'I believe that there never has been in the hands of any Church any manual representing the doctrines, the true spirit of the Bible, to compare with the Catechism of the Church of England.' ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, Address to Diocesan Conference, 1891. CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED BY C. J. CLAY, M.A. AND SONS, AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. PREFACE. HIS work has been undertaken at the request To the Syndics of the Cambridge University of Press, with a view to those who are being prepared for the Local Examinations and to Candidates for Confirmation in schools and elsewhere. It is hoped also that many others, and among them possibly some whose school days are now far behind them, may be glad to be helped to retrace and relearn the old lessons presented with such boldness of grasp and simplicity of outline in the little manual which has stood the long test of time and use, and is increasingly valued as one of the most precious possessions of English Christianity. This book will, it is believed, be found to be true to its title. The attempt throughout has been not so much to prove or enforce, as to explain the Catechism. The short Introduction deals with the history, title, and structure of the document. Its main sections are considered separately in the several Parts. In each case the method has been to set forth as clearly as possible the underlying principles of the teaching, before passing on to such further elucidation of details as seemed necessary for an accurate knowledge of the subject. It is not unlikely that some might find it best to read consecutively the chapters which contain the larger treatment, before spending time upon the explanations of particular words and phrases. The deficiencies and inaccuracies of these pages would be many more than they are had it not been for suggestions and information supplied by previous workers in the same field. References to names will be found wherever it has seemed natural and useful to give them here it must be enough to mention generally those of Nicholson, Blunt, Norris, Maclear, Daniel and Allen. For valuable help the author is indebted to many friends to whom he has turned for general counsel or particular assistance during the progress of his work. To the Bishop of Wakefield and Dr A. J. Mason, as also to his brother Prof. J. Armitage Robinson, his most sincere thanks are very specially due. It only remains that he should say that he will esteem it a great kindness if any of his readers will be at the pains to point out to him any ways by which this book may be brought into more thorough accord with the devout spirit and sober judgment of the English Church, or by which it may be rendered more practically serviceable to those who are to use it. ALLHALLOWS BARKING, E.C. Nov. 1, 1893. CONTENTS. (1) History. Religious awakening of the 16th cen- tury. Books of Instruction. First appearance of the ference. Savoy Conference. Division into five Parts. CHAPTER I. Why the Catechism begins as it does. The principle involved. Need of simplicity in teaching a child and of proceeding from the known to the unknown. The appeal from privilege to responsibility. This order CHAPTER II. The great Christian Obligations. The CHAPTER III. Particular Explanations. The Chris- tian Name. 'N. or M.' 'Godfathers and Godmothers.' 'made.' 'member of Christ.' 'child of God.' 'inheritor.' 'kingdom of heaven.' 'promise and vow.' renounce.' 'devil.' 'world.' 'flesh.' 'believe.' 'articles.' ' will PAGE I CHAPTER I. It does matter what a man believes. The Apostles' Creed. The summary of its contents. It does not answer speculative questions as to the origin and nature of evil; but tells of a purpose implied in Creation, confirmed by the fact of Redemption and the presence of CHAPTER II. 'The elect people of God.' The Circles in the Creed. The difficulty of seeming Favouritism: spe- cially felt to-day. The explanation. Election not rejec- tion. What we may not say; and what we do not know. CHAPTER III. Particular Explanations. 'Catechist.' 'rehearse.' 'Creed.' 'believe in God.' 'The Father.' 'almighty.' 'maker of heaven and earth.' 'Jesus.' 'Christ.' 'only.' 'Lord.' 'conceived.' 'born.' 'suffered.' 'under Pontius Pilate.' 'crucified.' 'dead.' 'buried.' 'hell.' 'rose.' 'ascended.' 'quick.' 'Ghost.' 'Church.' PAGE CHAPTER I. Proportion to be kept in teaching Faith and Practice. Our sense of the importance of Duty. Why the old Law is the lesson proposed. The two parts of Duty. Religion and Philanthropy. The Decalogue to be studied in the light of its significance for those to whom it was originally addressed. The underlying prin- CHAPTER II. Particular Explanations. The transla- |