Imytegeld, Groenewegen, Lampe, and Vitringa, representing
different and opposing forces, united in a harmonious effort to reform
the heritage of Christ. Their labors were fruitful, for the people
greatly honored them and earnestly followed their good advice. The
theological candidate had previously been asked two questions, which had
an important bearing upon his subsequent life. One was, "Do you fear
God?" The other was, "To what party do you belong?" The latter inquiry
was now abolished. In every university the long-prevalent partisanship
subsided. But under the improved state of religion, a Voetian was
invariably placed in the chair of dogmatic theology, a Cocceian in that
of exegesis, and a follower of Lampe in charge of practical theology.
The pulpits were likewise supplied with an equal number of ministers
from the ruling parties.

After 1738 the religious progress of the church of Holland became more
tardy. Attention to spiritual life decreased, while more care was
bestowed upon the improvement of theological training. The department
receiving greatest favor was the linguistic study of the sacred text.
Professor Schultens was the first to apply himself to the Hebrew cognate
languages, especially to the Arabic. The critical works of Mill and of
Bengel found their way, in 1707 and 1734, into the Dutch universities.
John Alberti, inaugurated professor at Leyden in 1740, made the Arabic
his special branch, and in five years' time that study became so popular
that Valkenaer found it necessary to warn young men against yielding too
freely to its fascinations. The direction of theological taste to
another department of inquiry increased the indifference to party
distinctions. Henceforth the terms Voetian and Cocceian became more
unfrequent and unimportant.

The theological tendency toward the study of the languages of the Bible
had the single unfortunate result of increasing that puerile literalism
which had appeared in only sporadic forms during several preceding
centuries. It was the element antagonistic to the allegorical and
spiritual interpretation of the text.

Peter Abrest, the Dutch Ernesti, taught in Groningen in 1773. His work
on _Sacred Criticism as the best Safeguard of Theology_, showed the
value he attached to a thorough grammatical and historical study of the
Scriptures. His labors were in harmony with the long-standing literal
interpretation of the text, though he would elucidate scientifically
what h