ally in teaching them the doctrines of Christianity. Families are focieties that must be fanétified to God as well as churches; and the governors of them have as truly a charge of the fouls that are therein as paftors have of the churches. But, alas! how little is this confidered or regarded! But while negligent minifters are (defervedly) caft out of their places, the negligent mafters of families take themfelves to be al moft blameless. They offer their children to God in baptifm, and there they promife to teach them the doctrines of the gofpel, and bring them up in the nurture of the Lord; but they eafily promife and eafily break it; and educate their children for the world and the flefl, although they have renounced these, and dedicated them to God. This covenant-breaking with God, and betraying the fouls of their children to the devil, must lie heavy on them here or here. after. They beget children, and keep families, merely for the world and the flesh; but little confider what a charge is committed to them, and what it is to bring up a child for God, and govern a family as a fanctified fociety.

O how fweetly and fuccefsfully would the work of God go on, if we would but all join together in our feveral places to promote it! Men need not then run without fending to be preachers; but they might find that part of the work that belongetli to them to be enough for them, and to be the beft that they can be employed in. Efpecially women thould be careful of this duty; becaufe as they are moit about their children, and have early and frequent opportunities to inftruct them, fo this is the principal fervice they can do to God in this world, being reftrained from more publick work. ‘And, doubtlefs, many an excellent magiftrate hath been fent into the Commonwealth, and many an excellent paftor into the. Church, and many a precious faint to heaven, through the happy preparations of a holy education, perhaps by a wo-. man that thought herself ufelefs and unferviceable to the Church. Would parents but begin betimes, and labour to affect the hearts of their children with the great matters of everlafting life, and to acquaint them with the fubftance of the doctrine of Chrift, and, when they find in them the knowledge and love of Chrift, would bring them then to the pa ftors 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 paftor 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 fo many miferable ignorant fouls, that be not prepared by education to understand us; nor fhould we have need to fhut out fo 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 faints, and of the household of God. But now they come to us with aged felf-conceitedness, being past children, and yet worse than children ftill; having the ignorance of children, but being overgrown the teachableness of children; and think themselves wife, yea, wife enough to quarrel with the wifeft of their teachers, because they have lived long enough to have been wife, 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 inftruc tions, till they are prepared for them, that they may do them good; like fnappifh curs, that will fnap us by the fingers for their meat, and fnatch 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 minifters have to deal but with too few but the unruly. And it is for want of this laying the foundation well at firft, that profeffors themselves are fo ig norant as most are; and that fo many, especially of the younger fort, do fwallow down almost any error that is of fered them, and follow any fect of dividers that will entice them, fo it be but done with earneftnefs and plaufibility. For, alas! though, by the grace of God, their hearts may be changed in an hour, (whenever they understand but the effen. tials of the faith,) yet their understandings muft have time and diligence to furnish them with fuch knowledge as must ftablish them, and fortify them against deceits. Upon these, and many the like confiderations, we should entreat all Chri ftian families to take more pains in this neceflary work, and to get better acquainted with the fubftance of Christianity. d to that end, (taking along some moving treatifes to awake

awake the heart,) I know not what work fhould be fitter for their use than that compiled by the Affembly at Weltminster; a Syned of as godly, judicious divines, (notwithftanding all the bitter words which they have received from difcontented and felf-conceited men,) I verily think, as ever England faw. Though they had the unhappiness to be employed in calamitous times, when the noife of wars did ftop men's ears, and the licentioufnefs of wars did fet every wanton tongue and pen at liberty to reproach them, and the profecution and event of thofe wars did exasperate partial difcontented men to dishonour themfelves by feeking to difhonour them; I dare fay, if in the days of old, when councils were in power and account, they had had but fuch a council of bishops as this of prefbyters was, the fame of it for learning and holiness, and all minifterial abilities, would, with very great honour, have been tranfmitted to pofterity.

I do, therefore, defire, that all mafters of families would firft ftudy well this work themselves, and then teach it their children and fervants, according to their feveral capacities. And if they once understand these grounds of religion, they will be able to read other books more understandingly, and hear fermons more profitably, and confer more judiciously, and hold falt the doctrine of Chrift more firmly, than ever you are like to do by any other courfe. Firft, let them read and learn the Shorter Catechifin, and next the Larger, and laftly, read the Confeffion of Faith."

Thus far he, whofe nane I fhall conceal, (though the excellency of the matter, and prefent ftyle, will eafily dif cover him,) becaufe I have published it without his privity and confent, though, I hope, not against his liking and approbation. I fhall add no more, but that I am,

Thy fervant,

In the Lord's work,

THOMAS MANTON.

An

An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons affembled in Parliament, for the calling of an Affembly of learned and godly Divines, and others, to be confulted with by the Parliament', for the fettling of the government and liturgy of the Church of England; and for vindicating and clearing of the doctrine of the faid Church from falfe afperfions and interpretations. June 12 1643.

WHEREAS, amongst the infinite bleffings of Almighty

upon this nation, none is nor can be more dear unto us than the purity of our religion: And for that, as yet many things remain in the liturgy, difcipline, and government of the Church, which do neceflarily require a further and more perfect reformation than as yet hath been attained: And whereas it hath been declared and refolved by the Lords and Commons affembled in Parliament, that the prefent Church-government by archbishops, their chancellors, commiffars, deans, deans andchapters, archdeacons, and other ecclefiaftical officers depending upon the heirarchy, is evil, and juftly offenfive and burdenfome to the kingdom, a great impediment to reformation and growth of religion, and very prejudicial to the ftate and government of this kingdom; and therefore they are refolved that the fame fhall be taken away; and that fuch a government fhall be fettled in the Church as may be moft agreeable to God's holy word, and most apt to procure and preferve 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 falfe calumnies and afperfions, it is thought fit and neceffary to call an Affembly of learned, godly, and judicious Divines, who, toge ther with fome members of both the Houfes of Parliament, are to confult and advife of fuch matters and things, touching the premises, as fhall be propofed unto them by both or either of the Houfes of Parliament, and to give their advice and counfel therein to both or either of the faid Houfes,

when,

when, and as often as they fhall be thereunto required: Be it, therefore, ordained, by the Lords and Commons in this prefent Parliament affembled, That all and every the perfons hereafter in this prefent ordinance named, that is to fay,And fuch other perfon or perfons as fhall be nominated and appointed by both Houfes of Parliament, or fo many of them as fhall not be letted by fickness, or other neceifary impediment, shall meet and affemble, and are hereby required and enjoined, upon fummons figned by the clerks of both Houfes of Parliament, left at their refpective dwellings, to meet and affemble themfelves at Weftminster, in the chapel called King Henry the VII's Chapel, on the first day of July, in the year of our Lord, One thousand fix hundred and forty-three; and after the first meeting, being at least the number of forty, fhall from time to time fit, and be removed from place to place, and alfo that the faid Affembly fhall be diffolved in fuch manner as by both Houses of Parliament fhall be directed: and the faid perfons, or fo many of them as fhall be fo affembled, or fit, fhall have power and authority, and are hereby likewife enjoined from time to time, during this prefent Parliament, or until further order be taken by both the faid Houfes, to confer and treat among themfelves of fuch matters and things, touching and concerning the liturgy, difcipline, and government of the Church of England, for the vindicating and clearing of the doctrine of the fame from all falfe afperfions and mifconftructions, as fhall be propofed unto them by both or either of the faid Houfes of Parliament, and no other; and deliver their opinion, advices of, or touching the maters aforefaid, as fhall be most agreeable to the word of God, to both or either of the Houses from time to time, in fuch manner and fort as by both or either of the faid Houfes of Parliament fhall be required; and the fame not to divulge, by printing, writing, or otherwife, without the confent of both or either Houfe of Parliament. And be it further ordained by the authority aforesaid, That William Twiffe doctor in divinity fhall fit in the chair, as prolocutor of the faid Affembly; and if he happen to die, or be letted by ficknefs, or other neceffary impediment, then füch other perfon to be appointed in his place as fhall be agreed on by the faid Houfes of Parliament: And in cafe any

difference