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to create a new heart in him, and the impossibility of justification except by faith alone, which are to be found in the present Articles and Liturgy of the Church of England.

The injunction for the use of this Catechism by king Edward is dated on the 20th of May, 1553. He requires that it shall be taught, "immediately after the other brief Catechism which we have set forth."

This "other brief Catechism" appears to have been one which John Day was licensed to print in March of that year. Strype gives in his collection of records two warrants to this printer, one for printing the larger Catechism, both in Latin and English, dated in September, 1552, as we have seen; the other was given in March, 1553, "for printing a Catechism in English, with the brief of an A B C thereunto annexed," &c.*

Strype supposes this brief Catechism to be referred to in certain letters to the bishops, written by the king in a subsequent part of 1553. "This," he says, "I conclude to be the CHURCH CATECHISM, joined now† ordinarily with our Common Prayer, for the printing of which John Day had the king's license in the month of March before, as likewise he had from Elizabeth afterwards."

That this conclusion is correct is moreover proved by the fact, that Elizabeth in the second year of her reign issued a proclamation, in which she enjoined it upon the clergy to examine their flocks, and teach them "the Catechism set forth in the book of Public Prayer." This could not have been inserted in the prayer book during the reign of Mary, which extended back to the year in which Edward the Sixth's two Catechisms were published, (being the last of his reign,) while all that is said by historians seems to prove that there was no publicly authorized Catechism before that period.

The dates and details of these warrants are here noticed, in order to distinguish carefully between the larger Catechism of king Edward and the brief one which Strype states to be the Church Catechisın. The former was printed in 12mo, and bound (as Fuller states) with the articles of religion, adopted at the same time. The latter seems to have been combined with a primer for children. Blunt, in his History of the Reformation, confounds these, stating that Strype attributes the authorship of the Church Catechism to Nowell, whereas it will be seen from our extracts, that it is the larger Catechism, licensed in September 1552, of which he speaks in that connexion. Archbishop Wake.

† About the year 1720.

The Church Catechism then appears to have been set forth under the auspices of the early reformers of the Church of England, and was prepared by some of them, perhaps Cranmer himself, (who took a deep interest in catechetical instruction,) upon the model of Edward the Sixth's Catechism. It contained at this time no account of the sacraments, as will be seen when the additions on that subject are noticed. For the present we proceed in the order of time to notice Dean Nowell's Catechism in Latin, which, it has been seen, Strype represents as an extension of king Edward's, and both as proceeding from the same author. This was prepared by direction of the convocation of 1562, of which Nowell was prolocutor, but not printed until 1570. It was reprinted in 1572 and 1578, and translated into English and Greek.*

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Nowell's Catechism was held in high estimation. a proof of it Strype says, "It was thought fit that ministers should converse in this Catechism, and learn true Divinity from it. But this, some, conceited of their own learning, thought much of. Thus Thomas Cartwright, in his Admonition, complained that now ministers, like young children, must be instructed and learn the Catechism. Where in the margin he placed these words 'ministers of London enjoined to learn Mr. Nowell's Catechism.' To which thus Dr. Whitgift, That, Cartwright, which you in derision quote in the margin, is a book fit for you to learn also. And I know no man so well learned, but it may become him to read and learn that learned and necessary book.'t Bishop Randolph, as quoted by the Christian Observer, says of this work and Jewel's Apology for the Church of England, written about the same time, "Both these works were publicly received and allowed. They have also a claim to the attention of the reader, both for clearness of argument, and for eloquence of language." A brief notice of one whose name so often occurs, and who was so distinguished among the great men of the Church of England as Dean Nowell, will not be unacceptable to the reader. Fuller says of him, "Alexander Nowell, Doctor of Divinity, and Deane of St. Paul's in London, born in Lancashire, bred in Oxford, afterwards fled into Ger

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manie in the reigne of Queen Mary. He was the first of English Exiles, that returned in the dayes of Q. Elizabeth. And I have read how in a Parliament he was chosen Burgess of a town in Cornwall: But his election pronounced void, because he was a Deacon. A man of a most Angelicall Life, and Deep Learning. A great Defender of Justification by Faith alone, and yet a great Practiser of Good Works; witnesse two hundred pounds a year rent, for the maintenance of thirteen students bestowed on Brazen Nose College wherein he had his education. A great honourer of the marriage of the Clergie, and yet who lived and died single himselfe. An aged man of 90 yeares of age, yet fresh in his youthful learning; yea like another Moses, his eyes were not dimme, nor did he ever make use of Spectacles to read the smallest print." B. x. 10. Strype states some of these particulars, and also that he was of the ancient family of the Nowells of Lancashire, that he preached the first and last Lent sermons before Queen Elizabeth for thirty years, "and that with a great freedom becoming one that was delivering God's message." He made provision for the support of thirteen students at Oxford, where he was himself admitted at thirteen years old, and studied thirteen years. "He was," says Strype, Exciter to Piety by his Sermons and his threefold Catechism. He was Forty-two years Dean, and died at Ninety, when neither the Eyes of his Mind nor of his Body were yet grown dim: Dying Anno 1601, February 13." An. Ref. xxi.

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In the reign of James I. an important and valuable addition was made to the Church Catechism. At the Hampton Court conferences, in the year 1603, it was noticed by Dr. Reynolds among the subjects which required attention. That," he said, "in the Common Prayer Book is too brief, and that by Mr. Nowell, (late Dean of St. Paul's,) too long for novices to learn by heart. I request, therefore, that one uniform Catechism may be made, and none other generally received."* The Catechism was accordingly enlarged by the addition of the part on the Sacraments, which was written by Bishop

By which seems to be meant the versions in Latin, Greek and English. ↑ Fuller.

Overall. Of this writer, who is entitled to the most respectful and grateful remembrance for his admirable performance of this duty, Fuller says, "I cannot attain the exact date of the death of John Overall, carrying superintendency in his surname, the Bishop of Norwich; first Fellow of Trinity Coll., then Master of Katherine Hall, and King's Professor of Divinity in Cambridge. One of a strong brain to improve his great reading, and accounted one of the most learned controversial Divines of those daies." Bishop Overall was one of the translators of the The books English version of the Bible now in use. assigned to him and nine others were the Pentateuch and the historical books to 1st Chronicles. His associates were Dr. Andrews, afterwards Bishop of Winchester, Dr. Saravia, Hooker's most intimate friend, and other men of like character.

The Catechism of the Church of England has undergone no change since this period. It has been adopted by the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, with some few alterations, the most important of which are, the "who sanctifieth me and all change of the expression the elect people of God," into "all the people of God;" and the substitution of "spiritually" for "verily and indeed" in that part of the Catechism which treats of the Lord's supper. It now stands a monument of the wisdom and piety of former ages, not less honourable to the venerated men who educed its principles from beneath the accumulated rubbish of ages, than invaluable to us, who enjoy the fruits of their toils and sufferings. May we duly appreciate the inheritance, of which this brief" form of sound words" forms a small but not unimportant part, and be enabled to transmit it unimpaired and unsullied, to our latest posterity.

* Wheatly.

INDEX.

Α

Adam, state before the fall, 2.

After the fall, 2. Consequences
of the fall to him, 3. To his posterity, 4. In what his sin
consisted, 2.

Adoption into the family of Christ, 11, 184.

Amen, meaning of, 111, 204.

Angels, communion with, 43, 95. How they perform God's

will, 192.

Baptism, what it is, 6.

ments for infant, 7.
ward sign, 10, 205.

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What the inward grace, 9. Benefits

of, 10. Promises made for us at, 23, 30.
Baptism of infants, 10.

Baptized persons not all partakers of inward grace, 10.
Birth, new, unto righteousness, 9.

Bishop, office of, 81, 82.

Bread, what meant by, 194. Why ask for it daily, 194.

C

Catechism, meaning of the word, 1. Compiled by the Refor-
mers, 1, 223.

Children, of God, 13, 184. Sin of parents visited on, instanced,
135. Duty of parents, 149. Duty of parents to, 152.
Christ, what to be a member of, 11. Meaning of the title, 41.
Why applied to the Saviour, 41. The only Son of God, 43,
53. Proofs of his divinity, 49, 53. Spoken of as God, 49.
Divine attributes ascribed to, 51. Worshipped as God, 53.
His resurrection foretold, 54. Typified, 54. Proofs of, 55.
His ascension foretold, 57. His office in heaven, 58.
Christian life, a life of faith, 19.

Church, meaning of the word, 77. Visible, and invisible, 77,
88. Why called Holy, 78. Why called Catholic, 79.

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