Beams of Former Light, Title page – Errata
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 onelyonly, 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. 2.6which 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 37yet 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 heavy penalties, every ſuch practice and obſervance as poſſibly they may conceive to bee pious and uſeful for the better or more ſolemn performance of the ſervice and worſhip of God. That Synod in the year, 1640. which was rigid and impoſing enough, exerciſeth a remarkable moderation in their ſeventh Canon. A practice they endeavour there, to bring into the Church; which they profeſs to be pious in it ſelf, profitable unto us, and edifying unto others, yet notwithſtanding enjoyn it not, much leſs under any penalty; but, think it very meet and behoveful, and heartily commend it to all good and well-affected people, members of this Church, it being an ancient and laudable cuſtome. And with this imitable moderation and tenderneſs conclude the Canon in theſe words. And in the practice or omiſſion of this right, wee deſire that the Rule of Charity preſcribed by the Apoſtle, may bee obſerved, which is, That they which uſe this Rite, deſpiſe not them that uſe it not, and they that uſe it not, condemn not them that uſe it.
Such a Chriſtian charity and tenderneſs in Magiſtrates and Synods in reſpect to Rites and Obſervances, or matters of like nature, not evidently neceſſary, to the worſhip and ſervice of God: is all this little Treatiſe humbly pleads for.
And truly it may ſeem very reaſonable, conſidering how plain and punctual the Scripture is in the practical Reſolution of ſuch Caſes, in Romans 14. and in 1 Corinthians 8, &c. And with what woful diſtractions and diſturbances the Lord hath chaſtized us, for want of a more ſtrict obſervance thereof. And doubtleſs all matters of the ſame nature in the worſhip and ſervice of God, may ſafely bee ordered by the ſame Scriptures, & the Rule in this and the like caſes, is ſo perfect, plain and full, as wee may ſay of it, as Chriſt of his direction about Aſſeverations, Mat. 5.37. Let your communication bee yea, yea, nay, nay; for whatſoever is more than theſe cometh of evil; And therefore if ſuch become more ſevere than the Lord hath required, it will be their evil, our miſery only Our Church-Governours queſtionleſs might have brought in one Rite or Ceremony, with the ſame liberty to mens conſciences, that they have done another. The Croſſe and Surplice, &c. with the ſame liberty, as bowing to the Eaſt, or Altar. Other officiatings, with no more ſtrictneſs of ſtinted words,The Prieſt ſhall ſay theſe words, or ſuch like. Rub. for Churching. than the Churching of Women, &c. they might with ſecurity have ſo done, in reſpect of any thing that the Lord requireth more of them, which if they had obſerved from the beginning of Reformation, how had the Lord this day been worſhiped by us in the beauty of holineſſe throughout the Nation!
Pſal. 2.10, 11, 12.
Bee wiſe now therefore, O yee Kings; bee inſtructed, yee Judges of the Earth.
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling.
Kiſſe the Son, leſt hee bee angry, and yee periſh from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little, Bleſſed are all they that put their trust in him.
ERRATA.
PAge 17. line 7. read impoſitions, l. 23. r. quacunque, p. 34. l. 17. r. methodical, p. 39. l. 17. r. ſay, p. 58. l. 12. r. indicantur, p. 80. l. 19. r. learner, p. 95. l. 24. r. Canons of 1571, p. 98. l. 13. r. liberty, p. 110. l. 12. r. have, p. 102. l. 1. r. Book, p. 108. l. 10. r. liturgy. p. 117. l. 4. r. having ſome other, l. 12. r. of his duty, p. 118. l. 17. r. whom, p. 121. l. 18. r. rigid, p. 122. l. …. r. Pretour, p. 133. l. 20. r. yet would, p. 142. l. 23. r. Armach, p. 148. l. 19. r. unto. It, p. 152. l: 6. r. fear for this, p. 154. l. 20. r. appear) p. 158. l. 12. r. left their.