Faith in Five Fundamental Principles, Title page – To the reader
FAITH In Five Fundamentall Principles, Strongly Fortified againſt the Diabolical, Atheiſticall, blaſphemous Batteries of theſe Times.
Serving for the conviction of Oppoſers, the ſatisfaction of Doubters, and the Confirmation of Believers.
In a Conference which a godly Independant Miniſter and a godly Preſbyterian Miniſter had with a doubting Chriſtian.
By E. F. a ſeeker of the Truth.
2 COR. 13. 8. We can do nothing againſt the truth, but for the truth.
LONDON, Printed for John Wright at the Kings Head in the old Bailey. 1650.
The Author to the Reader.
LIke as it is good Military policy, when the Inhabitants of one City do heare and underſtand, that the common enemy hath not onelyonly aſſaulted, but alſo vanquiſhed another City within the ſame Dominions, to uſe all the means they can to fortifie themſelves againſt him; even ſo do I conceive it to be good Chriſtian policy, when one Chriſtian doth heare and underſtand that the common enemy Satan, hath not onelyonly aſſaulted but alſo vanquiſhed the faith of others, to uſe al the means he can to fortifie his own. Therefore I being credibly given to underſtand that this foule Fiend hath vanquiſhed the faith of ſome men, touching theſe five Fundamentall Principles, did thinke it to be good policy in me, to uſe all the means I could to fortifie my faith in them, by ſearching all the Magazines I could finde for the beſt Ammunition therein contained, and to place it in the beſt order I could for my faith's defence. And having ſo done (conſidering it to be Ammunition of that nature as might be communicated to the defence of others, and yet be no leſſe uſefull to my ſelf, I thought it my duty to make it common by committing it to the Preſſe.
But yet alas what are all theſe humane perſwaſions grounded on reaſon, without the teſtimony of Gods Spirit in our hearts, truly nothing. Let us therefore in the reading of theſe things, lift up our prayer to God for the powerfull work of his Spirit to ſeale up unto our hearts the truth of theſe Principles. And the Lord grant our Petitions for his Mercies ſake in Chriſt.
Amen.