Bibliotheca parochialis: or, A scheme of such theological heads both general and particular, as are more peculiarly requisite to be well studied by every pastor of a parish. Part. I. Together with a catalogue of books which may be read upon each of those points. / By Thomas Bray ...

THE INTRODUCTION

THE Design of Publishing the following Pro∣posals, and Catalogue, is in hopes that fal∣ling into the Hands of such who are Piously dispos'd, they may be thereby wrought upon to con∣tribute towards the promoting the two best Things in the World, Religion and Learning, in those Parts which are most uncultivated therewith, the American Plantations.

And indeed it is scarcely to be imagin'd, that those Persons who are throughly season'd with true Piety, and are sensible of the inestimable Benefit which they themselves have received by the Preaching of the Gospel (by which alone they are distinguish'd from those Barbarous Indians, whose Spiritual Condition is truly deplorable; and whose Conversion is one thing herein aim'd at, as well as the Instruction of those of our own Colonies.) It is not to be Imagin'd, I say, but that they should be hearty Well-wishers to such a De∣sign,

and contribute so far as they are able, towards carrying it on. It was Emphatically spoke to St. Peter by our Blessed Saviour, When thou art Converted, streng∣then thy Brethren, Luke 22.32. For a Soul throughly Converted, and burning with a fervent Love to God, will not only wish well to the Labours of others, but by all possible means will it self endeavour, that the Image of that God he loves, may be imprest likewise upon other Mens Souls; and that all the World may joyn with him in the Adoration and Praises of that Blessed Saviour, from whom he does receive such un∣speakable Benefits.

Now, in reference to our Foreign Plantations, the Subject of our present Concern, I humbly conceive, there is scarcely any more effectual way to testifie our Love to God, or the Souls of Men, by promoting the Glory of the one, and contributing to the common Salvation of the other, than by imparting something towards the providing of such Libaries therein, where∣by the Clergy sent thither, may be enabled to instruct those People in the Doctrines of sound Belief and good Morals; the two great constituent parts of Christianity.

For this in the first place, I will be bold to assert, That however some Persons, whose Enmity to the Clergy proceeds from their want of Love and Venera∣tion to that God and Religion, to whom they do Minister (as is notorious, if we consider the Principles and Practices of those Men;) notwithstanding, I say, such

are pleas'd to traduce the whole Order as useless, and a burden to the World; yet it is evidently owing to the Men of that Tribe, that Mankind has been so happily recover'd from the Ignorance, Barbarity, and Brutish Manners into which it was sunk; and that Licentious∣ness, Rapine and Violence have given way to Purity, Justice and Humanity in those parts of the World where Pure and Genuine Christianity is taught; Nay, and it is owing to them, that where Humane Sacrifices were once offered, now the Reasonable Service that the Gospel prescribes, which is to live Soberly, Righteously, and Godly, has prevail'd in the World; and that where whole Provinces were Slaves to the Devil, they are now the Servants of God. And should a Nation, through the heavy Judgment of Heaven, become de∣stitute of a Learned and a Pious Clergy, and be de∣livered up to the Malignant Principles of those who hate the Profession; Good God, to what Impurities, Rapines and Murders must such a wretched People be inevitably expos'd! Such an inestimable Benefit to Mankind, are a Clergy that do throughly understand, and industriously preach the Genuine Doctrines of Christianity.

Next, I presume I may safely assume this, that as the Clergy are more or less useful to those Excellent Ends of Improving and Perfecting the Minds of Men, accordingly as they are more or less Masters them∣selves of that Divine Knowledge which they are to Teach others; so it is not possible according to the

present Dispensation of Divine Providence, that they should throughly understand it themselves, without the help of such Books as treat of all the Sacred Truths of Christianity. For now the Gospel being fully re∣veal'd, Inspiration is ceas'd, and Persons of all sorts, Clergy as well as Laity, are left to Study and Reading, as the only Means, whereby, together with God's Blessing, they can attain to that measure thereof, which is sufficient to inform themselves and others.

And therefore Lastly, from hence it does follow, that such Charitable Persons as shall contribute towards the furnishing of the Clergy design'd for the English Colonies abroad, with such means of Knowledge, as we pro∣pose, cannot but have a proportionable share both in the Vertue and in the Reward of that Blessed Work, whereby God's Kingdom is exalted in the World, and the Devil dispossess'd of that Usurp'd Dominion he has gain'd over so great a part thereof. Such will in some measure, be accounted to have been Evangelists them∣selves, and will partake in the Reward of those who have turned many to Righteousness, by carrying the Gos∣spel to other Nations.

And who is it that is piously Ambitious of being high in the Favour and Love of God, and of being exalted to a higher Station amongst the Blessed Saints above, that would not at the Charge of a Moderate Benefaction, be so Instrumental as this may render him, towards the Salvation of a considerable part of Mankind? The Apostles we do all know, are to sit upon Twelve

Thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel. And where∣fore is it that they shall be thus Honoured above all Men, but because they were the Grand Propagators of Christianity, and spar'd not to spend, and be spent in that Service, 2 Cor. 12.14. to reduce Mankind to the Obe∣dience of God? And may not then those Persons ex∣pect a proportionable degree of Honour and Reward above their Brethren, who shall offer of their Sub∣stance towards the same Noble and Blessed End? Cha∣rity, indeed of whatsoever kind it be, will have its Reward. He that gives Alms to the Poor, He that Cloaths the Naked, or Feeds the Hungry, will find ic upon his Account at the Day of Judgment. But then as there are different ways of doing Good; so to provide Spiritual Food for the Souls of Men, is a Cha∣rity of as much a more exalted Nature, as the Spirit is more Excellent than the Body.

Nor will this Charity terminate only on the Minds of those that receive it, but will also have a most happy Influence to the procuring of their Bodily Comforts, for wheresoever the Gospel of our Saviour prevails, it takes off that Ferity of Nature whereby Mankind become Beasts of Prey, even Wolves and Tygers, to one another, and renders 'em Benign and Kind to all those who have to do with 'em; and ready to do all manner of good Offices to their Brethren in Humane Nature. So that you may ever observe, that proportionably as Divine Knowledge prevails in the World, in the same degrees do Barbarity, Rapine,

Violence and Brutality decrease, and Humanity, Ju∣stice and Order gain ground amongst Men. And if the Authors from whence this Knowledge is deriv'd, are not corrupted with such Principles as undermine Mo∣rality (which is visible in the Writings of some sort of Men) the tendency of Christian Books, as such, is to improve Mankind in all the Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body, to a similitude with the Holy An∣gels themselves; and indeed to render 'em Partakers of the Divine Nature.

This I say, if the Authors from whence this Know∣ledge is deriv'd, be themselves good; for Men are generally such in their Principles, Tempers, and Dis∣positions, as the Books and Company are with which they Converse, since Evil Communications in either way do Corrupt good Manners: but such as do truly represent the Nature of that Covenant we have made with God in our Baptism, and do shew us from thence, the indispensable Obligation lying upon us to a Holy Life; such as do set forth the Principles of our Religion as the most forcible Motives to live according to the Di∣ctates of Right Reason, and the Improvements of Revelation; such Authors as these do manifestly tend, not to Debauch the Manners, but to Improve the Morals of Mankind, to that degree, as to bring down a kind of Heaven here upon Earth, and to render the Inhabitants thereof Guardian-Angels to one another.

And this has been the great Aim in that Collection of Books here Recommended, as proper to enable our Clergy to Advance the Blessed Work proposed in those Plantations where they are to Minister. It is hard to be answerable for every thing contain'd in all of 'em. There is no Humane Writing free from Faults or Defects in some kind or other; But however there are no Errors in any of those Books here Propos'd, which the Orthodoxy of others in the Catalogue will not rectifie. And take 'em in the whole Bulk, they are thought to be some of the most useful in their kind, to give a competent Understanding of the whole Body of Christianity, and all its Parts. And as it is endeavoured, together with the Catalogue of Books here exhibited, to give a Scheme of Christian Truths in that Order wherein they do most naturally lie; so the very studying of 'em in such a Method, may probably tend, not a little to the Improvement of our American Clergy in Christian Knowledge, and to ena∣ble 'em the better to Edifie others. For as the Study∣ing of any Science incoherently, begets nothing but confus'd Apprehensions of things in our own Minds; so it will render us incapable to give clear and adequate Representations thereof to other Men.

And indeed it ought not to be dissembled, that this Catalogue is published with some design to help our Young Students in Theology, even on this side the Water, since it maybe a piece of Service to some of them, to direct 'em in the Choice of such Books, as

will be of most necessary and immediate use to them in their Ministerial Instructions to the People, and which yet by the brevity of the Catalogue may be had, (some one at least on each Head) without any great and insupportable Charge. True it is, there have been various Methods of Study given us by learned Men, with a List of those Authors they would Recommend to our use: But it is the general Com∣plaint, that few or none seem to have Adapted their Catalogues to the Proper and Immediate Business of a Parish Minister, as he is one who must instruct his People in all things belonging to his Salvation; much less to the Circumstances of the greatest part of that Body, whose small Livings, especially if they have Families, will not afford 'em wherewith to Purchase a third part of the Books Recommended to them in those Catalogues.

Nor indeed, if they could buy them, would it be very agreeable to the Nature of their Business to do it; for either these learned Directors give us Lists of all the Authors that have Writ upon each Subject, or at least of as many as they have perus'd and read themselves, and this generally through all the general parts of Learning, however remote and unnecessary to the par∣ticular business of a Preacher or Catechist; or if they have confin'd their Catalogues to such Books as are more Immediately Useful and Practical, yet they do not seem to have design'd 'em in any great Order, where∣by the Rationale of their Catalogue may clearly ap∣pear

with respect to a Parish Minister, as if they in∣tended thereby a Provision, especially for a through and entire Information of Teacher or Hearer in all the necessary and essential points of Christianity And hence it is that many Young Divines, if you come to examine their shelves, will be found either to have laid out what they could spare, in Books of a more remote concern, and thereby to have disenabled themselves to purchase those of a more immediate Importance. Or if they have expended their small Stock in Practi∣cal Divinity, yet their Collection will seem to be very Rickety, having a great redundance in Authors upon some points, and as great a deficiency on others. Whereas those in the mean Livings by cutting off Superfluities, might be able by degrees to purchase one or two Books at least, upon every of those Heads of Doctrine wherein it is necessary they should instruct the People; and for want of which, all the Terms of the Baptismal Covenant, are scarcely Preach'd over to them in many places, I fear, in the whole Course of some Mens Ministry.

And probably it is from this Observation, that some have been so importunate with me to Print the fol∣lowing Catalogue of Books design'd for Parochial Libra∣ries in the Foreign Plantations, upon which consideration I hope, it will not be imputed to me, as Arrogance, to offer what looks like a Direction in this case, especial∣ly when it is to my Brethren of the lowest Form in the Church that I do herein apply my self.

And yet so far am I from assuming to Dictate what Books, it may be sufficient, even for the most Inferior Rank of our English Divines to read, that I do thus far Retract what I have said with respect to any advanced to Holy Orders in this part of the World, where good Literature does so much flourish, and makes such a di∣stinction in the value we put upon Men, that I do freely acknowledge it were much to be wisht that every one of the Clergy here in England, should Launch out far into the vast Ocean of Universal Learning. For besides that we live here in a very Inquisitive Age, wherein Per∣sons of all Ranks and Professions have arriv'd to great Attainments in all the parts of Knowledge; and it is not a little indecent to see a Gowns-Man, whose very Garb denotes him one Devoted to Study, outdone by any ordinary Laik, in Philology, Philosophy, Mathematicks, Antiquity, or any part of useful Learning (except by Persons in their own proper Profession, to whom it is as decent on the other side to submit) besides this, I say, the Business of a Divine is of that comprehensive extent, that good Skill even in Nature, Mathematicks and Laws, which may seem most remote from his Business, is not only Accessary and Ornamental to his Profession, but of exceeding great use for the Explica∣tion and Proof of some of the principal Subjects he is to Discourse upon to the People, and also for the Defence of the most Fundamental Articles of Faith, that he is to maintain against the Atheist and Anti-scripturist.

The Knowledge of Nature affords the best, the plainest, and the most demonstrative Proofs of the Existence, and Providence of God, to the Establish∣ing of our Faith, and the Raising the Admiration and Devotion towards the Divine Majesty, both of the most Intelligent and of the Meanest of the People. Mathematical Knowledge is in some measure necessary, to enable one to give a Rational Account of the Truth of the Mosaick History of the Creation and Deluge; and to answer the Cavils and Exceptions of the Super∣ficial and Half-learned Atheist, (as has in the Instance of the Ark, been unanswerably done by Bishop Wil∣kins, and in the like Cases bv other Pens.) And a competent Knowledge of the Laws, especially of the Civil Law, and of the Law of Nations, enables a Di∣vine with the most convincing Arguments and Rea∣sons to Establish the Doctrine of Christ's Satisfaction, one of the principal Articles of Reveal'd Religion. In∣somuch that Crellius himself confess'd before his Death, that he had never Written against Grotius upon that Subject,* 1.1 had he first seen his Chapter de Communica∣tione paenarum. And indeed, many of the Social Duties of the Civil Life, are not likely to be so exactly stated by any, as by one well acquainted with the Laws and Customs of Nations. So that it is very re∣quisite, that every Pastor of a Flock, especially in this Curious and Incredulous part of the World, should

give himself up to farther Enquiries into Uni∣versal Learning, still making this his Rule, that he spends most of his Time and of his Thoughts upon what is Essential and immediately necessary to Man's Salvation, viz. the Terms of the Covenant of Grace; since to pursue any other Knowledge to the neglect of this, would in him be to gratifie a sinful Curiosity.

But as for those who are to serve in the Plantations, I do no not at this distance foresee the necessity of their being provided of more than such a Sett of Books, as shall be of absolute necessity to enable 'em to declare the whole Will of God, so as may suffice to the Information of Plain and Illiterate Men, that so they may be able with St. Paul, speaking to his Converts, to call the Consciences of those committed to their Charge, to attest also to them, that they are pure from the Blood of all Men, not having shunned to declare unto them all the Counsel of God. Not but that we could wish to have one Library of more Universal Learning, to have recourse to upon occasion, in every Province, and shall especially endeavour to have one in the College which is now Erecting in Virginia, by the Favour and Bounty of his most Excellent Majesty and our late B. Queen, and by the Liberal Benefactions of many Right Reverend, Noble, and Generous Persons, and by the Especial Industry, Care, and Expense of one of the best Provincial Governours in the World.

But however, as it is fit we should be contented with small Beginnings, so we shall be deeply sensible

of what Assistance shall be given us towards Paro∣chial Libaries, and shall study in all manner of ways to express our Gratitude to our Benefactors for the same: particularly, as in order to the preservation of those Books, besides the Lettering upon their Covers to what Parish they belong, and the making of several Registers of 'em; one to be left with our most Honoured Diocesan the Lord Bishop of London; one with His Majesty's Governour in each Province; one with the Suffragan or Commissary; and one to be deposited in the Vestry of each Parish; as all this to preserve 'em from Loss or Imbezelment, or in order to recover 'em if any wise diminished; so in gratam rei Memoriam, there will be moreover added in each of these Registers, a List of our Benefactors, and of their respective Bene∣factions.

But that which I am sure will be most grateful to such Lovers of Religion and useful Learning, we will by the Grace of God, make that good use of 'em we ought, to the purposes design'd. We shall indeed think it hard to be sent to Work in the Brik-kilnes with∣out out Allowance of Straw, but give us Materials and Tools, and we'll endeavour to be answerable to God and Man for our Fidelity and Labour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Didici, pauló antequam motenetur, dixisse Crellium, se nunquam contra me Scrip∣turum fuisse, si ante Scrip∣tionem legiss••t mea de pe∣narum Communicatione in Jure Belli & Pacis Ep. 556. 2 parte.