To the Reader.

...things, have passed over to the enemy’s will, and have lost their first simple wisdom, and with their entire generation original: "gantsche geslachte." This refers to the whole of the human race or lineage descending from the first man. have fallen into the manifold worldly-wisdom werelt-wijsheyt: secular cleverness and human logic, which the author views as a distraction from spiritual truth., being nothing other than a great power of darkness and blindness; So one can easily perceive how necessary it is for each of us to be brought back from this lost state to the state of our preservation behoudenisse: the state of being spiritually kept or delivered from harm. and salvation saligheydt: eternal spiritual blessedness and peace with God., and that we first learn to recognize within ourselves this apostasy original: "afval." A falling away from God or a previous state of grace. and state of destruction verderf: a state of spiritual ruin or perdition., confessing it before God, and with ashamed and downcast hearts humbly pray to Him that it might please Him to lead us—together with the Holy Apostles and all other faithful and godly people Godtsalighe Menschen: those who lead a life of active piety and reverence. through a true repentance berou: a heartfelt sorrow for sin combined with a desire for spiritual amendment. and contrition out of this great power of darkness and spiritual blindness into His marvelous light, and into the kingdom of His dear