A cloud of witnesses

I made reference last nite, to why or how those great men of faith of the past, can encourage us in our faith, when we feel over-come, or near defeated. And I believe with my whole heart this is true. Dying well, while glorifying God should be the aim of each and everyone of us who profess Christ as ours. Well, it should be the aim of every human being on the planet but I won't go into that!!

I was listening to a sermon earlier in the week, about how we both in England and America are largely ignorant (pig ignorant actually) of church history, and I have found this to be so in my own circles. And yet, when you see how some of these folks, gave their all with just the Sword of the Spirit as there only weapon, it seems to me to be a crucial part of how we can be built up and encouraged in our faith. Hebrews 12 mentions the cloud of witnesses just after the roll call of the Biblical heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. And I have pinched this poem off the cloud of witnesses web-site on my blogroll, which pretty much says it all:

LO! here of faithful Witnesses a Cloud,
For Christ their King resisting unto blood,
Lo! here upon their Pisgah top they stand,
Just on the confines of Emmanuel's Land:
Leaving the ungrateful world, longing to be
Possess'd of blessed immortality.
Lo! here they stand, accosting cruel death
With Christian braveness, to their latest breath;
The views they have of heav'n's eternal joys,
So far eclipse all sublunary toys,
Their souls are only charm'd with things above,
Exulting in their sweet Redeemer's love.
Lo! here they stand, and will not quit the field,
They'll die upon the spot, before they'll yield.
Lo! with what courage and brave resolution
They bear the shock of bloody persecution.
Hell's rage, Rome's fury, or the scorn of those
Pretending friendship, though the worst of foes,
Could never shake their steady loyalty
To Zion's King, for whose supremacy
Over His Church thus boldly they contend,
And by His grace endure unto the end;
Refusing e'er to make a base surrender
Of Christ's regalia to a vile pretender,
Who, swoll'n with more than Luciferian pride,
Could not in his own princely place abide,
But would usurp the spiritual pow'r and throne
By God JEHOVAH giv'n to Christ alone.
And having thus 'gainst heav'n display'd a banner,
The Covenant he swore in solemn manner
He broke and burnt; Divine and human laws
Trod under foot; and, to advance his cause,
Made bloody violence the only claim,
Whereby he wore the royal diadem:
Being serv'd with beasts devoid of human sense,
Much more of honor and of conscience;
Who slew God's dearest saints in field and city,
'Gainst law and reason, without sense of pity;
Whose sharpest sufferings could not assuage,
Nor death itself allay their hellish rage;
As if their bodies dead felt sense of pains,
Cut all in parts, they hung them up in chains;
Heads, legs, and arms, they plac'd on every port
Of burghs, or other places of resort,
As standing trophies of their victory
O'er Divine truth and human liberty.
Well, have they kill'd, and ta'en possession too?
Is this the utmost that their rage could do,
Only to send Chrises loving subjects home,
To their dear country where they long to come!
What matter where their dusty parts do ly,
Interr'd in earth, or lifted up on high,
While as their souls eternal anthems raise,
In sweet accents to their Redeemer's praise!
And will not Zion's King regain His crown?
Throwing such vain aspiring mortals down
Into that direful pit, from whence did flow
These mists of pride which did enchant them so.
Come, then, behold these noble Witnesses
Adorn'd with holy zeal and faithfulness;
Who like a Cloud do us environ round,
Viewing (as 'twere) what way we'll stand our ground.
Let's run our race with equal patience,
With eyes intent upon our recompense.
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Another divine Quote

Alexander Henderson

"We know how ill you are. Why are you so cheerful?" A friend of Henderson's asked him when he was dying.

"Well, I will tell you the reason. I'm near the end of my race, hastening home, and I am as glad of it as a schoolboy when sent home from the school to his father’s house.In a few days, I will sicken and die, In my sickness I will be much out of ease to speak of anything, but I desire that you maybe with me as much as you can and you shall see that all shall end well."

Heb 11

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been th"nking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

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What would you save first?

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Another divine Quote

Well, I seem to be somewhat confused. As I had a very vivid memory of blagging these sayings by William Gouge two or three nites ago, and yet if I did, in a night of confusion I must've deleted them. So please forgive if this is a repost, as I really have no idea. And the fact that I am posting some great men of faith's last or near dying words, is not based in morbidity. My first aim as a Christian, when feeling so ill and fearing where it may lead, was that when my time comes, however distant into the future that maybe, is that I die well. And one can't help but be encouraged in ones faith through adversity, when you read words such as these of William Gouge who was also one of the divines at the Westminster Assembly.

William Gouge: "When I look upon myself, I see nothing but emptiness and weakness. And when I look upon Christ I see nothing but fullness and sufficiency."

When in the illness that was to take him Home, he suffered a long, and grievously painful death and was afflicted with several physical maladies he was heard to say: "Soul be silent It is thy God and thy Father who orders thy condition. Thy are His clay and He may tread and trample on thee as He pleases Thou hast deserved much worse It is enough that thou art out of hell though thy pain be grievous yet it is tolerable. Thy God affords some intermissions. He will turn it, to thy good and at length put an end to all, none of which things can be expected in hell."



"Oh, that I may die like Simeon, with Jesus in my arms, saying, now lettest thou thy servant, depart in peace according to thy word For mine eyes have seen thy salvation.".
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Spaced Out!

All rocket scientists get like that some times!

But, have made my decision regarding an important matter. As the questions had been there for over a week. Well, more like almost two weeks. . But, in some ways, I'm sick of always flying solo in things. And it feels like almost the final nail has been put in to make that total.

Life ain't easy for anyone, its even harder when you walk the road alone in all the ways that matter.

So, in an effort to delay confronting this matter, and feeling in some kind of circle of normality, and because I feel ill, and talking on the phone can be a huge effort at times, one that wipes me out for the rest of the day, I shall go into avoidance over the weekend, and pray for courage to take it on next week. Job said, (DJ paraphrase, you come into this world with nothing, and you go out the same way) and that is true. But sometimes its the nothingness in between those two events, that seems hard. The Lord promised He would never leave or foresake, and I believe that, yet as your world gets torn apart bit by bit, whether its through physical extremeties or loss of things, people being there in a way most folks can take for granted, you sometimes wonder, if everything else is being stripped apart, in order to make Him alone enough. Sometimes, I think the emotional affects of this affliction and all that goes with it, will be the thing that drives me nuts, from grief and sorrow. But the show ain't over till the fat lady sings. And there's an ole puritan saying that, "When we are down, God is up to something." And from experience, that is true.


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A divine Quote

A divine Quote

Thomas Gataker during his final illness:

"I am now conflicting with my last adversary, though I believe the sting is taken out. Nature will struggle, but I humbly submit to the good pleasure of God, I hardly beg the pardon of my many sins, especially for the lack of hard work. Unfaithfulness in my public and private duties, hoping to be washed with Christ's blood, and desiring to be translated out of this restless condition. I expect daily, yeah hourly, to be translated into that everlasting rest, which God has prepared for those who are in Christ, and So I pray that God would bless you and His entire ministry everywhere."

He was amongst the Westminster divines who were responsible for the WCF. A Westminster Bibliography
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Former geek Egged up

B.O.B rides again

Well, I have a love of irony strangely enough, cos it often leaves me looking like God's village idiot.. so strange I'm not really put off by now! But there was I handing web design checking advice out last nite, to other bloggers, about the templates, and having finally remembered I had firefox installed for about six months, and lately been having problems when blogging with I.E. I switched, and then happen to come by and look at my blog via I.E. and major oops!

Tis all fixed up now!! But let that be a lesson, to not leave any stray html commands with no closing equivalent to the opening one, or it will take over and exploit your fonts!!!

As one of my favourite sayings goes. "If I had a brain, I'd be dangerous!"



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Keeping hearts together,

Edited by site-owner. This blog was previously called "how much health is needed"

Well, I reposting this post.. in an entirely different format. And will use the words of Jeremiah Burroughs to speak words better than I ever can, and replace the previous blag from last nite. Mainly cos the two yellow phrases in yellow text, made it obvious that not understanding, or agreeing or whatever I may feel about anything, is no cause to be contentious.

"Ahh, I find my anger stirred. I could contend, but now is no time for me to let my spirit rise in a contending way."


"But now there is some difference made in the condition of Godly men. Some have the times smiling upon them more than others.

"Now is the time of trial. The time of the trail of the Sprit of Pharaoh's butler towards Joseph was when he was out of prison, enjoying his preferment at the court and Joseph remained still in prison. Perhaps while they were fellow-prisoners he might tell Joseph that his heart closed much with him and if he had any opportunity to be useful to him, oh, what a happiness should he think it to himself! Surely it should be improved for the good of Joseph to the uttermost. But when he was preferred when he had respect amongst great ones and Joseph was still kept low, then he was not the same man that he was when he was Joseph's fellow sufferer. Now he had other things in his head. Joseph is forgotten by him."


"We are full of contradiction sin our own spirits and actions, and we cry out of others that they are not consistent to their own principles."


Jeremiah Burroughs --Irenicum.

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Have you heard the statistic?

You are never more than 20 feet away from a rat?

Well, apparently that is a wee bit of an urban legend, as rats are not equally spaced per perecentage to human population, so tis night on impossible, fact report about this legend: but, a pair of rats can produce about 2,000 offspring a year. And 60% of them are carriers of well's desease, a very serious illness. According to this report: from a little while ago. But never more than 20 feet away an urban legend or not, this one would be too close for comfort for anyone I would think! In Australia apparently, the toilets are dangerous through poisonous insects, normally spiders, and one good reason to keep out of Australia I think. Sometimes I am so grateful to live in England, when a pet parrot which is a rare, is about as exotic as most folks get. But this rat coming up through the pipes, gives you the eebiejeebies. Tho dont' know what part of the world it was in.

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New Feature

I think I saw this term as far as blogging goes over at gogh gurls blog, and I liked and also do try new things here from time to time, the weekly riddle being the most recent one I can bring to mind. So, I thought one of my new features would be what God taught me today.

I ain't B.O.B as I proclaim time and time again, and its not done in false modesty, its done with the knowledge that B.O.B (Brain of Britain) I ain't nor never will be. And yet, God doesn't want folks with big brains to show them what He needs them to know. I have phases where learning of and from Him is easier than others, and sometimes cos of congitive dysfunction increasing it seems nigh impossible. But this will be my new feature as able, and also, I plan to write and publish some of this stuff on a website at some point, so if I forget to note-take, I can come back here and maybe find what I need to.

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Recently, in the last two weeks, a friend from my church visited. She's a very good loving Christian and serves as well as anyone I know here, both people and the church itself. And while she was here, I was talking to her of how I believe the singing of hymns is not what we are to do at worship. And she said about the references in Scripture to Eph:5:19 and Col 3:16
To "Psalms, hymns and Spiritual songs" and apart from all three terms being used in in the book of Psalms at the time couldn't think of what else to say about this, as thinking on my feet in real time is not easy. But also knowng after I resigned at my church and having to discuss soon some of the reasons for doing so, I would need to be able to say clearly and so restudied some stuff I had done before but which my brain had not held onto.

The ancient Jews had a habit of using triadic expression. Other references to point to this would be Ex 34:7 Deut 5:31 Matt 22:37 to cite just a few, which is the exact same mode of expression used in Col 3:16 and Eph 5:19 with the term of " Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual songs" I challenge anyone to disprove this.

The other thing which reguarly comes up in these types of conversations is, about Miraim and Moses in the OT when they sang songs of Praise and yet they were outside of the book of Psalms. But the whole point was that each one who sang one of these songs was a Prophet or Prophetess, which is what one needed to be to write a song. Given by divine inspiration by God to His prophets. Asaph is called a seer which as anyone knows is a synomyn for Prophet, and every song in the Book of Psalms is written by a prophet. He even put His own praise book within the canon of scripture. So, unless anyone is going to argue against the sufficiency of Scripture, then I think its pretty plain to see, that what God does not command us to do, we don't assume He wants or desires us to do it. As how can we know the mind of God enough to know what He would want, besides what He has explicitly told us, through the pages of His sacred word? Is 55:9
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An addiction

I don't actually like admitting in public, (being a female) that I smoke, but I do and have done since my 16th birthday. Its something I"ve battled for years and years against. As a child I had a shadow on my lung through attack after attack of chronic bronchitis. It may well have been related to this genetic desease, as looking back I can see many things that never had proper explanations. But the shadow was there for several years, and folks kept telling little DJ when young, "you'll never smoke" all the while they said that of course, they normally had a cigarette in there hands!! And as normal, if someone says, "you can't" "you won't" "don't" well it seems the most longed after thing to do at times. So, I started smoking. And as the manifestations of the brain aspects of this desease came out, and it was at the time consdiered mental illness, (ignorance reigns in the medical world at times) my smoking went higher and higher. And even watching a loved one die of lung cancer, made me no less determined to smoke, tho the fear of its affects was worse, but at that time was on a self desructive bent, which included smoking more than before the person died of lung cancer.

Now I have porphyria. Which is all about the body poisoning itself even without adding anything to it. Even ones hormones which are produced naturally, can turn you into such a highly toxic state you may need hospitalization. And detoxifying in the normal manner because its the body doing it itself, is not like for other folks. And everything you take in, food, drink and anything else, can basically add to the affects already ongoing within the body. Anything can act as a trigger to worsen you or take you into a severe attack. And now, I have been housebound since Sept, I cope with this desease for the most part day to day alone, and the desease at some point will likely kill me anyway. I hardly sleep, I hardly eat. smoking, as far as tangible things seems the one comfort easily available and something I can still do. Or I can do, but most people know the amount of toxins and chemicals in cigarettes. When you are so barren of normal comforts, giving up small ones no matter the affect, seems an impossible thing to do. But, I need to give this up, sometimes even as I smoke I can feel the affects of doing so on my body, and yet cos of the barren ness and emptyness by normal standards, still I cannot stop. And yet, I need to quit. Not cos of the affects we all suffer if we smoke, but because it is positively aggravating this desease of this there is little doubt. So, prayer would be appreciated, that the cigs go, and when all comfort seems gone, as it does often many times a day, at least in a temporal level, that God can fill the void, and become the only comfort in anything and everything. And addictions and even the fear that trying to over come it comes up, He can calm the waters and put His balm on them, as only He can.

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The Caged Bird Sings

I know why the Caged Bird Sings --Maya Angelou

A free bird leaps on the back of the wind
and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wing in the orange suns rays and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage
can seldom see through his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.

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Uninspired

So will just post some quotes

For now at least.....

"Every Night and every Morn
Some to Misery are born.
Every Morn and every Night
Some are born to Sweet Delight,
Some are born to Endless Night."
-- William Blake "Auguries of Innocence"

"I'd rather live while I'm dying, than be dead while I'm alive." --Jimmy Buffett

"People can be so cold. They'll hurt you and desert you. They'll take your soul if you let them."
--James Taylor

"madness need not be all breakdown. it may also be breakthrough."
--R.D. Laing

"It's the heart afraid of dying, that never learns to dance;
It's the dream afraid of waking, that never takes the chance;
It's the one who won't be taken, who cannot seem to give;
And the soul afraid of dying, that never learns to live.
-- Bette Midler "The Rose |

Calvinism--Not a dirty word ,

A Few common Misperceptions

Sometimes when you read or hear believers talk, who are not Calvinistic in beliefs, you feel that Calvinism is almost a dirty word to them. Not just because they can't reconcile how God can choose some unto salvation and others unto damnation, with their view of a God of love, yet seeming to forget He is also a God of justice and wrath, but because they have seen Calvinists behave badly, and unlovingly, and because there are many fables concerning the man who the name was given after.

Yet what is Calvinism? Reformed or Covenant Theology? It is THE system of Biblical doctrine that was unearthed and set abroad by the power of God after being buried for over a 1,000 years and hidden and concealed all that time under the tyranny, oppression and apostasy of the Popish church. Martin Luther was the man who often spoke the truth, But John Calvin with his fine learning was the man who wrote and put onto paper the systematized theology now known as Calvinism, yet was really only going back to the doctrine of the early church and the times of Augustine. He didn't invent it, the words inspired by God in the Holy Bible is the basis for true religion, i.e.. Calvinism. Anyone who calls oneself a Calvinist, is not following John Calvin as the founder of there faith. They are following the true teachings of Scripture, and if Calvin himself knew today that this system of theology was named after him, the man who lies in an unmarked grave out of a desire to not want his tomb being turned into a shrine of any kind, and therefore giving him some of the worship only entitled to by God, would very likely turn in that grave. Calvinism is Christianity in its purest, truest expression. And rather than man having any glory or power in his own salvation, we are utterly dependant upon God, not just for all providences in life, but including unto the power of salvation.

And unlike the picture that is sometimes painted of John Calvin and often Calvinists today, it is not an icy intellectualism, but it affects the heart, the mind and every part of man's being. And you cannot be a Calvinist without inwardly being changed. And it has nothing to do with John Calvin, but the power of the Sacred Writing of the Bible.

So yes, we all see believers of all kinds behaving badly at some time. Calvinists and none Calvinists alike. And I for one see my own shortfalls in these matters time and time again, as we are all sinners and weak. But anyone who bears the name of Calvinist, who openly and over a period of time, lacks, humility, meekness, lovingness, a seeking after Godliness and a whole hearted longing for piety, and general nobility that the name deserves, then I would keep the fact that you say you are a Calvinist to yourself. As the name has noble origins, and one that basically means, you are living the Christian life in its truest and purest expression, and how the lost and those perhaps weak in faith, view those who claim to know Christ as their Lord, will always make a difference, in not only how the term Calvinism is received, but in how much we as Christians are able to obey Jesus final words in the Great commission.

I think its almost a relief that the Outside the Camp Brigade put John Calvin in their hall of shame as unregenerate, as the hyper-Calvinist garbage that flows from there would be even more shameful if they extolled John Calvin and there fore took his name as a representative of there beliefs.

You can't actually sully the name of Calvinism, without also sullying the teachings of the Bible.

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Where are we going?

I had in mind, to say why in my view, the Western world has declined so vastly from three or four centuries ago, much like my by-line on my blog of "The World going to hell in a hand basket" and I can feel it so clearly, (when I use the term "feel" I am not talking about an emotion") yet, maybe it is, its a passion with which I believe it is oh so true. But at almost 7.30 am on the Lord's Day Morning, and yet another sleepless nite, I am too tired to string my words together well enough to say it with the fire that I feel, so from the Epistle of Thomas Manton, who puts very much the same beliefs into words that reflect the fire that is in my belly as regards this:

I had, upon entreaty, resolved to recommend to thee with the greatest earnestness the work of catechising, and, as a meet help, the usefulness of this book, as thus printed with the Scriptures at large: but meeting with a private letter of a very learned and godly divine, wherein that work is excellently done to my hand, I shall make bold to transcribe a part of it, and offer it to publick view.

The author having bewailed the great distractions, corruptions, and divisions that are in the Church, he thus represents the cause and cure: Among others, a principal cause of these mischiefs is the great and common neglect of the governors of families, in the discharge of that duty which they owe to God for the souls that are under their charge, especially in teaching them the doctrine of Christianity. Families are societies that must be sanctified to God as well as Churches; and the governors of them have as truly a charge of the souls that are therein, as pastors have of the Churches. But, alas, how little is this considered or regarded! But while negligent ministers are (deservedly) cast out of their places, the negligent masters of families take themselves to be almost blameless. They offer their children to God in baptism, and there they promise to teach them the doctrine of the gospel, and bring them up in the nurture of the Lord; but they easily promise, and easily break it; and educate their children for the world and the flesh, although they have renounced these, and dedicated them to God. This covenant-breaking with God, and betraying the souls of their children to the devil, must lie heavy on them here or hereafter. They beget children, and keep families, merely for the world and the flesh: but little consider what a charge is committed to them, and what it is to bring up a child for God, and govern a family as a sanctified society.

O how sweetly and successfully would the work of God go on, if we would but all join together in our several places to promote it! Men need not then run without sending to be preachers; but they might find that part of the work that belongeth to them to be enough for them, and to be the best that they can be employed in. Especially women should be careful of this duty; because as they are most about their children, and have early and frequent opportunities to instruct them, so this is the principal service they can do to God in this world, being restrained from more publick work. And doubtless many an excellent magistrate hath been sent into the Commonwealth, and many an excellent pastor into the Church, and many a precious saint to heaven, through the happy preparations of a holy education, perhaps by a woman that thought herself useless and unserviceable to the Church. Would parents but begin betimes, and labour to affect the hearts of their children with the great matters of everlasting life, and to acquaint them with the substance of the doctrine of Christ, and, when they find in them the knowledge and love of Christ, would bring them then to the pastors of the Church to be tried, confirmed, and admitted to the further privileges of the Church, what happy, well-ordered Churches might we have! Then one pastor need not be put to do the work of two or three hundred or thousand governors of families, even to teach their children those principles which they should have taught them long before; nor should we be put to preach to so many miserable ignorant souls, that be not prepared by education to understand us; nor should we have need to shut out so many from holy communion 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 ready to be fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. But now they come to us with aged self-conceitedness, being past children, and yet worse than children still; having the ignorance of children, but being overgrown the teachableness of children; and think themselves wise, yea, wise enough to quarrel with the wisest of their teachers, because they have lived long enough to have been wise, and the evidence of their knowledge is their aged ignorance; and they are readier to flee in our faces for Church privileges, than to learn of us, and obey our instructions, till they are prepared for them, that they may do them good; like snappish curs, that will snap us by the fingers for their meat, and snatch it out of our hands; and not like children, that stay till we give it them. Parents have so used them to be unruly, that ministers have to deal but with too few but the unruly. And it is for want of this laying the foundation well at first, that professors themselves are so ignorant as most are, and that so many, especially of the younger sort, do swallow down almost any error that is offered them, and follow any sect of dividers that will entice them, so it be but done with earnestness and plausibility. For, alas! though by the grace of God their hearts may be changed in an hour, (whenever they understand but the essentials of the faith,) yet their understandings must have time and diligence to furnish them with such knowledge as must stablish them, and fortify them against deceits. Upon these, and many the like considerations, we should entreat all Christian families to take more pains in this necessary work, and to get better acquainted with the substance of Christianity. And, to that end, (taking along some moving treatises to awake the heart,) I know not what work should be fitter for their use, than that compiled by the Assembly at Westminster; a Synod of as godly, judicious divines, (notwithstanding all the bitter words which they have received from discontented and self-conceited men,) I verily think, as ever England saw. Though they had the unhappiness to be employed in calamitous times, when the noise of wars did stop men's ears, and the licentiousness of wars did set every wanton tongue and pen at liberty to reproach them, and the prosecution and event of those wars did exasperate partial discontented men to dishonour themselves by seeking to dishonour them; I dare say, if in the days of old, when councils were in power and account, they had had but such a council of bishops, as this of presbyters was, the fame of it for learning and holiness, and all ministerial abilities, would, with very great honour, have been transmitted to posterity.

I do therefore desire, that all masters of families would first study well this work themselves, and then teach it their children and servants, according to their several capacities. And, if they once understand these grounds of religion, they will be able to read other books more understandingly, and hear sermons more profitably, and confer more judiciously, and hold fast the doctrine of Christ more firmly, than ever you are like to do by any other course. First, let them read and learn the Shorter Catechism, and next the Larger, and lastly, read the Confession of Faith.

Thus far he, whose name I shall conceal, (though the excellency of the matter, and present style, will easily discover him,) because I have published it without his privity and consent, though, I hope, not against his liking and approbation. I shall add no more, but that I am, Thy servant, in the Lord's work,

Thy servant,
in the Lord's work,
THOMAS MANTON


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