When Bullinger’s son, Henry, was sent to study at Wittenberg where he boarded with Melanchthon, Bullinger wrote to his son in 1553 giving several words of advice including the following:
1. Fear God at all times, and remember that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom
2. Humble yourself before God, and pray to him alone through Christ. Our only Mediator and Advocate.
3. Believe firmly that God has done all for our salvation through his Son.
4. Pray above all things for strong faith active in love.
5. Pray that God may protect your good name and keep you from sin, sickness and bad company.
6. Pray for the fatherland, for you dear parents, benefactors, friends, and all men, for the spread of the Word of God; conclude always with the Lord’s Prayer, and use also the beautiful hymn Te Deum laudamus.
7. Be reticent, be always more willing to hear than to speak, and do not meddle with things you do not understand.
8. Study diligently Hebrew and Greek as well as Latin, history, philosophy, and the sciences, especially the New Testament, and read daily three chapters in the Bible, beginning with Genesis.
9. Keep your body clean and unspotted, be neat in your dress, and avoid above all things intemperance in eating and drinking.
10. Let your conversation be decent, cheerful, moderate and free from all uncharitableness.
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