N02338:117
Manuductio ad ministerium. Directions for a candidate of the ministry
Manuductio ad ministerium. Directions for a candidate of the ministry. : Wherein, first, a right foundation is laid for his future improvement; and, then, rules are offered for such a management of his academical & preparatory studies; and thereupon, for such a conduct after his appearance in the world; as may render his a skilful and useful minister of the Gospel. : [Three lines of quotation in Latin]
Boston: printed for Thomas Hancock, 1726
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Instead of Squandering away your Time, on the RHETORIC, whereof no doubt, you thought, your Dugard gave you enough at School; and upon all the Tropes and Schemes whereof a just Censurer well observes, Possunt una atque altera Hora ita notari, ut corum Notitia per omnem Aetatem sufficiat; And the very Profession whereof usually is little more than to furnish out a Stage-Player; My Advice to you, is, That you observe the Flowers and Airs of such Writings, as are most in Reputation for their Elegance. Yet I am willing that you should attentively Read over Smith, his, Mystery of Rhetoric Unveiled, that you may not be Ignorant of what Figures they pretend unto.
Instead of Squandering away your Time, on the RHETORIC, whereof no doubt, you tho't, your Dugard gave you enough at School; and upon all the Tropes and Schemes whereof a just Censurer well observes, Possunt una atque altera Hora ita notari, ut corum Notitia per omnem Aetatem sufficiat; And the very Profession whereof usually is little more than to furnish out a Stage-Player; My Advice to you, is, That you observe the Flowres and Airs of such Writings, as are most in Reputation for their Elegancy. Yet I am willing that you should attentively Read over Smith, his, Mystery of Rhetoric Unveiled, that you may not be Ignorant of what Figures they pretend unto.
But I will take this Opportunity to tell you, That there is no where to be found any such Rhetoric, as there is in our Sacred Scriptures. Even a Pagan Longinus himself, will confess, The Sublime, shining in them. There can be nothing so Beautiful, or so Affectuous as the Figures every where used in them. They are Life. All mere Humane Flourishes are but Chaff to the Wheat that is there. Yea, they are an Hammer that breaks the Rocks to Pieces. In them the GOD of Glory Thunders, yea, does it very marvellously! There is in them that Voice of the Lord which is full of Majesty. For the Pulpit-Oratory, which is what you have in View, there can be nothing more advisable, than to be a Master of Scripture-Phrases, and employ them with an agreeable Ingenuity, on all fit Occasions. ⟨p. 35⟩I will add, I know not but a Lamy, in his L'Art de Parler, may give you some hints that may be not unuseful to you.