duty may not grow chill and cold again I have been induced by the perswasion of some of your selves and others to suffer this Exhortation to be made publique for your benefit that every one of you may have something by you that may help to quicken him to the getting the knowledg of the Principles of Religion which I have the rather inclined to because as you know since this was delivered to you God has shaken me by the shoulder once and again 2 Cor. 1.9 and shewed me that my bones are not brass nor my sinews iron so far that I even despair'd of life and seemed to have the sentence of death passed against me How long God may please to reprieve me to be further serviceable to your faith is known to him alone I would willingly leave something as a pledge of my tender affections to you in Christ Jesus that when this tabernacle of my flesh shall be taken down you may have a faithfull Remembrancer with you to minde you of that which is your greatest concernment The hearts of the Galatians were once so inflamed toward the Apostle that they would even have pulled out their eyes to have done him good I shall not impose any such rigid task upon you but only desire that the eyes of your understanding may be inlightned that ye may know God your selves and your duty If I had required some difficult or costly matter at your hand it would be more excusable should you scruple my request but since the motion which I have to make is no extraordinary task and tends so directly to the saving of your precious souls I cannot but promise my self the more ready acceptance That which I am to perswade you to is the making of your selves and families acquainted with God in Christ and that you would make it your business to set up the knowledg of God in your respective families There 's none of you who would be thought careless of the good of your houshold in things that appertain to this life how much more ought ye to be solicitous for them in things pertaining to a better life The instructing of them in the Principles of Religion is of that absolute necessity that without it there can be no salvation There 's no salvation but by Christ no benefit by Christ without faith no faith in him without knowledge no knowledge but by instruction And that I may proceed more distinctly and more effectually in this so weighty a work I shall 1. Propose such Motives as may quicken Parents and Masters in this duty viz. in instructing their children and servants themselves as far as they are able and in causing them to come and yield to this work in publique by the Minister 2. I shall bring some Motives to the yonger sort which may perswade them to submit themselves both to publique and private Catechizing and Instruction 3. I shall bring such arguments as may prevail with all sorts of people of what age or degree what rank or quality soever to a chearful submission to this necessary work of Instruction in the Fundamentals of Religion 1. Branch of Exhortation I begin with those whom God hath made Parents and Masters of Families to whom I shall propose these following considerations why they ought both to instruct their Families themselves and to bring them also to publique Instruction Sect. 1. Every Father and Master is in his own house a King Motives for Parents Masters a Priest and a Prophet house a King a Priest and a Prophet He is a King to govern them a Priest to pray with them and for them a Prophet to instruct and teach them If you will take upon you to rule and govern your Families you must instruct them too you would not be justled out of your command in your own houses you must not thrust your selves out of it by neglecting your instructing office We read of Nymphas Col. 4.15 that he had a Church in his house his house is stiled a Church not only because the faithful came thither to be instructed in the Faith and to hold communion in those times of persecution but also because he did carefully instruct those of his own Family in the knowledge of Christ and trained them up in spiritual and holy Dutys Familiam suam privatam fecit ecclesiam eam pietate religione exernans So Theodoret Sect. 2. God commands that we should instruct our Children and Family in the knowledg of God Deut. 4.9 10. Deut. 6.5 6. Deut. 11.19 20. Psal 78.6 Eph. 6.8 and the matters of Religion where we may observe 1. That they were to teach them it was not a matter Arbitrary left at pleasure but a Duty 2. What they should teach them the knowledg of God of his ways and Commandments not frivolous discourses Songs Tales Romances but Gods Statutes 3. How they should teach them diligently and constantly they must whet it often upon their memories and never leave them till they have made them understand 4. The great advantage that they should gain hereby both they and their children they should live long in the Land which God gave them If those were good motives to them how much stronger have we Was the Law which discovered their sin but could not cure it so diligently to be learned and shall not the Gospel which discovers a remedy for our sin be worth our knowledge should the Inheritance of an earthly possession quicken them to gain the knowledge of Gods law and shall not the enjoyment of a perpetuall rest quicken us to get acquaintance with Jesus Christ in the Gospel Sect. 3. God commands children to learn of their Parents and to hearken to their Instruction which implyes the Parents duty to teach them Prov. 6.20 21. My son keep the Commandment of thy Father and forsake not the law of thy Mother Bind them continually upon thine heart and tie them about thy neck Mercer The Commandments of Parents that fear the Lord are the very Commandments of God himself and therefore carefully to be kept Deut 6 8.11-18 Bind them continually a phrase frequent in Scripture importing that they should never forget them but that they should be always in our eye Exod. 12.26 Exod. 13.14 in our heart as our greatest ornament Nay it is not only their duty to learn when they are taught but also to be enquiring that they may learn which is plainly hinted in those texts If children had any sence of true Religion they would be enquiring into the nature ground and end of those services which were done to God for true Religion is the exercise of mind inlightned by Faith and Knowledge and not a piece of blind and ignorant devotion Josh 4.6 Deut. 32.7 A man should be able to give some account of every thing that he doth in Gods service and why and upon what account he doth it when they ask you ought to teach them Sect. 4.
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
commands when they see thee practizing what thou enjoynest them It was the reproach of Appius Appius Lucretiae Regum juris quod ipse composuerat oblitus Flor. lib. 1. c. 24. In commune jubes si quid censesve tenendum Primus ipse subi Claud. Prius disce qui doces Lanct that he forgot the Law of his own making and that he who had expelled Tarquin for a rape himself committed one Pompey was famous for giving good rules but as infamous for breaking them first himself When a Father or a Master of a Family doth truly fear God Suarum legum Author Eversor Tacitus Vid. Muscul Psa 7.7 he will both by his Precepts and Example endeavor to bring his whole houshold to the knowledge and obedience of God too but if he be a wicked person himself whatsoever commands he may lay upon them his corrupt practice will hazard and indanger the ruine of them all Mind that place in Joshua well Josh 24.15 I and my house will serve the Lord it is not I without my house a good man would willingly bring all especially those of his Family to heaven with him nor is it my house without me I am contented that they shall know and serve him but I will not This is all one as if one should say I am willing that my Family should go to heaven but for my self I am resolved to go to hell But it is I and my house I will enjoyn them no more then I will do my self I shall walk before them by mine own example but I will not leave them to their own choice whether they will serve God or no. It 's a pernitious liberty which suffers men to be either of no Religion or of a false one You must provoke them to this good work by doing it before them or else they will be apt to think that it is onely a device to keep children in awe but not a duty necessary to salvation Thus have I according to the grace of God given me Conclusion endeavored to perswade you to lay the foundation whereon the Fabrick of your salvation is to be raised Other foundation can no man lay let every man take heed how he builds thereuponi fanyman build upon this foundation 2 Cor. 3.10 11 12 c. wood hay stubble his work shall be burnt with fire but if any man build gold silver precious stones his work shal abide and he shall receive a reward You have seen the sad inconveniencies which attend the neglect of this work and the great advantages that accrew to those who exercise themselves in it Profit is a spur to Piety Moses his eying the recompence of the reward quickened him in his Duty The Lord give you understanding in all things that you may know where your interest and greatest concernment lies And now Brethren I beseech you by the tender mercies of God by the precious merits of Jesus Christ by all that is dear and precious to you that you suffer this word of Exhortation to prevail with you to the performance of your respective Duties God will have much glory and your poor Souls will one day find the comfort on 't And as for me it will be an abundant recompence of this and all other pains which I have taken amongst you if I may find your hearts more and more inflamed after the saving knowledg of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ as he is revealed in the Gospel Finally what remains Act. 20.32 but that I commend you to God and to the word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified Humbly beseeching the God of peace Heb. 13.20 that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant that he would make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen READER THere remaining some spare room and meeting with this short Catechism used heretofore to the benefit of many Christians by that eminent and faithful servant of Christ Mr. Robert Lilly late Minister of Campden I thought fit to annex it here as out of a desire to promote thy spiritual good so to testifie that reverend respect which I bear to the memory of that worthy Person now with God Twelve Questions and Answers fit to be learned and understood by all those who desire worthily to communicate at the Lords Table Quest 1. WHat is the Ground of your coming to receive the Lords Supper Answ Because it is an Ordinance which Jesus Christ hath appointed in his Church for the spiritual good of every true Member of it Q 2. What is that spiritual good Christ hath appointed it for A. He hath appointed it as for a holy remembrance of himself so for a special means to confirm the faith of every true Beleever in him Q. 3. What need you or any man believe in Christ A. Yes I and all men are sinful both by Original and Actual sin and must die eternally if the Lord Jesus Christ do not save us which he will not do unless we beleeve on him Q. 4. How can you conceive that the receiving of Bread and Wine should be a means to confirm Faith A. Yes Because as they are a sign of Christs Body and Blood so they are a seal to confirm a special part of the Covenant between God and a Beleever and to give him an interest in it Q. 5. What is the special part of the Covenant which it both confirms and conveys to a Beleever A. That by Faith as he shall have his sin pardoned and Gods favor recovered which is signed and sealed in Baptism so in feeding on him by Faith he shall be nourished and preserved in that estate unto Everlasting life Q. 6. Hath every one that receives this confirmed and conveyed to him A. Yes every one that hath Faith if he come not unworthily for so he may hinder his own spiritual good Q. 7. May a Beleever come unworthily A. Yes in some sort if he do not carefully perform his Duty as he should both before he receive in receiving and after receiving sanctifying them all by prayer Q. 8. What is the Duty that a Christian must do before he receive A. He must duly examine himself whether he have Knowledge Faith Repentance Obedience Love and carefully renew them all so oft as he cometh to receive Q. 9. How may he know by his examination whether he hath these Graces yea or no A. By this Rule every one of them if he can truly say that his Performance is some his Endeavors are more his Desiâ—e is infinite Q. 10. How is a Beleever to renew these Graces A. In laboring to see the imperfections of them in seeing them to bewail them confess them crave pardon for them with a holy resolution to redress them Q. 11. What is the Duty which a Beleever must do in receiving A. In beholding the Bread and Wine thankfully to discern the Lords Body and by faith to receive them as the seal of God that by his faith he shall be preserved in Gods love and that they as instruments of God exhibit it to him Q 12. What is the Duty that a Beleever must do after receiving A. As to remember the Covenant made in receiving and continually to make use of it so to remember himself whether he have received that spiritual comfort to be had in it if he have to be thankful and make use of it if not to search out the cause and be humble for it FINIS READER BE pleased to correct these Errata's ere you read the Book because many of them marr the sense the literal slips especially in the Margin are less considerable you may mend them as you read Page 12. Line 3. for would r. worlds line 24 25. the words are misplaced in the beginning of each line in the 24. for thorough r. in some measure in the 25. for in some measure r. thorough p. 14. l. 17. r. in a wrack p. 16. l. 19. r. they will find p. 17. l. 5. for Baleans r. Baleares p. 21. l. 11. for Estones r. Estones l. 25. for vari r. vare p. 33. l. 22. for what r. which p. 53. l. 6. for be r. he l. 7. for he r. be p. 71. r. Greg. Nazianzene l. 22. for Eynus r. Cyrus