dence, and Dr. Barrow's English Works. These are fufficient to give you a fair View of the Cafuiftical and Practical Part of Divinity, and to furnish you with good plenty of Matter for Sermons. If you have Leifure to perufe or confult more Books of this Kind, there is a great Number of excellent ones to be had, and 'twill be difficult for you to make an ill Choice. But there is one Book, which I would beg you to be much converfant in, and to make your conftant Companion; I mean Dr. Stanbope's Chriftian's Pattern, being his Tranflation of Thomas a Kempis's Book de Imitatione Chrifti. There are, I confefs, in fome of thefe Cafuiftical and Practical Books, diverse Controverfies intermixt. But if 'twas not impoffible, yet 'twas certainly needlefs, for me to feparate them; especially fince they will amply recompence all the Labor you will bestow in the Perufal of them. And indeed, I would advise you by all Means, before you are ingag'd in a conftant Course of Preaching, to be fo well acquainted with them, that whenfoever you are about to compofe a Sermon, you may readily have recourfe to fuch Parts of them as relate to your Subject. This will make your Compofition very eafy; and you cannot but be immediately fenfible of the Advantage of it. Be perfwaded therefore to turn o ver their Indexes frequently, and take a curfory View of what they write about. Make your felf able to find whatfoever is contain'd in them; that altho' you have not at prefent Leisure to confider it, yet you may inftantly run to it, when you have Occafion for it. There are many Questions commonly mention'd by the Writers of Systems, which I did not think it worth while to refer to particular C 4 The ule of Turre tin's and Lim borch's Systems. Authors Authors for. Some of them are of fmall, or no Concern; fuch as ferve only to amufe a Student, or beget in him a Difpofition to wrangle about fuch Points as may without any Danger be determin'd either way. Others are of greater Moment, and may deferve your ferious Thoughts. Now what is most neceffary and fubftantial, you'll find in those Books or Parts of Books, which I have referr'd you to; and Turretin and Limborch will furnish you upon fuch Heads, as I have pafs'd over in Silence. When your Inclination leads you to the Confideration of them, you may at a leifure Hour run over their feveral Contents, and the Lemmata in their Margins, and read what your Curiofity faftens on. Turretin is a Calvinist, and Limborch an Arminian; and their Schemes of Divinity are drawn according to their refpective Principles. Wherefore you must be cautious in reading them. Those other Books which I have recommended to you, will prevent your being mifled into the principal Errors of thefe two Authors: and befides, two fuch oppofite Writers neceffarily muft, and frequently do, correct each other. However, be perfwaded to examin their Opinions well, before you imbrace them; and advise with a judicious Friend, when you are doubtful, or any thing furprizes you. A farther Progrefs propos'd. When you have gone thro' the Method propos'd for ftudying the Body of Divinity, 'twill be convenient for you to examin the Articles and Homilies of our Church. The principal Points contain'd in them you'll have confider'd by studying the Body of Divinity; but fome few remain to be fearch'd into afterwards. I think you ought to go thro' 'em before you are Ordain'd; because you muft then subscribe them. After 2 After your Ordination (or before it, if you have Time) you may build upon that Foundation, which I have been directing you how to lay, 1. By acquiring what we call the Knowledge of Books, as far as relates to Theological Studies. 2. By a thorough Study of the Scriptures, and defcending from them to the Ecclefiaftical Writers, especially those of the first Centuries. I intreat you to accept my poor Endevors to ferve you, and to excufe the Length, and other Imperfections of this Letter. I heartily pray God to bless your Studies, and am, Your Sincere Friend, T. B. (27) A COLLECTION OF SUCH SCRIPTURES, As ought to be Seriously and frequently Confidered by all thofe, who either Defign for Holy Orders, or are actually Ordained. ISAIAH 56. 10, 11, 12. IS Watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; fleeping, lying down, loving to flumber. H Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are fhepherds that cannot underftand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter. Come ye, fay they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill our felves with ftrong drink, and to morrow fhall be as this day, and much more abundant. Jeremiah |