with what GOD
shall please to send us! For as for books, he is, for want of money, so
moderately furnished, that except it be a small Geneva _Bible_ (so small,
as it will not be desired to lie open of itself), together with a certain
_Concordance_ thereunto belonging; as also a Latin book for all kind of
Latin sentences, called _Polyanthaea_; with some _Exposition_ upon the
_Catechism_, a portion of which, is to be got by heart, and to be put off
for his own; and perhaps Mr. [JOSEPH] CARYL _upon_ [JOHN] PINEDA [_these
two authors wrote vast Commentaries on the Book of Job_]; Mr. [JOHN] DOD
upon the _Commandments_, Mr. [SAMUEL] CLARKE's Lives of famous men, both
in Church and State (such as Mr. CARTER of Norwich, that uses to eat such
abundance of pudding): besides, I say, these, there is scarcely anything
to be found, but a budget of old stitched sermons hung up behind the
door, with a few broken girths, two or three yards of whipcord; and,
perhaps, a saw and a hammer, to prevent dilapidations.

Now, what may not a Divine do, though but of ordinary parts and unhappy
education, with such learned helps and assistances as these? No vice,
surely, durst stand before him! no heresy, affront him!

And furthermore, Sir, it is to be considered, that he that is but thus
meanly provided for: it is not his only infelicity that he has neither
time, mind, nor books to improve himself for the inward benefit and
satisfaction of his people; but also that he is not capable of doing that
outward good amongst the needy, which is a great ornament to that holy
Profession, and a considerable advantage towards the having the doctrine
believed and practised in a degenerate world.

And that which augments the misery; whether he be able or not, it is
expected from him, if there comes a _Brief_ to town, for the Minister to
cast in his mite will not satisfy! unless he can create sixpence or a
shilling to put into the box, for a stale [_lure_], to decoy in the rest
of the parish. Nay, he that hath but L20 or L30 [= L60 to L90 _now_] _per
annum_, if he bids not up as high as the best in the parish in all acts of
charity, he is counted carnal and earthly-minded; only because he durst
not coin! and cannot work miracles!

And let there come ever so many beggars, half of these, I will secure
you! shall presently inquire for the Minister's house. "For GOD," say
they, "certainly dwells there, and has laid up for us, sufficient relief!"

I know many o