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? Answer. I learn two things; my duty towards God, and my duty towards my Neighbour. Question. What is thy duty towards God? Answer. 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. Question. What is thy duty towards thy Neighbour ? Answer. 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 civil authority: To submit myself to all my governors, teachers, spiritual pastors and masters: To order myself lowly and reverently to all my betters: To hurt nobody by word or deed: To be true and just in all my dealings : 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. Answer. UR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. Amen. Question. What desirest thou of God in this Prayer ? Answer. 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 are 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 both of soul and body; and that he will keep us from all sin and wickedness, and from our spiritual 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. H Question. What meanest thou by this word Sacrament? Answer. 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. Question. How many parts are there in a Sacrament ? Answer. Two; the outward visible sign, and the inward spiritual grace. Question. What is the outward visible sign or form in Baptism ? Answer. Water; wherein the person is baptized, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Question. What is the inward and spiritual grace ? Answer. A death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness : for being by nature born in sin, and the children of wrath, we are hereby made the children of grace. Question. What is required of persons to be baptized ? Answer. Repentance, whereby they forsake sin; and Faith, whereby they steadfastly believe the promises of God made to them in that Sacrament. Question. Why then are Infants baptized, when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them? Answer. Because they promise them both by their Sureties; which promise, when they come to age, themselves are bound to perform. Question. Why was the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ordained ? Answer. For the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ, and of the benefits which we receive thereby. Question. What is the outward part or sign of the Lord's Supper ? Answer. Bread and Wine, which the Lord hath commanded to be received. Question. What is the inward part, or thing signified ? Answer. The Body and Blood of Christ, which are spiritually taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's Supper. Question. What are the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby ? Answer. The strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the Body and Blood of Christ, as our bodies are by the Bread and Wine. Question. What is required of those who come to the Lord's Supper ? Answer. To examine themselves, whether they repent them truly of their former sins, steadfastly purposing to lead a new life; have a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, with a thankful remembrance of his death; and be in charity with all men. The Minister of every Parish shall diligently, upon Sundays and Holy Days, or on some other convenient occasions, openly in the Church, instruct or examine so many Children of his Parish, sent unto him, as he shall think convenient, in some part of this Catechism. And all Fathers, Mothers, Masters, and Mistresses, shall cause their Children, Servants, and Apprentices, who have not learned their Catechism, to come to the Church at the time appointed, and obediently to hear and to be ordered by the Minister, until such time as they have learned all that is here appointed for them to learn. So soon as Children are come to a competent age, and can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, and can answer to the other questions of this short Catechism, they shall be brought to the Bishop. And whensoever the Bishop shall give knowledge for Children to be brought unto him for their Confirmation, the Minister of every Parish shall either bring, or send in writing, with his hand subscribed thereunto, the Names of all such Persons within his Parish, as he shall think fit to be presented to the Bishop to be confirmed. THE ORDER OF CONFIRMATION, OR LAYING ON OF HANDS UPON THOSE WHO ARE BAPTIZED, AND COME TO YEARS OF DISCRETION. Upon the day appointed, all that are to be then confirmed, being placed and standing in order before the Bishop; he, or some other Minister appointed by him, shall read this Preface following. To 10 the end that Confirmation may be ministered to the more edifying of such as shall receive it, the Church hath thought good to order, That none shall be confirmed, but such as can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments; and can also answer to such other Questions, as in the short Catechism are contained: which order is very convenient to be observed; to the end, that children, being now come to the years of discretion, and having learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them in Baptism, may themselves, with their own mouth and consent, openly before the Church, ratify and confirm the same; and also promise, that, by the grace of God, they will evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to observe such things, as they, by their own confession, have assented unto. Then shall the Bishop say, Do ye here, in the presence of God, and of this congregation, renew the solemn promise and vow that ye made, or that was made in your name, at your Baptism; ratifying and confirming the same ; and acknowledging yourselves bound to believe and to do all those things which ye then undertook, or your Sponsors then undertook for you? is in UR help in AL And every one shall audibly answer, I do. Bishop. the Name of the Lord; Answer. Who hath made heaven and earth. Bishop. Blessed be the Name of the Lord; Answer. Henceforth, world without end. Bishop. Lord, hear our prayer. Answer. And let our cry come unto thee. Bishop. Let us pray. LMIGHTY and everliving God, who hast vouchsafed to regenerate these thy servants by Water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given unto them forgiveness of all their sins; Strengthen them, we beseech thee, O Lord, with the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, and daily increase in them thy manifold gifts of grace ; the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and ghostly strength, the spirit of knowledge and true godliness; and fill them, O Lord, with the spirit of thy holy fear, now and for ever. Amen. Then all of them in order kneeling before the Bishop, he shall lay his hands upon the head of every one severally, saying, DEFEND, O Lord, this thy Chi O Lord, this thy Child [or, this thy Servant] with thy heavenly grace; that he may continue thine for ever; and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit more and more, until he come unto thy everlasting kingdom. Amen. Then shall the Bishop say, The Lord be with you. |