II.

SERM. or of the former, Pretence: What has al❤ ready been faid is fufficient, I hope, to fhew, that although they differ in Principle, yet in the Result they both agree; and that, though they may feem, like Samfon's Foxes, to pull contrary ways, yet they are both detached from the fame Quarter, and both combine to do Mischief where they go. For whether Learning be decried as infufficient on the one hand, or as fuperfluous on the other; it is plain, that both Sides contribute to obstruct its Advancement; and fo Ignorance or Bar barism is made way for by either. And what Cause this is defigned to promote, we may eafily conjecture. Ignorance is the fruitful Mother of Superftition: For they who know nothing, are in a ready Difpofition to believe any thing. In the dark Ages of Christianity, the Dregs of Popery were not too grofs to be eagerly imbibed: Nor could Men see their Errors, till Learning revived again, in fome Parts of the Church, about the Time of the Reformation. But as that let in Light, Truth gradually appeared. Nor is it in the Power of our Adverfaries to impose upon us again, fo long as we have Sense enough to discover the Cheat. And therefore no wonder if among fo many Emiffaries that are daily

fent

H.

fent out in different Difguifes to confound and SER M. delude us; some should be employed in depreciating Learning, which they know to be the greatest Bar in their Way.

But it is more than Time that I fhould haften to conclude: And yet it would be inexcufable fhould I wholly make an End of a Discourse on this Subject, upon this Occafion, and before this Audience, without obferving the near Resemblance we have the Happinefs to bear, in the Methods of our Education, to those ancient Seminaries of which we have been speaking. A Refemblance, I hope, that will always be a Motive to imitate them as clofely in Application and Diligence. And then what should hinder but that the one fhould be as illuftrious and useful as the other? We want nothing neceffary, or even convenient, to make us fo, which they enjoyed : Our Difcipline is as regular, and our Helps for Studying are as great: Our manner of living is as well contrived to ease us from Care, and our Dwellings as well fituated for Contemplation and Thought. In fhort we are no ways inferior in outward Advantages, if so be we are not deficient as to those from within. And we shall not, I hope, be wantVOL. I.

G

ing

SER M. ing to ourselves for what it is purely in our

II.

own Power to fupply. Inward Piety and Goodness, and the keeping the Mind continually in a serious, devout and heavenly Frame (which I have shewed to be Qualifications that are effential to a ftudious and contemplative Life) can only be the Effect of our own Watchfulness and Care. Not but that we have all the Help and Affiftance, even in this Refpect, that Opportunities can afford us, by the religious Provifion that our Founders have made for the continual Return of Hours of Prayer. They knew how neceffary an habitual Devotion was to keep Religion alive in the Heart And they knew how incapable a Heart would be, without Religion, of receiving any Divine Impreffions from above: And for this Reafon, it was always their principal Concern, that, together with the Means of being learned, we fhould be provided with the Means of being good. Since therefore we have fuch happy Opportunities for each, let us not, I beseech you, render both ineffectual, by aiming at the one with out the other. For an Obfervation of a wife Man that was made long fince, will be always true; that into a wicked Soul Wisdom will not enter, nor dwell in a Body that is fubject unto

II.

Sin, Wifd. i. 4. Not that we are now, by SER M. any Means, to expect the fame extraordinary Measures of Infpiration which were formerly vouchsafed to the Prophetick Schools; fince we have not now the fame Occafion for them. Providence now does not call upon Men by any nero Revelations, but leaves them to be instructed and guided by the Old. All therefore, that is now neceffary to fit out and qualify the Man of God, and to perfect the Saints for the Work of the Ministry, is to be able to understand those Revelations that have already been given, and to apply them dif creetly as new Occafions fhall arife. So that the Reason why our Schools are not favoured now with the fame extraordinary Gifts and Graces, with which the Prophetick Schools were endowed; is not because our Studies are of lefs Confequence, or our Calling less impor→ tant; but because our ordinary Helps and Affiftances are fuperior to thofe which they enjoyed; and because, in a word, we have now the Benefit of their Revelations. Not but that God, if we stand in need of his Divine Illumination, and are duly qualified with thofe previous Difpofitions which he demands, will ftill fo far affift our Endeavours, as to render thofe Things cafy and intelligible, G 2

which,

SER M. which, were we left to our own naturál Underftandings alone, would be difficult and ob

II.

1

fcure. A Reflection that should teach us, whenever we gain any new Degree of Light, not to afcribe it to our own Ability and Parts, but to him who is the Author and Father of Light that cometh down from above, James i. 17. For even all our Endowments, whether natural or acquired, must be referred to him; fince all thefe, as well as thofe that are fupernatural, worketh that one and the Self-fame Spirit, which divideth to every Man severally as he will, 1 Cor. xii. 11. Even Nature itself must in the last Resolution be imputed to Grace: For who (faith the Apostle) maketh thee to differ from another? Or what haft thou, that thou didst not receive? 1 Cor. iv. 7. Whatever useful Gifts therefore any of us enjoy, let us praise the Author and Dispenser of them all. And what ftill is wanting let us pray for to him, who promifes to answer us when we call, and to fhew us the great mighty things which as yet we know not, Jer. xxxiii. 3. This was his Declaration to his Prophets of the Old Teftament, and the fame is confirmed by his Apoftles in the New: If any of you lack Wisdom (faith St. James) let him afk of God, that giveth to all Men libe

and

rally,