A CATECHISME briefly opening the misterie of our redemption by Christ hauing the â—roâ—es of euery point so annexed and ioined vnder euery answer that the ruder sort of people may be much furthered thereby if they vvould vse a little diligence and endeuour to commit it to memory or be much conuersant in reading thereof or if they cannot read in hearing it read by others vnto knovvledge and godlinesse Philipp 1.9.10 And this I pray that your Loue may yet more and more abound in knovvledge and all Iudgement that ye may knovv things vvhich differ that ye may be syncere and go forvvard in a blamelesse course vntill the day of Christ Prouerb 3.13.14.15 Blessed is the man that findeth vvisdome and the man that getteth vnderstanding For the merchandise therof is better then the merchandise of siluer and the gaine therof is better then gold it is more pretious then pearles and all that thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto her Seene and allowed by authoritie Printed by W. How for Henry Car and are to be sold at the Blasing starre in Paules Churchyard To the Right worshipful maister Henry Warner Esquier the vertuous Gentlewoman his wife T.S. wisheth grace and mercie from God thorough Christ Iesus and daily supplie of all godlinesse and vertue the right directors to and augmentors of all true worship THe Lord Right worshipfull the most wise disposer of all actions hauing giuen vnto me his least able minister an entrance into the Towne of Mildenhall to publish there in the cares of that great people according to his grace bâ—stowed vpon me his glorious Gospell I was streightway after I had some knowledge of their state moued with compassion towards them and framed my selfe so neere as I could to vse such a familiar and plaine kind of teaching as I thought to serue most for their vnderstanding and capacitie And although I had not granted vnto mee which was neuer yet granted to any faithfull minister to please approue my doings to all yet a fewe skorners set apart which seem as the Prophet speaketh Eâ—â—â—â—â— To haue made a couenant with death and to bee at an agreement with hell being more deuout to serue Bacchus then the true God and therfore can like of no Prophet except such as saith an other Scripture Can walke in a liing spirit Mich. 2.11 and prophesie vnto them of wine and strong drinke And a few other which being altogether worldly minded be frosen in their dregges which seeme to haue made their large Fen their God it pleased God to make the rest likers allowers of the holy doctrine wishing to haue the same continued amongst them and willing to impart something of their substance vnto the disposer towards his maintenance and liuing In the behalfe of these Sir I doo vnfainedly thanke blesse God the Father Lord of heauen and earth by his Sonne Christ conceiuing no small hope through his blessing of their more increasing and growing in faith and godlines which God grant vnto them for his Christ his sake Amen In the behalfe of those I do earnestly pray inforcing my selfe in all my doctrine Iude. 23. as the Apostle Iude saith to saue them with feare and to pull them out of the fire wishing that at any time God would giue them repentance that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the Diuell But if they will not heare this My soule shall weepe in secrete for their pride Ierem. 13.17 as the Prophet speaketh mine eie shall weepe drop downe teares to see Gods iudgementes vpon them And now if I might speake of your worship without suspition of flatterie coorying of fauour by your diligent attending vpon the hearing accompaned alwaies with your vertuous wife most godlily likewise disposed to heare the holy word of God and so much as might be your whole familie And by your good countenaÌ„ce most cheerefully shewed vnto me a poore minister of God that I may not speake of other your beneficence towardes mee you most euideÌ„tly declared not only what loue your selfe had vnto the truth of God that is his word his pure and holy worship but also your care by your godly exaÌ„ple to draw others to like and allow of the same that so Christ Iesus might be enterteined his kingdome erected at Mildenhall And I cannot forget how which did declare your desire and care to haue the word of Gods grace that is the Gospel continued at Mildenhall for the saluation of the people you spake to the Right honorable the Lord North comming ouer to his house at Mildenhall not only to shew me his fauourable countenance for my continuance at Mildenhal but also to procure me a more ample and large salery and stipend which thing his Honour of his godly disposition vnto Religion was willing to doo In consideration of these things as they concerne Gods glorie first I giue God hartie thanks Secondly as they concerne the helpe of me his Minister not otherwise knowing how to requite any way your Worships good will as a testimonie of a gratefull minde I bestowe vpon your Worship the vertuous Gentlewoman your wife a litle Catechisme which I haue lately made in my small iudgement not altogether vnfit for indeed I laboured to make it fit for the state of the inhabitants of Mildenhall not for any great vse of your selues for I verily perswade my selfe that you haue not now neede to learne the first principles of the word of God but are able to disiest much stronger meat but for the vse of your babes your two sonnes and daughter and others which afterwards it may please God to giue and blesse you withall whome I doo not doubt to be instructed in the principles of Religion so soone as they haue laid away their stammering tongues according to Gods commaundement giuen to all parents Deut. 6.7 without exception of degree Psal 78. â„£ sâ— 5 6 7. Ephes 6.4 and condition in the world it will be vnto you both no little care and studie which that it may be so I shall daily pray Accept good Sir of this mine enterprise as I trust you will And thus I take my leaue beseeching God that yee doo none euill that his good graces may be multiplied vpon you and that your whole spirit soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Your worships in all godly dutifulnes most readie Thomas Settle To the Christian Reader and especiallie to the inhabitantes of Mildenhall in the Countie of Suffolke for whose cause chiefly this little Catechisme was written grace mercie and peace AFter so many Catechismes of so many good and godly men had beene already published in our Church if thou demaundest why nowe I doe aduenture the publishing of this of mine as though I would seem to accuse them of some negligence or want in that behalfe or to ad vnto them I aunswere that my mind
thrée places Paule setteth foorth the power of the Holy ghost in begetting of faith by the outward ministrie of his preaching In the fift chapter to the Galathians Paule saith Galat. 5.22 The fruit of the spirite is loue ioy peace long suffering gentletlenesse goodnesse faith meekenesse temperancie Qu. What men are meet for the planting of faith An. Those onely that haue a féeling of their owne miserie and woe due from Gods instice for their sinnes For those onely dooth Christ call in the eleuenth of Mathew saying Math. 11 28 Come vnto me all yee that are weary and laden and I will ease you In the second of the Acts we read that those that were pricked in their harts and said vnto Peter and the other Apostles Acts. 2. â„£ se 37 38 39. Men and brethren what shall we do immediatly after beléeued Qu. To what head or point of religion do you refer this sorrow and trembling conceiued of the sight of Gods displeasure for sinne An. To the point of Repentance Acts. 2 â—7 as a foregoer thereof in the elect Qu. What is Repentance An. Repentance is a turning froÌ„ sin vnto God What Repentance is that is to say a framing of our whole life to obey him And the word that the Scripture vseth most commonly to expresse it by doth signifie a change or alteration of the minde That new birth which our sauiour Christ speaketh of in the 3. of Iohn vnto Nicodemus is nothing but RepeÌ„tance Iohn 3 3. It is called Regeneration Regeneration or Repentance hath two parts represented in baptisme that is Dying vnto sinne called mortification termed in the Scripture circumcision of the hart And newnesse at life Both these partes of repentance are in sundrie places of the Scriptures expressed As in the 2. chapter vnto Titus in these words Titus 2. â„£ se 11 12. For that grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs to deny vngodlines and worldly lusts this is Mortification and to liue sobeâ—ly righteously and godly in this present world this is Newnesse of life In the 2. to the Collossians these two parts are also expressed where the Apostle saith Coloss 2. â„£ s 11 12. In whom also ye are circumcised with circumcisioÌ„ made without hands by putting off the sinfull body of the flesh through the circumcision of Christ in that ye are buried with him thorough baptisme Ephes 4. â„£ se 22 23.24 in whom ye are also raised vp together through the faith of the operation of God In the 6. of the epistle to the Romans Rom. 6.4 and in the 4. of the first epistle of Peter both these parts are manifestly expressed 1. Pet. 4. â„£ se 1 2. the one procéedeth of the force of Christs death the other of his n = * Phil. 3 10. resurrection Qu. How is repentance wrought in mans hart An. By the holy ghost in preaching of the lawes and the gospell John 3 5. Except a man saith Christ be borne of water and the Holy ghost he caÌ„not enter into the kingdome of God Againe Paule saith in the 6. of his first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus by the spirit of our God And againe in the 3. chapter of the secoÌ„d epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 1 12. But we all behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face and are chaunged into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. Qu. You haue proued that Repentance is the worke of the Holy ghost Now proue that it is in the ministry of the law and the gospell An. In the 1. chapter of Titus it is commaunded Titus that he should sharply rebuke the Cretians Titus 1. â„£ se 12 13. because one of their own prophets witnesseth that they were alwaies liers euill beasts slow bellies that they may bée sound in the saith Rom. 3.20 The whole Scripture both the law the gospell saith the same Apostle in the 3. of his 2. Epistle to Timothie 2. Timoth. 3. â„£ se 16 17. is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to conuince to correct and to instruct c. thus much for the ministry of the lawe For the gospell Our Sauiour Christ saith in the fiftenth of Iohn Nowe are yee cleane through the word that I haue spoken vnto you Iohn 15 3. Also Peter saith in the 1. chapter of his first epistle Being borne againe not of mortall seede but of immortall 1. Pet. 1.23 by the word of God Lastly in the twenty and six of the Acts it is witnessed that Paule was sent by Iesus Christ by preaching the gospell vnto the Gentiles To open their eies Acts. 26 18. that they might turne from darknes to light and from the power of Satan to God that they might receiue forgiuenes of sinnes inheritance among them that were Sanctified by faith in him Thus it is plaine that Repentance is the worke of the Holy ghost by the ministry of the law and the gospell Qu. Whether is faith before Repentance or Repentance before faith An. The question is busie there is no doubt but faith repentance are very nigh adioined as touching their beginning as is the cause and the effect Let it suffice vs to know that when a sinner thorow the preaching of the lawe is throwne downe to the sight of his deserued damnation by the auenging iustice of God that theÌ„ if he be Gods elect faith in Gods promise of saluation in Christ is wrought in him by the preaching of the gospell whervpon followeth an hatred of sinne and care to auoid it a loue of righteousnes and care to doo it which are especiall effects of repentance in token of thankefulnesse for saluation by Christ The Scripture in sundry places doth ascribe sanctification and purging of the hart vnto faith As in the twentie and six of the Acts Acts. 26 18 That they may receiue forgiuenes of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in mee Againe in the 15. He put no difference betweene vs and them after that by faith he had purified their harts Now Sanctification regeneration repentance being all one it followeth that they are effects of faith Further because without faith as the Apostle saith in the 11. to the Hebrewes it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11 6. in another place Rom. 14.23 What soeuer is not of faith is sinne We haue most warrant to think that faith is before repentance Notwithstanding some writers are of mind that some part of repentance goeth before faith and some part followeth as an effect therof Qu. When ceaseth repentance in men An. When men cease altogether to sin But sin doth not cease to be in the
written that we are therfore deliuered by Christ from our enemies Hell Death and Damnation that wee shoulde serue God without feare all the daies of our life in holines and righteousnes before him and in another place that wee should liue soberly Tim. 2 â„£ se 12. righteously and godlye in this presente worlde And in another place That if anye bee in Christ hee must be a new creature 2 Cor 5. And againe Follow peace with all men Heb 12. and holynesse without the which no man shal see the Lorde And to the same effecte there are infinite testimonies of holie Scripture But I would suche mocke-gods were once mindfull of their wofull state which maye rather bee tearmed incarnate Diuels then Christian meÌ„ or members of the holy body of Christ so long as they continue so desperately nought I would good reader either thine or mine admonition might doe some of them good Farewell in Christ and let vs pray in the spirit for the peace and prosperity of Zion our gratious Souereigne Thine in Christ Th. Settle A fardle of Christian duties needful to be taken vp and borne of all such as trauaile towards eternall life according as euery of their callings require 1. That all Christian men and women are bound to go to Church or the place appointed for Gods worship namely where Gods word is preached praiers and Sacraments ministred to ioyne themselues in fellowship in those holy exercises of religion that so they may growe vp in true Christianitie BVt yee shall séeke the place which the Lorde your God shall choose out of all your tribes Deut 12 verse 5. to put his name there and there to dwel thither thou shalt come This place was vnder the lawe Ierusalem or where Gods Arke and tabernacle was pitched And now since Christes birth is all places of the worlde where Gods word and sacramentes are truely preached and ministred It shall be in the last dayes Esay 2 ver 2. that the mountains of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the top of the mountains and shall bée exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flowe vnto it And And many people shall go say Micha 4 1. Come and lette vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lorde to the house of the God of Iacob and hee will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his pathes And they that dwell in one Citie shall goe vnto an other Zachar. 8 â„£ 21 22. saying Vp let vs goe and pray before the Lorde One must prouoke another to go to the assembliâ—s and seeke the Lord of hostes I will go also Yea great people and mightie nations shall come to séeke the Lord of hostes in Ierusalem and to pray before the Lord. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thée Psal 84 â„£ se 5 6 7. whose heart are in thy wayes They going through the vale of Baca make welles therein c. They go from strength to strength till euerie one appeare before God in Zion Then a shower of rayne ought not to bee an excuse for any to absent himselfe from the holie assemblies as many a one of our daintie Christians doe in these dayes make it 2. Examples of the meetings of Christians for the hearing of the word prayer and administration of Sacraments ANd they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship Acts 2 42. and fellowship breaking of bread and praiers And they continued daily with one accorde in the temple Acts 2 46. and breaking of bread at home And daily in the temple Acts 5 46. from house to house they ceased not to teach and preach Iesus Christ And the next Saboth day came almost the whole Cittie together to heare the word of God Acts 13 44. And the first day of the wéeke the Disciples beeing come together to breake bread Acts 20 7. Paule preached vnto them readie to depart on the morow continued the preaching vntill midnight When yée come togeather therefore into one place 1 Cor 11 20 this is not to eate the Lords Supper 3. Examples of the seruantes of God reioicing to go to the assemblies of God and to see others goe And of the seruants of God complaining sorrowing for the want of the holie assemblies when as by persecution they were hindered and of their desires to be there I Reioised when they said to me Psal 122 â„£ se 1 2. we wil go into the house of the Lord. Our féet shall stand in thy gates O Ierusalem O Lord of hostes how amiable are thy tabernacles Psal 84 verse 1 2 3. My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the courtes of the Lorde for my heart and my flesh reioice in the liuing God Yea the sparrow hath founde her an house and the swallow a nest for her where she may lay her young euen by thy altars O Lord of hostes my king and my God Blessed are they that may dwell in thine house they will euer praise thée As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water Psal 42 verse 1 2 3 4. so panteth my soule after thée O God My soule lusteth for God euen for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God My teares haue béene my meat day night while they daily say vnto me where is thy God WheÌ„ I remeÌ„bred these things I poured out my verie heart because I had gone with the multitude and ledde them into the house of God c. And he said that is Dauid vnto Saule Wherefore doth my Lorde thus persecute his seruant 1 Sam 26 18 19. for what haue I done or what euill is in my hande Nowe therefore I beseech thée lette my Lorde heare the wordes of his seruant If the Lorde haue stirred thée vp against mee lette him smell the sauour of a Sacrifice But if the children of men haue done it cursed be they before the Lorde For they haue cast mee out this day from abyding in the inheritaunce of the Lord God saying goe serue other Gods Hezekia hearing the message of death from the Lorde Esay 38. â„£ se 1 2 3 18 19. praied and wept not for feare of death but as the whole chapiter doth euidently declare because he should no longer liue to praise God in his sanctuarie and to growe vp among the people of God in more graces to promote Gods glorie For sayth hee after hee had promise of life The graue cannot confesse thée death cannot praise thée they that goe downe into the pitte cannot hope for thy truth But the liuing the liuing hée shall confesse thée as I doe this day the father to the children shall declare thy truth One thing haue I desired of the Lorde that I will require Psal 27 4. euen that I maye dwel in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord to