dence, and Dr. Barrow's English Works. These are sufficient to give you a fair View of the Casuistical and Practical Part of Divinity, and to furnish you with good plenty of Matter for Sermons. If you have Leifure to peruse 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. Stanhope's Chriftian's Pattern, being his Translation of Thomas a Kempis's Book de Imitatione Christi.

There are, I confess, in some of these Casuistical and Practical Books, diverse Controverfies intermixt. But if 'twas not impossible, yet 'twas certainly needless, for me to separate them; especially since 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 constant Course of Preaching, to be fo well acquainted with them, that whensoever you are about to compose a Sermon, you may readily have recourse to fuch Parts of them as relate to your Subject. This will make your Composition very easy; and you cannot but be immediately sensible of the Advantage of it. Be perswaded therefore to turn o ver their Indexes frequently, and take a cursory View of what they write about. Make your felf able to find whatsoever is contain'd in them; that altho you have not at present Leisure to consider it, yet you may instantly run to it, when you have Oссаfion for it.

There are many Questions com- monly mention'd by the Writers of Systems, which I did not think it worth while to refer to particular

C4

The use of Turreborch's Systems.

tin's and Lim

Authors

Authors for. Some of them are of small, or no Concern; fuch as serve only to amuse a Student, or beget in him a Disposition to wrangle about such Points as may without any Danger be determin'd either way. Others are of greater Moment, and may deserve your serious Thoughts. Now what is moft neceffary and substantial, 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 pass'd over in Silence. When your Inclination leads you to the Confideration of them, you may at a leisure Hour run over their several Contents, and the Lemmata in their Margins, and read what your Curiosity fastens on. Turretin is a Calvinist, and Limborch an Arminian; and their Schemes of Divinity are drawn according to their respective Principles. Wherefore you must be cautious in reading them. Those other Books which I have recommended to you, will prevent your being misled into the principal Errors of these two Authors: and besides, two fuch opposite Writers necessarily must, and frequently do, correct each other. However, be perswaded to examin their Opinions well, before you im*brace them; and advise with a judicious Friend, when you are doubtful, or any thing furprizes

you.

A farther Progress propos'd.

When you have gone thro' the Method propos'd for studying 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 search'd into afterwards. I think you ought to go thro' 'em before you are Ordain'd; because you must then subscribe them.

After

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 serve you, and to excuse the Length, and other Imperfections of this Letter.

I heartily pray God to bless your Studies, and

am,

1

Your Sincere Friend,

T. B.

(27)

A

COLLECTION

OF SUCH

SCRIPTURES,

As ought to be

Seriously and frequently Confidered by all those, who either Design 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; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter,

Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill our selves with strong drink, and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

Feremiah