OF such universal Obligation is the great duty of Gratitude, so necessary an ingredient is it both to a Holy and a Happy Life; that our Bles­sed Saviour who came into the World to teach us Virtue in every instance, could not be want­ing to inculcate as well by Example as Precept this general parent one, this Original Spring which gives force and activity to so many lesser Graces, which makes Love to admire, Joy to applaud, Humility to reflect upon the indigence of humane Nature that needed such benefits, Thankfulness ever to celebrate 'em, and sets 'em all incessantly at work to perform its various Offices. A certain Pious Woman (as we read in the Verses preceding, the same who in another Gospel chose the better part, the one thing needful) having profited much by the Doctrine of Jesus, and been witness to many of his Miracles, to express her sence thereof, brought the most pretious thing she had, a Box of costly Ointment, and pour'd it on his Head as he sat at Meat, so that it ran down to all the parts of his body, and with its grateful odour fill'd the whole house; this kind [Page 2] act of hers our Saviour in my Text thus solemnly and grateful­ly acknowledges, and declares that it shall be for ever celebrat­ed and remembred.

Now how parallel this case is to the occasion of our present Meeting, a little reflexion may evince: A Princess the most e­minent for Piety, Learning, Chastity, and Happy Government that ever blessed these Kingdoms, having enlightened our n [...]ighbouring Nation with the brightness of the Reformation, a [...]d fenc'd it in by Laws and just Authority against all the open force and secret contrivances of Popery or Schism; took into Her Royal Thoughts also the care and concerns of our poor Island, almost quite over-run with Barbarity and Superstition, and as the most effectual means to polish the one and reform the other, Founded this Seminary (whose Secular Solemnity we now Celebrate) whence true Religion, and Virtue, sound Learning and ingenious Education, might always spring up and issue forth to Plant and Cultivate the rest of the Land; She pour'd this Box of Pretious Ointment upon the Head or Capital of our Kingdom, whence it might stream or descend to the most distant parts, and refresh the whole with its excellent savour; She laid in here such lasting Supplies of Piety and Litera­ture, which, like Ointment, might smooth the natural roughness of our Temper, supple our morosest Passions, make us of a cheer­ful Countenance, render us active & fit for any Employment to which Church or State should call us; and, like a Sweet and Pretious Ointment too, might not only gratifie our own Facul­ties, improve and better our own Souls, but by a happy ema­nation shed its agreeable influence on all that approach us; and thô some ignorant or envious by-standers may (as Judas) with indignation say, to what purpose was this wast? what need­ed this Royal Munificence? yet we and all who are benefitted by this Auspicious Foundation, must ever gratefully join with our Blessed Saviour in my Text, Verily we say unto you, where­soever the Gospel (whose Holy Doctrine we have here suck'd in, and to the understanding and declaring of which we have been here train'd up and educated) shall be preach'd by any of us in the whole world, there also this, that this Woman has done for us, shall [...]e told as a memorial of her.

Gratitude and sense of Obligation are a kind of Civil Con­science, which oblige us as Men to perform many excellent Of Gratitude in general. things, thô there were no Religion in the World to enforce 'em; He who preaches this Virtue, pleads the cause both of God and Man, since without it we can neither be Sociable nor Religious; for Thanks and Acknowledgments are a Tribute payable by the poorest, the most indigent wretch, the most forlorn Widow has still her two Mites to throw in, has a Heart to be sensible of, and a Tongue to express its sence of a Bene­fit receiv'd; for surely Nature gives no Man a Mouth to be always Eating, and never saying Grace; nor a Hand only to grasp and to receive: but as 'tis furnish'd with Teeth for the one, so it should likewise have a Tongue for the other; and the Hands which are so often reach'd out to take and to accept, should sometimes too be lifted up to bless. The beautiful systeme of Providence, the whole course of Nature is one great argument for Gratitude; and the World only a larger exchange, in which one benefit is, or ought to be, the stated price of another. If we consider the Universe as one Great Body Politick, we may suppose Commerce, Society, and Con­versation to supply the office of the Blood and Spirits, and 'tis Gratitude that makes 'em circulate; this is the great Spring that sets all the Wheels of Nature a going, the Band or Cement that holds together the differing, and otherwise inconsistent parts of the Creation: one may evidently discover it in all the Elements, in the Air and Flame, in the Seas and Ri­vers, in the Earth and Sun, in the friendly correspondence between the higher and the lower World; so that the Monstrous Man who has a Soul wholly void of Gratitude, would do well to set his Soul to learn of any of these, nay even of his own Body, for all the parts of that do kindly and mutually serve each other; the Hands and Limbs labour dayly to bring in Food and Provision to the Stomach, (as it is hand­somly applied in Menenius Agrippa's Apologue) which is grate­fully return'd in strength and nutriment, diffused to all the members of the Body. And is not then the Ungrateful Man a reproach to the Creation, a manifest exception from all the visible World? neither the Heavens above, nor the Earth be­neath [Page 4] afford any thing like him, there is nothing besides him­self but Hell, which is both the Region and the Emblem of Ingratitude, that is always receiving and never endeavouring to require; Ingratitude is instead of all other Vices in the ballance of Morality, a counterpoise to them all; 'tis one great blot up­on Humanity, and gives completion to the black Roll of nu­merous other sins.

Now if even Natural Religion prompts so strongly to this Duty, what impressions must the Gospel make, which so far outshines both the dim Light of that, and the brighter Inspira­tions of the Law? which has so far refined upon all the Duties of Morality, that it declares even Anger and Harsh Words to be Murder, and looks and desires Adultery, that one may stab with his Tongue, assassinate with his Mind, and pollute him­self with a glance; which obliges us to love, bless, and do good to our most implacable Enemies; then what tender sentiments, what a rapturous sense of real Love must it inspire for Friends Of the Gra­titude due to our Founders and Benefa­ctors. and Benefactors? who have here express'd the noblest Charity to us, and confer'd the most important and lasting Obligations upon us, by cloathing our most shameful Nakedness, our Igno­rance, our Errors, our Prejudices; by feeding our hungry Un­derstandings, by furnishing our Minds; by healing our perverse Inclinations; and placing us in the path way to Heaven; these are truly Obligations as eternal as our Souls, and therefore 'tis but reasonable that our Gratitude, the memory of them shou'd be as immortal also.

But Words and Complements are no sutable return to our Pious Benefactors, our justest Acknowledgments must be ex­press'd by a diligent endeavouring to answer all the great and useful ends of their Donations, by promoting the knowledge and practise of Religion and Piety, the advancement of Learn­ing, by a sedulous application to all the improvements of Education, and a careful managing the tender springs of Youth.

Now to shew how necessary the Institution of Universities The mani­fold usefulness of Universities and Colleges. and Colleges is to the attainment of all these great designs, as also the numerous advantages which the Learning and Arts therein cultivated derive to all the degrees and stations of life, [Page 5] as it will best instruct us in our Duty, so it may in some measure contribute to perpetuate the Memory of our Munificent Founders and Benefactors, oncourage others to imitate their Generous Examples, and be a Subject most proper and sutable to this present occasion.

But here it may be expedient to remove a mischievous preju­dice An Object [...] against Aca [...] mick studies [...] swer'd. against Academick Studies, which comes recommended in a venerable imposing Proverbial Dress, as if Ignorance were the on­ly True Mother of Devotion, and Learning of Atheism; however antient this saying may be, 'tis certain that Humane Nature and the Service of God are little beholden to them who first intro­duced the false observation, as if Simplicity and Dulness were becoming Qualifications for the Divine Worship, or that the Light of Reason should ever be likely to produce a Spiritual Darkness; The Jewish Law forbad to Offer a Sacrifice to God that had a Blemish, yet this Opinion, while it bestows the most Excellent and Useful of all the Race of Mankind on the Devil, assigns to Religion only those Men, and those Times, which are stigmatiz'd▪ with the greatest blemish of Humane Nature, namely, a Defect of Knowledge and Understanding: nay, as if God had despised our Rational Services, it complements him still with Brutish Sacrifices, Man without Ʋnderstanding being justly compared (by the Psalmist) to the Beasts that perish; both Reason and Revelation assure us, that all Sin and Error proceed from Ignorance, that 'tis the blindness of the Under­standing which misguides the Will, and our Blessed Saviour says the same thing to the Jews, Ye do err (says he) not knowing the Scriptures and the Power of God, the Scriptures which Reveal his Will, and the World his Power; as if the study of these two Books were the best preservative from Error and Irreligion, and so it has always proved; to omit the former (which yet makes one of the noblest parts of that Knowledg and Learning The Usef [...] ness of Huma [...] Learning to sacred Knowledge and Pi [...] I am discoursing of) how must the contemplation of the Admirable Order and oeconomy of Nature in all its Producti­ons and Periods, in all its several Seasons and Revolutions: how must the study of the surprizing results of a Regular Pro­vidence, that Harmonious Concordance which runs through all the parts of the Universe, and renders them mutually subser­vient [Page 6] to each other, not only charm our Thoughts with de­lightful Idaeas, but likewise insensibly raise 'em up to the great Author and Contriver of this wonderful Masterpiece? When God himself would represent his own Magnificence and Glory, he directs to his Works; he bids Job consider his Earth, his Ocean, his Clouds and Rain, that is, he bids him be a Philo­sopher; and Holy Men in Scrip [...]ure, when they wou'd quicken their own Souls and those of others to Praise him; send their Thoughts abroad among the Creatures, to the stupendious Furniture of Land, Air, and Seas, to gather instances of Acknowledgment: By the help of this Prospect we may discover conspicuous Characters of Gods Omnipotence, and sound his Wisdom as far as the short line of Humane Reason is capable; thus by the Scale of Visibles, Contemplation and Knowledge lead us up to that Supreme Invisible Power which gives the Spring and Motion to all this mighty Machine; and by the steps and links of the Creation, our Inquisitions may guide us till we ascend to the top of that Chain, which the Poets feign'd was fastned to Jupiter's Throne.

Such dawnings of Divinity does each part of Knowledge contain, that the Astronomer finds a Deity in the Uniform Mo­tion of Coelestial Bodies, and Regular Vicissitude of Seasons; The Phylosopher in the delightful variety of Natural Producti­ons, their Beauty, Order, and conspiring tendency to the great ends of the Creation; The Historian in the wonderful turns of Providence, and manifest Discoveries of the Divine Manage­ments in the Revolutions of the World: and thô the Obvious Firmament, the Visible Beauties of the great World, and the appearing variety and fitness of those parts which make up the little one in Man, could scarce secure Galen from Atheism: Yet when he pried farther by Anatomical Inquiries, and saw the surprizing diversity, aptness, and order of the minutest Fibres and Passages that are in the inward Fabrick, he could not then abstain from the devoutness of an Anthem of Acknow­ledgment; nor can it otherwise happen, but that the Discove­ries which are dayly made by Study in God's Immense Treasu­ry, must needs every moment fill the Soul with pleasant aston­ishment, and enflame the Heart with the ardors of the highest [Page 7] Love and Devotion, and the Contemplation of God's Works▪ join'd with these natural pious Sentiments, seem almost an an­ticipation of that Bright and Clear Knowledg, which we shall hereafter enjoy in Heaven. Nay, of such a pious tendency is Learning, that in proportion to the Phylosophy, and Know­ledge, in which various Nations excell'd, God has generally been worshipped in former Ages; Thus in Persia and Chaldaea, where the Skill of Heavenly Motions first began, they had their Temples on the Tops of Hills, and Open to the Air: In Egypt, where they had the best opportunities of studying the Natures of Living Creatures, by reason of that Variety, which their River and Land produced; all their Religious Mysteries were contain'd in Hieroglyphicks, borrow'd from Beasts and Animals: And shall Learning now be stigmatiz'd for contempt of Divinity, when of old it did rather incline Men to Supersti­tion, which is the supersaetation and rankness of Religion, and quite the other extreme? Formerly Priests and Scholars were Synonimous Words, and the great Apostles of Natural Theo­logy, the Preachers of Un-enlightened Divinity thrô the World, were no others than the Phylosophers and Wisemen; and cer­tainly Nature, being nothing else but the Instrument of God, whereby he gives Being and Action to things, the knowledge of that, and other Useful Science, should be so far from being accounted Dangerous or Impious, that it ought rather to be e­steem'd a subordinate Theology, a necessary step and gradation to those exalted Mysterious Truths, which revealed Religion discovers to us. And agreeably hereunto we find the Patriarchs and Holy Men of antient times, that were most in God's Fa­vour, were also best Instructed in the Knowledge of his Works, and Contributed most to the good of Mankind by their Useful Discoveries and Inventions: Adam (we read) was acquainted with the Natures of all Living Creatures; Noah, a Planter of Vineyards; Abraham (as Grotius collects) an Excellent Astro­nomer; Isaac, prosperous in Agriculture; Jacob, blessed in his Phylosophical Experiment and Stratagem of the Speckled Rods; Moses, eminent in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians; Bazaleel and Aholiab, inspired in Architecture; Solomon, a deep Naturalist; Daniel, and his Brethren, skill'd in all Learning and [Page 8] Wisdom, and (not to multiply Instances) they were the Phy­losophers of the East, the Magi or Wisemen, who expressed the most Early Piety and Zeal for Christianity, and made first Addresses to the Infant Saviour.

Julian the Apostate, who was the most Refined Politick E­nemy that ever Christianity had, well knew how beneficial sound Learning ever was to true Religion, and therefore the Edict which he published to suppress all Christian Schools and Colleges, was justly esteem'd a more pernitious Engine to over­throw our Religion, than all the most Bloody Persecutions of former Emperors.

Let them therefore, whose Interest it is to preach up saving Ignorance, implicit Faith, and blind Credulity; who cou'd de­clare the Assertion of Antipodes to be a point of Heresy, and imprison poor Galileo in the Inquisition for proving the Earth's Motion; who cou'd pronounce Mathematicks heretofore to be Magick, and find Damnable Heresie in Greek and Hebrew: Let such (I say) applaud Ignorance as the Mother of Devotion, con­demn all curious Researches and free Disquisitions in Learning, and write Encomiums upon passive credulous Simplicity; 'tis certain our Church and Religion can never be safer than amidst the Consequences of a Rational Learned Age, and all the va­rious Improvements of Knowledge, since they aim not at the Captivity but Freedom of Men's Minds; and we can never make War against Learning, without Undermining one of our chief Strengths, our most successful Weapon, with which we combat Enthusiasm on one hand, and Supers [...]ition on the other.

And thus having not only vindicated Human Learning, and the Arts that are here cultivated; from an unjust Prejudice; but likewise shewn their great Usefulness and Subserviency to all sacred Knowledge & Religion: The Proofs will lie more easie and obvious, how they farther tend to the Improvement & Per­fection of [...]our Minds; and are the fruitful Parents of all those profitable Discoveries which render the Life of Man Happy The Useful­ness of Human Learning to Government, and all the In- [...] and Comfortable.

The Poets with great Significancy feign'd Minerva as well to be the Goddess of Arms, as Patroness of Arts, intimating [Page 9] doubtless, That Empire did ever best flourish and grow up in Conjunction with Learning; witness the Antient Principalities of Greece, those Celebrated Schools at once of War and Philo­sophy, where their greatest Generals were taken out of Col­ledges, from under the Institution of Wise Men and Philoso­sophers, from the Calm and Retirement of a Study; where So­crates cou'd furnish out a Pupil Xenophon, raw and undisciplin'd, to perform one of the greatest Actions of Antiquity; and a single Archimedes with his Rule and Compass could defend Syra­cuse, and defie for a long time the whole Force of Marcellus's Army: Witness Rome it self, whose Empire was never in great­er Glory than when Arts too and Ingenuity were most cultivated and encouraged, Julius Caesar from an Orator became a Hero, and is still perhaps as justly Celebrated for his Commentaries as his Conquests. Scipio the Great is reported to have spent more time in his Study then in his Camp, and was oftner ob­served with a Book than a Sword in his Hand; nay Learning a­mong them was the undoubted and infallible step to all sorts of Preferment; it Recommended their Consuls and their Di­ctators, nor could the Government of Nations, the Dispatch of Armies, the Noise of Victories interrupt their Studies: They writ Books even with Triumphal Hands, and Argued and Dis­puted with Phylosophers, thô they had Legions at command. From the days of Nerva down to Commodus was the Happiest Age the Roman Empire ever knew, whether we consider its vast Extent, or the great Felicity and Peace in which it was Govern'd; and then we find none but Plato's wish'd for Empe­rors, such as were Phylosophers too, a succession of Antonines, Trajans, Adrians, such Wise and Learned Princes, as brought Knowledge into Fashion and Repute; gain'd it admission into Courts and Palaces; taught it to keep the Best Company; render'd it the study of States-men and Politicians; the Em­ployment of the Rich and of the Great. But not to wander so far; who among the Saxons was a greater encourager of Learning then King Alfred? and who too, more Victorious in his Arms, and more Wise and Regular in the Administra­tion of Affairs? And to come yet nearer to our present Occa­sion; When were these Nations more Happy, then under the [Page 10] long and glorious Reign of our Illustrious Foundress? whom as we must always gratefully own to be the Best Patroness of Arts and Knowledge, the Restorer of Decay'd Learning among us. so all the World will grant Her not only to have been the Most Learned of Her Sex, but to have exceeded in this Particular, as well as in Wisdom and other Princely Vertues, all the Contemporary Monarchs and Princes in Christendom.

To descend yet lower; 'T would be almost infinite to reckon up the various Helps and Compendiums which Learning has furnished to all the Inferior Arts, to the Entertainments of Peace, as well as the Successes of War. What Improvements do Trade, Commerce, Navigation, the Culture of Lands and the Advancement of Mechanicks in general owe thereto? nay if we will not give these useful Inventions an Epicurean original, and impute 'em wholly to Blind Chance or a fortuitous concourse of Lucky Thoughts, we must believe they proceeded from an unwearied vigorous investigation of Nature and it's Powers, from a sedulous tracing such Links and Connexions, Corolla­ries and Consequences, as none but a Thinking Learned Head is acquainted with.

In summ, Antiquity owes all it's Heathen Gods and Divinities to the fruitful Industry of Scholars, the Admiring World of old deified their Discoveries, Built Temples and Raised Altars to the happy products of Science; and thô Theseus, Minos, and Ro­mulus, who were Founders of Empires and Fathers of their Country, cou'd only arrive to the Inferior Honour of Heroes and Demigods: yet Ceres and Bacchus, Mercury and Apollo, who invented Ʋseful Arts and Sciences, and obliged the World with more lasting and advantageous Benefits, were Worship'd with the highest degree of Adoration and ranked among the Dij majorum Gentium. And doubtless the Discoveries of the latter bringing perpetual Profit and Advantage with them, being gen­tle and easy; like the still small voice, had more evident Cha­racters of a Divine Presence and Efficacy then all the boisterous noisie transient Benefits of the former.

But if any are more affected with the pleasures of Thinking and Meditation (which indeed is properly to act as Men) no other Employment can afford the like Advantages. All other [Page 11] Delights are mixt and adulterate and do chiefly gratify our Bodies or Sensitive parts; are acquired with Expence and Ha­zard, and do either weaken Nature, or nauseate in the very enjoy­ment: whereas these render the constitution of the Mind more vigorous and healthy, it's Faculties are made more bright and active by constant use, their fruition does not exclude Appetite, while we drink we thirst, and by a grateful vicissitude of Desiring and Possessing, are always in Action and always Happy, And in­deed what more manly and becoming, as well as Noble Em­ployment can there be, than to improve our best Talents, and enlarge and extend our Spirits? while we industriously culti­vate our Lands, and adorn our Bodies, is it fit our Ʋnderstan­dings should ly fallow & barren, and the Divine Image which we carry within us remain neglected, dishonored, and unimproved? Is it fit our Mindes, which are large enough to embrace the whole World, and comprehend the vastest Truths, shou'd be busied only Servilely to cater for the Body, and not rather employ themselves according to the dignity of their exalted Natures, and be cultivated and adorned as becomes their Heavenly Ex­traction? 'Tis the perfection of our Rational Part to know, that is, to be able to frame clear and distinct Conceptions, to form right Judgments, and to draw true Consequences from one thing to another; and Reason is the undoubted Birthright and Patrimony of every man, and whoever will suffer this valu­able Entail'd Estate to ly wast and useless, or be Mortgag'd and Squander'd away for Trifles, does scarce merit Pitty, if he become Poor, Despised, and Miserable.

But to be more successful yet in the behalf of Learning, we will bribe the Sensual Appetites and Affections of Men, and shew that even their Lusts and Passions may find repose there. Is any one ambitious of Fame and Glory? 'Tis this shews the readiest path thereto, and will furnish out a Name, pretious as the Benefits it derives on Mankind, and lasting as the Books and Monuments in which they are Registred. Aristotle's Works will be known, read, and admired, when his great Patron's Con­quests may perhaps be forgotten; and the Reputation of Achilles is much more obliged for it's duration to Homer's Pen, than his own Sword.

Is any fond of Empire and Command? Learning establishes the most diffusive Ʋniversal Monarchy, extending its Power to the most distant Nations, and making a Conquest over all that is rational; Tyrants may enslave the Body, and by Rigor and Injustice preserve an uneasie tottering Command; but the Em­pire of Knowledge is over the Will and the Mind, it fixes its Throne in the Souls of Men, and rules their Reasons and Ʋnder­standings.

Are we desirous to Keep the Best Company, and Converse familiarly with the Most Ingenious, the Greatest and Wisest Men that ever were? In Books we may freely talk with the most Celebrated Phylosophers, and com [...]endiously reap the advantage of all their Studies and Improvements; there we shall find Reason without Passion, Learning without Affectation, a [...]d Eloquence without Noise or Clamor; by their means we may Converse with Mighty Heroes, whom in their Lifetime we durst scarce perhaps Salute with our Eyes; We may be admitted Confidents to Statesmen, hear Demosthenes and Cicero haranguing in open Senate, be present while Augustus and Tra­jan speak to their Armies, see them Riding in their Triumphal Chariots, and Receiving the Acclamations and Applauses of the People. And all these Privileges we may arrive too, without Attendance and Crowding, without Brihing or Flatte­ry, without Sawciness or Intrusion. Thus by the assistance of Books and Learning we may acquire a kind of Intellectual Omnipresence in all Ages, and to all Places; 'tis thus we break into all the hidden recesses of Truth; Indefatigable Reading brings in a vast stock of matter, which is often without form and void, like the first Chaos, till Thinking and Contemplation, like the seminal Spirit, agitate the dull shapeless lump, and work it up into Figure and Symetry.

Lastly, What Raptures can the Voluptuous Man fancy, to which those of Learning and Knowledge are not equal? If he can relish nothing but the pleasure of his Senses, Natural Phylosophy exposes the beautiful bosome of the Ʋniverse to his view, admits him into Nature's Garden, where he may taste of its Fruits, and satisfie himself with its Plenty; learn, not only to admire, but, comprehend all its surprising Phoenomena. Mathematicks [Page 13] discover all the delightful Contrivances of Art, unfold all it [...] curious Springs and latent Causes, and instruct the Busie Mind how to improve and better former Inventions; from most ob­vious Principles, by a natural progress and ascent, the Ʋnder­standing rises to the boldest Truths, tracing the Chain of Pro­positions from Link to Link, and still diflusing it self over infi­nite Regions of new Discoveries, wherein no fallacious Sha­dows of verisimilitude intervene, there is no suspition of any latent mistake, turn the Theorem which way you please, in eve­ry light the Mind is still in full aquiescence, in most secure posse­ssion of it's Valuable Purchase; most other Knowledge (how diverting soever) is yet still conjectural and litigious, whereas Peripatetick and Cartesian, Catholick and Heretick, do all agree in a Mathematical demonstration, which is yet a farther convi­ction of the great Excellency and Beauty of its Truth.

'Twould be endless to run th [...]ô all, to describe the great and useful Images which History furnishes, the Subtilty of Logick and Metaphisick, the Advantages of Moral Philosophy, the resistless Power of Rhetorick, and the Charms of Poetry; it is sufficient to have pointed out such general Instances, whence it may ap­pear, that all the Blessings of Nature, as well as the Ornaments and Comforts of Life, are derived from the retired Thinking Man.

'Tis true, no one Humor has furnished the Stage with more pleasant Scenes, or afforded a larger Harvest to Comedy and Burlesque then the Actions, Gestures, Habits, and Expressions-of Scholars; Aristophanes of old diverted the Athenians by Ri­diculing Socrates, and the fruitful Satyr has been plentifully propagated to our times; coming out of the retired silence of a Colledge and Study, they are supposed to be deafned by the noise, or dazled with the false Glories of the World; their Seden­tary Life is thought to unfit 'em for Activity and all Business, to render 'em sheepish in their Looks, flegmatick in their Tempers, mopish in their Conversations, ridiculous in their Behaviour, and exposed to a thousand pleasant Absurdities, which a man of the World wou'd escape; but 'tis to be fear'd that they who obj [...]ct at this diverting rate, mistake Affectation and Pedantry for Learning, the Sordid Ape for the Man; true Learning takes in [Page 14] th [...] theory of Men as well as Nature, and it's Object is as large and universal as the very Notion of Being; it Reads the World as much as Books, Recommends Conversation as well as Study, and joyns Experience and Contemplation together to perfect and compleat the Mind.

But to come closer yet to the Occasion of our present Meet­ing; As Water (to use the Excellent Lord Bacon's comparison) whether it descend in Dew from Heaven, or spring out of Foun­tains of the earth, is easily lost, unless it be preserved in certain receptacles, where by union and collection it may be kept and increased, whence humane industry has design'd Aquoeducts, Ci­sterns, and Ponds, adorn'd as well for State and Magnificence, as contrived for use and necessity: So likewise this precious liquor of knowledge (this sacred ointment of my text) whether it be in­still'd by divine inspiration, or convey'd from our senses, wou'd soon perish and be lost, were it not preserved in Ʋniversities, Colledges, and Schools, which are the lasting Fountains and Repo­sitories of Learning, whence with glad streams it flows to re­fresh and make sertile all the neighbouring land. A solitary unassisted industry, tho never so indefatigable; is rarely known to produce any thing great or extraordinary; whereas no part of knowledge seems insuperable to the joint endeavors of a well regulated Society, united in common studies and the pro­secution of the same useful ends; in the former 'tis like spend­ing out of a private Estate; in the latter, as out of a publick Fund, or Treasury; Add to this, the new lights which are daily struck out, and appear by mutual Converse, the happy effects of a generous Emulation (which is the most impetuous powerful Spring to all the good performances of Youth) and above all, the inestimable advantages of Education, and forming the Minds and Manners of the tender waxen Age, by laying the founda­tion of a holy and happy life, and adding several cubits to the stature of our minds; which render such Societies as this, the best security of Vertue and Piety, the bulwarks of true Reli­gion, the most publick Blessings of a Nation,

'Twas truly observed by Aristotle, that we are at first born meer Animals, to be afterwards Educated and brought up into men; our Reason then seems (in a great measure) to be the birth [Page 15] of Time and Institution; and the Mind of man is such a Jewel, that tho it bring its perfections from the Bed, yet they are al­together rough and unpolished; much pains and art are required to fashion their rudeness, to conceal the flaws, and as well to form as cultivate the tender Seeds; and in the care of this, the Chineses (if we may trust the relations made of them) do justly boast they have out done all other Nations, having erected the most noble Edifices for the instruction of Youth, alotted the most liberal maintenance to the Professors and Teachers, and thought no Honours and Respects too great to be given them, who lay out their whole time and powers on the Improvement of others; rich persons are often expensive upon trifles, about the mere circumstances of life, and useless ornaments of a man; they can often afford to be generous to those who instruct the feet and the hands; and is it fit then, that they who labour to fur­nish the head with useful Knowledge, to adorn the Mind and Soul, and to enable men to serve their God piously, and their Countrey usefully: Is it not a reproach (I say) that such alone shou'd be sacrificed to Thrift, or sordid Avarice? Life is a Jour­ney, not an anxious Pilgrimage; and doubtless therefore, the Hospitality of the World shou'd be the rather afforded to us; and competent Riches and Honours allowed to our Baiting pla­ces, whose whole business it is to study the Improvement of others, to manage the unequal temper of Youth, and to Cultivate growing Vertue and Learning.

This our Munificent Founders and Benefactors well under­stood; and therefore thought they cou'd not employ their Wealth more advantageously, or place it in a securer Treasury, than by such pious Erections, where True Religion might be taught, Vertue Inculcated, Learning Improved, and a constant supply of useful men both in Church and State furnished out and prepared. What the Poor are ordinarily relieved with, is not so much the Giver's Alms, as their exigence; and, as necessity requires it, so it quickly perishes: But these liberal Oblations, as they savour of a more inward and deeper Charity, are too of a more lasting subsistance, besides the Eternal Treasures which are laid up for the Donors, they provide for the perpe­tuity and propagation of Religion and Knowledge to all succced­ing [Page 16] Ages, and may truly be said to Honour God, and be useful to their Countrey, not only in themselves, but in all that by such their Bounty are maintained and educated. This is properly to Convert and Proselyte M [...]mmon, to Consecrate that as an Offering, which was before an Idol: this is to make this Earth tributary to Heaven; and in a much nobler sense than the new System of Astronomy teaches, advance it into a Star, a Coelestial Body.

That their Memories therefore and Benefits may be ever gratefully Celebrated, and their Names remain pretious, and sacred among us; that their generous Examples may excite other well disposed Persons and Benefactors to an imitation, and that we may always answer the great and useful ends of our Foundation, shall be our constant Prayer and Endeavour.

Praise the Lord therefore with Me, ye Servants of the Lord, ye that dwell in the Courts of the House of our God, and let us magnifie his Name together.