THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

To the Honourable House of Commons now assembled in Parliament.

YOU were pleased to require my service on your late day of fast, as you had done on the same occasion just a twelvemonth before. I desired to speak seasonably then, and now too. The Lord directed my thoughts then to a subject of peace,—our distractions were great, and now to treat of zeal,—our destruction, we fear, draweth nigh. These two things may well stand together, love and zeal; and if men were wise, James iii. 18, the fruit of righteousness might be sown in peace, and such concord effected between brethren, wherein religion may not suffer. I know there are two parties that will never be accorded the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent; there will be enmity. But is not there a wise man among us? not one that shall be able to judge between brethren? 1 Cor. vi. 5. I speak not this to flatter with a general offer; I have always disliked general invectives against error, and general proposals of peace.²⁰⁵²⁰⁵   ‘Qui pacem tractat non repetitis conditionibus dissidii, is magis animos dulcedine pacis fallit quam aequitate componit.’ This were to deal in names rather than things, and to seduce the soul into a hope of that which is far enough from being accomplished. Neither do I speak it to cool any man’s zeal; the drift of this sermon is to kindle it. Godliness cannot be without a holy heat. Those that suffer under persecution will contend against delusion, that is but a duty; and it were to be wished it were more done, and more regularly. Certainly some have been too silent whilst the truths of God have been made void;²⁰⁶²⁰⁶   ‘Μήποτε καταγινώσκω μὲν τῆς θερμότητος,’ &c.—Naz. Orat. de Moderat. in Disput. therefore, we are far from condemning any such vigorous opposition of the present errors. I only mention it as an expression of my desires and hopes.

For the present discourse, the style of it, I confess, is too turbid, and hath too much of inculcation in it to be fit for the press, and therefore I should have adjudged it to keep company with some other neglected papers, but that, in obedience to your order, and condescension to the requests of some friends, I have now made it public; and, my employment being much, am forced to send it forth without refining. I do not know what blessing the Lord, whose power is usually perfected in 414weakness, 2 Cor. xii. 9, may ordain by it. I desire to wait upon him, commending it to his grace.

In many things I have freely expressed myself, and possibly some may think, uncovered our own nakedness. The mouth of iniquity is soon opened; and it is hard to speak against the sins of religious persons without giving some advantage to religious enemies. All that I shall say to this is, that offenders give the scandal, not the reprover. I confess, I like rolling in the dust at Aphrah, Micah i. 10, that Gath may not know it; but when offences are public, it were an injury to religion to be silent. We cannot do it a greater right than to declare and witness against such miscarriages; and, therefore, when the house of Jacob offendeth, it must be told its own with a full throat.²⁰⁷²⁰⁷   Isa. lviii. 1, opened to this purpose by Mr Richard Vines in the morning. It will be our honour to shake off the vipers upon a discovery, though they would still stick on. But for the enemies;—

Nullane habent vitia? immo alia haud foriasse minora:²⁰⁸²⁰⁸   Horatius.

are they so innocent as to be able to cast the stone at us? John viii. 7. Shall they that have wounds upbraid us with scars?²⁰⁹²⁰⁹   ‘Τὰ τραύματα ἔχοντες, καὶ τοὺς μώλωπας ὀνειδίζοντες, οἵ τὰ προσκόμματα διασύροντες και768 τὰ πτώματα αὐτοὶ πασχοντες, οἱ ἐν τῷ βορβόρῳ ἐγκυλινδρόμενοι, καὶ τοῖς ὁμίλοις ἡμῶν ἐπευφραινόμενοι.’—Nazinanz. de inimicis Ecclesiae, Orat. l. 13. and they that halt downright, charge us with tripping? or the blackamore object spots to a fair woman? Let them first pluck out their own beam, and then possibly they may understand what an injury it is, and a wicked malice, to throw personal guilt in religion’s face, and out of a dislike to one Mordecai, to seek the destruction of all the Jews, Esther iii. 6, and to charge that upon the order which is but the just blemish of some persons sheltered under the name and pretence of it. As Nazianzen speaketh of some: Οἱ καταιτιῶνται τὸν νόμον αὐτὸν ὡς κακίας διδάσκαλον, καὶ μαλισθ᾽ ὅταν πολλοῖς ἐντύχωσι πονηροῖς τῶν προστασίας ἠξιομένων: that for some bishops’ sake accuse Christianity itself as an evil law.²¹⁰²¹⁰   Naz. Orat. 14.

For yourselves, right honourable, I beseech you, remember religion flourishing will be your defence; and that it is better to trust God with your protection, than to fly to ill counsels,²¹¹²¹¹   ‘Admonendi suntpacis auctores ne dum pacem nimis diligant, et cum omnibus quaerant, consentiendo perversis ab auctoris sui se pace disjungant, ne dum humana foris jurgia metuant, interni foederis discussione feriantur.’—Ambros. or condescensions, whereby you may gain the respects of men. The Lord grant that you may live up to such a principle; and in these times of violence, do nothing unworthy of God, or of his oath that is upon you.

So prayeth your meanest servant in the Lord’s work,

Tho. Manton.