Q^ Why is our thankfulnefs neceflary to
the receiving of the Lord's fupper ?

A. Becaufe the Lord's fupper is' a facri-
fice of thankfgiving to»God for our re-
demption by Chrift.

C^ What proof have you for a thankful
remembrance of Chrift's death ?

A. From Rora. v, 8. ' God commend-
eth his love towards us, in that whilft we
were yet finners Chrift died for us.'

I Cor. vi. 20. * Ye are bought with a
price, therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your fpirir, which are God's.

Q^ Why is the being in charity neceflary
to the Lord's fupper ?

A. Becaufe it is a feaft of love, and a
•communion of Chriftians one with another ;
and {ignifies their conjundion in one fpiri-
tuaJ body.

Q^ What proof have you for this duty ?

A. From Matt. v. 23, 24. • Ifthoa
bring thy gift to the altar, and there re-
membereft that thy brother hath aught
againft thee, leave there thy gift before the
altar, and go thy w'ay ; firit be reconciled
to thy brother, and then come and offer
jhy gift.'

J Cor. X. 17. * We being many, are one
bread, and one body, for we are all par-
takers of that one bread.'

Eph. V, 2. * Walk in love, as Chrift

alfo hath loved us, and hath given himfelf

for us, an offering and a facrifice to God.'

I John iv. n. * If God fo loved us, we

ought alfo to love one another.*

Sect, the laft. 0« Cojijirmathn^

Q^ Is there any thing elfe required of
thofe who come to the Lord's fupper ?
A. It is ordained by the church, » that

* none iliall be admitted to the holy commu-

* nion until fuch tim.e as he is conhrmed, or

* re^d)'^aud d^firous to be confirmed.*



Q^ What do you mean by confirmation ? ,
A. I mean the folemn laying on of the \
hands of the bilhop, accompanied with
prayer, upon fuch as have been baptized,
and are come to years of difcretion.

Q^ Why do you call this confirmation ?
A. Becaufe by this ordinance I confirn*
thofe vows and promifes, which were made
in my name when I was baptized,

Q^How are thofe vows and pronufes now
confirmed by you ?

A. I do in the prefence of God, and of
the congregation, renew the folemn promife
and vow that was made in my name at my
baptifm ; ratifying and confirming the fame
in my own perfon, and acknowledging my-
felf bound to believe and to do all thofe
things wliich my godfathers and godmothers
then undertook for me.

Q^ Have you no other reafon for call-
ing this ordinance by the name of confir-
mation ?

A. Yes ; I call it confirmation, becaufe,
by the bifhop's laying his hands on me, and
by the prayers of him and the congregation,
I hope to be ftrengthened with the Holy
Ghoft the Comforter, and defended with
his heavenly grace, that I may continue th«
Lord's for ever.

Q^ Why was this ordinance inftltuted ?
A. It was inftltuted in order to make us,
who were baptized in our infancy, more
fenfible of the obligations we are under to be-
lieve and do what was then pramifed for us.-
Q. What are the benefits of this inftitu-
tionT

A. They who are duly confirmed have
the benefit of God's grace procured for
them, by the prayers of the biihop and the
congregation in their behalf; are duly in-e
ftrucled in the principles of the Chrillian re-
ligion ; and are engaged to begin betimes
both to confider their duty, and to apply
themfelves to the difcharge of it.

Q^ Are all godfathers and godmothers
obliged to fee, that thofe for whom they
anfwer be firft duly inftrufted in the princi-
ples of their religion, and then brought to
be confirmed by the bilhop ?

A. Yes, certainly. As they have re-
ceived a folemn charge to fee that the infant
be taught, fo foon as he (hall be able to
learn, what a folemn. vow, promife, and
profeflion he hath made by them ; and to
take care that the child be brought to the
bilhop to be confirmed by him ; fo nothing
can excufe them from the obligations of thi$
duty, when they have power and. opportu-j
nity to do (jither,

' I Qi What



Book I.



MORAL AND RELIGIOUS.



261



Q^ What is required of perfons to be and praifc thy goodnefs exprefled towards

confirmed ? me, who am lefs than the leaft of all thy

A. That, when they are come to years mercies; for my creation, prcfervation, and

of difcretion, they be taught to know and all the bleflings of this life: but above all

unJerftand what a folemn vow, promife, and I defire to praife thy name for thy wonder-

profelfion they made by their godfathers and ful love in Chrift Jefus my Lord ; for the

godmothers when they were baptized ; and means of grace which through him thou had

that they be ready and defirous, in their placed me in the pofiefiion of; and thofe

own names, to ratify and coniirm the fame, hopes of glory, which, by the covenant

Q^ How often ought any Chriftian to be which thou wail gracionfly pleafed to feal

confirmed ? with me at my baptifra, thou haft confirmed

A. But once. As there is one baptifm, tome. Omake me, I befeech thee, duly

fo there is required but one folemn ratifica- fenfible of the value of thy favour, and ac-



tion or confirmation of it

Q^ Do they not then (hew themfclves
"very ignorant, who go to the bifhop to be
confirmed every time he confirms ?



cordingly to be defirous of it ; and to this
end, make me always mindful of that fo-
lemn vow which I made at my baptifm ;
and give me grace to refift the leveral



A. This proceeds from their not knowing temptations of the devil, the world, and my

what confirmation is, v.-hich accordingly own corrupt nature. PofTefs me with a ha-

they call by the name of being b'tjhop'df or tred of all my former breaches of this facred

receiving the bifnop's blefling. obligation, and to take care to walk more

Q^ What foundation have you in fcrip- cautioufly for the time to come. Purify

ture for the practice of confirmation ? my heart from all vain thoughts and delires.

A. The example of the Apoftles. A<5ls Keep my tongue from evil fpeakin*, lying,
viii. 17. — xix. 6. * Who laid their hands and ilandering ; and my body in temperance,
on thofe that had been baptized, that they fobernefs, and chaftity ; and, in every re-
might receive the Holy Ghoil:.' fped, let my converfation be as becometh

Heb. vi. I, 2. « The laying on of hands thegofpel. Keep me by thy power, through

is reckoned among thofe principles of the faith, unto falvation.

doftrine of Chrilt, from whence his difci- Enlarge and blefs thy holy catholic church

pies may go on unto Chriftian perfeftion.' with more abundant peace and purity : par-

Q^ Does the bilTiop then give the Holy don the fins of the nation I live in, and

Gholt now, as the apoitles did then, by tlieir make us a holy people, zealous of good



laying on of hands ?

A. We do not fay that the apoftles ga've
the Holy Ghoft ; they laid on. their hands,
and God gave the Holy Spirit to thofe on
whom they laid them. And fo we hope,
that by the fcr\ ent prayers of the bifhop and
the church, they on whom he now lays his
hands fhaii alfo receive the Holy Ghoft, if



works. Blefs the king, and all that are put
in authority under him. Blefs the minifters
of thy holy word and facraments : bkfs all
my relations and benefadtors, and forgive
all my enemies.

Take me into thy proteftion this day
for night). It is thou only. Lord, that
makeft me to dwell in faf?ty. But whether



they do but worthily prepare themfclves I fleep or wake, live or die, let me be
for it. r , , •

Q^ Is there any promife of God on which
to build fuch a hope?



A. Chrift has declared, that God will
give the Holy Spirit to them that aflc him :
and if fo, we have more reafon to hope,
that he will giye his Holy Spirit, when he
is fo earneftly and folemnly aflced of him
by the paftors of his church, whom he has
appointed not ouly to pray for, but to blefs
his people.

$17;. A Prayer to be /aid hy a Child Morn-
ing and E-vetting.

O Lord my God, who art Lord of heaven
and earth, the Father of mercies, and the
God of all confolation: I defire to adore



found thine own, to thy eternal glory, and
my everlafting falvation, through Jefus
Chrift ; in whofe bleflTed name and words
I fum up my imperfe<^ prayers; faying,
* Our Father,' &c.

§ 176. Prayers for the Ufe of Schools.

A Morning Prayer, to be ufed by the MaJIers

or MiJheJJis, and Scholars,

Praifed be the Lord, from the rifing up
of the fun to the going down of the fame.
Thcu art our God, and we will praife
thee : thou art our God, and we will thank
thee.

Thou haft made us after thine own

image ; thou daily preferveft and provideft

S 3 lor



262



ELEGANT EXTRACTS,



Book h



for us ; thou haft redeemed us by the pre-
tmus blood of thy dear Son; thou hall
j)ivcn us thy holy word for our dirtviion,
find promifed thy Holy Spirit for our affift-
ance : thou haft raifed up to us friends and
benefadors, who have taken care of our
education and inttrufllon ; thou haft brought
us together again this morning, to teach
and to learn that which iv/^y be profitable
to us.



eluding in his moft perfed form of words :
♦ Our Father,' &c.

§ 177. J J! E-vening Prayer, to be ufcd hy the
Mafters or Mrjlrejfcs, and Scholars.
Accept, we befeech thee, O Lord, our
evening facrihce of praife and thankfgiving
for all thy goodnefs and loving kindnefs to
us : particularly for the blellings of this
day, for thy gracious protection and prefer-

•e en-



For thefe and all thy favours, fjuritual vation, for the opportunities we have

and temporal, our fouls do biers and mag- joyed for the initruftion and improvement

nify thy holy name, humbly befeeching of our minds, for all the comforts of this

thee to accept this cur morning facrifice of life, and the hope of life everlaiting, through

praife and thankfgiving, through Jefus Jefus Chriit our Redeemer.
Chrift our Lord. We humbly acknowledge, O Lord, that

And do thou, O Lord, who haft fafely we are altogether unworthy oftheleaftof

brought us to the beginning of this day, all thy favours, th^t we continually fall



defend us in the fame by thy mighty pow
and grant that this day we fall into no fin,
neither run into any kind of danger ; but
that all our doings may be ordered by thy



fhort of our duty, and have too often tranf-
greffed thy holy laws.

P'orgive, moft merciful Father, we hum-
bly pray thee, ail the errors and tranfgref-



governance, to do always that which is fions which thou haft beheld in us the day



righteous in thy fight, through Jefus Chrift
our Lord.

Particularly we beg thy blefiing upon our
prefent undertaking. Prevent us, O Lord,
in all our doings, with thy moft gracious
faA-our, and further us with thy continual
help, that in thcfe and all our works, begun,
contiTiued, and ended in ti:ec, we mav glo-
rify thy holy name, and finally by thy mercy
obtain everlafting life, tlirough J.;fus Chrift
our Lord.



part ; and help us to exprefs our unfeigned
forro'w tor what has been amifs, by our care
to amend it.

Vv'hat we know not, do thou teach us ;
inftrudt us in all the particulars of our duty,
both towards thee, and tov/ards men ; and
give us grace always to do thofe things which
are good and well pleafmg in thy fight,
through Jefus Chrift our Lord.

'A hatfcever good inftructions have been
here given us this day, grant that they may



We humbly acknoM'ledge, O Lord, the be carefully remembered, and duly fol-

great hviperfeftion and diforder, both of lowed ; and whatfoever good defires thou

our minds and of our lives ; that we are haft put into any of our hearts, grant that

unable to help carfeivcs,. and unworthy of b}' the afiiftance of thy grace they may be

thy affiftance : but we befeech thee, through brought to gocd cffeft, that thy name may

the merits of our blefTed Redeemer, to par- have the honour, and we, with thofe who

don our cfiences, to enlighten our under- are afT.ftant to us in this work of our in-

ftandings, to ftrengthen our memories, to ftruftion, may have comfort at the day of

fanfti fy our hearts, and to guide our lives, account, through our Lord and Saviour

Help us, we pray thee, to learn and to prac- Jefus Chrift.

tife thofe things Avhich are good, that we Lighten our darknefs, we befeech thee, ,

may become ferious Chriftians, and ufeful O Lord, and by thy great mercy defend ug i

in the world; to the g'.ory of thy great from ail perils and dangers of this night; ;

continue to us the bleftings which we enjoy.



name, the fatisfadion of thofe who have
fo kindly provided for our fouls and bo-
dies, and our own prefent and future well
being. Beftow thy bleilings, we befeech
thee, upon all our 'friends and benefaftors ;
particularly thofe who are concerned in the
care of this fchool Profper'thou the works
of their hands : O Lord, profper thou their
handy-work.

Thefe prayers, bo^h for them and our-
fehes, we humbly otter up in the name of
thy Son Jefus Chrift, our Redeemer, ccn-



and help us to. teftify our thankfuhnefs for
them, by a due ufe and improvement of
them.

Blefs nil thofe in authority in church and
ftate, together with all our friends and be-
nefadiors, particularly thofe who are con-
cerned in the care of this fchool, for whom
we are bound in efpecial manner to pray.
Blefs this and all other fchools for religious
and truly Chriftian education. And direft
and profper ail pious endeavours for the

propa-



Book I.



MORAL AND RELIGIOUS.



«%



propagation of thy gofpel, and promoting
Chriflian knowledge in the world.

Thefe prayers and praifes we humbly offer
up to thy divine Majefty, through the me-
idiation of thy Son Jefus Chrift our Lord ;
in whofe holy name and words we fum up
all our defires. < Our Father/ <&c.

^1^8. A 'Morning Prayer to ie ujed daily hjf
it^erj Child at Home^

Glory be to thee, O Lord, v/bo haft pre-
ferved me from the perils of the night paft,
who haft refreflied me with flecp, and
raifed me up again to praife th.y holy name.

I humbly woribip thee, God- my hea-
venly Father, through jefus Chrift my Re-
deemer ; and I do again devote myfelf to
thee, defiring to ferve thee faithfully this,
and all the days of my life.

I was made thy child, and the difcipk of
thy Son Jefus, by baptifm, and then re-
ceived the promife of thy Holy Spirit.
Let that good Spirit- throughly cleanfe me
from all the corruption of my nature.

Help me to. rsmembcr thee, my Creator,
in the days of my youth.

Preferve me from thofe errors and follies
to which the frailty of my age docs moft ex-
pofe me, and keep me innocent from every
great offence.

Deliver me from the vanity of mine own
heart, and from the temptations of evil
company.

Incline my heart to all that is good ; that
I may be raodeil and humble, true and juft,
lemperate and diligent, relpedtful and obe-
dient to myfupcriors; that I may fear and
iove thee above all, and that I may love my
neighbour as mylclf, and do to every one
as I would they I'hould do unto me.

Let thy good providence defend me this
day from all evil ; let the grace of thy Holy
Spirit continually prevent and afiift me.

Blefs me, I pray thee, in my learning ;
and help me daily to increafe in knowledge,
and wifdom, and all virtue.

I humbly beg thy bleffing alfo upon all
our fpiritual paiTors an<ianafters, all my re-
lations and friends (particularly my * father
and mother, my brothers and fitters) and
every one in this houfe. Grant to them
v/hatfoever may be good for, them in this
life, and guide them to life everlafting.

I humbly commit myfelf to thee, O
Lord, in the name of Jefus Chrift my Sa-
viour, and in the words wluch he himfclf
bath taueht me. — ' Our Father, &



§ 1 79. An E'vening Prajer^ to he ujei daily by
e-uery Child <it Home.

Glory be to thee, O Lord, who haft
preferved me the day paft, who haft defended
me from all the evils to which Lam coii-
ftantly expofed in this uncertain life ; who
haft continued my health, who haft beftovved
upon me all things neceffary for life and
godlinefs.

I humbly befeech thee, O heavenly Fa-
ther, tp pardori vvhatfoevex thou haft {^^n
amifs in rae_ this day, in my .thoughts,
words, or aftions. ^

Make me., O Lord, throughly fenfible of"
the great weaknefs and corruption of my na-
ture, and the many errors of my life.

Affift me, I pray thee, in making It my
conftant endeavour tc refift and conqber
every evil inclination within me, and every
temptation from without.

Help me daily to increafe in the know-
ledge and love of thee, my God, and of
my Saviour Jefus Chrift.

Shew me the \v^y in which I fliould walk,
whilft I am young : and grant that I may
never depart from it.

Blefs to me, I pray, whatfoever good in-
ftruftions have been given me this day ;
help me carefully to remember them, and
duly to improve them, that I may be ever
growing in knowledge, and wifdom, and
goodnefs.

I hurnbly beg thy bleffing alfo. upon all
our fpiritual paftors and mailers ; all my re-
lations and friends (particularly my * father
and mother, my brothers and fifters) and
every one in this houfe. Let it pleafe
thse to guide us all in this life prefent, and
to condud us to thy heavenly kinc^dom.

I humbly commit my foul and body to
thy care this night, begging thy gracious
protec^Hon and bleiTmg, through Jefus Chrift
our only Lord and Saviour; in whofe words
1 conclude my prayers. * Our Father, &c.'
^ 1 80. AJhori Prayer for Children, nvhen they
firji come i?ito their Seats at Church.

Lord, I am now in thy houfe; aftift, I priy
thee, and accept of my fervices; let thy Holy
Spirit help my infirmities, difpofmg my heart
to fcrioufnefs, attention, and devotion, to the
honour of thy holy name, and tke benefit of
my foul, thro'Jefus Chrift our Saviour. Amen,
Before they lea've their Seats, thus ;

Blcffed be thy name, O Lord, for this
opportunity of attending thee in thy houfe
and fervice.



* Here let every child mention his or her pai ticular relations.



Mak'



2^4



ELEGANT EXTRACTS,



Book I,



Make me, I pray thee, a doer of thy
word, not a hearer only. Accept both us
and our fervices, through our only Medi-
ator Jefus Chrift. Amen.

A Grace before Meat.

Sanftify, O Lord, we befeech thee,
thefe thy good creatures to our ufe, and us
to thy fervice, through Jefus Chrill our
Lord. Amen.

A Grace after l^eat.

BleflTed and praifed be thy holy name,
O Lord, for thefe and all thy other blef-
fings, beftowed upon us, through Jefus
Chrift our Lord. Amen. .
§ l8l. Of the Scriptures, as the Rule of
Life.

As you advance in years and underftand-
ing, I hope you will be able to examine for
yourfelf the evidences of the Chriftian le-
iigion ; and that you will be convinced, on
rational grounds, of its divine authority.
At prefent, fuch enquiries would demand
more ftudy, and greater powers of reafon-
ing, than your age admits of. It is your
part, therefore, till you are capable of un-
derftanding the proofs, to believe your pa-
rents, and teachers, that the holy Scriptures
are writings ixifpired by God, containing a
true hiftory of fads, in which we are deeply
concerned — a true recital of the laws given
by God to Mofes, and of the precepts of
our bleffed Lord and Saviour, delivered
from his own mouth to his difciplcs, and
repeated and enlarged upon in the edifying
cpiftles of his apoftles — who were men
chofen from am.ongft thofe who had the
advantage of converfing with our Lord, to
bear witncfs of his miracles and refurrec-
tion — and who, after his afcenfion, were
affifted and infpired by the Holy Ghoft.
This facred volume muft be the rule of
your life. In it you will find all truths ne-
f:effary to be believed ; and plain and eafy
direftions for the praftice of every duty.
Your Bible, then, muft be your chief ftudy
and delight : but as it contains many va-
rious kinds of writing— fome parts obfcure
and difficult of interpretation, others plain
and intelligible to the meaneft capacity —
J would chiefly recommend to your fre-
«[uent perufal fuch parts of the facred
writings as are moft adapted to your un-
deruanding, and moft neceflary for your
jnftrudion. Our Saviour's precepts were
fpoken to the common peopl- amongft the
Jews ; and were therefore given in a man-
j»;i eafy to be underftood, and equally



ftriking and inftrudlive to the learned and
unlearned : for the moft ignorant may
comprehend them, whilft the wifeft muft
be charmed and awed by the beautiful and
majeftic fimplicity with which they are
exprefled. Of the fame kind are the Ten
Commandments, delivered by God to Mo-
fes ; which, as they were defigned for uni-
verfal laws, are worded in the moft concife
and fimple manner, yet with a majefty which
commands our utmoft reverence.

I think you will receive great pleafure,
as well as improvement, from the hiftorical
books of the Old Teftaiijent — provided you
read them as an hiftory, in a regular courfe,
and keep the thread of it in your mind as
you go on, I know of none, true or fifti-
tious, that is equally wonderful, interefting,
and affeding ; or that is told in fo fhort
and fimple a manner as this, which is, of
all hiftories, the moft authentic.

I (hall give you fome brief direftions,
concerning the method and courfe I wifti
you to purfue, in reading the Holy Scrip-
tures. May you be enabled to make the
beft ufe of this moft precious gift of God
— this facred treafure of knowledge!—
May you read the Bible, not as a talk, nor
as the dull employment of that day only, in
which you are forbidden more lively enter-
tainments — but "with a fmcere and ardent
defire of inftrudion : with that love and de-
light in God's word, which the holy Pfal-
mift fo pathetically felt and defcribed, and
which is the natural confequence of loving
God and virtue! Though I fpeak this of
the Bible in general, I would not be un-
derftood to mean, that every part of the vo-
lume is equally interefting. I have already
faid that it confifts of various matter, and
various kinds of books, which muft be
read with different views and fentiments.
The having fome general notion of what
you are to expeft from each book, may
poffibly help you to underftand them, and
will heighten your relifli of them. I Ihall
treat you as if you were perfectly new tq
the whole; for fo I wifii you to coniider
yourfelf; becaufe the time and manner in
which children ufually read the Bible, are
very ill calculated to make them really ac-
quainted with it; and too many people,
who have read it thus, without underftand-
ing it, in their youth, fatisfy themfelves
that they know enough of it, and never af-
terwards ftudy it with attention, when they
come to a maturer age.

If the feelings of your heart, whilft yea

read, correfpond with thofe of mine, whill^

â–  â–  ' ' " Ivviite^



Book I.



MORAL AND RELIGIOUS.



,265



I write, I (hall not be without the advan-
tage of your partial afFeftion, to give
weight to my advice ; for, believe me, my
heart and eyes overflow with tendernefs,
when I tell you how warm and earneft my
prayers are for your happinefs here and
hereafter. Mrs, Chapone,

§ 182. OfGenefts,

I now proceed to give you fome fliort
flcetches of the matter contained in the dif-
ferent books of the Bible, and of the courfe
in which they ought to be read. :

The firft book, Genefis, contains. the
moft grand, and, to us, tlie moft interefting
events, that ever happened in the univerfe :
— The creation of the world, and of man :
. — The deplorable fall of man, from his
firft ftate of excellence and blifs, to the
diftrefled condition in which we fee all his
defcendants continue : — The fentence of
death pronounced on Adam, and on all his
race — with the - reviving proraife of that
deliverance which has fincc been wrought
for us by our bleffed Saviour : — The ac-
cbunt of the early ftate of the world : —
Of the univerfal deluge : — The divifion of
mankind into different nations and lan-
guages ; — The ftory of Abraham, the
founder of the Jewifti people; whofe un-
ihaken faith and obedience, under the fe-
verert trial human nature could fuftain, ob-
tained fuch favour in the fight of God,
that he vouchfafed to ftyle him his friend,
and promifed to make of his pofterity a
great nation, and that in his feed-^that is
in one of his defcendants — all the kingdoms
of the earth fhould be bleffed. This, you
will eafily fee, refers to the Meffiah, who
was to be the bleffing and deliverance of all
nations. — It is amazing that the Jews, pof-
felRng this prophecy, among many others,
fhould have been fo blinded by prejudice, as
to have expefted, from this great perfonage,
only a temporal deliverance of their own