that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

This much is sufficient for the unlearned to know from the Scripture, concerning baptism: and the like concerning the other sacrament, with a few simple words, as for example the declaration of Paul.

OF THE LORD's Supper.

"Our Lord Jesus Christ, the night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat; this is my body, which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me."

"Likewise also, the cup after the supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you for the remission of sins: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."

Thus, then, we would have in all five parts, comprehending the whole Christian doctrine, which we should continually urge, and require it to be rehearsed word by word. For it cannot be expected, that young people learn and retain in their memory merely from preaching. Now, when these parts are properly understood, certain psalms or hymns adapted to this purpose, may also be proposed as an extension and confirmation of them; in this way introducing the young into the Scriptures, and daily advancing them.

A mere conception and rehearsal of the words alone, should, however, not be considered sufficient; but let the young attend preaching also, especially at the time designed for exercise in the Catechism, in order that they may hear it explained, and learn to understand what each part comprehends in itself, so that they may be able to repeat it, as they have heard it, and give an accurate and correct answer, when interrogated; so that preaching be not vain and inef fectual. For this purpose we are diligent in lecturing frequently on the Catechism, in order that the young may be influenced by it; not in a manner lofty or tumid, but very brief and simple, so that they can easily perceive it and retain it in their memories. We shall, therefore, now take up in regular order the divisions just mentioned, and endeavor to treat of them in the clearest manner, so far as it is necessary.

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PART I

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. itah 6::

That is, you should hold me alone as your God. What does this signify, and how should it be understood? What is it to have a god, or what is God? Answer:-A god signifies a being to whom we should look for all good, and to whom we should have recourse in every necessity; so, that to have a god, is nothing else but to rely on and to believe in him cordially; as I have frequently asserted, that the reliance and faith alone of the heart, point out God and

7.6:22, constitute an idol. If, then, your faith and confidence are right,

your god is also right: and again, if your confidence is false and incorrect, your god is likewise untrue; for these two belong together, faith and God. Upon whatever, then, I say, you depend and have your heart fixed, that is properly your god.

Wherefore, the meaning of this commandment, is, that it requires of the heart true faith and confidence, which approaches unto and depends alone upon the true and the only God. And it would indicate as much as this:-Be careful, and allow me alone to be your God, and do not seek after any other; that is, look unto me for whatever good is wanting with you, and seek it from me, and if you suffer want and misfortune, come and depend on me, I, I will give you sufficient, and relieve you of every need, only let your heart cleave to or rest on no other.

I must explain this by ordinary examples, in order that it may be understood and observed. Many believe they have God with all abundance, when they possess money and goods, on which they rely with so much pride and confidence, as to have no regard for any one else. Behold! these also have their god, which is called Mammon,—an idol the most extensively adored on earth,—gold and splendor,-upon which they have fixed all their affections. Whoever possesses treasures of gold and of wealth, feels secure, full of joy, and free from alarm, as if in the midst of Paradise. Whoever, on the other hand, possesses no wealth, trembles with doubt and fear, as if he had no idea of a God. For we shall find but few, who are not disheartened, and do not mourn or complain, when they have not mammon, to which nature cleaves and adheres through life.

In like manner, he who relies on and prides in his great ingenuity, erudition, power, influence, dignity, and friends, has a god also, but not the true and only God. You can always perceive without diffi- ale culty, how confident, secure, and haughty we are who enjoy such advantages, and how desperate and abject we are, when we do not possess these, or when they are withdrawn from us. I therefore say again, that the true interpretation of this expression, to have a god, is to have something upon which the heart wholly depends.

Consider, again, what follies we have hitherto pursued, and what we have done through blindness under the papacy. When any one had pain in his teeth, he had recourse to, and adored St. Apollonia; if he was fearful that his property would be consumed by fire, he sought the Foll assistance of St. Laurence; if he was in fear of pestilence, he paid his vows to St. Sebastian or Rochio, and similar abominations besides without number were practised, in which each one chose his own saints, invoking and imploring them for aid in time of need. To this class those also belong, who exceed every limit in these things, forming an alliance with Satan, in order that he may give them a sufficiency of money, or aid them in intrigue, or protect their stock, or restore their lost property, &c., as magicians and necromancers; for all these place their hearts and confidence elsewhere, rather than upon the true God, neither expect nor seek any good from

him.

In this manner, then, you easily understand what and how much

this commandment requires, namely, the whole heart of man, and en-gr tire confidence upon God alone and no other. For to have God, art you will be at no loss to judge that you are unable to seize or grasp him with your hands, or to enclose him in a purse, or to secure him in a chest but this is apprehending him, when the heart embraces him and cleaves to him. To cleave unto him with the heart, however, is nothing else, but to depend upon him wholly. For this reason he desires to divert us from all exterior things, and to draw us unto himself, because he is the only eternal good. As if he should say, all that you have hitherto sought from the saints, and for which you have depended upon mammon, or upon some other source, expect of me, and esteem me as the one who will assist you, and bless you abundantly with all good.

From this, then, you can form an idea of what the true honor and worship of God are, which are acceptable to him, and which he also commands under the penalty of eternal wrath: namely, that the heart should have no consolation and confidence but in him, and should not permit itself to be torn away from him, hazarding and

encountering all that is upon earth for him. On the other hand, you can easily perceive and judge how the world practise idol atry and mere false services to God; for there never has been a nation so profligate, as not to have established and observed some kind of worship; for all have assigned unto themselves a certain god to be reverenced, unto whom they looked for blessings, assistance, and consolation.

As for example, the heathens, who placed their foundation in power and dominion, elevated their Jupiter as supreme god; others, who sought after riches, voluptuousness, prosperity, and success, venerated Hercules, Mercury, Venus, or others. The females, who were in a state of gestation, claimed Diana or Lucina for protection, &c. And thus, to whatever each one's heart inclines he makes it a god; so that, properly, even according to the view of all heathens, to have a god, is to trust and believe. But the defect exists in this, that their confidence was false and incorrect; for it was not based on the only true God, without whom there is really no god, either in heaven or on earth.

Wherefore, the heathens really constitute an idol out of their own fantasies and dreams which they form concerning God, and rely on a mere nonentity. This is plainly the case with all idolatry. For it does not consist merely in the erection and adoration of an image; but especially, does it consist in the heart which is intent on something else, seeking help and consolation from creatures, saints or demons, and not embracing God, nor persuaded of as much benignity from him, as he would grant; much less believing that the good which results unto it, proceeds from him.

There is, moreover, another species of false service to God and of idolatry in the highest degree, which we have hitherto exercised, and which still prevails in the world, and upon which all ecclesiastical orders are based, touching the conscience alone, which seeks assistance, comfort, and salvation in our own self-devised works, presuming to wrest heaven from God, and estimating the number of our institutions, how often we have fasted, held masses, &c.; relies on and glories in these things, as if it would receive nothing from him, graciously bestowed, but desires to acquire or superabundantly to merit it ourselves, precisely as if God must be at our service, and our debtor, but we his creditors. What else is this, but constituting out of God a useless representation, yes, an idol, (Pomona, Apfelgott,) and regarding and elevating one's self as God? But this is rather too subtile, and it is not proposed for young pupils.

But in order that they may correctly observe and retain the mean

ing of this commandment, this may be mentioned to the inexperienced, that we should rely upon God alone, and look unto him for all good, and await it from him, as the one who gives us body, life, meat, drink, nourishment, health, protection, peace, and all the necessaries of temporal and spiritual blessings; and in addition, guards us against every misfortune, and, if any adversity befall us, he aids and delivers us; so that God alone, as amply stated, is he from whom we receive all good, and by whom we are delivered from every misfortune. Hence, I conclude, that we Germans, from old, call God (more beautifully and elegantly, than any other language) even by this name, deriving it from the word, Gut, (good,) as he who is an eternal fountain-head which overflows with pure good, and from which issues all that is and can be called good.

For even if much good is otherwise afforded us from men, it is, however, still received from God, which is received through his command and order. For our parents and all who are in authority, as well as each one towards his neighbor, are commanded to do all kinds of generous offices to us; so, that we do not receive these from them, but from God through them. For the creatures are only the hand, the channel, and the medium, through which God gives all things, as he gives the mother's breasts and milk to nourish her infant, and grain and every kind of vegetables springing from the earth for nourishment; none of which blessings or products a creature is able to produce by himself.

For this, reason, no person should undertake to receive or to present any thing, unless it be commanded of God, that it be acknowledged as his gift, and thanks returned to him for it, as this commandment requires. These mediums, therefore, for the reception of benefits through the creatures, are not to be rejected; nor should other ways and means than those which God has commanded, be sought through presumption; for this is not receiving from God, but seeking from one's self,

Let each one, then, be careful in himself, that this commandment above all things, be greatly and highly esteemed, and that it be not cast into derision. Ask and search your own heart carefully, and you will truly discover whether it cleaves to God alone, or not. If you have a heart which can look unto him for all good, especially in time of need and want, as well as reject and forsake all that is not God, you have the true and the only God. Again, if it cleaves to something else, from which it expects more benefits and assistance, than from God, and does not approach him, but flees from him, when adversity surrounds it,-you have an idol.