VireEliom for young Students hotv to Order their Stttdies. 9• 17· Dircd.I2· Sr,mcwhatof Ethicks maybe welllearnt'of Philofophtrs, but it,s norhi:1g to the Scriptures ChriClian Ethicks. 9· 18. Direct. 13. Somewhat of artificial Rhetorick and Oratory fhould be known: Bu~ rheOra– tmy which is moji natural, from the evidence of tl;ings ; well managed by a good undcrftandir.g and tlocHtion, which hath lcaft of appraring art or afftUation, is ever the moll c.ttCfuaJ, and of bell elleem. ~· 19. Direct. 14· The doCl:rineot Politic}v, tfpecially of the N:Jture of Govtrr.mtnt and Lar.VI in General, is of great ufe to all that will ever underHand the Nature of Gods Government and Laws that is, of Rc:ligion. Though there be no ncccility of knowing the Government and Laws of rh~ Land or of other Countrcys, any further rhan is necdfary to our obt:ditncc or our outward concetn~ menu, yet fo much of Government and Laws ~s NJture ~nd Scripture mal<e common to all particu– lar forms and Countnys, rnun be known by hnn that Will underHand Ml)ratity or Divinity, or will ever fiudy the Laws of lhc Land. And it is a prepofierOus courfe~ ar.d the w:1y of lgnora 11 ce and tr– rour, for a Divine to fiudy Gods Laws, and a Lawyer mans Laws, before either ot them know in general what a Law, or what Government is, as nature notitieth it to us. ' §. 20. Direct. 15. when you come to Dlvi1tit~, .1am not for their way that would have you begin with the Fatbers and thence form a body of Dlv1mty to your fdvcs: If every young Hudcnt mujt b( put on fuch a task, we may have many Religions quickly, but fhall certainly have much ignorance and errour. We mull not be fo blind or umhankful to God as ro deny th11t bter times have brought forth abundance of Theological writings, incomparably more methodical, judicious, full, cleu and excellently fitted alfo by application, to the good of fouls, than any that arc known to us fine; the writing of the Sacred Scriptures. Reverence of antiquity hath its proper place and ufc, but is nor to make men fools, non-proficients, or contemners of Gods greater mercies. 1 mendon not My advice 1hereforc is, thtt you begin with a conjund:ion of Engli01 Carechifms, and rr.e Con~ you~ rr.ading ,feffions of all the Churches, and rhc: ~radical holy writings ofour Englifh Divin~~ ; And rharynu ntvcr [heSm pture? feparate thefc ~(under. Theft P~adtc.ill Buoks ?o ~on~monl¥ rhemfclvcs conratn the Principlc:s, and ~~~~r~;fi~~rtt do prefs them m fo war~ a workmp manner .as~~ hkefl to bnng. them to the heart : And ~ill they are conftam~o!k. there, they arc not rccc:tvcd accordmg to thc1r ute, but kc:pt as m the porch. Ger rhrn fix or ICvc:n of the mofi judicious Catc.chi[rns and compare them well together, and compare all the Confdlions of the Churches, ( where you may be fure that they put thoiC which they account the weighticH and furefi truths ). And with. the~ rc~d daii,Y the mol\ fpiritual ~1eart-moving Trearifcs, of Regeneu~ tion, and our Covenant .wlth God m Chntf, of Repenta~ct:, fa1th! Love, obedience, hope, and of a Heavenly mind and life; as alfv of Prayer and other parocular dunes, and of Terr:ptations. and puti.. cular fins. And when you have gone through the Catechifms, read over three or four of the foundeft fyftemes of Divinity. And after that proceed to Come larger Thefes, and then to the fiudy of the clearefi and exathfi: MethodiHs; And think not that you well underHand Divinity, till I· You know it as me:hodind and joynced in a due Scheme, and '.he fe~eral parts of ic in their fcvtnJ s,hemes, feeing you know not lhe beauty nm the twefonfe of thmgs, .1f you !mow them not in their proper places, where thc:y fiand in their fc:vcral refpl<5ts to other pomts : And 2. Till it be wrought inro your very hc:arr~, and digdled into ·a bo~y 11atme; For whtn all is done, it is only a holy and Hcn-cnly life, that will proVe you wi£t, ar:d makeyou happy an~ give you folid pe:~;ce and comfort ? §· 2 1. Direct. 16. When you have gone {o far~ fet your fdves to read 1 he Ancien:s : r. And take them in order as they lived, 2. Obfervt: moll: the Hitlorical parr, w~nt dottrines, and pralli[t 1 de fuD.J did then obtain. 3. Some mull be read wholly, and fomc: but m pur ; 4· Councils and Church Hillory here have a chief place. • ~· 22· Direct. 17· With them read the befi Commentators on the Scriptutcs, old and new. ~· 23• Dir<ct. t8. And then fer your f,Ives to the lludy of Chntch·Controverlies ( Though thore that the Times make neccffaiy mufi be fooncr lookt into ). Look firi\ and moH into thofc which your own Coilrcienccs and pr~ctice require your acquaintance with: And above all here, read well rhote Writings that confute Athcills and Infidels, and moll folidly prove rhe truth of the Chrilli•n Reli. gion: And thenthofe that defend the grcatdl t:>o~nts. And think not much ro bellow fame time and labour in reading fome of the old School D1vmes. · ~- 24 . Direct. 19· when y~u come ro. form up your .Beliefof cc:taintiu in Religion, take: in no· thing as fure and nece{f4ry, wh1ch the ancient Churcht:s ~~d not receive. Many other things may be taken for trttths ; and in perfpicuity and method the lace umc:s much exccll rhem.But ChriHian Religion is Hill the fame thing, and therefore we mufi have no orhcr Religion in the great and nccdf.uy paus than they had. §. 2 5· Direet. 20· Still remember, that mens var.ious capacities do occafion a great variety of Duties; fome men have dear and Jlrong Underfiandmgs, by nature : Thtfc fl10uld fludy Thingr as much as Book.J; For poffibly they m~y excell and correct their Authors. S0me arc na[Urally of duUer or i<fl-judiciollf heads, that with no l!udy of Thi>Jg! "" reach half fo high, as they may do by Hudying the Writings of thofe who are wifer than ever they are like to be. Thefe mull: take more on truil from their Authors , and confefs their weaknefs. • ~· 26. 'Dirr[l. 21. After or with all Controverfics, be well verfi in the Writings of rhof~: Reconcilers, who pretend to nanow or end the differences. For ufually. they are fuch as know more than the Contenders. · I proceed now to give you fome Names of Books. Q_oefi.
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