The Hartlib Papers

write it; and in Greecke <and Hebrew> to understand not only the old and New Testament therin, but other writers also. to attain [blot] this Abilitie in the Latin tongue, besides diligence in reading good Authors some Exercise of familiar discourse with other Schollars; and of writing Letters and Declamations[H? alters from Declarations] should bee entertained with them, under the Direction of some Tutor: but in Case this can not bee done Conveniently the next best Remedie to attain to the Abilitie of writing congruously, is to exercise your selfe in translating some Author whom another hath translated alreddie, first out of Latin into English for the Space of a Weeke or 14 dayes, and then againe out of English into Latin; and when <H: you> have made your English, Correct it by the translation which is extant in print and observe your faults: and in like manner, when you have made your Latin out of the English translation; correct it by the Author himself and observe the propertie of his phrases; wherin hee differs from your expressions. The Authors that Speake best Latin are Cicero, Cæsar; Terence, Salust, Livie, Quintilian; and of the latter times Erasmus, Muretus, Politianus, Baudius, Lipsius, and amongst the Divines of Old Hieronimus and[altered] Lactantius, # <left margin: # of late Calvin in his Institutions>, and in all his other Writings is the purest, next to him are others of different Stiles, but more <H: none> equall to all purposes. Amongst Latin Authors the Poets are to bee lookt upon that you may not bee altogether ignorant of their way expressing themselves, it appeares that Paul <did> vouchsafe to [catchword: looke]

looke upon them by that which hee doth quote out of them in the Acts and in Titus <right margin: Acts.17. 28: Titus 1. 12.>, so that a Schollar may and ought to acquaint himself with them chiefly when hee is of ripe Iudgment: and indeed none but these that are come to ripenes of judgment ought to meddle with Poets; they are not food for childrens understanding; and chiefly the wanton, faboulous heathen poets, Doctors of Lustfull vanities, are meer poison to their Imaginations. Buchanan is the only Poet which I would allow Christian Children to use; I mean his Psalmes, and there is none of the Ancients themselves that have better language than hee: Beza his Paraphrase on the Psalms and Ionstons may bee also bee put into their hands: with these I would have you to acquaint your self leaving all the rest, because you have need of your time to redeeme it in matters of Divinitie: for the same Cause in like manner, I shall advise you in the Studie of Greeke and Hebrew first to make use of the Holy text only till you have gotten the full understanding of them; and then you may looke vpon some of the Greeke Fathers, and upon Nonnus his Paraphrase on Iohn; for a further insight in the Greeke and lastly if your leisure will permitt you may looke upon the Poets, Homerus and Pindarus and Hesiodus and others. But for the Hebrew the Old Testament is only to bee used: the helpes which I shall recommend unto you, for the Greeke Te

stament is Pasor his Manuale; and the Ordinarie Greeke Grammar used in the Schooles: and for all other Authors make use of Grammatica Clenardi cum Notis Antesignani, and of Scapula his Dictionarie. For the Old Testament the best helpe you can have is Buxtorfij Grammatica and his Dictionarie. Now before I leave speaking of the tongues I must mention two helpes for the Latin which I would have you to provide, the One is Ianua Comenij, which I would have you to read over and over at spare houres: the other is Calepine great Dictionarie, to which you may have recourse when you meet with any words, which have ad doubtfull meaning; or signifie something, which was peculiar to the Romanes of Old.

of Logick and Rhetorick, till you have troughly digested them, and made them your owne; observing the vse which Kekerman doth make of them for the Analysing of Authors. The Studie of Histories, which I shall recommend unto you is only to have a generall view of the world, and to that effect read first Sleidan de quatuor Summis Imperijs, to him adde next Compendium Ionstoni, and then Vniversalis Historiæ Profanæ Medullam Parei or Epitomen totius Mundi Historiarum Cluveri; and when you have runne over these with some attention, adde therunto Medullam Historiæ Ecclesiasticæ Parei, and afterward as your leisure will serve come to Particular Histories as yowr owne judgment and affection shall you.

to inforce the dutyes upon the Conscience, & by Polemicall writers, such as aime at the Decision of Controversies principally/ <right margin, H: although they handle other matters either Doctrinally> or Practically[altered] somewhat at large.

referred to his Method as Bucanus was. Next unto Vrsinus[H alters from ursinus] his Catechisme, where yow will find some matters more at large then in Bucanus take Calvin his Institutions, which I would have you to read by himselfe twice at least, & when you consider of what he doth deliver, review that which upon the same subject yow have observed out of your former authors; after all this I shall recomend unto your Dr Ames his Medulla, which is of another straine then any of the Authors hitherto mentioned & doth require a judicious and well grounded <H: versed> Reader in other Authours because hee is deep and brief: hee and Wollebius[altered from wellebius], together with Calvins Institutions may bee made your head authours in this kind for your whole life affter.

first then take such as have drawen the whole Body off Practicall Divinity into a Method and digested the dueties of a Christian mans life into some order; as the Practise of Piety the Practise of Christianity and such like out of which I would have you to gather unto yourselfe the heads, of Practicall matters common-place wayes, and cast them into a Method of your owne, which you may inlarge, or take up; form the heads which, downame on the Commandments[H capitalises] hath cast out into the forme of a Table[H capitalises]. When[H capitalises] you have gathered your Heades, then read your Authors that have writen upon those heades at large, and making your common place-booke briefe memorials of what yow have read, with Referencences unto your Authors, where the matters are to bee found more at large, and amoungst all those that have written in this kind let Mr Perkins bee your cheife patterne to imitate, in his popular & plaine way of handling matters. In[H capitalises] your practicall Common[H capitalises] places, make a distinction of Cases[H alters from casses] of Conscience[H alters from consciences] and their decisions from other[altered] matters, which are vndoubted[H alters from undoubted] truths in duetie; In the cleare matters of duty./ <left margin, H: I take notice of 3. things> 1 of the nature of it. 2 of the Motives inducing to the observation theirof 3. of the Signes[H capitalises] evidencing that obstruction <H: observation> or discovering the want thereof.

heartes of man, and of the great Case[H capitalises] of Conscience[H capitalises] how man should know, that he is in the state of Salvation, to which affterwardes add the reading of Dikes deceitfullnes of the hart of man; and when you have attentively considered Mr Perkins more full treatise of the Cases[H capitalises] of Conscience[H capitalises], which is extant in his <H: first> volume; proceed to meditation of Dr Ames' his Cases[H capitalises], which are very briefly stated and resolved, <H: yet> unto the heades, which he hath; and such others as yow may adde from other Casuists[H alters from cases]; all in that kind may be referred. [erased: when you are]

some order; some handle at large speciall controversies, against some particular adversaries. of the first kind of writers, of those that are somewhat large, make use of Martirs Common[H capitalises] places, & of Walæus[H capitalises]: & of those that are more brief make use of Corpus Purioris Doctrinæ professorum Leidensium & of syntagmata disputationum Tyleni. I would have yow to read the largest first in this kind of studie; because yow will bee [4 words deleted] able sufficiently to understand them & profit by them and the more briefe Authors[H capitalises] when yow affterwards come to consider them, will bee as it were a repetition[H alters from repitions] of what you have read before; & this will suffice to give yow a cleare sight of the whole body <H: of> Controversall[H capitalises] Divinity; As for particular Controversies[H capitalises] handled at large; yow may fall upon the studie of them as yowr occasions shall require & your owne judgment shall guide yow, for by this tyme your judgment will be informed to discerne what is most expedient for yowr use, to bee insisted on in the ministerie; the Authors which have handled particular controversies at large against the Papists are Calvin, Beza, Sadeel, Mornæus, Whitaker, Iuell, Perkins, & others which tyme will shew yow. then also yow may learne to know those who have bestowed their gift against the Socinians, Arminians, Anabaptists, Lutheranes & other Sectaries of which I need not at all now to speak.

two sorts; First the Fathers under whom the counsells are to bee comprehended. Second by [letter deleted] the [word deleted] schoolemen: & these are againe distinguished into three principall sorts of writers. some are called Summulistæ[H alters from simumulistæ], in reference To Thomas Aquinas his Summa some are Casuists; & some are Sententystæ or commentators upon the Master of the sentences; of these I shall not speake now because when yow are come thus farre you will bee able to direct yourselfe in the observation of that which is most usefull in all these Authors; who are to bee compared to the word of God. I meane both the Ancient and the Moderne, & therefore I shall now proceed to advise yow how to make use of the Holy-scriptures, which above all other Studies, is the most necessarie & usefull for[altered] yow.

<H: and> when it is said in the scriptures that wee shall in the last dayes all bee taught of God: the meaning is, that God by his word and spirit will manifest his whole will unto us; & that wee shall not have need of any other teaching as necessarie to Salvation, or mainly proffitable to edification: the writings of men then may bee accounted off, as helpes towardes the enlargement of Learning; but not esteemed to bee teachers of Divinitie/ <left margin, H: For nothing is Divinity> to us, but as it is received from the Word & spirit by us: humane writings may give us ocasion to search the Word, & seeke for the spirit, to bee taught thereby, but they cannot, as they are humane, deliver any Divine truth unto us, nor can wee count anything Divine as it is offered unto us by them. Your maine studie then must bee that off the Scriptures wherin the Word of Truth is offered to us; that beleving therin, the spirit also may bee obtained, which will seale us up untill the day off our Redemption, & lead us in all Truth & Righteousnes, whilest wee are in this our Pilgimage.

make it <H: a part of> your studie, to dive into the sense thereof, & to lay up the Doctrines contained therin into your mind, in both respects this Generall rule is to be observed, that before yow beginne you <H: should> lift up your heart in Prayers to God, for the grace of illumination, that yow may vnderstand[H alters from understand] the wonderfull thinges off the Lawes of God; to yowr Salvation & the edification of others. As a Christian in yowr morning & Evening Prayer <reading> you should read the Scripture through every yeare once at least; & that in order, to take up the Sequele of matters as they lye, in the morning season the new testament & in the Evenning the old, may bee yowr taske; & if at every time you add some Psalme; or part of a Psalme in order; yow will bee able to runne over that part of Holy Scriptures offt times in a yeare: I thinke the Psalmes should be redde first, & then the other part of Scripture which is to follow in Course; & affter yow have done reading; doe not suddainly fall to other thoughts without a brief recollecting off the matter, & a lifting up <H: of> your heart unto God for a blessing vpon[H alters from upon] the Word. If[H capitalises] the [word deleted] <left margin, H: heart> bee not kept up with attentivenes, with a desire to proffit, & with some meditation upon the matter offered to your thoughts; a meere cursorie reading, will bee a taking Gods name in vaine; therefore without prayer and meditation the word is never too bee read. //. This daily reading of the word at least morning and evening is not all that is requisite of a Christian in this kind; but there ought to bee also some Exercise of the Iudgment & Memorie[H capitalises] at certaine set tymes to collect Precepts and promises & doctrines and Exhortations out of it, & to get the same by heart: & this should bee at least once a weeke besides the Lords-day, that such choise Places as wee meet withall, & wherewith wee [catchword: are]

are most affected, may not bee lost, but noted and layd up in store in our heart[altered from hearty] to bee a settelment of our soule in the wayes of God. & if all sorts of Christians, would acustome themselves to get by heart such Psalmes and Chapters, which containe the Most Materiall Truthes and Duties necesarie for Salvation; it would bee a great meanes to encrease vertue, grace & Comfort in their Soules. & this briefly[altered] is that which under the Notion of a Christian I would advise you to doe in your daily readings of the Scripture, that you <H: may> meditate therin day and night. <left margin: Psalms 1. 2.> Let me now come to consider you under the Notion off a Divine & to advise yow what your study should bee in this respect upon the Holy Scriptures.

you yow will never bee a Fit Scribe[H capitalises] to build up the soules of Kingdome of God in the soules of your hearers, allthough yow attaine to all other imaginable scripturall Learning & knowledge, more then ever any man hath done before yow. For the Kingdome of God, which is within the soules of men, cannot bee otherwise built up, then by the Testimonie of Iesus, who hath founded it in the Inward man; & where off hee himselfe is the cheife corner stone: & the true discoverie of him unto the Conscience is the spirit of Prophesie as the Angell sayth to Iohn Revelations 19. 10. therefore what ever knowledge or Learning is not subbordinate unto this Testimonie; although it bee never soe eminent, is very little usefull unto the worke of the Ministerie. or rather not at all usefull, but rather an impediment to it, in respect that ordinarily the spirits of men are thereby lifted up within themselves (for unsanctiffied knowledge doth puffe up) But the Holy Ghost sayth Habakkuk 2. 4. Behold the soule which is not upright in him, is lifted up; but the just shall live by Faith; the knowledge then of the Scriptures which is begotten in Faith, is that only which doth quicken the soule; now the object of Faith is the Testimonie of Iesus, & it being received, doth purifie the Conscience & Enliven the soule; with the light of life; which makes it conformable unto his Image; if then in your study yow <H: doe> not apply yowr whole attention to apprehend, search & discover the evidences of the <H: this> light & life; which makes it conformable unto his Image, as they are attested in the word, you will never bee proffitable unto others to manifest Iesus Christ unto them; & if yow make not him knowen to yowr hearers, yow will never bee approoved by him, or owned as owne <H: one> of his Ministers: therefore to give yow some directions which may [catchword: bee]

be helpefull towards this effect. I shall briefly runne over the forementioned foure endeavours: which comprehend the whole worke of your ministeriall studie in the Scriptures.

animall man doth not comprehend the thinges <H: of God> because theie cannot otherwise bee discerned but by the spirit; & the spirit doth not worke otherwise but by Faith, & Faith hath none Other Object[H capitalises] but Gods word; & Gods word is noe where to bee found in the Living Truth & vertue thereof, but in Iesus Christ; it is then nothing then but Faith in Iesus Christ which is able to make a man wise unto salvation by the scriptures; if then your ministeriall studie of the scriptures, is to observe the wisdome which doth bring mens soules to the State of Salvation by receiving the testimonie of Iesus; it followeth[H alters from Followeth] that the more yow act by Faith in this studie, the more yow will bee able to observe the testimony of Salvation & that yow may bee able to Act in <the way of> your studie by Faith, yowr Care must bee to Call upon God for his Spirit, to Lead yow in all Truth; & to open the eyes of your Vnderstanding[H alters from understanding] that yow may see the things hidden from the wise & Prudent & from the disputers of this World. God hath promised to all that beleive in Christ that his word & spirit shall not be wanting to them, Es: 59. 21. But yet he will have us to call upon him for Evidence wisdome Iames 1. 5. not is it enough to Aske, but wee ought also to seek and knock <right margin: Math 7. 7. 8>; for hee that asketh receiveth, hee that seeketh findeth & to him that knocketh, it shall bee opened. Wee seeke by meditation & wee knock at the doore of the Kingdome, by practise & all <H: this> must bee done in Faith; & all with a reference to the Testimonie of Iesus. The prayer must bee made

made in Faith for the spirit; to bee able to observe what is Testified in the Word. the Meditation must bee ordered by the rule of faith to bee able to dive into the [letter deleted] word and to search the depth thereof & the Practise must bee set affoot in the full assurance of Faith to obtaine an experimentall entry through Christ into his everlasting Kingdome, according to the Direction of the Word. The worke of spirituall meditation is properly that whereby the testimonie of Iesus is observed in the Word; this Meditation is to bee ordered by the rule off Faith where off the summe & substance is this <left margin: Iohn: 20. 31.>; that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God, & that by beleeving in him (& knowing him with the Father (who hath sent him) # <left margin: # Iohn 17. 3.> to be the only true God, wee may have life eternall.