felf; and therefore their prayers and hymns of praife, their confeffions and thanksgivings, are very proper patterns for us at all times to imitate, and fometimes wholly to transcribe.

Laftly, They will give us certain ease and comfort under all the preffures and affictions of this life. Come hither all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and ye shall here find rest unto your fouls. Come hither all ye that are oppreffed with the cares and troubles of this world, nay, perhaps overwhelmed with the injuries of it. Here you fhall find one that will eafe you of your cares and troubles, and defend you from the affronts and wrongs of a wicked and malicious world; Let not your hearts faint therefore, fear not and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified; for the Lord your God is he that goeth with you. This is the language of thofe facred books; this is that comfortable language, which will raise our drooping fpirits, and adminifter fure comfort unto us under our moft heavy afflictions. Read once again, and thou fhalt there find, That these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, shall work for

thee

thee a far greater and eternal weight of glory. And now furely thou mayeft not only bear thy afflictions with patience, but mayest triumph and glory in them. When thy God, the God of truth, calls to thee, and bids thee look up to heaven and fee a bright crown there prepared for thee; if thou beareft thy afflictions with patience, furely thou can'ft not forbear rejoycing in tribulation; at least thou needeft not fear fainting, while thou keepest that glorious and never-fading crown in thy view.

Of reading other good BOOKS.

B

Efore I conclude this chapter, I think it will be convenient to say fomething concerning our reading other good books befides the fcripture. And this I will do in few words, by advising you what books will be moft proper for your reading, and by instructing you how you ought to read them.

The books moft worthy our reading, next to the canonical books of scripture, which only are to be counted the word of God, are the Apocryphal books, which D 4

are

bibles.

are bound up at the end of your These the church doth order, Artic. 6. To be read for example or life and inftruction of manners; and indeed they are very well stored both with precepts and examples fit for this purpofe.

Especially the books of Wisdom and Ecclefiafticus I would have thee take frequently into thy hands; for they are full of excellent, I had almoft faid divine, wifdom, and will be of ufe to thee in all ftates and conditions of life whatsoever.

The ftory of the Maccabees is a noble ftory, and richly deserves to be read, with care and attention by us. The others have their feveral good ufes; but these which I have mentioned in particular are moft worthy thy frequent perufal.

Few books joined to thefe, will be fufficient. The whole duty of man; Dr. Hammond's Practical Catechifm; Dr. Patrick's Menfa Myftica, his book of prayers; and Dr. Sherlock's two excellent treatises on Death and Judgment, will make a library large enough for any ordinary christian. If you have time enough to read more, you may confult your fpiritual paftor, and there is no doubt but he

will direct you to fuch, as are moft proper for you.

In reading of these books, or any other of this nature, obferve these following rules.

First, Confider that they are wrote by men and therefore do not wonder, if thou findeft errors and mistakes in them. The authors of them may be very extraordinary men, but are not infallible. And therefore we must not read these, with the fame faith and confidence, that we do the holy fcriptures, which were written by God, who neither can be deceived or deceive.

Secondly, Read them without prejudice; let not the man who wrote them, or fome particular paffage in them, give thee a diftaste of the whole, Remember that thou art not to read the man, but his book; and if that be for thy use, it matters not who was the Author of it. Remember again, that it is not agreeable to the rules of wisdom to diflike a whole book, for the fake of one or two, as we think, indecent or unwary expreffions in it. If the main of it be good, it will become us rather to over look a few faults, if there

be

be

any fuch in it, than to reject the whole for the fake of these few blemishes. No man would throw away a piece of gold, because it has an allay of fome baser metal mixed with it. No, he will carefully feparate the fine gold, which is for his ufe, froin the droffy and bafer particles which accompany it, and make his advantange of it.

Thirdly, Always remember to give thy affent to them only fo far as they agree with the word of God. The defign of writing good books, is to explain the word of God. and to enforce the precepts by that enjoined us. But, if men go about to fet up their own traditions for God's word, we must reject them with fcorn and contempt. God certainly is more worthy of belief than man, and whoever offers to contradict him, defer ves to be cenfured by us as a deceiver, but not received, as a prophet. God's book is a perfect book, and whoever offers to add to it, or diminish from it, ought to be looked upon as an impudent prophane wretch, who thinks himself wifer than God.

Fourthly