A Scripture Catechism, To the reader – Publishers note
To the Reader.
READER,
IF thou art Learned and a Critick, thou mayeſt perhaps accuſe or cenſure this Catechiſme, as in ſome things defective, in ſome redundant, or ſuperfluous, in ſome without order: and I ſhall not here goe about to anſwer the charge, or traverſe the inditement. I rather chooſe to intreat thee, if thou art as well as knowing ſo alſo Ingenuous, Courteous, charitable, either to correct or pardon all the faults of this piece; So far at leaſt as to accept & favour the Eſſay, rather than to carp at the Errours, whether they have proceeded from the Author, the Tranſcriber, or the Printer.
If thou art a Catechumen, and one deſirous to learne, two things I intreat of thee: the one is, to read it (if it may be with thy conveniency,) wholly; ſo poſſibly thou mayeſt the better underſtand the ſeverall parts of it. The other is, not to be offended becauſe ſometimes thou findeſt in thy way Yes or No in the Porch or Entrie of the Anſwer, and ſometimes not; Where this Porter ſtandes at the dore, I would not you ſhould take his bare word for anſwer, and ſo paſſe along, and goe your way; but that he may open you the dore to goe in, and view the places themſelves, to ſee whether it be indeed ſo or no, as is pretended; and that you may believe, not becauſe I told you, but becauſe you have heard the Scriptures themſelves. Where there is no ſuch at the dore of the Anſwer to let you in. I deſire you now once for all, not to ſtay there, but without farther Ceremonie to walke in, & to goe round about the places, to tell the towers thereof, and to marke well her bulwarks, I meane the ſtrength of thoſe texts of Scripture ſet there for the defence of the Truth.
VVhoſoever thou art, who ſhalt pleaſe to peruſe this Catechiſme, I ſay to thee before hand, I will not, I dare not avouch it (ſo far as 'tis mine) to be free from all errour. I am but a man, & if thou wilt forgive me, I will promiſe when opportunity ſerves to correct, or retract ſuch miſtakes. But this I dare ſay, I doe not erre wilfully and maliciouſly, out of mere oppoſition to any party or perſon; I am a Chriſtian, and if I ſhould ſo erre my ſelfe (whileſt I confute the errours of others) I aſſure thee (if I know my own heart) without repentance and amendment, I ſhould not forgive my ſelfe. And now to prevent miſtakes and miſconſtructions concerning my ſelfe and others, be pleaſed to take notice, that I will not undertake to juſtify my ſelfe to have been in this Catechiſme an exact or compleat Herauld, and to have marſhal'd the ſeverall errours under their proper Commanders and colours, and to have ranked them all in their right place and due order. And if the Quakers renounce any of the following errours, rang'd under the Head or Chapter which beares their name, let them know I deſire not to doe violence to erroneous perſons; or to accuſe them falſely, and therefore premiſe this, that the Title of the Chapter may not be produced for a ſufficient evidence to charge them with them, & I here allow them liberty (provided they doe it truely) to diſowne them, or to refuſe to father them with a non obſtante to any thing therein contained.
Reader, if thou reapeſt benefit from this Catechiſme, if it ſhall pleaſe God by this meanes to ſhew thee his wayes, and teach thee his pathes, to lead thee in his truth, & teach thee in the way, wherein thou ſhouldeſt goe, bleſſe God who hath ſhewed us light, & pray with me for thoſe who yet wander in dark and bypathes of errour, forſaking God's Ordinances and our ſolemne Aſſemblies. O ſend out thy light and thy truth, let them lead them, let them bring them unto thy holy hill, and to thy Tabernacles: and for me, that I may doe nothing againſt the truth, but for the truth.
Thy ſervant in and for the Lord T. H.
Books lately Printed for THO: ROBINSON.
OF Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, each Perſon diſtinctly, by JO. OVVEN D. D. in 4o.
The True nature of Schiſme, with a vindication of the Congregationall Churches in England from the imputation thereof, in Anſ: to Mr Cawdry by JO. OVVEN. D. D. in 8o.
Of the Mortification of ſin in Believers, the ſecond edition by JO. OVVEN D. D. 8o.
A Treatiſe of Fruit-Trees, ſhewing the manner of Grafting, pruning, and ordering of them in all reſpects according to the new and eaſy rules of Experience, the 2d edition enlarged by RALPH AUSTEN. in 4o.
The Spirituall uſe of an Orchard or Garden in divers ſimilitudes between naturall and ſpirituall Fruit-Trees according to Scripture, and Experience by R. Auſten in 4o.
Obſervations one ſome part of Sr F. Bacon's Naturall Hiſtory as it concernes, Fruit-Trees, Fruites, and Flowers, by R. Auſten in 4o.
The Young Divine's Apology for his Continuance in the Univerſity with his ſerious meditation on the ſacred calling of the Miniſtry in 8o.
Hiſtoricall Memoires on the Raignes of Q: Elizabeth and King James in 12o.