Bibliotheca catechetica, or, The country curates library being an essay towards providing all the parochial cures of England, endow'd with not above ten pounds per annum : with a study of usefull books of like value : to enable the ministers thereof to catechise the youth, and to instruct the people in all things necessary to salvation / by Thomas Bray ...

PROPOSALS FOR The providing Catechetical Libraries in all such Parochial Cures of this Kingdom, as are not endow'd with above Ten Pounds per Annum, for the Use of the Mini∣sters thereof. Humbly offer'd to All who are Lovers of the Souls of those for whom Christ Died.

THAT there are such, even in this Fro∣zen Age and Country, and who being of a Publick Spirit, are not only Able, but Willing, to do any thing they can be made sensible will be for a Common Good, is to be hop'd, or at least-wise to be wish'd. But that which is the chiefest of all Goods, the Cultivating the Minds and Manners of Men with Divine Knowledge, and Christian Vertues, seems not to be thought of, however not to be promoted by such proper and im∣mediate Methods as it easily might. Schools and

Colleges (God be prais'd) we have sufficient to send us out Labourers for the Vineyard; and from thence there come more than enough to supply all the Cures of the Kingdom. But alas, when they are come Abroad, there are scarce one Third of our Paro∣chial Preferments which can enable our Cler∣gy to furnish themselves with those necessary helps, whereby they may be serviceable in any tolerable measure to the good of Souls: And yet I find few do cast their Eyes upon this sort of Charity, the rai∣sing of Libraries for this End and Purpose.

But whatever others may think of it, to me this seems to be a prime part of Christian Charity; and the most wanted too in this Kingdom; And I doubt not, but it will in like manner appear to all others, who will but consider these following Parti∣culars; namely,

I. That as the Soul of Man is Infinitely more va∣luable than the Body, so that Charity which goes to∣wards the Cultivating the Minds and Manners of Men with Divine Knowledge, and Christian Gra∣ces, whereby they may be made meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, must needs be of a far more exalted Nature, than that which Terminates only upon the welfare of this Mortal Life.

II. That by an exact Scrutiny into the Value of our Livings, it will be found, that there are 400 Parishes, and upwards, in England, Wales, and the Isle of Man, Endow'd with not above Ten Pounds per Annum for the maintenance of a Minister, with which Provision it is utterly Impossible he should furnish himself with Books, whereby he might be able to give those Souls, committed to his Charge, due Instructions in all the meer Necessaries to Salvation.

III. It will therefore follow, that those Persons who abound in this World's Goods, and especially whom Providence seems in a more peculiar manner to have design'd to be Publick Benefactors to Man∣kind, by giving them good Estates, without Heirs to enjoy their Riches; it will therefore follow, I say, that such will approve themselves both to God and Man, most Divinely Charitable, who shall bestow some of the forementioned Libraries for the perpetual Use of the Ministers of such Places, in order to Capa∣citate them to save the Souls of Men.

IV. As by this means such Charitable Persons will become at a second hand, and in an Inferior degree, as it were, Apostles to the World, by Preach∣ing through the Mouths of these Ministers to the People, and will have a share in all the Conversions

which shall be made in such places to all succeeding Generations; so to induce them thereunto they need no more than to meditate upon those words of the Prophet, Dan. 12.3. They that are wise, or, Teach∣ers, as it is in the Original, shall shine as the Brightness of the Firmament, and they that turn many to Righteousness, as the Stars for ever and ever.

I shall not enlarge on these Particulars, I think they carry their own Evidence along with them, all of them except the second, and a little Insight into the present State of the Clergy, will make that ap∣pear to be matter of Fact. And the rest need no Il∣lustration. And now if the Case of the Church in this Nation be really so, I conjure all those who love to see the Image of God, Imprinted upon the Souls of Men, to furnish, as our Plantations abroad, so our poor Vicaridges at home, with what may enable us to erace that Ignorance and Barbarity, those Brutish Man∣ners, and Paganish Vices and Customs, which do to this day so hideously deform the greatest part of Man∣kind. We cannot now work Miracles, nor is Inspi∣ration any part of our Talent; but we are left to the ordinary Means to fit our selves for this great Work of Converting the World; namely, the com∣mon measures of God's Holy Spirit, accompanying our hard Study. But how can they Study, who have not Books to read? Those who were never pinch'd with narrow Preferments may not be sensible

of this want, because they have been able to furnish themselves sufficiently with Books. But those whose Incoms from the Church never enabl'd them to pur∣chase the fourth part of the Authors they have occa∣sion to peruse, in order to discharge the ordinary Duties of their Ministry, can speek feelingly in this matter.

I know there is nothing a more common Jest than the Poverty, and Ignorance of the Poor Clergy in Wales, and the Northern parts of this Kingdom; but this Jest in my Opinion, is the Nations shame, who provide no better for them. And provide them but with Books, and they would be neither Ignorant, Poor, nor Scandalous; not Ignorant, for Books do by an immediate Causality remove that Imputation; not so very Poor as now, for I have known Good Men, and Lovers of Learning kept under hatches all their life time, chiefly by their being Bookishly given, and in∣debted to Booksellers: nor Scandalous, for I know that many whose Immoralities are said to be a Reproach to their Function, who yet in all probability had ne∣ver become such Men, if they had been possess'd of Good Books, wherewith they might have employ'd their time in reading; for want of which it is, that some perhaps may have sought their Diversion in Ale∣houses, and in a Santring way of Life.

But alas! The want of Books is not of the tenth part of that ill Consequence, as it affects the Mini∣ster,

to what it is, as it affects the People. If it could only be consider'd as affecting the former, it would be but a Private, and Single Misfortune; but since it cannot but extreamly much affect the latter, it is a Publick Calamity. For why? Where the Priests Lips cannot preserve, cannot procure Knowledge, how should the People seek the Law at his Mouth? And alas, where Ignorance, and Darkness Universally Reign in any part of the World, and the People are desti∣tute of Divine Knowledge, innumerable are the Mi∣series, and dreadful are the Sins, which Reign in such places; Between Superstition, and Atheism such Peo∣ple are equally divided; Fornications, and Adulte∣ries are accounted but common Infirmities by their great ones, and Perjuries in the Courts of Judica∣ture are part of the Services they exact of their In∣feriors: And to be Sons of Violence is common to all. For as was seen in our former Ages of Igno∣rance in this Nation, and is still the Constitution of Barbarous Countries elsewhere, the Great Ones with their Followers are no better than Publick Rob∣bers, ever and anon making Ravages upon some Neighbouring Petty Lord, and his Vassals, and all of them a sort of tollerated Banditty continually Prey∣ing, and being Prey'd upon by each other. Such, and many others are the Violations of Just and Right, of God's Laws, yea and of the very Laws of Na∣ture, which arise from this bitter Fountain of Igno∣rance

of the true Nature of God, and of Religion, whereas on the other side, unspeakable are the Be∣nefits consisting in Justice, Mercy and Peace; in Piety towards God, and well ordered Affections as to our selves, where, by means of an Intelligent, Pious, and Industrious Clergy (those great Bene∣factors to Mankind) the People are throughly en∣lightned with the Knowledge of God, and the true Nature of Pure and Undefiled Religion, as it is in James 1.27.

I say, of Pure and Undefiled Religion, a Religion that is unmixt with the Alloys of meer Systematical, and Precarious Tenets on the one hand, or Supersti∣tious, and Idolatrous Usages on the other. And such is the Constitution, as near as can be, of this little Catalogue, which follows. It is Compos'd of such Pious Mens Works, who have Imbib'd their Principles from our Church Catechism, and in wri∣ting consonantly to that, I am sure they cannot Err either to the Right, or to the Left in Religion. And because I would rather desire to see such Libraries fixt in those Poor places for which I am so Zealous, than any one Good I can wish for the Church, I have made up the Catalogue of such Books for the most part, as have their Authors now living, or are at leastwise most easily acquirable, being Common, and in our English Tongue.

And since I have assum'd to my self to be an Ad∣vocate in the behalf of my Poor Brethren, and their respective Flocks; let me intreat such of our Digni∣fy'd Authors, who have written so Piously, and De∣votionally, to exemplifie the sincerity of that Spirit, which does appear in their Writings, by bestowing of their Books to the purposes for which I here Soli∣cite them. And also I do earnestly request our Richer Citizens, who by many, and repeated Providential Hitts have been advanced to great Fortunes; and do therefore peculiarly owe grateful Returns to God, to think upon this of Bestowing Little Libraries Instructive in the Essentials of Christianity, as the most Natural, and Adapted way whereby they can testifie such their Gratitude. But above all, I must desire those,

Whom Providence, as I said before, seems in a more peculiar manner to have design'd to be Publick Benefactors to Mankind, by giving them good Estates without Heirs to enjoy their Riches; particularly I desire them to consider this matter, and that by this means they would make to themselves Friends in Heaven of the Mammon of Un∣righteousness, rather than like David's Fool, heap to themselves Riches, not knowing who shall gather them.

And that instead of being foolishly Solicitous to find out some one, from whom they might call their Lands after their own Name (fondly thinking that by this means, their Houses shall continue for ever, and their

Dwelling-places to all Generations) that they would ra∣ther by such Charity to the Souls of Men, as is here propos'd, provide that their Names may be written in the Book of Life, thence never to be obliterated. And indeed I must not pass by any of those, whose ample Fortunes shall enable them, or Pious Souls shall en∣cline them to imitate their Great Master in doing good, without minding them of the Excellency and Usefulness of this sort of Charity.

Now our Ancient Founders of Colleges, those Brave, Large, and Elevated Souls! General∣ly express'd their peculiar Tenderness to their Native Country, or to those places of abode, to which they owed most, by qualifying Persons of such Dio∣cesses, or Counties respectfully, for the benefit of their Foundations. And the same Method of Cha∣rity I shall here adventure to recommend to those, I do now Address. Let such whose Conditions shall enable them to bestow one, two, or more of these Diminutive Libraries, cast their Pitying Eyes upon those Ten Pound Curacies, whether Parishes or Chap∣pelries, near unto them, and extend their Benefacti∣ons in this way to as many of them, as their Circum∣stances shall enable them. But as for those whose Worldly Acquisitions are very great, and can render themselves a Blessing to whole Provinces; let them look towards Wales, the Isle of Man, and

other Northern parts of this Kingdom. And in∣deed it is matter of sad Consideration to see how Barbarous, and Ignorant those places now mention∣ed, do still remain, notwithstanding that the Gospel shines in other parts of the Nation with a Meridian Brightness; the reason is the small Provision made for its Encouragement in those Parts, whereas in all reason the greatest Encouragement ought to be given there, where Nature is most unkind, and uninviting, to Ballance the Inconveniences thereof. And I am ve∣rily persuaded, that if Books were fixt in those parts, as ungrateful as is the Climate, Men of Worth would follow them, it being natural for Persons who are Lovers of Knowledge and Religion, to value all Places alike where Religion and Learning do flourish.

Nor let any be discouraged from bestowing these Books, out of fear they should be Imbezel'd, Lost, or Converted to a Private Use, for there may be sufficient Care taken to secure them through all the Succession of Ministers in such Places; 1st. By Let∣tering them on the Covers to what Parish they belong. 2dly, By making Registers of them to be left with the Bishop, and his Arch Deacons, in whose Jurisdictions such Places shall happen to be. And 3dly, By the Yearly Visitation of the Arch-Deacon, or of such of the Clergy whom he shall Depute to see that they be

not Imbezel'd, Lost, or Spoil'd. After all these Precautions, there seems no place for the least fear they should ever be Lost. But if they should be any∣wise Alienated, by the meer Lettering of them, they may as easily be discovered, and own'd, as any Li∣ving Creature by its Ear-mark.

And now I only desire such to whom I Apply, to consider, how Comfortable, how Joyful it will be to those Pious and Charitable Persons we have al∣ready found upon this occasion; and to those who shall add themselves to the number; I desire such to consider what a Jubile it will be to them, when the Judge of all the World shall sit upon his August Tribunal, surrounded with Angels; and when the Register of all Mens Actions shall be open'd, to hear the Record of this their Love to God, and Pi∣ty to the Souls of Men publickly read, Angels and Saints applauding them.

And indeed if any are Piously Ambitious of the Highest Stations in the Kingdom of Glory, of be∣coming Courtiers and Favourites to the King of kings; it is Professedly and Sincerely my Opinion, that next to what the Apostles did to Evangelize the World, such Charities as these, which have the most. Immediate, and direct Tendency to Convert Mankind to God, will be the most ready way to Recommend, and Qualifie a Pious Soul for such a

Dignity: And I think I have the Authority of an Infallible Testimony for what I say, for which rea∣son I must again repeat it, They that are wise, or Teachers, shall shine as the Brightness of the Firma∣ment, and they that turn many to Righteousness, as the Stars for ever and ever.