by reformation of the heart who harken after the tune of the tongue and labour of the lips but not how men may be drawne to sanctification in their liues this is it which here the holy Ghost preuents by setting them to Catechising vvithout which indeed the people profit little Doct. According to the generall vse of the word hence may be obserued that Catechising is not onely and alone the dutie of a Minister but also other wayes of instructing and teaching Hee is not onely to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proofe but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 28. 20. as Christ Iesus and his Apostles our perfect examples haue done before vs. Reasons And the reasons for it are manifest because the Minister is to reueale the whole counsell of God to build Acts 20. them vp as well as to lay a foundation also as some need Milke so others strong meate hee is one that must bring forth of his treasurie both new and old varietie of matter fitting the Auditorie for their increase of the knowledge of Gods will in all wisedome and spirituall Col. 1. Heb. 5. 1 Cor. 3. 2 Pâ—t 3. 18. vnderstanding Vse The people should not bee euer such bad schollers to need onely Milke but sometime strong meate so as they may encrease in grace and the knowledge of the Lord Iesus Therefore Ministers must not only giue Milke to such as be carnall dull of hearing 1 Cor. 3. Heb. 5. Babes â—nexpert in the word of righteousnesse as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opâ—â—s habenteslacte non solido cibo which stand in need onely of Milke but also to giue strong meat to them that are oâ— age Motiues which through long custome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euill Reason requireth this that vvhen the foundation is layd the house should be built vp Hee that is taught his letters must be learned to spell and so to reade and to vnderstand what he readeth Thus the Apostle Paul went on with the people as appeareth by his writings and the places quoted Much may be sayd to this purpose but my meaning is not to stand vpon the word here in the largest acception but according to the proper signification and speciall vse thereof the doctrine or position from which is this Doct. That it is a part of the Ministers dutie to Catechise his people Proofe This the Text sheweth where the Apostle setteth out the Minister by the name of a Catechiser and maintenance is here allowed for that worke of his Ministerie from this place other Scriptures confirme also the same 1 Cor. 14. 19. Rom. 2. 18. Heb 5. 6 1. What need reasons to perswade to acknowledge this a Reason dutie Know wee not that euery wise Teacher hath his principles of his Art which hee first deliuereth Children are first to haue Milke before strong meate But to make this poynt fully manifest let vs see what Catechising is for this proued will afford sufficient reasons for this truth Catechising is a diuine ordinance from olde time vsed What Catechising is in Gods Church as a necessary meanes to informe the rudâ—r sort summarily by questions and answeres in the principles of Religion In this definition we may obserue seauen things 1. the authoritie of it in this that it is said to be a diuine ordinance 2. the antiquitie in these words from olde time 3. the necessitie of it being a necessary meanes 4. the vtilitie of it seruing to enforme 5. whom it concerneth what partie ruder sort 6. the forme of it deliuered by question and answere 7. the matter of it the principles of Religion All these points being proued are as many seuerall sound reasons brought forth to prooue position or doctrine deliuered which briefly may be brought into this one Euery necessary meanes of olde time vsed and appoynted by God for instruction of his people in the wayes of saluation is to be vsed of euery faithfull Minister as part of his dutie but such a thing is Catechising as shall in the particulars be proued and therefore to be performed of euery faithfull Minister as part of his dutie 1. I say it is a diuine constitution for it is approued Authoritie for Catechising from God by the word as the former Scriptures shew which is Gods immediate diuine voyce and authoritie as also by his Church which is Gods mediate voyce and authoritie while it agreeth with the written word of God The Scripture mentioneth both Catechising here Gala. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. 6. 1 Cor. 14. 19. as also the Catechised Luke 1. 4. Acts 18. 25. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Rom. 2. 18. It is compared to Milke vvhich the Teacher is to giue from the dugge of Gods Word as the Apostle did 1 Cor. 3. Hebr. 6. 1. and Saint Peter vrgeth such as were Babes 1 Peâ— 2. 2. to desire it Wee see by experience that it is blessed of God to the diligent Teacher and Learner that Sathan doth resist it mans corruption is against it all which doe argue it to be of God and not of man what is of man we easily make much of but the naturall man sauoureth not the things of God It hath also the Churches authoritie euen all the Authoritie from Gods Church Churches of God from time to time as shall be after shewed Here I intend onely to vrge the authoritie of our Mother the Church of England and considering Gods authoritie and hers from God herein I may say with Salomon My Sonne heare thy fathers instruction Prouerb 1. 8. and forsake not thy Mothers teaching Wee haue statute law confirming the Booke of Common-prayer imposing See Rubricke after Confirmation it here God and the King doe speake vnto vs. Wee haue Ecclesiasticall Constitutions in the late Queenes dayes published and now in the last Câ—nons Anno 1571. Can. 59. by which Canon the negligent Minister 1. is to be reproued 2. suspended 3. excammunicated if he reforme not himselfe Heere God and his Church speaketh Wee haue this established by the high Commission in the Prouince of Canterbury Anno 1576. as also by the same in the Prouince of Yorke in Archbishop Edwenâ— time Anno 1583. Here wee haue the highest Ecclesiasticall authoritie speaking Lastly wee haue bookes of Articles from our Ordinaries in euery Diocesse for enquirie into this and the Church wardens are vrged vpon their soleâ—ne Oathes to present the carelesse neglect hereof Thus wee see the authoritie diuine both of God and his Church Secondly I say it hath beene a most auncient practise Antiquitie of â—atechising in the Church from time to time vnto this day It was in Abrahams time and vsed in his house Gene. 14. 14. compared with Cha. 18. 19. the Hebrew word translated brought vp signifieth one entring into Rules or first principles which Aâ—ias Montanus translateth expediâ—â—â— suos initiatoâ— now initiatus is one that is a yong beginner
now in the Church which also be of two sorts Babes in yeeres and Babes in knowledge Babes of two sorts Heb. 5. and 6. though auntient for yeeres both which stand in great neede to be instructed in their Catechisme Euery one is to be taught according to his capacitie whatsoeuer yeeres hee be of so did the Apostle deale with them as we may see in the Epistle to the HEBREVVES It is lost labour to teach preposteâ—ously it is absurd and foolish to take one of good yeeres to learne him to read by our reading to him and not allow him to learne to know his Letters because hee is past a childe so vaine is our labour in Preaching onely to the auncient in yeeres and to omit to Catechise them because they be auncient it was no hinderance we see to the Apostle no more should it be to vs. And thus much for the parties to be Catechised Sixtly The forme and manner of Catechising is a Forme or manner of Catechising briefe deliuery of the principles of religion by way of question and answer And in this doth Preaching and Catechising differ Preaching is a dilating vpon some point bringing it some time into a treatise but Catechising is the contracting of the vvhole into a summe Preaching is a large discoursing vpon some Scripture with the interpretation Doctrines exhortations with application to all sorts but Catechising is a short deliuerie of the grounds of religion onely to the more ignorant and ruder sort Preaching is not exacted to be repeated againe though Saint Chrysostome 4 Hom. ad Heb. may seeme euen in this to haue tryed his negligent hearers Catechising is exacted to be repeated a deliuerie by Catechising and a redeliuerie by the Catechised and that this ought to be so the etymon of the word warrants it For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an Echo the Teachers voyce resounding againe yet not onely the last sillables but the whole matter so in Catechising there must be a voyce and a voyce he that maketh the question and the partie answering Thus did our Sauiour Catechise asking questions of his Disciples Math. 16. 13. 15. Luk. 2. 46. so did Philip Catechise the Eunuch Act. 8. 37. yea the people are charged to make an Echo againe 1 Pet. 3. 15. So did the Disciples to our Sauiour Christ Mark 8. 27. 29. And that this is the right and auncient forme of Catechising wee may iudge by all manner of Catechismes published set out by questions and answeres both with vs in our Church and in all other Churches Which kinde of instruction in this manner is much more profitable than to discourse and dilate vpon a point Sermon-wise which is wast labour to the Teacher as experience sheweth till the people be thus proceeded with all by vvhich the Minister shall discerne of either the knowledge or ignorance of his Parishioners yea themselues shall hereby be made to take knowledge of their blindnesse vvhen they shall perceiue themselues simple and childish in answering this vvill set the people on worke to consider what to answere when in the Ministers teaching alone they sit as carelesse and vnprofitable Hearers as lamentable experience doth shew This will discouer themselues to themselues and preuent their ouer vveening conceits of their owne knowledge and if they answere well hereby they may be commended and the Minister comforted in administring to them holy things yea this will bring loue to the wise and discreet Teacher and procure him reuerence also among his people as the tryall hath made the matter knowne to some In a vvord no way shall a Minister better know his Auditories beginning and growth in knowledge nor the people sooner learne to iudge aright of their Christian faith and religion than by this familiar and plaine manner of Catechising by question and answere Seauenthly and lastly the matter of the Catechisme The matter of Catechising is the principles of Religion or a short abridgement of the holy doctrines of our Christianitie called by the Heb. 5. 12. APOSTLE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elementa principâ—â— Sermonum Dei the ABC of our religion or the rudements of the heauenly Oracles of GOD or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prima principia Sermonis Christi the first principles of the doctrine of Christ or the introduction into Christianisme which be the poynts that we call the Catechisme Foure maine points of the Catechisme The heads whereto all particulars may bee drawne are these foure the doctrine of Faith summed into twelue Articles our duties to God and man gathered briefly into two Tables contayning the ten Commandements The matter of prayer collected into sixe petitions set downe in that paterne of true prayer called the Lords Prayer the doctrine of the Sacraments the seales of Gods couenant which are onely these two Baptisme and the Lords Supper And thus we see into how few heads the principles of our Religion is summed into which abridgements of prayer obedience Warrant for abridgements are made by God the Father and Christ his Son and the Creed by his Church which manner of Epitomizing is warranted in the holy Scriptures very plentifully VVee see how God brought the Law morall into Matth. 22. 27. Eccles 12. 13. ten words and Christ the same into two heads Solomon draweth all his Eccles into a short summe so the Apostle Saint Paul brought the grounds of Christianitie to a few points The Scripture is full of short Aphorismes Heb. 6. 1. which be summary collections of many things largely handled see the summe of religion in Iam. 1. 27. of the Gospell in Iohn 3. 16. the summe of mans dutie in Eccles. 12. 13. the summe of that which shall be done at the last day in 2 Cor. 5. 10. The learned doe thinke that this forme of teaching in so short a manner is to be vnderstood in the place of Saint Paul to Timothie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expressam formaâ— vel exemplar teneto sauorum verborum 2 Tim. 1. 13. as if hee had said I haue set thee a paterne of wholesome words for the manner of deliuering thereof the heads whereof are these two Faith and Charitie in Christ Iesus As also in that place to the Romanes Rom. 6. 17. 12. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 formam doctrinae so in an other place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Analogie or proportion of Faith according to which we must teach secundum mensuram nostram after our gift giuen holding the rule of the word the forme of doctrine and the analogie of Faith Lastly this course of teaching first the principles of religion both Greeke and Latin Fathers haue followed as Zanchie witnesseth And thus by Lib de sac Scrip. in orat praefixâ— pag. 34. the full proofe of all the particulars in the definition of Catechising I haue giuen I hope sufficient reasons of the position set downe that it is our dutie to
is wicked and wilfull and so your condemnation the more iust except you amend But why doe you stand so much vpon your late Popish forefathers and neglect your Ancestors before them shall the grosse ignorance of the latter more harden vs in an ill course than the grace of the former in purer times stirre vs vp vnto goodnesse let this vanitie and vaine folly and madnesse indeed be farre from vs. When these come into your minde thinke whither it is better to follow them than our father Abraham the blessed Apostles the holy Saints in their time and our first forfathers receiuing religion submitting themselues to be Catechised when they were brought to the faith of Christ before Popery tooke possession of them Obiect But peraduenture yet you haue this more to say that you are olde and past learning and therefore will thinke to be excused Remember that olde age acquiteth none from iudgement for the man that is an hundred yeere olde Esa 65. 20. and vvicked is accursed vvee may not therefore liue wilfully in sinne because we be olde Olde folke for preseruation of bodily life will eate childrens foode and are you too olde to desire the Milke of the Word for the soules safety Againe the older so much the neerer the graue and therefore haue the greater cause to learne to prepare for death by knowing such things as bee most necessary to saluation Olde folke can learne such things as be for the body and can giue their mindes to remember them in cases of need why not then heauenly and spirituall knowledge the cause is for that indeed they are like soulelesse men not caring at all what may befall them in the life to come But to take this excuse away that olde age is past learning there are and haue beene many persons olde which haue learned the Catechisme so as all old persons are not past learning but such as indeed are past grace and so if they remaine are past hope of saluation The ancient in dayes and the multitude of yeeres should teach wisedome and shall olde age now not Iob 32. 7. onely be full of ignorance but also a supporter of the same blindnesse in the middest of such cleare light and so great varietie of the meanes to bring them to this light God forbid to whom I leaue you to bring you to a better minde But if you be past learning then from experience of your former lost time and inhabilitie now to learne thinke vpon such as be yong vnder you send them that they may not follow your steps and plead ignorance and vncapablenesse at your yeeres saue yours if yee cannot vse the sauing meanes for your selues Obiect But me thinkes I heare some say that euen the sending of their seruants is great detriment vnto them for by being restrained of their libertie thus they are not vvilling to serue them and so hardly can eyther get or keepe them Brother If this be so know it is for want of Catechâ—sing for if euery Master would discharge this duetie as they by law and conscience are bound whither should such iâ—religious seruants goe from the presence of the Lord But this is not euery where so good and godly seruants vvill seeke to good and godly places as for other seruants if thou thy selfe truely fearest God thou wilâ— as gladly be rid of them as they would be going from thee Abraham wanted no seruants though he had care to Catechise them nor Cornelius vvho was a deuout man fearing God with all his householde Vse well seruants reward the well-doers and thou shalt not want such as will serue thee faithfully and constantly As for libertie afford it vnto them out of thy owne sixe dayes of seauen seasonably and conueniently and let them not robbe thâ— Lord of his onely one day in seauen Remember that thy seruant should be to thee more precious than a beast yet what difference makest thou if not in this matter of religion thou feedest yea cloathest giuest libertie rest warme harbour and dressing to thy beast to haue the vse of him for thy seruice and if thou neglect thy seruants soule doest thou any more esteeme or make of him than of thy beast looking onely to his body for bodily seruice and therefore thou mayest not neglect this good of his soule for who so doth hath his seruant but as in place of a reasonable beast but not as a Christian soule See then Masters what you doe herein and you seruants behold such Masters to you as Turkes and your selues as their beast-like slaues bodily and Sathans spiritually but of this thus much concerning Catechising or teaching the first thing to be obserued in the person to be maintained Now followeth to shew what it is he must teach and from what in these words In the Word By Word here is ment the holy Scriptures and more specially the doctrine of the Gospell which in the new Testament by an excellency is called the Word Actes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts. 14. 25. 16. 6. which in verse 10. is expounded to bee the Gospell so also vsed in other places Doct. Hence obserue That the doctrine of the Gospell is a word of great excellencie therefore wee see it here by a speciall manner of speaking to be called the Word as if there were no word else besides Proofe and for further proofe hereof the H. Ghost addeth elsewhere something to set out the excellency thereof it is called the Word of the Maâ—th 13. 19. Acts 13 26. 5. 20. Iohn 5. 25. 1 Pet. 4. 6. Heb 4. 12. Kingdome the Word of Saluation the Word of Life Reasons For it shewes what Christs kingdome is it is the instrumentall meanes for our saluation and causeth the dead to liue according to God in the Spirit vnto euerlasting life hence is it said to be liuely and mighty in operation Vse This teacheth vs to esteeme highly of the doctrine Acts 13. 48. of the Gospell to receiue it with great gladnesse as the Church hath done glorifying the Word of the Lord. Motiues For it is the glad tidings of peace it is the onely curing Salue to the accusing conscience the Law killeth this maketh aliue that terrifyeth this comforteth that saith discedite maledicts Away depart ye cursed ones but this venite benedicts Oh come ye blessed of the Lord receiue the kingdome prepared for you that is the law of bondage this of libertie therein we behold onely the Iustice of God and our miserie herein our happie deliuerance and Gods great vnspeakeable mercy Blesse the Lord therefore and let them be made much of who bring these glad tydings of great ioy vnto all his people for beautifull are their feet Esa 52. 7. Doct. Secondly hence may vvee obserue That the Word of God is the matter of the Ministery for the instruction of the people Proofe vvhich may appeare most true by these Scriptures Matthew 28. 20. 2 Timoth. 4. 2. 1 Câ—rinth 4. 6. and
the example of Christ in teaching Iohn 8. 28. and also his Apostles Acts 26. 22. Reasons For it onely maketh knowne his Will vnto vs and is the instrument of conuersion by which the spirit vvorketh Luke 11. 28. Reuel 1. 3. effectually in all such as are ordayned to be saued and maketh blessed such as beleeue and obey the same Vse Let vs then of the Ministery study the Scriptures 1 Tim. 4. 13. Motiues 2 Pet. 1. Acts 26. 18. and giue attendance to the reading of them to exhortation and doctrine out of them for it onely is a sure Word it conuerteth the Soule turning man from darknesse to light from Sathan vnto God and a word 1 Cor. 14. mighty in operation to discouer man vnto himselfe to make him throw downe himselfe and cast down euery 2 Cor. 10. imagination and high thought exalted against GOD and to bring them into obedience It maketh vs wise 2 Tim. 3. and perfect to euery good worke and it is sufficient for instruction correction confutation and doctrine and this onely is it Reprehension which God hath appointed and which he will assist with his spirit in sauing his people This iustly condemneth those of a fault who being Ministers yet study least the Scriptures as if they were too shallow for their deepe wits and too vulgarly knowne for them to bestow their studies in and therefore delight neither in reading nor teaching vvhat they say but vvhat man sayth but as these seeke themselues so they loose the Lord and authoritie in the hearts of his people videant ipsi they haue their reward The position or doctrine being true it also condemneth the practise of our aduersaries vvho feede their auditories with vaine Philosophie lying Legends Poeticall fictions dreames and Sophisticall Schoole quidities Popish decrees and humane Constitutions which is to infect and poyson the people vvith falsehoods errours superstition and Idoll seruice fit for that Antichrist not to feed the flocke of Christ with wholesome doctrine which these little regard and so all such as delight onely to tickle the eare to get to themselues a prayse of humane eloquence or to deliuer sayings here and there and euery where except the sayings of Christ his Prophets and Apostles Apocrypha before and more often then the Canon of Scripture Which I speake not any way to derogate from the iust prayses of learning and eloquence they are Gods excellent gifts to be honoured and commended for the Ministery necessary and in the Preaching of the word to be vsed so it be in spirituall vvisedome and in that holy grace of humilitie for the Churches edification and not our owne prayse so in some cases before some kinde of auditory in handling of some matter to vse Philosophie testimonies humane is not vnlawfull as the learned shew and else-where my selfe In the faithfull Shepheard haue published which I note lest here I be mistaken And thus much for the first part of my Text concerning vs of the Ministery THE SECOND PART Of the Ministers maintenance NOw followeth the second part which Second part of the Text. concerneth the people vvho are to maintaine the Ministery wherein were obserued two circumstances first the partie exhorted secondly the duety to be performed For the first the person exhorted to maintaine the MINISTER is euery one without any exception that is taught in the word the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly ment of such a one as is instructed by word of mouth in the Christian faith before he be Baptised which was the Churches custome when persons of yeeres were conuerted to the Christian religion but here it is taken for all hearers such as be in their Catechisme and such as be more expert in the word whither they be instructed publikely or priuately of their Pastours and Ministers so the word is vsed as well for those in the Church as for those that are to be admitted into the Church Rom. 2. 18. Where the Apostle calleth a Teacher of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore here it is as if the Apostle had said you Galatians vvhich haue Teachers instructing you giuing either to the weaker Milke or to other strong meate you so taught are to maintaine them for that their office and Ministery Doct. Whence we may obserue That the learner is to maintaine his Teacher the Catechised the Catechiser the Parishioner his Pastour the Hearer of what degree soeuer his Instructour Proofe This is the principall point here intended in these vvordes which is further proued by this same Apostle by many reasons else-where in 1 Cor. 9. Reas This is an Apostolicall constitution and the Lords ordinance for the maintenance of the Ministery vnder the Gospell as well as vnder the law that Ministers may be encouraged in the execution of their office and that there may be a continuance of the Ministery which without maintenance would not be Vse Therefore you our Hearers are to make conscience of this duetie which make no conscience of it and you that doe make conscience thereof to continue so still Foure principall dueties people owe to their Teachers There be foure principall dueties vvhich you the people are to performe to their Pastours and Ministers the first is to heare them which all but Atheists and Papists vvill doe vaine Sectaries idle-headed Schismatickes and such also among vs which be in loue vvith their sinnes and so cannot away to heare them spoken against The second is to reuerence their Persons receiuing them as Christs Ambassadours which the truely conuerted will doe but the proud and prophane will not The third is to obey them and submit your selues vnto them in the Lord which onely those refuse who cannot away to be restrayned from their liberty of sining The fourth is to loue and to allow them maintenance which the couetous worldling cannot away to heare of But to moue you let these reasons preuaile with you Pastours are spirituall parents who beget men vnto Motiues 1 Cor. 4. 15. Phil. Vers 19. People must maintaine their Pastours Deut. 25. 4. God who therefore doe owe themselues vnto them as children vnto Parents It is the Law of Nations and a common equitie that such as labour for the common good of all should be maintained by them all this man yeeldeth to the labouring Oxe and the law so prouided It is a charge laid vpon you by Gods Law Deut 12. 19. 1 Tim. 5. 17. and this is grounded vpon the former common equitie verse 18. Euery trade and calling is able to maintaine them that honestly with diligence labour therein And is the Ministerie so base as that it should set the Ministers on begging which attend vpon it He that goeth on vvarrefare liueth not on his owne cost the labourer hath his hyre the Shepheard feedes of the Milke of the flocke Now Ministers are watchmen labourers in the Lords Vineyard and Shepherds set ouer their flockes and therefore are to eate