A19564:10
Catechismus, that is to say, a short instruction into Christian religion for the singular…Catechismus, that is to say, a shorte instruction into Christian religion for the synguler…
Catechismus, that is to say, a short instruction into Christian religion for the singular commodity and profit of children[n] and young people. Set forth by the most reverend father in God Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England and MetropolitanCatechismus, that is to say, a shorte instruction into Christian religion for the synguler commoditie and profyte of childre[n] and yong people. Set forth by the mooste reuerende father in God Thomas Archbyshop of Canterbury, primate of all England and Metropolitane
printed for Gwalter Lynne, 1548
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Surely there can be no greater hope of any kind of persons, other to be brought to all honest conversation of living, or to be more apt to set forth and maintain all Godliness and true religion, then of ⟨image 4⟩such as have ben from childhood nourished and fed with the sweet milk, and as it were the pap of God's holy word, and bridled and kept in awe with his holy commandments. For commonly as we are in youth brought up, so we continue in age, and saver longest of that thing that we first receive and taste of. And as a fair table finely polished, tho it de never so apt to receive either pictures or writings, yet it doth neither delight any mens eyes, neither yet profit any thing, except the painter take his pencil, set to his hand, and with labour and cunning replenish it with scriptures or figures as appertaineth to his science, even so the tender wits of young children, being yet naked and bare of all knowledge through the grace of God be ⟨image 5⟩apt to receive God's gifts, if they be applied and instructed by such school masters, as have knowledge to bring them up & lead them forwards therein. And what can be more apt to be graven or painted in the tender hearts of youth, then God's holy word? what can lead them a righter way to god, to the obedience of their Prince and to all virtue and honesty of life, then the sincere understanding of Gods word? which alone showeth the way how to know him, to love him and to serve him. What can better keep and stay them, that they do not suddenly and lightly fall again from their faith? What can cause them more constantly to withstand the assaults of the devil the world and the flesh, and manfully to bear the cross of ⟨image 5⟩Christ, than to learn in their youth to practise the same? And verily it seemeth no new thing that the children of them that be godly, should be thus instructed in the faith and commandments of God, even from their infancy. For doeth not God command his people to teach his law,1 unto their children and children's children? Hath not this knowledge continued from time to time, amongest them to whom God promised to be their God, and they his people? Doeth it not appear by plain expressed words of Paul, that Timothy was brought up even from a child in holy scriptures?