Brief and Necessary Instruction for All Householders, Text
¶ A short instruction very necessary for all suche as shall be receiued to the Lordes Supper.
Question.
What is …e chiefest dutie of a Christian …an … this lyfe?
Aunswer.
…he chiefest duty of man, & not …an onelyonly, aPro. 16. 4. Esay. 6. 3.but of all the creatu…es in the world in their nature, is to set forth the glory of God.
Question.
How shall we perfourme this dutie?
Answer.
To perfourme this duty, it is necessary to know vntounto aRom. 3. 7.what death we by our selues ar subiect. bRom. 3. 7.What great saluatiō God of his free mercy hath geuen vntounto vsus throughe faith. And what cRo. 20. 4.thankfulnes we owe vntounto him for our deliuerance.
Question.
Tell me these thynges in order: Fyrst what is syn? and what doth it deserue?
Aunswer.
aIohn. 3. 4.Synne is the breach of the law of God, contayned in the ten commaundements: bRom. 6. 23and the reward of this synne is eternal death.
Question.
Rehearse the ten Commaundements.
Aunswer
God spake these wordes & sayd. I am the Lord thy GOD whych Exod. 20. 1brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, thou shalt hauehave none other Gods but me. &c.
Question.
What meaneth this commaundement, thou shalt hauehave none other Gods but me?
Aunswer.
The meaning of it is, yt I should acknowledge but aDeut. 6. 4.one onelyonly God, that I shoulde bDeut. 6. 13honour and feare him, that I should cDeu. 10. 20cleane vntounto him: that I should not do dDeut. 8. 19after ye abominations of anye idolatrous people to worship stocks or stones: that I …ould not eDeut. 13. 1.harken to anye false Prophetes, that teache their own fantasies, and not the woord of God: That I should not fDeu 18. …5.seeke to any Sorcerers, Cōiurers, Witches, Soothsayers, Charmers, or any such: gDeu. 12. 32But that I should harken vntounto Christ alone, and adde no thing to the woord which he hath spoken, but put all my trust in God alone, call vponupon hym alone, feare him alone, and louelove hym aboue all. All this is contayned in thys fyrst commaūdement, Thou shalt hauehave no other Gods but me.
Question.
What meaneth the second commaundement, that we shall not make anye granen Image?
Aunswer.
The meaning of this is, that we shoulde not thinke God to be lyke either aDeut. 4. 15. Act. 17. 29.man or woman, or gold or syluer, or anye manner creature, that we should not woorshyp hym vnderunder the similitude of bLeui. 26. 1.Sunne, Moone, or any other thyng what soeuer it be, to how downe before it. But onelyonly in cIoh. 4. 23.spirite and truth we must woorship God alone, and beside him no other: no Saint, no Angell, no creature. And that the worshipping of God alone, be not according to our fansies, dDeu. 12. 32but onelyonly as hym selfe hath commaunded in hys woord. If in anye of these pointes we be faulty, we hauehave broken this second commaundement.
Question.
What meaneth the third commaundement, that we should not take the name of God in vayne?
Aunswere.
The meaning of it is, that we shoulde not sweare aLeui. 19. 12falselye, nor bEccles. 5, 1.rashly, nor in light matters, but with cDeu 28. 58feare and reuerence make mencion of the name of the Lorde our God in dIere. 4. 2.truth, in iudgement, and in righteousnes, to the glorye of God, or maintenance of brotherlye louelove, in which causes we must sweare by the name of God eDeut. 6. 13.alone, neither by heauen, nor earth, neither by booke, Saint, nor Angell, fIerem. 5. 7nor any creature. As for Masse, Crosse, Roode, or suche other, we ought so to detest suche manner Idols, that they shoulde not once be gExo. 23. 13 Psal. 16. 4.named among vsus. But we should hauehave onelyonly precious in our eies the hDeu. 28. 58glorious and fearfull name of the Lord our God. This is to obey this thirde commaundement.
Question.
What meaneth the fourth commaundement, Remember that thou keepe holye the Sabboth day?
Aunswer.
To keepe holye the sabboth day, is to come together, and with feare and reuerence to heare aAct. 20. 7.the word of God preached vntounto vsus: to receaue his Sacramentes with fayth and with repentaunce: b1. Cori. 14. 18.to pray together with one heart and voyce: to shewe in outwarde doyng our inwarde sabboth, cNum. 29. 7that we rest from sinne and wickednes: that the spirit of God dwelleth in vsus, and wor keth in this lyfe the beginnyng of our euerlastyng rest. Thys is the fourth commaundement.
Question.
What meaneth the fift commaundement. Honor thy father and thy mother?
Aunswer.
To honour our Parentes, is to aLeuit. 19. 3feare, louelove, obey, and reliefe them, or anye other that are vntounto vsus in their steede. As our bExo. 22. 28Princes, and Rulers, our c1. The. 5. 12Pastors and Ministers, our Maisters and Teachers, the dLeui. 19. 32aged and graye headed men: And also all maner of Superiors, that they may be honorable, they must put on a fatherly affection toward their Inferiours.
Question.
The sixt commaundement: Thou shalt do no murther, what meaneth this?
Aunswer.
The Lorde here forbyddeth all kyllyng, fightyng, quarrelling, and aIohn. 3. 15.inward hatred, all bLeui. 15. 17.desire of reuenge, all reproches, and mockes of the dumme, the deafe, the lame, or anye other impotent: All cDeut. 21. 1.hurt towarde our brother, and that we should do good vntounto all, dMat. 5. 44.yea euen to our enemies, and louelove one another as our selues.
Question.
What meaneth the seuenth commaundement, Thou shalt not commit adulterie?
Aunswer.
In thys commaundement the Lorde forbyddeth all fornication, adultery, vncleannes, wantōnes, al aLeui. 18. 22vnnatural lusts, vnpure thoughts vnchaste behauiour, filthye talke, bDeut. 22. 12wanton apparell, ydle pastimes, glottony, dronkennes, cDeut. 22. 21houses of open whoredome, and whatsoeuer els may allure to vncleaues.
Question.
What meaneth the eight commaundement, Thou shalt not steale?
Aunswer.
The Lorde here forbyddeth all stealyng, both in deede & thought, all a1. The. 4. 6deceite, all bLeui. 19. 11.lying and oppression, all cDeu. 24. 14withholding of the laborers hire, all dExo. 22. 21.vncourteousnes to the straunger, widow, and fatherles: all eDeu. 10. 17gyftes to peruert iudgement: all fLeui. 19. 35.false measures, and couetousnes, and chargeth vsus to be gPro. 27. 27.content wyth our callyng, and to lyue of our own. To obserue these thinges is not to steale.
Question.
What meaneth the ninth commaundement, Thou shalt beare no false wytnes against thy neighbour?
Aunswer
We are here forbidden to beare witnes in any vntruth, by othe or by word: we are forbiddē al aLeui. 19. 16flatterie and dissemblyng: all flaunderous and yll reportes, either our selues to speake them, or to heare them of others: nor in priuate offences we may not speake the truth to the hurt of our brothers good name, if by bMat. 18. 25.priuate admonitions he mai be won, but carefully & bold ly we must testefy al truth what so Leuit. 5. 1.euer we knowe, to the furtherance of iustice.
Question.
What meaneth the tenth commaundement, Thou shalt not couet thy neyghbours house. &c?
Aunswer.
Here in plaine wordes God forbiddeth all inward desire, what so euer is vnlawful to be done, which desire is not onelyonly synful when we consent vntounto it, but aRo. 7. 7.the very motion is enemy vntounto God, and banished from his presence. For it is vn possible those bodyes shoulde see God, which can nourish euyll concupiscence in them, euen as it is vn possible that corruption should b1. Cor. 15. 50.inherite incorruption, or that cRo. 8. 6.flesh and bloud in this similitude of old Adam shoulde inherite the kyngdome of God. So that by this commaūdement most clearely we may see the image of that man that plea seth God, euen such a one in whom is nothing impure, neither in wyll nor nature.
Question.
Sithe these are Gods commaundements, I sée now most assuredly how there is no man that synneth not, tell me then what punishment is due vntounto our synne.
Aunswer.
The aRo. 6. 23.reward of synne is death, not onelyonly the present and transitory chaunge which we shal all taste of, but … bApo. 20. 6. &. 21. 8.second death, an other euerlasting death, the cursse of God, and his heauie wrath which hath no end, euerlasting condemnation, and the cMat 25. 41 Mark. 9. 44.paines of hel which abide for euer, not onelye in soule, whose worme dyeth not, but in body also, whose fyre shal neuer be quenched.
Question.
How say we then that God is merciful, if his anger be such as shall neuer be pacified?
Aunswer.
God is in dede a a2. Cor. 1. 3God of all mercies, and father of all consolations, whose louyng kyndnesse hath no end, and in the great ritches of hys compassions he hath bEph. 3. 10. 1. Ioh. 3. 2appointed to make knowen the glory of his maiestie vntounto hys children. But God is also iust & cRom. 2. 2iudgeth righteously, and therfore to such as through infidelitie despise the ritches of hys goodnes, and disobey the woord of hys gloryous power, he hath appointed a iuste recompence of eternall death.
Question.
Now I know what is sinne, euen the breache of the lawe of GOD. And because of the excellencie of Gods maiesty whiche by sinne is offended, I see the greatnes of sinne, and how it deserueth eternall death, of which without exception by nature we are all gyltie. But tell me now, is there no punishment in this lyfe by which we may recompence our sinne?
Aunswer.
There is no sufficient recompence in the world: aAp. 18. 12.no goods nor multitude of ritches: bLuc. 17. 10no liberalitie to the poore: no whipping nor scourging, cCol. 2. 23.nor hurt of thine own body: nothing that thou canst deuise dPsa. 49. 8so precious is the redemption of thy soule, and the continuaunce for euer.
Question.
Nowe I know what sinne is, & to what death it hath condemned vsus without all remedie in our selues, tell me now how we may be deliuered from the anger of God, and the paynes euerlasting?
Aunswer.
Marke and I will tel thee, pray vntounto God to geue thee vnderstanding, and low in humilitie of spirit, I will declare the saluation of the Lorde, when we had sinned, and by sinne had aRom. 3. …5prouoked God to anger, and so wer bAc. 26. 18subiect to Satan, hell, and condemnation, that the righteousnes of God might stand, it was necessary that these things should be borne, and suffered, the anger of God, the tyrannie of Satan, and the paines of hell, which all folowed sinne, and therefore he that shalbe a sauior for our sinnes, cGal. 3. 13. 2. Co. 5. 21he must take this vponupon him, & in his owne righteousnes, he must be deliuered agayne from them.
Question.
Tell me then where shall we finde such a Sauiour?
Aunswer.
The Lord lighten our eyes, that we may vnderstand the ritches of Col. 1. 29his glorious misterie: the Lorde reueale his secret vntounto vsus: ye Lord make vsus see with all his Saintes Eph. 3. 18what is the height, the breadthe, the length, the depth, that we may syng vntounto him the praises of al his mercies. This Sauior whom we seeke for, who for our synnes must aHeb. 2. 9taste of death, & yet in the power of his bRom. 1. 4owne ryghteousnes must rise from death to life, he cannot be found cPsa. 49. 7 Psa, 59. 1… Ps. 107. 13among the childrē of men. All the righteousnes of dEz. 14. 14Abrahā, Isaac, and Iacob, it cannot recompence the least of all my synnes. Adam and Eue while they were yet in integritie, they could not eGen. 36.beare the synne of the eating of one apple which was forbydden them. Yea the fIude. 6.Angels of heauen when they kept not the first estate, but gIoh. 8. 44fell away from the truth in which they were created, they could not beare vp their syn, but it h2. Pet. 2. 4weyed them downe to hell, and bound them for euer in the chaines of darknes, so that in men and Angels ther is no hope. But God that is iEphe. 2. 4ritche in mercies, and whose compassions hauehave no ende: Hee sent hys owne sonne in the kRom. 8. 3.similitude of synfull flesh, to be a redeemer, and to condemne synne in the flesh. So that this is the Sauiour sent into the world, euen Iesus Christ the righ teous, in lColo. 2. 9.whom the fulnes of the Godhead doth dwell bodely, that when there was no saluation in al creatures, GOD myght mCor. 5. 19bee in Christ, and reconcile the world vn to him selfe.
Question.
If Christ through the power and vertue of his Godhead, did fulfill all righteousnes, and satisfie for our sinne, why then was he also made man lyke vntounto vsus?
Aunswer.
As it was necessary that Christ should be God, aIob. 4. 18▪ &. 25. 5.or els he could not hauehave bene so perfect righteous, as the lawe of God required, nor yet hauehave borne the heauye burden of syn: So it was also necessary that he should be mā, or els he had bene ryghteous onelyonly to hym selfe, and bHeb. 2. …we through him had not ben sauc tified. For it could not be that we should hauehave bene partakers of his grace, if he had not ben partaker of our nature, nor we could not hauehave bene free from the wrath of God, and rigour of hys lawe, except our cHeb. 2. 14 Gal. 3. 13nature in him had felt his fathers anger, & he perfect man for vsus had bene accursed: for dEze. 18. 4God had so appointed that the soule that had sinned, it should die, and he is not like e1. Sam. 1… 29.vntounto man that he should repent, but the woord that he had spoken he would surelye accomplishe. And therfore that God myght be righteous in hys iudgement, Christe was mā like vntounto vsus, and so in our flesh fHeb 9. 14offered him selfe vntounto death, as if he should hauehave sayd vntounto hys father: Execute O God thy iudgements against man, & loe beholde me a perfect man, I will beare thē. And thus was our sauiour Christ perfect God, that he might be stronger then Sathan, and take synne away, and perfect man, that wee might hauehave part of his redemption gHeb. 4. 15who in all thinges was lyke vntounto vsus, synne onelyonly excepted.
Question.
Sithe Christ God and man hath thus payde the punishment of our sinnes, are we now all discharged before God?
Aunswer.
No, not eueryevery one shall be saued by Christ, but they alone that doo beleue, & in a true fayth take hold of his mercies.
Question.
Rehearse the Articles of this fayth.
Aunswer. I beleue in God the father. &c.
Question. Why makest thou mention of God the Father, God the Sonne, & God the holy Ghost, seing there is but one God?
Aunswer. As the scripture teacheth vsus most plainly that ther is but aDeut. 4. 32 Ephe. 4. 6.one God, so likewyse it teacheth me that the sa… diuine substance is distinguished into three persons, into bMat. 28. 19 1. Iohn. 5. 7.the Father, the Sonne, and the holye Ghost. Whych three persons are one God cDeut. 4. 12. Act. 17. 25.eternall, infinite, & most perfect in it selfe. And when God shall geue vsus such eyes as shall be able to see the glorious Maiesty of his Godhead, then we shall hauehave also such heauenlye wysedome, as shall easely perceiue the distinction of the persōs. In the meane while we wyll beleue the truth of hys eternall woord, and hate and detest all contrary heresies.
Question. God graunt vntounto vsus al this sobrietie, but tel me now what is the effect of the Articles of thy fayth.
Aunswer.
First I beleue that God the Father, the maker of all thinges, aEphe. 3. 15.for his sonne Christes sake, is my Father, and therfore b1. Ioh. 4. 9.loueth me. Secondly, that God the Sonne was made c1. Tim. 2. 5.mā for me, & hath wrought for me what so euer was needefull to saluation. Thirdlye I beleue, that God the holy Gost dGala. 4. 6.dwelleth in my hart, as the e2. Cor. 1. 22 Ephe. 1. 14,seale of myne election, and perswadeth me that Christes benefites are all myne, & worketh in mee, fCollo. 2. 11.that I dye vntounto synne, and lyue vntounto righteousnes.
Question.
What is it that thou callest the Catholike Church?
Aunswer.
The catholicke Churche is the whole company of the aHeb. 11. 39.faythfull, which hauehave ben here to fore, or are now, or shall be to the latter ende, euen the whole fellowshyp of the elect of God, I beleue ye God know eth them all, that he hath and wyll take them all into his glory.
Question.
What callest thou the cōmunion of saints?
Aunswer.
The cōmunion of Saintes is the society that we hauehave all with a1. Iohn. 1. 3.God through Christ Iesu, & the employing of all Gods benefits, both spiritual & temporal, to the mutual help and comfort one of an other, according to the measure offaith that we hauehave receiued. Thus I beleue the Saints of God wil do, bPsal▪ 132. …and while they are in this life, lyue one to another.
Question.
What is it to beleue ye forgeuenes of syn?
Aunswer.
To beleue that the punishment of our synnes is fully payd by Iesus Christ, and therefore freely forgeuen vntounto all that beleue in him.
Question.
What beleuest thou of the resurrection of the bodie?
Aunswer.
I do beleue that after thys lyfe ended, aEccle. 12. 7.my soule shal go to God yt gaue it, & that my body shal rest in the graue, till the apointed tyme, & then I shal bIob. 19. 25.see God in my flesh, I my selfe shal see him, & myne owne eyés shall looke vponupon hym, euen in this body made glorious, and with out al cPhil. 3. 21.corruption, like vntounto the body of Christ.
Question.
What is it thou sayest of life euerlasting?
Aunswer.
I beleue yt when God shal raise againe this body, & ioyne agayne in one my body & soule, that then my body shal be without al corruptiō, no more subiect to any chaūge, but that Death it selfe our last enemye shal be taken away, aCor 15. 54& swallowed vp in victory, & I shall lyue, so that I shal neuer dye. God strengthen vsus by his spirit in the inner man, yt we may be able to comprehēd with al his Saints, bEph. 3. 17what is the lēgth, the breadth, the height, the depth yt we may know the louelove of Christ, and be filled with al fulnes of God.
Question.
The Lord increase this faith in vsus: But tell me, hauehave we this faith in our owne power, to beleue if our selues wyll?
Aunswer.
No, but aEphe. 2. 8.faith is the gift of God, euen as our saluation likewyse is, & of our selues there is not one of vsus that b1. Cor. 12. 3cā so much as name the Lord Iesus, but cIohn 6. 6….it is wrought in vsus by the holy Ghost, through the dGalat. 3. 2. Rom. 8. 7.preaching of the woord, confirmed and eRom. 4. 11.made strong by the same Spirite, through the vse of the woorde and Sacramentes.
Question.
How many Sacramentes are there?
Aunswer.
Two, Baptisme, and the Lordes Supper.
Question.
What strength of fayth hauehave we through our Baptisme?
Aunswer.
Baptisme is a seale and token by whych God wyll hauehave me assured that aAct. 22. 17.my syns are forgeuen me, and that my lyfe is acceptable in hys sight: That like as the water washeth away the filthines of our bodies, bi. Pet. 3. 21.so our soules throughe the bloud of Christ are made cleane frō the corruption of syn: And as after our outward washing the bodye is more comely, so after our Baptisme the cRom. 6. 4.spirit of God woorketh in vsus, that syn is dead in our mortall bodies, and we be rysen vp into newnes of lyfe. And in whom so euer Baptisme hath not this woorke, he may wel hauehave the name, but in dede he is no Christian.
Question.
What strengthening of our fayth doo we finde in the vse of the Lordes Supper?
Aunswer.
The Supper of the Lorde doth strengthen my fayth, that I should not doubt, but as surely as I receiue the bread and wyne into my body, to become of perfect substance with my flesh, a1. Co. 10. 16so Christ hath giuen him selfe wholy to become mine, & nourisheth my soule to euerlasting lyfe, bRom. 4. 25his death and passion is my delyuerance from syn, c2. Cor. 5. 21his ryghteousnes is my iustification, euen so surelye confirmed vntounto me, as if I my selfe had perfourmed in myne own body that most holy obedience vntounto his father, which he alone fulfilled. Thus I receaue the Sacraments as signes and seales of the righteousnes that is by faith.
Question.
Sithe that this is then the doctrine of saluation, that when we were dead through syn, God of his great mercy sent his sōne to be made mā, and dye for our syns, and to fulfil all righteousnes, that he myght bring againe lyfe into the worlde, and so geue that life vntounto eueryevery one, whosoeuer should receiue the holy Ghost to beleue, that so we might be saued by fayth, who before were condemned by our workes: Wherto then now serueth our well doing, or what auaileth it to do good works▪
Aunswer.
True it is, our good woorkes deserue nothing at Gods hand, for in his sight our good workes are not good, but all our ryghteousnes is like a defiled aEsay. 64. 6.cloth. And were they neuer so many, yet by them bIob. 35. 7.God receiueth nothyng at our handes, cPsal …6. 2.and all our well doyng extendeth not vntounto him, & therfore if we wyll aske any thing by workes, we must aske of them of whō we hauehave deserued it, at the hands of God we can aske nothing. And therfore as touching merite we wil let our workes alone. But we hauehave greater causes of well doyng, & which ought more to enforce vsus, then eyther lyfe or death. Wee must doo well first, to shew our dCollo. 3. 15.thankfull hartes to our Sauiour Christ, and to e1 Iohn. 5. 2.testefie our louelove towardes hym, wyth keeping of his commaundementes. Againe, we ought to do wel, that our f1. Pet. 2. 12.example may call out brethren vntounto righteousnes, that they also may become with vsus of the houshold of faith. But the greatest cause of all other is, that in our wel doing gMat. 5. 16.we set forth the glory of God, and hys holy name is praysed in our good workes. Thys ought to be so precious in our eyes, that ten thousand hels and heauēs should not so much mooue vsus. This is the excellencie of vertue, that God in it is gloryfied, & thys is the great horrour and confusion of synne, that God in it is dishonoured.
Question.
Because that prayer is the especiall meanes which God wyl hauehave vsus vse to encrease in faith, tel me what belongeth to true prayer?
Aunswer.
It is requisite in true praier fyrst that we pray aPsa. 50. 13.onelyonly to God: bIaco. 4. 3.Secondly, that we be inwardlye touched with the nede of the thing we aske: c2. Cori. 1. 20.Thirdlye, that we grounde our prayer vppon Gods promyse. dLuk. 18. 2.Fourthly, yt we continue, though straight we obtaine not: Lastly, that we aske not what we wyll, but suche thinges as we are sure God hath commaunded vsus to aske, lyke as we hauehave example in the Lordes prayer.
Question.
Rehearse the Lordes prayer.
Aunswer.
Our father which art in heauē. &c
Question.
What desirest thou in this praier?
Aunswer.
I desire of my heauenly Father, that his holy name may be glorified among vsus, both in his excellent works, & in our liues: That he onelyonly may be had in honour, & all other set asyde. Secondly, I desire that his kingdome may florish, that is, that his holy spirit may beare rule within vsus, to all heauenly delights, and that his woord may hauehave the preeminence, to be our onelyonly law of righteousnes, which we may all obey. Thirdly, that we may willing ly resigne our selues to him, wythout all murmuring whatsoeuer he shal do. Fourthly, that he wyll minister of his great ritches, althings necessarye for our vocation. Fiftly, that our consciences maye be quiet, and we hauehave hope, that our synnes ar pardoned and blotted out of memory, euen as we pardon all whosoeuer hauehave offended vsus. Lastlye, that God would strengthē vsus with his holye spirite, and encrease our faith, that we maye ouercome the world, and quench the firye dartes of Satan, and so at the last be partakers of his glory.
Question.
Tell me now briefly the effect of all that thou hast confessed.
Aunswer.
By the ten commaundements I see my synne, and howe I hauehave deserued the wrath of God, & euerlasting damnation. From which because I coulde not be delyuered by mine own strength, the holy Ghost bi the preaching of the Gospel hath wrought in me fayth, in Christ my Redeemer, by which I am assured that he hath borne the punishment of my syns, & made me heyre wyth him of euerlasting life. And of this that I should neuer doubt, he hath geuē me two Sacraments, as outward signes and tokens to be seene and felt of me, that as surely as I see my selfe made partaker of them outwardlye, so the holye Ghost inwardlye enstructing me, I shoulde not doubt, but inwardly to be partaker of Christ him selfe with al his benefites, that in hym and through hym I shall hauehave lyfe euerlastyng. And thus beyng regenerate into this liuely hope by ye holy Gost, my waies should be directed by ye same spirit, to walke in holynes & righteousnes al the daies of my lyfe.
FINIS.
End of the text · Edward Dering, Brief and Necessary Instruction for All Householders (1572)