better doe your worke If a quarter or halfe an houre in a day be sometimes spent in the practice at the weekes end you will find it no prejudice to your work but an excellent preparation on Gods day to do his worke in who doubtlesse will thereby both blesse and prosper the workes of every your owne dayes But let not the Gate be great where the City is but little or I lavish out time by a long Preface before a little booke which for the good of you all I composed and herein now propose to your both courteous and Christian entertainment and so I rest Yours in the Lord. L. THOMAS MILKE FOR CHILDREN The Great letters of all sorts A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. J. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. U. W. X. Y. Z. A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. U. W. X. Y. Z. A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. V. W. X. Y. Z. The small Letters of all sorts a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. k. l. m. n. o. p. q. r. r. s s. t. v. u. w. x. y. z. c. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. k. l. m. n. o. p. q. r. s s. t. v. u. w. x. y. z. c. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. k. l. m. n. o. p. q. r. s s. t. v. u. w. x. y. z. c. The Double letters of all sorts ff ss sh sl fl st ct ff ss sh sl fl st ct ff ss sh sl fl st ll ct The numeral letters I. V. X. L. C. D. M. The Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 0. The points or stops in reading A Comma or short stop A middle distinction A full point A note of Interrogation A noâ—e of Admiration Lines including a Parenthesis The division of the letters Of the letters these six a. e. i. o. u. y. are Vowels all the rest are Consonants And sometimes i. u. y. are Consonants when going before themselves or other Vowels This kind of v. v. v. is used when a Consonant and whether Consonant or Vowell ever in the beginning of a Syllable word or sentence The other u. u. u. is alwayes a Vowell It is called a Consonant because it must alwayes be sounded with a Vowell as ab eb ad ed. ba. be da. de c. where a. and e. are Vowels b. and d. are Consonants In the English letters these two sorts of small ers r. r. are used indifferently but the small esses s s. are thus used this s alwayes in the beginning and middle this s alwayes at the end of words There are Syllables in words every Syllable must have one vowel at the least and every word if it hath more syllables then one must have also more vowels A Syllable is the pronouncing of one letter or more with one breath One Syllable may make one word as of in One word may have many syllables as division PSAL. 34. vers 11. Come ye Children hearken unto mee I will teach you the fear of the Lord. ECCLES 12. verse 13. Let us beare the conclusion of the whole matter Feare God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man PSAL. 111. vers 10. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome a good understanding have all they that do thereafter his praise endureth for ever ECCLES 12. vers 1. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youtb while the evill dayes come not nor the years draw nigb when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them 1 KINGS Chapt. 18. Vers 25 Therefore now Lord God of Israel keepe with thy servant David my Father that thou promisedst him saying there shall not faile thee a man in my sight to sit on the Throne of Israel so that thy Children take beed to their way that they walke before me as thou hast walked before me Vers 26 And now O God of Israel let thy word I pray thee be verified which thou spakest unto thy servant David my Father Vers 27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth Behold the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot containe thee how much lesse this house that I have builded Vers 28 Yet have thou respect unto the Prayer of thy servant to this supplication O Lord my God to hearken unto my cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee this day Vers 29 That thine eyes may be open to this house night and day ever toward the place of which thou hast said my name shall be there that thou maist hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place The Creed in twelve Articles 1. I beleeve in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and Eaâ—th 2. And in Jesus Christ his onely Son our Lord 3. Which was conceived by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell 5. The third day he rose againe from the dead 6. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty 7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead 8. I beleeve in the holy Ghost 9. The holy Catholicke Church the Communion of Saints 10. The forgivenesse of sins 11. The resurrection of the Body 12. And the life everlasting Amen The Commandements in a Preface and ten Precepts And God spake all these words saying The Preface I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage 1. Thou shalt have no other Gods before The Precepts or Commandements themselvs me II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image or any likenesse of any thing that is in the Heaven above or that is in the Earth beneath or that is in the water under the Earth Thou shalt not bow downe thy selfe to them nor serve them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the Children unto the third and foâ—rth generation of them that hate me And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandements III. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine IV. Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy Six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke Bâ—t the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any work thou nor thy Sonne nor thy Daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattell nor thy stranger that is within thy gates For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed iâ—
must keep the Commandements L. True it is as the Prophet saith the just shall live by his Faith t Hab. 2. 4. but see you what Faith that is that fertile no barren Faith but that emergent by workes u Ja. 2. 22. good faith that is lively and shews it selfe by doing good For what saith Christ w Mat. 7. 21. and how x Mat. 23. 3. doth he upbraid those Hypocrites that pretend â—uch to faith but shew it not by their workes Explic. Christ frees those that are his from the Curse and malediction of the Law but not from the Obedience He bare our sins not that we should live as we list loosly i 1 Pet. 2. y. 24. and lewdly but holily and righteously And therefore even predestination unto life by Jesus Christ ordaines as to the end so to the meanes that lead to the end z Ep. 2. 10 We are not tyed to the curse of the Law that having finned we might not despaire of mercy in Christ we are tyed to the Obedience of the Law that we might not presume to sin and to be saved by him And therefore well doe you answer to our fortieth question that the Commandements teach and may we adde God expects our obedience of what they teach our duty to God and our Neighbour 54. T. How prove you as you answer to our one and fortieth question that our duty twards God is to love him above all things L. Christ himselfe also saith it a Mat. 22. 37. 55. T. How as you there answer to our there nexâ— question that our duty towards our Neighbour is to love him as ourselves L. Christ himselfe also saith it b vers 39. 56. T. Well but you say in answer to our three and fortieth question that you cannot exactly keepe them but dayly breake some one or other of them What makes you thinke so L. Why the Scriptures tell me so e Ps 14. 1. 3. and if we narrowly examine it our owne Consciences may tell us so too 57. T. But being as you well say in answer to our five and fortieth question our Rule prescribed of God and that we cannot keepe them as we ought How must we labour to vindicate our miskeeping of them L. Why that I also told you in our answer to your there nexâ— question and that is by Repentance which is as we said in answer to the next question to that hearty sorrow for sinnes past and purpose of amendment of life for time to come 58. T. Whence learne you that L. Out of that of St Paul d Act. 8. 22. T. You cannot do of yourselfe Tell me why you cannot L. It is the gift and goodnesse of God as I told you and we must pray for it 59. T. Whence prove you that L. That t is Gods goodnesse out of that of St Paul e Ro. 2. 4. and that we must pray for it out of that of St Peter f Act. 8. 62. 60. T. Why but St Peter there wils Simon to pray for forgivenesse L. True but we must understand that without Repentance no forgivenesse g Luk. 13. 3 5. And therefore he had need first pray for that And that as we said being the gift of God pray for it he must ere he can have it h Mat 7. 7 61. T. You said in answer to our eight and fortieth question that prayer is a good meane to encrease Faith How prove you that L. Out of that we read i Luk 17. 5. where we have a good patterne in the Apostles praying for it and may shew prayer as said that good meane 62. T. Then next that the Sacraments be also a good meane How prove you that L. Out of that of Paul k. Explic. There are besides these meanes that might also be instanced in as 1. holy Fasting and humiliation l Lâ— 5. 3. 2. holy feasting and thanks giving m Esâ—h 9. 17. 3. I iâ—â—â— and religious vowes n Ps 50 14 â— The first when â—â—nder some crosse or affliction wanting some speciall blessing o Esth 4 16 c The second when in blisse and prosperity having blessings to the full or freed by some great deliverances p r Chro 29 10 c. And thirdly upon mature deliberation still as to resolve and vow to pray to God by the first in the one and to praise him by that second in the other so in this third to be sure to make performance q Ps 106 12 13 14 63. T. Then that you say in answer to our sixty and first question there be two Sacraments to wit Baptism and the Supper of the Lord Whence prove you Baptisme L. Our of the Gospell of St John r Jo. 1. 26. 64. T. Whence the supper of the Lord L. Oâ—t of that in Luke s Luke 22. 19. 20. Explic. Understand these to be Sacraments of the New Testament and they two onely ordained by Christ and them two in place of those two more materiall that typified them in the old to wit Circumcision and the Passeover God being the Author of both t Heb. 1. 1 both signes of Gods favour to his Church and chosen and both that have both a signe and the thing signified True it is there were besides these divers Sacraments under the Law and diverse from these under the Gospell as that set Sacrament of the Rainbow u Gen 9 9 besides such as the Sabbaths w Ex 31 13 27 the Arke of the Covenant x Ex 25 10 22 washings y Le 14 8 and the like though rather Types then Sacraments two to wit Circumcision and the Pascall lambe being the two speciall ones to both which succeeded these two under the Gospell to wit Baptisme and the Lords Supper they typifying Christ to come these testifying Christ come 65. T. You said in answer to our sixty third question that a Sacrament is an outward and visible signe of an inward and spirituall grace How prove you that L. by the same Testimony that I prove the Sacraments a good meane to increase Faith z Rom. 4. 11. where Circumcision is said to be the outward signe or seale righteousnesse the inward grace and the thing signified Explic. The word Sacrament is a borrowed word and derived foom a word that signifies holy or consecrated as performed by a holy or solemne Oath or signifies a Bond or oblation solemnized by an Oath as was the compact betweene a Captaine and his Soldier the Soldier by oath bound and promising fidelity to his Captain And so from that and the like signification this word was brought into the Church of God to signifie holy things as the oath of fidelity Christian Soldiers take to be faithfull their Captaine Christ as these Sacraments are 66. T. Whâ—nce as you answer to our sixty fourth question prove you Water to be the oâ—tward signe in Baptisme L. Out in that of the Acts
goodnesse As out of the Old Testament g Gen. 18. 18 19. where greatnes seems to be consequent of goodnesse and godlinesse and that God will blesse them whose children and houshold by living uprightly blesse God Also h Pr. 22. 6. where that men in their old age depart not from godlinesse and goodnesse is that in their youth they were trained up in it Againe i Ecc. 12. 1 where the wise Preacher wishes as we say to take time by the fore-lock and betimes to informe in golinesse And then that k V. 13. 14 to be godly and goe by the rule of Gods Commandments is mans whole endeavours Then out of the New Testament l Mat. 6. 33. that our first care Christ would have to be to be godly and no doubt the endeavours of our first yeares as who secking first to be godly should not misse any good according to that of David m Psa 8 4. 11. who assures all good to the godly as Christ makes goods the additions to godlinesse Also n Jo. 14. 15 Christ would have us to testifie our love of him and to shew it by keeping his Commandements which is by having faith and workes of faith hope charity and what other Christian vertues commanded by him Againe o 1 Jo. 2. 1. as if to prepare us for all these vertues the Apostle warnes against all vice and under the salute or title or appellation of Children as if to shew we could not be too timely in a contest with them the spirit of God p Rev. 22. 14. assuring heaven to the godly blessednesse as the right of their inheritance These and the like Expositions over and these like more plaine instructions instilled into youth for their further growth in godlinesse may you next doe well by yet larger expositions to explain unto them the meaning of the Creed the ten Commandements and the Lords Prayer with here and there some hints to some usefull Applications And first of the Creed A breif Exposition of the Creed THe Creed though as some will have it the immediate dictates of the twelve Apostles however it be uncertain who were the first compilers of it is the most ancient summe of Christian faith received by the Primitive Church and fathers and though containing in it the pith and marrow of Gods promises in in the Gospell yet because no Canonical Scripture in the exposition thereof it behoves us out of the Scriptures to prove every article thereof and to produce still such places of Canonical writ as shall infallably set forth the substance and sum of it And first for the Creed in generall thus the sum of our faith it behoves first to prove the necessity of faith And that doe these Scriptures as Habac. 2. 4. the last clause of the verse recited Rom. 1. 17. and Gal. 3. 11. and further explained or exemplified Jo. 3. 36. and 1 Jo. 5. 10. By collation of all which places there 's no living without it no living as to please God a Heb. 11. 6. without pleasing whom even better were it not to be b Mat. 18 6. No but this faith is it that justifies uâ— before God c Rom 5 1 Gal 1 15 sanctifies us before men d Act 15 9 Gal 5 6 is that by which we must live in which we must dye live we must by faith and that is when all we doe we doe in faith and when all we suffer we suffer in faith And then dye we must in faith and that first by weaning our selves from an immoderate love of this world secondly by depending on the promises of God thirdly by adhering to all helpes may bring us to heaven and fourthly in the pursuit of this adherence by no means to fall backe or faulter but though perhaps at present seeing little or no good come to hope and goe on still as faithfully assured of its coming e Job 13 15 Ps 30 5 These and the like places prove the necessity of faith And being that faith comes by hearing of the word f Ro 10 17 of God see we now next the symboll of faith it selfe the Creed and come we by the test of that word to prove every the Articles thereof and first of the First Article I beleeve in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth which is also the first Part of it wherein is to be proved 1. That there is a God 2. that he is a Father 3. that he is Almighty 4. that he is Maker of Heaven and Earth 5. that this must be our faith and 6. that this must be every particular mans faith 1. For the first that there is a God though none but fooles a Ps 14 1 will deny his being these like Scriptures prove and as if the better to worke upon our capacities prove it by evident reasons As by his works of Creation b Ro 1 20 and Providence c Heb 1 3 where by the one we are to told he made e all things by the other that he preserves all things which none bâ—t God can doe Where might be added the Nature of the Creatures Whose motion points at some still first mover their multitudes at some Vnite which againe must needs be God yea our owne dayly experience that see his wrath emergent against the wicked and goodnesse and mercy eminent to the good and the godly Vse Which may teach the foolish and dull Atheist to lay by his stupid infidelity and confesse with his mouth what he durst but deny in his heart that there is a God may teach men to live so as if there were a God godly and serve him as they ought both dutifully and duly Besides that these like Scriptures and Reasons may prove not onely that there is a God but also that there is out one God However to backe this assertion have we also Gods owne Testimony in these other like Scriptures as Deut. 4. 39. Isa 45. 5. 1 Cor. 8. 4. and the like Vse Which again may instruct us against all filthy Idolatry and them that count ought else a. God beside him may teach unity among our selves d Act 4 32 and our onely sole salvation by him e Is 43 11 Ro 3 30 When proving him thus to be but one we need not presse further or be driven to prove that he is true or good all these like terms being convertible this one being every of those two and they all three but as all one 2 That he is a Father con we that Scripture f Isa 9. 6. where though speaking of Christ the Son of God the Prophet cals him Son as the second person in the Trinity Father as the first person both Father and son together with the holy Ghost though being but one entire substance God yet thus are three distinct subsistences one God three Persons g Mat. 28. 19. 1 Joh. 5. 7. That he is called Father shewes