as a merciful God, thus pardoning sin, and saving the penitent
believer. But just how particular or distinct their belief of the
incarnation of Christ was to be, is hard to determine.[417]
9. But after Christ's incarnation, even they that know it not, yet are
not by the first covenant bound to believe that the Messiah is yet to
be incarnate, or the word made flesh; for they are not bound to
believe an untruth, and that as the condition of salvation.[418]
10. Men were saved by Christ about four thousand years before he was
man, and had suffered, satisfied, or merited as man.
11. The whole course of God's actual providence since the fall, hath
so filled the world with mercies contrary to man's demerit, that it is
an actual universal proclamation of the pardoning law of grace; which
is thereby now become even a law of nature, that is, of lapsed,
pardoned nature, as the first was the natural law of innocence.[419]
12. Christ giveth a great deal of mercy to them that never heard of
him or know him: and he giveth far more mercy to believers, than they
have a particular knowledge and belief of.[420]
13. There is no salvation but by Christ the Saviour of the world;
though there be more mercy from Christ, than there is faith in
Christ.[421]
14. No man could ever be saved without believing in God as a merciful,
pardoning, saving God, though many have been saved who knew not the
person of Christ, determinately. For he that cometh to God must
believe that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that
diligently seek him; who is no respecter of persons, but in every
nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of
him.[422]
15. All nations on earth that have not the gospel, are obliged by God
to the use of certain means, and improvement of certain mercies, in
order or tendency to their salvation. And it is their sin if they use
them not.[423]
16. God hath appointed no means in vain, which men must either not
use, or use despairingly. But his command to use any means for any
end, containeth (though not an explicit promise, yet) great and
comfortable encouragement to use that means in hope.[424]
17. Therefore the world is now in comparison of the catholic church,
much like what it was before Christ's incarnation in comparison of the
Jews' church; who yet had many ways great advantage, though God was
not the God of the Jews only, but also of the gentiles, who had a law
written in their hearts, and an accusing or excusing conscience.
18. Those over-doing divines who pretend to be certain that all the
world are damned that are not christians, do add to God's word, and
are great agents for Satan to tempt men to infidelity, and to atheism
itself, and to dissuade mankind from discerning the infinite goodness
of God; and occasion many to deny the immortality of the soul, rather
than they will believe, that five parts in six of the world now, and
almost all before Christ's incarnation, have immortal souls purposely
created in them, to be damned, without any propounded means and
possibility natural of remedy; and as I know they will pour out their
bitter censure on these lines, (which I could avoid if I regarded it
more than truth,) so with what measure they mete, it shall be measured
to them; and others will damn them as confidently as they damn almost
all the world; and I will be bold to censure that they are undoers of
the church by over-doing. See more in my "Vindication of God's
Goodness."
[408] Mark xvi. 16; John iii. 16-20; i. 11, 12.
[409] Psal. xix. 1-5; Acts x. 2, 3, 35; Rom. ii.
[410] 1 Tim. ii. 4; iv. 10; Tit. ii. 11; John i. 29; iii. 17; iv. 42;
Rom. i. 21.
[411] John v. 1, &c.; ix. 12, &c.; Matt. xvi. 22; John xii. 26; Luke
xviii. 34.
[412] Mal. iii. 1, 2; John iv. 25.
[413] Rom. ii. 12, 14, 26; Luke xii. 47, 48; xvi. 10.
[414] Gen. iii. 15; ix. 1-4.
[415] Psal. cxxxvi.; ciii. 27; c. 5.
[416] Gen. iii. 15; Jonah iii. 9, 10; iv. 2.
[417] Jonah ibid.; Rom. ii. 4; Luke xiii. 3, 5; Acts l. 35; John iii.
19-21.
[418] 1 John iv. 2, 3; 1 Tim. iii. 16.
[419] Rom. i. 20, 21; Acts xiv. 17; Rom. ii. 15, 16; Psal. xix. 1-3;
Prov. i. 20-24; Exod. xxxiv. 6; Jer. iii. 12; John iv. 2; Luke vi. 36;
xviii. 13.
[420] Psal. cxlv. 9; 1 Tim. iv. 10; Rom. x. 20
[421] Acts iv. 12; John xiv. 6, 7.
[422] Heb. xi. 6; Acts x. 35; 2 Thess. i. 11, 12; Jer. x. 25; Rom. x.
12-15.
[423] Acts xiv. 47; xvii. 27-30; Rom. i. 19-22; ii. 4, 7, 10, 14-16,
27; Isa. lv. 6, 7.
[424] Jonah iv. 2; iii. 10; Acts x. 35; Mal. iii. 14; Isa. xlv. 19;
Deut. xxxii. 47; Mal. i. 10; Prov. i. 22-24; Gen. iv. 7; Rom. ii.;
iii.
Quest. CLVIII. _Should not christians take up with Scripture wisdom
only, without studying philosophy and other heathens' human learning?_
_Answ._ I have already proved the usefulness of common knowledge
called human learning, by twenty reasons in my book called "The
Unreasonableness of Infidelity," part ii. sect. 23. p. 163, to which I
refer the reader; and only say now, 1. Grace presupposeth nature; we
are men in order of nature at least before we are saints, and reason
is before supernatural revelation. 2. Common knowledge therefore is
subservient unto faith: we must know the Creator and his works; and
the Redeemer restoreth us to the due knowledge of the Creator: human
learning in the sense in question is also divine, God is the author of
the light of nature, as well as of grace. We have more than heathens,
but must not therefore have less, and cast away the good that is
common to them and us; else we must not have souls, bodies, reason,
health, time, meat, drink, clothes, &c. because heathens have them.
God's works are honourable, sought out of all them that have pleasure
therein; and physical philosophy is nothing but the knowledge of God's
works. 3. And the knowledge of languages is necessary both for human
converse, and for the understanding the Scriptures themselves. The
Scriptures contain not a Greek and Hebrew grammar to understand the
languages in which they are written, but suppose us otherwise taught
those tongues that we may interpret them. 4. The use of the gospel is
not to teach us all things needful to be known; but to teach us, on
supposition of our common knowledge, how to advance higher to
supernatural saving knowledge, faith, love, and practice. Scripture
telleth us not how to build a house, to plough, sow, weave, or make
our works of art. Every one that learneth his country tongue of his
parents hath human learning of the same sort with the learning of
Greek and Hebrew; he that learneth not to read, cannot read the Bible.
And he that understandeth it not in the original tongues, must trust
other men's words that have human learning, or else remain a stranger
to it.[425]
But though none but proud fools will deny the need of that human
learning which improveth nature, and is subservient to our knowledge
of supernatural revelations, yet well doth Paul admonish us, to take
heed that none deceive us by vain philosophy; and saith that the
wisdom of the world is foolishness with God, and that the knowledge of
Christ crucified is the true christian philosophy or wisdom. For
indeed the dark philosophers groping after the knowledge of God, did
frequently stumble, and did introduce abundance of logical and
physical vanities, uncertainties, and falsities, under the name of
philosophy, by mere niceties and high pretendings, seeking for the
glory of wisdom to themselves; whenas it is one thing to know God's
works and God in them, and another thing to compose a system of
physics and metaphysics containing abundance of errors and confusion,
and jumbling a few certainties with a great many uncertainties and
untruths, and every sect pulling down what others asserted, and all of
them disproving the methods and assertions of others, and none proving
their own. And the truth is, after all latter discoveries, there is
yet so much error, darkness, uncertainty, and confusion in the
philosophy of every pretending sect, (the Peripatetics, the Stoics,
the Pythagoreans and Platonists, much more the Epicureans, the
Lullianists, and Cartesians, Telesius, Campanella, Patricius,
Gassendus, &c.) that it is a wonder that any that ever thoroughly
tried them, can be so weak as to glory much of the certainties and
methods of any, which hitherto are so palpably uncertain, and full of
certain errors. We may therefore make use of all true human learning,
real and organical (and he is the happy scholar who fasteneth upon the
certain and the useful parts well distinguished from the rest, and
truly useth them to their great and proper ends): but niceties and
fooleries which some spend their lives in for mere ostentation, and
also uncertain presumptions, should be much neglected; and the great,
certain, necessary, saving verities of morality and the gospel must be
dearly loved, and thankfully embraced, and studiously learned, and
faithfully practised, by all that would prove wise men at last.[426]
[425] Prov. ii.-vi; Psal. xcii. 5, 6; civ. 24, 25; cxiii. 5, 6; cvii.
8, 15, 21; lxvi. 3, 4; cxi. 2-6; cxlv. 7-11, 17-19; Acts ii. 6-9; xxi.
40; xxiv. 2; 1 Cor. xiv. 2, 4, 9, 13, 14, 19, 26, 27; Rev. ix. 11;
xiv. 16; v. 9; Psal. xix. 1-3; xciv. 10; cxxxix. 6; Prov. ii. 1-4,
8-10, 12; 1 Cor. xv. 34; Prov. xix. 2; Job xxxii. 8; xxxviii. 36. Yet
I refer the reader to my "Treatise of Knowledge," which showeth the
vanity of pretended learning.
[426] Col. ii. 8, 9, 23; 1 Cor. ii. 1, 4-6, 13; iii. 19; 2 Cor. i. 12;
Job xxviii. 28; Prov. i 7; ix. 10; John xvii. 3; Gal. iv. 9; Eph. iii.
10; 1 John ii. 13, 14; Col. i. 9, 27, 28; Eph. vi. 19; 1 Cor. ii. 11;
Col. iii. 16; Acts xvii. 18, 19, &c. Eph. iv. 18, 19; Hos. iv. 8; vi.
6; Psal. cxix. 99; 2 Pet. iii. 18; i. 3, 5, 8; Col. ii. 3; iii. 10;
Phil. iii. 8; Eph. iii. 19; i. 17; Rom. i. 20-22; Eccl. i. 16-18; 1
Cor. viii. 1, 11; xiii. 2, 3, 8, 9; Rom. ii. 20; James iii. 13, 14,
17; Jer. iv. 22; 1 Cor. viii. 2.
Quest. CLIX. _If we think that Scripture and the law of nature do in
any point contradict each other, which may be the standard by which
the other must be tried?_
_Answ._ 1. It is certain that they never do contradict each other. 2.
The law of nature is either that which is very clear by natural
evidence, or that which is dark, (as degrees of consanguinity unfit
for marriage,[427] the evil of officious lies, &c.) 3. The Scriptures
also have their plain and their obscurer parts. 4. A dark scripture is
not to be expounded contrary to a plain, natural verity. 5. A dark and
doubtful point in nature is not to be expounded contrary to a plain
and certain scripture. 6. To suppose that there be an apparent
contradiction in cases of equal clearness or doubtfulness, is a case
not to be supposed; but he that should have such a dream, must do as
he would do if he thought two texts to be contradictory, that is, he
must better study both till he see his error; still remembering that
natural evidence hath this advantage, that it is, 1. First in order;
2. And most common and received by all; but supernatural evidence hath
this advantage, that it is for the most part the more clear and
satisfactory.[428]
[427] 1 Cor. v. 1, 2.
[428] 1 John i. 1-3; Heb. ii. 3, 4.
Quest. CLX. _May we not look that God should yet give us more
revelations of his will, than there are already made in Scripture?_
_Answ._ You must distinguish between, 1. New laws or covenants to
mankind, and new predictions or informations of a particular person.
2. Between what may possibly be, and what we may expect as certain or
probable. And so I conclude,
1. That it is certain that God will make no other covenant, testament,
or universal law, for the government of mankind or the church, as a
rule of duty and of judgment. Because he hath oft told us, that this
covenant and law is perfect, and shall be in force as our rule till
the end of the world.[429]
_Object._ So it was said of the law of Moses, that it was to stand for
ever, yea, of many ceremonies in it.
_Answ._ 1. It is in the original only, for ages and ages; or to
generations and generations, which we translate for ever, when it
signifieth but to many generations. 2. It is no where said, of Moses's
law as such, that it should continue either till the end of the world,
or till the day of judgment, as it is said of the gospel. And, 3. It
is not said that he will add no more to the former testament, but
contrarily, that he will make a new covenant with them, &c. But here
in the gospel he peremptorily resolveth against all innovations and
additions.[430]
2. It is certain that God will make no new scripture or inspired word
as an infallible, universal rule for the exposition of the word
already written. For, 1. This were an addition which he hath
disclaimed; and, 2. It would imply such an insufficiency in the gospel
to its ends (as being not intelligible) as is contrary to its asserted
perfection; and, 3. It would be contrary to that established way for
the understanding of the Scripture, which God hath already settled and
appointed for us till the end.[431]
3. It is certain that God will give all his servants in their several
measures, the help and illumination of his Spirit, for the
understanding and applying of the gospel.
4. It is possible that God may make new revelations to particular
persons about their particular duties, events, or matters of fact, in
subordination to the Scripture, either by inspiration, vision, or
apparition, or voice; for he hath not told us that he will never do
such a thing. As to tell them, what shall befall them or others; or to
say, Go to such a place, or, Dwell in such a place, or, Do such a
thing, which is not contrary to the Scripture, nor co-ordinate, but
only a subordinate determination of some undetermined case, or the
circumstantiating of an action.
5. Though such revelation and prophecy be possible, there is no
certainty of it in general, nor any probability of it to any one
individual person, much less a promise. And therefore to expect it, or
pray for it, is but a presumptuous tempting of God.[432]
6. And all sober christians should be the more cautelous of being
deceived by their own imaginations, because certain experience telleth
us, that most in our age that have pretended to prophecy, or to
inspirations, or revelations, have been melancholy, cracked-brained
persons, near to madness, who have proved to be deluded in the end;
and that such crazed persons are still prone to such imaginations.
7. Therefore also all sober christians must take heed of rash
believing every prophet or pretended spirit, lest they be led away
from the sacred rule, and before they are aware, be lost in vain
expectations and conceits.
[429] Gal. i. 7-9; Matt. xxviii. 20; 2 Thess. i. 10,11; Mark xvi. 15,
16.
[430] Rev. xiv. 6; xxii. 18, 19; Heb. vii. 28, 29; 1 Tim. i. 16; Rom.
vi. 22; John v. 22, 24; vi. 27, 40, 47; xii. 50; Heb. i. 7-9.
[431] Eph. i. 18, 19.
[432] Micah ii. 11; 1 Kings xxii. 21, 22; 1 John iv. 1, 2; 2 Thess.
ii. 2.
Quest. CLXI. _Is not a third rule of the Holy Ghost, or perfecter
kingdom of love, to be expected, as different from the reign of the
Creator and Redeemer?_
_Answ._ 1. The works _ad extra_ and the reign of the Father, Word,
and Spirit are undivided. But yet some things are more eminently
attributed to one person in the Trinity, and some to another.[433]
2. By the law and covenant of innocency, the Creator eminently ruled
omnipotently. And the Son ruled eminently sapientially, initially
under the covenant of promise or grace from Adam till his incarnation
and the descent of the Holy Ghost, and more fully and perfectly
afterward by the Holy Ghost. And the Holy Ghost ever since doth rule
in the saints as the Paraclete, Advocate, or Agent of Christ, and
Christ by him, eminently by holy love; which is yet but initially: but
the same Holy Ghost by perfect love shall perfectly rule in glory for
ever; even as the Spirit of the Father and the Son. We have already
the initial kingdom of love by the Spirit, and shall have the perfect
kingdom in heaven; and besides the initial and the perfect there is no
other. Nor is the perfect kingdom to be expected before the day of
judgment, or our removal unto heaven; for our kingdom is not of this
world. And they that sell all and follow Christ, do make the exchange
for a reward in heaven; and they that suffer persecution for his sake,
must rejoice because their reward in heaven is great: and they that
relieve a prophet or righteous man for the sake of Christ, and that
lose any thing for him, shall have indeed a hundredfold (in value) in
this life, but in the world to come eternal life. We shall be taken up
in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be
with the Lord: and those are the words with which we must comfort one
another, and not Jewishly with the hopes of an earthly kingdom. And
yet "we look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth
righteousness, according to his promise." But who shall be the
inhabitants, and how that heaven and earth shall differ, and what we
shall then have to do with earth, whether to be overseers of that
righteous earth (and so to judge or rule the world) as the angels are
now over us in this world, are things which yet I understand not.[434]
[433] John v. 21, 25; Prov. i. 20, 21.
[434] Matt. v. 11, 12; Luke xviii. 22, 23; Matt. x. 41, 42; Luke vi.
23; xvi. 20; 1 Cor. xii. 2, 3; v. 1, 3, 8; Matt. xviii. 10; 1 Thess.
iv. 17, 18; Mark xii. 25; 2 Pet. iii. 11-13; 1 Pet. i. 4; Heb. x. 34;
xii. 13; Col. i. 5; Phil. iii. 20, 21.
Quest. CLXII. _May we not look for miracles hereafter?_
_Answ._ 1. The answer to quest. clx. may serve to this. 1. God may
work miracles if he please, and hath not told us that he never
will.[435]
2. But he hath not promised us that he will, and therefore we cannot
believe such a promise, nor expect them as a certain thing. Nor may
any pray for the gift of miracles.
3. But if there be any probability of them, it will be to those that
are converting infidel nations, when they may be partly of such use as
they were at first.
4. Yet it is certain, that God still sometimes worketh miracles; but
arbitrarily and rarely, which may not put any individual person in
expectation of them.
_Object._ Is not the promise the same to us as to the apostles and
primitive christians, if we could but believe as they did?
_Answ._ 1. The promise to be believed goeth before the faith that
believeth it, and not that faith before the promise.
2. The promise of the Holy Ghost was for perpetuity, to sanctify all
believers: but the promise of that special gift of miracles, was for a
time, because it was for a special use; that is, to be a standing
seal to the truth of the gospel, which all after-ages may be
convinced of in point of fact, and so may still have the use and
benefit of.[436] And Providence (ceasing miracles) thus expoundeth the
promise. And if miracles must be common to all persons and ages, they
would be as no miracles. And we have seen those that most confidently
believed they should work them, all fail.
But I have written so largely of this point in a set disputation in my
Treatise called "The Unreasonableness of Infidelity," fully proving
those first miracles satisfactory and obligatory to all following
ages, that I must thither now refer the reader.
[435] Luke xxiii. 8.
[436] 1 Cor. xii. 28, 29; Heb. ii. 3, 4; John x. 41.
Quest. CLXIII. _Is the Scripture to be tried by the Spirit, or the
Spirit by the Scripture, and which of them is to be preferred?_
_Answ._ I put the question thus confusedly, for the sake of those that
use to do so, to show them how to get out of their own confusion. You
must distinguish, 1. Between the Spirit in itself considered, and the
Scripture in itself. 2. Between the several operations of the Spirit.
3. Between the several persons that have the Spirit. And so you must
conclude,
1. That the Spirit in itself is infinitely more excellent than the
Scripture. For the Spirit is God, and the Scripture is but the work of
God.
2. The operation of the Spirit in the apostles was more excellent than
the operation of the same Spirit now in us; as producing more
excellent effects, and more infallible.
3. Therefore the holy Scriptures which were the infallible dictates of
the Spirit in the apostles, are more perfect than any of our
apprehensions which come by the same Spirit (which we have not in so
great a measure).[437]
4. Therefore we must not try the Scriptures by our most spiritual
apprehensions, but our apprehensions by the Scriptures: that is, we
must prefer the Spirit's inspiring the apostles to indite the
Scriptures, before the Spirit's illuminating of us to understand them,
or before any present inspirations, the former being the more perfect;
because Christ gave the apostles the Spirit to deliver us infallibly
his own commands, and to indite a rule for following ages; but he
giveth us the Spirit but to understand and use that rule aright.[438]
5. This trying the Spirit by the Scriptures, is not a setting of the
Scripture above the Spirit itself; but is only a trying the Spirit by
the Spirit: that is, the Spirit's operations in ourselves and his
revelations to any pretenders now, by the Spirit's operations in the
apostles, and by their revelations recorded for our use. For they, and
not we, are called foundations of the church.[439]
[437] John iv. 1, 2, 6; John xviii. 37; viii. 47.
[438] Acts xvii. 11, 12; Matt. v. 18; Rom. xvi. 26; Matt. xxviii. 20;
Luke x. 16.
[439] Rev. ii. 2; Jude 17; 2 Pet. iii. 2; Eph. iv. 11, 12; 1 Cor. xii.
28, 29; Eph. ii. 20.
Quest. CLXIV. _How is a pretended prophet, or revelation, to be
tried?_
_Answ._ 1. If it be contrary to the Scripture it is to be rejected as
a deceit.[440]
2. If it be the same thing which is in the Scripture, we have it more
certainly revealed already; therefore the revelation can be nothing
but an assistance of the person's faith, or a call to obedience, or a
reproof of some sin; which every man is to believe according as there
is true evidence that indeed it is a divine revelation or vision;
which if it be not, the same thing is still sure to us in the
Scripture.
3. If it be something that is only besides the Scripture, (as about
events and facts, or prophecies of what will befall particular places
or persons,) we must first see whether the evidence of a divine
revelation be clear in it or not; and that is known, 1. To the person
himself, by the self-attesting and convincing power of a divine
revelation, which no man knoweth but he that hath it (and we must be
very cautelous lest we take false conceptions to be such). 2. But to
himself and others it is known, (1.) At present by clear, uncontrolled
miracles, which are God's attestation; which if men show, we are bound
(in this case) to believe them. (2.) For the future, by the event,
when things so plainly come to pass, as prove the prediction to be of
God. He therefore that giveth you not by certain miracles
uncontrolled, a just proof that he is sent of God, is to be heard with
a suspended belief; you must stay till the event show whether he say
true or not: and not act any thing in the mean time upon an unproved
presumption either of the truth or falsehood of his words.[441]
4. If you are in doubt whether that which he speaketh be contrary to
God's word or not, you must hear him with a proportionable suspicion,
and give no credit to him till you have tried whether it be so or not.
5. It is a dangerous snare and sin to believe any one's prophecies or
revelations merely because they are very holy persons, and do most
confidently aver or swear it. For they may be deceived themselves. As
also to take hysterical or melancholy delirations or conceptions for
the revelations of the Spirit of God, and so to father falsehood upon
God.
[440] Acts xvii. 11; 1 Cor. xv. 3, 4; John x. 35; xix. 24, 28, 36, 37.
[441] John iii. 2; xiii. 19; xiv. 20; Luke xxi. 7, 9, 28, 31, 36;
Matt. v. 18; xxiv. 34; xxi. 4.
Quest. CLXV. _May one be saved who believeth that the Scripture hath
any mistake or error, and believeth it not all?_
_Answ._ The chief part of the answer to this must be fetched from what
is said before about fundamentals. 1. No man can be saved who
believeth not that God is no liar, and that all his word is true;
because indeed he believeth not that there is a God.[442]
2. No man can be saved who believeth not the points that are essential
to true godliness; nor any man that heareth the word, who believeth
not all essential to christianity, or the christian covenant and
religion.
3. A man may be saved who believeth not some books of Scripture (as
Jude, 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Revelation) to be canonical, or the
word of God; so he heartily believe the rest, or the essentials.
4. He that thinketh that the prophets, sacred historians, evangelists,
and apostles, were guided to an infallible delivery and recording of
all the great, substantial, necessary points of the gospel, but not to
an infallibility in every by-expression, phrase, citation, or
circumstance, doth disadvantage his own faith as to all the rest; but
yet may be saved, if he believe the substance with a sound and
practical belief.[443]
[442] Rev. vi. 10; xix. 9, 11; xxi. 5; xxii. 6; 1 John ii. 8; v. 20; 2
Cor. i. 18; 1 Cor. xv. 1-3, &c.
[443] Mark xvi. 16; Rom. x. 12, 13; John iii. 16, 18; 1 John iv. 2, 3.
Quest. CLXVI. _Who be they that give too little to the Scripture, and
who too much; and what is the danger of each extreme?_
_Answ._ I. It is not easy to enumerate all the errors on either
extreme; but only to give some instances of each. 1. They give too
little to the Scripture who deny it to be indited by inspiration of
the infallible Spirit of God, and to be wholly true. 2. And they that
detract from some parts or books of it while they believe the rest. 3.
And they that think it is not given as a law of God, and as a rule of
faith and life. 4. And they that think it is not a universal law and
rule for all the world, but for some parts only (supposing the
predication of it). 5. And they that think it an imperfect law and
rule, which must be made up with the supplement of traditions or
revelations. 6. And they that think it was adapted only to the time it
was written in, and not to ours, as not foreseeing what would be. 7.
And they that think it is culpably defective in method. 8. And they
that think it culpably defective in phrase, aptness, or elegancy of
style. 9. And they that think that it containeth not all that was
necessary or fit for universal determination, of that kind of things
which it doth at all universally determine of; as e. g. that it made
two sacraments, but not all of that kind that are fit to be made, but
hath left men to invent and make more of the same nature and use. 10.
And those that think that it is fitted only to the learned, or only to
the unlearned, only to princes, or only to subjects, &c. 11. And those
that think that it is but for a time, and then by alteration to be
perfected, as Moses's law was. 12. And those that think that the pope,
princes, or prelates, or any men, may change or alter it.[444]
II. Those give too much (in bulk, but too little in virtue) to the
Scripture, 1. Who would set them up instead of the whole law and light
of nature, as excluding this as useless where the Scripture is.
2. And they that feign it to be instead of all grammars, logic,
philosophy, and all other arts and sciences, and to be a perfect,
particular rule for every ruler, lawyer, physician, mariner,
architect, husbandman, and tradesman, to do his work by.
3. And they that feign it to be fully sufficient to all men to prove
its own authority and truth, without the subsidiary use of that church
history and tradition which telleth us the supposed matters of fact,
and must help us to know what books are canonical and what not; and
without historical evidence, that these are the true books which the
prophets and apostles wrote, and the miracles and providences which
have attested them.[445]
4. And those that think that it is sufficient for its own
promulgation, or the people's instruction, without the ministry of man
to preserve, deliver, translate, expound, and preach it to the people.
5. And those that think it sufficient to sanctify men, without the
concourse of the Spirit's illumination, vivification, and inward
operation to that end.[446]
6. And they that say that no man can be saved by the knowledge,
belief, love, and practice of all the substantial parts of
christianity brought to him by tradition, parents, or preachers, who
tell him nothing of the Scriptures, but deliver him the doctrines as
attested by miracles and the Spirit without any notice of the
book.[447]
7. And those that say that Scripture alone must be made use of as to
all the history of Scripture times, and that it is unlawful to make
use of any other historians (as Josephus and such others).
8. And they that say, no other books of divinity but Scripture are
useful, yea or lawful to be read of christians, or at least in the
church.
9. And they that say that the Scriptures are so divine, not only in
matter, but in method and style, as that there is nothing of human
(inculpable) imperfection or weakness in them.
10. And those that say that the logical method, and the phrase, is as
perfect as God was able to make them.
11. And they that say that all passages in Scripture, historically
related, are moral truths; and so make the devil's words to Eve, of
Job, to Christ, &c. to be all true.
12. And they that say that all passages in the Scripture were equally
obligatory to all other places and ages, as to those that first
received them, (as the kiss of peace, the veils of women, washing
feet, anointing the sick, deaconnesses, &c.)
13. And they that make Scripture so perfect a rule to our belief, that
nothing is to be taken for certain, that cometh to us any other way
(as natural knowledge, or historical).
14. And those that think men may not translate the Scripture, turn the
Psalms into metre, tune them, divide the Scripture into chapters and
verses, &c. as being derogatory alterations of the perfect word.
15. And those that think it so perfect a particular rule of all the
circumstances, modes, adjuncts, and external expressions of and in
God's worship, as that no such may be invented or added by man, that
is not there prescribed; as time, place, vesture, gesture, utensils,
methods, words, and many other things mentioned before.[448]
16. And those that Jewishly feign a multitude of unproved mysteries to
lie in the letters, order, numbers, and proper names in Scripture
(though I deny not that there is much mystery which we little
observe).
17. They that say that the Scripture is all so plain, that there are
no obscure or difficult passages in them, which men are in danger of
wresting to their own destruction.
18. And they that say that all in the Scripture is so necessary to
salvation, (even the darkest prophecies,) that they cannot be saved
that understand them not all; or at least endeavour not studiously and
particularly to understand them.[449]
19. And they that say that every book and text must of necessity to
salvation be believed to be canonical and true.
20. And those that say that God hath so preserved the Scripture, as
that there are no various readings and doubtful texts thereupon,[450]
and that no written or printed copies have been corrupted (when Dr.
Heylin tells us, that the king's printer printed the seventh
commandment, Thou shalt commit adultery). All these err in over-doing.
III. The dangers of the former detracting from the Scripture are
these: 1. It injureth the Spirit who is the author of the Scriptures.
2. It striketh at the foundation of our faith, by weakening the
records which are left us to believe; and imboldeneth men to sin, by
diminishing the authority of God's law; and weakeneth our hopes, by
weakening the promises. 3. It shaketh the universal government of
Christ, by shaking the authority or perfection of the laws by which he
governeth. 4. It maketh way for human usurpations, and traditions, as
supplements to the holy Scriptures; and leaveth men to contrive to
amend God's word and worship, and make co-ordinate laws and doctrines
of their own. 5. It hindereth the conviction and conversion of
sinners, and hardeneth them in unbelief, by questioning or weakening
the means that should convince and turn them. 6. It is a tempting men
to the cursed adding to God's word.
IV. The dangers of over-doing here are these: 1. It leadeth to
downright infidelity; for when men find that the Scripture is
imperfect or wanting in that which they fancy to be part of its
perfection, and to be really insufficient, e. g. to teach men physics,
logic, medicine, languages, &c. they will he apt to say, It is not of
God, because it hath not that which it pretends to have. 2. God is
made the author of defects and imperfections. 3. The Scripture is
exposed to the scorn and confutation of infidels. 4. Papists are
assisted in proving its imperfection. But I must stop, having spoke to
this point before in quest. 35, and partly quest. 30, 31, 33, more at
large.
[444] James iv. 12; Isa. xxxiii. 22; Rev. xxii. 18, 19; Matt. xxviii.
20; Isa. viii. 16, 20; Psal. xix. 7, 8; cxix. 130; Prov. xiv. 20, 22;
viii. 5; Deut. xii. 32.
[445] 1 John i. 1-3; 3 John 12; Heb. ii. 3, 4; John ii. 24; Eph. iv.
8-16.
[446] John vi. 63; Rom. viii. 9; 1 John iii. 24; John iii. 5, 6.
[447] Many Romish priests and others do so.
[448] 1 Cor. xiv. 26, 32, 40.
[449] Heb. v. 10-12.
[450] Of which see Lud. Capellus Crit. Sacr.
Quest. CLXVII. _How far do good men now preach and pray by the
Spirit?_
_Answ._ 1. Not by such inspiration of new matter from God as the
prophets and apostles had which indited the Scriptures.
2. Not so as to exclude the exercise of reason, memory, or diligence:
which must be as much and more than about any common things.
3. Not so as to exclude the use and need of Scripture, ministry,
sermons, books, conference, examples, use, or other means and helps.
But, 1. The Spirit indited that doctrine and Scripture which is our
rule for prayer and for preaching.
2. The Spirit's miracles and works in and by the apostles seal that
doctrine to us, and confirm our faith in it.[451]
3. The Spirit in our faithful pastors and teachers teacheth us by them
to pray and preach.[452]
4. The Spirit by illumination, quickening, and sanctification, giveth
us an habitual acquaintance with our sins, our wants, with the word of
precept and promise, with God, with Christ, with grace, with heaven.
And it giveth us a habit of holy love to God, and goodness and
thankfulness for mercy and faith in Christ, and the life to come, and
desires of perfection, and hatred of sin; and he that hath all these,
hath a constant habit of prayer in him; for prayer is nothing but the
expression with the tongue of these graces in the heart; so that the
Spirit of sanctification is thereby a Spirit of adoption and of
supplication. And he that hath freedom of utterance can speak that
which God's Spirit hath put into his very heart, and made him esteem
his greatest and nearest concernment, and the most necessary and
excellent thing in all the world. This is the Spirit's principal
help.[453]
5. The same Spirit doth incline our hearts to the diligent use of all
those means, by which his abilities may be increased; as to read, and
hear, and confer, and to use ourselves to prayer, and to meditation,
self-examination, &c.
6. The same Spirit helpeth us in the use of all these means, to profit
by them, and to make them all effectual on our hearts.
7. The same Spirit concurreth with means, habits, reason, and our own
endeavours, to help us in the very act of praying and preaching. 1.
By illuminating our minds to know what to desire and say. 2. By
actuating our wills to love, and holy desire, and other affections. 3.
By quickening and exciting us to a liveliness and fervency in all. And
so bringing our former habits into acts, the grace of prayer is the
heart and soul of gifts; and thus the Spirit teacheth us to pray.[454]
Yea, the same Spirit thus by common helps assisteth even bad men in
praying and preaching, giving them common habits and acts that are
short of special saving grace. Whereas men left to themselves without
God's Spirit, have none of all these forementioned helps. And so the
Spirit is said to intercede for us by exciting our unexpressible
groans; and to help our infirmities when we know not what to ask as we
ought.[455]
[451] Heb. ii. 3, 4; 1 Pet. i. 2, 22.
[452] 2 Thess. i. 13.
[453] John iii. 5, 6; Rom. viii. 8, 9, 15, 16, 26, 27; 2 Tim. i. 7;
Neh. ix. 20; Isa. xi. 2; Ezek. xxxvi. 26; xxxvii. 14; Gal. iv. 6;
Zech. xii. 10; Ezek. xviii. 31; xi. 19.
[454] Rom. vii. 6; John iv. 23, 24; vii. 38, 39; 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11;
vi. 11, 17; 2 Cor. iv. 13; Gal. v. 5, 16-18, 25; Eph. iii. 16; v. 9,
18; vi. 18; 1 Thess. v. 19.
[455] Rom. viii. 26.
Quest. CLXVIII. _Are not our own reasons, studies, memory, strivings,
books, forms, methods, and ministry, needless, yea, a hurtful
quenching or preventing of the Spirit, and setting up our own, instead
of the Spirit's operation?_
_Answ._ 1. Yes; if we do it in a conceit of the sufficiency of
ourselves,[456] our reason, memory, studies, books, forms, &c. without
the Spirit; or if we ascribe any thing to any of these which is proper
to Christ or to his Spirit. For such proud, self-sufficient despisers
of the Spirit, cannot reasonably expect his help. I doubt among men
counted learned and rational there are too many such,[457] that know
not man's insufficiency or corruption, nor the necessity and use of
that Holy Ghost into whose name they were baptized, and in whom they
take on them to believe. But think that all that pretend to the Spirit
are but fanatics and enthusiasts, and self-conceited people; when yet
the Spirit himself saith, Rom. viii. 9, "If any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his." And Gal. iv. 6, "Because
we are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our
hearts, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."
2. But if we give to reason, memory, study, books, methods, forms, &c.
but their proper place in subordination to Christ and to his Spirit,
they are so far from being quenchers of the Spirit, that they are
necessary in their places, and such means as we must use, if ever we
will expect the Spirit's help. For the Spirit is not given to a brute
to make him a man, or rational; nor to a proud despiser, or idle
neglecter of God's appointed means, to be instead of means; nor to be
a patron to the vice of pride or idleness, which he cometh chiefly to
destroy; but to bless men in their laborious use of the means which
God appointed him: read but Prov. i. 20, &c. ii. iii. v. vi. viii.,
and you will see that knowledge must be laboured for, and instruction
heard; and he that will lie idle till the Spirit move him, and will
not stir up himself to seek God, or strive to enter in at the strait
gate, nor give all diligence to make his calling and election
sure,[458] may find that the Spirit of sloth hath destroyed him, when
he thought the Spirit of Christ had been saving him. He that hath but
two articles in his creed, must make this the second: "For he that
cometh to God must believe that God is, and that he is the rewarder of
them that diligently seek him," Heb. xi. 6.
[456] John xv. 1, 3-5, 7.
[457] Even among them that in their ordination heard "Receive ye the
Holy Ghost," and "Over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers."
[458] Isa. lxxxiv. 7; Matt. vii. 13, 14; 2 Pet. i. 10.
Quest. CLXIX. _How doth the Holy Ghost set bishops over the churches?_
_Answ._ 1. By making the office itself, so far as the apostles had any
hand in it, Christ himself having made their office.[459]
2. The Holy Ghost in the electors and ordainers directeth them to
discern the fitness of the persons elected and ordained, and so to
call such as God approveth of, and calleth by the Holy Ghost in them.
Which was done, 1. By the extraordinary gift of discerning in the
apostles. 2. By the ordinary help of God's Spirit in the wise and
faithful electors and ordainers ever since.[460]
3. The Holy Ghost doth qualify them for the work, by due life, light,
and love, knowledge, willingness, and active ability, and so both
inclining them to it, and marking out the persons by his gifts, whom
he would have elected and ordained to it: which was done, 1. At first
by extraordinary gifts. 2. And ever since by ordinary. (1.) Special
and saving in some. (2.) Common, and only fitted to the church's
instruction, in others. So that whoever is not competently qualified,
is not called by the Holy Ghost: when Christ ascended, he gave "gifts
to men, some apostles, prophets, and evangelists, some pastors and
teachers, for the edifying of his body," &c. Eph. iv. 7-10.[461]
[459] Acts xx. 28.
[460] Acts i. 24; xiii. 2; xv. 28, &c.; xiv. 23.
[461] 1 Cor. xii. 12, 23, 28, 29.
Quest. CLXX. _Are temples, fonts, utensils, church lands, much more
the ministers, holy? And what reverence is due to them as holy?_
_Answ._ The question is either _de nomine_, whether it be fit to call
them holy; or _de re_, whether they have that which is called
holiness.
I. The word holy signifieth in God, essential, transcendent
perfection; and so it cometh not into our question. In creatures it
signifieth, 1. A divine nature in the rational creature, (angels and
men,) by which it is made like God, and disposed to him and his
service, by knowledge, love, and holy vivacity; which is commonly
called real saving holiness as distinct from mere relative. 2. It is
taken for the relation of any thing to God as his own peculiar
appropriated to him: so infinite is the distance between God and us,
that whatever is his in a special sense, or separated to his use, is
called holy; and that is, 1. Persons. 2. Things. 1. Persons are
either, (1.) In general devoted to his love and service. (2.) Or
specially devoted to him in some special office; which is, (1.)
Ecclesiastical. (2.) Economical. (3.) Political. Those devoted to this
general service are, (1.) Either heartily and sincerely so devoted,
(who are ever sanctified in the first real sense also). (2.) Or only
by word or outward profession. 2. Things devoted to God are, 1. Some
by his own immediate choice, designation, and command. 2. Or by
general directions to man to do it. And these are, 1. Some things more
nearly. 2. Some things more remotely separated to him. None of these
must be confounded; and so we must conclude,
1. All that shall be saved are really holy by a divine inclination and
nature, and actual exercise thereof; and relatively holy in a special
sense, as thus devoted and separated to God.
2. All the baptized and professors (not apostate) are relatively
holy, as verbally devoted and separated to God.
3. All that are ordained to the sacred ministry are relatively holy,
as devoted and separated to that office. And the well qualified are
also really holy, as their qualifications are either special or
common.
4. All that are duly called of God to the place of kings, and judges,
and rulers of families, are relatively sacred, as their offices and
they are of God and for him, and devoted to him.
5. Temples and other utensils designed by God himself, are holy, as
related to him by that designation.
6. Temples, utensils, lands, &c. devoted and lawfully separated by man,
for holy uses, are holy, as justly related to God by that lawful
separation. To say as some do, that They are indeed consecrated
and separated, but not holy, is to be ridiculously wise by
self-contradiction, and the masterly use of the word holy, contrary
to custom and themselves.
7. Ministers are more holy than temples, lands, or utensils, as being
nearlier related to holy things. And things separated by God himself
are more holy than those justly separated by man. And so of days.
8. Things remotely devoted to God, are holy in their distant place and
measure; as the meat, drink, house, lands, labours of every godly man,
who with himself devoteth all to God; but this being more distant, is
yet a remoter degree of holiness.[462]
[Sidenote: Uncovered in church and reverent gestures.]
II. Every thing should be reverenced according to the measure of its
holiness; and this expressed by such signs, gestures, actions, as are
fittest to honour God, to whom they are related; and so to be
uncovered in church, and use reverent carriage and gestures there,
doth tend to preserve due reverence to God and to his worship, 1 Cor.
xvi. 20.
[462] Mark vi. 20; Col. i. 22; Tit. i. 8; 1 Pet. i. 15, 16; iii. 5; 2
Pet. iii. 11; Exod. xxii. 31; 1 Cor. i. 1-3; vi. 9-11; Heb. xii. 14;
Tit. iii. 3, 5, 6; ii. 13, 14; 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9; Exod. xix. 6; Rom. i.
1, 2; 1 Cor. iii. 17; vii. 14; Zech. ii. 12; Hag. ii. 12; Luke i. 71,
72; Ezra viii. 28; ix. 2; Numb. xxxi. 6; vi. 8, 20; Lev. xvi. 4, 33;
Exod. xxix. 6, 33; Psal. lxxxix. 20; Numb. xxxv. 25; 2 Tim. iii. 15;
Isa. lviii. 13; Psal. xlii. 4; 2 Pet. i. 18, 21; Psal. lxxxvii. 1;
Numb. v. 17; Exod. iii. 5; 1 Sam. xxi. 5; Neh. viii. 9-11.
Quest. CLXXI. _What is sacrilege, and what not?_
_Answ._ I. Sacrilege is robbing God by the unjust alienation of holy
things. And it is measured according as things are diversified in
holiness; as,
1. The greatest sacrilege is a profane, unholy alienating a person to
the flesh and the world, from God, and his love, and his service, who
by baptism was devoted to him. And so all wicked christians are
grossly sacrilegious.
2. The next is alienating consecrated persons from the sacred work and
office, by deposing kings, or by unjust silencing or suspending true
ministers, or their casting off God's work themselves. This is far
greater sacrilege than alienating lands or utensils.
3. The next is the unjust alienating of temples, utensils, lands,
days, which were separated by God himself.[463]
4. And next such as were justly consecrated by man; as is aforesaid in
the degrees of holiness.
II. It is not sacrilege, 1. To cease from the ministry or other holy
service, when sickness, disability of body, or violence, utterly
disable us.
2. Nor to alienate temples, lands, goods, or utensils, when Providence
maketh it needful to the church's good: so the fire in London hath
caused a diminution of the number of churches: so some bishops of
old, sold the church plate to relieve the poor: and some princes have
sold some church lands to save the church and state in the necessities
of a lawful war.[464]
3. It is not sacrilege to alienate that which man devoted, but God
accepted not, nor owned as appropriate to him (which his prohibition
of such a dedication is a proof of). As if a man devote his wife to
chastity, or his son to the ministry, against their wills: or if a man
vow himself to the ministry that is unable and hath no call: or if so
much lands or goods be consecrated, as is superfluous, useless, and
injurious to the common welfare and the state. Alienation in these
cases is no sin.
[463] Rom. ii. 22; 2 Pet. ii. 20-22; Heb. vi. 6, 7; x. 26-29; 1 Thess.
ii. 15, 16; Lev. xix. 8; Heb. xii. 16; Acts v. 5, &c.; Ezek. xxii. 26;
xlii. 20; xliv. 23.
[464] Matt. xii. 5.
Quest. CLXXII. _Are all religious and private meetings, forbidden by
rulers, unlawful conventicles? Or are any such necessary?_
_Answ._ Though both such meetings and our prisons tell us how greatly
we now differ about this point, in the application of it to persons
and our present case, yet I know no difference in the doctrinal
resolution of it among most sober christians at all (which makes our
case strange).
For aught I know, we are agreed,
I. 1. That it is more to the honour of the church, and of religion,
and of God, and more to our safety and edification, to have God's
worship performed solemnly, publicly, and in great assemblies, than in
a corner, secretly, and with few.[465]
2. That it is a great mercy therefore where the rulers allow the
church such public worship.
3. That, _cæteris paribus_, all christians should prefer such public
worship before private; and no private meetings should be kept up,
which are opposite or prejudicial to such public meetings.
4. And therefore if such meetings (or any that are unnecessary to the
ends of the ministry, the service of God and good of souls) be
forbidden by lawful rulers, they must be forborne.
II. But we are also agreed, 1. That it is not the place but the
presence of the true pastors and people that make the church.[466]
2. That God may be acceptably worshipped in all places when it is our
duty.
3. That the ancient churches and christians in times of persecutions,
ordinarily met in secret against the ruler's will, and their meetings
were called conventicles (and slandered, which occasioned Pliny's
examination, and the right he did them).
4. That no minister must forsake and give over his work while there is
need, and he can do it.[467]
5. That where there are many thousands of ignorant and ungodly
persons, and the public ministers, either through their paucity,
(proportioned to the people,) or their disability, unwillingness, or
negligence, or all, are insufficient for all that public and private
ministerial work, which God hath appointed for the instruction,
persuasion, and salvation of such necessitous souls, there is need of
more ministerial help.[468]
6. That in cases of real (not counterfeit) necessity, they that are
hindered from exercising their ministerial office publicly, should do
it privately, if they have true ordination, and the call of the
people's necessity, desire, and of opportunity; so be it they do it in
that peaceable, orderly, and quiet manner, as may truly promote the
interest of religion, and detract not from the lawful public ministry
and work.
7. That they that are forbidden to worship God publicly, unless they
will commit some certain sin, are so prohibited as that they ought not
to do it on such terms.[469]
8. That the private meetings which are held on these forementioned
terms, in such cases of necessity, are not to be forsaken, though
prohibited; though still the honour of the magistrate is to be
preserved, and obedience given him in all lawful things. And such
meetings are not sinful nor dishonourable (to the assemblies); for as
Tertullian (and Dr. Heylin after him) saith, _Cum pii, cum boni
coeunt, non factio dicenda est, sed curia_: When pious and good people
meet, (especially as aforesaid,) it is not to be called a faction, but
a court. Thus far I think we all agree.
And that the church of England is really of this mind is certain; 1.
In that they did congregate in private themselves, in the time of
Cromwell's usurpation, towards the end when he began to restrain the
use of the Common-prayer. 2. In that they wrote for it: see Dr. Hide
"Of the Church," in the beginning. 3. Because both in the reign of
former princes, since the reformation, and to this day, many laborious
conforming ministers have still used to repeat their sermons in their
houses, where many of the people came to hear them. 4. Because the
liturgy alloweth private baptism, and restraineth not any number from
being present, nor the minister from instructing them in the use of
baptism (which is the sum of christianity). 5. Because the liturgy
commandeth the visitation of the sick, and alloweth the minister there
to pray and instruct the person according to his own ability, about
repentance, faith in Christ, and preparation for death and the life to
come, and forbiddeth not the friends and neighbours of the sick to be
present. 6. Because the liturgy and canons allow private communion
with the sick, lame, or aged that cannot come to the assembly; where
the nature of that holy work is to be opened, and the eucharistical
work to be performed; and some must be present, and the number not
limited. 7. And as these are express testimonies, that all private
meetings are not disallowed by the church of England, so there are
other instances of such natural necessity as they are not to be
supposed to be against. As, (1.) For a captain to pray, and read
Scripture or good books, and sing psalms with his soldiers, and with
mariners at sea, when they have no minister. (2.) There are many
thousands and hundred thousands in England, that some live so far from
the church, and some are so weak that they can seldom go, and some
churches have not room for a quarter of the parish; and none of the
thousands now meant can read, and so neither can help themselves, nor
have a minister that will do it; and thousands that when they have
heard a sermon cannot remember it, but lose it presently. If these
that cannot read or remember, nor teach their own families, nor go to
church, do take their families, many of them, to some one neighbour's
house where the sermon is repeated, or the Bible or liturgy read,
methinks the church should not be against it.
But it must be still remembered, that, 1. Rulers that are infidels,
papists, heretics, or persecutors, that restrain church meetings to
the injury of men's souls, must be distinguished from pious princes
that only restrain heretics and real schismatics for the church's
good. 2. And that times of heresy and schism may make private meetings
more dangerous than quiet times. And so even the Scottish church
forbad private meeting in the separatists' days of late. And when they
do more hurt than good, and are justly forbidden, no doubt, in that
case, it is a duty to obey and to forbear them, as is aforesaid.
[465] Psal. i. 2, 4, 5; xxii. 25; xxxv. 18; xl. 2, 10; Acts xxviii.
30, 31; Heb. x. 20; Acts xx. 7; i. 15; ii. 44; 1 Cor. xliv. 23.
[466] 1 Cor. xvi. 12; Rom. xvi. 5; Acts xii. 12; Col. iv. 15.
[467] Matt. xviii. 20; 1 Cor. ix. 16; 1 Thess. ii. 15, 16; Acts iv.
19. See Dr. Hammond in loc.
[468] 1 Tim. ii. 8; Acts viii. 4; 1 John iii. 17; 2 Tim. iv. 1-3; Heb.
x. 25.
[469] See much of this case handled before, quest. 109, 113.
Quest. CLXXIII. _What particular directions for order of studies, and
books, should be observed by young students?_
Because disorder is so great a disadvantage to young students, and
because many have importuned me to name them some few of the best
books, because they have no time to read, nor money to buy many, I
shall here answer these two demands.
1. The order of their studies is such as respecteth their whole lives,
or such as respecteth every day. It is the first which I now intend.
_Direct._ I. The knowledge of so much of theology as is necessary to
your own duty and salvation, is the first thing which you are to learn
(when you have learnt to speak). Children have souls to save; and
their reason is given them to use for their Creator's service and
their salvation. 1. They can never begin to learn that too soon which
they were made and redeemed to learn, and which their whole lives must
be employed in practising. 2. And that which absolute necessity
requireth, and without which there is no salvation. 3. And that which
must tell a man the only ultimate end which he must intend, in all the
moral actions of his life. For the right intention of our end is
antecedent to all right use of means; and till this be done, a man
hath not well begun to live, nor to use his reason; nor hath he any
other work for his reason, till this be first done. He liveth but in a
continual sin, that doth not make God and the public good, and his
salvation, his end. Therefore they that would not have children begin
with divinity, would have them serve the devil and the flesh. God must
be our first and last, and all.
Not that any exact or full body or method of divinity is to be learnt
so early. But, 1. The baptismal covenant must be well opened betimes,
and frequently urged upon their hearts. 2. Therefore the creed, the
Lord's prayer, and decalogue, must be opened to such betimes; that is,
they must be wisely catechised. 3. They must be taught the Scripture
history, especially Genesis and the gospel of Christ. 4. They must,
with the other scriptures, read the most plain and suitable books of
practical divines (after named). 5. They must be kept in the company
of suitable, wise, and exemplary christians, whose whole conversation
will help them to the sense and love of holiness; and must be kept
strictly from perverting, wicked company. 6. They must be frequently,
lovingly, familiarly, yet seriously, treated with about the state of
their own souls, and made to know their need of Christ and of his Holy
Spirit, of justification and renovation. 7. They must be trained up in
the practice of godliness, in prayer, pious speeches, and obedience to
God and man. 8. They must be kept under the most powerful and
profitable ministers of Christ that can be had. 9. They must be much
urged to the study of their own hearts; to know themselves; what it is
to be a man, to have reason, free-will, and an immortal soul: what it
is to be a child of lapsed Adam, and an unregenerate, unpardoned
sinner: what it is to be a redeemed, and a sanctified, justified
person, and an adopted heir of life eternal. And by close examination
to know which of these conditions is their own; to know what is their
daily duty; and what their danger, and what their temptations and
impediments, and how to escape.
For if once the soul be truly sanctified, then, 1. Their salvation is
much secured, and the main work of their lives is happily begun, and
they are ready to die safely whenever God shall call them hence. 2. It
will possess them with a right end, in all the studies and labours of
their lives; which is an unspeakable advantage, both for their
pleasing of God and profiting of themselves and others; without which
they will but profane God's name and word, and turn the ministry into
a worldly, fleshly life, and study and preach for riches, preferment,
or applause, and live as he, Luke xii. 18, 19, "Soul, take thy ease,
eat, drink, and be merry;" and they will make theology the way to
hell, and study and preach their own condemnation. 3. A holy heart
will be always under the greatest motives; and therefore will be
constantly and powerfully impelled (as well in secret as before
others) to diligence in studies and all good endeavours. 4. And it
will make all sweet and easy to them, as being a noble work, and
relishing of God's love, and the endless glory to which it tendeth. A
holy soul will all the year long be employed in sacred studies and
works, as a good stomach at a feast, with constant pleasure. And then
oh how happily will all go on! When a carnal person with a dull,
unwilling, weary mind, taketh now and then a little, when his carnal
interest itself doth prevail against his more slothful, sensual
inclinations; but he never followeth it with hearty affections, and
therefore seldom with good success. 4. And a holy soul will be a
continual treasury and fountain of holy matter, to pour out to others,
when they come to the sacred ministry; so that such a one can say more
from the feeling and experience of his soul, than another can in a
long time gather from his books. 5. And that which he saith will come
warm to the hearers, in a more lively, experimental manner, than usual
carnal preachers speak. 6. And it is liker to be attended by a greater
blessing from God. 7. And there are many controversies in the church,
which an experienced, holy person (_cæteris paribus_) hath great
advantage in, above all others, to know the right, and be preserved
from errors.
_Direct._ II. Let young men's time (till about eighteen, nineteen, or
twenty) be spent in the improvement of their memories, rather than in
studies that require much judgment. Therefore let them take that time
to get organical knowledge; such as are the Latin and Greek tongues
first and chiefly, and then the Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic;
with the exactest acquaintance with the true precepts of logic: and
let them learn some epitome of logic without book. In this time also
let them be much conversant in history, both civil, scholastical, (of
philosophers, orators, poets, &c.) and ecclesiastical. And then take
in as much of the mathematics as their more necessary studies will
allow them time for (still valuing knowledge according to the various
degrees of usefulness).
_Direct._ III. When you come to seek after more abstruse and real
wisdom, join together the study of physics and theology; and take not
your physics as separated from or independent on theology, but as the
study of God in his works, and of his works as leading to himself.
Otherwise you will be but like a scrivener or printer, who maketh his
letters well, but knoweth not what they signify.
_Direct._ IV. Unite all ὀντολογία, or knowledge of real entities,
into one science; both spirits and bodies; God being taken in as the
first and last, the original, director, and end of all: and study not
the doctrine of bodies alone, as separated from spirits; for it is
but an imaginary separation, and a delusion to men's minds. Or if you
will call them by the name of several sciences, be sure you so link
those severals together that the due dependence of bodies on spirits,
and of the passive natures on the active, may still be kept
discernible; and then they will be one while you call them divers.
_Direct._ V. When you study only to know what is true, you must begin
at the _primum cognoscibile_, and so rise _in ordine cognoscendi_; but
when you would come to see things in their proper order, by a more
perfect, satisfying knowledge, you must draw up a synthetical scheme,
_juxta ordinem essendi_, where God must be the first and last; the
first efficient Governor and End of all.
_Direct._ VI. Your first study of philosophy therefore should be, of
yourselves; to know a man. And the knowledge of man's soul is a part
so necessary, so near, so useful, that it should take up both the
first and largest room in all your physics, or knowledge of God's
works: labour therefore to be accurate in this.
_Direct._ VII. With the knowledge of yourselves join the knowledge of
the rest of the works of God; but according to the usefulness of each
part to your moral duty; and as all are related to God and you.
_Direct._ VIII. Be sure in all your progress that you keep a distinct
knowledge of things certain and things uncertain, searchable and
unsearchable, revealed and unrevealed; and lay the first as your
foundation, yea, rather keep the knowledge of them as your science of
physics by itself, and let no obscurity in the rest cause you to
question certain things; nor ever be so perverse as to try things
known, by things unknown, and to argue _a minus notis_. Lay no stress
on small or doubtful things.
_Direct._ IX. Metaphysics as now taken is a mixture of organical and
real knowledge; and part of it belongeth to logic, (the organical
part,) and the rest is theology, pneumatology, and the highest parts
of ontology, or real science.
_Direct._ X. In studying philosophy, 1. See that you neither neglect
any helps of those that have gone before you, under pretence of taking
nothing upon trust, and of studying the naked things themselves (for
if every man must begin all anew, as if he had been the first
philosopher, knowledge will make but small proficiency). 2. Nor yet
stick in the bare belief of any author whatsoever, but study all
things in their naked natures and proper evidences, though by the
helps that are afforded you by others. For it is not science, but
human belief, else, whoever you take it from.
_Direct._ XI. So certain are the numerous errors of philosophers, so
uncertain a multitude of their assertions, so various their sects, and
so easy it is for any to pull down much which the rest have built, and
so hard to set up any comely structure that others in like manner may
not cast down; that I cannot persuade you to fall in with any one sort
or sect, who yet have published their sentiments to the world. The
Platonists made very noble attempts in their inquiries after spiritual
being; but they run into many unproved fanaticisms, and into divers
errors, and want the desirable helps of true method. The wit of
Aristotle was wonderful for subtilty and solidity; his knowledge vast;
his method (oft) accurate; but many precarious, yea erroneous
conceptions and assertions, are so placed by him, as to have a
troubling and corrupting influence into all the rest. The Epicureans
or Democratists were still and justly the contempt of all the sober
sects; and our late Somatists that follow them, yea, and Gassendus,
and many that call themselves Cartesians, yea, Cartesius himself,
much more Berigardus, Regius, and Hobbes, do give so much more to mere
matter and motion, than is truly due, and know or say so much too
little of spirits, active natures, vital powers, which are the true
principles of motion, that they differ as much from true philosophers,
as a carcass or a clock from a living man. The stoics had noble
ethical principles, and they (and the Platonists with the cynics) were
of the best lives; but their writings are most lost, and little of
their physics fully known to us, and that also hath its errors.
Patricius is but a Platonist so taken with the nature of light, as
insisting on that in fanatical terms, to leave out a great deal more
that must he conjoined. Telesius doth the like by heat and cold,
heaven and earth, and among many observable things, hath much that is
unsound and of ill consequence. Campanella hath improved him, and hath
many hints of better principles (especially in his primalities) than
all the rest; but he fanatically runs them up into so many unproved
and vain, yea, and mistaken superstructures, as that no true body of
physics can be gathered out of all his works. The attempt that pious
Commenius hath made in his small manual hath much that is of worth;
but far short of accurateness. The Hermetical philosophers have no
true method of philosophy among them; and to make their three or five
principles to be so many elements, or simple bodies, constituting all
compounds, and form up a system of philosophy on their suppositions,
will be but a trifle, and not to satisfy judicious minds; especially
considering how defective their philosophy is made by their omissions.
Lullius and his followers fit not their method to the true order of
the matter. Scaliger, Scheggius, Wendeline, and Sennertus (especially
in his Hypomnemata) were great men, and have many excellent things;
but too much of Aristotle's goeth for current with them. My worthy,
learned, and truly pious friend Mr. Sam. Gott, in his new book on Gen.
i. hath many excellent notions, and much that is scarce elsewhere to
be met with; but the tedious paragraphs, the defect of method, and
several unproveable particulars, make it, like all human works,
imperfect.
Therefore if I must direct you according to my judgment, I must advise
you, 1. To suppose that philosophers are all still in very great
darkness, and there is much confusion, defectiveness, error, and
division, and uncertainty among them. 2. Therefore addict not
yourselves absolutely to any sect of them. 3. Let your first studies
of them all leave room for the changing of your judgment, and do not
too hastily fix on any of their sentiments as sure, till you have
heard what others say, and with ripened understandings have deeply and
long studied the things themselves. 4. Choose out so much of the
certainties and useful parts of physics as you can reach to, and make
them know their places in subserviency to your holy principles and
ends; and rather be well content with so much, than to lose too much
time in a vain fatiguing of your brains for more.
I have made some attempt to draw out so much, especially _de mundo et
de homine_, in my "Methodus Theologiæ," though I expect it should no
more satisfy others, than any of theirs have satisfied me.
_Direct._ XII. When you have well stated your ontology or real
science, then review your logic and organical part of metaphysics; and
see that _verba rebus aptentur_; fetch then your words and organical
notions from the nature of the things. Abundance are confounded by
taking up logical notions first which are unsuitable to true physical
beings.
_Direct._ XIII. Somewhat of ethics may be well learned of
philosophers, but it is nothing to the Scripture's christian ethics.
_Direct._ XIV. Somewhat of artificial rhetoric and oratory should be
known; but the oratory which is most natural, from the evidence of
things, well managed by a good understanding and elocution, which hath
least of appearing art or affectation, is ever the most effectual, and
of best esteem.
_Direct._ XV. The doctrine of politics, especially of the nature of
government and laws in general, is of great use to all that will ever
understand the nature of God's government and laws, that is, of
religion. Though there be no necessity of knowing the government and
laws of the land or of other countries, any further than is necessary
to our obedience or outward concernments, yet so much of government
and laws as nature and Scripture make common to all particular forms
and countries, must be known by him that will understand morality or
divinity, or will ever study the laws of the land. And it is a
preposterous course, and the way of ignorance and error, for a divine
to study God's laws, and a lawyer man's laws, before either of them
know in general what a law or what government is, as nature notifieth
it to us.
_Direct._ XVI. When you come to divinity, I am not for their way that
would have you begin with the fathers, and thence form a body of
divinity to yourselves: if every young student must be put on such a
task, we may have many religions quickly, but shall certainly have
much ignorance and error. We must not be so blind or unthankful to God
as to deny that later times have brought forth abundance of
theological writings, incomparably more methodical, judicious, full,
clear, and excellently fitted also by application, to the good of
souls, than any that are known to us since the writing of the sacred
Scriptures. Reverence of antiquity hath its proper place and use, but
is not to make men fools, non-proficients, or contemners of God's
greater mercies.
My advice therefore is, that you begin with a conjunction of English
catechisms, and the confessions of all the churches, and the practical
holy writings of our English divines; and that you never separate
these asunder.[470] These practical books do commonly themselves
contain the principles, and do press them in so warm a working manner
as is likest to bring them to the heart; and till they are there, they
are not received according to their use, but kept as in the porch. Get
then six or seven of the most judicious catechisms, and compare them
well together, and compare all the confessions of the churches (where
you may be sure that they put those which they account the weightiest
and surest truths). And with them read daily the most spiritual
heart-moving treatises, of regeneration, and our covenant with God in
Christ, of repentance, faith, love, obedience, hope, and of a heavenly
mind and life; as also of prayer and other particular duties, and of
temptations and particular sins.
And when you have gone through the catechisms, read over three or four
of the soundest systems of divinity. And after that proceed to some
larger theses, and then to the study of the clearest and exactest
methodists; and think not that you well understand divinity, till, 1.
You know it as methodized and jointed in a due scheme, and the several
parts of it in their several schemes, seeing you know not the beauty
or the true sense of things, if you know them not in their proper
places, where they stand in their several respects to other points:
and, 2. Till it be wrought into your very hearts, and digested into a
holy nature; for when all is done, it is only a holy and heavenly
life, that will prove you wise, and make you happy, and give you solid
peace and comfort.
_Direct._ XVII. When you have gone so far, set yourselves to read the
ancients: 1. And take them in order as they lived. 2. Observe most the
historical parts, what doctrines and practices _de facto_ did then
obtain. 3. Some must be read wholly, and some but in part. 4. Councils
and church history here have a chief place.
_Direct._ XVIII. With them read the best commentators on the
Scriptures, old and new.
_Direct._ XIX. And then set yourselves to the study of church
controversies (though those that the times make necessary must be
sooner looked into). Look first and most into those which your own
consciences and practice require your acquaintance with: and above all
here, read well those writings that confute atheists and infidels, and
most solidly prove the truth of the christian religion; and then those
that defend the greatest points. And think not much to bestow some
time and labour in reading some of the old school divines.
_Direct._ XX. When you come to form up your belief of certainties in
religion, take in nothing as sure and necessary, which the ancient
churches did not receive. Many other things may be taken for truths;
and in perspicuity and method the late times much excel them; but
christian religion is still the same thing, and therefore we must have
no other religion in the great and necessary parts than they had.
_Direct._ XXI. Still remember, that men's various capacities do
occasion a great variety of duties. Some men have clear and strong
understandings by nature; these should study things as much as books;
for possibly they may excel and correct their authors. Some are
naturally of duller or less judicious heads, that with no study of
things can reach half so high, as they may do by studying the writings
of those who are wiser than ever they are like to be. These must take
more on trust from their authors, and confess their weakness.
_Direct._ XXII. After or with all controversies, be well versed in the
writings of those reconcilers who pretend to narrow or end the
differences. For usually they are such as know more than the
contenders.
I proceed now to give you some names of books.
[470] I mention not your reading the Scripture, as supposing it must
be your constant work.
Quest. CLXXIV. _What books, especially of theology, should one choose,
who for want of money or time can read but few?_
_Answ. General._ The truth is, 1. It is not the reading of many books
which is necessary to make a man wise or good; but the well reading of
a few, could he be sure to have the best. 2. And it is not possible to
read over very many on the same subjects, without a great deal of loss
of precious time; 3. And yet the reading of as many as is possible
tendeth much to the increase of knowledge, and were the best way, if
greater matters were not that way unavoidably to be omitted: life
therefore being short, and work great, and knowledge being for love
and practice, and no man having leisure to learn all things, a wise
man must be sure to lay hold on that which is most useful and
necessary. 4. But some considerable acquaintance with many books is
now become by accident necessary to a divine. 1. Because unhappily a
young student knoweth not which are the best, till he hath tried them;
and when he should take another man's word, he knoweth not whose word
it is that he should take: for among grave men, accounted great
scholars, it is few that are truly judicious and wise, and he that is
not wise himself cannot know who else are so indeed: and every man
will commend the authors that are of his own opinion. And if I commend
you to some authors above others, what do I but commend my own
judgment to you, even as if I commended my own books, and persuaded
you to read them; when another man of a different judgment will
commend to you books of a different sort? And how knoweth a raw
student which of us is in the right? 2. Because no man is so full and
perfect as to say all that is said by all others; but though one man
excel in one or many respects, another may excel him in some
particulars, and say that which he omitteth, or mistaketh in. 3. But
especially because many errors and adversaries have made many books
necessary to some, for to know what they say, and to know how to
confute them, especially the papists, whose way is upon pretence of
antiquity and universality, to carry every controversy into a wood of
church history, and ancient writers, that there you may first be lost,
and then they may have the finding of you: and if you cannot answer
every corrupted or abused citation of theirs out of councils and
fathers, they triumph as if they had justified their church tyranny.
4. And the very subjects that are to be understood are numerous, and
few men write of all. 5. And on the same subject men have several
modes of writing; as one excelleth in accurate method, and another in
clear, convincing argumentation, and another in an affectionate,
taking style: and the same book that doth one, cannot well do the
other, because the same style will not do it.
_Object._ But the ancient fathers used not so many books as we do, no,
not one for our hundreds: and yet we honour them above the Neoterics:
they lived before these libraries had a being. Yea, they exhort
divines to be learned in the holy Scriptures, and the fourth council
of Carthage forbad the reading of the heathens' books: and many
heretics are accused by the fathers and historians, as being studied
in logic, and curious in common sciences; and Paul saith, that the
Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation.
_Answ._ 1. And yet the New Testament was written (or most of it) after
the Scriptures which Paul is commonly supposed to mean, and some of
it, after he said so, which showeth that he meant not to exclude more
writing.
2. The Scriptures are sufficient for their proper use, which is to be
a law of faith and life, if they be understood. But, 1. They are not
sufficient for that which they were never intended for: 2. And we may
by other books be greatly helped in understanding them.
3. If other books were not needful, teachers were not needful; for
writing is but the most advantageous way of teaching by fixed
characters, which fly not from our memory as transient words do. And
who is it that understandeth the Scriptures that never had a teacher?
And why said the eunuch, "How should I (understand what I read) unless
some man guide me?" Acts viii. 31. And why did Christ set teachers in
his church to the end, till it be perfected? Eph. iv. 11-13, if they
must not teach the church unto the end. Therefore they may write unto
the end.
4. Reverence to antiquity must not make us blind or unthankful.
Abundance of the fathers were unlearned men, and of far less knowledge
than ordinary divines have now; and the chief of them were far short
in knowledge of the chiefest that God of late hath given us. And how
should it be otherwise, when their helps were so much less than ours?
5. Knowledge hath abundantly increased since printing was invented;
therefore books have been a means to it.
6. The fathers then wrote voluminously; therefore they were not
against more writing.
7. Most of the bishops and councils that cried down common learning,
had little of it themselves, and therefore knew not how to judge of
it; no more than good men now that want it.
8. They lived among heathens that gloried so in their own learning, as
to oppose it to the word of God (as may be seen in Julian, and
Porphyry, and Celsus): therefore christians opposed it, and contemned
it; and were afraid while it was set in competition with the
Scriptures, lest it should draw men to infidelity, if overvalued.
9. And finally, the truth is, that the sacred Scriptures are now too
much undervalued, and philosophy much overvalued by many both as to
evidence and usefulness: and a few plain, certain truths which all our
catechisms contain, well pressed and practised, would make a better
church and christians, than is now to be found among us all. And I am
one that after all that I have written, do heartily wish that this
were the ordinary state of our churches. But yet by accident much more
is needful, as is proved: 1. For the fuller understanding of these
principles. 2. For the defending of them (especially by those that are
called to that work). 3. To keep a minister from that contempt which
may else frustrate his labours. 4. And to be ornamental and
subservient to the substantial truths.
And now I will answer the question more particularly in this order.
I. I will name you the poorest or smallest library that is tolerable.
II. The poorer (though not the poorest); where a competent addition is
made.
III. The poor man's library, which yet addeth somewhat to the former,
but cometh short of a rich and sumptuous library.
I. The poorest library is, 1. The Sacred Bible. 2. A Concordance
(Downame's the least, or Newman's the best). 3. A sound Commentary or
Annotations, either Diodates, the English Annotations, or the Dutch.
4. Some English catechisms, (the Assemblies' two, Mr. Gouge's, Mr.
Crook's Guide,) Amesius's Medulla Theologiæ, et Casus Conscientiæ,
(which are both in Latin and English,) and his Bellarminus Enervatus.
5. Some of the soundest English books which open the doctrine of
grace, justification, and free-will and duty; as Mr. Truman's Great
Propitiation, Mr. Bradshaw of Justification, Mr. Gibbon's Sermon of
Justification, in the morning exercises at St. Giles in the Fields,
Mr. Hotchkis of Forgiveness of Sin. 6. As many affectionate practical
English writers as you can get; especially Mr. Richard Allen's Works,
Mr. Gurnall's, Dr. Preston, Dr. Sibbs, Mr. Robert Bolton, Mr.
Whateley, Mr. Reyner, Mr. Scudder, Mr. T. Ford, Mr. Howe of
Blessedness, Mr. Swinnock, Mr. Gouge's, The Practice of Piety, The
Whole Duty of Man, Dr. Hammond's Practical Catechism, Dr. Pearson on
the Creed, Dr. Downame on the Lord's Prayer, Mr. Dod on the
Commandments, Bishop Andrews on the Commandments, Mr. Joseph
Brinsley's True Watch, Mr. Greenham's Works, Mr. Hildersham's Works,
Mr. Anthony Burgess's Works, Mr. Perkin's Works, Dr. Harris's Works,
Mr. Burrough's, Mr. Thomas Hooker, Mr. Pinke's Sermons, J. Downame's
Christian Warfare, Richard Rogers, John Rogers of Faith and Love, Dr.
Stoughton, Dr. Thomas Tailor, Mr. Elton, Mr. Daniel Dike, Jeremy Dike,
Mr. J. Ball of Faith, of the Covenant, &c., Culverwell of Faith, Mr.
Ranew, Mr. Teate, Mr. Shaw, Mr. Rawlet, Mr. Janeway, Mr. Vincent, Mr.
Doelittle, Mr. Samuel Ward's Sermons, Mr. W. Fenner, Mr. Rutherford's
Letters, Mr. Jos. Allein's Life and Letters, and Treatise of
Conversion, Mr. Samuel Clarke's Lives, and his Martyrology, The
Morning Exercises at St. Giles Cripplegate, and at St. Giles in the
Fields, Mr. Benjamin Baxter's Sermons, Mr. George Hopkin's Salvation
from Sin, Dr. Edward Reynolds, Mr. Meade's Works, Mr. Vine's Sermons,
Henry Smith, Samuel Smith, Thomas Smith, Mr. Strong, J. Simmonds; as
many of them as you can get. 7. And for all other learning,
Alstedius's Encyclopædia alone: supposing that you are past the
grammar school, and have necessary Lexicons, specially Martinius and
Leigh's Critica Sacra: if you can have more, get Bellarm. de Scriptor.
Eccles., Cook's Censura Patrum, Sculteti Medulla Patrum, Clem. Rom.,
Justin, Tertullian, and Cyprian; Helvici Chronolog., Hammond's and
Beza's Annotations, with Junius and Tremellius, Calvin on the New
Testament, Thaddæi Conciliationes, Alstedii Definit. et Distinct.,
Castanei Distinct., Ursini Catechis., Wendelini Theolog., Snecani
Method. Descriptio, Davenant's Works, and Camero's, Le Blanc's Theses,
Grotius de Satisfact., Caranza's Epitom. Concil., Usher's Annals, and
Answer to the Jesuit, and de Success. Eccles. Stat., Drelincourt's and
Poole's Manual, Corpus Confessionum.
II. When you can get more, the next rank must have all the former with
these additions following.
I. For lexicons: 1. For Latin, besides Goldman, or Holyoke, or rather
Hutton's Morellius, or Cowper, get Martinii Onomasticon: 2. For Greek,
Scapula, Pasor, Leigh, Simpson and Henricpetri Lexicon. 3. For Hebrew,
Buxtorf, Schindler, Leigh.
II. For logic: 1. Fasciculus Logicus, or Smith, Keckerman,
Burgersdicius. 2. Of the moderate Ramists, that take in both, Henry
Gutherleth.
III. For physics: 1. Magirus, Combachius, Burgersdicius, Wendeline,
and Sennertus. 2. Commenius. 3. Mr. Gott. 4. Lord Bacon and Mr. Boyle.
IV. More particularly, De Anima: Tolet, Melancthon, with Vives and
Amerbachius, (they are printed together in one book,) Sennerti
Hypomnemata, Scaliger's Exercitationes.
V. De Corpore Humano: Galen, Fernelius, Bartholine, Harvy de
Generatione Animalium.
VI. De Motu: Mousnerius, Dr Wallis.
VII. Of astronomy: Gassendus, Riolanus.
VIII. Of geography: Cluverius, or Abbot, Ortelius, Mercator, Heylin,
the globe or map Geog. Nubiens.
IX. Of mathematics in general: Euclid, Barrow, Rami Schol. cum
Prolegom., Snellii, Bettinus, Herigone.
X. Arithmetic in particular: Record, Wingate, &c.
XI. Geometry: Ramus cum comment. Snellii, and Schoneri, Metii, Dr.
Wallis, &c.
XII. Music: Thos. Morley, Simpson.
XIII. Of chronology and general history: Helvici Chronol., Usher's
Annals, Idea Histor. Univers., Bucholtzer, Calvisius, Functius, Jacob.
Capellus, Raleigh.
XIV. Particular history is endless: among so many I scarce know what
to say more, than read as many as you can; especially,
1. The Roman historians (which are joined together).
2. The Greek historians.
3. Diog. Laertius and Eunapius de vitis Philosoph.
4. Plutarch's Lives.
5. Of England, Matth. Paris, Hoveden, Camden, Speed, Rushworth's
Collections.
6. Of France, Thuanus, (who also taketh in most of the European
history of his time,) Commines, Serres.
7. Of Belgia, Grimston, and Grotius, and Strada.
8. Of Germany, the collections of Pistorius, Ruberus, and Freherus.
9. Of Italy, Guicciardine.
10. Knowles's Turkish History, and Leunclavius.
11. Of Abassia, Godignus, and Damianus a Goes.
12. Of Judea, George Sandys's Travels, and Brocardus.
13. Of Armenia and Tartary, Haitho Armenius, and the rest in the Novus
Orbis, especially Paulus Venetus there.
14. Of Africa and India, Leo Afer, and Ludovicus Romanus.
15. Of China, Siam, Japan, &c. Varenius, Maffæi Histor. Indica cum
Epist. Jesuit., Alvarez and Martinius.
16. Of Indostan, Terry.
17. Of Muscovy, Sigismundus.
18. Of Sweden, Olaus Magnus (but fabulous.)
19. Of Scotland, J. Major, Hector Boethius, Dempster.
20. Of antiquities: Rosinus Rom. Antiquit., Godwin, Selden de diis
Syris, &c., Ferrarii Lexicon.
XV. Of church history: Josephus, Eusebius, Ruffinus Tripartite, above
all Socrates and Sozomen, Orosius, Sulpitius Severus, Theodoret,
Victor Uticensis, Beda, Jacobus a Vitriaco, Nicephorus Callist.,
Platina and Massonius de vitis Pontif., Abbas Urspergensis, Sleidan,
Micrælius, Gentii Hist. Jud., Molani Martyrolog., Clarke's
Martyrolog., Hottinger, Illyrici Catalogus Testium Veritatis, or
Morney's Mystery of Iniquity, Perin and Morland's History of Piedmont
and the Waldenses, Histor. Persecut. Bohem., Sculteti Annales, et
Curriculum Vitæ suæ, Knox's and Spotswood's Hist. Scot., Regenvolscius
Hist. Eccl. Sclavon., Usher's Primordia Eccles. Brit., Parker's
Antiquitates Eccles. Brit., Melchior Adami Vitæ Theolog. Medicorum,
Juris-consult. et Philosoph. German., Fuller's Church History, Clark's
Lives, many particular lives, as Jewell's by Dr. Humphry, Mr. Joseph
Allein's, &c., Bolton's, &c. Also read the epistles of Melancthon,
Calvin, Beza, Saravia.
XVI. Of medicine, study no more than such as Horstius de Sanitate
Studiosorum Tuenda, or Follinus, or Graterolus, or an Herbal, except
you can go quite through with it; lest by half skill you kill yourself
or others: but take, 1. Sufficient exercise _ad sudorem (aliquando
largiorem, in habitu seroso vel pituitoso)_. 2. Temperance. 3. A
pleased and contented mind. 4. Warmth, and avoiding inward and outward
cold: 5. And experience for your best physic; and meddle with no more
without necessity, and the advice of a very able, experienced man,
XVII. Of politics, and civil law, and ethics, read Besoldus, Willius,
Danæus, Fragoso de Reg. Rep., Mr. Lawson's Theological Works,
Angelius, Dr. Zouch, Grotius de Jure Belli, Mynsynger's Institut.
Wesembecius, Calvin's Lexicon, Eustachius's Ethics and Pemble's.
XVIII. For methods of divinity, read Paræus's edition of Ursine,
Trelcatius, Amesii Medulla, Musculi Loci Communes, Dr. Tully, Georg.
Sohnius, Tzegedine's Tables, Calvin's Institutions, or Colonius's
abbreviation of him, Lawson's Theopolitica, Wollebius, Cluto's Idea
Theolog.
XIX. Theological disputations and treatises which I take to be
extraordinary clear and sound, escaping the extremes which many err
in, and opening the reconciling truth: Strangius, Le Blanc's Theses,
Mr. Truman's three books, Grotius de Satisfactione, Bradshaw of
Justification, Gibbon's Sermon of Justification, Hotchkis of
Forgiveness of Sin, all Davenant's Works, Camera's Works, Testardus de
Natura et Gratia, all Josue Placæus's Works, Theses Salmurienses,
Amyraldus, Johan. Bergius, Conrad. Bergius, Ludovic. Crocii Syntag.
Theolog. Synod. Dort, especially the British and Breme Divines in
suffrag., Jansenii Augustinus, all Augustine, Prosper and Fulgentius,
Musculi Loci Communes, Dalleus de Redemp., Wotton de Reconcil.,
Gataker, Woodbridge of Justification, Stillingfleet, Usher's Answer to
the Jesuit's Challenge, and his Notes de Redempt. Univers., W. Fenner,
Rob. Baronius de Peccato Mort. et Ven., Bishop Preston, Whateley,
Vossii Theses, Bullinger's Decades, Rob. Abbot.
XX. Commentators, (besides the forenamed Annotations,) Beza, and
Piscator, Junii et Tremellii Annot., Dr. Hammond, Grotius in Evang.,
Calvin, especially in Nov. Test., or Marlorate's Collection on Gen.
Psal. Isa. and N. Test., which containeth Calvin, with others, Mr.
Pool's Critics, Ainsworth, Mollerus, Willet, Paræus, Musculus, Lyra,
Estius, Jansenius, Chemnitius Harm., Mr. Cradock's Harm., Maldonate,
Lorinus, Dixon, Hutchinson, Drusius, Picherelli Opuscula.
XXI. Such as open some hard texts only, and reconcile seeming
contradictions, Thaddæus, Spanhemii Dubia Evangelica, Magrii
Conciliat., Sharpii Symphonia, Bertram, Brugensis, Alba, Walther,
Lydius, Gatakeri Cinnus et alia, Richardson, Camero's Myrothec., with
Lud. Capellus, Croyus, Broughton, Heinsius, Nic. Fuller's Miscellan.,
Gregory, Doughty's Analecta, Dieterici Antiq. Biblicæ, Caninii Disq.,
Suicerus, Boies, Mede's Works, Weemse, Bootii, Sculteti
Exercitationes.
XXII. Helps to understand the Scriptures: Broughton's Consent of
Scripture, Usher of the Septuagint, &c., Illirici Clavis Scripturæ,
the foresaid Treatises of Customs, all Bochartus, (Geograph. et de
Animalibus,) Brierwood's Inquiries, Buxtorf de Synag. Jud., Cunæus,
Sigonius and Steph. Menochius de Repub. Hebr., Sixt. Amama, Euseb.
Nirembergius de Antiq. Scripturæ, the Polyglot Bibles various
versions, Ravanellus.
XXIII. For defence of the christian faith against atheists and
infidels: Hier. Savonarola, Vander Meulin, Stillingfleet's Orig.
Sacræ., Grotius de Verit. Relig. Christ., Morney, Camero de Verbo Dei,
Micrelii Ethnophron. Lod. Vives, Ficinus cum notis Lud. Crocii, Dr.
Jackson's Truth of Scripture, Campanella's Atheismus Triumphatus,
Lessius, Waddesworth of the Immortality of the Soul, Sir Charles
Wolseley against Atheism, Aut Deus aut Nihil, besides abundance of the
fathers, John Goodwin of Scriptures.
XXIV. Cases of conscience, besides Amesius, Perkins, Dixon, Greg.
Sayrus's Clavis Regia, Azorius, Dr. Jer. Taylor's Ductor Dubitantium.
XXV. Councils: Lydius Caranza, Crab, Binnius, Spelman, Justellus,
Synod. Dordr.
XXVI. Canonists and helps to understand councils: The Decretals, or
Corpus Juris Canon., Zabarell, Panormitane, Navarrus, Albaspinæus,
Justellus, Blondel de Decret., Balsamon, Zonaras and Photius, Miræi
Notitia Episcopatuum, (but not trusty,) Chenu de Episcopatibus
Gallicis, Filesacus. Histor. Concil. Trident.
XXVII. Fathers: Clem. Rom., Usher's and Iz. Vossii Ignatius, Justin
Martyr, Irenæus, Clem. Alexand., Tertullian, Cyprian, Origen,
Athenagoras, Tatianus, Arnobius cum Minutio Fœlice, Lactantius,
Athanasius. These are not very voluminous: Optatus, Eusebii Præparatio
et Demonstratio Evangelica, as much of Hierom, Augustine, and
Chrysostom as you can; Hilarius Pictaviensis, Prosper, Fulgentius,
Vincent. Lirinensis, and (before them) Basil, Greg. Nazianzen, and
Greg. Nyssen., Epiphanius, Ambrose, Paulinus Nolanus, Cassianus,
Salvianus, Gennadius Massil., Gildas, Claudius Turonensis, Rabanus
Maurus, Bernard.
XXVIII. Helps to know and understand the fathers: Sculteti Medulla
Patrum, Cocu's Censura Patrum, Rivet's Critica Sacra, Dr. James, all
Bishop Usher's Works; (but above all, a manuscript of his now in the
hands of the archbishop of Canterbury;) Sixti Senensis Bibliotheca,
Possevinus, many of Erasmus's Prefaces and Notes, Dallæus de usu
Patrum, et de Pseudepigraphis Apostol. et de Cultu Latinorum, et in
Dionys. et in Ignatium, et pleraque illius, et D. Blondelli Opera,
Bellarminus de Scriptoribus Ecclesiast., Casaubonis Exercit., Vedelius
de Sapient. Veterum, Polydore Virgil de Invent. Rer. Albaspine, Vossii
Histor. Pelag. et de Symbolis, Pauli Erinarchi Trias Patrum, Photii
Biblioth., Rouse's Mella Patrum, De la Cerda, and many others' Notes.
XXIX. Later writers and schoolmen: Damasus, Anselmus Cantuar.,
Gulielmus Parisiensis, Guil. de Sancto Amore, Gerhardus Zutphaniensis,
(in Bibl. Patr.,) Thaulerus, Thomas a Kempis, Lombard, Aquinas,
Durandus, Scotus, Ockham, Greg. Ariminensis, Rada, Alvarez, Ruiz,
Suarez, Lud. a Dola, Ripalda, Buridane's Ethics, Meurisse Metaphys.,
Ferrii Scholast. Orthod. et Defens. Posewitz Theolog. Scholast. Dr.
Twisse, Strangius, Rob. Baronii Metaphys., Schiebleri Metaphys.,
Calovii Metaphys. Divin., Dr. Barlow's Metaphys. Exercitat., Dr.
More's Metaphysics.
XXX. Controversies (besides the forementioned against heathens and
infidels).
1. Protestants and papists: Bellarmine, Stapleton, Costerus, Becanus,
Holden, Brierley's Protest. Plea, Richworth's and White's Dialogues.
Against them: Amesii Bellarm. Enervatus, Dr. Challoner's Credo Eccles.
Cathol., Chamier, Sadeel, Chillingworth, Usher's Answer to the
Jesuit's Challenge, and de Success. Eccles., Illyrici Catalog. Testium
Veritatis, Du Plessis (Morney) de Eccles. and Mystery of Iniquity, Dr.
Field of the Church, Whitaker, Dr. John White's Way to the True
Church, and the Defence, Blondel de Ecclesia (Gallicé); all Dallæus's
Works; Albertinus de Transubst. cum Clodii Defens. Davenant de
Justitia et Determinationes, Rivet's Cathol. Orthod., Pet. Molinæi de
Novitate Papismi, (Englished,) Pet. Molinæus Junior's Answer to
Phalanax Anglicus, Chemnitii Exam. Concil. Trident., Rainold's
Conference with Hart, and de lib. Apocry. Pet. Cousins, Bishop of
Durham, of the Canon of Scripture, Drelincourt's Manual, Poole's
Nullity and Dial., Bishop Downame de Antichristo, Stillingfleet,
Tillotson, Voetius de Desper. Causa Papatus. Especially for the right
of kings against them; Will. Barclay, Grotius de Imperio Summar.
Potest., Bishop Bilson of Obedience, Bishop Carlton de Jurisdictione,
Bishop Robert Abbots, Goldastus de Monarchia, (a multitude of old
writers collected,) and Constitut. Imperial., M. Ant. de Dominus
Spalatensis de Republ. Eccl.; all Ludovicus Molinæus's Works.
2. About predestination, grace, free-will, the Jesuits, Lutherans, and
Arminians against the Dominicans, Jansenists, and Calvinists. On one
side, Molinæus, Fonseca, Pennottus propugnac. Libert. Petr. a Sancto
Joseph, Arminius, Episcopius, Covinus, Grevinchovius, Tilenus, Tilenus
junior.
On the other side; Alvarez, Jumel, Jansenius, Twisse, Synod. Dord.,
Molinæi Anatom. Armini., Amesius, Zanchius, &c. But the conciliators
are soundest.
3. Of Socinianism and Arianism. For them: historians, Philostorgius
and Sandius: disputers, Volkelius, Socinus, Lushington on the Hebr.
Against them: Jos. Placæus, Stegman, Botsaccus, Grotius de Satisfact.,
Zarnovecius, and Joh. Junius de Satisfact., Lawson on the Hebrews,
Beckman's Exercitations, Truman's Great Propitiation, Stillingfleet of
Satisfaction, Q. V. Crellius Refutatus, Essenius, Hoornbeck.
4. Of justification, enow are named before, XVIII. specially Le Blanc,
also Pemble, Bishop Downame, Warren.
5. The antinomian and libertine controversies: _pro_, Dr. Crisp,
Maccovius in quibusdam, Saltmarsh, Crandon, Paul Hobson, Den, Town,
Eaton.
_Contr._ Gataker, Ball of the Covenant, Anth. Burgess; all the writers
of justification before praised, XVIII.; Weld's History of
Antinomians.
6. About infant baptism: _cont._ Tombes, Blackwood, Fisher.
_Pro_, Church, Marshall, Whiston, Blake.
7. Of the Lord's day, or christian sabbath: _cont._ Ironside, Heylin,
Pocklington, Franc. White, Brierwood, Broad.
_Pro_, Dr. Young, Eaton, Cawdrey, and Palmar, Dr. Twisse, Hughes,
Sprint, Dr. Owen, Mr. George Abbot, Shephard.
8. Of diocesan prelacy: _cont._ Cartwright, Calderwood's Altare
Damascenum, Rob. Parker de Polit. Eccles., Beza, Gerson Bucer's
Dissert. de Gubern. Eccles., Baines Diocesan's Trial, Blondel de
Episc. et Presbyt., Salmasius, Smectymnuus.
_Pro_, Petavius, Saravia, George Downame, Bilson, Hooker, Whitgift,
Dr. Hammond.
9. Of the rest of English conformity, liturgy, and ceremonies: _pro_,
Dr. John Burgess, Whitgift, Hooker, Sprint's Necessity of Conformity
in Case of Deprivation, Paybody of Kneeling, Fulwood, Stileman, Durel,
The Friendly Debate, The Ecclesiastical Polity.
_Contr._ Cartwright, Parker of the Cross, Bradshaw's Twelve Arguments,
&c., Amesius against Morton, and his Fresh Suit against Burgess,
Nicols, the Savoy Prop.
Against the new additions, little is said yet, through the restraint
of the law, except by Mr. Daniel Cawdrey, and a Latin Apology, and Mr.
Crofton, and Dr. Collins of the Covenant, and some things thrust out
secretly, which contain but little of the true state of the case.
10. Of Erastianism: _pro_, Erastus, Coleman, Hussey, Lud. Molinæus,
(in appearance,) Selden de Synedriis.
_Cont._ Beza, Gillespie's Aaron's Rod, and Nihil Respondes, Hammond of
the Keys.
11. Of separation: _pro_, Johnson, Canne, Ainsworth; and for
semi-separation, (from liturgy and sacraments, but not from sermons,)
Robinson.
_Cont._ John Paget, Bradshaw, Gifford, Hildersham, Ball, Gataker,
Bernard, Rob. Abbot, (not the bishop,) William Allen's Retract. of
Separation.
12. Of independency: _pro_, Norton, (moderate,) Hooker, Allen and
Shephard, Burton, Apologet. Narrative, Reasons of the Dissenters in
the Assembly, Dr. Owen's Catechism, and of Schism.
_Cont._ J. Ball, Rutherford, the Assembly's Reply, the London
Ministers' Jus Divinum Presbyterii, Cawdrey against Dr. Owen, &c. Ben.
Camfield against Dr. Owen's Catechism.
XXXI. Conciliators. 1. Between discordant christians in general:
Jacobi Acontii Stratagemata Satanæ, Usher in Eph. iv. 3, old
Vincentius Lirinensis, Ruperti Meldenii Parænensis; a Socinian Veritas
Pacifica (and many such of theirs proposing ill terms.)
2. Between protestants and papists: Thuanus, Picherellus, Erasmus,
Wicelius, Cassander, Baldwin, Grotius, Davenport, alias Franc. a
Sancta Clara, M. A. de Dom. Spalatensis de Rep. Eccles., Guil. Forbes
Episcop. Edinburgens., Dr. Hammond, specially on Thess. and Rev.; but
Le Blanc judiciously only by right stating and narrowing
controversies. See Pet. Heylin of the Life of Archbishop Laud, Bishop
Bramhall.
3. Between all protestants, especially Lutherans, Arminians, and the
reformed churches: Duræus, Calixtus, Hall's Peacemaker, and Pax
Terris, Bishop Morton, Davenant, and Hall together, their Pacific.;
Amyraldus, Junius de Prædeterminatione and Irenic., Hottonus de
Tolerantia, Paræi Irenic., Scultetus in Tit., all the judicious
Treatises commended XVIII. And of papists about the like
controversies; Sarnanus, Suarez, Arriba, Jansenius, Gibieuf. Guil.
Camerarius, Scotus a Dola.
4. Of church government: Usher's Reduction, John Forbez Irenic.,
Stillingfleet's Irenic., Hall's Peacemaker and Modest Offer,
Burroughs's Cure of Heart Divisions, Matt. Newcomen's Reconcil. of
Presb. and Indep., The New England Synod's Prop, and the Defence,
Lloyd.
III. I have gone so far in this second rank, that I must add but a few
more for the third, lest I go above a poor man's library.
I. Add when you come to your lexicons, Morellius or Cowper, Beckman de
Orig. Verb., Phavorinus and Hesychius, and Dr. Castle's Oriental
Lexicon.
II. To logicians, Downame, Dietericus, Lublin, Smigletius, with
Aristotle, Claubergius.
III. To physics, Philoponus, Telesius, Le Grand, Cartesius, Regius,
Hereboord, Sckeggius, Gassendus, Patricius, K. Digby, White.
IV. De corpore humano: Crook's Anatomy, or Vesalius, Lower de Motu
Cordis, Harvey and Wallæus de Circulat. Sang., Willis's Works, Needham
de Form. Fœtus, Steno de Musculis, Sylvius, Horne, Bates and
Glisson, Anatom. Hepat. and de Rachitide, Wharton de Glandulis.
V. De anima: Claud. Mammertus, Nemesius, (in Bibl. Pat.,) Plato,
Plotinus, Fromondus, Cicero Tusc. Qu., H. More.
VI. Of metaphysics: Scheilbler, Suarez, Timpler, Burgersdicius,
Senguerdius, Jacchæus, Gorlæus, Ritschel, Camponella, Meurisse.
VII. Of chronology: Petavius, Usher's Chronol. and de Anno Maced.,
Isaacson's Chronol., Simpson's Chron., Beroaldus, Carion, Scaliger de
Emend. Tempor. on Euseb. &c., Dr. Drake; see Bellarmin. Index in
Script. Eccles.
VIII. History. The Roman and Greek are known. Of the church; Evagrius,
Gregor. Turonicus, Paulus Diaconus, Luitprandus, Frodoardus, Cedrenus,
Curopalates, Ingulphus, Otho Frisengens., Crantzius, Trithemius,
Camerarius, Spondani Epit. Baronii, Luc. Osiander's Epit. Magdeburg,
Fox's Martyrology, Ebinger's History of England, Ingulphus, Will.
Malmsbury, Matt. Westminster, Balæus, Hollingshed, Lord Herbert's Life
of Hen. VII., The Lives of Edw. VI., Q. Eliz. by Camden, K. James by
Wilson, K. Charles, Cromwell's Life, Pryn's History of Bishops'
Treasons, and of Canterbury's (Laud's) Doom, Heylin's Life of Laud,
The Troubles at Frankfort, The Cabala Letters. Of Ireland; Sir John
Temple, Dr. Jones of the Rebellion, the Earl of Orrery's Answ. to a
Petition. Of Scotland and other churches; Petræus's History. Also,
Mart. Crusii Turcogræcia; Kircher of the Coptics, Hornius,
Archotologia Gothofredi edit. 1649, Rovillii promptuarium Iconum,
Verheiden's Icones Theolog. Reformat. fol., Vossius de Historicis,
Bezæ Icones, Hospinian's Histor. Sacrament. et de Orig. Templorum,
Vossii Hist. Pelag., Gutherleth's Hist., Paræus, Lætus, Pezelius: but
there is no end.
IX. Medicine. Herbals; Matthiolus, Johnson, Gerrard, Parkinson,
Langham, Monardus. Dispensatories; London Physicians', Schroderus.
Anatomists beforenamed, and Knoblochius. Practitioners; Hippocrates,
Galen, Celsus, Fernelius, Montani Consilia, Crato in Scholtzii, ep. et
Consil., Platerus, Forestus, Skenkii Observ., Hollerius, Sennertus,
Rondeletius, Horstius, Frambassarius, Scoltzii Aphoris., Solenander,
Epiphan. Ferdinandus, Dodonæi Praxis, Morellius, Schonbornii Manual,
Dorncrellius, Conringius de Ferment., Fienus, Gordonius; especially
Riverius, Prevotius, et si vacat, Zacutus Lusitan., Hartman,
Quercetane, Crollius, Valentine, Helmont. For surgery; Fabricius
Hildanus, Trigaltius, Forestus, Paræus.
But the chief treatises of medicine are those that treat of particular
diseases or kinds; as Carolus Piso de Morbis Serosis, Eugalenus,
Martinius, Sennertus, &c. de Scorbuto, Dr. Sidenham de Febribus, Dr.
Glisson de Rachitide, Willis de Fermentatione et de Febribus,
Cattierus de Rheumatismo, Marcuccius, &c. de Melancholia, Schmuzen,
&c. de Calculo, Capellutus de Bubon., Guarencier's de Tabe Anglica. It
is too long to name all.
So Rudius de Pulsibus, Forestus de Insert. Urin. judic. Sanctorius et
Opicius de Med. Statica, Deodatus de Diætetic., Bacon de Vita Longa,
Venner, Brunfelsis.
X. To politics add, Tholosanus, Althusius, Arnisæus, Bodin de Rep.
White.
To ethics, Buridane, More, Wendeline, Danæus, Gataker's Antonine,
Seneca, Plutarch's Morals.
XI. Systems of theology: Synopsis Leidensium, Lud. Crosius, Polanus,
Bucanus, Dudley Fenner, Wendeline, Pet. Martyr's Loci Com., Theses
Sedanenses, Ant. Fayus, Melancthon, Gomarus, Pezelius, Catechismus
Romanus, Corpus Confessionum, Altingius, Spanhemii Disput. Snecanus.
XII. Choice treatises: Parker de Descensu ad Inferos, Garbut of the
Resurrection of Christ, Bullinger de Orig. Errorum, Martinius de
Symbol. et alia., Olevian de Fœdere, Sanderson de Juram., Pemble's
Works, all Mede's Works, Rivet's Select Disputations, Zanchii Opera,
Dr. Field, all Dallæus, and Blondel, Turretine de Satisfactione.
XIII. Commentators: Davenant in Colos., Martyr in Rom. and Cor.,
Pelargus in Matt., Fayus, Scultetus, Crocius in Eph., Luther in
Galat., Sclater in Thess., Cartwright and Fulke on the Rhemists'
Notes, Arth. Jackson's Annot., Erasmus's Paraphrase, Illyricus,
Lightfoot, Tessanus, Melancthon, Rollocke, Manton on James and Jude,
Amesius on Pet., Lud. de Dieu on the Revel., Mede, Stephens, Napier,
K. James, Brightman; all these on the New Testament or part. And
papists; Tolet, (on Rom. &c.,) Ferus, Brugensis, Montanus, Pererius,
Corn. Mussus, Espencæus. On the Old Testament; Cajetan, Bonfrerius,
Pererius, Paul. Fagius, Mercennus, Rivet, Masius Serrarius, Sanctius,
Mercer, Amesius, in Psal., Amyraldus in Psal., Ford in Psal., Pemble,
Broughton, and Parker on Dan., Attersol on Numb. &c., King on Jonah.
If you would have more, see Bishop Wilkins's Eccles., and Voetii
Bibliot.
XIV. Subordinate helps for understanding and preaching. Concordances:
Heb. Buxtorf, Græc. Stephani, Tossani Index: Clark's Holy Oil,
Wilkins's Ecclesiastes and Gift of Prayer, Chappel and Zepper's Method
of Preaching, Oliv. Bowles, Alstedii Definit. et Distinct., Castanei
Dist. cum Reeb., Drusii Prov. and Adag. Heb., Delrius and Schottus,
Glassii Philol. Zehner, Capelli Critica Sacra, Gruteri vel Langii
Polyanth., Schotanus in Creat., Mountague's Apparat. et de Orig.
Eccl., Franzius de Sacrif., Wittichius de Stylo.
XV. Of christian religion; its defence, latitude, and the infidels and
heathens compared: Raymundus de Sabundis Theolog. Natur., Pacardus,
Aquinas cont. Gent. Pansa, Varenius de Relig. Indor., Brierwood's
Inquiries, Thom. a Sancto Jesu, and Acosta de Convers., Breganius de
Theol. Gentil., Vossius de Idolol., Vossius de Theol. Natura, Collius
de Animabus Paganorum, Eugubinus, Fotherby, Mersennus in Genesin.
XVI. Cases of conscience more: Filliucius, Tolet de Sacerdot.,
Reginald, Cajetan, Navarrus. See Montaltus against the Jesuits'
casuists, and the Jesuits' morals, Downame's and Whateley's Tables on
the Commandments, Sanderson de Juramento, and Fragoso aforenamed.
XVII. Of councils more, and canonists, and liturgies: Jus Orientale
Græcorum per Leunclavium, Bochelli Decreta Gallic. Sirmondi Concil.
Gall. Longus.
Actus Conventus Thorunensis, Formula Concordiæ Germ. The Westminster
Assembly's Acts, English Canons, Fasti Siculi, Morini exercit. Eccles.
Zepper. Polit. Eccles., Hammond, Lestrange of Liturgies, Antiquitates
Liturgicæ, Cassander's Works, Claud. Sainctes, Gavantes de Ritibus,
Vicecomes.
XVIII. More of the fathers I need not name; if you can get and read
them, you may find their names, e. g. in Bellarmin. de Script. Eccles.
Get the Bibliothec. Patrum of de la Bigne, and Macarius Hom., Ephrem
Syrus, (plain honest things,) Theodoret, Cyril Hieros., Cyril
Alexand., Isidore Pelusiota, Theophylact and Oecumenius, Sedulius and
Primasius, Remigius, Beda, &c. But many of them are very weak and dry.
The chief use of the fathers is to know historically what doctrine was
then taught.
XIX. Schoolmen more; Bonaventure, Alensis, Cajetan, Bannez, Biel,
Cameracensis, Franc. Mayro, Capreolus, R. Armachanus, Bradwardine,
Faber Faventinus, Hervæus, John and Fr. Pici Mirandula, Fr. Victoria,
Suarez, Vasquez, Albertinus in Thom. Aquila Scottellus: Ripalda nameth
more if you would have more.
XX. Antipapists; Pappus of their contradictions, Gentiletus, Morton's
Apology and Grand Imposture, Buckeridge Roffensis for Kings,
Crakenthorpe, Paræus cont. Bellarm., Junius on Bellarm., Birkbeck's
Protestant's Evidence, Hunnii Eccles. Rom. non est Christ., Hottoman,
Brutum fulmen, &c., Eusebius Captivus, Joh. Crocius de Schismate,
Jewel, all Whitaker, Andrews Tortura Torti, Wotton, Dr. Jer. Taylor's
Dissuasive. But they are almost numberless.[471]
_Note_ 1. That these may seem too many, though they are few to a full
and rich library.
2. That it is not my advice that you read over all these, or half; for
that would but make them a snare for sinning, and waste of time: but a
minister of the gospel should have more books by him than he can read
over, for particular uses, and to see the author's judgment
occasionally, and to try other men's citations.
3. That a minister must neither study the matter without the help of
other men's studies by reading much; nor yet read much without
studying the thing itself.
4. That though a man must not speak or write before he knoweth what
and how, yet thus exercising the knowledge that we have doth greatly
increase it. And no minister must be studying, when he should be
preaching, praying, catechising, or visiting, or instructing his
flock.
5. It is but few men that are born with an acumen fit for writings and
controversies; those few must read the more to be fit for it; the rest
may take up with such preparations as they have use for, and exercise
them, viz. in the pastoral oversight of the flocks, and propagating
plain and necessary truths. And therefore though I am one that have
been thought to burden men's understandings with methods,
distinctions, directions, and controversies, it is but few that I
persuade to use them; and am as much as any for most men's adhering to
plain fundamentals, and truths of daily use, and love and honour those
that go no further, and are faithful in this work; so be it they have
not the pride to think that they know more than they do, and to
wrangle against that which they understand not, and set not the church
on fire as ancient ignorance did, by accusing those of heresy that
knew more than themselves, when they got but the throne or the major
vote.
6. That though I chiefly commend systems of theology, I know not one
whose method satisfieth me, as well agreeing with Scripture, and the
matter (else I had not troubled myself so much to seek a right method,
and propose what I found). And I think no common method more genuine,
than theirs that expound the creed, Lord's prayer, and decalogue, and
the sacraments, as the sum of all.
7. I mention none of my own writings, for it will seem vanity; but, as
many as they are, I wrote none which I thought needless at the time of
writing them.
8. Though none should have so great fitness for the holy education of
children and government of families as ministers, yet so great is the
work of overseeing the flock, requiring more time and parts than all
that we have, and so great are the matters of our studies and labours,
requiring our total and most serious thoughts, that I earnestly advise
all that can possibly, to live single and without a family, lest they
mar their work by a divided mind: For _nunquam bene fit, quod fit
præoccupato animo_, saith Hierom truly.
The whole man and whole time is all too little in so great a work.
[471] He that would have more books may see Voetius Bibliothec. and
many other catalogues.