Points of Instruction for the Ignorant, Title page – To the reader
POINTS Of INSTRVCTION for the Ignorant: As also, An Exposition on the ten Commandements, and the Lords Prayer, by Questions and Answeres.
WITH, An Examination before our comming to the Lords TABLE.
AND A short Direction for spending of Time well.
By ROBERT HORNE.
The Second Edition much enlarged.
LONDON, Printed by George Purslowe for Francis Burton, and are to bee sold at his shop, at the signe of the Greene Dragon. 1617.
To the CHRISTIAN Reader, the sauing knowledge of that truth which is accordingTitus 1. 1 to godlinesse.
CHRISTIAN Reader: this short Catechism, thus gathered & set downe for the help of the ignorant, cannot be called new, but renewed for their sakes. For, I may say in this case as Salomon in his Ecclesiastes, saydEccles. 1. 9 … a like case: What is that that hath been? that that shal be. And what is that that hath been done? that that shall be done: and there is …o new thing vnderunder the Sunne. The portion of meate which is heere offered to the taste of the simple, is no other then that which he hath already tasted of, if hec hauehave tasted any thing of the things of God: and it is but the substance of other Cat…chisms set before him in another kinde of seruice, that is, with some difference of Cookery and dressing: which (considering our too great distaste with one kinde of meate, though neuer so wholsome, if wee be continually fedde with it without diuersitie) may not be without some good vse, at least for some short time. For, the affections of men stand no lesse diuersly affected towards the variety of Gods gifts, in deliuering one and the same matter, then doth the stomake toward the dressing of one and the same kind of meate in a diuers manner, by some-alteration of forme and manner of doing it. And yet it is … part of my meaning to hold vp the market of no…lty by … s…ch eyeseruice, as te…deth rather … tickle the care, then to satisfie the s…der iudgement: or to say any thing for those who make bookes like to the apparell which they weare, … fashio…s that they are weary of▪ when a …wer comes. Only, hauing taught these Principles (most of them) … a few pri…tely; and finding it more easie to print them▪ then to write them, …or the surer keeping of them in their memories, who had leared them, and the good of … abroad that desired them; I was not vnwilling thus to giuegive them content by the benefit of the …resse and of p…ting. Neither hauehave I done this for any w…nt: for there is store of Catechisms abroad, to which this worme of mine is no way comparable: and God hath … mercif…ll with our age for the meanes of knowledge; but we famish spirit…lly at the ful measure of these …, either by … vsing them … all, or … sh…ld.
This … of … I could hauehave made … larger, but that I c…sidered … my Cruse of st…, the Vessels that I had to fill, which could…. King. 4. 4. 6 … well recei… more, and so left pouring, as I per…ed their filling. Accept therefore (Reader) what is here offered to thy gentlenesse, and take it in … good part, as it is meant vntounto thee. And so, I … thee, and thy gro…th in … to the grace … assist…ce of Almighty God: and rest,
… in all Christian good will: ROBERT HORNE.