the Câ—mmandments of God Ps. 103. 17 18. Dan. 9. 4. 9. Assure your selves if you neglect this duty God will require their blood at your hands Gen. 9. 5. with Acts 20. 26. It is here with Parents as with Ministers if you do not warn and teach them God will require their blood at your hands Ezek. 3. 18. Object But teaching is the work of the Minister Answ. It is not only his but yours his in publick yours in your Families 10. Sin and corruption is so inherent in Children in their nature that all the care of Ministers in publick and Parents at home will be little enough to heal this plague of original corruption This plague is like the Leprosie There must be scraping and if cleansing will not do there must be pulling down So that you see all is little enough without teaching your Children may perish and you smart for it Object 1. But Children may do well that are not thus carefully instructed Answ. 1. They may do well as to the outward man they may prosper in the world God may cause his Sun to shine upon the unjust and the unthankful But Parents are to wish that their Children may do well as to the inward man and prosper in their Souls as John for his friend Gaâ—us 3 Joh. 2. 2. They may perish eternally for want of Knowledge Hos. 4. 6. 3. If some Children happen to come to good no thanks to such careless graceless Parents that neglect instruction at home Object 2. But we have known them that have been taught well enough to have made bad proof A. 1. This is too sadly true to be denied But the fault may be in one of the Parents by their bad example And Children as well as the conclusion in syllogizing will follow the worse and weaker part yet this is blame-worthy in Parents 2. Good Parents have severely smarted for their neglect of strict Discipline in their Families and their over great fondness in cockâ—ring their Children as you may read in Eli and David 1 Sam. 3. 13. 2 Sam 13 and 14 and 15. 1 Kings 1. 6. 3. But if the Children of good Parents prove bad this should make us more diligent If a Garden well weeded and kept down prove thus ill Is this any encouragement to sloth but rather a spur to double diligence Two or three Motives to excite to the Duty of Catechizing Let it be remembred that you are not perswaded to invade the ministerial office or to become of this or that Opinion or Party but to fall forthwith upon the practice of a manifest yet indispensable Duty 1. How doth the love of God dwell in your hearts when they are hardened against your Children Simon lovest thou me then feed my Lambs They are Gods Children and therefore you must bring them up in the â—â—ture and admonition of the Lord. The Children of any in Covenant with God are called his Children Ezek. 15. 21. When the woman of Samaria knew Christ she desired that all her Neighbours might also know him 2. Are they not your Children You shall diligently teach them to your Children they are bone of your hone and flesh of your flesh Are we to instruct one another and not our own Children 3. What a comfort will this be to you if you faithfully discharge this most profitahle Duty For 1. Such Parents shall have joy of their Children Prov. 23. 24. Ruth 4. 15. David and Bathâ—sheba had much comfort of Solomon which they had not of their other Children 2. You shall have spiritual rejoycing 2 Joh. 4. 3. You will gain a good evidence of the truth of grace in your hearts 4. You that thus propagate piety shall sow good seed that will endure to many Generations Jer. 33. 18. 5. You may avoid many crosses and heart-breaking sorrows which negligent Parents ordinarily meet with Abraham taught his Children and see what comfort he had of them He had a numerous Family 318. instructed Servants born in his own house Gen. 14. 14. and yet no disorder or disturbance there He had a numerous Family and yet a peaceable Family 1. Abraham Circumciseth Ishmael and yet it was a painful Sacrament 2. Isaac makes no oppâ—sitiâ—n when to be made a sacrifice to the Will of God 3. Yâ—u have a religious Servant Gen. 15 and 24. 4. At his death he gives what portions he pleaseth and yet you find no discord among them Gen. 25. 5 6. As you therefore desire peace in your Families and in after Generations bring them up in the fear of the Lord. On the contrary you Parents that teach your Children Arts and Trades and not Gods Commandments why you are making way for your own cross and vexation what heart-breaking will they be to you As 1. In their matching Prov. 17. 21 25. Gâ—n 26. 34. 35. 2. Their sins will be put upon your score and have you not sins enough of your own 3. Their perishing will be put upon your account Oh what fretting and cursing will there be at your meeting your Children in Hâ—ll Have you not heard of Children that have cursed Parents upon the Gallows Oh when the Word of God tells you that some evil will befall your Children how should this trouble you As it was said of Jeroboam that he made Israel to sin for all that succeeded pursued his sins even so you by your cursed ignorance negligence and slâ—th may propagate sin and misery from Generation to Generation to your Children We are to look upon this duty as one of the prime Ordinances of divine institution there was Family teaching before there was any other teaching 'T is the opinion of an eminent Divine that more Children are seasoned with grace by iâ—steâ—ction of Paâ—ents than by preaching Towns are made up of Families and where they are wicked in Towns Kingdoms cannot â—e righteous Our misery begins in bad Families This duty of Catechizing therefore is of as great weight as any which is commanded in the word of God Thus far he whose name I shall conceal because I have published it without his privity and consent though I hope not against his liking and approbation If any of you shall please diliâ—ently and impartially to examine Concordâ—nces and most Catechisms you will soon find that the former do furnish us rather with sounds than sense and that in the latter upon comparing the truths and the alledged Texts together there is so wide a distance that you will the better perceive the dâ—fficulty of our present undertaking notwithstanding all the forementioned helps than at first possibly you have imagined If you find any pertinency of the Scriptures produced for confirmation of the truths they refer unto in this Explication I know it will be acceptable to you and it is no less than what I have endeavoured after If you espie many proofs under any Principle of Religion it is either because that the truths there are more weighty or that the cavils against them are more
AN Explicatory Catechism OR AN EXPLANATION OF THE ASSEMBLIES SHORTER Catechism WHEREIN Those Principles are enlarged upon especially which obviate the great and growing Errors of Popery useful for those Families that desire to hold fast the Form of sound words Aug. lib. 15. de Trin. Cap. ult Domine Deus quaecunque dixi de tuo agnoscant tui Siqua de meo tu ignosce tui London Printed for Henry Mortlock at the Phoenix in St. Paul's Church-yard and White-Hart in Westminster Hall 1675. To the Christian Reader especially Heads of Families THose Catechisms may very well be esteemed the best which are Explanatory of the Creed ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer because these Summaries or Abstracts contain the Essentials of the true Religion or those choice truths which God would have us take extraordinary notice of in our course of reading the holy Scriptures And therefore those that begin with Catechizing begin the most easie and profitable way for any because the weightier matters of the Law are not hard to be understood and such words being Spirit and Life and the very marrow of Christianity must needs feed and nourish us up unto eternal life I have fixed my thoughts upon the Assemblies shorter Catechism because the Principles in it are mostly agreed upon by all sober intelligent unprejudiced Protestant Divines You have also something of the nature of the two Covenants superadded to or rather enlarged upon more particularly and expresly than in the Catechism And because Catechisms ought to contain nothing but received truths you have mostly the Explication of Antient and Modern Divines And therefore where you meet with any thing that is not so elaborate and exact you may conclude it mine and not theirs Hearing occasionally a Discourse of a very learned and godly Divine out of Deut. 6. 6 7. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children c. who recommended to Parents with the greatest earnestness the work of Catechizing I shall make bold to transcribe a part of it and offer it to publick view You shall have 1. His Reasons to prove that Parents ought diligently to Catechize or teach their Children Servants also included 2. His Answers to the Objections against it And 3. The Motives he laid down to provoke and stir up all Parents to this necessary duty 10. Reasons for the proof of it 1. Every man ought to promote the Glory of God to advance the Kingdom of Christ and to further the Salvation of others as far forth as they are able and have opportunity to it And can we effect these any better way We pray Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come thy will be done Surely the coming of Christs Kingdom into our hearts is one way of his Kingdom 's coming 2. God hath set Parents in Authority over them and they cannot improve it to better purpose This is the most ancient Government Before there was King or Common-wealth there was Parental Government This being most ancient afterwards was the Priest and Prophet God hath laid a command upon Children to obedience in the fifth Commandment Ephes. 6. 1. Only Dignity requires duty improve your authority for God and use it to instruct your Household in the Word of God Do not think you have done till you have done this 3. Even nature it self dictates thus much The Birds and Beasts of the field yea the Sea-monsters take care of their young ones If you do nothing but feed and cloath your Children you do no more than Heathens nay than brute beasts 'T is said of the Ostrich Job 39. 16. that she is hardened against her young ones as though they were not hers And what do ignorant Parents less who are hardened against their own Children who are parts of themselves 4. Children have Souls to be saved or damned therefore some must take care of them and the soul that sinneth must die We see Children die as well as Aged persons In Golgatha there are Skulls of all sorts Yea do but look into the Register of a Parish and you shall see as many young as old have died in it Children may die and what if they die without knowledge in their sins better were it with those Children mentioned 2 Kings 2. 23 24. than these Isa. 27. 11. 2 Thes. 1. 7 8. Thus unchastised Children shall suffer but the Parents shall not go Scot-free If you would have them profit by the publick Ministry you must Catechize them at home To bring them to the publick before they be thus Catechized is setting before them an hard loaf You must give them milk at home that they may be fit for higher truths in publick 5. Your Children are Children of wrath and you have been instruments to conveigh this to them They die and that proves this When your Children are sick you forthwith go to the Physitian and will you take no care of their Souls inheriting their spiritual maladies from you You may say as David to Abiathar 1 Sam. 22. 22. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy Fathers house 6. What will become of Religion in future Ages if Parents neglect this duty at present If all Parents were as careless as some the Church of God would soon cease on the earth Isa. 38. 19. The Father to the Children shall make known thy truth Psal. 78. 3 4. Which we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us We will not hide them from their Children shewing to the Generation to come the praises of the Lord. If we do not teach our Children how should they teach theirs It was above two thousand years before the Scripture was written how then was piety preserved but by one Generation teaching another Adam taught his Children The sacrificing of Cain and Abel's piety therein were both the fruit of Adam's teaching Noah taught his Children to Abraham and he taught his houshold Isa. 1. 9. Except the Lord of Hosts had left unto us a very small Remnant we should have been as Sodom and we should have been like unto Gomorrah We should have been as Heathenish as Paganish as they 7. God is highly pleased with piety in younger ones The Lord had respect to Abel the younger and Enoch of all the Patriarchs before the Flood the youngest is said to please God How was God pleased with the piety of Samuel and Josiah And we read of Jehojachin that began very young to Reign and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord 2 Kings 24. 8 9. God takes notice of the evil as well as the good Children might sing Hosanna as well as cry bold-head if they were taught Iesus said Mat. 19. 14. Suffer little Children and forbid them not to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Of such not untaught Children 8. You cannot expect the blessings of the Covenant except yâ—u teach them
The fourth Commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of the duties required and the profaning the day by idleness or doing that which is in it self sinful or by unnecessâ—ry thoughts words or works about worldly imployments or recreations Explic. Q. What are the chief siâ—â— forbidden in the fourth Commandment A. The chief sins forbidden in the fourth Commandment are 1. Idleness which is either 1. The omission of the duties required which are works of Piety Necessity and Mercy when men spend not the day in the exercises of Gods worship and out of superstition forbear works of Necâ—ssity and Mercy or 2. The careless performance of the duties of the day when men neither do the works of Necessity and Mercy with chearfulness and freedom from groundless fears nor are servent in Spirit serving the Lord. 2. Profaneness or the defiling the Sanctuary by doing that which is in it self sinful on the Sabbaâ—h day Ezek. 23. 38 39. 3. Earthly-mindedness by unnecessary thoughts words or works about worldly employments or recreations Isa. 58. 13. Q 62. What are the reasons annexed in the fouâ—th Commandment A. The reasons annexed to the fourth Commandment are Gods allowing six daies of the week for worldly employments his challenging a special propriety in the seventh his own example and his blessing the Sabbath day Q. Did not Christ rise on the first day of the week A. Yes Mat. 28. 1 6. Mark 16. 2 6. Luk. 24. 1 5 6. Q And is not the work of Redemption greater and more glorious than the work of Creation A. Yes Q. Then as God rested the seventh day from his works and appointed that in Commemoration of the works of Creation so Christ rested from his works and rose the first day which is observed in Commemoration of the wonderful work of mans Redemption A. Yes Q. Hath not Christ allowed us the same proportion of time now under the Gospel which God did his own people under the Law A. Yes Christ hath likewise allowed us now under the Gospel six daies of the week for worldly employments Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. with 1 Cor. 7. 6 10 12 25. 4. Q. And is this a reason why we should not cut short Gods allowance of one day for his work because we have still allowed 〈◊〉 six times as much for our own A. Yes Q. Doth God the Son challenge a special propriety in the first day of the week which bears his Name as God the Father did in the sevenâ—â— A. 2. Yes Exod. 20. 10. with Rev. 1. 10. Q. And hath God the Son blessed the first day of the week by his own example as God the Father did the seventh A. Yes Heb. 4. 10. Q. 63. Which is the fifth Commandment A. The fifth Commandment is Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy daies may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Q. 64. What is required in the fifth Commandment A. The fifth Commandment requireth the preserving the honour and performing the duties belonging to every one in their several places and Relations as Superiours Inferiours or Equals Explic. Q. What doth the fifth Commandment require in reference to our Relations A. Preserving the honour and performing the duty belonging to them Q. Is there any honour belonging to any man since the greatest Potentate is but a Creature beholding to God for what ever he is or hath A. Every one hath some honour and respect belonging to him Q. Are all duties to be performed â—like to aâ— A. No but according to their several places and relations Q. What places and relations do men stand in one to another A. They stand in the relations of Superiours Inferiours or Equals Q. What do you think as Inferiours you are bound to practise by this Commandment A. 1. To Reverence Love and Obey in all things not disagreeing with Gods commands our natural Parents 2. To respect the Aged and those that excel us in gifts 3. To be ruled with humility by the Governours of the Family Kingdom or Church where we live Q. What do you think Superiours are bound to practise by this Commandment A. 1. Not to provoke their Children to wrath but to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord 2. Not to despise Youth especially where there is pre-eminence in gifts 3. To rule well their own Family and in the Kingdom or Church where they live Q. What do you think as Equals you are bound to practise by this Commandment A. We ought to order our selves and to carry affably courteously and kindly towards our Equals readily to yield to them and prefer them before our selves Q. 65. What is forbidden in the fifth Commandment A. The fifth Commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of or doing any thing against the honour and duty which belongeth to every one in their several places and Relations Explic. Q. How many sorts of sins are there in this Commandment A. Three sorts the sins against Superiours Inferiours or Equals Q. What are the sins against Superiours A. 1. Disobedience to Parents 2. Not regarding the Person of Old And 3. Contempt of the Governours the Family Kingdom or Church where men live Q. What are the sins against Inferiour A. 1. Provoking Children to wratâ— and not bringing them up in the nurtuâ— and admonition of the Lord. Ephes. 6. 2 Sam. 13. 39. and 14. 1 33. and 15. 10 1 Kings 1. 6 7 25. 2. Despising Youth 1 Tim. 4. 12. 3. Neglect of Government or bringing any evil upon the Family Kingdom or Church by Superiours 1 Sim. 3. 〈◊〉 and 8. 3. and 2. 12 18. wiâ—â— 4. 10 11. Q. What are the sins against Equals A. Morosiâ—y unkindness and self-assuming Arrogance Q. 66. What is the reason annexed â— the fifth Commandment A. The reason annexed to the fifth Commandment is a promise of long life and prosperity as far forth as it shall serve for Gods glory and their own good to all such as keep this Commandment Explic. Q. What is the promise it self which is annexed for the encouragement of those that keep this fifth Commandment A. Long life or prosperity Exod. 20. 12. Deut. 5. 16. and Eph. 6. 2. Q How is this Promise to be understood and limited A. All that keep this Commandment shall have long life or prosperity as far as it shall serve for Gods glory and their good Q. 67. Which is the sixth Commandment A. The sixth Commandment is Thou shalt not Kill Q. 68. What is required in the sixth Commandment A. The sixth Commandment requireth all lawful endeavours to preserve our own life and the life of others Explic. Q. What doth the sixth Commandment respect A. The sixth Commandment respects our own and others life Q. May we endeavour by any means whatsoever to preserve our own life and the life of others A. No. Q. What endeavours may