1637 Scottish Book of Common Prayer: Catechism & Confirmation

The Order of Confirmation, or laying on of hands upon children baptized, and able to to render an account of their faith, according to the Catechism following. TO the end that Confirmation may be ministered to the more edifying of such as shall receive it (according unto Saint Pauls doctrine, who teacheth that all things should be done in the Church to the edification of the same) it is thought good that none hereafter shall be confirmed, but such as can say in their mother tongue the Articles of the Faith, the Lords prayer, and the ten Commandments, and can also answer to such questions of this short Catechism as the bishop (or such as he shall appoint) shall by his discretion appose [=examine] them in. And this order is most convenient to be observed for divers considerations. First, because that when Children come to the years of discretion and have learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them in Baptisme, they may then themselves with their own mouth, and with their own consent, openly before the Church, ratify and confirme the same : and also promise that by the grace of God, they will evermore endeavour themselves faith fully to observe and keep such things as they by their own mouth and confession have assented unto. Secondly, forasmuch as Confirmation is ministered to them that be baptized, that by Imposition of hands and prayer, they may receive strength and defence against all temptations to sinne, and the assaults of the world and the devil : it is most meetto be ministered when children come to that age that partly by the frailty of their own flesh, partly by the assaults of the world and the devil, they begin to be in danger to fall into sundry kindes of sinne. Thirdly, for that it is agreeable with the usage of the Church in times past : whereby it was ordained that Confirmation should be ministered to them that were of perfectage, that they being instructed in Christs Religion, should openly professe their own faith, and promise to be obedient unto the will of God. And that no man shall thinke that any detriment shall come to children by deferring of their confirmation, hee shall know for truth that it is certaine by Gods Word, that children being baptized, have all things necessary for their salvation, and bee undoubtedly saved.
A Catechism, that is to say, an instruction to be learned of every Childe before he be brought to be confirmed of the Bishop, and to be used throughout the whole Church of Scotland. Question. WHat is your name? Answer. N. or M. Question. Who gave you this name? Answer. My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptisme, wherein I was made a member of Christ, the childe of God, and an inheritour of the Kingdome of heaven. Question. What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you? Answer. They did promise and vow three things in my name : First, that I should forsake the devil and all his works, the pomps, and vanities of the wicked world, and all the sinfull lusts of the flesh. Secondly, that I should beleeve all the Articles of the Christian Faith. And thirdly, that I should keep Gods holy will and commandements, and walk in the same all the dayes of my life. Question. Dost thou not think that thou art bound to beleeve and to do as they have promised for thee? Answer. Yes verily : and by Gods 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 God to give me his grace, that I may continue in the same unto my lives end. Question. Rehearse the articles of thy belief. Answer. I Beleeve in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and of earth : and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, which was conceived of the holy Ghost, born of the virgin Marie, 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 beleeve in the holy Ghost, the holy catholique Church, the communion of saints, the forgivenesse of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Question. What doest thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy belief? Answer. First, I learn to believe in God the Father, who hath made me and all the world. Secondly, in God the Sonne, who hath redeemed me and all mankind. Thirdly, in God the holy Ghost, who sanctifieth mee, and all the elect people of God. Question. You said that your Godfathers and Godmothers did promise for you that you should keep Gods Commandments. Tell me how many there be? Answer. Tenne. Question. Which be they? Answer. The same which God spake in the twentieth chapter of Exodus, saying, I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage. i. Thou shalt have no other gods but me. ii. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likenesse of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them, nor serve them: For I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquitie of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me : and showing mercie unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my Commandements. iii. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain : for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vain. iiii. Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. Six daies shalt thou labour and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not doe anie work, thou, nor thy sonne, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattell, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six daies 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 daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. vi. Thou shalt not kill. vii. Thou shalt not commit adultery. viii. Thou shalt not steal. ix. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour. x. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his asse, nor anything that is thy neighbours. Question. What dost thou chiefly learn by these commandements? Answer. I learn two things : My dutie towards God, and my dutie towards my neighbour. Question. What is thy dutie towards God? Answer. My dutie towards God, is to beleeve in him, to fear him, and to love him with all my heart, with all my minde, 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 dayes of my life. Question. What is thy dutie towards thy neighbour? Answer. My dutie 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 his ministers. To submit myself to all my governours, teachers, spirituall pastours, and masters. To order my self 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, sobernesse, and chastitie. Not to covet nor desire other mens goods, but 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. Question. My good child know this, that thou art not able to do these things of thyself, nor to walk in the commandements of God, and to serve him, without his speciall grace, which thou must learn at all times to call for by diligent prayer. Let me hear therefore if thou canst say the Lords prayer. Answer. OUr Father, which art in heaven, hallowed bee thy name. Thy kingdome 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 trespasse against us. And leade 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 goodnes, 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 mercifull 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 wickednes, and from our ghostly enemy, and from everlasting death. And this I trust he will do of his mercy and goodnes, through our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore I say. Amen, So be it.
Question. HOw many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church? Answer. Two only, as generally necessary to salvation : that is to say, Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Question. What meanest thou by this word Sacrament? Answer. I mean an outward and visible signe of an inward and spirituall 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 be there in a sacrament? Answer. Two : the outward visible signe, and the inward spirituall grace. Question. What is the outward visible signe, or forme in Baptisme? Answer. Water : wherein the person baptized, is dipped or sprinkled with it, In the name the Name of the Father, and of Sonne, and of the holy Ghost. Question. What is the inward and spirituall grace? Answer. A death unto sinne, and a new birth unto righteousness : for being by nature born in sinne, 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 sinne : and faith, whereby they steadfastly beleeve 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. Yes: they doe perform them by their Sureties; who promise and vow them both in their names : which when they come to age, themselves are bound to performe. Question. Why was the Sacrament of the Lords supper ordained? Answer. For the continuall remembrance of the Sacrifice of the death of Christ, and the benefits which we receive thereby. Question. What is the outward part, or signe of the Lords 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 Bloud of Christ, which are spiritually taken and received of the faithfull in the Lords supper. Question. What are the benefits, whereof we are partakers thereby? Answer. The strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the Body and Bloud of Christ, as our bodies are by the Bread and Wine. Question. What is required of them which come to the Lords supper? Answer. To examine themselves, whether they repent them truly of their former sinnes, steadfastly purposing to leade a new life : have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ, with a thankfull remembrance of his death; and be in charitie with all men. ¶ So soon as the children can say in their mother tongue the articles of the Faith, the Lords prayer, the ten Commandements, and also can answer to such questions of this short catechisme, as the bishop (or such as he shall appoint) shall by his discretion appose them in : then shall they be brought to the Bishop by one that shall be his Godfather or Godmother, that every childe may have a witnesse of his confirmation. And the Bishop shall confirme them in this wise.
Confirmation,or laying on of hands. ¶ The Bishop shall say, OUR helpe is in the Name of the Lord. Answer. Which hath made both heaven and earth. Bishop. Blessed is the Name of the Lord. Answer. Henceforth world without end. Bishop. Lord heare our prayers. Answer. And let our cry come unto thee. ¶ Let us pray. ALmighty and everliving God, who hast vouchsafed to regenerate these thy servants by water and the holy Ghost, and hast given unto them forgivenesse 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 wisedome and understanding, the spirit of counsell and ghostly strength, the Spirit of knowledge and true godlinesse, and fulfill them, O Lord, with the Spirit of thy holy feare. Amen. ¶ Then the bishop shall lay his hand upon every childe severally, saying. Defend, O Lord, this childe with thy heavenly grace, that he may continue thine forever, and daily increase in thy holy Spirit more and more, until he come unto thy everlasting kingdome. Amen. ¶ Then shall the bishop say. ¶ Let us pray. ALmighty and everliving God, which makest us both to will, and to do those things that be good and acceptable unto thy Majesty, We make our humble supplications unto thee for these children, upon whom (after the example of thy holy Apostles) we have laid our hands, to certifie them (by this signe) of thy favour and gracious goodnesse toward them : Let thy fatherly hand, we beseech thee, ever be over them : Let thy holy Spirit ever bee with them, and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy word, that in the end they may obtain the everlasting life; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with thee and the holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God, world without end. Amen. ¶ Then the bishop shall blesse the children, saying thus, THE blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, be upon you, and remaine with you for ever. Amen. ¶ The Presbyter or Curate of every parish, or some other at his appointment, shall diligently upon Sundayes and Holy-dayes, half an houre before Evensong, openly in the Church, instruct and examine so many children of his Parish sent unto him, as the time will serve, and as he shall think convenient, in some part of this Catechisme. ¶ And all Fathers Mothers, Masters, and Mistresses, shall cause their children, servants, and prentices (which have not learned their Catechisme) to come to the Church at the time appointed, and obediently to heare, and be ordered by the Presbyter or Curate, untill such time as they have learned all that is here appointed for them to learn. And whensoever the Bishop shall give knowledge for children to be brought afore him to any convenient place for their Confirmation, then shall the Presbyter or Curate of every Parish, either bring or send in writing the names of all those children of his Parish, which can say the Articles of the Faith, the Lords prayer, and the ten Commandements; and also how many of them can answer to the other questions contained in this Catechisme. ¶ And there shall none be admitted to the holy Communion, untill such time as he can say the Catechisme, and be confirmed.