# Thomas Manton's Epistle to the Reader



## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 28, 2006)

*Thomas Manton\'s Epistle to the Reader*

I read somewhere that Richard Baxter was the author of perhaps a portion of Thomas Manton's Epistle to the Reader, which Manton then added to, but for some reason Richard Baxter's name was left off the document or else it was by his request. Thomas Manton makes these references below. Can anyone shed further light on the background to this?



> I had, upon entreaty, resolved to recommend to thee with the greatest earnestness the work of catechizing, 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 public view.





> The author having bewailed the great distractions, corruptions, and divisions that are in the Church, he thus represents the cause and cure:...





> 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,



[Edited on 7-28-2006 by VirginiaHuguenot]


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 30, 2006)

J.I. Packer in _Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life_, p. 356, makes note of the fact that Richard Baxter's words are cited anonymously by Thomas Manton in his Epistle to the Reader.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 30, 2006)

Thomas M'Crie, Jr., _Annals of English Presbytery_, p. 221-222:



> In the ordinary copies of the Confession, there is prefixed an epistle to the reader by Dr Manton, wherein there are some sentences introduced from another divine. "Thereby hangs a tale." This "very learned and godly divine" was no other than the celebrated Richard Baxter, who had been solicited by the publisher of the Confession to send a recommendation of the book for the use of families. Baxter consented, but only on the condition that the whole of his recommendation should be inserted or none. To his no small displeasure he found, on the appearance of the book, that not only had his name been omitted, but the following sentence, which, he says, was not pleasing to all, had been omitted: "I hope the assembly intended not all that long Confession and those Catechisms to be imposed as a test of christian communion, nor to disown all that scrupled every word in it. If they had, I could not have commended it for any such use, though it be useful for the instruction of families" (Sylvester's Life of Baxter, p. 122).


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Feb 18, 2007)

The following is, I think, a good point which Manton/Baxter makes in the Epistle to the Reader, showing the importance of mothers to family religion, summed up in the maxim, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."



> 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, altho' 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 ly 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 imployed 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 Common-wealth, 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 her self 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?*


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