Pag. 29, 30. That such do most abound and we are most certain to have them in the Ministry of the Church of England; for the clearing of this, the experience of many years tells us, that out of the Ministry of the Church of England, we have had Men fit to Preach before great and mighty Princes, the high Courts of Par∣liament, the grave and reverend Judges of the Realm, the Magi∣strates and Courts of Aldermen in great Cities and Corporations; yea, their Learning and Educa∣tion hath been such, as hath rendred them fit to be Counsellors of State, to give Advice to Princes, to go Ambassadors upon grand Mes∣sages (for their Countrey's good) into Foreign Parts: But where have any arose out of the Mechanic Preachers of the Nonconformists? And is not this for the honour of a Nation, where Science shall so flourish) that a sort or rank of men, which commonly is below the Gentry, in point of descent, should, by Learning and good Educa∣tion, become able to deliver God's Message to their Princes and Rulers, and their Princes Ambassages to Foreign States; and would not all this be lost, if the Nation should be suffered to lose its Learn∣ing, and to be immersed into dull and clownish Illiteracy?
There will be a freedom from a needless charge, in contributing to the maintenance of weak and silly Men, who carelesly leave either their civil Callings, (and expose their Families to ruin and decay, and to de∣pend upon others to be provided for) under a pretence of being called to Preach, when God knows they do not understand their A,B,C, in Religion, can hardly speak common sence, and are so far from being able to convince critical Gainsayers, as that they know not how to teach the Ignorant, or to form one right intelligible Notion of Points fundamental, nay, such they are, as often preach Nonsence, Confusion, and sometimes Blasphemy.