Hog then his Child which may be truly said of such persons They know how to feed their Hogs but not to breed their Children Many men deal worse with their Children then they do with their Beasts they will be at any charge to have a Horse managed a Dog or a Hawk well trained but not to have their Children taught They would have a good Carter a good Shepheard a good Bayliff what wages soever they gave them but any Schoolmaster is good enough if he be but cheap enough Any drunken vitious Sot shall sooner have their Children and their good will then the sobrest man and the best Schollar in the world if he will teach that is undo them but three pence cheaper Diogenes was wont to say That it was better be some mans sheep then his Son He will provide a good Shepheard for his sheep but cares not to whom he commits the tutelage of his Childe One told Hyperides an Orator of Greece that he had sent his Son to travel and had sent one of his Slaves along with him to be his Governor and Tutor in his travels It s well done said he for now instead of one Slave thou shalt receive twain Such another wise Wiggin brought his Son to Aristippus and demanded of him what he should give him to read Philosophy to his Son Why saith he you shall give me a hundred Crowns O! saith the other that will buy me a Slave yes answered Aristippus so it may and then thou maist have two Slaves one whom thou hast bought for thy Hundred Crowns and another of thy Son whom thou wilt not be at charge to have taught To conclude take heed lest by rushing into a married condition without any ability or inclination to teach those whom God hath given you you bring out children for the destroyer In some Protestant Churches there are none permitted to be married Judic Theol. Helvet in yn Dor. till they have first given their Minister an account of their knowledge of and proficiency in the Doctrine of the Christian Faith Sect. 15 Sponsi non copulabuntur nisi privatim pastoribus suos in Religione profectus satis comprobaverint Act Syn. Nat. Dordrect sess 15. Sent. Theol. Hassior juxta finem this want of instruction makes many Parents deal with their Children as the great Duke of Muscovy deals with his Subjects who will not suffer any of them to be instructed Heyl. Geog. in Russia least they should be wiser then himself who are by this means bred up in such lamentable ignorance that when they are asked any serious question satisfie themselves in saying God and our Great Duke can tell But as Solomon says Eccles 11.4 He that observeth the winde shall not sow and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap Prov. 26.13 And the sluggard crieth there is a Lion in the way He that hath no mind to any work will never want frivolous pretences and excuses to take him off So in this case some are apt to plead This is a new way Obj. 1 what need this trouble now more then heretofore our Fathers were not so strictly held to learn and yet they did well enough God send us but to live and dye as well as our Fore-fathers and we need care for no more 1. Answ No This is no new way We have this very name and thing Catechising frequently mentioned and prest upon us in Scripture Pro. 22.6 Train up a childe in his youth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imbuere docere prima documenta dare paulatim paulatim ut ferri possit Rab. Dav. in lib. Rad. Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with them signifies Chatechesis chatechismus rudimenta initiatio Mercer in Pagnin and in his age he shall not depart from it Train up the word is Catechise as the margin of our Bibles renders it Teach a childe according to his way or in such a way and manner as he is capable to bear that is by little and little A word very usual also in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Steph. in verb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 1.4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed or catechised Act. 18.25 This man Apollos was instructed in the way of the Lord. 1 Cor. 14.19 That I may iustruct others And many other Texts too tedious to recite in all which places it peculiarly signifies to teach the Principles and fundamentals of Christian Religion by word of mouth and therefore this is no new thing It was a constant practice in the primitive times who had their Chatechists and their Chatechumens those whose office it was to instruct them who were newly converted and but raw in the Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magist Hier. de script Eccles Clemens Alexandrinus to pass by others who lived near to the Apostles was a Chatechist in the Church of Alexandria and upon this occasion wrote his Poedagogus Their peculiar office was to instruct young Christians in the Articles of the Christian Faith and grounds of Religion until they were fit to partake of those heavenly mysteries in the Lords Supper The Liturgy of our Church injoyned that all should be instructed in the Faith and able to give an account of it before they were admitted to the Lords Table 2 And for your Fore-fathers what if they lived and died in ignorance doth that make ignorance the more excusable or commendable If they were saved I dare boldly say that it was not their ignorance that saved them if they perished through ignorance have you such an opinion of and love to them and their example that you are willing to go to hell with them for company This were to do as I read that Roboald once a King in West-Freezland did Heyl. Geog. East-freizl in Germ. who being overcome by Charls the Great was perswaded by him to receive the Christian Faith and the Sacrament of Baptism But being told that his Friends and Kinsfolks were in Hell because they were no Christians neither will I said he be of that profession for I love to be among my Kindred How wisely he resolved I leave you to judge Object 2. But I am ignorant and cannot answer Answ You had the more need to learn the most learned was ignorant until he were taught Ignorance is the high road to ruine and to refuse instruction is not the way to cure your ignorance but to continue and encrease it Object 3. I am ashamed Answ You should never be ashamed of doing that which God requires you should be ashamed of nothing but sin are you ashamed to be good are you not ashamed to be called a Christian and will you be ashamed to learn what Christ is and what he hath done for your soul Are you ashamed to follow the examples of all Christians of all ages will you be ashamed to go to heaven Matt. â—â— 38. remember what it is to be ashamed of
beforehand instructed in the Principles of that Science you would then see the reason of what was spoken your understandings would close with the things delivered and you would reap profit by that Discourse So in this case were men better insighted into the Principles of Religion we should soon see better fruits of all our labors Sect. 10. The want of this is the unhappy ground of that unstableness in the faith which to the reproach of our Religion discovers it self so visibly amongst us at this day Ephes 4.14 That of the Apostle is too apparently manifested amongst us that many of us are like children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive which hinders their growing up into him in all things who is the head even Christ I find in story mention made of one Philetas Coûs Syms Chron. parte 5. pag. 44. an excellent Grammarian and Poet Master â—o Ptolomeus Philadelphus that great lover and promoter of Learning but of so small and thin a body that he was fain to wear soles of lead upon his shooes Non dubitamus cur tot hereses nova dogmata locum passim inveniunt causam vel maximam esse catechizationis neglectum c. Act. Syn. od sess 15. Judic Theol. Palat. or else every blast of wind would overturn and blow him down The reason why so many are so easily tossed aside by every wind of Doctrine is because they are not well bottom'd nor kept steady by the Principles of Religion This is the true ground why every new Doctrine finds so many sollowers because they were never establisht in the truth We have seen many who have made fair shew for a time readily embrace and admire any new Discoveries which have been offered to them under the specious vizor of New-light They have run thorough all those new Modes of Religion which the Father of lyes hath presented them withall 1 Joh. 2.19 always liking that best which was newest not finding where to rest their feet having once forsaken that good old way of Gospel-Truth wherein indeed they were never thoroughly instructed If they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that it might be made manifest that they were not at all of us This is the cause of those many sad breaches grown in families to their utter ruine while they run into several ways with such eagerness and animosity contending to maintain their several parties when it may be few of them have any competent knowledge of the Fundamentals of Religion and fewer have any true sense of the power of godliness upon their hearts When the ship wants ballast every gust of wind will overset it When the mind is void of serious knowledge no wonder that errors creep into the judgement and looseness into the conversation Col. 2.7 8. Those who are not rooted and grounded in Christ will be easily spoiled through Philosophy and vain deceit Sect. 11. The eternal welfare of your families depends upon it Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal to know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent O that you would give your thoughts liberty to expatiate in this wide field That you would seriously lay to heart what Heaven and Hell are Vbi nec operosa actio nec requies desidiosa laus erit sine fastidio sine defectu Aug. how full of glory the one how full of horror and amazedness the other Heaven it is the throne of God the purchase of Christ the habitation of Angels the expectation of men the envy of Devils There 's the vision of God communion with all Saints and an uninterrupted enjoyment of eternal rest There 's pure pleasure without pain a continual day without night perfect holiness without sin The good things which God hath provided there for them that know and love him are so many they cannot be numbred so great they cannot be measured so precious they cannot be valued They are as far beyond our apprehension as expression 2 Cor. 12.4 Who can declare that which Gods Spirit tells us is ineffable Who can tell me how much sweetness Bern. in 11. of Cant. Omnes deliciae Lâ—eus erit Aust ib how much happiness is wrapt up in those few words God shall be all in all your faith most make out what your reason cannot compass and what the tongue of men and Angels cannot express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nilus in sentent Tom 1. Orthodoxog p. 181 And for Hell the very name and notion of it is enough to make a mans heart ake and his sinews tremble Esa 66. ult There 's the worm that never dyeth and the fire that never goes out the worm that never dyeth is the gnawing and twinging the horror and amazedness of the conscience which shall then reproach us for our neglect of knowledge and the means of grace When conscience remembers how many fair advantages we have slipt of making our calling and election sure how many invitations we have slighted and how much means we have neglected then it will lay about it and torment the soul Conscience may be dull and sensless here and go sleeping to Hell but it comes no sooner there but it is awakened to its cost It reproaches and reviles the sinner and makes his condition so much the worse because he was the occasion of his own sufferings There 's the fire that never goes out O dismal dreadful fire Fire without light for there is utter darkness in the midst of it fire mixt with cold for while the tongue burns the teeth chatter fire without comfort mixt with stifling choaking brimstone Fire that will never want fewel to maintain it there is much wood and the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone kindling it Esa 30.33 Who can endure to hold his finger in the fire but for a moment How do we roar and cry when we are but a little singed scorched burned And if our material fire be so irksome and intolerable what will that keener and more subtile fire be which will work upon the soul as well as upon the body What will it be to have fire accompanied with cold and darkness and brimstone What will it be to have our childrens beds made in the midst of this fire What will it be to have them lie for ever in these everlasting burnings * Vbi nec tortores deficiunt nec torti moriuntur quibus sine fine more est non posse in cruciatibus mori Aug. id where they shall be ever burning and yet never consumed always dying and yet never dead To be without ease and without hope and all this in the company and under the power of so many hideous ugly fiends †Ad solatium malevolentissimuÌ„ damnationis suae c. Id. whose only refreshment under their own torments will be to
Christ and his ways are you not ashamed of your filthy ignorance and will you be ashamed to use the means to cure it But yet where there is an unconquerable bashfulness which yet in this case should be laboured against there may be means found to instruct such in a less publique way Object 4. But Catechising is for children we are grown up to be of mens and womens estate Answ If you have not yet learned it is more then time to begin now Your age is no presciption against a duty that God requires You should rather bemoan your mispent youth and redeem your lost time then plead it in Bar against your future knowledge do you ever intend to learn or no if not you will unavoidably perish in your ignorance if you do then begin while you have time and opportunities and means offered you There be children in understanding as well as children in age and those need instruction as well Muscul in Ps 19.7 or rather more then these Of old not young children onely but those of riper years if ignorant were to be catechised In those places before instanced they that were able to ask a reason of every piece of Gods service were to be instructed and these were past children The Chatechumens or persons to be catechised mentioned above were all such as were converted to the faith whether young or old in which form they continued till they were fully instructed in Christian Religion and fitted for the highest Ordinances Object But what is this but to teach children by roat like Parots what they do not understand Answ It is not the bare saying of a Catechism by heart but the understanding it that we mainly drive at we shall labor to make them understand it as far as they are capable though some may not be able to understand it others areâ— 2. Though they who are very young can but say it yet as age and discretion come on they will increase in knowledg He that now onely learned may come in a little time to understand the meaning on 't But he will never understand who never learned There he some terms of Art in all Sciences which the learner must get though he understand them not when he comes to make use of them then he will understand them Object 6. What is this but to take Gods work out of his hand whose work it is to teach and who hath promised that in Gospel times we shall be all taught of God Answ God in this as usually in other things works by means he teaches us by the Ministery of men This reason is as much against Preaching as Catechizing We might expect such an Objection from super-Ordinance men and to them we would suit another Answer But not from them who acknowledge Gods Ordinances those who are taught by Gods Ministers according to Gods Commands Rules and Directions those God teaches We take not Gods work out of his hand but like his Ushers we teach under him and or him By this time I hope you that are Parents and Masters see the conveniency excellency and necessity of instructing your Families and Children and Servants see that it is their duty and for their great advantage to learn I come now to the last stage of my intended journey upon this subject 3 Branch of Exhortation which is to press all sorts of people of what age or degree soever to a chearful submission to this necessary work of instruction in the fundamentals of Religion Not that I intend the bringing of the aged to publick Catechizing though I shall shew you anon what the Reformed Churches think fit in this case but that they would submit to private personal instruction in the points which be necessarily to be known for their salvation I easily foresee the difficulty of the work which I have in hand against which flesh and blood will undoubtedly make head For first there is naturally a willingness in mens hearts to conceal their miserable ignorance whereof they would not be thought guilty We desire to hide our spiritual defects as well as our natural ones The ignorant as well as the prophane hates the light that he may not be discovered Secondly We shall meet with the horrid pride which too often accompanies such black ignorance of those who think themselves too wise to learn of whom I may say as it was said of others in the like case they might have attained to a good stock of knowledge if they had not thought themselves wise enough too soon There is no greater enemy to knowledge then presuming ignorance Multi ad sapientiae vestigium pervenissent nisi se jam pervenisse putassent Plin. Pride and self conceit bar the door against instruction Those who think themselves rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing when they are poor and naked and miserable are hardliest convinced of their sad condition Rev. 3.17 Isa 47.10 Prov. 12.1 Thirdly The Devil will never be wanting with all hiâ— skill malice and interest to divert or binder a work so directly tending to the overthrow of his Kingdom We have an essay of his good will to works of this nature Acts 19 â—8 20 21. when the word of God began to be manifested and to prevail with some to bring them out of his power he surs up Demetrius who put the people in an uproar against Paul where had not providence diverted their fury he might have been torn to pieces amongst them What between these several oppositions which we easily forecast and others which we cannot so readily see we may say as Paul did that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities c. But be the opposition what it will Gods mind must not be concealed nor our duties undiscovered for fear of displeasing the Devil and his Partizans If it appear not to be Gods mind we leave you to your liberty but if it be then whether you will hear or whether you will forbear we must lay it before you And I hope that God will so effectually convince you of your duties in this particular that none shall be able to open his mouth against it nor refuse it unless it be such as apprehend not the benefit of it or wilfully shut their eyes against the clear light of Scripture To such I shall onely propose these insuing considerations which by Gods grace may serve to quicken them to their Duty Sect. 1. Ignorance is a damning sin in all the mind without knowledge is not good it darkens the understanding Prov. 19.2 Eph. 4.18 Isa 5.13 Hos 4.1 Job 21.14 and alienates from the life of God this is one main ground of Gods controversie against a Land when they have no knowledge It is a character of the worst of men not to desire the knowledge of his ways But it is much worse in aged persons who have had more time and opportunities to learn Job 32.7 9. Days should speak and