A

FURTHER INSTRUCTION

FOR SUCH AS HAVE LEARNED THE

CHURCH CATECHISM.

SECTION I.

Of Confirmation.

I.

Q. HAVING notice to prepare myself for Confirmation, I SECT. beg your assistance, that I may know what I am going about, and what is expected from me.

A. I will gladly assist you; and if indeed you desire to save your soul, I will instruct you after so plain a manner, that you need not perish for want of knowledge.

Q. I pray then let me know, why I am called to Confirmation.

A. That the Church may be satisfied you are a Christian out of choice, and not only because you were born in a Christian country.

Q. Why must the Church be satisfied of this?

A. Because the Church is a society of persons professing to live in the fear of God, and expecting God's judgments, if any of their body do live in an open defiance of His laws, without rebuke.

And therefore, for better security, all its members are openly to declare their full purpose of living as becometh the Gospel of Christ, which is the law they are to be governed by.

Q. Is there any farther benefit that I may hope for by going to be confirmed?

A. Yes; you may expect from that time, that God will daily increase His graces in you, if you heartily desire them : for the Bishop, with whom is the hand of God in all that he a [Corrected in the Bishop's handwriting to "contempt."]

I.

SECT. doth in the name of Christ', prayeth for you; and by laying his hand upon you, doth certify you of God's favour and xxviii. 19. good-will towards you.

1 Matt.

And then, if you know that this solemn way of laying on of 2 Heb.vi.2. hands2 was from the Apostles of Jesus Christ, you will have reason to hope for much good from it; and to neglect it, where it may be had, is to despise God's mercy and favours.

3 Luke xiv.

28.

Q. I would therefore prepare myself for Confirmation, not only because the Church requires it, but because it will be my advantage to do so.

:

A. It will most certainly for the Christian profession, which you are going to take upon you, is the only thing which can make you easy here, and safe hereafter.

For it teacheth us, that though we are miserable, sinful, helpless creatures; though we have many and powerful enemies; yet by the favour of God, we may be safe and happy.

For by it we learn that God desireth our welfare, and that He is able to do for us more than we can ask or think.

It teacheth us what service God requires of us; how we may make our peace when we have offended Him by our sins; how dangerous it is to lead a careless life; and how happy God will make all such as serve Him to the best of their knowledge.

Q. Why then should I not take upon myself the Christian profession?

A. Only take with you the advice of Christ3. Consider seriously what you are going to undertake.

Whether you can purpose in your heart to resist the temptations of the devil, the world, and the flesh, which will all endeavour to draw you from God.

Whether you will resolve to believe the Word of God, which speaks of another world, and of things which you cannot see with your bodily eyes.

And whether you will do your best to keep the commands of God, in hope of a future and unseen reward.

Q. Indeed, when I consider that all Christians have promised to do this, and yet too few do ever think of what must

b ["The Christian Religion."]

come hereafter, I cannot but be afraid for myself, lest I should SECT. grow as careless as many others.

A. It is for this reason you are now called upon, to see whether you will take up a sober resolution of serving God.

And to make you concerned in this matter, consider seriously, "that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ." That as you spend this short life well or ill, you must be happy or miserable for ever.

Q. This should make one serious indeed, and therefore I do entreat you to give me a true account of my condition. A. Understand then, that you are a creature subject to sin and to misery.

That God has permitted you to be born in this condition, that you may see the sad effects of forsaking Him".

And that, finding you are unable to help yourself, you may ever be obliged to look up unto Him for help, which, at your Baptism, He hath covenanted to give you.

Now to prove you, whether you will indeed live in a constant dependance upon God, He hath permitted the devil to tempt you; that is, to endeavour to draw you from your duty.

But, at the same time, you have this faithful promise, that His good Spirit shall ever be with you, to defend and strengthen you, provided you seek to Him, put your whole trust in Him, and do not grieve Him by a wicked life.

To encourage you to serve God, whatever good thing you do by His assistance, He will graciously reward it, as if it were done by yourself only.

the

But if you shall despise God's assistance, and, trusting to your own reason and strength, fall into a wicked life, good Spirit of God will forsake you, and you will then be governed by evil Spirits, and be made very miserable.

Q. From what you say, I understand that we are in this life in a state of trial and danger, that we may be obliged to keep close to God; which if we resolve to do, then we are in no danger at all.

e["God has thus ordered it for our eternal good, viz., That we sh ever be subject to the malice of our spiritual enemys. That we may see our weakeness, and ye necessity of our dependance on God-that we may be kept in a

state of Humility. By these our Fide-
lity is tryed. 'Tis Self-Love wch makes
us uneasy at Temptation. We desire
quiet, and peace even when it wd ruin
us."]

I.

SECT.

I.

d

A. Very true; and observe also, that by the mercy of Christ, we are in a safer condition than even our first parents were; they were indeed created upright, but they fell: we are, by reason of their fall, born in weakness, but have an Almighty God, ever ready to support us; and if we, through our own fault, do slip, we have a Mediator with God, ever ready to make our peace.

Q. Blessed be God, that it is so well with us. Since then this is my condition, I pray, what must I do to be safe?

A. First, you must resolve to oppose all temptations to sin, which will oblige you to mortification and self-denial.

You must believe, and lay to heart, what God hath made known in His holy Word, and especially the promises and threatenings of the Gospel of Christ.

You must resolve to keep the commandments; which teach you your duty to God, and to your neighbour.

And because you cannot do this of yourself, you must purpose at all times to seek to God, by prayer, for His assistance. And lastly; since it is mere favour in God, that He receives us into His covenant, and promiseth us eternal life, we must thankfully receive, and use the means of grace which He hath appointed; namely, Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

These are the chief heads of our duty, which you may understand, be you never so unlearned, if you will set your heart upon it, and pray to God for help.

Q. I have already learned these in the Catechism I have been taught.

if

A. You have so; and in that you have learning sufficient, you do but know how to make use of it in the course of your life; which I shall assist you to do after a very plain

way.

But first, go and fall down on your knees, and beg of God to give you grace, and an understanding heart, in the following words:

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, and it shall 1S. James be given him 1."

دو

["Which you may be assisted to

do in most of those good books which explain the Catechism."]