not that to be vnderstood of little ones of soule rather then of body and age of children in grace rather then in growth Ans Not rather but indifferently to both for the Lord of heauen requireth Psal 148.12 That young men and maidens old men and children should praise the name of the Lord on earth But they cannot doe that till this not acknowledge his praise till they know his person and properitie Quest But what then grant it that children are docible are their poore soules ere the safer for some knowledge without practise What good would the light of the sunne doe a man and take away the heate Wherefore holy Dauid saith that a good vnderstanding haue all they that do thereafter Psal 111.10 and Saint Iames bids vs not be hearers of the word onely deceiuing our selues Iam. 1.21.22 but doers also c. But tender children doe rather minde childish folly and play then regard to practise that they heare Pro. 22.15 heare Salomon Foolishnes is bound in the heart of a childe Ans We must confesse our selues guilty of all but yet not without somthing to say for our selues and something that wise Solomon himselfe will say for vs and so we hope though one should breake the other will hold we haue a double answere Quest Which is the first Ans First for profit if we learne something and practise nothing or but little Quest What profit would that be Ans There is a double commodity first a profit pertaining to the way vnto the end secondly a commodity in the end of the way Quest What commodity haue you in the way Ans Information of our slender vnderstandings touching things to be knowne in the way to our future life and not to be knowne to be beleeued and not to be beleeued to be done or to be shunned to be feared or to be hoped Quest What is your commodity in the end of the way Ans The end of instruction is incomparable not onely grace in this short life but glory in life eternall Quest Why attaine this great incouragement Ans Not learners but liuers not hearers but fearers yet we that are poore children if we haue not this rich profit presently we learne the right way by Gods word to it and this is a great part of profit for as learning without liuing is vnprofitable so liuing without learning is vnpossible Quest But you say that wise Solomon hath something more to say for you tell me what it is Ans He giueth vs not only sharpe but sweete he calles vs fooles in the bondes of childhood Pro. 22.15 but yet be makes vs amends though we fooles doe not thinke so the rod of corection chaseth it away Quest But may not you attaine this without knowledge as well as many simple and illiturat men doe Wisdome saith Apply thy heart vnto me Wisd 1. and thinke of God with humility Not speake mistically of him but thinke and seeke him in simplicity of thine heart but a childe may doe this as well as many lay men doe Ans Our answere to this is from euery fingers end to the contrary from the right hand to the left 5. to 5. The fiue fingers 1. Necessity of knowledge 2. Tradition of Teachers 3. Text of Scriptures taught 4. Tuition of the Truth 5. Incouragement to all Quest What necessity is there Ans It is necessity that we should haue this knowledge of eternall life either by our owne studies or by others either implicity or explicity ether by report or knowledge and this is necessary for lay men as little children Quest What is that second finger of Tradition Ans It is no doubt better to haue the documents and lessons of Religion by our owne labour then by tradition yet first we must haue them by Traditions of our teachers Quest What was the third answere Ans Thirdly we answere to the text alledged by Text of Scripture Though God will accept of none without simplicity of heart yet the Lord requireth more as the Apostle saith With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes but with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation Iam. 1. So Saint Iames that faith without workes is dead They deceiue themselues therefore that trust to simple harts without vnderstanding in matters of Religion Quest What is the fourth answere Ans Reason not to regard our owne profit alone but the tuition of the Gospell and the defence of the truth the depth whereof was neuer more digged at nor the profession thereof euer more pusht at now is the time both for old and young couragiously to sanctifie The Lord in their hearts 1. Pet. 3.15 being ready to satifie euery one that shall aske a reason of their faith and hope that is in them Quest What is the fift Incouragement Ans Comfort and ioy to all from the royall King that sits on his throne to the lowest subiect to prince pastor and people as Salomon saith it did him Pro. 27.11 My sonne be wise and reioyce my heart that I may answere him that reproacheth me And surely if euer there was cause now there is for all for Kings to commaund and Ministers to obey in instructing their hearers and for both to make glad the heart of their dread Soueraignes by witnessing of wisdome and answering the spitefull reproches of all hereiques Which if euery man would but labour for a while hope we ere long that if our aduersaries will but stand at our Church doores they shall heare those resounding ecchocs from the mouthes of babes that shall reioyce their nurcing father and leige king the spirituall and naturall parents and confound all false heresies which graunt O Lord Iesus Amen Quest The profit of a thing doth not consist in the bare matter so much as in the fruitfull manner and therefore since you haue spent so much paines on the matter of Catechising doe no lesse on the manner will you be tractable to be encouraged to know the same how it is to be performed Ans Yes withall our hearts and studies for the manner God respects as well as the matter and for defects in the manner doth reiect the matter as in Caine Gen. 4.5 because he had not respect to the manner of his sacrifice to doe it well God had no regard of him nor his oblation he had no profit nor commendation Quest What then in a word is required in the comely manner of this goaly businesse generally Ans As in receiuing the holy Sacraments deuout prayer vnto almighty God Ex. 19.7.10 hearing his holy word there is a time of premeditation so in Catechising youth in the heads of Religion there must be preperation Quest What duties are required in this preperation Ans The duties herein required are sundry but for memories sake againe they shal be reduced to three Quest Which be those three Ans First duties that doe concerne your selfe and those that are in place to teach vs.
THE CATECHISERS HOLY ENCOVRAGEMENT To the profitable exercise of Catechising in the Church of England Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the Soule The Testimony of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome to the simple Luk. 2.46 And it came to passe three daies after that they found him in the Temple sitting in the midest of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them questions LONDON Printed by VV. I. dwelling in Red-crosse street 1623. To the true Catechisers of his Church the true grace mercy and peace of the true God be true encouragement IF I should accuse you for writing your many Catechismes I should rather discourage yours from reading them then excuse my selfe for penning these encouragements for vs all to Catechising Yet let it be spoken with all humility if you in the crowd of Catechisers each one find an excuse for all the company I hope if it be not presumption you all will hold me excused for these small encouragements for you all being but one If you obserued the two Texts of Scripture on the otherside of the former leafe you may easely perceiue these things were one day Preached as Sermons of encouragement in the Eares of Parents Gouernours and old men in the Congregation if you will see the leaues that follow hereafter you may vnderstand they were Catechising waies in the Hands of little ones in writing for their encouragement another day I should then be very sorry that what day soeuer they shal be seene by your Eyes you will see the motes that are in your brothers eyes that labour to shew you though vnworthily the encouragements that they haue seene but I hope you will ioyne your Hearts in prayer that God by all meanes whether great or small will harten vs all in this holy exercise And so right humbly I rest your poore Brother in the Lord. THO. DOWNING Aldermanbery London To the Right Honourable Right Worshipfull and all my souing and worthy Parishioners of S. Mary Aldermanberry London the multiplication of all spirituall grace and assurance of Celestiall glory through Christ lesus our Lord. RIght Hononarable Right Worshipfull and my best beloued in him that loues you best and hath paid for his loue deerest In the hearing of the most of you according to the godly commaund of lawfull authoritie knowne vnto you all I haue lately entred vpon that most commendable and most profitable course of Catechising and to the end that I might the more cherish you and bolden yours I tooke courage to my selfe by God before I began the worke it selfe to say something as a short beginning and introduction to my future endeauours by Gods permission For your selues by way of Sermon and continuall discourse as the foode of the strong for your children and seruants by taking of the same into peeces for the smallest and weakest disgestions by way of questions for all I hope as members of the same body a fit receipt and preperation especially it being the desire of of some of you to haue these published for the benefit of children as crummes in common I know whit-meates are wholesome for you that are growne great ones but yet I presume it will not be troublesome to you to taste of the milke both before and after your small children I shal be refreshed before the Lord for the time present as well as any fare can make me if you like the Lord that maketh both the body and the bread will accept of these poore peeces I haue to present you and for the time to come your gathering of such fruite as is growne shal be full payment for the past season God that onely must giue encrease euen to Pauls planting grant vnto your information and my consolation his heauenly blessing through Iesus Christ to whom be all honour and glory Your affectionate Pastor THO. DOWNING THE CATECHISERS HOLY INCOVRAGEMENTS TO THE PROFITABLE EXERCISE OF CATECHISING IN THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND Question WHat way might a Minister winne the wills and sharpen the wits of Christians to be Catechised Answere By encouraging them vnto the same out of Gods holy word as Solomon by his parables giues to the simple sharpnesse of wit Pro. 1.4 Quest How many motiues be there to this godly worke of Catechising Ans Many but for memory sake they generally be deuided into three 1. the Matter of Catechising 2. the Manner of Catechisme 3. the Meanes we haue of Catechising Quest For the Matter first tell me what the word Catechisme is in signification Ans Catechisme is a word that is drawne from the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catecho which signifieth to eccho or sound out and so it is true Instructions and answers are sounds from heauen and ecchoes from earth 1. Cor. 14.19 therefore Saint Paul vseth the word to teach the rudiments of Religion saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had rather speake fiue that is a few wordes with mine vnderstanding that I might Catechise others in the Church then ten thousand wordes in a strange tongue Quest Who be those others the holy Apostle speakes of Ans Whosoeuer are capeable but yet are voide of the elements of the Christian faith Quest But is it not presumption at least if not folly for small children to meddle with great matters of Religion 1. Cor. 13.11 Paul confesseth When he was a child he spake as a childe he vnderstood as a childe he thought as a childe and before he became a man he put not away childish things how then should smattering children be fit for profound and holy matters Ans It is meete for vs that are Children for all that to read to study to meditate and to conferre touching grounds of Religion Quest What reason can be showne for that Ans A double reason First from our owne profit Secondly from Gods law Quest What profit will it be to you Ans That appeares from the knowledge of God without which vaine is euery child of man but knowledge of God bringeth righteousnes in this world and in the world to come eternall life as Iesus saith Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall to know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ But as a candle through a window so a glimpse of the Godhead may be discerned through the Cranies of our childhood Quest Profitable though it be yet what warrant haue you to tell me for it Ans Dauid the holy father may be a patterne to all our parents and he tells vs and them in the 19. Psal 7. Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord giueth wisedom to the simple therefore we ought to receiue it when it is offered and Salomon his wise sonne that may be a teacher of all the children of men Pro. 1.4 To giue to the simple sharpnes of wit and to the child knowledge and discretion he wrote his parables so that we are Salomons table bookes as well as others Quest But is
The Foundation of this holy Temple of comfort to vs is twofold 1. Principall 2. Subordinate Que. What is the principall Foundation of courage Ans The Foundation principall is the Scripture the holy Prophets and Apostles as Saint Paul to the Ephesians 2.20 Ye are built vp on the foundation of the Apostes and Prophets and this no small comfort that we haue so sure a foundation that cannot be shaken Quest What is the subordinate foundation of this Temple of courage to this exercise Ans Though we haue not so many Prophets as the Church of Israel had nor so many holy Apostles as the Primitiue Church had to comfort vs yet our Fathers are the Fathers of more propheticall sonnes and apostolates then they were and our Church the Mother of more reuerend Doctors Luk. 2. then the Church of Ierusalem to teach vs the way vnto life eternall and this though subordinate is no small encouragement Quest What is the third Temple of encouragement that we are to our owne hearts Ans Not onely Christ our corner stone doth comfort vs but the Church though in a lesse measure and not onely our flourishing Church but euen euery Christian in the Church which is fuller of Temples of the holy Ghost then flourishing Corinth for we hope our Preachers may speake to more then S. Paul then could there Know you not that your bodies are the Temples of God 1. Cor. 16.17 not only Temples but holy For the Temple of God is holy which ye are Hauing therefore a head or corner stone of so fine gold as Christ a foundation of such pure siluer that hath beene seuen and seuen times tried in the fire we receiue the golden cordialls of courage from them both to this holy exercise that euer we were borne to be Temples built of the same Temples Quest What is the second generall meanes of encouragement at Catechising Ans The Temple we are in which is either for the matter of it or the manner either the outward or the inward parts of it comfortable Que. What comfort is there for this frō the Temple Ans The sacred Churches wherein we meete together in due sort let God haue his due prayse for it to heare and learne the grounds of Religion if they were but few straight and poore bouses yet might they be some courage to vs but they are many large and beautified the many Cathedrall Churches ordained to spread religion and the goodly Colledges annexed to both both for enlarging of learning in Church Cōmon-wealth what largenesse of comfort doe these bestow vpon vs besides the vulgar schooles where many poore boies and girles poore orphanes doe learne these foundations of religion these do spurre vs forward to this learning of Catechising lest the Churches that we are in at the last day should condemne vs when they shal be consumed with fire for our negligence in the same Secondly for the manners in the Church such consociation and concord of Ministers of the Church in the exercise of godlines such rules and Lawes both for Pastor and people in and of the Church such variety of exercises in the Church after the necessitie of sorts and degrees whom would they not moue either to gouerne or to be gouerned to Catechise or to be Catechised away therefore withall those spirits that either if they be able will destroy the matter or the maner of this Temple we are in such as depopulate Townes and disfigure Churches or any waies steeple the beauty of the Temple we are in or the rule gouernment of the Church we are of that as soone as they be loose flie vpon the throate of the Church it is a shame it is a shame that any such should be suffered to the great discouragement of the weake but because this is not a thing that is vpholden in our charges let it passe and let vs take courage from our Temples as Adam did in Paradise in innocency more then the Israelites in the Tabernacle or the Iewes in their Temple and this must be by keepeing them religiously vseing them reuerently receiueing instructions attentiuely Qu. What is the Temple that we shal be of which vs Temples in the Temples we are in doth so encourage Ans This is as far beyond and aboue all other Temples of encouragement as heauen is aboue the earth the Celestcall Temple this is a Tempole so high so great so holy so pretious so cleane so walled so dored so gated so windowed so scituated so founded so squared so long so broad so garnished so allyed so full of all these that Iohns eyes could not see it Reu. 21.11 for the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe are the Temple this is our last our best comfort that we hope our poore desires of our hearts our ecchoes of our mouthes shall not like lead and earth descend downwards but shall be heard in that Temple whether we hope for our encouragement the exorable clemency of God will bring vs his poore Temples that when our dead bodies shall descend into our graues in these materiall Temples our soules shall before ascend into that Temple so glorious that it cannot be called a Temple whether the head of both Temples Iesus Christ bring both our bodies and soules at the day when he shall iudge vs to whom be all honour and glory both in the Temples of heauen and earth for euer Amen FINIS