duty of Catechizing yet they perform it so slightly and remisly that it is almost as good left undone possibly they will Catechise the six Sundays in Lent that is they will hear the younger sort by rote repeat over those arswers contained in the Catechism and when they are able to rehearse them readily they believe them sufficiently instructed in the Catechistical points although they understand very little of the true sense and meaning of what is contained therein and the truth of this is plain from hence if you do but propound to them one question out of order is it is not placed in the Catechism or vary but a very little in the words of the question from what it is in the Book they are not able to give an account of it I wish these persons would heartily consider that Canonical obedience they promised when entrusted with A PLAIN and BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE CHVRCH CATECHISM Q. VVHat is your name A. N. or M. Q. Why begin you your Catechism with this Question A. Because this name was given me when I was made a Christian so that whensoever I call to mind this my name I may remember that I am a Christian and what those duties are that this my Holy Profession binds me to observe and do Q. Who gave you this name A. My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism wherein I was made a member of Christ the child of God and an inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven Q. When was this name given you A. At my Baptism and therefore it is call'd my Christian name because it was given me when I was made a Christian a member of Christ Q. Was you then made a Christian A. Yes this favour was not bestowed upon me at my first birth but at my second when at my Baptism I was washed in the Laver of Regeneration then I was made a Christian admitted into the number of Christs visible members Q. In what condition was you then in before your Baptism A. I was in a weak and infirm capacity the powers and faculties of my soul being in no mean degree impaired and corrupted Q. How came you into this miserable estate A. By the fall of the first man Adam God made a Covenant with Adam and in him with all mankind wherein God on his part promised to confer on mankind divers mercies and Adam on his part promised an exact unsinning unerring obedience but Adam by eating the forbidden Fruit contrary to the express command of his Maker became disobedient and so broke the bond of the Covenant and hereby brought both himself and the whole Race of mankind into this wretched miserable estate Q. By what means was you raised out of this wretched estate A. By the meritorious sufferings of Christ the second Adam who by taking upon him our nature and therein performing exact unerring obedience according to the conditions of the first Covenant and tasting death upon the Cross for every man hath hereby satisfied for the sins of Adam and for the sins of all mankind and by this means delivered me with the rest of mankind out of this desperate condition Q. How come you to have a right to those benefits purchased by Christ A. By Baptism which is the Seal of the second Covenant at the setting on of which Seal these three Priviledges are bestowed to become a member of Christ a child of God and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven Q. Are all them that are Baptized members of Christ A. All that are Baptized in the name of Christ and profess the Christian Religion may be term'd members of his visible Body but those only who both by profession and practice are sincere Christians belong to his mystical Body that is are united to him live in him and are informed by his Spirit these are indeed Gods real Children by Adoption and Grace and shall in the end be made inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven Q. What did your Godfathers and Godmothers promise for you A. They did promise and vow three things in my name first that I should renounce the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh secondly that I should believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And thirdly that I should keep Gods holy will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of my life Q. Why are you bound according to the first part of your Batismal promise to renounce the Devil and all his works A. Because these are enemies to God and hateful in his sight and before I renounce all that God hates it is impossible that I should be so nearly united to him as to be his true child and member Q. What is the Devil A. The Devil is an evil Spirit who once was an Angel of light but for his Pride and Rebellion was thrown from Heaven into the horrid Regions of Darkness Q. What are the works of the Devil A. The works of the Devil are all manner of sin and wickedness even whatsoever contradicts the Will and Commands of God and defiles our own Souls Q. Why are these stiled the works of the Devil A. Because he was the first Author of Sin Rebellion and Disobedience he in the beginning acted it against God learnt it our first Parents and makes it his whole employment daily to infuse it into the hearts of all mankind Q. What do you mean by the pomps and vanities of this wicked world A. By these I mean all manner of secular honours pleasures and preferments all those perishing delights and transient vanities which this world may present unto us to withdraw our hearts from intending the due performance of that promise we made at our Baptism Q. What are the sinful lusts of the flesh A. The sinful lusts of the flesh are all those abominations and impieties which our rebellious flesh lusteth after and provoketh us to run into Q. The next thing which you say that your Sureties promised for you is to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith what is it to believe or what is Faith viz. that Faith which on your behalf was promised at your Baptism A. Faith is such an hearty perswasion of the truth of Gods promises and of every thing else that he hath spoken as makes us obedient in all things to his commands Q. What is the object of this Faith or what is it that we are bound to believe A. I am to believe that Form of sound words and wholesom Doctrine which Christ and his Apostles delivered to the World and that we have epitomized and briefly summ'd up in that Confession of Faith commonly called the Apostles Creed Q. Why is this Confession of Faith called the Apostles Creed A. It is so called either because the Apostles were the Authors of it it being composed by them or else because it is an abridgment of the Doctrine delivered by the Apostles Q. How must your
belief of this Rule of Faith be qualified A. It must be intire and universal I must neither add to not diminish from this Confession of Faith but I am obliged by my Baptismal vow to believe all and every Article of this Christian Faith Q. The last thing which your Sureties promised for you was to keep Gods Holy will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the days of your life How or by what means come you to know the will of God A. He hath revealed it in his Holy Word wherein he hath at large manifested how and in what manner he will be worshipped and served Q. For what end and purpose hath God made known his mind unto us A. That we might make it the Rule of our lives and walk according to that Rule all the days of our lives Q. Dost thou think that thou art bound to believe and do as they promised for thee A. Yes verily and by Gods help so I will and I heartily thank our Heavenly Father that he hath called me to this state of Salvation through Jesus Christ our Saviour And I pray unto God to give me his Grace that I may continue in the same unto my lives end Q. How comes it to pass that thou art bound to perform that promise which others made A. Because they only made it in my behalf when by reason of my tender Years I was uncapable of making of it in my own person which promise I am bound actually to perform when I come to years of discretion Q. Are you then able to perform that promise which was made on your behalf A. I am not by my own strength but by the grace of God I am which he hath faithfully promised to give to all those that heartily beg it Q. What think you of this Estate which by your Baptism you are placed in A. I think it is an excellent and blessed Estate as far excelling my natural condition as light doth darkness the one being a state of death and the other a state of life Q. How come you to have a right to this excellent condition A. By vertue of Christs sufferings who hath purchased this condition for me by his Death and Blood-shedding in which by the help and grace of God I do resolve to continue unto my lives end Q. Rehearse the Articles of thy belief A. I believe in God the Father Allmighty maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he arose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and there be sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life everlasting Amen Q. What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy belief A. First I learn to believe in God the Father who hath made me and all the World Secondly in God the Son who hath redéemed me and all mankind Thirdly in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the Elect people of God Q. In which Article do you learn to believe in God the Father A. This I learn in the first Article I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth Q. How many Gods are there A. There is but one only the true everliving and eternal God Q. How can that be when you profess that you believe in God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost How sayest thou then that there is but one God A. In the God-head indeed there are three Persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost but these three are but one God and this great truth St. John thus expresseth There be three that bare record in Heaven the Father the VVord that is Jesus Christ the Son of God the VVord incarnate and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Q. What is God A. God is a Spirit Infinite in all his Attributes and Perfections Q. How knowest thou that there is such a being as God A. Several ways by his wonderful work of Creation the Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work but especially by my own Conscience which this Infinite Being hath placed within me to accuse me of all those Crimes I commit against his Divine Majesty Q. Vpon what grounds do you call God Father A. He is my Father by Creation giving me at the first my Being he is also my Father by Adoption having through the Gate of Baptism received me into the number of his Servants and Members Q. How did God at the first create you A. By his Almighty and Infinite Power by vertue whereof he can do whatsoever pleaseth him both in Heaven and in Earth Q. And did he finish the Heavens and the Earth and all the rest of his Creation by his Power and Word alone A. Yes he spake and it was done he commanded and they were brought forth Q. In what time did God finish his Creation A. In the space of Six days and rested the Seventh day Q. Why did God at the first give you a Being A. To advance his Honour and to perform his sacred Will Q. Of what did God make Man A. He made his Body of the dust of the ground and breathed into his Nostrils the breath of Life and so he became a living Soul Q. In which Article do you learn is believe in God the Son who redeemed you and all mankind A. In these And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead Q. What is this Jesus Christ in whom you believe A. He is perfect God and perfect Man equal to the Father as touching his God-head but inferiour to the Father as touching his Man-hood Q. What Relation stands this Person in to God A. He is his only Son begotten of the Father before the world his first born from all Eternity Q. Why did this Eternal God take upon him our nature and so become Man A. That he might Redeem me and all mankind Q. But how can this be that God should be made Man A. He became Man not by turning the God-head into the nature of Man but by taking Mans nature into the God-head that so one person might be both God and Man Q. What need was there that so excellent a Person as the Son of God should thus abase himself A. Because there
until he do publickly own and profess that he will faithfully stand to those conditions and terms that were made in his Name when through the gate of Baptism he was graciously received into the number of Christs Holy Catholick Church that he will not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified but couragiously continue persevere in that high calling wherein he is called magure all opposition to the contrary and manfully fight under Christs Banner against sin the world and the Devil and continue Christs true and faithful Servant and Souldier to his lives end And that this is the Church of Englands sense of confirmation is very plain from the office which is then to be used which requires that all persons who are confirmed shall audibly and publickly in the presence of God and of the Congregation renew that solemn promise and vow that was made in their names at baptism ratifying and confirming the same in their own persons and acknowledging themselves bound to believe and do all those things which their Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for them She only hereby intends that we should be in reality and truth what we outwardly profess our selves that as we at large bear the name of Christians Because of the number and living amongst the Society of them and in communion with them so likewise we should specifie as much by our actions having our Conversation such as becometh the Gospel of Christ denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts and behaving our selves soberly righteously and godlily in this present evil world which is no more than that duty which the Grace of God that hath appeared unto all men and bringeth salvation hath taught us It is no more than what we have strictly obliged our selves to perform when we took upon us the honourable name of Christians for then we faithfully engage to renounce the Devil and all his works that is to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to keep Gods holy will and Commandements walking in the same all the dayes of our lives whose sacred Laws teach us to behave our selves soberly righteously and godlily in this present evil world So that the Churches design is very good and pious in continuing this wholsome Institution and as clearly opposite from either Superstition or Will-worship as light is from darkness it is only the spiritual good of her sons that she would advance by the administration of this Rite cause them openly to acknowledg themselves Gods faithful Servants that they are resolved by his assistance so to continue chearfully and heartily performing his sacred pleasure stopping up their cares and barring up their hearts against all corrupt and wicked insinuations that may tempt them to the contrary 2ly It is an Act of Confirmation on Gods part who confers a new Grace to strengthen in those persons that are confirmed those holy principles and that good resolution of which they have made a faithful profession and to enable them to continue and persist in it so that God doth confirm our confirmation that is he doth by the assistance of his good Spirit confirm and corroborate our resolutions and purposes in performing our vow made at Baptism The Reverent Bishop of Down enforms us in his Epistle before his Treatise writ upon this very subject that some wise and good men have piously believed which is no small addition to the honour of this Ministration that when baptized persons are confirmed and blessed by the Bishop that then it is that a special guardian Angel is appointed to keep their souls from the assaults of the Spirits of darkness And all that he adds to it of his own sentiments is this that the piety of this supposition is not at all disagreeable to the intention of this Rite for since by this the holy spirit of God the Father of all spirits is given it is not unreasonably thought by them that the other good Spirits of God the Angels who are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes who are heirs of Salvation should pay their kind offices in subordination to their Prince and Fountain Neither can I discover any thing in this opinion which is Heterodox but that it may be very safely entertained for if these glorious Angels as the Scripture enforms us minister for the good of mankind namely that part of it as are obedient to the divine Laws of the great Soveraign of the Universe then certainly there cannot be a more proper season for them to enter upon this charitable employment than about that age as it is requisite for confirmation to be administred and it is very agreeable both with the goodness wisdom of Almighty God then to place the securest guard over his Servants when they are the most vigorously assaulted by their spiritual enemies which is at the publick owning of themselves to be Christs real members and declare a profest enmity against the Devil and all his works when we openly profess Christianity and acknowledge out Baptismal vow then it is that the rage of the Devil is most furious and violent imagining if ever he can seduce us it will be at the first hand before we are well settled and throughly grounded in our holy resolutions But howsoever as the above mentioned Bishop very well observes there are greater and stranger things than this that God does for the soul of his Servants and for the honour of the Ministries which himself hath appointed and in this very Ministry will have the powerful assistance of the spirit of all spirits the eternal spirit of God is our guide and our coadjutor to assist our own abilities and undertakings in abiding in that high calling whereunto we are called at our Baptism he now by his gracious influence and blessed aid helpeth our infirmities and supplies our natural imperfections making us able to do that which is good and what the Lord requires of us As in Baptism the Holy Ghost was conveyed as a sanctifyer so herein as a comforter and strengthener now that the person is entring upon a great contest and conflict with himself his own unruly lusts the world and principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places It is true in Baptism we receive the Spirit of God by it we are then regenerated made members of Christ Children of God and shall in the end be made inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven that is if we continue constant in the profession of the Faith of Christ crucified performing our part of the Covenant made in Baptism to do which it requires a greater and more powerful assistance of the Holy Ghost which is given in confirmation By Baptism we are Heirs and are adopted to the inheritance of Sons admitted to the Covenant of Repentance and engaged to live a Godly life yet as the judicious Prelate learnedly observes this is but the Solemnity of the Covenant which must pass into other Acts by other influences of the same Divine Principle untill