Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	desirous_a	good_a	great_a	87	3	2.1264	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A31087	Certain proposals humbly offered, for the preservation & continuance of the truly reformed Protestant religion, in these three kingdomes of England, Scotland and Ireland by a professor of the said truly reformed Protestant religion ...	J. B.	1674 (1674)	Wing B96; ESTC R11223	33,531	39

sound Religion and good Learning to be the speediest and very best that can be propounded for retriving and advancing of true Protestantism yet I conceive other methods added thereunto will yet give some farther good help therein and therefore Secondly I do farther humbly move that the aforesaid rich Protestants will make another Annual Provision to continue for ever for the teaching of poor Children both Males and Females to read the Scriptures and to learn some good Catechismes containing full and clear Instructions in all the principal and necessary Points of the true Reformed Protestant Religion and this in every place throughout these Kingdoms especially in those Cities Great Towns and Villages where the poor do most abound and where is greatest Ignorance and Prophaneness and that yearly Salaries may be setled to be constantly and duly paid to Schoolmasters and School-mistresses to that end and also that some Reward be given to such of the said Children suppose a Bible or such like that are quickest in their Learning and shall have first read over the Bible and can give the best account of their Catechism this would much encrease a good emulation among them and by an holy craft engraft the knowledge of Christ in them Rewards likewise of this kind or a certain sum of money allotted yearly to such aged people and poor servants whether Males or Females as cannot read but by their own industry with such helps as they can get do at last attain unto it and can make proof thereof and farther that having learned thus to read they do dayly spend some time in reading the Bible and some good Catechismes would be money well given Who knows what even such a measure of knowledge as many an one may get this way may do Who knows how many a precious soul may be saved by it I am sure no better course can be taken to spread abroad the light of truth the rules of holiness and to chase away Ignorance and Prophaneness where it abounds most nor where people are thus instructed would the busie Papists and their Emissaries be able to seduce so many as 't is justly to be feared they now do and will do especially in the dark and remote parts of these Kingdoms And as in all places thus to provide and raise up choice Instruments and to instruct poor ignorant Creatures whether old or young in manner aforesaid and for the ends aforesaid would be an excellent work so to do it there most of all where is most need will be most praise-worthy as in Wales especially in North-wales and such of the Northern-Countries and other parts of England as are most ignorant of God and are least able without the helps aforesaid to train up their Children either for publick Service or at least so far as to be able in their own Mother-Tongue whether Welch or English to read and know the Scriptures And because of all parts of His Majesties Dominions the poor Welch Countries seem to be most destitute of the saving Knowledge of God and the means of it partly for want of Bibles Catechisms and other good Books in the Welch Tongue and partly for want of learned and good men able to preach in that Language to them I therefore humbly propound on behalf of the said Welch people to all considerate persons whether it would not be another most excellent work of Piety Christian Charity and Pity to Souls if the rich Protestants living in those Countries or elsewhere should set apart an Annual Revenue for ever for the maintaining of such good and able men to preach in the Welch Tongue to such of them as understand no other I mean such peaceably-minded Nonconforming Ministers as by reason of their Nonconformity how peaceably-minded soever they be cannot be capable of the publick maintenance And as a farther help to the saving knowledge of Christ in those parts I once more humbly propound whether it would not be a worthy work for the aforesaid rich Protestants to take care that every year an Impression of Welch Bibles and the worthy Labours of some of the chiefest of our soundest Practical Divines be likewise turned into the Welch Tongue and printed and given to such as shall be found most desirous of them but not able to purchase them and this course to continue from year to year till there be a sufficient store of Bibles and other good Books in that Language for the use of the said Welch Countries But methinks I hear some say All the ways and means here propounded for the restoring of the true Protestant Religion and the farther advancement of it are very good and no doubt is to be made but blessed effects will come of it were they speedily and vigorously prosecuted and put in practice but who can perswade dissenting Brethren to such an amicable sincere and hearty closure as is desired Who can perswade the Parents of Children every where and others that are the Governors of Families or any way have the care of Souls to lay sound knowledge into the minds of such as are committed to their charge by Catechetical Instructions as hath been suggested Who can perswade old and young to take pains in going from house to house personally to converse each with other for mutual and further edification Lastly Who can perswade the rich Protestants every where to lay out the whole or any part of their Estates in the several wayes and for the pious ends propounded Alas these are great things and not to be hoped for in this Age a much better Spirit must be found among all sorts of men before such Counsels as these will take place I confess 't is true the work is difficult and not to be in the least attempted much less is it like to be accomplished by any humane power but as difficult as it is and seemingly even impossible yet methinks one way remains that may render it not only feasable but easily practicable also and expeditiously prosperous and that is the power of God put forth upon the hearts of men he is the Lord God Omnipotent reigning and ruling in and over all his Creatures he doth whatsoever he pleaseth both in Heaven and in Earth if he say the word and give out his command even to the most obstinate and invincibly inflexible to any thing that is good they presently obey he that can cleave the Rocks asunder melt the Mountains and turn the whole Vniverse upside down what cannot he do upon the Spirit the Mind and Soul of any one whatsoever to turn and encline it which way he pleaseth Well then this I suppose will be granted that how fierce and keen soever dissenting Brethren have been and still are one towards another how morose sharp froward soever yet he can take off that ferocity that ferity and fierceness and put them into a meek and humble temper he that can make Lions to lie down with Lambs and Leopards with Kids sure can make the Lambs and

pregnant Parts apt to learn and by perswasions of them their Parents would easily be inclined to the Service of Christ in the aforesaid glorious work of the Ministry or in case they have no such Sons of their own yet would please to adopt such as are in the said Treatise already suggested and not only bring them up to the said Service in manner as is propounded but settle a liberal maintenance upon them during their lives at least in case they continue sound in the Faith painful in their Work and holy in their Conversations I say whether those that shall do such a noble work as this besides the giving proof of their Love to Christ they will not by this means render the Children which they thus bring up dedicate to the Lord's work and settle Estates upon them in consideration of it whether they be their own Children or such as are adopetd by them I say whether they will not render them doubly happy First in putting them into so honourable and heavenly an employment Secondly In delivering them from the Snares and Temptations they would otherwise be endangered by if not thus provided for upon account of their faithfulness and constancy in their work whatsoever discouragements and troubles they may meet with for their works sake 5. Whether it would not be one of the most Glorious works that some Ages have produced if certain rich Protestants amongst others the aforementioned Acts of Piety humbly moved to be promoted by them here in Old England should agree together to set●le a perpetual liberal maintenance upon the Vniversity of Cambridge in New-England and so to endow it that it might be a standing and lasting Nursery to all succeeding Ages not only to train up such hopeful and well educated Youths for the service of the Gospel there as shall be born in that Countrey but such also as shall be sent from hence for the same purpose in due t●me to return hither richly furnished with sound Learning and abilities to do the like service here Methinks 50 or 60 if not 100 persons might easily be found in this Kingdom of Old-England that might each of them give an hundred pounds a year for ever to the said Vniversity in New Eng●and for so pious and renowned a work and thereby not only perpetuate and embalm their Names here but prepare the more abundant entrance for themselves into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and so be he higher in happiness hereafter For though I am far from that Popish Opinion of Merit whether of condignity or congruity and do not in the least think that any man whatsoev●●●an deserve any thing at the hand of God for any good work or work that can be done by him yet that every one receives according to his w●●ks is no false Doctrine if those Scriptures be true in 2 Cor. 5.10 〈◊〉 14.13 20.12 13. 6. Whether this small Treatise if it shall be judged useful and seasonable will not be so most of all by being dispersed abroad into many hands and into those principally that it is more particularly intended for as into the hands of all dissenting though sound in the main true-hearted Professors into the hands of the Parents and Governors of numerous Families into the hands of the several sorts of the aforementioned rich Protestants into the hands of all religiously affected young persons especially such as are under the age of sixteen years And whether it would not be Money well laid out to print so many Impressions and take care and pains to disperse them as might replenish all the aforesaid Parties in these Three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland Perhaps some of the things humbly proposed in the Treatise may take with some others with others some may be prevailed with by it to dedicate their own Sons to the Service of the Sanctuary some to adopt others some that cannot or have no mind to do this may settle Countrey-Schools and give yearly Stipends for teaching poor Children to read in great and populous Towns and where is greatest Ignorance and least Means for Knowledge in the remote and dark parts of the Kingdoms particularly in the Northern and Western Parts and all over Wales A Passage out of Mr. Increase Mather his Excellent Book Entituled The Mystery of Israel's Salvation And shall I tell you yea from the Lord I will tell you that the Prayers of the despicable ones that know and fear and serve God can do great things with him that doth whatsoever he pleaseth in Heaven and in Earth and in all deep places Oh consider of it I remember Melancthon that great and Learned Divine saith he was much encouraged to hope that God would carry on the work of Reformation in Germany and the Lord did carry it on with great success in those days because he understood that there were many poor Godly women that were wont to meet together to pray that the work of Reformation might go forward Even so if the Lord stir up the hearts of his poor Saints to favour the dust of Zion and to shew it by earnest Prayer before him at all times surely the day will not be long before the L●rd appear in his Glory to build up Zion for he will have rgard unto the Prayer of the destitute and will not despise their Prayer Thus far he at the very close of his Book The same say I here Fervent Prayer all England over among such as truly fear the Lord and know how to pray aright may possibly set hundreds on work to help on the ends of this small Treatise and the Matters propounded in it FINIS