I. THE CHRISTIAN COVENANT COLLECTED BY JOHN LEWIS, J זיוי, -MINISTER OF MARGATE IN KENT. THE THIRTY-SIXTH EDITION: LONDON: 138.947. PRINTED FOR F. AND C. RIVINGTON, CHISING. The Curate of every Parish hall diligently upon Sundays and Holidays, after the Second Leffon at Evening Prayer, openly in the Church, inftruct and examine fo many Children of his Parifh fent unto him, as he fhall think convenient, in fome Part of this Catechifm. And all Fathers, Mothers, Masters and Dames, fhall caufe their Children, Servants, and Apprentices, which have not learned their Cate chifm, to come to Church, at the Time appointed, and obediently to hear, and be ordered by the Curate, until fuch Time as they have learned all that is appointed for them to learn. From the Exhortation to the Godfathers and XE are to take Care that this Child be brought Ya to the Bishop to be Confirmed by him, fo foon as he can fay the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments in the Vulgar Tongue, and be further instructed in the Church Catechifm, fet forth for that Purpose. Bye and Law, Printers, wf of ti p.i EPISTLE DEDICATORY, LATTSTED TO THE Right Reverend and Honourable Members of the SOCIETY (at London) My Lords and Gentlemen, HE following Explanation of our". Church Catechifm, being collected to promote Chriftian Knowledge, a Defign which you are fo gloriously em ployed in; I had prefumed, at the firft Publication of it, to have offered it to You, but that I feared my Meanness and Obfcurity might hinder the Accep tance of it. But fince it has been fo well received, and made fuch Ufe of, in advancing the great Defign you are fo intent in carrying on; I have no longer any Reafon to hinder my present ing it to You. I am very fenfible it is no Commendation to collect what others have written: But it is not Praise that I feel after I have no other Design, than to be as ufeful as I can, and thereby to be enabled to give up a comfortable Account of my Stewardship. May the blessed GOD, whofe Interest you are fo much concerned for, blefs and fucceed your pious and good Endeavours: May He make all Oppofitions to fall before You here; and may You hereafter receive that Reward which attends thofe who turn many to Righteousness. This is, and shall be the hearty Prayer of My Loaps and GENTLEMEN, CTO of My dearly beloved Neighbours, Here prefent you with a short and easy Ex Church has provided, and enjoined to be learnt by all her Members, before they are brought to be Confirmed by the Bishop; and wherein are taught you all Things a Chriftian ought to know and believe, in order to his eternal Salvation. How feasonable and neceffary a Provision this is, our woful Experience of the wretched Ignorance and Irreligion of Perfons in thofe Places, where Catechifing is neglected, does fufficiently convince us.. And indeed, where the Grounds and Principles of our holy Religion have never been well laid, Preaching rarely proves effectual; nor can it otherwise be expected, than that our Flocks fhould be rendered an easy Prey to every Seducer. I would not have you ignorant, Brethren, that Preaching of Sermons without Catechizing, is like Building without first laying the Foundation. Without this Way of Inftruction, the Mind is rendered like a Ship without Ballast, and can keep no fteady Courfe, but rolls and is toffed to and fro with every Wind of Doctrine, and in continual Danger of overfetting. Hence it comes to`país, that so many ars continually hearing, and yet cannot understand; ever learning, and |