The Catechizing of Families, Title page – Publishers advertisement
THE Catechizing OF FAMILIES: A TEACHER OF HOUSHOLDERS HOW To Teach their Housholds. Useful also to SCHOOL-MASTERS and Tutors of Youth.
For those that are past the common small Chatechisms, and would grow to a more rooted Faith, and to the fuller understanding of all that is commonly needful to a safe, holy, comfortable and profitable Life.
Written by RICHARD BAXTER, in hope that Family and School-diligence, may do much to keep up True Religion.
LONDON, Printed for T. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel, and B. Simmons at the Three Golden Cocks at the West end of St. Pauls, 1683.
The Reasons and Use of this BOOK.
MAN is born without Knowledge, but not without a Capacity and faculty of Knowing, this is his Excellency and Essence: Nature, Experience, and Gods Word tell us the great necessity of Knowledge. As the Souls essential form is the virtue of vital Action, Understanding and Will conjunct, so Holiness is Holy Life, Light and Love conjunct. The wisest men are the best, and the best the wisest, but a Counterfeit of Knowledge is the great deceiver of the World. Millions take the Knowledge of bare Words, with the Gramatical and Logical sence, instead of the Knowledge of the things themselves which by these are signified; as if the Glass would nourish without the Wine, or the Dish without the Meat, or the Cloathing or Skin were all the man; God and Holiness and Heaven are better known by many serious unlearned Christians that cannot accurately dispute about them, than by many Learned men, who can excellently speak of that which their Souls are unacquainted with: The Hipocrites Religion is but an Art, the true Christians is a Habit, which is a Divine Nature.
But yet the Words are signs, by which we are helpt to know the things, and must diligently be learned to that end; and though men cannot reach the Heart, God hath appointed Parents and Masters, and Teachers to Instruct their Inferiours by words, and hath written the Scripture to that use, that by them his Spirit may teach or illuminate the Mind, and renew the Heart: God worketh on man as man, and we must know by Signs, till we know by intuition.
It is a thing well known, that the Church aboundeth with Catechisms, and Systemes of Divinity, and doth there yet need more? their scope and Substance is the same; they differ most, 1. In Choice of matter, that there be nothing left out that is needful, nor needless uncertainties and disputes put in. 2. That the Method or Order of them be True, agreeable to the matter and Sacred Scripture. 3. And that they be not blotted with any drops of disgraceful Errour. These are the requisites to desirable Catechisms.
No doubt but they should be sorted into three degrees, suited to the Childhood, Youth and maturer Age of Christians. I. The Essentials of Christianity are all contained generally in Baptism; this must be understood, and therefore expounded; the Creed, Lords Prayer, and Decalogue, the Summaries of things to to be Beleived, Desired, (in Hope) and Practised, were from the beginning taken for a good Exposition to those that were to be Baptized: These three as Expounding Baptism, are themselves a good Catechism, the understanding of the Lords Supper being added for Communicants. II. But here also Children will be childish, and learn the words while they are mindless of the sence; therefore an Explication of these in other words, hath ever been thought a great part of the work of a Teaching Ministry; whence the Ancients have left us their Expositions of the Creed, &c.
But here the difficulty is made insuperable by the Learners indisposition; if such a Catechism be short, and much put in few words, the vulgar cannot understand it; if it be long and in many words, they cannot learn and remember it. III. For Remedy of this, a Larger Catechism yet is needful; not to be learnt without Book, but to be a full Exposition of the Shorter which they learn; that they may have recourse to this for a more full and particular understanding of a Shorter, whose general words they can remember.
Accordingly having in my Poor Mans Family Book, written two Catechisms of the former rank, I here adde the third, for those that have learned the two first: Far am I from thinking that I have done any one of these to perfection; I never yet saw a Catechism without some notable imperfection: And no doubt mine are not free from such. But while I avoid what I see amiss in others, I hope God will illuminate some to do yet beter, and to avoid what is amiss in mine. The degree which yet pretendeth to greater accurateness in Method, I have given in a Latine Methodus Theologiae.
The Uses for which I have written this, are these. I. For Masters of Families, who should endeavour to raise their Children and Servants to a good degree of Knowledge: I have divided it into short Chapters, that on the Lords dayes, or at nights when they have leisure, the Master may read to them one Chapter at a time, that is, the Exposition of one Article of the Creed, one Petition of the Lords Prayer, and one Commandement Expounded.
II. For School-masters to cause their riper rank of Scholars to learn: I am past doubt that it is a heinous Crime in the School-masters of England, that they devote but one hour or two in a week to the learning of the Catechism, while all the rest of the week is devoted to the learning of Lilly, Ovid, Virgil, Horace, Cicero, Livy, Terence, and such like; besides the loss and sinful omission, it seduceth Youth to think that common Knowledge (which is only Subsidiary and Ornamental) is more excellent or necessary than to know God, Christ, the Gospel, Duty, and Salvation; besides which, all Knowledge (further than it helpeth or serveth this) is but fooling and doting, and as dangerous diversion and perversion of the mind, as grosser sensual delights. He is not worthy the name of a Christian School-master, who maketh it not his chief work to teach his Scholars the Knowledge of Christ, and Life Everlasting.
III. But if they goe from the Countrey Schools before they are capable of the Larger Catechisms, (as to their great loss most make too much hast away,) why may not their next Tutors make it their chief work to train up their Pupils as the Disciples of Iesus? (and yet not neglect either Aristotle, or any natural light;) To our present Universities I am not so vain as to offer such Instructions, (though to some small part of them I directed my Methodus Theologiae;) I learnt not of them, and I presume not to make my self their Teacher: Their late GUIDES, their WORLDLY-INTEREST, and their GENIUS, have made my Writings odious to many, even that which they like they will not read. But I have oft with Lamentation wondered why Godly Ministers do no more of the work now appropriated to Universities, for their own Sons? Those men whose Church zeal would ruine Non-conformists if they Teach many, either Boyes or Men, have no Law against Parents teaching their own Children.
1. Are you fit for the Ministry your selves? If so, cannot you teach others what you know? if you are defective in some useful Knowledge, let them elsewhere learn that afterwards.
2. Is there any so greatly obliged to take care of them as your selves? will you be like those Parents who set God-fathers at the Font, to Vow and Promise to do the Parents part? and how do such Undertakers use to perform it? Or will you be like the Women of this unnatural Age, who get Children, and (not through disability, but Wealth, Pride, and Coyness) disdain to Nurse them, but cast that on hired Women, as obliged more by Money, than themselves by Nature, to all that Care.
3. Cannot you do more at least to ground them well in Religion, before you send them from you for other Learning? or are you of the mind, that to cant over the Catechism is Divinity enough, before they have read Aristotle, or Studied the Sciences? and that they must be Proficients in Logick and Philosophy, before they make sure of their Salvation, and must read Smiglecius, Ariago, Zaba…el, Suarez, or be fooled by Cartesians, Gassendus or Hobbs, before they will Study the Gospel and Cross of Iesus Christ?
I am no undervaluer of any Academical advantages: when the Stream of Academies runs pure and holy, they are blessed helps to mens Salvation; when their Stream is SENSUAL, WORLDLY, CORRUPT and MALIGNANT, they are Seminaries for Hell, and the Devils Schools to train up his most powerful Souldiers, to fight against serious Godliness in Christs own Livery and Name, and to send Youth thither, is worse than to send them to a Brothel-House, or a Pest-house.
4. Are there not fewer Temptations in your own Houses, than they are like to find abroad in the World? you can keep them from the company of sensual voluptuous Lads, and of Learned Reverend Enemies of serious Christianity, and of worldly men whose Godliness is gain, and would draw them ambitiously to Study Preferment, and espouse them to the World, which in Baptism they renounced; if you cannot keep them from such Snares, how shall they be kept where such abound?
5. And one of the greatest motives of all, for your keeping them long enough at home, is, that you will thereby have time to judge whether they are like to become fit for the Ministry or not: Oh, how many good men send Plagues into the Church, by devoting unproved Lads to the Ministry, hoping that God will hereafter give them Grace, and make them fit, who never promised it? When you send them at fifteen or sixteen years of Age to the University, from under your own eye, you are unlikely to know what they will prove, unless it be some few that are very early sanctified by Grace; and when they have been a few years at the University, be they never so unmeet, they will thrust themselves into the Ministry, and (miserable men) for a Benefice take the charge of Souls; whereas if you will keep them with you till twenty years of Age, you may see what they are like to prove, and dispose of them accordingly.
If you say, They will lose the advantage of their Degrees, it's an Objection▪ unfit for a Christians mouth; will you prefer Names, and aiery Titles before Wisdom, Piety, and mens Salvation and the Churches good? must they go out of their way for a Peacocks feather, when they are in a Race as for Life or Death?
If you say, They will lose their time at home, the shame then is yours, or they are like to lose it more abroad; Teach them to read the Scriptures (at least the Gospel) in the Original Tongues, and to understand and practise things necessary to Salvation, which all Arts and Sciences must subserve, and they do not lose their time; and at ripeness of Age they will get more other Learning in a year, than before they will do in many; and what they learn will be their own, when Boyes learn words without the sence.
If you say, They will want the Advantage of Academical Disputes; I Answer, if Reading fill them with matter, nature and common use will teach them how to utter it: the World hath too many Disputers; Books may soon teach them the true order of Disputing, and a few dayes experience may shew the rest.
If you say, You have not time to Teach them; I answer, you have no greater work to do, and a little time will▪ serve with willing teachable Youth, and no other are to be intended for the Ministry; what Boyes get by hearing their Tutors, they oft bestow small labour to digest, but take up with bare words and second notions: but when they are set to get it from their Books themselves, harder Study better digesteth it; it is they that must bestow much time, the Teacher need not bestow very much: Countrey Schools may teach them Latine, Greek and Hebrew, let them stay there till they attain it; you may then teach them the common rudiments of Logick, and see them well settled in Divinity and serious Religion, and then if Academies prove safe and needfull, they will go out better fortified against all the Temptations which they must expect.
It is certain, that Inconveniencies are not so bad as Mischiefs, and it's certain that all our Natures as Corrupt, are Dark, Carnal and Malignant, and need the sanctifying Grace of Christ: and its certain, that as Grace useth all things to its increase, so this serpentine nature will turn Studyes, Learning and all such things to serve it self; and that Carnal, Sensual, Malignant Nature cultivated by humane Learning, is too usually ripened and sublimated into Diabolism, and maketh the most potent Servants of the Devil against Christ: And if this be but guilded with sacred Ornaments and Titles, and pretences of the Churches Peace and Order, it is Garisoned and fortified, and a stronger hold for sin and Satan than open Vice: And it is certain that as the Rage of Drunkards is raised in their riotous Meetings, and as Conjunction, Example and Noise put more Valour into Armies than seperated Persons have, so combined Societies of Learned Reverenced Malignity do Confirm the Individuals, and raise them to the height of Wiekedness: So that Universities are either, if holy, a Copy of Paradise, or if malignant, the chief Militia of the malicious Enemy of man, except a malignant Hierarchy or Clergy, who are malignant Academies grown up to maturity.
If any say, that there is no great and solid Learning to be got elsewhere, let them think where great Augustine, and most of the great Lights of the Church for four hundred years attained their Knowledge; and whether the Scaligers, Salmasius, Grotius, Selden, and such others, got not more by laborious secret Reading, than by Academical Tutors and Disputes; and whether such famous men as John Reignolds, Blondel, &c. even in the Universities, got not their great Learning by searching the same Books which may be read in another place. If any say, that I speak against that which I want my self, I only desire that it may not be those who cast by my Catholick Theologie, Methodus Theologiae, &c. with no other Accusation, but because they are too Scholastical, Accurate and hard for them.
I here bewail it as my great sin against God, that in the Youth of my Ministry, Pride made me often blush with shame for want of Academical Degrees; but usually God will not have us bring our own humane honour to his Service, but setch honour from him, in faithful serving him: Fringes and Laces must be last set on, when the Garment is made, and not be the ground or Stamen of it. There have been men that have desired their Sons to learn all the Oriental Tongues, and the rare Antiquities and critical applaud…d sort of Learning, not for its own worth, but that they might Preach the Gospel with the advantage of a greater name and honour: And this course hath so taken up and formed such Students into the quality of their Studies, when their Souls should have been taken up with Faith and Love, and Heavenly Desires and Hopes, that it hath overthrown the end to which it was intended, and rendred such Students unfit for the Sacred Ministry, and caused them to turn to other things: When others, who (as Usher, Bochart, Blondel, &c.) have first taken in a digested Body of saving Truth, have after added these Critical Studies at full maturity, have become rare Blessings to the Church.
Let those that think all this digressive, or unmeet for the Preface to a Catechism, Pardon that which the Worlds Miscarriages and Necessities bespeak.
If at least Masters of Families, by such helps diligently used, will keep up Knowledge and Religion in their Houses, it is not publick failings in Ministers, nor the want of what is desirable in the Assemblies, that will root out Religion from the Land: But if the faithful prove few, they must be content with their Personal Comforts and Rewards; there is nothing amiss in the heavenly Society, and the World which we are entering into: Come Lord Iesus, Come quickly. Amen.
Lond. Octob. 3. 1682.
The CONTENTS.
Chap. 1. THE Introduction; About Catechizing and Learning, pag. 1
Chap. 2. How to know our selves by Nature, p. 6
Chap. 3. Of the natural Knowledge of God and Heaven, p. 9
Chap. 4. Of Gods Kingdom and Government of Man, and Providence, p. 13
Chap. 5. Of Gods Law of Nature, and Natural Officers. p. 19
Chap. 6. Of supernatural Revelation of Gods Will to Man, and of the Holy Scriptures, p. 27
Chap. 7. Of the Christian Religion, what it is, and of the Creed, p. 27
Chap. 8. Of Believing, what it signifieth in the Creed, p. 70
Chap. 9. Of the first Article, I Believe in God the Father almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth, p. 82
Chap. 10. Of Gods Almightiness and Creation, p. 88
Chap. 11. Of the Person of Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, p. 92
Chap. 12. How Christ was Conceived by the Holy Ghost, and Born of the Virgin Mary, 97
Chap. 13. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was Crucified, Dead and Buried, he descended into Hell, p. 101
Chap. 14. The third day he rose again from the Dead, p. 109
Chap. 15. He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father, &c. p. 113
Chap. 16. From thence he shall come to Judge the Quick and the Dead, p. 116
Chap. 17. I Believe in the Holy Ghost, p. 123
Chap. 18. The holy Catholick Church, p. 130
Chap. 19. The Communion of Saints, p. 136
Chap. 20. The Forgiveness of Sins, p. 144
Chap. 21. The Resurrection of the Body, p. 154
Chap. 22. The Life everlasting. p. 165
Chap. 23. What is the true Use of the Lords Prayer, p. 173
Chap. 24. Our Father which art in Heaven, Expounded. p. 177
Chap. 25. Hallowed be thy Name. p. 182
Chap. 26. Thy Kingdom come, p. 198
Chap. 27. Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, p. 209
Chap. 28. Give us this day our daily Bread, p. 213
Chap. 29. Forgive us our Trespasses, as we forgive, &c. p. 219
Chap. 30. Lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from evil. p. 224
Chap. 31. For thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory for ever, Amen. p. 227
Chap. 32. Of the Ten Commmandments in general, p. 229
Chap. 33. Of the Preface to the Decalogue, p. 233
Chap. 34. Of the first Commandement, p. 239
Chap. 35. Of the second Commandement, p. 251
Chap. 36. Of the third Commandement, p. 262
Chap. 37. Of the fourth Commandement, p. 273
Chap. 38. Of the fifth Commandement, p. 290
Chap. 39. Of the sixth Commandement, p. 314
Chap. 40. Of the seventh Commandement, p. 324
Chap. 41. Of the eighth Commandement, p. 337
Chap. 42. Of the ninth Commandement, p. 353
Chap. 43. Of the tenth Commandement, p. 365
Chap. 44. Of the Sacred Ministry, Church and Worship, p. 380
Chap. 45. Of Baptism, p. 392
Chap. 46. Of the Sacrament of Christs sacrificed Body and Blood, p. 412
Chap. 47. How to prepare for a safe and Comfortable Death. p. 432
Amend these misprintings with your Pens.
PAge 31. line 21. for [the] read [that] p. 58. l. 24. r. [maketh] p. 95. l. 21. for [least] r. [last] p. 99. l. 6. for [light] r. [sight] p. 166. l. 3. blot out [with Henoch] p. 200. l. 10. for [were] r. [where] p. 202. l. 8. r. [every] p. 208. l. 6. blot out [for] p. 374. l. 31. for [any] r. [my.]
In some places the same things are repeated, the occasions being divers, and the Author having not strength and time to correct the Copy.
Books of Mr. Baxter's sold by T. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside, near Mercers-Chappel.
1. CHristian Directory, or Body of Practical Divinity.
2. Catholick Theologie, in three Parts: 1. Pacifying Principles: 2. Pacifying Practices: 3. Pacifying Disputations. fol.
3. Life of Faith, in three parts: 1. Sermon on Heb. 11. Preached before his Majesty, publisht by his Command. 2. Instructions for Confirming Believers in the Christian Faith. 3. Directions to live by Faith. Quarto.
4. Disputations of Original Sin. Octav.
5. An Apology for the Nonconformists Ministry. Quarto.
6. Which is the True Church: A Defence of Protestantism against Popery.
7. An Answer to Mr. Dodwell, confuting an Universal Church-Supremacy; and defending Dr. Isaac Barrow against it.
8. True History of Councels Inlarged and Defended, against a Pretended Vindicator of the Primitive Church: To which is added, Diocesan Churches not yet Discovered in the Primitive times, or, A Defence of the Answer to Dr. Stillingfleets Allegations out of Antiquity for such Churches.
THE CATECHIZING OF FAMILIES: OR, A TEACHER of HOUSHOLDERS How to Teach their Housholds. Useful also to School-Masters and Tutors of Youth.
The Questions are the Learners and the Answers the Teachers.