time appointed, and obediently to hear and be ordered by the curate, until such time as they have learned all that is here appointed for them to learn."

Where we may first observe, that in the Book of Common Prayer, set forth in King Edward the Sixth, and in Queen Elizabeth's reign, as also in the 59th Canon of our Church, the time appointed for catechising was half-anhour before Evening Prayer; but now it is to be done after the second lesson at Evening Prayer, that those also of riper years which were not taught the Catechism in their youth (which though not heretofore, yet now make up the greatest part, if not the whole, of most congregations in England), may learn what they ought to believe and do, by hearing the younger sort examined and instructed in it.

Here we may likewise observe, that every curate or minister of every parish in England, is obliged by this law, not carelessly but "diligently," not privately but "openly," to examine and instruct some of his parish in some part of the Catechism every Sunday and holyday throughout the year: so that none can ever neglect or omit it upon those days, without manifest and wilful disobedience to the laws both of the Church and State under which they live, and that too in a thing which they are bound to do, out of duty to God, and to the people committed to their charge, although there was no such positive law for it. But howsoever lest any should be so stupid and insensible of their duty herein, as, notwithstanding all this, still to continue in the neglect of it, our Church in the foresaid Canon hath enforced it with the greatest penalty that she can inflict : for her words are these, "And if any minister shall neglect his Can. 59. duty herein, let him be sharply reproved upon the first complaint, and true notice thereof given to the Bishop or Ordinary of the place. If, after submitting himself, he shall willingly offend therein again, let him be suspended. If so

Can. 59.

the third time, there being little hope that he will be therein reformed, then excommunicated, and so remain until he be reformed."

But then we must observe withal, that as all ministers are bound to catechise every Lord's Day and holyday in their respective parish churches, so all fathers, mothers, masters, and dames, even every head of a family in every parish, are bound by the same law, to cause all in their respective families that have not yet learned the Catechism, whether children, servants, or apprentices, to come to Church at all such times, and there obediently submit themselves to be examined, instructed, and ordered by their minister, not only now and then, but constantly, until they have learned all that is here appointed. And to make them more careful to perform their duty herein, I wish they would consider the punishments which the Church hath declared to be due, and therefore decreed to be inflicted upon those who neglect it, in these words, " And likewise, if any of the said fathers, mothers, masters, or mistresses, children, servants, or apprentices, shall neglect their duties, as the one sort in not causing them to come, and the other in refusing to learn, as aforesaid, let them be suspended by their Ordinaries (if they be not children), and if they so persist by the space of a month, let them be excommunicated.”

Another thing much to be observed in these laws is, that every minister is bound not only to teach the youth and ignorant persons of his parish their Catechism, and to examine whether they can say it, but he is bound likewise to "instruct them in it," and to "examine" whether they understand it or no; and that too so long till they can all, according to their several abilities, give a good account of their faith, and of all the duties which God requireth of them.

Now if all this was duly and generally observed all the

kingdom over, what an excellent Church and people should we then become! Then the promise which God hath made to His Church in general would be fulfilled to ours particularly. For we should "all know Him from the least to the Jer. 31. 34, greatest of us." And if we knew Him aright we could not but serve, honour, and obey Him as we ought, and so live as becometh Christians, shining as lights in the world.

But this we can never expect, until it please God to open the eyes of parents and others, that they may see it to be both their duty and their interest to teach their children their Catechism as well as they can at home, and then to send them, together with their servants and apprentices, to be further instructed in it by the Minister of their parish, not only while they are six or seven years old, as the custom of late hath been, but till they come to years of discretion, so as to be able fully to understand all that is necessary for them to know, in order to their living in the true faith and fear of God all the while they are upon earth, and so to their obtaining forgiveness of their sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith, that is, in Jesus Christ. Whatsoever they may think, I am sure they can do nothing more pleasing to God or of greater advantage to themselves for by this means they may, upon good grounds, promise themselves a great deal of comfort in their children and families, together with God's blessing upon them; which otherwise they can never expect: in that they live in such a sin, for which the Church hath declared them worthy to be excommunicated, and requireth them to be so, if they continue in it.

And as for such (of which there are too many all over the kingdom) who never having learned the Catechism themselves, cannot teach it their children, they have more need to attend constantly when it is repeated and explained openly in the Church, and must take the more care to

send their children to the Minister of their parish, that he may teach them, and instruct them in it, whose duty it is to do it.

And it is indeed a very hard and difficult duty to do it effectually. It is easy enough, I confess, to hear children or others say their Catechism by rote. But that signifies very little, unless they understand what they say. But to make them understand every word and expression, as it is necessary they should, in order to their being fully instructed in it: this, I think, is one of the hardest duties belonging to the Ministerial Office. For it requires great presence of mind and quickness of invention, to explain every thing so as the weakest capacities may apprehend it. But how hard soever it is, it is necessary to be done. And therefore every Minister should study and strive all he can to do it, so as that it may answer the end for which it is appointed, and that he may give a good account of it at the Last Day.

For which purpose many have taken great and worthy pains in subdividing the Catechism into lesser Questions and Answers to be got without Book, and repeated by those who come to be examined and instructed in it. And that, doubtless, is of great use, if due care be taken that they do not make such answers, as they are apt to repeat the Catechism, only by rote, without understanding what is meant by them. But herein lies the main difficulty, even how to possess young and ignorant people with a clear understanding, right apprehensions, and a due sense of all that is contained in the Catechism; that they may become wise unto Salvation. Which every one should endeavour by all such ways and means which he finds or thinks will conduce most towards it, due consideration being had of the place where he lives, and of the circumstances of the persons that come to be examined and instructed by him.

The course that to me seems the most effectual to this purpose is, by giving them first a short, plain, and easy exposition of some one part of the Catechism, and then examining whether they understand what was said, by propounding such questions to them as had been resolved in the foregoing exposition. And where we find their understanding, or their memory, or both, to fail them, then to tell them the same thing over again in other words, such as we think most easy and familiar to them. And this not only at that time, but when they come next to be examined again; by which time their parents or some other that were present, may have helped them by repeating the same things so often to them that they may be able to give some tolerable account of them, considering each one's capacity and age. And if this course be continued so as to go over the whole Catechism in this manner once or twice a-year to the same persons, though they began young and ignorant, yet I doubt not but, by the blessing of God, they will at last come to have a right understanding in all things necessary to their Salvation, and to be fit to be confirmed by the Bishop, and then admitted to the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ our Saviour.

This therefore being the best way that I could ever yet find out whereby to catechise to good purpose, so as to attain the end of its institution, I have here given a specimen of it. I have drawn up a short exposition of the several parts of the Catechism in the plainest and easiest terms that (considering the nature of each subject) I could think of, still keeping to such words and phrases as are used in the Holy Scriptures, and by the Catholic Church in the interpretation of them, and explaining them if there was occasion, so that all may understand the meaning of them. I have, according to the wise and pious design of the Catechism, waved all manner of disputes and controversies, insisting only upon such things which are there propounded