because themselves spake so much their own praise; gold stands not in need of varnish, nor diamonds of painting give us leave only to tell you, that we cannot but account it an eminent mercy to enjoy such helps as these are. It is ordinary in these days for men to speak evil of things they know not; but if any are possessed with mean thoughts of these treatises, we shall only give the same counsel to them that Philip gives Nathanael, Come and see, John i. 46. It is no small advantage the reader now hath, by the addition of scriptures at large, whereby with little pains he may more profit, because with every truth he may behold its scripture foundation. And, indeed, considering what a Babel of opinions, what a strange confusion of tongues, there is this day among them who profess they speak the language of Canaan, there is no intelligent person but will conclude that advice of the prophet especially suited to such an age as this, Isa. viii. 20. To the law, and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. If the reverend and learned composers of these ensuing treatises were willing to take the pains of annexing scripture proofs to every truth, that the faith of people might not be built upon the dictates of men, but the authority of God, so some considerable pains hath now been further taken in transcribing those scriptures; partly to prevent that grand inconvenience, (which all former impressions, except the Latin, have abounded with, to the great perplexing and disheartening of the reader,) the misquotation of scripture, the meanest reader being able, by having the words at large, to rectify whatever mistake may be in the printer in citing the particular place; partly, to prevent the trouble of turning to every proof, which could not but be very great; partly, to help the memories of such who are willing to take the pains of turning to every proof, but are unable to retain what they read; and partly, that this may serve as a Bible common-place, the several passages of scripture, which are scattered up and down in the word, being in this book reduced to their proper head, and thereby giving light cach to other. The advantages, you see, in this design, are many and great; the way to spiritual knowledge is hereby made more easy, and the ignorance of this age more inexcusable. *****If, therefore, there be any spark in you of love to God, be not content that any of yours should be ignorant of him whom you so much J admire, or any haters of him whom you so much love. If there be any compassion to the souls of them who are under your care, if any regard of your being found faithful in the day of Christ, if any respect of

whichture generations, labour to sow these seeds of knowledge,

grow up in after times. That you may be faithful herebin, is the earnest prayer of, bestuur of Þý 1 dowonl tenoitotta Edward Perkins. { Ralph Venning. Jeremiah Burwell, Joseph Church. Has. Bridges. Samuel Smith. Samuel Rowles, John Glascock. Leo. Cooke. John Sheffield. ?179189 Matthew Haviland.okinqpsɔ „zav sail William Blackmorena bo to 189t Per dweih ga vodi 28,dtist › woly od' ar bisi 1919got

Henry Wilkinson, ODD A. M. P. i Roger Drake, William Taylor. Samuel Annesley. Thomas Gouge, Charles Offspring. Arthur Jackson. John Cross.

John Fuller.**.
James Nalton.
Thomas Goodwin.
Matthew Pool.
William Bates.
John Loder.
Francis Raworth.
William Cooper,
William Jenkin,
Thomas Manton."
Thomas Jacomb.
George Griffiths,

Samuel Clerk.

Samuel Slater.

William Whitaker.

-16 de bai.,ergidostio pi (TEA) S dšunis 20 ab

8321 JUS

Richard Kentish,
Alexander Pringle.
William Wickins.
Thomas Watson.
John Jackson. 099
John Seabrooke.09
John Peachie.
James Jolliffe.
Obadiah Lee.

38 17 ཚིཎྞ

MR. THOMAS MANTON'S EPISTLE TO THE READER.

CHRISTIAN READER,

IS

CANNOT suppose thee to be such a stranger in England as to be ignorant of the general complaint concerning the decay of the power of godliness, and more especially of the great corruption of youth. Wherever thou goest, thou wilt hear men crying out of bad children and bad servants; whereas indeed the source of the mischief must be sought a little higher; it is bad parents and bad masters that make bad children and bad servants; and we cannot blame so much their untowardness, as our own negligence in their education.

The devil hath a great spite at the kingdom of Christ, and he knoweth no such compendious way to crush it in the egg, as by the perversion of youth, and supplanting family duties. He striketh at all those duties which are publick in the assemblies of the saints; but these are too well guarded by the solemn injunctions and dying charge of Jesus Christ, as that he should ever hope totally to subvert and undermine them; but at family duties he striketh with the more success, because the institution is not so solemn, and the practice not so seriously and conscientiously regarded as it should be, and the omission is not so liable to notice and publiek censure. Religion was first hatched in families, and there the devil seeketh to crush it: the families of the Patriarchs were all the Churches God had in the world for the time; and therefore, (I suppose,) when Cain went out from Adam's family, he is said to go out from the face of the Lord, Gen. iv. 16. Now, the devil knoweth that this is a blow at the root, and a ready way to prevent the succession of Churches: if he can subvert families, other societies and communities will not long flourish and subsist with any power and vigour; for there is the stock from whence they are supplied both for the present and future.

For the present; A family is the seminary of Church and State; and if children be not well principled there, all miscarrieth; a fault in the first concoction is not mended in the second; if youth be bred ill in the family, they prove ill in Church and Commonwealth; there is the first making or marring, and the presage of their future lives to be thence taken, Prov. xx. 11. By family discipline, officers are trained up for the Church, 1 Tim. iii. 4. Que that ruleth well his own house, &c.; and there are men bred up in subjection and obedience. It is noted, Acts xxi. 5. that the disciples brought Paul on his way with their wives and children; their children probably are mentioned, to intimate, that their parents would, by their own example and affectionate farewell to Paul, breed them up in a way of reverence and respect to the pastors of the Church.

For the future: It is comfortable, certainly, to see a thriving nursery of young plants, and to have hopes that God shall have a people to serve him when we are dead and gone: the people of God comforted themselves in that, Psal. cii. 28. The children of thy servants shall continue, &ca

2.

1

Upon all these considerations, how careful should ministers and parents be to train up young ones whilst they are yet pliable, and, like wax, capable of any form and impression, in the knowledge and fear of God; and betimes to instil the principles of our most holy faith, as they are drawn into a short sum in catechisms, and so altogether laid in the view of conscience! Surely these seeds of truth

by

te that be not put out education to understand us nor should we

have need to so many from holyfocommunion upon the account of ignorance, that yet have not the grace to feel it and lament it, nor the wit and patience to wait in a learning state, till they are with the saints, and of the household of

have published it without his privity and consent, though, I hope, not against his liking and approbation. I shall add no more, but that Tam, one st boy atozen Dip

" / bisa suit

-La

KEE

DE

I

1

10 1 'C
172

milpoed

Jan'1

}

f.1

in the Lord's work,

F

121

។

An ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, for the calling of an Assembly of learned and godly Divines, and others, to be consulted with by the Parliament, for the settling of the government and liturgy of the Church of England; and for vindicating and clearing of the doctrine of the said Church from false aspersions and interpretations. June 12. 1643.

Thy servant,

THOMAS MANTON.

WHEREAS, amongst the infinite blessings of Almighty God upon

this none nor can more unto us purity of our religion; and for that, as yet, many things remain in the liturgy, discipline, and governinent of the Church, which do necessarily require a further and more perfect reformation than as yet hath been attained; and whereas it hath been declared and resolved by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, that the present Church-government by archbishops, their chancellors, commissars, deans, deans and chapters, archdeacons, and other ecclesiastical officers depending upon the hierarchy, is evil, and justly offensive and burdensome to the kingdom, a great impediment to reformation and growth of religion, and very prejudicial to the state and government of this kingdom; and therefore they are resolved that the same shall be taken away, and that such a government shall be settled in the Church as may be most agreeable to God's holy word, and most apt to procure and preserve the peace of the Church at home, and nearer agreement with the Church of Scotland, and other Reformed Churches abroad; and, for the better effecting hereof, and for the vindicating and clearing of the doctrine of the Church of England from all false calumnies and aspersions, it is thought fit and necessary to call an Assembly of learned, godly, and judicious Divines, who, together with some members of both the Houses of Parliament, are to consult and advise of such matters and things, touching the premises, as shall be proposed unto them by both or either of the Houses of Parliament, and to give their advice and counsel therein to both or either of the said Houses, when, and as often as they shall be thereunto required: Be it therefore ordained, by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, That all and every the persons hereafter in this present ordinance named, that is to say,

And such other person or persons as shall be nominated and appointed by both Houses of Parliament, or so many of them as shall not be letted by sickness, or other necessary impediment, shall meet and assemble, and are hereby required and enjoined, upon summons signed by the clerks of both Houses of Parliament, left at their respective dwellings, to meet and assemble themselves at Westminster, in the Chapel called King Henry the VII's Chapel, on the first day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and forty