A Short Catechism, Title page – Dedication
A SHORT CATECHISME, SVMMARILY COMPRIZING THE Principall points of Chriſtian faith, ſomewhat corrected and augmented by IAMES BALMFORD Minister.
Prou. 24. 27. Prepare thy worke without, and make ready thy things in the field, and after build thine houſe.
AT LONDON, Imprinted by Felix Kyngston, for RICHARD BOYLE. 1607.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL, THE Maſter, Wardens, Aſsistants, and whole company of Carpenters in London, IAMES BALMFORD, a Carpenters ſonne, and a builder, according to his calling and gifts, wiſheth the continuall edification of their godly faith while they trauaile in this vale of teares, and at the last the end of that faith euen the ſaluation of their Soules.
THis litle Catechiſme hath been long in Print, but not yet dedicated vntounto any. Being now to reprint it with other litle treatiſes, I hauehave thought it conuenient to dedicate it vntounto you, as a monument of my thankefulnes for your many fauours, but eſpecially for your charitable exhibition, when I was a poore ſtudent in Oxford; Hoping that this dedication wil not only incourage you to continue, and increaſe (as God ſhall inable) your Chriſtian charitie to Students of good hope in either Vniuerſitie (than which I know not a more charitable, and fruitfull worke of faith) but alſo ſtirre you vp both to reade the Catechiſme diligently your ſelues, & carefully to cauſe your families to learne it. For it is commonly ſeene; that (howſoeuer too many be newfangled, yet for the moſt part) men are rather moued with thoſe Treatiſes, which are expreſſely & ſpecially addreſſed vntounto thēſelues, and that by ſuch as, in ſome ſpeciall ſort, belong vntounto them. This only I deſire, that ye would take ſome paines in examining the quotations, becauſe they giuegive both light vntounto the vnderſtanding, and warrant to the confirmation of the ſeuerall points of this Catechiſme.
I doubt not of your good wil; but whereas this Catechiſme is likely to come into the hands of ſome, who will not, with you, intertaine it fauourablie for my ſake, I ſuppoſe this obiection: One generall, and well conceiued Catechiſme doth moſt edifie; therefore many are but to litle purpoſe: Whereunto I readily and freely anſwere; That, hauing experience how profitably the ſtudies of children hauehave been furthered, ſince diuerſitie of Grammars hath been aboliſhed, and one certaine Grammar generally to be taught, by act of Parliament eſtabliſhed, I grant that one generall and well conceiued Catechiſme doth moſt edifie, in reſpect of publike vſe: But I am aſſured, that, as ſundry Grammars, ſo ſundry Catechiſmes doe much good in priuate ſtudie, and vſe. For the ſame method of teaching which ſeemeth to ſome plauſible & pleaſant, plaine and profitable, doth not ſeeme ſo to other; And one Catechiſme doth more cleerely lay opē ſome points of Chriſtiā faith, than another, yea handleth ſome neceſſary point, which another doth altogether omit. Againe, It helpeth much to the confirmation of faith, when it is ſeene, that, howſoeuer ſundry men in ſundry ages & countries, publiſh ſundry Catechiſmes, or make ſundry confeſſions (betweene which two there is no great difference) as to ſay with Iohn Baptiſt, Behold the Lambe of Joh. 1. 29.God which taketh away the ſins of the world; or with Peter, Thou art the Chriſt the Sonne of the liuing God, the one publiſhing his office, the other confeſſing his nature; yet they hold the ſame Head, belieue in the ſame Chriſt, iuſtifie the ſame Wiſedome, and profeſſe the ſame Truth. What great profit do Gods children reape by the Harmony of cōfeſsions, as of Churches, ſo of ancient and late writers? What benefit hath, and doth redound to the Church of God by ſundry Creeds, not only extant, but ſome of them in publique vſe too, as the Apoſtolique, Nicene, and Athanaſian, eueryevery one doth know, and acknowledge. In theſe conſiderations I conceiue hope, that this litle Catechiſme will bee offenſiue to none, but acceptable to you, and profitable to all ſuch, as with religious humilitie will vſe, & peruſe it. And the rather, becauſe they ſhall find the moſt neceſſary doctrine of the Lords Supper more plainely ſet downe in this Catechiſme, than in many other of no greater volume.
Well, what good opinion ſoeuer this Catechiſme ſhall find in the hearts of other Readers, let me exhort you as a brother, to edifie your ſelues, with all holy diligence, eſpecially in hearing the Word preached, and (as you may) in reading firſt the Scriptures, and then other Godly Treatiſes; Vnderſtanding that Edification, ſo much commēded and commanded in Holy Writ, doth ſignify Building. Of which ſpirituall building, your temporall building ſhould daylie put you in mind; Leſt otherwiſe yee incurre a cenſure and ſentence, like to that of the Prophet Haggai, Hag. 1. 4. 6. 1. Cor. 3. 9. 16.viz. Can yee build houſes for your ſelues, and other; and will yee careleſſely ſuffer the Temple of the Lord (which is your ſelues) to lie waſte? Yee ſhall therefore earne wages, and put them into a broken bag. But hoping (as I wiſh) that yee will more and more apply your hearts vntounto wiſedome, euen that wiſedome which is vntounto ſaluation, I commend you to God, and the Word of his grace, which is able to build further, and to giuegive you an inheritance among all thē which are ſanctified.