Blind Teachers to the Simple and Directors of Poor and perhaps neglected Infants into the Paths of Truth and Life By this means you may turn some to Righteousness and thereby increase your own Rewards for Ever It tends mightily to the interest and advance of Religion for did Sureties perform their Vows to God and it is their Sin if they do not we should find it would quickly give a mighty check to the growing madness of the Age. But in fine because Suppositions grant nothing let us suppose there may be still some evil in the having Sureties yet according to Mr. Baxter's resolution of a like case that supposed Evil cannot affect the Children or Parents For some of the Inhabitants of Daventre in Northamptonshire as themselves have confessed to me inquiring of Mr. Baxter what he thought of the Cross in Baptism or of signing Children with it He answered Baptism is a necessary Duty and in the Church of England we have all the Essential parts of it Now saith he I bring my Child as the Law Commands to be baptiz'd but if there be any sinful or unnecessary Additions without which I cannot have Baptism those Additions are nothing to me I desire not them but simply Baptism what evil there may be in any Additions being they are imposed and not my choice lyes upon the Church that Commands and on the Minister that uses ' em Therefore if we consider either the thing it self or Mr. Baxter's sense Parents have not a sufficient excuse for refusing to have their Children Catechised because the Catechism injoyn'd supposes they are baptized by Sureties Whence we come to consider the Catechism it self and I doubt not but I may speak it not only short but easie most comprehensive and every way most sufficient to it's end For 1. This Catechism teaches the Nature of our Baptismal Vow and Covenant which is to renounce the Devil and all his works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith and to keep God's holy Will and Commandments all the dayes of our life Where the whole Duty of Man is comprised in a few words and suited to the Capacities of the meanest Learner 2. It teaches the Apostles Creed whose Antiquity is such that some have thought it was made by the Apostles themselves and was call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one of 'em being supposed to cast in his part toward the composing the whole It is observed from the Greek and Latin Fathers that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Traditio Apostolorum was a Tradition supposed to come from some Apostle but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or traditio Apostolica was only a very ancient Tradition which came if not from some Apostle yet from some other near those Times Now this hath been usually called the Creed of the Apostles and so Dr. D. in his Greek Version of our Liturgy calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but whether with respect to this Observation I cannot say or how Universally true it may be is not to be determined by any that have not made their Observations in numerous instances of this kind The least we can make of it is and no man will go to prove any more that it is a very ancient one else we may presume it had never been placed by any in the Apostles times we can trace it very far and find it Universally used in the first Ages of Christianity It was used by the followers of the Presbyterian Directory and the Assemblies Catechism nor do I remember any Objection then against it but in that Article viz. the Descent into hell which they wish was either altered or left out Yet the same Men own that descent Virtually though not Locally therefore according to them that Article is true and wants only an Explication Now the Ancient and Universal use of it speaks the esteem it hath ever had in the Christian World and the excellent choice our Catechism hath made in teaching this rather than that of Nice or Athanasius which are longer and not so suited to every Capacity And though the Presbyterian Party cavill'd at the Descent into hell yet they used this Creed rather than the Nicoean whose Antiquity is great and which speaks of no such Descent at all which is an Argument of their higher Approbation of the other Parts of it Here in the fewest words and plainest way are taught the great Mysteries of our Faith what we are to believe concerning God the Father who made the World God the Son who hath redeemed all Mankind and God the Holy Ghost who sanctifies all the elect people of God Which makes up a short but yet a most plain and excellent System of all the Credenda or Matters of pure Faith 3. It teaches what we are to do and that from the Decalogue or Ten Commandments which is the sum and breviary of all Morality This is the standing Rule given to the World The Lex nata as Cicero calls it the Law born with us and imprinted on the hearts of all Men by Nature was a Counterpart of this All the Moral Discourses of Moses and the Prophets were but Comments upon this Text the Sermon of Christ upon the Mount and the other practical Parts of the Gospels and Epistles are but an Explication and a Vindication of this from the false Glosses of the Pharisees and the Corruptions of the Gnosticks Therefore we have here the sum of all Practical Religion and as it is divided into two Tables so our Catechism gives us the most short plain and close Explication of each under those two Heads viz. Our Duty toward God and our Duty toward our Neighbor that can well be comprised in so few words 4. This Catechism teaches the Lord's Prayer which was given not only a Pattern for us to Pray by but as a Form for us to use Therefore he taught it the Disciples twice the first time was Mat. 6. 9. And some time after as St. Luke relates Chap. 11. 2. they come to him again Master teach us to pray as if they looked upon that short form suited indeed to the Infancy of their Discipleship but not so fitting now they were taught farther and came more near the stature of Men but he gives 'em the very same again a tacit reproof of their ignorance and reach after Novels And if we only suppose he might design it as a form he could not well have express'd himself more aptly to that purpose for Mat. 6. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic vel ita orate Pray thus viz. in these very words which is better rendered so than as our Translation doth viz. after this manner which looks somewhat like a Geneva cast as if it was intended only as a Pattern to form our conceived Prayers by And Luk. 11. 2. when ye Pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. say Our Father
under Sixteen but Persons of all Ages whatever that have not received Confirmation and the Sacrament may not in strictness be required to this Exercise The Rubrick obliges all Children Servants and Apprentices who have not yet learn'd the Catechism without determining the Age but because the Law obliges those above Sixteen to receive the Sacrament therefore it is presum'd these Servants are under Sixteen and accordingly our Orders command those above to the Sacrament and consequently those called to be Catechised must be presumed under that term 3. The Persons required to prepare and send 'em are Parents Masters or Mistresses And the Reasons are because you have both a commanding Power over 'em and also a trust reposed in you that way it being your Duties not only to feed and cloth their Bodies but to provide things wholsom and necessary for their Souls too Parents and Masters stand as Priests to their own Families where they are to perform all the Duties and Offices of Christian Religion those only excepted which are restrain'd to the Publick Ministry as Preaching Administration of Sacraments c. Though they be yours yet they stand related to God he saith you have born 'em to him Ezek. 16. 20. and v. 21. thou hast slain my Children Whence he aggravates the Sin of ill Education and abuse of 'em from this very Topick the relation they stood in to him Thou hast taken thy Sons and thy Daughters whom thou hast born unto me and these hast thou Sacrificed these hast thou debauched by wicked Opinions and Prophaness of Life Or left disposed to every evil way and work for want of better Principles As they are committed to your care so he will require what you have done with that Depositum as one calls it which he hath put into your hands Whence Joshua undertakes both for himself and Family Chap. 24. 15. as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. For which causes as well as for the Perswasive Arguments from Natural Affections even Constantine the Great as Eusebius relates De Vitâ Constant lib. 4. cap. 51. not only divided his Empire amongst his three Sons but took care to inrich 'em with a better Portion viz. of Divine and Spiritual things being a Tutor and Example to 'em himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walking before 'em in the Paths of Virtue and Religion and he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He provided 'em the best Masters and Tutors You are as Kings and Priests to 'em having the Power to Command Teach and Excommunicate those that are stubborn and impure whence both God and Man require that at your own Peril you see those under your Charge do perform those Duties that do lye upon themselves For which cause David did resolve Psal 101. 7. that not a wicked man should dwell in his house And indeed they that do not do so fall short of that great Duty Prov. 22. 6. of training up a Child in the way he should go And Eph. 6. 4. of bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Such are worse than the very Heathen who sent their Children to Isocrates and others to be taught Moral Wisdom which was their Divinity and fall short of a Plutarch who hath left us a Tract 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about the right Education of Children Such leave 'em unable to judge of Doctrines whether they be of God and therefore lyable like the Apostles Children to be toss'd to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine And this is one reason as some think why the Church of Rome loses few but gains many Proselytes viz. because she is more careful than others to Catechize and settle Youth in her Faith and Principles Therefore we have here an Ordinance from the most Reverend Fathers of our Church that commands only an antecedent Duty a thing founded on Eternal Reason on Scripture and the Laws of the Land A Duty so plain and so Natural to train up Children in Virtue and all laudible Knowledges that the very Heathen did Court and Practise it and as Plutarch hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A good Education out-lives Death travels beyond the Grave and abides with us through all the Tracts of Eternal Ages and therefore being the greatest and most lasting good we can do 'em even common Nature prompts us to it There can be therefore no objection against the thing it self the Matter lies only in reference to that Catechism injoyn'd by the Church Which some object against upon the account it supposes Children baptized with Sureties which they cannot away with This Point we will fully answer and then consider the Parts of the Catechism it self 1. They plead that Sureties undertake more than they can perform therefore they can neither make use of them nor teach a Catechism which supposes their use We Answer That the Primitive Christians whose Faith and Martyrdoms were famous in the World thought no such Matters for then Infants had their Sponsores or Susceptores and Susceptrices Undertakers or Sureties and because 't was thought there was a Spiritual Relation arising between the Parents and Sureties therefore the Child called 'em God-father c. that is Father-in-God and the ancient Saxons Godsibs by corruption Gossips Sib signifying akin implying that they were akin in God Now these answered in behalf of the Child the very same Questions that are used by our Church viz. Doest thou renounce the Devil c. DoEst thou Believe in God the Father the Son the Holy Ghost This was the Universal Practice in the time of Tertul. Now those Men who for a good Conscience suffered so cruel Persecutions that Lactan. de Just cryes out Quis Caucasus Quae India What place the most fruitful in Monsters ever bred such cruel and savage Beasts as their Persecutors were yet never censured this part of Baptism as a sinful addition or corruption of this Institution But because some Men have cheap thoughts of Antiquity I will consider the thing it self and argue from the very Nature of it as 1. What it is they Undertake and 2. For how long 1. They undertake that the Child shall renounce the Devil and all his works and believe God's Holy Word and keep his Commandments Whence it follows Doest thou in the Name of this Child renounce the Devil c. Doest thou believe in God c. Wilt thou be Baptized c. Wilt thou obediently keep God's Holy Will and Commandments c. Which is but the first Matter explain'd and put into the form of Questions Whence the Child saith in the Catechism that they did Vow Three things in his Name viz. 1. That he should renounce the Devil c. 2. That he should believe the Articles of the Christian Faith 3. That he should keep God's Holy Will and Commandments c. The meaning of which is only this that the Child shall be brought up a Christian and not a Jew or Heathen
c. which seems a confining 'em to those very words as well as to that matter Indeed those Men must think very highly of themselves that look upon that Prayer which was composed by Christ himself and given to the Twelve whom he had chosen and was training up for the Discipleing all Nations to be fit only for Children if for any but to stand much below their own improvements We do not read that ever our Saviour made use of any other Prayer himself unless some short Ejaculation or particular Petition suited to a present exigence as when in his Agony and bloody Sweat If it be possible let this cup pass from me And though there may be many Reasons given why Publick Service ought to be much longer yet our Church uses this very form in every distinct Part of her Service Here then Youth is taught a Prayer short plain comprehensive and suited to the Divine Will being given us by the Son of God and Captain of our Salvation who best knew how and what we ought to pray for a Prayer suited to all Persons Times and Places and therefore given for the use of all Posterities which none but gifted Men and Pharisaical Spirits who love much babling ever yet despised And this our Catechism doth explain in a few words and to the Capacities of every Learner in the Answer to this Question What desirest thou of God in this Prayer 5. We have the Explication of the Nature of a Sacrament that it is an outward and visible sign of an inward and Spiritual Grace given to us c. Whence it descends to the two Sacraments severally And tells you that the outward and Visible sign or form in Baptism is Water wherein the Person is baptiz'd in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and that the inward and Spiritual grace is a death unto Sin and a new birth unto Righteousness c. Hence it descends to the Sacrament of the Supper and tells you that the outward part or sign is Bread and Wine c. And that the inward part or thing signified is the Body and Blood of Christ which are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's Supper By which the Child is led from the conceits both of Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation at once For 1. It tells you that in the Sacrament and therefore after Consecration or Blessing for till then it is not a Sacrament there are two distinct Parts viz. the sign which is Bread and Wine and the thing signified which is the Body and Blood of Christ therefore the one is not changed into the other but remain distinct still because the sign and thing signified while such cannot be the same 2. It saith that this Body and Blood of Christ is taken and received by the faithful which is spoke exclusively of all others but if the Bread and Wine was really changed into the Body and Blood of Christ or if they did consist together and remain in and under the outward Elements although still distinct yet this Body and Blood of Christ would then be verily and indeed taken and received by every Communicant and not by the faithful only Ergo according to our Catechism there is neither Transubstantiation nor Consubstantiation in this Sacrament And in the last Answer you have a full and most excellent account of what is required of a worthy Communicant and that is to examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former Sins stedfastly purposing to lead a new life have a lively faith in God's Mercy through Christ with a thankful remembrance of his Death and be in Charity with all men Here then are Homer's Iliads in a Nutshel a little Body and System of Divinity that comprises the Substance of mighty Volumes Here the deepest Points and most mysterious parts of our Faith are by easie and familiar Expressions brought down to puerile Capacities Whereas the Assemblies Catechism is longer and runs upon second Notions which do themselves suppose some preceding Knowledges and therefore Children need an Explication of 'em and is burthened with numerous Quotations which are apt to confound and tire a young beginner This then ought to be prefer'd for its own sake and excellency which lyes both in the Matter it contains and it 's suitableness and sufficiency to it's end if it had not been injoyn'd by any Ordinance of Man But since it is so we have a double Obligation first from it self and then from the Authority that Commands it Therefore if we refuse we sin against both at once and in one Act we are doubly guilty And certainly Men have the less reason to do so because this very injunction doth yet leave room for every one to teach another at home 2. It is required of you that you receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper The Persons under obligation are all above Sixteen and both the Canon and Rubrick say that they shall receive at least three times in the year whereof Easter shall be one There are several Statutes that oblige the Subject to this Duty which Laws the People have made themselves in and by their Representatives therefore they can no more complain of the thing than they can that they have had Parliaments or at least such that have brought 'em under this Obligation Nor is this founded merely on Humane Laws but on a Divine Institution and Command of Heaven it being the last Precept our Saviour gave his Disciples before he was made an offering for Sin Do this in remembrance of me Therefore the observance of it must be a means to Salvation else he lays a needless burthen upon us and if Nature doth nothing in vain we cannot imagine that the God of Nature should give us Laws to no purpose If men may be safe under the customary neglect of this Sacrament why not of the other And if of these why not of any other Rules and Precepts of the Gospel since they all come with a Divine Authority impress'd upon ' em They are his Laws one as well as another But some may plead from the Nature of the things themselves that the Matter of some Commands is intrinsecally good and necessary and therefore was a Duty even antecedent to a Divine Precept but this is a pure Positive that hath no goodness in it self and therefore had not been a Duty unless injoyn'd and consequently though they are all Commanded yet they are not all alike obliging because the one hath a double Obligation viz. both from it's own Nature and Precept too the other from Precept only We answer that some will not allow the two Sacraments to be purely Positive but that they are founded partly on Nature and Reason But suppose 'em such and I cannot see the advantage they can make of it For pure Positives under the Law such as was Circumcision were as severely punished as Transgressions in things morally Good and Evil. For