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 3.18, 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.6.5.
I speak not this to flatter with a
general offer; I have always disliked general invectives against error, and
general proposals of peace. 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; 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 weakness, 2 Cor.12:9, 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 1.10, 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. It will
be our honour to shake off the vipers upon a discovery, though they would still
stick on. But for the enemies ; -
are they so innocent as to be able to
cast the stone at us? John 8.7. Shall they that have wounds upbraid us with
scars 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 3.6, 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: that for some bishops'
sake accuse Christianity itself as an evil law.
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, 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,
THOMAS MANTON.
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