man's offence, as to repay evil for evil, but rather overcome evil with good. I mean by doing him good, that hath done thee evil; by using him friendly, that hath shewed himself thy most cruel foe. Now, go forward to the sixth request.

Scholar. I will with a good will, as you command me. Forasmuch as we be feeble, weak, subject to a thousand perils, a thousand temptations, easy to be overcome, ready to yield to every light occasion, either to men fraught with malice, or to our own lust and appetite, or finally, to the crafty malicious serpent, the devil: therefore, we beseech our Father, that he bring us into no temptation, no such hard escape and peril: nor leave us in the very plunge of danger, but, if it come to that point, that he rather take us away from the present mischief, and engines of the devil, the author and principal cause of all evil, than suffer us to run headlong into destruction. Now, have you, good master, in few words all that you have taught me, unless peradventure, somewhat be overslipped in the rehearsal.

Master. "Because thine is the kingdom, power, and glory, for ever. Amen." Why was it Christ's pleasure to knit up our prayer with this clause in the end?

Scholar. Partly, that we should declare our assured trust to obtain all things, that we have before required. For there is nothing which, if it be asked with faith, he is not able, or not willing to give, who ruleth and governeth all things, who is able to do all things, who is garnished with endless glory.

These things, when we rehearse of God, our Father, there remaineth no cause to doubt or suspect, that we shall receive denial. Partly, by so saying, we teach ourselves how meet it is, to make our suit to God, since beside him, none glistereth with so shining glory, none hath dominion so large, or force

so great, to be able to stay him from giving that he hath appointed, according to his pleasure; or to take away that he hath already given us. And there is no evil of ours so great, that may not be put away by his exceeding great power, glory, and wisdom.

Master. I like well, my son, this thy short declaration, and I see nothing left out, that ought to have been spoken.

Scholar. But yet this one thing will I add thereto. The chief and principal thing required in prayer is, that without all doubting we stedfastly believe, that God, our Father, will grant what we do ask: so, that it be neither unprofitable for us to receive, nor unfit for him to give. For "he that is not assured, but doubtful, let him not think (as James saith) to get any thing at the hands of God."

Master. I see now, my dear son, how diligently and heedfully thou hast applied thy mind, to those things, that I have taught thee; how godly and upright a judgment thou hast of God's true service; and of the duties of neighbours one to another. This remaineth, that from henceforth thou so frame thy life, that this heavenly and godly knowledge decay not in thee, nor lie soulless and dead, as it were, in a tomb of flesh. But rather see that thou wholly give thyself continually and earnestly to these godly studies. So, shalt thou live, not only in this present, life, but also in the life to come, which is much better and more blessed, than this life present. For godliness, as Paul saith, hath a promise, not in this life only, but in the other. It is convenient, therefore, that we earnestly follow godliness, which plainly openeth the way to heaven, if we will seek to attain thereto.

And the principal point of godliness is (as thou hast declared, even now, very well) to know God only; to covet him only, as the chief felicity; to fear

him, as our Lord; to love and reverence him, as our Father, with his Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. This is he, that hath begotten and regenerated us. This is he, which at the beginning, gave us life and soul: which maintaineth, which blesseth us with life of everlasting continuance. To this godliness is directly contrary godlessness. As for superstition and hypocrisy, they counterfeit in deed, and resemble it: whereas, nevertheless, they are most far different from all true godliness: and therefore we ought to avoid them, as a pestilence, as the venom, and most contagious enemies of our soul and salvation.

The next point of godliness, is to love each man, as our brother. For if God did at the beginning create us all if he doth feed and govern us: finally, if he be the cause and author of our dwelling in this wide frame of the world: the name of brother must needs most fitly agree with us: and with so much straiter bond shall we be bound together, as we approach nearer to Christ, which is our brother, the first begotten and eldest: whom he that knoweth not, he that hath no hold of, is unrighteous indeed, and hath no place among the people of God. For Christ is the root and foundation of all right and justice, and he hath poured into our hearts certain natural lessons; as, "Do that, saith he, to another, that thou wouldst have done unto thyself."

Beware, therefore, thou do nothing to any man, that thou thyself wouldst not willingly suffer. Measure always another by thine own mind, and as thou feelest in thyself. If it grieve thee to suffer injury, if thou think it wrong, that another man doth to thee; judge likewise the same in the person of thy neighbour, that thou feelest in thyself: and thou shalt perceive, that thou dost no less wrongfully in hurting another, than others do in hurting thee.

Here, if we would stedfastly fasten our feet; here

should attain For the first The next, to

unto if we would earnestly travail: we to the very highest top of innocency. degree thereof, is to offend no man. help, as much as in us lieth, all men; at least to will and wish well to all. The third, which is accounted the chief and perfectest, is to do good, even to our enemies that wrong us.

For

Let us, therefore, know ourselves, pluck out the faults that are in us, and in their place plant virtues ; like unto the husbandmen, that first use to stub and root out the thorns, brambles, and weeds, out of their lay-land and unlooked to: and then each where therein scatter and throw in to the womb of the earth good and fruitful seeds, to bring forth good fruit in their due season. Likewise let us do. first, let us labour to root out froward and corrupt Justs; and afterward, plant holy and fit conditions for Christian hearts. Which, if they be watered, and fattened with the dew of God's word, and nourished with warmth of the Holy Ghost, they shall bring forth, doubtless, the most plentiful fruit of immortality and blessed life; which God hath by Christ prepared for his chosen, before the foundations of the world were laid. To whom be all honour and glory. Amen.

Imprinted at London by John Day, with the king's most gracious license and privilege*, 1553.

*The Rev. Dr. Randolph, now bishop of Bangor, being the Regius Professor of Divinity in the university of Oxford, A. D. 1792, published a work in five volumes, entitled,

"Enchiridion Theologicum: or, a Manual for the Use of Students in Divinity." This Catechism commences the series of tracts comprised in his lordship's publication. In a preface to the first volume he observes: "It is another object of the present plan to shew the genuine sense of the church of England in her earliest days, both as to the grounds of separation from the church of Rome, and the doctrines, which, after a long struggle, having

entirely emancipated herself from that yoke, she at length finally adopted and ratified.” . . . . .

The first is a Catechism published in the time of K. Edward VI. and was the last work of the reformers of that reign; whence it may fairly be understood to contain, as far as it goes, their ultimate decision, and to represent the sense of the church of England, as then established. In this, according to archbishop Wake, the complete model of our church Catechism was first laid; and it was in some measure a public work: the examination of it ' having been committed (as the injunction testifies) to certain bishops and other learned men ;' after which it was published by the king's authority."

The foregoing copy of King Edward's Catechism has been collated with the original edition of 1553, and a few slight deviations, owing to errors in the copying of the Bishop of Bangor's pul·lication, are rectified.