to hang themselues some in the l Dan 5. middest of their iolitie haue the ioynts of their loynes loosed and their knees smitten one against another and some are m Psal 53.5 Prouerb 28.1 afeard where there is no feare and flye when no man pursueth them And n Esay 5.24 as the flame of fire deuoureth the stubble and as the chaffe is consumed of the flame so their roote shall bee rottennes and their bud shall rise vp as dust because they haue cast off the lawe of the Lord of hosts c. that it might stand as an vnchaungeable decree of the hie God the possessor of heauen and earth concerning the wicked the true seruants of God o 1 Sam. 2.30 The feare of God rewarded Them that honor me I will honor and they that despise me shall be despised So did the Lord aduance vertuous p Gen. 45. Ioseph before all his brethren he q Exod. 1.21 made houses to the widowes who feared God in Egypt and deliuered r Iere. 39.16 Ebedmelech in the day of euill Therefore for the comfort of all them that walke according to their gifts callings with God it is written ſ Psal 33.18 Behold the eye of the Lord is vpon thē that feare him and vpon them that trust in his mercie to deliuer their soules from death and to preserue them in famine For this cause right Honorable haue I presumed to dedicate this small booke to your Honour not onely because I am perswaded of your fauorable acceptation but also that by mee being one among many you might know what hope and expectation there is among her Maiesties most faithfull subiects concerning you that your yong yeres being sanctified and t 1. Ioh. 2.14 as S. Iohn saith being strong the word of God abiding in you and hauing ouercome the wicked you might amōgst other graue and wise counsellors bee a ioyfull labourer in all good causes and a prosperous furtherer of things concerning God to the great ioy peace and honor of her most excellent maiestie and that by the mouthes of many her louing subiects prayses may redound to the glorie of God and that you may glorie in his praise And here I humblie craue your Christian fauour to giue mee leaue to tell you what the Lorde speaketh vnto you For me thinketh I heare him speake vnto you as he did vnto Ioshuah and Abraham a Ioshu 1. Be thou strong and of a most valiant courage that thou mayst obserue and doe according to al the law which Moses my seruant hath commanded thee thou shalt not turne away from it to the right hād nor to the left that thou maist prosper whither soeuer thou goest I will be with thee J will not leaue thee nor forsake thee b Gen. 15.1 cap. 17.1 Feare not J am thy buckler and thine exceeding great reward J am God alsufficient walke before me and bee vpright Now this little booke of houshold instruction I tender vnto your Honors protection nothing comparable to the profound works set foorth by rare and singular men but as a little candle to bee placed in the midst of the house to giue light to all them that are therein And as in the worke of the materiall Temple vnder Salomon c 2. Chron. 2.2 hewers of stones had a necessary vse so this little book may bee some good helpe to prepare the seueral members of the familie for the skilfull builders that is the d 1 Pet. 2.5 faithful ministers to be ioined as liuely stons in the spirituall temple of God For as the Psalmist doth testifie e Psal 119.130 The entrance into Gods wordes sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding vnto the simple And our Sauiour teacheth that there is a secret working in his kingdom like the growing of the f Mat. 13 3◠small graine of mustard-seed and as a little leauē hid in three pecks of meale So g 1. Cor. 1.27 God hath chosen foolish thinges of the world to confound the wise God hath chosen weake thinges of the world to confound the mighty c. And to whom should I offer the booke of teaching the familie but euen to him whose houshold being well instructed ordered guided may diuers waies doe good vnto many of all estates and degrees yea euen to him who knoweth verie well how needfull a thing it is in regarde of the Common-wealth which in troublesome times doth find that a Christian Prince cannot be sure of such a peoples faithfulnes in dayes of triall whose bellies being fedde with the fatte of the earth haue mindes vnsetled and for lacke of the knowledge of Christ and the feare of God are apt to go after the sway of time and to bee led as beastes by the bellie where most ease gaine pleasure shall draw them Therefore nothing doubting but that your godly wisedom and good knowledge of Christ Iesus will graciously receiue any thing that may be helpful to Christian religion and godlines I present this little booke vnto your Honour with al humblenes and good will in the Lord leauing the successe vnto him in whose handes are the a Psalm 31.15 times of all things and b 1. Cor. 3.7 who onely giueth increase Most meekely praying his diuine goodnes to make you honorable in this world in all pietie and Christian vertues to the glory of his name the honour of your Prince and countrey and to the reioycing of all good christians in the world to come to bee partaker of his glory who shall be glorified in his Saintes and made marueilous in all that beleeue Amen At Eastwell in Kent this 26. of Februarie Anno 1596. Your Honours alwaies to command in Christ Iesus IOSIAS NICHOLS To all gouernours of Families grace and peace c. I Very well remember my welbeloued country mē ye that are gouernours of families that he was a wise Preacher that sayde a Eccles 12.12 There is no ende in making many bookes And that many very good and excellent Catechismes are published in our English tongue being not onely very profitable for Christians to exercise themselues in but also most notable tokens of the Christian care and loue of diuers learned and godly minded men toward their neighbors and countrie Yet haue I some good reasons as I thinke to put foorth this little booke of mine as a mite in comparison of the greatest gifts of other men who by their excellent workes haue greatly replenished the Lords treasurie First because that I finde that the Lord in the building of his Church vseth the diuers gifts of his seruants to expresse his manifold wisedom And as vnto men of diuers complexiōs and affections he hath giuen choise of meate and varietie of apparell so many bookes to one end are set foorth in diuers fashions and with a diuers gift order and facilitie that hee whome one booke sauoureth not might yet like the taste of
two sorts of points What wee are of ourselues What wee are made by Christ The doctrines 1. 1 Otherwise there needed not the promise Eph. 2.1.2 Of ourselues wee are sinners and therefore accursed to damnation by Adams fall 2. 2 This is in a manner the text By Christ wee are made blessed that is heires of eternall life 3. 3 Expoūded Heb. 2.16 Here is taught what Christ is touching his person as in the former Catechisme Christ is God and man of the seede of Abraham 4. 4 These two are gathered out of this text Gal. 3.6.8 Rom. 4.11.12.23.24 There is but one way of saluation which is common to Iew and Gentill 5. 5 These two are gathered out of this text Gal. 3.6.8 Rom. 4.11.12.23.24 Christ is applied vnto vs for iustification by no meanes but faith onely 6. 6 So gathered Gal. 3.17.18 Our saluation commeth not of workes in our doing or will in our choosing but of Gods free promise 7. Vnder this word blessed 7 Gal. 3.29 1. Cor. 1.30 Reuel 20.6 are contained all Gods graces and gifts which thorough Christ hee giueth to his Church and his protection in this life with the resurrection vnto life eternall 8. One part of this blessednes is 8 So applied Luk. 1.73 Act. 3.25.26 that Christ turneth vs from our sinnes and leadeth vs by the promise to walke in godlines and honestie 9. 9 For this promise is exclusiue as Act. 4.12 Gal. 1.8 Ioh. 3.18 There is no other meanes of saluation but Christ and therefore all other professions and religions which teach not the true beleefe in Christ are the synagogues of Satan and seminaries of hell fire 10. 10 Ancienter by 430 yeares then the law of works Gal. 3.17 Tit. 1.1 Heb. 13.8.9 That we are iustified and saued by faith onely is the most ancient doctrine being taught by God vnto Abraham long before euer there was any Church of Rome Here the master of the familie may applie vnto euery particular person how his faith should agree with these points by the example of Iob whose Creede thus followeth Iob. 19.25 I am sure my redeemer liueth c. Where thou maist see his faith in that he saith I am sure his acknowledgement of sins and expectation of Christ in the word Redeemer and in the word liueth hee sheweth that Christ is alway the onely q So expounded Heb. 7.24.25 sufficient fauiour his hope of the resurrection is plaine in the rest and the description of eternall life in this r So defined Psal 16.11 17.15 he shall see God CAP. 5. The third Catechisme for confirmation in knowledge The place of Scripture Esay 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many whose iniquities he shal beare The Interpretation THese words are euidently a prophesie of Christ Iesus wherin the master must teach his familie to cōsider the persons First he that speaketh is God then the persons of whom he speaketh are two 1. Christ whō he calleth his righteous seruant 2. all beleeuers which are many men and women whose sinnes hee beareth The Doctrine 1. 1 In the first person 2. Tim. 1.9 God decreeth the saluation of many by Christ 2. Mans works free-will 2 This followeth of the first merit and satisfaction are excluded by the vndesired and vndeserued good pleasure of GOD in so decreeing 3. In Christ we see two things 3 This appeareth in the two following what hee is in himselfe and what to vs the first we call his person and the second his office adioyned to his person 4. In his person hee is called a seruant 4 In the second person Gods seruant and a iust seruant A seruant because being God he became a man which is called the ſ Philip. 2.6.7 forme of a seruant Gods seruant because hee came to doe t Heb. 10.7 Gods will Just or righteous because it behoued that hee being u 1. Pet. 3.18 iust should die for vs who are vniust so that he being x Heb. 4.14.15 GOD was also man in all thing sauing sinne 5. 5 In that God assigneth and accepteth him to iustifie vs c. 1. Tim. 2.5.6 His office is here generally to be a mediator betweene God and man 6. The parts of his office 6 This is shewed in the two following Psalm 110. are his Kingdome his Priesthood 7. He being King of his Church giueth giftes that is Ministers to teach remission of sinnes and so as the righteous King he iustifieth all beleeuers 7 In these words by his knowledge shal c. Act. 2.33 Eph. 4.8.9.10.11 8. Hee being Priest beareth our sinnes 8 So expounded Heb. 9.11.12 when he made himselfe a liuely sacrifice to his father for vs. 9. 9 This expoundeth the former two in them is contained reade 2. Cor. 5.19.20.21 Rom. 4.25 and cap. 10.4.14 By his Priesthoode he performeth the worke of our righteousnes and by his Kingly office hee applieth it vnto vs. For being Priest he dieth for our sins and riseth to make vs righteous but yet till by hearing this kings Embassadors wee doe beleeue wee are not iustified 10. 10 In the third person Many c. Rom. 3.23.24.25 Wee are of our owne nature sinners and al our iustification and redemption commeth onely by the free will of God thorow beleefe in Iesus Christ 11. 11 Reade Rom. 8.30 Tit. 3.7 Vnder iustification is contained glorification or euerlasting life for these necessarilie follow each other 12. 12 Gal. 1.4 If Christ iustifie vs by bearing our sinnes then wee must knowe that aboue all things we ought to flie sinne Here the Master of the familie may applie to his people in a short summe the substance of this Catechisme by the words of Habbakuck cap. 2. ver 4. The iust shall liue by his faith In regarde of iustification thus y So expounded Rom. 1.17 Galat. 3.11 a good man findeth in himselfe no wisdome righteousnes power will or workes to leane vnto but looketh for his iustification and saluation onely by faith in Christ In regarde of sanctification thus z So opened Heb. 10.38.39 1. Pet. 4.19 Gal. 2.19.20 A good man forsaketh all his owne earthly deuises and all wicked workes in the maintaining of his estate and life beleeuing that his life shall bee maintayned without any euill deuises or shiftes and therefore committeth his soule life and all hee hath into Gods hands in weldooing depending vpon the mercie and promise of God in Christ CAP. 6. The fourth Catechisme for confirmation of knowledge The place of holy Scripture Psalme 130.3 If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lorde who shall stand 4. But mercie is with thee that thou maiest be feared The Interpretation THis text is a confession of faith agreeing in substance with the former wherein the faithfull soule applieth the doctrine of iustification vnto a speciall vse in prayer
necks of children and seruants with the loose raines of libertie and licentiousnes that very few can abide this wholesome yoake of Christian nurture the gracious godly comforte of the knowledge of saluation Great masters rulers princes captaines and kings may instruct their priuate families For if one man could command to feare God to instruct 318. able men beside all other seruants women and children as is spoken of Abraham Gene. 14.14 and cap. 18.19 and that a chiefe ruler ouer 120000 people could so gouerne his priuat familie that he could say I and mine house will serue the Lorde as wee reade of Ioshuah cap. 24.15 And an other great Prince had his seruants so guided in the feare of God that hee and they were examples in lending money and corne to the poore of the land as did Nehemiah cap. 5.10 And if a Centurion could make both seruaunts and souldiers readie and obedient to euery good worke as appeareth Matth. 8.9 yea if a King could protest vnto God to banish deceitful and lying persons out of his house and to entertain the faithful him that walketh in a perfit way as you may see Psalm 101.5.6 I verily thinke that no man endowed with a good conscience fearing God and louing the Lord of life Iesus Christ can haue any iust excuse or reasonable pretence to keep about him a familie vntaught in the sweete words of the Gospell and the holesome paths of our blessed Sauiour Except they will say that it is more behoofull for their children and seruants to serue them and to reuerence them then to serue and reuerence the Lord of glorie Instructing of groat families furthereth both Church and common-wealth But why should I vse many words vnto men of such excellent wits great gifts in a matter so necessarily depending vpon them that the least mention should suffice euery wise and truly noble Gentleman to so glorious a worke For by the good order Christian instructiō of one such great familie many soules are brought to God there is great encouragemēt by ensample vnto others out of the familie and a marueilous power for the bringing foorth and confirmation of al good things both for the common-wealth and also for the Church of God For hence doe all other sortes of people take their light and the liues of noble worshipfull men are many times more of force then either the law of God or man For they are like the great pillars in a building that if they stand steadie in faith and good life with their families many are vpholden by them in the wayes of godlines but if they swarue and become carelesse and dissolute they draw many with them as by a mightie sway into the wofull downfall of infidelitie and destruction Therfore aboue al men it behooueth them to take heed to themselues and the good instruction and gouernment of their housholds The second sort are tutors in the Vniuersities to whom I ioyne also the third sort Second and third sort Tutors Schoolmasters Schoolmasters in towne countrie Which two haue a great resemblance in their opportunitie to do good when many mens children of all callings are committed to their conscience to the one They may doe vnspeakable good in the first and more tender yeares to the other in the yeares of most danger If these two sorts of men would be painfull to wring out the iuyce of this heauenly erudition as a necessary sawce to giue a pure verdure to their other literature or as a sauoury salt to season al other learning it is not to be spoken how much good they may doe For as young plants being straightned while they bee tender and trimmed with pruning and other parts of husbandrie will growe very goodly to behold in their greatnes which being neglected are many times very crooked and vnfit for diuers vses So doe young men for the most part proue as they are nurtured in their youth And the good instruction of Schoolemasters and Tutors in my knowledge hath very well straightned such young impes who otherwise were very rough and vnfruitfull that many receiue comfort by their worthie example Therefore I do most instantly beseech all Tutors and Schoolemasters to practise this booke or because you are learned some better forme of your owne Lastly Fourthly women as Ladies and Gentlewomen honorable by instructing their children I doe heartily and humbly entreate all sorts of women to watch carefully to doe this duetie and first all Ladies and Gentlewomen that they may be honoured by the spirit of Iesus Christ as was that a 2. Ioh. Ger. 1.4 elect Ladie whose children did walke in the trueth And all other women like b Rom. 16.12 Persis who laboured much in the Lord. And as c 1. Sam. 2.19 Hannah made coates for her sonne Samuel who serued in the house of God so these would aray their seruants and children with the d Prouerb 4.9 goodly ornaments of wisedome and knowledge which is from aboue A woman Women being at hand may instruct their children being the e Psal 128 3. fruitfull vine on the house sides in whose sight the f Prouerb 4.3 children are tender and deare can by no meanes shew their naturall loue better then being alway at hand with their children and maides to giue them euery day in milde and pleasant manner some of these g Prou. 25.12 golden apples wherewith the young babes will take such delight that by the nourishment and exercise thereof they will be made h Psal 8.2 strong to confound the enemies of God and their countrie when they haue learned to i 1. Ioh. 2.12.14 know the father and that their sinnes are forgiuen them for Christs names sake It is exceeding great the profit you may doe in the familie if as Salomon sayth of a vertuous woman you k Prou. 31.26.28 open your mouthes in wisedome and the lawe of grace be in your lips For your children shall rise vp and call you blessed your husbands shall praise you Whereas l chap. 29.15 children set at libertie make their mother ashamed And generally Instruction of youth bringeth ioy to the instructor as a man wil sowe his ground with the best seede and plant his orchard with the best fruit because he looketh for the greater and more gainefull encrease in the time of gathering so if men louing their children as well as they doe other commodities would also traine them vp in the best thinges which are found in the discipline knowledge and faith of Christ they should not onely escape many a secret griefe and bitter mischiefe but also blesse the Lord with great toyfulnes when they finde this fruite of their education in knowledge of these good things namely their children to bee a comfort refreshing and honour to their gray haires and their seruants necessary helpes before them in all good causes and matters of honestie
truth iustice and mercie For it is written as a thing that faith not m Galat. 6.7 Whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape Hoping therefore that such as bee wise in heart will earnestly follow my counsaile and carefully stirre vp others to the same I will hasten to the matter it selfe by which euery one may bee as I hope greatly guided in the performance of the same I beseech almightie God of his infinit mercie in Iesus Christ to prosper this our godly purpose to his glorie and comfort of his people His glorious name be praised for euer Amen Your faithfull seruant in Christ Iesus Iosias Nichols The Booke to the Householder COme buy me but passe not by me for by me thou shalt winne To light thy people by my light to trauell light from sinne The word with words of trueth and ioy doth shew his word by me A way which if thou way it waies thee to felicitie Two houres each weeke sixe monthes to stay with thee no more I begge To stay thy people on that stay which hell gates cannot wagge Then trie how trie my triall is if God doe helpe with grace Both man and child as wit doth grow shall see the heauenly place Yet know that knowledge and no more by thee to thine I giue The spirit of Christ pray thou therefore workes faith that thou maist liue And as by proofe thou proues me true to proue the thing I say So double time for double gaine and grant me longer stay An order of houshold instruction by which euery master of a familie may easilie and in short space make his whole houshold vnderstand the principall and chiefe poyntes of Christian religion without the knowledge whereof no man can be saued The first booke CAP. 1. The first order of instruction IN this order some things are for the young tender yeres and some for yeres of greater capacitie for confirmation and helpes till they may bee grounded in the principles with good vnderstanding to giue a reckoning of their faith by the holy Scriptures First from the time that children speake it is good to drop in this good licour of heauenly doctrine For as Salomon saith a Prou. 22.6 Teach a childe the trade of his waye and when hee is olde hee shall not depart from it The first order from the time that children can speake Therefore from that time it shall bee good to teach them as the manner of all christians is to say without book distinctly The Lords prayer the Creede and the ten Commaundements And as hee perceiueth their capacitie to growe to droppe into them by familiar wordes the name of God how hee made vs the name of Christ how hee shed his blood for vs the name of the holy Ghost who sanctifieth vs and that there is but one God and three persons c. Also the name of death that for sinne all men die and the name of the resurrection that through Christ we shall liue againe in heauen alwaies applying himselfe with tearmes to their capacitie and alluring the childe to the feeling and loue of God of Christ and of eternall life and to the hatred of sinne as by saying and causing the childe to say God loueth vs for he made vs and giueth vs all things as our meate drinke apparell c. God loueth vs for he gaue Christ to die for our soules God loueth vs for he giueth vs life after we he dead in heauen We must not doe sinne and Wickednes for it bringeth paine sicknes death c. Then the capacitie encreasing make them pronounce how many petitions in the Lords praier and which they be how many cōmandements which they be til they can tell you euery one being asked sodainely out of order as the tenth the fourth the seuenth c. After that they haue been thus trayned a while and can answer as children readily to these then let them learne that short Catechisme without booke which beginneth after this sorte Who made thee God What is God he is almightie c. Wherefore did he make thee to serue him c. Which may be bought for the valew of a pennie in the bookesellers shops After all this teach them some short stories and sentences of holy Scripture stories such as these Gen. 4. vers 2. the trade sacrifice and death of Abel Gen. 11.1 the building and ouerthrow of Babel Mark 10.13 Christ receiueth children and blesseth them Now some stories may bee taught them worde for worde as in the text such is that of Elisha 2. King 2. vers 23.24 onely adding the Prophets name which is verse 22. and in the end of this storie teach them the vse Children may not mocke Some stories must be gathered more short then the text as that of Dinah Gen. 34. Dinah the daughter of Iacob went out to see the maides of the countrie and one Shechem sonne of Hamor Lord of that countrie saw her and defiled her and for this cause Simeon and Leui slew Shechem and all the towne with the edge of the sworde The vse Maides must not wander or goe a gadding The sentences may be such as these are Prouerbs 29.15 The rod and correction giue wisdome but a childe set at libertie maketh his mother ashamed Mark 8.36 What shall it profit a man though hee should win the whole world if he loose his owne soule Luk. 9.10 The sonne of man is come to seeke and to saue that which is lost Then teach them an ensample of euerie commaundement to the sence of this following The first commaundement brake Ahab taking Baal for his God 1. King 18.21 or 1. King 16.31 The second Ieroboam that worshipped golden calues 1. King 12.28 The third an Israelitish womans sonne striuing with a man of Israel blasphemed the name of the Lord and cursed Leuit. 24.10.11 The fourth one that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day Numb 15.32 The fift Absalom who rebelled against his father 2. Sam. 15. The sixt Cain who slew Abel Gen. 4.8 The seuenth a Leuites Concubine who played the whore Iudg. 19.1.2 The eyght the Shabeans tooke away Iobs oxen and asses Iob. 1.14.15 Ninth Potiphars wife falsely accused Ioseph Gen. 39.17 Tenth Ahab lusteth for Naboths vineyard 1. King 21.2 And in all these it will not bee amisse to cause the learner to repeate without booke the places where all the stories and sentences are written and herein the teacher may vse his discretion to teach them more or lesse of like sort and easines so that hee ouercharge them not at any one time but let them as it were creepe vpon them by often repeating and he shall finde that a little childe will beare very much more then a man that hath not tried would beleeue And if he cause them to learne without booke the 1.15.112.127 and 128. Psalmes or some of them they will no doubt worke very godly impressions in the tender minds And it is a good recreation to quicken them to