of Judgement and Probity of Will at best hand The second Direction Observe a due Order and Method in your Studies that is pass on leisurely and surely from one thing to-another from what you know certainly from Self-evident principles proceed to the knowledge of other things that you may know them as certainly too Never Assent to any thing that is doubtful and questionable Assensum Cohibe till you meet with something of Certainty that approves it self to the mind either by the clearest conviction of Reason or the best Attestation of others in matters of Fact if you do so you are then and not till then in a Good and Safe Way of Knowledge The third Direction For the Relief of your Memory that you may the better remember what you have read and well consider'd commit that to writing especially what you meet with in any Author that is Great and Considerable and therefore to that purpose make to your self an Alphabetical Common-place Book especially for Archaeologys and curious Notions relating either to Persons or Ancient Customs The fourth Direction In all your Particular Studies mind the main Drift and Vse of them as for instance according to our former Account of Books 1. Christian Religion îs the most useful knowledge the best Learning in all the World in order to a better and therefore cannot be minded and studied enough For it makes us Truly Wise and Truly Good Happy here and Eternally Happy hereafter In the studying of which that your profiting may appear to all men give your self very much to serious Meditations Devout Exercises of Piety and Vertue and reading of sound Books in Religion and when you do so always have your recourse to the Holy Scriptures for the ultimate Resolution of all your Doubts and Difficulties entertain no Opinions or Sentiments in Religion but what are consonant to this Infallible Rule of Faith and all good Manners For the better understanding of them you shall do well to have at hand Sebastian Castellio his Latine Version with Hugo Grotius his Annotations upon the Holy Bible And Dr. Henry Hammond's Paraphrase and Annotations upon the New Testament all in Folio Books that will acquaint you with the True and Rational Sense of the Holy Scriptures The Book of Books 2. Geography a very Delightful and Profitable Study by this kind of Learning you may converse with the Inhabitants of our little World tho' never so remote from you by this you will be no Stranger to any Place or Country whatsoever from all which you may Learn something or other that is very useful and well-becoming you as you are a Traveller especially if you take Notice all along as you go of the Choicest Productions of Nature and Art the main End of this Study 3. History Most useful in its kind for by this you may acquaint your self with all the Grand changes and revolutions of the world that have happened before you were born and since your time Here as in a great Theater you may behold humane Nature under several Persons Acting its several Parts exercising its Vigour in the greatest and most Heroick Actions of Life and that under the Conduct of Divine Providence whatever therefore you meet with of Note in your reading the History of several Ages or of Persons in Every Age I mean that is Truly Vertuous and Praise-Worthy transform it to your own Vse and make the best Improvement of it Consider your self not only as a bare Reader or Spectator that stands by to look on whilst others are a Doing But as One that is an Actor in every Scene of Human Life as One that is really concern'd in every thing that is said and done by others Always taking the right side and adjoyning your self to those Hero's and Worthy Men that have appeared in Publick and upon the Stage in the behalf of Truth Honesty and Justice The Rule and Solid Foundation of all History as also the proper Use and Result of it 4. Philosophy and Mathematicks very pleasant and delightful Studies Studies for Minds and Abstracted Souls from worldly Business that desire to know the Nature of things with all their Affections and Phaenomena and that from their Immediate Causes This is the Standard and Great Rule in this kind of Learning and to this you must make your Appeal not to the Authorities of Men but the Vncontroulable Reason of things the Constans Invicta ratio rei whereever it resides either in your own mind or in the minds of others that judge aright from clear and distinct perceptions without Prejudice or Partiality But I consider that you are now Secretary to the Council in the East-Indies and so that Part of Philosophy which relates to Politicks will be most proper for you to mind the Maxims of which you will find in those Books I have reckoned under the Head of Moral Philosophy for that is the true Source of Politicks and consequently must Govern all Political Learning in its utmost Extent for you may take it for an infallible saying Nemo nisi vir Probus Bonus est Civis aut esse potest The Best man in Morality is certainly the Best Citizen and truest Polititian For your Conduct herein I shall only recommend to you my own Political Compass by which you may steer your Course in all Human and Civil Affairs as I have done before you very evenly and steddily and notwithstanding all the blustering winds and storms in the State come at last to your Port and attain your Sovereign Good The Author 's Political Compass It consists but of Eight Points and therefore may be easily remembred they are these Verity Probity Liberty Sovereignty Property Charity Unity Piety Words of great Moment and Imporâ—ance so duly connected and consequent one after another That if they were made the Imperial and Standing Laws of Politicks nothing could conduce more to the Publick Peace and Tranquillity of all mankind than they Truly and Really do for Verity by its kindly and effectual Persuasions inclines the minds of well disposed men to Piety and Probity and they in Conjunction to Vnity if that may not easily be obtained which to me seems somewhat hard that it should not be so Liberty and Charity will certainly adjust it and procure it too among rational and good natur'd men But if these Lovely Graces should do it neither because some men are unreasonable in their pretensions and ill natur'd in their deportment towards others Sovereignty must at last determine all our unhappy Differences and Establish every man in his just Rights and Beloved Property so it should be and there is very great reason for it That by those Eight Words of Wisdom we should Govern all our Political Transactions the Great Concerns of Human Life and Conversation I am sure King Charles the First the Martyr of Blessed Memory Governed himself and â—his People committed to his Charge by all these Points and tho' he met with hard Usages and an Untimely Death
truth and reality by a constant practice of this holy self-denial of your self Secondly 2 In making much of our selves in some other things I say you must also make very much of your self in some other things I mean 1. Such Internal Excellencies and Perfections must be minded by you besides 2. Some other external good things as will in the way and in the end make you truly happy Now these Internal Excellencies and Perfections of your Nature either relate to the body or the mind What those things are is here delared as for instance or to the whole man The external good things without you but very convenient for you to have them also are such as relate either to your good Name and Reputation or real and personal Estate Therefore what concerns your body 1 The good health of the body must be minded you must chiefly mind the good health and constitution of it For a sickly and crasie body is not fit for action nor a good Servant for the Soul The best way of attaining it under the Divine Blessing The best Rule for that is to use moderate and wholsome Diet good Exercises and innocent Recreations to live always temperately soberly and according to Rule for they that do so sleep quietly in utramque aurem they are seldom overcharged with noxious humours or arrested by any satal distempers their heads are clear and their hearts sound their blood moves briskly and vigorously in their Veins and wherever they go they carry about with them a chearful mind in an healthful body Mentem sanam in corpore sano and that surely is a great happiness not to be parted with for all the voluptuous man's most sumptuous Cheer and extravagant Jollity for that commonly ends in pains lingring diseases and a miserable death Secondly 2 The Perfections of the Mind The perfections of your mind which must be looked after and for which you may justly love your self and make much of your self in the enjoyment of are such as these viz. 1. To acquire as much useful knowledge as you can 1 Vseful knowledge for as light is pleasant to the Eye so is truth to the Understanding above all knowledge therefore labour to attain that which is most beneficial to you which really will make you wise unto Salvation as certainly the knowledge of the true Religion of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is An Account of some of the bâ—st Books and that you may easily learn from those good Books I have formerly re-commended to you when you went to the East-Indies I think they were such as these tho' I shall add some few more that have been publish'd since to perfect this Account An Account of the best Books in Christian Religion I. Bishop Wilkin's Principles and Practices of Natural Religion in Octavo Hugo Grotius of the Truth of the Christian Religion of Dr. Patrick's Edition in Twelves Dr. Patrick's Witnesses in 2 Octavo's and Dr. Parker's Demonstration of the Divine Authority of the Law of Nature and of the Christian Religion in Quarto These good Books will acquaint you with the true Grounds and Principles of all and of Christian Religion in general II. Bishop Pearson upon the Creed in Folio Here this worthy Author gives you a most rational Account of the Fundamental Articles or Doctrines of our Christian Faith as to the Verity and Necessity of them to a good Life III. Doctor Hammond's Practical Catechism in Octavo The whole Duty of Man in Octavo Doctor Taylor 's Holy Living and Holy dying in Octavo The Grand Exemplar in Folio Mr. Scot's Christian Life in Octavo These five most useful Books thus put together will instruct you in all the worthy Practices of our holy Christian Religion Whatever concerns a pious and vertuous life you may learn from hence As for the Historical part of Christianity that you may know what manner of men the Primitive Christians were you shall do well to read Doctor Cave's Primitive Christianity in Octavo The Lives of the holy Apostles and primitive Fathers by the same Author in two Folio's IV. Doctor Patrick's Devout Christian in Twelves Next to the Common-Prayer-Book this excellent Treatise will be a good help to you in your Devotions with this you may entertain your self upon all Occasions to very good purpose V. Doctor Patrick's Parable of the Pilgrim in Quarto A most excellent Book in its kind This will always put you in mind what you are by Profession and should be in very deed a Christian Pilgrim Here you have a Guide that will instruct you in the true way to Heaven and direct you so to steer your course of life that by the Blessing of God upon your good endeavours you shall not fail to come thither in God's own due time VI. Dr. Tillotson's Sermons in Octavo This is one of the best Sermon-Books that I know and therefore I would have you read it frequently and make the best use of it as also Bishop Wilkins's Sermons lately published and Doctor Isaac Barrow's Sermons all Octavo's VII Doctor Henry More 's Grand Mystery of Godliness and Iniquity in two Folio's Divine and most excellent Books to inform you in all the great things of Christian Religion or the grand Mystery of Godliness and how some people have apostatized from it by advancing the grand Mystery of Iniquity VIII Mr. Will. Chillingworth's Protestant Religion the safe Way to Salvation in Folio I know you are a good Protestant Christian and therefore to secure you in your Religion I commend this incomparable good Book to you Next to this most useful Knowledge which so much conduces to your own Happiness and the Way of attaining it and is in the aforesaid Books very well explained and demonstrated if you have any time of leisure hereafter you shall do well to study History and Geography Studies that are both Pleasant and Profitable and will fit you for Discourse and ingenious Conversation The best in that kind I have also heretofore named unto you and given you my advice how to proceed methodically in the reading of them Another Account of the best Books in Geography and History I think for your memories sake they were such as these and may be with some new ones ranged in this Order I. Abbot's Geography in Twelves A Book for young Beginners that contains a great deal in a little room and will give you a very good description of all Countries and the most remarkable things in them II. Doctor Heylyn's Cosmography in Folio This Book gives you a larger Account of all Countries as appears by the Title Page thereof In subsidium for a farther help and direction in your Geographical Studies you shall do well to take in these viz. Varneii Geographia Absoluta in Octavo P. Bertii Tabula Geographicae in Quarto G. Fournier Geographica Orbis Notitia in Twelves Mercatoris Atlas Bleau's or the English Atlas All in several large Folio ' Goth-fredi Archontologia
yet he will be ever remembred for his Eminent Vertues and Sufferings by all Religious and Loyal People that Fear God and Henour the King and so long as his most Excellent Writings remain with us especially his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he can never be forgot Our present Sovereign Lord King Charles the Second whom God long preserve following his Fathers Glorious and Illustrious Example has hitherto since his Happy Return endeavoured to promote among us all these great things of Verity Piety Probity Vnity Liberty Charity Sovereignty and Property God Almighty Grant we may see the joyful Effects of them in our days However in omnem Eventum till they are better observ'd by us than they are do you my Dear Friend and Pupil take them into your Custody keep them and Practise them as you have occasion for the Good of the Universe And now I think we have done with Books and the right Use of them in order to Useful Knowledge the point we have been upon all this while Let us now go on further if you please 2. You must mind also the Practice of all Moral and Christian Vertues espeeially those that velate to the good Government of your Thoughts and Passions Vertuous Practices and the culture and improvement of the inward man in Humility Modesty Pnrity Meekness Contentedness under all Estates of which I have given you a slender explication heretofore in an other Letter of mine which if you mind as I know you will because it is really your truest Interest so to do all Happiness will attend you and be with you for ever But because I was then somewhat too brief the Shipâ— hasting away I will now God willing more particularly inform you before I pass from this matter to another what Method I judge best for the due Government of the Thoughts and Passions Especially the due Government of our thoughts and Passions which I would have you put into practise as often as you have occasion for this is a matter of great moment because if our thoughts within us be right and our passions orderly we have secured the two main springs of all Human Actions their regularity and goodness chiefly arising from them and so in this procedure as our Thoughts Passions are so will be our Actions in the End and Result 1. 1 The Government of our Thoughts Therefore look to your Thoughts that you harbour none in your breast or mind but such as are pure holy and harmless if any other should peep in or start up ex improviso as sometime or other they will presently wink them into nothing send them packing bid them be gone The true way of it by Avocation and Revocation do not parley long with them but immediately dismiss them and least they should return upon you with a new force in lieu of them always have your mind possessed with such divine and heavenly thoughts as relate to God let God be in all your thoughts and let all your thoughts be busied how you may love and serve him with all your mind Entertain also such brave and manly thoughts as will always incline your will to the noblest actions of Justice and Charity by considering the many ways you may do good to others and to your self also that you may be always well imployed but never given to idleness the nurse of bad and evil thoughts Think then also of the certainty of Death of the judgment and the life to come a few such good thoughts will always over-aw all vain and idle thoughts that in time they shall not have the boldness the daringness and confidence to appear before your mind 2. 2 The Government of our passions Look also to your passions for these are a vehement kind of thoughts or sudden agitations of the mind and body together that are apt to put men upon strange adventures and so to hurry them into many inconveniencies if their Carreer be not stopped in the first Effort therefore of your Power and Government over them In the first Effort these two Rules are to be observed 1. Two Rules to be observ'd Determine your Passions to their proper Objects and then 2ly regulate and order them in such a manner as that they be proportionated to those Objects First I say determine your Passions to their proper Objects The 1. Rule To determine our Passions to their proper Objects for if they be only conversant with such as they should be they are then very Orderly and Useful and there can no harm come to you by any of them they will then be so far from disturbing the Peace and Tranquillity of your Mind that they will rather promote it As for Example If you admire nothing but what is Great and Highly Valuable nor despise any thing but what is Mean Little and Contemptible if you only love what is to be loved that is reall Goodness and Vertue that makes for your real good and the good of all others too if you hate nothing but what is vitious and mischievous to you and others if you fear nothing but what is truly evil and hurtful hope for nothing but what is truly desireable nor desire any thing but what is fairly and justly obtainable and last of all if you rejoyce in nothing but what will some way or other make you better your Passions then are well determin'd as to their proper Objects and whilst they are so all is well within you the serenity of your mind will never be over-clouded and you need fear no dismal storms or tempests from without you live in perfect peace and in a true enjoyment of your self Secondly 2d Rule To Regulate and Order them in such a way and manner as may be proportionate to those Objects I say regulate and order them also in such a way and manner that they may be prâ—portionate to their several Objects that is there is a certain Decorum and Moderation to be observed in our Passions in reference to those things about which they are conversant as for instance The greatest the best and worthiest things Objects of the highest nature and excellency must be greatly admired and then prosecuted with the greatest Love of Veneration and then there can be no Excess no Hyperbole of Love but what is truly commendable and Praise-worthy So our Contempt of vile and little despicable things can neither be too excessive The Vse of this Rule shewn in most Passions and so likewise our Hatred can never be too severe if it be exerted against all manner of Sin and Wickedness on the other side things of a lesser rate and value will be esteemed loved and regarded by us as the things themselves deserve and no further Again in the Passions of Fear and Hope the greatest Evil most to be feared and the greatest Good that which is most beneficial to us may justly raise great Hopes in us and incite in us Desires commensurate to
good Spirit to defend you from all your Enemies and in due time to raise you from this infirm and mortal state to an immortal full of glory honour and blessedness in the world to come to crown you with a Crown of Righteousness and a Diadem of never fading Glory Honour therefore and reveâ— this glorious King of yours remember you are one of his Subjects and therefore make good that relation you stand in towards your dearest Lord love and serve and honour him for ever 2ly 2 Entertain his Doctrine Entertain his Doctrine with all readiness and resolution of mind with a full consent and purpose of your will to live according to it that is 1. 1 Believe his Promises Believe his Promises as they are in themselves both general respecting the good of all Mankind and also conditional requiring something to be done by us for our exceeding great comfort first then believe his gracious Promise about the forgiveness of our Sins upon the condition of a living Faith sincere repentance and new obedience to be performed by you so his promises about the assistance of Divine Grace and the Spirit of God to further you in all well-doing his Promises relating to this Life and a comfortable subsistence â—ere that you may be content with whatsoever God sends his Promise during your â—boad and Pilgrimage here that you shall be under his Guardianship and the Protection of his good Angels to keep all Evil from you and therefore be Valiant and Couragious and last of all believe his great Promise of Eternal Life to keep up your mind above all the Temptations of this world that you be not insnared or overcome by them these are the great things and the good things that our Saviour has promised to us and you need not doubt or question his Veracity but he will make them good to you in particular if you only believe on him with the heart unto Righteousness and therefore in the next place 2dly 2 Obey his Precepts Obey his Precepts universally Sincerely and Constantly that so you may without fail inherit his promises These holy Precepts of his you may find in his divine and excellent Sermon on the Mount and in most of the pages of the New Testament St. Paul has reduced them to three Heads that we live Soberly Righteously and Godlily Tit. 2. and certainly he that makes conscience so to do that lives in a constant observance of our Saviour's laws that glorifies God Almighty by a Voluntary chearful and constant obedience in the whole course of his life as he does our Saviour the greatest honour and service of love fulfills the whole duty of a Christian loves his good Master heartily and intirely according to that blessed saying of his If ye love me keep my Commandments so this holy and good man shall only inherit that blessedness and those beatitudes which our Saviour has promised to bestow on his faithful Servants in the other world when he shall appear in his own glory and illustrious presence to our Eternal Satisfaction 3. And lastly 3 Imitate his holy life and Example follow your blâ—ssed and holy Master Jesus in his holy life and the many examples of Vertue of all kinds he has set before you Imitate his Piety and Devotion in his loving of God his Father in magnifying his holy Name in the world upon all occasions in setting up his Kingdom of righteousness in advancing his honour and the due observance of his holy Laws and in the resigning of himself perfectly to his divine Will in all things so that it became his meat and drink to do the Will of his Father which is in heaven Imitate him next to that in his great Charity to all men for he went up and down as the holy Story says of him only to do good where ever he was and where ever he came he left monuments of his great Beneficence behind him all places and all persons were really the better for him and so do you herein follow your blessed Master as you have opportunity to do good to all especially to the houshold of faith that is to explain St. Paul's phrase to you in plain English to those that are eminently Vertuous truly Just and Good according to our Saviour's holy Religion and Faith as those that best deserve your Charity and Kindness Imitate your holy Master also in his great Humility Purity Sobriety Temperance Meekness Contempt of this World Heavenly-mindedness his Magnanimity and Patience in his undergoing and bearing all afflictions and sufferings especially his invincible Patience under his Cross and his last triumphs of it in his holy Passion and Death In a word always have this great Examplar of all Vertue and Holiness before your eyes as he walked so do you as he was in the World so be you that so you may say in truth and sincerity of heart with St. Paul now I live yet not I but Christ lives in me which if it be your happiness to do as it is really the greatest happiness in the world so to do you will never repent your self that you have lived thus and when you come to dye as we all must you will find the blessed comfort of it in your self and so in full assurance of your Faith in sure and certain hope you will pass into those happy regions of Light and Glory whither our blessed Saviour is gone before us to receive you there you shall live and reign with him and be blessed for ever world without end Amen So be it My dear Friend God grant we may all of us there meet in his due time to our everlasting comfort and satisfaction In the mean time Simus in procinctu let us be always ready for that blessed state by Innocency and Holiness of life let us love our Lord Jesus Christ in truth and sincerity and follow St. Paul's short advice most exactly with which I will shut up this long Letter of mine Phil. 4.8 9. Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there be any praise think on these things Those things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you § VII The Conclusion And so my good Friend farewell and be perfect in this divine and heavenly art of living well and happily God Almighty bless you and inrich your Soul with all the graces of his holy Spirit May the divine Spirit of all love and goodness and a sound Mind ever abide with you as it is and shall be my constant Prayer for you so in this excellent Spirit of Love with all hearty Affection I ever remain Dear Sir Your true Friend and Christian Tutor Henry Jenkes POSTSCRIPT Mr. Faithorne and Mr. Kersey I have reviewed this Letter of mine and made some considerable Additions to it since I first writ it if you think good to Print it as it is now Enlarged I give you my free Leave and Consent so to do Fare you well H. J. From my beloved Colledg of Gonvill and Cajus in the University of Cambridg Octob. 11. 1682. FINIS