water, springing up in us to everlasting life;" the name, the mark of God on souls; the Divine regenerator, the author of God's holy image; and the Divine nature, even Divine life, and light and love; the conqueror of the world and flesh, the strengthener of the weak, the confirmer of the wavering, the comforter of the sad, and the pledge, earnest and firstfruits of everlasting life. O therefore pray earnestly for the Spirit of grace, carefully obey him, and joyfully praise God, in the sense of his holy encouragement and help!

CHAP. IX.

Additional Counsel to Young Men, who are bred up to Learning, and public work, especially to the Sacred Ministry, in the Universities and Schools.

1. It was the case of the London apprentices, who are nearest me, and with whom I have oft to do, which first provoked me to this work; it was their case therefore which was chief in my intention. But had I as near an opportunity to be a counsellor to others, there are three sorts whom I should have preferred, for the sake of the church and kingdom, to which they are of greater signification:-

(1.) Those in the schools and universities, who are bred up for the sacred ministry.

(2.) Those in schools, colleges, and in the inns of court, who are bred up the knowledge of the law.

(3.) The sons of noblemen, knights and others, that are bred up for some places in the government of the kingdom, according to their several ranks. And of these it is first to whom I shall most freely speak.

2. And first I shall mention the importance of their case, and secondly the danger that they are in of miscarrying, and what they should do to escape it.

3. And indeed their condition, as they prove good or bad, is of unspeakable importance.

(1.) To the church and to the souls of men.

(2.) To the peace of the kingdom.

(3.) To themselves. And,

(4.) To their parents, above the common case of others.

4. (1.) Of how great importance the quality of the clergy is to the church and to men's salvation, many thousands have found to their joy and happiness; and, I fear, many more thousands have found to their sorrow and destruction. And then of what importance the quality of scholars and young candidates is to the soundness of the clergy, I need not many words to make men of reason and experience know.

5. (2.) God who hath instituted the sacred office, and by his Spirit qualifieth men for the work, doth usually work according to the fitness of their work and their qualifications. As he doth the works of nature according to the fitness of natural second causes, (giving more light by the sun, than by a star or candle, &c.) so he doth the works of morality, according to the fitness of moral causes. Holiness is the true morality, and usually wrought by holy means. And though it be so supernatural in several respects, (as it is wrought by the supernatural revelation or doctrine, or a supernatural teacher Christ, by the operation of the Holy Ghost a supernatural agent, commonly called 'infusion,' and raising the soul to God'-a supernatural object, and to a better state than that of corrupted nature,) though holiness be thus supernatural, yet we are natural recipients and agents, and it is our natural faculties which grace reneweth, and, when thus renewed, they learn to exercise the acts of holiGod worketh on us according to our nature, and by causes suited to our capacities and to the work. As he useth not to give men the knowledge of languages, philosophy or any art, by the teaching of the ignorant and unskilful, so much as by learned and skilful teachers, we must say the same of our teachers of sacred truth; and though grace be the gift of the Holy Ghost, experience constraineth all sorts of Christians almost to acknowledge what I here assert. Why else do they so earnestly contend, that they may live under the teachers which they count the best? Will heretics teach men the truth as well as the orthodox? Why then is there such a stir made against heretics in the world? And why are the clergy so eager to silence such as preach down that which they approve? Will Papists choose Protestant teachers, or will Protestants choose Papists?

ness.

And as men are unfit to teach others that which they

know not themselves, so unbelieving and unholy men are far less fit to persuade the hearers to faith and holiness, than believing, holy teachers are. Though some of them may be furnished with the same notions and words which serious, godly teachers use, yet usually, even in that, they are greatly wanting; because they have not so thoroughly studied saving truth, nor perceived its evidence, nor set their hearts upon it, nor deeply received and retained it. For serious affection quickeneth the mind to serious consideration, and causeth men speedily and deeply to receive that truth which others receive but slowly, superficially, or not at all. How eagerly and prosperously do men study that which they strongly love! And how hardly do they learn that in which they have no delight, much more that which they hate, and against which their very natures rise in opposition!

But if a hypocrite should have good notions and words, yet he will be usually greatly wanting in that serious delivery which is ordinarily needful to make the hearers serious Christians. That which cometh not from the heart of the speaker, seldom reacheth the heart of the hearer. As light causeth light, so heat causeth heat; and the dead are unfit to generate life. The arrow will not go far or deep, if both the bow and arm that shoot it be not strong; constant experience telleth us undeniably of the different success of the reading or saying of a pulpit-lesson, as of a dull or a mere affected speech, and of the judicious and serious explication and application of well-chosen matter which the experienced speaker well understandeth, and which he uttereth from the feeling of his soul. Neither the love of a benefice nor the love of applause will make a man preach in that manner, as the love of God, the lively belief of heaven and hell, and the desire of saving soul will do. The means will be chosen and used, and the work done, agreeably to the principle and the end.

But if a stage hypocrite should learn the knack or art of preaching, with affected fervency and seeming zeal, yet art and paint will not reach the power and beauty of nature. Usually affectation bewrayeth itself; and, when it is discerned, the hypocrisy is loathed. And it faileth ordinarily, in point of constancy: "Will the hypocrite pray always ?"

(Job xxvii. 10.) Art will not hold out like nature: when the motives of gain (which is their godliness) cease, the pleasures of applause, which are the means, will likewise cease. Yea, it usually turneth to a malignant reviling of the serious piety which they counterfeited before, or of the persons whose applause they did affect. For where the hypocrisy of the preacher is discovered by his contradictory and selfcondemning words or life, and the people accordingly judge of him as he is, his proud heart cannot bear it, but he turneth a malicious reproacher of these whose applause he sought,-thinking, by disgracing them, to defend his own esteem, by making their censure of him to seem incredible or contemptible.

And if the hypocrite should hold on his stage-affectation with plausible art, yet it will not reach to an answerable discharge of the rest of his ministerial work. It is from MEN that he expecteth his reward; and it is in the sight of men, on the public stage, that he appeareth in his borrowed glory. But in his family, his conversation, or in his ministerial duty to men in private, he answereth not his public show. He will not set himself to instruct and win the ignorant and impenitent, zealously to save men from their sins, and to raise men's earthly minds to heaven, by praying with them, by heavenly discourse, and by a holy conversation; nor will such a person be at much cost or labour to do good.

6. But (alas!) the far greatest part of bad, unexperienced clergymen do prove so hurtful to the church, that they have not so much as the hypocrite's seeming zeal and holiness with which to cloak their sin or to profit their people. The sad case of the Christian world proclaimeth this; not only in the Southern and Eastern churches, Abassia, Egypt, Syria, Armenia, the Greeks, Muscovites, &c.; nor only the Papist priests in the West; but too great a number in the Reformed churches. And it is more lamentable than wonderful: for there goeth so much to the general planting of a worthy, faithful ministry, that it is the great mercy of God that such

are not more rare.

(1.) If they have not natural capacity, there is not matter for art and ordinary grace to elevate.

(2.) If this capacity be not improved by diligent and long study, (which most of them will not undergo,) it is no wonder if it be useless, or much worse.

(3.) If it be not directed by a sound and skilful teacher, but fall into the hands of an erroneous or bad guide, you may conjecture what the fruits will be.

(4.) If good parts and studies be not kept from the mischievous enmity of a worldly mind and fleshly lusts, how easily are they corrupted, and turned against their use and end, to the great hurt of the church, and of themselves!

(5.) If those that choose prelates or church-governors, should be either of corrupted judgments, wicked hearts, or vicious lives, how probable is it that they will choose such as themselves, or, at least, such as will not much cross their lusts!

(6.) If such worldly and wicked prelates be the ordainers, examiners, judges, and institutors of the inferior clergy, or be their rulers, it is easy to know what sort of men they will introduce and countenance, and what sort they will silence and discourage.

(7.) If lay-patrons have the choice of parish pastors, and if most or many of them should be such as Christ tells us the rich most usually are, a worldly and sensual sort of men, or such as have no lively sense of heavenly things,we may easily conjecture what men such patrons are likely to present.

(8.) If the people, as anciently, have any where the choice, when most of them are bad, what men will they choose? Or if they have not the choice, yet they are so considerable that their consent or dissent, their love or hatred, will sway much with those that live much among them. But I must afterwards say more concerning these impediments.

7. And as all these impediments are likely to make worthy pastors to be rare, so it is certain that the naughtiness of such as are here described is likely to make them exceedingly hurtful, which is easily gathered from

(1.) What they will be.

(2.) What they will do.

(3.) In what manner they will do it.-In all which, the effects may be probably foreseen.

And, FIRST, It is supposed (1.) that they will be worldlyminded men, who will take gain for godliness, accounting that to be the better cause; and they will judge those to be the best persons who most befriend their worldly interest. They will love the fleece, more than the safety of the flock;