But, supposing the antecedent true, what a consequence is this? What shadow of scripture have you to support it? Doth not God _send by whom he_ will _send_? And who shall say to him, _What dost thou_? “These are too young; send elder men.” What shadow of reason? Is it not possible, that a person of thirty or forty may have as true a judgment in the things of God, and as great a blessing attending his preaching, as one of fifty or fourscore? I wish you would explain yourself a little on this head: _Scire velim_, verbo, _pretium quotus arroget annus?_ How old do you require a man to be, before God should have leave to speak by his mouth?――――O my brethren, who could have believed any serious man would once have named such an argument as this? Seeing both scripture and reason teach, that God herein _giveth account to none of his ways_. But he worketh by whomsoever he _will_ work; he sheweth mercy by whom he _will_ shew mercy. * 6. “But there are only _a few_ young heads,” I cannot but observe here, what great pains have been taken, what diligence shewn, to make and to keep them _few_. What arts have not been used, to keep back those of the clergy in particular, who have been clearly convinced from time to time, that they ought to join hearts and hands in the work? On this occasion, it has been accounted meritorious, to _say all manner of evil of us falsely_: to _promise_ them whatever their hearts desired, if they would refrain from these men: and, on the other hand, to _threaten_ them with heavy things, if ever they went among them more. So that how fully soever they were convinced, they could not act according to their conviction, unless they could give up at once all thought of _preferment_, either in church or state; nay, all hope of even a _fellowship_, or poor _scholarship_, in either university. Many also have been threatened, that if they went on in this way, what little they had should be taken from them. And many have, on this very account, been disowned by their dearest friends and nearest relations. So that there was no possibility the number of these labourers should ever be increased at all, unless by those who could break through all these ties, who desired nothing in the present world, who counted neither their fortunes, nor friends, nor lives, dear unto themselves, so they might only _keep a conscience void_ of offence toward God and toward men.