against which there can be in my conscience no cauill but I could liue and die in the assurance that that is the wil of God It is incredible how the simplest may settle themselues herein in all the fundamentall points of religion If thou finde of these but 20. 30. 40. or 50. places in the whole Bible thou canst not now beleeue how it will settle thee As for example 1. Ioh. 5. he faith There are three in heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one All the world now should neuer make me doubt of the Trinitie in vnitie When I had gotten those grounds those I would sticke toâ—… and for other questions let them wrangle while they will I would receiue further light when I saw it cleere but their quarrelling should not much trouble me And thus I might go on with the particulars of the first sort of rules but these shall suffice to giue light to the course Now for the second sort of Rules one may finde in euery place certaine things strongly obiected against the practise of the godly As for example that they deserue to bee hated because they will not keepe company with their neighbours and because they stand so precisely vpon small matters as lesser othes and doing slight workes vpon the sabbath day and such like and besides many men are afraide to enter vpon such a course of life because it is a way so euill spoken of and reproched in the world c. Now for my owne establishment I would marke where my course differed from other men and in reading I would gather euident places that might warrant my practise As for example places that iustifie the auoiding of the company of the wicked and so againe places that shew that the sincere practise of godlines hath beene euer liable to the scornes reproches and slaunders of the world And so of the rest Now for the maner of vsing these rules I thinke thou maist profitably follow these directions First make thee a little paper booke of a sheete or two of paper as may be most portable then write vpon the toppe of euery leafe the title for that that thou wouldest obserue in reading Chuse out only six or eight titles out of the whole number of such at for the present thou hast most neede to obserue or onely so many as thou art sure thy memory will easily cary to thy reading whether more or fewer In reading obserue onely such places as stare thee in the face that are so euident thy heart cannot looke of them Trouble not thy selfe with that obiection that there are many things which thou canst not discerne take thou onely such as thou canst not passe ouer they are so cleare and euident In noting the places set downe vnder each title only the booke Chapter and verse and not the words for that will tire thee in the end As for example would I obserue all the hard places which in reading I haue a desire to know the meaning of that so when I come into the company of Preachers or able Christians I might haue profitable questions to propound I would set it downe thus Hard places Malach. 4. 5. Malach. 2. 6. And so of other places for I giue these on the suddaine but for instance sake Now when thou hast done thy quarters taske or thy yeeres taske then thou maist write out the thâ—…isest things as thou thinkest good and in the meane time hast the vse of the places for turning to And if thou shouldest in reading of thy selfe remember some title which thou hast not in this direction and yet hast a great desire to obserue places of that kinde by any meanes write it downe whilest thou thinkest of it and custome in obseruing will make thee able to bee thine owne Directour hereafter Looke not at the profit of this course the first weeke or month but consider how rich it will make thee at the yeeres end I am perswaded if thou feare God thou wouldst not sell thy collections for a great price after thou hast gathered them if it were but for the good they may doe thee in the euill day when it shall come vpon thee Farewell the Lord giue thee a blessing and pray thou for mee and remember before thou read to lift vp thy heart to God in some short eiaculations to beg his blessed assistance and take heede thou be not vnthankefull to God for the successe By all meanes striue to keeepe a delight in thy course and let not thy heart bee too apt to discouragement but reioyce in the Lord. Againe farewell the Lord keep thee till the day of Christ. The order of the Bookes and of reading the whole SCRIPTVRES THe Booke you are to read is the Bible your Bible is diuided into 2 parts the old Testament and the New The olde TESTAMENT containes the Law and the Prophets The Law is expressed in the fiue bookes of Moses called the Pentateuche The PROPHETS comprehend three kindes of writings 1. History principally from Iosua to Iob called the anterior Prophets 2. Doctrine principally from Iob to Esay called the Hagiographa 3. Prophesie specially taken principally from Esay to the end of Malachy called the posterior Prophets The new Testament containes 1. History principally in the foure Euangelists and the Actes 2. Doctrine principally in the Epistles 3. Prophesie in the Reuelation That which you are first then to read is the Law in the fiue bookes of Moses which bookes intreate 1. First of the originall and state of the Church in the beginning to whom the Law was giuen in Genesis 2. Secondly of the promulgation or publication of the Law which was giuen either generally the lawes Ecclesiasticall and Politicall together and so in Exod. 9. or specially and apart and so the Lawes Ecclesiasticall are giuen in Leuiticus the Lawes Politicall are giuen in Numbers 3. Thirdly the repetition of the Law in Deuteronomy GENESIS IN Genesis you shall read 1 First of the creation of the Church chap 1. 2. 3. 2. Secondly of the constitution of the Church from Chapter 4. to the end In the creation obserue the making First of the World in which the Church was to liue Chap. 1. Secondly of Man of which it was to consist in whom consider His happinesse in which hee was made Chapter 2. His misery into which he fell chap. 3. The constitution of the Church must bee considered as it was in the two worlds the olde world before the floode from chap. 4. to 8. and the new world after the floode of which chapter 8. to the ende of the booke In the old world consider The propagation of sinne and punishment chap. 4. The conseruation of the Church chap. 5. The condemnation of that sinfull world Foretold chap. 6. Executed chap. 7. The story of the new world is considered chiefly in the ages of foure men that is Noah to ch 12. Abraham to ch 25. Isaach to ch 28. and Iacob from ch
purification was either Ordinary and annuall c 16. Or Extraordinary ch 17. The lawes that concerned the information of their liues were either Oeconomicall about their mariages ch 18. Or Politicall about their cariage abroad with others chapters 19. 20. Or Ecclesiasticall which Lawes considered either Persons ch 21. Or Things ch 22. Or Times viz. Dayes chap. 23. 24. Yeares cha 25. March Leuiticus 26 1 2 3 4 5. 27 6 7 8 9 10. 28 11 12 13 14 15. 29 16 17 18 19. 30 20 21 22 23. 31 24 25 26 27. NVMBERS THe booke of Numbers intreates of Lawes and those Lawes politicall for the most part that were occasioned by the mustering of the people for their iourney to Canaan The History concernes 1. Their preparation to the iourney ch 1. to ch 11. 2. Their iournies ch 11. to 22. 3. Their station or abode when they came neere to Canaan chapt 22. to the ende of the booke In their preparation to the iourney obserue 1 Their mustering or numbring 2 The Lawes giuen them 3 The manner The muster was either ciâ—… of the people who are Numbred ch 1. Ordred chap 2. Or sacred of the Priests who are Numbred ch 3. Ordred chap 4. The Lawes are either common to all about sanctity in things Necessary ch 5. Voluntary ch 6. Or particular First ciuill for the Tribes chap 7. Secondly sacred for the priests and Leuites ch 8. Their manner is double 1. Of their sanctification and order ch 9. 2. Of their iournies ch 10. Thus of their preparation Their iournies are distinguished by a story of eight murmurings of the people The first was for the tediousnesse of their iourney The second was for wearines of the Manna ch 11. The third was the emulation of Miriam and Aaron against Moses chap. 12 The fourth was the sedition of the spies murmuring ch 13. plagued ch 14. reconciled ch 15. The fift was the conspiracie of the three Leuites ch 16. The sixt was the indignation of the people at the former iudgements where note Their murmuring c. 17. Their reconciliation as it respects Persons and rites ch 18. The manner ch 19. The seuenth was for want of water chap. 20. The eight was for the tediousnes of the way ch 21. Thus of their iournies Their station or abode hath a double story One concernes the people that were to inherit The other concernes the inheritance it selfe The people are considered as they were Conquerours of their enemies ch 22. Encountred by magicke arts ch 22. 23. 24. Disordred with idolatry and fornication ch 25. Reconciled and a new mustered ch 26. Furnished with a new Prince chap 27. Instructed about sacred things Necessary ch 28. 29. Voluntary chap. 30. The inheritance is considered First in a part of it which was Conquered ch 31. Disposed ch 32. By a digression their iournies are reckoned altogether ch 33. Secondly in the whole where consider The boundes and diuision of the land ch 34. The lawes concerning the inheritance either as it was Sacred chap. 35. Ciuill for the people chap. 36. Aprill Numbers 1. 1 2 3 4. 2. 5 6 7 8. 3. 9 10 11. 4. 12 13 14 15. 5. 16 17 18 19. 6. 20 21 22. 7. 23 24 25 26. 8. 27 28 29 30. 9. 31 32 33. 10. 34 35 36. Deuteronomie THe booke of Deuteronomie containes the repetition of the Law wherein consider First how the people are prepared to receiue the Law c. 1. to ch 5. 2. How the Law is giuen ch 5. to ch 27. 3. How the Law is confirmed ch 27. to the end The people are prepared 1. By rehearsall of Gods blessings in peace ch 1. 2. By good successe in warre chapters 2. 3. 3. By counsell ch 4. In the giuing of the law consider 1. The propounding of it c. 5. 2. The expounding of it this exposition concernes 1. The morall law more generally c 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. more specially c. 12. 13 2. The ceremoniall law ch 14. 15. 16. 3. The iudiciall law the iudiciall law I say as it was either Common to all c. 17. Singular and so concerned The Priest c. 18. The people c. 19. The warre chap. 20. The courts of ciuill Iustice c. 21. to 27. The law is confirmed 1. By signes ch 27. 2. By promises and threatnings chap. 28. 3. By the renuing of the couenant ch 29. 30. 4. By the election of a new Captaine ch 31. 5. By prophesies ch 32. 33. All conclude with the history of Moses death ch 34. Aprill Deuteronomie 11. 1. 2. 3. 4. 12. 5. 6. 7. 13. 8. 9. 10. 14. 11. 12. 13. 15. 14. 15. 16. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 17. 21. 22. 23. 18. 24. 25. 26. 19. 27. 28. 20. 29. 30. 31. 21. 32. 33. 34. Hitherto of the Law the Prophets follow The Prophets that were historicall intreat of the Church of the Iewes either Of their comming into Canaan so Ioshua Or of their condition after they had that I. and for their inheritance and that 1. Till the captiuity 1. Vnder Iudges the bookes of Iudges and Ruth 2. Vnder Kings and so the bookes of Samuel Kings and Chronicles 2. After the captiuitie of things done 1. In Iudea and so the bookes of Esdras and Nehemiah 2. In Babilon and so Hester IOSHVA COncerning Ioshua three things may be obserued 1. His calling to the gouernement ch 1. 2. His Actes 1. In time of warre where note 1. The sending of the spies chap. 2. 2. Their passing ouer Iordan miraculously with the consequents of it c 3. 4. 5. 3. The besieging and winning of Hierico ch 6. 7. 4. The winning of Hai c. 8. 5. The couenant with the Gibeonites ignorantly made chap. 9. 6. The victory ouer 5. kings chap. 10. 7. Battaile with the remnant of the Canaanites ch 11. 8. All repeated ch 12. 2. In the time of peace 1. The diuision of the Land chap. 13. to 21. 2. The dimission of the trans Iordanians ch 22. 3. The celebration of a Parliament chap. 23. 3. His death chap 24. Aprill Ioshua 22. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 23. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 24. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 25. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 26. 22. 23. 24. IVDGES THe booke of Iudges containes the History of the lewes vnder the gouernment of Iudges where note 1. The occasion of this gouernment ch 1. 2. 2. The narration of the peoples estate 1. Vnder Gouernours 1. Of Hothniel and Ehud and Sangar ch 3. 2. Of Deborah ch 4. 5. 3. Of Gedeon ch 6. 7. 8. 4. Of Abimelech ch 9. 5. Of Iephtha c 10. 11. 12. 6. Of Sampson chapters 13. to 17. 2. Without Gouernours whereof their monstrous sinnes and ciuill warre ch 17. to the end Aprill Iudges 27. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 28. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 29. 13. 14. 15. 16. 30. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. RVTH THe booke of Ruth entreates of Ruth a moabitish woman and so 1. Of her piety wherein of 1. Her conuersion ch 1. 2. Of her conuersation ch
2. 2. Of her mariage as it was 1. Procured ch 3. 2. Celebrated ch 4. May Ruth 1. 1. 2. 3. 4. Hitherto of the history of the Iewes vnder Iudges their estate vnder Kings till their captiuity followes and that 1. First as the kingdome was vnited where the kings were first 1. By election of those 1 Samuel 2. By succession of these 2 Samuel 2. Secondly as the kingdome was diuided 1. Vnder Salomon 1 Kings 2. Vnder other Kings 2 Kings 3. As it was in both estates more fully vnfolded in the 1 and 2 of Chronicles I SAMVEL THe first booke of Samuel intreates of the estate of the Iewes vnder their Kings Elect where note 1. The time of the change of gouernment viz. in the daies of Samuel whose birth is described ch 1. and part of the second 2. The occasion of the change viz. the wickednes both Of Helies sonnes which is Discouered threatned ch 2. 3. Punished c 4. 5. 6 7. And of Samuels sons c 8. 3. The story of the Kings viz. 1. Of Saul of whose both Election as he was Called ch 9. Confirmed by Inaguration c. 10. Consent of the people ch 11. Resignation of Samuel ch 12. And reiection with the causes of it ch 13. 14. 15. 2. Of Dauid The history of Dauid contains things that befell him First in his prosperous estate as Vocation to the kingdome chap. 16. Victory ouer Goliah c 17. Secondly in his aduersity these concerne 1. His exile and banishment where note The cause ch 18. The sorts of his exile In his owne countrey chap. 19. 20. Without the Country Amongst the Philistims ch 21. Amongst the Moabites ch 22. 2. His persecutions considered 1. In the grieuousnesse of them which appeares By the diuersitie of the places whither he fled c 23. 24. 35. 26. By his flight to the enemies with whom he was faine to liue where what hee did ch 27. 28. 29. 30. 2. In the end of them chap. 31. May. 1. Samuel 2. 1. 2. 3. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 4. 9. 10. 11. 12. 5. 13. 14. 15. 16. 6. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 7. 23. 24. 25. 26. 8. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 2 SAMVEL THe 2 booke of Samuel intreates of the kingdome by succession wherein of 1. The vnlawfull Successor of whose Promotion to the kingdome ch 1. 2. Deiection from the kingdome ch 3. 4. 2. The true Successor viz. Dauid of whose Inauguration ch 5. Gouernment as it was First good and that In religious things chap. 6. 7. In warre ch 8. In politicall things ch 9. 10. 2. Secondly euill where note His sinnes committed chap. 11. Confessed chap. 12. His punishmentes which were either 1. Internall domesticall as 1. The incest of Ammon c 13. 2. The sedition of Absalon wherein note The occasion chap. 14. The beginning of it ch 15. The progression of it ch 16. The issue of it ch 17. 18. 19. 2. Externall and publike these must be considered 1. In the sorts of them viz. The sedition of Ziba ch 20. The famine c. 21. 2. In the euents of them 1. Good viz. Thankesgiuing chap. 22. Prophesie c 23. 2. Euill ch 24. May 2. Samuel 9. 1. 2. 3. 4. 10. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 11. 12. 13. 12. 14. 15 16 17 18. 19. 13. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 1 KINGS THe first booke of Kings intreates concerning the kingdome 1. In the increase vnder Salomon where 1. The instituting of Salomon to be King ch 1. 2. The conseruation of him in the kingdome ch 2. 3. 3. The administration of the kingdome wherein his glory is shewed 1. In his family and subiects ch 4. 2. In his buildings both of the Temple and his owne house c 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 3. In his riches chap. 10. 2. In the decrease concerning which consider 1. The occasions or causes of it viz. The sinnes of Salomon and the iustice of God 2. The beginnings of it where consider 1. The Authours of the diuision Rhehoboam and Ieroboam of whom ch 12. 13. 14. 2. Their successors whose raignes are handled More briefly c 15. More largely in the raigne of Ahab from ch 16. to the end May 1 Kings 14 1 2 3 4. 15 5 6 7 8 9 16 10 11 12 13 14. 17 15. 16 17 18 18 19 20 21 22. 2. Kings THe second booke of Kings containes a history of the decrease of the kingdomes of Israel and Iuda and they are considered First in their continuance and defection together and so the story entreates of them two waies First apart where the succession and actes of the Kings of Israel are noted as of Ahasiah ch 1. Ioram from ch 2. to 9. Iehu ch 9. 10. Ioash ch 11. 12. Iehoas and Ioas together 13. 2. Secondly together both the kingdomes are considered in their story from ch 14. to 18. 2. Secondly in a speciall storie about the destruction of the Iewish kingdome where consider 1. Their decay ch 18. 19. 20. 21. 2. Their repaire ch 22. 23. 3. Their finall destruction chap. 24. to the end May. 2. Kings 19. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 20. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 21. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 22. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 23. 22. 23. 24. 25. 1 Chronicles THe first booke of the Chronicles intreates First of the beginning of the kingdome of Israell where obserue the Genealogie 1. Generall of the world and all nations from Adam to Iacob chap. 1. 2. Particular of the nation of the Israelites in their 12. Tribes ch 2. to 9. 2. Of the administration of the kingdome 1. Vnder Saul ch 9. 10. 2. Vnder Dauid in whom consider 1. His entrance into his kingdome where note His inauguration chap. 11. His followers chapters 11. 12. His care of religion chap. 13. His confirmation in the kingdome ch 14. 2. His acts 1. In the progresse of his raigne both 1. Good and these For religion and Gods seruice chap. 15. 16. 17. For the warre chap. 18. 19. 20. 2. Euill ch 21. Secondly towards the end of his raigne in his old age where note First his courses againe for religion chap. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. Secondly his order for the Common-wealth chap. 27. Thirdly the parliament a litle before his death with the euent of it chap. 28. 29. May. 1. Chronicles 24 1 2 3 4 5 6. 25 7 8 9 10. 26 11 12 13 14. 27 15 16 17. 28 18 19 20 21 29. 22 23 24 25 26. 30. 27 28 29. 2. Chronicles THe second booke of Chronicles intreates of the kingdome of Israel First in the increase vnder Salomon of whom consider His vertues ch 1. His buildings both sacred ch 2. to 8. and ciuill ch 8. His condition and death ch 9. 2. Secondly in the decrease in the raignes of Rhehoboam chap. 10. 11. 12. Abiah chap. 13. Asia ch 14. 15. 16. Iehosophat ch 17. 18. 19. 20. Ioram ch 21. Ahasia ch 22. Ioash ch 23. 24. Amasia ch 25. Uzziah ch 26. Iotham ch 27. Ahaz ch 28. Hezechiah ch