so great blessings as are bestowed in this Sacrament Q. What is the third thing we must examine A. That is our thankfulness Q. What is it we must be thankful for A. We must thankfully remember the death of Christ what great things he hath done and suffered for us and also with heart and voice we must make our returns of thanks unto this our compassionate Redeemer for this his infinite goodness and loving kindness Q. What is the last duty we must examine our selves about A. It must be concerning our charity As by repentance we must reconcile our selves to God so by charity we must reconcile our selves to our neighbours before we dare come to this love-feast Q. Wherein consists this Christian duty of Charity A. It consists of to parts first in giving to and relieving the necessities of our poor distressed brethren Secondly in forgiving and pardoning those injuries and affronts which are offered to us by our neighbours Q. How must this our Charity be qualified A. It must be entire and universal we must be in Charity with all men And those who come to this holy communion thus disposed and prepared their Souls shall be strengthned and refreshed by the body and blood of Christ as their bodies are by the Bread and Wine A Short TRACT of CONFIRMATION THE Church of England enjoyns Godfathers and Godmothers to take care that those Children for whom they engage be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed by him so soon as they are well instructed in the Church Catechism that is so soon as they can readily rehearse it and give a reasonable account of the principles therein contained But how remiss and careless Sureties are in discharging this trust which is reposed upon them in the presence of God and the Congregation our own experience too badly enforms us by which means this holy Rite of Confirmation is almost quite disused and it is to be feared that it will in a short space of time be laid aside notwithstanding the pious care of our Reverend Father in God not only by their Articles requiting all Ministers in their several charges to prepare the younger sort for the receiving of this divine Rite by Catechizing and to bring them unto them when by this means duly prepared but also in their triennial visitations confirming all such as are brought unto them if Ministers and Sureties are not more diligent in instructing Children in the Elements of Religion and when by that means fitly quallified in bringing them to receive this blessing from the hands of the Bishop And if we do but duly consider the necessity of this Rite and those great blessings that do attend upon it as hereafter I shall manifest it will then appear strange it should be so generally slighted and omitted The main causes of this negligence are either faction or ignorance There are a generation of men in the world who being possessed with the Spirit of contradiction disuse it because the higher Powers enjoyn it they are heady high-minded despising dominion and speaking evil of dignities and the great character of their Saintship consists in their opposition to the lawful Powers in those matters which themselves cannot prove to be illegal and therefore because confirmation is enjoyned by the Canon Law because it cannot be received but by the Ministry of the Bishops which they abominate as the members of Anti-Christ and sworn servants to the Pope of Rome they resolve to reject it notwithstanding the most evident reason that can be given to the contrary as a superstitious innovation and a Popish Relique and indeed so strangely perverse many of this rude hard are that I am apt to perswade my self should the Supream Magistrate strictly enjoyn those fond opinions which they do so zealously entertain they would forthwith Cashiere them to prevent the Powers from infringing their Christian Liberty and this that Rebellious Principle which is generally entertained amongst them doth too evidently declare viz. That those things which in themselves are lawful become unlawful when enjoyned by a lawful Authority and as for these it will I say be a vain attempt to endeavour their conversion indeed their own obstinacy gives me reason to say that it will prove almost as easie a task to wash the Blackamore white as to perswade these zealous sons of Korah to entertain that against which they are prepossessed with too much prejudice and passion But besides these there are another sort of persons who neglect this primitive institution out of pure ignorance they understand little or nothing of the true meaning of it and hence proceeds their omission neither can it at all seem strange that so considerable a number of Christians should be altogether ignorant of the true notion of Confirmation in regard it hath been generally disused for so many years so that they have scarce heard so much as the name of it until of late years since the establishment of Episcopacy since which time they have possibly seen the name of it either in the Common Prayer Book or in the Bishop or Archdeacons Articles of Enquiry and that is all the knowledge they have of it and therefore to remove their Ignorance I principally design this short Treatise neither am I altogether without hopes but that it may have some good success upon those who propound to themselves no other reason for their omission but their ignorance for the removal wherefore and the improving of their knowledge in a matter of so great weight as hereafter I shall prove this to be I shall endeavour with as much clearness and plainness and brevity as may by to show 1. What Confirmation is 2ly The lawfulness of it 3ly The necessity that all Christians have to receive it 1. As to the true notion of Confirmation it is very well expressed in the word it self which is very full and significant for then we do confirm and are confirmed from whence we may infer that Confirmation consists of two main Branches 1. It is an Act of Confirmation on our part in regard we do hereby farther ratifie and establish that contract or covenant which formerly viz. at our baptism was made betwixt God and us and by confessing of it to be valid and Good and by personally undertaking the strict performance of it we do profess our selves Gods faithful servants and bind our selves faster still unto him whose we were before we do at the performance of this holy Rite confirm what others in our minority acted on our behalf we do then profess our selves bound both to believe and to do what our Godfathers and Godmothers promised for us we do publickly own our Christian profession professing that we will be faithful in the discharge of our Baptismal vow And it is very meet and convenient that every Christian should personally resume ratifie those solemn engagements that charitable persons made for him in his infancy neither can any man be reputed a true and compleat member of the Church
A Plain and Brief EXPLANATION UPON THE Church Catechisme Different from what hitherto hath been Extant Wherein the first Elements and grounds of Religion are reduced to such plain and familiar Questions and Answers as are obvious to the meanest Capacity To which is added A plain and useful TRACT OF CONFIRMATION The second Edition corrected By Nathaniel Blithe M. A. Rector of Dowesby in Lincolnshire London Printed for Edw Millington at the Bible in Little Brittain 1674. Imprimatur Samuel Parker May 11. 1672. The Reader is desired to take notice that that gross Error Page 16. line 7. with which the Author hath been divers times Charged was a mistake of the Printer which is now Corrected in this Second Edition according to the Original Copy The preface to the READER WHen I consider what care the Church of England hath taken for the instruction of her Children in the mattters of Religion both by Preaching Catechizing and reading of the Holy Scriptures whereby plentiful provision is made for all capacities it is matter of very great wonder that so considerable a number of Christians should live and dye in that Ignorance as our own experience too sadly informs us Many amongst us who although they attain to the full age of Man yet they are almost as Ignorant even in the fundamentals of Religion as if they had all their time conversed amongst Pagans Possibly they can rehearse the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments by rote but they are very ignorant of the true sense and meaning of them Perhaps also they may know at large that Christ dyed for Sinners and they hâ—pe to be saved by him but they understand not that vow and promise they made when they were received into the number of his members and hereby are ignorant of those conditions which must be performed by all those that can receive benefit by his meritorious undertakings this and much more which would be too long to insist upon is the ignorance that divers aged Christians groan under And I know no one reason whereto this wretched ignorance can so justly be attributed as either to the utter omission of that so necessary duty of Catechizing or to the irregular and indiscreet performance of it And to the very same cause I am apt in a great measure to assign that wickedness and lewdness which is so confidently and universally practised amongst us Neither is it strange that many should walk so disorderly when they understand not those Laws and Precepts that require strictness and sobriety in their Conversations and if we do but duly consider how apt young and tender natures are to receive any impressions whether verâ—uous or vitious we cannot not but imagine it to be a business of very great moment by Catechizing to instruct the younger sort betimes in the grounds of Christianity for when vitious habits are by a continued practise rooted in their natures and grown customary it will be almost as difficult to eradicate them as to remove a Mountain and we shall hear divers persons when they fall into daily gross miscarriages they will presently be complaining of their own natural weakness and blaming their original guilt whereas the main cause of these their vices proceeds from a corrupt and ill Education they are so accustomed to the committance of evil that according to the expression of the Prophet it is as hard for them to decline their vitious courses as for the Blackamore to change his skin or the Leopard his spots and therefore to prevent these early corrupt inclinations Solomon adviseth us to train up a Child in the way wherein he should walk to season his tender years with the sound knowledge of Religion and betimes to sow the seeds of goodness and vertue in his heart before it grows hard and impenitrable this is the only way to give him a right understanding of his whole Duty whether relating to God his neighbour or himself to inform him what he is to believe and what he is to do in reference to his happiness and well living in another world And this also is the most compendious way to implant in him such Orthodox and sound knowledge as may fortifie him against all the Juglings and Delusions of cunning Impostors for when they rightly understand their Baptismal vow what they are to belive and that duty they are to perform both towards God and Man as also the Doctrine of both the Sacraments which our Church Catechism plainly and fully treats of when they have a thorough knowledge of these matters engrafted in their minds it will be impossible for them to be imposed upon by every peevish Schismatick As unjustly as the Papists make ignorance the Mother of Devotion so truly may we call it the Mother of Faction It was the opinion of the learned King James that the cause of the miscarriage of our people into Popery and many other destructive errours was their ungroundedness in points of Catechism neither can it at all seem strange that those Souls should be carried about with every wind of Doctrine who are not well ballassed with solid information in the first principles of Religion And upon an impartial enquiry we shall find that the great promoters of those idle false opinions amongst us are ignorant in a very great measure I confess they may have a form of Godliness and a mysterious form of words by which to express it that is stuffed with unintelligible nonsense but they are very far to seek in the knowledge of the great intendment and design of the Christian Religion they wholly busie themselves in prying into the Mysteries if Heaven things which neither are profitable nor possible for them to know and in the mean time let slip the plain necessary duties of Religion and this renders them unstable in all their wayes embracing every sudden fancy as an inspiration from Gods Spirit and delightfully entertaining every fond opinion which a hot-headed Zealot shall broach And therefore if Gatechizing was duly and rightly performed it would lay a good foundation and implant the wholsom truths of Religion betimes in our natures and so consequently our knowledge would encrease with our years and hereby we should be capable of examining opinions before we embrace them rejecting whatsoever is contrary to our Creed or repugnant to that duty God requires of us There is also another great advantage we shall receive by the due exercise of Catechizing this will prepare us for the better understanding of Sermons and the holy Scriptures when by this means a good foundation is layd then we have some Reason to hope that whatsoever is built upon it will prosper when we are hereby established in the plain necessary truths of Christianity this will give us a good insight into the more difficult mysterious truths of the Gospel which are frequently delivered in Sermons It was a complaint which the Author to the Hebrews made of that Church that they were dull of hearing the deep
things of God in Christ and the reason was because they had not well learned the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 11.12 And we read in the Acts of the holy Apostles that Apollos was first instructed or Catechized in the way of the Lord as the Original renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this made him Capable of Speaking to others diligently the Words of the Lord. Seeing therefore these are the fruits and good effects of Catechizing we cannot assign these disorders amongst us viz. the ignorance of some the debaucheries of many the factiousnes of not a few to any cause so much as to the neglect of this weighty duty But notwithstanding these inestimable benefits that do attend this so necessary a performance it is too apparent that a very great neglect is made which is occasioned not only by the default of Parents and Masters of Familes but also by those that are entrusted with the care of Souls many of those whom God hath blessed with Children are strangely careless in their Education being far more ready to debauch their tender years than to endeavour by wholsome instructions to season them with the sound principles of Religion an idle story a vain song or a wanton expression they can hear repeated by them with far more delight than those plain necessary truths contained in the Catechism and they will on the Lords day rather enjoyn them to employ that time in following such little worldly occasions as they are capable of or suffer them to idle it away in play and pastime wherein they should be rehearsing their Catechism before the Congregation Nay I fear there are some who do absolutely forbid or at least seek occasions to hinder their Children and Servants from being publickly instructed in the Church Catechism I would to God that those who are in this nature guilty would seriously consider with themselves that almighty God hath not only commanded us to know his sacred will and to retain it in our memories but also to teach it to our Children and to instruct our families therein according to our several capacities And certainly those to whom God hath given that great blessing of Children will be strangely confounded and full of terrour at the great and universal day of judgment when they shall behold the fruits of their own loyns rejected with a depart from me ye cursed occasioned principally through their carelessness and neglect in their education But besides these it is too evidently manifest that those also who should feed the flock of Christ are very remiss in administring such food to these tender Lambs as is most suitable to their weak appetites and it is very strange they can be guilty of so great an omission if they would but seriously ponder with themselves that charge and duty that is incumbent upon them that they are strictly bound if they intend to be accounted good and faithful stewards to give to every one his portion of meat in due season what they can alleage in defence for this their negligence may be reduced to one of these heads either they affirm that Catechism is an enemy to Preaching or else they do not well rellish the Church Catechism In answer to the first of these pretences the Church of England hath not without abundance of Prudence and Wisdom enjoyned every minister under strict penalties to instruct the younger sort in the Catechism every Sunday in the afternoon which if duely performed we might hope to see a good reformation in the loose practises of the younger sort Neither can it enter into my head how this can possibly be an enemy to preaching in regard it is the most usefull way of preaching and if this was rightly exercised no method could be more proper seasonable to increase the knowledge of most capacities especially in Country congregations where all sorts are in no mean degree ignorant of those plain common truths contained in our Church Catechism The judicious Mr. Hooker terms the publique performance of Catechising in the open hearing of the Congregation preaching in reference whereto he describes preaching to be the open publication of heavenly mysteries or the making known the summe and substance of the Gospel now which way soever this is done whether by a continued discourse as in a Sermon or by question and answer as in Catechizing it may properly enough be stiled Preaching But others there are who possibly may be convinced that Catechizing may be advantagious yet they neglect it because they cannot affect the Church Catechism which they are enjoyned to use I must confess my self uncapable of giving satisfaction to this scruple in regard I am altogether ignorant of the reasons they give in defence of it I know but one which is too frequently given in cases of this nature viz. they do not like it because it is the Church Catechisme that is because it is enjoyned by Authority it contains no Doctrine but what is Orthodox and it includes most if not all the fundamentals of Christianity Three things are required in compiling a Catechisme 1. That it be plain 2. Methodical 3. That it contains the grounds of Religion all which are comprehended in the Church Catechism 1. It is plain and without much difficulty to be understood all it contains is levelled to the weaker capacities 2. It is Methodical it begins with our Baptism which is our initiation into Christianity into the number and society of the Church it shews us what we are by Gods grace and mercy which grace is given us at our Baptism when as we are made members of Christ Children of God and inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven wherein also is implyed our condition by nature that we are in a state of misery our Souls very much defiled and the faculties thereof very much impaired and weakned by the guilt of Original sin it also at large explains our Baptismal vow by shewing us what we are to believe and those commands we are to observe in order to the faithful discharging of that solemn promise and then it manifests our insufficiency of our selves to do these things without Gods special grace and assistance which we are to beg of him by prayer and here also it gives us a rule and president for our prayers viz. the Lords prayer and afterwards in brief it explains both the Sacraments From all which it appeares in the third place that it contains the first principles elements of Religion so that I cannot apprehend what just ground of exception can be made against the use of this Catechisme but that every Minister ought to use it as not only being wisely and prudently composed but also as being hereto obliged by the higher Powers to whose lawful commands we are to yield an active obedience But But these are not the only guilty per … for besides these there are others to whose trust are committed some part of Christs flock who although they do not â—holly omit this
A. Thus much I beg of him in the two first Petitions hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come wherein I desire that Satans Kingdom may be abolished and the kingdom of grace daily increased and therefore I pray unto God to send his grace unto me and to all people that so the Devil may lose ground and there may daily be added unto the Church such as shall be saved that so all may both in word and deed serve and worship the true God and reverently sanctifie and hollow his glorious Name Q. In which petition dost thou beg that we may obey him as we ought to do A. This I ask in the third petition Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven wherein I desire that both my self and all people may know what is that good that acceptable will of God and then make it the rule of our actions that his heavenly will maybe performed by us as it is by the blessed Angels in Heaven that is chearfully without grudging or murmuring readily without delay or procrastination sincerely without guile or hypocrisie constantly without intermission and universally without picking chusing Q. In which Petition do you pray unto God that he will send us all things that be needful both for our Souls and Bodâ—â—s A. This I beg in the fourth petition Give us this day our daily bread wherein I entreat God to take us into his fatherly care and tuition to provide for our subsistence to give us daily or day by day our bread that is all manner of food and sustenance that is requisite for us and withall to fend along with it his heavenly blessing that so it may nourish our bodies and make them fit for their several employments Q. Herein indeed you desire God to give you necessaries for your bodies but wherein do you desire him to give you necessaries for your soules A. The Holy Scripture besides this ordinary bread enformes us of bread that came down from Heaven that is Christ and his benefits represented in the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper and this is that bread wherewith we desire God to feed out Soules which most certainly will nourish them to life eternal Q. In which Petition do you desire God to be mercifull unto us and forgive us our sins A. This I beg of him in the fifth Petition Forgive us our Trespasses wherein I beseech God to pardon unto me and all his servants all those crimes offences and trespasses what ever we are guilty of Q. But wherefore is that clause adjoyned to this Petition as we forgive them that trespass against us A. For very good reason to teach us how we must be qualified before we can be capable of Gods pardon we must be in charity with our brethren otherwise God will not be in charity with us for if we forgive not men their trespasses neither will our heavenly father forgive us our trespasses Q. In which petition do you desire God to save and defend us from all dangers ghostly and bodily and that he will keep us from all sin and wickedness and from our ghostly enemy and from everlacting death A. This I beg of him in the sixth petition And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Q. Doth God then lead his servants into temptation A. There are temptations of trial or probation and God doth lead his servants into these temptations either to exercise their graces or to chastize them for some miscarriage or to prevent them from some gross fall but besides these there are temptations of seduction and ruine which the Devil offers and God by withdrawing his grace suffers us to fall into them and therefore in this Petition I beg of God that he will continually defend us with his grace as with a sheild that so temptations may make no impression upon and that he will deliver us from all those spiritual evils and dangers that our soules are lyable unto howsoever occasioned whether by the treachery of Satan by the enticements of this world or by the provocation of our own lusts as also from the horrid danger that followes our complyance with these the evill of eternal death Q. Wherefore is it that you have so great confidence and trust that God will grant all these things that you have here prayed for A. First because his is the kingdom he is the King of all the earth a loving tender King willing to hear and relieve the wants of his subjects Secondly because his is the power he is a powerful King and thereby able to give plentiful and suitable returns to the requests of his humble suppliants Thirdly because his is the glory he is a glorious King and it is a clear manifestation of his glory and goodness to hear from Heaven a company of miserable wretches that deserve nothing of kindness at his hand and thereupon I say Amen so be it resting fully satisfied that God both hears me and will answer my requests as my necessities require Q. How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Chrurch A. Two onely as generally necessary to Salvation that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Q. When did Christ ordain these Sacraments A. The first of them namely Baptism he hallowed in his own person by passing through the Waters of it and also immediately before his ascension he enjoyned his Disciples to Baptize all Nations And the other Sacrament he celebrated with his Disciples presently before his Passion and withal charged his Disciples and in them his whole Church to do it in remembrance of him Q. What is meant by Baptism A. It is derived from a Greek word which signifies to wash dip dive or sprinkle Q. Why is the other Sacrament called the Lords Supper A. Because it was instituted by the Lord of Glory at or after supper Q. How or in what sense are these Sacraments generally necessary to Salvation A. They are the Instruments or the means whereby the merits of Christ are conveyed and made over to us and by which God hath commanded us to receive them and therefore those that wilfully refuse and neglect them when they may be had do neglect the ordinary means of Salvation Q. What do you mean by this word Sacrament A. I mean an outward visible sign of an inward spiritual grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof Q. What is the end or final cause why Christ ordained Sacraments A. He ordained them as a means whereby great blessings and graces are conveyed to us and as a pledge to assure us of his favour and loving kindness Q. What is that grace which by Sacraments is conveyed unto us A. The whole obedience merit death and passion of our Saviour and the benefits that flow from thence Q. Is Christ alone the ordainer of Sacraments A. He onely hath right to institute a Sacrament in regard he is