not hitherto been able to bring forth enough fonnes
of the Prophets for the fifth Congregation in Eng-
land and Ireland, so that foure of every five Con-
gregations have had none but blinde watchmen, ar-
med only with Surplices, Service-Books, and Homi-
lies, to defend them againft all their fpirituall ene-
mies. We want at this day more then twenty thou-
fand learned Preachers, to furnifh our Churches,
Chappels, Armies, Navies, Noble Families, forraign
Plantations, and Merchants affaires, and are hope-
leſſe of ſupply, without other provifion then yet we
have; for upon a ſurvey, Oxford, in the yeare 1622.
had in it but 2850. Students, and Cambridge, Anno
1623. but 3050. So that even then, when our Uni-
verſities were both in their prime, they had both of
them but 5900 Students in them; and yet all men
might then ſee, that the Colledges in them both
were more then halfe full, and could not hold ten
thouſand Students, and that ten thouſand Students
can neither raife twenty thouſand Preachers, nor
(if we were at this day fully ſtocked with the ſaid
twenty thouſand) be able to maintaine the ſtock.

For of the Students few ſtay ſeven yeares in
the University, and perhaps the tenth man that
ſtayeth ſeven yeares there, is not fit to be ordai-
ned a Minifter of the Gofpell, if all Apostolicall
directions be obſerved; which ſheweth that we
need, as the ſonnes of the Prophets moved, 2 Kin.6.
and Elifha approved, to have more Colledges, and
more young Prophets at their ſtudies in them, or
eſſe many thouſands of Congregations muſt be as

Sheep

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Sheep without Shepherds', and die eternally of
spirituall famine.

Now there is no City in any learned Nation, of
Londons magnitude or magnificence, without an
University in it; and by erecting an University in
London; God offereth you now a golden opportu-
nity to remedy this our lamentable defect, especi-
ally at this present, when so many great houſes may
be had and made Colledges of, with so little altera-
tion, and Pauls Church, and London-Houſe be the
publike Schooles; and by reaſon of the Warres in
other Countries, you may now have the choiceſt
of their Profefſours of the Arts, and upon eafe,
conditions.

Againe, now Epifcopacy is downe, we cannot
hope that so many will apply their ſtudies to Divi-
nity, and therefore have the greater need to main-
taine the more poore Schollers at our Univerſities
(which of all charities is the moſt excellent) for 1.
the poore Scholler is relieved. 2. His father. 3. His
mother. 4. His brethren and lifters with corporall
food, for they have (as exceedings) what eſſe he
would have eaten. 5. ſuch a poore Scholler (with
the Lords bleſſing) may hereafter feed, not onely
the bodies of his poore parents, brethren and lifters,
but the ſoules of ſome of thofe that ſhall now feed
his body, yea, and the ſoules of thouſands more;
and this bleſſed worke is already begun among you,
and carrying on by ſome faithfull Truſtees, which
many of you have choſen, and who are worthy of
all encouragement therein, God having enabled
ſome

(4)

some of them for this service, as he did Bezalieb and Aheliab for the building of the Tabernacle, so as perhaps you shall not easily finde others any thing so fit to finish the whole fabrick.

Now as Christ, Mat.21. 18. forbore his breakfast, and John 4. 6. 30. his dinner for the furtherance of the Gospel if one meals meat in a week were spared in London, and but a little about London, and the value thereof given by sincere Christians, it would maintaine twenty thousand poore Schollars, but one such meale in the Kingdome so employed an hundred thousand, which hundred thousand might make their recreations the exercise of Arms, and be all perfect Souldiers by such times as they were 16. yeares of age, twenty thousand of the choyce of them be Minifters, the eighty thousand remaining be employed in Trades, or Navigation, and shew themselves for the defence of their Country Lions on the Land, and Dolphines on the Seas. And the twenty thousand that were Minifters would be able to Discipline their Parishes, and put all England into Ifraels posture, Numb. 1. so that we might be a Nation of Souldiers, and able to defend our Religion both with Divine Arguments, and (if need required) with corporall Armes also.

And truly whosoever wifely considereth the fixth Commandment, and our Saviours precept to his Apostles, Luke 22. 36. to fell their Garments, and to buy them Swords, shall finde that men must make a double use of their hands, and learne to handle Weapons for selfe and mutuall defence, as

well