The Watering of the Olive Plant, Title page – Dedication
THE WATERING OF the OLIVE PLANT IN CHRISTS GARDEN.
OR A SHORT CATECHISM For the firſt Entrance of our Chelmesford Children: Enlarged by A three-fold Appendix
By JOHN FISK Paſtour of the Church of Chriſt at Chelmesford in New-England.
Thy Children ſhall be like Olive-plants round about thy Table. Pſal▪ 128. 3.
Thoſe that be planted in the Houſe of the Lord ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of our God.
They ſhall ſtill bring forth fruit in old Age &c:
Pſal. 92. 13, 14.
Printed by Samuel Green at CAMBRIDG in New-England. 1657.
To the Church & Congregation at Chelmſford, Grace & Peace, through Jeſus Chriſt.
BEloved, What is here preſented to Publick view is yours: for looking to the poor-Penman, as Relating to you: to the external moving Cauſe, as ariſing firſtly & freely from you, to the End & uſe as centering in you, to the reaſon of the Publiſhing therof, as reſting with you, and the care & coſts, as to that end expended by you: It muſt not otherwiſe be determined but YOƲRS. Which being ſo, you have ſaved me the labour, of prefacing on behalfe, either of this ſo neceſſary & fruitfull an exerciſe of Catechiſing, or of this preſent draught: or of publiſhing it. The preſent encumbrances of our new-begining you know to have declined me till of late, from the former, and mine own inabilities much more from the latter, as being rather deſirous to have made uſe of ſome others labours that way, or at leaſt-wiſe to have acted mine own feeble apprehenſions in a more private manner amongſt our ſelves. But God hath moved your minds, firſt to ſee, and ſeeing to cauſe, as it muſt be as it is. I ſhall add only a word or two touching uſe; 1. The Scripture quotations in the margent, are ſo ſevered by thoſe diſtinct marks as it is not hard to diſcern to which anſwer they pertayn 2. They are orderly ſet down (for the generall) as they relate to the ſeveral ſentences or part…s in the anſwers. 3. Where more then one, are mentioned to the ſame purpoſe, it is not without ſpecial cauſe, and may ſerve for help of memory, when we may have occaſion to branch out ſuch a ſubject, into its particulars. 4. profitably you may reduce Promiſes to their proper heads in the Lords Prayer, and Dutyes or faylings to their proper places in the Decalogue. As for the annexing of theſe with the Doctrine of the Sacraments, by way of Appendix, It is becauſe the ſame will more ſuit with ſuch capacities as are allready entered, then ſuch as are but in their enterance. I ſay no more but this, If now you & yours, (as is hoped) ſhall gain any Spiritual fruit by theſe poor weak Travells of mine, I have my deſire: and no ſmall encouragement, in the midst of many wilderneſs-diſcouragements. To His Bleſſing therefore I commit both you & yours, who is the God of all Bleſſing: and Rest
Yours in the Lord John Fiske. Chelmesford this 25 of 1. mo: 1657.