An Epistle to the Reader

(from The Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Assembly Explained and Proved from Scripture by Thomas Vincent)

That Popish axiom is long since exploded—That ignorance is the mother of devotion. The world doth now see that without knowledge the mind is not good. And, look, as no knowledge is so necessary as that of the grounds and principles of the Christian religion, so no way is so apt to convey it to the minds of men as that which is called catechistical. More knowledge is ordinarily diffused, especially among the ignorant and younger sort, by one hour’s catechistical exercise than by many hours’ continued discourses. This way helps the understanding, whilst it provokes the attention; many elaborate sermons being lost through the inadvertency of the hearers. Thus, not only ignorance is cured, but error also is prevented; too many being misguided, because they were not at first well-grounded in the principles of the doctrine of Christ. For such reasons as these, we highly approve the labours of this reverend brother, in his “Explanation of the Assembly’s Shorter Catechism.” And having, to our great satisfaction, perused it ourselves, in whole or in part, do readily recommend it to others: for though he composed it at first for his own particular congregation, yet we judge it may be greatly useful to all Christians in general, especially to private families. The manner of using it in families must be left to the discretion of the masters and governors respectively; though yet we concur with the author, and think it advisable (as he hints in one of his epistles), that after a question in the Catechism is propounded, and an answer, without book, returned by one of the family, the same person, or some other, be called upon to read (if not to rehearse) the explanation of it, the rest reading along with him in several books; by which means their thoughts (which are apt to wander) will be the more intent upon what they are about. To conclude, though the Assembly’s Shorter Catechism itself be above our recommendation, as having its praises already in the Churches of Christ, yet we think it good to give it under our hands, that this Explanation of it is very worthy of acceptation.

(Signed)

J. Owen, D. D.	Ben. Needler.
Joseph Caryl.	Dan. Bull
G. Griffith.	Cha. Morton.
Hen. Stubs.	Willm. Carslake.
Edm. Calamy.	Robert Franklin.
Mattw. Barker.	Mattw. Sylvester.
John Loder.	Nathan Vincent.
John Ruyther	T. Jacomb, D. D.
Nicol Blaikie.	T. Case.
James Janeway.	T. Watson.
H. Vaughan.	T. Doolittle.
Willm. Maddocks.	James Innes.
John Turner.	Jo. Wells.
Will. Thomson.	Richard Mayo.
T. Manton, D. D.	John Hicks.
Will. Jenkyn.	Edw. Veal.
C. Fowler.	Edw. West.
T. Lye.	Edw. Lawrence.
T. Cawton.	Jo. Chester.
Thos. Brooks.	J. Sharp.