Eccles 5.2 Let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing the conceptions of my heart are my charge to be expressed in fit significant words whosoever was the Author of the Jewish Leiturgye the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and vaine repetition is charged upon him that officiates Matth. 6.7 Now then to have an imbargo more or lesse put upon the talents the stock wee are intrusted with from Christ the improvement whereof shall be so richly rewarded this is directly against the liberty and priviledge of a Gospel Ministry § 9. It is an honourable imployment the honour and dignity of it is in this the use of his gifts with industry and labour in the word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5.17 if others share in the work if they share not in the honour it is a wrong Hos ego versiculos feci tulit alter honorem it is a dishonour to pretend to Poetry and yet repeat another mans Verses as if mine owne Adm. p. 10 to pretend to bee a Teacher or Leader and yet not able to lead but by other mens Lights To goe with Crutches carry my arme in a Skarfe or use Spectacles when the man is sound and needs no such helps it is a dishonour to him hee goeth in the esteeme of others as an infirm man infirm in hands and feet and eyes To use a set forme of instruction of another mans composing argueth a defect in ability as if not able to teach to impose it under such penalties a defect in will as not apt to teach and what greater dishonour can bee put upon the Ministry of the Nation than this that they are neither able nor willing to instruct the poore ignorant Soules committed to their charge especially in an age wherein a more strict way than ever is taken to keep and cast out such as are not both for gifts and grace fitly qualified for the Ministry Had it been in the dayes of old when the Common Prayer-book Catechism was formed when formes for Prayer Preaching Sacraments Marrying Burying and all by the Book some more ground for such an imposition Upon this account Doctor Burges after hee had subscribed three times refused subscription because not like necessity of such helps for Prayer c. when a more able Ministry Let an effectual course bee taken to bring the ignorant of each Parish young and old to a more familiar way of personal instruction it will quickly appear there is a greater number of Ministers throughout the Nation than in former ages that are both able and willing without such poor helps to doe the work in some measure Christ hath intrusted them with which if they bee it is an abridgment of their priviledge and honour to put the worke in part or in whole upon others as if they were not sufficient for one of the lowest performances that belongs to their calling I say young and old if ignorant for such was the care formerly in our Discipline as appears in the 71. Canon They shall teach the Catechisme and therein shall instruct all their Flock of what age or degree soever not only Maidens and Children but also the elder if need be And under most severe penalties whereof this is one that no Persons might bee married except before they have learned the Principles of Christian Religion and cannot fitly and aptly answer to all the parts of the Catechisme And this will bring us to another particular wherein Ministerial liberty is abridged §. 10. It is certainly the duty of the Minister to instruct all with respect to their capacity giving each a portion in due season strong meat to such whose senses are exercised and Milk to Babes and this without respect to their years or age if for years fit to bee Teachers which according to the manner of the Jewes and ancient Canons since supposeth persons to bee above one and twenty years yet if at this age dull and ignorant Heb. 5. they ought to bee taught the very Principles of the Oracles of God And it is the duty of the Magistrate to cause all sorts to observe the Sabbath and come to the publick Assemblies and to submit to instruction as well the old as the young the married as the unmarried It is true we are not forbidden to Catechise the elder But to put the younger sort and those that are unmarried only under the edge of the Law is such a kind of exemption as secretly will harden the elder though ever so ignorant as if by Law approved of as lesse needing to bee taught than others It will bee a very hard matter for a Minister to get any that are married or above one and twenty years of age to submit to such instruction Ministers are in a better condition for the reducing their people into order and subjection in many Cases when none at all than when only a half provision is made The exercise of Discipline in our Congregations was ordered by the Parliament but limited likewise to an enumeration of the sins for which wee might Excommunicate exempting other Sinners that were as much under our charge This was looked upon by the Assembly as a great abridgement of their Ministerial liberry and so great as they professed it could not with a good Conscience be submited unto as not being able to performe their trust which they received from Jesus Christ and must give an account of to him resolving to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free CHAP. VI. The third Argument Taken from the imposition and penalty the severity and inequality of it §. 1. A Third Argument is taken from the imposition and penalty Since a blessed reformation and seasonable Gospel-freedom hath been wrought out for the people of God this is the first imposition with penalty that hath been endeavoured upon the Ministers of Christ Nor hath this work the Catechising of the younger sort by any Parliament as yet been so imposed upon Ministers There was a Catechism in the beginning of Edw. 6. which afterwards was enlarged and confirmed by authority of Parliament but the use of it was not enjoyned with a penalty to be inflicted upon those that should doe otherwise as there was for other matters in the Common-Prayer book So that a liberty was generally taken by godly Ministers to use publickly what form of instruction they judged most suitable to their peoples capacity There hath been hundreds of Catechisms used and published according to the variety of gifts in those that composed them and capacity of those that were to be instructed And this liberty was enjoyed throughout the Nation from the beginning of Reformation until towards the latter end of the Bishops reign and then though they themselves had been the Authors of Catechisms formerly yet began to bee severe against this liberty and enjoyn the use of the Common-prayer-Books Catechism only §. 2. There is considerable in this imposition and penalty annexed 1 The greatnesse and inequality of it
Beames Of Former Light Discovering how Evil it is TO IMPOSE Doubtfull and Disputable Formes or Practises upon Ministers ESPECIALLY Under the Penalty of Ejection for Non-conformity unto the same AS ALSO Something about CATECHIZING LONDON Printed by R.I. for Adoniram Byfield at the three Bibles in Cornhill next door to Popes-head-Alley 1660. The PREFACE CAtechizing which is a plain laying down the Principles of the Oracles of God or of the Doctrine of Christ and is a part of Preaching as saith the late Reverend Assembly It is a part or branch of that great Ordinance by which Faith is wrought the Spirit received and our Souls saved It is such a kinde of instructing or preaching so useful and of such importance as it cannot be omitted if wee desire to edifie our people with more security than a foundation by him that intends an edifice or building The Apostle professeth himself at a stand and that hee could not go on with his people to build them up some stories higher in the Faith and Mysteries of Christ our High Priest because there had been such a woful slowness in learning the fundamentals Heb. 5. Heb. 5. It is in the same place made as necessary to our Infancy in Religion be we old or young as Milk is to children If when Infants wee begin their nourishment with strong meat wee shall either starve them or radicate such distempers as a wearyish sickly frame is likely to be the condition of those persons all their daies I am perswaded the woful distempers of Professors broken out in these latter daies to such a monstrousness and the strange totterings and Apostacy amongst us from the sound Truths of the Gospel hath been hence even the neglect of holding persons in their first institution to plain Fundamental Truths such Heb. 5.12 saith Paul have NEED of Milk and not of strong meat Catechizing is a branch of Preaching as was said Two things there are in it peculiar which eminently commend this course 1 The Subject Matter It is conversant about such Truths as being most necessary to Salvation are so to our hand laid down in Scripture as Milk is in nature which taken in from the breast and with least Cookery and dressing is most wholesome It is our first food and with such truths our instruction must of necessity begin The Church of God in the daies of Adam Enoch Noah c. its first infancy had little other knowledge but of such plain truths Afterwards a further accession of light was brought them by Moses and the Prophets Yet then as David tells us The Ignorant must have of these easie truths for entrance and initiation Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy Word giveth light to the simple There was an Infancy also of the Church after Christ the Apostle in that age of it did for the most part teach the people such fundamentals onely the summe whereof was as Act. 20.21 Repentance toward God and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ and in so doing hee tells them hee kept back nothing that was profitable to them though hee had higher wisdome 1 Cor. 2.6 which hee spake among them that were perfect and more knowing As a wise Master-builder hee laid the foundation this hee did at his first coming to them afterwards by his Epistles hee builds them up further leaving the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ let us saith hee go on to perfection and this will wee do if God permit Heb. 6.1.13 2 The Manner which is so to instruct as to require a personal account of what is understood and remembred by them that are taught whereas in preaching there is liberty for the most part left to the hearer whether hee will heed or not but this kind of Instruction is ordinarily so managed as to leave some kinde of greater necessity in the hearer to attend and observe what is said unto him each person for himself It is incredible how little poor Ignorant souls attend the doctrinal part of a Sermon when in the Application their Morals are dealt with their Adultery Drunkennesse Swearing Sabbath-breaking and the like gross sins possibly there is some little attention at least as they are the sins of others which corrupt nature is pleased as well to hear as to speak of A discourse of Navigation to a company of men whose understanding and profession is to till the Earth will bee little heeded or in the least able to draw their minds from what their present thoughts are set upon But if there bee an acquaintance with the lowest Elements of a Profession wee will of our selves with delight attend to the opening of the higher Secrets and Mysteries thereof There is a necessity therefore in a more familiar way to indeavour that each mans soul in particular under our charge bee brought into acquaintance with the Elements and first Principles of Religion otherwise your most constant and frequent hearers will sit at Sermons as those Ezek. 33.31 Ezek. 33. they sit before thee as my people c. Or if they do attend for want of such praecognita or preparative light they profit little by much and frequent hearing They may grow up in an overlie and ungrounded knowledge bee ever learning 2 Tim 37 yet never bee able to come to such solid knowledge of the Truth as will preserve their souls from the lusts that are within or seducers without Now by how much the more excellent and necessary any Ordinance is found to be by so much the more watchful and industrious Satan his instruments have alwaies been to clog it with some Ceremony or additional of their own that they may be swallowed together as the Apocripha with the Bible which if it had gone forth into the world by it self or with some other book it would never have gained such reverence or so sacred an esteem generally with men so kneeling was added to the Lords Supper the Crosse to Baptism a Surplesse to our publick worship a stinted and limited form of words to our prayers the like attempted in this CASE If any man hereupon scrupling these Formes and Ceremonies withdraw from those excellent Ordinances though upon that account only as many in all ages have done yet shall they suffer under the reproach of despising Sacraments and the unquestionable duties of a Christian The Lord having now by very strange turnings of providence called in to place those Honourable Knights and Burgesses the great Reformers in matters of Religion who have by their care and vigilance done more herein than ever was by any Parliament since Popery hath been rejected The Wonderful Counsellor wee hope in mercy will still guide them and all Parliaments hereafter by their example to carry on this work of Reformation with like moderation as hath been hitherto the progess of it It will prove a great burden and become an endless strife and contention in the Churches of Christ If Magistrates or Synods shall impose with
thus to instruct leaving them as Christ hath left them for choyse of matter and words according to the gifts the Lord hath furnished them with for his service §. 2. Obj. 3. It is ancient and received by all Churches in all ages since the Apostles times Ans If it bee meant instructing the ignorant and younger sort in Principles it is not only so but more ancient even before the Apostles times and confirmed by them and is or ought to bee received practised by all Churches But method words c. imposed as a necessary Rite and Order in the Service of God this is not ancient and he that was well skilled in antiquity will tell you so Mr. Parker of Symbolizing with Antichrist part 2. p. 19. If they speak of Canons inferring necessity they must know there were no such Canons in antient time Christian Liberty was more tendred in those dayes Againe Antiently saith the same Author there was in Rites a liberty permitted and no necessity imposed necessity in Rites is jugum papale never heard of in the Church till Antichrist began to usurp over the liberty of Christian men Ans 2. Suppose it had both Antiquity and Universality Is this a topick more cogent here then in former disputes as between Protestants and Papists Conformists and Non Conformists Cassander Anglica pag. 2. Mr. Sprint layeth his most weight upon this Argument The refusing of Conformity saith hee tends to condemne all true Churches all faithful and sound Teachers of all times and places since the time of the Apostles of Christ The avouching Antiquity and Universality of acceptation as equivalent in a Dispute to Divine Authority which is or ought to be the only rule in this matter is very sufficiently refuted by Jewel Whitakers Reinolds Morton and the rest of ours against Papists as also at large disputed betweene Doctor Ames in his reply to Mr. Sprint and Doctor Burgis his rejoynder and then Dr. Ames again in his Fresh suit Obj. 4. And for any necessity or Arguments drawne from thence Ans There is no Ministerial work in which a necessity may not better bee pretended as 1 In convincing the Gain-sayer controversal disputes such difficulty as for want of help sometimes men are disputed into error 2 To pitch upon such Characters and signes by which Sincerity may be discerned from Hypocrisie is very difficult and for want of experience and skilfulness in such a work the hearts of those have been made sad whom God would not have made sad Ezek. 13. If in such Cases the Magistrate should consult with a Synod and forme certaine wayes of reasoning for method and words and impose upon the Minister in their Disputes to bee held to and no other and the like for the imposing certaine formes of signes and markes by which Sincerity and Hypocrisie may safely bee distinguished or any other difficulty that falls in the way of our Ministry is much more necessary and allowable 3 To be able to speake level and not over or under in determining the Magistrates power in Ecclesiastical matters is a difficulty and to what extremities doe good men in their preaching and printing run in the point upon this consideration a Homily is composed that is a certaine forme for matter and words Synod 40. Can. 2. and imposed * upon all Ministers as followeth For the fuller and clearer instruction and information of all Christian people in their duties in this particular wee doe Ordaine and Decree That every Parson Vicar Curate or Preacher upon some Sunday in every quarter of a year shall treatably and audibly read these explanations of the regal Power here inserted and the words are set downe In every of these Cases and forty more might bee instanced there is more necessity of impositions than in teaching plaine Principles Can it bee imagined Ministers intrusted without any such books or helps in these more difficult points will need them in the easiest part of his Ministry Is a Minister able to feed with strong meat and not fit to bee trusted with Babes and Lambs Obj. 5. It will conduce say some much to uniformity and so to unity and peace if the same order in this matter be observed throughout the Nation Ans This is the old Plea and a means by which the Ceremonies and Common Prayer-book kept their station so long amongst us There is an uniformity arising from the vertue of internal principles as also from an external mould or frame the one is free and natural the other compelled and forced Uniformity from internal Principles is an excellency in Nature and in Grace also That an Acorn a grain of Corn a Kernel a seed from each a Body and in its kinde the like the like leaf bark branch fruit it is true not in smaller things so exact in likenesse as what you cast in the same mould yet for substance and in the maine they are the same all Vines Cedars every Plant and every Herb in its kind every Beast and every Bird in its kind And so is it with gracious and holy men being a holy Seed and having this Seed remaining in them their conversation for the substance is the same and so visibly uniforme and the same as the blinde World can distinguish them from other men So also in this part of their conversation their Service of God in his Ordinances if the institutions of Christ and whatsoever hee in his Word hath prescribed as necessary means and circumstances from more general Rules bee observed by Ministers that are gifted industrious and gracious you will have a natural free and comely uniformity and more to the glory of God then to have all by external injunctions cast as it were in an artificial mould such a forced Conformity in all Ages hath been the occasion of greatest differences and disturbances I say the neglect of Scripture Rules which guide and direct an uniformity in matters of substance and greater consequence and by Canons and Injunctions erect an uniformity in matters of doubtful Dispute and not of much concernment if they were cleared Those Reverend N. Conformists that wrote the Admonition spoke very prudently to this The only cause why our Church differeth from the Churches reformed of the Strangers or among our selves or they among themselves is because our Church suffereth not it self so to bee directed by the course of those Scriptures as another doth except it be in those things of order wherein one Parish may many times differ from another without offence following the general Rules of Scripture for order as in appointing time place and the like 2 Ad. pa. 42. The pretence of uniformity and upon that account taking liberty to impose doubtful Traditions hath been in all Ages an Utensile in the hands of Church Governours by which they have exercised the greatest tyranny and put themselves in a capacity to bring Ministers under what bondage they please One Councel Decrees that all Ministers must live single