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 their's out of councils and fathers, they triumph as if they had justified their churchtyranny. 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 Neotorics: 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 sheweth 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 met?" And why did Christ set teachers in his church to the end, till it be perfected", 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. t Acts viii. 31. 11 Eph. iv. 11-13. 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 Hopkins'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, 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. 3. III. For physics: 1. Magirus, Combachius, Burgersdicius, Wendeline, and Sennertus. 2. Commenius. 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, Orcelius, Mercator, Heylin, the globe or map Geog. Nubiens. IX. Of mathematics in general: Euclid, Barrow, Rami Schol. cum prolegem., 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). 3. Diog. Laertius and Eunapius de vitis Philosoph. 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 Ro manus. 15. Of China, Siam, Japan, &c. Varenius, Maffæi Histor. Indica cum Epist. Jesuit., Alvarez and Martinius. 16. Of Indostan, Terry. |