I. St. Paul had a peculiar Eminency above the rest of the Apostles. Which is obvious to any one who considers, 1st. How excellently this Apostle above the rest was versed in the Jewish Learning, how knowing he was in all the Ri­tual Worship of the Mosaical Law, and skil­led in their Traditions and Rabbinical Exposi­tions of Scripture; as is to be seen in all his Epistles, particularly that to the Hebrews, where he admirably shews the Analogy between the Law and the Gospel, and, to the Confusion of the Jews, proves, That their whole Law were but Temporary and Carnal Ordinances, which were only Types and Prefigurations of the Sacri­fices the Death, and the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ, who was to be King and Priest for ever. 2. Or if we consider this great Apostle as to his Accomplishments in Profane and Heathen Lear­ning, he was far superior to any of the rest; see how he bravely confutes the Idolatry of the Athe­nians, by a Verse of Aratus one of their own Greek Poets, and shews that it must be by their own Confession unreasonable, that the Soul, the Off-spring of God, should adore a gross Material Image, Act. 17.28. And how he reprimands those vain Talkers and Deceivers which had got into the Church of Crete, by a smart Character which [Page 5] Epimenides a Poet of that Country had given long before [...], &c. The Cretians are al­ways Lyars, Evil Beasts, Slow Bellies, Titus 1.12. 3. Nor was he less eminent in deep Theologi­cal Reasoning, a judicious stating of controver­ted Points, and in profitable and pressing Exhor­tations to practical Duties. With what strenu­ous Arguments does he prove the Call of the Gentiles to the Gospel, and their non-obligation to the performance of Judaical and abolished Ce­remonies? How prudently does he state the Point about Faith and Works? What noble Apho­risms and Sentences do his Epistles every where abound with, what cordial Consolations to the afflicted and persecuted, what elegant Descripti­ons of the vanity and inconsiderableness of this World and the Immortal Joys of the other, what brave encouragements to Perseverance and Con­stancy, and what passionate Exhortations to Chri­stian Charity and Unity? How may we observe in all his Discourses a particular contempt of Worldly things, and the pious Breathings of a Soul brim full with the Love of God? 4. Nor was he less remarkable for his Courage and Since­rity, Vertues which are particular Qualifications in doubtful and perilous times. What an instance of his Christian Bravery and Resolution was it, [Page 6]to Preach the Gospel so publickly at Jerusalem, where he had so many enraged Enemies, when his Friends told him, and he himself could not but expect, to be sacrificed for it? And when the Great St. Peter was afraid to disoblige the Ju­daizing Faction, and was contriving for their sakes an odd sort of Comprehension or Medly be­twixt Judaism and Christianity; our brave Apo­stle withstood him to the Face, and defended the simplicity of our Saviour's Religion against all the opposition of so great an Adversary. 5. But be­sides all this, the indefatigable Labours of his Preaching, and the large Conversions to Christi­anity he effected in all Parts almost of the Gentile World, is enough to raise the Honour of him far above the rest of his Apostolick Brethren, whose Conversions were in no ways comparable to his. Most of the Churches of Asia Minor, those in the Islands and Provinces of Greece, those in Thrace and Dalmatia, in Spain and Italy were foun­ded by this same St. Paul. And the most Lear­ned Bishop Stillingfleet in his Origines Britannicae has made it very probable that we of this Nation did receive Christianity likewise from this Apostle, for the Story of Joseph of Arimathea is too Modern and too Monkish to be credited. And now what a vast Tract of Ground is this for this one Apo­stle [Page 7]to spread the Gospel over? How incredible almost is it that so many different Nations should enjoy the blessed Effects of his Ministry? for give me leave to say that the Roman Arms themselves were hardly more victorious or farther extended than the Plantation of the Gospel by this one Apostle. I come now in the second place to shew.

II. That the Reason of this Eminency of St. Paul was because of his Learned Education.

And to make out this, I shall not tye my self strictly to shew how his Learning was the cause of those particular Qualifications I have already made appear he was Excellent in, but shall shew that which will equally prove the same, viz.

That a Learned Education does best qualifie a Man for discharging all the Duties which are incumbent on him throughout all the Progress of Humane Life, or in any Trust whatsoever. Now the many and different Characters which belong to Mankind in their diverse Capacities, may all be reduced to these Three.

• 1. As they are Private Men, or Members of Society.
• 2. As they are Magistrates or in publick Ca­pacity.
• [Page 8]3. As they are Christians, or Members of God's Church.

Now I shall shew that a Learned Education does best qualifie a Man to discharge his Duty in all these several Capacities.

I. A Learned Education does best qualifie a Man to discharge his Duty as a private Person, or Member of Society.

1. It renders a Man more agreeable in Neigh­bourhood and Conversation. Most of your little Animosities and Quarrels are to be found chiefly amongst uneducated People; and tho' we find too much of them among Men who have been better bred, yet they are seldom guilty of that roughness and hard Language which, is common among others: Nay, the obliging and endea­ring Airs of Conversation are in the greatest Heigth and Perfection to he seen only in those Gentlemen, who have had the advantage of the most Learned Education. For, as for all the other little Arts of Popular Talk and Refin'd Address, they lie but thin spread over a Man, like Varnish, and every untoward Accident makes him lyable to discover his inward Imperfections. I will not say, that an Education perfectly Bookish where Genius, and the Life and Bright­ness of Nature, and a competent knowledge of [Page 9]the World, are deficient; I will not say this does render a Man more agreeable in Conversa­tion; but if Men would take care to talk as they ought to do, and would be improving their Minds upon all occasions, they would find more Satisfaction in the useful, tho' unpolish'd Discourse, of such a Person, than in all the Cir­cle of fine Jests and Tales that are requisite to furnish out an empty Wit.

2. A Learned Education does commonly en­dow Men with more than ordinary Principles of Generosity. The Company, which they are Educated among, are Persons who are general­ly Men of Honour, and who value their Re­putation, and scorn a base thing; and there­fore if they fall into such Actions they must sort out to themselves a new Acquaintance; for they will be abandon'd by all their former Friends, who are Lovers of Honour and Vertue. Besides, their Minds have been habituated to such gene­rous Vertues, during their whole Series of E­ducation, that they cannot, without a great force upon their Inclinations, stoop to sordid Vices; and a base Covetousness, dishonest Dea­ling, or Treacherousness, and such other shame­ful Vices, and rarely incident to Men of such an Education. Their very Reading in Philo­sophy [Page 10]and History affords them such excellent Rules and Examples which so tinctures their Souls with these noble Ideas, as makes it no easie mat­ter for them to be tempted to do an unworthy thing. The vulgar and illiterate have very little Sense of Fame and Honour, and do many scandalous things when they may be advantage­ous; but Men of a Liberal Education have, for the most part, such a spark of Honour within their Breasts, as is a guard to them against the Commission of any enormous Crimes at least; and oftentimes is the last stake of Vertue with­in them, when all true Piety and Religion have taken their flight: A spark which sometimes, by God's Grace, kindles again into a bright flame of Piety and true Religion, when others live on senseless and stupid Sinnners to the last.

3. A Learned Education does render a Man more Eminent in his particular Calling. A Pre­vious knowledge in any part of Literature does qualifie a Man for the understanding of any kind of Business, far better than one who is destitute of all. It opens and clears one's Head for a ready preception of whatever shall be proposed to us; for, the more the Mind is used to thinking and contemplation, the more quick and perceptive it is, and is discernable even in those [Page 11]that have been very little used to it. A Lad that has but gone thro' a Form or two in a Grammar-School, that has had Thoughts but a small matter exercised about the propriety of Speech, and the congruity of Terms with one a­nother, only in the Grammatical way of Con­cord, shall have a far greater facility in Lear­ning any Art, than one taken from the Plough, or any other who all his time has liv'd by pure Sense, without any manner of abstracted Thought or Meditation. But a farther progress, in a well managed course of Studies, gives a kind of new Genius to the Soul, and oftentimes quickens the slowest Natures; so that, when Learning and a noble stock of natural Parts meet toge­ther, they must needs arrive, in any thing they apply themselves to, to the utmost Perfection that human Nature is capable of. For there is an Analogy between all sort of Reasoning, and Men, who have been used to make good con­sequences in one Art or Science, with a little Ap­plication may do it as well in another. But I need not go to prove this; for 'tis evident to eve­ry ones observation, that the most Famous in any Art whatsoever are generally the best Scholars of that Profession. A good Philosopher and Hi­storian shall make the best Lawyer, and an or­dinary [Page 12]Mathematician an excellent Mechanick; nay by frequently reading sensible Authors, a Man will improve his Reason so that he shall be able to Buy and Sell, and manage Trade the better for it.

2ly. A Learned Education does best qualifie a Man to discharge his Duty as a Magistrate or in any Publick Capacity; because

1. Learning gives a Man a greater Knowledge in Publick Affairs. Indeed a General ought not to be made of a Cowardly Scholar, but if the Gene­ral have Learning and Courage too, he is much the fitter for that Employ; for there is a great deal more in such a Trust than bear Fighting and Killing; and a complete Knowledge in Hi­story which is the Experience of many Ages, is as much requisite as making Campaigns. Nay, the greatest Generals in the World were Men of Learning. Alexander studied and conversed with Philosophers all the while he was Conque­ring the Persian Empire: And Julius Caesar was as good a Writer as he was a Soldier. And so likewise as for Civil Trusts, though of late Years the Characters of Bookish and Pedantical have excluded a great many worthy Men from Publick Business, yet it is well known that, in our Forefathers time, Business was as well done [Page 13]when such Men, as they characterise by those Names, were in Power. But why should a Man make a Politician, when he could not make a Scholar? Certainly there are as much Brains and Diligence required, to be able to Govern and Direct the Affairs of a Nation, as there is to understand a Greek or Latin Book; and he, that was never able to attain to the lat­ter, will find the former a little too hard. In­deed it may sometimes happen that a Man of an extraordinary stock of Nature, though defe­ctive in Learning, may be a considerable States­man, but if that Man had had the advantage of Literature too, he would have done Won­ders in such a Post. For we have Instances what great things Learning alone has done in such Stations together with heavy Parts; then what must it have produced, in conjunction with a noble Genius, and all the sprightly force of Nature? For such a one shall not only have the quickness and sagacity to discover the In­trigues of an Enemy, but shall have before him in his mind all the old Plots and Contrivances of former Princes and States against each other, and know how they have succeeded, or how they were prevented; what good or ill Acci­dents have furthered or retarded Sieges or Ex­peditions, [Page 14]and may be in probability of hap­pening still; what have been the Methods ta­ken for the rise of the greatest Governments, and what has been the occasion of their De­cay; what has been the omission of Princes to suffer the exorbitant growth of their Neigh­bours, or to breed Tumults or Seditions at Home; what Land or Naval Forces are re­quisite for the situation or circumstances of a Nation; what Taxes are least oppressive, lie more equally upon a People are best proportion'd to their Wealth and Trade, and are more agree­able to the Inclinations; People in short, by comparing their own with Antient and Mo­dern Governments, shall know wherein the true Interest and Welfare of the Nation does con­sist. These are Qualifications which are abso­lutely necessary for a good Statesman, and yet are not to be attained but by an diligent ap­plication of Thought and by hard Study; but I am sure they are never to be got only by living within the Walls of a Court, by pick­ing up News and attending at the Levies, and what is worse by Flattery and Dissimulation, by betraying and undermining their best Friends; which has been the modern Method of training a Politician.

2. Because Men of Learning are commonly more sincere and faithful in Publick Employs than others. Such Men for the most part have lived more sober and vertuous Lives; for hav­ing spent their Youth in severe Study, they could not be guilty of those mad Excesses, which the illiterate Gentlemen usually lay out their Time in, and which gives them oftentimes such a vile Character in the Opinion of the Pub­lick. The first of these when they are hono­red with a Publick Employ they dare not stain that good Reputation, the World has bestow­ed upon them, by any foul Practices; whilst the other Gentlemen, who by their Intemperate and Rakish Lives have made their Character so wretched and despicable, are prompted to think that even Corruption can hardly make it worse. The former, besides their Learning, have gene­rally lasting Principles of Vertue in them, which will direct them in all Stations; whilst the o­thers, though they leave off their scandalous irregularities, are either Vertuous through im­potence or cautiously Vicious; or, though they are arrived to an Age when sensuality is disa­greeable to them, yet then the Devil has ano­ther set of Baits to tempt them with, and their Minds shall be liable to all the Corruption and [Page 16]indirect Practices which Covetousness, the Dar­ling Vice of an unregenerate Old Age, shall put them upon. I do not say that all Statesmen who have not the advantage of Learning are corrupt, or that there are no Wise and Good Men, who have spent their Youth foolishly and extravagantly; but this I say, and I think upon good grounds, that if care was taken, that the most considerable Stations in the Government were filled by Men of a competency in Lear­ning, and of a serious and sober Life, there would be much less reason to complain of Evil Counsellors and Publick Miscarriages, than when Men are suffered to get into these Posts with no other Qualifications, than the recommenda­tion of great Friends.

3ly. A Learned Education doth best qualifie a Man to discharge his Duty as a Christian.

1. Because such Men have a more Perfect Knowledge of all the Duties and Obligations which are incumbent on them. God complains thus of the Jews, Hos. 4.6. My People are de­stroyed for lack of Knowledge. A great many Men are eternally ruin'd for want of due. In­struction at first in the Principles of Christia­nity, some miscarry by having their Thoughts totally bent upon such Worldly Callings as give [Page 17]them but little leasure to reflect upon a better State; and lastly, others fall into dangerous Sins often upon account of Ignorance and for want of understanding the Measures of their Duty. But a literate Education provides against all these things. Men that have had the advan­tage of this are well principled from their Childhood in Christian Duties; they are usually bred to more generous Employs, which afford them more frequent conversation with the best and most learned Men, and more opportuni­ties of Reading and Devotion; they have usu­ally such a Knowledge in the Holy Scriptures, and in all points of their Duty, that they themselves are able to settle in their own thoughts the boundaries of Vertue and Vice, and upon this account are not so liable to commit Sin through Ignorance or Mistake.

2. Because such Men are not so liable to be led away by ill Examples.

The uneducated part of Mankind live only by example, and (like Cattle) unthinkingly fol­low after those that go before them, and, be­cause the Generality of the World have little re­gard to Religion, or are lewd and debauched, they are so too. But Men of a literate Educa­tion do better consider matters, and look into the Reasons of things; they see it is unreasonable and [Page 18]foolish, to loose their Religion, for a Fashion; or to forfeit their Interest with God, to imitate the Vices of some admired Great Man. These Mens Reasons are too strong, and their Souls too brave to be guilty of such sordid and foolish Com­pliances.

3. Because such Men have a more Rational and noble sense of Religion.

The Vulgar, for the most part, take up their Religion upon Trust, as a certain Property be­longing to their Country or their Family; which they have a veneration for, because those Persons, they have a great Opinion of, have the like; and which they must in some measure comply with, or they shall appear singular or give offence to those, they are not willing to disoblige. And o­thers, that are better instructed practice the Rules of Christianity, as unquestionable Truths deliver­ed to them by their Parents, and inculcated to them by their Pastors. And I doubt not but Men may be saved, if they be sincerely Religious and fulfill our Saviours Commands, upon these Grounds. But then no one can deny, but that they have a more rational Ground of their Faith, and a nobler sense of Religion, who having lea­sure and learning have examined all the Founda­tions of Christianity, who are fully satisfied that our Saviour and his Apostles Preached all those [Page 19]Doctrines, and did all those Miracles they are re­ported to have done in confirmation of them, and are sure that Christianity can be no Dream or Imposture of Designing or Enthusiastical Men, but that it is the most Heavenly and the Wi­sest Institution which ever was in the World. The former do obey our Saviours Laws only as necessary Duties, but these readily com­ply with them as a reasonable service. They are brought to their Duties by the compul­sion of Hopes and Fears, by the Command or Example of Superiors, or by warm and affectionate Discourses; whilst These Em­brace our Saviours Doctrines, because they so admirably fall in with the Dictates of right Reason, and are worthy of God the Author of them, and because they have all the reason in the World to think, that God Almighty com­manded them. The first breeds for the Gene­rality only an Awful Fear of God; but the other makes Men approach him with a hearty and generous Love. They may be true Believers, but then they are often liable to be shock'd by every captious Atheistical Objection; whilst These have scand over all the specious Excep­tions of the Infidels against our Religion, and notwithstanding this they do adore and hope in Crucified Jesus, in the midst of all the loud [Page 20]Blasphemies of an Incredulous Age. These are the advantages which we have by a Learned Educa­tion in our several Capacities, as we are Men in a Society, or Governors, or Christians; to which we may add another advantage, viz. the Inward Satis­faction to our selves, the pleasure of reading so ma­ny noble and ravishing Authors, and to spend our time so agreeably, whilst that of others hangs so uncomfortably upon their Hands; the inexpressible Delight of having our knowledge daily improved by being let into so many useful and entertaining Truths; to dive into the hidden secrets of Nature by Philosophy, to run back and converse with all the former Ages by History, to understand the Difficul­ties and to reconcile the Differences in God's Word by Theology, and to determine the measures of Right and Wrong, and exactly to lay out the Lines of Justice and Equity by a Knowledge in the Laws: these are such delightsome qualifications, as when they are not soured accidentally by Pride or Dis­content, but possessed together with Modesty and a Peaceable Disposition, if there be any happiness in this World, this is certainly one of the greatest on this side Heaven. I now come to the third and last things.

III. To urge some Christian Exhortations up­on the present Occasion.

1. And first my Christian Brethren, you my [Page 21]Dearest Companions of my tender Years, You with whom I had the happiness, to lay the Foundation of my Studies in the Neighbour­ing School, where we have gain'd the advan­tage of such an Education, as has improved our Minds beyond the generality of those who have unhappily been destitute of the like noble Assi­stances; let me exhort you all to pay your hear­ty thanks to God the Giver of every good Gift, for the great advantage of this Education, and when in your Praises to God you recount the many great Benefits he conferred upon you to remember this as one of the most considerable. And now we have a happy opportunity of do­ing it together in Publick, especially at this time in this place, which bear a particular relation to our School and Founder. Methinks I see darting through all our Soulr a secret and unexpressible pleasure to think, that we should so luckily re­new this our Antient Love Feast upon the first Anniversary of this blessed Saint, after the Re­building of his Temple; and now we are grown Men, that we can devoutly meet together and Praise God in this Glorious Edifice, where we remember to have play'd our Childish Pastimes among its desolate Ruins.

2. Let us pay our utmost gratitude towards the Place and Preceptors of our Education. Let us do our utmost to encourage and befriend this [Page 22]Foundation, and to make it Flourish as much as we can; that it may be as advantageous to Thousands more in future Times as it has been to us. Let us always bear the greatest Respect and Veneration to those Worthy Persons by whose Care and Learning we had our Instru­ction. To be Bred under a good School-master is a lasting Blessing as long as we live, as an Edu­cation under a bad one is a lamentable and un­retrievable Misfortune; and though a Man may notwithstanding this Disadvantage be somewhat considerable, yet he is like a House built upon a false Foundation always weak and tottering. Therefore Great Publick Schools, where Gram­matical Learning is in its highest Perfection, can never enough be esteemed and encouraged, and the Masters honoured and rever'd by their Scho­lars, who have received such an inestimable ad­vantage from them: From them who have been so kind to us to afford us all the pleasures and satisfactions of that Learning they have impla­sted in us, and to be content with the Toil and Drudgery of it themselves; who have been pleas'd to forego the more agreeable Employments to do a more Publick Good, and to spend their time in a laborious and what is worse a thank­less Calling, when the Injustice and the Ingrati­tude of the Age is such, that they are constant­ly blamed for every Miscarriage, and hardly thanked for any Success.

2. Let us all unite together in a strict Bond of Love and Friendship, to each other. Let us remember those mutual Endearments which pas­sed between us in those early Years, and again let us renew our Affections in a maturer Age, if absence and discontinuance from one another has abated them. These early Friendships of all others are the best and the strongest. The fami­liarities which Men fall into afterwards are ge­nerally but the forming of Designs or courting an Interest; and if these fail so does their Friendship too. But in that tender Age pure natural Simplicity, and Love without dissimula­tion governs the Affections; and we enter then into the choicest familiarity only with them, whose Souls we find more tuneable and agree­able with ours. And why should we not main­tain the same Friendships still, which we pro­ved at a time when Nature lay open and un­disguised; rather than to maintain a familiarity chiefly with those whom it may be only Craft or Design obliges to be faithful. Besides, a mu­tual Friendship among our selves has a Thou­sand advantages attending it, wherein we may be serviceable to one another; the Profession of one may be beneficial to that of another, and the application of many of such a Society may ob­tain a Kindness for a single Person, which he could not procure himself.

4. Let us all endeavour, that our good Lives may be answerable to the Education, which has been given us. Let us always bear in mind that of our Saviour, He that knoweth his Masters Will and doth it not shall be beaten with many Stripes. God expects we should live better than the illi­terate Vulgar who have less Knowledge, and that our good Lives should be an example to them to copy from. But if we allow our selves in shameful and beastly Vices, not only the Rules of our Holy Religion, but the very Verses and Sentences of our Heathen Classicks will make our Consciences and fly in our Faces. But I hope we shall all make that good improvement of our Time and Education, as to work out our Salva­tion with fear and trembling, and to let our light shine before Men that they may glorifie our Father which is in Heaven, that we shall live in the fear of God, in Christian Charity with all Men, and a hearty Friendship among our selves as long as God shall be pleased to continue us in this World, and that we may all of us be happy in the next, and that at the Resurrection of the Just, we may all meet again at the Great Marriage Sup­per of the Lamb, when we shall be join'd to the blessed Community of the Saints and we shall live and enjoy and Love for ever. Which God, &c.