the example of Christ in teaching Iohn 8. 28. and also his Apostles Acts 26. 22. Reasons For it onely maketh knowne his Will vnto vs and is the instrument of conuersion by which the spirit vvorketh Luke 11. 28. Reuel 1. 3. effectually in all such as are ordayned to be saued and maketh blessed such as beleeue and obey the same Vse Let vs then of the Ministery study the Scriptures 1 Tim. 4. 13. Motiues 2 Pet. 1. Acts 26. 18. and giue attendance to the reading of them to exhortation and doctrine out of them for it onely is a sure Word it conuerteth the Soule turning man from darknesse to light from Sathan vnto God and a word 1 Cor. 14. mighty in operation to discouer man vnto himselfe to make him throw downe himselfe and cast down euery 2 Cor. 10. imagination and high thought exalted against GOD and to bring them into obedience It maketh vs wise 2 Tim. 3. and perfect to euery good worke and it is sufficient for instruction correction confutation and doctrine and this onely is it Reprehension which God hath appointed and which he will assist with his spirit in sauing his people This iustly condemneth those of a fault who being Ministers yet study least the Scriptures as if they were too shallow for their deepe wits and too vulgarly knowne for them to bestow their studies in and therefore delight neither in reading nor teaching vvhat they say but vvhat man sayth but as these seeke themselues so they loose the Lord and authoritie in the hearts of his people videant ipsi they haue their reward The position or doctrine being true it also condemneth the practise of our aduersaries vvho feede their auditories with vaine Philosophie lying Legends Poeticall fictions dreames and Sophisticall Schoole quidities Popish decrees and humane Constitutions which is to infect and poyson the people vvith falsehoods errours superstition and Idoll seruice fit for that Antichrist not to feed the flocke of Christ with wholesome doctrine which these little regard and so all such as delight onely to tickle the eare to get to themselues a prayse of humane eloquence or to deliuer sayings here and there and euery where except the sayings of Christ his Prophets and Apostles Apocrypha before and more often then the Canon of Scripture Which I speake not any way to derogate from the iust prayses of learning and eloquence they are Gods excellent gifts to be honoured and commended for the Ministery necessary and in the Preaching of the word to be vsed so it be in spirituall vvisedome and in that holy grace of humilitie for the Churches edification and not our owne prayse so in some cases before some kinde of auditory in handling of some matter to vse Philosophie testimonies humane is not vnlawfull as the learned shew and else-where my selfe In the faithfull Shepheard haue published which I note lest here I be mistaken And thus much for the first part of my Text concerning vs of the Ministery THE SECOND PART Of the Ministers maintenance NOw followeth the second part which Second part of the Text. concerneth the people vvho are to maintaine the Ministery wherein were obserued two circumstances first the partie exhorted secondly the duety to be performed For the first the person exhorted to maintaine the MINISTER is euery one without any exception that is taught in the word the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly ment of such a one as is instructed by word of mouth in the Christian faith before he be Baptised which was the Churches custome when persons of yeeres were conuerted to the Christian religion but here it is taken for all hearers such as be in their Catechisme and such as be more expert in the word whither they be instructed publikely or priuately of their Pastours and Ministers so the word is vsed as well for those in the Church as for those that are to be admitted into the Church Rom. 2. 18. Where the Apostle calleth a Teacher of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore here it is as if the Apostle had said you Galatians vvhich haue Teachers instructing you giuing either to the weaker Milke or to other strong meate you so taught are to maintaine them for that their office and Ministery Doct. Whence we may obserue That the learner is to maintaine his Teacher the Catechised the Catechiser the Parishioner his Pastour the Hearer of what degree soeuer his Instructour Proofe This is the principall point here intended in these vvordes which is further proued by this same Apostle by many reasons else-where in 1 Cor. 9. Reas This is an Apostolicall constitution and the Lords ordinance for the maintenance of the Ministery vnder the Gospell as well as vnder the law that Ministers may be encouraged in the execution of their office and that there may be a continuance of the Ministery which without maintenance would not be Vse Therefore you our Hearers are to make conscience of this duetie which make no conscience of it and you that doe make conscience thereof to continue so still Foure principall dueties people owe to their Teachers There be foure principall dueties vvhich you the people are to performe to their Pastours and Ministers the first is to heare them which all but Atheists and Papists vvill doe vaine Sectaries idle-headed Schismatickes and such also among vs which be in loue vvith their sinnes and so cannot away to heare them spoken against The second is to reuerence their Persons receiuing them as Christs Ambassadours which the truely conuerted will doe but the proud and prophane will not The third is to obey them and submit your selues vnto them in the Lord which onely those refuse who cannot away to be restrayned from their liberty of sining The fourth is to loue and to allow them maintenance which the couetous worldling cannot away to heare of But to moue you let these reasons preuaile with you Pastours are spirituall parents who beget men vnto Motiues 1 Cor. 4. 15. Phil. Vers 19. People must maintaine their Pastours Deut. 25. 4. God who therefore doe owe themselues vnto them as children vnto Parents It is the Law of Nations and a common equitie that such as labour for the common good of all should be maintained by them all this man yeeldeth to the labouring Oxe and the law so prouided It is a charge laid vpon you by Gods Law Deut 12. 19. 1 Tim. 5. 17. and this is grounded vpon the former common equitie verse 18. Euery trade and calling is able to maintaine them that honestly with diligence labour therein And is the Ministerie so base as that it should set the Ministers on begging which attend vpon it He that goeth on vvarrefare liueth not on his owne cost the labourer hath his hyre the Shepheard feedes of the Milke of the flocke Now Ministers are watchmen labourers in the Lords Vineyard and Shepherds set ouer their flockes and therefore are to eate
TWO TWINNES OR Two parts of one portion of SCRIPTVRE I. Is of Catechising II. Of the Ministers maintenance BY RICHARD BARNARD Preacher of the Word at Worsop in Nottinghamshire 1 PETER 5. 2. Feede the Flocke of God which dependeth vpon you 1 CORINTH 9. 11. If wee sowe vnto you spirituall things is it a great matter if wee reape your carnall things LONDON Printed for George Norton and are to be sould at his shop neare Temple-barre 1613. TO HIS RIGHT Worthy much-beloued and singularly approued good friend Maister Iames Risley all prosperous well-fare tending to eternall safeâ—â—e SYR I cannot but often thinke of your singular good respect towards me in whom as now it appeareth long acquaintance in true loue hath bred a constant readinesse to doe me good not only when I am present with you as if you were as many be a friend to the face without sound affection fixed in the heart but also in my absence and that a far off when I supposed which was mine errour my selfe least in your thoughts and therefore farre enough from expecting so great kindenesses as I haue now receiued at your hands Surely SYR as I acknowledge that you haue sufficiently witnessed on your part beyond my expectation a minde fully bent to procure my well-fare so I pray you out of this your true loue to iudge me ready on my part to requite if I were able to recompence so great kindenesses vnto the full but I am indebted beyond mine hability to pay your satisfaction therefore from mee is onely my good will and your owne friendly acceptance of a thankefull heart a true token and sure testimony whereof be this my late and last labour which I bequeath vnto you till there be more fit meanes of recompencing your farre better deseruings In the meane space let it stand for a witnesse of my thankefulnesse which I haue euer desired to shew vnto all for euery little fauour receiued of any friendly well-willer This my labour in part concerneth the Laity wherein you may in your place occasionally be a very good instrument all meanes to further my intendment for the maintenance of the Ministerie In part also it toucheth many of vs of the Clergie in our too much neglected duty of Catechising the Antiquity vtility and right forme whereof is here set downe the godly consideration of which I humbly recommend to my Reuerend brethren of the Ministery in these parts to whose wise and indicious censure I submit this my best endeuour in this point crauing for it their friendly interpretation and for my selfe their fauourable countenance which I much desire and which if I may obtaine I will account as an addition of Gods blessing to my Lords most honourable fauours and as you one well knowne and approued shall be the instrument to effect it so will I value it as a part of high price in your vnfeigned loue towards me Thus thankfully remembring my selfe I commend my labour and my selfe to your friendly and kinde acceptance remayning Yours 〈◊〉 much beholden Richard Barnard From Worsop in Nottinghamshire Sept. 24. THE FIRST PART Of Catechising GALAT. 6. 6. Let him that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods THe APOSTLE hauing before Coherence spoken of Charity Loue and tender affection of one towards another more generally here he calleth to their remembrance the care of the Ministery which may seeme here by them as now to be too much neglected The text is an Apostilicall Canon and diuine constitution authorized vvith the authoritie of God himselfe for reformation of the same The wordes are an Exhortation or a Charge giuen The title and Scope of the Text. by the Apostle in the name of the Almighty the iust reuenger of all wrongs done to his seruants who speake in his name vnto all that know and haue learned Christ to maintaine his Ministers By this commandement the Hearers are bound to care for their Teachers by this the Pastours haue knowledge of their right and libertie to take of the people for their maintenance and a warrant to claime the same and to vrge the negligent to their duty herein if they faile of it This portion of Scripture containeth two things as The parts the parts to be considered the first concerneth the party to be maintained enfolded within the Text who is set out vnto vs in two things 1. by teaching 2. by the matter which he teacheth The second part concerneth the party maintaining the Minister which is plainely laid forth in the wordes in vvhich wee may obserue these two circumstances First the party exhorted Secondly the duety which he is exhorted vnto Now though this place speaketh plainely of the Preuention of an obiection Hearers duety â—â—ely and but implicitely of the Ministers duty yet because the peoples knowledge of the labour and painefulnesse of the calling of the Ministery and of that equitie that labourers are worthy of their wages may induce them to a more ready performance of their duety as also for that this * Preached at Southvvell in Nottinghamshire by the appointment of the most Reuerend Father the Lord Archbishop of Yorke our worthy Metropolitan and much beloued Diocesan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum docenti vel in verbo Catechizanti Oecumenius â—eza Text vvas giuen mee once by one of principall authority in the Church to vrge my brethren of the Ministery publikely assembled to the duty of Catechising I thought it not amisse to speake first of our selues and our duty that I might more freely presse our Hearers to their duty if wee goe before it is the more likely that they will follow after That which toucheth the Ministers in this Text is in these wordes Him that hath taught him in the word The word translated taught signifieth him that is Catechised properly but yet is vsed and taken more generally for to teach or instruct otherwise Luke 1. 4. Act. 18. 25. Rom. 2. 18. 1 Cor. 14. 19. and so must it be here taken as Diuines hold and therefore is translated as wee see both in Latine and English by a more generall vvord of all translatours The holy Ghost vseth the more speciall word for the generall partly to shew vnto vs of the Ministerie orderly teaching for the peoples edification where we are to begin with them partly perhaps both to preuent a proud conceit in some Ministers which may thinke that they onely are to be respected which doe Preach as now Preaching goeth with men as also the peoples contempt of Catechising and Catechizers as if these deserued not any liberall portion but other persons onely more excellently gifted such as can speake for tongue with a plaudite for great reading with admiration for wit with singular delight and for learning beyond the Hearers common apprehension in comparison of whom Caeteri non dico poetae sed veri prophetae sordent while Hearers doe measure all by hearing and not
now in the Church which also be of two sorts Babes in yeeres and Babes in knowledge Babes of two sorts Heb. 5. and 6. though auntient for yeeres both which stand in great neede to be instructed in their Catechisme Euery one is to be taught according to his capacitie whatsoeuer yeeres hee be of so did the Apostle deale with them as we may see in the Epistle to the HEBREVVES It is lost labour to teach preposteâ—ously it is absurd and foolish to take one of good yeeres to learne him to read by our reading to him and not allow him to learne to know his Letters because hee is past a childe so vaine is our labour in Preaching onely to the auncient in yeeres and to omit to Catechise them because they be auncient it was no hinderance we see to the Apostle no more should it be to vs. And thus much for the parties to be Catechised Sixtly The forme and manner of Catechising is a Forme or manner of Catechising briefe deliuery of the principles of religion by way of question and answer And in this doth Preaching and Catechising differ Preaching is a dilating vpon some point bringing it some time into a treatise but Catechising is the contracting of the vvhole into a summe Preaching is a large discoursing vpon some Scripture with the interpretation Doctrines exhortations with application to all sorts but Catechising is a short deliuerie of the grounds of religion onely to the more ignorant and ruder sort Preaching is not exacted to be repeated againe though Saint Chrysostome 4 Hom. ad Heb. may seeme euen in this to haue tryed his negligent hearers Catechising is exacted to be repeated a deliuerie by Catechising and a redeliuerie by the Catechised and that this ought to be so the etymon of the word warrants it For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an Echo the Teachers voyce resounding againe yet not onely the last sillables but the whole matter so in Catechising there must be a voyce and a voyce he that maketh the question and the partie answering Thus did our Sauiour Catechise asking questions of his Disciples Math. 16. 13. 15. Luk. 2. 46. so did Philip Catechise the Eunuch Act. 8. 37. yea the people are charged to make an Echo againe 1 Pet. 3. 15. So did the Disciples to our Sauiour Christ Mark 8. 27. 29. And that this is the right and auncient forme of Catechising wee may iudge by all manner of Catechismes published set out by questions and answeres both with vs in our Church and in all other Churches Which kinde of instruction in this manner is much more profitable than to discourse and dilate vpon a point Sermon-wise which is wast labour to the Teacher as experience sheweth till the people be thus proceeded with all by vvhich the Minister shall discerne of either the knowledge or ignorance of his Parishioners yea themselues shall hereby be made to take knowledge of their blindnesse vvhen they shall perceiue themselues simple and childish in answering this vvill set the people on worke to consider what to answere when in the Ministers teaching alone they sit as carelesse and vnprofitable Hearers as lamentable experience doth shew This will discouer themselues to themselues and preuent their ouer vveening conceits of their owne knowledge and if they answere well hereby they may be commended and the Minister comforted in administring to them holy things yea this will bring loue to the wise and discreet Teacher and procure him reuerence also among his people as the tryall hath made the matter knowne to some In a vvord no way shall a Minister better know his Auditories beginning and growth in knowledge nor the people sooner learne to iudge aright of their Christian faith and religion than by this familiar and plaine manner of Catechising by question and answere Seauenthly and lastly the matter of the Catechisme The matter of Catechising is the principles of Religion or a short abridgement of the holy doctrines of our Christianitie called by the Heb. 5. 12. APOSTLE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elementa principâ—â— Sermonum Dei the ABC of our religion or the rudements of the heauenly Oracles of GOD or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prima principia Sermonis Christi the first principles of the doctrine of Christ or the introduction into Christianisme which be the poynts that we call the Catechisme Foure maine points of the Catechisme The heads whereto all particulars may bee drawne are these foure the doctrine of Faith summed into twelue Articles our duties to God and man gathered briefly into two Tables contayning the ten Commandements The matter of prayer collected into sixe petitions set downe in that paterne of true prayer called the Lords Prayer the doctrine of the Sacraments the seales of Gods couenant which are onely these two Baptisme and the Lords Supper And thus we see into how few heads the principles of our Religion is summed into which abridgements of prayer obedience Warrant for abridgements are made by God the Father and Christ his Son and the Creed by his Church which manner of Epitomizing is warranted in the holy Scriptures very plentifully VVee see how God brought the Law morall into Matth. 22. 27. Eccles 12. 13. ten words and Christ the same into two heads Solomon draweth all his Eccles into a short summe so the Apostle Saint Paul brought the grounds of Christianitie to a few points The Scripture is full of short Aphorismes Heb. 6. 1. which be summary collections of many things largely handled see the summe of religion in Iam. 1. 27. of the Gospell in Iohn 3. 16. the summe of mans dutie in Eccles. 12. 13. the summe of that which shall be done at the last day in 2 Cor. 5. 10. The learned doe thinke that this forme of teaching in so short a manner is to be vnderstood in the place of Saint Paul to Timothie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expressam formaâ— vel exemplar teneto sauorum verborum 2 Tim. 1. 13. as if hee had said I haue set thee a paterne of wholesome words for the manner of deliuering thereof the heads whereof are these two Faith and Charitie in Christ Iesus As also in that place to the Romanes Rom. 6. 17. 12. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 formam doctrinae so in an other place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Analogie or proportion of Faith according to which we must teach secundum mensuram nostram after our gift giuen holding the rule of the word the forme of doctrine and the analogie of Faith Lastly this course of teaching first the principles of religion both Greeke and Latin Fathers haue followed as Zanchie witnesseth And thus by Lib de sac Scrip. in orat praefixâ— pag. 34. the full proofe of all the particulars in the definition of Catechising I haue giuen I hope sufficient reasons of the position set downe that it is our dutie to
a sufficient maintenance for them Know you that the Lord commaundeth you to maintaine your Ministers and that they want maintenance or that your neighbours must doe more than they may and dare you liue in this rebellious disobedience not onely not to maintaine them but to rob them and to spoyle your brethren without sence of their misery Oh heart that cannot repent thou heapest vnto thy selfe wrath Rom. 2. against the day of vvrath and the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Consider vvith what face you can demaund the tenth part of the peoples labours and see them want the meanes of saluation for vvhich they pay these tythes Doe you as you would be done vnto verely no for sure and certaine it is that if the tythes were not in your owne hands you could be very well content that they should goe to the Church and your Ministers be maintayned by them And can your hearts iudge so vprightly for your Ministers in respect of other men and is there no loue of equitie no faith of truth no power of conscience no regard of the Ministery no neighbourly compassion no strength of grace nor dread of God to make you equall and iust Iudges betweene your Ministers and your selues to yeeld them their right out of your owne hands Ah partiall selfe-loue and enemy to equitie and iust dealing Consider with vvhat promise of a blessing vvith what hope of mercie you can commend these goods to your posteritie so vniustly taken from the Church so vnmercifully withheld by you so needfull to be restored to the Church againe for the peoples ease euery way too deepely charged and the Ministers more certaine and liberall maintenance Will you vainely thinke that your children shall thriue and doe well by your iniustice and wrongs and by your wicked workes of inquitie Oppression shall bring thee to pouertie Pro. 22. 16. Hee that getteth riches and not by right shall leaue them Ier. 17. 11. in the middest of his dayes and at his end shall be a foole Pro. 13. 11. and 14. 11. The riches of vanitie shall diminish and the house of the wicked shall be destroyed where is prosperous hope vnto posterities in ill gotten goods Therefore that at length I may conclude this exhortation vveigh these things well ponder them in your hearts consider how you stand thus guiltie of Sacriledge how the Ministers haue cause to mourne how the people grieue and may complaine to God and how weakely in deed and truth you can oppose against that vvhich hath beene sayd that so you may yeeld liberall and sufficient maintenance to your Ministers that God may repent of that he hath determined against you Pro. 20. 25. Mal. 3. 9. and you receiue a blessing to you and yours Now be not like the foole vvhich seeth the plague yet goeth on and is punished The wise man feareth and departeth Pro. 14 16. Mal. 3. 8. from euill but a foole rageth and is carelesse The barbarous Heathen would not spoyle their Gods and if any vvere so wicked among them though God both hated them and their Idols neuerthelesse because hee would shew his detestation against such as would worship a God though but an Idoll and yet rob him such vvould he plague and seuerely punish The Heathen in their writings beare witnesse of this The Grecians offering violence to the Temple of Pallas neuer prospered Virg. li. Aene. 2. Lactan. de Origin error cap. 4. after An auncient Father reporteth how diuers Heathen were grieuously punished for offering violence to holy things Euluitu the Censour for taking tyles of Marble out of Iuno Lacinia her Temple was shortly after distracted of his wits and had two of Cap. 8. his sonnes slaine Appius Claudius was strucken blind for alienating those things which were consecrate to Iustin hiss li. 2. Hercules Zerxes sending foure hundreth Souldiers to spoyle the Temple of Apollo they were destroyed and burnt vvith thunder and lightning If God vvill reuenge the wrongs done to Heathen Gods no Gods but Idols in such a terrible manner because he will preserue a reuerence of a conceiued God head in all mens mindes though that conceit in a particular application to an Idoll bee abhominable before him how much more will the Lord reuenge himselfe vpon those which thus robbe his Sonne Christ who is robbed in his seruants and Ministers let the wise bee iudge and let beleeuers feare and tremble Consider in all this what is said vnto you which possesse impropriations so iniurious to the Church You Patrons also of Benefices who nibble at and pare away what you can get from those vvhich you doe present either by secret simoniacall compact or by pretence of law or else by force or fraud some vvay or other to liue vpon Church-robbing sacriledgiously You Farmers of such liuings consider vvhat you doe and you that gather vp the labours of the people whereby the Ministers of Christ are defrauded of their maintenance You pilfering poore and deceitfull payers of Tythes which make no conscience to steale somewhat away closely with Achan from the vse of the Tabernacle or vvith Hypocriticall Ananias and Saphira pretend that you pay tythes iustly but yet keepe backe euer somewhat from the true owners thereof Know your duetie weigh the equitie of the cause examine the former reasons consider your sins and forsake your theft that ye be not found written in that flying booke of vengeance which commeth forth against theeues to reuenge iniustice and wrong If yet for all this some will not be moued to pay tythes because they now liue vnder the Gospell I demaund of them whither they meane honestly that they can bee vvilling in deed and in truth to doe for the Church and Ministers according to the time of the Gospell If you only disclaime the law herein because of charges and vvill not indeed yeeld to the times of the Gospell you but pretend Gospell in Hypocriticall couetousnesse for that you thinke there is nothing to moue you to â—â—e for your Ministers maintenance though the coâ—â—rary hath beene already shewed But goe to I take you to speake in a true meaning without cuasions we will be content to let the law goe for this present and will be willing to stand to the Gospels reward The Gospell prouideth for Ministers which is either the primary extraordinary practise and that was a voluntary contribution but so liberall for the maintenance of the Ministerie and brethren Act. 4. 37. 5. as many sold all they had lands and possessions and brought the money and layd the same downe at the Gal. 6. 6. Apostles feete Or the Apostolicall precept to make them pertakers of all your goods or else the after act of the Church resuming the payment of tythes Now how like you these chuse for you selues if the Last that is it we would haue and you dislike because of aduantage if the First that is the best of all but that we will not be so vnreasonable towards you for though you take all from vs and the Church gaue all then yet wee require but so much as is conuenient for vs to receiue for vs to receiue and you by duetie necessarily tyed to giue We desire not to be enriched and you thereby impouerished that it now should be said as heretofore Religio peperit diuitias sed filia deuorauit matrem which I thinke wee need not to feare on our behalfe as you wisely neuer intend it on your parts For it well appeareth how much you loue to giue as they did freely but not as they did liberally I will say for you that the first you dislike and better it were to giue a tenth part than all But will you rest vvith the Second and make the Minister pertaker of all your goods Surely if you vvould performe this faithfully wee might well rest contented for what is this but to haue our wants liberally supplyed and in you a franke heart to giue somewhat of what you get of euery thing a part or share more or lesse else how can you make vs pertakers of all your goods which if you so vvould doe is it a great matter if we reape 1 Cor. 9. 11. your carnall things when we sowe vnto you spirituall things Thus you see you pretending Gospellers that wee can rest contented with the award of either the law or Gospell if you would conscionably stand to either but that indeed you are of neither excepting as they may serue your turnes and be to you aduantage If I falsely accuse you conuince me by following and faithfully performing this duety you owe vnto the Ministers of Christ either according to law or Gospell if not you must giue vs leaue to say that you are worldly Atheists of any religion for your profits and commodities professing to know God but by workes deny him his Ministery Ministers and people and to euery good worke reprobate FINIS