LTHOUGH it were against my Knowledge, or Advice, that you entered into Holy Orders, under the prefent Difpofitions of Mankind towards the Church; yet, fince it is now fuppofed too late to recede, (at least according to the general Practice and Opinion,) I cannot forbear offering my Thoughts

Thoughts to you upon this new Condion of Life you are engaged in.

I COULD heartily wish that the Circumftances of your Fortune had enabled you to have continued fome Years longer in the University, at least, until you were ten Years ftanding; to have laid in a competent Stock of human Learning, and fome Knowledge in Divinity, before you attempted to appear in the World: For I cannot but lament the common Course, which at leaft Nine in Ten of thofe, who enter into the Ministry, are obliged to run. When they have taken a Degree, and are confequently grown a Burden to their Friends; who now think themselves fully discharged; they get into Orders as foon as they can, (upon which I shall make no Remarks,) first follicit a Readerfhip, and if they be very fortunate, arrive in Time to a Curacy here in Town; or else are fent to be Affiftants in the Country, where they probably continue feveral Years (many of them their whole Lives) with thirty or forty Pounds a Year for their Support, until fome Bishop, who happens to be not over-stocked with Relations, or attached to Favourites, or is content to fupply his Diocese without Colonies from England, beftows them fome inconfiderable Benefice; when it is odds they are already encumbered with a numerous Family. I would be glad to know what Intervals of Life fuch Perfons can poffibly fet apart for Improvement of their Minds; or which Way they could be furnished with Books; the Library they brought with them from their College being usually not the most numerous, or judiciously chofen. If fuch Gentlemen arrive to be great Scholars, It muft, I think, VOL. I. P

be

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be either by Means fupernatural, or by a Method altogether out of any Road yet known to the Learned. But I conceive the Fact directly otherwife; and that many of them lofe the greatest Part of the small Pittance they received at the Univerfity.

I TAKE it for granted, that you intend to pursue the beaten Track, and are already defirous to be feen in a Pulpit; only I hope you will think it proper to pass your Quarentine among fome of the defolate Churches five Miles round this Town, where you may at leaft learn to read and to speak, before you venture to expofe your Parts in a CityCongregation: Not that these are better Judges, but because if a Man muft needs expofe his Folly, it is more fafe and difcreet to do so, before few Witneffes, and in a fcattered Neighbourhood. And you will do well, if you can prevail upon fome intimate and judicious Friend to be your conftant Hearer, and allow him with the utmost Freedom to give you Notice of whatever he shall find amifs either in your Voice or Gesture; for want of which early Warning, many Clergymen continue defective, and fometimes ridiculous, to the End of their Lives: Neither is it rare to obferve among excellent and learned Divines, a certain ungracious Manner, or an unhappy Tone of Voice, which they never have been able to shake off.

I COULD likewife have been glad, if you had applied your felf a little more to the Study of the English Language, than I fear you have done; the Neglect whereof is one of the most general Defects among the Scholars of this Kingdom, who feem to have not the leaft Conception of a Stile,

but

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but run on in a flat Kind of Phrafeology, often mingled with barbarous Terms and Expreffions, peculiar to the Nation: Neither do I perceive that any Perfon either finds or acknowledges his Wants upon this Head, or in the leaft defires to have them fupplyed. Proper Words in proper Places, make the true Definition of a Stile: But this would require too ample à Disquisition to be now dwelt on. However, I fhall venture to name one or two Faults, which are easy to be remedied with a very fmall Portion of Abilities.

THE firft, is the frequent Use of obfcure Terms, which by the Women are called hard Words, and by the better Sort of Vulgar, fine Language; than which I do not know a more univerfal, inexcufable, and unneceffary Miftake among the Clergy of all Diftinctions, but especially the younger Practitioners. I have been curious enough to take a Lift of feveral hundred Words in a Sermon of a new Beginner, which not one of his Hearers among a Hundred, could poffibly understand: Neither can I eafily call to Mind any Clergyman of my own Acquaintance who is wholly exempt from this Error; although many of them agree with me in the Dislike of the Thing. But I am apt to put my felf in the Place of the Vulgar, and think many Words difficult or obfcure, which the Preacher will not allow to be fo, because thofe Words are obvious to Schollars. I believe the Method obferved by the famous Lord Falkland, in fome of his Writings, would not be an ill one for young Divines : I was affured by an old Perfon of Quality, who knew him well; that when he doubted whether a Word were perfectly intelligible or no, he used to confult

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confult one of his Lady's Chambermaids, (not the Waiting-woman, because it was poffible she might be converfant in Romances,) and by her Judgment was guided, whether to receive or reject it. And if that great Perfon thought fuch a Caution neceffary in Treatifes offered to the learned World; it will be sure, at least as proper in Sermons, where the meaneft Hearer is fuppofed to be concerned; and where very often a Lady's Chambermaid may be allowed to equal half the Congregation, both as to Quality and Understanding. But I know not how it comes to pass, that Profeffors in most Arts and Sciences are generally the worst qualified to explain their Meanings to those who are not of their Tribe: A common Farmer fhall make you understand in three Words, that his Foot is out of Foint, or bis Collar-bone broken; wherein a Surgeon, after a hundred Terms of Art, if you are not a Scholar, fhall leave you to feek. It is frequently the fame Cafe in Law, Phyfick, and even many of the meaner Arts.

AND upon this Account it is, that among bard Words, I number likewise those which are peculiar to Divinity as it is a Science; because I have obferved feveral Clergymen, otherwife little fond of obfcure Terms, yet in their Sermons very liberal of those which they find in Ecclefiaftical Wri · ters, as if it were our Duty to understand them : Which I am fure it is not. And I defy the greateft Divine, to produce any Law either of God or Man, which obliges me to comprehend the Meaning of Omniscience, Omniprefence, Ubiquity, Attribute, Beatifick Vifion, with a Thousand others fo frequent in Pulpits; any more than that of Excen

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trick,