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A51914
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Th' encænia of St. Ann's Chappel in Sandgate, or, A sermon preached May 3, 1682 before the right worshipful, the mayor, aldermen, sheriff &c. of the town and county of Newcastle Upon Tyne upon their erecting a school and a catechetical lecture for the instruction of poor children and such as are ignorant / by John March.
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March, John, 1640-1692.
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1682
(1682)
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Wing M579; ESTC R27548
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16,204
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38
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Th' ENCAENIA Of St. Ann's Chappel in Sandgate OR A SERMON Preached May 3. 1682. Before the Right Worshipful the Mayor Aldermen Sheriff c. Of the Town and County of Newcastle upon Tyne Upon their erecting a School and a Catechetical Lecture for the Instruction of poor Children and such as are ignorant By JOHN MARCH B. D. and Vicar of St. Nicholas in Newcastle upon Tyne Non sunt contemnenda quasi parva sine quibus magna constare non possunt Hierom. Ep. ad Laetam de Institut filiae Sic erudienda est Anima quae futura est Templum Dei nihil aliud discat audire nihil loqui nisi quod ad timorem Dei pertinet Ibid. From a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3. 15. LONDON Printed for Richard Randal and Peter Maplisden Book sellers at the Bridge-foot in Newcastle upon Tyne MDCLXXXII TO THE Right Worshipful and Worshipful Timothy Robson Esq Mayor Sir Robert Shafto Knight Recorder Sir Ralph Carr Kt. Alderman Sir Ralph Jennison Kt. Alderman Sir Nathanael Johnson Kt. Alderman Henry Maddison Esq Alderman Henry Brabant Esq Alderman Timothy Davison Esq Alderman Robert Roddam Esq Alderman Matthew Jeffreyson Esq Alderman George Morton Esq Alderman Nicholas Fenwick Esq Alderman To John Squire Esq Sheriff And to the rest of the Common Council of the Town and County of Newcastle upon Tyne Right Worshipful and Worshipful THis famous Town over which you preside has always been esteemed a place of very great importance In the year of our Lord 1139. when David King of Scots had taken it by Surprize King Stephen saith one of our a Historians redeemed it with a considerable ransome So considerable saith another that he gave all Cumberland and the Earldome of Huntingdon in exchange for it And as it was thus considerable in those early days so since that time it has grown to such an height as to receive from our great Antiâ—â—ary this very honourable Character â—…bs portu nobilis commerciorum frequentia opibus florentissima Now a Town of this importance as it well deserves so in such times of distruction as we live in it may justly challenge the greatest care and vigilance of those that are intrusted with the Government of it And I do heartily rejoice that I need not fear the least imputation of flattery whilest I proclaim to the World that as there is not any Town which can equal it for Trade Populousness and Wealth so there is none that does surpass it and but very few that equal it in point of Loyalty and Conformity This Happiness and Glory we owe in great measure to that Loyalty and Conformity which shine forth in your own Examples partly also to that great encouragement you give unto the Loyal and Orthodox Clergy of the place but chiefly to the due 〈…〉 your Authority in suppressing Conventicles those nâ—…rious Seminaries of Popery Schism and Rebellioâ—… Nâ—â— are you only careful to preserve Loyâ—… and Conformity for this present Generation but willing also to propagate these rare Vertues to posterity you have erected a School and a Catechetical 〈◊〉 for the instructing poor ignorant people in the principles of Piety Loyalty and Conformity And indeed catechizing is the surest foundation of future Loyalty and the best expedient to secure the Protestant Religion both against Papists and Sectaries Those of the Church of Rome 〈◊〉 long ago 〈◊〉 thus much This Age say they is sadly sensible what mischief Protestants have done this Church especially by those little Books which they call Catechisms And it is as fairly acknowledged by one of note among the Puritans that the shameful neglect of Catechizing gave birth to those numerous and dangerous Sects which were spawn'd in the late times of Anarchy and Confusion If this plain discourse which you have commanded to the Press shall prove any wise serviceable to these Pious and Loyal designs it will afford no small satisfaction to him who is with all sincerity Right Worshipful and Worshipful Your most humble and most obliged Servant John March PSALM XXXIV xi Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. SInce all Scripture is given by Divine Inspiration since it is profitable for Doctrine and able to make men wise unto Salvation it well deserves to be accounted the choicest treasure of Christians and ought to be valued by them as it was by Holy David more than Gold yea than much fine Gold But though all Scripture be of unspeakable worth and excellency yet some parts of Scripture are more excellent than others This Book of Psalms out of which I have chosen my Text has always been allowed precedence of the rest of the Bible Every part of Scripture saith St. Ambrose breathes Divinity but the Book of Psalms transcends all the rest for sweetness Athanasius styles it the Epiâ—… of Scripture and Luther a little Bible St. Basil goes yet higher when he calls it the common store-house and treasury of Souls out of which every Sex every Age all sorts and degrees of men may furnish themselves with such instructions such as will be most suitable to their respective conditions These are high Titles and very honourable Characters this excellent Book hath received from Holy men but it is not possible for the tongues of Men or Angels to invent a greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or put more honour on it than it has already receiyed from the Blessed Jesus For as the Learned Hammond observes Christ though he had the Spirit without measure though he spake as never man spake yet he chose to conclude his Life to entertain himself in his greatest Agony and at last to breath out his Soul in the words of this Book of Psalms rather than his own And as this Book of Psalms surpasses other parts of Scripture for its excellency so among these Psalms themselves some are more excellent and more useful than others It seems it pleased the Holy Ghost that the Sacred Pen-man of these Psalms should take more pains and shew more Art and Skill in the composition of some than in the composition of others and sure where more Art is used and more pains taken there may we very well expect to find greater excellency Now Learned men observe that these seven Psalms 25 37 111 112 119 145 and this 34 are contrived with more Pains and Art than others They are called by St. Austin Abecedarian Psalms as being composed according to the Hebrew Alphabet each Verse like Acrostick Poems beginning with the Letters thereof And it is a tolerable reason which is given by St. Ambrose who tells us they were contrived so that they might be a better help for memory and that Children and young Learners might with their first elements of other Learning have an Alphabet of
knowledge of the Lord nay lastly they must build Churches and make the best provisions they can for the publick service and worship of God and Salvation of Souls These matters as they well deserve so they would require a uery large discourse but as the time will allow me to do no more than name them so I need nor in this place insist any longer on them For we are all witnesses this day of that pious â—aâ—e which has been taken by our Godly Magistrates in this particular This handsome Fabrick they have built and those other provisions they have made to promote Piety and Godliness in this part of the Parish will be a much better and more lasting monument of their Piety towards God and their Charity towards the Souls of men than any I am able to erect for them I pray God reward these their labours of love into their own bosomes and give his Grace to those for whom these charitable provisions are made that they may make a right use and a due improvement of them Now if they would not have all this Charity lost upon them but are indeed willing to improve it to the advantage of their Souls they must be serious in the performance of those two duties King David requires of them they must come and they must hearken Come ye Children â—earken unto me 1. Children and such as are ignorant must come and learn this fear of the Lord. It is their duty to attend upon this important ordinance of Catechizing and repair to such places where these wholsome instructions are to be had Blessed is the man saith Wisdom that heareth me watching daily at my Gates and waiting at the posts of my doors These words saith 〈◊〉 Aben Erra import a diligent and constant standing in the Church or House of Wisdom And it is a good comment which is added by R. Solomon Beatus ille qui primus ingreditur exeatque postremus That man is Blessed saith he who useth to be one of the first that cometh to Church and goeth out with the last always tarrying to take the Ministers Blessing along with him And if men would but seriously reflect on the great evils and mischiefs of Ignorance a very sleight Invitation would be sufficient to bring them to Church and make them willing to be instructed in the fear of the Lord. For Ignorance is that stain and blemish of the Soul which deprives it of the Image of God which is said to consist in Knowledge As Socrates of old observed it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only evil in the world as being the beginning and cause of all others So far is it from being the mother of Devotion as the Papists vainly fansie that it is the mother of all Sin and the unhappy Parent of all misery Mala mens malus Animus Without knowledge saith Solomon the mind cannot be good Strait is the Gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and he that wants eyes will not be able to find it or if he stumble on it be able to walk long in it Knowledge is that Pilot which must guide and conduct us in our course towards Heaven and since in this world we are exposed to so many damnable Errors and deadly Sins we shall undoubtedly make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience if we want our Pilot. And as Ignorance is thus dangerous in it self so it will be more dangerous to continue in it when we are solemnly invited to the means of Knowledge This is the condemnation saith our Saviour that light is come into the world but men love darkness rather than light To be in a state of Ignorance is matter of pity and justly accounted a calamity but to be in love with it and reject Knowledge is the height of wickedness and brings the heaviest condemnation along with it who will not tremble at those comminations which are thundered in the Book of Proverbs against such who hate knowledge and chuse not the fear of the Lord God he tells them plainly He will laugh at their calamity and even mock when their fear cometh Nay he swears They shall not enter into his rest Such therefore as are ignorant have all the reason in the world to accept King David's Invitation and thankfully imbrace all opportunities of learning the fear of the Lord. But 2. They must not only come but they must hearken to their Instructers As the first insinuations of sin were conveyed by the ear into our first Parents so the first inspirations of Grace must have the same entrance Auris est os Animae The Ear is the mouth of the Soul by which she receives Spiritual nourishment Hence is that of the Apostle Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God But it is not enough to come to Church it is not enough to hear we must hearken too if we would perform that duty which is here injoined in the Text. Now it is a known Maxime in Divinity Verba sensus connotant Affectus To hearken therefore imports no less than to receive the truth in the love of it to entertain it with meekness and due reverence and to practise it with all seriousness and conscientious obedience You 'll find this duty thus explained and a considerable motive to enforce it in the Book of Deuteronomy Wherefore it shall come to pass if ye hearken to these Judgements and keep and do them that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the Covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy Fathers and he will love thee and bless thee and multiply thee c. Here ye see blessedness is intailed on hearkening and not on bare hearing Knowledge must issue into action otherwise it will not save us The Egyptians of old painted a Tongue and a Hand under it Now the Hand is the great instrument of Action and so this pretty Hieroglyphick denotes thus much viz. That it is not enough to know it is not enough to talk of Religion but we must practise it If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them I shall conclude with that excellent Collect of our Church Blessed Lord who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning grant that we may in such wise hear them read mark learn and inwardly digest them that by patience and comfort of thy Holy Word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen FINIS a Mâ—…s bury in Novel b Baker in Stephen c Camden Britan. d Foxes and Firebrands The Speeches of Kid c. e See the Statutes made against 〈◊〉 f Catechism Româ—â—â—â—â— g Crofton a 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. b Ambr. Prâ—fat in Psalm c Epitome totius Scripturâ— Athan d Parva Biblia Luth. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil T. 1. f See his Learned Preface to his Annotations on the Psalms g Vide Vâ—tab Genebrard in Poli Synops. ad Psalm 25. h August ad Psalm 118. i Ambr. in Psalm 118. k Moller Prâ—fat Psal. 34. l Heb. 5. 13. 6. 1. m Ephes. 2. 20. n Job 11. 12. o Psal. 51 5. p Aug. Conf. l. 8. c. 5. q Prov. 22. 6. r Jer. 13. 23. s Heb. 6. 1. t Vide Conc. Gerund Can. 4. u Consuetudo apud nos ejusmodi est ut his qui baptisandi sunt per 40 dies publice tradamus Sanctam adorandam Trinitatem Jerom. adv Joh. Hierosol x Vide Conference at Hampton-Court written by Dr. Barlow y Aristot. Pol. l. 1. z Plut. de Audit a 1 Cor. 14. 20. b Psal. 111. 10. c Prov. 1. 7. d Eccles. 12. 13. d Prov. 4. 7. e Job 28. 28. f Vide Hammon L'Estrange Allianc of Liturg. p. 267. g That most excellent Catechism in the Liturgy Dr. Hammâ—nd of Idâ—l 5. 67. h Eâ— vâ—â—o Catechismum brevem quideâ— illâ—… sed in cujus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…sideres Bish. Andrews in oper posth p. 86. Add aâ—… that it was accoâ—…ted by that Parliament which first authorized it as composed by the aid of the Holy Ghost 2 3 Edw. 6. c. 1. i Heb. 10. 24 25. k 1 Cor. 12. 25. l Deut. 31. 11 12. m Ioseph Antiq. lib. 4. c. 8. n Rom. 2. 18. p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q Joh. 21. 15 c. r 1 Cor. 3. 2. Heb. 5. 12. s Rom. 12. 6. See Dr. Ham. ad locum t 2 Tim. 1. 13. u Heb. 6. 1 2. x i. c. Confirmation as Dr. Ham. de Confirm y Eusebius lib. 5. c. 10. z Ibid. l. 6. cap. 3. 12. 22. a Cypr. Ep. 24. b Hieron de Scriptor Ecclesiast c August de Catechâ—s Rudib. d Can. 59. e Lib. 3. 23. f Magdeb. in vita g Canon 77. 79. h Eph. 6. 4. i Gen. 18. 19. k Jos. 24. 15. l Can. 59. m Mat. 5. 33. n 1 Tim. 2. 1 c. o Pol. l. 2. c. 8. p Psal. 82. 6. q Is. 44. 48. r Is. 49. 23. s Heb. 5. 4. t 1 Tim. 5. 17. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. u 2 Chron. 30. 22. x Prov. 8. 34 z Videsis â—stos RR. ciâ—at ap D. Iermin in Proverb a Coloss. 3. 10. b Diog. Laert. c Prov. 19. 2. d Joh. 3. 19. e Prov. 1. 26 29. f Heb. 3. 18. f Rom. 10. 17 g Tu tamen sic audias ista praecepta quomodo si tibi praeciperem qua ratione bonam valetudinem in Ardeatino tuereris Sen. Ep. 105. h Deut. 7. 12. i John 13. 17. Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent