To the READER.

ESPECIALLY

To my beloved Congregation, and all thofe who are truly defirous of Information in the Principles of the Proteftant Religion in the English Language.

May Grace, Mercy and Peace, be multiplied unto you all, through the Merits of our Lord and onlySaviour Jefus Christ, Amen.

T

HERE is nothing more natural for me to expect, than that this my Syftem, will excite the Wonder of many, and probably raife the Prejudice of others against Juch a bold Undertaking, by a Perfon fo little verfed in the English Language, and according to the Nature of Mankind in general, the Author forefees it will not be so well received of thofe, who, for their Part, will do nothing for the Welfare and Edification of the Church, and their Fellow Creatures; and are, moreover, accustomed to envy the Works of others, when they cannot cause them to be cenfured and rendered odious by their masterly Judgements.

And, indeed, confidering my fingular Difadvantages, and the little Opportunity I have had of attaining a tolerable Proficiency in fo difficult a Language, it would be Prefumption to pretend to write it with Eafe and Elegance,

A

All I aim at, is to express my Sentiments intelligibly; and as the Work is defigned, rather to adorn the Mind with divine Truths, than to please the Imagination with the Flowers of Rhetorick; it is to be hoped the candid Reader will eafily pardon fuch verbal Inaccurancies, and Orthographical Errors, as muft (all Circumstances confidered) be naturally expected in my first Attempts of this Kind. The Reafon of my publishing the following Tract, rather in English than in my natural Tongue, is affigned in the Sequal. With regard to those who may be inclined to find Fault with my Syftem it felf, I know I can as little filence them as others; Non quivis Lectori auditorive placebo Lector & auditor non mihi quifque placet; however, every one may judge of it as he pleajes: I fubmit myself to that common Lot, which all Writers by their Publications mujł "undergo, I mean to be defpifed by the many, and approved by the Candid and Serious; nor do I value the Animadverfions of fuch Criticks, who feldom approve of any Thing but whatis the Produce of their own Brain; for me, it is enough that I have the Anfwer of a good Confcience towards God, who knows I have a fincere Defign in the Compofition and Publication of this Work;. that is to imprefs on the Minds of Men, the most holy Principles of our Chriftian Faith, according to the holy Scriptures, and Plan of the Heidelberg Catechifin, in as plain and demonftrative a Manner, to the Apprehenfion of the lowest Capacity, as was poffible for me to do, in this Time of almost univerfal Degeneracy, wherein Truth is fallen in the Street, the Ignorance of the People is great, and true Piety practised by very few; in a Time wherein Libertinifm is arrived to its highest Pitch, whereby many of our young People (if the Lord in Mercy prevent not) are in the greatest Danger to be carried away as with a Torrent, to their everlasting Ruin; yea, in a Time, wherein our Practice under Chriftianity, prefents but a very. glooomy Afpect, in which the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them that believe not, 2 Cor. iv.

Therefore

1

Therefore let every one be admonished to exercife themfelves in the Word of God, especially in the principal Truths thereof; and further endeavour to attain to a more extenfive Knowledge and Increafe, in the holy Wisdom, that the Word of Chrift may dwell in them richly in all Wifdom, Col. iii. Chiefly as a Chiefly as a fair Opportunity is now offered thofe, who used to fay, they would willingly be inftructed in the Principles of our Doctrine, if it poffibly could be done in the English Tongue; let them therefore delay no longer fuch a neceffary Inftruction in the whole fome Doctrines of the Gospel, but endeavour after a theological and facred Knowledge to be made free by the Truth, John viii.

That vain Youth may be ftirred up to forfake the foolish, and to go in the Way of Understanding, Prov. ix. That they may learn to know, to love, and experience by themfelves, the Sweetness and Excellency of the Truth of Chrift our dear Saviour, chufing with Mary, that good Part, which shall not be taken away from them, Luc. x.

For which Reafon after most of the Points of Doctrine treated of, I have made fome Application, urging the Ufe and Practice of Piety, that every one may be inwardly convinced of the Neceflity of a true Faith and Repentance, flying to Jefus Chrift as the only Fountain of Salvation, to receive of him Grace for Grace, John 1. and alfo a true Confolation both in Life and in Death. This is briefly the Defign I propofed to myself in the Explanation of the divine Truths to the Glory of God, the Edification of his Church, and the Allurement of fuch as are yet Strangers to the Co

venant.

I have generally confined myself to the Method of our Heidelberg Catechifm, which according to a laudable Custom is conftantly expounded amongst us, on the Lord's Day, by which Means the Learner's accustomed to that Method, may the cafier comprehend the Truth therein contained, when they hear thofe Doctrines.

I have

I have found myself the more induced to compofe fuch a Syftem, because I do not know, that any fuch Explication or Commentary on our Heidelberg Catechism, by Question and Anfwers, has ever been published in the English Language.

If any will mifconftrue my good Intentions, contemptibly difapprove, or maliciously hinder the Ufe and Progress of it, or my Work it felf, by Reafon of fome Principles, which are not agreeable to their peculiar Opinions, I will chearfully bear fuch Contempt and Gain-faying, in the Strength of God. In the mean Time, Irecommend it to my fovereign Lord and heavenly Father, to whom I have humbly dedicated it, that he may take it into bis powerful Protection, bless and defend it, against the Attempts of all Adverfaries; and tho' this Practice may feem ftrange to many People, I can affure them it is very ufual with the Divines in the United Provinces of the Netherlands, becaufe God as the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, ought to be adored and glorified, in all our Works, as the Fruits of his Wifdom, Goodness, and Power. Should any burlefque and redicule thefe venerable Truths, the Effence of the Gospel, because they are not agreeable to their Carnal Wisdom, I fhall only fay with my divine Mafter, O that thou haft known in this thy Day, the Things that belong to thy Peace, but now they are hid from thine Eyes, Luke xix.

And to fuch as may complain, that this Syftem is too large, faying, how can we learn that by heart? I answer, although fuch a Complaint is a Sign that they have no delight in fpiritual Understanding, yet they may be made easy, if they have a Mind to be inftructed therein, as I offer myself to that Purpofe as an Inftructor to Perfons of every Age or Degree, not doubting, but that God, who hath fo remarkably affifted me in compofing this Work, will farther enable me to fpeak from it to the Inftruction of others, to the End, that his Name may be glorified; and the Reformed Church more and more eftablished.

I beseech you my curteous Readers, to afcribe every thing

you

you find for the Benefit of your Souls, to the Grace of God, and all Deficiencies to myself.

Finally, I pray the Father of Light, that it may please him to blefs thefe my weak Endeavours, that they may anfwer the propofed End; and to enable and fanctify all the Faculties of Soul and Body, to employ the rest of my Days to the Edification of his Church, and enlarging of his Kingdom.

I defire, kind Reader, to be remembered by you, in your Prayers at the Throne of Grace, even as you may expect the fame from me; and to conclude, I now pray; That the God of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Father of Glory, may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom, and Revelation in the Knowledge of him, the Eyes of your Understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the Hope of his Calling, and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints, and what is the exceeding Greatness of his Power toward us who believe.

I am thine,

In all Chriftian Service,

Lambertus De Ronde.