And dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the remission of sins; the resurrection of the flesh; and everlasting life after death?

All this I stedfastly believe.

What is my desire.

TILT thou be baptized in this faith?

TILT thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life?

I will endeavour so to do, God being my helper.

Then shall the Priest say,

Merciful God, grant that the old Adam in these persons may be so buried, that the new man may be raised up in them. Amen. Grant that all carnal affections may die in them, and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in them. Amen.

Grant that they may have power and strength to have victory, and to triumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Amen.

Grant that they, being here dedicated to thee by our office and ministry, may also be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlastingly rewarded, through thy mercy, O blessed Lord God, who dost live, and govern all things, world without end. Amen.

LMIGHTY, everliving God, whose most dearly beloved Son Jesus

precious side both water and blood; and gave commandment to his disciples, that they should go teach all nations, and baptize them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; regard, we beseech thee, the supplications of this congregation; sanctify this Water to the mystical washing away of sin; and grant that the persons now to be baptized therein, may receive the fulness of thy grace, and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the Priest take each person to be baptized by the right hand, and placing him conveniently by the Font, according to his discretion, shall ask the Godfathers and Godmothers the Name; and then shall dip him in the water, or pour water upon him, saying, I baptize thee, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of

N. the Holy Ghost. Amen.

WE

Then shall the Priest say,

TE receive this person into the congregation of Christ's flock, * and do sign him with the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter he *Here the Priest shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ shall make a Cross crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner upon the person's fore- against sin, the world, and the devil; and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his

head.

life's end. Amen.

Then shall the Priest say,

EEING now, dearly beloved brethren, that these persons are rege

us

thanks unto Almighty God for these benefits; and, with one accord, make our prayers unto him, that they may lead the rest of their life according to this beginning.

Then shall be said the Lord's Prayer, all kneeling.

Thy

UR Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

TE yield thee humble thanks, O heavenly Father, that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace, and faith in thee; increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore. Give thy holy Spirit to these persons; that, being now born again, and made heirs of everlasting salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ, they may continue thy servants, and attain thy promises, through the same Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same holy Spirit, everlastingly. Amen. Then, all standing up, the Priest shall use this Exhortation following; speaking to the Godfathers and Godmothers first.

F

NORASMUCH as these persons have promised, in your presence, to renounce the devil and all his works, to believe in God, and to serve him, ye must remember, that it is your part and duty to put them in mind, what a solemn vow, promise, and profession, they have now made before this congregation, and especially before you their chosen witnesses. And ye are also to call upon them to use all diligence to be rightly instructed in God's holy Word; that so they may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and live godly, righteously, and soberly, in this present world.

(And then, speaking to the new baptized persons, he shall proceed, and say,)

AND as for you, who have now, by Baptism, put on Christ, it is your

part and duty also, being made the children of God and of the light, by faith in Jesus Christ, to walk answerably to your Christian calling, and as becometh the children of light; remembering always that Baptism representeth unto us our profession; which is, to follow the example of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto him; that as he died, and rose again for us, so should we, who are baptized, die from sin, and rise again unto righteousness; continually mortifying all your evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue, and godliness of living.

It is expedient that every person, thus baptized, should be Confirmed by the Bishop so soon after his Baptism as conveniently may be; that so he may be admitted to the holy Communion.

If any persons not baptized in their infancy shall be brought to be baptized before they come to years of discretion to answer for themselves, it may suffice to use the Office for Public Baptism of Infants, or (in case of extreme danger) the Office for Private Baptism; only changing the word [Infant] for [Child or Person] as occasion requireth.

THAT IS TO SAY,

AN INSTRUCTION TO BE LEARNED OF EVERY PERSON, BEFORE HE BE BROUGHT TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE BISHOP.

Ques. Who gave you this Name?

Ans. My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism; wherein I was made a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven.

Ques. What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you? Ans. They did promise and vow three things in my name. First, that I should renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanity 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 God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of my life.

Ques. Dost thou not think that thou art bound to believe, and to do, as they have promised for thee?

Ans. Yes, verily, and by God's 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 life's end. Catechist.

Rehearse the Articles of thy Belief.

Answer.

I earth;

Believe in God the Father Almighty, 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 rose again from the dead, he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at 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 Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

Ques. What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy Belief? Ans. First, 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 Ghost, who sanctifieth me, and all the elect people of God.

Ques. You said, that your Godfathers and Godmothers did promise for you, that you should keep God's commandments. Tell me how many there be?

Ans. Ten.

A Catechism.]-Catechism is a term derived from the Greek, and signifies instruction by means of asking questions, and hearing, and (if needful) correcting the answers.

Ques. Which be they?

Answer.

HE same which God spake in the twentieth chapter of Exodus, saying, I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

I. Thou shalt have none other Gods but me.

II. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them; for I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and show mercy unto thousands in them that love me, and keep my commandments.

III. 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 shalt thou labour, and do all that thou hast to do; but the seventh 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-servant, and thy maidservant, thy cattle, and the stranger that is within thy gates. For, in six days, the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.

V. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

VI. Thou shalt do no murder.

VII. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

VIII. Thou shalt not steal.

IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his.

Question.

What dost thou chiefly learn by these commandments?

Ans. I learn two things; my duty towards God, and my duty towards my neighbour.

Ques. What is thy duty towards God?

Ans. 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 soul, and with all my strength; to worship him, to give him thanks, to put my whole trust in him, to call upon him, to honour his holy Name and his Word, and to serve him truly all the days of my life.

Ques. What is thy duty towards thy Neighbour?

Ans. 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 succour, my father and mother; to honour and obey the King, and all that are put in authority under him; to submit myself to all my governors, teachers, spiritual pastors, and masters; to order myself lowly and reverently to all my betters; to hurt no body by word nor deed; to be true and just in all my dealing; to bear no malice nor hatred in my heart; to keep my hands from picking and stealing, and my tongue from evil-speaking, lying, and slandering; to keep my body

in temperance, soberness, and chastity; not to covet nor desire other men's goods, but to learn and labour truly to get mine own living; and to do my duty in that state of life unto which it shall please God to call me.

Catechist.

My good child, know this, that thou art not able to do these things of thyself, nor to walk in the commandments of God, and to serve him, without his special grace; which thou must learn at all times to call for by diligent prayer. Let me hear, therefore, if thou canst say the Lord's prayer.

OUR

Answer.

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 trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Ques. What desirest thou of God in this Prayer?

Ans. I desire my Lord God our heavenly Father, who is the giver of all goodness, to send his grace unto me, and to all people; that we may worship him, serve him, and obey him, as we ought to do. And I pray unto God, that he will send us all things that be needful both for our souls and bodies; and that he will be merciful unto us, and forgive us our sins; and that it will please him to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily; and that he will keep us from all sin and wickedness, and from our ghostly enemy, and from everlasting death. And this I trust he will do of his mercy and goodness, through our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore I say, Amen. (So be it.)

Question.

OW hath Christ ordained in his Church?

How many Sacramen generally necessary to salvation, that is to say,

Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.

Ques. What meanest thou by this word Sacrament?

Ans. I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof.

Ques. How many parts are there in a Sacrament?

Ans. Two; the outward visible sign, and the inward spiritual grace. Ques. What is the outward visible sign, or form in Baptism?

Ans. Water; wherein the person is baptized In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

And therefore I say, Amen. (So be it.)]-This statement is at once erroneous and superfluous, and for these powerful reasons, in using the Catechism, might be omitted both beneficially and harmlessly. The Catechist ought not to pronounce the word Amen, at the end of the Lord's Prayer; but if, upon this occasion, it ought to be said by any one, it should be by the Catechiser himself, or by some other person than the Catechist. The signification of the word is not "So be it," except when it is used as a word of concurrence, or of union, in the petition of another. The great poet

"Who walked in every path of human life-"

and might seem to have possessed all human knowledge, makes a proper use of the word Amen, when he puts into the mouth of the afflicted and despairing murderer, the speech, "I could not say, Amen, when they did say, God bless us ;" and adds, "But wherefore could I not, &c.?" To which question the answer is, that, guilty as he was, he dared not venture upon the presumption, upon his part, of joining innocent men in the prayer, and asking of God to give a blessing upon him. But see a succeeding note, upon the word Amen, as it occurs in the "Commination."