THE PREFACE. T has been the Wisdom, and Happiness, of the Church of England, to approve Herfelf the foundest Part of the Catholic Church, by contributing most to the fupport of the Whole, and the Defence of the Common Faith. Of which were all other Teftimonies wanting, that are fo great and numerous, the Claim wou'd be made good by one Performance of one Man, that of Excellent Bishop Pearfon on the Apofles Creed; than which the Chriftian World has feen nothing more accomplish'd, fince the Divine Truths of Scripture have been guard, A 2 guarded by the Succours of Human Learning. Whofoever wou'd engage in the useful Task of drawing up a more fuccinct View of folid Divinity, a Manual of Faith and Practice, muft chiefly borrow his Supplies from this noble Treasury; and therefore the latter Proceeding cannot be difingenuous, unless the former cou'd be unjuft. But then the admirable Judgment and Accuracy of this great Author renders him as difficult to be followed, as it is safe, and even neceffary, to follow him. Perhaps, he comes the nearest of all Writers in Profe to that Character of the most exact of Poets, His Judgment fuch, Never to fay too little, or too much. Yet while his own great Capacity and Opportunity hindred him from from being ever deficient, the lefs Capacity and lefs Opportunity of others may still make him appear to them sometimes redundant and tho' he says not too little for any of his Arguments, he may yet fay too much for fome of his Readers. For the Eafe and Benefit of thofe Readers, this more compendious Syftem is propos'd. In which after a Paraphrase on each Member of the Antient and Orthodox Confeffion, a Proof and Illuftration of the faid Paraphrase is fubjoin'd, both with regard to the most appofite Texts of Holy Scripture, and to thofe invincible Reasonings by which they are connected and enforc'd. And because a farther Confirmation was given in the Marginal Notes from the Authority of the Primitive Fathers, and the true Rules of Criticifm, fo much of this affiftance likewife is taken in, as may feA 3 cure cure the Words and Import of the feveral Articles, either from the Exceptions of antient Heretics, or from the Cavils of that modern Sect which has refin'd upon all that were infamous in former Ages. Yet the Critical Remarks are by Parentheses dif join'd from the plainer Series of Argument, that no Interruption may be given to the unlearned Reader, nor that Disadvantage be incurr'd, which the incomparable Author with fo much Sagacity avoided. Nor will it be an Injury to his Name, that we have, on fome few Occafions, produc'd the concurrent Sense of other our great English Divines: The Ufe and Neceffity of believing each Particular, with the Practical Inferences moft naturally flowing from it, are preferv'd in their due Place. And as this brief Expofition has received the Improve ment |