6

4

deepest Sciences have bin fo ancient, and fo eminent among us, that Writers of good antiquity, and ableft judgement

have bin perfwaded that ev'n the school

. of Pythagoras, and the Perfian wildom took beginning from the old Philosophy of this Iland. And that wife and civill Roman, Julius Agricola, who govern'd once here for Cafar, preferr'd the natu

.

rall wits of Britain, before the labour'd ftudies of the French. Nor is it for nothing that the grave and frugal Tranfilvanian fends out yearly from as farre as the mountanous borders of Ruffia, and beyond the Hercynian wildernes, not their youth, but their stay'd men, to learn our language, and our theologic arts. Yet that which is above all this, the favour

and

and the love of heav'n we have great argument to think in a peculiar manner propitious and propending towards us. Why elfe was this nation chos'n before

any other, that out of her as out of Sion fhould be proclaim'd and founded forth the firft tidings and trumpet of Reformation to all Europ. And had it not bin the obftinat perverfnes of our Prelats. against the divine and admirable spirit of Wicklef, to fuppreffe him as a fchif- matic and innovator, perhaps neither the Bohemian Huffe and Jerom, no nor the name of Luther, or of Calvin, had bin ever known: the glory of reforming all. our neighbours had bin completely. ours. But now, as our obdurat Clergy have with violence demean'd the matter,

we

we are become hitherto the latest and backwardeft Schollers, of whom God offer'd to have made us the teachers. Now once again by all concurrence of figns, and by the generall inftinct of holy and devout men, as they daily and folemnly expreffe their thoughts, GoD is decreeing to begin fome new and great period in his Church, ev'n to the reforming of Reformation itfelf: what does he then but reveal Himself to his fervants, and as his manner is, firft to his English-men; I say as his manner is, 'first to us, though we mark not the method of his counfels, and are unworthy. Behold now this vaft City; a City of refuge, the manfion-houfe of liberty, encompast and furrounded with his pro

tection;

tection; the fhop of warre hath not there more anvils and hammers waking, to fashion out the plates and inftruments of armed Juftice in defence. of beleaguer'd Truth, then there be pens and heads there, fitting by their ftudious lamps, mufing, fearching, revolving new notions and idea's wherewith to prefent, as with their homage and their fealty the approaching Reformation: others as fast reading, trying all things, affenting to the force of reafon and convincement. What could a man require more from a Nation fo pliant and fo prone to feck after knowledge? What wants there to fuch a towardly and pregnant foile, but wife and faithfull labourers, to make a knowing peo

ร

ple, a nation of Prophets, of Sages, and of Worthies? We reck'n more then five months yet to harveft; there need not be five weeks, had we but eyes to lift up, the fields are white already. • Where there is much defire to learn,

there of neceffity will be much arguing, much writing, many opinions; for opinion in good men is but knowledge in the making. Under these fantastic terrors of fect and fchifm, we wrong the earnest and zealous thirst after knowledge and understanding which GoD hath ftirr'd up in this city. What fome lament of, we rather fhould rejoice at, should rather praife this pious forwardnes among men, to reaffume the ill deputed care of their Religion into their

own