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Difciples of. This is evident from the Circumcifion of Infants under the Law; for they thereby entred into a Covenant with God, and were made the Difciples of Mofes. Thirdly, 'Tis acknowledged, that they are not exprefly excluded by Chrift. Nor, Fourthly, is actual Faith or actual Repentance abfolutely and indifpenfably required in order to Baptifm. This is prov'd in the aforefaid Chapter of the Abridgment. And confequently, Infants are net virtually excluded by Chrift Wherefore, Fifibly, the Command to difciple or make Difciples of all Nations, Matth. 28. 19. extends to the Infants of thofe Nations; because it extends to all that are capable of Baptifm. By this Means it appears, that we have a divine Precept for the Bap tifm of Infants.

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Concerning the Obfervation of the Lord's Day as the Chriftian Sabbath, fee the First Chapter of Mr. Nelfon's Companion for the Feftivals and Fafts of our Church, and the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Queftions of Turretin's Locus Undecimus.

Our Controverfies with other Diffenters refpect, Firft, Lay Conformity; Secondly, Minifterial Conformity.

of the Controversy with the Saturday bout the Chriftian Sabbath.

Sabbatarians

of the Controverfies with other Dif Senters.

First, About Lay
Conformity.

With respect to Lay Conformity, you are to confider in the first Place the Difputes about a precompos'd Liturgy in general, and our own Liturgy in particular. See the Brief History of the joint Ufe of precompos'd fet Forms of Prayer, with the Difcourfe of the Gift of Prayer annex'd to it, the Difcourfe of joint Prayer, and the Paraphrafe with Annotations upon the

Book

Common Prayer. Then add what Mr. Nelfon

has

has written concerning the Piety and Prudence of our Church in her Festivals and Fafts, and the religious Improvement of them, in his Companion for them. Only you may now omit the Firft Chapter, because you have already perufed it, when you confider'd the Chriftian Sabbath. The Terms of Lay Conformity being vindicated, the Neceffity of joining

Church of England Ommunion with the Establish'd

fhewn in the Difcourfe of Schifm, with the Anfwer to Thomas against Bennet annex'd to it, down to p. 140. the Two firft Chapters of Mr. Hoadly's Defence of Epifcopal Ordination, and his Reply to Dr. Calamy's Introduction. You may then add Chapters the Second, Eighth, Ninth, &c. down to the end of the Abridgment of the London Cafes. Secondly, About Ministerial Confor

mity.

of the Church Catechifm.

Touching the Lawfulness of Minifterial Conformity, fee Mr. Hoad ly's Reasonableness of it.

"Twill now be proper for

you to

read fome Expofition of the Church Catechifm. There is indeed a great

Number of that fort of Books; but I am apt to think, that Bishop Wake's Commentary is beft futed to your Purpose.

of Cafuiftical and Practical Writers.

The Cafuiftical and Practical Part of Divinity ought to entertain you upon the Lord's Days, and other Days of Retirement and Devotion. You'll do well to begin with Mr. Kettlewell's Meafures of Obedience, and the Whole Duty of Man. To thefe you may add (or as Opportunity offers, you may confult) Bifhop Sanderfon's Prelections and Cafes of Confcience, Dr. Hammond's Practical Catechifm, the other Works of the Author of the Whole Duty of Man,the Sermons which Arch-Bishop Tillotson publifh'd in his Life time, Mr. Kettlewell on the Sacrament, and of Chriftian Pru

dence,

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. Stanhope's Chriftian's Pattern, being his Tranflation of Thomas à Kem pis's Book de Imitatione Chrifti.

There are, I confefs, in fome of thefe Cafuiftical and Practical Books, diverfe Controverfies intermixt. But if 'twas not impoffible, yet 'twas certainly needlefs, for me to feparate them; efpecially fince they will amply recompenfe all the Labor you will beftow in the Perufal of them. And indeed, I would advise you by all means, before you are ingag'd in a conftant Courfe of Preaching, to be fo well acquainted with them,that whenfoever you are about to compofe a Sermon, you may readily have recourse to fuch Parts of them as relate to your Subject. This will make your Compofition very eafy; and you cannot but be immediatly fenfible of the Advantage of it. Be perfuaded therefore to turn over 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 Leifure to confider it, yet you may inftantly run to it, when you have Occafion for it.

There are many Queftions commonly mention'd by the Writers of Syftems, which I did not think it worth while to refer to particular

The ufe of Turre

borch's Systems.

tin's and Lim

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 deserve your ferious Thoughts. Now what is moft 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 pass'd over in Silence. When your Inclination leads you to the Confideration of them, you may at a leisure Hour run over the 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 misled into the principal Errors of these two Authors: and befides, two fuch oppofite Writers neceffarily muft, and frequently do, correct each other. However, be perfuaded to examin their Opinions well, before you imbrace them; and advise with a judicious Friend, when you are doubtful, or any thing furprizes you.

When you have gone thro' the MeAfarther Pro- thod propos'd for ftudying the Body of grefs propos'd. 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 ftudying 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 must then fubfcribe 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 firft 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,

C

T. B.

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