The Intro to Richard Hall's Book

 INTRODUCTION

The following pages consist of Extracts from sundry old and valuable Authors, taken by the person that now occasions their publication, in his private reading, who penned them down at sundry times for his own use, and with no other design: but having been recommended by a Christian friend to print them, and as he trusts he received benefit from them himself, he is desirous others might, under a divine blessing, do so likewise, and in hopes thereof he has complied.

It may be said, what need of such extracts when the books themselves are many of them to be had? In answer: the several authors quoted may never come into the hands of many, or others may not have the opportunity to read them so as to pick out the pithy and striking sentences therein contained: therefore, to view in so small a compass the excellent sentiments, sound divinty, and sweet experience of so many great writers now in glory, the collector hopes, cannot be unacceptable to pious souls; and especially as we live in a day of so great declension, when the love of many, and even professors of religion, wax cold, 'their hearts still and backward to divine and spiritual things, a too great cleaving to the things of time, and they find a need of the useof all means to revive the soul and raise it upwards.

The Reader is desired to excuse the order that might have been observed in selecting particular subjects, and ranging them by themselves, and every other imperfection, as the person who made this collection,does not propose himself as an author, nor did he design putting his name hereto but as an anonymous book does not make so good appearance, even when the author proposes not the least advantage of profit to himself, which is the case of this publication, and therefore hopes subscribing his name will not be thought ostentatious.

If this book is blessed to any poor soul for refreshment, establishment, and consolation, and is a means to draw the heart more out to GOD and his Dear Son, the collector of these extracts will have his sincere wish, who begs an interest in the prayers of the pious Reader, and is their humble servant,

RICHARD HALL

The Angus Library

I made a long promised trip to Oxford to check out the Beddome archive recently. This is in the Angus Library of Regents Park College.
The current librarian (Rev Emma Walsh) is new to the job so, understandably, isn't yet as knowledgeable as the previous librarian (Mrs Mills) but she was very helpful indeed. There is something time transcendent about a good library. What a joy!
I had no time for the Bourton church minute books but consulted his will, a letter he wrote, a manuscript notebook compiled by his grandson (?) and one or two other things. I noticed again that there are around 30 or 40 of his hymns written in his own hand on scrap paper in a bundle and a set of notebooks (in another hand) containing hymns he wrote with texts and dates, which I must consult further some time (there are also notes to an unprinted [?] sermon).
I also consulted the volumes containing all 225 printed Beddome sermons (several of which I do not have access to at present) and wrote down the texts. I also looked through the catalogue of his library, which is also housed in the Library. He had around 600 volumes, mostly in English but with some in Latin (and at least one in German). Puritan authors predominate - Arrowsmith, Owen, Goodwin, Sibbes, etc. I also noted polemical publications (from both sides) connected with the baptism debate and commentaries by Calvin. He had two works by Richard Bernard who I am also interested in so I took out Beddome's copy of Bernard on conscience - Christian see to thy conscience. It is an original 1631 edition. Beddome has added his name in two places near the front. These words also appear which I am unable to attach a meaning to as yet "perlect minse Junie 1776" [It simply means having read in the month of June 1776"]. Beddome would have been 59 in this year. Anyway with nearly 20 pages of notes I've got plenty to keep the site going for a little while. Watch this space!