The Doctrines Trial, Title page – Dedication
THE DOCTRINES TRIALL: Shewing both the neceſſity and the way of trying what is taught, in a Sermon vponupon 1 Theſſ. 5. 21.
By Sam. Hieron.
1 COR. 10. 15. Iudge yee what I ſay.
At LONDON, Printed by Humfrey Lownes, for William Butler; and are to be ſold at his Shop in Saint Dunſtanes Church-yard in Fleet-ſtreet. 1616.
TO MY REVErend Friend, Mr. Dr. Chaderton, Maſter of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge.
SIr, as a pledge of the reſpect I owe you, I hauehave made my ſelfe bolde, vnderunder your name, to ſet forth this Sermon. The olde prouerbe, which forbiddeth to ſend Owles to Athens, hath taught mee not to ſend this to you, as a matter of ſupply: you (now) liue at the wel-head (from whence I confeſſe, and reioyce, my ſelfe to hauehave drawne that little, by which it hath ſince pleaſed God to enable me to the doing of ſom ſeruice in his Church) and were (long ſince) one of thoſe iudicious and painful Diuines, at whoſe feete I ſate (with many others) in the dayes of my preparation to that worke; wherin I now (by the aſsignement of the Lorde of the vineyard) am imployed. In this therefore, I deſire rather to be thought to preſent you with an account of mine own courſes, thē with any direction for yours: The two verſes before this, I hauehave preached on, and the Sermons are abroad. As I helde it neceſſarie to treate on this alſo, ſo I thought it fitting to publiſh that, which concerning it was giuen mee to deliuer. There is no one thing (I thinke) in which our ordinarie hearers, are either more vnskilfull or more backward, then this dutie of trying doctrines: what vnſettledneſſe in opinion, what vnſoundnes in iudgement, this hath cauſed, I doubt not your ſelfe in your long experience hauehave obſerued. If I ſhall preuaile ought to the curing of this Epidemicall diſeaſe, I ſhall glorifie God in that behalfe. My endeuor that way, I hauehave ſhewed in this ſmall Sermon: vvhichwhich (here) from your hand, I commend to the common vſe of Gods Iſrael: from Modburie in Deuon.
Yours reſpectiuely, Samuel Hieron.