Works, Part 4 · Religious instruction · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII. Of Catechizing and instruction of Youth.
THere hath beene a sect both among the heathen, and also in our age, that thinkesEducation of children. that religion is not to come so low as children; but that they are to bee nourished vp boldly, and when they come to riper yeeres, then to bee instructed in religion, and not before. So the neathē tel vsus as we see in the beginning of the Philosophers moralsHo neo… ou… estin …koto… aki òaaes ton etkikon. as also in the opinion of the Orator, in the defence of Caelius: It is wisedome to let youth hauehave his course till his heate be abated. But if there were any moment in the authoritie of the heathen, the whole practise of them were to be preferred before one mans opinion. And forSee Clement Alexand. pedagog. 3. booke. their practise, certaine it is, that the exercise of catechizing was vsed among the Gentiles: for we finde it in Porphyries time: It was vsuall in Athens for youth to be taught: as also the histories of the heathen doe declare, that the children were instructed: for it was a custome among them not to powle their childrens heads, vntill they were taught, & then to burnePorphyr. principio quaest. Homer. their haire as a sacrifice to Apollo, who from thenceforth in regard of their skill, were allowed to carie tabers in their pompes and solemnities. Aristotles meaning in that place is,Cyril. wri… 24. Catechis. Aristotles meaning of this: Inuends hon est idon… auditer moralis Philosophiae. de facto, non de eo, quod fieri debet. Else hee is to be called backe to his seuenth booke de Repub. chap. 17. It is expedient for children to bee withdrawne from euil speeches▪ Against the Orator standing at the barre to plead for a lewd young man, his owne saying is to be alleaged: Offic. lib. 1. That this age must chiefly bee reclaimed from pleasures and lust. Exod. 10. 11. Pharaoh being requested of the Israelites, that they might goe with their children into the wildernes for to worship, maketh a scoffe that their children should go, as though religion pertained not to them. Matth. 19. 13. When children were brought vntounto Christ, that he might blesse them, his disciples forbad them, that brought them; as if Christ and children had nothing to do one with another. For the first I answere, Moses standeth with Pharaoh in that point, and will not take so much, as he would graunt for the olde, except the young may go too. And for the second, Christ opposeth himselfe to his disciples, granting childrē safe conduct to come vntounto him, pronouncing those accursed, that keepe them from him. Matth. 18. 6 Psal. 119. 9. The law is not onelyonly giuen for those of ripe yeeres, but euen for young men to cleanse their wayes. The Iewes note, there is mention made of children three times in the Decalogue. And though the rest may seeme to admit some doubt, yet in catechizing, which is comprehended in the Sabbath dayes exercise, our sons and our daughters are bound to lesse than wee. Exod. 12. 6. If children bee so busie as toNote. aske, what is meant by the Passeouer, the Lord is so farre from keeping it back from them, that he commaunds their parents to acquaint them with that Sacrament: and albeit they do not aske. Deut. 6. 7. he laieth a charge on their parents to see thē instructed in his lawes.
2 And whereas many hold that it is not materiall, nor to be regarded, what children do, and that they are not to be examined nor censured by their doings, though they be wantō and childish, they be confuted, Pro. 20. 11. They shall be iudged by their steps▪ As the blessing of Gods is vponupon them, that giuegive themselues to wisedome, Psalm. 127 & 128. whom Dauid compareth to a quiuer full of arrowes, & to oliue branches: so doth he not spare those that doe euill, although they be children. 2. Reg. 2. 24. The boyes that scoffed Elisha were torne in peeces with two beares. To this the Hebrew prouerbe may bee added, in Golgotha areChildren punished for sin. Note. to be seene souls of all sizes, that is, death the reward of sinne commeth on the young as well as vponupon the olde. I saw little and great saith Iohn, Apoc 20. 12. waiting for their iudgement. Christ who hath said of himselfe, I hauehave giuen you an example. Iohn, 13. 13. and of whom the Diuines rule is, EueryEvery action of Christ serues for our instruction, hath giuenChristsyouth our children an example of his youth, that is, that at twelue yeeres he was growen as much in wisdome, namely in the feare of God and in the fauour of God as in yeares. He alloweth of the childrens singing Hosanna. Mat. 21. 16. when the Pharisies thought it a foolish thing to regard the childrens crie. He shewes, that his father maketh an account of children, and hath no desire that they should be lost for teaching, & lost must they be, except they comeChildrē must not be lost for teaching. to the Church. Therefore he giueth commaundement, that they bee suffered, and not forbidden, if they hauehave any desire vntounto him, and therefore he pronounceth a woe vponupon any, that when such would come to Christ, doe scandalize them either by word, counsell or example, or any other vndue meanes keepe them from comming to him. Ioh. 21. 15. Christ his charge to Peter is not to feed his sheepe onelyonly, but his lambes also, and first his lambes, for the increase of the whole flocke dependeth on the towardnesse of the lambes, and the lambes being well fed, lesse paines need to be taken with the sheepe. All solemne promises we must performe as sure as we can. But in our Baptisme wee made a solemne promise of learning the feare of God. The aptnesse in children to vice, as wee may see by their tractablenesse in any prophane or scurrile iests must make vsus take aduantage, and exercise thisChildren apt to vice. aptnesse in such things that are good, for no doubt, if children can say bald-head to Elisha, they can say Hosanna to Christ.
3 The office of the Catechist is to make his doctrine easie to enter by giuing it an edgeDeut …. The office of a Catechist. in perspicuitie, methode, &c. and of the catechised often to goe ouer the same thing, as a knife doth the whetstone, and to repeate and iterate it, till he hauehave made it his owne. This we see in the original words: specially the Greeke foreign frō the which we hauehave our English word Echo, foreign is indeed to sound the last fillable, and such sounders happily there be enough, but it is to sound the whole after one: and such a repetition is required of the right Catecumenoi. Catechizing is thus distinguished from preaching. Preaching is the dilatingPreaching and Catechizing, how distinguished. Summes or Epitomes. of one member of religion into a iust treatise: Catechizing is a contracting of the whole into a summe. Preaching is to all sorts: catechizing to the younger and rude. Preaching is not exacted to be repeated: catechizing is exacted. We cōsider here in these three things. An argument or summe, the genus, the deliuerie of it to children: the first part of catechizing, the redeliuerie of catechumenoi, which is the second part of the catechisme. For warrant in making summes we hauehave Christ, who Math. 22. 37. brought all the whole lawe into two heads Ioh. 3▪ 16. an abridgement of the Gospell is set downe, Cod so loueth the world, &c. Eccles. 12 …3. Salomon drawes all that, that he had said in his whole booke of the Preacher, to these two heads. Feare God, and keepe his commandements. The Apostle Heb. 6. 1. reduceth al the principles of Christian religion to these two, Repentance and Faith. As also the learned think, that this forme of teaching is meant by Paul, in his patterne *Hupotúposi …eche gugia…ontôn logôn.or forme of holesome words▪ which he willeth Timothy to hauehave, 2. Tim. 1. 13. as also by forme *…n didac…es.of doctrine, Rom 6 17. and analogie of faith. And if we demaund a reason hereof, we may hauehave a Dependance, that we may referre all our reading and learning to certaine principall heads, and so inclose our studies in short epitomes. So likewise say the Rabbins, that it is as it were a hedge to the generall doctrine, least we be euer in an endlesse maze. So do the Fathers call it too. Clemens calleth it Crepis▪ a base or ground plot. Athanasius, Synopsis, the first draught of a picture. The second reason is the facilitie, because we may in shorter time, learne and comprehend them, and such were the Sermons of the Apostles, when they baptized so many hundreds in one day.
4 And heere we must take with vsus a double prouiso, that we shall remaine before God his iudgement seate without excuse, if that we seeke not the knowledge of God, being brought into so short a compendium, in such and so perspicuous a methode deliuered. Secondly, we must know, that our sinnes are not to make vsus carelesse or vnregarding of anyWe may not be secure after we sipped a litle knowledge in the Catechisme. Catechizing before the flood. more perfit instructiō, seeing this catechizing was instituted but for an easie entrance only, and not to perfit vsus in knowledge. 2. Pet. 3. 18. 1. Cor. 14. 20. Ephe. 4. 13. Heb. 5. 1…. 13. Catechizing is milke, more exact knowledge is strong meate. Catechizing is the foorde wherein a lambe may wade; more exact knowledge is the gulfe, wherein an Elephant may swimme. Both these are in the Scriptures, concerning which Christ hath said, Search the Scriptures. As for euidence in catechizing before the flood, Cain and Abels sacrificing is a signe, which seeing there was no word written, is iudged of their father to be taught them: and therefore they reason probably, that say, without this catechizing, the word of God could not hauehave continued. After the flood some say, they had the like exercise, which afterwards,Catechizing after the flood Sibils bookes as the learned thinke, was put in writing, and called the bookes of Sybille▪ which were nothing else but traditions. i. things by word of mouth deliuered and taught. In Abrahams time, Gen. 18 God saith, hee knoweth that Abraham will be carefull to teach his family, and for that cause will vouchsafe him extraordinary fauor. If it be demanded, what he taught, Gen. 17. 2. there is the summe of the lawe: Gen. 18▪ 18. there is also the abridgement of the Gospell? In thy seed shal all nations be blessed. The fruit of Abrahams catechizing, his sonne went out to pray, Gen. 24. 37. his seruant praieth before his busines, vers 12. and giueth thanks after, vers. 26 he refuseth to eate, till he had discharged himselfe of his maistersCatechizing …nder the lawe. message. In the time of the lawe, Deut. 6. 7. so soone as the lawe was giuen, the Lord commaunded them to teach their children. The practise of this we may see in Hanna, deliuering Samuel to Hesi his instructor, so soone as he was weaned, 1. Sam. 1. in Dauid, as Salomon testifieth of him, Pro 4. 4. Iehoida taught the young King Iehoash, 2. King. 12. 2. After the captiuitie, because there the Bible endeth, we must giuegive credit to other histories.
5 If we beleeue the Rabbins, there were neuer in Ierusalem from Christ to Antioch…, vnderunder400. Houses of catechising in Ierusalem. 400. houses of catechizing, what time also they made their decree, that their children at thirteene yeeres should be put to catechizing▪ And to this order among them may Paul seeme to hauehave relation, Rom. 2. 18. where hee affirmeth the Iewes are catechized in the lawe. Katechoúmenos ek tou nomon.Ephes 6 4▪ they are willed to bring them vp in instruction. Paul as some thinke, sometime bearing this office saith, 1. Cor … 14 that I may catechize. For catechized we hauehave, Luk. 14. Theophilus: Act. 18. 25 Apollos: 2 Tim 3. 15. Timothie. Marke catechizing at Alexandria with great profit was commended by Philo Iudaeus, as Eusebius maketh mentiō. After Clemens: Who catechized.next Origen▪ We hauehave also the catechisme of Cyril: Gregory Nis…n: the bookes of Augustine, of catechizing the ignorant: and foure bookes de symbolo ad catechumenos. Also Athanasius De catechizandis rudibus▪his Synopsis of sacred Scripture: and Fulgentius de Fide ad Petrum Diaconum. In the Fathers time it may be seene by the sixt canō of the councel holdē at Neocaesaria: By the sixe & seuen canons of the councel holden at Iberis in Spaine: 2 councel of Bra…caria, 1. Can. 4. Tolet. Can. 24. After that, is there no mention made, till the time of Luther. Touching the great good, that the frequenting of this exercise hath done, this may be added, that Aegesippus saith, that by the vertue of catechizing, there was neuer a kingdom, but receiuedNo kingdom if not but by catechizing receiued the Gospel within forty yeers after Christs passion. Coloss. 2. 23. alteration in their heathenish Religion within 40▪ yeers after Christ his passion. Iulian the Apostata, that was thought to be the wisest enemie that euer the Church had, when he went about to suppresse Religion, did not vse torments, but put downe schooles and all catechizing. Againe, when catechizing was put downe, ignorance began to grow. The Papists acknowledge, that all the ground we hauehave got of them, is by catechizing, as it appeareth by the Popes Bull, de motu propri…, before the catechisme of the councel of Trident, & it is thought, if euer they get ground of vsus again, it wil be by their more diligēt exacting of their catechizing. Now, why we may exact the catechisme again, these reasons may serue. Christ his reason to moue me to carefulnes in this: Thou shalt render an account, wheronReasons for Catechizing we ground this rule, that eueryevery one wil heare more attentiuely, that which he must repeat againe; then that whereof he must giuegive no account. Besides, we are all bound to giuegive an1 account of our faith, 1. Pet. 3. 15. And if we doe it before our catechist, we shal be able the2 better to doe it before a stranger. Thirdly, because Christ is become not onelyonly our Priest3 and King, but also our Prophet, and that all this is to this ende, that we also may become Prophets to him (our prophesie cōsisting in examining the doctrin we hauehave heard, 1 Ioh. 4. 1. in examining of our selues, 2. Cor. 13 5. in admonishing our brethrē, Rom. 13. 14.) it is expedient specially in such an exercise to witnesse the same. This also is to be exacted, in4 regard of our Pastor or Catechist, for that it is requisite the Minister should hauehave an assurance of his hearers profiting in particular. Forasmuch as then we see by the practise of the whole Church, that catechizing is a thing commanded by God, we must knowe, that whiles we shall be in this holy action, we are doing a thing well pleasing vntounto God.
6 Children must be taught precept by precept, line by line, sometime in the catechismeEsay 28. to informe them, sometime in histories to refresh them.
7 We must not alwaies measure a man by his present affection, but by his perseueringSee the first part. action, for many more profit in the ende which angerly receiue the doctrine, than they which receiue it cheerfully at the first.Note.
8 It is a foule sinne, and worthie of publike reprehension, publikely to reuerence the doctrine willingly, and priuately to gain say it, because it bewrayeth vsus rather of solemnitie than of good conscience to receiue it.
9 Many reiect doctrine presently, as though they made no account of it, who afterward will embrace it willingly, and after aduisement, and the working of Gods spirit receiue it thankfully.
10 Moses being well brought vp, could not be well drawne away, neither by Aegypt, nor when he went thence: which appeareth also in Ioseph, Daniel, and his brethren. ThisEducation ef children. ought to moue vsus to teach our children in word and action, and afterward they may hauehave Gods blessing vponupon that good beginning, the want whereof causeth many men to be punished in their children.
11 We must preuent hardnes of heart betimes in children, by godly and discreet correctionSee the Sermon of education, in the third part. & instruction. Children hauehave oftentimes the sinnes of their parents, and therefore when they chasten them, they should in wisedome first consider, if that it were not a sinne which they gaue them, as it were, which now they are about to correct, and finding it so, they should first be humbled in themselues, and so proceede to correction with prayer, in the feare of God, in wisedome, in louelove, and desire of their conuersion, and with that measure as correcting their owne sinnes after a sort in their children. For men begetting their children without regeneration, giuegive a naturall propagation of their sinnes, without some speciall blessing of God preuenting it; and none in regeneration begetteth any with such gifts of nature as they hauehave by grace.