A Catechism
That is to say, an Instruction to be Learned of Every Person,
before he be Brought to be Confirmed by the Bishop.

Why the catechism is placed next. SINCE children, in their baptism, engage to renounce the devil and all his works, to believe in God, and serve him; it is fit that they he taught, so soon as they are able to learn, what a solemn vow, promise, and profession they have made. Accordingly after the offices appointed for baptism, follows A CATECHISM, that is to say, An Instruction, to he learned of every person, before he be brought to he confirmed by the Bishop.

Catechism of divine institution, and universal practice. And this (i.e. the catechising or instructing of children and others in the principles of religion) is founded upon the institution of God himself, and is agreeable to the best examples in Scripture. As to the Jews, Josephus tells us, that they were above all things careful that their children might be instructed in the law: to which end they had in every village a person called the instructor of babes, (to which St. Paul seems to allude,) whose business it was (as we may gather from Buxtorf) to teach children the law till they were ten years of age, and from thence till they were fifteen, to instruct them in the Talmud. Grotius tells us, that at thirteen they were brought to the house of God in order to be publicly examined; and, being approved, were then declared to be children of the precept, i.e. they were obliged to keep the law, and were from thenceforth answerable for their own sins. And whereas our Saviour submitted himself to this examination when he was but twelve years old, (for that Grotius supposes was the end of his staying behind at Jerusalem, and offering himself to the doctors in the temple;) it was by reason of his extraordinary qualifications and genius, which (to speak in the Jews' own. language) ran before the command.

From the Jews this custom was delivered down to the Christians, who had in every church a peculiar officer, called a catechist, whose office it was to instruct the catechumens in the fundamentals of religion, in some places for two whole years together, besides the more solemn catechising of them during the forty days of Lent, preparatory to their baptism at Easter.

§.2. Catechism of children or converts, as proper after Baptism as before. There was indeed some difference between the persons who were catechised then, and those whom we instruct now. For then the catechumens were generally such as were come to years of discretion; but, having been born of heathen parents, were not yet baptized. So that they catechised them before their baptism, as we also do those who are not baptized till they come to riper years. But as to the children of believing parents, it is certain that, as they were baptized in infancy, they could not then, any more than now, be admitted Catechumens till after baptism. Nor is there any necessity of doing it before, if so be we take care that due instruction be given them, so soon as they are capable of receiving it. For our Saviour himself in that commission to his apostles, Go ye, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, &c. - teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you, seems to intimate that converts may first be entered into his Church by baptism, and afterwards instructed in the fundamentals of their religion. And indeed we read, that when St. Basil was baptized, the Bishop kept him in his house some time afterwards, that he might instruct him in the things pertaining to eternal life. And a learned writer affirms, that all baptized persons in the primitive times (although they had been catechised before) were yet wont to stay several days after their baptism, to be more fully catechised in all things necessary to salvation. And therefore there is much more reason for us to catechise children after baptism, who are naturally incapable of being instructed beforehand.

The Catechism drawn up by way of Question and Answer. AS to the form of our Catechism, it is drawn up after the primitive manner by way of question and answer: so Philip catechised the Eunuch, and so the persons to be baptized were catechised in the first ages, as I have already shewn in discoursing of the antiquity of the baptismal vow. And indeed the very word CATECHISM implies as much; the original κατηχέω, from whence it is derived, being a compound of ἠχὼ, which signifies an echo, or repeated sound. So that a Catechism is no more than an instruction first taught and instilled into a person, and then repeated upon the catechist's examination.

§.2. The contents of it. As to the contents of our Catechism, it is not a large system or body of divinity, to puzzle the heads of young beginners; but only a short and full explication of the baptismal vow. The primitive Catechism indeed (i.e. all that the catechumens were to learn by heart before their Baptism and Confirmation) consisted of no more than the Renunciation, or the repetition of the Baptismal Vow, the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer; and these together with the Ten Commandments, at the Reformation, were the whole of ours. But it being afterwards thought defective as to the doctrine of the Sacraments, (which in the primitive times were more largely explained to baptized persons,) king James I appointed the Bishops to add a short and plain explanation of them, which was done accordingly in that excellent form we see;* being penned by bishop Overal, then dean of St. Paul's, and allowed by the Bishops. So that now (in the opinion of the best judges) it excels all Catechisms that ever were in the world; being so short that the youngest children may learn it by heart; and yet so full, that it contains all things necessary to be known in order to salvation.

In this also its excellency is very discernible, viz. that as all persons are baptized not into any particular Church, but into the Catholic Church of Christ; so here they are not taught the opinion of this or any other particular Church or people, but what the whole body of Christians all the world over agree in. If it may any where seem to be otherwise, it is in the doctrine of the Sacraments: but even this is here worded with so much caution and temper, as not to contradict any other particular Church; but so as that all sorts of Christians, when they have duly considered it, may subscribe to every thing that is here taught or delivered.

Rubric 1. Catechism how often to be performed. The times now appointed for catechising of children, are Sundays and Holy-days. Though Bishop Cosin observes, this is no injunction for doing it every Sunday and holy-day, but only as often as need requires, according to the largeness or number of children in the parish. And it is true, that by the first book of king Edward VI it was not required to be done above once in six weeks. But Bucer, observing that this was too seldom, and that in several churches in Germany there was catechising three times a week, urged, in his censure upon this rubric, that the Minister should be required to catechise on every holy-day. Upon this exception indeed the rubric was altered, but expressed notwithstanding in indefinite terms. So that Bishop Cosin was of the opinion, that no obligation could be urged from hence, that the Minister should perform it on all Sundays and holy-days. And indeed by the Injunctions of queen Elizabeth, it was only required upon every Holy -day and every second Sunday (i.e. I suppose every Sunday) in the year; though it is plainly the design of the present rubric, that it should be done as often as occasion requires, i.e. so long as there are any in the parish who are capable of instruction, and yet have not learned their Catechism. And therefore, in many large parishes, where the inhabitants are numerous, the Minister thinks himself obliged to catechise every Sunday; whilst in parishes less populous, a few Sundays in the year are sufficient to the purpose; and therefore in such places the duty of Catechism is reserved till Lent, in imitation of an old custom in the primitive Church, which, as I have already observed, had their more solemn Catechisms during that season. But now how to reconcile the fifty-ninth canon to this exposition of the rubric, I own I am at a loss: for that requires every Parson, Vicar, or Curate, upon every Sunday and Holy-day, to teach and instruct the youth and ignorant persons of his parish, in the Catechism set forth in the Book of Common Prayer; and this too upon pain of a sharp reproof upon the first complaint, of suspension upon the second, and of excommunication till he be reformed upon the third.

§.2. Why to be performed after the second Lesson. The part of the service where this is to come in, is after the second Lesson at Evening Prayer: though in all the Common Prayer Books till the last review, it was ordered to be done half an hour before Even-Song, i.e. (as the fifty-ninth canon explains it,) the Minister should for half an hour, or more, before Evening Prayer, examine and instruct the youth and ignorant persons of his parish in the Church Catechism. I suppose the reason of the alteration was, that Catechism being performed in the midst of divine service, the elder persons, as well as the younger, might receive benefit by the Minister's expositions, and that the presence of parents and masters might be an encouragement to the children and servants to a diligent performance of their duty herein.

§.3. Rubric 2. The persons to be catechized, who. The persons appointed to be instructed in this Catechism, are so many of the parish sent unto him, as the Minister shall think convenient: which the next rubric supposes to be all children, servants, and apprentices, which have not learned it. In king Edward's first Common Prayer Book, those only were to be sent, who were not yet confirmed. But because many were then confirmed young, at least before they could understand their Catechism, though they might repeat the words of it, Bucer desired that they might still be catechised, till the Curate should think them sufficiently instructed; upon which motion the words were somewhat altered in the next review.

§.4. What care is to be taken by parents and masters, &c. The care of sending their children and servants is by the same rubric laid upon their Fathers, Mothers, Mistresses, and Dames, who are to cause them to come to Church at the time appointed, and obediently to hear, and he ordered by the Curate, until such time as they have learned all that is here appointed for them to learn. The same is required by the fifty-ninth canon of our Church, which further orders, that if any of these neglect their duties, as the one sort in not causing them to come, and the other in refusing to learn as aforesaid: they are to be suspended by the Ordinary, i.e. from the Communion, I suppose, (if they be not children) and if they so persist by the space of a month, they are to be excommunicated. And by the canons of 1571, every Minister was yearly, within twenty days after Easter, to present to the Bishop, &c. the names of all those in his parish, which had not sent their children or servants at the times appointed. And to enforce this, it was one of the articles which was exhibited, in order to be admitted by authority, that he, whose child at ten years old or upwards, or his servant at fourteen or upwards, could not say the Catechism, should pay ten shillings to the poor's box.

The two next rubrics, relating more immediately to the Order for Confirmation, will come more properly to be treated of in the next chapter.