A fruitful and a very Christian instruction for children with a Dialogue wherein the child asketh certain questions answering to the same with a general confession, And three manner of loves, The saying of Solomon in the, vi, of the proverbs, And also many godly lessons which we ought daily to have in our remembrance M. D. xl, seven. God save the king William. Coplande, A fruitful instruction. IN the morning at thy up rising/ thou shalt make the sign of the cross over the saying thus In to this day do I entre all things for to do. In the name of the father, of the son, and the holy ghost. Amen. ¶ Then kneel done upon thy knees or else standing say thy. Patet. Aue. and Crede as followeth. OUR father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses/ as we forgive them that trespass against us And let us not be led into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen. ¶ The ave maria. Hale Mary full of grace, the lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, and blessed be the fruit of thy womb. Amen ¶ The Credo. I Believe in GOD, the father all mighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in jesus Christ his only son our Lord Which was conceived by the holy ghost, borne of the virgin Mary. Suffered under Ponce, Pilate, was crucified, dead, buried, and descended into hell And the third day he rose again from death 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. I believe in the holy ghost, The holy catholic faith The communion of saints. The forgiveness of sins The resurrection of the body, And the life everlasting. Amen I Thank thee (my heavenly father, by thy dear beloved son jesus Christ that this night thou hast given me sleep and rest, preserving me from all hurts and perils. I beseech the to keep me likewise this day from sin and all evils, so that all my deeds yea, all my life might please thee, for I commit myself both body and soul and all things that I go about in to thy hands. Thy holy angel be with me lest the devil my adversary have any power over me Amen ❧ Thus thou armed with god's help, speed the forth to school. or to thy craft and to thy calling ¶ The grace or blssing of the table, to be said of children standing before it their hands elevated and joined together, saying thus devoutly & sadly. THe yies of all things look up and wait upon the O Lord and thou givest them maete in dew time: when thou givest it them then they gather it, when thou openest thy hand, then are they well satisfied Thou openest thy hand and replenisshest all things living with thy blessing. Our father. etc. ❧ O Lord God our heavenly father bless thou us, & these thy gifts which we here receive of the blessing & bounteous goodnese, thorough thy son jesus Christ. Amen. Grace after dinner. LET us give thanks unto the Lord, for he is right good his mercy is laid forth for us at all times It is he that giveth meat unto every thing living. He giveth cattle their food, and feedeth the ravens birds that call upon him. He delighteth not in strong steeds neither standeth his pleasure in the trumpet of men But he is well pleased with them that fear him and trust in his mercy. Our father which art. etc. we thank thee, O lord god my father by thy son jesus Christ our Lord, for all thy benefits, which livest and reignest from age to age, world with out end Amen. Our father. etc. ❧ Grace before supper Christ which at his last supper gave himself unto us. promising his body to be crucified, and his blood to be shed for our sins bless us and our supper Amen. Our fa. etc. ¶ Grace after supper. HOnour and praise be unto God the king everlasting immortal invisible, and who is oneli for ever and ever Amen. Our father which art. etc. ¶ God almighty, father of all mercy and GOD of all consolation give us grace to consent together into the knowledge or his truth through jesus Christ that we may with one mind and one mouth gloryfis God the father of our Lord jesus Christ, Amen. Our fa, etc. ¶ Grace for fish days BEnedicite. Dominus That meat that goeth into the mouth saith Christ Math. xv. defileth not a man, but that thing which proceedeth by the mouth from the heart, defileth man which are evil thoughts, murder, breaking of wedlock, whoredom, theft false witness bearing, blasphemy, these defile man. Praise ye Lord. Our father which art in heaven. et. c. ¶ After dy●er. THese are the veri words of the holy ghost in the first epistle to Tymothe, the fourth chapter. In the latter dyaes some shall depart from the faith, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain fro meats which, God hath created and ordained to be received with thanks giving of them which believe and know the troth for all the creatures of GOD are good and nothing to be refused if it be receiue● with thanks giving for it is sanctified by god's word Praise ye the Lord all Gentiles magnify him all nations, for his mercy is spread over us, and, the truth of the Lord standeth forever Glory be to the father, to the son, &, to the holy ghost As it was in the beginning, as it is now and ever shallbe. Amen ¶ when thou shalt go to bed _●Lye me down to rest In the name of the father, of the son and of the holy ghost Amen, Then as thou didst in the morning say thy Pater noster, the Aue. and the Credo. with this prayer. jesus Christ, that this day of thy plenteous rich mercy, thou hast thus preserved me. I pray the forgive me all my sins which I have this day unrightuouslye committed in deed, word, and thought, and that thou wouldst wouchsafe, of thy gracious goodness to keep m● this night, for I commit myself both body and soul, and all mine into thy hands. Thy holy angel be with me lest my adversary have entresse in to me. Amen Finis A dialogue where in the child asketh certain questions, answering to the same The question Speak my fair child what art thou ¶ The answer ¶ As concerning my first birth I am a creature of God. endued with wit and reason, the son of adam. and as touching my new and second birth I knowledge myself to be a chrysti●. The question. ❧ wherefore sayest that thou art a Christian. The answer ☞ Because I am christened in the name of the father, of the son, and of the holy ghost. The question ❧ what i● baptism. The answer ¶ It is called of Paul. the laver or water of regeneration, by the which every man that believeth is received. and consecrated into the fellowship of Christ's church, to be part taker of life everlasting The question. ¶ In whom believest thou The answer ¶ I believe only in God the father almighty, and so troth as it standeth ● the C●ede The question ¶ what is faith, The answer ❧ Faith is a sure confidence and trust of a mind trusting and believing in the very living God The question ¶ How many gods are there The answer ¶ There is but one GOD alone for all sufficient, which hath his being of himself and all creatures hath their being of him The question ❧ How many persons than are there in the godhead The answer ¶ There are three persons which are god the father, god the son, and god the holy ghost. three persons in trinity and one god in essence The question ❧ what is god The answer ☞ God is he of whose goodness and by whose power I am persuaded and assured through my faith to receive all that good is unto whom also I fly in all adversities and periles, as unto a present, and all alone sufficient help for me, he patiently abideth our, turning from sin, full of mercy, gentle good, ready always to forgive, and suffereth no sin to be unpunished and that into the third and fourth generation, until none of that sinful sto●ke be left alive. The question. ☞ In whom believest thou. The answer. ☞ I believe in god the father almighty maker of heaven and earth. And in jesus Chryst his only son our Lord. etc. The question. ¶ what meanest thou by the first article. The answer. ¶ I believe tyat he is my GOD, and merciful father unto me, tendering me as his dear beloved child and to be evermore unto me an almighty helper. The question. ❧ What meanest thou by the third fourth, fift and sixth articles, The answer. ¶ I believe that Christ was conceived, borne, and suffered for my sins and that he ro●e to make me righteous The question. ¶ what thing worketh this faith in the The answer ❧ It worketh in me love to GOD/ and to my neighbours/ as to myself, and so changeth me in to a new man so that I believing and knowing god to have showed so exceeding love for me study to do his commandments/ and am full heavy in my heart that I cannot fulfil them. The question. ¶ why? what are thy conmaundementes The answer. ¶ These are his commandments. The first commaundeme●●. Thou shalt have none other gods but me. The ii commandment ¶ Thou shalt not make to thyself an● graven image nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or in earth beneath, nor in the water under the earth. thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them The iii, commandment ¶ Thou shalt not take the name of th● Lord god in vain The four commandment ● Remember that thou key holy the sabbath day The .v. commandment ¶ Honour thy father and thy mother The vi commandment ¶ Thou shalt do no murder The vii commandment ¶ Thou shalt not commit adultery. The viii commandment ❧ Thou shalt not steal. The ix commandment ¶ Thou shalt bear no false witness aagynst thy neighbour Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours house, thou shalt not desire thy neighbour's wife, nor his servant nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbours The question ¶ what meanest thou by the first commandment. The answer. ❧ I know thereby that I am commanded to believe, to trust & to cleave to the lord which promiseth himself to be my god to worship and to love him alone with all my heart, mind & powers of my soul And that it is he only of whom all goodness is given me. & unto whom I must fly & call upon in all my trouble, for he only delivereth me The question ❧ what meanest thouwill by the second commandment The answer ¶ Even as the words show plainly for when the lord spoke unto you saith Moses in the fourth of deuteronomis Than saw ye no image or simlitude of him, lest ye deceived should make ye images. The voice of his words ye herd but as for any shap or similitude of him in nomaner of wise have ye sen ye shall not make ye silver gods neither golden Gods shall ye make you. Exo twenty Also ye shall make my an Altar of earth. but if ye will needs make it of stones, yet shall ye not hue them, for if you set any instrument of iron to them than shall they be defiled Also this I believe was earnestly spoken with so many words, to avoid all carving & curiosity in setting forth of images when Christ declaring the same, said. That the very true worshippers a● they that worship the father in spirit and troth, for GOD is the spirit. johan four The question ¶ Forasmoch then as god is the spirit and may not be imagined of our wy●, how shall we know him The answer ¶ Faith & trust find him when we a● in peril & show him unto us. And yet this faith to find him must be given us for if we get us a faith of our own facioning whereby we believe and trust in any other thing than god than make we us an Idol for it is the faith & trust only in our hearts that maketh other god or, Idol for if ou● faith and trust be right &, pure than have we the very true god but if it be false or feigned than must we needs feign us false and alyeng god, for true faith & god a● joined together with one knot, so that in whatsoever thing thou trustest and believest. that same is thy god Here now mayst thou well see, that in these ii first commandments, god requireth and asketh all ou● hole hearts and in the third he asketh our mouths and tongues to be used for his praise & holiness of his name The question ❧ why what meanest thou by the third commandment The answer ¶ Than take I the name of God in vain when I use it to confirm a lie or to hurt my neighbour. yea. & when neither by it god is glorified nor yet m● neighbour is profited Also if I fli not to him for help in my trouble, nor take him for my benefits in my prosperice & wealth than take I his name in vain Also if I intend and do not all things for his name's glory than take I his name in vain The question ❧ what meanest thou by the fourth commandment The answer ¶ I sanctify the Saboth day when I give myself hole to here the holy scripture taught me or to read it, & so ocupy my mind in it. for when I give myself to any other holy works (or as Esai saith) when I cease to do mine own will or to follow mine own ways, although they appear to me right glorious and good, For thus me thinketh, the Prophet expoundeth this point of the law in the lviii chap. And for the fulfilling of these ii last precepts we pray saying. Thy name be hallowed, and thy will be fulfilled & not owers. Thus mayst thou see these first four precepts to pertain to the glori of god and to the hallowing of his name The question ☞ wherefore than commandeth he the other six The answer. ❧ For our neighbour's health & profit to serve them and especially our father and mother, whom next god we ought to honour to do reverence. to obey, to comfort to help & to follow their godly monition and instruction The question ¶ what meanest thou by the other? The answer ¶ That in no manner a way I should hurt mi neighbour: but to do to him as I would be done unto not to desire or covet any thing of his The question ¶ what? is Thought, than sin The answer ¶ yea verily for so expoundeth our saviour the law in the .v. chap o● More saying, That whosoever casteth his eye wantonli upon an other man's wife desiring her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart The question ¶ Than are we all sinners, and have broken all gods commandments. The answer concludeth ¶ we are all sinners & have need of the mercy of god, if we were not all sinners, the merci of god should take none effect in us wherefore the scripture concludeth that all men are sinners that as many as shallbe saved shallbe saved by god's mercy only ❧ A General confession for every sinner broughis into the knowledge of his sins to confess himself with penitent heart before god, at all times. ❧ OH my most merciful father the father of mercies and god of all consolation mi god mi father I knowledge myself unfanedly with hirt mind & mouth now before y● to have offended grievously thy high mayest & goodness I knowledge, I knowledge mi self to be full of sin full of unfaithfulness, and a servant unprofitable, for all thy holy commandments have I transgressed and broken first I have not set all my belief, confidence, trust and hope in the I have not loved the with all my heart, with all my soul mind and powers of my soul Secondly I have divided thy honour and worship from the and given it to the creatures & did things imagined of my onwne fantasy Thirdly I have abused thy holy name by false and deceitful swearing to the hindrannce of my neighbour, and idly and vainly have I used thy holy name I have not said ne done/ neither thought all things to thy glory Frourthli in the Saboth day have I not given myself to hearing reading and learning thy holy scriptures neither visited the sick & poor comfortless/ norcessed fro my noun sinful will & lust praying at all times thy will and not mine to be fulfilled, wherefore I cry the mercy and desire the of forgiveness Furthermor I have not honoured mi father and mother I have not so much set by them as thou commandest me/ ne obeyed them neither comforted them or holpen them etc. I have s●ayne, I have broken wedlock, I have stolen and boorne false witness. Also I have coveted my neighbours' house & his other gods unlawfully. I have desired his wife, his servant his cattles/ etc. wherefore I cry the mercy most merciful father and desire that for that love which thou bearest to thy dear son my saviour Christ to forgive me in his blood: for when I went about to seek thee, to trust to believe in thee, or to do any thing to thy glori, yet would not this lust & concupiscence, this contagious original poison and fleshly dregs drawn of our father Adam su●●re me to do that I would have done thorough this natural concupiscence, I strive and fight daily against the holy ghost in me, which unlawful lust and desire I knowledge to be a grievous sin against thy highness, without the which concupiscens I can not be, wherefore I being a sinner of myself without all righteousness without all goodness, all holiness, all deserving, am come ●ow by faith before the unto Christ's mercy stole and righteousness, unto, his goodness, holiness, deserving and satisfactions desiring the O merciful Father for his deaths sake, that his rightwiseness/ his wisdom, holiness, goodness, merits and satisfactions may be mine, & serve me for my forgiveness & salvation For likewise as thou gavest me him to die for my sins even so believe I that thou hast given me with him all his to be mine and to serve me for my salvation, wherefore glory, worship, empery & rule be to the o father, with thy soone in the holy ghost for ever. Amen. The seven works of merycy ¶ Furthermore, I have not given met to the houngry, drink ●o the thirsty, lodged the harberles, clothed the naked, visited the sick, comforted & relieved them in prison. For I have not esteemed of how great weight these words of thy son my saviour Christ are, neither believed him saying. In as much as ye have done these things unto one of the lest of these my brethren, ye have done, it to me Mat xxv But I have bestoed my gold & silver upon dead stones and stocks & have suffered the living creatures and der beloved brothers of Christ to go naked & to perish for cold and hunger. Thus gruously have I sinned, leving thy commandments (oh father) to do deeds of my noun imagination. wherefore I cry the mercy my god my father, desiring forgiveness of the blood. and for the deaths sake of thy son my saviour jesus christ. to whom with the be glory, world without end. Amen. ¶ Three manner of loves. first the love of god. the love of thyself, and the love of thy neighbour. IN this true belief I shall first love god the father almighty that mademe, and our lord jesus Christ that redeemed me & the holy ghost that always inspireth me. This blessed holy trinity I shall always love & honour and serve with all my heart, mind. and strength, and fere god alonely, and put my trust in him only. ¶ The love of thyself. ❧ Secondly, I shall love myself to god ward, and shall abstain from all sin as much as I may, specially from the sins deadly I shall not be proud nor envious nor wrathful. I shall not be gluttonous nor lecherous, nor slothful. I shall not be covetous, desiring superfluite of worldly things. And evil company I shall eschew and fly as much as I may. I shall give me to grace and virtue and cunning in god. I shall pray often, specially on the holy day. I shall live always temperately and sober of my mouth. I shall fast the days commanded in Christ's church. I shall keep my mind from evil and foul thoughts. I shall keep my mouth from swearing lying and foul speaking I shall keep my hands from steyling and piking Things taken away I shall restore again Things found I shall restore again The love of they neighbour ¶ Thirdly I shall love my neighbour that is every man to god ward as mine own self and shall help him all his n●●●eitie spiritual and bodily as, I would beholpen my now self, specially my fa●●● and my mother that brought me into this world The master that teacheth me I shall honour and obey My f●lows that learn with me I shall love ● Penance If I ●al to sign I shall anon rise again by penance and pure confession Here after followeth the saying of Sal ¶ These, vi. things the lord hateth & the seventh he utterly abhorreth ●Proud look a dissembling tongue hands that shed, Innocentes blood. an heart that goeth about with wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to do mischief, a false witness that bringeth us lies and such one as soweth discord among brethren proverbs. vi, These things following should we ever have in our mind THe sins that we daily do the short time that we shall abide he●e The uncertainty of the day of our death, The unstableness and frailty of us. The straight and fearful judgement of God, The bitter and unspeakable pains ordained for sins The everlasting loss of eternal glory ¶ Imprinted at London by Richard Kele dwelling in Lombert street at the sign of the Eagle