The fort-royal of the Scriptures, or, The vade-mecum concordance presenting unto the world an hundred heads of Scripture, most of them common-placed for publique use : wherein all (especially the weaker sort of Christians) may suddenly command most of all the rarities in the book of God / by an admirer of the word.

To the Christian Reader.

DUties of love and compassion to∣wards the Church (we hope) is confessed to be of all men profitable, ne∣cessary, and urgent: In which case, the perusall and conveyance of this little Book abroad unto the world, being com∣mitted unto our care and trust, we could not but entertain the same according to our trust. Whereof, we acknowledge, such is the plainnesse of the Phrase, pro∣fitablenesse of the Matter, easinesse of the Method, and usefulnesse of the Sub∣ject; that if we should be silent, the Book it self would speak: Wherein are many of the most usefull Places of Divinity exactly referred, practically, though briefly handled; being a Key to open many Scriptures; a brief Scripture-Con∣cordance, of a new method, yet much differing from Cotton, Bernards The∣saurus, or Wilsons Dictionary; being of further extent and survey, in Com∣mon-placing most of the Heads handled therein (which did admit of Division)

then any of these former helps: And besides hath this advantage, that it is concise, a Vade-mecum, portable, for a sudden help, when one is straitned both in place and time, for preaching and fin∣ding out of the sudden coherence of places to be quoted and opened: which the Author confesses, though it wanted the helpful hand of some of the Wor∣thies of our Israel to advance the same unto further maturity and perfection; yet he well hoped, that the Plot and in∣tention thereof being (for ought he knows) New, might hereafter perhaps stirre up some of these Worthies, upon this wall to build up a silver pallace, in a larger Volumne, and exactnesse; for the further good and benefit both of private Christians, and of the whole Church: which is the wish and prayer of

Thy servants in Christ Jesus,

• ...Patrick Forbes.
• ...Christopher Love.