To the Masters and Governors of Families Belonging to My Congregation
(from The Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Assembly Explained and Proved from Scripture by Thomas Vincent)
Some dedicate their books unto lords and ladies, or other great persons; such possibly I might find out, had I a mind to seek; but as my love is most endeared unto you, to whom I stand so nearly related, so my greatest ambition is to be serviceable unto your souls. Your cordial and constant love to me and my labours (in a whiffling age), of which you have given many manifest proofs, deserveth a greater expression of my grateful sense than the dedication of this book unto you. God, by bringing you under my ministry, hath given me the charge of your souls; and God, by bringing persons into your families, hath given you a charge of their souls. Our charge is great, and to be guilty of the ruin of souls is dreadful. Happy shall we be, if we be found faithful to our own and others’ souls, in the great day of accounts. Too many, even in our nation and city perish and run blindfold into hell, for want of knowledge; and the most are without knowledge, for want of instruction; and as no way of instruction doth convey clearer light of distinct knowledge in the principles of religion than the way of catechising, so the neglect of this in ministers and masters of families is such a sin of unfaithfulness unto the souls of them that are under their charge, that all of us should take heed we have it not to answer for at the appearance of our Lord. It is not sufficient for you to bring your children and servants to receive public instruction; but it is your duty also to instruct them privately, and at home to examine them in their catechisms. I know no catechism more full of light and sound doctrine than the Shorter Catechism of the late Reverend Assembly; yet, because in many answers there are things not easy to be understood by beginners, therefore, in this my Explanation of it, I have taken pains to take abroad every answer, to open it in several under-questions and answers, and to confirm the truths thereof by reasons and Scripture proofs; which I have endeavoured to do as plainly and familiarly as I could, that everything therein might be the more intelligible and useful unto such as either learn or read it. Some chief controversies in religion I have touched upon, briefly propounding arguments for the backing of the truth, and not left objections wholly unanswered; which I have the rather done, that all of you, especially the more unexperienced young ones under you, might get some armour against everywhere prevailing error. You know that some have committed the whole of the Explanation, so far as we have gone, unto memory (how beneficial they have found this, others besides themselves can speak); yet all have not that strength of memory, neither would I impose this Explanation to be learned without book by all; yet this I advise, that you, who are masters of families, would set apart time, twice, or at least once every week, to examine your children and servants in the Assembly’s Catechism, taking Mr Lye’s excellent method in the way of asking questions, whom God hath made singularly useful in the diffusing much light amongst young ones. And after they have given you the answers, without book, which are in the Catechism, that then yourselves would read, or cause one of them to read, some part of this Explanation on those answers, so far as you can well go at a time. And if each of them that can read should, both in your families and in our public assembly, have one of these Explanations in their hands, to read along with them that read or publicly answer, they would the better attend and understand what is read or answered: which course, I apprehend, will exceedingly tend to their great profit; and that such as do this with diligence will, through God’s blessing, attain in a short time much proficiency in the best knowledge, which is such a jewel, that none, me-thinks, should be contentedly without, when with less labour than for other jewels of inferior value, it may be obtained. This Explanatory Catechism was chiefly, if not only, intended for you, and the use of such as are of my congregation; which, if it may find acceptation also with, an prove beneficial unto other families, I shall rejoice. The more generally useful my poor endeavours are, as it will tend so much the more to the glory of my great Master, so it will yield to myself the greatest comfort, especially in a dying hour. I shall take my leave of you, though I be not departed from you, with the departing exhortation of the apostle: “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”-Acts 20:32.
-Your earnest souls’ well-wisher.
T. VINCENT.