisaism

all labour is lost on such a one, even when the most salutary course is laid down for him in our lectures.... On the contrary, it is a fundamental truth in theological studies, that their chief object is, the attainment of the Holy Spirit.... But this must not be held merely in the theory, the individual must himself become a partaker of it."

He remarks, to the same effect, in the “ Idea Studiosi Theologiæ," that "he who does not make use of the word of God, in order, first of all, to become by its means a true Christian himself, would derive no real benefit from it, even if he were master of the Scriptures....A grain of living faith is more estimable than a mass of mere historical knowledge, and a drop of real love than an ocean of the knowledge of all mysteries." And in the "Lect. par. I, 127," he says, “At universities, the elements of divine truth are apprehended for the most part merely with the understanding, and the individual remains at the same time so barren, weak, blind, and naked, that the form into which the Gospel remodels men, is no where to be found in him. We ought the more to consider this, because in reality there is no class of people under the sun more unfit for the kingdom of God, than the learned. When the Almighty converts a learned man, he performs a real miracle."

Franké's lectures naturally bore, all of them, more or less conspicuously, the scriptural impress which characterized the whole bias of his mind. In the year 1698, he commenced his theological professorship, with an introduction to the books of the Old

Testament; in the sequel, he sometimes limited this lecture to the prophetic books, but at other times he extended it also to the New Testament; and subsequently to the year 1724, he laid his book, “De Scopo librorum Veteris et Nov. Test." which appeared that year, as the basis. He also attached great importance to Hermeneutics; and that with justice; for since it is admitted, that the exposition of the Scripture is the chief object of a divine, every thing depends upon the principles on which the Holy Scriptures are to be expounded. Franké, however, did not limit himself merely to the Theory, but was wont, in his Hermeneutic lectures, to add an application of Hermeneutic rules to a book of Scripture, or to selected passages from the Bible. Besides this, Franké continually read with distinguished ardour, exegetical lectures, with practical applications; for "the future teacher," says he, ought early to learn how to apply the scripture to his own edification and the instruction of others." For this purpose, he usually selected the psalms from the books of the Old Testament, and from them, such as had particular reference to the Messiah, and from the New Testament, the gospel of John.

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Thetic and historical Divinity were not indeed the fields which Franké had chosen to lecture upon but he furnishes us with many important declarations respecting them in his writings. "Since thetic and moral lectures" says he, are not intended merely for the academy, but also for the life; their whole aim ought to be directed to this, that christian doctrines should be not only methodically brought forward, but being in their nature entirely practical, every lecture should be so arranged, that the hearers

may receive directions how to apply the truths to their own individual benefit, and present them to others in a salutary manner." Respecting church-history, he observes," The study of ecclesiastical history is generally pursued in such a manner, that attention is paid only to the outward changes which have occurred. This does not constitute the matter; this is not treating church-history theologically; on the contrary, attention must chiefly be paid to the wisdom, ways, and wonderful judgments of God, that we may learn from thence to judge of the signs of the times, not theoretically merely, but practically also.”

Besides the lectures above-mentioned, which had immediate reference to the Bible, Franké also read such as served for a more special preparation of the young theologians for their future official functions. With reference to this, he read in particular three lectures, 1. Upon social and domestic religious duties. These he treated partly in a theoretic manner,

1 "Many preachers," says he, "have gone so far as to lay stress upon pulpit eloquence; just as if there ought to be orators in the church of God. But this is not at all the intention. We must be fathers. The preacher must exhort his hearers, like a father, to all that is good.... He should arrange his admonitions as his heart dictates, in order to save the lost from perishing. It is not necessary for a father to act the orator and make fine speeches upon the education of youth, or upon good manners and the like. A preacher must be like those kinds of trees, which though they grow to a great height, extend their branches downwards towards the earth, in order that those that walk beneath, and are unable to climb so high, may gather and partake of their fruit. But this is the general evil, that what requires to be daily practised in the ministerial office, we do not learn, but look upon it as too trifling; and what we have learnt at the university, we afterwards do not know how to employ in a useful manner. The universal maxim that we must govern ourselves according to our auditory, and that if we have learned hearers, we must present them with something of a learned nature-is a most injurious maxim. When the Saviour had the pharisees with him, he had a learned auditory, but he told them as simply and plainly, wherein