Manuductio ad ministerium. Directions for a candidate of the ministry

However, since every Man will have his own Style, I would pray, that we may learn to treat one another with mutual Civilities, and Condescensions, and handsomely indulge one another in this, as Gentlemen do in other Matters.

I wonder what ails People, that they can't let Cicero write in the Style of Cicero, and Seneca write in the (much other!) Style of Seneca; and own that Both may please in their several Ways. — But I will freely tell you; what has made me consider the Humcurists that set up for Critics upon Style, as the most Unregardable Set of Mortals in the World, is This! Far more Illustrious Critics than any of those to whom I am now bidding Defiance, and no less Men than your Erasmus's, and your Grotius's, have taxed the Greek Style of the New Testament, with I know not what Solecisms and Barbarisms; And, how many learned Folks have Obsequiously run away with the Notion! Whereas 'tis an Ignorant and an Insolent Whimsey; which they have been guilty of. It may be (and particularly by an Ingenious Blackwal, it has been) Demonstrated, That the Gentlemen are ⟨p. 47⟩mistaken in every one of their pretended Instances; All the Unquestionable Classics, may be brought in, to convince them of their Mistakes. Those Glorious Oracles are as pure Greek as ever was written in the World; and so Correct, so Noble, so Sublime is their Style, that never any thing under the Cope of Heaven, but the Old Testament, has equalled it.]

I wonder what ails People, that they can't let Cicero write in the Style of Cicero, and Seneca write in the (much other!) Style of Seneca; and own that Both may please in their several Ways. — But I will freely tell you; what has made me consider the Humcurists that set up for Criticks upon Style, as the most Unregardable Set of Mortals in the World, is This! Far more Illustrious Criticks than any of those to whom I am now bidding Defiance, and no less Men than your Erasmus's, and your Grotius's, have taxed the Greek Style of the New Testament, with I know not what Sol•ecisms and Barbarisms; And, how many learned Folks have Obsequiously run away with the Notion! Whereas 'tis an Ignorant and an Insolent Whimsey; which they have been guilty of. It may be (and particularly by an Ingenious Blackwal, it has been) Demonstrated, That the Gentlemen are