THat Glorious Success with which God hath crown'd your honourable Actions, in the re­scue of this pretious Land out of those hands that without cause were imbrued in the bloud of our Country; is yet so fresh and warm in every ingenuous heart, that (I hope) a Proposal, tending to a sacrificious gratitude to the Lord of Hoasts, (by whose Mercy and Mighty Arm, we are what we are) will not b [...] u [...]seasonably presented to any person concerned in this Addresse. Wherein I haue humbly assumed the confidence to mind You of the pious Customes of the Souldiers and Ser­vants of God in former Ages; nay, of the laudable (though blind) Devotions of Pagans and Infidels, as Sacred, and other H [...]st [...]ries do amply manifest: who no sooner could sound Victoria after a War, but up go the Altars, and on go the Sa­crifices, in retribution of thanks to that Deity each held in veneration. 'Tis true, we have, in the progress of this War, afforded God some D [...]ys of Thanksgiving; and he (at last) having given us the issue of our hopes, the Blessing and Har­vest of our Bloud and Sweat: those would all look like [Page 2]daies of hellish Hypocrisie, if we should not now present him with some Deeds of Thanksgiving; and Sacrifices being cea­sed, we have an Opportunity to exercise what he loves better, which is, Mercy.

Not then to hold You any longer in the Porch of Expe­ctation, I here present You in one hand, the Aged, the Infirm, the Orphan, to be provided for by way of Hospital: and in the other hand, that yet in its Morning (but hopeful) light of this Land, the Ʋniversity of Dublin, for Addition of Reve­nue. To carry on both which, I wish God would perswade each heart herein concerned, to allow one Acre of Land out of each hundred due to him; which granted, there is little doubt, but the Adventurers, to whom God hath given so fair a Return of their pious Loans: and Purchasers of Deben­tures, who have least reason to oppose, will do the like: And the same deducted from each mans Proportion, to be cast into a single, or what several Parcels, the wisdom of the Government shall think convenient.

Perhaps some may object, That this Motion comes too late, much of the Land being already disposed of, (and I grant, had it been thought of sooner, it had been effected with lesse trouble, but) Volenti nil difficile, we should not in the least pause at the difficulty, were it to serve our own par­ticulars; and indeed, considered in the best sense, it is so, if we expect a blessing upon the rest of our Estates; or if there be any wisdom in laying up Treasure in Heaven: for this shall be surer to your houses, than the brains of all the Law­yers that ever trod Westminster-Hall met in one scull, can make the rest.

For who knows how soon, prodigal H [...]irs (ordinarily the Issue of penurious Fathers) shall make havock of those Estates, the hundreth part whereof, might, though not me­rit, have brought a blessing upon you to all eternity. A fair warning for the observance of that precious inch of Scrip­ture, Whilest you have time do good; lest whilest you are ro [...]ting, your Heirs be revelling; and they damned for spending up­on their lusts, what you were damned for denying the La­zar.

[Page 3] And if there be any (though I hope better things) that shall strain at this Gnat, I wonder how they would have behaved themselves towards that Camel, laid before the Yong man in the Gospel, All that thou hast. Remember the widows mite, and the superlative testimony our Saviour gave of it. Poor woman? it was all she had, and this a fleece out of a fl [...]ck.

And I dare affirm Ananias and Sapphira (laying aside their lie) were Saints, compared to such as shall say to this Pro­posol, I'll consider of it.

If we can pay the fourth part of our Rents to these Com­monwealths, we may blush before the Angels to d [...]ny the hundredth part to the Commonwealth of CHRIST: For this is not to denude your wally of their hangings, to co­ver the fl [...]sh of the poor; nor your Coaches of their leather to make them shoots; your supernecess [...]i [...] pampered Steeds of their Horse-cloaths, to make them Shirts; nor your Man­gers of their Provender, to fill their Ovens; though all these might well be abated to relieve the meanest Member of CHRIST. God hath given to many amongst us vast E­states large possessions; he hath given us the Land and labors of our en [...]mies, beings that we neither built nor planted; may he hath given us our lives for a prey; when thousands as valiant, as pretious, as worthy, as we, lie now rotting in contemptible ditches. And shall we not help our Brethren to live with us? That saying [...] is as good as old, Non nobis solum natisumus, we are not born onely for our selves; and I hope we did not altogether sight for our selves; but shall be tryed by this trifle, though what is here urged as an act of Charity, and as yet carries no other face, may to after ages be rendered an act of Politie; and that thus sustenance and Science being the subject matters here preast, who knows but that casting his bounty and bread upon the wa­ters now, he may after many days find them in the bellies and brains of bis needy posteritie.

Perhaps there may be some who set a low rate upon that Beauty and Glorie of Humanitie, Learning, which sanctified restores us nearest to the Image of God: but if there be, (as [Page 4]I hope few) they must give me leave to beleive they are such as would have the eye both of Church and Commonwealth put out, that they might have the leading of them.

It was highly in question which was the saddest Persecu­tion, that under Dioclesian, or th [...]t under Julian [...]h [...] Apostate: the first labouring the destruction of all the bodies of the Saints, and the last of all books, that no memory of God or Religion might remain: but the last was concluded infinite­ly transcendent, as a device that would have thrown the world into a deeper than Aegy [...]ian darknesse.

'Tis true, there are many who (I have charity to believe) mean well, and much mind the enlargement of the bounds of the Church, and opening a way for the light of the Gos­pel in i [...]s purity to shine upon the freckled face of the errone­ous World: But alas! that's hard to be done by a language that hath no acquaintance abroad; nor could ever travel far­ther than the verges of our own shores, save amongst our own Colonies; and not communicable to other Nations by any universal Rule.

I must ne [...]ds grant, that Christ in the election of his Apo­stles, made choice of poor ignorant laboring men; but I hope none will deny, that though he found them such; yet (after the sealing of their great Commission to preach the Gospel by the Holy Ghost, in cloven tongues) they went away the most sublimated Scholars that ever were or sh [...]ll be upon the world. That great School-master (in a moment) dispel­ling the mist of dispicable ignorance, and filling them with all Language and requisite Knowledg. And 'tis observa­ble, that when God had a purpose to stay the building of Babel, and scatter mankind into fractions; he confounds their speech, and divid [...]s [...]ongues to the Nations: but when he resolves to build up his Church, he recollects them all in­to the mouths of his Apostles. With some measure of which Qualification (immediate gift of tongues being ceased) the most eminent Servants of Christ, and faithful promoters of his truth, have from time to time, indefatigably labored by Nurseries of Learning to endow the Ministry.

'Tis true, Exhortations, Reproofs, Consolations and [Page 5]Directions in plain and patent matters, are highly commen­dable in those of meanest parts; for they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: but Preaching, Expositions, and the unfolding of hidden Mysteries, do modestly c [...]ll for sanctified Learning and Authority. The mannagement of which Affertion, I humbly leave to those Champions of the truth, whose Shields I am not worthy to bear.

And now craving pardon to my prolixity, glance once a­gain upon the poor; and wish the most obdurate wretch to lay his hand upon his heart, and confider, how his ears will one day tingle to hear that Soul-crushing charge or unkind­nesse from the mouth of the Son of God, I was hungry, and ye fed me not.

Adding onely this, if there be any heart so much adamant. brow so much brass, or mind so void of Mercie as to set himself in positive Opposition to what is here suggested; or that his evil Example or coldnesse, cause this great businesse to fall to the ground; he must give me leave to tell him, he runs the desperate hazard of eternally sinking under the weight of all the courses, that shall (in bi [...]ernesse of Spirit) fall from all the trembling Aged, Anxieted, in firm persons, and friendless [...] Orphans, that shall ever languish upon the face of this fruitfull Land, from this day of Judgment.

In regard the effecting of this great Work, may (to some dull Spirits) seem difficult, the ensuing Suggestions are humbly offered to consideration:

• 1. That Commissioners of active Spirits, and unbyassed Princi­ples, be appointed to the management and carrying on of this busi­nesse.
• 2. That the Muster-Masters in the respective Provinces of this Dominion, be ordered to offer it to the Subscription of every Officer relating to that part of the Army, the next Muster-day after he re­ceives it from hence.
• 3. That whereas some are in parcel possession of their Estates, and out of employment, the High Sheriff of every respective County, be ordered by himself or his Substitutes, to tender it to the voluntary Subscription of every such person, as also to all personally possest Ad­venturers, [Page 6]and Purchasers of Debentures; for the deduction of th proportion out of the port remaining due unto him.
• 4. That whereas many are in possession of their full proportion of Lands, and consequently no convenient way left for contributing their proportions in kind; there are numerous Precedents of persons so compleated, that offer their return in money, rateably as they re­ceived each Acre.
• 5. That whereas it may be objected, That many so in poss [...]ssion of their full proportions, are not provided with ready money: the High Sheriff of every County be ordered, by himself or his Substitues, to tender it to the voluntary Subscription of every such person, for the sum and time wherein they cheerfully consent to pay it.
• 6. That what Money shall so be received, be paid into a Treasury appointed for that purpose in Dublin; and laid out in purchase of Land for the Ʋses aforesaid.
• 7. That the Sheriffs of every respective County, be ordered year­ly to give in their account to their Suceessors before a full Bench of Justices.
• 8. That the Sheriffs and Muster Masters aforesaid, be ordered to return hither the names of all the Dissenters, to the end that being here recorded there may be no mistake in the deductions.
• 9. That the Sheriffs do within twenty dayes, return all the Sub­scriptions to the Commissioners before mentioned.
• 10. That his Highness Gouncel for the Affairs of Ireland be moved for their countenance to, and assistance in the promotion of it.
• 11. That his Highness the Lord Protector be moved to recom­mend it the Adventurers in England, who are (ordinarily) cheer­full Gontributers to Works of this nature.
• 12. That the Chancellor of this Ʋniversity be moved to a speedy rectification, and rescue of it from disorder.