DAVID'S CATECHISM. By E. A. MICAH 7.8. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, though I fall I shall rise again. PSAL. 94.17. If the Lord had not helped me, my soul had almost dwelled in silence. LONDON, Printed by G. ELD. 1623. TO The right Honourable, right Reverend, right Worshipful, Worshipful; and all his religious, worthy, faithful Friends: with the Oblation of his Mite, E. A. wisheth the increase of honour and happiness here; and everlasting joy and felicity hereafter. YOU, who are the Centre of my divided distracted affections, in whose retained favour they meet and are united: the knowledge of your devotion unto GOD, and affection unto myself, whilst I lived and exercised my Ministry amongst you, and the experience thereof in my extremity, when my pains in Catechising and Preaching was rewarded with no little damage to my function, state, and person, presses me out of press, to send this little Tractate, with the grateful acknowledgement of what I own unto you: For those that know me well, well know, that I own you more than I am, besides that debt, which though I daily pay can never satisfy. Accept this then, I beseech you, such as it is (for unto you it is due) with the best interpretation, Sorrow being the Scribe, and Distraction the Inventor. I bring you here in a plain dish, not curiously dressed, such a service as I well know your soul loveth; which, I suppose, some Dogs will be snarling or snatching at, till vengeance, that dogs them at the heels, jesabel like, devours or excludes them aedibus sedibus. Holy things than be wholly theirs that be holy: matters divine for persons devout are most fit for use and employment. I have therefore unto you dedicated this little Catechism of DAVID's because you are loyal, of the fear of GOD, because you are religious. It is little that you may read it, plain that yours also may understand it. It hath Antiquity, and necessity; profit, and pleasure to plead for it: entertain it then, if you please; it will pleasure you for Confirmation, and yours for Information: And the LORD multiply upon you both, his best blessings, for CHRIST JESUS his dear Son's sake. AMEN. Yours in all humble observance, obliged and devoted, EDWARD ALPORT. The Author being absent at the impression, the Printer prayeth you to correct these faults. IN the second page of the Epistle place a parenthesis before (sorrow, and after Author). p. 1. l. 11 for this read the. p. 8. l. 27. for ever r. even. p. 10. l. 4. for perior r. pronior. p. 10. l. 11. for tread r. lead. p. 12. l. 13. place the comma at well after then. p. 22. l. 19 for of r. hereof. p. 23. l. 27. for ACAE r. ACHAB. p. 27. l. 13. for hands r. hand. TO THE READER. Christian READER, I Conceive how difficult an adventure it is, to put my poor Talon unto public view, seeing greater graces kept in silence: But, I know how hard it is to hide, and therefore deem it better to hazard it then myself. View then the matter which may pleasure thee, and favour the Author with the furtherance of thy prayers; and the Author of every good gift, give thee faith and fear here, and the end of both hereafter: In suit for which, I remain pressed ever ready unto any Christian Office. Thine in all Christian duty, E. A. DAVID 's Catechism. SInce the ancient and laudable constitution of our Church, and profitable practice therein of Catechising Children is so much slighted and neglected in this declining age of the world, that many, not caring for GOD, fall out with the Man and means which should make them good and godly. It hath pleased this King's sacred Majesty, in his princely care of his people, and zeal unto God's glory, (by especial Command) to revive the same. I, though the meanest of my brethren, yet a Minister of the Gospel of Christ, thought it my duty, not only to perform the same in my particular charge; but also (according unto my ability) to publish unto the view of others, the Antiquity and necessity thereof, in the exposition of these words of the Psalmist, Psal. 34.11. Come ye Children, Text, Psal. 34.11 harken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. In handling of which words, I will speak; First, Division. of the Parties who are invited to Harken; Children: Come ye Children, harken unto me. Secondly, of him that will teach them, DAVID; a Prince, and a Prophet: I will teach you. Thirdly, and lastly, the Lesson which he will learn them, The fear of God: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. First, concerning the Parties who are invited to hearken, I observe these three things: 1, their Name. 2, their Invitation. 3, their Direction. First, their Name: Children. Secondly, their Invitation: Come. Thirdly, their Direction: Harken. Come ye Children, harken. By name they are called children, Varro. Pueri, quasi puri; as juvenis from juvans: a child is called puer, because he is Pure. I know that Children in this place, may be taken for all Inferiors, and subordinate estates of men: yea, an old man too, Isai. 65.20. Puer contum annerum. whose age hath snowne down winter upon his head; whose hairs be heralds of prudence, centum annorum, may be a child, for his puerisenes. How be it, the ancient Fathers use the word more strictly, either for them who had newly received the faith; or else for Children, who learned the rudiments of Religion, whom they elsewhere termed, Catechumenoi; Tertul. de poenit. for Tertullian hath these words, Nemo sibi aduletur, quia inter auditorum tyrocinia deputatur, etc. where he understandeth by Auditors, hearers; those only who are named altogether by Origen, Catechumenoi, who are taught the principal doctrines of Christian Religion: And S. Cyprian saith: that, Cypr. epist. lib. 32. epist. 22. Optarus. With consent of Ministers, Teachers and Readers, he ordained Optatus, doctorem audientium: A teacher or instructor of hearers, id est, of young men who were catechised. Pantaenus. Such a Teacher of such Hearers was Pantaenus, immediately after the Apostles time, Clemens in the Church of Alexandria, whom Clemens succeeded in the same Office: and after him followed Origen, Origen. Clemen's Scholar, being chosen and ordained by Demetrius, then Bishop of Alexandria: Hercules. Greg. Nyss. Orat. 1. and Hercules succeeded Origen. Again, Gregory Nissen, in his first Oration, giveth us to understand; that, The Pastors of the Church, in the beginning, auditoribus proponerent, did deliver unto their Auditors, or hearers, certain easy lessons of Religion, as it were their A, B, C; & then by degrees they explained and opened unto them more hard and hidden mysteries of Divinity. All which serve for proof of what I have alleged already, to wit; that, by Children, the ancient Fathers understand their Catechumenoi, young men trained up in the rudiments of Christian Religion. They therefore, who are to learn the doctrine of the beginning of Christ, Heb. 6.11. Mat. 18.3. as the Apostle speaketh, they I say are styled Children. And CHRIST saith: Nisi conversi ac facti ut pueruli, nequaquam ingrediemini in regnum Coelorum, which Christ himself hath demonstrat in his own person, becoming a Child for us, and leading us the way. These, I say, are in many things like unto those Catechumenoi I spoke of before; for, they were taught a Catechism, id est, A Christian form of Religion; and so must these: they gave an account of their faith; and so must these: they learned plain and easy doctrine: at the first, but afterwards increased in all knowledge in heavenly things; and so must these. Now, as in some things the condition of these much resembleth theirs; so, in others (through the favour & grace of GOD) they fare excel them: for, these are descended of christian parents; those were born, some of Infidels, some of Heretics, some of mere strangers from the covenant of grace. With these, Baptism goeth before instruction, and Catechising: with those, Catechising went before Baptism. This I prove by the seventh decree of the first Council of Constantinople, 1. Conc. Constantinop. Can. 7. where the right or custom in the western Churches of receiving Heretics, after hearty sorrow and repentance for their sin, is described. The Decree speaketh thus: The first day we admit them to be Christians, the next day Catechumenoi, id est, young Scholars in the faith: Elementarios ac quasi fidei tyrones: they are the words of the Council: The third day we receive them, Ter insufflando, by breathing three times into their faces and ears; and then we baptise them for men borne of unbelieving parents, or Heretics, or Infidels. The Council did well to provide, that they should make confession of their faith before they received that Sacrament, which is the seal of our adoption. But for us, who are descended of the faithful, we are baptised in our infancy; because, that as the Covenant of Circumcision, made unto Abraham, did belong unto all the Children of Abraham; so doth Baptism, which succeedeth in the place of Circumcision, belong unto all the Children of the faithful. What then? must they therefore refuse instruction who are baptised already? No verily; for, they are baptised, that, as soon as they are able to comprehend, with all Saints, the good will of GOD; so soon they should begin to learn to know GOD, and to set forth his glory, according to the charge at Baptism: and therefore this custom of Catechising, and teaching Children the rudiments of Religion, is so ancient as DAVID himself; and so much in use in the Apostles time, that the Apostle Saint Paul, Gal. Gal. 6.6. useth the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, him that is taught, & him that hath taught him; as our English hath in most translations: We might as well translate him that is catechised, & him that hath catechised him: for, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noteth as much as Personare, or Circumsonare, To have our ears sound again with wholesome precepts taught or catechised. Tull. Offic. lib. 1. Tully doth express this word to the life, saying: Vtile est aures tuas talibus vocibus undique circumsonare. As this custom of Catechising hath been ancient: so, how needful it is, Necess. experience can witness; for, Catechise and instruct Young men and Children in the fear of the Lord, and the knowledge of his Commandments, they will take delight therein while they live: as otherwise, and much rather, teach them fables, lies, and vanities, & they will never forget them; like to the Cask, Quo semel est i●buta recens serv●●● odorem Testa diu Horat. epist. which ever savoreth of the first liquor which is poured into it, whether it be good or bad, that pleads prescription to all that shall succeed after; therefore DAVID bids Children, Come to hearken unto him: and Solomon, his Son, saith: Teach a child in the trade of his way, and when he is old he shall not departed from it: who, being about 12 years of age, gave that profound Sentence concerning the true mother of the child: Luk. 2.42. and our Saviour, at that age, disputed with the Doctors. And therefore that old ill Proverb, hatched in Hell, Angelicos in Satanam verti, ubi consenuerint: Young Saints, old Devils, is here confuted, and sent back to the place from whence it came. Should we not begin betimes? Circumcision was commanded on the eighth day, and Baptism any day sooner; that, as Hercules in his Cradle, Monstra superavit prius quam nosce possit: so we might, in Baptism, ever vanquish the Devil before we know him. Samuel, so soon as he was weaned, 1. Sam. 1.24. was consecrated to the Lord. But many will be Mammothrepti, rather than Ablacta●j; rather never weaned, then consecrated to the Lord. And, lest any should deem the female Sex exempted from such exercise, I will propose 2 only * Hieron. ad Laet. de Instit. filiae. And Hieron. ad Gaudent. de Infant. educ. First the Psalms, than the Proverbs, than Eccles. then job, than the Gospels, than the Acts, than the Epist. than the books of Moses, of the Kings, of Chron. of Esd. of Hester, and last of all the Canticles, Horat. are poetic. examples, the one of Paula; the other of Pacatula: the one, the daughter of Laeta; the other of Gaudentium: both young, both Virgins; unto whose Mothers, Jerome gives direction, what books of the Scriptures in order, when, and how they should read them; and what use they should make of them. And the Israelites were charged to teach their Children the things that GOD had done for them; because commonly, men never forget that which they have learned in their younger years: for example, A Young man heareth a lewd tale, or beholdeth an unchaste spectacle; he remembreth the same a great deal better than if he had heard a grave Sermon, or godly exhortation; because he taketh more delight in vain things, then in godliness. And no marvel; for, a Young man is Cereus in vitium flecti. And, one better learned in Divinity then he, even S. Augustine himself makes it good, saying: Adolescens is ponior ad peccandum. Who seethe not how prone the cogitation of a young man's heart is unto that which is evil? And yet, who will not confess, that good and wholesome counsel and instruction will sanctify his thoughts, and make him tread a godly life? Wherhfore, the counsel of Virgil, Virg. georg. lib. 2. Quintil. li. 1. cap. 3. Adeo a teneris consuescere multum est, is fit for all youth; because, as Quintilian saith: Frangas citius, quam corrigas quae in pravum induruerunt: Evil customs are hardly broken off; if a man accustom himself to any notorious vice, while he is a young man, verily, he doth seldom or never leave the same all his life long. I will go no further than the profane swearer, who will witness what I say to be true: I seldom heard of any young swearer, that in elder years could wholly leave his swearing: If there be any amongst them, better natured, or better nurtured than others, they will ingenuously confess, being admonished of their fault, that, they knew not whether they did swear, or no: Thus, with their oaths, their fearful oaths, as with so many spears, they wound the sides of CHRIST at unawares; and yet, like drunken men, they know not what they do. Is it then so dangerous for a young man to accustom himself unto evil ways? Is it so hard for any, that taketh delight in sinning, to be reclaimed? Then, let every young man give heed unto instruction; let him be willing to be Catechised: let him be an auditor and hearer of those lessons which shall be taught him: Prov. 2.3. let him call for knowledge, and cry for understanding, and seek for her as gold, and search for her as for treasures: let him attend unto the Invitation, and follow the Direction, and he shall understand The fear of the Lord, the total of my Text. Thus much for the name, Children. Come I now unto the Invitation, in this word, Come; which is but a word, The Invitation. and therefore but a word of it. And, though it be but a word, yet it bids us, Come, that CHRIST at the last may say, Come. And so, like a Scholars, or Saints Bell, it rings and rouses us from the bed of carnal security, and invites us unto the Church and School of CHRIST, to listen willingly. How little any excuse will prevail, that in S. Luke's Gospel will satisfy; Luk. 14.18 where, though all their excuses were made, Vnanimiter, jointly; yet were they all, Inaniter, vainly: unless to incense the Master of the Feast the more against them. Come then, well and welcome, unto The Direction, The direction. Harken. It is not then sufficient to Come; for, so do some, whose desire is, soon to be gone, or, fairly to fall asleep: so that, if at all, they must be taken napping, Ecclus. 22.10. Who so telleth a fool of wisdom, is as a man which speaketh to one that is asleep, when he hath told his tale, he saith: What is the matter? Some come as to the waters of Marah, Exod. 4.15. to be made bitter, rather than better. Some, Act. 19.32. like those in the 19 Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, The more part knew not wherefore they were come together. Yea, many may come like the Sodomites unto Lot's door, with open eyes, yet see no better than Bats. I will therefore tell you as my Text tells me, wherefore you must Come: To hearken. Come ye Children and hearken. Before we can possibly attain unto the knowledge of any thing whatsoever, we must first hear the same expounded unto us: and therefore it is not (I suppose) without great reason said: that, Hearing is the sense of learning; because, men can never learn that which they never heard. I confess, some question hereof may be made, because Aristotle seemeth to say as much of the sight, Arist. motaph. lib. 1 cap. 1. in the first Chapter of the Metaphis. where he calleth the sight, Sensum cognitionis: The sense of Learning. Although we confess indeed, that the sight is a most excellent Sense: yet, in this case, Philosophy must give place unto Divinity; and the Eye to the Eare. Listen then unto Lactantius, Lactant. inflit. lib. 3. ca 9 better read in God's book than Aristotle, who saith: Plus est in auribus quam in oculis situm, quoniam & doctrina et sapientia percipi auribus solis potest, oculis solis non potest: There is more in man's ears then eyes, for that learning and wisdom may be obtained by the ears only, but not by the eyes: and we see many blind men excel in wisdom and learning: but deaf men, not any. The Apostle S. Paul Rom. 10.14 makes it plain in the tenth to the Romans, saying: How shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? & how shall they hear without a Preacher? Whence, in a word, it appeareth, that, Without special revelation, or extraordinary calling, no man ever knew GOD at any time, or believed in him whom he hath sent, JESUS CHRIST, but by hearing the Word preached, 1. Cor. 4.1. and being Catechised by them who are the Ministers of CHRIST, and the disposers of the secrets of GOD. So then, they that are desirous to know how good & gracious the Lord is: They that will know, what the will of GOD, and fear of the LORD is: They that long after the news of their salvation, let them bring their attentive ears with them to the Churches and congregation of the faithful, & there let them hear what the spirit saith unto them by the Ministers, that thereby they may believe and be saved. If then these things be so? Who will deny, that there is a great necessity of this charge of the Prophet DAVID in this place? Now, as it is necessary to hear with their bodily ears, so is it much more needful to hear with the ears of their understanding: whence, S. Augustine hath observed, A two-fould hearing: 1, Auditus Corporis. AND, 2, Auditus Cordis. A hearing of the body; and, a hearing of the heart & understanding also. The jews heard enough, but understood little enough: So, Acts. 26.24 Festus heard Paul preach of the death and resurrection of CHRIST, but he wanted the ear of understanding, and therefore he cried out with a loud voice: Paul, Thou art besides thyself, much learning hath made thee mad. But MARRY, when she sat at JESUS feet, and heard him preach, did hear with both ears; as well of the understanding, as of the body: And therefore CHRIST pronounceth of her: Luk. 10.24 that, She had chosen the good part, which should not be taken from her. And S. Hiero hath these words on the 1 Chapter of joel: Hieron. in 1. Cap. joel. Auditus in sacris Scripturis non est iste sonus qui in aure resonat, sed qui in cord percipitur, iuxta illud, Qui habet aures audiendi audiat: The good Father is of opinion; that, As often as mention is made of hearing in the holy Scriptures, we are to understand the hearing of the heart, & not that which soundeth in the ear only; according unto that, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Without all doubt, the Holy Ghost, where he speaketh of hearing, laboureth, by all means, to persuade us unto a due understanding of those things which we hear; for, all cannot understand at the first: What better means then Catechising can there be to strengthen the understanding? They must therefore hear, and be catechised, that so they may understand. Act. 2.41. Happy were those 3000 souls, even 3000 at once, who understandingly heard that one Sermon of Peter. Act. 8. 3●. And the Eunuch of Aethiopia did well to be Catechised by Philip, and hear him expound the Prophet Isai unto him. And it was the best hour that ever S. Augustine spent in his whole life, when he went to hear the eloquence of S. Ambrose; for so, of a Manachie, he became a true Christian: and the rest of Infidels became faithful; and, by coming to hear, obtained mercy at the hands of GOD, to understand that which was taught them, and to believe in the name of CHRIST JESUS. Wherefore, I exhort all, in the name of jesus Christ, that, so often as they come or repair to any divine exercise, they come to hear, and hear to understand what the Spirit of GOD saith unto them: for, when they come & not hear, they despise the ordinance of GOD: when they hear, and not understand, or believe, the Word becometh unfruitful unto them, and all their hearing is in vain; which Catechising will help. Quid est audi? Ambros. 〈◊〉. 25. in Psal. 119. (saith S. Ambrose) non otiosè dicitur, quod common est omnibus, & suppetit umversis ipso jure naturae, etc. What is meant by Hear, saith he? It is not an idle charge, when we are commanded to hear, since it is common unto all men to hear, and it agreeth with every man naturally. Therefore, it is not without great cause that this charge is here given, because, many times, men hear against their wills, and when they are otherwise occupied; yet are they wont to hear a sound, and the voice of him that speaketh: Therefore, it behoveth those that are present in body, to be present in mind, and mind to understand; that, hearing, they may hear; and, seeing, they may see the wondrous things of the Law; the power of the Gospel; the fear of the Lord; the efficacy of the Spirit; and the strange and admirable operation of the fear and word of the LORD. It is written of the jews, that they heard the mysteries of the Law, but they did not understand the same: wherefore the Lord saith: Hear O my people, and I will speak unto you. Now, the word of GOD is spiritual, therefore hear spiritually. When the Voice spoke from heaven, what did it say? Surely, nothing else, but, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; Mat. 17.3 hear him: to show, That we are sooner drawn to believe in the Son of GOD, by hearing, then by any sense beside. Provided, Mat. 4.24. Luk. 8.18. that we take heed what we hear; how we hear; and whom we hear: for, many are night walkers, but light talkers; Philip. 3.18 being enemies of CHRIST's Cross: have the show of godliness, but deny the power thereof in their heart: whose meat is their maker, and belly their god; whose body being given to ease, and mind to content, shun labour, be it never so wholesome: fly affliction, be it never so holy. Tell them of catechising, they will say: It is novelty: inform them of right hearing, they will answer; It is foolishness, though, indeed, it be the same which makes us wise unto salvation. Theophrastus' in Plutarch, could say: Plutarch de Auditione. that, Hearing, of all other Senses, especially, engendereth greatest motions and perturbations of the mind: and I may say: that, It bringeth greatest joys and delights unto the Inner man, and unto the spirit; for, hereby our faith in, and fear of the LORD is bred in us: our hope is increased: our patience confirmed: our godly meditations enlarged: our affiance strengthened: sin abated: Satan foiled: and the powers of Hell and Darkness vanquished and overcome. Wherefore, I say no more than the Spirit hath said in the Revelation: Rev. 2.29 Let him that hath an ear, hear. And thus much be spoken of the parties who are to hear: and consequently, of their name, Invitation and Direction. Now, of the person whom they are to hear, in this word ME: or, the party who will teach them, in these: I will teach you: which, because they belong both unto one person, I will not sever them, but for unity and peace sake, conjoin them: and as M. Curius saith: Duos parietes de eadem fideliâ dealbare: where you may see the blessed Prince of peace and lover of unity, proposing unto his people a rule in Divinity. Those then who desire to know this was whom they were to hear; here my Text tells them, DAVID himself: Come ye children and hearken unto me; ME, your Prince; ME, your Prophet: And I, your Preacher; I, your Father (for so he was unto them) will be your Teacher: I will teach you. He, having as it were, the Sword in one hand, and the word in the other: one, teaching; the other terrifying them: for, terrifying, and not teaching, may savour of tyranny: and, to teach, and not to terrify, may make them lazy. Therefore, he uses his Princely power in his Prophetical Office: I will teach you, etc. Here is teaching with authority. This perfect pattern of a complete Prince, not pictured in Plato, nor feigned in Xenophon, but form according to GOD's own heart, is here really, and royally paralleled by his sacred Majesty, our Gracious SOVEREIGN: informed, by God's Spirit, in all holy knowledge; and conformed unto DAVID himself in all godly practice. His sanctified wisdom and knowledge, my heart doth rather joyfully conceive, than my pen can sufficiently express: his holy Commands, divine Expositions, and sacred Directions, in his several Books, do best express. What zeal he hath ever had, and still hath unto God's House, and to set forth his Glory; what dangers he hath escaped, & thankfulness unto GOD, the Author thereof, ordained: what a blessing He hath been unto this Kingdom disjointed, when it was, in danger of inundation, and innovation, after the late Queen's death of blessed memory, in his peaceable entrance; comfortable union; continuance of peace, and prevention of war; preserving the truth, and confuting error: If any be ignorant of the translated BIBLE, his own Works, & wholesome Laws, to the joy of all loyal hearts, will ever testify him, Wife, Learned, Good, and Godly. And, how in this particular his most Excellent Majesty, de jure, hath resembled this princely Prophet, all jurisdictions within his Majesty's Dominions, de facto, can witness. Since then, this notable authority is not built upon the notable foundation of hearsay, but of the known truth, not denied by her adversaries; it ought much to move all loyal hearts, to remove all lets that may hinder this godly Exercise; & with all alacrity to stir them uppe with an earnest desire for God's glory, and their own good, to be instructed thereby. And so I come to the doctrine which this princely Prophet will preach, or Lesson that he will teach them, The fear of GOD; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. First, I will speak of the Quality; then of the Object. The quality, Fear, in holy Scripture is diversely taken: but especially, two ways. First, it is taken for an awful dread and reverence of GOD, which makes us careful to obey, and fearful to offend: by which we make conscience of all our words and works, as standing in the presence of GOD: Which ELIAH thought fit to produce, as an argument the better to persuade ACAB to give faith unto the truth which he did deliver. 1. Reg. 17. And the good thief's words unto the bad, upon the Cross, were these: Fearest thou not God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? (as if he had said) Art thou so destitute of grace, as not to consider the place and case wherein thou art? Hast thou no fear or awe of him who now taketh vengeance, and executeth judgement upon thee for thy former sins and iniquities? How darest thou still persist to revile and rail upon this innocent and just Man? Fearest thou not GOD? And by this Fear, DAVID directeth all men, erring in this veil of misery; saying, Stand in awe and sin not. Psal. 4.4. PSAL. 4.4. Secondly, Fear is taken for the whole worship and service of GOD: And so it is to be understood in this place: as if he should say, Listen unto me and I will teach you the true worship of GOD according unto that of the Prophet Isaiah 29, Isai. 29.13. where God saith: Their fear towards me was taught by the precepts of men: (id est) Their Religion, and manner of worship was taught by man's traditions, and not by my word. Mat. 15. Which our Saviour Christ himself interpreteth after the same manner: saying, In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrine the precepts of men. And the oath that JACOB took, Gen. 31.42 Gen. 31. was by the fear of his father ISAAC (i) by the fear of GOD which was in his father ISAAC: as if he should say; I swear by that GOD whom my Father adores: for God is sometimes called by names effective; Our health, wealth, strength, and salvation: because all these come from him from whom proceedeth every good and perfect gift: sometimes obiective; Our joy; our Hope; our Love; our fear: because he is the object of all these, and therefore should be the scope and end of all our worship and service of GOD affective. Secondly, Tertull. Apol. cap. 34. consider we then the Object of this Fear: The LORD; which Tertullian saith: Is the very Surname of GOD, and is most commonly in Scripture applied unto CHRIST, the Second person, and that by consent of the whole Trinity: joh. 13.13. by CHRIST himself, joh. 13. Ye call me Lord and master, and ye say well, for so am I: by his Father, Act. 2.36. who hath made him both Lord and Christ: and by the holy Ghost, in the mouth of men: Hic est omnium dominus: Act. 10.36. Psal. 1 10. This jesus Christ is Lord of all men. And DAVID himself saith: The Lord said unto my Lord, etc. Yet because the doctrine here is general; and also in the Epistle unto the Ephes. 4. Eph. 4.4. the Apostle applieth the word unto the whole Trinity, Vnus Dominus: it will not be amiss here so to do. ●●. Take then the Lord, either as he is absolute & entire of himself, his most lively & perfect essence: Ens ille; ille qui essentiam suam à seipso habet: or take him in his attributes and properties, wherein he is the same with himself: for, Quicquid est in Deo Deus est. Or view him in his justice, a dreadful GOD, a God of vengeance: Vengeance is mine, I will repay saith the Lord. MOSES could not endure his sight, nor the people his voice: O let not God speak unto us; that is, immediately, by himself, lest we die. Or take notice of GOD in the sweetest property of his nature, his infinite mercy and loving kindness, not diminishing our accounts, as the Steward in the Gospel, who for a 100, sets down 50: but utterly can celling our bills, & blotting all our wickedness our of his remembrance. Consider the LORD (I say) either in his Majesty, or Mercy: as he is a God of vengeance or patience, he is to be feared. This Fear of the Lord, Psal. 111.10. Eccles. 12.13 Psal. 145.15 Psal. 115.13 is the beginning of wisdom, and the end of all. Those which fear him shall be his scholars, Psal 145. And he will fulfil their desire & bless them all great and small his hands is over them to defend them: and his eye is upon them like a pitiful Father, to extend mercy: Psal. 33.17. Psal. 103.13 Psal. 103.9 and the merciful goodness of this Lord unto these endureth for ever and ever. And therefore they lack nothing (i) nothing that is good for them. View this by experience; Was there ever any that feared the Lord disappointed? How fared it with jacob, job, and others his saints and servants? Psal. 12●. ●. He hath given meat unto them that fear him: yea, they are all blessed: for the Lord's delight is in them that fear him. You have seen the benefit: behold the beauty of this fear: The beauty of God's fear. The fear of the Lord is a pleasant garden of blessing, and there is nothing so beautiful as it is, the fruit of this garden is bliss, Heclus, 40.27 & nothing so beautiful as it is. You have heard of the parties invited by Name and Direction, if you did hearken to the word, Harken: and of him that taught them, DAVID, a Prince and a Prophet: & of the benefit and beauty of God's fear, the lesson for our learning, by me; though neither Prophet, Amos 7.14 nor Son of a Prophet: yet by the grace of GOD, I am that I am, a Servant of GOD and Preacher and prisoner of jesus Christ: Paul to Philem. August. Fam. 10. ser. 16. p. 49. & say with S. August. Domino iubente loquor, quo terrente non taceo: The Lord commands me, wherefore I speak; he threatens if I forbear, and therefore I dare not keep silence. Learn this Lesson then, Application. for the worthiness of the Author, and worth of the matter; both giving life unto our learning. But what, can every man learn? will some say. I answer: Hath God given unto every one, an ear to hear; a tongue to speak; a heart to understand; and a memory to bear away, let him pray unto GOD, who made the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, the simple, to understand; the sick and the diseased to remember the great works of the LORD: he will much rather open his ears, that he may hear; untie his tongue, that he may speak; mollify his heart, that he may understand; and strengthen his memory to retain the same: provided, that herewithal he join his own industry and pains; which is, obediently and reverently to frequent the Congregation; to be catechised and instructed. Repetition is practised in other Arts and Sciences, although in none as it ought more than catechising in Divinity. If we cannot repeat what we have learned in other Arts, it is a plain proof, we have not learned them as we should. And shall we be thought to have learned many things, nay indeed, any thing in Religion, when we cannot render an account of the Articles of our Creed, or the ten Commandments. Give me leave to propose the 400 Catechising houses which were in jerusalem▪ as also, our English traitorous Seminaries, for an example of pains and industry unto you: learn of those Scholars of Antichrist, who are so studious in their generations, to be likewise studious, painful, & desirous to be catechised and instructed in the ways of godliness. If you use the same diligence that they bear the world in hand they do, you may prove as learned as they are accounted: As they be learned in the language of the Chaldeans, so may you be learned in the language of Canaan: as they are taught to maintain the pride of that Romish Strumpet, so may you be furnished with all good knowledge to maintain the simplicity of the Gospel, and true Religion: they, Antichrist; you, our Lord and only CHRIST: they, the Pope you, the true & ever living GOD. Wherefore, in a word, use all diligence, and with diligence, join meditation and prayer, that you may profit hereby in the fear of the Lord, & therein provoke others to do the like; and win our adversaries, the Papists, to the truth; who, seeing your increase in sound learning, and fear of GOD, may follow you in both: That the idle may leave his sloth, seeing your labours: that the ignorant may be ashamed, beholding your knowledge: the wicked liver reclaimed, seeing your care to walk in the fear of the LORD: that you yourselves may be edified, and presented blameless at that great and fearful day of the Lord JESUS: To whom, with the Father, and the holy Ghost; three Persons, and one GOD be ascribed all power, majesty, might, and dominion, both now and ever. AMEN.