N02338:184
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.
I could quote a very great Person, who will not leave me alone, but will affirm, Commentarius sine hoc Adminiculo (pio Sacrorum Motuum scrutinio) Conscriptus, est Vere Commentarius, et Nomine, et Omine talis, id est, Commentis cerebri refertus. Among all the Hermeneutic Instruments for the opening of the Scriptures, We may say of This; There is none like it.
The Commentaries of our Henry on the Bible, have out-done most that we have yet had, in this Regard: The SPIRIT which dictated the Sacred Scriptures, operating on the Mind of the Commentator, in the Dispositions and Observations of Experimental Piety. The Erudition also appearing, without Affectation of Appearance, in them, is far from Contemptible. I wish you furnished with them. What is done by Pool and his Continuators, is highly Valuable; and may be of Use, not only for Occasional Inspection, but also for Diurnal Meditation. How Happy should we have been, if an Hutcheson who has done so well on Job, and on the Smaller Prophets, and on John, had left us the like Operations on the rest of the Bible? Or, if a Caryl on Job, a Greenhil on Ezekiel, a Burroughs on Hosea, an Owen on the Hebrews, a Manton on James, and a Jenkins on Jude, were accompanied with others like them on the rest of Sacred Pandects?
Being upon your Daily Exercise, I will add no more; But this I would advise you, Wherever you in any Reading meet with a curious Illustration of a Text, Prize it, Seize it, Enter it in Papers where you may design a Lodging for such inestimable Jewels. Like Hezekiah, have your Treasures for Precious Stones: And let these be such unto you. Get such an Amassment of them, that among them you may be like the King of Tyre; and Walk up and down in the midst of the Stones of Fire, when you are upon the Holy Mountain of GOD. One of these may be worth an Ingot of Gold, and a whole Discourse may be rendered Acceptable, by having such a Jewel studded in it.