that they catechized them before their Baptifm, as we also Introduct. do those who are not baptized till they come to Riper Years. But as to the children of believing parents, it is certain that, as they were baptized in Infancy, they could not then, any more than now, be admitted Catechumens till after Baptifm. Nor is there any neceffity of doing it before, if fo be we take care that due inftruction be given them, fo foon as they are capable of receiving it. For our Saviour himself in that commiffion to his Apoftles, Go ye, make difciples of all nations, baptizing them, &c. teaching them to obferve all things, whatfoever I have com manded you to 16, feems to intimate that converts may first be entered into his church by Baptifm, and afterwards inftructed in the fundamentals of their religion. And indeed we read, that when St. Bafil was baptized, the Bifhop kept him in his houfe fome time afterwards, that he might inftruct him in the things pertaining to eternal life. And a learned writer affirms, that all baptized perfons in the primitive times (although they had been catechized before) were yet wont to stay several days after their Baptifm, to be more fully catechized in all things neceffary to falvation. And therefore there is much more reason for us to catechize Children after Baptism, who are naturally incapable of being inftructed beforehand. drawn up SECT. I. Of the Form and Contents of the Catechifm. As to the form of our Catechifm, it is drawn up after The Cate the primitive manner by way of Queftion and Anfwer: chifm fo Philip catechized the Eunuch, and fo the perfons by way of to be baptized were catechized in the first ages, as I Question have already fhewn in difcourfing of the antiquity of the and AnBaptifmal Vow 20. And indeed the very word CATE-fwer. CHISM implies as much; the original Karnew, from The word whence it is derived, being a compound of 'Hy, which Catechifm, fignifies an Echo, or repeated found. So that a Catechifm what it figis no more than an inftruction first taught and inftilled into a perfon, and then repeated upon the Catechift's exami nation. nifies. §. 2. As to the contents of our Catechifm, it is not a The conlarge fyftem or body of divinity, to puzzle the heads of tents of it. fil. 16 Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. 17 S. Amphilochius in Vit. S. Ba 18 Vicecomes de antiquis Ritibus Baptifmi, lib. 5. cap. 53. 19 Acts viii. 37. young Chap. young beginners; but only a fhort and full explication of VIII. the Baptifmal Vow. The primitive Catechisms indeed (i. e. all that the Catechumens were to learn by heart before their Baptifm and Confirmation) confifted of no more than the Renunciation, or the repetition of the Baptifmal Vow, the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer: and thefe together with the Ten Commandments, at the Reformation, were the whole of ours. But it being afterwards thought defective as to the doctrine of the Sacraments, (which in the primitive times were more largely explained to baptized perfons 21,) King James I. appointed the Bishops to add a fhort and plain explanation of them, which was done accordingly in that excellent form we fee*; being penned by Bishop Overal, then Dean of St. Paul's, and allowed by the Bishops 22. So that now (in the opinion of the best judges) it excels all Catechifms that ever were in the world; being fo fhort, that the youngest children may learn it by heart; and yet fo full, that it contains all things neceffary to be known in order to falvation. In this alfo its excellency is very difcernible, viz. that as all perfons are baptized not into any particular church, but into the Catholic church of Chrift; fo here they are not taught the opinion of this or any other particular church or people, but what the whole body of Chriftians all the world over agree in. If it may any where seem to be otherwise, it is in the doctrine of the Sacraments: but even this is here worded with fo much caution and temper, as not to contradict any other particular church; but fo as that all forts of Chriftians, when they have duly confidered it, may subscribe to every thing that is here taught or delivered. * In all the books from King James's time (when thefe queftions and answers concerning this Sacrament were first inserted) to the last review, the answer to the question concerning the outward vifible fign or form in Baptifm, was fomething different from what it is now, which, with the reason of it, I have already given in pages 857, 358. The answer also to the queftion, Why Infants are baptized, &c. was then a little difficultly, and more obfcurely expreffed, viz. Yes, they do perform them by their fureties, who promife and vow them both in their names, which, when they come to age, themselves are bound to perform. 21 Vid. S. Cyril. Catech. Myftag. page 43, and Dr. Nichols's additional Notes, page 58. SECT. Sect. II. how often SECT. II. Of the Rubrics after the Catechifm." THE times now appointed for catechizing of children, Rubric 1. are, Sundays and Holy-days. Though Bishop Cofin Catechifm obferves, this is no injunction for doing it every Sunday to be perand Holy-day, but only as often as need requires, accord-formed. ing to the largenefs or number of children in the parish 23. And it is true, that by the first book of King Edward VI. it was not required to be done above once in fix weeks. But Bucer, obferving that this was too feldom, and that in feveral churches in Germany there was catechizing three times a week, urged, in his cenfure upon this rubric, that the Minifter fhould be required to catechize on every Holy, day 24. Upon this exception indeed the rubric was altered, but expreffed notwithstanding in indefinite terms. So that Bishop Cofin was of the opinion 25, that no obligation could be urged from hence, that the Minister fhould perform it on all Sundays and Holy-days. And indeed by the Injunctions of Queen Elizabeth, it was only required upon every Holy-day, and every fecond Sunday (i. e. I fuppofe every other Sunday) in the year 26; though it is plainly the design of the prefent rubric, that it fhould be done as often as occafion requires, i. e. fo long as there are any in the parish who are capable of inftruction, and yet have not learned their Catechifm. And therefore, in many large parishes, where the inhabitants are numerous, the Minifter thinks himself obliged to catechize every Sunday; whilst in parishes lefs populous, a few Sundays in the year are fufficient to the purpose; and therefore in fuch places the duty of Catechifm is referved till Lent, in imitation of an old cuftom in the primitive church, which, as I have already obferved, had their more folemn Catechifms during that season. But now how to reconcile the fifty-ninth canon to this expofition of the rubric, I own I am at a lofs: for that requires every Parfon, Vicar, or Curate, upon every Sunday and Holy-day, to teach and inftruct the youth and ignorant perfons of his parish, in the Catechifm fet forth in the book of Common Prayer; and this too upon pain of a sharp reproof upon the first complaint, of fufpenfion upon the fecond, and of excommunication till he be reformed, upon the third. 23 See Dr. Nichols's additional Notes, page 58. 24 Script. Anglican. p. 485. 25 In Dr. Nichols, ibid. -Chap. after the Leffon, T §. 2. The part of the fervice where this is to come in, VIII. is after the fecond Leffon at Evening Prayer: though in all Why to be the Common Prayer-Books till the laft review, it was orperformed dered to be done half an hour before Even-Song, i. e. (as Second the fifty-ninth canon explains it) the Minifter fhould for half an hour, or more, before Evening Prayer, examine and inftruct the youth and ignorant perfons of his parifh in the Church Catechifm. I fuppofe the reafon of the alteration was, that Catechifin being performed in the midft of divine fervice, the elder perfons, as well as the younger, might receive benefit by the Minifter's expofitions, and that the prefence of parents and masters might be an encouragement to the children and fervants to a diligent performance of their duty herein. Rubric 2. to be cate chized, who. §. 3. The perfons appointed to be inftructed in this CaThe perfons+ techifm, are fo many of the parish fent unto him, as the Minifter fhall think convenient: which the next rubric fuppofes to be all Children, Servants, and Apprentices, which have not learned it. In King Edward's firft Common PrayerBook, thofe only were to be fent, who were not yet confirmed. But because many were then confirmed young, at leaft before they could understand their Catechifm, though they might repeat the words of it, Bucer defired that they might ftill be catechized, till the Curate should think them fufficiently inftructed 27; upon which motion the words were fomewhat altered in the next review. What care ters, &c. §. 4. The care of fending their children and fervants to be taken is by the fame rubric laid upon their Fathers, Mothers, Mifby Parents and Maf- treffes, and Dames, who are to caufe them to come to 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 here appointed for them to learn. The fame is required by the fifty-ninth canon of our church, which farther orders, that if any of these neglect their duties, as the one fort in not caufing them to come, and the other in refusing to learn as aforefaid; they are to be fufpended by the Ordinary, i. e. from the Communion, I fuppofe, (if they be not children) and if they fo perfift by the space of a month, they are to be excommunicated. And by the canons of 1571, every Minifter was yearly, within twenty days after Eafter, to prefent to the Bishop, &c. the names of all thofe in his parish, which had not fent their children or fervants at the times appointed. And to enforce this, it was' one of the articles which was exhibited, in order to be admitted Sect. II. by authority, that he, whofe Child at ten years old or upwards, or his Servant at fourteen or upwards, could not fay the Catechifm, fhould pay Ten Shillings to the Poor's Box 28 The two next rubrics, relating more immediately to the Order for Confirmation, will come more properly to be treated of in the next chapter. CHA P. IX. OF THE ORDER OF CONFIRMATION. The INTRODUCTION. I HAVE already obferved", that it was a custom of the Jews to bring their children, at the age of thirteen years, to be publicly examined before the congregation, and to make a folemn promife that they would from thenceforward engage themselves faithfully to obferve the Law of Mofes, and fo be accountable for their own fins: after which engagement followed the prayers of the congregation, that God would blefs and enable them to make good their promife. And from this cuftom among Jews, the rite of CONFIRMATION is thought by fome to have been deduced. And indeed that there is fome correfpondence between them, is obvious and plain. But ftill I muft affert, that the use of Confirmation in the Chrif- The rite of tian church is owing to a much more divine original; Confirmaeven to the example and inftitution of our bleffed Lord, vine inftiwho is the head and pattern, in all things, to the church. tution. For we read, that after the Baptifm of JESUS in the river Jordan, when he was come up out of the water, and was praying on the fhore, the Holy Ghoft defcended upon him3°: which reprefented and prefigured (as fome ancient fathers tell us 3) that we alfo, after our Baptifm, must receive 28 Strype's Hiftory of the Reformation, Appen. 2. page 1. and Bishop Gibfon's Codex, pag. 453. 29 In page 380. CC 30 Matt. iii. 16. Luke iii. 21. the tion of di |