better; but as for us, because we know this is the only sacrifice, we are contented with it alone, nor do we expect any other; and because it was only once to be offered, we do not enjoin the repetition of it; and because it was full, and in all its members and parts perfect, we do not substitute to it the perpetual successions of our own sacrifices.

NOWELL'S CATECHISM.

Master. But why doth the Creed omit the story of his life, and pass straight from his birth to his death?

Scholar. Because in the Creed are rehearsed only the chief points of our redemption, and such things as so properly belong to it, that they contain, as it were, the substance thereof.

Mast. Now tell me the order and manner of his death.

Scho. He was wickedly betrayed and forsaken of his own disciples, falsely and maliciously accused of the Jews, condemned by Pontius Pilate the judge, cruelly beaten with sore stripes, vilely handled and scorned, haled up to the cross and fastened upon it, and so, tormented with all extreme pains, he suffered shameful and most painful death.

Mast. Is this the thanks and recompense they gave him for that heavenly doctrine, and for these

Scho. These things verily they did to him for their parts cruelly, maliciously, and wickedly. But he, of his own accord and willingly, suffered and performed all these things, to the intent, with this most sweet sacrifice, to appease his Father toward mankind, and to pay and suffer the pains due to us, and by this mean to deliver us from the same. Neither is it unused among men, one to promise, and to be surety, yea sometime to suffer for another. But with Christ as our surety so suffering for us, God dealt, as it were, with extremity of law; but to us whose sins, deservings, punishments, and due pains he laid upon Christ, he used singular lenity, gentleness, clemency, and mercy. Christ therefore suffered, and in suffering overcame death, the pain appointed by the everliving God for men's offence. Yea, and by his death he overcame, subdued, overthrew, and vanquished him that had the dominion of death; that is, the devil, from whose tyranny and thraldom he rescued us, and set us at liberty.

Mast. But sith we are nevertheless punished with death, which daily hangeth over us, and do still suffer the penalty of our sin, what fruit receive we of this victory?

Scho. Surely most large fruit. For by Christ's death it came to pass, that to the faithful, death is now not a destruction, but, as it were, a removing and changing of life, and a very short and sure passage into heaven, whither we ought to follow our guide without fear, which as he was

not destroyed by death, so will he also not suffer us to perish: wherefore the godly ought now no more to shrink or quake for fear of death, which is to them the refuge from all the labours, cares, and evils of this life, and their leader to heaven.

Mast. Cometh there any other profit to us by the death of Christ?

Scho. In them that through faith are of one body with Christ, crooked affections and corrupt desires, which we call lusts of the flesh, as it were, crucified with him, and die, so as they have no more dominion in our souls.

Mast. Why is the Roman governor, under whom he suffered, expressly named?

Scho. First, the certain expressing of the persons and times bringeth credit to the matter: secondly, the very thing itself declareth that Christ took our nature upon him at his due time, the very time limited and appointed by God, that is, when the sceptre was transferred from the issue of Judah to the Romans, and to foreign kings that held the kingdom of sufferance under the Roman empire. Moreover, it had been long before foreshewed by God, that Christ should be delivered to the Gentiles to execution, and should. suffer death by the judge's sentence.

Mast. Why so?

Scho. He being guiltless, was condemned by the judge's sentence, that he might before the heavenly judgment-seat acquit and entirely restore us that were guilty, whose cause was con

For if he had been murdered by thieves, or slain with sword by private men in an uproar or sedition, such death could have had no form of satisfaction and recompense.

Mast. But Pilate did bear witness of his inno

cency.

Scho. Pilate did well to bear such witness of him, sith he evidently knew him innocent. For if he had been guilty, he had not been fit nor meet to bear and pay the pains of the sins of others, and to appease God towards sinners. But the same Pilate accumbered with the continual and agreeable crying out of the Jews, and wearied and overcome with their importunate outcries, did afterward, according to the people's mind and request, condemn innocent Christ. Wherefore it is plain that he was not punished for his own sins, which were none at all in him, nor suffered pains due to himself, but did bear and pay the pains due to men's wickedness, not due to himself, which of his own will he took upon him, suffering for them by his willing death, and with his own guiltless blood washing away the spots of our offences.

Mast. But for what cause did the people so bitterly and thoroughly hate a man of so great and singular uprightness and innocency?

Scho. The priests, pharisees, and scribes, burning with the fire of envy, when they could not abide the face and light of the truth, incensed the hatred of the unwise multitude against the rescuer and defender of the truth.

Mast. Sith he was condemned by the judge's sentence, why dost thou say that he died of his own will?

Scho. If the Pharisees, or Scribes, or other Jews, or they altogether, had had power of life and death upon Christ, they had long before hastened his death, for they oftentimes before had conspired his death and destruction; yea, and also where they had determined to defer the execution till another time, because the feast of sweet-bread was now at hand (which feast the Jews were accustomed yearly to keep holy with most great religiousness and solemnity), they could not bring that intent to pass, but that he suffered even hard before the feast-day, in a time most unseasonable for them, but appointed by God for this purpose; whereby sufficiently appeareth, that no governance of these things and times was in their hand and power, but that of his own will, not compelled by any force, he suffered this death for our salvation.

Mast. Why did God specially appoint that day for his death?

Scho. That by the very time also it might be perceived that Christ is that Paschal Lamb, that is to say, the truly chaste and pure Lamb that should be slain, and yield himself the most acceptable sacrifice to his Father for us.

Mast. Sith he had the power to choose his own death, why would he be crucified rather than suffer any other kind of death?

Scho. First, for his Father's will, whereunto he