ignorant Fervent Preachers. ifwe were aileep our felves, have them make thhe hearers to be fo : Or would by our cold expreflìons, that we believe not our eelves, when we fet forth the great ineffimable things of the life to come. But yet it grieveth my very foul to think, what pitiful, raw and igno- rant kindof preaching, is crowded moi'c after in many places, for the meer afredionate manner of expreffìon, and fowdnefs of the Preachers voice ! How oft have I known the ableft Prea- chers undervalued , and at) ignorant man by crouds applauded, when I that have been ac- quainted with the Preacher ab incgnabulvs have known him to be unable well to an- fwer mofl queflions in the common Catechifm. And I durfl not tell them of his great inf1aPricien- cy and ignorance , for fear of hindering the fuc- cefs of his labours, and being thought envious at other mens acceptance. I have known poor tra iefinens boys have a great mind of the Mini flry ; and we that were the Minif}ers of the Countrey , contributed to maintain them whilo they got fome learning and knowledge : Bur they had not patience to keep out of the Pulpit t!lj they competently underflood their bufïnefs there: And yet many of the religious people valued there as theonly men :. And forceof them fhortly after turned to fume wh mfical Sea or other , and contemned the Minifters that iníiruaed and maintained them : And all this while, underftooi not half fo much as many ofour fober Auditors underflood. phis prepareth the poor people to be hurried into any diforder or divifion, when they no better knoN ho v to choofe their Cuid :s. ,lt 4 DIRECT. 215
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