THE ADDRESSE OF SOME Ministers of Christ IN THE Isle of Wight County of Southampton To the People of their respective Charges by way of EXHORTATION to Discharge their parts of those two Great and Necessary DUTIES Private Conference AND CATECHISING Prov. 22. 6. Train up or Catechize a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Gen. 18. 19. I know Abraham that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord London Printed by J. H. for J. Rothwell at the Fountain in Goldsmiths-row in Cheapside 1658. The ADDRESSE of some Ministers of Christ in the Isle of Wight and County of Southampton to the People of their respective Charges by way of Exhortation to discharge their parts of those two great and necessary Duties Private Conference Catechising Dearly Beloved THat the good tidings which the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ brings to sinners was first heard at Jerusalem was a mercy a great mercy to the Jews That it was not confin'd to them alone but ordered to passe among all other Nations was a gratious a very exceeding gratious dispensation to us sinners of the Gentiles That it found out this obscure Angle of the world where we live so early that our priority before many Countries in the enjoyment of so invaluable a blessing is justly accounted amongst the highest of our Prerogatives was an evidence of the Lords peculiar goodnesse to our Progenitors and we are not so regardlesse of the Land of our Nativity nor so forgetfull of the Rocke from whence we were hew'n and the hole of the Pit from whence we were digged as not to think our selves enough concern'd in their mercies to blesse God for them And as the God of our mercies did so seasonably prevent us so hath his goodnesse and mercy all along followed us in affording means of light and life to us from one generation to another If we remember the days of old and consider the years of many generations if we ask our fathers they will shew us and our Elders they will teach us in what a deplorable condition of Ignorance Idolatry and Atheisme and how deeply plung'd in all Imaginable Abominations the Lord found us when he sent us by his Gospel Jesus Christ the Light of the world with means enough to direct us out of darknesse and the shadow of Death and to guid our feet into the ways of peace And though the interposition of our sins betwixt heaven and us hath not suffered the Sun of the Gospel for many ages to break out upon us in its full glory yet hath it not at any time been able totally to eclipse it since first it arose upon the Nation And this we mention upon no other account than to remember you of our being brought forth in a Land of Blessings which we think it our duty to look back upon as a providence too full of goodnesse to be despised But as in which our own concernments are more specially wrapt up we desire most of all to spend our serious considerations upon the Lords gratious dealing as to Gospel mercies with this Nation in our days That holy arme which scattered among us means of Conversion and life in former times clothed is now made bare those compassions that did then flow from divine bowels but at an ordinary rate are now advanced God that commanded the clouds from above to let fall drops then hath now opened the windows of Heaven and raineth down large and plentiful showers of his Gospell into our bosomes our blessings have prevailed above the blessings of our progenitors When or where did the King of Saints ever ride up and down in his ordinance of preaching the Gospel in so much Glory and Triumph as in this Age and Nation This blessing is doubled is multiplyed upon us in respect of other times and places whether we look backward or round about us we are presented with a necessity of acknowledging that the light of the Moon with us is as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne as the light of seven days And as we desire to look upon these gratious outgoings of the Lord towards us with thankfull and glad hearts as they are a plentifull provision of means to bring us to the great ends we ought to aime at the service and eternall enjoyment of himselfe who is alone the creatures best and greatest both master and wages so when we do on the other hand consider how disproportionable we are in our returnes how unanswerable in our principles and practises to such mercies how few attain the ends but now mentioned how many are grosly ignorant even of the Principles of that Religion they think to be saved by how many who have the droppings the raine of the Sanctuary coming often upon them do bring forth nothing but thornes and briars and what a lamentable propensity too many do discover to be led away by the error of the wicked our hearts begin to gather blacknesse and are seized upon with feare lest these sweet mercies should be swift witnesses against us and in stead of converting us to Jesus Christ our deliverer from the wrath to come should be converted by us into such aggravations of our sins as will leave us in a lesse tolerable condition than Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of Judgment and we are very well assured it is every good mans duty to prevent as much as in him lies so sad an issue of such invaluable blessings The Duty we say of all good men but specially of Ministers whose office iâ— is to lay out themselves in a constant attendance upon the good of Souls upon which accounâ— we the unworthy Ministers of Christ whose Names are under-written having through mercy been stirred up to improve our Talents to the uttermost for the advancement of the Kingdome and Interest of our deare Redeemer and the eternall welfare of youâ— immortall Soules who are respectively committed to our Charge and having waited upon God in a way of earnest prayer and solemne humiliation for directions to that purpose have joyntly agreed to communicate our thoughts desires and purposes unto you by this Paper hoping that we shall find it a very good expedient to â—â—â—â—itate so great a work Brethren we have seriously considered not so much the necessity of Knowledge to salvation for who is not convinc'd of this that is convinc'd of any thing but how little or no acâ—â—aintance many of our people have with the things of God how unhappy a qualification this is for any thing that is evill and what unavoidable advantages the Devill hath against those poor souls whom he is sure to set upon in the dark Though we are constrained to beleeve that some are very well able to digest their convictions and have light enough to see themselves wallowing in the pollutions of the world yet can we not but
the way of the Lord Gen. 18. 19. And from hence doe learned men collect that it was in that age the holy practice of such as feared God to Catechize their families and instruct them concerning the Creation of the world fall of man destruction of the old world Gods providence the Messiah to be revealed everlasting life to come and such like If you neglect Abrahams practice you are never like to come to Abrahams Honour who was called The friend of God James 2. 23. 3 Consider What care the Spirit of God takes to keep alive their memories to all generations who have planted religion in their families Aquila and Priscilla had a Church in their house 1 Cor. 16. 19. Nymphas and Philemon had Churches in their houses Coloss. 4. 15. Philem. 2. not only in that they were hospitable to the Beleevers and entertained them in their houses or that the meetings of Christians for the worship of God was wont to be in their houses but also in regard of the piety of their families each houshold might be called a Church a company taught to know God and to serve him And Cornelius was a man that feared God with all his house Act. 10. 2. These are mentioned with Honour and have been so neare sixteen hundred yeares already and shall be so as long as the Sun and Moone endureth 4 Consider The pronenesse of youth to every thing that is evill If you doubt what the inexperience rashnesse heat pride ignorance and confidence which most in their youth have a sufficient stock of may put them upon look back upon what you were your selves When David asketh wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way Psal. 119. 9. is it not an intimation that his way is ordinarily thorow the pollutions of the world And when David prayes Remember not the sins of my youth Psal. 25. 7. doe ye thinke there be very many in the world that in their age have no need to goe to the Throne of Grace in the same errand And when Job complaines Thou makest me to possesse the sins of my youth Job 13. 26. we thinke t will follow that Jobs youthfull time was his worst time T is reported of Bellarmine that when the Priest came to absolve him he could not remember any particular sin to confesse till he went back in his thoughts as farre as his youth either the Cardinalls memory failed him or youth will be sinfull though no age else be t is doubtlesse the worst season of the best men and for grosse and scandalous miscarriages most commonly of the worst too Now wherewithall shall these young ones cleanse their wayes what meanes must be pitcht upon to mortifie youthfull lusts but the word of God and what fitter expedient for the application of that remedy to this disease then to let it into their Heads and Hearts by Catechizing by infusing those Scriptures that doe assert the damnable nature of sin the necessity of regeneration the Tendency of the course they are in to their everlasting destruction c. 5 Consider On the other Hand that if ever you meane your families shall learne the wayes of God you lose at least the fairest probability of successe if you fall not upon teaching them in their younger yeares Let us crave liberty to lay and leave before you but these Observations 1 Observe the fitness of that season to receive instruction that besides our originall pollution we are very early capable of sinning may be discovered even in little children every day I know not saith Augustine the sins I committed in my infancy yet I know that then I sinned and he knew it from hence that he had observed anger and envy in sucking children he was he confesseth a little child and a great-sinner and Gregory gives us an account of horrid blasphemies by a child of five yeares old we will not say that goodnesse hath so timely or so easie an entertainment as sin hath we know reasons to the contrary you will how ever receive no dammage by beginning seasonably you were better lose some labour than any Time We have read of some that have been ordained to the office of publique Readers in the Church at eight years old of some suffering Martyrdom at thirteene of others discovering a capacity of learning what ever you would take the pains to teach them very betime We beseech you not to pretend such a disproportion between the Intellectualls of these and of the young ones in your families as is enough to excuse a neglect of Catechizing them till you have tryed and when you have let it not serve your turne for a neglect of this duty to the rest that are of understanding enough to learn other things in their younger yeares as we said you have hopes of fastening upon them the Things of God Prepossession is a great matter the more time you give sin and vanity to grow upon them the lesse hopes you have of planting in them the mysteries of Religion 2 Observe How few there be whose youth hath been suffered to passe in ignorance that are brought to the saving knowledge of God in Christ in their elder dayes Habits are difficultly removed and how long will a vessell savour of the first liquor you season it with If ever you meane to meet your families in Heaven guide them thitherward at their first setting out 6 Consider How much Religion is concerned in this duty of Catechizing set it up you provide abundantly for the welfare of it you goe the way to supply her with professors knowing solid setled such as doe espouse her because they love her and love her because they know her neglect it and you contribute to the ruine of it if she have any other followers then such as are prophane ignorant ungrounded unstable carried about with every winde of Doctrine such as she will be ashamed to own for her children and who had not own'd her but that it was the first they lighted upon she will have no cause in the world to thank you for it This is so necessary a course to settle people in what they first take in that the Jesuites boast themselves the Grand Conservators of the Romish Religion in that they are Catechizers and they have formerly stirred up one another to all possible diligence in this work by the example of the Protestants We are sorry and ashamed that if for divers yeares last past the Jesuites had wanted a provocation to Catechizing from the example of Protestants they would not have been able to have fetcht it hence We beseech you Brethren let not our Religion have occasion to complaine from any neglect of yours that she cannot take up this confessed advantage against her enemy nor prophanesse ignorance popery errours heresies and blasphemies to acknowledge that they owe their planting watering and increase amongst us to nothing more then that we have not seasoned the younger yeares of our respective families with better things Now
2. In relation to your Children Though what we have said of Catechizing as a duty to your whole family we know you will conclude doth concerne the fruit of your own bodies the choicest part of it yet we shall crave leave to presse it more particularly and to beseech you againe to lay it to Heart 1. How expressely God layes it upon you as a duty 2. How many Engagements there be upon you conscientiously to discharge it For the former because what we are desiring of you is a duty consisting of two branches 1. To Catechize them your selves 2. To send them being thus prepared to be further instructed and taught to understand the grounds of Religion unto us we are willing to let you see both parts of the duty 1. For your Catechizing them at home we shall adde to what hath been said already 1. Those precepts of the Scripture where this charge is laid upon parents in expresse Tearmes we shall but name the places and leave them to your meditation and practice Deut. 4. 9 10. and Chap. 6. 6 7. and Chap. 11. 19. Exod. 12. 24 26 27. Exod. 13. 8 14 15. Josh. 4. 6 7 21 22. Psal. 78. 5 6. Joel 1. 3. Eph. 6 4. Pro. 22. 6. 2. The Example of parents fearing God whose practice of this duty is upon record as Abraham Gen. 18. 19. David 1 Chron. 28. 9. which we hope you will beleeve was written for your Instruction And lest you that are Mothers should think your selvs excused we beseech you to consider that as a child must receive the instruction of his father so he must not forsake the Law of his mother Pro. 1. 8. She is described to be a vertuous woman that openeth her mouth with wisdome Pro. 31. 26. that teacheth her children their duty both to God and man Not only did Solomons father teach him Pro. 4. 4. but we have the Prophesie also that his mother taught him Pro. 31. 1. Timothy knew the holy Scripture from a child 2 Tim. 3. 15. and you cannot doubt of the contribution his mother yea and his Grandmother afforded to this Timely acquaintance of his with the Things of God when you reade the Character you have of them Chap. 1. 5. under the hand of an Apostle And that John the Evangelist found of her children walking in Truth had not so much redounded to the praise of that Elect Lady to whom he writes his Second Epistle if she had not instructed them in the way Augustine writes of his mother Monica that she planted precepts of life in his minde by her words watered them with her teares and nourished them by her example You will we doubt not look upon these holy women who Trusted in God as very worthy to be imitated in so great a duty 2. For sending your children to us we shall briefly offer you the duty of it in these particulars 1. We are to feed the Lambs of Christ as well as his sheep they are part of our charge who are to watch over their soules as well as yours 2. That the Sabbath be sanctified by the children is by an expresse Law of God charged as a duty upon the parent of which already from Exod. 20. 10. 3. A great part of the sanctification of this day is in coming solemnly together to waite upon God in the duties of his worship and particularly to heare his word and to be instructed by it What wee ought to beleeve concerning God and what duties God requires of us This your Christianity will not give you leave to doubt of 4. This duty you cannot discharge as to your children but by causing them to beare a part in all the publique duties of that day which they are capable of and particularly to be that way instructed both as to faith and manners in which they are likeliest to receive most benefit and we need not tell you again that this is to be Catechized For the Second How many Engagements there be upon you to perform this duty have we any need to say a jot more then this that they are our children how many motives doth this deare and tender relation wrap up in it we had no intention to leave a volumne with you and so shall but consider 1. The need they have to have this course taken with them Do they not come into the world with soules altogether as naked as their bodies nothing but filth upon the one nothing but sin upon the other and the wages even of this sin is eternall death Rom. 6. 23. What should not we doe that they may be borne againe 2. As our children are borne in sin so t is by our meanes we are instruments of it sin is conveyed to them thorow our Loines being sinfull our selves we beget them as Adam did Seth in our own likenesse after our Image How prevailingly should this move us to be instrumental in their cure as we have been in their disease to direct them to the righteousnesse of the Second Adam as we derived unto them the sin of the first that having begotten them after our own they may be begotten and borne againe after the Image of God and how great a part of that consisteth in knowledge and without which Righteousness and True Holiness the other parts of it are hoped for in vaine as long as it is life eternall to know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Joh. 17. 3. 3. The Ardency and strength of our affections toward our children and how many other wayes we are wont to expresse it by our longing for them before we have them Gen. 15. 2. Gen. 30. 1. 1 Sam 1. 10 11. our joy and contentment afterward Joh. 16. 21. the inestimable value we set upon them 2 Kings 4. 13 14 15 16 our industrious care to keep them Gen 42. 36 38. 2 Kings 4. 22 24 27 30. Luc. 8. 41 42. Joh. 7. 47 49. 1 Kings 14. 4. our extreame griefe when we lose them Gen. 37. 33 34 35. 2 Sam. 18. 33. and Chap. 19. 2 4 Mat 2. 18. our Sympathizing with them in all conditions smarting under their paine Mark 9. 22. Mat. 15. 22. and feeling the comfort of their welfare Gen. 45. 27 28. Look Beloved into your bowells or if you cannot finde them there look into the Scriptures we have here brought you and see if these be not the affections of parents towards their children and if these expresse themselves at such a rate so many other wayes Can there be a stronger motive to lay them out the best way upon their souls by taking care that they may be instructed unto the Kingdom of God Let us pause a while and argue the case with our selves a little or if you will let us catechize our selves upon this point and aske such Questions as these Did we long to have children and shall we now suffer them to perish Shall we contentedly see them in such a condition that
enter into that relation and not learne the duties of it How will you that are to be a Husband dwell with your wife according unto knowledge if you suffer nothing to dwell with your selfe but ignorance And how will you that are to be a wife submit your selfe to your own husband as it is fit in the Lord if you doe not know the Lord And how will both of you live together as Heires of the grace of life when through the ignorance that is in you you are meere strangers to a life of Grace Or how will you teach your children and servants what you would never be perswaded to learne your selves Marriage we know is common to mankinde and Heathens may enter into it but this we are constrained to let you know that if persons professing Christianity expect that we should have any hand in the celebration of it between such among them as neither know their duty to God nor to one another nor will be perswaded to learne it whether it be a duty incumbent upon us to doe it we must at least take Time to consider Qu. What if we understand the principles of Religion well enough already Sol. Yet you ought by your Example to incourage others to let us that are your Ministers know it that wee may blesse God for you propound you as patternes to the rest and receive from you an Evidence of your fitness for the Lords Supper which if duly qualified you ought to partake of and wee to administer We hope we need not use more arguments with persons that know they have soules to prevaile with them for a compliance with us in those things that so apparently tend to their salvation Secondly For private Conference with the Heads and Governours of families wee have seriously and sadly considered the ignorance of many under a long enjoyment of the meanes of knowledge and the prophaneness of more under as long an enjoyment of the meanes of Grace And having nothing to adde to our publique ministeriall labours as a further meanes of your proficiency in grace and knowledge but a more familiar way of personall instruction by Private Conference wee doe hereby offer our selves also to this service of your soules and in the name of Christ whose Messengers we are in this errand beseech you to accept of it and that it may reach the end that both wee and you ought to aime at wee desire 1. That wee may meet you either at your houses asunder or a greater number of you together at such Times and places as wee shall appoint for that purpose or if any inconvenience be found in what wee shall offer you would be pleased to propound a better methode your selves and wee shall readily comply with you in it ance shall refuse to be perswaded to the duties wee have mentioned assure your selves that even this paper shall be a witnesse against you at the day of Judgement which is sent you the Lord knowes to no such purpose by Yours in the service of the Gospel Robert Tuchin Minister of Newport John Barnes Minister of Whippingham Edward Buckler Minister at Calbourne Robert Dingley Minister of Brixton James Creswick Minister of Fresh-water John Martyn Minister of the Gospell at Yarmouth Vincent Sparke Minister of Shalfleete Josh Tompkins Minister at Brooke Simon Pole Minister at West Cowes Tho Clarke Minister of Gods-hill William Harby Minister of Shanklin Martin Wells Minister of Yaverland William Bicknell Minister of the Gospel at Newport Richard Beminster Minister of Wotton Matthew Hearne Minister of Lawrence Luc. 24 47. Deut. 32. 7 10. Isa. 30. 26. Rom. 6. 23 Acts 4. 12. Heb. 12. 14. Acts 5. 31. Luk. 19. 14. 1 Tim. 2. 4. Exod. 20. 10. Psal. 119. 9. Mercer Jansen in Pro. 31. 26. 2 Joh. 1. 4. Joh. 21. 15. Joh. 3. 6. Job 25. 4. Joh. 3. 3 5. Gen. 5. 3. Coloss. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. Eccles. 6. 3. Psal. 58. 8. V. 3 5 11 12. Junius in loc. Basil Doron l. 2. p. 95. Matth. 8. 9. Eph. 6. 5. Coloss. 3. 22. 1 Tim. 6. 1 2. Titus 2. 9. Gen. 18. 19. Gen. 35. 2 3 4. Josh. 24. 15. Exod. 20. 10. Apoc. 20. 12. 2 Thes. 1. 8. Isa. 27. 11. Pro. 13. 13. Chemnit Har. Evang. 6. 15. Zanch. Vol. 3. Tom. 8. p. 580. Eâ—cles. 12. 1. Acts 21. 16. 1 King 18. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Psal. 119. 60. Rom. 16. 7. 1 Pet. 3. 7. Coloss. 3. 18. Eph. 4. 18.