A short treatise

WE offer here unto thy view (good Christian Reader) the principles of Religion, with a short exposition upon the same; for the explanation of what may seem difficult, the confirmation of the truth professed against popery, and the enforcing of sundry duties of weighty and great importance. The method we have followed is plain and natural, the matter wholesome, but not adorned with flowers of eloquence. We begin with the main end, that all men ought to aim at: because there can be no motion but for some end, as there can be no effect but from some efficient. Thence we proceed to the means whereby the end may be attained: for it is in vain ⟨image 4⟩to propound an end unto our selves, if either the way be impossible, or imperfect; if either it cannot be known, or do not lead to the fruition thereof. In the means we consider, whence direction is to be taken, and what is to be learned: and there we show what, and who God is, how we must conceive of him, why he ought to be worshipped, what covenant he made with Adam in the time of innocency, and how Adam by transgression fell, and plunged himself, and his posterity into woe and misery unspeakable, intolerable, and eternal. In the next place we lay down the means that God hath ordained for mans recovery: And there is handled, what Christ is, what he hath done for us, how we are made partakers of his benefits, how faith is wrought, and increased in us, and what obedience we owe to God in Christ, who is the object of Christian religion. ⟨image 4⟩And because the godly in this course of Christianity are compassed about with infirmities, subject to many falls, and assaulted with many tentations, which might discourage and turn them out of the way: Therefore we have added, what course a Christian should take to grow in grace, how he may be preserved from falling, how he should recover after his fall, and of what privileges the godly are, or may be partakers in this life. And in the last place, the blessedness of the Saints after this life is ended, is touched in few words; whereby the sufficiency of the means is manifested. For as it is a way prescribed of God; so it leadeth us unto God, the first, chief, and all-sufficient Good. Our desire herein is to teach the simple Christian, how he may grow from grace to grace, and from faith to faith: