it is exprest We have very great Numbers of excellent Books expounding this Scripture and plainly directing us in the way to Salvation so that we know no Nation that in their own tongue hath the like And among the rest we have the summ of Christian Religion in Catechisms in so small a room that the weak may learn understand and remember it Yet after these wonderful mercies and means we must needs confess it to the grief of our souls that many thousands in this Land of light do wilfully live in darkness And whereas they might all for the time and means have been able to teach others they have need to be taught again the very principles of Gods Oracles and to be fed as babes with milk and not with strong meat as being unskilful in the word of Righteousness Heb. 5.12 13 14. It astonisheth us many times when we have occasion to talk with some of our hearers to perceive that they know very little of the Doctrine which we have been preaching to them so many years as plainly as we could speak If we could speak plainer to them we would for we know it is a matter that they must understand or perish It is sad to us to hear many men that can talk understandingly about matters of the world that can scarce speak a word of sense about the matters of their Salvation or scarce give us any reasonable answer if we Qâ—estion them about the very Fundamentals of Christianity without the knowledge of which they cannot be saved Upon this sad experience of mens Ignorance we have been brought to a deep Consideration of our own Neglects and the Lord hath partly set it home upon our hearts and in the apprehension thereof our souls have been brought low to think how we have wronged Christ and you and lest God should require your blood at our hands For though we have frequently and faithfully taught you in publike which is enough to leave you without excuse yet perceiving that it must be a more familiar course that must help the extreamly ignorant to understand we lament that we have done no more in it then we have done And though some of uâ— have hitherto excused our selves by our bodily weakness or other pressing business of our calling and from your neglect of coming to us according to your duty yet daâ—e we no longer be guilty of these excuses while we discern any further means to be used for your good Having therefore sought Gods direction and Consulted together with his word before our eyes we do all with one mind Agree and Resolve to set upon the practice of Constant Catechizing and personal familiar Instruction of All that shall not obstinately refuse our help and this we shall do by Gods assistance according to the Rules which we have hereunto adjoyned And because we cannot expect that the Aged and Rich should be perswaded to be Catechizâ—d in the open Congregation and because it is many waies inconvenient that we should go from house to house if we can avoid iâ— and it is your unquestionable duty to seek to your Teachers and obey them in as great a thing as this we do earnestly intreat you that you will submit to this order and willingly come to the place which the Minister shall appoint even your whole families in their turns when they are called both old and young and that Parents and Masters will lead their Children and Servaâ—ts and give them a good example and not Condemn themselves by refusing that duty which they confess their children should perform especially seeing â—gnoâ—ance in the Aged is a double sin and shame We intreat you also that you will bestow some time and labour to learn by memory the Common Creed with our Expository Profession and the ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer and this small Catechism and the shorter Catechism of the Assembly of Divines And if you cannot read get some to read them to you that can We intreat you also to take some pains to see that your families do all learn the same and especially bestow all that time on the Lords day in this exercise which can be spared from the greater parts of Gods service As also that you would bring all your family with you except the children who are catechized in the Congregation at the time and to the place that shall be appointed there to render some account of what you learn and to entertain some familiar conference about it that you may be further Instructed in the way to life If you know never so much already we suppose you will not lose your labour and the most Judicious should be the most humble Obedient and exemplary to the weak If you have learned never so little and find it hard to remember the words yet we intreat you to come with the rest for some familiar Conference and Instruction For the less you know and remember the more help you need Now the Lord hath awakened us his unworthy Messengers to the sense of our duty O do not you discourage us and please the Devil and frustrate all our work and hopes by your wilful refusal especially when we call you to no Controverted work but that which all the sober Christians in the world will confess to be your duty In some other matters some are of one miâ—d and some of another but through the great mercâ— of God it is not so here You can have no such excuse to cover your refusal but if you will not Learn and Obey you must even speak out and say you will not and tell God plainly so to his face and so let your nakedness appear to all Now God hath put it into our hearts to do you good and caused us to thirst after the welfare of your souls we beseech you take heed of Refusing your mercies If you come to us to enquire the way to salvation we dare not for all the world refuse to teach you for then how should we meet the Lord in Judgement and look him in the face that made us watchmen for mens safeties How then Dare you refuse to be Taught or to bestow your time and Labour for to Learn Dear Brethren the Lord who is our Judge and yours knows that it is not a desire to domineer over your Consciences nor any pleasure that we take in needless troubling you much less any ill will to you that caused us to take up this Resolution and to call you to this work But it is the sense of our former sin and present duty and of the great Necessity hereof to your Salvation Alas flesh and blood hath kept us from this duty too long already and if we would hearken to it we should not so much trouâ—le our selves or you but let you alone in your sinful Ignorance you mâ—y qâ—ickly understand that it is far easier to us to please you and let you alone Indeed we cannot but expect that this work which we have now
The Agreement Of divers Ministers of Christ In the County of WORCESTER and some adjacent parts For Catechizing or Personal Instructing All in their several Parishes that will consent thereunto Containing I. The Articles of our Agreement II. An Exhortation to the People to submit to this necessary Work III. The Profession of Faith and Catechism which we desire them first to Learn London Printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons Bookseller at Kidderminster and are to be sold there by him and at London by William Roybould at the Vnicorn in Pauls Church-yard 1656. Our warrant from God ACT 20.20.28 And have taught you publikely and from house to house Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Luke 12.42 Who then is that faithful and wise Steward whom his Lord shall make Ruler over his houshold to give them their portion of meat in due season Col. 1.28 Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Iesus Mal. 2.7 For the Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of hosts Mark 4.34 And when they were alone he expounded all things to his Disciples Heb. 5.12 Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat See 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3. to 8. 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you 1 Thes 5.12 13. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and be at peacâ— among your selves In the sixth general Council at Trull in Constantinople it is thus decreed Can. 78. That they that are baptized ought to learn the Belief and on the fift day of the week to say it over to the Bishop or the Presbyters WE Ministers of Christ whose names are under-written having sought Gods direction and enquired of his holy Word concerning our duty and finding our selves under many obligations to seek diligently the edification and salvation of souls and withal considering the greatness of our Work and the shortness of our own and our neighbours lives and the strict account that we and they must shortly yield to God our Judge Do humbly bewail our too great neglect that we have not more frequently earnestly and unweariedly employed our care and time and labour on so great a Work according to the strict and holy precepts and patterns in Gods Word especially that we have done no more in Catechising and familiar personal instructing to acquaint men with the most necessary points of our Religion and to work them on their hearts for the awakening of them from security and drawing them from sin to God by the faith of Christ and for the directing them in the right way to their everlasting peace And as we earnestly beg of God to pardon this our great neglect through the blood and intercession of Iesus Christ so do we by his grace resolve to be hereafter more faithfull and diligent and therefore do unanimously agree and resolve on the particulars following I. That we will in the several united Churches of this County the adjacent parts where we are Teachers set apart _____ the _____ day of _____ publikely to humble our souls before God in Fasting and Prayer for our former negligence and to beg pardon thereof and of all our miscarriages that the everlasting misery of mens souls may not be charged on our heads and to seek his direction and assistance for the time to come and to acquaint our Hearers with their duties in reference to the following Work to be undertaken II. That we will hereafter by Gods assistance lay out more of our time and labour in the foresaid work of Catechizing and familiar instructing people in the Doctrine of Salvation And that ordinarily we will set apart a convenient stated time for this work at least on one day every week and in greater Parishes either two or three or else more hours on that one day as our strength and other necessary imployments shall permit And whereas we have only hitherto Catechized the younger people in publike we shall now desire either the whole Families to come together by their turns to a certain place on a certain stated day hour or so many of them that are not Catechized publikely And the Clerk or some other fit person shall be sent to them some days before to remember them of their turns and to know whether they will come or not III. We conceive the fitttest place for the aged will be the Ministers house unless where some special accident may make another place more Fit Or if any rather choose to do it in the Church or that their children and servants be chatechized in publique and themselves in private We shall grant their desire and though it be the duty of the people to come to the Ministers for instruction in any convenient place which they shall appoint which all humble and obedient Chrâ—stians wil readily yield to yet if any will not come to us we shal go to them if they consent to hear us and to be instructed The like we shall do to those who by reason of Age or other weakness or distance cannot well come to us or at least we shall procure some that are sit for such a work to go to them and instruct them if by weakness or greater works we are hindred our selves IV. If any be unwilling to be chatechized or instructed before the rest of the family we shall do it as privately as they please only we shall catechize the women especially the younger sort in the presence of some of the rest lest malicious wicked persons should make it an occasion of scandal and reproach but we shall as carefully as we can avoid the opening of the weaknesses of parents or masters in the hearing of their children or servants in any way that may tend to the diminishing of their authority and due respect V. We shall desire all our parishioners old and young that are able to learn the ancient Creed with out Expository profession or Catechism containing it the ten Commandments and the Lords prayer and the Assemblies shorter Catechism and those that cannot at least without longer time learn the Catechism we desire them first to learn all the rest and those that
understandings and soften and open their hearts and turn them from the power of Satan unto God by faith in Christ that bâ—ing joyned to Christ the Head and into one Church which is his body and freely justified and made the sons oâ— God they may be a sanctified peculiar people unto him and may overcome the flesh the world and the devil and being zealous of good works may serve God in Holyness and Righteousness and may live in the special love and Communion of the Saints and in hope of Christs coming and Everlasting Life Acts 1.11 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4.16 17 18. Joh. 5.22 27.2 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 2.6 7. Mat. 25.2 Thes 1.8 9 10. 2.12 2 Tim. 4.8 18. Luk. 10.11 Joh. 17.24 19.27 Mat. 13.40 Qu. 8. What shall be the end of the Righteous and of the wicked 8. The Lord Iesus Christ will come again at the end of this world and will raise the bodies of all men from the dead and iudge all men according to their works And the Righteous shall go into Everlasting Life and the rest into everlasting punishment Qu. 9. What aâ—e the Publike means which Christ hath appointed to salvation 9. Mat. 28.19 20. Mat. 16 15. Rom. 10.7 8.14.15 2 Tim. 2. â— Act. 14 1â— Act. 2.42 20.7 28. Eph. 4. 11 12 14. Ezek. 3.17 18 21. Mal. 2.7 1 Cor. 12.17 28 29. Col. 1.28 Act. 18.26 Jam. 5.14 Nâ—h 11 17. 9.5 8.4 5 6 8. 1 Cor. 10.16 9.13 11.24 Nam 6.23 24. Deut. 10.8.1 Chr. 23.13 Heb 7.7 1 Cor. 4 1. 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15. Joâ— 1.10 Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 Mar. 16.2 9. Joh. 20.1 1â— Tit. 2.15 1.9 11. 1 Tim. 5.1 19 20. 3.5 Tit 3.10 1 Cor. 5.4 5 11 13. Acts 2.42 Heb. 13.7 17 24. 1 Thes 5. â—2 1â— 1 Tim 5.17 1 Cor. 16.16 Luk. 12.42 10.16 1 Cor. 1.10 3.3 Râ—m 16 17. Eph. 4.2 15 16. Col. 2.2 2 Cor 13.11 Christ hath appointed that fit men shall be ordained his ministers to disciple the uncalled and baptize all that are Disciples in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and to Congregate his Disciples and to Ouersee and Guide the several Congregations and each member thereof Particularly to Teach them the woâ—d of God to Pray and Praise God wiâ—h them and for them to administer the Lords supper in remembrance of him and to Bless them in the name of the Lord Especially on the Lords day which he hath appointed for holy Communion in such works Also to rebâ—ke with Authority the scandalous and unruly and to reiect those that are obstinately impenitent and unreformed It is therefore the Peoples duty to ioyn with such Churches in the foresaid worshâ—p of God and to know hear submiâ— to and obey these their Guides that are over them in the Lord and to avoid discord and division and to live in Vnity Love and Peace Qu. 10. What are the secret holy Duties which every one must use 10. Psal 104.34 119.97 99. 1 2. 63.6 77. â—2 143.5 119.59 Hag. 1.5 Deut. 32.29 Psal 50.22 2 Cor. 1â— 5 Psal 4.4 Pro. 4.13 Maâ— 5. â—â— 12.34 15.18 19. Psal 119.113 39.1 Mar. 13.33 Luk. 21.8 34. 1 Cor. 10.12 Col. 3.5 Heb. 3.12 13 14. Mat. 2â— 4 Luk. 1â— 15 Rom. 13 13 14. 1 Cor 3.18 Jer. 17.9 1 Pet. 2.1 2 Tim. 1 6. 4.7 Acts 24.16 Mat. 26. 4â— 1 Cor. 16.13 Eph. 6.11 to 19. 1 Thes 5.17 Act. 10.9 Luk. 6.12 The secret Duties of Holyness are frequent and serious meditation of God and his works and word especially of our own sin and danger of our Redemption of our dâ—ty of Death Iudgement and the endless Ioy and Torment after it The diligent examination of our own hearts and watching over our Thoughts Affections Words and Actions The mortifying of our sinâ— especially Vâ—belief Error hardness of heart Pride worldliness flesh-pleasing and Hypâ—crisie The exercise of all graces watching against Temptations and resolute resisting them And secret prayer to God Qu. 11. What Private Duties of Holiness must be performed with others 11. Eph 6.4 9. Deut. 6.11 12 Jos 24.15 Psal 101.2 3. Actâ— 10 â—0 Gen. 18.19 Pro. 22.6 15. 25.13 1 Sam. 2.23.29 Col. 3.20.12 Eph. 6.1 5 6 7 8. Deut. 21.18 20. Mal. 2.7 Jer. 6.16 50.5 1 Cor. 14 35. Acts 2.37 16.30 Rom. 15.14 Col. â— 16 〈◊〉 â— 1â— Eph. 4.29 1 Pet. 3.1 2. Jam 3.23 Jam. â— 16 Act. 12. 5 12. Col. 1.3 4 3. 1 Thes â— 10 Joh. 20.19 Act. 20.9 Act. 12 12. 10.30 Phil. 4.6 â— Cor. 9.12 Psal 50. â—4 1 Cor. 7.5 Rom. 1â— 15 The Priuate Duties of Holyness to be performed with others are these parents and Masters must teach their children and servants the word and fear of God pray with them and for them and hinder them from sin children and servants must willingly Learn and Obey we must seek advice in the matters of our salvation Especially of one Teachers we must daily admonish and exhort one another using gracious and Edyfying Conference and a winning conversation Confessing our faults one to another and praying with and for one another Especially on the Lords Day and on extraordinary occasions of Humiliation or Thanksgiving Deut. 1 17. 2 Chron. 19.6 7. Deut. 17.18 Jos 1 8. sa 56.1 Zach. 7.9 Rom. 13.1 2 3. 1 pet 2.13 Eph. 6. 1 5. Col. 3.20 22 23 24. Mat 19 19. â—2 â—9 7.12 Eph. 4.2 Phil. â— 3 â—5 Mat 10.16 Eph. 4.25 Tit. 2.12 Col. 3.25 1 Cor. 6.7 8. Mat. 5.21 22 27 28 39 44 45. Eph. 4.28 Exo. â—3 1 2â— 16 Psal 15.3 Ex. â—0 17 Col 3.13 Eph. 4.2 Mat. 5.44 Gal. 6.10 Heb. 13. â—6 Mat. 25. Phil. 2.4.20 21. 2 Cor. 8.11.12 Qu. 12. What are the necessary Duties of Righteousness and mercy towardâ— men 12. The necessary Duties of Righteousness and Mercy to men are these Superiors must Rule for God and the Common-good with Iustice and mercy Inferiours must willingly Obey them in the Lord. We must loue our neighbours as our selves and do as we would be done by behaving our selves to all men in lowliness and meekness harmlesness sobriety and truth not wronging any in their Bodies Chastity Estates or Names no not in Desire but forbearing and forgiving one another loving our very Enemies and doing good to all according to our Power FINIS