Honour of the State; what good Subject will not contribute to set foward this Project? But to touch only the Point of God's Honour; let us remember the Words of the wise Man, Prov. iii. Honour the Lord with thy Substance. Let us also consider what the Lord himself saith, 1 Sam. ii. They that honour me, I will honour; and they that despise me, shall be despised. Now who can say he honoureth God, that suffereth him by Idolatry, Superstition, and Blasphemy to be dishonoured, and will give nothing to suppress Baal's Priests; and is content that the Pope be worshipped like the Idol Bel? Can God's Honour stand with the Superstition, Heresy, Idolatry, and Blasphemy of Papists, Prophaneness of Atheists, Fanatical Doctrine of Schismaticks and idle Novelists?

It is not sufficient for true Christians to profess true Religion, but they must with Zeal maintain it; and with Heart abhor, and with Hand suppress Idolatry and Superstition. Who will rise up with me against the Wicked? saith the Prophet, Psal. xciv. And Psal. cxxxix. he saith, He hated those that hated the Lord, with an unfeigned Hatred. The Law, Deut. xiii. is direct against such as entice us to serve other Gods; our Eye may not pity them, nor may we shew Mercy unto them, no altho' they be our Brothers, or our Wives that lye in our Bosom.

An odious Thing also it is, either to suffer Truth to be suppressed, or Lies to be received. St. Augustin, in Epist. ad Casulanum, saith, It is a Fault to hide Truth, as well as to tell Lies: Uterque reus est, & qui Veritatem occultat, & qui Mendacium dicit. Chrysostom, Hom. 25. in Math. doth charge him to be a Traytor unto Truth, that dare not boldly utter it, or defend it: Non ille solum est Proditor Veritatis, qui Veritatem transgrediens, pro Veritate Mendacium loquitur; sed etiam qui non liberè Veritatem pronuntiat quam pronuntiare tenetur, aut non liberè Veritatem defendit, quum liberè defendere convenit.

Some suppose that Christianity and Popery may stand together, and themselves as Neuters stand between both, or, as Mediators, would reconcile both. But can Christ be reconciled to Antichrist? There is no Concord betwixt Christ and Belial, saith the Apostle; 2 Cor. vi. Elias told us, there is no halting between Two Religons: No Man that honoureth any Creature, can say he truly honoureth God; for God giveth not his Honour to Creatures. Asa, 1 King. xv. was a good King; yet it is imputed to him, that he took not down the high Places. The Bishop of the Church of Pergamos, Apocal. ii. is reproved for suffering them that taught the Doctrine of Balaam; and the Bishop of Thyatira, for permitting Jezabel to teach and deceive the People: And shall the Church of England any longer suffer the Romish Balaamites, and the false Priests of Baal, maintained by the Romish Jezabel and her Consorts, to seduce God's People? The false Priests of Bel used all Arts and cunning Practices to deceive, and now will not suffer any Religion but that of their God Bel, the Pope: And shall not true Christians use equal Diligence to maintain Truth, and suppress Popery, and all other idolatrous and false Religion? Ingemui fateor (saith Hierom) minus nobis inesse Voluntatis ad propugnandam Veritatem, quam inest illis Cupiditatis ad inculcandum Mendacium: I sighed (saith he) seeing less Desire in us to defend Truth, than in our Adversaries to maintain Lies.

This College then being erected for Maintenance of Truth, and God's true Service, and a resolute Opposition against Errors and false Worship of God; it cannot but please God, and content godly Men. The same will also be a Means to increase Learning, and to supply the Defects of Places haunted with the Spirits of Antichrist, the Jesuits and Mass-Priests; and therefore cannot chuse but be well approved of all, that either desire a Learned Ministry, or love Learning. Finally; Seeing the Church hath received no greater Dishonour by any, than by unsufficient and unlearned Churchmen, I hope this may be a Means to recover some Part of their lost Honour.

Wherefore, whether we regard the Service of God, or the Honour we owe to our King, or the Love we bear to our Country and the State; let us not shew our selves sparing, or backward, in yielding our Aid to set forward a Work so religious and profitable for the Church, so honourable for the State; so necessary, in Regard of the Malice of our Adversaries, and the Defects and Discouragement of our own Forces. Other Collections have been either for private Persons, or Strangers, or Places remote, or Matters concerning some particular Occasions. This concerneth a general Good, and toucheth every Man both in Conscience and Honour. Heretofore we have endeavoured to maintain Religion, and favour others abroad; let us not therefore neglect our selves, and our own Honour, Profit, and necessary Service at Home. Neither let any Man think it strange, that a Work of such Greatness should be advanced by this weak Means, or that a Project so necessary should proceed so slowly. Almighty God, albeit all-sufficient, yet would have his own Tabernacle built by the voluntary Offerings of his People. Speak, saith God to Moses, Exod. xxv. to the Children of Israel, that they receive an Offering for me, of every Man whose Heart giveth it freely. And Exod. xxxvi. it followeth; and they brought still unto Moses free Gifts every Morning; and they ceased not, until they were stayed from offering. King Solomon likewise was greatly holpen in the Building of the Temple, by the Contribution of his Subjects; as appeareth by the Words of Scriptures, 1 King. ix. 19. Further, by voluntary Offerings and Contributions, the Temple was repaired by Joash, 2 King. xii. And by Josiah, 2 Chron. xxxiv.

And this hath been the Use and Practice of Ancient Times, in Building and Endowing most famous Churches, Colleges, Schools, and other Monuments of Religion and Learning, both in our own and other Countries. Our Adversaries by this Course have had Means to build many Monasteries and Colleges, and Schools for Jesuits and Friars; as it were Propugnacles of Superstition, Heresy, Idolatry, and Antichrist's Tyranny; to uphold and make good their own Corruptions in Religion, and Usurpations upon the Magistrate's Government, and every Christian Man's Liberty. And this have they done not only in Europe, but also in the Indies; and not one in every Kingdom, but in the same State divers, and almost in every great City one. And shall not this flourishing Kingdom build and endow One College, for the Maintenance of God's true Service, and the Honour of the whole State? It were a Dishonour to our Nation, and the whole Church and State, to think contrary.

The Work, we confess, hath hitherto proceeded slowly: And no marvel, seeing great Works are not easily atchieved. Noah's Ark, God's Tabernacle and Temple, and famous Schools and Colleges, albeit founded by Kings and great Men, were long in building: And do we wonder that this College is not yet finished? Further; it pleased God to deprive us of Prince Henry, our principal Hope, and the chief Author of this Design. Lastly, Who knoweth whether God hath appointed these weak Means, to set forward a great Work; that his Power in our Weakness might have the whole Glory?