Works by Richard Allestree
- Government of the Tongue
Description: Allestree meant The Government of the Tongue to serve as a partner to his treatise
on biblical interpretation, The Lively Oracles Given to Us. While the latter deals
with the proper use and application of the received Word, The Government of the
Tongue deals with that of the spoken word. He draws primarily from the book of
Proverbs and the general letter of James. First, he discusses why God gifted humankind
with speech, then how humankind has since abused it. Serving for many years as provost
of a boys’ boarding school, Allestree writes practically and instructively.
Kathleen O’Bannon
CCEL Staff
- Lively Oracles Given to Us: or the Christians Birth-right and Duty in the Custody and Use of the Holy Scripture.
Description: Allestree meant for The Lively Oracles Given to Us to serve as a partner to his treatise on
the godly use of speech, The Government of the Tongue. While The Government of the
Tongue deals with the spoken word, The Lively Oracles Given to Us deals with the proper
use and application of the received word—the Holy Scriptures. Allestree addresses
such topics as the purpose of scripture, the authority of scripture, the interpretation of
scripture, and how scripture relates to the Incarnation of Christ. While Allestree grounds
his argument in historical and theological tradition, he also provides practical advice
for reading the Bible. With this book, he succeeds in unifying two virtues too often
separated: scholarship and common sense.
Kathleen O’Bannon
CCEL Staff
