fice for sin, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fire, which shall devour the adversaries.

Let no children be privately baptized, nor any Minister forced to baptize them any where, besides in the public assembly, unless upon some special weighty cause. If there be occasion for baptizing the adult, let the Minister accordingly suit his expressions.

Of Catechising, and the Approbation of those that are to be admitted to the Lord's Supper.

SEEING G none can be saved at years of discretion, that do not actually believe, and personally give up themselves in covenant to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost; therefore as parents must do their parts, so Ministers must catechise the ignorant, and diligently labour to cause them both to learn the form of wholesome words, (even the Lord's-prayer and the ten Commandments, and some brief, yet full and sound catechism,) and to understand the meaning of them, and to engage their hearts into the love of God, and a holy obedience to his laws.

To this end, let the Minister, either every Lord'sday, before the Evening Prayers, or at some convenient hour, or on some other day of the week, as oft as he can, examine publicly such as are not admitted to the Lord's-supper, and take an acconnt of their learning, and understanding the Creed, the ten Commandments, the Lord's-prayer and the Catechism. And let him by questioning and explication, help them to understand them; and let such of the several families of the parish come in their turns, when they are called by the Minister to be thus catechised. Also let the Minister either go to their houses, or rather appoint the persons aforesaid in their courses at a certain hour and place, (in the church or any other fit place,) to come to him for personal instructions, where he may confer with those that are unmeet to be catechised publicly, or unwilling to submit to it, and there with humble, prudent, serious instruction and exhortation, let him endeavour to acquaint them with the substance of Christian faith and duty, and to help them to make sure their calling and election, and to pre

pare for death and judgment, and exhort them to love, and to good works, and warn them lest they be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. But let him not in public or private meddle with impertinencies, or spend the time about smaller matters, or singular opinions, nor sift people to know things unfit or unnecessary to be disclosed, nor meddle with matters that do not concern him as a Minister, to inquire after; but help them to learn, and understand, and practise the Christian religion expressed in the catechism.

The Catechism.

See the Rubric for Cate

er, and also his

LET none be admitted by the Minister to the sacrament of the Lord's-supper, till they have at chism and Conyears of discretion understood the meaning of their firmation in the Baptismal covenant, and with their own mouths, Common Prayand their own consent openly before the Church, Majesty's De ratified and confirmed, and also promised, that by claration concerthe grace of God, they will evermore endeavour ning Ecclesiasthemselves faithfully to observe and keep such things as by their mouth and confession they have assented to; and so being instructed in the Christian religion, do openly make a credible professionof their own faith, and promise to be obedient to the will of God.

A profession is credible, when it is made understandingly, seriously, voluntarily, deliberately, and not nullified by contradiction in word or deed. And that profession is incredible, that is made ignorantly, ludicrously, forcedly, rashly, or that is nullified by verbal or practical contradiction. And it must be practice first, that must make words credible, when the person by perfidiousness hath forfeited his credit. It is not private persons only, but the Pastors of the Church that must approve of this profession. Therefore, before any are admitted to the Lord's-supper, they shall give a good account of their knowledge, faith, and Christian conversation conformable thereunto, unto the Pastors of their respective congregations, or else shall produce a certificate, that they have been approved or admitted to the Lord's-supper in another congregation, of which they were members, and that by an allowed Minister, upon such approved profession as aforesaid.

If the person be able and willing, let him before

tical Affairs.

the congregation give the aforesaid account at large. of his knowledge, faith and obedience but if through backwardness, or disability for public speech, he shall refuse it, let him make the same profession privately to the Minister, and own it in the assembly, when the Minister shall declare it, and ask him whether he owns it: but unless it be in case of some extraordinary natural imperfection, and disability of utterance, let him at least openly recite the Creed, and profess his consent to the covenant with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Let the Minister of every parish keep a double register; one of the names of all that are there baptized; another of the names of all that are approved upon their foresaid credible profession, and so admitted into the number of communicants, or that have a certificate of such approbation, regularly elsewhere performed.

And if confirmation be continued, let his Majesty's Declaration be observed, requiring, 'That confirmation be rightly and solemnly performed, by the information, and with the consent of the Minister of the place.'

Let no Minister be enforced to admit any himself to the Lord's-supper, who hath been clancularly and irregularly approved.

Those that after this approbation, prove scandalous offenders, shall not by the Minister be suffered to partake of the Lord's-table, until they have openly declared themselves to have truly repented, and amended their former naughty lives.

Of the Celebration of Matrimony.

BEFORE the solemnizing of marriage between any persons, their purpose of marriage shall be published by the Minister, three several Lord's-days in the congregation, at the place or places of their most usual abode respectively. And of this publication, the Minister who is to join them in marriage, shall have sufficient testimony, before he proceed to solemnize the marriage; the parents' consent being first sufficiently made known.

At the celebration, the Minister shall either by a

sermon, or other exhortation, open to them the institution, ends, and use of marriage, with the conjugal duties which they are faithfully to perform to each other. And then shall demand of them whether it be their desire and purpose to be joined together in the bond of the marriage-covenant, and if they answer affirmatively, he shall say to them,

I

REQUIRE and charge you, as you will answer at the dreadful day of judgment (when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed) that if either of you do know any impediment by pre-contract or otherwise, why you may not lawfully be joined together in marriage, you discover it, and proceed not.

If no impediment be discovered by them or others, he shall proceed to pray,

persons,

28. Mal. 2. 15.

MOST merciful Father, who hast ordained mar- Gen. 2. 18; 1. riage for mutual help, and for the increase of man- 2 Cor. 7. 14. 9. kind with a legitimate issue, and of the church with Heb. 13. 4. a holy seed, and for prevention of uncleanness; Luke 1. 6. bless thy own ordinance to these Eph. 5. 22, &c. that enMal. 2. 15, 16. tering this state of marriage in thy fear, they may Psal. 127. 3. there entirely devote themselves unto thee, and be Mat. 19. 13, 14. faithful in all conjugal affections and duties unto peek. 16. 8. each other, [and if thou bless them with children] Prov. 20. 7. let them be devoted unto thee, Eph. 6. 4.

7Deut. 29.11,12.

1 Pet. 3. 1. 7.

be said, Bless them with and accepted as thine own, 1 Tim.3. 11;5.

Heb. 10. 26,

If they be young, it may children, and let them be and blessed with thy grace, 13, 14. 1 Cor. 7. devoted, &c. and educated in thy fear. Sub- 5. 29. Gen. 2. due those corruptions that would make their lives 18. Prov. 5. 18. unholy or uncomfortable, and deliver them from 1 Cor. 7, 29. temptations to impiety, worldliness, unquietness, Luke 12. 40. discontent or disaffection to each other, or to any Rev. 19,7. 1 Pet, 3. 7. unfaithfulness, to thee or to each other; make them John 17. 24. meet helps to each other in thy fear, and in the lawful management of the affairs of this world. Let them not hinder, but provoke one another to love and to good works; and foreseeing the day of their separation by death, let them spend their days in an holy preparation, and live here together as the heirs of life that must rejoice at the great marriage day of the Lamb, and live for ever with Christ and all the holy angels and saints in the presence of thy glory. Amen.

Gen. 28.3.

Tit. 1. 15.
1 Tim. 4, 5.

1 Cor. 10. 31.
1 Thes. 3. 12.

Eph. 5. 25.
Gal. 5. 22.

Rom. 8.1. 13.

Gal. 6. 8.

The woman if she be under Parents or Governors, being by one of them, or some deputed by them, given to be married, the man with his right hand shall take the woman by the right hand and shall say,

I A. do take thee B. to be my married wife, and do promise and covenant in the presence of God, and before this congregation, to be a loving and faithful husband to thee, till God shall separate us by death.

Then the woman shall take the man by the right hand, with her right hand, and say,

I B. do take thee A. to be my married husband, and I do promise and covenant in the presence of God, and before this congregation, to be a loving, obedient, and faithful wife unto thee, till God shall separate us by death.

Then let the Minister say,

These two persons, A. and B. being lawfully married according to God's ordinance, I do pronounce them husband and wife. And those whom God hath conjoined, let no man put asunder.

Next he may read the duty of Husbands and Wives out of Eph. v. 2. Col. iv. 2. 1 Pet. 3. and Psalm cxxviii, or some other pertinent Psalm may be said or sung : and let the Minister exhort them to their several duties, and then pray:

MOST merciful Father, let thy blessings rest upon these persons, now joined in lawful marriage; sanctify them and their conversations, their family, estates, and affairs, unto thy glory. Furnish them with love to thee and to each other, with meekness, patience, and contentedness. Let them not live unto the flesh, but unto the Spirit, that of the Spirit they may reap everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Then let him conclude with a Benediction.

GOD Almighty, the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, bless you in your souls and bodies, families, and affairs, and preserve you to his heavenly kingdom. Amen.