Mather's Student Library

Many have proposed recommended reading for the Christian student of the Word, or student for the ministry, as I have referenced previously in my own Books for People of the Book. I thought it might be useful for some if I set forth such a list as prepared by Cotton Mather, along with bracketed information for the modern reader who might be less familiar with the names and titles identified by Mather, as a window into early 18th century American Puritan studies.

In consideration of a young ministerial student's choice of books, it is wise to remember Cotton Mather's adage: “What and where my Relish for BOOKS, which I may be hungry for? LORD, Because I shall see THEE, or serve THEE, the more for the Reading of them.”

Cotton Mather, "A Catalogue of Books for a Young Student's Library," in Manuductio Ad Ministerium: Directions for a candidate of the ministry. Wherein, first, a right foundation is laid for his future improvement; and, then, rules are offered for such a management of his academical & preparatory studies; and thereupon, for such a conduct after his appearance in the world; as may render him a skilful and useful minister of the gospel (1726), pp. 148-149:

[Nathan] Bailey's English Dictionary. [Before Samuel Johnson and Noah Webster, Nathan Bailey (d. 1742) helped to pioneer English lexicography with his An Universal Etymological English Dictionary (1721), which became the most popular English dictionary of the 18th century, and went through nearly thirty editions.]

[John] Ward's Introduction to the Mathematicks. [John Ward of Chester (1648-c. 1730) published in 1703 the Young Mathematician's Guide, which became a favorite textbook at Harvard and elsewhere.]

[Basil] Kennet's, Roman Antiquities. [Basil Kennett (1674-1715) was the author of Romae Antiquae Notitia, or the Antiquities of Rome. . . .To which are prefixed two Essays concerning the Roman Learning and the Roman Education (1696).]

[John] Potter's, Archeologia Attica. [Archbishop John Potter of Canterbury (c. 1673/74-1747) was the author of Archæologiæ Græcæ: or, The antiquities of Greece (1706), which served as the definitive work on Greek Antiquities until the middle of the 19th century.]

[Thomas] Lewis's Origines Hebraeae. [Thomas Lewis (1689-1749) was a controversialist and an opponent of Scottish Presbyterians; he wrote Origines Hebraeae: The Antiquities of the Hebrew Republic (1724).]

[Edward] Wells's, Sacred Geography. [Edward Wells (1667-1727) was an Anglican  minister and author of Sacred Geography: being a geographical and historical account of places mentioned in the Holy Scriptures

Mat. Prideaux, his Introduction for Reading all Sorts of History. [Mathias Prideaux (1622-c. 1646), son of the Calvinistic Anglican churchman John Prideaux, wrote An easy and Compendious Introduction for Reading all sorts of Histories (1648), which was edited by his father after his early death.]

[William] Whiston's Chronology. [William Whiston (1667-1752) was the protégé of Isaac Newton, as well as his mathematics professorship at Cambridge, though the two parted ways upon Whiston's conversion to Arianism. His A Short View of the Chronology of the Old Testament and of the Harmony of the Four Evangelists (1702) was based on Archbishop James Ussher's earlier Annals but came into conflict with the Biblical chronology of Isaac Newton.

[Friedrich] Spanheim, his Introductio ad Historiam Sacra. [Friedrich Spanheim the Younger (1632-1701) was a Swiss-German Reformed theologian of conservative views, son of Friedrich Spanheim the Elder, who as a member of the faculty at the University of Leiden was of the Voetian party. He wrote Introductio ad Chronologiam et Historiam Sacrum (1694).

[Cotton Mather] The Christian Philosopher. [Inspired by Hayy ibn Yaqdhan, a novel by 12th-century Islamic philosopher Abu Bakr Ibn Tufail, Mather wrote in 1721 the first systematic book on science published in America.]

[Bulstrode] Whitlock's, Memorials, both Volumes. [Bulstrode Whitelocke (1605-1675) was an English lawyer and historian, author of Memorials of the English affairs from the beginning of the reign of Charles I (1682). Mather wrote of this work (Manuductio Ad Ministerium, p. 63: "If you would come at all near to the Truth of what Concerns those Times, you must look for it, in Whitlock, his Memorials of English Affairs, from the Beginning of K. Charles I. to the Restoring of K. Charles II."]

[Thomas] Fuller's Worthies of England. [Anglican churchman and historian Thomas Fuller's The History of the Worthies of England (1662) is one of the great Christian hagiographies.]

[Edward] Leigh, his Critica Sacra, both Parts. [Edward Leigh (1602-1671) was a Puritan politician and lay theologian. He wrote Critica Sacra, or Philologicall and Theologicall Observations upon all the Greek Words of the New Testament in order alphabeticall, &c. (1639, 1646) and Critica Sacra. Observations on all the Radices or Primitive Hebrew Words of the Old Testament in order alphabeticall, wherein both they (and many derivatives . . .) are fully opened, &c. (1642), with a commendatory epistle by William Gouge; both of which were published together (1650, 1662). This great lexicographical compilation endeared Leigh to Archbishop James Ussher.

[Stephen] Charnock's Works. [Stephen Charnock (1628-1680) was one of the great Puritan writers, whose magnum opus was published posthumously as The Existence and Attributes of God (1682).

[Matthew] Pool's Annotations. [Matthew Poole (1624-1679) was a Puritan minister and Biblical commentator who first compiled in Latin the Synopsis Criticorum (1669-1676), a synopsis of interpreters on the whole Bible, followed by his English Annotations on the Holy Bible (completed after his death by friends in 1683). The Latin Synopsis is being translated and published, together with the English Annotations, by The Matthew Poole Project. Poole's unfinished project to record providential occurrences was the basis of Increase Mather's (Cotton's father) An Essay for the Recording of Illustrious Providences (1684).]

[William] Strong, On the Covenant. [William Strong (d. 1654) was a member of the Westminster Assembly. His A Discourse on the Two Covenants was published by Theophilus Gale (1678).]

[Edward] Polhil, his Speculum Theologiae in Christo. [Edward Polhill (1622-1694) was a notable Puritan minister and author of Speculum theologiae in Christo: or, A view of some divine truths, which are either practically exemplified in Jesus Christ, set forth in the Gospel; or may be reasonably duduced from thence ... (1678) . Cotton Mather wrote elsewhere "Everything of Polhill is evangelical and valuable, especially his Speculum Theologiae."]

The Leyden, Synopsis Purioris Theologiae. [Synopsis purioris theologiae disputationibus quinquaginta duabus comprehensa (1625), often referred to as the Leiden Synopsis, was co-authored by Antonius Walaeus (1573-1639), André Rivet (1572-1651), Antonius Thysius (1565-1640), and Johannes Polyander van den Kerckhoven (1568-1646), all notable members of the faculty of the University of Leiden.

[Petrus, or Peter van] Mastricht, his Theologia Theoretico-practica. [Peter van Mastricht (1630-1706) was a leading theologian of the Nadere Reformatie, best known for his systematic theology Theologia Theoretico-Practica (1682-87), which is currently being translated into English by the Dutch Reformed Translation Society. Mather wrote of him (Manuductio Ad Ministerium, p. 85): "I hope, you will next unto the Sacred Scripture, make a Mastricht the Store-house to which you may resort continually."]

[Author uncertain, attributed to John Locke], Common-Place Book to the Holy Scriptures. [Originally published in 1676 as Graphautarkeia, or, The scriptures sufficiency practically demonstrated. Wherein whatsoever is contain’d in scripture, respecting doctrine, worship, or manners, is reduced to its proper head. Weighty cases resolved, truths confirmed, difficult texts illustrated, and explained by others more plain, the title given in 1697 was A common-place-book to the Holy Bible: or, The scriptures sufficiency practically demonstrated. Wherein whatsoever is contain’d in scripture, respecting doctrine, worship, or manners, is reduced to its proper head: weighty cases resolved, truths confirmed, difficult texts illustrated, and explained by others more plain. … A 1725 edition was titled A common-place-book to the Holy Bible: or, The scriptures sufficiency practically demonstrated. Wherein the substance of scripture, respecting doctrine, worship, and manners, is reduced to its proper head, weighty cases resolved, truths confirmed, and difficult texts illustrated and explained. Commonly attributed to John Locke, this work was excluded from the 1777 edition of Locke's Works because of uncertain authorship.

EEBO Editions in Print

Since late last year, EEBO (Early English Books Online) has partnered with BiblioLife to produce hardcopy (paperback) print editions of its material. At present, at least 3,000 different works are now available through Amazon under the brand name Proquest EEBO Print Editions. Researchers and lovers of 17th-century Puritan works have long known that EEBO was a goldmine for great literature published in England from 1475-1700. Now, in facsimile paperback form, EEBO Editions are becoming widely available at Amazon. Back in December 2010, I published a reading list for Christians. Many of those works were available -- either exclusively, or primarily -- through EEBO in PDF form, but now, in such a short time, so many of them are available in paperback. Some notable examples from my reading list, with a few others included, are:

• Richard Rogers, Seven Treatises;
• Richard Rogers, et al., A Garden of Spiritual Flowers;
  
• Anthony Burgess, Vindiciae Legis: or, A Vindication of the Moral Law and the Covenants, from the Errors of Papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially, Antinomians;
• David Dickson, Therapeutica Sacra;
  
• William Gouge, A Guide to Go to God: or, An Explanation of the Perfect Pattern of Prayer;
• Samuel Smith, Davids repentance, or, A plaine and familiar exposition of the 51. Psalme first preached, and now published for the benefit of Gods church;
• William Ames, Conscience With the Power and Cases Thereof;
• Nicholas Byfield, The Rules of a Holy Life;
• William Attersoll, A Commentary on the Epistle of St. Paul to Philemon;
• Westminster Assembly, The Grand Debate;
• William Perkins, An exposition of the Lords prayer in the vvay of catechising seruing for ignorant people. Hereunto are adioined the praiers of Paule, taken out of his epistles and An exposition of the symbole or creede of the apostles according to the tenour of the scriptures, and the consent of the orthodoxe fathers of the church and Christian oeconomie, or, A short survey of the right manner of erecting and ordering a familie according to the Scriptures;
• Samuel Clarke, Annotations on the New Testament;
• John Dod & Robert Cleaver, A Plain and Familiar Exposition of the Ten Commandments;
• Thomas Doolittle, A Plain Method of Catechizing;
• Thomas Lye, A plain and familiar method of instructing the younger sort According to the lesser catechism of the late reverend Assembly of Divines;
• Thomas Gataker, The Spiritual Watch and Marriage Duties;
• Arthur Jackson, Annotations on Isaiah;
• Theodore Beza, Commentary on Job and Sermons on Song of Songs 1-3;
  
• Thomas Cobbet, A Practical Discourse of Prayer and A just vindication of the covenant and church-estate of children of church-members as also of their right unto bastisme;
• Smectymnuus (Stephen Marshall, Edmund Calamy, Thomas Young, Matthew Newcomen, and William Spurstowe), Smectymnuus redivivus Being an answer to a book, intituled An humble remonstrance in which the original of liturgy Episcopacy is discussed and queries propounded concerning both; and more.
  

It is also worth noting that some interesting works are presently available at Amazon's Canadian site, but not on the U.S. site, such as:

• Edward Leigh, Annotations on Five Poetical Books of the Old Testament (Viz.) Job, Psalmes, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Canticles.

I encourage interested readers to explore the goldmine that has recently become accessible in print. The works listed here are only the tip of the iceberg. Tolle lege!

More Divinity In His Little Fingers

Concerning King Edward VI, as an example of godly civil magistracy, Edward Leigh, wrote, Epistle Dedicatory, A Systeme or Body of Divinity:

When he was Crowned, they put into his hands three Swords: he Answered, there was one yet wanting, the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit, which was farre to be preferred before all those. When he was pressed by Bishop Ridley and others to tolerate his Sisters Masse in her own Chappel, he would not (though importuned) yeeld thereunto, saying, he should dishonour God in it; and being urged by them, he burst out into tears, and they [Thomas Cranmer] affirmed, That he had more Divinity in his little fingers, then they in all their bodies.

Both Tables of the Law

Edward Leigh, Epistle Dedicatory, A Systeme or Body of Divinity:

It is the Duty of the Magistrate not onely to regard that the life of his Subjects be civil and honest, but also that it be religious and godly. Therefore we are taught to pray for them, that we may live under them a peaceable life, not only in all honesty, but also in all godliness, or true worship of God, as the word used by the Apostle doth signifie. Therefore the King was commanded to take a Copy of the whole Law, and not of the second Table only, implyingg that he should look to the execution as well of the first Table as the second.

Golden Psalms

Edward Leigh, A Systeme or Body of Divinity 8.3, p. 840:

The Psalmes of David contain the very spirits, as it were, and are an abstract of all the whole word of God, the choicest works of God, the choicest promises, threats, instructions, comforts. Some[*] have the inscription, and that worthily, of Jewels or golden Psalms, because they comprehend most precious matter.

[* Psalms 16 and 56-60 have the inscription, Michtam, which has been rendered in the margin as "golden psalm" by the King James translators. - RAM]

The Devil is God's Ape

Martin Luther, Table Talk (Of God's Works, No. 67):

The Greeks and heathens in after times imitated this, and build temples for their idols in certain places, as at Ephesus for Diana, at Delphos for Apollo, etc. For, where God build a church there the devil would also build a chapel. They imitated the Jews also in this, namely, that as the Most Holiest was dark, and had no light, even so and after the same manner, did they make their shrines dark where the devil made answer. Thus is the devil ever God's ape.

Daniel Defoe, The True-Born Englishman:

Wherever God erects a house of prayer
the Devil always builds a chapel there;
And 't will be found, upon examination,
the latter has the largest congregation.

When people today think of catechism, they often think of the Roman Catholic catechism. When people think of missionaries from the past, images from the movie The Mission may come to mind, or stories about Jesuit missionaries. But Edward Leigh helps the reader to discern between Biblical catechizing and brainwashing, between Biblical missions and ungodly proselytizing (Matt. 23.15).

Edward Leigh, Prolegomena (p. 6) of A System or Body of Divinity (1654):

The Papists in the Preface to the Catechism of the Councel of Trent, confesse that all the ground which we [that is, Protestants] have got of them is by catechizing; and let us look that we lose not our ground again for want of it.

HT: Paul Korte

Edward Leigh, Three diatribes or discourses. First of travel, or A guide for travellers into forein parts. Secondly, of money or coyns. Thirdly, of measuring of the distance betwixt place and place. (1671), To The Reader:

The Jesuits themselves and others write much, how industrious the Jesuits were in the propagation of the Christian Fatih, and how they have sown the seed of saving truth in China or elsewhere.

Mr. Baxter in the 2d. part of his last Book of Christianity, c. 14. p. 488. saith, The attempts of the Jesuits in Congo, Japon and China were a very noble work, and so were the Portugal Kings encouragements: but two things spoiled their success.

First, That when they took down the Heathens Images, they set them up others in their stead; and made them think that the main difference was, but whose image they should worship.

Secondly, But especially, that they made them see, what while they pretended to promote Religion, and to save their souls, they came to promote their own wealth, or the Popes Dominion, and to bring their Kings under a Forein power.

The honest attempts of Mr. Eliots in New England, is much more agreeable to the Apostles way, and maketh more serious spiritual Christians.

Justus Heurnius (son to John Heurnius the learned Physician) left the study of Physick, and wholly gave himself to the study of Divinity, that thereby he might be the better inabled to promote the Conversion of the Indians, and taking an Evangelical Embassie to the Indies, he there abode above 14 Years, preaching to the Indians in their Mother Tongue, Catechising them, and admonishing them privately, and by his singular innocensie, humility and modesty, and daily fervent devotion, and great charity to the poor; He endeavoured to propagate the Kingdome of Christ among them.

For more on Justus Heurnius, see Lemuel Call Barnes, Two Thousand Years of Missions Before Carey, p. 99-100:

Justus Heurnius was one of the most distinguished of the early Dutch missionaries. Son of a medical professor in the newly founded University of Leyden, he took the medical course of study. After five years of travel in France and England he returned and took a theological course. He was eager to go to India as a missionary, but both the Dutch and the English East India Companies were opposed to missions until long after this time. He wrote a vigorous book to arouse his countrymen to their missionary duty. This was in 1618. Six years later the East India Company sent him to Batavia. He began at once to work for the natives, both Malays and Chinese. He translated the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments into Chinese, making also a Dutch-Latin-Chinese dictionary.

His earnest evangelistic spirit led him to advocate the independence of the church from the East India Company. On this account he was arrested and imprisoned. On release he went to the Island of Amboyna. Here and in neighboring islands he gave himself to work among the natives. He won many of the people for whom he toiled. Missionaries of Islam were active there at the same time and poisoned his food. Though it did not take his life immediately, he never entirely recovered from the effects of the poison and was obliged to return to Holland. There, before his death in 1652, he revised a version of the-Gospels and translated the Acts, the Psalms and a liturgy into Malayan. He also prepared a dictionary and put some of the Psalms into Malayan rhymes. He was a devoted missionary and an efficient advocate of missions one hundred years earlier than the Moravians.