read one of Tully's on a fimilar Subject. Confider the argumentative Part by itself, which Freigius's Analytical Notes will affift you in; and then you will beft diftinguish the Ornaments which Oratory adds, and the Art of ranging and managing each Topick, and become able to imitate him, allowing for the Difference of the Subject. However, the bare reading of his Compofitions will make your Thoughts more free, and more just than otherwise. Thus Tully improv'd by Demofthenes, and Virgil by Homer; not to mention many others ancient or modern, who have thus made excellent Ufe of their reading in their Compositions.

8. It wou'd be very convenient for you to have a Map before you, and chronological Tables, when you read any Hiftory; and fometimes it may be requifite in Books of Oratory and Poetry. You may be taught in an Hour or two's Time, by your Tutor, how to use the Maps or Tables.

SOM

SOME Foundation fhould be laid in Divinity, within the first four Years, for thefe Reasons : 1. Because many defign for Orders, foon after they take a Degree; and must therefore be prepar'd in that Time, or not at all.

2. Because it will require a long Time to be but competently skill'd in Divinity; and therefore it fhould be begun with very early: And if it be not, it will hardly be carried to any great Perfection afterwards.

3. It is very good for a Student to have all along in his Eye what he is defign'd for, and to spend fome Part of his Time and Thoughts upon it. NevertheC

lefs

less I would allow no more than the fpare Hours in Sundays and Holidays, before and after the Duty of thofe Days: And I fuppofe Time may be found in each of them for reading and abridging two Sermons, as I shall direct hereafter. The preparatory Studies of Philosophy and Clafficks, muft not be neglected for Divinity, in the first four Years; for they are the Foundation, without which a Man can hardly be a judicious, 'tis certain he cannot be a learned Divine. I therefore allow all other Time, except Sundays, and Holidays, to these, and them to Divinity. Only I should advife fuch as defign immediately to leave the Univerfity, and take Orders, to allow fomething more to the laft; their Mornings to Philofophy, Afternoons to Clafficks, and Nights and Holidays to Divinity; or, however, to the reading the best English Writers, fuch as Temple, Collier, Spectator, and other Writings of Addifon, and other Masters of Thought and Stile. I could give feveral Reafons for this; but they are very obvious, and will be easily understood, from what I fhall observe presently about English Sermons.

I must be larger in my Advices about Divinity, than I have been about the two former; because the Method I propofe may feem perhaps new and strange, and the Reasons for it not fufficiently understood without particular Explication.

I advife by all Means to begin with English Sermons: The Reasons for it are these :

1. They are the eafieft, plaineft, and most entertaining of any Books of Divinity; and therefore fitteft for young Beginners.

2. They contain as much and as good Divinity as any other Discourses whatever, and might be digefted into a better Body of Divinity than any that is yet

extant.

3. The reading of them, befides the Knowledge of Divinity, teaches the beft Method of making

Sermons

Sermons in the easiest Manner, by Example, and furnishes a Man infenfibly with Words and Phrases fuitable to the Pulpit, making him Master of the English Stile and Language.

4. When any one has read over and abridg'd most of the beft English Sermons, he will have good Hints in great Number upon any practical Subject, and be prepar'd to treat of it with Judgment, Accuracy, and in a good Method. But because the abridging of Sermons may be thought a tedious and painful Work, I fhall obviate the Objection, by fhewing what I mean, and giving a Specimen of it.

Get a Quarto Paper-Book; and after you have carefully read a Sermon once or twice over, take down the general and particular Heads, marking the first with Numbers in the Middle of the Paper, the other at the Side, as you fee here:

Sharp's First Sermon.

Let us therefore follow after Things that make for

Peace.

Rom. xiv. 19.

I.

Confider what is due from us to the Church, in order to Peace.

1. Every Member of the Church is bound to external Communion with it, where it may be had: Without this, neither the Ends of ChurchSociety, nor Privileges can be obtain'd.

2. Every Member is bound to join in Communion with the Church Establish'd where he lives, if the Terms of Communion be lawful.

3. Every Member is obliged to fubmit to all the Laws and Conftitutions of the Church;

ift, As to the orderly Performance of Worship: 2dly, As to the maintaining Peace and Unity.

4. Nothing but unlawful Terms of Communion can justify a Separation.

5. From hence it follows, That neither unfcriptural Impofitions, nor Errors, nor Corruptions in Doctrine or Practice, while fuffer'd only, not impos'd; nor laftly, the Pretence of better Edification, can justify a Separation.

II.

Confider what is due from us to particular Chriftians, in order to Peace.

1. That in Matters of Opinion, we give every Man Leave to judge for himself.

2. That we lay afide all Prejudice in the Search af

ter Truth.

3. That we quarrel not about Words.

4. That we charge not Men with all the Confequences deducible from their Opinions.

5. That we abftract Mens Perfons from their Opinions.

6. That we vigorously purfue Holiness.

III.

Motives to the Duty laid down. 1. From the Nature of our Religion. 2. From the cogent Precepts of Scripture. 3. From the Unreafonablenefs of our Differences.

4. From their ill S

Confequences to

Virtue.
the Civil Estate.
Christianity.

the Proteftant Religion.

Here

Here you have the Divisions and Sub-divifions, the Subftance of the whole Sermon in a very little Compaís; and by having it thus in little, you will both comprehend and retain it better. Do thus with two Sermons every Sunday and Holiday, which need not take up more than three Hours each; and in three or four Years Time, you can hardly imagine how much it will improve you in practical Divinity; and of how great Ufe it will be to you ever after.

If you have been careful in your three first Years to read over and abridge most of the best Sermons in Print, as I fhall point out to you, next endeavour to get a general View of the feveral Controverfies on Foot, from Bennet's Books; and fome Knowledge of Church-Hiftory, from Mr. Echard, and Du Pin's Compendious Hiftory of the Church, in four Volumes 8vo; and then, if you have Time, undertake Pearfon on the Creed, and Burnet on the Articles. But I fhall be more particular in appointing what Books are to be read, in the following Pages.

CHAP. VI.

A Courfe of Studies, Philofophical, Claffical, and
Divine, for the firf four Years.

H Studies of three Kinds, I fhall now fhew you

AVING given general Directions for your

more particularly what Books are to be read, and in what Order; and appoint you your Work for every Year till you take a Degree.

I begin the Year with January, though few come fo early to College: If you happen to come later, yet begin with the Books firft fet down, and take the reft in Order, without minding what Months are appointed for them; only keep as near as may be to the Proportion of Time fet for the reading of them.

One