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A84291 An exhortation to catechizing: the long neglect whereof is sadly lamented. And the speedy reviving as earnestly desired. / By the provincial assembly at London. August 30. 1655. London (England). Provincial Assembly. 1655 (1655) Wing E3867; Thomason E853_32; ESTC R207472 12,493 23

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to our salvation as well as our salvation in consequence on our beleeving and professe to owe to Christs purchase the changing of our hearts as well as the saving of our soules We acknowledge our selves indebted to Christ for that which our adversaries have learned to put on their owne account and to thank themselves for it And whereas they are pleased to represent Christ but such a Redeemer as whose redemption notwithstanding the whole world possibly might have been damned yea it was impossible that any man should be saved it being as much beyond the power of nature to beleeve of it self without special grace purchased by Christ as for a man though never so gracious to merit the glory of heaven we have learned and accordingly teach that not one of all Christs sheep shall eternally miscarry So farre are we from straitning the grace of God that we allow no bounds or barres to be set to the invincible efficacie of it We indeed set bounds to nature none to grace as acknowledging a sufficiencie of the grace of God to conquer all the oppositions which can be made by the corruptions of man denying a sufficiency in man to the least spiritual work without a blessed superaddition of Gods special grace In the mean time we deny that God decreed to punish any of the sonnes of men but for their sinnes onely we affirm that he bare not such good will to the greater part of men as to decree to give them his special grace and that without this no man how innocent blamelesse and spotlesse soever his conversation may seeme to men is other then a desperate enemy against God Nor yet do we preach this as a branch of the Gospel but onely maintaine it as a part of the counsel of God revealed in the Scriptures not repugnant unto it All that we aime at is to convince Gods people how much they owe to Gods grace how miserable they had beene if he had left them as justly he might to the corruption of their owne nature We open a doore of hope to the poorest soules that groan under the sad sense of their loathed corruptions that though of themselves they can do nothing toward their salvation yet by the grace of God who works in us both to will and to do of his owne good pleasure they shall be happily enabled to work it out in a pleasant fear and comfortable trembling We are farre from saying what we are shamelessely reported to do That the Elect though they prove the first sonnes of Belial yet may be true beleevers namely while they continue such we onely say the Elect are many of them all as wicked as any of the Reprobates till by the grace of God they be brought to beleeve and that though after they beleeve they may possibly fall into horrible abominations yet God out of his unchangeable love in which he elected them from all eternity mercifully preserves his seed though miserably withered in their souls and will in his good time graciously quicken it infallibly reduce them to a hearty repentance and bring them in repentance to salvation We never dreamed of an impossibility of the Saints falling as of themselves nor of a possibility of their being saved without repentance through the grace of God This distemper'd pen strikes no lesse boldly at the Apostle then our selves and doth but in a restlesse impotence kick against the pricks It will be much for the honour of our Doctrine to have the younger people receive the summe of it from our owne mouths in Catechizing and not from the malicious pens of the wilful depravers of it and defamers of us As for expedients for the better accomplishing of so good a work whatsoever any of our Reverend Brethren shall please to communicate to us beside those which we are bold to commend to them in a short draught hereunto annexed we shall as thankfully receive as they shall lovingly propose them And we earnestly desire that all sinister misconstructions being charitably laid aside we would al readily joyne both our hearts and hands to the happier promoting of whatever may conduce to the propagation of the Truth and preservation of the peace in the Churches of Christ as knowing that who in these things serveth Christ is acceptable unto God and approved of men And though perhaps we may not finde the issue of our endeavours answerable to our aime yet shall we sweetly satisfie our selves with this that our labour is with our God and that he will not reward us the lesse where our trouble is the greater We shall adde no more but that we humbly bow our knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named that he would mercifully pardon all our failings graciously prosper all our good endeavours that he would knit the hearts of his people each to other and all to himself that he would vouchsafe to watch over his Ministers and help his Ministers to watch over his people that he would blesse all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity that mercy and peace may be on them and upon the Israel of God FINIS August 30. 1655. ORdered by the Provincial Assembly that Doctor Kendall be desired to take care for the printing of the Exhortation now brought in and read Samuel Balmford Moderator John Jackson Scriba Ordered at a Meeting of the Provincial Assembly of London November 23. 1648. That Copies hereof be sent to the Classes within the Province of London THe Provincial Assembly of London taking into their serious consideration how singularly useful a diligent course of Catechizing in all publike Assemblies within this Province will be for the promoting of sound knowledge in the Fundamentals of Christian Religion and of the power of godlinesse against all manner of Errors in Opinion and Prophanenesse in conversation have thought it necessary most earnestly to recommend this pious and profitable Exercise to all the several Classes within this Province that they in their zeale to Gods glory and the Churches edification may take such course that it be speedily and effectually put in execution within all their respective Congregations And for the more orderly and uniforme carrying on of this excellent and needful work It is desired that these following directions be observed I. That the several Ministers on some Lords day when they give publike notice of their purpose to set upon Catechizing do in their Sermons effectually demonstrate the great necessity and utility thereof earnestly exhorting all Parents and Masters of families to prepare their children and servants by Catechizing them at home that they may more readily and chearfully give account in publike II. That the Catechisme to be made use of through this whole Province be the lesser Catechisme drawn up and presented by the Reverend Assembly of Divines to the Honourable Houses of Parliament and published by their Authority to be used throughout the Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales this Catechisme herein excelling all others that every answer is a perfect Proposition without the Question III. That the persons to be Catechized be children and servants that have not beene admitted to the Lords Table by the Eldership IV. That the time of Catechizing be on the Lords dayes in the afternoone before the Sermon to the end that the whole Congregation may receive benefit thereby V. That the Catechisme be briefly explained at the first going over it that so the people may in a short time have a taste of the ●hole body of Divinity VI. That Parishioners be desired at the common charge of the Parish to provide Catechismes for the poore sort who cannot well provide for themselves and that the distribution of them be referred to the respective Ministers Lastly it is desired that an accompt in writing what progress is made in the Premisses be returned from the Classes to the Provincial Assembly within fourty dayes after the receipt hereof Signed in the Name and by the appointment of the Provincial Assembly Edmund Calamy Moderator William Harrison Scribe William Blackmore Scribe