remained　pupils；　and　must　continue　to　be　such　？
  For　it　needs　must　be　that　whoever　knows　the　Ten　Commandments　perfectly
  must　know　all　the　Scriptures；　so　that；　in　all　affairs　and　cases；　he　can
  advise；　help；　comfort；　judge；　and　decide　both　spiritual　and　temporal
  matters　and　is　qualified　to　sit　in　judgment　upon　all　doctrines；
  estates；　spirits；　laws；　and　whatever　else　is　in　the　world。　And　what；
  indeed；　is　the　entire　Psalter　but　thoughts　and　exercises　upon　the　First
  Commandment？　Now　I　know　of　a　truth　that　such　lazy　paunches　and
  presumptuous　spirits　do　not　understand　a　single　psalm；　much　less　the
  entire　Holy　Scriptures；　and　yet　they　pretend　to　know　and　despise　the
  Catechism；　which　is　a　compend　and　brief　summary　of　all　the　Holy
  Scriptures。
  Therefore　I　again　implore　all　Christians；　especially　pastors　and
  preachers；　not　to　be　doctors　too　soon；　and　imagine　that　they　know
  everything　（for　imagination　and　cloth　unshrunk　＇and　false　weights＇　fall
  far　short　of　the　measure）；　but　that　they　daily　exercise　themselves　well
  in　these　studies　and　constantly　treat　them；　moreover；　that　they　guard
  with　all　care　and　diligence　against　the　poisonous　infection　of　such
  security　and　vain　imagination；　but　steadily　keep　on　reading；　teaching；
  learning；　pondering；　and　meditating；　and　do　not　cease　until　they　have
  made　a　test　and　are　sure　that　they　have　taught　the　devil　to　death　and
  have　become　more　learned　than　God　Himself　and　all　His　saints。
  If　they　manifest　such　diligence；　then　I　will　promise　them；　and　they
  shall　also　perceive；　what　fruit　they　will　obtain；　and　what　excellent
  men　God　will　make　of　them；　so　that　in　due　time　they　themselves　will
  acknowledge　that　the　longer　and　the　more　they　study　the　Catechism；　the
  less　they　know　of　it；　and　the　more　they　find　yet　to　learn；　and　then
  only；　as　hungry　and　thirsty　ones；　will　they　truly　relish　that　which　now
  they　cannot　endure　because　of　great　abundance　and　satiety。　To　this　end
  may　God　grant　His　grace！　Amen。
  SHORT　PREFACE　OF　DR。　MARTIN　LUTHER。
  This　sermon　is　designed　and　undertaken　that　it　might　be　an　instruction
  for　children　and　the　simple…minded。　Hence　of　old　it　was　called　in　Greek
  catechism；　i。e。；　instruction　for　children；　what　every　Christian　must
  needs　know；　so　that　he　who　does　not　know　this　could　not　be　numbered
  with　the　Christians　nor　be　admitted　to　any　Sacrament；　just　as　a
  mechanic　who　does　not　understand　the　rules　and　customs　of　his　trade　is
  expelled　and　considered　incapable。　Therefore　we　must　have　the　young
  learn　the　parts　which　belong　to　the　Catechism　or　instruction　for
  children　well　and　fluently　and　diligently　exercise　themselves　in　them
  and　keep　them　occupied　with　them。
  Therefore　it　is　the　duty　of　every　father　of　a　family　to　question　and
  examine　his　children　and　servants　at　least　once　a　week　and　to
  ascertain　what　they　know　of　it；　or　are　learning　and；　if　they　do　not
  know　it；　to　keep　them　faithfully　at　it。　For　I　well　remember　the　time；
  indeed；　even　now　it　is　a　daily　occurrence　that　one　finds　rude；　old
  persons　who　knew　nothing　and　still　know　nothing　of　these　things；　and
  who；　nevertheless；　go　to　Baptism　and　the　Lord's　Supper；　and　use
  everything　belonging　to　Christians；　notwithstanding　that　those　who　come
  to　the　Lord's　Supper　ought　to　know　more　and　have　a　fuller　understanding
  of　all　Christian　doctrine　than　children　and　new　scholars。　However；　for
  the　common　people　we　are　satisfied　with　the　three　parts；　which　have
  remained　in　Christendom　from　of　old；　though　little　of　it　has　been
  taught　and　treated　correctly　until　both　young　and　old　who　are　called
  and　wish　to　be　Christians；　are　well　trained　in　them　and　familiar　with
  them。　These　are　the　following：
  First。
  THE　TEN　COMMANDMENTS　OF　GOD。
  1。　Thou　shalt　have　no　other　gods　before　Me。
  2。　Thou　shalt　not　take　the　name　of　the　Lord；　thy　God；　in　vain　＇for　the
  Lord　will　not　hold　him　guiltless　that　taketh　His　name　in　vain＇。
  3。　Thou　shalt　sanctify　the　holy…day。　＇Remember　the　Sabbath…day　to　keep
  it　holy。＇
  4。　Thou　shalt　honor　thy　father　and　mother　＇that　thou　mayest　live　long
  upon　the　earth＇。
  5。　Thou　shalt　not　kill。
  6。　Thou　shalt　not　commit　adultery。
  7。　Thou　shalt　not　steal。
  8。　Thou　shalt　not　bear　false　witness　against　thy　neighbor。
  9。　Thou　shalt　not　covet　thy　neighbor's　house。
  10。　Thou　shalt　not　covet　thy　neighbor's　wife；　nor　his　man…servant；　nor
  his　maidservant；　nor　his　cattle　＇ox；　nor　his　ass＇；　nor　anything　that　is
  his。
  Secondly。
  THE　CHIEF　ARTICLES　OF　OUR　FAITH。
  1。　I　believe　in　God　the　Father　Almighty；　Maker　of　heaven　and　earth。
  2。　And　in　Jesus　Christ；　His　only　Son；　our　Lord；　who　was　conceived　by
  the　Holy　Ghost；　born　of　the　Virgin　Mary；　suffered　under　Pontius　Pilate；
  was　crucified；　dead　and　buried；　He　descended　into　hell；　the　third　day
  He　rose　again　from　the　dead；　He　ascended　into　heaven；　and　sitteth　on
  the　right　hand　of　God　the　Father　Almighty；　from　thence　He　shall　come　to
  judge　the　quick　and　the　dead。
  3。　I　believe　in　the　Holy　Ghost；　the　holy　Christian　Church；　the
  communion　of　saints；　the　forgiveness　of　sins；　the　resurrection　of　the
  body；　and　the　life　everlasting。　Amen。
  Thirdly。
  THE　PRAYER；　OR　〃OUR　FATHER；〃　WHICH　CHRIST　TAUGHT
  Our　Father　who　art　in　heaven。
  1。　Hallowed　be　Thy　name。
  2。　Thy　kingdom　come。
  3。　Thy　will　be　done　on　earth　as　it　is　in　heaven。
  4。　Give　us　this　day　our　daily　bread。
  5。　And　forgive　us　our　trespasses　as　we　forgive　those　who　trespass
  against　us。
  6。　And　lead　us　not　into　temptation。
  7。　But　deliver　us　from　evil。　＇For　Thine　is　the　kingdom　and　the　power
  and　the　glory；　forever　and　ever。＇　Amen。
  These　are　the　most　necessary　parts　which　one　should　first　learn　to
  repeat　word　for　word　and　which　our　children　should　be　accustomed　to
  recite　daily　when　they　arise　in　the　morning　when　they　sit　down　to　their
  meals；　and　when　they　retire　at　night；　and　until　they　repeat　them；　they
  should　be　given　neither　food　nor　drink。　Likewise　every　head　of　a
  household　is　obliged　to　do　the　same　with　respect　to　his　domestics；
  ma…servants　and　maid…servants　and　not　to　keep　them　in　his　house　if　they
  do　not　know　these　things　and　are　unwilling　to　learn　them。　For　a　person
  who　is　so　rude　and　unruly　as　to　be　unwilling　to　learn　these　things　is
  not　to　be　tolerated；　for　in　these　three　parts　everything　that　we　have
  in　the　Scriptures　is　comprehended　in　short；　pain；　and　simple　terms。　For
  the　holy　Fathers　or　apostles　（whoever　they　were）　have　thus　embraced　in
  a　summary　the　doctrine；　life；　wisdom；　and　art　of　Christians；　of　which
  they　speak　and　treat；　and　with　which　they　are　occupied。　Now；　when　these
  three　arts　are　apprehended；　it　behooves　a　person　also　to　know　what　to
  say　concerning　our　Sacraments；　which　Christ　Himself　instituted；　Baptism
  and　the　holy　body　and　blood　of　Christ；　namely；　the　text　which　Matthew
  ＇28；　19　ff。＇　and　Mark　＇16；　15　f。＇　record　at　the　close　of　their　Gospels
  when　Christ　said　farewell　to　His　disciples　and　sent　them　forth。
  OF　BAPTISM。
  Go　ye　and　teach　all　nations；　baptizing　them　in　the　name　of　the　Father；
  and　of　the　Son；　and　of　the　Holy　Ghost。　He　that　believeth　and　is
  baptized　shall　be　saved；　but　he　that　believeth　not　shall　be　damned。　So
  much　is　sufficient　for　a　simple　person　to　know　from　the　Scriptures
  concerning　Baptism。　In　like　manner；　also；　concerning　the　other
  Sacrament　in　short；　simple　words；　namely　the　text　of　St。　Paul　＇1　Cor。
  11；　23　f。＇。
  OF　THE　SACRAMENT
  Our　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　the　same　night　in　which　He　was　betrayed；　took
  bread；　and　when　He　had　given　thanks；　He　brake　it；　and　gave　it　to　His
  disciples　and　said；　Take；　eat；　this　is　My　body；　which　is　given　for　you：
  this　do　in　remembrance　of　Me。
  After　the　same　manner　also　He　took　the　cup；　when　He　had　supped；　gave
  thanks；　and　gave　it　to　them；　saying；　Drink　ye　all　of　it；　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；　ye　would　have；　in　all；　five　parts　of　the　entire　Christian
  doctrine　which　should　be　constantly　treated　and　required　＇of　children＇
  and　heard　recited　word　for　word。　For　you　must　not　rely　upon　it　that　the
  young　people　will　learn　and　retain　these　things　from　the　sermon　alone。
  When　these　parts　have　been　well　learned；　you　may；　as　a　supplement　and
  to　fortify　them。　lay　before　them　also　some　psalms　or　hymns；　which　have
  been　composed　on　these　parts；　and　thus　lead　the　young　into　the
  Scriptures；　and　make　daily　progress　therein。
  However；　it　is　not　enough　for　them　to　comprehend　and　recite　these
  parts　according　to　the　words　only；　but　the　young　people　should　also　be
  made　to　attend　the　preaching；　especially　during　the　time　which　is
  devoted　to　the　Catechism；　that　they　may　hear　it　explained　and　may　learn
  to　understand　what　every　part　contains；　so　as　to　be　able　to　recite　it
  as　they　have　heard　it；　and；　when　asked；　may　give　a　correct　answer；　so
  that　the　preaching　may　not　be　without　profit　and　fruit。　For　the　reason
  why　we　exercise　such　diligence　in　preaching　the　Catechism　so　often　is
  that　it　may　be　inculcated　on　our　youth；　not　in　a　high　and　subtle
  manner；　but　briefly　and　with　the　greatest　simplicity；　so　as　to　enter
  the　mind　readily　and　be　fixed　in　the　memory。　Therefore　we　shall　now
  take　u