SERMON, &c.

HAVIN

AVING the honour of addressing so learned a body, with bands so white, gowns so black, and caps so orthodox, I take the liberty of striking a little from the common road of preaching; and as this is a singular occasion, I shall make free with a singular text.

You know, my beloved, it is the way of most preachers to choose some passage of scripture for their text, which having distinctly read twice over you hear no more of the Bible till the sermon is finished; but are entertained with such a lecture as you may find in a news-paper, price three-pence. But I have the honour of departing a little from this general rule, and shall be the first who takes his text from a newspaper, and illustrates his doctrine by scripture history; and having broken the ice, as we used to say, I expect to have many ingenious followers. You will find our text in the St. James's Chronicle for Thursday, March 17. 1763, No. 1099, printed by Henry Baldwin, at the Printing-Office, White Friars, Fleet Street: wherein, if you will pull your newspapers out of your pockets, you may read with me the following paragraph:

EXTRACT of a LETTER from OXFORD. "On Friday last Six Students belonging to Edmund Hall, were expelled the University, after an hearing of several hours before Mr. Vice Chancellor and some of the Heads of Houses, for holding Methodistical tenets, and taking upón them to pray, read, and expound the scriptures, and sing. ing hymns in a private house. The of the

defended their doctrines from the thirty-nine articles of the established church, and spoke in the highest terms of the piety and exemplariness of their lives; but his motion

was over-ruled, and sentence pronounced against them. Dr.-one of the Heads of Houses present, observed, that as these six gentlemen were expelled for having too much religion, it would be very proper to inquire into the conduct of some who had too little; and Mr. heard to tell their chief accuser, that the University was much obliged to him for his good work."

was

Our text is indeed somewhat long; but then, my beloved, we have the more matter to work upon; and you know this is a day in which invention is not very brisk, especially among the gentlemen clergy. But

We proceed to prosecute our subject after the old orthodox plan, namely.

I. To go over our text by way of explication, II. Deduce a notable point of doctrine from it, viz. That this act of the V-e Cr, and the Heads of Houses, is defensible from the conduct of the clergy in all ages and in all countries.

III. Conclude with a special application.

I. Explain our text. În doing which I must divide into very small parcels, even as the skilful surgeon does, the flesh of a hanged malefactor, when he dissects an organ. And in the first place,

Extract of a Letter from Oxford.

This Oxford, my beloved, is a city in the West of England, notable for a great University, z. c. a place for learning; and it would do you good to see the numbers of hopeful young gentlemen, who come from all parts of England in pursuit of learning, insomuch that all the colleges are frequently crowded. But you will say, What do they learn? To which I answer in the negative, as being much easier than the infirmative; for it appears from our text, that there are some things which they do not learn.

(1.) Praying:-I mean they do not, in common, learn to pray to God: It seems this is no part of the approved exercises of the students in that University; for, says our text, Six young gentlemen were expelled the University for pray

ing. From whence we may draw this inference, namely, That if the Vice-Chancellor, and the Heads of Houses, expelled these six offenders for praying to God, it is natural to suppose, that they are not guilty of that crime themselves; otherwise; they would fall under that reproof. Rom. ii. 1.

(2.) To read and expound the Scriptures is another thing which seems to be there prohibited. Whether Rochester's Poems, Tristram Shandy, The Minor, and such books are esteemed orthodox, and therefore tolerated, I pretend not to say; but one thing is clear from the text, that reading and expounding the scriptures is against the Oxonian law for six young gentlemen were expelled the University for reading and expounding the Scriptures.

(3.) Singing of hymns is another thing which they do not learn; this is also clear from the words. By singing of hymns, I mean, praising of God for blessings received, according to Col. iii. 16.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." But singing of psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, cannot be connived at in the University by the Heads of Houses; for Six young men were expelled the University for singing of hymns.

Note. This was an extract of a letter from Oxford; which shews, that there be some people there who can write, notwithstanding all the reЯections that have been cast upon them; and that, although reading is dangerous there, yet an Oxonian may write with impunity.

II. Last Friday-the better day, the better deed. Friday, you know, is a fast day; on which it was fittest to go about a work of this importance, when the judgment was not fettered with bodily grossness, but purged by an empty belly.

Last Friday:It was not a thing that happened in the dark ages of Monkish Ignorance, but what has happened in this enlightened age of CHRISTI

B

THE SHAVER,

ANITY. It was not when the University was tied hand and foot by Popish prejudices, and the Heads of Houses were obliged to submit to their betters: but it was Last Friday, the act and deed of Protestant Divines.

III. Six Students !-What a miracle was it, my beloved, that out of so many hundreds of students as are at Oxford, only Six should be found guilty of praying, reading, and expounding the scriptures: This shews the faithfulness of their vigilant tutors, in guarding them against such pernicious practices. Now from this observe,

1. That there were but Six Students of all the University, who could be detected in those evils of praying, &c. much to the honour of that learned body.

2. That those Six being expelled-now there are none left in all the colleges, who take upon them to pray, read, and expound the Scripturés ;therefore, gentlemen may with safety send their sons to that fountain of learning without fearing that they will become religious there being none left now to ensnare them.

IV. They all belonged to Edmund Hall:-It seems they loved to be together; from whence it may be gathered that they loved one another: a fault which the Heathens accused the Christians of old with, but from which mankind in general are now pretty free. It appe. rs as if this EdmundHall was the only place at Oxford in which praying people were to be found. But it is hoped that the Governors at that Hall will be mult for their carelessness in suffering the students to read the Bible and to inquire after religion, seeing it is contrary to the sense of this University.

V. Were expelled the University: Deprived of the rights and privileges of the King's loving subjects, or, as the word signifies, they were drove out, forced away, and banished from the University. This religious act was performed by the Vice Chancellor, after an hearing of several hours. I remember when Bishop Hooper was sent for by

Queen Mary, the pious Bishop of London, and my Lord Chancellor, the guides of her conscience, being determined to have him burnt, they thought to make a shew of justice by giving him an hearing, withal resolving not to swerve from their bloody design. So, in like manner, our venerable tutors were determined not to suffer praying persons to breathe the University air; yet, being tied to form, they would give them an hearing.

An hearing of several hours :--Ah! my beloved, . ye may see how remarkable the scriptures are fulfilled in that learned body of divines, where it says, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; see ye indeed, but perceive not.

VI. We come to the crime for which they were expelled the University; and I wot it was an heinous crirneindeed. This would appear without illustrating it, from the character of the expellers, namely, Mr. Vice Chancellor, and the Heads of Houses. But, as I love to remove every hillock out of the way for your better information, I shall explain it. What was their crime then, my beloved, think you? Was it drinking; No, no, it was not drinking; for they were very temperate. Was it for whoring then, the common practice of many Students? No, it was not for whoring neither; for their lives are said to have been very exemplary. I wish, my beloved, it had been no worse. But what was it then ? Was it swearing and fighting, and abusing their fellow students : iNo, for they shunned the other students, as a wise man will shun an attorney: Thus much may be gathered from our text, which intimates, that they met together among themselves. But it was praying :That, my beloved, was one part of their crime.SIX young men were expelled the University for praying. For Mr. V-e C -r, and the Heads of Houses, will suffer no praying people to continue in the University.

Reading and expounding the scriptures was another part of the crime; but what, in the name of the Pope, can students have to do with the