performed and this is one reason why Catechizing at this day is more particularly enjoyned in Lent But though it be a rare thing now a days to have Adults baptized yet such as are baptized in their Infancy do seldome understand their Baptismal Vow until they are well instructed in their Catechism Hence our Church according to her wonted prudence begins her Catechism with Questions relating unto Baptism such as are fit to remind the Catechumens of that Solemn Vow which their God-fathers and God-mothers made at the Font in their names And as these Catechetical instructions are useful for the better celebration of Baptism so they are not less useful for the due celebration of the Lords Supper For this end King James of happy memory at the request and with the approbation of his Clergy appointed Bishop Oâ—eral then Dâ—an of Pauls to frame that very useful part of the Church-Catechism which treats of both did Sacraments Here Catechâ—mens are taught more fully the â—ature and design of Baptism here also they are instructed in the nature and design of the Lords Supper what is represented by the Bread and Wine what are the ends for which this Sacrament was instituted what the benefits worthy Communicants receive and what qualifications are required in worthy Communicants How necessary then must teaching and Catechizing Children be which will thus help â—o fâ—â— them for all the ordinances of Heaven 5. The necessâ—â—y of teaching and instructing Children will yet further appear if we consider how much it will contribute to the good and welfare of the Kingdom Kingdoms as the Great Philosopher long ago observed consist of Towns Towns of Families and Families of such as either are or were Children so that to train up Children in the fear of the Lord is the best way to make good Families good Families will make good Towns and good Towns will make a good and an happy Kingdom By Catechizing the younger sort Children will understand their duty to their Parents Servants to their Masters Subjects to their Princes and all of them that duty which they owe to God If Children be well grounded in the principles of Religion they will not easily be tossed about with every wind of Doctrine they will not easily be drawn into Schism and Heresie or be so apt as many are to disturb the peace both of Church and State By such early instructions Religion will be best preserved in the purity thereof and more safely propagated to succeeding Generations All which do so eminently conduce to the welfare of a Kingdom that Catechizing cannot but be acknowledged a most important duty Hence the Athenians when they consulâ—â—d the Oracle How they might make their Common-wealth most happy and prosperous Were answer'd They might make it so by hanging those things which were most precious at their Childrens Ears by which was meant instructing them in the principles of Piety and Vertue Having now shown you at large the great necessity of Catechizing I come in the next place II. To enquire who those persons are that must be taught and Catechized and they are Children come ye Children This word Children is allowed some Latitude in Holy Writ and does not only signifie those that are such in respect of their age but such also as are Children in respect of understanding Hence is that exhortation of St. Paul Brethren be not Children in understanding but in understanding be men Here such as are ignorant are accounted Children by the Holy Ghost though in respect of years they may be Men. It follows therefore that all Children as soon as they are capable of Instruction and all that are ignorant whether through the neglect of their Parents and Sponsors or their own default should diligently attend upon this most profitable ordinance of Catechizing We find in the Primitive Church Adults and such as were stricken in years among their Catechumens Nay we are told that Arnobius and St. Austin wrote many pieces of Divinity when they were Catechumens and St. Ambrose was but in his Catechism when he was chosen Bishop of Millaine I the rather mention these great examples that none whether young or old rich or poor married or unmarried may deprive themselves of the great benefits of Catechizing by reason of some unwarrantable bashfulness But if there are any who will not come and answer the Questions of the Church Catechism I know nothing should hinder them from being present at the Explications of it But if men are unwilling to go so far I can only add that they may be welcome to more private Instructions whenever they shall desire them King David in the Text solemnly invites such as are ignorant to come and receive Instructions So that it is their duty to come and it will be a dangerous aggravation of their sin still to continue in ignorance when the means of knowledge are plentifully afforded them and they solemnly invited to accept of them c. I hope they will be the more ready to come when III. They are told in the third place what Children and such as are ignorant are to be taught and that saith our Psalmist is the fear of the Lord The fear of the Lord is but another name for Religion For as our Psalmist tells us elsewhere the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom a good understanding have all they that do his commandments Solomon who may pass for a good Interpreter of his Fathers mind tells us the same that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdome and as it is the beginning of Wisdome so it is the end and perfection of it too and therefore in his Book of Ecclesiastes he makes this the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and which is the proper effect of it keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man Thus the fear of the Lord is but another name for Religion which like a perfect circle begins and ends with this one point King David does not invite those that are ignorant to come and learn the arts and methods of great Estates or procuring wordly honours but the fear of the Lord which will enable them to live holily in this world and happily in the next He would not have them come and hearken to a few speculative notions or some curious niceties but he would have them acquainted with the practical truths of Religion such as are able to make them wise unto Salvation Wisdom is the principal thing saith Solomon and therefore get Wisdom saith he and with all thy getting get understanding Now Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdome and to depart from evil that is understanding The Church of England out of her pious care of all that are in communion with her has provided for those that are ignorant an exact Catechism which does contain all that is here meant by the fear of the Lord. In it you will not find any old wives
very unlike the Holy man in the Text a man after Gods own heart who though he had another employment and that a very difficult and troublesome one yet invites such as are ignorant to come unto him and professes his readiness to teach them the fear of the Lord. Nay I will add that we must also forget that obedience which we owe the â—hurch of England for she has enjoyned this office upon the Curates of every Parish under the heaviest penalties that are in her power to inflict viz. a sharp reproof for the first offence a suspension for the second and excommunication for the third 2. This duty of teaching and instructing Children is a duty peculiarly incumbent on School-masters Our Church therefore requires of all School-masters that they have a Licence before they undertake a School and before they can get a Licence they must subscribe the Articles of our Church and thereby solemnly engage themselves to teach their Scholars sound doctrine as well as good literature School-masters are as I may speak Ministers Ushers and must prepare their Youth for the higher Instructions of the Temple Hence it was a very good Inscription which was written on the Walls of Pauls School in London Schola Catechisationis in optima fide Christi Intimating that this famous School as all others ought to be was designed by the Founders of it for a nursery of Piety and for the Catechizing Children in the True Faith of Christ. Nicephorus reports of Constantine and Theodosius that they took more than ordinary care in the choice of fit Masters for Children One great cause of Julian's Apostasie was his having two Pagan School-masters Libanius and Iamblichus Such School-masters therefore as do not instruct the youth committed to their charge in the true Religion they forget the very end for which Christian Schools were erected they transgress the Canons of the Church and sadly disappoint religious Parents of their pious hopes and choicest comforts All other learning without this fear of the Lord availeth nothing nay it will only qualifie men to do more mischief in this world and be more miserable in the next 3. Parents also must take care their Children be taught the fear of the Lord. St. Paul lays this injunction on them and commands them to bring up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. As they have been instruments in making them Children of Wrath by Natural Generation so must they endeavour to make them the Children of Grace by Spiritual Regeneration St. Austin has left this character of his Mother Monica that she travelled with greater care and stronger pain for his Spiritual birth than she had done before for his Natural 4. All Masters of Families must take care that their Servants be taught this fear of the Lord. We find God Almighty highly commending Abraham and thinking him worthy to be acquainted with the secrets of Heaven upon this very account I know him saith God that he will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Holy Joshua engages not only for himself but for all his Family as for me and my house we will serve the Lord saith he I cannot pass by a remarkable saying of Lewis the Ninth that pious King of France who being found Catechizing a Scullion-boy that belonged to his Kitchen and being asked the reason he returned this most Christian answer I know there is not the meanest person in my Family but he has a Soul as precious as mine own and such as was bought by the precious blood of the Son of God Thus ye see Parents and Masters of Families must take care their Children and Servants be taught this fear of the Lord. And if they will discharge a good Conscience in this particular they must teach their Children and Servants by their holy examples and wholsome instructions at home and as they have opportunity they must send them to the Church to be Catechized by the Minister and because most Parents and Masters of Families are too apt to sleight this most useful ordinance of Christ. I shall set down the words of that Canon which our Church has provided in this particular If Parents and Masters of Families do not send their Children Servants and Apprentices to be instructed in the Catechism for the first offence they shall be punished by the Ordinary with Suspension and after a months obstinacy with Excommunication 5. This duty is in a peculiar manner incumbent upon God-fathers and God-mothers these are ordinarily called Sureties because they have bound themselves by a sacred obligation to secure God and his Church that their God-children shall be brought up in the fear of the Lord And in order hereunto they solemnly promise to instruct them concerning their Baptismal Vow to see they be vertuously brought up and learn all such things as a Christian ought to know and believe in order to his Souls health These must remember therefore that as their Charity is great in undertaking so important a trust so their Sin will be as great if they deal falsely with God and prevaricate with his Church 6. This duty is also incumbent upon Magistrates and such as are in Authority they must take care that such as are committed to their trust be taught the fear of the Lord. This was the practice of King David in the Text and it will be the honour as it is the duty of all Magistrates to follow his example St. Paul commands us to pray for Kings and all that are in Authority that under them we may live quiet and peaceable lives in all Godliness and Honesty Magistrates must not only secure the publick peace and quiet of the Kingdom but they must take care of Honesty and promote Godliness and Religion in the World This is so plain a truth that Aristotle learned it in the School of Nature for when he comes to reckon up those things which most conduce to the happiness of a Common-wealth he names these six Food Arts Arms Money Justice and which I should have named first the care of Divine things Now this they must do by the lustre of their Example and the influence of their Authority They are styled Gods in Scripture to denote they should be holy as God is holy They are styled Shepherds and if they will be faithful they must secure Christs flock from the fury of Wolves and the subtilties of Foxes they are further called Nursing Fathers and must take care their Children be fed with the sincere milk of the Word Indeed they must not usurp the Pulpit or invade the Ministerial office no man taketh this honour upon him but he that is called as Aaron was but yet it is their duty to defend the Faith to encourage Gods Ministers by allowing them an honourable maintenance and speaking comfortably unto them so long as they teach the good
Piety and Godliness taught them I shall add further in commendation of this Psalm what the Learned Mollerus observes concerning it It is a Psalm of that excellency saith he that the more we 〈…〉 the more we shall like it and the oftner we meditate on it the more honey and sweetness will it afford to us I know not any Psalm saith he that has been cited so often by the Fathers that has been held in greater esteem amongst Christians or out of which the Church of God has in all Ages received more Comfort or more Instructions The great worth and excellency of this Psalm will I hope be sufficient to raise your Attention to those words I have chosen out of it for this solemn occasion They contain in them a serious and passionate Invitation made by Daâ—… one of the best and greatest of men unto sâ—ch 〈◊〉 are ignorant Come ye Children hearken â—nto mâ— I will teach you the fear of the Lord. For the fuller opening and handling of these words I will endeavour to shew you 1. The great necessity of teaching and instructing Children 2. The Persons that are to be taught and they are Children Come ye Children 3. What they are to be taught namely the â—â—ar of the Lord. 4. The persons that should take care Children be taught the fear of the Lord. Ye see 〈◊〉 a Magiâ—… a King thought it his duty to look after thâ—se maters Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 5. The duties of such as are to be taught they must come and they must hearken Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Of these parts in their order I. Let us consider the great necessity of teaching and instructing Children These words as I have told you already import a solemn serious and passionate invitation of exhortation made by King David and we should be very injurious both to the Prudence and Piety of that Holy man if we did not conclude from hence the great necessity of teaching and instructing Children a larger prospect of which necessity I shall give you in these following particulars 1. The great necessity of teaching and instructing Children may easily he concluded from those very significant and emphatical metaphors by which this duty is set forth in Scripture you 'll find it set forth by the metaphors of Milk of Principles and of a Foundation Will any say it is not necessary to give Milk to Children for the preservation of their Natural Life and will it not then be more necessary to feed them with the sincere Milk of the Word that they may grow in Grace till they come to the Perfect Man Is it necessary that Children should learn the first rudiments and principles of knowledge before they can attain any perfection in it And will it not be necessary they should learn their Catechism some form of sound words which shall contain the principles of Religion that so aâ— length they may arrive at the saying knowledge of the truth Is a foundation necessary to the building of an house no less necessary is it in the judgement of the Holy Ghost that Christians be I built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and on Jesus Christ who is the chief corner-stone These are the illustrations of this duty we find in Scripture and they sufficiently imply the necessity of it But 2. This necessity of teaching and instructing Children will further appear from the consideration of originaâ— sin and mans natural aversâ—â—â—ss unto all that is good Since the fall of Adam we are such wild Trees as require due manuring and good husbandry to make us fruitful In Zophar's comparison man by nature is like a wild Asses Colt an Asses Colt for rudeness and the Colt of a Wild Ass for unruliness Aristotle though a Great Philosopher spoke but like a Heathen when he compared the Soul of man to a Rasa Tabula a pair of clean Tables or a perfect blank for the Soul is sadly blotted and blurr'd by original sin it is all stained and polluted by natural corruption As the Psalmist speaks we are shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin and therefore let us begin as soon as we can to instruct and Catechize children we shall find sin and Satan have got the start of us and that they stand in need of Instruction long before they are capable of it Great necessity therefore there is of timely and early instructions if it be only to root out these weeds of corrupt Nature But 3. These early instructions of Children will be found necessary if we consider that delays will make the work more difficult and dangerous Sin has its several ages as well as man At first it has only the weakness of an Infant and may easily be master'd by Religious Education but in a short time it will arrive at the strength of manhood and by custome take a firmer possession of the Soul To this purpose is that sad observation of St. Austin Dum servitur libidini facta est consuetudo dum confuetudini non resistitur facta est necessitas c. Whilest men indulge themselves in the ways of wickedness they easily contract an evil custome and this if neglected ends at last in a fatal necessity Youth is much more capable of instruction than the inveterate sinner Train up a Child saith Solomon in the way he should go and he will not depart from it when he is old But such as are harden'd in wickedness will receive very small benefit from instruction The Ethiopian as the Prophet speaks may as soon change his skin and the Leopard his spots as those that are accustomed to do evil learn to do well 4. The necessity of teaching and instructing Children will yet further appear if we consider how necessary it is to fit and prepare the younger sort for the other ordinances of God Milk is useful for Babes that they may grow up unto men and be able to digest strongâ—r meat Such as are not well grounded in the rudiments of Religion will not be much profited or edified by Preaching St. Paul does more than hint this in his Epistle to the Hebrews leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ saith he let us go on to perfection Christians must first be well Catechized and instructed in the principles of Religion and then they will more easily advance to higher degrees of saving knowledge Nor is Catechizing only necessary to fit and prepare Christians for the hearing of the word but it will also prepare them for the due celebration of both the Sacraments In the Primitive Church when any Heathens were so far converted to the Faith of Christ as to desire Baptism they were for some time publickly Catechized And because Easter was a solemn time appointed for the Baptizing of such Proselytes Lent was a time in which Catechizing was more solemnly
knowledge of the Lord nay lastly they must build Churches and make the best provisions they can for the publick service and worship of God and Salvation of Souls These matters as they well deserve so they would require a uery large discourse but as the time will allow me to do no more than name them so I need nor in this place insist any longer on them For we are all witnesses this day of that pious â—aâ—e which has been taken by our Godly Magistrates in this particular This handsome Fabrick they have built and those other provisions they have made to promote Piety and Godliness in this part of the Parish will be a much better and more lasting monument of their Piety towards God and their Charity towards the Souls of men than any I am able to erect for them I pray God reward these their labours of love into their own bosomes and give his Grace to those for whom these charitable provisions are made that they may make a right use and a due improvement of them Now if they would not have all this Charity lost upon them but are indeed willing to improve it to the advantage of their Souls they must be serious in the performance of those two duties King David requires of them they must come and they must hearken Come ye Children â—earken unto me 1. Children and such as are ignorant must come and learn this fear of the Lord. It is their duty to attend upon this important ordinance of Catechizing and repair to such places where these wholsome instructions are to be had Blessed is the man saith Wisdom that heareth me watching daily at my Gates and waiting at the posts of my doors These words saith 〈◊〉 Aben Erra import a diligent and constant standing in the Church or House of Wisdom And it is a good comment which is added by R. Solomon Beatus ille qui primus ingreditur exeatque postremus That man is Blessed saith he who useth to be one of the first that cometh to Church and goeth out with the last always tarrying to take the Ministers Blessing along with him And if men would but seriously reflect on the great evils and mischiefs of Ignorance a very sleight Invitation would be sufficient to bring them to Church and make them willing to be instructed in the fear of the Lord. For Ignorance is that stain and blemish of the Soul which deprives it of the Image of God which is said to consist in Knowledge As Socrates of old observed it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only evil in the world as being the beginning and cause of all others So far is it from being the mother of Devotion as the Papists vainly fansie that it is the mother of all Sin and the unhappy Parent of all misery Mala mens malus Animus Without knowledge saith Solomon the mind cannot be good Strait is the Gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and he that wants eyes will not be able to find it or if he stumble on it be able to walk long in it Knowledge is that Pilot which must guide and conduct us in our course towards Heaven and since in this world we are exposed to so many damnable Errors and deadly Sins we shall undoubtedly make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience if we want our Pilot. And as Ignorance is thus dangerous in it self so it will be more dangerous to continue in it when we are solemnly invited to the means of Knowledge This is the condemnation saith our Saviour that light is come into the world but men love darkness rather than light To be in a state of Ignorance is matter of pity and justly accounted a calamity but to be in love with it and reject Knowledge is the height of wickedness and brings the heaviest condemnation along with it who will not tremble at those comminations which are thundered in the Book of Proverbs against such who hate knowledge and chuse not the fear of the Lord God he tells them plainly He will laugh at their calamity and even mock when their fear cometh Nay he swears They shall not enter into his rest Such therefore as are ignorant have all the reason in the world to accept King David's Invitation and thankfully imbrace all opportunities of learning the fear of the Lord. But 2. They must not only come but they must hearken to their Instructers As the first insinuations of sin were conveyed by the ear into our first Parents so the first inspirations of Grace must have the same entrance Auris est os Animae The Ear is the mouth of the Soul by which she receives Spiritual nourishment Hence is that of the Apostle Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God But it is not enough to come to Church it is not enough to hear we must hearken too if we would perform that duty which is here injoined in the Text. Now it is a known Maxime in Divinity Verba sensus connotant Affectus To hearken therefore imports no less than to receive the truth in the love of it to entertain it with meekness and due reverence and to practise it with all seriousness and conscientious obedience You 'll find this duty thus explained and a considerable motive to enforce it in the Book of Deuteronomy Wherefore it shall come to pass if ye hearken to these Judgements and keep and do them that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the Covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy Fathers and he will love thee and bless thee and multiply thee c. Here ye see blessedness is intailed on hearkening and not on bare hearing Knowledge must issue into action otherwise it will not save us The Egyptians of old painted a Tongue and a Hand under it Now the Hand is the great instrument of Action and so this pretty Hieroglyphick denotes thus much viz. That it is not enough to know it is not enough to talk of Religion but we must practise it If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them I shall conclude with that excellent Collect of our Church Blessed Lord who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning grant that we may in such wise hear them read mark learn and inwardly digest them that by patience and comfort of thy Holy Word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen FINIS a Mâ—…s bury in Novel b Baker in Stephen c Camden Britan. d Foxes and Firebrands The Speeches of Kid c. e See the Statutes made against 〈◊〉 f Catechism Româ—â—â—â—â— g Crofton a 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. b Ambr. Prâ—fat in Psalm c Epitome totius Scripturâ— Athan d Parva Biblia Luth. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil T. 1. f See his Learned Preface to his Annotations on the Psalms g Vide Vâ—tab Genebrard in Poli Synops. ad Psalm 25. h August ad Psalm 118. i Ambr. in Psalm 118. k Moller Prâ—fat Psal. 34. l Heb. 5. 13. 6. 1. m Ephes. 2. 20. n Job 11. 12. o Psal. 51 5. p Aug. Conf. l. 8. c. 5. q Prov. 22. 6. r Jer. 13. 23. s Heb. 6. 1. t Vide Conc. Gerund Can. 4. u Consuetudo apud nos ejusmodi est ut his qui baptisandi sunt per 40 dies publice tradamus Sanctam adorandam Trinitatem Jerom. adv Joh. Hierosol x Vide Conference at Hampton-Court written by Dr. Barlow y Aristot. Pol. l. 1. z Plut. de Audit a 1 Cor. 14. 20. b Psal. 111. 10. c Prov. 1. 7. d Eccles. 12. 13. d Prov. 4. 7. e Job 28. 28. f Vide Hammon L'Estrange Allianc of Liturg. p. 267. g That most excellent Catechism in the Liturgy Dr. Hammâ—nd of Idâ—l 5. 67. h Eâ— vâ—â—o Catechismum brevem quideâ— illâ—… sed in cujus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…sideres Bish. Andrews in oper posth p. 86. Add aâ—… that it was accoâ—…ted by that Parliament which first authorized it as composed by the aid of the Holy Ghost 2 3 Edw. 6. c. 1. i Heb. 10. 24 25. k 1 Cor. 12. 25. l Deut. 31. 11 12. m Ioseph Antiq. lib. 4. c. 8. n Rom. 2. 18. p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q Joh. 21. 15 c. r 1 Cor. 3. 2. Heb. 5. 12. s Rom. 12. 6. See Dr. Ham. ad locum t 2 Tim. 1. 13. u Heb. 6. 1 2. x i. c. Confirmation as Dr. Ham. de Confirm y Eusebius lib. 5. c. 10. z Ibid. l. 6. cap. 3. 12. 22. a Cypr. Ep. 24. b Hieron de Scriptor Ecclesiast c August de Catechâ—s Rudib. d Can. 59. e Lib. 3. 23. f Magdeb. in vita g Canon 77. 79. h Eph. 6. 4. i Gen. 18. 19. k Jos. 24. 15. l Can. 59. m Mat. 5. 33. n 1 Tim. 2. 1 c. o Pol. l. 2. c. 8. p Psal. 82. 6. q Is. 44. 48. r Is. 49. 23. s Heb. 5. 4. t 1 Tim. 5. 17. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. u 2 Chron. 30. 22. x Prov. 8. 34 z Videsis â—stos RR. ciâ—at ap D. Iermin in Proverb a Coloss. 3. 10. b Diog. Laert. c Prov. 19. 2. d Joh. 3. 19. e Prov. 1. 26 29. f Heb. 3. 18. f Rom. 10. 17 g Tu tamen sic audias ista praecepta quomodo si tibi praeciperem qua ratione bonam valetudinem in Ardeatino tuereris Sen. Ep. 105. h Deut. 7. 12. i John 13. 17. Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent