་ BE After the Gufpel is read, the Minifter shall make this brief Exhortation upon the Words of the Golpel. ELOVED, ye hear in this Gofpel the words of our Saviour Chrift, that he commanded the children to be brought unto him; how he blamed thofe that would have kept them from him; how he exhorted all men to follow their innocency. Ye perceive how by his outward gefture and deed he declared his good will toward them; for he embraced them in his arms, he laid his hands upon them, and bleffed them. Doubt ye not therefore, but earnestly believe, that he hath likewife favourably received this prefent Infant; that he hath embraced him with the arms of his mercy, and (as he hath promifed in his holy word) will give unto him the bleffing of eternal life, and make him partaker of his everlasting kingdom. Wherefore we being thus perfuaded of the good will of our heavenly Father, declared by his Son Jefus Chrift towards this Infant; let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks unto him, and fay the Prayer, which the Lord himself hath taught us: UR Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trefpaffes, as we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from evil. Amen. O° LMIGHTY and everlafting God, heavenly Father, we give thee humble thanks, that thou haft vouchA fafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace, and faith in thee: Increafe this knowledge, and con fm this faith in us evermore. Give thy holy Spirit to this Infant, that he being born again, and being made an heir of everlasting falvation, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, may continue thy fervant, and attain thy promise; through the fame our Lord Jefus Chrift, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, row and for ever. Amen. Then all the Prieft demand the Name of the Child, which being by the Godfathers and Godmothers pronounced, the Minifter fall say, D OST thou in the Name of this Child renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of this world, with all covetous defires of the fame, and the carnal defires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow, nor be led by them ? An). I renounce them all. Minifter. OST theu believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth? Din Jelis Chrift his only begotten Son our Lord? And that he was conceived by the Holy Ghoft; born of the Virgin Mary; that he fuffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; that he went down into hell, and alfo did rife again the third day; that he afcended into heaven, and fitteth at theright hand of God the Father Almighty; and from thence fhall come again at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead? And doft thou believe in the Holy Ghoft; the Holy Catholick Churc the Communion of Saints, the Re miflion of fins; the Refurrection of the flesh; and everlasting lite after death? Anf. All this I fledfaftly believe. WILT life? Minifler. 7ILT thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the fame all the days SEE Then hall the Prieft fay, into the congregation of Chrift's flock, and do fign him with the fign of the Crofs, in token that hereafter he fhall not be ashamed to confefs the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under Chrift's banner, against fin, the world, and the Devil; and to continue Chrifts faithful foldier and fervant unto Then the Prieft fall fay, EEING now, dearly beloved brethren, that this Child is by Baptifm regenerate, and grafted into the body of Chrifts Church, let us give thanks unto Almighty God for thefe benefits, and with one accord make Our prayers unto him, that he may lead the reft of his life according to this beginning. Then the Prieft fhall fay, fant with thy holy Spirit, to receive him for thine own Child by adoption and to incorporate him into thy holy Church. And humbly we beseech thee to grant, that he being dead unto fin, and living unto righteousness, and being buried with Chrift in his death, may crucify the old man, and utterly abolish the whole body of fin; and that as he is made partaker of the death of thy Son, he may also be partaker of his refurrection; fo that finally with the refidue of thy Holy Church, he may be an inheritor of thine everlasting Kingdom, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen. F Then all landing up, the Minister fhall make this exhortation to the Godfathers and God fathers: ས infant be taught, fo foon as he fhall be able to learn, what a folemn vow, promife, and profeffion he hath here made by you. And that he may know thefe things the better, ye fhall call upon him to hear Sermons, and chiefly ye fhall provide that he may learn the Creea the Lord's Prayer, and Ten Commandments in the vulgat tongue, and all other things which a Chriftian ought to know and believe to his foul's health; and that this Child may be virtuously brought up to lead a godly and a Chriftian life; remembering always that Baptifm doth reprefent unto us our profeffion; which is to follow the example of our Saviour Chrifl, and be made like unto him; that as he died, and rofe again for us; fo fhould we, who are baptized, die from fin, and rife again unto righteoufnefs, continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godlineís of living. But if they which bring the Infant to the Church do make fuch uncertain Answers to the Priefs Quellions, as that it cannot appear that the child was baptized with Water, In the name of the Father, and' of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (which are effential parts of Baptifm) then let the Prieft baptize it in the Form before appointed for Publick Baptifm of Infants; faving that at the dipping of the Child in the Font, be shall ufe this Form of words: F thou art not already baptized, N. I baptize thee, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the I3 thou art not already *** The Miniftration of Baptifm of fuch as are of Riper Years, varies very little from Public Baptifm of Infants, only faying instead of this Infant, this Perfon; and the Gospel is taken out of the third Chapter of Saint John, beginning at the first Verje, to Verfe the ninth, after which an Exhortation followeth. f A CATECHISM; that is to fay, An Inftruction to be learned of every Perfon, before he be brought to be confirmed by the Bishop. Question. WHA Anfw. N. or M. Queft. Who gave you this Name? Anfw. My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism, wherein I was made a member of Chrift, the Child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of Heaven. Queft. What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you ? Anfw. They did promife and vow three things in my Name: First, that I fhould renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanity of this wicked world, and all the finful lufts of the flesh. Secondly, that I fhould believe all the Articles of the Chriftian Faith. And thirdly, that I should keep Gods holy will and commandments, and walk in the fame all the days of my life. Queft. Doft thou not think that thou art bound to believe and do as they have promifed for thee? Anfw. Yes verily; and by Gods help fo I will. And I heartily thank our heavenly Father, that he hath called me to this ftate of falvation through Jefus Christ our Saviour. And I pray unto God to give me his grace, that I may continue in the fame unto my lites end. Catechift. Rehearse the Articles of thy belief. Answer. Believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth: And in Jefus Chrift his only Son our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary; fuffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, de id, and buried; He defcended into Hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; He afcended into Heaven, and fitteth on the right hand of God the Fa ther Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghoft; The holy Catholick Church; The Communion of Saints; The forgiveness of fins; The refurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen. Queft. What doft, thou chiefly learn in thefe Articles of thy Belief? Anfw. Fift, I learn to believe in God the Father, who hath made me, and all the world. Secondly, in God the Son, who hath redeemed me and all mankind. Thirdly, in God the Holy Ghoft, who fanétifieth me, and all the elect people of God Queft. You faid that your Godfathers and Godmothers did promise for you, that you should keep Gods Com. mandments. Tell me how many there be ? Anfw. Ten. Quest. Which be they? Aniwer. HE fame which God fpake in the twentieth Chapter of Exodus faying, I am the Lord thy God, swer. T who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. This excellent Summary of the Faith and Duties of a Chriftian, ftand properly after Baptifm: fignifying hereby that the Child fhould be taught early what things were en gaged for him at his Baptifin which are contained here. Yet no one ought to look upon this merely as a Task for a Child, and unworthy the Notice of fuch as are of Riper Years. For would all Perfons of full Age ftill preferve it in Memory, and ferioutly and frequently confider it: it may be prefumed that Ignorance in Matters of Religion would not fo generally prevail, I. Thou shalt have none other Gods but me. II. Thou shalt not make to thyfelf any graven image, nor the liknefs of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. Thou fhalt not bow down to them, nor worship them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, and visit the fins of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me ; and fhew mercy unto thoufands in them that love me, and keep my commandments. II Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. IV. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day. Six days fhalt thou labour and do all that thou haft to do; but the feventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt do no manner of work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, thy man fervant, and thy maid-servant, thy cattle, and the stranger that is with. in thy gates. For in fix days the Lord made heaven and earth, the fea, and all that in them is, and refted the feventh day; wherefore the Lord bleffed the feventh day and hallowed it. V. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which theLord thy God giveth thee. VI. Thou shalt do no murder. VII VIII. Thou fhalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal IX. Thou shalt not bear falfe witness against thy neighbour. X. Thou shall not covet thy neighbours houfe, thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife, nor his fervant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his afs, nor any thing that is his Quest. What doft thou chiefly learn by thefe commandments? Anfw. I learn two things: My duty towards God, and my duty towards my neighbour. Que ft. What is thy duty towards God? Antw. My Duty towards God, is to believe in him, to fear him, and to love him with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my foul, and with all my ftrength; to worship him, to give him thanks, to put my whole trut in him, to call upon him, to honour his holy Name and his word; and to ferve him truly all the days of my life. Quest. What is thy duty towards thy neighbour? nafters Antw. My duty towards my neighbour is to love him as myself, and to do to all men, as I would they should do unto me. To love, honour, and fuccour my father and mother. To honour and obey the king, and all that are put in authority under him. To fubmit my felf to all my governors, teachers, fpiritual paftors and To order myfelf lowly and reverently to all my betters. To hurt no body by word or deed. To be true and just in all my dealing. To bear no malice or hatred in my heart. To keep my hands from picking and flealing, and my tongue from evil fpeaking, lying and flandering. To keep my body in temperance, foberness, and chastity. Not to covet or defire other mens goods; but to learn and labour truly to get my own living, and to do my duty in that ftate of life unto which it fhall pleafe God to call me. Chatechiit. My good child know this, that thou art not able to do these things of thyfelf, nor to walk in the commandments of God, and to ferve him without his fpecial grace, which thou must learn at all times to call for by diligent prayer. Let me hear therefore if thou canft fay the Lords Prayer. Anfwer. O UR Father, which art in heaven; hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trefpaffes, as we forgive them that trefpafs againft us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. Amen. Quest. What defireft thou of God in this Prayer? Anfw. I defire my Lord God our heavenly Father, who is the giver of all goodness, to fend his grace unto me, and to all people, that we may worship him, ferve him, and obey him as we ought to do. And I pray unto God, that he will fend us all things that be needful both for our fouls and bodies; and that he will be merciful unto us, and forgive us our fins; and that it will please him to fave and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily; and that he will keep us from all fin and wickedness, and from our ghoftly enemy, and from everlasting death. And this I truft he will do of his mercy and goodness, through our Lord Jefus Chrift: and therefore I fay, Amen So be it. TOW many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church? Queftion. How. So only, as generally neceffary to falvation; that is to fay, Baptism, and the Sup per of the Lord. Quest. What meaneft thou by this word Sacrament? Anfw. I mean an outward and vifible fign of an inward and spiritual grace, given unto us, ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive the fame, and a pledge to affure us thereof. Queft. How many parts are there in a Sacrament? Anfw. Two: the outwa d (vifible fign, and the inward spiritual grace. Queft. What is the outward vifible fign or form in Baptifm Answ. Water: wherein the perfon is baptized, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghosts Queft. What is the inward and fpiritual grace? Antw. A death unto fin, and a new birth unto righteoufnefs: for being by nature born in fin, and the chil dren of wrath, we are hereby made the children of grace. Quelt. What is required of perfons to be baptized? Anfw. Repentance, whereby they forfake fin; and faith, whereby they fted fafly believe the promises of God made to them in that Sacrament. Queft. Why then are Infants baptized, when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them? Anfw. Because they promife them both by their fureties: which promife, when they come to age, them felves are bound to perform. Queit. Why was the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ordained ? Anfw. For the continual remembrance of the facrifice of the death of Chrift, and of the benefits which we receive thereby. Quelt. What is the outward part or fign of the Lords Supper?" Anfw Bread and Wine, which the Lord hath commanded to be received. Queft. What is the inward part, or thing fignified ? Anfw. The Body and Blood of Chrift, which are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lords Supper. Queft. What are the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby ? Aufw. The ftrengthening and refreshing of our fouls by the Body and Blood of Chrift, as our bodies are by the Bread and Wine. Quelt. What is required of them who come to the Lords Supper? Antw. To examine themfelves, whether they repent them tru'y of their former fins, ftedfaßtly purpofing to lead a new life; have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ, with a thankful remembrance of his death; and be in charity with all men. The Curate of every Parish fhall diligently upon Sundays and Holy-days after the fecond Leffon at Evening Proger, openly in the church infruct and examine fo many children of his Parish sent unto him, as he shall think convenis ent in fome part of this catechifm. And all Fathers, Mothers, Mafters, and Dames, fhall caufe their Children. Servants, and Apprentices (which have not learned their catechifm) to come to the church at the time appointed, and obediently to hear, and be ordered by the Curate, until fuch time as they have learned all that is bere appointed for them to learn. So foon as children are come to a competant Age, and can jay in their Mother Tongue, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments; and also can answer to the other Questions of this fort Catechifm; they all be brought to the Bhop. And every one shall have a Godfather or a Godmother, as a Winefs of their Confirmation. And whenjoever the Bishop shall give knowledge for Children to be brought unto him for their Confirmation, the Curate of every Parish hall either bring, or fend in writing, with his hand subscribed thereto, the Names of all juch per◄ ·Jons within his Parish as he shall think fit to be prefented to the Bishop to be confirmed. And if the Bishop approve of them, be fhall confirm them in the manner following. *The ORDER of CONFIRMATION, Or Laying on of Hands upon thofe that are Baptized, and come to Years of Difcretion: Upon the Day appointed, all that are to be then confirmed, being placed, and standing in order before the Bishop, be (or Jome other Minifier appointed by him) hall read this Preface following, T% O the end that Confirmation may be miniftred to the more edifying of fuch as fhall receive it, the Church hath thought good to order, That none hereafter shall be Confirmed, but fuch as can fay the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments; and can also answer to fuch other Queftions, as in the short Catechism are contained; which order is very convenient to be observed; to the end that children being now come to the years of difcretion, and having learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promifed for them in Baptifm, they may themselves, with their own mouth and confent, openly before the Church, ratify and con firm the fame; and alfo promife that by the grace of God they will evermore endeavour themselves, faithfully to observe such things, as they, by their own confeffion, have affented unto. *The plain Meaning and Defign of this Office feems to be that fuch as have been baptized in their Infancy may hereby Personally and publickly take upon themselves thofe Promises which were made for them by their Sureties at their Baptifin. And where Perfons are duly prepared for this Then fhall the Bishop fay, O ye here in the prefence of God, and of this congregation, renew the folemn promife and vow that was made in your name at your Baptifm; ratifying and confirming the fame in your own persons, and acknowledging yourselves bound to believe, and to do all those things which your Godfathers and Godmo thers then undertook for you? (1591_ And every one fhall audibly answer, I do. The Bishop Anfier. Who hath made heaven and earth. Bishop. Bleffed be the name of the Lord.. Anfwer. Bishop. Lord, hear our prayers. Anfwer. And let our cry come unto thee. A Bishop. Let us pray. LMIGHTY and everliving God, who haft vouchsafed to regenerate thefe thy fervants by water and the holy Ghost, and haft given unto them forgiver efs of all their fins; ftrengthen them, we beseech thee, O Lord, with the holy Ghoft the Comforter, and daily increase in them thy manifold gifts of grace; the spirit of wisdom and understanding; the spirit of council and ghostly strength; the fpirit of knowledge and true godli. nefs; and fill them, O Lord, with the fpirit of thy holy fear, now and for ever. Amen. Then all of them in order, kneeling before the Bishop, be hall lay his hand upon the head of every one feverally, jaying, EFEND, O Lord, this thy child, [or this thy fervant] with thy heavenly grace, that he may continue thine for ever; and daily encreafe in thy holy fpirit more and more, until he come to thy everlasting kingdom. Then fall the Bishop Jay The Lord be with you. D Antw. And with thy fpirit And (all kneeling down) the Bishop fhall add, Let us pray. UR Fa her, which art in heaven; Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in OUR Faber, art in Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trefpalles as we forgive them that trefpafs againft us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen, And this Collect. and to accepta able unto thy divine Majefty; We make our humble fupplications unto thee for thefe thy fervants, upon whom (after the example of thy holy apoftles) we have now laid our hands, to certify them (by this fign) of thy favour and gracious goodness towards them. Let thy fatherly hand, we beseech thee, ever be over them; let thy Holy Spirit ever be with them; and fo lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy word, that in the end they may obtain everlafting life, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, who with thee and the holy Ghoft liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 6 " Almighty Lord, and everlasting God, youchlafe, we beseech thee, to direct, fanctify, and govern both our hearts and bodies in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments; that through thy moft mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preferved in body and foul, through our Lord and Saviour Jelus Chrift. Amen. Then the Bishop fall bless them, faying thus, HE bleffing of God Almighty, the Father, the coa, and the Holy Ghoft, be upon you, and remain with you for ever. Amen. ΤΗ And there fhall none be admitted to the boly Communion, until such time as he be confirmed, or be ready and defirous to be confirmed. *The Form of Solemnization of Matrimony. For r the Banns of all that are to be married together, mufl be published in the Church three feveral Sundays or Holy-days, in the time of divine fervice, immediately before the Sentences for the Offertory, the Curate" Jaying after the accustomed manner." The reafonableness of this Inftitution appears in fome upon an unlimited Commerce betwixt the two Sexes, fuch measure from the evil confèquences which would follow a brutal manner of life must neceffarily produce Confusion ollon G |