Certaine godly instructions, verie necessarie to be learned of the younger sorte, before they be admitted to be partakers of the holie Communion.
Verie easie to be vnderstanded of the simple and vnlearned sorte, dooen by D.W. Arch.
¶ Also certaine Articles, very necessarie to bee knowen of all young Schollers of Christes Schoole dooen by D,W. Arch.
Seen and allowed.
¶Imprinted at London for Henry Kirkham, dwellyng at the little North dore of Sainct Paules Churche, and are there to bee solde, at the signe of the blacke Boye. 1580.
Instructions of the Godly instructions for euery Minister to examine the younger sort, before thei be admitted to receiue the holie Communion.
What dooe you come to receiue.
The holie Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ.
Why doest thou come to receiue it?
Because Christ hath so commaunded mee.
Of how many partes doeth it consist?
Of two partes: namely, the outward signe, and the inward thing signified.
[Page]Whiche bee the outwarde sign [...]s in this Sacrament?
Bread and Wine.
Whiche be the inward thinges signified?
Christes bodie broken for me, and his bloud shed for me, together withall the benefites of his Passion.
How doest thou receiue the outward signes?
I receiue them with my hande, eate them with my mouthe, and digeste them with my stomacke.
How dooest thou receiue the inward thynges signified?
Onely by faithe, and feede of it as of a foode, giuen to me to life euerlasting.
[Page] [...] did GOD choose these Crea [...]res of Bread and Wine, too represent vnto vs the body and bloud of Christe, rather then any other earthly creature?
Because there are none earthly creatures, that can so aptly represente vntoo our outwarde senses, those thynges that God would haue vs to learne by this Sacrament.
What be those thinges which GOD would haue vs too learne by this Sacrament?
By the breakyng of the Bread, wee haue to learne the breakyng of the bodie of Christe vppon the Crosse: and by the powryng forthe of the Wine, the sheadyng of his bloud, and by the distributyng too all that are presente▪ Christes communicatyng hymselfe vntoo all those tha [...] will faithfullie receiue hym: by the [Page] eatyng and drinkyng wee le [...] that as Brea [...] and Wine doe nourishe our bodies in this life, so Christes bodie and bloud doe nourishe our soules to life euerlastyng. And as the substance of Bread and Wine by digestion, passeth into the substaunce of our bodies, euen so by faithe, Christe and wee are vnited with an vnspeakable vnion, and we made fleshe of his fleshe, and bones of his bones.
What more is to be learned hereby?
That we beyng many, are made one in Christe, as of many graines is made one Lose, and of many Grapes, one Wine,
Forasmuche as the vnworthie receiuer is dampned (for so Saincte Paule testifieth) how wilt thou know whether thou art a worthie receiuer or no?
If I examine mee selfe, and finde, that I humblie acknowledge myne owne vnwoorthinesse, that is to saie, my sinnes, and to bee hartely sorie for them, and fullie too purpose amendement of life, and faithfullie to embrace Gods promisse of remisson and Pardon offered in Christe, then am I worthie, because my vnwoorthinesse is forgiuen mee, and putte out of rememberance.
Certaine Articles, very nenecessary to be knowen of all younge Schollers of Christes schole.
FIrste, that the ende of our creation is to glorifie God.
That the prayse of Gods glorie beginneth at the knowledg of our selues.
That the knowledge of our selues issueth out of the sounde vnderstandyng of the lawe, contained in the ten commaundements.
That the lawe is the perfect rule of iustice, teachyng vs what wee should doe, and forbidden the contrarie.
The lawe was deuided into twoo tables, whereof the firste contayneth foure commaundements, touchyng our duetie towards God, the seconde [...]ontayneth our duety towards our neighbour.
[Page]The ende of the lawe is, to let vs see [...]r sinnes: that by the sight therof we might bee constrained to flie vnto Christe.
Sinne is the trasgression of the lawe.
Sinne entered into the worlde by Adams transgression, and together with sinne came death, and the curse of God vpon all mankinde.
The reward of euery sinne, in Gods iustice, is eternall death and damnation.
There is no meanes whereby we can either escape this eternall death, or deserue any remission of sinnes, but onely Christe crucified by whom, we are free from the curse of the lawe, and by whose bloud we haue redemtion, that is, the forgiuenesse of our sinnes.
None shall be saued, but those that take holde vpon Christe and his merites, by a true and liuely faithe.
This true and liuely faithe is a full [Page] assenting of our hartes vnto the promyses of GOD in Christe, ioy [...]d alwaies with endeuor of righteosnesse.
The summe of a Christian mans faithe is contained in the twelue articles of our beleefe, commonly called the Apostles Creede.
The preaching of the worde is the ordinary meane, whereby faithe is bothe bred and nourished in vs.
The inward workyng of the holly Ghoste, maketh the worde preached sauory and comfortable vnto vs.
That good workes although they neither iustifie vs before God, nor deserue any remission of sinne, yet haue their proper place, and standyng and serue for diuers vses.
First to glorifie God.
Secondly, to publishe our faith vnto the worlde.
Thirdly, to beare witnesse vntoo our conscience of our election.
Fourthly, to winne Infidels, an [...] them that are without God.
[Page]Praier is a very earnest liftyng vp of the harte vnto God in all kinde of necessities, whether inwardly of soule or outwardly of bodie.
The Lordes Prayer is a perfecte patterne of all prayers, and contayneth within his reache, whatsoeuer can bee demaunded of God, needefull for our bodies or soules.
The Lordes prayer contayneth sixe peticions: three concernyng the glorie of God: and three touching our profite and welfare.
There are foure principall thinges to be obserued in prayer.
First, that we make our praiers to God onely and not to Saints.
Secondly, that wee feele within our selues the marueilous greate want of the thinge prayed for, hauing our mindes wholy bent therevppon, & not caried awaie with bithoughts.
Thirdly, that our praiers be grou [...]ded vppon faithe in Gods promises, with full assuraunce that they shal bee [Page] graunted, so farre as the Lorde [...]o [...]th knowe th [...]m to be meete and expedient for vs.
Fourthly, that wee continue in prayer, although we speede not at the [...]st.
The Sacramentes are meanes, whereby the weakenesse of our faith is vnderpropped.
A Sacramente is an outwarde signe of inwarde grace, instituted of God.
There be two Sacraments, baptisme, and the supper of the Lorde.
Baptisme is an outwarde signe of the washyng awaye of sinne, whiche we haue by Christes bloud.
In Baptisme, we haue our names entred into the Family and Hosholde of God.
The Lordes supper representeth our continuall feedyng in the same Familie and Housholde of God.
The Lordes Supper consisteth of outward signes and inward thinges [Page] signified
The outwarde signes are Bread and Wine.
The inward thinges signified are Christes bodie broken, and his bloud shed together, with all the benefits of his passion.
Repentance is a bitter sorrowing and sobbing for sinne, coupled always with a set purpose of amenment.
It consisteth especially in two thinges: the killyng of the olde man, with all his corrupt lusts and affections, and the quicknyng of the newe man, which after the image of God is created in righteousnesse & true holinesse.
The olde man is then killed, and the newe man quickned, when we die vnto sinne, and liue vnto righteousnesse: that is to saie, when we are fallen intoo deadly hatred and malice, with our owne sinfull affections and [...]aine conuersation before paste, strivyng nowe at length to subdue our vnruly lusts, and to bring into captiuitie, [Page] euery thought to the obedience of Christ, that so his spirite maie both rule and raigne in vs, and bring forth her goodly blossomes, faith, loue, mercie, patience, humilytie, chastitie, desire of Gods worde, hartie good will to his true ministers, diligēce in praier together with all increase of righteousnesse.