The Power of Godliness, Treatise · Part 3 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Wherein is ſet down a Catalogue of ſeveral books, for the ignorant and poorer ſort, who, in reſpect of their poverty cannot buy, and of their ignorance, cannot underſtand books of greater value and depth.
AFter my commending of the conſtant, daily, ſerious underſtanding, reverent applying, believing, and conſcionable reading of the holy Scriptures to all perſons whatſoever.
1. Bee they never ſo learned, ſince the very Angels themſelves deſire to look into thoſe myſteries, though they deſpiſe the learnedſt book that ever were writ by men, as wonderfully below them.
2. Though they bee the holieſt, knowingeſt, and moſt experienc'd Saints, ſince the Prophets and Apoſtles, who themſelves were pen-men of Scripture, did read, and meditate on, and admire, and ſtudy the Word of God, as David, Daniel, Peter, &c. and did account it not leſs ſure, than the Revelations that God gave them; Wee have a ſurer word of Prophecy, 2 Pet. 1.19. and the more experience wee have of Gods goodneſſe, ſhould not make us abate at all of our earneſt deſires of the Word of God; for if wee have taſted how good the Lord is, wee ſhould ſtill as much deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, that wee may grow thereby, delighting, and being affected with it, as wee were with that Sermon, or that truth of Gods Word, by which wee were converted, as wee were the firſt day that wee were born of God, 1 Peter 2.2.
3. I ſay, after ſuch reading of the Scripture, that the truths therein contain'd, may be better underſtood, and the commands thereof better practis'd, to thoſe ſpecified in the title of this Chapter, I commend theſe books following.
1. The Plain-mans Path-way to heaven; a book, which partly becauſe it goes by way of Dialogue, as alſo, becauſe it anſwers the common objections of ſimple people againſt Religion; as alſo, becauſe it writes very plain, and ſtoops to the capacitie of the meaneſt, I do highly commend it to ſuch people to read. The next is, The Practice of Piety: Theſe two books, I think, next to the Scripture, have done as much good as any two books in the Chriſtian world. The next book I ſhall commend, is Mr. Balls Catechiſme, a book of great uſe, and much ſolidity. The next, which is of ſuper-eminency in its kinde, is The Confeſſion of Faith, the larger and ſhorter Catechiſmes of the Aſſembly of Divines. Another book, of ſmall price and bulk, which after you are wel grounded in the principles of Religion, ſet down in the former, is a book called. The fiery Pillar, which hath very much in a little: You may add to theſe, for the better ſtirring you up to holineſs, and diſcovering of your ſpiritual condition, Mr. Wheatleys New birth, and his Sermon of the Redemption of time, and Fenner of final impenitence; and Mr. Shepherds ſincere convert, and ſound believer: Mr. Scudders daily walk, is alſo a ſolid, and very uſeful book: Mr. Perkins his ſix principles, and Mr. Dod upon the Commandments, I am not willing to omit.
For thoſe that are of a troubled conſcience, Doctor Sibbs his Bruiſed Reed, and Souls Conflict: As alſo Simmons his Deſerted Souls caſe and cure, are very good, of which, the two former are the plaineſt: Mr. Baxter of the ſame ſubject.
2. For thoſe, who in reſpect of their eſtates and capacities, are able to buy books of greater price, and underſtand books of higher knowledge.
FOr thoſe that deſire to encreaſe further in knowledge, let them read Ameſius his Medulla, and Caſes of Conſcience, and Calvins Inſtitutions, which are all tranſlated into Engliſh, for thoſe that have large families, eſpecially of children, I ſhall commend B…ards Theatre of Gods Judgments, as alſo Clerks Martyrology, not but theſe two laſt books, as well as the reſt, are fit for men of riper Judgements to read; but becauſe they are moſt fit for children, and others of weak capacity, for examples are eaſily remembred, and underſtood, and take deeper impreſſion generally, than precepts: The Theatre of Gods Judgements, ſets down the Judgements of God upon blaſphemers, murderers, ſwearers, drunkards, Sabbath-breakers, diſobedient children, and thereſt of the ſins againſt the ten Commandments, and the Martyrology, ſetting down the innocence, holineſs, conſtancy of the Martyrs; as alſo the mighty ſupports, comforts, that God gave unto them in their ſufferings, it will exceedingly provoke them up to an holy reſolution, to ſuffer for his ſake, who never leaves his comfortleſs, nor forſaken; and that which I very much intend in the reading of Martyrology, is, that they may bee brought to an utter hatred, and deteſtation of Popery, for they ſhall finde, that there have been more maſſacred, and butchered, and greater cruelties, and breaches of oaths, vowes, covenants, by the Papiſts, than ever were uſed ſince the world began, by all the enemies of God; and for a further deteſtation of Popery, againſt which we need now eſpecially, more than ever, to arm our ſelves: You may read Mr. Squires Lectures, or Sermons, upon the 2. of Theſ. 2. I ſhall alſo commend to thoſe, who have a larger purſe, Mr. Hilderſham upon the 51. Pſalm, and fourth of John, books that are written, as the oracles of God, who is the fulleſt of Scripture, and the beſt Text-man that ever I read, or as I think is extant, in the world, and is ſo ſingularly eminent a book, ſo plain, and ſo profitable, that it may bee underſtood by the loweſt capacities, and admired by the greateſt Divines, that was famous through the Chriſtian world for learning, and for piety and humility of thoſe that were acquainted with him: The Arch Biſhop of Armaugh did exceedingly prize Hilderſham; Doctor Preſtons works are ſingularly good, the beſt of them is his Tract of Gods Attributes; Mr. Baxters Saints everlaſting reſt, is a book for piety, and working upon the affections, ſo eminent, that I do not know any beyond it. I muſt not forget to commend that ſolid Orthodox ſpiritual book, Anthony Burgeſſe his ſpiritual Refines. There is alſo a ſmall, rational, ſpiritual, ſearching, and very eminent book, called, Pinks Tryal of our ſincere love to Chriſt: Memorandum, that through ignorance, not knowing the books, or through inanimadvertency, or for want of judgment, or becauſe I would not multiply Authors; it may bee, I have not named many Authors which are better than thoſe which are here nominated, but theſe are very good, and the beſt that I think I know in their kinde, and for thoſe perſons, and that end, for which I have given theſe directions.