Manuductio ad ministerium. Directions for a candidate of the ministry

I will Refine yet a little further upon this Proposal; And, I will show you an Excellent Way, how in Reading of the Sacred Scriptures, you may make an Admirable and Effectual Application of the Leaves, which are for the Healing of the Nations; and have the inestimable Blessings of, An Healed S•ul, conveyed unto you What I intend is my Spener's Direction: Praemissis Plis Precibus, Affectum Scriptorum Sacrorum Devota Attention observent, eumque Affectum assumere studeant. The Holy Men of GOD who wrote this astonishing BOOK, were moved by His Holy Spirit, in it, and for it; and the Spirit of Holiness at the Time of the Inspiration made suitable Impressions on the Affections of His Faithful Servants. When the Holy SPIRIT with His Afflations, disposed them to write what we have in our Hands, He doubtless produced in their Hearts, those Motions of PIETY, which were agreeable and answerable to the Matter then flowing from their Pens: They are very Legible, and an ordinary Capacity may discover them These Motions of PIETY, in the Soul; — By these Things ⟨p. 82⟩Men live, and in all these Things is the Life of your Spirit. Now, Do you lay One Sentence, and then Another, and so a Third, of your Pebble before you. Find out, which of these Affections is Obvious and Evident, in the Sentence under Consideration. Try, Strive, Do your Best, that the same Affections may Stir, yea, Flame in your Soul. Be Restless, till you find your Soul Harmonizing and Symphonizing, with what the Holy SPIRIT of GOD raised in His Amanuensis at the time of His Writing. Be not at Rest, until you find your Heart-strings quaver at the Touch upon the Heart of the Writer, as being brought into an Unison with it, and the Two Souls go up in a Flame together. Consider what Affections of PIETY are plainly discernible in the Word that is before you; and then, with a Soul turning unto the Lord, assay to utter the Language of the like Affections. Ere you are aware, you will be caught up to Paradise; you will mount up as with the Wings of Eagles! I have had Opportunity elsewhere to say, If I constantly affirm this, That all the Commentators in the World, are poor Things to interpret the Bible, in Comparison of an Illiterate Christian, thus coming with a sanctified Soul, to make his Practical Commentary;

I will Refine yet a little further upon this Proposal; And, I will shew you an Excellent Way, how in Reading of the Sacred Scriptures, you may make an Admirable and Effectual Application of the Leaves, which are for the Healing of the Nations; and have the inestimable Blessings of, An Healed Sul, conveyed unto you What I intend is my Speners Direction: Praemissis Plis Precibus, Affectum Scriptorum Sacrorum Devota Attentione observent, eumque Affectum assumere studeant. The Holy Men of GOD who wrote this astonishing BOOK, were moved by His Holy Spirit, in it, and for it; and the Spirit of Holiness at the Time of the Inspiration made suitable Impressions on the Affections of His Faithful Servants. When the Holy SPIRIT with His Afflations, disposed them to write what we have in our Hands, He doubtless produced in their Hearts, those Motions of PIETY, which were agreeable and answerable to the Matter then flowing from their Pens: They are very Legible, and an ordinary Capacity may discover them These Motions of PIETY, in the Soul; — By these Things