You have need of a judicious teacher at hand, to direct you what books to use or to refuse. For among good books there are some very good that are sound and lively: and some are good, but mean, and weak, and somewhat dull: and some are very good in part, but have mixtures of error, or else of incautelous, injudicious expressions, fitter to puzzle than edify the weak. I am loth to name any of these latter sorts (of which abundance have come forth of late); but to the young beginner in religion, I may be bold to recommend (next to a sound catechism) Mr. Rutherford's Letters, Mr. Robert Bolton's Works, Mr. Perkins's, Mr. Whateley's, Mr. Ball, of Faith, Dr. Preston's, Dr. Sibbs's, Mr. Hildersham's, Mr. Pink's Sermons, Mr. Joseph Rogers's, Mr. Rich. Rogers, Mr. Richard Allen's, Mr. Gurnall's, Mr. Swinnock's, Mr. Joseph Simonds's. And to establish you against popery, Dr. Challoner's Credo Eccles. Cathol., Dr. Field, of the Church, Dr. White's Way to the Church, with the Defence, Bishop Usher's Answer to the Jesuit, and Chillingworth, with Drelincourt's Summary. And for right principles about redemption, &c. Mr. Truman's Great Propitiation, and of Natural and Moral Impotency; and Mr. William Fenner, of Wilful Impenitency, Mr. Hotchkis, of Forgiveness of Sin. To pass by many other excellent ones, that I may not name too many. To a very judicious, able reader, who is fit to censure all he reads, there is no great danger in the reading the books of any seducers: it doth but show him how little and thin a cloak is used, to cover a bad cause. But, alas! young soldiers, not used to such wars, are startled at a very sophism, or at a terrible threatening of damnation to dissenters, (which every censorious sect can use,) or at every confident, triumphant boast, or at every thing that hath a fair pretence of truth or godliness. Injudicious persons can answer almost no deceiver which they hear: and when they cannot answer them, they think they must yield, as if the fault were not in them, but in the case; and as if Christ had no wiser followers, or better defenders of his truth, than they. Meddle not therefore with poison, till you better know how to use it, and may do it with less danger, as long as you have no need.