Th. Our brother is departed from this world unto the Lord our God. As you spake the words, "Unto these joys shall you straightway go, and for evermore enjoy them," he gave up the ghost, and now resteth in the Lord.

Ph. The Lord our God be praised, our brother hath made a godly end. He hath given up a good spirit into the hands of the living God. He is, I doubt not, of the number of them, of whose death it is written, Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Blessed are they that die in the Lord. He lived justly and uprightly with his neighbours. He was friendly to all godly men, and enemy to no man. He was both a sincere favourer and a diligent follower of God's most holy word. He abhorred all errors; notwithstanding, always praying for their amendment who were in error, that they, acknowledging their errors, might with us confess one God, and one truth in the unity of the spirit. He was a dear friend to such as were studious of good letters, to widows, to the fatherless children, to poor young maids' marriages, to young men that had not wherewith to set up their occupations, to the prisoners, to such poor people as were not able to get their own livings, to poor householders, to the repairing of highways, and such like; his end also ye know.

Ch. A Christian and godly end made he; God give us all grace to make the like.

Ph. Of a good life cometh a good death; if the departure of the godly may be called a death, and not rather a passage unto a better life. Well, his body now sleepeth in the Lord, and his soul reigneth in glory with God.

Eu. God grant him and us all a joyful resurrection. Ph. Neighbours, before we depart, let us all kneel down, and give God the Father thanks for the godly departure of this our Christian brother.

GIVE THE GLORY TO GOD ALONE.

BECON.

35

A NEW CATECHISM,

Set forth as a dialogue, in familiar talk between a father and his son.

Or this catechism, or general statement of Christian doctrine, which extends to more than seven hundred and fifty folio pages, Becon thus speaks:-"I have written a new catechism, both long and large, wherein I have comprehended the sum of the Holy Scripture; so that in the one book the Christian reader shall easily find whatsoever is necessary to be known, whether doctrine or manners be considered."

The work is divided into six parts: 1. Of Repentance; 2. Of Faith; 3. Of the Law; 4. Of Prayer; 5. Of the Sacraments; 6. Of the Offices (or duties) of all degrees. It is in fact a library of Christian divinity.

The word catechism Becon explains to signify, "a doctrine taught of the wise and learned, to the younglings of Christ's religion, in which, after a brief goodly order, is comprehended whatsoever is necessarily required unto the right institution of a Christian man, so that whosoever hath and understandeth this doctrine, hath and understandeth the whole sum of all things necessary unto salvation, contained in the Old or New Testament."

The first part, Of Repentance, is briefly but fully explained from Scripture. The second, Of Faith, embraces a full exposition of the Creed. The third, Of the Law, explains the ten commandments. The fourth, Of Prayer, shows what is true prayer, and its efficacy; here Becon treats of the Lord's Prayer, largely illustrating the doctrines of gospel truth. In the fifth part, he treats of the Sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, exposing the errors of popery at considerable length. In the sixth part, Becon treats of the Office and duty of the temporal magistrateof the ministers of God's word-of deacons-of subjects— of parishioners towards their pastors-of husbands and wives of parents and children-of masters and servants— of widows-of unmarried women-of aged men and women —of schoolmasters—of scholars-of rich men-of poor men-and lastly, of all degrees and estates generally.

Upon each of these subjects Becon enlarges with much earnestness and close application of the Scriptures.

THE

DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE,

WITH ANSWERS TO THE SAME, WHEREIN ARE DEFINED AND
DECLARED THE CHIEF AND PRINCIPAL POINTS OF
CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE; VERY PROFITABLE FOR

THE RIGHT UNDERSTANDING OF THE HOLY
SCRIPTURES. NEWLY COMPILED,

AND NOW FIRST OF ALL

PUBLISHED

BY THOMAS BECON,

A. D. 1563.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.-Matt. vii.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of Him that giveth it; even God, who giveth to all men indifferently, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, and waver not; for he that doubteth is like a wave of the sea, which is tossed of the winds, and carried with violence. Neither let that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A wavering minded man is unstable in all his ways.-James i.

Be ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, and that with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that whereas they backbite you as evil doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.-1 Pet. iii.

Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not how thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me, gold tried in fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that thy filthy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.-Rev. iii.

THE

DEMANDS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE.*

Who did create us? God; who also made all the world of nought. Gen. i. Psal. cxlvi. Acts xvii.

What thing damned us? Sin; inasmuch as Adam did eat, by the persuasion of Eve, of the apple forbidden him of God. For sin is the breaking of the commandments of God. Gen. iii. Rom. v. 1 Tim. ii.

Who redeemed us, and set us in the favour of God again? Jesus Christ, by taking our nature on him. Rom. v.

What is God unto us? Whereas before he was a severe and strict Judge; through Christ he is become our most loving, tender, and merciful Father. Eph. i. ii.

What are we? His dearly beloved children. Col. i. What is God? An infinite substance, who only by his word of might did create and make all things, and with his most high and incomparable wisdom governs all things, and of his inestimable goodness suffers and preserves all things. I call that infinite which has neither beginning nor ending, and that which cannot be comprehended nor compassed by man's reason what thing it is. And in both these significations God is infinite. Furthermore, that is to every man god, or a god, which he loves, dreads, and worships with all his heart. The Scripture also calls the judges and officers of the earth gods. Exod. xxii. Psalm lxxxii.

What is a strange god, or another god? Whatsoever thing we worship besides the true living God. And that also which alienates and turns our heart from God's word is called a strange, or another, god.

*In the dedication of this treatise to the mayor of Sandwich and his brethren, Becon says, "To help forward some point of godly doctrine to be taught in your newly-erected school, after I had finished this little treatise, I thought it not unfitting, nor unworthy of our friendship, to dedicate the same to you, and so by you to commend it to the Christian youth of your school. In it they shall learn to know and understand the principal and chief points of God's doctrine, so that by this means they shall be able to render a reason both of their faith and doctrine which they profess, and not be like horses and mules which have no understanding. The book is little, if the number of leaves be considered; but if the matter thereof be diligently pondered, it shall be found both great and profitable.

What is faith? It is a full and perfect confidence and trust in God, through Christ, engendered in our hearts, by hearing the word of God, and, as Paul defines faith, Faith is a sure confidence of things which we look for, and the certainty of promises. Rom. x. Heb. xi.

What is hope? A stiff and firm expectation of such things as are promised us of the word of God.

What is charity? The principal fruit of faith, a prompt and ready will to do good to our neighbour. The works of mercy also are called charity. Matt. xxv.

What is the law? It is the lively will of God, given us by commandment, as well in the New Testament as in the Old; whose work and operation is to show sin, to show that God is angry with us for our evil doing and daily transgression of his commandment; whose duty is to accuse us in our conscience, to cast us down and make us seem vile and nothing worth in our sight; and by this means it either brings us to utter desperation, or else leads us, as it were, by the hand to Christ, the only true pacifier of the conscience. John vii. Rom. vii. 2 Cor. iii. Gal. iii.

What is the gospel? It is glad tidings. Or else you may call it, every promise that God made of Christ, and of his other good benefits; whereby the clouds of the conscience are put away, and man's mind is raised up and made joyful, whether these promises be in the New Testament or in the Old. Paul saith, It is the power of God, whereby all that believe are brought to health and safety. Rom. i.

What is it to be a godly man, or who is godly? He or she that has faith and the fear of God before their eyes.

Who is wicked, or ungodly? He or she that believes not the promises of God, and has not the dread of God before them.

Who is a Christian man? He that believes on Christ, and lives according to his word.

Who is a heathen, or miscreant? He that uses not those laws and ordinances, and has not the faith that we have. Or else he that seeks to be saved by some other means than by Christ.

Who is a heretic? He that thinks and stiffly maintains any thing against the doctrine of faith, that is to say, the word of God. Mark here, the word of God is called the doctrine of faith, because faith draws her principles from nowhere else than from the word of God. Because she only learns, marks, and bears away the word of God.