=- ^ . ,\ 
 
 
 ***** 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 Collection of Puritan Literati^ 
 
 
 Division 
 
 Section 
 
 Number 
 
 1 
 
Nt 
 
 • 7 
 
w mmtmt 3!ttffttut!oit, 
 
 or, ' 
 
 A Seafonable 
 
 DISCOURSE 
 
 O F 
 
 CATECHIZING. 
 
 Wherein is (hewn, 
 
 The An Tiqui ty,B en e- 
 fits and Necessity 
 thereof ; 
 
 TOGETHER 
 
 With its Suitablenefs to heal the 
 prefent Diftempers of this 
 National Church. 
 
 B V 7 
 Lancelot Addison/ 
 
 One of his Ma jetties Chaplains 
 in Ordinary. 
 
 LO NDC N, Printed by J c. for William 
 
 Croo^it the Green Dragon without 
 
 IWfU-Bar. 1674. 
 
1 bonrnX Sffklif arfr 
 
 . H I 8 
 
 .WHuZlo-qofDia bio J 
 
 
 
 
TO 
 The Right Reverend Father in God, 
 
 SEX H, 
 
 Lord Bifhop of Sarum. 
 
 My L o k d, 
 
 YOur Name is here 
 prefixed to the enfu- 
 ing Difcourfe, neither" for 
 Charm nor Amulet ^ to fave 
 it from the Rude and Cen« 
 forious s for ic doth not ac 
 all regard what Entertain- 
 ment it meets with at fuch 
 hands. But it aflumes this 
 Honour upon the account 
 of its Author, who having 
 the happinefs to be one of 
 A 2 your 
 
TfoEpiJlte Dedicatory. 
 
 your Diocefan Clergy, 
 thinks all he can perform in 
 that Relation, ougln to be 
 devoted to jour Lordftrj^ 
 as a frncere Teffimbriy of Ms 
 bounden acknowledging 
 your Paternal Government. 
 \ need not reprefcnt to 
 your Lordfliip the m^any 
 and gre^t Evils which are 
 befaln this Gfiurch, through 
 a want <>f duly cbferving 
 what this Difcourfe com- 
 mends. For as your Singu- 
 lar Prudence labours to f e- 
 drefs, and your fiom Soul 
 deeply refents them ; fo 
 your Great Difcermhttit 
 plainly fees that they arie 
 
 fcarce 
 
The Epijile Dedicatory. 
 fcarce(now) to be remo- 
 ved by any other Method, 
 but a timely , diligent and 
 Regular Catechising* And 
 that themoft likely means 
 to efhblifli Truth and Ho* 
 Iinefs with Pofterity^xs firmly 
 and early to imprint the 
 Yonger minds^ who are the 
 hopes of Religion, with that 
 Catechifm, w ch our Church 
 aut of her Angular prudence 
 andaffcSion hath provided 
 for them. 
 
 But I may not purfue this, 
 left! fliould too much fault- 
 ier in the Laws of Dedica- 
 tionjwhich oblige me to ad- 
 mire and praife chat Apofto- 
 301 iii & 3 ^- a ^ 
 
The Epijlle Dedicatory. 
 lical care, prudence, candor, 
 and feverity which are emi» 
 nent in your Lordfhips Go* 
 vernment ; and which I dare 
 fcarce name,for fear I (hould 
 offend that Heroich^M> defiy 
 and lowlinefs fo confpicu- 
 ous in your Great CondnSl. 
 , Befides,! am fo averfe to the 
 ufual Modes of Dedication, 
 that I cannot comply with 
 them in any thing, unlefs in 
 my hearty prayers for your 
 Lordfliips Good Healthy and 
 long lifeyztid in testifying to 
 the world that I am 
 
 MY LORD, 
 
 Your Lord ("hips mott humble 
 and moA devoted Servant 
 
 h:.nc*Ad,lifon; 
 
C JP IS) ^ fiff £$£ £5P c &> c xP #5 o 17 * 
 
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 m w$fo& s«? %? «& # ^ %? 
 
 tab I rioufw 4>ns< "rfe'numv 
 
 READER. 
 
 THe Condition of this fmall 
 Treatiie is fo little agree- 
 able to the prefent Genius 
 of the Age^ that there needs 
 no great Sagacity to foretel its 
 Entertainment. But thofe who 
 value Bookj not by their Drefs 
 and Fafiion, but Matter and Vfe- 
 fulnefi'-y and who looh^not fo much 
 upon what will take with a cor-, 
 nipt Generation,^ kelp to amend 
 it 5 when they maturely weigh 
 the Subject and Deflgne of the En- 
 filing Papers, injlead of cent- 
 ring, will be ready to refcnt the 
 we ^management of fo concern- 
 A 4 
 
Co t&e Eeatier* 
 
 ing a Theme ', and pity to fee it fain 
 into the hands of fo unskilful an 
 Artificer. 
 
 For which this is the only A- 
 pology, That what is here writ- 
 ten, wot not intended for Per- 
 feEtion, but Effay$ and that it had 
 never left its retirement, had it 
 not been forced thence by impulfe 
 of the prefent Neceflity. For it 
 is too evident, that this is a Sea- 
 fbn which not only warrants, but 
 exaUs our greateji endeavours to 
 perfwade to fuch things as may 
 beget, reJiore,and ejlablijl) Truth 
 and Union among us. And that 
 Catechizing by a more peculiar 
 Energy is thereunto fvbfervient T 
 appears upon this account, that 
 the Church in all Ages has ufed 
 it to that purpofe. 
 
 The raifing up of which Inftitu- 
 tion (fo diftjiroufly fain in our 
 Borders) in hopes of the great 
 
 eaijfi* 
 
€o;tfje&eaim\ 
 
 edification which thereby wiS \ai*& r 
 cmv ytfo this Church, as it w<%s; 
 the firjl Motive of this Eflay, fo*> 
 it h the la ft Defrgne ^for which 
 I flrall thinly my felf largely re .» 
 compencd y if by thh contributed 
 Mite, / may provoke the more a* 
 ble to caji richer gifts hi to the 
 fame Corban. 
 
 If what I now write of were to 
 lebackf with the Example either 
 ofprofejfed Infidels, or Roma- 
 iiifts, I could from a lotto; €0lh 
 
 Serfatteit tuftlj fiotij product 
 
 their unwearied care in Catechi- 
 zing. vS& whuh I ever thought 
 the paucity of Convert s-both from 
 liifidelity and Romariifm ought 
 chiefly to be imputed. 
 
 The ®af)tmtftatt0 ( as in ana- 
 ther Difcourfe I have obferved'J 
 have theit $&\\M*QmU out of 
 which tfozy hunger fort are train- 
 ed up in the Principles of a. 
 
 99ufru(imi!T. 
 
^Iffumum And the Tew* 
 
 fitep&cr ctffrimtcfc and %£$$h 
 
 2$kfltim yield Jufficient attesta- 
 tion that they are no Truancfs in 
 this School. 
 
 The Romanics ft *om being our 
 Rivals in this particular, are fe- 
 come our Mafters^r not only the 
 Jeftrrtes, but alfo other Religious, 
 glory to have made Catechizing 
 their Profeflion y only with this 
 difference, That the Jefuits Cate- 
 cnize the rich and ingenious, antT 
 other Orders the poor and dull. 
 tut their Diligence herein JSrft 
 Jpran^ from an imitation of ours. 
 Forfilfbn Sundays ^^/Holy-days 
 wtrhaih preach 1 d in the Morning, 
 ^Catfechiz'd in the After- 
 
 rioting We) Papifts did neiftieY. 
 And^ "h was undeniably happy 
 with the Proteftant Religiori, 
 rrckett diligent Catechizing was 
 the chfef Engine imftoyed tofup- 
 
 plant 
 
Cot&Keafcjer* 
 
 Pppqjry, and give deeper 
 \wht4lhe Reformation. „>..jy 
 But Catechizing (as aBifntrgp 
 elfe-i whereof humane wea%$ 
 hath the Cujiody and Govern^ 
 ment ) is greatly fain from, t&ai 
 Obfef Vation which it had onceig 
 this Church 5 yet methinks if no- 
 thing elfefhis alone flould provoke 
 us to a little more diligence in 
 i%is excellent Inftitution, to fee 
 our Adverlaries manage it to onr 
 reproach and damage. 
 ? But, Reader, in mercy to your 
 Patience, I will only add, That 
 the Anthov is none oftbofe who 
 impofe up on others what they will 
 not do themj elves 5 for he is a 
 confidnt Labourer in that Vine- 
 yard, wherein he dejins his Bre- 
 thren to take a little more Pains. 
 
 Next, ffiat fa is Fealty of Opi- 
 nion, the Minifter may fieep with 
 a good Coftlcience of having well 
 
 a/- 
 
'JEotljeKeauer* 
 
 dif charged AXrDuty, when every 
 Lords-cky, he obfcrves (as hek 
 bound ) the Churches 59 Canon. 
 And as for thofe who do other* 
 rvife y he leaves then* to the Re- 
 flections of their own Brefts. 
 
 THE 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
THE 
 
 Primitive Inflitution. 
 
 The INTRODVCTION. 
 
 Hat in the fame 
 Church and Nation., 
 there (hould be no 
 lefs Oftentation and 
 Noife of Religion 
 and Holinefi among feme, than 
 of Profanefi and Impiety among 
 others, will prove a matter of no 
 great wonder to (uch as duly en- 
 quire into the caufes of both. 
 Efpecially when it is considered, 
 that as Ignorance may be theMo- 
 ther of blindeDevodonjfb it may 
 B be 
 
2 Cfie pjtmftffie 
 
 be likewife of defperate Preem- 
 ption ^becaufe all iniquity among 
 men proceeds from the want of 
 aright knowledge of God. And 
 *s the foundation of all true 
 Happinefs, and of all true Reli- 
 gion, which is the proper means 
 of attaining it, grows from a 
 -right opinion touching things 
 Divine 5 fo the mifappreheniion 
 thereof is the ground of all 
 mifery, and of all thole vices by 
 which it is occafion d. 
 
 But that which may juftly a- 
 waken in us a greater wonder, 
 is, to fee all thofe methods prov- 
 ing ineflfeftual which have been 
 (b powerfully manag'd for the 
 removal of this pernicious mi£ 
 apprehenfion 5 and that w 7 e 
 fhould be ftill as much under the 
 lame diftempers both in judge- 
 ment and manners, as if nothing 
 had been admiaiftred for the cure 
 
 of 
 
anffittttfotu 3 
 
 of either. That our own Church 
 ia this Age (which for its wic- 
 kednefs feems to be the laft) doth 
 make careful provifion both for 
 the prefent&future welfare of her 
 Children, is a truth apparent to 
 all that with unprejudiced minds 
 perufe her holyOffices,Catechifm, 
 Articles , Homilies , Rubricks y 
 and Canons. For how meanly fo- 
 ever fome may think hereof,yet if 
 • they were once throughly confi- 
 dered in their circumftances , we 
 fhall find that fuch a prudent and ' 
 affe&ionate care is taken there- 
 in , that both our opinions and 
 lives maybe duly informed and 
 regulated , as in no Church of a 
 particular Denomination can be 
 paralleled. So that it cannot but 
 be admired, how any of this 
 Church fhould be either Vicious, 
 or Erroneous '■> confidering that 
 there is nothing wanting, on the 
 B 2 Churches 
 
4 WPiirnitibt 
 
 Churches part , that may keep 
 our Aftions Vertuous, and Senti- 
 ments Orthodox. 
 
 But as in matters of the Civil 
 State , many evils arife from a 
 negleft , or remifs execution of 
 thofe Laws which are appointed 
 to prevent and iupprels them : 
 So in the Church,a lack of feeing 
 her Inftitutions duly obferved, 
 when there wanted no circum- 
 ftances to exact it 9 may claim a 
 large (hare in her prefent Difc 
 orders. For , the letting of 
 Difcipline betooloofe, embol- 
 dened not a few to break it 
 However, leaving themifchiefs 
 that accrue from this, and the un- 
 handsome and cold celebration 
 of the Divine-Service } the ne- 
 gledt of guiding Sermons by the 
 Articles 5 the almoft utter dit 
 ufage of the Homilies 5 the lame 
 obfervance of the Kubricks, and 
 
 Height 
 
3!tiffifiitiotu 5 
 
 lleight execution of the Ca- 
 nons of the Church : leaving, I 
 fay, thefe for the Animadverfion 1 
 of others,I fhall only take notice, 
 that the Omiffion, or lazy and 
 Iuke-warm ufe of Catechizing, 
 ought to be blam'd , for much of 
 that Vicioufaefs and error, which 
 is fcfadly vifible both in conver- 
 sion and Judgement. And I 
 am deeply ingaged in this per- 
 fwafion, that till publick Cate- 
 chizing fall under a diligent, 
 conftant,and unanimous praftice, 
 there is but little likelihood of 
 ever feeing that Union and Holi- 
 nefs, Peace and Truth, flourifh in 
 this Church, for which fhe was 
 once (b famous. 
 
 Now that thofe to whom the 
 great charge of Souls is confign- 
 ed,' may be awaken'd to a little 
 more vigor and diligence in Ca- 
 techizing, and that they would 
 B 3 foake 
 
6 €#C P?tmttite 
 
 (hake off that Supinenefs, which 
 In this cafe they cannot retain,but 
 to the aggravation of their own 
 guilt , and the encreafe of the 
 Churches mifery. And that e- 
 very ftation of men, moved with 
 the fenle of Duty and Emolument , 
 may contribute to the railing up 
 of the fain practice of Catechi- 
 zing , is the defigne and aim of 
 the enfuing Difcourfe : wherein 
 no Method at all was projected^ 
 but every thing (poken to as it 
 freely offered it felfe. And as 
 for ends y the Searcher of hearts 
 knows , there was none other 
 purpofedin the publication here- 
 of ,but Gods Glory, and the Edi- 
 fication of his Church. 
 
 C HAP 
 
Jnffittttfoiu. 
 
 Chap. L 
 Of Catechising. Its name % 
 nfe Secular and Reli- 
 giom. 
 
 ANd the firft thing that comes 
 to be fpoken of concern- 
 ing Catechizing,is its Name. And 
 I the rather chufe to begin here, 
 becaufe that the true notice of 
 the Name, will help us to that of 
 the thing. Now that there is a 
 peculiar force and fignificancy in 
 words, and that we cannot there- 
 of be fafely ignorant , is but too 
 evident by thofe many errours 
 that have in all Ages rifen from 
 meer Verbal Miftakes. And 
 therefore if we could once be fo 
 happy as to find out the true im- 
 portance of words , and to hit 
 IL 4, upon 
 
upon jRich an agreement between 
 them and things , as not to cloud 
 in fpeech, what is clear in Nature, 
 bnt plainly to exprefs things as 
 they are in themfelves 5 that then 
 one great caufe of error , in all 
 forts of Learning, would be re- 
 moved : for it is an obfervation 
 that wilt not quickly be antiqua- 
 ted, That the confounding thofe 
 things in Language, which in 
 their nature are diftinct, and the 
 exprefling of different matters 
 by the lame, or words of near 
 affinity and likenefs, hath in all 
 Sciences been a fruitful Mother 
 of erroneous apprehenfions. 
 
 And this is alfo plain in the af- 
 fairs of Religion, in which not 
 only a pcrverfe miftake in old 
 words, but a liberty of introdu- 
 cing new, has ever proved fatal, 
 and deftruftive : For out of new 
 words , Ne.w opinions infenfibly 
 
 creep 
 
Jnffitutiotn 9 
 
 creep into the Church, and with 
 Age grow too ftrong for her Dif- 
 cipline : which being forefeen by 
 the Holy Nicene Fathers , it mo- 
 ved them to decree againft the 
 ufe of luch words in matters of 
 Faith, as were not eaiily to be 
 deduced from , ordire&ly 
 found in facred Scripture. f^**** 
 And upon the fame ac- c . 6. ' 
 count Tertullian would 
 not have our Ears accuftonrd to 
 New words. Adverf. Ha ret* Cap. 
 \6. And for the like reafon St. 
 ■Ba(il could not be induced to 
 forgo one Iota in the old form, 
 when he was fbllicited by> the 
 Arians. A cautioufiiefs which 
 we may conceive , was wifely 
 made ufe of by thofe Reverend 
 Terfonsy through whofe means, 
 by Gods blefling, we enjoy our 
 Religion in its prefent Reforma- 
 tion : For we fad that they had 
 B 5, an 
 
an efpecial care not to innovate in 
 words or forms^ when they could 
 with due fecurity retain the old. 
 And to inftance in what has near- 
 eft affinity with our prefent Sub- 
 ject, we fee that they have ft vied 
 that Breviary of Religion, which 
 they compiled, or rather collect- 
 ed out of the beft and moft an- 
 cient Models of that kinde , by 
 the name of Catechifm. Which 
 in its general notice figniSes a 
 familiar and eafie method of in- 
 ftilling the rudiments of any x\rt, 
 Science or Faculty. Which be- 
 ing done by a frequent repeti- 
 tion of lame thing, Catechizing 
 is derived from a word importing 
 the reciprocation of the Voice, 
 after the manner of an Echo. 
 And in this fenfc it is often to be 
 met with in fecular Authors, from 
 whom it was adopted into Reli- 
 gion, and there retains the (lime 
 
 action. 
 
3!ftfffttrtfom ii 
 
 notion and Office. For by Ca- 
 techizing, the Church hath al- 
 wayes taught the Fundaments 
 and chief Principles of Religion 
 vivk voce . And thofe that were 
 thus taught, the Greek Writers 
 ufually call Catechumens , and 
 the Latine Hearers 5 which might 
 as well refpeft the manner of 
 their Inftruftion, as their fellow- 
 ship and Communion with the 
 Church : in which they went no 
 farther than to be admitted to- 
 hear the Principles of Christian 
 faith made plain unto them. 
 And to Catechizing, thus under- 
 stood, there will be no inconve- 
 nience to affirm that St. Paul al- 
 luded, Rom. 10. 17. the Ear be- 
 ing as properly the door of Reli- 
 gion , as of any other Science. 
 That Catechizing was a way of 
 Tnftru&ion, not to be reftrain'd 
 to- thofe Catechumens fo fre- 
 quently. 
 
is Clje Ptfmftfiw 
 
 quently mentioned in Churchr 
 Hiftory, and the Ancient Ca- 
 nons 5 but that all Believers did 
 therein Communicate , will be 
 made good in another place of 
 this Difcourfe. 
 
 But if it be doubted whether 
 this be the native meaning of 
 Catechizing, it then follows that 
 We have recourfe unto the occa- 
 sion whence it arofe. For if 
 words are notes of that which 
 the Speaker conceiveth, and cony 
 ceptions are Signes reprefenting 
 that which is fpoken of, it is ne.- 
 ceffary that he who would right- 
 ly under ftand words, (hould have 
 recourfe unto the things whence 
 they come. Now the Church 
 { which is Gods School ) hath 
 ever ufed Catechizing as a term 
 of Art, and we are therefore to 
 underftand it with reftraint to 
 fuch matters as t-he. Church is ac- 
 
 cuftomed 
 
Jnffittttfotn 1 1 
 
 cuftomed thereby to inftrudh 
 Following herein the Rule of 
 Thomas , that in words we miift 
 not fb much refpeft their Origi- 
 nal; exaft, and precife fignificati- 
 on and derivation, as w hereunto-- 
 by ufe of fpeech they are apply- 
 ed. 2. 2. q. g2. ArU I. Now 
 feeing that the Church, which is 
 Cods School, hath ftill by Cate- 
 chizing taughrthe firft notices of 
 Religion, we may fafely cloath it 
 with this definition :. Catechifm 
 is a Jbcrt and- eafie InjlruUion^ 
 which explains the myjieries of 
 Faiths and the whole Body of 
 Chrifiian DoSrJ&e •:, in ftich a 
 manner as may be- plainly under- 
 Jiood by the lomeil Capacities. And 
 if there be any thing cloudy in 
 this definition , it will receive 
 fufficient light from what is fpo- ' 
 ken of in the following Chapr 
 ier. 
 
 Chap.. 
 
i + CDePji'mt'tiSe 
 
 Chap. II. 
 
 - 
 
 The Age of Catechifm. The 
 Injlitntion of Adams and 
 Abrahams Family. The 
 Schools of the Prophets, 
 The continual ufe of Ca- 
 techl c i>ing among lhejews y 
 particularly after the E- 
 reSiion of Synagogues. 
 Their benefit thereby. 
 
 TJ Aving found that Catechifm 
 frit is but Greek for a peculiar 
 manner of Inftruftion, and that 
 fince it was received into the 
 Church, doth fignifie a brief and 
 plain Inftitution of the firft and 
 chief grounds of Religion 5 we 
 may by the Laws of concluding 
 
 infer v 
 
3infftttttiotn 15 
 
 infer, that Catechizing is as an- 
 cient as the principles which are 
 thereby inftru&ed 5 andthefeare 
 as old as the fir ft man. For Re- 
 ligion began, when God was 
 Adams Catechift, and gave and 
 initru&ed him in that Law , in. 
 whofe observation confided the 
 main Articles of his continuing 
 in a itate of excellent Felicity,. 
 In which if he had tarried till he 
 had had an oft-fpring grown up to 
 a Capacity of Religious Educa- 
 tion, he would, no doubt, have 
 taught them to obferve that Law,, 
 which his Maker for that end had 
 afiigned him. For we need not 
 be (crapulous- to (uppofe that 
 Aclam^YonXA have been as careful 
 of his Childrens inftuchon be- 
 fore the fall, as he was after it.. 
 Some traces of whofe care are 
 to be perceived in his Sons de- 
 portment, when they brought 
 
 their 
 
their Offerings to Gods Altar as 
 Teftimonies of Gratitude and 
 Devotion: which could not be 
 the etfeft of meer Natural In- 
 ftinfr, but of Adams pious dili- 
 gence to bring them up religious- 
 ly. And though meer Natural 
 Reafon may Teach man a Belief 
 and worfhip of God, yet to do it 
 with the circumftanees of the 
 two fipft Brethren, exceeds its 
 power. 
 
 The underftanding and pra- 
 ctice of the Primordial Lam of 
 not Eating the forbidden Fruit, 
 would have been fufficient for 
 Adam and all his pofterity : As 
 having in its womb (toufe Ta- 
 milian) all thofe moral precepts 
 which were afterwards delivered 
 by Mofes, Exod. 20. and by our 
 great Law-giver reduced to two 
 heads : Love to God $ Love to 
 our Neighbour, St, Mark, 12.50,, 
 
 3*- 
 
Jnffittttton. 17 
 
 31. For if they had obferved 
 the firft, they would not have 
 broken Gods Commandment 5 
 and if they had done the like to 
 the Second, they would not by 
 yielding to the perfwafion of the 
 Serpent, have deftroyed them- 
 (elves : but by love to both, have 
 fulfilled the whole Law. As 
 TertuUian argues adverf. Jud<eos, 
 ■Cap. 2. That it was needful for 
 Adams firft Ijfne to be inftru&ed 
 in this Primordial Larv^ wherein 
 the whole Morality confided, 
 none L think will g?in(ay : That. 
 Adam (for there was none elite 
 to do it ) did therein inftruft 
 them, we may conclude, not on- 
 ly from the necefiity of the thing, 
 which (b wife a man as the firft 
 could not but perceive 5 but aha 
 from Adams juftice, to makefome 
 amends to his Children in their. 
 Education ^.ox w 7 hat he had dama- 
 ged 
 
ged them by his own difobedi- 
 ence. And if the manner of the 
 Xnftrucftion be demanded, I (hall 
 content my (elf with the opini- 
 on of that Rabbin , who ventu- 
 red (difcourfing frm upon this 
 Subject) to derive their \Lekach^\ 
 or prefent Catechifmfrom Adant, 
 whom they rationally imagine 
 to have taught his Sons a fhort 
 and plain Defcription of the ne- 
 ceffary Principles of Holinefs and 
 Honefty : which are the Sum of 
 all Catechifm. 
 
 But that which yet affords us 
 a more evident atteftation of 
 Catechizing, or delivering and 
 Inftrufting the Rudiments of Re- 
 ligion, viva voce^ in the Firfl: 
 Ages of the world, is the unque- 
 ftionable Tradition of thofe Pre- 
 cepts which pafs under the name 
 of Noah : Into which if we look 
 attentively , they will eafiiy be 
 
 dif- 
 
3ittffttutiotu 19 
 
 difcerned to have been the Uni- 
 venal Catechifm of all Mankind, 
 and to contain a compleatScheme 
 of Duties towards God and the 
 Neighbour. 
 
 Nov/ among thefe Precepts, 
 fome were greater and more fa- 
 mous, others of an Inferiour and 
 Obfcurer rank. Thofe of the 
 former condition are herefpoken 
 of, and ufually fet down after this 
 manner. 
 
 r. Againft ftrange Worfhip, 
 or Idolatry. 
 
 2. Againft Blafphemy, or the 
 Curfing of the moft Holy 
 Name. 
 
 3. Againft EfFufion of Blood, 
 or Murder. 
 
 4. Againft Revealing of Na- 
 kednefs, or Adulterv. 
 
 5. Againft Theft and Rapine. 
 
 6. Concerning civil Juftice, 
 and Obedience. 7. A- 
 
2o Cfje ©jimfttfie 
 
 7. Againft Eating the limb of 
 a living Creature. 
 
 Whereof the two firft refpeft 
 our Demeanour toward God} the 
 next four belong to the carriage 
 of one man toward another 3 and 
 the lafl: forbids all outrageous' 
 cruelty to other living Creatures. 
 
 Bur how this laft fhould be- 
 reckond in the number of fhofe 
 Precepts of Natural Right, com* 
 mon to the whole Humane Race, 
 is not (b eafily to be apprehend- 
 ed^- efpecially when 'tis confi- 
 der'd that it was not heard of till 
 after the Flood , when God (aid 
 unto Noah coming out of the 
 Ark, Flefhwith the Life thereof, 
 which is the Blood thereof, fell 
 ye not eat, Ge^.9.4. Where the 
 Eating of flefh is not fimply pro- 
 hibited, but the abfcinding and 
 Eating the limbs of living Crea- 
 tures.. 
 
jnfffttttiotu m 
 
 £urcs. Aada late Author gives 
 .an inftanoe hereof in Lambs- 
 Stones. 
 
 The Reafons ufiially render 'd 
 of this (eventh Precept, are the 
 avoidance firftof Cruelty 5 and 
 next , of Communicating in the 
 Ouftoms of Idolatrous Nations : 
 Which at once proteft both a- 
 gainft its Age and Morality. And 
 upon this account it is, that lear- 
 ned Perfbns have excluded it the 
 number of Natural Precepts, and 
 fct it in Noah's Ritual of Cere- 
 monies. But there is a general 
 agreement among the Jervifi Ma- 
 kers , that the firft fix Precepts 
 were given to Adam from the 
 very beginning of things , and 
 were the common Law of all 
 Nations under Heaven. 
 
 But no fuch matter can be 
 found concerning the feventh: 
 Which is fo totally paffed over in 
 
 filence 
 
22 Cfie IPimitiU 
 
 filence by Job : who yet takes 
 notice of all the reft, and juftihes 
 his integrity by their obfervance. 
 And becaufe this perhaps is not 
 obvious to every Reader, it may 
 be no way impertinent, to note 
 the Texts, where the Idutngan 
 makes his profeffton. 
 
 i. Againft Idolatry, Job 31. 
 26. 
 
 2. Againft Blafphemy, Job 
 1.5. 
 
 3. Againft Homicide , Chap. 
 31.29. 
 
 4. Againft Adultery, Chap. 3 1. 
 
 9- : 
 
 5. Againft Theft, Chap. 3 1.7. 
 
 6. Againft Injuftice, Chap. 29. 
 7. <&c. 
 
 And though thefe fix Precepts, 
 without any remote colleftioj, 
 xay be deduced from the above- 
 
 faid 
 
jnffittttioin 23 
 
 laid Texts 5 yet in his whole 
 Bool^-, Job has not left the leaft 
 intimation of the (eventh : which 
 could not have efcaped the ob- 
 fervation of (b wife a Prince , if 
 therein a Natural Equity had 
 been concerned. St. Augvjlwe, 
 in his Eighteenth Book and four- 
 tyfeventh Chapter of the City of 
 God, affirms that Job was neither 
 Native Kraelite, nor a Profelyte 
 adopted by their Law 5 but 
 born and bred in idumaa : And 
 therefore profeffed not the fix 
 Trecepts upon the account of a 
 Jewilh Tradition , but becaufe 
 they were the common Religion 
 of Mankinde. 
 
 Before the Law , faith Tertul- 
 litin, was written in Tables of 
 Stone , there was an unwritten 
 Law, which was given neither in 
 Horeb, nor Sinai, nor in the De- 
 fer 1 5 but in Tar&dife. And 
 
 was 
 
24 <E&e1??fttifftae 
 
 it 
 
 was naturally bath known; and 
 kept by the Fathers $ who from 
 tfie ofeferving of the equity and 
 jtifttce of this Natural Law,recei- 
 ved titles of Approbation and 
 Honour 5 as Noah was called a 
 jii&~manftf\& Abraham the friend 
 of God sTcvtul. c.2. adverfwju- 
 deos. 
 
 And that this unwritten Law 
 given in Paradifc, was the^ 
 Precepts, we may conclude from 
 what Mr. Seldon tells us out of 
 Mofche hen Maimon\ who (faith 
 he) peremptorily delivers, that 
 the fix Precepts were given to 
 the Jirsi man from the very be- 
 ginning of the world. And there- 
 fore ought rather to bear the 
 name of Adam than of Noah: fox 
 the later can be entitled to them 
 no otherwife, than as in him all 
 mankinde was preferved, as in 
 the former they had been begun. 
 
 In 
 
anffttuttom 25 
 
 In which fenfe all Nations and 
 kindreds of men, were called the 
 Sons or Children of Noah : A- 
 raong which there was no exte- 
 riour badge of diftin&ion , till 
 Cod gave Abraham the Sacra- 
 ment of Circumcifyon 5 which did 
 not leffen or abate the extent and 
 power of the jix Precepts : for 
 after Circumcision^ the Jews as 
 well as the reft of men flood o- 
 bliged to their oblervance. Nor 
 indeed was it poffible to be other- 
 wife, feeing that therein was con- 
 tained the Universal Religion. 
 And at the coming of Mofes y 
 theft Precepts were fb far from 
 being evacuated , that they were 
 confirmed : with the addition of 
 others concerning the Sabbath, 
 the Reverence of Parents, and 
 the very thought of defalking 
 other mens goods. All which 
 make up the Hen words or Deca- 
 C logne* 
 
26 C&ePjtmtttoe 
 
 logue. And that was now En- 
 graven in Tables of Stone, which 
 before was only written in Tables 
 of Flefh. But the fix Precepts 
 were the Catechifm of the world 
 from Adam to Noah, who recei- 
 ved the Seventh. In which con- 
 dition Religion continued till 
 Abraham received the Precept 
 of Circnmcifion upon which 
 came the great diftin&ion of Na- 
 tions in reipeft of Worlliip. And 
 now the Jews had eight Precepts 
 for the Rule of Duties, under 
 which they continued untill the 
 time that God at Mara gave them 
 a Statute and an Ordinance 5 and 
 by fpaces tilled up their Ritual. 
 
 But that which mod imports 
 the preient Subject , is the man- 
 ner how the Fir ft fix Precepts 
 were inftru&ed : Which without 
 doubt was viva voce, or by an 
 Oral Inftitution ; for certainly of 
 
 things 
 
Siitffftuttotn 27 
 
 things unwritten, there can be no 
 other means to inftil and propa- 
 gate their knowledge : For not- 
 withftanding that thefe Precepts 
 contain'dfuch an apparent Equity 
 and Right, as could be by none 
 denyed , who therein had once 
 been duly informed : yet there 
 was a neceffity of Competent 
 means to procure this informati- 
 on. For let Charafters be never 
 fb large, and evident in them- 
 (elves, yet the fair eft Paper can- 
 not exhibit them , till thereon 
 they be duly placed. And if the 
 Soul of man be at firft as a BooJ^ 
 wherein nothing is, and yet every 
 thing may be written 5 then ei- 
 ther Education or InSlru&ion^ 
 Vfe or Difcipl/ne muft of neceffi- 
 ty ill! up this blank. And the 
 Raja Tabula of mans Soul, as it is 
 m A\ ; l:iceptive- fb is it likewife 
 moil concerned to be nrlt Engra- 
 C 2 ven 
 
28 CbeJ&ftnfttfie 
 
 ven with thofe things which in- 
 difpenfibly refpeft his Duties to- 
 ward God and his Neighbour $ 
 {the contents of the fix Trecepts.) 
 And that the Soul cannot be o- 
 therwife furnifhed therewith , 
 than by Oral Inftitution or Cate- 
 chifm , will be granted by all 
 who would not have this Table 
 writ upon juft like thofe which 
 Alofes received in the Mount. 
 
 But what in this cafe may feem 
 but darkly probable in the Two 
 Tatriarchs of mank^nde^ is con- 
 ceived to be clear and evident 
 in the Father of the faithful. For 
 Authors of no contemptible cre- 
 dit, coiled: from that Encomium 
 God gave Abraham for his fore- 
 men Care to inftrudt his Chil- 
 dren and Houfehold [ to keep the 
 way of the Lord, and to do Jujitce 
 and 'judgement'] Gen. 1 8. 19. 
 that this manner of inftruftion is 
 
 there 
 
anfffttttfom 2f 
 
 there fpoken of For albeit 
 thattodojufticeand Judgement 
 is a principle natu? ally Imprinted 
 upon mans Soul , in a Chara&er 
 no Mortal Power can efface 5 yet 
 it was Morally impofftble for A- 
 brahants Family to keep the 
 \jway of the Lord :~\ That is, to 
 be acquainted with the purport 
 and condition of that Covenant 
 God had made with Abraham \ 
 where there was no Divine* In- 
 spiration, nor any written word, 
 to guide then* : unleft Ahraham 
 by a gentle and eafie Method, in- 
 troduced them into thd know- 
 ledge of what fo intimately con- 
 cerned them. And riot to be 
 fcrupulous about words or form* 
 of Speech, it is more thanproba* 
 ble, that this Holy Man taught 
 his Family viva vote, or familiar- 
 ly by word of mouth, which is, 
 the true and Genuine Senfe of 
 C 3 that 
 
so %\)t piftnftfte 
 
 that whereof we now (peak. 
 But not to place any ftrength 
 in this inftance, nor in what is 
 obferved to this purpofe , either 
 in the Inftitution of Jehoafi by 
 Jehoiada the Prieft^ nor what 
 Solomon infinuates concerning 
 himfelf 5 nor in what the Rabbins 
 affert of the many houfes of Ca- 
 teehifm that were in Hierufalem 5 
 nor in what fbme write concern- 
 ing the Schools of the Prophets, 
 how that one part of their em- 
 ployment was to Catechize : not 
 placing, I (ay, any ftrength in 
 thefe inftances, which might be 
 urged, as they have been, in fa- 
 vour of the antiquity of Cate- 
 thifm 5 I (hall fix upon that 
 ivhich yields both a more obvious 
 and certain Teftimony of its An- 
 eientnefi, namely 5 That the Jews 
 have continually had, and to this 
 day have the pra&ice of Cat e- 
 
 chifm> 
 
jnttittitiom 31 
 
 chifm, by which they introduce 
 their Youth into the knowledge 
 of God, and the Rites of his wor- 
 ftiip. ' Tis true, there is fome dif- 
 ference in the time when this In- 
 stitution is begun : For the An- 
 cient Jews began not to Teach 
 their Children the Principles of 
 their Religion, till they were 
 compleat Thirteen years of Age 5 
 but the Modern Jews in the Ea- 
 ftern parts efpecially, begin much 
 more early. And this they do, 
 (^zs Aaron Benetas a Sabio'mBar- 
 bxry told me ) becaufe of their 
 unfettlement, and for fear a Hid- 
 den removal (hould prevent them 
 in this duty. 
 
 It is very remarkable , that no 
 foot-fteps of Catechizing ap- 
 pears in the fervice of the Tem- 
 ple 5 which was indeed fo wholly 
 Ceremonious, that it may be 
 doubted whether ought of Moral 
 C 4 Reli- 
 
3* Cfje Pitmftfte 
 
 Religion (the chief otCatechifm) 
 was therein either thought of, or 
 defigned. Indeed after the Ere- 
 ction of Synagogues there ap- 
 pear great 'indications that this 
 way of inftruftionwas in no vul- 
 gar* requeft : But then in fixing 
 the certain time when thefe Reli- 
 gious edifices were Erefted, there 
 is finall agreement among the 
 Learned. That Synagogues were 
 built before the Jews return from 
 Babylon^ is very uncertain*- **But 
 after they were returned, it is 
 plain that* their Land was full of 
 thefe Houfesjdedicated *to Gods 
 publick * Service : ' •whefein all 
 parts of Divin&Worfhip (except 
 Sacrificing-)- were celebrated. 
 And they may* be faid to have 
 had that Relation t6 the Temple, 
 which^ Parochial Chiff dies Have 
 now to the Cathedral.* 'But not 
 todifpute about the Antiquity 
 
 and 
 
■anfffcutfcm, - 3} 
 
 and Quality, of^ Jewifibi6$ate 
 
 gogue% 5hat,which-i vvo«^2qW 
 (er ve ther^ki^ as nxoft agreeable to 
 the thiiiginh^c^is^That Gate* 
 chiziugwas(atjeaft) a Principal 
 part . of that Teaching , i whiush 
 was therein frequented. And t$ 
 attyeft-tkifr rejnark 9 one, known 
 paffage out of Epiphanim^Qom? 
 pared, wkh another in. Fl.Jjofe- 
 phw, are all the Authorities th^t 
 are thought needful to be pro* 
 duced. 
 
 Ephiphanips fpeaking of the 
 Scribes (who were the chief 
 Matters of the Synagogues) faith, 
 that they were^u/fa *t*? 4% rS^Re- 
 porters of the Laws and that 
 
 they taught *f km^hyht y&fji(jumKm 7 
 
 a kindeof Grammatical know- 
 ledge therein. And Jofephm 
 writes, that by vertue of this 
 Teaching the Law, the Jews were 
 as ready to Anfwer any Queftion 
 C 5 demand- 
 
?4 ®Jtf 13?tmttit>e 
 
 demanded of them concerning 
 it, as to their own Name. And 
 the reafon he renders of this rea- 
 dinefs, is very obfervable, as to 
 the prefent Theme, which is this, 
 Becaufe learning the Principles of 
 their Religion as foon as ever they 
 voerecome to knowledge, they kept 
 them firmly imprinted l* tcu< 4v- 
 ^cuf, in their Souls or Minds* 
 And how well the circumftances 
 of this way of inftrufting the 
 Law, fiiits with Catechizing in 
 the moft obvious Notion, I leave 
 the impartial to judge. 
 
 Now that the things thus 
 taught were not barely the meer 
 words of the Law, and their na- 
 ked Reading ( as fbme have fup- 
 pofed, ) may be concluded from 
 the good efFeft and influence 
 which this inftru&iott had upon 
 the inftructed. For we find that 
 it preferved them in the true 
 
 Worfhip 
 
jnffitutfam & 
 
 Worfhip of the true God : which 
 was a work too high to be ac- 
 complished by fuch low means 
 a$ naming, fuelling , joyning 
 tetters and Syllables tog ther, 
 and (uch other Abcedarian and 
 Grammatical Niceties. And that 
 by this inftru&ion the Jews were 
 preserved in the true Worfhip of 
 the true God, is excellently ob- 
 ferved in this particular, namely, 
 That albeit the Hebrew Nation,, 
 before their Captivity, had Pro- 
 phets to infinite them in the true 
 Wor(hip of God, yet they were 
 alwayes falliag into Idolatry. 
 But when they were returned 
 out of Babylon , though they 
 wanted ProphetS, yet they kept 
 clofe, and faithfully adhered, to 
 the Worfhip of the true God. 
 ( Though it muft not be denyed 
 but that many corruptions and 
 heterodox conceits were therein 
 
 re- 
 
 
retained.) And the reafon that 
 hereof is rendered, is,, the inftnii- 
 ftion u(ed in the Synagogues : 
 Whereby they were fo throughly 
 grounded in what they profeifed, 
 and fo firmly and early rooted in 
 the Knowledge and Service of 
 God, that their defection there- 
 from was even Morally impoffir 
 ble. But when they wanted 
 this plain way of being thus Ca- 
 techized, they fell into all thofe 
 evils, which are the undeny able 
 confluences of the want of Ca- 
 techizing, even Dmerjtties of 0- 
 Jinions, SeBs and Divifions. 
 
 St* Foul Arguing with the 
 Gnojlic\, and concluding him 
 excufelefs in wRat he did, ufeth 
 this Topick: That he had not 
 onely the Law ki readinefs to 
 Teach him otherwife, but had 
 already therein been- a Catechu^ 
 mm t But whether we.ma)^ hence 
 
 infer 
 
3|ittWfcutign:, 37 
 
 infer, That? the Qld Synagogue 
 had a formal Catcchifm like the 
 Modem , I iliall not temerariouf- 
 ly pronounce. Yet (bmething to 
 this purpofe may be collected 
 from thofe Commentaries which 
 pafs under the name of St. Am- 
 brofe : Where we find the Office 
 of thofe Doftore mentioned r 
 I Cor. 12 a8. thus- expounded : 
 lUos dicib Do&oresjk.c. He calls 
 thofe Doftors or Teachers, who 
 in the Church inftrufted Chil- 
 dren in Reading and retaining 
 their LeJfons\ according to the 
 cuftom of the Synagogue : for 
 their Tradition. hath palled unto 
 us. If you afk me what the 
 Leflbns were, which the Doftors 
 Taught the Children.: I anfwer, 
 The Principles of Religion. If 
 you demand the manner how 
 they were Taught : I reply, In a 
 manner (utable to their Capaci- 
 ties* 
 
3 s €&e l^tmttt&e 
 
 ties. If again you demand , 
 what that manner was : I return , 
 Catechizing , in the native and 
 common acceptionof the Word. 
 But if Catechizing fhould be ill 
 looked upon, as being a Traditi- 
 on derived from the Jews --, then 
 the greateft part of Chriftianity 
 may be had under a jealous afpedt 
 upon the fame account : for it is 
 mod certain, that a large (hare 
 both of Chrijlian Rites and Do- 
 ctrines were derived fiom Ju- 
 daifm, which was not to be laid 
 deiolate by Chriftianity 5 but corn- 
 pleated and reformed. The Pri- 
 mitive Chriftianity being (accor- 
 ding to Mr. Selden) the lawful 
 and Prophetick Off-fpring of the 
 Old Judaiim. 
 
 Chap, 
 
3.nffitutiotu 39 
 
 Chap. III. 
 Catechising in times of the 
 Apo files. Evidences there- 
 of in St. Pauls Ep /files. 
 '(he Contents of their Ca- 
 techi(m. 
 
 BUt how dim fbever the traces 
 of this kind of inftrudion 
 be in the Jeivifl) Diftenfation, 
 yet the Foot-fteps thereof are 
 more traceable in the Gofpel. 
 Where Catechifm is not obfcure- 
 ly intimated, if we may rely any 
 thing on the Words and Senten- 
 ces which therein occur to this 
 purpofe. 
 
 And in the Firft place, it can- 
 not be denyed but that in the in- 
 fpired Epiftles we plainly read of 
 
 two 
 
40 Cfje Ptfmftfoe 
 
 two forts of Chriftians, namely, 
 fuch as were newly admitted in- 
 to the Church, compared by St. 
 Peter to New-born Babes, I Pet. 
 2.2. and fuch as had been there* 
 in a longer time 5 called by St. 
 Paul the Perfetf, in refpedt of their 
 greater Progress in Chriftian Re- 
 ligion 5 or the wifclom which de- 
 scends from above, or which 
 Chrift came to Teach and Infuie, 
 St. Jam. 3. 17. To the former 
 of thefe they gave Milk, and in - 
 ftrufted them in the eafier points 
 of Religion : But ftrong meat 
 was ordained for the later. Who 
 having been firft well Catechized 
 in Chriftianity, were capable of 
 higher myfteries. And of this 
 we have a clear illuftration in the 
 fixth to the Hebrew^ where we 
 firft read of the mfy$k&%tk% 
 h*y>i, TheDoBrinc, or difcourfe> 
 of the begitwing of Chrift: Or 
 
 (as 
 
(as we now read it) the Princi- 
 ples of the Do&rine of Chrift : 
 That is, a Catechifm which con- 
 tained a brief Summary of thofe 
 Principles which were neceflary 
 for every Ghriftian to learn, and 
 to be laid as a Foundation meet 
 for the Superftru&ure of higher 
 myfteries, and matters of a deeper 
 reach 5 fuch as the Prieft-hood of 
 Melchizedeck,, and how he was a 
 type of Chrift, Heb. 7. And of 
 thefe later St. Paul would not in- 
 treat, till he (aw the former fa 
 faithfully received, believed and 
 pra&ifed, as that they might be 
 laid afide for the prefent. 
 
 Now the i!K<u , or Principles 
 wherein Chriftians were firft in- 
 ftru&ed , are thus reckon'd by 
 the Apoftle : Firft , Repentance 
 from dead works: Secondly,, 
 Faith towards God : Thirdly , 
 theDoftrineofBaptiim: Fourth- 
 
42 C&ePtfmftfte 
 
 ly, Impofition of hands, orCon- 
 firmation : Fifthly , The Article 
 of the Refurre&ion from the 
 dead : And Laftly, The certainty 
 of Eternal Judgement. Thefe 
 were the chief and main points 
 of the Apoftles Catechifm^ the 
 firft Principles of the Oracles of 
 God, the rudiments of Chriftian 
 Religion , faith our Old Margi- 
 nal note, or the Catechtfm where- 
 in the younger fort of thofe times 
 were inftru&ed. Andthefe Ar- 
 ticles now mentioned , or fbme 
 fuch-like, were (no doubt) that 
 form of Doftrine , that manner 
 of Catechizing which was deli- 
 vered to the Romans, Rom. 6. 
 17. or as our margin reads out 
 of the Greek, whereunto ye were 
 delivered or given up : Where 
 the ordinary phrafe is changed 
 by the Apoftle. For albeit to 
 fay, To this form of Doftrine 
 
 you 
 
3!nffittitiotn 43 
 
 you were delivered, is not fb a- 
 grc cable either to tke Latine or 
 Englifo fpeech , as, This form of 
 Do&rine which was delivered 
 unto you : Yet the Apoftle makes 
 ufe of the firft , to tell us, faith 
 Cajetan , That not fb much the 
 form of Religion was delivered 
 to men , as that men were deli- 
 vered to the form of Religion. 
 That fb by this means Religion 
 might be known to have Autho- 
 rity and Power over man, and 
 not man over Religion. But 
 not to infift upon this 5 it need 
 not be doubted that this form of 
 Do&rine fpoken of by St. Paul, 
 was a Summary of Chriftianity, 
 or the Catechifm ufed in thofe 
 early and beft times of Chrifti- 
 anity, which contained the firft 
 Principles of the Oracles of 
 God. By which fbme under- 
 ftand the Creed, as Cyril of Hie- 
 
 rufalcm 
 
44 W)t Ptfmitt&e 
 
 rufalem in his Catech. 4. ftyled ; 
 by him the milkey Introdh&ion r 
 in allufioa to St.Paul, 1 Cor. 3. 
 2. Heb. 5-12. Others, of the 
 Creed and Lords Prayer, as Sede ; 
 Others , the Creed and Deca- 
 logue, as Aquinas ; Others, all 
 thole Elements which the Cate- 
 chumens learned , and profeffed 
 at Baptifm } whereof the Creed 
 was the Principal. Which with 
 the Lords Prayer the Clergy was 
 enjoyned to Teach the people, 
 ConciUMogunU Cap. 45. And it 
 was a general command of the 
 Church, that thofe who were to 
 be Baptized,{houId have a certain 
 time allotted for the learning and 
 rehearfing of the Creed. Which 
 the Eftern Chriftians alwayes re- 
 peated with a clear Voice, when 
 they came to the Holy Commu- 
 nion of Chrifts Body and Blood : 
 As appears in the Twenty fccond 
 
 Ca- 
 
■juffitutiotn 45 
 
 Canon of the Council of Toledo. 
 But if this feem to reftrain Cate- 
 chizing only to luch Catechumens 
 as in the Hiftory and Canons of 
 the Church are frequently men- 
 tioned 5 and that this kinde of 
 inftru&ion was not ufed toward 
 thoie whom by Baptifin the 
 Church had already received 
 into her Communion : It then 
 follows, that we (how how Cate- 
 chifm was a plain Inftitution 
 wherein all believers did Com- 
 municate. And in the firft place 
 itismanifeft out of Vecuhenius 
 (expounding the *>ix«* «p x»< *rf*» 
 e*«) That there were (bme points 
 of Chriftian Religion wherein 
 the Novices were Catechized 
 before Baptifm, and fbme after. 
 Thofe in which they were Cate- 
 chized before Baptifm^ were, The 
 ftecejfityofRepentance:to renounce 
 the Devil and all his works ; To 
 
 be- 
 
4* %i)t pn'mftfte 
 
 believe in God, &c. And thole 
 points which they learned after 
 Baptifm, were the Myfterieso? 
 our Saviours pajfion and VrieU- 
 hood, his taking our fins on him- 
 felfy and working our Salvation 3 
 the Myfteries of our KejurreUion, 
 of the lali Judgement, and ever- 
 lafiing reward, or life. And the 
 Catechifm of thefe was common 
 to all believers , becaufe necet 
 iary. 
 
 Secondly, That Catechizing 
 belonged to all within the 
 Church, and was not confined 
 only to the Novices in Religion, 
 and Candidates of Chriftianity, 
 we may confidently infer from 
 the exprefs words of St. Taul,GaL 
 6.6. where J he divides the whole 
 Church, to which that Letter was 
 direfted, into CatechiU and Ca- 
 techized. Where by the later 
 cannot be meant only thofe who 
 
 were 
 
jnffitwtion. 47 
 
 were not yet admitted to Holy 
 Baptifm, Styled by the Church- 
 Canons Catechumens : For then 
 we muft conclude that the Cate- 
 chumen and believer were all 
 one : contrary to Tertullian de 
 T&nit. Cap. 6. de Corona Milit. 
 Cap. 2. and all the Fathers : And 
 that there was a Chriftian Church 
 in Galatia confiding of Catechu- 
 mens^ or unbaptized perfbns, i. e. 
 a Church of Chriftians without 
 Chriftians. Which abfurd in- 
 conveniences cannot be evaded, 
 unleis by thofe Catechized fpo- 
 ken of by the Apoftle, we under- 
 ftand fuch as had received Bap- 
 tifm already , and were ftill to 
 be inftru&ed in that Religion 
 whereinto by that Divine rite 
 they had been admitted. So that 
 in St. Pauls time Catechizing in 
 its native acception was conti- 
 nued even to thofe who had at- 
 tained 
 
*$ €f)eP?tmttpe 
 
 taitied already to fo muchknow*- 
 ledge in the-Priaciples of Chri- 
 ftianity; as render 'd them, in the 
 Language of the Ancients, Com- 
 pctentes, or perfons/fit for Bap- 
 tifm, and to be admitted to the 
 higher Myfteries of Religion. 
 The fame Apoftle told the Co- 
 rinthians , that he had fed them 
 ivith Milk^ that is, by the con- 
 tent of all, with Catechetical Do- 
 Urines. . And there is no doubt 
 that thofe Texts in Heb. 5. 12. 
 Heb, 6. 1. are pregnant intima- 
 
 ja i8.a< t *° nS °^ ™ s trut ^- ^he 
 
 like may by affirmed of 
 what St. Luke has recorded con- 
 cerning the Introduftion of the 
 S Vikn 4 Ef ' oe } nen t Apol/os r fmd his 
 
 molt Excellent Theophi- 
 /A*f,into the knowledge of Chrift. I 
 And what has been iaid, affords 
 fufficient ground of affertirig 
 Catechifm to have been in ufe 
 
 with 
 
3jnffitttt!oru 4* 
 
 with the Apoftles, and that it de- 
 fended from the Synagogue. How 
 it was the pra&ife alio of the 
 Primitive Churches the fiibjeft of 
 the enfuing Chapter. 
 
 Chap. IV. 
 The Apoflles Catechifts in 
 federal Province*. The 
 Declenfion andReJlaura- 
 tion of Catechising. Ca- 
 tecbijis Styled Exorcijls, 
 Sec. 
 
 BUt if we imagine that the 
 marks of Catechizing are 
 lefs apparent in the New Tefta*- 
 ment, yet if we look into Eccle- 
 fiajlical Hiftory, we (hall there 
 'find that the Apoftles had their 
 feveral Provinces wherein they 
 D were 
 
so ^m$$m 
 
 were Cat^ifts, % . And that by 
 means Qfcdnftant Catechizing, 
 naany Kingdoms within Forty 
 years after the PaJJim received 
 an alteration in their Pagan Ce- 
 remonies/ Although it mud be 
 confefTed that it was not long till 
 the Malice and Envy of the De- 
 vil and man brought a decay in 
 this moft ufefiil Iaftitution. For 
 an the fecond Age, we read that 
 Catechizing was fo far declined, 
 that Origen ( living in the Two 
 hundred and thirtieth of Chrift ) 
 was honoured with the Title of 
 its Reftoren But where this Re- 
 ftauration of Catechizing by 0- 
 rigen was affc&ed v b not fo evi- 
 dent* There is a great probabi- 
 lity that Jitdaa was the Scene of 
 fi> good an A&ion. For we read 
 that he was verj> kindly received 
 there, after he fled out of Alex- 
 dttdrisi upon his falling into di£ 
 
 grace 
 
35nttfttttioit. 51 
 
 Dccjus he had offer'd Incenfe to 
 an idol, to lave his body (of 
 which his care was not alwayes 
 :j#ifiable) from being defiled 
 by a filthy Ethiopian. 
 
 Iff Alexandria, Origin cotild 
 not be faid to reftore Catechi- 
 zing, for it is exprefsly affirmed 
 that there he facceeded in Catie- 
 dra Catechetica his Mafter Cte- 
 mens, as Clemens had done his 
 Mafter rant en us in the fame chair. 
 And of the(e two later we' arc 
 told, that they made it their em- 
 ployment toTeach the grounds of 
 Religion, not by Sermons or Ho- 
 milies, but by Catechifm, in fuch 
 Schools and Colledges as in great 
 likelihood they themfelves had 
 founded for that purpoie. 
 
 So that we fee how in Alexan- 
 dria (and wc may hope that the 
 D a like 
 
like was in other parts) there 
 was a fucceflion oiCatecktfis 5 
 who were alfo called' Exorrijls , 
 not only becaufe (as .l(j$orc ex- 
 plains the word ) by Ptayer jn 
 the Name of Jefus they cafr %nr 
 clean Spirits out of tuple $hp 
 were poflefled: Nor meqrly in 
 regard of Exorcifing the Pagan 
 Catechumens^ when they came to 
 jb^e Baptized (as is to be }een at 
 large i n BurchardusVvcrmateh }l/) 
 but becaufethat by their diligefrtt 
 Catechizing the Principles' of 
 Chriftianity, they pulled down 
 Idolatry, and thereby caft Satan 
 out of his Kingdom, and .difpof- 
 fcfled him of that Tenor which 
 by Idol-worlliip he had fo long 
 ufurped. And the firft part of 
 the^ Vow of Baptifm, binds the 
 Baptized to renounce Idolatry 
 under the name of Devil. That 
 Exorcifing was an Office of good 
 
 repute 
 
3infftttttf on. - 53 
 
 repute irv the Ancient Church, 
 and not to be invaded by th6 
 Laity , is clear opt bf farfutliaffy 
 who in his Book adverf* H<erei. 
 C*j>. 41. tells, how the very He- 
 retical Women were become Co 
 itiahelefs and malepart, that 
 they durft Teach, Difpnte^ Exof- 
 cife, and even Baptize. 
 
 Mr. Calvin makes it a probable 
 conje&ure,that the Epiftletothe 
 Hebrews was not Penn d till feme 
 time after the Gofpel was,and the 
 Churcli had erected a form of 
 Government, and had Conftitu- 
 ted among other things v an order 
 of Inftruction., or Ccttechifm^m 
 which both the 'adult converts, 
 and Children, of believers were 
 to be Taught : And he further 
 addf, that thofe Principles men- 
 tioned Hcb. 6 t had refpeft unto 
 the udial and eftabhllied form of 
 Cdtcchrfm. Now if this coh- 
 D 3 je&ure 
 
54 utemmitiH 
 
 je&urebe argumentative>*and rcr 
 fej&red.to its proper place, the#* 
 will need no more to prove Ca- , 
 texhizing to be of Apoftolical 
 Inftitution aad Practice. : . / 
 
 jgb^Iwoni od$ error zbbflnl 
 
 -°* ■ Chap. V$o \d onV 
 thi Antiquity of CatccJiifiri; 
 frobable upon the ^coitntl 
 of its convenience $ b$t 
 refpeSt of the Obje&i Me- 
 thod of Inftrnttion. 
 
 ■ 
 
 BUt fuppofc that all which* has 
 I hitherto been obferved be 
 not evident , nay, that nothing 
 of this way of Teaching was e- 
 ver in ufe with the Primitive 
 Inftructors of Chriftianity 5 whicfx 
 Would be a very uncouth ftppo- 
 ftl$ yet this doth only conclude 
 
■jnffituttotn $5 
 
 agamft the Age, but not the con- 
 venience of Catechifm. It no 
 way proves that fiich a way of 
 inftru&ion 'had not been highly 
 rational to Introduce ignorant 
 Infidels into the knowledge oF 
 the~tme Faith. For all thofe 
 who by ordinary means were to 
 b^ converted to Chriftian Reli- 
 gion, were no lefi ignorant of its 
 principles, than thofe Infants who 
 are Born within the Chmxh $ 
 ac$ therefore to be Catechized 
 therein, was as proper and requi- 
 fite for thcm,as for thele : For the 
 ignorance of the one, as well as 
 of the other, was to be removed 
 by fueH means asall dtfercet Tea- 
 ch&y have thought fuitabte x& 
 that end. 
 
 Now it rs obvious to every 
 capac!tT,that no rrrafrs ignorance 
 cMY'Bh ^ta'bved by Rhetorica- 
 f/vg'Hj) 4 4MgHes, Tor,?p07tf Difcour- 
 
 D 4 M 
 
56 C|ep?imitiae 
 
 (is, profound Refer ches ? Sec. E^ut 
 t>y humble and plain tcflbris : 
 Eafie and obvious rules'-: And 
 fuch ifi b. c. Rudiments, as fall 
 undertKe comprehenfibn of the 
 rudcTAiduhleatrned^ andfrhich 
 are £ro£er to prepare them for 
 higher CefTotis. In brief, though 
 the things which are taught be 
 i(l ; th£milelves fublime and diffi- 
 cult, yet the manner of Teach- 
 ing them muft be humble and 
 eafie. And this way of inftru- 
 ftion was (no doubt) purfued 
 by the Primitive Doftors , who 
 did not only prepare by Cate- 
 chizing the ruder infidel to yq 7 
 ceive Bapttlm, but did alfb hy: 
 the lame courfe build up and e- 
 ducate thofe into a more; perfect 
 knowledge of Chriftianity,whom 
 they had already Baptized. Anq 
 therefore K*it£*r atiaotv%*«r y .tq> 
 Catechize and edffie; are with. 
 
 Grani- 
 
Iiiffmittfiu 57 
 
 Grammarians terms expreiiive of 
 
 And this, makes Catechizing 
 highly convenient in refpeft..^ 
 the true Method of learnings 
 For therein isoblervedthe-jnatu- 
 ral path of inftruftion, which e r 
 ver begins with fhort and obvi- 
 ous notions, to the end the. learn- 
 er may not be diicouraged with 
 a difficult and perplexed, en- 
 trance. For if the minds of No.- 
 viccs, or young Difciples, fhould 
 beloaden and puzled with mul- 
 titude and variety, or with o^ 
 fcureneli and prolixity of .Rules, 
 they would be in danger to rejeft 
 the whole Inftitution, for the 
 irkfome painfulnefs of its firft 
 grounds. And albeit that all be- 
 ginnings are attended with hard- 
 ships : Yet they ought in all rea- 
 fbn to be reduced to as great an 
 eafinefi as their Nature will a£- 
 D * ford 5 
 
5* Wpiniitttw 
 
 Ford^to theend that they may not 
 difhearten the Undertaker. This 
 we fee is the courfe of all Arts 
 and Scieaces,both liberal and me- 
 chanick, which have their Intro- 
 iduftive and Initiatorie Syftem>, 
 containing ftich ealie Elements 
 as being. firft known, fit the learn- 
 er for deeper documents. And 
 thefe lower Rudiments hold fbme 
 refemblanoe with that leffer fize 
 of Vertues, which feme Platovijfe 
 call Purgative, becaufe they arc 
 firft taken into the Soul to clenfe 
 and prepare her for the reception, 
 of Greater^ And in Religion it 
 is as requifite as inhumane Arts, 
 that the firft Lellbns be framed 
 according to the weak and (len- 
 der Capacities of youngcftftg/*- 
 xers. 
 
 Now as there is fmall probabi- 
 lity that in Writing he fhould ever, 
 be able ta-give. thj titu propor- 
 tion 
 
infrttuticm 5P 
 
 tion of words, who never learn- 
 ed the firft draught of Letters : 
 So there is no great aflur^nce, 
 that any one fhould make any 
 folid and firm Progrefs.in the -JViy- 
 ftcriesdrf Chriftiaaity^ who was 
 never acquainted with thePrii}- 
 ciplcs thereof: or , That tholje 
 fhould be able to give any good 
 account of the hope that is in 
 them , who never learned the 
 Articles of ttf £$$ on which their 
 hope is founded. 
 
 And this is a Clue that leads us 
 to the right way of grounding 
 Religion': for by what is (aid, it 
 is eafie to perceive, that fblid-Ga- 
 techizing is to the orderly ftru- 
 ciure of Spiritual kttorvUdge , 
 what a fure Foundation is to any 
 material Fabrick. And there- 
 fore he that would edifie himfelf^ 
 or others, in Chriftianity, with- 
 out this groundwork, builds but 
 
60 C&e p?imtttiie 
 
 a Vifionary Church, or a houfe 
 upon the (and. As hath been 
 ladly vifibfle in thole pfcrfbns who 
 being not founded upon t^iis 
 Rock, have been quickly fliaken 
 and "Blown down with every 
 Wiu3 of Corrupt Doftrine, vent- 
 ed by men crafty to contrive de- 
 eeit. It being impoffibJe that 
 thofe ftiould be itedfaft in fuch 
 Principles of Religion, wherein 
 they were never rightly and duly 
 inftru&ed. 
 
 Chap. 
 
Jttftituitoiu 6 1 
 
 Chap. VI. 
 
 
 Catechifm neceffary in re- 
 
 fpeSl of the incrcjfe dhd 
 
 i_ ,;. advance went of Spirits - 
 
 al hjiowUdgc : To have 
 
 a dtftinSi underjlandfng 
 
 ^nLI Sahation.Scc. 
 
 '-- 
 
 ANd not only the lure 
 grounding, but alfo the re- 
 gular and folid advance and in- 
 crease in the knowledge of things 
 Divine, makes Catechizing a nc- 
 ceffary Introdu&ive. For unlels 
 by -this means we be firmly prin- 
 cipled in Chriftianity, our know- 
 ledge therein will be both (mall 
 and unftable^ and as a pernicious 
 consequent thereof, we fhall be- 
 
 cone 
 
62 €Ije f&fmftt&e 
 
 come trifling and affe&ed in that 
 little we know. For it fares in 
 Divinity as Philofbphy, vyhereiu 
 a little Smattering knowledge 
 makes men vain and afluming, 
 whom a deeper infight therein 
 would reader compofed and (et- 
 led. And this has been,and is ftill, 
 miferably apparent in the Ancient 
 and Modern Salaries , whom a 
 meer conceit of knowledge hath 
 tempted to adume and ufurp the 
 place and fun&ion of Teachers, 
 imderftanding neither what they 
 (ay, nor whereof they affirm, 
 i Tim. 1.7. And indeed their 
 ignorance is the Mother of fuch 
 ailuming knowledge, as is (cen in 
 our great pretenders to Spiritual 
 fcience, who but too exaftly 
 prove themfelves defcended of 
 tho e Old Gnojticks , who were 
 fo peftilential to the Primitive 
 Church; being notoriously ad- 
 
Jnffittttictn 63 
 
 difted to Blafpheme, rail at, and 
 fpeak evil of the things they 
 know not:, and in a peculiar man- 
 ner are gifted with Malicioufhefs, 
 Avarice, Schifmaticalnefs, Rebel- 
 lion, and Contumacy : Accord- 
 ing to their ciefcription in St.Jttdc 
 SO, 11,12, 6cc. And the want 
 of having been- duly acquainted 
 with the true grounds of Religi- 
 on, is one main reafon why they 
 are in that Di,vi?;& Jcienoc fucht 
 Smatteres and half-witted j. 
 whereof there is fmall hopes e- 
 ver to have them cured, but by 
 a full Inftitution in thole Ele- 
 ments which are undenyablyre- 
 quifite to found knowledge. 
 
 But Catechizing is not only 
 uecefiary upon the account of a 
 regular entrance and encreafe of 
 knowledge in Religion, but alfo 
 to give us a clear intuition of 
 thoic particular ttuths whereof 
 
 WQ 
 
6 4 %l)tWn\itfac 
 
 we cannot be ignorant, ' but with 
 the peril of our eternal Happi- 
 riefi. For notwithftanding that 
 all things neceflary to Salvation 
 are clear and plain in Scripture, 
 yet the Scripture it (elf is tb (pa- 
 cious a field , that even a wary 
 Tcavailer may therein loofehim- 
 (elf. And befides this,the things 
 neceffary to be known by us in 
 order to our future welfare, are in 
 Sdcred Writ Co often mingled; 
 with things that are otherwife, 
 that it exceeds the generality of 
 Capacities to find them out, and 
 rightly to (ever. Thofe that are 
 idle (as the moft are in this ftu- 
 dy) will not take pains'} and 
 thofe that are ignorant have not 
 the ability., to diftinguifti, colleft," 
 aud reduce (uch necejfarj. points 
 to their refpediive Chapters. And 
 yet till (uch points be plainly di- 
 gefted into feveral Eud's^ many, 
 
 at 
 
3!ttffituttoin t? 
 
 at leaft the illiterate multitude, 
 will unavoidably want a compe-> 
 tent knowledge of what is ne- 
 ceflarypQthto their Temporal 
 and Immortal ' happinefs. Now 
 that the' gathering of thefe ne- 
 ceflary Truths into Sums and 
 Models] is the proper work of 
 Cateckifm, is vifible in all thofe 
 Syjiemcs which have ever born 
 that Name. And of this truth, 
 our own Chnrch-Cateckifm yields 
 afufficientTeftimony : In which 
 all things that concern Fa/th y 
 Tract t ice t Prayer, and Do&rine'^ 
 are collected into fuch fhort and 
 plain Sums, that the weakneft of 
 no mans Wit can either hinder 
 altogether the knowledge, or 
 excufe the utter ignorance of 
 things ncceflary to Salvation. 
 For whofbever with a mind free 
 from prejudice, fhall impartially 
 perufe the Church-Catcchifm, he. 
 
 there- 
 
66 _<CUe8?tfmftfttt 
 
 therein may ob(erve all faVing 
 Truths reduced to fuch (hort y 
 but full Heads, that the weak are 
 not left to the hazardous, nor the 
 flothfui to the laboripus referch 
 thereof in Holy Scriptures. . 
 
 — — i — _^ — ^ — 
 
 - 
 
 ChaK' 
 
 — ' ! — * *t 
 
 ihtu re 
 
 

 Jtifiituttcm* 67 
 
 ¥*'" — • : - " ' - 
 
 i CHAP - vn - 
 
 Catechising the ntojlf viable 
 means to heal the d/fiew 
 per s of this Church. Se 
 veral Proportions to be 
 fuppofed. A jbort di» 
 grejpon concerning onr 
 -Diforder/* 
 
 BUt wc will yet fuppofe that 
 ail which hitherto has been 
 delivered, ought to receive no 
 better, eftimation than meer or- 
 dinary Difcourfe ; and that we 
 are to proceed upon a new 
 ground, and examine the neceffi- 
 ty of Catechizing in refpeft of 
 the prefent temper and difpofi- 
 tion, or indeed rather diftempers 
 and disorders of this Church 
 
 and 
 
68 ®&e iptititiiitoz 
 
 and People. And in order 4mto 
 this, it will not be altogether im- 
 pertinent and ufelefs, a little to 
 confider what our prefent difor- 
 ders are. 
 
 And in the Firft place, we can^ 
 not but obferve, that our decleii- 
 fion both from the Defigtie and 
 Rule of the Gofpel , is not con- 
 fpicuous only in thofe grand De- 
 bauchees,whogrow weary of the 
 Name of Chriu, orprofefiitonly 
 to dilgrace it : But alio in thole 
 who feem ftrift and (evere in per- 
 forming all the formal and exte- 
 riour part of Difciplefhip. E- 
 ven thofe I mean,who are zealous 
 hearers of Chrifts Word , and 
 conftant Communicants at his 
 Table, not profeffing Devotion 
 to any other. For even thefe 
 are content (as occafion fcrves) 
 to abandon that Purity , Conti- 
 nence , Meeknefs , Humility , 
 
 Candor, 
 
3infffttttfom t>9 
 
 Candor, Mercifulneft, and other 
 inftances of a fwcet nature, fo 
 vehemently urged by our Divine 
 Lawgiver , tfhd which are the 
 genuine refult of true Chriftian 
 Principles , for that one Lave of 
 Sordid tntereft, brutal Paffiow, 
 and Churlifh (clf-prefervation. 
 Although they cannot but ac* 
 'kqpwJedge, that all thefe areto^ 
 tally oppoiiteto the true Spirit of 
 Chriftianity. Andbpfides pfofeilcd 
 Polititians, there are others, who 
 fee.m to look upon Religion as a 
 meer Engineof State jlx\& a thing 
 that i^ as Tradable for Battery 
 as Defence. And who,notwith- 
 ftanding their contrary preten- 
 ces, live as if they regarded not 
 what Chrift chiefly aimed at by 
 his Incarnation, Death and Re- 
 furreftion. And how that he 
 gave himfelf for us ( both in his 
 Birth and Death) to redeem us 
 
 from 
 
7^ QW^iimitiU 
 
 from all iniquity, and ia^Ufifie 
 unto himfelf a pediifi^r" $fc6ple 
 zealous of good works. ? And 
 that he rofe from the dead to blefs 
 us, in turning every one of us 
 from our iniquities. And that 
 the main defigne of our infpired 
 Chriftianity, is the entire refor- 
 mation of our lives, and to make 
 us as good as our profefiion. 
 
 But befides this fort of Nominal 
 Chriftians,there is another,which 
 arc fo far tranfported with the 
 opinion of that Union which 
 they fancy already to enjoy with 
 Chrift, that they dteam to be in 
 prefent pofleffion of that Vifion 
 which is peculiar to the future 
 State. And they are (b dazel'd 
 with the fuppofititious glory of 
 their Spiritual perfe&ion, that 
 they contemn the means ordained 
 to make them truely perfect, be- 
 caufe they fancy they have arriv- 
 ed at it already. And 
 
jnffftuttom 71 
 
 ,. : ;-i^fid with thefe may be joyn- 
 ?edaR fuchwhoare Co clofely ad- 
 difted to their own opinions, 
 xhat they think it a matter of 
 Conference, Piety and Religion. 
 to oppofe and condemn whofb* 
 ever are not of their mind and 
 perfwafion. Since whole rife 
 we have been under a fenfible 
 decay of Charity, and (as a na- 
 tural confcquent thereof ) an in- 
 creafeof wickedne/s. 
 
 But if thefe ingroS not all the 
 occafions of our Dilbrders, there 
 is another fort of people who 
 will fill up their meafure : Thofe 
 I mean, who pervert the plaineft 
 Scriptures to fuch a meaning, as 
 doth befl: help to carry on their 
 defigns: And what isyetworfe, 
 who make it matter of confeience 
 to affert that fenle of the Text 
 which they have perverfely mi- 
 ftaken. And this deifying our 
 
 own 
 
own Interpretations } and tyran- 
 nically enforcing them upon o- 
 thers : This retraining of the 
 Word of God from that latitude 
 and generality, and the under- 
 loadings of men from that liber- 
 ty wherein Chrift and his Apo- 
 ftles left them, is, and hath been 
 the only Fountain of all the 
 Schifms of the Church, and that 
 which makes them immortal: 
 The common incendiaries of 
 Chriftendom , and that which 
 tears into pieces, not the Coat, 
 but the Bowels and Members of 
 Chrift : Ridcnte Turca^ nee do- 
 Unte Jnd<eo. Take away the(e 
 walls of (eparation, and all will 
 quickly be one. Take away 
 the damning of men for not fiib- 
 fcribing to the words of men, as 
 the Words of God $ require of 
 Chriftians only to believe Chrift, 
 and to call no man Majler but 
 
 him 
 
juaituttoit. n 
 
 him oaly.- Let thofe leave claim- 
 ing tin 'faUiMity , who have no 
 Td^le to it 5 and let them that in 
 their words difclaim it, difclaim. 
 it likewife in their Atiions. In 
 a word, take away tyranny in 
 Opinions , by which the Devil 
 withstands the power of Truth, 
 and reftore Chriftians to their 
 jufl: and full liberty of captiva- 
 ting their underftandings to Scri- 
 pture only, and as Rivers, whofe 
 paflage is not interrupted , run 
 all to the Ocean , fb it may well 
 be hoped by Gods bleffing, that 
 Vniverfd liberty thus modera- 
 ted, may quickly reduce us to 
 Truth and Unity. Theft thoughts 
 of peace may come from the God 
 of peace, to whofe blefling I re- 
 commend them. And that this 
 may not be looked upon for feme 
 Angularity in my own perfwa- 
 fion, I have transcribed the words 
 E out 
 
74 €;ijep?imtt!fie 
 
 out of Mr. Chillingworth, and he 
 out of another, and enclofed them 
 in a ParentheGs. 
 
 Buc taking no delight to tra- 
 vail further in (earch of thofe di- 
 {tempers which I am unable to 
 remedy 5 The only comfort is, 
 that they cannot be looked upon 
 as the ill iies of ourReligion,nor a- 
 uy way be charg'd upon the Prin- 
 ciples we profe fs. And therefore 
 we muft feek eliewhere to lay the 
 imputation: and I (hall go no 
 further than to what I mention- 
 ed in the Introdu&ion , even, 
 the Omififion, or luke-warm ufe 
 of Catechizing. 
 
 And here in the Firft place, it 
 cannot be denyed, how that the 
 generality of the people of this 
 Kingdom , have for many years 
 (at leaft during the time of our 
 Inteftine Wars ) either been de- 
 ftitute of all Catechizing , or 
 
 have 
 
JttffttUttOlU 75 
 
 have been Catechized only in 
 fiich Principles, as were good 
 for nothing but to eftablifh the 
 Elder in a Curfed Schifin and 
 Rebellion, and to infeft the 
 Younger with the fame Conta- 
 gion. The (aid effects whereof 
 are ftill vifible in the unpeace- 
 able Tenets of fome, and id the 
 want of a due underftanding of 
 Religion in mofi In refpeft of 
 which, we have need to be 
 taught again, which be the firft 
 Principles of the Oracles of God } 
 being become fuch as have need 
 of Milk, and not of ftrong Meat. 
 The greateft part of the com- 
 mon people, being Co far unable 
 to reap any benefit from the 
 handling of abftrufer Myfteries 
 in eloquent and elaborate difc 
 courfes, (which is fo ftudioufly 
 puriued by om Junior and Florid 
 Thcologues) that they want in- 
 E 2 ftruftion 
 
76 Cfje pjttm'tfte 
 
 ftru&ion in the plaineft parts of 
 Catechijiical Doftrines. For tjot- 
 withftanding that we boaft much 
 of our knowledge of Chrift, and 
 that our Proficiency is lb great 
 i i Religion,tha,t we conceive our 
 ielves wifer than ourTeachers^yet 
 if the Tree may be judged by its 
 fruits,we fhall be found (hameful- 
 ly ignorant of what we affume to 
 know,5tto havelittle of that wis- 
 dom which defcends from above, 
 w ch Chrift came toTeach {klnfufe, 
 8c which is Pure,Peaccable, Gen- 
 tle 3 ea(ie to be entrcated,merciful, 
 without Hypocrifie Sc Wavering. 
 Jii the Second .place, we can- 
 not but with deep refentmcnts 
 obferve, that fince the time Cod 
 turned again our Captivity, and 
 reftored this Church to the free 
 ufe of his Ordinances, Catechi- 
 zing has met but with cold enter- 
 tainment j even from thofe by 
 
 whom 
 
 i 
 
Sinffitutiom 77 
 
 whom it ought to have been 
 moft lovingly careflcd. For in 
 mod places it has been looked 
 upon rather as a Foreigner, than a 
 Native of the Church} and as 
 fruits of their mouth, never in 
 (eafon but for a few days m'Lenf. 
 And even then toojheC hurch~C a- 
 tcchifm is generally taught, with- 
 out any fiich explanation as is 
 needful,inrefpc& of thofeilenckr 
 Capacities to whofe inftructioii 
 it is chiefly devoted. 
 
 And if, in the Third place, we 
 confider who thoie are which on 
 the one hand hinder the progrefs 
 and Settlement of Unity, Peace, 
 and concord in this Church, by 
 an undutiful "Howard rchftmg 
 of her Laws : Or, who they are 
 that on the other hand A poihtize 
 and utterly forsake her Commu- 
 nion } it will be found upon due 
 examination, that we have laid 
 E 3 ^e 
 
73 Cfje pjtmttiie 
 
 the ground of the difbbedience 
 of the one, and of the defe&ion 
 of the other , in a want of a 
 timely and diligent Catechi- 
 zing 
 
 And as for the Fir ft fort, name- 
 ly 5 the difobedient and refradtary 
 (who are now known by the ve- 
 ry candid name of Di ([enters) 
 they cannot pretend to a more 
 plaufible excufe of their unduti- 
 fulnefs, than that they were never 
 duly Catechized to the contrary. 
 For granting them to be perfbns 
 not totally forfaken of all inge- 
 nuity and right reafon, we cannot 
 imagine that they fhould fo foully 
 violate * their bounden Duties 
 both to God and Man , had they 
 ever been fully taught, or did 
 clearly retain any thing but an 
 imperfeft and prejudicate know- 
 ledge of thofe Duties, as they are 
 plainly fet down in the Church- 
 Catechifm*. And 
 
jttifitutfotu 79 
 
 And as for theLater fbrt,to wit, 
 thofe who have Apoftatized and 
 fain from ours to the Roman per- 
 fwafion,they have beenfb far from 
 having their firft tinftures and 
 foundation in Religion accord- 
 ing to our publick Catechifm^ 
 that they might fay thereof as 
 thofe in Atts 19. 2. did of the 
 Holy Ghoft. But we muft limit 
 this obfervation chiefly to thofe 
 who had the unhappineft to be 
 born in this Church when fhe 
 was under the Croft, and wore 
 the marks of her great Mafter. 
 And as for thofe who had been 
 inftru&ed in our Ckurch-Cate- 
 chifm , yet before they left us, 
 they had (b far unlearnt it, as 
 that they retain d of that Syftem 
 of our Religion, fachloofe, ram- 
 bling and incoherent notions, as 
 if it were wholly enthufiaftick,or 
 had been compiled by perfbns 
 E 4 deeply 
 
So myt l&fmtttfie 
 
 'deeply Hypochondriacal. And 
 for clofare of this Paragraph , I 
 {hall only adde,That none could 
 ever be met with, who for end3 
 truly Spiritual and Religious, 
 did ever abandorr this for the 
 Roman Church, who had been 
 throughly grounded in her Ca* 
 tech if w- 
 
 And there will w r ant no rea- 
 fons to fupport this Aflertion, if 
 it be duly confidered, how the 
 very frame and contexture of 
 the Catechifm doth obviate and 
 oppofe all the main errors of Po- 
 pery, as they relate either to 
 Faith, or Praftice 5 to Prayer, or 
 Doftrine. 
 
 And Fh-ft, he that has been 
 duly Catechized in the Apoftles 
 Creed, will not only be armed 
 againft a fpurious explication of 
 the Gld Articles of our Faith, 
 but alfo againft a needefs addi- 
 tion. 
 
fntfittitiotc St 
 
 Hon of New ©nes. For he will 
 find, that the firft twelve contain 
 fuch a perfeft Summary of all 
 laving Truths (imply neceflTary 
 to be believed, that thofe Ar- 
 ticles added thereunto by the 
 Council of Trent , ought to be 
 rejefted upon the account of be- 
 ing Superfluous. And at the 
 filme time he willfind ground e- 
 nough to explode that Implicite 
 Faith, fo much relyed upon iu 
 the Romiflj Church, who confiders 
 the neceility of a perfonal belief 
 as it is clearly required in the 
 firft word of the Creed , which 
 in Latine gives name to the 
 whole. 
 
 And in the next place, as to 
 thofe errors of Popery that con- 
 cern our Pra&ice, they will be 
 certainly difcovered and refuted 
 by a right underftanding of the 
 Decalcgu-e, which by all is grant-- 
 E 5. .edt 
 
8.a Cfje pjfmfttte 
 
 ed to be a clear a ad perfpicuous 
 rule of what we are to do both 
 toward God and our Neigh* 
 bour. 
 
 And a man that is well ground- 
 ed in the Do&rine of the firft 
 Commandment ,. knows, that he 
 muft referve all Divine Honour, 
 truft , devotion to God alone, 
 and that he may beftow no part 
 thereof upon the Creature. And 
 therefore cannot but avoid and 
 abhor thole Romifl) Do&ors that 
 would make him a Client to the 
 Saints, and a conftant Votary to 
 the B. Virgin and his Guardian. 
 Spirit. He that is well ground- 
 ed in tlie Doftrine of the fecond 
 Commandment, will never be 
 induced to believe, that the I- 
 mage is to adored with the fame 
 worihip that is due to what is 
 worshipped : He will be wary 
 of admitting any bodily repre- 
 
 fenta- 
 
jiifffttrtfimv- 8 3 
 
 Mentations of the Holy Trinity : 
 And look jealoufly upon all the 
 Doftrine of Image-worfhip , 
 which he fees to be vindicated 
 with a few remote and fufpicious 
 diftinftions , devifed by the Fa- 
 thers of that Doftrine, on pur- 
 pofe to maintain its Credit. He 
 that is throughly inftrufted in 
 the Doftrine of the third Com- 
 mandment, and hath thence been 
 taught to tremble at, and reve- 
 rence the Holy Name of the Al- 
 mighty, will never be induced 
 to believe, that frequent curfing 
 and fwcaring, if cuftomary,is ve- 
 nial, or a fin which is pardonable 
 in its own nature, and for which 
 the favour of God cannot be 
 forfeited : That equivocating in 
 Oaths is lawful : That our moft 
 Solemn Oaths may be difpenfed 
 with : That the dreadful Name 
 of God may be ufed in the un- 
 
 war- 
 
«4 Cfjel&imtttfte 
 
 warrantable exorcization of the 
 Creatures : That underftanding 
 and devotion are not neceflarily 
 required to our invocations up- 
 on God. He that has been 
 throughly informed of the minde 
 of its eternal Authour in the 
 fourth Commandment, will ne- 
 ver give up himfelf to a Reli- 
 gion that prefers a mans day be- 
 fore Qpds, or a Saints day be- 
 fore the Lords: Which would 
 alter the institution of God him* 
 (elf, as was defigned by Pope <?//- 
 vefter^ who decreed that Thurs- 
 day (houldbe kept for the Lords 
 day. He that hath well learned 
 the fifth Commandment, muft do 
 great violence to his underftand- 
 ing, before he can chufe to be 
 of a Religion that loves to* 
 drink the blood of Princes : 
 That abfolves Subjects from their 
 Allegiance to. their lawful So* 
 
 veraigne : . 
 
3inffittitiatu. ?t 
 
 veraigne: That gives power to 
 a Vicar to depofe Princes at plea- 
 fare : That arms Subjefts with 
 power to murther their Ring, 
 The like may be (aid of all the 
 Precepts of the Royal Law of 
 God, which is the moft perfedl 
 rule of our obedience, and which 
 we are Taught, to violate/o fooiv 
 as we have given up our ftlves 
 to Popery, and to the fervice of 
 the Reman Moloch. And though 
 thefe are Myfteries which the 
 RomiJI)- Seducers carefully con- 
 ceal, andfometime zealoully in- 
 veigh againft, while they are 
 compafling eafte Trofelytes, with 
 whom they deal in the moft fpe- 
 cious pretences 5 yet they have 
 no fboner deluded them to give 
 up their Names to Popery, and 
 thereupon to fhake hands v/ith 
 all liberty of judging for them- 
 felves, than. by degrees they let 
 
 them . 
 
86 <tfie$?tfmftfl>e 
 
 them know what is to be done. 
 And if they ftartle at doing what 
 is commanded them, this is pre- 
 sently cenfared for a relique of 
 their OldHerefie, and that there 
 was fomething wanting in their 
 eonverfion , which cannot be 
 fupplyed, but by afting through- 
 ly all the moft horrible injuncti- 
 ons of their New Faith. 
 
 And by the lame means of 
 being well Catechized in the 
 Lords Prayer, a man will be able 
 to apprehend and rejed the ma- 
 ny errors Popery would impofe 
 upon him in that high concern. 
 For thereby he will clearly per- 
 ceive that Prayer ought to be 
 made to God only, and that none 
 can fhare with him in that , or 
 any other part of Divine and Re- 
 ligious worfhip. And that for 
 this reafcn he ought not to em- 
 brace a Religioa which, enjoyns 
 
 him 
 
3ttffttutfom 8 7 
 
 him to pray unto Saints and An- 
 gels, and that too not only to 
 have them intercede to God for 
 him, but alfo to help him in his 
 neceffities, and to deliver him 
 both in Bodily and Ghoftly dan- 
 gers. And that this may not be 
 thought the fault of Roiaries, 
 Hours, and Books of private De- 
 votions (for which the Church 
 of Rome is accountable , as ha- 
 ving confirmed them by her Au- 
 thority ) it is alfo the Tenor 
 of her public^ Service : as is 
 plainly to befeen in the Collects, 
 Hymns, and Litanies of that Bre- 
 viary which was reftcred by the 
 Council of Trent , and authori- 
 zed by feveralPopes, and which 
 is at this day in uncontrouiable 
 ufe through all the Papal Domi- 
 nions. 
 
 And we might alfo obferve the 
 like concerning the Do&rine of 
 
 the 
 
88 Cfje Piimfitik 
 
 the Sacraments, in which who- 
 (bever is once fully inftru&ed 
 according to the Catechifm of 
 this Church, will quickly difcern 
 the abufes thereinto introduced 
 by Popery. To mention no more 
 than what belongs to the Author 
 of a Sacrament 5 which our Ca- 
 ttchifm afferts, and which is an 
 undenyable Truth, to be only 
 Ghrift. And therefore all thole 
 things are to be excluded the 
 number of Sacraments, that are 
 not of his immediate and clear 
 appointment. And that Orders^ 
 Penance, Confirmation, Marriage, 
 Extream Vn£tion(z\\ Romifti Sa- 
 craments) are not of Chrifts In- 
 ftitution, is eafily difcernable to 
 men but llenderly verfed in the 
 Holy Bible : And therefore not 
 to be received for the Sacraments 
 of Chrift, but inventions of 
 thofe, who Teach forDo&rines 
 
 the. 
 
Jnltittitfotk Sp 
 
 the commandments of mcn.Now 
 by thefe imperfect intimations 
 we may fafely infer, That tho(e 
 who have had their Foundation 
 in Religion ftrely laid according 
 to the publickly allowed Cate* 
 chifm of this Church, muft have 
 other ends to (erve than thofe of 
 Religion , and drive other pro- 
 jects then Cods honour , and 
 their own Salvation, whofbrfeke 
 her Communion for that of 
 Rome. 
 
 But to return : What ever hath 
 unhappily contributed to our 
 Revolting to the one hand or the 
 other from the eftablifhed Reli- 
 gion of this Church , there is 
 none that will deny but that the 
 lack of a plain and lolid Cate- 
 chizing has had therein a very 
 large (hare. And therefore we 
 may conclude, That the careful 
 pra&ice of that , will be a. chief 
 
 means 
 
<n <£8el9?imttflw 
 
 means to reftore Union and 
 Peace, the Omiffion whereof hath 
 occafioned the contrary: And 
 indeed , Catechizing (eems the 
 the only proper way not only 
 to ftrengthen thofe that do ftand, 
 but to raife up thofe that are 
 fain 5 if we confider how inef- 
 fectual all other ways have pro- 
 ved , which have been managed 
 to this end. Which now come 
 to be furveyed* 
 
 Chap. 
 
Snffitutiotu 91 
 
 Chap. VIII. 
 The Methods ufed for our 
 reclaiming, furveyecl\ fr>Q* 
 <uing ineffectual 1 Sec. 
 
 ANd here we need not be 
 told, how Indulgence and 
 Clemency, Afts of Amnefty and 
 Grace, have been (b far unable lb 
 much as to work us up to a good 
 humour, that like frefh paftures 
 to unruly beafts, they have only 
 (erved to ftrengthen us for a ftur- 
 dier refiftance. Nor need we 
 be told of making converts with 
 the Churches patrimony : for 
 though by this means fbme may 
 be invited to bear the Ark of 
 God, yet they do it but like the 
 Thiliflins kine, who were ftill 
 lowing after the calves they had 
 
 left 
 
.92 &8ep?fmftifoe 
 
 left behind them. It needs not 
 be demonftrated that our fro- 
 wardnefs and opiniaftre are not 
 to be cured by fuch Methods: 
 But that which I would chiefly I 
 take notice of, is, that Difyuta- \ 
 tivn and Treaching , which out ! 
 of an agreeablenefs that they are 
 generally thought to bear to our 
 diftempers, and the powerfulnels 
 of their management, have ob* 
 tained a Name to be the only 
 proper remedies.. But the cot> 
 timaaneeof the malady, is a con- 
 vincing argument that thefe are 
 not (b proper for this purpose, as 
 is (b generally fuppofed. And 
 give me leave to fpeak of thele 
 two freely } and firft of Difputa- 
 tion, which is a meer empyrick 
 prcfcription in order to heal our 
 prefent diftempers. For though 
 Difputation , as it is managed by- 
 the Pen , may have got a great 
 
 Vogue 
 
LStUHtottotk 93 
 
 ogue in the Worlds yet we can 
 never hope that our Diffenting 
 'judgements (hould hereby be 
 reconciled, if with due fcrioufc 
 nels w r e confider, Fir ft, the man- 
 ner of their conduit : Secondly, 
 the matter to be difputed : Third- 
 ly , the perfons thereby to be 
 wrought upon. 
 
 And Firft , if the conduft of 
 Difputes fall under a calm, un- 
 prejudiced and reflexive review, 
 (as they appear in Print) the 
 Pen-men thereof feem to have 
 intended rather the Defamation, 
 than Conviction of each other ; 
 and to have been of an opinion v 
 that men were to be refuted, as 
 Mercury of old was worfhipt, 
 by throwing Dirt and Stones in 
 their Face. But we have been 
 Taught by miferable experience 
 that the Iafhing of a Few , hath 
 been fubfervient to no better 
 
 end 
 
94 Cfje Wmitite 
 
 end than to exafperate the whole 
 party : And that our keeneft ar- 
 guments, if we may judge by 
 the Event , have only ferved to I 
 alarm the adverfary into a better 
 proviiion for future refiftance, 
 and to ftrengthen their Opinion 
 in that part wherein the Attaque 
 had difcovered it to be the weak- 
 eft.But grant (as indeed we mud) 
 that the Diilenters (to whom 
 this Paragraph chiefly relates) are 
 not able to (land in Argument 
 before their opponents 5 yet we 
 muft alio grant , that there is a 
 want of Decorum in the Viftors 
 carriage, while his Argument lo- 
 leth its efficacie, through the loofc 
 nefs, luxury, or rigour of its ex- 
 preffion. For it is too apparent to 
 conceal ,t hat there are fo many un- 
 manly reflexions in moll of our 
 late Controverfies,that difcreet & 
 (bber perfons loath the reading 
 
 of 
 
3!nffttuttoin 95 
 
 of thofe Pages where they occur. 
 Which gives occafion for doubt- 
 ing that fuch arguings (b mana- 
 ged, proceed not from that Spirit 
 of tneeknefi wherewith the over- 
 taken Brother Jfjoutd be rejiored^ 
 nor were defigned to procure 
 Unity and Concord among us, 
 feeing that fo little of that Chari- 
 ty can therein be difcerned , 
 which is the bond of Peace, and 
 fure groundwork of all true Re- 
 concilement. And if the condudt 
 of our Debates were throughly 
 confidered, we might find this 
 Church complaining like the Ea- 
 gle in the Creek Epilogue, which 
 feeing her Breft wounded with a 
 Feather'd Dart, cryed out with 
 Tears, Alas ! my own kinde hath 
 deftroyed me. But to proceed. 
 
 It cannot be doubted, but that 
 feme opinions (boner dye by be- 
 ing contemn d, than taken notice 
 
 of. 
 
of And I amperfwaded, thatr 
 this National Church is now 
 troubled with many Opinions 
 which long ere this would have 
 found their own Graves, if they 
 had not been kept alive with 
 oppofition. In fb much that it 
 may be faid of this particular 
 Church , what was of the Ca- 
 tholick, That if fhe had ftopt 
 and damn'd up the Originals 
 and Springs of Controveriies , 
 rather than determining for onq 
 part, to give them as it were a 
 Pipe and Conduit to convey 
 them to Pofterity, fhe had not 
 fuifer'd that inundation of Opi- 
 nions with which at this day (he 
 is over-run, A policy ftill in 
 praftice in the Popifti Countries, 
 where thofe Books of controver- 
 iies are (carce to be met with, 
 wherein their Religion is main- 
 tained againft Reformed Chur- 
 ches. 
 
anfftttttfotn 97 
 
 chcs. By which means they live 
 free from thofe Diflentions 
 wherewith their Neighbours are 
 afflifted, to their fcandal and 
 mine. And I hope we may fifely 
 imitate their rcifdom, whofe er- 
 rors we abhor. 
 
 But if Controverfies were as 
 necefi'ary, as by fbme they are 
 pretended to be, yet their con- 
 duct ought (b far to be reformed, 
 as that at leaft therebeacefTation 
 from hoftile expreffions , which 
 have hitherto been of no better 
 u(e than to exaiperate men into a 
 petulant and peevilh vindication 
 of that name under which they 
 conceived themielves to be revi- 
 led. Next, that the Difputers 
 would not vent and foam out 
 their perfonal piques and ani- 
 mofities under the pretence and 
 cloke of aflferting Religion and 
 the Church. Laftly , that they 
 F ' would 
 
98 CljePtfmftfiK 
 
 would aim at peace and not re- 
 venge. For how feemly fbever 
 the present carriage of Difputes 
 maybe accounted "in perfbns of 
 another Cha rafter, yet it is very 
 ill-becoming- thofe who are (tiled 
 Ewbtijfadors of Reconciliation , 
 and who ought to exprels the 
 Emphafis of that Title, in recon- 
 ciling mens Wills with their Du- 
 ties, and their Understandings 
 with the Truth 5 in bringing the 
 wicked to repentance, and the 
 malitious to Charity $ and to win 
 all to a holy compliance with the 
 Defigne and Rule of the B. Au- 
 thor of Chriltianity 5 which was, 
 to heighten our Convention to 
 the mod elevated pitch of true 
 Vertue,Peaceand Holinefs 5 And 
 that ourRighteouineis fhould ex- 
 ceed all theirs that ever went be- 
 fore us. 
 
 Chap. 
 
3ttffft-uti<m* 90 
 
 Chap. IX. 
 The jttft matter and fubjeSi 
 of Comroverfie in Keligi- 
 on examined Hon? by Ca* 
 techifing.and not Difpute % 
 we are therein to be recon* 
 cilecL 
 
 ANd not only the preient 
 conduit of Difputes render 
 them unfutable Medicines for 
 oar Difeafe$ but alio the things 
 concerning Religion , which 
 can with any Reafon be pre- 
 tended to be the matter there- 
 of. Now, whatever in Religion 
 can be pretended to be difputa- 
 ble, mult either refpeft its drefs 
 and ornaments, or its body and 
 ellential parts 5 theexteriourap- 
 pendages,or the Principles of R'e- 
 Jigion, If the Scruple, or the Di- 
 F 2 fpu'te, 
 
loo %i)t V>i\mitiu 
 
 
 fpute, be about the dre(s, out-. 
 ward rites, circumftances and fa- 
 ill ion of flcligibn:then nocontri- 
 vance firems more rational,or mei 
 thod more probable toailoil and 
 remove it, than a due Catechi- 
 sing and inftru&ing the fcrupu- 
 lous in the indifpenfible duties of 
 the Fifth Commandment, and to 
 tender him a plain Schemed 
 the obligation that lies upon his 
 CohfcienceV To honour arid obey 
 the King, and all that are pit in 
 Authority under him : to fnbmit 
 'himfelf to allhk Teachers - y Spiri- 
 tual Pajlors and Aiajicrs. 1 
 
 How the Supreme Towers : ha&e 
 Authority in the externals of 
 Religion.' 
 
 How in Religion things 'indif- 
 ferent in themfelves may pafs in- 
 to a Law, which ought to be o- 
 beyed, as much as any Laws in 
 indifferent things which relate 
 
 - CO 
 
, . jttffttttttott* , 
 > .uhffl sal. jfjodj 
 
 10 1 
 
 tothego^oftheCivilState, v 
 How things of never folow a 
 ftature, or indifferent concern- 
 ment, having once received the 
 image and (uperfcription of ;i 
 Law, ought tobeobey'd,botlifor 
 the*fakeof God Sc Conscience,. 
 • How it can no way compljy 
 withthe defign of Government,, 
 to m^ke good their Inftitutipiis 
 by dint of Argument : For if 
 Authority were obliged toiatiN 
 •fie every mediing and capricious 
 Brain, they would have lil tie or 
 no time left, to.be obeyed, ejhr. 
 And when indifcretioa of zea!,or 
 pride of Wit, engage to vindi- 
 cate every thing that is lawfully 
 commanded, it is to have a bet- 
 ter opinion of our own, than 
 the Ma 51ft rates prudence 5 to 
 think our Arguments will be 
 more prevailing than theirCom- 
 mands 3 or that the former 
 F 3 were 
 
1 6a ®8ep?tmttise 
 
 were requifite to fiipport the la- 
 ter,d^. 
 
 That thefe and the like things 
 are proper for Catechifm, and 
 thereby the moft gently and in- 
 difcernably to be infufed, none I 
 prefume will gainfay. For they 
 naturally fall in with thofe truths 
 which belong to our Duty to- 
 ward man, of which we muftbe 
 duly informed, ere we can therein 
 be exach 
 
 If the DifTenter yield art obe- 
 dient ear to this Inftru&ion,there 
 will be little fear of his continu- 
 ing (crupulous to obey what his 
 Superiours have a juft power and 
 right to enjoyn : If he do not 
 hearken, then let him be devoted 
 to the Civil Power, and leave the 
 Magiftratesto vindicate their own 
 Authority 5 and to make that be 
 done for wrath, which would not 
 for Covfikncetknd I am tempted 
 
 to 
 
Jtifftttttioju 103 
 
 to thinks that if at the Happy r&r 
 figuration this way had been pur- 
 fued, we long eve this had- beera 
 fenhble of its good effects. And 
 I will add this moreover, That 
 if the Orthodox Clergy, ever 
 fince God wonderfully reftored 
 them, had devoted the greateft 
 (hare of their pains to plain Ex- 
 positions and Paraphrafes of the 
 Chiirch-Catechiirri, they might 
 long before this have gently gai- 
 ned b-)th upon their Opinions 
 and affections, who (by the indi- 
 Icretion of other Methods) lec.a 
 to be now alienated beyond- re- 
 trieve. Gonicience of Obedience 
 will- anfwer all the icniples of 
 minds difpoied to peace 5 aad for 
 the turbulent, irt them be an- 
 fwer'dwith Rodscaid Axes. 
 
 The next tiling that can be 
 
 difbuted in Religion, bellies its 
 
 dreft and exteriour adherencies, 
 
 F 4 are 
 
are its Body otVrwcifles^ fuchl 
 mean, as are absolutely neceffaxy 
 to Salvation:, for we need be fol- 
 licitQus for no more than what 
 ;wilifitveus. Now thefe are both 
 few and plain. For as for thofe 
 numerous places of Scripture, or 
 Notices of OralTradkion,which 
 are dark and difficult , they are 
 no further necefTary to be under- 
 iiood in their primitive intention 
 and meaning, than that we fin- 
 cerely believe, that whatfoever 
 <3od thereby meant and intend- 
 ed, is infallibly true. 
 
 And things thus truly nece£ 
 fary,areas few as plain : St. Paul 
 has reduced them to two Arti- 
 cles : To believe that God is, and 
 that he is a reWarder of all them 
 that come unto him, .Afcd- to 
 whom only thus much is given, it 
 fhall not be damnable that they 
 believe no more. And if this 
 
 (as 
 
3Fnffitutt0tu 105 
 
 (as it feems to) be the loweft de- 
 gree of Faith, ' God will tfaerc- 
 with be pieafed, if the fnodns be 
 wanting of riling higher. Cornt- 
 lius'm A&s 10. who 'because' of 
 his Alms and Prayers was acaepi- 
 ted of God, had not been ftfe in 
 that ftate,had he gone no fiathifi, 
 after God had feat St. Peter to m* 
 form him what he was to do more. 
 The Charities & Devotions pet- 
 formed in *he time of his Jewifh 
 Proielytifm, how far they might 
 have ftood him in dead, had he 
 been vouchfafed no farther Illu- 
 mination, is not the Queftion 5 
 yet if he had ftaid there, when 
 means of going farther was affor- 
 ded him, or if he had refuted to 
 believe in Chrift after afufficient 
 Revelation, he had then juftly in- 
 curr'd the condemnation of lo- 
 ving ditrknejS more than Ught y 
 when-light was come uato him, 
 F 5; Thclc 
 
Thefe inftances are ufual in this 
 mattery and tell us plainly, That 
 as few Articles are of abfblute 
 neceffity, yet that their number 
 is not the (ame unto all : Some 
 more, fome le(s, as God hath gi- 
 ven to every man. All that is ne- 
 cellary for a man to believe, 
 which for that purpofe is fuftici- 
 ently revealed unto him, and 
 which God requires him to be- 
 lieve and pra&ife. But there is 
 none can (et down how much e- 
 very man fhould believe,no more 
 than he can fet down how much 
 every man fhould eat. 
 
 But if notwithftanding this 
 paucity and plainnefs ofthe Prin- 
 ciples of Religion, any fhould 
 therein be ftill contentious, this 
 evil is not to be removed by DM- 
 pjtation, but plain Catechizing 5 
 thereby theMyfteries of Faith, 
 a.ii tlvj D tries of h >H r life a 
 
 1 c 
 to 
 
Snftitutlon* io 7 
 
 to be explained. For Catechifm 
 is a brief and plain Inftitution 
 appointed for that end. And it 
 takes care that the Principles of 
 Religion be made lb eafie, that 
 the meatieft capacity may appre- 
 hend them } and yet in (b con- 
 cife and fhort a manner, that the 
 weakeft memory may not there- 
 by be furcharged. 
 
 Chap. 
 
10S %%z L3|fmftfse 
 
 C H A 1'. X. 
 
 Deputation unfit for the ca. 
 facily of the generality of 
 Diffenters : Catechising 
 
 proper, &c. Reafons a- 
 gainji Dif pates. 
 
 IN the laft place 7 it will not a lit- 
 tle import the clearing of the 
 prefent fubjeft, to enquire into 
 the Nature of Difputes,and their 
 Capacities who fhould thereby 
 be wrought upon. Astothefor- 
 ?ner,it will (uffice to obferve, that 
 Difputation muft be guided by 
 Terms and Rules of Art^ which 
 when managed with the greateft 
 plainnefi whereof they are capa- 
 ble, fall fnort of that obvioufaefs 
 Sc familiarity, which is natural to 
 
 Ca- 
 
jnffttuttoin 109 
 
 Catechizing. And as to the later, 
 it is very remarkable , 1. That 
 the Vulgar and common People 
 make incomparably the greater 
 number of Djjfentcrs. 2. That 
 the Underftandings of fuch are 
 ufually heavy, grofs and dull, as 
 (ymbolizing with their Callings 
 and conditions y and by Confe- 
 quent,are unable to comprehend 
 any profound and learned Con- 
 clufions. And what is yet more 
 considerable, the greateft part of 
 Diflenters have no cledrunder- 
 ftanding of the very errors which 
 a Logical Difpntation would con- 
 fute. The moft of them being 
 ignorant of their own Opinions, 
 and of the things againft which 
 they have imbib'd a fecret and 
 fpiteful prejudice. For it was, 
 and is ftill the pohcie of thofe 
 who (educe rfie Vulgar into Fa- 
 ction and Schifin, not to acquaint 
 
 them 
 
no C^g?t«it(Se 
 
 them farther with the Opinions 
 they were to abet, than to let 
 them fee that they were contrary 
 to what they dilliked in the 
 Church. Infbmuch that the poor 
 Vulgar being deluded into Sepa- 
 Yntion^ retain but a very confufed 
 and imperfect Notion of what 
 with great impetuoufnefs they 
 ftrive both for and againft. And 
 therefore it muft needs be a very 
 M^lancholy.enterprife, to go to 
 confute their errors with depth 
 of Argument, who are in a great 
 meafure ignorant of the very er- 
 rors themfelves, and who do not 
 diftinctly know the opinions 
 whereof they are to be convin- 
 ced. The cafe of fuch people 
 much refembling theirs, whom 
 St. Paul thought to fta^d in need 
 of Milk, and not of ftrong Meat 5 
 of a G&techifm and not a Con- 
 trovert 5 and to be taught Chri- 
 
 ■ liianity 
 
ftianityfrom the very beginning. 
 And the fame Author being to 
 confute thofe milereant Here- 
 tiques, who feid the Refur reft ion 
 was already part, and thereupon 
 gave them(eives to lewd living 5 
 he did it not with the heat and 
 brifknefs of a Difputant, but with 
 the gravity and moderation of an 
 Apoftle : And having barely and 
 calmly named the wild Opini- 
 ons, he pofitively and plainly 
 laid down thofe Truths that con- 
 fronted them, r iTim. 11. 18, 19. 
 And he would have the Gno- 
 ftique Heretiques to beencoun- 
 tred with Ecclefiaftick Cenfurcs 
 or Diicipline, and not Difpu- 
 tings, whereof comet h envyflrifc^ 
 railings, evil fur mifes, I Tim. t. 
 4, $.T/t. 3. 10. 
 
 If we were to fet down thefe- 
 veral Confeflons of the Perfwaft- 
 ens of all the Christians m the 
 
 wot] \ 
 
world, they will be found to a- 
 gree in more than is purely and 
 lift} ply neceffary to falvation.And 
 it may feenivery vain todifpute 
 and quarrel about the reft. And 
 therefore the whole bufinefs may 
 be refolded into a diligeqt,, fin- 
 cere Sc plain Inflrutlion ,h,ovt we 
 ought to praftife what we all ac- 
 knowledge to be true.} and to 
 fallclofe to doing thofe duties 
 whfch are unqueftionable , and 
 of • n i: vera! acceptance. To 
 perform what in Baptifm we 
 vowed, and live what we profefs 
 to believe. To make our felves 
 fit to'be: juftified, and not wafte 
 time in controverting all the par- 
 ticulars that are made to relate to 
 juftification. There is a know- 
 ledge in Religion which many 
 earneftly purfce, without which 
 tboufands have enter U intoJiap.-. 
 pineis.We need feek for no more" 
 therin,than will perform the great 
 
 work 
 
3!nffttut:om 113 
 
 work of falvation, and bring us 
 to the end of our hope. And all 
 this is either mod alluredly to be 
 had in our own Catechifm^ or we 
 have been mod dangerouily in> 
 poied upon. 
 
 But before we difmifs this To- 
 pick, there are a few things more, 
 chiefly relating to the peribns to 
 be converted $ which methinks 
 ought to give Catechifing pre- 
 cedencie of Controverfie in that 
 affair. And the firft is the long 
 (landing of the errors ; For if 
 the per (on has fuckt them in with 
 his milk , and been therewith 
 at the firft feafbn'd, then there is 
 education in the cafe, upon whofe 
 account alone not a few ftick 
 clofe both to truth and faKhood : 
 and if their Anceftors have lived 
 and died, and they have been 
 brought up in fucha perfwafion^ 
 it is, and indeed ought to be, 
 
 hard 
 
ii4 ^yepjtmm^c 
 
 hard to remove it. One main 
 reafon why the Pagans were fo 
 backward to entertain Chriftiani- 
 ty, was itsenjoyning them to re- 
 nounce tfaofc Inftitutioas where- 
 in they had been educated, and 
 their Fore-fathers had lived, and 
 thought themielves fecure and 
 happy. And Trypho derided jfo- 
 fi'm Martyr for a man of an ealie 
 Perfwafion, and too much in- 
 conftancie, becaufe he forfbok 
 Plato and embraced Chrift. And 
 Cecilius m Mi nut i us Fcelix^ 
 would have his Atttiftes Veritaifc, 
 a firm adherent to the. Principles 
 which his Anceftors had deliver- 
 ed him. And they whofe pens 
 were fo excellently employed in 
 confutation of Paganifm, have 
 generally complained that their 
 greateft fweat was to pull down 
 the flrong hold of Education \ 
 it being become the laft refuge 
 
 of 
 
SinGtttmom 115 
 
 of Centilifm, out of which they 
 Would not be driven : For they 
 refolutely retained what they 
 had received from their Ance- 
 ftors. For both Jew and Mahu- 
 metan are at this day of the fame 
 Opinion: For the former makes 
 prefeription his Religion 5 and 
 thinks it enough to outface all 
 Arguments brought againlc it,be- 
 caufe fc many Rabbies live and 
 die therein* And the later has 
 reeourle to his Education , and - 
 thinks himfelf fecure in what he 
 doth,becaufe he follows the foot- 
 fteps of thole many Generations 
 that went before him. Indeed, 
 all men are willing to die in the 
 Religion wherein they were born, 
 And C£c/l7Us y s Priori bus credere ) 
 goes far with Chriftians, as well 
 as others^ the firfl: feafoning being 
 incomparably more prevailing 
 than any lecond. 
 
 Now? 
 
Now, if thofe evil .Opinions 
 are to be removed, in which we 
 have been educated 5 it can ne- 
 ver be fb well accomplifhed by 
 tearing them down with the 
 ftrength of Logick, as by infil- 
 ling fbeh eafie Principles, necefc 
 fary and incontroverted points, 
 with fimplicity and plainnefs, as 
 of themfelves will fubvert the 
 errors of the firft Inftruftion T and 
 become the foundation of future 
 Peace and Truth. And no way 
 of teaching can fb naturally be 
 hereunto entituled as Catechi- 
 zing. For as to Difputation, it is 
 generally had under a jealous a- 
 fpeft, as being thought fubtle 
 and reaching , and intended ra- 
 ther to celebrate a Triumph, than 
 than to efFeft a Converfion } and 
 to advance the Dilputer, not the 
 Truth. Befides, it being fo apt to 
 mingle and blend' with captious 
 
 So- 
 
3inffitttti0tn 117 
 
 Sophifms, arid falfe but fpecious 
 ways: of proving , that men are 
 ready to account it Impofture, 
 not Convi&iorf , that by ilich 
 means is effected. And as for 
 Preaching, a new Chapter will 
 manifcftly make it appear not to 
 be (b proper for this purpofeas 
 moft imagine. But in Catechi- 
 zing there is fuch an honefl: fim- 
 pficity, clear and plain way of 
 procedure, that none can therein 
 fulp'efi: any Sophifin or artificial 
 de#li??g,difgmfes or fhadowings. 
 
 In the next place, mod men 
 are either fo modeft- in the ap- 
 prehenfion of their own abilities, 
 or (b fearful to be enfnared in the 
 great concerns of Religion , 
 that they are unwilling to de- 
 pend upon their own judgments 
 in thofe inftances efpecially 
 which they fee are rhoft difputed 
 and queftioned. And 4 therefore 
 
 they 
 
n8 tJE&eiajfmftfoe 
 
 they think it no fufficient Rea- 
 foa to forfake an Opinion, be- 
 oaufe they cannot anfwer all the 
 Objections which by the fiibtle 
 Advocate of a different Perfwa- 
 fion are brought againft it. And fb 
 long as a man can really believe 
 that there are others who can 
 anfwer what isobje&ed againft 
 his Opinion, he will never quit 
 it, becaule he cannot anfwer it 
 himfelf For to think an Argu- 
 ment cannot be anfwered ^ be- 
 caufe not by me, were to think 
 the Lady muft be carried by 
 none, becaufe neither A. norB. 
 can win her 5 as if there were no 
 more men in the world fufficient 
 for that purpofe, but they two. 
 
 But if Difputation ftiould be 
 able to force men from theie re- 
 fuges, and to caft away the 
 groundlefs Opinions they em- 
 brace 5 yet if their Opinions 
 
 twift 
 
jnffitutfom up 
 
 twift with fome worldly inter- 
 eft, and yield anyfecular advan- 
 tage:, if the Opiniatres can (l\y,By 
 this craft we get our wealth 5 then 
 great is Diana* and your Ariu- 
 mentis aniwered. 
 
 And he who confiders how 
 many temporal ends men ferve 
 .with their Opinions, will have 
 little hope to confute them, at 
 lea ft by a way which is Co gene- 
 rally fufpefted. 
 
 If the Opinion pleafe the hu- 
 mour of an eating avarice, or a 
 (Welling ambition 5 and bring ei- 
 ther wealth or honour. 
 
 If it make its Abettors noto- 
 rious for Angularity, or get them 
 a Vogue of being more holy and 
 Religious than their Neigh- 
 bours. 
 
 If it place them in the preten- 
 ded number of Sufferers and Per- 
 fected. 
 
 If 
 
120 dje pnmittfte 
 
 Ifit gratifie their fpleen, and 
 give them but a more plaufibie 
 pretence to be (lubbom^ refratto- 
 ry, contrzditthig of Authority, 
 gainfayers of the eftablifhed Re- 
 ligion', &c. then the cure muft 
 begin with the affettions and not 
 the judgment^and therefore a Di- 
 fnute is no fit prescription. All that 
 by Argument can be effe&ed, be- 
 fore the pajfion be duly chafti- 
 fed, will but bring the Opinio- 
 nift to this : I fee and approve the 
 better, but foll-ow the worfe } my 
 tajfiom are too powerful for 
 my Reafon. 
 
 We might here alfo add, how 
 Quarrels in Chriftian Religion 
 contradift the errand whereon it 
 was fent into the world, which 
 was for love and peace =, to re- 
 concile men to God, and among 
 themfelves. And ifit yield con- 
 trary fruits, they come as the 
 
 tares 
 
3nff fttttiom 121 
 
 tares among the wheat, by the 
 craft and malice of the wicked 
 One. For ftrifes and Controver- 
 sies are no more the effefts of Re- 
 ligion, than of the Law : were all 
 men juft and honeft, we needed 
 not difturb the afhes of a moth- 
 eaten Statute 5 and had we no 
 felf-ends and interefts, no bafe 
 paflions and defigns, the itch of 
 Difputation would not difquiet 
 and make us fo reftleft. 
 Before we clofeup this Chapter, 
 it will not be much impertinent to 
 obftrve how Difputation was at 
 firft opening of the Reformation 
 an excellent engine to advance it: 
 And we find that the Reformers 
 made importunate fuits for pub- 
 lique Audience & Judgment^and 
 the offer of open Difputation 
 greatly afTured the people of the 
 foundnels of their caufe, when 
 they faw they were ready to put it 
 upon publike tryal. And more 
 G may 
 
122 -cbel&ftnttttw 
 
 tnay be fuppofed to have follow- 
 ed the firtt Effays of the Refor- 
 mation out of an Opinion that it 
 was good and true, being defen- 
 ded with fuch freedom, hmphci- 
 ty and affurance, than by the 
 ftrength of thofe Arguments 
 which were at firft brought to 
 affert it. But then it is to be con- 
 fidered that the Reformers offer'd 
 this kind of tryal to thofe with 
 whom they began to be at nc 
 lefs diftance, than with member* 
 of a diftinft and different Com- 
 munion 5 and in places when 
 they were in hope to gain, but lr 
 no danger to loofe Profelytes.Fo; 
 they wifely invaded the Advert 
 verfary in his own Country, anc 
 challenged him to a Difpute | 
 his own C/fw, andinthethronj 
 of his Adherents. But upon ho\ 
 different terms Difputes canno\ 
 be managed, either with Diifen 
 
 ten 
 
Sttffftutfon* 123 
 
 ters, or the common Enemy, I 
 leave the truly confiderate to de- 
 termine. But fince we are re- 
 vived to fight, Icouldwifhour 
 valour were more difcreet, than 
 to encounter the Enemy within 
 our own bowels 5 to controvert 
 our Religion in the place where 
 it is legally eftablifhed. A thing 
 not heard *of in other Countries, 
 where there is a greater peace 
 and more outward Religion. 
 But I (hall clofe up this Topick 
 with fetting down what is ufually 
 obferved upon this fiibjefl:'', 
 viz. 
 
 1. That Religion is like nei- 
 ther to get nor lave by Difputes, 
 2. That Difputes on this fubjeft 
 may have the ill-luck to make 
 feme fufped the truth of all Reli- 
 gion, becaufe it is (b much con- 
 roverted. For weaker heads 
 feeing the roof totter, are apt to 
 C 2 ' fofpeft 
 
fufpeft there is no firmnefiin the 
 foundation 5 and to conclude no- 
 thing is certain, if anything be 
 
 queLnd .3. That in fo great a 
 mift of Dif P utes,many n»y grow 
 halting 8c luke-warm,and think it 
 LiroVfafetytoftandft^orfi J 
 down in neutrahty.4.That tor one 
 finDifputeshavecured.theyhave 
 
 besot innumerable. 5. That the 
 ftrfngth and pradice of Religion 
 have been fenfiblyimpairejlincc 
 by the diftemper"d heats of men 
 fpirits it hath been ratified into 
 fubtil Controverfies. 6. ina 
 fufpence of judgment, and exer 
 cife of Charity were fafer anc 
 feemlier for Chriftian men, thai 
 
 thehot purfuit ofthofe Contro 
 verfies,wherein they that are mol 
 fervent to D'upute, are not a. 
 ways the moft able to determine 
 But what is more natural to tn 
 prefentpurpofe, it uiould ier 
 
3[ttiffttttiom 125 
 
 oufly be confidered, That the 
 people are neither to be confuted 
 :>f their falfe, nor eftablifhed in 
 j:he true Notices of Religion, by 
 Doubtful Difputes^ but p lain Ca- 
 "echifticd Do&rines. And as to 
 xir felves of this Church, feeing 
 here can come nothing of our 
 Contentions, but the mutual 
 vafteof the parties contending, 
 ill a common enemy dance in 
 he allies of us both 5 I (hall ever 
 vifh, and moft heartily pray,that 
 he ftrift commands of Peace and 
 Jnity, Co frequent in the Gofpel, 
 nay at the laft (b prevail in this 
 Nation, to the burying and utter 
 >blivion of ftrife, together with 
 he caufes that have either bred 
 >r brought it up : That things of 
 ball moment never disjoy n them, 
 vhom one God, one Lord, one 
 aith, one Spirit, one Baptifm, 
 >ands of fb great force, have 
 G 3 linked 
 
126 Cfje pjtmitt&e 
 
 linked together. That a refpe- 
 fpe&ive eye towards things 
 wherewith we (hould not be dis- 
 quieted, make us not unable to 
 fpeak peaceably one to another. 
 Finally, that no ftrife may ever 
 be heard of again, but who (hall- 
 hate ftrife moft, and purfue peace 
 with the fwifteft paces* 
 
 Chap. 
 
3!ttffttuttom 127 
 
 Chap. XI. 
 Preaching, what it is : the 
 feveral -ways thereof ufed 
 by the Church. What 
 kjnd of Preaching among 
 the Old Jews ^and Primi- 
 tive Chriftians. The Ho- 
 milies confide ted. 
 
 HAving in the antecedent 
 Chapter difcharged Dis- 
 putes and Controverfies from be- 
 ing any futable and proper means 
 of reducing the DUFenters of our 
 own Church, or winning the 
 members of the Roman : The 
 jnext thing pretending to our 
 healing is Preaching, which I 
 here take to be, An open, folemn 
 and Authoritative publication of 
 G 4 Divine 
 
i28 €3&ep#tttfti!tt 
 
 Divine Myfteries. And this the 
 Church doth two feveral ways : 
 l. AsaWitneft. 2. As an Ex- 
 pofitor. 
 
 And firft,The Church Preach- 
 eth as a Withnefs,by publike rea- 
 ding the (acred Scriptures,and by 
 relating and teftifying the Di- 
 vine Truths which God in the in- 
 fpired Volumes hath configned 
 her. And that this is no fpuri- 
 ous fenfe of Preaching, we have 
 him to allure us,who well under- 
 stood the fenfe and importance 
 both of the word and thing. For 
 in Affs 15. 21. the reading of 
 Mofes in the Synagogues every 
 Sabbath-day, is by St. Paul in the 
 genuine and native fignification 
 of the word, ftyled Preaching. 
 That this Preaching of MoJ}s> 
 was a naked reading of his Law, 
 v/e have a whole cloud of Expo- 
 fitors to atteft it, befides the 
 
 clear- 
 
Jnffttutiom 129 
 
 !clearnefs of the thing it felfButl 
 cannot be of their judgment who 
 aflert, that neither the Ancient 
 nor Modern Jews had any fuch 
 thing as weekly Preaching upon 
 any part of the Law of Mofes^ 
 and that upon this ground (blely 
 conclude the preaching of Mq- 
 fes to be meer reading. For we 
 find that the Old Jews had divers 
 men among them, who ufed to 
 contribute their Talents to the 
 Expofition of the LefTon that 
 was read : and thefe in ordinary 
 courfe were the Sons or Scholars 
 of the Prophets, who were train- 
 ed up in learning of the Law, 
 and at the age of thirty received 
 J the title of Doftors j and till they 
 ! obtained the Grace of immediate 
 Infpiration, or the Spirit of Pro- 
 Iphefie, they continued to ex- 
 | pound the Scriptures ( not by 
 Revelation : but ) according to i 
 G 5: that. 
 
i jo %\)t 13?tmtttfce 
 
 that knowledge which the ordi- 
 nary bleffing of God upon their 
 Studies was able to compafs. An- 
 fwerable whereunto ( as fbme 
 think ) was that cuftom among, 
 the Chriftians, mentioned, i Cor. 
 14. 29. And alio thofe Difciples 
 of the Prophets of the N. T, cal- 
 led Do&ors, becaufe they were ; 
 admitted to teach in the Church. 
 But for mine own part, I rather 
 underftand the word Doftor in 
 St. Paul of all fuch Presbyters as 
 had abilities of Preaching and 1 
 Teaching the people in their Af- 
 lemblies. And that Preibyters 8c 
 Doftors were all one, we may 
 conclude from Tertull. de Pre- 
 fcript.c. 3. §lujd ergo fi Epifco- 
 pus^ &c. What then if a Bilhop^ 
 if a Deacon, if a Widow, a Vir- 
 gin, if a Do&or, if even a Martyr 
 fliall fall from the Rule ? In this 
 Catalogue of principal Ecclefia- 
 
 ftique 
 
anffituttam nr 
 
 ftique Orders, Prefby ters muft be 
 underftood by Do&ors, unlefi 
 we will deny them to have any 
 ^oom among the chief ranks of 
 :he Church $ which were both 
 EaKe and abfurd. And that in- 
 :eftuous perfbn with an Opini- 
 on of whom the Corinthians were 
 :>uft up, was (as is obferved 
 >ut of Chryfojlom and Theodo- 
 *et ) one of their Doftors, that 
 s, one of the Frefbyters of that 
 Church, that exercifed the Of- 
 ice of Preaching, and by that 
 neans bore a great fway among 
 he people. 
 
 But to return to the reading of 
 Mofcs , which began with the 
 /Ioral Service of the Synag- 
 ogue 5 when we finde that the 
 lofaical Law was difltinguifhed 
 ntoDivifionsanfwerable to the 
 dumber of Weeks in the year, 
 lat the whole L;uv m that fpace 
 
 might 
 
might be read over : correfpon- 
 dent to which Lelfons out of the 
 Law,there were others out of the 
 Prophets : one of which the Ho- 
 ly Jefas took for his fubje& at 
 Nazareth, when after the manner 
 of the Jewifti Do&ors he made 
 his Expofition, St. Luke 4.1 & And 
 he did the like, St. Mat. 9. 35. 
 where he is faid to teach j~ a/<&>- 
 ^7r] in the Synagogue 3 which 
 might be done without any pre 
 tenlion to fuch Authority as was 
 fuppofed in Khtvontv , in Preach- 
 ing 3 which in the Chriftian ute 
 of the word in the N. T. differ; 
 from Teaching. Chrift did both 
 St. Mat. 9.35. He taught the 
 Law, and preacht the Gofpel: Ai 
 thirty years old he expoundec 
 Mofes^sz Daft or (before whid 
 time the ancient Church mad< 
 none Presbyters ) and at the farm 
 timeh" preachtthe Gofpel of th 
 
 King 
 
anttittttiotu 133 
 
 Kingdom. But ftill the matter is 
 plain enough,that the hare read- 
 ing ofMofes in the Synagogucs,is 
 Preaching in the proper mean* 
 ing f which fort of Preaching 
 is ftill pra&ifed in the appointed 
 Leffons of the Church. The for- 
 mer out of the Old Teftament be- 
 ibg derived like many wholefom 
 things from the Synagogue 5 and 
 the fecond Leflbn out of the N. 
 Teftament,which was appointed, 
 as moft.fuppofe,by the i6thCa-~ 
 non of the. Council of Laodicea, 
 celebrated in the year of Grace 
 364. Albeit Jujiw Martyr (who 
 lived in the fecond Age ) feems 
 to give the Leffons an elder date. 
 For in his fecond Apology, he 
 tells uSj how all thofe who abide 
 in Cities and the adjacent Coun-r 
 tries, meet in one place , on the 
 day called Sunday, and the 'Amp- 
 i ftwt tj^tffc ? the Memoires and Rer 
 
 cords. 
 
cards of the Apoftles, together 
 with the -m *u>fou/j/*i« , the Wri- 
 tings of the Prophets are read un- 
 to them, as far as the time and 
 occafion ferves : And that the 
 Reader ceaiing, the Prefident in 
 a Speech makes an Exhortation 
 that they would imitate thofe 
 good things which had been 
 read. From which it is evident- 
 ly to be concluded, that the 
 Church in the firft and bed Ages 
 of Chriftianity preacht asawit- 
 nefs, when (lie read,and thereby 
 attefted the truth of the Holy 
 Scriptures. And all men are ia 
 fome degree capable thereby to 
 be edified. For there is none un- 
 derftands the Scriptures fbwell, 
 but he may improve by hearing 
 them read in the Church. And 
 if we look into the efficacie of 
 the JVord^ it is wonderful that it 
 ihould be left as it is read, than as 
 
 it 
 
Jnffituttciu 135 
 
 k is expounded 5 feeing that the ' 
 
 one is the Word of God as it was 
 
 infpired by the Holy Ghoft, and 
 
 ( the other can no farther be ib ac- 
 
 jcounted,than as it keeps clo(e to 
 
 tithe fenfe and meaning thereof} 
 
 [which is not (b eafie, (b long as 
 
 men are fubjeft to errors and mi- 
 
 ftakes, and have bale ends to 
 
 ferve, and carnal circumftances 
 
 to be accomplifhed. 
 
 2, But becauie all men ought 
 to have fuch a knowledge in 
 jGod's Word as may be fufticicnt' 
 to Salvation } and becaufeall will 
 inot attain to- Co much by bare 
 reading thereof, therefore the 
 Church Preacheth as an Expofi- 
 tor, by difcovering and explain- 
 ng what in Sacred Scripture is 
 nyfterious and obfcure 5 and by 
 1 ieafbnable application of thofe 
 hings which are more obvious 
 ad evident. And inthisfenfe 
 
 Preaching 
 
i3* fcfjej&fmftflw 
 
 Preaching is an Office in our own 
 Church , which cannot be too- 
 highly magnified , nor too fre- 
 quently celebrated, if irbe agree- 
 able to thofe Homilies which 
 were intended, not only to Sup- 
 ply thofe who have not the Gift 
 of Preaching, fufficiently to in- 
 ftrud the people committed to 
 their Cure 5 but alfo to be a 
 wholefbm Rule by which even 
 thofe who are able to preach 
 fliould guide themfelves in that 
 publike Miniftery. 
 
 But if Difcourfes at this day 
 made in Pulpits ought only fo 
 far forth to be accounted Preach 
 ing, as they are agreeable to the 
 Churches Sermons , then all is 
 not Preaching which bears that 
 Name, and takes up the circum- 
 ftances thereunto allowed. 
 
 In the pious Sermons of the 
 Churchy we finde Principles o^ 
 
 Chri 
 
3!nff!tttt!0tn 137 
 
 Chriftianity fblidly explained, 
 lules and Motives of honeft and 
 loly life clearly laid down,& Per- 
 orations and Perfwafions to con- 
 inuetherein^devoutly and ehari- 
 ably direfted and applied.I (hall 
 lotdraw this into compariibn^but 
 )nly fay, That I hope there is 
 tone need think it any diminut- 
 ion or difparagement to his 
 >arts and learning, to write after 
 uch a Copy. And however the 
 families may be decried through 
 opular ignorance , prejudice 
 nd paffion, yet no doubt but 
 iey are ftill neceffary upon their 
 rft defigne, which was to help 
 be inabilities of fome, to re- 
 gain the indiscretions of others, 
 nd to take away thofe llrifes a- 
 bout what is fitting to be 
 'reacht, caufed by the variety of 
 e ,iens judgments, the extrava- 
 'pnce of their Fancies, and 
 
 the 
 
»3§ C&elPtfmftffie 
 
 the Byaffes of feveral Inter- 
 efts. 
 
 And as for the Homilies of this 
 Church , they deferve a much 
 better efteem than generally they 
 receive 5 and would need no ela- 
 borate Vindication, if duly con- 
 fidered in their circumftances. 
 For in the firft place, they are ta 
 be looked upon as popular Ser- 
 mons, fitted unto the Capacities 
 and Conditions of the Vulgar 5 
 Who being more led by PauLori 
 than Reafon, have need of fuch 
 Difcourfes, as will rather regu- 
 late their will, than inform their 
 judgment. They (landing in 
 more need to have their hearts 
 and Conferences wrought upon 
 for good life and Conver(atiot\ 
 than their underftanding and ap- 
 prehenfion with any curious 
 piece of Learning or Science. 
 And that thegreateft (hare of the 
 
 Church 
 
3!rtffitutfott. 139 
 
 Church-Homilies deals herein, 
 there will need no other proof 
 than their diligent perufal. 
 
 In the (econd place, The 
 Church-Homilies are not to be 
 looked upon as her Dogmatical 
 Refblutions and Pofitions, but as 
 they contain Godly and vvhole- 
 fbme Doftrine [_ Teaching "] and 
 neceflary for the times when they 
 were compofed. For (b much 
 we are taught in the 3 5 Article. 
 And therefore I humbly fuppole, 
 that every paflage in the Homi- 
 lies is not to be prefFed for the 
 Faith and Do&rine of the 
 Church , but that the whole 
 ought to be conlideredas con- 
 fronting the evil Opinions and 
 Manners that at their compofing 
 were held and pra&ifed : and 
 if ought of either be remaining, 
 the Homilies may ftill be needful 
 upon their Primitive account. 
 
 In 
 
1*0 C&e $tfmtttfce 
 
 In the laft place,the very time in 7 
 w<* the Homilies were compiled 1 
 may excuie many a period there-- 
 in.For our Anceftors were lately 
 come out of Popery, 8c converted' 
 daily with Perfons of that Per- 
 fvvalion^and therefore fevere de- 
 hortations were requifite to pre- 
 serve them from Apoftacie into 
 thofe Pradtifes out of which they 
 had fo lately been recovered : 
 which makes ft no wonder if 
 enforcements and Exhotations to 
 that purpofe, &c. are fometime 
 too hardly ftretched. And as for 
 mkie own part, I am fb far from 
 undervaluing the pious Sermons 
 of the Church, that considering 
 their circumftances, I greatly e- 
 fteem them for their own worthy 
 and refpeft them above any other 
 for their Authority. 
 
 And as to thofe who rejeft 
 Homilies upon the account that 
 
 Apo- 
 
anffitutiom hi 
 
 Apocryphal Writings are not to 
 'be ufed in the Church, it may 
 fiiffice briefly to reply, 
 
 1. That Apocryphal Writings 
 were publikely read in the 
 Church in Primitive times : as 
 the Epiftle of Clemens in that of 
 Corinth. 
 
 2., That Hermes ( the lame 
 whom S. Vaul faluted, Rom. 1 6. 
 14.) his Tajlor was publikely 
 read in the Churches, and ufed 
 by fome of the moft ancient Wri- 
 ters, and thought highly neceA 
 fary. Vide Eufeb. l.%.<c.%. What 
 may be faid to this purpofe of 
 the roiyjtiuf* ffvyk&pwm ( f Theo- 
 phi I us B. of Antioch^ I leave to 
 the judgment of others. VicL Eu- 
 feb, A4. c.23. 
 
 3. That in the Reformed 
 Churches ( not long fince ) CaU 
 vins Sermons upon Job were 
 publikely read, by which means 
 
 ( faith 
 
14.2 ®&e Ptfmftffw 
 
 ( faith £es* in his Preface to 
 ihofe Sermons ) the want of 
 Preachers was fupplied. 
 
 4. That it is all one to the 
 people,whether the Sermon was 
 made and Printed in 1 587, or on 
 the laft Sunday-Eve 5 whether it 
 be out of a Book, or ex tempore 
 of the Brain, if thereby they be 
 truly edified. The Council of 
 Vans appointed the Homilies of 
 the Fathers to be read by the 
 Deacons in thofe Churches, 
 where the Prefbyters through in- 
 firmity were abfent. Concil. Vaffk. 
 c. 4. Vid. ViX.Hooker EccleC Pol. 
 lib. 5. 
 
 5. That there is more lecurity 
 in a Homily than a LeBure 5 as 
 there is in the Iearning,piety and 
 difcretion of many, than afingle 
 perfon. In fhort : there can be 
 no mifchief in the word Q Homi- 
 lies ] feeing the beft Sermons (S. 
 
 Chry- 
 
Jttffitttttoin 143 
 
 Chryfofioms) that ever were writ 
 by any but an enfpired Pen, bear 
 that Title. UomiUticus and Tra- 
 8 at or are often ufed indifferent- 
 ly ; and the later is diffidently 
 known to (ignifie a Preacher, as 
 Trattare to Preach, among the 
 Writers of the Latin Church. 
 And the Expofition Attgujline 
 made upon St. John is called Tra- 
 Batvs, &c. And the Reafbn of 
 the name,was the handling of the 
 Scriptures that had been read^the 
 cuftom being to Expound or 
 Preach upon (uch Portions of 
 Scripture as were appointed for 
 the Leffons of the day 5 as hath 
 been obferved out oijuftin Mar- 
 tyrs (econd Apology. Something 
 of this has been in ufe with our 
 own Church, when the Sermon 
 was (pent in preffing the inten- 
 tion of the Gofpel for fuch a day 
 unto the people 5 which is ftill 
 
 the 
 
M4 C&e WMiiU 
 
 the cuftom of the Romanifts. 
 
 But leaving every one to his own 
 fentiment herein, I cannot per 
 ceive why in ftead of vilifying the 
 old Homilies, we (hould not rather 
 defire a fupply of new ones : fuc'h 
 as may contain a familiar Ortho- 
 dox inftruftion in the whole Bo- 
 dy of Chriftian Doftrine, and ol 
 all the capital Duties therein 
 required } That thereby an Uni 
 form way of inftruftion might-be 
 maintained 5 as no unlikelj 
 means both to regain and pre 
 ferve Peace and Unity in thi; 
 Church 
 
 But without further purfuing 
 the notion of Preaching, we wil 
 here underftand it in the mof 
 troden and common acceptionj 
 namely, as A way of injlru3in\ 
 the people contradtfiinB to Cate 
 chizing^ and to which it ftand. 
 in nfnal comparifon as firon± 
 
 men 
 
Stiff itutiom 145 
 
 meat to milk. Now that Preach- 
 ing in this obvious fenfe is no 
 proper means to recover us of 
 our Diffentions, and to beget in 
 us a fbber and fixed judgment in 
 the things of Religion ( as it is 
 generally fuppoiedj comes to be 
 made manifeft in this following 
 Chapter. 
 
 H Chap, 
 
i 4 6 tSDIje J&fmitiae 
 
 Chap. XIL 
 
 Preaching inefficient to re- 
 fiore our Diffentions 
 Catechising proper for 
 that purf>ofe y &cc, A Scru- 
 ple removed. 
 
 7 
 
 "Hat Difference which Di- 
 vines make of things necefc 
 lary to Salvation , either as a 
 Means without which it cannot 
 be had at all, or as Commands 
 without whofe obfervation thole 
 cannot befaved to whom thoft 
 Commands are given, might have 
 place here , if we were to fpeak 
 of Preaching, as by fbme it 1 
 looked upon, for an inftrumeni 
 without which not one. pool 
 Soul can be delivered from de 
 
 ftruction 
 
 I 
 
3infittutiaiu h7 
 
 ftrudion, nor any Sabbath hal- 
 lowed either by Prieft or people 
 as God requireth. Which was 
 the Opinion of % C. and is ftill 
 of his Profelytes. But it belongs 
 not to the purport of this Di- 
 fconrfe , to fet down how far 
 Preaching ( in the common No- 
 tice) is necefTary, as a means of 
 Salvation : For then we muft de- 
 fcend to particular perfbns, in re- 
 fpect of whom the true value of 
 ixsneccjjity muft be taken, fee- 
 ing that none will fay it can be 
 alike neeeffary to the Salvation 
 of all. 
 
 There is none (hall give more to 
 the worth & necefilty of Preach- 
 ing, and be more frequent there- 
 in than my ielf. But yet I doubt 
 not, but that a man may be laved 
 without it. For if a perlbn who 
 in his Infancie hath received H. 
 Baptifm,at years of Difcernment 
 H 2 (hail 
 

 H 8 CijcP?imttitie 
 
 VMkXhj Cteuhifm be minded of 
 
 all that he then vowed and pro- 
 
 mifed, and be careful to believe 
 
 and do them, I fee not what fuch 
 
 aperfonwants of beingfetma 
 
 ftate of Salvation, that with e- 
 
 qual efteemers can be accounted 
 
 neceffary as a means thereof; 
 
 though he *.«» no more of 
 
 Preaching, than they in Atts If 
 
 did of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 But let Preaching be a means 
 never fo neceffary to five our 
 Souls ; yet that it is not fo futabk 
 Sc proper to reform &fix our er- 
 roneous & inconftant judgment: 
 (as is conceived) feems clear anc 
 evident upon the force and ob 
 vioufnefs of this fmgle inftance 
 namely , That thofe who have 
 been , and ftill are the greatel 
 admirers of popular Preaching 
 and the moft eager hearers of ma 
 nv Sermons, and the moft reft 
 J lei 
 
3jtiffitutioiT* 149 
 
 lefs followers of feveral Lc&u- 
 rers , have notwithftanding all 
 this, been, and are , ( 1 . ) The 
 moft inconftant, (2.) Themoft 
 erroneous in their Opinions. 
 
 And firft, as for their giddi- 
 dinels and unconthmcie , there 
 needs no other demonstration 
 thereof, than their rolling from 
 one Opinion to another. For if 
 they have ftuck fa ft to any one, 
 yet that being evil, their adhe- 
 rence thereunto ought not to be 
 accounted Confiancic, but Fer- 
 verfenefi. 
 
 Now if we enquire into the 
 caufe of this ficklenefs of judg- 
 ment fo notorious among the 
 zealous Sermonifts , and Vulgar 
 Sett arks, we (hall find that it is a 
 want of Catechizing :> and that 
 they were never duly inftructed 
 in thofe primary Principles of 
 Religion % which would have 
 H 3 rightly 
 
150 Clje I^imftfae 
 
 rightly informed and eftablifned 
 their judgments. Through the 
 want whereof,they have proved 
 like unballafted vefTels, liable to 
 be tolled, torn,and blown about 
 with every guft of contrary Do- 
 ctrine, vented by thofe who were 
 crafty to deceive 5 and who have 
 proved themfelves to be lineally 
 clefcended of thofe great preten- 
 ders to Godlincfs and Knowledge 
 ( mcntioa'd in the infpired and 
 Ecclefiaftique Scriptures ) and e- 
 gregioufly character 'd, for creep- 
 ing into houfes, an df educing (il- 
 ly women, who were ever learn- 
 ing, but never able to come to the 
 knowledge of the Truth* Vide Eu- 
 feb. EcclefT Hift. lib, 2. lib. 3, & 
 
 4- 
 
 Nor need it create our won- 
 der that fiich perlbns are (b bad 
 proficients in Religion, feeing 
 they began to learn it at the 
 
 wrong 
 
3ittffitutiain 15* 
 
 wrong cad, and ran to the Le- 
 (Sure before they had been at the 
 Catechilm. And indeed it can- 
 not be imagined that thofe fhould 
 make any laudable progrefs ei- 
 ther in Divine or humane Know- 
 ledge, who in the Rudiments and 
 firft grounds thereof, have had 
 either none, or a very [fight E- 
 ducation. 
 
 And as the moft uniatiable 
 Hearers of Sermons have proved 
 wavering and uriconftant in their 
 judgments,for want of a timely 
 and through Catechiz'uig;(b like- 
 wile upon the fame ground they 
 have been very erroneous and O- 
 piniative. For this want of a 
 plain Infiitution in the Princi- 
 ples of Truth, hath left them dc- 
 ftitute of a proper Teft, whereby 
 they might be able to explore 
 and try what is preaeht, and to 
 ftparate the pretious from the 
 H 4 vikn 
 
i52 Clje Pn'mttifte 
 
 vile. Through the want where- 
 of, they as greedily imbibe a falfe 
 as true Doftrine 5 and are ready 
 to change their Opinions accor- 
 ding to the im predion which the 
 affe&ionate noife of the laft Ser- 
 mon has made upon their Sen- 
 
 f es - 
 
 Nor are they fyappier in their 
 reading H.Scriptures,than in hea- 
 ring of them(th us) preacht. The 
 vm-catechized run upon the fame 
 rock in both. For albeit the D/- 
 vint Word is in it felf the pure 
 Fountain of all faving Truths \ 
 yet perfbns not trained up in a 
 competent apprehenfion of Cate- 
 chiftical Principles, make it a fink 
 of pernicious Errors 5 lucking 
 Contention from the Brefts of 
 Peace 5 turning the fincere milk 
 of Gods Word into the poyfon of 
 Afps, and perverting the Scrip- 
 ture to their own deftruclion 5 
 
 while 
 
 
Jnffitutfotn 153 
 
 while they make the Oracles of 
 God not to (peak their own, but 
 fuch a fenfe and language , as 
 may beft adjuft their Defignes 
 and Interefts. 
 
 And as no malice proves more 
 implacable than that which ari- 
 iethout of the allies of an Apo- 
 ftate love : So no Errors are more 
 dangerous than thofe which pro- 
 ceed from a wrong interpreting & 
 application of the Word of Truth* 
 And as thofe whofe fanciehas 
 been playing with (bunds , think 
 every thing they hear is tunable 
 to their fancie : So thofe whofe 
 minds are once infe&ed with e- 
 Vil Opinions, think every Text 
 ifpeaks according to the Opinions 
 iwherewith they are infe&ed. 
 And it is an Hypothefis will meet 
 with few Adverfories, "That men 
 who are prejudiced and prepof- 
 felled with Errors in Religion, 
 H. 5 can- 
 
canftot be reduced but by get- 
 ting them therein rightly prin- 
 cipled, which was never yet at- 
 tempted but by fblid and perfpi- 
 cuous Catechizing 5 it being by 
 this that men prove in Religi- 
 onlike the houfe in the Gofpei 
 founded upon a rock, which by 
 no force of ftorms and winds 
 could be fubverted. And there- 
 fore if this ground-work^ be not 
 furely laid, all fuperjiruffures in 
 Religion lie upon the looie fand, 
 and are eafily waftit away by the 
 infinuating fuggeftions of falle 
 Teachers. And what is yet fur* 
 ther to be confidered, we fee the 
 reft of the 'Building fink with the 
 Foundation : if that be fhaken. 
 all will go to mine. And Chri- 
 ftians not well grounded in the 
 Elements of Truth and Holi- 
 neis, will quickly be perlwadec 
 to give themfclves up to an] 
 
 wile 
 
Jnitituttam 155 
 
 wild Opinion, or loofe practice, 
 and turn Schifmatique or Tray- 
 tor, to the great hazard and con- 
 fufion both of Church and 
 State. 
 
 ' But if it be objefted that Ca- 
 techizing is a plaifter too narrow 
 for our fore, becaufe it cannot 
 reach thofe whofe Age or fome 
 other circumitance excludes 
 them the number of thofe for 
 whom this fort of hiftruttien is 
 appointed, notwithftandinj they 
 have no lefs need thereof than o- 
 thers : To this it will be enough 
 to return the facceeding confi- 
 derations, viz. 
 
 I. That the Church obviated 
 this fcruple, when mthelaft E- 
 dition of the Lyturgy, fhe ap- 
 pointed the Catechilm to be 
 .learned of every perfo??* And in 
 jh er Fiftieth nineCanoti enjoyn'd 
 « the Clergy to inftruft all the 
 3 ignorant 
 
perfons of their Parifhes in the 
 publike Catechifm. And that 
 thofe who bear the heavy load of 
 many years might not decline 
 this way of Injlitution^they may 
 lee it founded in the Apoftoli- 
 cal practice 3 which was to Ca- 
 techize the adult 5 as before was 
 obferved. 
 
 2. To be duly inftrufted itt 
 the Principles of Christianity ,is a 
 duty incumbent upon all, who by 
 the knowledge and VraUice there- 
 of hope to be eternally faved 
 And therefore it the Aged be 
 therein ignorant, they have more 
 reafbn to blufh at their igno 
 ranee, than to be thus inftrutt- 
 ed 3 and with diligence and hu 
 mility to wait at this Gate of 
 Knowledge , rather than with 
 (corntodildain it. 
 
 3. If the Elder fort have ei- 
 ther not been taught at all, or 
 
 have 
 
jnftitutiotn 157 
 
 have forgot the chief Heads and 
 Catechetical Fundamentals of 
 Chriftianity,they now meet with 
 a fair occalion both to learn and 
 call them to minde. For by be- 
 ing prefent and attentive in hear- 
 ing the Younger Catechized, the 
 Ancient(and all) may be brought 
 to know what they do not un- 
 derftand, to remember what they 
 have forgot, and to be inform'd 
 in what they have erred. So that 
 at the fame time Catechizing 
 will inftruft the Ignorant, re- 
 member the Forgetful, and in- 
 form the Erronioits : And there- 
 fore adminifter a Fhyfick pro- 
 per and futable to our feveral 
 Maladies^ which cannot be pre- 
 tended to by thofe other Me- 
 thods, that have hitherto beenfo 
 eagerly purfued. 
 
 Chap. 
 
i $3 tE&el&fmf tttie 
 
 Chap. XIII. 
 The Benefits of Catechising, 
 I. In refpect of the Civil 
 State. 2. The Clergy. 
 3. TheFcople. The Mif- 
 cbiefs of private Schools. 
 QbjtSiions againjl thi 
 conjlant pra&ice of Gate* 
 chiding removed* 
 
 BUt befides what has beendi£ 
 courfed , there are other 
 good EjfeSs of Catechizing which 
 at leail: may be as (b many mo- 
 tives to enforce its pra&ice. 
 
 And in the firft place, Cate- 
 chizing is in an eminent manner 
 conducive to the Peace and Wel- 
 fare of the State 5 becaufe it 
 takes care that the Younger fort, 
 
 who 
 
jaffitutfciu 159 
 
 who are the hopes of a Nation, 
 be duly educated in thofe Prin- 
 ciples, on whole praftice the iafe- 
 ty and happinefs of a State de- 
 pends. For to (owe in the pure 
 minds of Tenth the feeds of Ver- 
 tue and Truth, before the Tares 
 of Vice and Error.and the weeds 
 of the World, have canker 'd and 
 fpoiled the Soil, is by the content: 
 of all wife men, a point of in- 
 comparable force and moment 
 for the well-ordering and Go- 
 vernment of all kinde of Socie- 
 ties, and for making Common- 
 wealths ever flourishing and hap- 
 py. For by the means of Cate- 
 chizing, the Younger fort will be 
 planted and grow up in a due 
 Conformity and Obedience to 
 the Laws in being 5 which is 
 undeniably a proper expedient 
 to uphold States in the Terms 
 wheyein they are , and to free 
 
 them 
 
1 6o c&e l&fmitto 
 
 them from the danger of being 
 fo eafily obvious to alteration 
 and change. For the Opinions,of 
 what nature fbever, wherewith 
 we are firft (eafbn'd, are of dou- 
 ble force to any fecond Perfwa- | 
 lions and Vfages. And this makes i 
 the Spanifh Nation early and j 
 careful in Catechizing their | 
 Children 5 by which Method f e- 
 ver firice its ufe ) they have not 
 fuffer'd the leaft difturbance and 1 
 alteration in Church or State. \ 
 That ferlou* people having large- 
 ly experienced the Truth of their 
 own faying: No es menos impor- 
 tant e el fer de la DoBrina que d 
 dela Natttra/eza. And m con- 
 firmation of this remark, it were 
 eafle to load the Margin with a 
 numerous Quotation , and the 
 line with a tedious recital of ma- 
 ny excellent Paffages out of Via- 
 to, Arijiotle, Socrates, Seneca, Ta- 
 
 titUfy 
 
3tt(ffttttf0tt, 1 6 1 
 
 r//iKf, ^eZf. and almoft all the 
 earned Heathen : rhttarch'sE- 
 ducation of Children doth a- 
 3ridge them all. But we need 
 lot go fharpen our tools with 
 he Philiftines, feeing an Iftaclite 
 ran do it better. For Salomon 
 s plain, That the way to have 
 iien Religious and honeft 5 to be 
 peaceable both in Church and 
 State 5 is from their Childhood 
 o train them up (the Margin)to 
 Catechize them,ii^yJDuties that 
 hey owe untobOinc prtv. 22. 6. 
 AndtheEcclefiaftick & Politick 
 Parents, as well 'as the Natu- 
 ral, will finde great fafety in ob- 
 erving the wife advice of Ben 
 Siraoh. Bow down his necJ^while 
 he is young, and beat on the (ides 
 while he is a childe 5 left he wax 
 Qubborn, and dif obedient^ and fa 
 bring forrow to thine heart. Ec- 
 :lu£ 30.12. But there needs 
 
 hereof 
 
162 €!jsL3?tmitft» 
 
 hereof neither iiluftration nor 
 enlargement. And therefore we 
 Ihall clofe this Period with that 
 excellent Spaniard, Son los afe- 
 tos en l& N/nez como el Veneno, 
 &c. Vices in youth areas poy- 
 fon, which if it once take feifurd 
 of the beart.tbe paleneis it intro- 
 duceth no Phyiiek can remove. 
 Saavedra, idea de un prin. pol. 
 Chrift. p. 8. 
 
 Obedience^by a Catholick a- 
 g^tmtat^peotirown and Tiller A 
 the Glory zndsrength of ill Go- 
 vernment. But this Obedience 
 can never be firm and durable,if] 
 it be not founded in Confcience. 
 For according to the informati- 
 on of this, we (hall find the ex- 
 preffes of the other. And not- 
 withftanding that unparallel'd 
 Villanies have been every where 
 afted under the pretence of Con- 
 fcience, yet this is fb far from ma- 
 king 
 
3ittffitutiGiT. 163 
 
 jag it reaionable to ncglcft and 
 eride Confcience,that it fhould 
 ngagc us by all good means to 
 tave it fb regulated and inftruft- 
 d, that it may be no left fervice- 
 ble to Peace and Union, than it 
 ath been (the pretence)to carry 
 nDiffention and Schifm. And 
 /e need not doubt but a right 
 >onlcience will as powerfully 
 blige to Peace, as an erroneous 
 lftigate to Sedition : And that 
 
 men were once fully Catechi* 
 ed in the Duties of the Second 
 able, they would no longer be 
 3le to refift the Ecclefiaftick or 
 
 cular Fower under the Banner 
 fConfcience. 
 
 In the fecond place, an Una- 
 imous ufe of Catechizing the 
 
 ople in the fame things, will 
 3t a little redound to the ere- 
 tofthe Clergy. For by this 
 eans they will teftifie to the 
 
 world 
 
i*4 t£fjel3?imitiae 
 
 world their Harmony and Con* 
 fent : That they all teach the 
 (lime things \ and are not, as foi 
 lack hereof fome imagine, like 
 the Naturalifts two-headed Ser- 
 pent, pulling contrary ways, but 
 all looking on the fame Objedh 
 as the Seraphims on the Mercy 
 Seat. 
 
 And doubtlefs one end of ; 
 Church-Catechifm was to pre 
 lerve an Uniform procedure ii 
 teaching the Common ground 
 of Religion. It being requifit 
 and convenient, that they wh< 
 profefs but one Cod, one Chrifl: 
 one Baptifin , and one Gofpel^ 
 fhould content and be trained u] 
 in one Catechifm . The incon 
 venience arifing from theufec 
 divers, being obferved by Pop 
 Clemens the Eighth, caufed hir 
 to have a Catechifm compiled 
 which, exclufive of all other 
 
 ftoul 
 
 . 
 
gnffitutiotn 165 
 
 hould be taught in all thofe 
 ountrics that call thcmfelvcs 
 atholick. Vt fublata modorum 
 locendi varietate, uniforme, fa- 
 iliusqx, injlrnendi idiot as & {im- 
 lices de rebus fidei exercitium 
 eddatur 3 faith the Congregatio 
 Reformations, which reviied and 
 ipproved it. 
 
 And in the Geneva Lyturgy, 
 ►ve finde their Paftors limited not 
 >nly to the fame Catechifin, but 
 1Mb to how much thereof they 
 "hall teach every Lords day, with- 
 out any interpolations of their 
 )wn. A thing which ought care- 
 fully to be provided for in our 
 own Church : For if the Clergy 
 be either left to a liberty of u- 
 iing divers Catechiffns, or to 
 ufe the Churches as they pleafe 3 
 and under a pretence of the legal 
 InftruBion, take a more fecure 
 occaflon to inftil into the minds 
 
 of 
 
of the unwary people their owr 
 Opinions and Phanfies,they maj 
 mod malitioully deceive the in 
 tention of the Church, and fo 
 feeding, poyfbn their Congrega 
 tions. They will prove falfe t( 
 their truft, and moft pernicioufh 
 contradift the Name they bear 
 For the Clergy are Catechifts i 
 the moft important fenfe of thei 
 Office, and are bound by tha 
 Title not to found their ovvi l 
 words, but to Eccho and repea 
 what the Church has fpoken 
 not only the words and fyllable 
 but the fenfe and meaning. 
 
 But if the Clergy were neve I 
 fb unanimous and diligent bet 
 in the interpretation and pra&ic c 
 of the Catecailm , the benef 
 thereof will not be fb vifible,whil 
 there are thofe who unteach 
 private what is taught at Churcl f 
 W ch is the undermining prafti 
 
 ft 
 
Jnffitttttoiu 167 
 
 of many of thofe P.tite Schools, 
 wherewith the Nation is furchar- 
 ged and abufed. The mod where- 
 of being fubfervient to no bet- 
 :er end than to give the Youth an 
 11-feafbning as well in the Rudi- 
 nents of Religion as Grammar, 
 \nd albeit the redreffing of this 
 piichief has been pioufly recom- 
 nended by the Sovereign Head 
 )f this Church, to Terfons pro- 
 )erfor that purpofe^yet it is to 
 >e feared that the iifue will be 
 ather an Ever cafe of Licences, 
 lan any Abatement of undue 
 chool-Teachers, contrary to the 
 7 Sc 79 Canons. 
 
 Till Ifrael wanted Smiths of 
 Their own, they never went to 
 he Philiftims to (harpen their 
 lattocks. It feems no lefe a 
 /ant of Policie than Affeftion in 
 he Church, while her own brefts 
 re full to fiiffer her Children to 
 
 flick 
 
i68 Cfje pjtmtttfte 
 
 fuck luch Nurfes , as with their 
 milk will infufe Difobedience a-i 
 gain ft her. 
 
 The Jefuites ufually fay, Thai 
 they never doubt to replant thei! 
 Religion, where they have onc< 
 planted aColledge^ becaufethi 
 being obtained,they will have op 
 portunity to inftruft the Yout! 
 ( which is an employment the 
 every where labour to engroft t< 
 their Society ) whereby they fea 
 not but in time to eat out theft 
 thers Principles with thofe the 
 (hall inftil into the (on. And tfc { 
 prefent ftate of affairs will eafil 
 turn this into no unfeafonab.' ii 
 Allufion. tli 
 
 But in the laft place, the unit 
 nimous ufage of the fame Churcl | 
 Catechifm, and the modd'lini 
 ordering and direfting allpulQ 
 like Inftru&ions according i^ 
 
anfftttttiorn 169 
 
 :his Form of found IVords, will 
 :>ring no lefs fafety to the people, 
 han Honour to the Clergy. For 
 :>y this means the people will be 
 ielivered from the fear and pe- 
 il of hearing contrary Do&rines, 
 md confequently be edified and 
 milt up in fiich an Uniformity 
 >oth of Belief and Manners^ as 
 nay at once fecure as well their 
 t Donverfations as Judgments from 
 i Jngodlinefs and Error f which 
 6 r ields a fair probability of clofing 
 >ur prefent breaches^ and pre- 
 senting future. 
 lil And now feeing that the wel- 
 are of the State, the credit of 
 he Clergy,and (afety of the peo- 
 >le do greatly importune and 
 bllicite the pra&ice of Catechi- 
 \ :ing 5 there is nothing on the 
 jfl Clergies part that can retard it, 
 >ut what I fhould be loath to 
 ti lame or imagine. But if it be 
 I faid 
 
170 STljepjtmitttie 
 
 (aid in behalf of the Laity, Tha 
 Catechizing being a content rej 
 petition of the fame thing, willfi 
 cloy the people, that they wi! 
 grow weary of Gods Houie^to w< 
 we fee them fufficiently backwarc 
 even when they are there entei 
 tained with variety , Then I fha 
 only wifh all thofe of the Hoi 
 Fun&ion maturely to confider, 
 i. How low they have fun 
 in their efteem with the peopl 
 fince their Office was fb mucf 
 devoted t(*pleafe*Ae/> humoui 
 
 2. That they ought not 
 much to refpeft the peoples fail 
 cies, as proficiencie inReligioii 
 the informing of their judg'j: 
 ments, anddire&ing their Coi 
 fciences, and not the humourit 
 of their caprices,ought to be the f* 
 chief aim and travel. 
 
 3. That they cannot defer^ 
 the Name of Guides,who are r 
 
 le 
 
 i 
 
 a 
 
 ft 
 t 
 ik 
 
 i, 
 ft: 
 
 i 
 
3ittffittttfoin i 7 i 
 
 ed by tho/e whom they fhould 
 ule : the iffue whereof will be 
 to better than that of The blinde 
 codings &c. 
 
 4. That if Catechizing be a 
 pay of Inltruftion, which will 
 >eft preferve the Onity and 
 eace of the Church, and moft 
 ilidly and fecurely advance the 
 dification of the people 5 then 
 here is no need to be IbUicitous 
 or any other ends or interefts. 
 
 5. And as for the conftantre- 
 etition and audience of the feme 
 'ruths neceffary to Salvation 
 as they are the Contents of the 
 Ihurch-Catechifin ) it may be 
 iftified by that old faying [Nun- 
 nam fatk docetur^uod nunquam 
 
 \'4k difcitur$*] Thofe Leffons 
 1 m never be too much taught, 
 , hich can never be too much 
 leI :arned. For repetition in this 
 afe is to make the Catechifm, 
 I 2 what 
 
iTi Cfie Plftnitite 
 
 what indeed it is, the words 4 L 
 
 the wife fattened like nails b; , 
 
 the Matters of AiTemblies. Aw 
 
 though in all the blows of tb, 
 
 hammer the aft be the fame, ye, 
 
 there is no ftroke fuperfluou ke 
 
 while every one tends to con i 
 
 pleat the work. We may bro j; 
 
 the fame quarrel againft readn t 
 
 Booh,iod hearing Sermons :1|L 
 
 they are but old matter in ne in 
 
 wo?ds 5 and if ftript of !>«/?*,, 
 
 Difguife, they would eafily t 
 difcerned to be but fo many ^ M 
 ried repetitions. In Religion r 
 any thing be pretended to j, 
 M w, we may fafely conclude tl 
 
 is falfe. , . a I 
 
 6 But to evacuate the whole t „ 
 icaien, A diligent Catechift y 
 finde enough in the Church-' j 
 techifm to .entertain his Con|, 
 aation with variety,^ to deli | 
 and profit all but itching Ears. - 
 
3|nffitttttotu 173 
 
 : wants nothing that is requifite 
 
 defend us in our Journey ^or to 
 ive us when come to our long 
 ome. And thofe whoarethere- 
 
 1 duly inftru&ed, will finde 
 bemfelves fo fufficiently guard- 
 d, that no machinations of He- 
 efie ol: Schifm will be able to 
 ■atter or undermine them. In- 
 leed the diligent ufe of Catechi- 
 ing will be its beft Vindication, 
 nd moft effectually anfwer all 
 )bjeftions againft it. And with- 
 out all controverfie, there was 
 
 lever a greater neceffity of enfor- 
 ing what we now treat of, than 
 he conjuncture wherein we 
 ive. For we fee Satan is let loole, 
 md lays hard at the Souls of 
 Dhnftians 5 not only by fuch O 
 unions as difturb our Peace, but 
 vould utterly deftroy our Chri* 
 tianity. Infbmuch that we have 
 ;reat need to (peak to every one, 
 
 I 3 35 
 
*74 -C&ePtfmftfiw 
 
 as that famous Anchorite to hii 
 Pillars upon the approach of at - 
 Earth-quake, Stand faji^ for y\ 
 jlull be Jlddken : And ftand faf 
 we cannot, if we want a fun 
 Foundation in Religion 5 and thi 
 cannot be expe&ed, where it i 
 not laid in a full and timely Ca 
 techizing. 
 
 Ch A 
 
anfffttitioiu 175 
 
 Chap. XIV. 
 he Church Catechifm to be 
 preferred before others, 
 for its Authority, ^Jfe- 
 fnlnefs, Accomplijhment, 
 Contents, Sec 
 
 B lit if after all that hath been 
 or can be (aid concerning 
 ie Antiquity and Benefits of Ca- 
 -chizing in general, or more 
 articularly in regard of its ne- 
 effity and advantages in refpeft 
 f the preftnt Temperament of 
 ur own Nation, it fhould be di- 
 mted what Catechifm ought to 
 e of publike u(e : I fliall return, 
 rft, that although there are ma- 
 y excellent Catechifms both in 
 ur own and forein Languages, 
 I 4. com- 
 
i7* C&el&tmftfte 
 
 compofed by private per(bns,out 
 of the confideration of the great 
 emolument accrewing to the 
 people from this of Teaching 
 yet there is none which with 
 thofe of this Co?n?nunion ought to 
 be of equal efteem with the Cate- 
 chilm of the Church, ifweconfi- 
 der, as we ought, its Authority, 
 Ufefulnefs, and Accomphfti 
 rnent. 
 
 And in the firft place, as for its 
 Authority , the Church-Cate- 
 chifm hath no lefs pre-eminence 
 above others, than the Decrees 
 of Councils above the Inftigati- 
 ons of a private Spirit. For the 
 difference betwixt this and Ca 
 techifins penn'd by particular 
 perfbns, is like that between the 
 Laws and Statutes of the King- 
 dom, and the advice and judg- 
 ment of private Subjefts. 
 
 This is not to caft any imputa- 
 tion 
 
Sinffitutiotn 177 
 
 tion or difrefpedt upon thofe Ca- 
 techifms penn'd by grave and 
 learned Divines 5 which are good 
 in themfelves, and ufeful in their 
 ftation : But to fhew, that the 
 Church-Catechifm commands of 
 us a peculiar Veneration, by rea- 
 fon of its publike Authority, 
 
 In the next place, by vertueof 
 its Authority, the Church-Cate- 
 chifm hath an efpecial Uiefulnefa, 
 in being the common Teft by w ch 
 we may try who are of, or againft 
 our Communion.. It is likewife 
 an excellent Form of Religion^ 
 whereby particular perfbns may 
 examine their own Opinions and 
 Sentiments, and give an account 
 of their Faith to thole who would 
 therein either ejiabUp or fub* 
 vert them, 
 
 In the laft place, the Accom- 
 plishment of the ChurchCaiechifn* 
 greatly enhaunfeth its Com- 
 I 5 mendatioa.. 
 
57* *Ebe {^fmftf&e 
 
 rnendation. For if its Contents 
 fall under an upright Review, it 
 will merit no lefs praile than thofe 
 Compofures, which are fo exaft, 
 that they are neither Defe&ive 
 nor Redundant. For although 
 ibmehave obje&ed its deficien- 
 cie, as not taking any notice of 
 the Great Points of Faith, Jufti- 
 fication, Sanftification , &c. It 
 may hereunto be truly anfwer"d, 
 That thefe Points are rather brief- 
 ly expreft, than totally omitted 5 
 and that it is not the omiffion, 
 but the fhort and Orthodox Ex- 
 preffion thereof, which is the 
 ground of the Exception. But if 
 the nature of a Catechfin were 
 rightly weighed, it would be no 
 Objection againft the Churches, 
 that fbme things are therein ei- 
 ther more darkly or more fuc- 
 cinftly ftt down. For if eve- 
 ry point of Do&rine were in 
 
 a 
 
 k 
 
JitifiittiUon, 179 
 
 a Catechifm difcufs'd at length, 
 it would lofe and forfeit its 
 Name. But befides all this, it is 
 eafie for a Clerks of ordinary ?/z- 
 duflry and Letters to make all 
 thole Points plain and obvious 
 out of the Church-Catechifm y 
 whole want is objected a^ainft 
 its compleatnefs. And we have 
 no reafbn to wonder or repine, 
 that the Church hath left ibme- 
 thing to exercife the labours and 
 Abilities of her Clergy. 
 
 But to conclude .- If we ma- 
 turely examine the Catechifm, we 
 (hall tinde therein fuch a natural 
 evenne r s in the Method atA 
 Style, and fuch a confiftencie and 
 foundnels in the Matter, as is not 
 in any like compofition ealily to 
 be matcht. As for the Introdu- 
 ftion, it naturally carries us to all 
 the circumftances of our Admifc 
 fion into the Church. Shewing 
 
 when, 
 
1 8b %\)t pjimttifte 
 
 when, by whom, after what man- 
 ner, and by what means we be- 
 came Chriftians. Next, it ac- 
 quaints us with the great Privi- 
 ledges, Benefits, and Duties oi 
 Chriftianity, as alfo how by So- 
 lemn Vow we (tand obliged to 
 perform them. The Queftionis 
 plain and fiort 5 the Anfwer 
 foil and fithy. And the Com- 
 pilers thereof have manifefted 
 Angular wi(dom and care, in de- 
 livering the Rule in the fewefl 
 and plained words. For if the} 
 had loaden it with long indica- 
 tive Periods, they might at once 
 have both puzzl'd the under- 
 ftanding, and opprefled the me- 
 mory of thofe tender Capacities 
 for whom chiefly it was defign- 
 ed. 
 
 If we look into the principa 
 Chapters of the Catechifm, th( 
 Church therein has fbllowec 
 
 the 
 
IttfftttttfOtU I§1 
 
 the copy of the beft and ancient- 
 eft Catechifts : For likethem, 
 fhe hath reduced to four Gene- 
 ral Heads all that is truly necef* 
 (ary to Salvation. For retrench- 
 ing what is but artificially nece£ 
 (ary to acquire the felicity of the 
 future (late, all truly neceflary 
 thereunto, is reduces tie, i. To 
 Faith, or things to be believed. 
 2. To Obedience, or things to 
 be done. 3. To Prayer, or things 
 to be received. 4. To Sacra- 
 ments, or things to admit and e- 
 ftablifh us in the Church. 
 
 As for the things we are to 
 Believe , they are (urnm'd in 
 Twelve Articles , bearing the 
 name of the Apo files Creed, be- 
 cau(e it was either of their com- 
 pofing, or contains the (ubftauce 
 of all which they taught to be 
 neceflfary for (ingle Belief 3 and 
 was collected by Agoftolical 
 
 men 
 
i8 2 dje Ptfmftflw 
 
 men, out of their Writings, into 
 this Form or Breviary that we 
 now profeis. 
 
 As for Obedience, the Deca- 
 logue is its Rule and Objeft, 
 which comprifeth a pure draught 
 of praftical Duties. 
 
 Prayer, which makes another 
 head of the Catechifm, is an au- 
 xiliary to the two former 5 for 
 unleft we beg and obtain the Di- 
 vine Affiftance, we can neither 
 believe nor obey as we ought. — 
 Know this, that thou art not a- 
 ble to do thefe things of thy felf 
 nor to walk^ in the Commands 
 ments of God without hk fpeci- 
 cal Gracejvhich thou mufi learn at 
 all times to call for by diligent 
 Prayer. And the molt abfolute 
 Form and Pattern of this Duty, 
 is that which Chrift collefted 
 when he reformed their Eucholo- 
 gus, out of the Traditions of the 
 
 Elders, 
 
Sinffitutfon* 183 
 
 [Elders, and recommended to 
 ihis Church, and which bears his 
 [Name, The Lords Prayer. 
 
 The Sacraments are the fourth 
 [Head of Catechilm, which God 
 I ordained in compliance with 
 ■ mans infirmities and weaknefs. 
 [For being that thole things which 
 I concern the En dlefi Welfare of the 
 [Rational Soul, are like it fclf of 
 I Spiritual and Divine Nature,and 
 therefore not eatily to be com- 
 prehended by thole who have 
 their Undcrftanding limited by 
 their lenles^it pleated God to ap- 
 point certain Holy Rites called 
 Sacraments, which by outward 
 and vifible Signes reprefent unto 
 us that inward and fpiritaal 
 Grace which he beftows upon us - 
 and which are alfo means where- 
 by we are partakers of that Grace, 
 and pledges to allure us of that 
 participation. 
 
 Chap. 
 
184 C6e 19|fmftf&e 
 
 Chap. XV. 
 
 An account of fome ObjeSii- 
 ons ufnally brought a- 
 gainji the Chnrch-Cate- 
 chifm. 
 
 {T hath been generally obfer- 
 ved,ThatZeal,ifitbe notfo- 
 berly governed when it ftrivet!* 
 againft any thing, that either in 
 reality or but appearance, op- 
 pofeth Religion, doth ufually 
 proceed with fb great impetuouP* 
 nefs, that Religion it (elf is in 
 danger. And as it not feldonv 
 falls out, That an over-eager de- 
 fire to pluck up weeds, doth ha- 
 zard the extirpation of the good 
 grain ; foa finifter zeal againft 
 what is fuperftitious, or but fo 
 
 pre- 
 
3[itfl!tttti0tn 1S5 
 
 .(pretended to be, doth often put 
 oth the Truth 8c pra&ice of Re- 
 ligion into (ufpence and debate. 
 And although this is an Obferva- 
 tion which might be eafily atte- 
 fted through all the Veriods of the 
 Church, yet we need not look (b 
 far back for teftimony thereof, 
 if we revolve what has happe- 
 ned among our felves within the 
 Annals of our Memory. For we 
 have feen the malice of the £>e- 
 tra&ingfpirit of Fadtion and Se- 
 dition expofing every Inftituteof 
 the Church to contradi&ion and 
 reproach. Accounting it Argu- 
 ment enough to abandon every 
 thing uled by the Church, on 
 which there could any way be 
 faften'd the odious names of To- 
 pifi and Superfiitiovs. 
 
 And though this might be ex- 
 emplified through the whole Bo- 
 dy of the Churches Lyturgy, yet 
 
 the 
 
I 
 
 the prefent Theme obliges me to 
 remark onty^ftch Cavils as with e 
 greater fpecioufnefs are brought J 
 againft the Catechifm. For as ?| 
 for other exceptions, the final- 
 nefs of their importance renders 
 very needlefs to return them any 
 fblid anfwer. 
 
 Now the firft thing obje&ed 
 againft the Catechifm, refpe&s 
 its two firft Queftions, which are 
 traduced as iuperfluous and tri- 
 fling, as being to no more pur- 
 pofe, than to alk what we know J? 
 already, and to be informed of" 1 
 that which we perfeftly under- i 1 
 flood before : Seeing that ufu- " 
 ally fills out,that the Catechiftis !' 
 well acquainted with the Cate- * 
 chumens name, and all the cir- 
 cumftances of its impofftion. 
 Now feeing that Catechifm is 
 pretended to be an Abridgement, * 
 and that all know how it is the 
 
 proper 
 
3[nffftutiotu 187 
 
 roper duty of Abridgements to 
 eave out nothing necefiary, and 
 o take nothing unneceflary in 5 
 he Church-Catcchifm will be for 
 rom deferving the name of an 
 \bridgement,if its very entrance* 
 >r any thing therein be Trivial 
 ind Redundant. 
 
 But this Obje&ion will appear 
 )f fmall force and importance, 
 vhen it is confidered, that the 
 
 hurch in her Catechiffn ob- 
 erves the Method which is natu- 
 al to Difcourfes fram'd by Que- 
 zon and Anfwer,whofe entrance 
 sever fbme familiar Interroga- 
 ive agreeable to the matter 
 vhich is to be difcourfed. And 
 being that the Church in her 
 
 atechifin defigned to inftruft 
 he ignorant and younger fort 
 he Principles of that Religion 
 vhich they profefs, it was very 
 >roper to begin her Inftru&ion 
 
 with 
 
i88. Cfje Ptfmftifie 
 
 with an enquiry for that Name l 
 in which they firft undertook 
 that Profeffion. 
 
 And in this refpeft our Publike 
 Catechifm is more appofite and 
 genuine, than either the Roman 
 Catechifm eftablifhed by Pope 
 Clement the Eighth , or that 6i 
 Geneva annexed to their Lytur- 
 gy : for after a long Preamble 
 the one begins with, guidnam 
 DoUrina Chriftiana i The othei 
 with, Quelle eft la Principale fit. 
 de la Vie humaine $ 
 
 But the entrance of our 
 Church-Catechifin will be fur 
 ther vindicated from the impu 
 tation of levity or faperflnouj 
 ne& when it is rightly confidered 
 That it doth naturally guide th« 
 Catechized to the knowledg 
 of what mod nearly import 
 him. For (as 'twere by th 
 hand) it gently carries him t< 
 
 Si. 
 
3?uffitttttatn is? 
 
 all the concerning circumftances 
 of his admiffion into the Church 3 
 by whom 5 at what time } and af- 
 ter what manner, he was made a 
 Member of Chrift , or received 
 into the Congregation of his 
 Flock, and had a right conferr'd 
 upon him to partake of all the 
 Promifes and Priviledges of the 
 New Covenant. Baptifm being 
 an inauguration into that Reli- 
 gious Society which Chrift 
 founded. 
 
 And as we read that the peo- 
 ple of God have from the begin- 
 ning had Names of fpecial figni- 
 fication ( as Adam£ha,va,Abram, 
 &c. ) whereby they were put in 
 mind of feme fignal mark of Gods 
 Providence toward them, and of 
 their bounden duty of being pi- 
 oully thankful : So the Catechu 
 zed when he is demanded the 
 Name in which he became a 
 
 Chri- 
 
Chriftian, it minds him of his ob-]J 
 ligation, i. To depart from ini 
 quity, and thereby to walk wor 
 thy of that Name by which he is 
 called q. To perform what in 
 that Name he vowed and pro- 
 mifed. 3. To examine his profi 
 ciencie in that Religion intc 
 which by this name he was firff i 
 initiate. 4 To exprefs a thankfu 
 remembrance of Chrifts fingulai 
 favour, that he ft far condefcen 
 ded, as to call hin after his owr 
 Name. 
 
 But the Catechumen may up 
 on another account be firft callec 
 upon for his name, beciufeit i 
 the badge and cognizar^eoftha 
 Holy Religion inwhicn he is t( 
 be inftru&ed, and of which h< 
 muft give an account both t< 
 God and his Church, now and ai 
 the laft. And fuperfeding all o 
 ther Reaibns, thofe that hav 
 
 beei 
 
anffttutiom 191 
 
 ueen thus briefly intimated, may 
 [ at leaft ) aflift to clear the firfl 
 Queftion and Anfwer of the Ca- 
 techifin from the guilt of Trivial- 
 nefs, vanity and impertinencie. 
 
 As to what is objefted againft 
 the fecond Queftion and Anlwer, 
 it will be fufficient to Reply, 
 That our Church therein is con- 
 formable to the Primitive. For 
 Tertullian ( a Father of the third 
 Age) faith pofitively, That it 
 was thecuftomofthe Church in 
 his time, to admit none to the 
 
 , benefit of the Scriptures, or to a- 
 ny dilpenlation concerning Sa- 
 
 I cred and Divine things , or to 
 the (canning and examination 
 of particular Queftions of Re- 
 
 J ligion, who could not firft give 
 
 . a clear account of all material 
 circumftances of their Recep- 
 tion into the Ark of Chrift's 
 Church. By whom, at what 
 
 time^ 
 
i92 c&ei&tmttfiw 
 
 time, and after what manner them 
 
 were received ( which are thei 
 
 Ingredients of the fecond An4 c 
 
 fwer in the Church-Catechifm )tf 
 
 and whether they didftedfaftly,, 
 
 believe and maintain all thofe ge« tl 
 
 neral Principles , wherein therej 
 
 ever was an Univerfal andllna^, 
 
 nimous agreement among all,f 
 
 Chriitians. And thofe who coul^ , p 
 
 not give an account thereof ni 
 
 were looked upon asfuch \vh< n 
 
 had no right to the Communion 
 
 of Chrift's Church, and the Fm 
 
 viledges of his Kingdom. Thi j 
 
 Teftimonyof the Churches pra k 
 
 dice is to be feen in TertuBian^ 
 
 Trtfc. adverf. Heretic. A pieo £ 
 
 which was written by him, as )f 
 
 conceive,before the provocation | 
 
 of the Roman Clergy tempte 0l 
 
 him to turn zMonUntft, & too 
 
 led away with the Enthufiaftic 
 
 Delufions of that Sett. He live • 
 
anffituttoit. 1P3 
 
 i the third Age, and was lb high 
 i the efteem of the humble and 
 lodeft St. Cyprian, that he ulu- 
 lly called him his Majter. Hie- 
 dm. in Cat. Script. Ecclef.Abra- 
 am Buchol.Chronolog. 
 
 The impofition of the Name 
 eing confined to the precile time 
 f Baptifm, is by Ibrne looked 
 pon as an impertinent rigor, 
 id tafting highly of Superftiti- 
 n. But they would be of an o- 
 ler miad, if without prejudice 
 ley would have recourfe to the 
 ;/eofthe Church, which hath 
 [ways given Names to thofe 
 lildren (he admitted into her 
 ellowftlip, at the punctual time 
 f their admiffion. And this 
 rill be plainly difcerned, if we 
 )ok back unto Circumcifion(the 
 rft Chara&eriftical Sacrament) 
 >r from Che time of its Inftitu- 
 ion, to that of its legal abolifh- 
 K ment, 
 
i9+ Cfje pnnuttoe 
 
 merit, the Male received his name I 
 at the celebration of that trulj a 
 primitive Initiatory. 
 
 Nor doth it any way evacuati fc 
 this Aflertion, that we read o i 
 fome who had names before they oi 
 were circumcifed (after that ad«tt 
 rniffbry Rite was apppointed)ajvi 
 Benoni^Gerfooin, ancat 
 S $ 2 ! % the Israelites bom i 
 4- the W ilderne%whon|C 
 
 ]ofh.5.2. we ma yf U ppofe no 
 
 to have wanted Names, as the; 
 
 did Circumcifion. But as touch t 
 
 ing the example of Benoni^ it ai 
 
 fords little of Qbjeftion, feein 
 
 > that at Circumcifion his Nam 
 
 was changed. And what haj 
 
 pen'd concerning Gerfiom, it w; ra 
 
 as the inftance of the Ifraelites i 
 
 the De(art,in this cafe not at a 
 
 Argumentative, becaufe it w 
 
 extraordinary, and when nea 
 
 fity forced them to difpenfe wi 
 
 La^ 
 
3jnffitutfotu ip5 
 
 ^aw. So that notwithftanding 
 kllthis, we may conclude that 
 Circumcifion was the ufual time 
 or the impofition of names. And 
 :he like cuftom has always been 
 ^bferved at Chriftian Baptifqi , 
 :he Church thinking it moft con- 
 venient that the Baptized (hould 
 it the fame time receive his Chri- 
 len name, whereat he became a 
 Chriftian. 
 
 But that for which the Church 
 eems leaft accountable, and 
 which makes the greateft noife, 
 ind which is obje&ed with the 
 Faireft plaufibility, is that which 
 concerns Sureties in Baptifm, 
 whofe Office is decri'd as unwar- 
 rantable , becaule they under- 
 take what they cannot difcharge. 
 And the very name ( of Godfa- 
 thers and Godmothers ) is fpo- 
 ken againft, as a prophanation 
 of the moft Holy Name, being a 
 K 2 tranf- 
 
i9* dje^fmftfte 
 
 tranfgreffion of the third Com- 
 mandment. And this is an Ob- 
 jection which cannot be better 
 affciled, than by laying down 
 a clear Scheme of the Antiqui- 
 ty and Reafonablenefs of Sure- 
 ties in Baptifm. 
 
 And in the firft place> the An- 
 tiquity of Sureties, at and for the 
 reception of Perfbns into the 
 Church, is indifputable. For if 
 we look into the Jewifh Church 
 when (he was in her beft purity, 
 W T e (hall find, that ever (incethe 
 inftitution of Circumcifion there 
 were ftill fome appointed to 
 be prefent, and hold out the 
 Male to the Mohel to be circum- 
 cifed. And the per (on allotted 
 for this Office, was (bme fpecial 
 friend of the Fathers, who is cal- 
 led the Matter of the Covenant 
 ( but ufually in Latin, Initiation 
 nis Arbiter , Sufceptor, Compu- 
 ter j 
 
Jnfftttttfcm* 197 
 
 fer ) who at the Door of the Sy- 
 nagogue receives the child from 
 the women, who are permitted 
 to go further 5 and entring the 
 Synagogue, the Snfceptor holds 
 the child till the Hammohel, Cir- 
 cumcifer, has taken away the 
 foreskin. And how this cuftom 
 was primitively obferved among 
 the Jews, and in point of Sure- 
 ties derived to the Chriftians, 
 may be collected from what Jtt- 
 #7>*fhas intimated upon Efay8. 
 compared with St. Luke \. from 
 the 57 to the 60 Verfe. 
 
 Now this cuftom of Sureties 
 in the Jewifh Church, need not 
 at all refleft upon the like in the 
 Chriftian. Being it was in the 
 power of the later to retain any 
 Rite of the former that was ap- 
 parently decent, iignificant, and 
 edifying. For if every thing ufcd 
 by the Jew were to be rejected 
 K 3 .by 
 
rj.8 Ctje Pn'nti'ttiJC 
 
 by the Chriftian, then moft of ! 
 our Religion muft be caft out of 
 doors. For it was not the de- 
 figne of our great Law-giver to j 
 abolifh Judaifm , but to amend, 
 fiipply, and heighten it. Befides, 
 we find not that thofe who were, 
 or are thegreateftimpugners and 
 moft impetuons gainiayers of 
 Sureties in Baptifm , ever did it 
 upon the account that it was a 
 rag of Judaifiii. 
 
 But how dark and queftiona- 
 ble this cuftom may (eem to fome 
 in its derivation and pede- 
 gree, yet its practice is clearly to 
 be found in the firft times of) 
 Chriftianity. As they muft needs 
 know who have obferved how 
 frequently twrwu and 'AwT/i^J 
 occur in the Greek Fathers 5 and 
 Sufceptores^ Sponfores^ and Fide- 
 jujfores^ in the Latin. And how 
 ixi both, the words fignifie and 
 
 refer 
 
refer to Undertakers at Baptifm. 
 Flatina afcribes the Inftitution 
 hereof unto Hygin, who,faith he, 
 ordaind, that at the leaft one Va- 
 trimus or Matria fhould be pre- 
 fent at Baptifm, and there hold 
 the Infant till he was baptized. 
 Vatrimiis and Milnm* are old 
 words, which by new impositi- 
 on denoted thofe who Under- 
 took fortheVertuous and pious 
 education of the Baptized. 
 
 Now, if « be granted, that 
 Hygin Bifnop of Rome was the 
 Author of Godfathers and God- 
 mothers, then thisCuftomisof 
 an uncontrouiable Ancientaefs. 
 For Hygin lived in the Second 
 A^e, and was a Martyr in the 
 1 44. of Salvation. And it is ge- 
 nerally granted,that this gooa W- 
 (hop took occafion from thole 
 Perfpcutions which were heavy 
 upon the Church, to appoint 
 K, 4, Sureties 
 
i 
 
 .200 ^zWiimitite 
 
 Suretie&in Baptifm. That in cafe 
 the Parents (ho^ld fall into vio- 
 lent reftraint, banifhment, or 
 death, there might be feme to 
 take care of their childrens in- 
 ftru&ion in the truth ; of that Re- 
 ligion into which they were 
 initiate. 
 
 But whatever was the fir ft occa* 
 (ion or ground of this Suretifhip, 
 we are certain that for its great 
 fending in the Churchy it may 
 take place among thole Primitive 
 Fvites, which were in all defend- 
 ing Ages to be retained. And 
 this will appear from the very- 
 nature and reafbn of the thing it 
 ielf. And a cuftom or Law, 
 though it cannot be elder, yet it 
 niayfafely be iiippofed to be as 
 old as its chief motive and rea- 
 
 Now the neareft Method to 
 prove the reafbnablenefs of this 
 
 cuftom 
 
Jnfftttttton, 9$i 
 
 cuftom of Baptifmal Sureties is to 
 examine both what they do for 
 the child at the inftant of his 
 Baptifm, and what they under- 
 take for him for the future. 
 
 And as to what the Sureties do 
 for the child at the time he re- 
 ceives this Sacra ment^Flatwa tells 
 us,that was no more than to hold 
 it in their arms till it was baptized, 
 and to give it a name according, 
 or at leaft not contrary to the 
 Parents directions. And this is 
 a thing fb harmlefs, that none can 
 have any colour to quarrel or re- 
 ject it. r'rac 
 
 And as for what the Sureties 
 undertake in the childs ftead for 
 the future, it can merit no juft 
 reprehenfion^ feeing it is no more 
 than to be careful that the child 
 be vertuouily brought up to lead 
 a Godly and a ChrifVian life, and 
 be taught fuch things as are ne> 
 K 5 ceffary 
 
2oi C&ep?fmftfoe 
 
 ceffary to the attainment of E- 
 ternal happinefs ; according to. 
 the exhortation of the Office of 
 publike Baptifm. And to the 
 end that this might not be over- 
 burthenfom to the Sureties, the 
 Church provides that her Cu- 
 rates (hall diligently teach whom 
 fhe has baptized 3 and fo to in- 
 ftruft them, that they may be fit 
 for Confirmation. At which 
 time the Sureties are difcharged 
 of their bands, becaufe at Con- 
 firmation the Baptized anfwer 
 and underake in their own names, 
 what their Sureties have done in 
 their ftead. 
 
 But it may ftill be replied,That 
 the Parents are fitted to engage for 
 their children, and that (b weigh* 
 tya concernment ought not to be 
 transferr'd unto ftrangers. I muft 
 confefs, this was once my own, 
 Perfw.afion j out of which I 
 
 could 
 
jnffitim'tm; ■ .*g 
 
 could not argue my fe]f,till''J;con~ 
 fidcr'd, i. That- by the Law 
 both of God and Nature, Pa- 
 rents are obliged to inftrudt their 
 children in the things of God 5 
 imd therefore need not to enter 
 into bonds. 2. That Parents may- 
 die before their children arrive to 
 a capacity of being inftru&ed} or 
 they may be ignorant and unable 5 
 or negligent and carelefs to in- 
 ftruft them. 3. That the Pa- 
 rents may be corrupted with 
 Schifm andHerefie, and by rea- 
 ibn thereof be altogether unfit 
 to perform this Office, And in- 
 deed, if we reflect uponthe tem- 
 perament of the Age we live in, 
 the Church may leern never to 
 have had more need of Sureties 
 for their Orthodox inftru&ion* 
 whom fhe takes into her Com- 
 munion. For fo many Parents 
 are infatuated, with erronious 
 
 Opinion^ 
 
2o 4 €ijeI3?tmtttDe 
 
 ©piriions,that none are more im- 
 proper to engage for the regular 
 Catechifm of their children than 
 themfelves. And if there were 
 none of thefe Reafons herein ar- 
 gumentative , yet the thing it 
 felfis of fo great importance, that 
 the Church hath ever thought it 
 infecureto have none bound but 
 the Parents. And there are, who 
 upon no contemptible account, 
 efteem it very incongruous, that 
 thofe fhould prefent the child to 
 be wafht of that pollution which: 
 it derived from them. And upon 
 this fcore it might be, that the fa- 
 ther was wont not to be admit- 
 ted to be prefent at the Baptifm 
 of his child, but ftood at the 
 Church-door while the infant 
 was carried in and baptized. 
 
 Zanchuis, who was well read 
 in. the Writings of the Anrient 
 fathers of the Church, fpeaking 
 
 of 
 
of this cuftom of Godfathers and 
 Godmothers in his Commenta- 
 ries upon the Ephefiatts, allures of 
 its Antiquity ^ that it oppoleth 
 no period of Holy Writ 5 that it 
 n is> an efteft of the Parents love 
 and care to their children thus to 
 make all poffible provifion for 
 . their Religious inftitution : That 
 it is beneficial for the Infant in 
 cafe of the Parents death, and an 
 affiftance to the Parents if they 
 live: Thatitisa means to be- 
 get and increafe mutual kindneis 
 amoag Neighbours 5 becaufe 
 hereby a fpiritual alliance iscpn- 
 • traded, which may greatly con- 
 duce to the propagation and 
 maintenance of Chriftjan charjty. 
 I And we may add to all this^ that 
 not a kw children would inevi- 
 , tably bedebarr'd of Holy Bap- 
 tilin > if none but their Parents 
 could be admitted thereunto, to 
 
 prefeat 
 
206 Cfje Pit mitt'Be 
 
 prefent them, and to ftipulate in 
 their names. 
 
 But it is in the next place 
 ftrongly obje&ed againft what is 
 vowed by the Sureties in behalf 
 of the Baptized, as alio that it 
 looks very contrary to the na- 
 ture of a Vow for one to make 
 it in behalf of another; And 
 here not to meddle with the na- 
 ture of Vows in General , nor 
 particularly of that of Baptifm 3 
 it may fufficiently evacuate all 
 Scruples, plainly to confider, 
 that no more is done in this Bap- 
 tifinal Suretifhip, than is both 
 done and approved in Secular af- 
 fairs, in w ch it is allowed that In- 
 fants aft by their Tutors, Proxies 
 and Guardians, and that too 
 in matters of no fmaller con- 
 cernment than Efpouials and 
 Eftates, &c. and at a time when 
 they are as uncapable to under- 
 
 ftand 
 
Inffitttttoin 207 
 
 ftand and perform what is under- 
 taken in their Names, as here at 
 Baptifm. It has alfo been ever 
 thought both juft and reafona- 
 ble for debtors to procure others 
 to be bound with them for pay- 
 ment of that for which at pre- 
 lent they are insufficient. And 
 we may fafely (uppofe that God 
 will be as merciful in fuch cafes, 
 as our (elves, and that he will 
 as readily accept of Sureties for 
 the Chriftian Education of an In- 
 nocent Infant, as we for an inef- 
 ficient Debtor. 
 
 But for a more evident com- 
 prehenfion of the whole cafe, I 
 conceive it may be thus ftated. 
 At the Font when the Infant is 
 brought to Holy Baptifm, the 
 Sureties put on his perfon, and 
 fubftitute themfelves into his 
 place : they reprefent .his voice, 
 md anfwer in his ftead. [All 
 
 which. 
 
2o3 m)t Wmiiiix 
 
 which is to be feen in the De- 
 mands and Anfwers in the Ad-! 
 miniftration of publike Baptifm 
 of Infants to be ufed in the 
 Church. | And the Infant enga^i 
 geth under this perfonation, thafei 
 when he comes to years, he will- 
 perform the Vow and Promife 
 thus made by his Substitutes. He 
 and they being by interpretation 
 but as one perfon 5 and there- 
 fore the Infant, when grownup, 
 is as much bound to difcharge 
 what at Baptilm was promifed in 
 his Name, as if he had done it; 
 himfelf. ■ Now by this fubftitu- 
 tion the Sureties perform a great 
 adt of Charity : for they do that 
 for the child, which by no means . 
 he could do for him himfelf 5 for 
 they get him an early intereft in 
 the privi ledges of Chriftiatiity, : 
 which in the ordinary way of 
 procedure, cannot be had with- j 
 
 out 
 
3ittttffutixuu<i$ 209 
 
 out Baptifm : and this cannot be 
 had without making the Vow 
 thereof 5 and it is impoflible for 
 the Infant to make this Vow, but 
 by its Proxies 5 who oblige them- 
 ielves no further, than to fee that; 
 the' Infant be taught fo foon as 
 heftjaS be able to learn jwhat a fi- 
 le mn Vow, Vromife and Vrofejfi- 
 on he has made by hfc SubftituteSy 
 or Sureties. 
 
 And by this (hort account of 
 what the Godfathers and God- 
 mothers do for the Infant in 
 Baptifa, it is eafie to apprehend 
 that none need withdraw from 
 this pious work, for the iuppo- 
 fed difficulty of its difcharge. 
 And therefore thofe who rightly 
 underftand this SuretiGiip, and 
 yet refufe it, they may be thought 
 rather to want Charity than Pow- 
 er 5 atid that they are unwilling, 
 and not unable to perform it. 
 
 Nor 
 
2io fEfje pf mftfte 
 
 Nor doth it left refleft upon 
 their deportment, who turn this 
 pious Cuftom into an idle Cere- 
 mony, by privately devolving 
 upon the Parents , what they 
 publikely undertook for their 
 children 5 which doth at once 
 frustrate and contradict the in- 
 tendment of the Church, and de- 
 lude the Congregation of Gods 
 people. 
 
 But it may be further object- 
 ed, That the Vow of Baptifm be- 
 ing made by others, readers the 
 performance and obfervationi 
 thereof by the Child^ a thing of 
 conftraint, and not of eledion : : 
 for the baptized when grownup, I] 
 doth not follow his own choiceJi 
 but his Sureties 5 and allows of 
 what was at Baptifm promifed in ' 
 his behalf, not out of willing- ' 
 nefs but pre-ingagement 5 all 1 
 which is oppofite to the ge- 
 nuine I 
 
3!nff it tttiotu 2H 
 
 nuine nature of a Vow. 
 
 And in Anfwer to this Obje- 
 ction, it will be convenient to 
 obferve, That the Vow and Pro- 
 mife made by Sureties in Bap- 
 tifm is not abiblute 5 for in an ab- 
 ab(blute fenfe,no man can under- 
 take for another. But the Vow 
 is conditional 3 and the child 
 when come to age muft either 
 own it, or forfeit the benefits of 
 Baptifm. And as thofe who are 
 married being Minors , when 
 come to mature years maychufe 
 whether the Marriage fhall be ra- 
 tified or refcinded : So it is in 
 the power of the Baptized at 
 years of difcretion, to acknow- 
 ledge or renounce the Vow of 
 Baptifm. If he allow of, and 
 confent to what at holy Bap- 
 tifm was vowed in his name 
 (which is ftill fuppofed at the ma- 
 king of the Vow) then he is 
 
 bound 
 
2i2 Cfje^imftfte 
 
 botind actually to believe and efd 
 it. But if he difclaim it ( which 
 is in his power ) then he dif- 
 owns all Intereft and Priviledge 
 in Chrift, with all the benefits of 
 that Society into which by Bap* 
 tifrji he became incorporate. 
 
 The Catechifm teacheth us out 
 of the Creed,to believe,That God 
 the Son hath redeemed all man- 
 kinde 5 which cannot be true(fay 
 many ) becaufe he died only for 
 the Eleft. But they would have 
 no reafon to impugn the Church- 
 es Doctrine in this particular, if 
 thofe Scriptures were impartially 
 confidered by them, 
 ^2. 1 ,2h whereon this Pofition 
 5.M5.16. i s founded. A few of 
 R<Hk*i?4$. which are here barely 
 5.7^.4.42. quoted in the Margin,' 
 
 sjl i 4 . 7 l .°' on P ur P ofe to fhew the 
 2 s.Ptf.3.9. ground of the Church- 
 es Do&rine, and to 
 guide 
 
jnftttuttotn 213 
 
 guide thofe to the Topicks of 
 their confutation , who gainiay 
 this, I believe in God the Son^ 
 who hath redeemed me and all 
 mankjnde. That his death was 
 both fufficicnt and intentional to 
 |(ave .all mankinde, but is effe- 
 ctual and efficacious for none but 
 true Believers , is a diftinction 
 which being wifely and foberly 
 uaderftood, would remove that 
 Rafting, which fbme fancie there 
 tjSj betwixt the Catechifm and 
 :he Seventeenth Article of the 
 Church. 
 
 Many other Scruples brought ■ 
 againft this excellent Catechifm 
 are purpofely omitted, becaufe 
 
 hey will eafily be obviated in 
 
 ts ( intended) Expofition. Be- 
 [,t|fides , I have bound my (elf to 
 
 ►bierve the Laws of an Effay } 
 hich I ffluft unavoidably vio- 
 
 atej if I ihould venture upon all 
 
 fuch 
 
 if 
 
214 tEljc Pnmittfce &c- 
 
 fuch Enlargements as the Subjeft 
 would naturally endure. I had 
 rather be cenfured for having 
 faid too little than too much. 
 
 Deus dedit htsquoq^fthew. 
 
 Tkt 
 
Zl 
 
 215 
 
 qJp v *&* ?.s>a c»a e~!j e.£ a os*j aft - >w- e$b 
 
 0=0 ^ CM3 SJ ■ 3 C . ^ s2 £/.\3 C«.C ©Wr cTiVJ 
 •cj-s> ^i 4 * «-i»^ c^*> »>p*» v^«s> c-x«> oj-a *x>r^ cjs> 
 
 Tta Conchifion. 
 
 WE have hitherto exa- 
 mined the Age and Ad- 
 vantages of Catechi- 
 ing,and found it to (land above 
 the imputation of being either 
 Novel or Superfluous. So that 
 the only remaining enquiry con- 
 cerns its Pra&ice. And this will 
 xd.dc no long difquifition, feeing 
 every Station of men are there- 
 in fo perfunftory and negligent. 
 Now as in a common Contagion 
 no lefs care muft be had of the 
 Jjfbund than infirm 5 and the cure 
 £>f fingle perfons is required to 
 |the removal of the Epidemical 
 :Difea(e : So remifsnefi in Cate- 
 chizing 
 
ftf Stje €antfttfi«& 
 
 chizing being become a common 
 Malady , it behaves every one te 
 look after amendment, to the enc 
 that the Church may be healed 
 of all thofe Diftempers, fain up- 
 on her through lack of Catechi- 
 zing, and which if not prevented 
 with a timely interpofitionjherfc- 
 of, will effeft that deftru&ion 
 w T hich they threaten and prognoi 
 fticate. 
 
 And if we look into the pef- 
 fbns who are capable herein tc 
 be delinquent, they may be re* 
 duced either to fuch as the 
 Church has ordained to adniinf* 
 fter , or receive this Sovereign 
 Medicine. The former are tht R 
 Clergy in the whole denomina^ 
 tion 5 for he among them when 
 excepts, deceives both himfek|»| 
 and the Church. And notwittefc 
 (landing that the Clergy in sm\ 
 cred tVrit bear divers appella*« 
 
 tions 
 
 
 
Cf)e Concludotu 217 
 
 fioos importing the Dignity, 
 Power , Holineft , Excellencie, 
 |Care, Tendernefs, Difcretion and 
 (Incommunity of their Fun&i- 
 pas 5 yet there is no Title where- 
 n they are more concerned, than 
 hat of Catechift. For it doth 
 firft ) more immediately relate 
 that Errand on which from the 
 ginning they were fent into 
 he world — Go teachfizc. And 
 text, unto the want and fapply 
 >f thofe over whom God hath 
 nade them Overfeers. And while 
 hey own themfelves to be the 
 hurches Minifters, they (hould 
 " e care to (erve her in her own 
 ay. For fince that was left 
 x paths of their own, and more 
 1 and labour has been (pent in 
 ( g«i*£,than in teaching the Prin- 
 les of Chriftianity, itisfadly 
 ifible how Religion has thriven 
 ngus. For from endeavo- 
 L ring 
 
»i8 Cfie CancJufioru 
 
 ring to fupport Chriftianity witll 
 buttreffes of our own, captioul 
 and malitious enemies take occa| 
 fion to conclude that it canno 
 ftand without them. The fu 
 perftru&ure feems to be the pro 
 per matter of our care, where w< 
 believe the Ground-work lie 
 immoveable. And bleiled be th 
 Author and Finilher of ou 
 Faith, that he has founded it up 
 on a Rock 5 and maketh it fi 
 ftrong, that the Gates of Hell 
 the ftrength and fubtilty of he; 
 greateft Enemies can never bean 
 bie to prevail againft it. Wen 
 we to deal with open Adverfili 
 ries of the Faith ( Jew, Mahume: 
 tan , Pagan ) the Ancient Fa 
 thers have (hewn us an excelled 
 way of procedure .5 but having 
 to do with ProfefTors, whole e 
 vil manners have corrupted theij 
 tlnderfhnding, not the proving 
 
 dl 
 
CTje Ccmclttfiotn 31? 
 
 of the verity of the Chriftian 
 Religion, but the enforcement 
 of its Praftice, feems to be the 
 inly neceffary prefcription. 
 
 But without being decifive, 
 
 3r ftinting the fpirit of any man, 
 
 [ hope it may be lawful to wifti 
 
 :hat the Clergy ( out of a true 
 
 enfe of what they are enjoyn'd 
 
 ind bound to obey, by the 59th 
 
 ^anon) would return to the 
 
 ood old rpay of Catechizing: for 
 
 ince this was (houlder'd out by 
 
 trmoningjfas people have been 
 
 odeiled with ftrange whimfies 
 
 u Religion , and hurried on by 
 
 he Spirit of Schifm and Sedition 
 
 nto all manner of villanies. 
 
 A learned and pious Bifhop of 
 his Church doth ( as I am told) 
 a his own perfbn and Cathedral 
 perform this Office. A few fuch 
 fading Examples would fcoa 
 aifc the funk efteem of Catechi- 
 L 2 zing, 
 
220 
 
 zing y and vindicate it from be 1 
 ing thought a ( drudgery fit otiW 
 for C hildr en and C urates. A n« : 
 I humbly conje&ure, that thcrj 
 is no Clergy-man need' think jl 
 any leilening of his Greatnefiari] 
 Learnings to be feen teaching 
 Gad's people after the manner cj 
 the Holy Apoftles and Primkivj 
 
 B* (V, ^1 
 
 nnops. r 
 
 Our Anceftors (who khe\ 
 
 fomething as well asw,e) ; w£]ji 
 
 not ignorant of the neceffity arte 
 
 benefit of what is now moft at 
 
 feftionately recommended:, whei 
 
 Queen Elizabeth made r it he 
 
 44th Injundion,andlCingijF^| 
 
 his Command, That afternoon 
 
 Le&ures fhould be convert^ 
 
 into Explanations^ fome^GGl 
 
 fary Rudiments of the Cate 
 
 chifm} out of a prudent fere-figh 
 
 that this would be more ' advan 
 
 tageous to the people, than form : 
 
 c. 
 
 
xiempore irruptions, or enlar- 
 ging a few contrived Breviatcs, 
 ipon defultory Texts. 
 'The Laity are the next fort 
 :Jiat herein can be faulty , to 
 vh.qte attentive thoughts I would 
 rioft earneftiy recommend, firft, 
 he ferrous perufal of the Ru~ 
 irickadjoynedto the Catechifm, 
 ogether with the 59 Canon } 
 ^Iext, the examination of their 
 :nowledge in Religion 5 that by 
 hat former they may know their 
 ^uty 5 and by the later their 
 rant of being Catechized ; And 
 or both be induced to embrace 
 /hat to their own damage and 
 le Churches affli&ion they have 
 ndutifully negle&ed. 
 
 ' a zjti smol'io i — ^ 
 
 n^fl£rl? f ^r 
 
*&> oki *<s* *$■* *•£» *£■» <^* «*j"» /»<c> *»r-l 
 
 ^ 3 >©*> £3^ £»2^2 'sSra ciS-3 sa^a fc&t rt <Vb ^S 
 «$o S? <>lv c£b efts tffo &vj c/ivs £# m 
 
 *5P^ o}«? <^. «^» *. is , v-jo oj* e-.fc **yP Zjgj 
 
 CONTENTS, 
 
 The Introduction. Fol, 
 
 C H A P. I. 
 
 OF Catecbi%ing. h\ 
 name y ufe Scotia 
 and Religions . j\ 
 
 ** C H A P. I b >^ 
 
 - The Age of Catecbifm. Tb 
 InjittHtion of Adams and A 
 hnh^ms Family. The School 
 
l<* oks 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 *w» «>v» **** r5»» •^•^fi* /> l < s ct.* 
 
 "ite Tropbets, The conti* 
 al ufe of Catechising a* 
 motig the Jews, particular- 
 ly after the EreBion of the 
 SjnagoHges, Their benefit 
 
 Ch a p. III. 
 
 Catechising in times of 
 the Apofties. Evidences 
 thereof in St. Pauls Epiftler. 
 The Contents of their Cate- 
 chifm. p. 39. 
 
 Chap. TV. 
 The Apofiles Catechifis in 
 
 federal Provinces* The De 
 clcnfion and Refiauration of 
 i%ing. Catechifis Sty 
 
 cloifioi 
 Zatecb 
 
 ted Exorcijls, &c. p. 49 
 
 L 4 Chap; 
 
Ibk Antiquity of Cate- 
 thKmfrobable upon the ac~ 
 count of i{s cQnwfnienee : Im 
 refpeU of the QfytSl^ Me- 
 thod of InflruSihtt. p.54 
 
 Cha*p. VI. ^ 
 Catechifm nettffary in re* 
 fpcSi of the increafe dndad* 
 vancement of fpiritual 
 \norv\edge : to have a di« 
 fiinB under jianding of things 
 ntceffary to Salvation &fc. 
 
 •S&1 p.di, 
 
 Chap. VII. 
 
 Catechizing tbeMoftftt* 
 
 tdbU meant to hinder fftt 
 
 difiempers of this Church. 
 
 Several 
 
The Contents. 
 Several Fropofitions la be 
 fnppofid. A'fhVrt'digreffion 
 concerning aur Difarders. 
 
 pag.67. 
 
 
 Chap. VII J. 
 
 M7be Methods tifedfordltr 
 fetlaitning, far&eyed, pro* 
 ving ineffeStnal. p p 1 . 
 
 •yi v.' Chap. IX. 
 bfc\T6e j-nf} matter andjub- 
 jeStof Corttroverfie in Reli- 
 gion examined. How byCate- 
 cbi%ing and not >Difpnte y rve 
 *re therein to be reconciled. 
 
 C H A P. X. 
 
 D,i£pm$tion uyfit for the 
 
 ^J^iftytf tytgeneratitytf 
 %P<$enteri rCatechiiuingpm- 
 
 L 5 fl"V 
 
The Contents. 
 p r,&c. Reafons againjl Dr 
 fputes. p-io8- 
 
 Chap. XfcucV\&G, 
 Preaching, what it is : the 
 feveral ways thereof u fed by 
 the Church. What kind of 
 T reaching among the Old" 
 Jews, and Frimitive Chri- 
 pans. The Homilies confh 
 dered. ^p.137. 
 
 Ghap. XII. 
 fre aching inefficient to 
 rellore onr Diffentions : Ca- 
 techising proper for that 
 purpofe„ Scq. A Scruple re* 
 
 moved. P*4^ 
 
 Chap. XIII. 
 the Benefits ofCatechi* . 
 %ing, 1. In refpeciofthet 
 Civil State, 2, The Clergy, 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 •1 
 
 
i he Contents; 
 3. The People. The tnif* 
 chiefs of private Schools, 
 Objections againfi the con- 
 stant praStice of Catechising 
 removed. page 158. 
 
 ■€H AP. XIV. 
 
 J". ' 
 
 _., The Church-Catechifm t§ 
 
 hz preferred before other /, 
 
 for its Authority , VfefuU 
 
 vefs, Accomplifhment^ Con- 
 
 tents^Scc. P ;I 75» 
 
 C hap- XV., 
 
 An account of fome Ob- 
 jections ufually brought a- 
 gainfitbe Church-Catechifm. 
 
 p. 184,. 
 7 he Conchfton* p, 2 i < . 
 

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