Englands Spiritual Languishing, Title page – Dedication
ENGLANDS Spirituall Languiſhing; WITH The Cauſes and Cure: Diſcovered in a SERMON Preached before the Honorable Houſe OF COMMONS, On their Solemn Day of FAST, at Margarets Weſtminſter, June 28. 1648.
BY THOMAS MANTON, Miniſter of Stoke-Newington.
London, Printed by R. Cotes for John Clarke at the lower end of Cheapſide, in the entrance to Mercers-chappel, 1648.
TO THE HONORABLE HOVSE 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 Twelve-monethmonth 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 wiſe1James 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? I ſpeak not this to21 Cor. 6.5. flatter with a generall offer; I have alwayes diſliked generall invectives againſt Errour, and generall Propoſals of Peace 3Qui pacem tract at non repetitis conditionibus diſſidii, is magis animos dulcedine pacis fallit quàm aequitate componit.; This were to deale in names rather then things, and to ſeduce the Soul into an hope of that, which is farre enough from being accompliſhed. Neither doe I ſpeak it to cool any mans zeal, the drift of this Sermon is to kindle it; Godlineſs cannot be without an holy heat: thoſe that ſuffer under perſecution, will contend againſt deluſion; that's but a duty; and 'twere to be wiſhed it were more done, and more regularly: Certainly ſome have been too ſilent whiles the truths of God have been made void 4foreign, &c. Naz. Orat. de moderat. in diſput.; therefore we are farr from condemning any ſuch vigorous oppoſition of the preſent Errours. I onelyonly mention it as an expreſſion of my deſires and hopes.
For the preſent Diſcourſe, the ſtile 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 publick, and (my employment being much) am forced to ſend it forth without refining: I doe not know what bleſsing the Lord (whoſe power is uſually52 Cor. 12.9. perfected in weakneſs) may ordain by it, I deſire to wait upon him, commending it to his Grace.
In many things I have freely expreſſed my ſelf, and, poſsibly ſome may think, uncovered our own nakedneſs; the mouth of iniquity is ſoon opened, and 'tis hard to ſpeak againſt the Sins of religious perſons, without giving ſome advantage to religions enemies. All that I ſhall ſay to this, is, That offenders give the ſcandall, not the reprover: I confeſs, I like rouling in the duſt at Aphrah 6Micah 1.10., that Gath may not know it; but when offences are publique, 'twere an injury to religion to be ſilent; we cannot doe it a greater right then to declare and witneſs againſt ſuch miſcariages; and therefore when the houſe of Jacob offendeth, it muſt be told its own with a7Iſa. 58.1. opened to this purpoſe by Mr. Richard Vines in the morning. full throat; 'twill be our honour to ſhake off the Vipers upon a diſcovery, though they would ſtill ſtick on: But for the enemies, 8Horatius.Nulláne habent vitia? immo alia haud fortaſſe minora: are they ſo innocent as to be able to9John 8 7. caſt the ſtone at us? ſhall they that have wounds, 10foreign, Nazianz. de inimicis Eccleſiae, Orat. l. 13.upbraid us with skars? and they that halt downright, charge us with tripping? or the Blackmore 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 perſonall guilt in religions face; and out of a diſlike of one Mordecai, to ſeek the deſtruction of all the Jewes, Eſth. 3.6. and to charge that upon the order, which is but the juſt blemiſh of ſome perſons ſheltred under the name and pretence of it; As Nazianzen ſpeaketh of ſome, foreign:11Naz. Orat. 14. That for ſome Biſhops ſake accuſe Chriſtianity it ſelf as an evill law.
For your ſelves, (Right honourable) I beſeech you remember Religion flouriſhing will be your defence; and that it is better truſt God with your protection, then to fly to12Admonendi ſunt pa…is Authores ne dum pacem nimis diligant & cum omnibus quaerāt, conſentiendo perverſis ab Authoris ſui ſe pace disjungunt, ne dum humana foris jurgia metuant, interni foederis diſcuſſione feriantur, Ambroſ. 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 doe nothing unworthy of God, or of his Oath that is upon you: So prayeth
Your meaneſt Servant in the Lords work, THO. MANTON.