Short Instruction into the Christian Religion, for the singular commodity and profit of children and young people: set forth by the most reverend father in God, Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury." This work can scarcely be called a catechism in the ordinary modern acceptation of the word, the instruction being conveyed, not by means of interrogatories, but in the form of a continued address from a pastor to the younger members of his flock. It opens with an exhortation to a virtuous life, proceeds to an exposition of the Decalogue, the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer, and comprises observations upon Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacerdotal character. In the Decalogue is adopted, to appearance, the Romish mode of suppressing the second commandment, and of dividing, according to the usage of the times, the tenth into two. But this arrangement appears to have been determined upon merely to prevent ignorant people from being confounded by a version of the Decalogue to which they were unused; for at the end of an exposition of the first commandment, the second is subjoined exactly as it is expressed by Moses, and it is added: " These words by most interpreters of late time belong to the first commandment, although after the interpretation of many ancient authors they be the se

There is, however, no impropriety in the term as used by the Archbishop, its derivation being from Karnxéw, to sound down, instruction, namely, into the ears of those requiring it. All delivery of instruction therefore by word of mouth may be correctly designated, upon etymological principles, catechising.

cond commandment." The necessity for this Di-vine injunction is then asserted, because "God did foresee that in the latter days men should come, which would maintain worshipping of images, not only with painted colours, but also with painted words, saying, We kneel not to the image, but before the image; We worship not the image, but the thing which is represented by the image; We worship not the creatures, but the Creator in the creatures. And such like excuses the greatest idolaters did always pretend." Therefore, it is added, in order to prevent plain understandings from being entangled by such sophistry, God commands his people to abstain from "bowing down" to any graven image, or similitude. Among the evils resulting from the religious use of images, it is observed that they tend to furnish ignorant minds with debasing notions of God, for when uninformed persons see the Almighty Father represented as an aged man with a white beard, they naturally conceive, that he is a corporeal being like themselves. The Archbishop, however, treats this subject with his usual candour, not utterly denying in the end, that images may be suffered in churches, but concluding, that, under existing circumstances, it would be better to have them wholly removed. As to the Eucharist, this catechism strongly maintains the real presence, in opposition to those who considered the Lord's Supper merely as commemorative, and it reprobates the question usually asked as to the reasonableness of supposing a priest capable of

making Christ's body; but it does not plainly assert transubstantiation, and therefore there is reason to believe that when Cranmer published this piece, he was beginning to waver upon the subject of that doctrine". Upon half-communion however his mind was evidently made up, for he exhorts his catechumens by no means to acquiesce under that sacrilegious abuse.

Another literary labour which employed the Archbishop, probably about this time, was the compilation of a treatise in Latin upon tradition. This piece, like the excellent compiler's other works, merely aims at utility: being little more than a collection of passages from Scripture and the fathers to prove the sufficiency of Holy Writ as the source of religious knowledge, and the incompetence, not only of every thing human, but even of angelic revelations, or voices from the dead, to establish articles of faith, not evidently deducible from the Sacred Record. In the course of this work, the several passages of Scripture, cited by Papists as authorities for their traditions, are examined, and it is shewn, that they will not

The following are the Archbishop's words upon this subject. "And whereas in this perilous time certain deceitful persons be found in many places who of very forwardness will not grant that there is the body and blood of Christ, but deny the same for none other cause, but that they cannot compass by man's reason how this thing should be brought to pass, ye, good children, shall with all diligence beware of such persons, that ye suffer not yourselves to be deceived by them. For such men surely are not true Christians, neither as yet have they learned the first article of the Creed, which teacheth that God is Almighty."

fairly bear that interpretation which expositors in league with Rome labour to put upon them'. This work of Cranmer's was translated into English, with some additions, during the Marian times, by one of those pious exiles who fled to the continent, in order to avoid the fierceness of that persecution which the triumphant traditionists were maintaining in England.

While theologians were thus intent upon enlightening the public mind, more active spirits found employment in watching the course of political events. The Scots, now that the sceptre of South Britain had fallen into the hands of a minor king, considered the superior resources of their English neighbours as much less formidable than heretofore, and hence they freely gave indulgence to that partiality for a French alliance which had so long prevailed among them. Somerset viewed this increasing alienation of the northern kingdom with much uneasiness, and when he found that the artifices of party were likely to prevent that marriage between the two young monarchs of Britain, which had formed one of King Henry's latest cares, he lost no time in preparing for war. As a pretext for commencing hostilities he resolved to bring forward once more that claim of feudal superiority which had so often galled the pride of a high-minded people, and had served as the harbinger of slaughter and rapine through the fairest portions of their country. Bishop Tunstall,

१ Strype, Mem. Cranm. 228.

Karinet, was instructed to search among the mauris id iis see for proofs of the authority exensed by England over her northern neighbour. Amang ucher documents, the prelate discovered a pri din banage rendered by William of Scotini u Bary II of England, in which it apperrer, that a very unqualified submission had ma hea made by the Scots to the English crown. 3. dadit has, however, been started respecting the genuineness of this instrument, upon the ground a that Esposition to forge papers, according with ther ova prejudices, or the interest of their paTais known to have prevailed among the monkish shes and registrars, of the dark ages'. But the character of this instrument is not, and never vaa" Lyimportance; as the parade of searching ir yanis to establish an obsolete claim was mere & pretext to justify the English governHet Assuming a hostile attitude. Tunstall was indeed, instructed to meet, in company with Se Zubert Bowes, some Scottish commissioners, at the scà of August, on the borders of the two gions, and to take with him the documentary

which he had collected; but then he was sion that, and every other ground of disess, if he should find the Scots disposed to siger zpon the matrimonial treaty. This was a naume, unfortunately, upon which the northern Cessioners came provided with no instructions, sini, cherefore, all hope of an amicable arrangement

* Burnet, Hist. Ref. II. 51.