The trades-man's calling being a discourse concerning the nature, necessity, choice, &c. of a…

But herein take Direction, 1. How to choose them: Be well-advised, not to buy every Book that you fancy, nor every Book that is commended to you, nor that hath a taking Title, nor that hath a great Bulk and small Price. But consult your faithful Minister, or some judicious Friend in the buying of your Books; unless you have a mind to throw away your Money, and which is more, your Time, yea and your Souls too, which is most of all: For, as some have been corporally poisoned by reading a Letter, so many have been spiritually poisoned by reading ⟨p. 218⟩infectious Books. Neither be covetous after more Books, than will comport with your Estate to buy, and with your time to peruse: Too much variety confounds; a few Books well chosen, and well read, will make you solid Christians.

But herein take Direction, 1. How to chuse them: Be well-advised, not to buy every Book that you fancy, nor every Book that is commended to you, nor that hath a taking Title, nor that hath a great Bulk and small Price. But consult your faithful Minister, or some judicious Fri•nd in the buying of your Books; unless you have a mind to throw away your Money, and which is more, your Time, yea and your Souls too, which is most of all: For, as some have been corporally poison'd by reading a Letter, so many have been spiritually poison'd by reading ⟨p. 218⟩infectious Books. Neither be covetous after more Books, than will comport with your Estate to buy, and with your time to peruse: Too much variety confounds; a few Books well chosen, and well read, will make you solid Christians.

Above all Books, read the Holy Bible; let no day pass without tasting of some heavenly Manna thence. And to assist the Frailties of your Memories, buy a Concordance. Downham and Wickens are the least; Cotton, or the Cambridge-Concordance are larger and better; whereby, if you remember but one Word, you may find in what Book, Chapter, and Verse the Sentence is: And then to open to you, what is difficult in Scripture, buy Bishop Hall's Paraphrase on the hard places of Scripture, or, which is fuller, the Dutch Annotations. To ground you and your Family in the Christian Doctrine, you may have the Assemblies Confession and Catechisms; to which you may add, Mr. Ball's Catechism, with the Exposition, or Bishop Usher's Body of Divinity, and also Dr. Gouge on the Lord's-Prayer, Dr. Pearson on the Creed, Mr. Dod on the Commandments, and Mr. Vines, with Mr. Dolittle on Sacrament; and then, the Practice of Piety, and the Whole Duty of Man will be very useful both for your Instruction and Devotion: Mr. Dent's Plain Man's Path-way to Heaven, Mr. Shepherd's Sound Reliever, Mr. Baxter's Call to the Unconverted, and Mr. Allen's Vindiciae Pietatis, will all of them be of great use, for the promoting the Work of Conversion in your selves and Family: buy also Dr. Gouge's Book of Domestical Duties, whereby Husband and Wife, Parent and Children,