cause that after long Preaching many remaine very grosly ignorant Q. What doe you meane by this word Testament Ans By Testament I vnderstand the vnchangeable Couenant betweene God and man Gen. 17.1.2.7.9 Ier. 31.1.31.32.2 Cor. 6.18 concerning the mercy of God by Christ to man and mans obedience to God Q You say that the holy Scriptures are the Bookes of the Old and New Testament Are there then two Testaments Ans I beleeue that the Testament or Couenant of God is but one in regard of Substance though in regard of Circumstance it be said Gal. 4.24 that there are two Expli The Doctrine of Grace offering to men in the name of God saluation and binding man to obedience and thankefulnesse to God is called in regard of the forme of conuention agréement betwéene God and man a Couenant and in regard of the maner of confirming it a Testament being in many things like a Testament For first as in a Testament or last Will the Testators minde is declared so is the will of God in his word Secondly as in a Will so héere is a Testator which is Christ a Legacie which is eternall life Heires which are the Elect an instrument and Writing which are the Scriptures and Seales which are the Sacraments Thirdly and principally as a Testament is in force by the death of the Testator Heb. 9.16.17 so the Couenant of God is ratified by the death of Christ This Couenant is and hath béene alwaies one and the same to Abraham and the Elect before Christ Rom. 4.23 24. the same that it is to vs for all are saued by Christ they by him to come wée by him come in the flesh Acts 15.11 But because God in his manifold wisedome otherwise propounded it to the Fathers otherwise to vs Euen as a Physition administreth after one manner to a child after an other to a man growne for the diuersitie of their age and temperament therefore it is said to be double God bringing them and vs after a diuers manner to the knowledge of saluation by his Sonne Christ For before the comming of Christ the manner of the Couenant to the Fathers was darke burdensome and costly they being gouerned and tutored by the ministery of the Law a seuere Schoole-maister Gal. 3 24. vnder hard conditions as the yoake of many diners Ceremonies to be abolished Heb. 15.10 Gal. 3.10 and the burden of the Curse and hence it is called Old but vnto vs all things are after a more plaine easie and frée manner without the same strict exaction of the law of obedience to be performed in our owne persons Act. 13.38.39 the grieuous burden of the Curse and the intollerable yoake of Ceremonies being remoued from our neckes by the preaching of the Gospell and for this it is called New Therefore Saint Augustine said that the new Testament was hidden in the Old and the Old manifested in the New Wherefore when you read in the Scriptures that the old Testament was but for a tune Heb. 8.6.7.8.9.10.11 and to be abolished c. and that the new is better and such like vnderstand this opposition and abolition not in the bookes for the bookes of the old Testament are the word of God which abideth foreuer nor in the substance or matter but in regard of circumstances afore spoken Notwithstanding this the Law it selfe or Decalogue which by a figure is sometimes called the Couenant must be holden to be a diuers kinde of doctrine from the Gospell and bringing forth in respect of vs contrary effects 2. Cor. 3.7.8.9 and the Gospell not to bee a new Law differing from the old onely by a further degrée of perfection or by addition of Councels as the Papists teach Vse 1. Remember that to be in couenant with God is the fountaine of all thy happinesse which Couenant the Law is not but it is the Copy as it were of the Articles points agréed vpon betwéene God and thy selfe declaring not why God is thy God but what he requireth of thée nor why thou art receiued to grace but what thou promisest to do As then when thou sealest to Couenants or Indentures which are for thy great aduantage thou labourest well to vnderstand what thou sealest to and art careful to kéepe conditions on thy part so this requireth that thou shouldest know the law of thy God with the particular points thereof and if thou expectest the aduantage of the couenant that thou shouldest precisely kéepe the conditions on thy part which if thou doest not but transgressest it is as if thou shouldest deny thine owne hand and seale Vse 2. Remember also that the Scriptures are Christs Testament wherein thou hast a rich bequeathment of eternall life As men neglect not to haue the Copies of their fathers wils wherein the inheritance is giuen them and aske counsel and are very conuersant in them that they may vnderstand euery tittle in them Iohn 5.39 Col. 3.16 so shouldest thou be diligently conuersant in the word of God Q. Of what authority are the holy Scriptures An. I beleeue that they are of a diuine Authority whereby we are infallibly certaine of the Doctrine contained in them Psal 119.9 Esay 8.20 Gal. 6.16 Phil. 3.16 2. Tim. 3.16 2 Pet. 1.19 and necessarily bound to beleeue and obey the same Being therefore called the word of God and the perfect and onely Canon of our faith and life Expl. The Scriptures are two waies taken essentially for the doctrine contained in them and accidentally for the writings wherein such Doctrine is expressed now in both these they are Diuine but Canonicall properly the first way The whole Scripture is the rule but not the whole of the Scripture as in a Carpenters Rule euery thing that is of the Rule is not the Rule The Scriptures are Diuine and infallible because God is the Author who can neither be deceiued nor deceiue by word signe or writing They are Canonical 2. Tim. 3.16 2. Pet. 1.20 21. Esay 8.20 Rom. 15.4 1. Tim. 3.14.15 Ioh. 20.31 because written to this end namely to be the rule of our Faith and Life And of this authority they are in themselues though all the world should contradict it or be ignorant of it As the sunne was the measure of the day night before either man or beast were made to behold it That they are diuine it must néeds be Deut. 5.32 Eze. 20.29 2. Tim. 3.16 because of God the Author and Canonicall they must nées be because diuine which two agrée together as the cause and the effect Vse 1. Hence wée learne that by the Scriptures as by a supreme Iudge all controuersies in Religion are to be decided Euen as all difference and strife about weight is ended by an euen and iust ballance so all dissention in the faith is by the vnpartiall beame of the Sanctuary which is the Scriptures easily certainly compounded Yea we attribute this
power onely to the Scriptures and therefore we must exclude all vnwritten Traditions or Decrées of men though neuer so holy and learned from being this Rule or any part thereof Therefore we are forbidden to adde Deut. 4.2 Reu. 22.18 19. or take from the written word of God Beléeuest thou the Scriptures They say thou shalt not adde to them And therefore Tertullian saith When we beléeue wée beléeue this first that there is nothing more which we ought to beléeue Vse 2. This bindeth all to all reuerence in reading Prou. 1.7 Psa 25.14 1. Pet. 4.11 speaking hearing of the word because of the Author which is God and to all care to know vnderstand beléeue and obey the same because to this purpose it is giuen vs as a most perfect Rule by God himselfe Q. The holy Scriptures are Diuine and Canonicall in themselues Esay 8.20 Deut. 5.32 Ioh. 5.39 2. Pet. 1.19 Gal. 6.16 2. Iohn 10 Iohn 7.17 1. Cor. 2.10.11.12 1. Ioh. 2.27 5.10 but how do we know that they be so Ans We know that they are so both by the testimony of themselues for so the old Testament testifieth of it selfe the new of the old and of it selfe and also by the witnesse of the Holy Ghost in our hearts Expli There are two principall arguments of the Diuinity of the Scriptures to vs 2. Sam. 23 2. Luk. 1.70 2 Tim. 3.16 2. Pet. 1.21 1. Cor. 2.13 the first is their owne voyce witnessing that they are of God as often this is repeated in the Prophets Thus saith the Lord. And this is the chiefest Argument euen the very voice of God himselfe of which we may safely collect thus If the Scriptures be true when they speake of things to come then also when they speake of things present The second argument is like vnto the first and it is the testimony of the Holy Ghost which as it inspired the holy men to write so also it teacheth the children of God to beléeue the Scriptures 2. Pet. 1.21 1. Cor. 2.10 for if faith be the gift of God as it is then also to beléeue the Scriptures to be the word of God The first of these is to perswade others and our selues the other chiefly to satisfie our our selues which also is alwaies agréeable to the Scriptures and is to be examined by the same Vnto these two you may adde also their miraculous preseruation notwithstanding the rage of all Iulians and Diuels the diuine vocation mission and life of the Writers the Maiesty of the stile the purity of the Doctrine their power vpon the conscience for the confounding and breaking of the stubborne and for the raising conuerting and comforting of the broken and such like Vse This serues to confute the Papists who hold that the only chiefe argument whereby we are perswaded of the authority of the Scriptures is the testimony of the Church we willingly acknowledge that the Church is a meanes whereby wee come to the knowledge of the Scriptures but not that for the which only we beléeue them to be diuine The Scriptures are a Rule 1. Tim. 3.15 the office of the Church is to keep to vse this Rule Now as the worke-man which vseth a Rule giues not that power to it wherby it iudgeth the dimensions but it hath it of its owne nature by an inward essentiall property as it is a Rule so also the Scriptures haue not this power of the Church though the Church haue power skill to vse the same And therfore our Sauiour when question was whether he were the Messiah or no resteth not on the witnesse of Iohn Iohn 5.36 Ibid. Vers 37. Verse 39. but vpon greater and better witnesse this witnesse was his workes the witnesse of his Father and of the holy Scriptures So when the Tessalonians receiued the preaching of Paul as the word of God 1. Thes 2.13 it was not the testimony of any Church nor the worthinesse of Paul a meane poore man but the very force of the word it selfe which bowed their hearts The testimony of the Church is to be reuerenced is good but not infallible The testimony of the Scriptures themselues is better and infallible The Church is to be proued by the Scriptures not the scriptures only by the Church Yea the Papists to proue the infallibility of the Church flie to the Scriptures And vniuersally Mat. 16.18 1. Tim. 3.15 the authority prouing is greater more certaine more knowne then the conclusion proued by the same Yea if we should belieue the Scriptures onely for the authority of the Church which is in conclusion the Pope his Prelates then first they should be Iudges in their own cause which is vnequall Secondly there could be no certainty of Faith or Religion because the Church hath varied diuersly in her iudgement of the Canon Thirdly why may not the Turkes perswade themselues that their testimony of their Alcoran is as sufficient as ours of the Scriptures Fourthly this is to subiect the Word of God to the will of Man yea God to man so that God shall not be beleeued to speake to vs nor we beleeue him when he speaks vnlesse it please the Church that is the Pope and his Prelates yea there shal be no more difference betweene God the Diuel truth lying the sacred and diuine Scriptures and the Alcoran of the Turkes then the Church shall thinke fit which is most horrible blasphemy The Lord open the eies of our Aduersaries the Papists to consider it Q. How do these holy Scriptures set forth and describe God or what do you beleeue God to be according to the Scriptures Ans I beleeue by the Scriptures that God is a Spirit being of himselfe and giuing being to all things Infinite Eternall Almighty Knowing all things c. Wisedome Goodnesse Mercy Truth Iustice it selfe c. The Father the Son and the Holy Ghost The Creator and Preseruer of all things The Redeemer and Sanctifier of his Church Expl. None must imagine that I haue set downe all that can be said of God for there are many other particulars in the holy Scriptures but these are the heads neither can the knowledge of Men Angels expresse fully the amplitude of his essence and glory Though that so much as is auaileable for vs to know himselfe hath reuealed in his word for it is most true that a learned man said Ramus God cannot be defined without his owne logicke This is not a Definition but a Description taken out of the Scriptures consisting of thrée parts first of Attributes secondly of Relations and proprieties of persons Thirdly of Actions and Effects which are generall as Creation Prouidence speciall belonging only to his Church which are principally two Redemption and Sanctification Of these I purpose according as God enableth to enquire in order according to the Scriptures and first I will briefly expound the Atributes as they are alleaged We
the world began The Holy Ghost beareth this witnesse vnto the consciences of the elect And this testimony is that inward force and efficacy of the holy spirit by the which wee feele our hearts moued bowed and perswaded to beleeue the word 1. Cor. 2.10.11.12 Ioh. 2.20.27 1. Ioh. 5.10 Hee that beleeueth hath the witnesse in himselfe This testimony next to the voyce of God speaking in the Scriptures who indeed is onely a sufficient witnesse to himselfe is to be preferred before all other testimonies and arguments whatsoeuer But this must be remembred that this witnesse of the Spirit in the heart serueth not to confirme doctrines and to confute aduersaries but onely that euery one for himselfe by this witnesse might be certaine in his very conscience that the holy Scriptures are of God In this the conscience resteth and is satisfied and it ariseth and is wrought in our hearts by the word read heard meditated vpon and translated to the vse of faith and life as Ioh. 7.17 If any man will do his will saith Christ he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe The humane testimonies are either of the Church or of The enemies of the Church The perpetuall consent of the Church of all the people of God in receiuing embracing and conseruing the word of God so many ages notwithstanding their diuersity and disparity of mindes and iudgements argueth no lesse then a diuine authority in the word The enemies are either Iewes or Heathen The Iewes acknowledge the bookes of Moses and the Prophets to be giuen by diuine inspiration And among the Heathen when Ptolomy the King of Aegypt demanded why Heathen Authors in their writings make no mention of the bookes of Scripture one made answere Because they were diuine and that God the author of them was reuenged of all those that presumed to touch them as Iosephus and Eusebius report The other reasons may be drawne first from the antiquity of them being of all writings the most ancient Moses the first Pen-man of holy Writ being farre elder then all other writings now extant in the world a thing well knowne to the learned Secondly from the certaine euent accomplishing of the diuers prophesies which neither by naturall causes nor by the wit of man could euer haue been foretold Thirdly from the miracles which Sathan neuer could bring to passe Fourthly from the matter of them containing the whole pure and perfect law of God and describing such a meanes of saluation which both agreeth to the glory and perfect Iustice of God and satisfieth the conscience Fifthly from the maiesty of them which shineth euen through the humility and simplicity of the phrase Sixthly from the inuincible firmity and continuance of them notwithstanding the rage of so many persecutors labouring to abolish their very memory Seuenthly from the beautifull harmony and admirable consent of all the parts of the doctrine contained therein Eighthly from the force of them in the mindes of men effecting mouing conuerting and transforming vs into new men and kindling a liuely consolation in our mindes in the day of tryall as appeared in the Martyrs Ninthly from the irreconcileable hatred of Sathan and his complicies tyrants persecutors and all prophane men against the Scriptures more then any other Bookes Tenthly from the vengeance of God vpon the contemners blasphemers and enemies of the word It were almost infinite to reckon all that might be said herein all which are good iointly and seuerally considered to confirme vnto vs the authority of the Scriptures and to conuince the consciences of all them which in the vanity and wickednesse of their hearts shall any way call them into question Wherefore it appeareth and nothing can be said to the contrary that all are bound with all diligence to study in the word of God Two principall parts of our study in the word are the Reading and the Hearing of it All then must giue all diligence to heare and read the Scriptures And because things good in themselues through bad and negligent vsage become oft-times vnprofitable and hurtfull vnto vs therefore the Apostle Paul prayeth and exhorteth Colos 1.10 Colos 3.16 that the Word dwell in vs in all wisedome That wee ought wisely to heare the word preached appeareth by our Sauiour himselfe in his monitions to his Apostles and Disciples Mat. 15.10 Mark 4.24 Luke 8.18 Heare and vnderstand Take heed what you heare Take heed how you heare Vnto this wise hearing three things are necessary First something is to bee done before we heare Secondly something in the hearing Thirdly something when we haue heard That which is to be done before wee heare is called Preparation which consisteth in the auoiding of some things and in the doing of other some Those things which are to be auoided may be reduced to these fiue heads The first is Intemperance in riotous eating and drinking pampering the body whereby we are made vnfit for the exercises of the word the body being then more apt to sleepe then to heare Full bellies for the most part haue empty soules and therefore our Sauiour Christ monished his Apostles to beware of surfeiting and drunkennesse Luk. 21.34 which oppresse the heart The second is Distracting cares of the world these must be banished out of our minds when we come to heare the word As Abraham when he went to sacrifice his sonne vpon the mount Gen. 22.5 left his Asse and Seruants at the foote of the hill Euen so when we come to the holy hill of God with the Congregation we must put off and abandon all our owne thoughts words and seruile labours For as thornes choke the Corne so will these the word as our Sauiour teacheth Luk. 8.14 The third is Preiudice against the person of the Teacher for when the person is once distasted we relish not his doctrine though neuer so good So Ahab could not abide Micaiah and therefore would not endure his teaching and admonitions The fourth is Pride for some measure of knowledge receiued As many will say they know as much as the Preacher can tell them It may be they doe But doe they practise it Such must know first that preaching is not onely to teach men that which they know not but also to stirre them vp to practise that which they know not so much ordained to informe the iudgement as to reforme the affection Secondly they must remember that part of the song of the Virgin He filleth the hungry with good things but the rich he sendeth empty away The fifth is Carnall security when we come to the hearing of the word with a resolution that speake the Lord what he will and cry the seruants of God against our sinnes as long and as loud as they will yet we will do as we list For many by this meanes come into the congregation as the vncleane beasts into the Arke they come in vncleane and
prayer to God for vnderstanding for as wee cannot see the Sunne without his owne light so we cannot see the wonders of the word vnlesse the Lord manifest them vnto vs by his Spirit The third thing that is to be done that wee may read in iudgement is Application to make vse of that wee attaine vnto by reading in the reforming of our liues Many esteeme highly of the tree of knowledge with Eue but they regard not the tree of life when as the very life of our knowledge consisteth in the practise of that which we know As it is said of Hearers so it is true of Readers Not the readers of the word Ioh. 13.17 Iam. 4.17 but the doers shall be iustified And These things if you know them happy are you of you doe them Nay he that knoweth and doth not shall bee the more beaten and is guilty of the more sin As therefore wise men labour to make profite of all things they deale with so we should propound this end to our selues in all our reading that it may be profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct vs in all righteousnesse that we may become absolute and perfect in all good workes Some read onely to this end that they may know more then they did and this is vanity Some that they may bee knowne to know more and this is pride Some to make a gaine of their knowledge and this is filthy lucre Some to edifie others and this is charity Some to edifie themselues and this is Christian prudence such like words hath one of the Antients Another saith thus Then is our reading to be commended when we turne the words into workes And againe the Scriptures are Gods Epistle written to men to the end they should liue well And the Holy Ghost better then all Reuel 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this prophesie and keepe those things which are written therein Amen Now to God onely wise be honour and praise for euermore 1. Tim. 1.17 Amen Amen THE GROVNDS Of Diuinitie The prime and chiefest place of Diuinity is concerning God Heb. 11.6 Hee that commeth to God must beleeue that God is and that hee is a rewarder of them which seeke him and this is life eternall Iohn 17.3 that they know thee the onely very God and him whom thou hast sent IESVS CHRIST QVESTION HOw may we come to the sound knowledge of God Ans The best meanes to attaine such knowledge is by the holy Scriptures Esay 8.20 Iohn 5.39 Explication The knowledge of God is either Naturall or Reuealed That which is Naturall is either by the notions imprinted in euery mans minde whereby the conscience is conuinced or by the consideration of the creatures which naturall knowledge is vnsufficient to saluation Rom. 1.19 20. though sufficient to leaue vs without excuse The Reuealed Knowledge is that which is attained by the word of God who though he dwell in the Light which none can attaine vnto 1. Tim. 6.16 yet hath therein reuealed himselfe so farre as he saw fit for vs to vnderstand This knowledge beyond comparison is far more excellent then the naturall 1. Cor. 8.1 is sufficient to saluation in regard of Knowledge but not in regard of working or effecting it which onely is by the holy Spirit making this knowledge effectual to syncere faith loue feare obedience c. Quest What are the holy Scriptures Ans The holy Scriptures are all those bookes of the old and new Testament by the direction and inspiration of the Holy Ghost written or approued by the Prophets and Apostles Explic. These are the writings of the Prophets which are contained in the Hebrew Canon of the old Testament Those the writings of the Apostles which are contained in the Greeke Canon of the New But all those bookes vsually contained in our Bibles from the end of the small Prophets to the Gospell of Saint Matthew together with the prayer of Manasses are called Apocrypha that is hidden which though they containe many wholesome things and for many ages haue béene read in the Church yet are to be distinguished from the other being neither equall in authority nor of any more credit then as they agrée with them They are called the Scriptures that is the Writings in regard of their supereminent excellency being vnto all other Writings as the Sunne vnto the lesser Starres both in regard of their péerelesse worth and also because that all other bookes obtaine a degrée of worthinesse according as they more or lesse accord with them They are called Holy Rom 1.2 because of the Authour which is God 2. Tim. 3.16 because of the Pen-men 2. Pet. 1.21 which were holy Men because of the matter which is the holy Will and Counsell of God Act. 20.27 because of the vse to make vs holy and perfect in all good workes 2. Tim. 3.17 It pleased God that the heauenly doctrine shold he written both that it might be the better conueied vnto succéeding posterities and also that it might bee the safer preserued from corruption there beeing an infallible standeth for the examining and determining of all doctrines and opinions which should arise If the worship of God and the doctrine of saluation hath béene meruailously depraued now it is written what think wée would it haue béene if it neuer had béene written Vse Whosoeuer then desires the true and sound knowledge of God are to bée admonished to procure themselues Bibles and diligently to reade in them or if they cannot reade to heare others that they may fetch euen from the Fountaine it selfe the doctrine of saluation and also that they may euen discerne the bookes wherein the same is infallibly contained For though it be possible for a man to bee saued holding the summe of the heauenly doctrine without the distinct knowledge of the seuerall bookes yet it is the duety of all Christian men and women so farre as they haue meanes and are capable of it to endeuour to attaine to the Historicall knowledge of the Bible and bookes Canonicall therein contained First that they may with all thankfulnesse honour the holy Scriptures aboue all other Writings Secondly that they may make the best profite of the Preaching of the Word which they cannot doe who when Authorities are alleaged and places quoted are not able to distinguish the worth of the authority as whether it bee Diuine or Humane Thirdly for the more certainty of their faith when they can themselues find and examine by the holy Scriptures those things which are Preached In which regard the men of Berea are commended as an example vnto vs. Act 17.10.11 For all doctrines of men are to bee examined by the Scriptures and no further to be credited then they haue warrant from the same This condemnes them which are negligent this way which negligence is by too well knowne experience found to bée the
humour fitter to be purged then norished Some worthily in regard of their great acuity iudgemēt like nothing for themselues but that which transcendeth common capacities I doe not thinke my selfe able to doe that which might giue them satisfaction And in asmuch as there are three fold more which haue but meane knowledge then which abound it shall content me that euen as Golde is common in Rich mens pockets but Siluer is currant among the common sort it shall I say content me if while those of deeper iudgement bee conuersant in the Writings of the learned my Labours may be in the hands of the meaner sort for whose sake specially I haue taken this paines For thee therefore which arte but a beginner I haue laboured If I may adde to thy knowledge and affection and be a helper of thy Faith and Ioy giue thou God the glory I haue then attained the end of my labors Reade once and reade againe it may bee the second reading wil be more sauory then the first If thou profitest herein according as I haue praied for thee I know thou shalt neuer repent thee And thus desiring the helpe of thy prayers I commend thee to God and to the word of his Grace wishing thy farther vp-building in all sauing knowledge godlinesse and established comfort of conscience through Iesus Christ Thine in our Christ E. P. A Table for the ready finding out of the principall things contained in this Booke A ATTENTION in hearing pag. 22. Application necessary of that which wee heare and reade 37. Of Angels Good and Euill and what they are 77. B Of Baptisme 272. C Not onely for the Church doe wee beleeue the Scriptures to be Diuine 52. 53. Of Creation and what it is 73. Of the Workes of Creation the first day 80. Of the Workes of the second day 83. Of the Workes of the third day 85. Of the Workes of the fourth day 88. Of the Workes of the fift day 94. Of the Workes of the sixt day 95. Of the Creation of Man 96. Of Conscience 103. A consideration of Christ how and why his Righteousnesse is sufficient for the Iustification of all the Elect. 182. 183 c. That Christ is God and Man in on Person and why 187. Of the righteousnesse of Christ whereby we are iustified what it is 192. How wee are made partakers of this Righteousnesse 193. Of the Offices of Christ 199. Of the Church 241. The Church but one and how 260. What a visible Church is 262. Of the notes of a visible Church Ibid. Church-men subiect to Ciuill Magistrates 293. Of the Ciuill Magistracy 294. D Difficulty of the Scriptures to whom and why p. 7. 8. 9. Distracting care a hinderance to wise Hearing 18. Of Church Discipline 288. E Of Eternall Life 226. Of Eternall Death Ibid. Of Election 247. F A description of God the Father 68. Of the Fall of Man 140. How the fall of Adam and Eue belongs to vs. 148. Of Faith what it is 196. G What GOD is described 54. Of diuers Attributes of God 55. 56. 57. Of the Relations of Persons in the Trinity 61. There are three Persons but one God Ibid. What Essence and Person are in the God-head and why the Church vseth such tearmes as also Trinity in Vnity 64. 65. 66. A description of God the Holy Ghost 68. Of the Generation of the Sonne 70. H Of wise Hearing the Word 17. seque Three things required to wise Hearing 17. Three things necessary in Hearing 21. 22. I Intemperance a let to wise hearing 17. Intention in Hearing 23. Iudgement to be vsed in the Reading of the Scriptures 33. Iudgement in Reading consisteth in three things Ibid. Of the Image of God in Man 115. Of Iustification 173. Of Iustification by the Righteousnesse of Another 177. Of the day of Iudgement 232. K Of the Knowledge of God 39. 40. L Of the Law 155. How the Law is abrogated and how not 161. Of the vse of the Law 165. None can perfectly keepe the Law 169. Of the penalty of breaking the Law 172. How we are freed from the Law 173. M Of Meditation after we haue heard and how to be practised 25. 26. 27. The right Meaning to bee carefully sought out in our Reading and how we should find it 35. 36. Of the Creation of Man 96. Of the Soule of Man 99. Of Mortification 211. Of the Ministery of the Word 267. Of the Ciuill Magistrate 293. Of the Power and Authority of the Ciuill Magistrate 294. N Of the New Man 212. O Of Order to be vsed in Reading of the Scriptures 30. P Of Preparation to the Hearing of the Word 17. Preparation consisteth in two things 17. Fiue things to be auoyded that we may be prepared 17. 18. 19. Preiudice against the Teacher a hinderance to wise Hearing 18. Pride a hinderance to wise Hearing Ib. Three things to bee done that wee may Heare Wisely 20. Prayer necessary to Preparation before Hearing for whom and for what 20. Of the Procession of the Holy Ghost 70. Of the Prouidence of God 117. Of Prayer 220. Of Predestination 247. Predestination bringeth not in a neglect of Godlinesse 248. R Retention necessary to wise Hearing 24. Of Reading the Scriptures 28 c. Reuerence to bee vsed in Reading the Scriptures 28. Of Redemption 127. How it comes to passe that wee stand in need of a Redeemer 132. Of Repentance 204. Of the Resurrection 237. Of Reprobation 247. S The Scriptures difficult 7. 8. Our paines ought to be the more 9. 10. The Scriptures are the word of God 12 Security a let to wise hearing 19. We are wisely to reade the Scriptures three things necessary thereuntô 28 The Scriptures the best means to attaine the sound knowledge of God 39. What the Scriptures are described 40. Why called Scriptures and Holy 41. Why the Scriptures are called a Couenant and a Testament 44. Of the authority of the Scriptures 48. How we know the Scripuures to be Diuine and Canonicall 50. A Description of God the Sonne 68. Of Originall sinne 151. Of Sinne what it is 155. Of Sanctification 204. Of Free-will 207. Of the parts of Sanctification 211. Of the measure of Sanctification attained in this life 218. Of helpes to sanctification 220. Of the Reward of sanctification 224. Of the Sacraments 271. Of the Lords Supper 280. Of reuerēt coming to the lords table 282 How oftē to come to the Lords table 283 Of Subiects and their duties 295 T Timely comming to the congregation necessary to preparation before the hearing of the word 21. A fit time to be obserued for reading 33 Of this word Testament referred to the Scriptures 43. The Testament how one and two 44. 45. V Of the Vtility of the scriptures 10. 11. W Fiue reasons shewing that all are bound to the study of the Word 3. 4. Diligence in study of the Word 5. 6. Two Reasons to prouoke our diligence in the study of the Word 7. Two parts of the