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COLET. 223
from his foreign travels. The two had many discussions
upon theological subjects, which were continued
by letter after Erasmus' departure from Oxford.
Colet's views were marvellously in advance of his
age. His great object was to dethrone the schoolmen
from the place they occupied in the teaching
of the universities and as the groundwork of pulpit
instruction, and to exalt in tlieir stead the study of
Holy Scripture and a simpler mode of expounding
God's Holy Word, free from the scholastic subtleties
which too often obscured its meaning and hindered
its proper effect upon the hearts of the people. His
arguments had evidently great weight with Erasmus,
though there was not always an absolute agreement
between them. On one point they were unanimous,
that the reformation of the Cliurch was a necessity.
Corruption of morals amongst churchmen was evidently
great. Colet speaks of it with a sort of
mournful pity, making charitable allowance for
human frailty when enforced celibacy was the rule.
Laxity of conduct bore its natural fruit. Preaching
had fallen into desuetude. It was a novelty when
Colet began to preach from the jiulpit of St. Paul's
on the festivals of the Church, and the style of his
sermons was new also. He interested his hearers by
ta'king up a subject from the gospels, and pursuing it
through a series of discourses. Crowds flocked to
hear him, for his addresses were so simple in their
style that they were not above the comprehension of
the unlearned citizens, yet so thoughtful as to arrest
the attention of those of the highest culture.
Amongst his auditors was one whose character is