Reader
Milk for Babes · William Crashaw

Milk for Babes, Title page – Quotation 2

Not transcribed in the source: a duplicate page, 1 page.

Milke for Babes.

OR, A North-Countrie Catechiſme.

Made plaine and eaſiy, to the Capacitie of the Countrie people.

The ſecond Impreſſion.

By WILLIAM CRASHAVV, Batchellor in Diuinity, and Preacher of the Word.

LONDON, Printed by NICHOLAS OKES, and are to be ſold by Thomas Langley, at his ſhop ouer againſt the Sarazens head without Newgate. 1618.

TO The Right VVorſhipful, Sir Henry Griffith, of Agnes Burton, Knight, one of his Maieſties Counſell in the North, and Deputie Lieutenant, in the Eaſt-Riding, and William Saint-Quintin of Harpham Eſquire, Grace and peace.

GENTLEMEN,

SEeing they that liue vnderunder you for their eſtates and bodies, are vnderunder my cure and care for their ſoules, you will giuegive mee leaue (nay thankes I am ſure) to be as carefull for the better part as you I hope are and wil be for the worſe: You know it were a ſhame to you, if they could iuſtly ſay they were not able to liue and eate their bread vnderunder you their Lords: and more were it to me their Paſtor, if they wanted either the Milke, or the Meate fit for their ſoules.

To this end ſeeing I finde, that Catechiſing is the life of Preaching, and ſuch a meanes of knowledge as without it all preaching is to little purpoſe, I hauehave heere dreſt them their firſt diſh, euen a meaſe of Milke (the old, plaine and good meate of our forefathers) I meane this ſhort and eaſie Catechiſme: Not as making a new one, for hat were a needleſſe preſumption but as a helpe to vnderſtand that good Catechiſme giuen vsus already in the Common Prayer Booke.

Now ſeeing your experience in your families, and mine in the whole Pariſh hath found the benefit of Catechiſing to be ſo extraordinary, wee hauehave cauſe to acknowledge the godly wiſdome and care of our Church Gouernours in commanding the performance of that duty in eueryevery Pariſh: which if it were duely obſerued ouer all the Land, I dare ſay, where there is no Preaching the want would be leſſe hurtfull, and where it is, the benefit much more aboundant. And let it worke in you a care, Gen 18.not onelyonly as good Abrahams, to command your families, but (ſeeing you are here Magiſtrates and Lords) like zealous Dauids, Pſal. 110.to take order that your people and tenants doe frequent this godly exerciſe, which by Gods good bleſſing ſhall by mee, or my ſufficient Deputy bee continually kept vp, as the time and ſeaſon of the yeare will permit. This will make our Sermons at home, and our Exerciſes abroad much more profitable and effectuall, your Seruants and Tenants more faithfull to God, and more ſeruiceable to your ſelues. And when they finde themſelues mercifully delt withall by you their Land-lords for their bodies: and good prouiſion, both of Milke and ſtrong meate for their ſoules: Their Iob. 31. 20.Loynes (as Iob ſaith) ſhall bleſſe you, their hearts louelove mee, and their ſoules and all within them ſhall praiſe God for vsus both: and their Neighbours about them ſhall ſay. Bleſſed are the people that be in ſuch a caſe, yea thrice happy the people that hauehave the Lord for their God. Now praying that both you and I, and they that follow vsus may ſtriue to deſerue this honour, and enioy this comfort; and our people receiue this double bleſſing by vsus,

I reſt Your Paſtor and ſeruant in Chriſt, WILLIAM CRASHAVV.

The Chapters of this Catechiſme.

CHAP. 1.

VVHat man is.pag. 1.
2 What God is.pag. 2.
3 Of Gods Word.p. 3.
4 Of the knowledge of God out of his word.p. 4.
5 Of Gods worſhip, and the kindes of it.p. 6.
6 Gf the parts or duties of it.p. 7.
7 Of Gods workes and the Creation.p. 9.
8 Of the worke of Gubernation.p. 11.
9 Of the worke of Redemption, and firſt of ſinne that cauſed it.p. 13
10 Of the Law of God,p. 14
11 Of the firſt Table, and firſt Commandement.p. 16.
12 Of the ſecond, third, and fourth commandements.p. 17
13 Of the ſecond Table.p. 19.
14 Of the ſeuenth, eight and ninth commandements.p. 21
15 Of the laſt commandement, and the vſe of the whole Law.p. 23
16 How the Law doth driue vsus to Chriſt.p. 25
17 Of Ieſus Chriſt the Redeemer.p. 26
18 Of the meanes to take hold of him: and firſt of Faith, and of the Creed.p. 28
19 Of ſauing Faith.p. 31
20 Of the Sacraments, and of Baptiſme.p. 32
21 Of the Lorde Supper.p. 34
22 Of the workes of Sanctification.p. 36
23 Of Repentance and good workes, the fruits of Sanctification.p. 38
24 Of workes of Piety, and of Prayer.p. 39
25 Of the circumſtances of Prayer.p. 41
26 Of the Lords prayer.p. 42
27 Of the Petitions of the Lords Prayer.p. 44.
28 Of the workes of Mercy or Charity.p. 46
29 Of workes of Iuſtice or of Righteouſneſſe.p. 48
30 Of the reward of good workes.p. 50
The end of the Catechiſme.
An houſhold prayer for the Morning.p. 53
A prayer for the Euening.p. 58

Saint Pauls words applyable to many of the people and profeſſors in England.

VVHereas in regard of the time, Heb. 5, 12, 13, 14.you ought to be teachers, you hauehave need that one teach you the firſt principles of the Oracles of GOD, and are ſuch as hauehave need of Milke, and not of ſtrong Meate: for eueryevery one that vſeth Milke, is vnskilfull in the Word of Righteouſneſſe, for he is a Babe. But ſtrong Meate belongeth to them that are of full age, euen thoſe which by reaſon of vſe, are exerciſed to diſcerne of good and euill Heb. 5, 12, 13, 14.

Saint Peters exhortation, which I direct chiefly to the people of the North.

LAy aſide all Malice, all Guile 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2, 3.and Hypocriſies, and Enuies, and euill ſpeakings. And as new borne Babes, deſire the ſincere Milke of the Word, that you may grow thereby, now that you hauehave taſted how gratious the Lord is. 1. Pet. 2. 1, 2, 3.