Knowledge and Practice, Title page – Dedication 1
KNOVVLEDGE & PRACTICE, Or, a PLAIN DISCOURSE of the CHIEF THINGS neceſſary to be Known, Believ'd & Practiſed in order to Salvation. Drawn up, and Principally intended for the Uſe and Benefit of NORTH-CADBƲRY in SOMERSETSHIRE, By SAMUEL CRADOCK, B. D. & PASTOR there: Sometime Fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in CAMBRIDGE.
Auguſt. lib. 15. de Trin. cap ult.
Domine Deus, quaecun que dixi de tuo, agnoſcant & tuit Siqua de meo, & tu ignoſce & tui.
LONDON, Printed by J. Hayes, for John Rothwell at the Fountain in Goldſmiths-row in Cheapſide. 1659.
John 17.3. This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent.
1 Cor. 3.11. Other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, Jeſus Chriſt.
Act. 20.20, 21. I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have ſhewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from houſe to houſe.
Teſtifying both to the Jews, and alſo to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and Faith toward our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Eccleſ. 12.13. Fear God and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
Heb. 12.14. Follow peace with all men, and holineſſe, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord.
John 13.17. If ye know theſe things, happy are ye, if ye do them.
2 Pet. 1.12. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you alwaies in remembrance of theſe things, though ye know them, and be eſtabliſhed in the preſent truth.
John 5.39. Search the Scriptures.
2 Tim. 3.15. —Which are able to make thee wiſe unto Salvation.
V. 16. All Scripture is given by inſpiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inſtruction in righteouſneſſe.
TO THE REVEREND, Doctor DILLINGHAM THE Maſter, and his worthy Friends the Fellowes OF EMMANƲEL-COLLEDGE in CAMBRIDGE.
Honoured Sirs,
IT may ſeem ſtrange that I ſhould adventure to dedicate ſo plain a Diſcourſe (calculated for this meridian) to ſo Learned a Society; But the Providence of God having by your free choice placed me in this Charge wherein I ſtand, I take my ſelf obliged to render an account to you (above any others) of this my undertaking. I have found by ſad experience, in thoſe few years I have here lived, what extream need my people have of ſome ſuch help as this, to be ready at hand to admoniſh them of thoſe things, they are to Know, Believe, and Practiſe in order to their ſalvation: As alſo to acquaint them with ſuch Scriptures (collected together under ſeverall Heads) as declare Gods mind and will concerning thoſe particulars. I could not therefore ſatisfie my ſelf, without endeavouring to miniſter to their neceſſities in this kind according as I was able, eſpecially being perſwaded that a Book of this nature left in every family might (through the blesſing of God) be a very proper means of their inſtruction for the preſent, and might teach them alſo hereafter, when my mouth will be ſtopp'd with duſt. This conſideration (among others) engaged me in this work; in which at firſt I did not intend to be ſo large; but handling ſuch variety of Subjects, it hath ſwelled to the bulk you ſee. You may perceive by the whole that the great Maſter-Builder hath appointed me to labour in the foundations. And bleſſed (yea for ever bleſſed) be his Holy Name, that he hath accounted me worthy to be employed any way about his ſpirituall building. I ſhall not need to make any apology for the plainneſſe of my work, if it be but ſure and well laid. Such as it is I humbly preſent unto you, as an evidence of the great deſire I have (according to my poor ability) to feed the people committed to my care, with knowledge and underſtanding, and to guide them in the way wherein they ſhould go: As alſo to teſtifie to the world my great Obligations to that Religious and Eminent Society. God Almighty bleſſe your Colledge with his choiceſt bleſsings, and grant that Reall Piety, and all Ʋſeful Learning may flouriſh within your wals from Generation to Generation, This is the earneſt Prayer of
Honoured Sirs, Your much obliged Servant, SA. CRADOCK. North-Cadbury, May 5th. 1659.