a sufficient maintenance for them Know you that the Lord commaundeth you to maintaine your Ministers and that they want maintenance or that your neighbours must doe more than they may and dare you liue in this rebellious disobedience not onely not to maintaine them but to rob them and to spoyle your brethren without sence of their misery Oh heart that cannot repent thou heapest vnto thy selfe wrath Rom. 2. against the day of vvrath and the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Consider vvith what face you can demaund the tenth part of the peoples labours and see them want the meanes of saluation for vvhich they pay these tythes Doe you as you would be done vnto verely no for sure and certaine it is that if the tythes were not in your owne hands you could be very well content that they should goe to the Church and your Ministers be maintayned by them And can your hearts iudge so vprightly for your Ministers in respect of other men and is there no loue of equitie no faith of truth no power of conscience no regard of the Ministery no neighbourly compassion no strength of grace nor dread of God to make you equall and iust Iudges betweene your Ministers and your selues to yeeld them their right out of your owne hands Ah partiall selfe-loue and enemy to equitie and iust dealing Consider with vvhat promise of a blessing vvith what hope of mercie you can commend these goods to your posteritie so vniustly taken from the Church so vnmercifully withheld by you so needfull to be restored to the Church againe for the peoples ease euery way too deepely charged and the Ministers more certaine and liberall maintenance Will you vainely thinke that your children shall thriue and doe well by your iniustice and wrongs and by your wicked workes of inquitie Oppression shall bring thee to pouertie Pro. 22. 16. Hee that getteth riches and not by right shall leaue them Ier. 17. 11. in the middest of his dayes and at his end shall be a foole Pro. 13. 11. and 14. 11. The riches of vanitie shall diminish and the house of the wicked shall be destroyed where is prosperous hope vnto posterities in ill gotten goods Therefore that at length I may conclude this exhortation vveigh these things well ponder them in your hearts consider how you stand thus guiltie of Sacriledge how the Ministers haue cause to mourne how the people grieue and may complaine to God and how weakely in deed and truth you can oppose against that vvhich hath beene sayd that so you may yeeld liberall and sufficient maintenance to your Ministers that God may repent of that he hath determined against you Pro. 20. 25. Mal. 3. 9. and you receiue a blessing to you and yours Now be not like the foole vvhich seeth the plague yet goeth on and is punished The wise man feareth and departeth Pro. 14 16. Mal. 3. 8. from euill but a foole rageth and is carelesse The barbarous Heathen would not spoyle their Gods and if any vvere so wicked among them though God both hated them and their Idols neuerthelesse because hee would shew his detestation against such as would worship a God though but an Idoll and yet rob him such vvould he plague and seuerely punish The Heathen in their writings beare witnesse of this The Grecians offering violence to the Temple of Pallas neuer prospered Virg. li. Aene. 2. Lactan. de Origin error cap. 4. after An auncient Father reporteth how diuers Heathen were grieuously punished for offering violence to holy things Euluitu the Censour for taking tyles of Marble out of Iuno Lacinia her Temple was shortly after distracted of his wits and had two of Cap. 8. his sonnes slaine Appius Claudius was strucken blind for alienating those things which were consecrate to Iustin hiss li. 2. Hercules Zerxes sending foure hundreth Souldiers to spoyle the Temple of Apollo they were destroyed and burnt vvith thunder and lightning If God vvill reuenge the wrongs done to Heathen Gods no Gods but Idols in such a terrible manner because he will preserue a reuerence of a conceiued God head in all mens mindes though that conceit in a particular application to an Idoll bee abhominable before him how much more will the Lord reuenge himselfe vpon those which thus robbe his Sonne Christ who is robbed in his seruants and Ministers let the wise bee iudge and let beleeuers feare and tremble Consider in all this what is said vnto you which possesse impropriations so iniurious to the Church You Patrons also of Benefices who nibble at and pare away what you can get from those vvhich you doe present either by secret simoniacall compact or by pretence of law or else by force or fraud some vvay or other to liue vpon Church-robbing sacriledgiously You Farmers of such liuings consider vvhat you doe and you that gather vp the labours of the people whereby the Ministers of Christ are defrauded of their maintenance You pilfering poore and deceitfull payers of Tythes which make no conscience to steale somewhat away closely with Achan from the vse of the Tabernacle or vvith Hypocriticall Ananias and Saphira pretend that you pay tythes iustly but yet keepe backe euer somewhat from the true owners thereof Know your duetie weigh the equitie of the cause examine the former reasons consider your sins and forsake your theft that ye be not found written in that flying booke of vengeance which commeth forth against theeues to reuenge iniustice and wrong If yet for all this some will not be moued to pay tythes because they now liue vnder the Gospell I demaund of them whither they meane honestly that they can bee vvilling in deed and in truth to doe for the Church and Ministers according to the time of the Gospell If you only disclaime the law herein because of charges and vvill not indeed yeeld to the times of the Gospell you but pretend Gospell in Hypocriticall couetousnesse for that you thinke there is nothing to moue you to â—â—e for your Ministers maintenance though the coâ—â—rary hath beene already shewed But goe to I take you to speake in a true meaning without cuasions we will be content to let the law goe for this present and will be willing to stand to the Gospels reward The Gospell prouideth for Ministers which is either the primary extraordinary practise and that was a voluntary contribution but so liberall for the maintenance of the Ministerie and brethren Act. 4. 37. 5. as many sold all they had lands and possessions and brought the money and layd the same downe at the Gal. 6. 6. Apostles feete Or the Apostolicall precept to make them pertakers of all your goods or else the after act of the Church resuming the payment of tythes Now how like you these chuse for you selues if the Last that is it we would haue and you dislike because of aduantage if the First that is the best of all but that we will not be so vnreasonable towards you for though you take all from vs and the Church gaue all then yet wee require but so much as is conuenient for vs to receiue for vs to receiue and you by duetie necessarily tyed to giue We desire not to be enriched and you thereby impouerished that it now should be said as heretofore Religio peperit diuitias sed filia deuorauit matrem which I thinke wee need not to feare on our behalfe as you wisely neuer intend it on your parts For it well appeareth how much you loue to giue as they did freely but not as they did liberally I will say for you that the first you dislike and better it were to giue a tenth part than all But will you rest vvith the Second and make the Minister pertaker of all your goods Surely if you vvould performe this faithfully wee might well rest contented for what is this but to haue our wants liberally supplyed and in you a franke heart to giue somewhat of what you get of euery thing a part or share more or lesse else how can you make vs pertakers of all your goods which if you so vvould doe is it a great matter if we reape 1 Cor. 9. 11. your carnall things when we sowe vnto you spirituall things Thus you see you pretending Gospellers that wee can rest contented with the award of either the law or Gospell if you would conscionably stand to either but that indeed you are of neither excepting as they may serue your turnes and be to you aduantage If I falsely accuse you conuince me by following and faithfully performing this duety you owe vnto the Ministers of Christ either according to law or Gospell if not you must giue vs leaue to say that you are worldly Atheists of any religion for your profits and commodities professing to know God but by workes deny him his Ministery Ministers and people and to euery good worke reprobate FINIS
Catechise Hence therefore follow diuers vses to be made of Manifold vses of the doctrine this doctrine to sundry sorts of persons First vnto the reuerend Fathers and all Ecclesiastical To Ecclesiasticall Gouernours Officers set ouer the Ministers for to ouer-see them not to see ouer Ministers neglecting this so necessary a dutie You are to see vs performe this you take oaths Motiues or inducements to the dutie of Church-wardens to present this woefull neglect if thereby the fault be found out God forbid you should let so great a neglect in Ministers passe vvithout censure and controule tythe not I pray you Mint and Cummin and let passe this most weighty poynt of the Law of God and our King Your neglect to punish vvill be our neglect of dutie the Canon is very strict Canon 59. it thundreth in sound of words but if you shall forbeare the execution vvhich is the life of good Lawes it may be terriculum sed vix sane nostrum cuâ—quam terriculamentum it will be as a Canon without powder or Bullet standing for terrour but neuer shot off The end of Synods is to good purpose in their right vse for preseruation of good things well established and for reformation of abuses Oh let not then the end of our meeting be that you should call and wee answeare to our names crying here Syr and there an end as if the purpose of Synodes were to know nothing else but eyther whither wee had forgot or lost our names or out run our liuings Sed quid ego edoceam peritos pauca Sapi 〈…〉 and therefore I proceed to the rest Secondly to Church-wardens that you present To Church-wardens such as continue herein negligent it is your Oath great is the benefit which both you the elder as also the yonger sort both children and seruants shall reape by Motiues Catechising Care for your soules cause Archippus to fulfill his Ministery rest not with reading alone tho it be also an ordinance of God without interpretation if you may haue it nor with preaching alone without Catechising together are they strong meanes by Gods blessing to bring you to God Thirdly to Minister and first to such as doe make To Ministers and first to such as doe Catechise of which 3. sorts 1. The diligent Motiues conscience of this doing it vvith diligence and profit to the people goe on still my good brethren you see it is a Diuine ordinance your duetie a necessary meanes much approued by law established by the Apostles practised and by Christ himselfe goe on with the yong in yeeres they need Milke you haue law to compell them and to enforce their parents to bring them yet doe as much by gentle meanes as you may Our Sauiour commanded children to bee brought vnto him and rebuked those that would haue kept them from him we are in Christs steed command 2 Cor. 5. children to bee brought and rebuke such as hinder them Saint Paul went from house to house to them Acts 20. in his time familiar teaching profiteth much winneth the peoples loue to the truth as they get knowledge for ignoti nulla cupido it emboldeneth them much and by your wise cariage procureth to your selues reuerence Lastly thinke how they haue soules to saue and are the tender lambes of Christ which you must feed as you loue the Lord Iesus In going on with the babes in yeeres draw forward yonglings in knowledge the olde babes in yeeres as much as lyeth in you suffer not them to perish for lacke of knowledge winne them by fauour whom you cannot bring perforce come to them priuately vvhom you conueniently cannot deale with publikely You brethren know that ignorant mindes are a seed plot for the Papists to sowe their heresies to set in their superstitions and to plant their abhominable Idolatries Win them therefore to this plant in them religious grounds for so you shall beget in them a loue of the Word a reuerent estimation of the Ministery and a care of sanctifying of the Sabaoth which three they almost make no conscience of but through prophanenesse as Esau set these things to sale for a messe of pottage Consider how without the grounds of Catechisme they cannot pray they know not what it is as appeareth by many who account the repeating of the words of the Creed and ten Commandements to be a prayer How can they examine themselues and prepare themselues to the Lords Supper being ignorant of the doctrine of the Sacraments with what comfort can vvee admit such persons so ignorant though liuing in the Church to the Lords Supper when the Teachers in the primitiue time would admit none but the vvell instructed vnto Baptisme Saint Hebr. 5. 6. Paul Catechised the Auncient as wee haue heard and wee haue a commandement in the Booke of Common-Prayer to admit none to the Sacrament vncatechised which haue not learned their Catechisme I will not say therefore vnto thee my brother which makest conscience of this excellent worke Perge in virum play the man but perge precor in bonum ministrum performe the part of a man of God and a great reward shall be giuen vnto thee And thus much to the first sort which doe Catechise diligently The second sort of such as doe this worke are they 2. Sort negligent Ier. 48. 10. Reproofe with the reasons that doe it but as guiltie of that curse in Ieremy Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently both in doing and for the time they leaue it vndone for in Catechising they do it without care of the peoples profiting onely hearing them repeate words but not examining how they vnderstand vvhat they doe say so as they are very little better for such teaching it is something as good as nothing as we may see where onely the people be thus taught Againe this so cursorie a course is but a little before Easter and all the yeere else are they leâ—t to themselues and neuer examined this childish kinde of teaching bringeth contempt to so holy so necessarie a worke and the negligent passing it ouer so long causeth youth and other to thinke that it is not so necessarie or profitable as indeed it is in the hands of a cunning workeman The third sort of such as catechise are they which 3. Sort diligent but not so profitable as they might be take paines and that diligently but yet if I might so speake with their good fauour without offending not very profitably And this is either when one two or halfe a dozen or as many as you please are asked one and the same Question when by the first the rest doe learne to answere though before they neuer tooke care to commit it to memory and so it remayneth not with them and the negligent onely care to giue some small contentment for the time or when but onely one or two and euer the same stand forth for all and answere
is wicked and wilfull and so your condemnation the more iust except you amend But why doe you stand so much vpon your late Popish forefathers and neglect your Ancestors before them shall the grosse ignorance of the latter more harden vs in an ill course than the grace of the former in purer times stirre vs vp vnto goodnesse let this vanitie and vaine folly and madnesse indeed be farre from vs. When these come into your minde thinke whither it is better to follow them than our father Abraham the blessed Apostles the holy Saints in their time and our first forfathers receiuing religion submitting themselues to be Catechised when they were brought to the faith of Christ before Popery tooke possession of them Obiect But peraduenture yet you haue this more to say that you are olde and past learning and therefore will thinke to be excused Remember that olde age acquiteth none from iudgement for the man that is an hundred yeere olde Esa 65. 20. and vvicked is accursed vvee may not therefore liue wilfully in sinne because we be olde Olde folke for preseruation of bodily life will eate childrens foode and are you too olde to desire the Milke of the Word for the soules safety Againe the older so much the neerer the graue and therefore haue the greater cause to learne to prepare for death by knowing such things as bee most necessary to saluation Olde folke can learne such things as be for the body and can giue their mindes to remember them in cases of need why not then heauenly and spirituall knowledge the cause is for that indeed they are like soulelesse men not caring at all what may befall them in the life to come But to take this excuse away that olde age is past learning there are and haue beene many persons olde which haue learned the Catechisme so as all old persons are not past learning but such as indeed are past grace and so if they remaine are past hope of saluation The ancient in dayes and the multitude of yeeres should teach wisedome and shall olde age now not Iob 32. 7. onely be full of ignorance but also a supporter of the same blindnesse in the middest of such cleare light and so great varietie of the meanes to bring them to this light God forbid to whom I leaue you to bring you to a better minde But if you be past learning then from experience of your former lost time and inhabilitie now to learne thinke vpon such as be yong vnder you send them that they may not follow your steps and plead ignorance and vncapablenesse at your yeeres saue yours if yee cannot vse the sauing meanes for your selues Obiect But me thinkes I heare some say that euen the sending of their seruants is great detriment vnto them for by being restrained of their libertie thus they are not vvilling to serue them and so hardly can eyther get or keepe them Brother If this be so know it is for want of Catechâ—sing for if euery Master would discharge this duetie as they by law and conscience are bound whither should such iâ—religious seruants goe from the presence of the Lord But this is not euery where so good and godly seruants vvill seeke to good and godly places as for other seruants if thou thy selfe truely fearest God thou wilâ— as gladly be rid of them as they would be going from thee Abraham wanted no seruants though he had care to Catechise them nor Cornelius vvho was a deuout man fearing God with all his householde Vse well seruants reward the well-doers and thou shalt not want such as will serue thee faithfully and constantly As for libertie afford it vnto them out of thy owne sixe dayes of seauen seasonably and conueniently and let them not robbe thâ— Lord of his onely one day in seauen Remember that thy seruant should be to thee more precious than a beast yet what difference makest thou if not in this matter of religion thou feedest yea cloathest giuest libertie rest warme harbour and dressing to thy beast to haue the vse of him for thy seruice and if thou neglect thy seruants soule doest thou any more esteeme or make of him than of thy beast looking onely to his body for bodily seruice and therefore thou mayest not neglect this good of his soule for who so doth hath his seruant but as in place of a reasonable beast but not as a Christian soule See then Masters what you doe herein and you seruants behold such Masters to you as Turkes and your selues as their beast-like slaues bodily and Sathans spiritually but of this thus much concerning Catechising or teaching the first thing to be obserued in the person to be maintained Now followeth to shew what it is he must teach and from what in these words In the Word By Word here is ment the holy Scriptures and more specially the doctrine of the Gospell which in the new Testament by an excellency is called the Word Actes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts. 14. 25. 16. 6. which in verse 10. is expounded to bee the Gospell so also vsed in other places Doct. Hence obserue That the doctrine of the Gospell is a word of great excellencie therefore wee see it here by a speciall manner of speaking to be called the Word as if there were no word else besides Proofe and for further proofe hereof the H. Ghost addeth elsewhere something to set out the excellency thereof it is called the Word of the Maâ—th 13. 19. Acts 13 26. 5. 20. Iohn 5. 25. 1 Pet. 4. 6. Heb 4. 12. Kingdome the Word of Saluation the Word of Life Reasons For it shewes what Christs kingdome is it is the instrumentall meanes for our saluation and causeth the dead to liue according to God in the Spirit vnto euerlasting life hence is it said to be liuely and mighty in operation Vse This teacheth vs to esteeme highly of the doctrine Acts 13. 48. of the Gospell to receiue it with great gladnesse as the Church hath done glorifying the Word of the Lord. Motiues For it is the glad tidings of peace it is the onely curing Salue to the accusing conscience the Law killeth this maketh aliue that terrifyeth this comforteth that saith discedite maledicts Away depart ye cursed ones but this venite benedicts Oh come ye blessed of the Lord receiue the kingdome prepared for you that is the law of bondage this of libertie therein we behold onely the Iustice of God and our miserie herein our happie deliuerance and Gods great vnspeakeable mercy Blesse the Lord therefore and let them be made much of who bring these glad tydings of great ioy vnto all his people for beautifull are their feet Esa 52. 7. Doct. Secondly hence may vvee obserue That the Word of God is the matter of the Ministery for the instruction of the people Proofe vvhich may appeare most true by these Scriptures Matthew 28. 20. 2 Timoth. 4. 2. 1 Câ—rinth 4. 6. and
by reformation of the heart who harken after the tune of the tongue and labour of the lips but not how men may be drawne to sanctification in their liues this is it which here the holy Ghost preuents by setting them to Catechising vvithout which indeed the people profit little Doct. According to the generall vse of the word hence may be obserued that Catechising is not onely and alone the dutie of a Minister but also other wayes of instructing and teaching Hee is not onely to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proofe but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 28. 20. as Christ Iesus and his Apostles our perfect examples haue done before vs. Reasons And the reasons for it are manifest because the Minister is to reueale the whole counsell of God to build Acts 20. them vp as well as to lay a foundation also as some need Milke so others strong meate hee is one that must bring forth of his treasurie both new and old varietie of matter fitting the Auditorie for their increase of the knowledge of Gods will in all wisedome and spirituall Col. 1. Heb. 5. 1 Cor. 3. 2 Pâ—t 3. 18. vnderstanding Vse The people should not bee euer such bad schollers to need onely Milke but sometime strong meate so as they may encrease in grace and the knowledge of the Lord Iesus Therefore Ministers must not only giue Milke to such as be carnall dull of hearing 1 Cor. 3. Heb. 5. Babes â—nexpert in the word of righteousnesse as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opâ—â—s habenteslacte non solido cibo which stand in need onely of Milke but also to giue strong meat to them that are oâ— age Motiues which through long custome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euill Reason requireth this that vvhen the foundation is layd the house should be built vp Hee that is taught his letters must be learned to spell and so to reade and to vnderstand what he readeth Thus the Apostle Paul went on with the people as appeareth by his writings and the places quoted Much may be sayd to this purpose but my meaning is not to stand vpon the word here in the largest acception but according to the proper signification and speciall vse thereof the doctrine or position from which is this Doct. That it is a part of the Ministers dutie to Catechise his people Proofe This the Text sheweth where the Apostle setteth out the Minister by the name of a Catechiser and maintenance is here allowed for that worke of his Ministerie from this place other Scriptures confirme also the same 1 Cor. 14. 19. Rom. 2. 18. Heb 5. 6 1. What need reasons to perswade to acknowledge this a Reason dutie Know wee not that euery wise Teacher hath his principles of his Art which hee first deliuereth Children are first to haue Milke before strong meate But to make this poynt fully manifest let vs see what Catechising is for this proued will afford sufficient reasons for this truth Catechising is a diuine ordinance from olde time vsed What Catechising is in Gods Church as a necessary meanes to informe the rudâ—r sort summarily by questions and answeres in the principles of Religion In this definition we may obserue seauen things 1. the authoritie of it in this that it is said to be a diuine ordinance 2. the antiquitie in these words from olde time 3. the necessitie of it being a necessary meanes 4. the vtilitie of it seruing to enforme 5. whom it concerneth what partie ruder sort 6. the forme of it deliuered by question and answere 7. the matter of it the principles of Religion All these points being proued are as many seuerall sound reasons brought forth to prooue position or doctrine deliuered which briefly may be brought into this one Euery necessary meanes of olde time vsed and appoynted by God for instruction of his people in the wayes of saluation is to be vsed of euery faithfull Minister as part of his dutie but such a thing is Catechising as shall in the particulars be proued and therefore to be performed of euery faithfull Minister as part of his dutie 1. I say it is a diuine constitution for it is approued Authoritie for Catechising from God by the word as the former Scriptures shew which is Gods immediate diuine voyce and authoritie as also by his Church which is Gods mediate voyce and authoritie while it agreeth with the written word of God The Scripture mentioneth both Catechising here Gala. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. 6. 1 Cor. 14. 19. as also the Catechised Luke 1. 4. Acts 18. 25. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Rom. 2. 18. It is compared to Milke vvhich the Teacher is to giue from the dugge of Gods Word as the Apostle did 1 Cor. 3. Hebr. 6. 1. and Saint Peter vrgeth such as were Babes 1 Peâ— 2. 2. to desire it Wee see by experience that it is blessed of God to the diligent Teacher and Learner that Sathan doth resist it mans corruption is against it all which doe argue it to be of God and not of man what is of man we easily make much of but the naturall man sauoureth not the things of God It hath also the Churches authoritie euen all the Authoritie from Gods Church Churches of God from time to time as shall be after shewed Here I intend onely to vrge the authoritie of our Mother the Church of England and considering Gods authoritie and hers from God herein I may say with Salomon My Sonne heare thy fathers instruction Prouerb 1. 8. and forsake not thy Mothers teaching Wee haue statute law confirming the Booke of Common-prayer imposing See Rubricke after Confirmation it here God and the King doe speake vnto vs. Wee haue Ecclesiasticall Constitutions in the late Queenes dayes published and now in the last Câ—nons Anno 1571. Can. 59. by which Canon the negligent Minister 1. is to be reproued 2. suspended 3. excammunicated if he reforme not himselfe Heere God and his Church speaketh Wee haue this established by the high Commission in the Prouince of Canterbury Anno 1576. as also by the same in the Prouince of Yorke in Archbishop Edwenâ— time Anno 1583. Here wee haue the highest Ecclesiasticall authoritie speaking Lastly wee haue bookes of Articles from our Ordinaries in euery Diocesse for enquirie into this and the Church wardens are vrged vpon their soleâ—ne Oathes to present the carelesse neglect hereof Thus wee see the authoritie diuine both of God and his Church Secondly I say it hath beene a most auncient practise Antiquitie of â—atechising in the Church from time to time vnto this day It was in Abrahams time and vsed in his house Gene. 14. 14. compared with Cha. 18. 19. the Hebrew word translated brought vp signifieth one entring into Rules or first principles which Aâ—ias Montanus translateth expediâ—â—â— suos initiatoâ— now initiatus is one that is a yong beginner