SUffer I beseech you one word of exhortation, and with attention read a few lines which may be of everlasting concernment to you. I will suppose I speak not to Atheists, but to such as are possest with a belief of an eternal estate of infinite happinesse or misery: not to fools, but to wise men who would not wilfully neglect any thing, which is necessary to secure them from the wrath to come. It is also notoriously known, that the wilful continuance in the neglect of any one evident duty; or the commission of any manifest sin is sufficient to entitle a man to damnation, notwithstanding any professions of Religion or practises whatsoever: You cannot but know that many perish eternally, not for any grosse wickednesse visible to the world, but for slie and secret and unobserved omission sins, and that these are the only sins which our Saviour formes a processe against in that famous representation of the last judgment, Mat. 25. And amongst those duties which men are most prone to neglect, are those which are difficult and costly and troublesome, which made Christ pronounce it so hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heaven: And therefore you that are rich had need double your diligence to make your calling and election sure. And truly it is an unspeakable happinesse (if the Lord give you hearts to consider it) that your riches wisely managed, may afford you a special and eminent evidence and assurance of Gods love, and your own future happinesse; forasmuch as if you freely lay out those riches that God hath graciously given you, for his glory, and the Churches good, it may be a notable and sound discovery of a lively faith, (which can part with present comforts in hopes of those future and unseen consolations) a fervent love to God and the brethren, a resolution to part with all for Christ, and a serious and true desire of salvation: As on the other side, it is a token of perdition, when a mans heart is glued to his riches, and the present evil world, when a man is so destitute of charity, that rather than part with his riches, he will suffer, bodies and soules to perish, and the glory of God to be turned into shame; I beseech you therefore by the bowels of God have compassion upon your immortal souls, make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse, throw not your selves overboard to preserve your riches, from which you can expect no other requital, but this, that the rust of them shall rise up in judgment against you at the last day: and this duty I may the more boldly exhort you to, because, if you make use of your reason, you will find the performance of it is no way disadvantageous to you: for, as you will gain this excellent advantage, besides eternal salvation, that, that portion of your estates which you lay out for God, will be a means to sweeten, and secure all the rest to you and your posterity, so, by the doing of it you will lose nothing of substance, seeing that is most true and evident by daily experience which our Saviour saith; That the comfort of a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of what he possesseth. For what are riches, but for use, without which a mans chest hath as much good by his riches as he; and how can a man use them, but for his pleasure or credit, or posterity, or the like? and who knowes not that many discreet men of competent estates between want and affluence enjoy more real pleasure in their estates, than they that have ten times a larger portion? and if a man look to his credit, let any impartial man judge, whether it more advanceth a mans reputation, sordidly to hoard up his riches to the dishonour of Religion, his own shame and contempt (whereby he live; lamented, and dies desired) or generously to lay them out in such waies as not only procure him favour with God, but respect from men here, and at last a Crown of glory that fades not away? and if a man aims at posterity, methinks this City hath afforded sufficient experiments to convince any ingenuous man, that the leaving of vast estates to children, doth commonly betray them not onely to the greatest wickednesses, but also to manifold miseries, which they that carry their sailes lower, and whose estates are nearer the golden Mediocrity are preserved from: I may added to all this that divers of you in this City may say with Iacob, with may staffe I came over Iordan, and now God hath made me two bands. That God that hath brought down others, hath exalted you, that God that hath impoverished others, hath enriched you, and therefore, if others owe their thousands to God, surely you owe your ten thousands. Remember I beseech you, that hand that gave you your estates, can recal them when he pleaseth, and if you deny him the interest, he can revoke the principal. Remember you will not alwaies have such opportunities: Ere long you and the poorest wretch must be upon the same terms, now you have an advantage over them, and a means to do God more special service: I shall trouble you no further, but only this, lay out your estates, but do it freely, not grudgingly, do it liberally, not sparingly: I shall not here determine that Question, whether God expects a tenth part of your estates to be employed in his service, and for publick good. But thus much I may safely say, that where God sows liberally, he expects to reap liberally. And as Gods Ministration to us under the Gospel doth exceed the legal Ministration, so I know no reason why our Ministration to God from our superfluities should not exceed theirs under the Law: And however men can easily deceive themselves here in things which concern their profit, yet I doubt not when men shall at last come to make a review of all their actions, their consciences will justly condemn them, not only for the total neglect of such duties, but also for the not doing of them in a fit and full proportion: For this particular occasion, I shall say nothing more than what is said in the Preface, and in these other annexed Papers: Consider what hath been said, and remember it comes from one whose design is not his own profit, (nor to lay a yoke upon you which he will not take upon his own shoulders) but meerly that God may be glorified, and that, at that last day, fruit may abound to your account.

OBject. 1. This Designe is needlesse: Universities are for this purpose, What is all that meanes given there for, but to fit men for the Ministry?

Answ. 1. So great is the scarcity of able and godly Ministers in the Nation, comparatively to the many places which are destitute of such (as all judicious persons observe) that it is a vain thing to expect a supply of the Churches necessities in an ordinary way: We see by experience, that although of late years the Universities have sent forth divers very hopefull persons into the Ministry, and although besides the ordinary allowances for Students there, divers exhibitions have been allowed by wel-willers to Religion and Learning, yet, all this not withstanding, there is still a great famine of the Word in divers places; especially in Ireland, Wales, &c. which are not so likely to be supplied, and which are here in a special manner provided for.

Answ. 2. The main design of this Model is not barely to send forth Ministers, but to endeavour to send forth eminent Ministers; and whereas Universities are and must needs be (nor doth it in the least reflect disparagement upon them) like Lotteries, whither Students of all sorts come, some of good parts, and some of mean parts, and from whence (through the negligence of Students, and their forwardnesse in entring into the Ministry) divers come into the Ministry much unfurnished, to the grief and scandal of their University-Governours; here is a more certain course, care being taken, 1. To select choice wits. 2. To oblige them to a sufficient continuance, as also to extraordinary diligence.

Object. 2. Good designes are generally perverted and abused to other ends than they were intended, and so will this in all probability degenerate into a businesse of faction and partiality, and favour and friendship.

Answ. 1. We can neither foresee nor prevent all possible abuses, and much lesse all jealous surmises; but thus much is plain, that we are to do our duty, and to referre events to Gods Providence, and however mens benevolences may be abused hereafter, contrary to their desires and intentions, yet God will accept of their sincere ends, and no lesse reward them than if they hid been never so religiously used.

2. Here is abundant care taken to prevent partiality: The execution of it is committed to divers persons of different perswasions, of known integrity, wisdome and godlinesse; and care is also taken that when any die, there be a substitution of such other men in their places, and the Trustees are engaged, not onely by their promise, but by their judgements and interect to choose such men as themselves.

3. The Feoffees, as they now are, so they will for ever be obliged to manage this businesse with all impartiality for the encouragement of lads of all parties (provided they be true to the interests of Learning and real piety) not onely because they are conscientiously engaged to it, but also, because their interest and the advancement of the work will constantly oblige them to it▪ seeing if once partiality be observed in it, it will not only reflect upon the Trustees, but also bring the whole businesse into disrepute.

4. This objection strikes at all lasting good works, for how can a man settle any thing for any good work, but it may be abused; so that the effect of this objection should be not to prevent the doing of good works, but to make men cautelous how to do them in as safe a way as may be.

Object. 3. It is better for a man to see with his own eyes, and to do with his own hands.

Answ. 1. But then there is one doubt whether he can get any to put in good security that he shall enjoy his eyes and hands for ever, or else (if he be able and willing to settle something for ever) it must come into other mens hands, and therefore it is better to commit it to other mens hands while he lives, and may observe how they use it, than to commit it to them after his decease, of whom he had not experience in that kind.

2. For the generality of Contributers to such works it may be said without arrogancie, it is likely to be farre better managed by a conjunction of heads and hands of wise, and honest, and learned men for the glory of God, and the good of the Church, than can be expected from one man.

Plus vident oculi quam oculus, and as those small sprinklings of water which signifie little when they are asunder, being united together into one River are very considerable and effectuall to divers excellent uses▪ so those Contributions which being managed singly and dividedly are not so eminently useful, when they are united together, prove of great influence for a generall good: and moreover, he that contributes in such a common way as this, doth not onely an excellent piece of service himself, but also drawes others along with him.

FOr those Gentlemen or others in the Countrey who shal be pleased to contribute, although we shall wholly leave them to themselves to give what they please, and in what way they please, and shall thankfully accept any thing given upon any termes, nor do we desire this businesse should be burthensome to any, yet we humbly offer to their consideration, that it will be a most excellent service, and most rarely useful for any (who can do it) to settle what they give, for ever, though it be in a lesse proportion, both because it is in it self likely to bring forth more fruit, and because it will be a good encouragement to others to contribute when they see a solid foundation laid which is likely to continue: And we hope they will not think it a wrong to their children to alienate some small proportion from them to the more immediate service of God, but rather a special meanes to procure a blessing from God upon the rest of their estates both to them and to their posterity.

If it shall please God to put it into the mind of any to contribute, if they signify their desires to any of the Trustees, especially to any of the Ministers, they may receive further information and direction as to any of the particulars.

THE great usefulnesse of humane Learning and University education for the Ministers of the Gospel hath been abundantly evidenced, both from the powerful and happy influence of Ministers so qualified, in the Reformation of Religion, from the bondage and darknesse of Popery, and also from the miserable consequence of the want and neglect thereof in persons undertaking the work of the Ministry: Besides those more noble infusions of Grace, there are two things of great necessity for the profitable discharge of the Ministerial work; to wit, a sufficiency of natural endowments, and acquired abilities. And it is the conjunction of these which throughly furnish the man of God unto every good work. We cannot therefore, but exceedingly approve of, and heartily blesse God for that late design undertaken, and so considerably carried on through Gods blessing by divers persons, for the encouragement of poor Scholars of greatest abilities and piety in the Universities: The rather, because we have frequently, with sad hearts, observed the miscarriage of persons of great hopes and eminent parts, through want of those means and helps which are necessary: And we heartily recommend it unto all the lovers of Learning and Universities, as that which (by Gods blessing) is likely to prove of singular use, for the quickning of diligence, and provoking of emulation, and the growth of knowledge and piety: Nor do we know, how any, whom God hath enriched with talents for such a service, can lay them out to better advantage, than in such a way as this: And for the better encouragement of those whose hearts God shall encline to this pious work, we, whose names are here under-written, having knowledge of divers of the Trustees, and having had experience of the management thereof, hold our selves bound in Justice to give this testimony, unto those Gentlemen, to whose trust it is committed; that to the best of our observation, it hath been faithfully discharged according to the real worth of persons, without respect to parties: And it is sufficiently known, that there are divers Students already chosen by them in the Universities, who are persons of singular abilities, and of pious inclinations, whose poverty had exposed them to many inconveniences, and deprived the Church of that great benefit (which we comfortably hope for from them) if they had not been relieved by such seasonable succours. And we are further considently perswaded, that as it hath been for the time past, so it will be for the future, the care of the Trustees, to discharge that trust reposed in them, with all fidelity and conformably to their proposals and Declarations.

IF it shall please any to settle somthing for ever they may conveniently do it in this way which hath been propounded to, and approved by skilful Lawyers. They may single out three or four of the Trustees whom they can most confide in, and make them special Trustees, and when any one of them dies, appoint the other three to chuse another in his place, and may make all the rest of the Trustees overseers, and in case those four Trustees fail, that then it shall fall to all the rest of the Trustees, and in case they fail, then it shall fall to any Colledge or Company (whom the Doner shall please to nominate) to be disposed of, according to the Modell: And in case it be perverted or alienated to any other use, then it revert to his heirs, &c.

VVHereas it hath been suggested by divers & was supposed by some of the Trustees, that the present settlement of this trust was not Legal (not being by way of Corporation) nor perpetual, it was agreed by the Trustees that some very able Lawyers should be advised with; which accordingly was done, and the result of their discourse was this: That there were two waies for the selting of such a trust, frequently practised among us, and both unquestionably Legal; the one by way of Corporation, the other by way of Feofment, in which latter way we are for the present setled, and in which way some Hospitals, &c, are setled. This being an undoubted Principle in Law and Reason, that it is lawful for any man to give what he will, to whom he will, for what uses he will, unlesse it be to an use prohibited by Law, such as this is confessed not to be.

IN order to the practise of the things proposed in the Modell, three of the Trustees, to wit, Mr. Manton; Mr. Thomas Iacomb, and Mr. Poole were by the rest of the Trustees sent to the two Universities, to advise with the Doctors the Trustees there, and to settle the businesse, which was done, and divers persons of known ability and fidelity were desired, and did willingly consent to take upon them the businesse of examination of all such poor Scholar as did propose themselves to trial: Upon which, divers persons of great hopes, were then and have been since examined: And out of them, such as gave the best satisfaction for Parts and Learning, and had the best report for Piety, were selected: And two and twenty are already chosen in each University; It being resolved to carry an equal respect to both Universities: Of whom some were through necessity already gone from the University, and now to their great comfort, and (we hope) the Churches great good, are setled again: Others were about to leave it, others forced much to discontinue, and all much discouraged and prejudic'd by those pressing wants and difficulties they were overwhelmed with.