The Christian's manual in three parts ... / by L. Addison ...

THE CONCLUSION.

WE have hitherto examin'd the Age and Advantages of Cate∣chising, and found it to stand above the imputation of being either Novel or Superfluous. So that the only remaining Enquiry concerns its Practice. And this will exact no long disquisition, seeing every Station of men are therein so perfunctory and negligent. Now, as in a common Contagion, no less care must be had of the sound than infirm; and the cure of single persons is required to the removal of the Epidemical Disease: So remissness in Catechising being be∣come a common Malady, it behoves e∣very one to look after amendment, to the end that the Church may be healed of all those Distempers faln upon her through lack of Catechising, and which, if not prevented with a timely interposi∣tion

thereof, will effect that destru∣ction which they threaten and progno∣sticate.

And if we look into the persons who are capable herein to be delinquent, they may be reduced either to such as the Church has ordained to admini∣ster, or receive this Sovereign Medicine. The former are the Clergy in the whole denomination; for he among them who excepts, deceives both himself and the Church. And notwithstanding that the Clergy in Sacred Writ, bear divers appellations, importing the Dignity, Power, Holiness, Excellency, Care, Tenderness, Discretion, and Incom∣munity of their Functions; yet there is no Title wherein they are more con∣cerned than that of Catechist. For it doth (first) more immediately relate to that Errand on which from the begin∣ning they were sent into the world— Go teach, &c. And next, unto the want and supply of those over whom God hath made them Overseers. And while they own themselves to be the Churches Ministers, they should take care to serve her in her own way. For since that was left for paths of their own, and more oyl and labour has been spent in arguing, than in teaching the Princi∣ples

of Christianity, it is sadly visible how Religion has thriven among us. For from endeavouring to support Chri∣stianity with Buttresses of our own, cap∣tious and malitious Enemies take occasi∣on to conclude that it cannot stand without them. The superstructure seems to be the proper matter of our care, where we believe the Ground-work lies immoveable. And blessed be the Au∣thor and Finisher of our Faith, that he has founded it upon a Rock; and ma∣keth it so strong, that the Gates of Hell, the strength and subtilty of her greatest Enemies can never be able to prevail a∣gainst it. Were we to deal with open Adversaries of the Faith (Jew, Maho∣metan, Pagan) the Ancient Fathers have shewn us an excellent way of procedure; but having to do with Professors, whose evil manners have corrupted their Un∣derstanding, not the proving of the ve∣rity of the Christian Religion, but the enforcement of its Practice, seems to be the only necessary prescription.

But without being decisive, or stinting the spirit of any man, I hope it may be lawful to wish that the Clergy (out of a true sense of what they are enjoyn'd and bound to obey, by the 59th Canon) would return to the good old way of Ca∣techising:

for since this was shoulder'd out by Sermoning, the people have been possessed w••••h strange Whimsies in Reli∣gion, and hurried on by the Spirit of Schism and Sedition into all manner of Villanies.

A learned and pious Bishop of this Church doth (as I am told) in his own Person and Cathedral perform this Of∣fice. A few such leading Examples would soon raise the sunk Esteem of Ca∣techising, and vindicate it from being thought a Drudgery fit only for children and Curates. And I humbly conje∣cture, that there is no Clergy-man need think it any lessening of his Great∣ness and Learning, to be seen teaching God's People after the manner of the Holy Apostles and Primitive Bishops.

Our Ancestors (who knew something as well as we) were not ignorant of the necessity and benefit of what is now most affectionately recommended; when Queen Elizabeth made it her 44th Injunction, and King James his command, That af∣ternoon-Lectures should be converted in∣to Explanations of some necessary Rudi∣ments of the Catechism; out of a pru∣dent fore-sight that this would be more advantageous to the People, than some ex tempore irruptions, or enlarging a few

contrived Breviates, upon desultory Texts.

The Laity are the next sort that here∣in can he faulty, to whose attentive thoughts I would most earnestly recom∣mend, first, the serious perusal of the Ru∣brick adjoyned to the Catechism, toge∣ther with the 59th Canon: Next, the ex∣amination of their knowledge in Reli∣gion; that by that former they may know their Duty; and by the latter their want of being catechised: And by both be induced to embrace what to their own damage and the Churches affliction they have undutifully neglected.

FINIS.