inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.' Let no man deceive you with vain words for such things cometh the wrath of God upon disobedient children."

KING EDWARD THE SIXTH'S CATECHISM.

Master. The Commandment of not committing adultery, what thinkest thou it containeth? Scholar. Forsooth, this Commandment containeth many things: for it forbiddeth not only to talk with another man's wife, or any other woman unchastely; but also to touch her, yea, or to cast an eye at her wantonly; or with lustful look to behold her; or by any unhonest mean to woo her, either ourselves, or any other in our behalf : finally, herein is debarred all kind of filthy and straying lust.

NOWELL'S CATECHISM.

Master. What is the Seventh Commandment? Scholar. "Thou shalt not commit adultery." What dost thou think to be contained

Mast.

therein ?

Scho. By this Commandment is forbidden all kinds of filthy and wandering lust, and all uncleanness that riseth of such lust, as fondness in

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handling, unchasteness of speech, and all wantonness of countenance and gesture, all outward show of unchastity whatsoever it be. And not only filthiness of words and uncleanness of doings is forbidden by God; but also forasmuch as both our bodies and our souls are the temples of the Holy Ghost, that honesty may be kept undefiled in them both, shamefacedness and chastity is commanded, that neither our bodies be defiled with uncleanness of lust, nor our minds with unhonest thoughts or desires, but be always preserved chaste and pure.

REFORMATIO LEGUM, &c.

Of Heresies.

Of Matrimony. Chap. 20.

From the first ages of the Church there has been a multitude of Heretics who have opposed the use of marriage, as a base and polluted thing; and either to be wholly excluded from the society of the faithful, or if it be for once allowed to the frailty of our nature, on no account to be repeated such an opinion, as being abhorrent from the rule of piety prescribed in the Sacred Writings, was formerly exploded with censure by the Church. But the devil, in the stead of this impiety, substituted another, to wit, that all who

should profess a monastic life, or should be called to the ministration of the Church, should at all times lose the power of entering into matrimonial engagements. Which iniquitous ordinance, since it is in opposition to the Holy Scriptures, we will should be entirely abolished and annulled.

Of Matrimony.

Matrimony is to be permitted to all. Chap. 9. Since matrimony is a lawful and pious usage, and prevents the occurrence of much uncleanness, we will that it may be repeated whenever there is occasion, so it be rightly contracted. Nor do we prohibit from marrying, any persons of whatever condition, rank, or age......

Polygamy is to be avoided. Chap. 10.

But we will that polygamy be repressed by our laws for we allow one and only one pair to be joined in the same band of wedlock; for thus was marriage originally instituted by God......

Of the prohibited Degrees in Matrimony. Matrimony ought not to be contracted between persons not lawfully qualified. Chap. 1.

Since matrimony is a lawful union of man and woman, great caution should be observed lest any persons enter into it contrary to law and propriety, and lest they be bound together by its bands, whom the divine precepts prohibit from such connexion. For if it so happen, incest would contaminate our land, and the Church established in it; and the persons themselves

would certainly incur the divine wrath by such guilty and shameful congress.

What consanguinity and affinity are. Chap. 2. There are many degrees of consanguinity, and affinity, in which marriage must not be contracted. But first, that the principle of the prohibition may be known-consanguinity is to be understood of those who are sprung from the same ancestors by whom we are generated, or have descended by propagation of flesh and blood. Af finity proceeds from the alliance of husband and wife. But these two heads, consanguinity and affinity, are in this respect put upon an equality,— that in the first place the divine law, and then the civil law, have pointed out the degrees in both kinds, within which matrimony must by no means be contracted.

Of Adultery and Divorce.

Adultery is to be severely punished. Chap. 1. So horrible is the turpitude of adultery, that it is denounced by an express precept of the Decalogue; and in the ancient divine Law, promulgated by Moses, it rendered the offender liable to be stoned to death by the people. Moreover it has been made capital by the civil law. A thing, therefore, so odious to God, and marked with so severe a condemnation by our pious ancestors, ought not to be passed over by our ecclesiastical judges without the heaviest punishment.

The innocent person may contract a new mar

When either party is convicted of adultery, it shall be lawful for the other, who is innocent, to proceed (if he wish) to form a new matrimonial connexion. For it ought not to be, that an innocent person should be condemned, against his will, to celibacy, for the fault of another. Wherefore the innocent person shall not be esteemed adulterous, if he enter anew into marriage;— since Christ himself excepted the case of adultery.

Separation from bed and board abolished. Chap. 19.

Association of bed and board used formerly, for certain crimes, to be dissolved-the other rights of matrimony being retained between the parties. This accommodation, as it is foreign to the Scriptures, and is productive of the greatest mischief, and introduces a spring of evils into the marriage state, shall be totally abolished by our authority.