N02338:66
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.
And now, My Son, though I began with Recommending to you the Thoughts of a Death at Hand; yet, what I mean, is, to make a long Live• and in Order to it, a True Liver, of you.
The true END of Life must therefore as soon as may be, come to be stated and fixed with you, and the false Ways of Sin be no longer walked in. And what can this END be, but, The SERVICE OF THE GLORIOUS GOD? Or, as you have been taught from your Infancy, TO GLORIFY GOD AND ENJOY HIM FOREVER. When you have considered the Matter with the ⟨p. 5⟩deepest Meditation, you can settle no where but here, and you can see nothing worthy to be the END of Living, but This. May my Life be such a continual Homage to the Glorious GOD, as He may, through' His CHRIST look down with Delight upon. If you Terminate in any Inferior End, and rise no Higher in your Aims, than to have your SELF accommodated with such Things as a Carnal Mind calls, comfortable Circumstances. Your Life, what is it but a perpetual Folly, on which you may cry out, O me nunquam sapientem! All your Achievements, though they should be never so pompous, are but empty Futilities. Nay, How little Higher do you Aim, than the Beasts that Perish? And how much will you deserve the Name of Brutish, which is the Denomination with which your Herd is branded in the Oracles of GOD? A little more Hair, and crawling upon all Four. — and, what the Difference! But, O Star fallen and choked in the Dust, Arise and shine, and let thy Light come, and the Glory of the Lord be risen upon thee! It is brought about, and the True Light shines, when you come to make Choice of This, as the main Scope of your Living in the World; It shall be that the Glorious GOD may be gratified, in beholding through His CHRIST the Homage which I pay unto Him; rendering and procuring Acknowledgements to Him in all my Ways! And wisely subordinate all your Actions, and all your Enjoyments unto it: Govern your Actions by it, and consider them, as Parts of that Homage; Relish your Enjoyments from it, and consider them as Helps for that Homage; and often have your Explicit Thoughts upon it. Come into those Right ⟨p. 6⟩