Man in his own Language and Method. Now, for the better removing any falfe Opinions we may have received from those different Accounts which are given us of Scripture by other Men, äs well as preventing any wrong Judgments we might be difpofed to make of the Word of God, when we tread it our felves; I have often thought, that it would be a Work of great Ufe, to collect out of the Writings of the Old and New Testament, all the Doctrines and Precepts therein difperfed; to lay them together in such an Order and Method, as to give the Chriftian Reader a full and diftin&t View of his whole Faith and Duty at once; and by keeping all along the Language of Scripture, to leave no room for Mifrepresentation.

This is what I have endeavour'd to do in the following Treatife, as being fully fatisfied of the Truth of what a great Writer obferves *, That we cannot

* Chillingworth, p.152.

Speak

Speak of the Things of God better than t the Words of God

It is not to be expected, that the ge neral Draught here given of ScriptureReligion, thould have that influence upon Perfons nourished up in the Words of unfound Doctrine, as to make them lay by all the falfe Opinions, and improper Language, which they have long been used to; but, fince it contains nothing elfe but the pure Word of God, there is reafon to hope, that Men of all Perfuáfions will be eafily prevailed upon to look into it, without fear of beihg mifled, and that, if any of them thould from hence be enabled to difcover their Mistakes, the Authority of what is faid will difpose them to yield more willingly to their Convictions.

But whatever Effect this Method may have with fuch as are already fix'd in Error, thofe that have not yet taken a wrong Bent, will, in all likelihood, find it of fome Advantage to them in their ear lieft Enquiries into the Christian Religion, to take a general View of the Whole,

in the most simple manner in which it was first delivered to the Saints. For, when they see all the Paffages of Scriptufe together, which refer to the fame Subject, they will be in lefs danger of falling into any of those Mistakes, which are manifeftly founded upon fingle Texts confidered apart by themselves: And when they have once truly learnt to speak the Language of Scripture, they will be better enabled to judge of the Force of all other Expreffions, and to difcern how far they agree with that unerring Standard, the Word of God.

It was for their fakes, chiefly, that I undertook to draw up this Summary Account of the Doctrine contained in the Sacred Writings; which, at this time more especially, I was encouraged to do, upon a prefumption that it might be fome way ferviceable to those glo rious Defigns, which are now, with great Zeal and Succefs, carrying on, for the better educating Chriftian Youth in the Principles of their most holy Religion,

and

and for propagating a true Knowledge of the Gospel among thofe that have not yet receiv'd the glad Tidings of Salvation, through Chrift: which Defigns I am not only particularly obliged, but with the whole Weight of my Judgment and Inclination, led to promote to the utmost of my Power.

It were likewise farther to be wished, that the profeffed Enemies of Revealed Religion, would take fome fuch way as this, of confidering it all at once, in the full Extent and Simplicity of it, before they conclude any part of it to be either falfe, or abfurd: For, by fo doing, they would foon find, that all the Objections they make to Divine Revelation, are level'd only against some particular Opinions, falfly vented by private Men, as the Word of God; and that no one Chriftian Doctrine can be difproved, while the Authority of the Scriptures is preferved; which hath not yet fuffered any thing by all their Attempts,

After

1

After this fhort Account of the Reafons that induced me to enter upon the following Work, I have thefe few Things to acquaint my Reader with, concerning the Method obferved in the Performance of it.

The Language (as I have faid before) is all taken out of Scripture; there being no more of my own mixt with it, than just what was necessary for Connexion: and this is every where distinguished by a different Character, excepting only fome fmall Variations in the Perfon, Tenfe, or the like, fuch as were requifite to express that, by way of Propofition, which the Scripture had delivered in fome o ther Form.

for

All the Texts made ufe of are (as it appears upon the first View) difpofed under General Heads. But, the better avoiding too great a number of Subdivifions, and at the fame time to preserve the Clearness aimed

at