An Aduertisement to the Reader.

I Offer here vnto thee, good Reader,
this short catechisme, neither preferring
it before other the like briefs
of Religion, neither yet equalling it
to any; but I willinglye submitte it to thy
iudgement, to place it in what ranke thou
wilt. Onely this; if thou art disposed, after
thou hast viewed the title, to looke further
into the thing it selfe: then I pray thee by
the way, to take notice of this mine acquainting
thee with the order and maner of
that which followeth.
For order, it sheweth thee first, what was
the excellency of thy first makinge, by the
eternall Trinitye: Secondly, it discouereth
the depth of misery, into which thou
hast plunged thy selfe by communicating
with Adams Disobedience, together with
thy vtter disability so much as by a thought
to desire, or to deserue thine owne recouery.
Thirdly, it pointeth out Christ vnto thee,
whom God the Father had sealed, to saue
his people from their sinnes. Fourthly, it maketh
knowne vnto thee, the sufficiency of his
sacrifice, and the means of applying it to thy
owne soule.

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Fiftly, it teacheth thee whence to expect
faith, what meanes to vse for the attainment
of it, and how to be assured that it is vnfayned.
Sixtly, because the end of the appearing
of grace is, that we should deny vngodlines,
therefore it vrgeth vpon thee the necessity
of good works, that so thou maist be
neither idle nor vnfruitfull in the knoledge
of our Lord Iesus Christ. Seuenthly, forasmuch
as the way of the righteous shineth, as
the light that shineth more and more vnto
the perfit day, therefore also it calleth vpon
thee to grow in grace, and informeth thee
by what helpes thou mayst bee ledde forward
vnto perfection. Eightly, least in this
good course, being encountred with vnexpected
tribulations, thou shouldst be wearied
and faint in thy minde, it fore-aduiseth
thee of the certainety of diuers afflictions,
and teacheth thee both howe to frame thy
selfe to the taking vp of thy crosse, and withall
what quiet fruit of righteousnesse to expect,
by beeing exercised thereby; in the
middest of all, still looking for the blessed
hope & appearing of the glory of the mighty
GOD, and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ.
Ninthly, and lastly, the generall direction
for Holinesse and Righteousnesse, it applyeth
to particulars, both to thy daily cariage
in the vse of things indifferent, as apparrel,
meat, recreation, rest, and to thine age, quality
and calling, that so in euery respect, thy
conuersation may bee such as becommeth
the Gospell. This is the course and summe
of this forme of Holy Doctrine, whereunto
my desire is to deliuer thee, and in which I
perswade my selfe I haue comprised the full
some of True Religion.
Now for the manner of it: I haue as neer
as I could possibly, in each answere kept my
selfe to the wordes of the holy Text: thou
shalt finde me to haue fayled in a very few;
and yet in those, if thou conferre with that
Place to which I referre thee, thou shalte
finde mee not to haue erred from the
meaning of the Spirite of GOD therein.
The reason of this course is, First to acquaint
thee with the Language of the Scripture.
Secondly, that each point may haue the
more credit, when thy conscience shal see &
heare, as it were, God himself speaking in euery
Answere.
Thirdly, that thou mayst acknowledge
that which many in their ignorance wil not
beleeue the Scripture is a rich Store-house,
affoording directions for euery particular.

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Now, where I haue supposed, some worde,
or speaches to be such as might breede thee
some trouble, not being rightly vnderstood,
I haue in the margine, as it were, reached
thee a light for the cleereing of all such darker
places, that thou mightest both knowe
the sense, and acknowledg the certainty of
those things wherein my desire is thou maiest
be instructed. This is all, whereof I haue
to admonish thee: proceede now on Gods
name, to the pervsing of the thing it selfe, &
the lord giue thee vndersta~ding in al things.
Al that I desire of thee by the way of recompence
for my endeuour to do thee good, is,
that thou wouldest striue with me by praiers
to God for me, that I may fulfill the Ministery,
which I haue receiued in the Lord:
And so I commend thee to him, and to the
word of his grace, wishing thee an Inherytance
among them that are sanctified.
Modbury in Deuon, the fourth of August.
1604.
Thine in the Lord,
SAM. HIERON.