measured by both those truths and is not the measure of them And thus we see truth is but one because all flowes from one there is no truth in things which God implants not in them nor in the minds of men which the spirit of truth doth not lead into No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Saint Ambrose saith whatsoever truth is in any man is from God and all lies are from the divell he is the father of them when the Saints and holy men have lied it came from the Divell when wicked men speake truth as Cayphas speaking of the death of Christ it came from God Quest Why say you he knowes all things certainly without error Answ Because he is of infinite wisdome his wisdome is infinite as himselfe Psal 147.5 A finite wisdome may erre because it doth not know all things perfectly but infinite wisdome apprehends all things perfectly therefore it cannot erre Quest Why say you he speakes and workes truth without faining and dissimulation Answ Because he is the chiefest good into which no evill can fall God is the chiefest good then dissembling cannot befall God there can be no darknesse in him because he is light it selfe then no falshood fals into God because he is truth it selfe Moreover faining and dissembling is the corruption of the understanding this cannot fall into God The workes of Sathan when they are good works are dissembling as when he testifieth of Christ that he was the Sonne of God it was a lying speech because whatsoever he doeth he doeth it to deceive for if men will beleeve him in one thing he hopes they will in another and so all the works of Sathan are lying works but on the other side all the works of God are good and so certain and true without faining or dissimulation Quest Why doth he constantly performe whatsoever he hath spoken Answ Because he is faithfull and just to performe whatsoever he hath promised or threatned Promises he any thing he will performe it because he is true and this is verifyed by the holy Ghost Psal 90.12 Deut. 7.8 That thou mightest know that the Lord thy God is a faithfull God that will keepe covenant and mercy Mercy makes him promise but truth makes him performe Promises Justice makes him threaten and truth makes him recompence his enemies to their face Thus Saint Augustin saith God hath made himselfe our Debter by promises and Bernard that man should pay that he promiseth because he makes himselfe a debter and if the Lord keepes his promises with those that are unworthy will he not much more keepe them with those he hath made worthy in his Sonne OF THE TRVETH OF GOD. CHAP. XIV PSAL. 34.8 Taste and see how gracious the Lord is YOU have heard the last day the description of the trueth of God both what it was and the confirmation of the severall parts of it and now we will lay downe some Uses Vse 1. The first If God be true in word and work this serves to awaken up secure men and to rouse them out of their naturall security These usually blesse themselves when they heare the judgements of God threatned against them and see them not presently executed I say they blesse themselves because God doth forbeare and is not a word and a blow therefore say they the Lord will neither doe good nor evill howsoever his Prophets the Ministers speake thus But let them know the Lord is true and while they thus speake or thinke of him they make him a lyer they beleeve not the truth and hereupon it is that they sit in the seat of the scornfull Psal 1.1 scorne and scoffe at those meanes which holy men use to escape judgement I meane prayer and fasting because they make God a lyer But these men shall know that the patience of God should lead them to repentance and therefore the Lord speakes because he would shew mercy he could execute as well as speak but they do abuse the patience of God to bring upon themselves greater damnation God is true and every man a lyer and their deceitfull hearts that have deceived them God shall awaken For most certainly true it is that God will make good his threatnings he will shew himselfe true in executing his judgements in his due time He hath his owne time for mercy and for judgement and he will punish them who carry it out the most stoutly for the Lord hath spoken against them and they shall feele it with a heavie hand And therefore though he doe delay let them not be secure judgement will be the more heavy when it comes The wise man in Eccles 11.9 speaking to the yong man saith Goe toyong man take thy pleasure goe on you young men and also ancient men but know for all this God shall bring you to judgement God is true he hath said it and shall he not doe it Psal 1.4 5. they then shall be as stubble before the winde therefore be awakened out of that blindenesse and security or else you shall know it to your cost Vse 2. Here is matter of comfort to every one that rests upon God by faith and constant obedience for that which he hath promised their faith shall never faile God is true it is builded upon God and his word and trueth that is the comfort of every one that beleeveth that he shall obtaine that which he hopes for Certainly God shall make it good according to his trueth therefore if any man finde weakenesse of faith if any man be troubled with doubting What is the comfort It is not our faith that makes the promise here but the promise makes our faith sure if God be true and perpetually true certainly God shall make it good and whosoever thou be that buildest upon God in that case he will performe it 1 Tim. 2.12 I know whom I have beleeved saith Saint Paul some expound this place thus As a man that hath a great debt to pay and relyes upon other men for the money and some cast doubts in his minde what if they should faile you the Apostle answers I know whom I have beleeved so that having tasted of the sweetnesse of God in his soule saith I know whom I have beleeved so ought every man to comfort himselfe upon God Rom. 4.13 that howsoever there be doubtings he may have joy the holy man Abraham was stedfast in beleeving because he knew he was able to performe what he had promised we neede not be weake in faith because he is true as Saint Austin speaking of the Promises saith they are thy Promises whom should we feare It is trueth that hath promised that cannot deceive neither can be deceived So that if a man beleeves here will be comfort Ier. 29.11 I know the thought I have toward thee of peace and not of evill but how will he doe it and when will he doe it God knowes how to doe it though we see no means how
bee spoken of viz. The dignity of the Word which hath two parts the first the Authority of it the second the Sufficiencie of it because wee are to build on it and to rest upon it as the ground and rule of Faith and these are the two things which wee will handle at this time For the former of these Quest What is the authority of the written word Answ It is that by which it is authenticall and worthy of credit in it selfe being the divine and onely Canon and Rule for all things to bee beleeved and done That the Word of God hath this authority this verse which I have read doth prove So also Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them if questions be asked about the dead To the Law and to the Testimonies whatsoever others say reject it this hath authority of it selfe to this is added 2 Pet. 1.19 Wee have also a more sure Word to these I add Gal. 6.16 As many men as walk after this rule peace be on them this is the rule of all things Joh. 2.16 If any man bring any other Doctrine bid him not to thy house where the word sheweth that there is no other word of any authority but this Word thus the Word witnesseth of it selfe therefore it must be true John 10.35 the Word cannot be broken therefore it must bee of that authority worthy of credit in it selfe and being divine wee must beleeve it and it must bee the Rule and Canon by which all things must bee done And this is the proofe of the first point Quest What ground have you for this that the Scriptures are thus authenticall Ans There are these First because they are Gods word to whom it belongs to appoint every one a cannon and rule that must give them direction to all things to be beleeved and done Secondly Because God hath written them for this end that they might be such a rule that might be alwayes in the Church that men should not dare to swerve from it Thirdly Because this Word is the first divine truth of God himself To explane these first they are Gods word c. This is manifest of it self that it belongs to God to appoint a rule and a cannon we further confirme this thus Deut. 7.11 Keepe my commandements my statutes and my judgements why so because they are my statutes I command you the Word is a lanterne to my feet saith David Psal 119.105 Thou shalt keepe my statutes so that if we enquire into the ground what the reason of the authority of the Scripture is it is manifest it is authenticall because it is the word of God who should teach me saith Saint Ambrose the things that appertaine to heaven God and not man Who can better teach me concerning God then God All other Divine things had need of testimony saith Salvian but onely these things spoken by God need no more testimony while therefore it is God that hath wrote this and he onely hath Divine authority therefore this must needs be of Divine authority The second answer was thus much because that this was written by God to that end that the Church might alway have a rule from which it should not dare to swerve Deut. 5.32 Take heed to my statutes turne not to the right hand nor to the left and that Rom. 15.4 These things were written that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope therefore from hence it is manifest that they are written to be a rule Thirdly because that this is the first divine trueth of God himselfe therefore it hath this name Ephes 1.13 Iohn 17.17 thy Word is truth with an emphasis that there is no truth but this so Ephes 2.20 it is the foundation of the Church it is builded upon the Apostles and Prophets we say it is the first truth of God himselfe because it must be first beleeved before we can beleeve by a divine faith any thing that is revealed in it faith doth first spring out of it and is last of all resolved into it and so it is the first truth This is the principle of principles and though it be not beleeved yet it hath the same authority gold is gold though no man have it the Sunne in the first day it was created was to rule the day and measure time though there was neither man nor beast to take notice of it In the Gnomen of a diall the shadow of it shewes the houres of the day though men sleepe principles in all Arts are to be granted are not denied without grosse absurdities Here are our first principles that there is a God that God hath a Word that the Scripture is the Word of God these are and ought to be assented unto by whosoever would be called Christian the denying of any one of these is to open the gate to Atheisme and all prophanesse so then this is manifest that this Word of God is of Divine authority The first Use then teacheth us that then fals to the ground the Doctrine of Popery that tels us that the Scriptures have no authority but from the Church some have spoken very blasphemously of the Word of God one for all the President of the Councell of Trent saith that the Scriptures have no more authority then Esops Fables without authority from the Church of Rome and others say they have no more authority then any other prophane books others more moderate say they have no more authority in them then they receive from the Church the question is not what authority the Church doth give to the Scriptures but what authority they have in themselves the Church can but declare their authority the Scriptures have it in themselves I had not beleeved the Scripture saith Austin We never denied that the Church hath excellent Offices concerning the Scriptures as first it is to keep them and preserve them therefore the Church is compared to a publique Notary like to the Court of Rowles the Master of the Roles gives no authority to Records but keepes them Secondly the Church is to publish the Scriptures therefore she is compared to a crier and this is the fidelity of the crier to publish the speech of the Prince and the Churches duty is to publish the Law of God The third office it hath is to discern the true Scriptures from forgeries and apocryphall It cannot make that which is Apocrypha Canonicall but it hath a power in discerning which are Apocryphall which Canonicall as it is in a City the Magistrates receiving a letter as from the Prince out of their experience are able to discerne whether it be the Princes letter or not so they that are Gods Ministers can do nothing but discerne the Word they cannot give any authority to it we conclude the Scripture hath authority in it selfe Ephe. 2.20 It is the foundation of the Church then the
the father be granted of all to be God and a person why is the Son set apart by some but is proved to be God and a distinct person by excellent reasons First because the Son did descend and take the nature of man Secondly because he is of the same Essence with the Father Thirdly because he ever was and shall be the mediator of his Church To explane these a meer name a property or quality as heretiques say he is cannot descend Iohn 3.13 Who is he that ascended but he also that descended the second person did descend the humanity did not What did he when he was descended he tooke the nature of man Iohn 1.14 The word was made flesh that is it took flesh to it for marke Heb. 2.14.16 Because that the children were partakers of flesh bloud therefore he did partake c. in the 16. verse He did not take the nature of Angels but he tooke the seed of Abraham therefore before he was made flesh he was a person even before he did descend the reason that he is a person distinct from the Father is because he is and ever was and shall be Mediator of the Church and the Angel of the Covenant even before he was made man we prove it as soone as man sinned God was offended and then man could not be saved without a Mediator therefore he was the mediator yet so still that before his incarnation he was a person 1 Cor. 10.9 Let us not tempt Christ as some of them tempted him where he calls us to remembrance that then Christ was in the wildernesse with them c. so that he was a mediator before his incarnation Iob 13.8 Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever therefore mediator and then there is but one mediator and that is the man Christ he is called the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3. and therefore he must needs be a person and thus I have in particular confirmed this concerning the Sonne Now for the holy Ghost he is also proved to be a person first because that he did often appear in a visible shape Secondly because there are effects attributed to him which cannot be attributed to any thing but to a person The first of these thus Mat. 3. at the baptising of Christ he descended upon him in the shape of a Dove and in the second of Acts He appeared in cloven tongues upon the Apostles and therefore is not a property or quality as heretiques teach Secondly because that to the holy Ghost there are given such effects such appellations which cannot be given to any but such a substance for there is given unto him to know secret things that are to come Secondly to determine controversies to give gifts to men to pray to be praied unto all actions of a petson and of a divine person First that he knowes secrets 1 Cor. 2 11. The spirit knows the secret things of God therefore he must needs be a person he did know and foresee things that should be how appears that 1 Tim. 3.2 The spirit speaketh evidently c. that is the holy Ghost foretells what shall be in the latter times Secondly he decrees and determines Acts 15.28 It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us therefore it followes that he is a person Thirdly gifts are attributed to him Gal. 5.22.23 The fruits of the spirit are joy peace long suffering gentlenesse c. 1 Cor. 12.8 By the same spirit to one is given the word of knowledge and these are disposed of according to his will and therefore no property nor quality but a person c. Againe he helps men to pray and praies for men Rom. 8. We cannot pray as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmities he makes sighs and groanes 1 Cor. 13. The fellowship of the holy Ghost be with you he that makes praiers for us helps men to pray and is praied unto he cannot be a name and property c. as heretiques say but a person And so I have shewed you the holy Ghost is a person I remember one thing now which I should have given before a reason that I gave why the Sonne is a person is because that he was of the same nature with the Father because he is the Son a son begotten of his father not a created sonne but a begotten sonne Col. 1.15 The first begotten c. Pal. 2.7 Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee shewing an everlasting begetting as the Sonne is everlastingly begotten so the Father everlastingly begets so that the Sonne must be a person distinct from the Father in Divinity and also in Humanity he is the Sonne of God as God he is the Sonne of God begotten of his Father and so of the same nature with the Father and not a name but a person as man he is the sonne of God God the Sonne is joyned unto the humanity and therefore Christ saith I goe to my Father and your Father my Father by nature your Father by adoption therefore he must be a severall and distinct person Vse 1. This teacheth us to confute all Heretiques as the Sabellian who will have but one person in the Divinity and for divers respects called Father Son and holy Ghost having no severall being that the Sonne hath not the same Essence with the Father nor the holy Ghost the same Essence with them both but by this ground you are taught to abhor these and the like Heresie Vse 2. It teaches those that have heard this doctrine by faith to conceive three persons as they are delivered unto us this surpasses the reason of men and Angels therefore every man ought to labour to know this by faith and not to rely on sense and reason but on the word of God Saint Bernard saith I shall speake this boldly that which I doe not understand I beleeve that which I cannot conceive yet I beleeve never the lesse and so ought every one of us to labour to beleeve though we cannot tell how it should be there is great necessity of beleeving this truth no salvation can be except a man do hold this Trinity therefore every man ought to labour to beleeve he must walke by faith and not by sense it is unpossible that the shallow conceit of man should be able to finde these mysteries if God had not revealed them it were as possible to empty the Ocean with a spoon as to finde them out because they are matters of faith and not of sense hold fast that which God hath revealed no man may goe further then God hath revealed so far he must goe further is dangerous curuosity Deut. 22.29 Secret things belong to God but things revealed to us c. that which is manifest saith Saint Austin is ours because we cannot see that which is hid therefore labour to conceive so far as God hath revealed and yet notwithstanding if any man aske how it may appear that there are three in one
knowledge of the orthodox faith and the integrity of a holy life Happy is hee that findeth wisedome (f) Prov. 3.13 saith Solomon and (g) Job 28.2 S. Iob describeth that wisedome The feare of the Lord that is wisedome and to depart from evill is understanding Blessed are your eyes for they see (h) Mat. 13.16 saith our Saviour Christ and yet not unlesse yee see to do (i) Joh. 13.17 If yee know these things happy are yee if yee do them These graces must be joyned together because severed they bee not graces The grace of knowledge consists not in the naked and perfunctorie theorie and apprehension of divine truths but in conformity to them A man knowes no more truly then hee puts in practise (k) 1 Joh. 2.4 Cognoscere non in solâ perfunctoriâ scientiâ est sed in eorum operatione quae oporteat fieri Amb. de Parad c 6. Non est vera scientia boni nisi ad hoc comprehendatur ut agatur Prosp Nihil estaliud scientia nostra quam culpa qui ad hoc tantum modo leg emnovimus ut majore offensione peccemus Salv. Hee that saith I know God and keepeth not his commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him if a man know God and disobey him his knowledge is his fault Obedience without knowledge is not obedience but will-worship and superstition as faith without workes is a dead faith so workes without faith are dead workes the prayers of ignorant persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Gen. hom 2. in their owne conceits good prayers are not good because the sacrifice of (l) Eceles 5. fools their meanings which they call good are not good (m) Pro. 19. without knowledge the heart is not good c Light is in the second as in the first creation the first worke (n) 2 Pet. 1.3 All things that appertain to life and godlinesse are given us through knowledge therefore without knowledge there cannot bee either life or godlinesse or any thing that belongs to them The image of God in which wee were at first created unto which we must bee renewed consists chiefly in knowledge and holinesse not in one of these but in both The glorious Angels who are proposed to us as patternes are understandingly obedient (o) Psal 103.20 they do his commandements hearkening to the voice of his word If wee know God and serve him we are like the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Ephes like our patternes perfect pleasing to God if either of these bee wanting the danger is great the blinde and the lame equally an abhomination God hath given to man an understanding and a will an eye to see and a band to execute and having given both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Mat. hom 2. he requires both one of these parts will not serve his turne Hee hath given us a minde to know him (p) 1 Joh. 5.20 saith the Apostle Hee hath made us to understand more then the beasts saith Elthu in (q) Job 35.11 Iob that wee might know him which the beasts cannot doe It is an injury to God Non sufficit Deo intellectus nisi fiat in amore ejus voluntas imo nec haec duo sufficiunt nisi memoria c. Amb. de dign hum c. 2. and a debasing of our understanding to lay out those intellectuals which God hath bestowed on us for himselfe on earthly and other things and to yeeld him a bruitish because a blinde obedience He hath given us will and affections and a body to love him to feare him to delight in him to serve him c. It is no lesse injury and unthankefulnesse to God to withdraw these from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Joh. hom 6. and bestow them on our lusts on sinne on Satan on the world on the creatures on vaine things by which for which they were not made I conclude with Chrysostome Let us give all diligence that wee may obtaine a cleare understanding of the true faith and adde unto that a holy life and a shining conversation Amongst all those poynts which are objected to our knowledge there is none more generally necessary and usefull then this of God and Christ of God in Christ This is the first principle and foundation of faith and obedience (r) Heb. 11.6 Hee that commeth unto God must beleeve that he is and that hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him saith the Apostle without this knowledge no grace can bee obtained no salvation can be hoped for upon this depends faith for (s) Psal 9.10 they onely that know his Name will trust in him that which ignorant persons mistakingly call faith is mere presumption and patience for (t) Heb. 10.32 they only that are illuminated can endure the fight of great afflictions others may be senselesse bruitish stupid these only truly patient and all obedience for (u) Psal 119.34 they onely can keep the commandements to whom he hath given understanding others as they desire not the knowledge of his wayes so they say in their hearts (w) Job 21.14.15 What is the Almighty that we should serve him And what profit should we have if we pray unto him or as (x) Exod. 5.3 Pharaoh who is the Lord that I should obey his voyce upon the knowledge of God in Christ dependeth interest in mercy and salvation (y) Psal 36.10 God will draw forth his loving kindnesse to them that know him they that know him not are as farre (z) Ose 27.11 from finding favour as from knowledge God hath bound it with an oath (a) Psal 95.10.11 That the people that have not knowne his wayes shall not enter into his rest Notable is that speech of holy Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Smyrnen If a man believe not that Christ is incarnate if hee confesse not his crosse his passion his bloud which he powred forth for the salvation of the world and this be cannot doe without knowledge he cannot obtaine everlasting life though a King though a Priest though a Ruler though a private person though a Master though a servant though a man though a woman let him that receiveth receive it let him that heareth heare it The ground of this speech is that of our Saviour Christ (b) 1 Joh. 17.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Joh. This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ because this knowledge of God is thus usefull and of this absolute necessity to salvation It ought to be the businesse and maine study of every one that desires grace or glory to search after him and that he may finde him to search after him first where he may bee found and secondly as he will be sought First God may be found in his word there is no point in which nature is more
Church cannot giue authority unto it The second Use serves to admonish us to receive the Scriptures for themselves for their owne authority and not for any mans authority whatsoever not for any mans person nor upon the authority of the Church for if we doe so we cannot have true saving faith Every man ought to receive the Scripture for its owne authority not that any man should condemn the authority of the Church but he may not depend onely upon it no not upon Saint Paul himselfe but must search the Scriptures to see whether it be so or no we ought not to receive the testimony of any Church in the world except it be grounded upon the Scripture we will use that which Aquinas saith of the woman of Samaria we may use the helpe of an enemy when she told them what things Christ did they beleeved but when they came to Christ himselfe they beleeved not for her saying but because they heard him themselves so we use the authority of the Church as a meanes to come to beleeve but when we beleeve let us not beleeve for the saying of the Church but for the Scriptures themselves Vse 3. This is to admonish every man when he hath received the Word to know it is the truth of God and therefore to labour to make it the Cannon of his faith for the authority it hath in it selfe we ought to examine our selves by this Word Hast thou done any thing that hath not this ground repent of it and for the time to come labour to make this the Cannon of thy life and the rule of thy obedience Art thou tempted by thy owne corruptions or by any other aske them Is there any such Word that will give leave if not thou must beleeve and hold to this for this is the Cannon by which thou oughtest to do all things Hierome complaines of some in his time who did wrest the Law to their owne wils and not their wils to the Law but we must be farre from this for whosoever walks after this rule Gal. 6. mercy and peace shall be to him but if he walke not after this rule he shall have judgement mercilesse Quest The next question is what is the sufficiencie of this Word Answ The answer is that it is that by which it is perfected concerning all things necessary to salvation that place which the Apostle hath 2 Tim. 3.17 doth prove this it is able to make the man of God wise unto salvation and therefore it is sufficient so Deut. 12.32 Thou shalt keepe all these Commandements thou shalt adde naught thereto nor take ought therefrom and therefore it must needs be perfect that to which nothing can be added and from which nothing can be taken must needs be perfect also Psal 19.7 the Law of the Lord is perfect Revel 22. Whosoever shall adde unto this booke God shall adde unto them the plagues that are written in this booke Thus the Word testifies of it selfe and therefore seeing the Word is true it must needs be a perfect rule Quest What Reason doe you shew for further proofe of this Answ First because it was the written Will and testimony of God Secondly Because after the Lord had given the Law in writing the Jewes were never guided by any unwritten word Thirdly Because Christ and his Apostles never proved their Doctrine by any unwritten word To explane these First It is the written Will and testimony of God therefore we call these the old and new Testament a mans will after it is confirmed no estate will admit to be altred therefore if we may not alter mans will much lesse may we alter Gods Secondly It is sufficient because that after the Lord had given his Law in writing the Jewes were never guided by traditions before the giving of the Law the truth went from hand to hand but after that God had written the Law they never came to him but upon some especiall occasion as for the Blasphemer c. Bellarmine confesseth this that there are some Catholiques speake with great probability that the Jewes after God had written the Law had no traditions Austin saith in the old Testament the Gospell was hid but in the new Testament it was made more plaine If God would teach the Jewes by nothing but by the written Word when it was more obscure much lesse us who have it more cleare Thirdly Because whatsoever Christ and his Apostles taught they proved by the written Word thus saith a Prophet and thus saith the Psalmes nay certainly Christ opposed traditions when he found that their authority corrupted the Law Mat. 5. but I say unto you rejecting those traditions the true word of God is this therefore the conclusion is that the Scriptures are a perfect rule containing all things to be beleeved and done Vse 1. The first Use teacheth us that then must fall to the ground all unwritten traditions the ground of all which is said to be the insufficiency of the Scriptures but if the Scriptures be sufficient then traditions have nothing to leane upon but it is blasphemie to thinke that God would not perfect that Word he began and therefore traditions are nothing Oh! say they the Scriptures doe not containe all fundamentall points for faith To this I answer If they had said the Scriptures doe not containe all the fundamentall points of their faith I would willingly subscribe to it the word of God no where speakes of Saint Peters successours the word no where speakes of invocation of Saints prayer for the dead indulgences and pardons these things the Scripture doth not containe but these are all of them contrary to the foundation but we beleeve nothing as necessary to salvation besides the Scripture We doe not doubt but that the Saints kept many excellent speeches and sayings of Christ as that in the Acts as the Lord said it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive but if there be any such tradition that is not for substance to be found in the word that we reject because the Scriptures are sufficient for the conclusion we will end with a speech of St. Austin I seek in the Gospell if I finde it not there where shall I finde it so may I say if we find not traditions in the word where shall we find them Vse 2. This teacheth the Ministers of God that they must prove the Doctrine they teach unto the people where shall they have that light no where but from the word they must not follow the vision of any man but only the word wherein God hath comprized every thing that he will have his people taught as it was in the creation the light was at large before the Sunne was created but after that was created God inclosed all light in the Sun so some time the word of God was taught from hand to hand God informed some and they taught others but after that God had written the Scriptures all were to receive their light
Begetting and proceeding how they differ 302 C Church offices concerning the Scriptures 43 D Dominion of God what 239 Dominion why given to God 240 Creatures have their power of God 251 Why God workes by creatures 250 E Essence of God proved to be one 66. which distinguishes the true from false Gods 65. Confutes Hereticks and directs faith 68. 69. Comforts in praier 69 Election and grace immutable 137 Election may be knowne 175 Election how made sure 177 Election is of a few 174. 182 Evill things how and why willed of God 124. 128 F Father what 269 Father taken Essentially and Personally 269 The First person how 270 Fore knowledge no cause of sin 239 Faith shall not faile 99. Strengthned 144 Feare God 119. 220 Faith directed 265 G There is a God proved by reason 50. 51. c. God is but one 56. 57. 88 God what he is 61 Vses to be made of the Deiety 55. 58. c. Goodnesse of God what 148 Goodnesse of God proved 150 Goodnesse in God absolute 151 Goodnesse communicated to the creaturs 152 Vses to be made of Gods goodnesse 153 Grace of God what 171 The object of Grace 172 Grace why ascribed to God 173 Grace the cause of salvation 178 Grace may be made sure 175 Grace ground of thankfulnesse 187 Grace is not universall 229 Godly comforted 89. 100. 210 Godly cannot fall from Grace 254 Generation of the Son to be adored in silence 287 Against falling from Grace 305 H Hatred of God what 224 Hatred what it signifies 225 Hatred against some is absolute yet just 226 Vses to be made of Gods Hatred 229 Gods people Hated in the world and why 245 Heresies confuted 68. of Marcion 155 Humility the ground of it 136 Humbled sinners finde mercy 198 Holy Ghost what 291. Is God 292. 295. proceeds from the Father and the Sonne 293. 297. dwels in the elect 298. Incorporates into Christ ibid. I Immensity of God what and how proved 102. 103. c. Immensity of God should restraine from sin 107 Immutability of God what how many fold 96 Immutability of Gods number proved 97 Immutability proves God the true God 98 What uses to be made of it 98. c. Immutability not opposed to freedome 128 Objections against Gods Immutability answered 132 Ignorance of God the greatest folly 4. kinds of it ibid. Iustice of God what 200 Iustice why given to God 202 Object of Iustice 203 It is Iustice to reward the godly 204 It is Iustice to free some from sin and leaue others 207 It is Iustice to lay the punishment of the elect on Christ 208 There is a day of Iudgement proved 209 Acknowledge God to be Iust 205 Iudgements remooved in anger 223 Impossible things of two sorts 249. 252 K Knowledge of God chiefest wisedome 1. 2. 3 Knowledge of God is naturall 7. 8. c. Knowledge of God by revelation 12. 13. 14 Knowledge of God in the word 15. 16. by the spirit 17 Knowledge of the Trinity necessary to salvation 266 L Life of God what and how proved 109 Life proves God the true God 112 Long life how attained 113 Love of God what 158 Love why ascribed to God 160 Object of the Love of God 161 God Loves his creatures freely not equally 161. 162. 166 He that Loves not is not of God 162 Love God againe signes of Love 167 Love in God naturall or voluntary God an absoltue and free Lord 241. therefore is not unjust disposing of his creatures 243 He that hath God hath all things ibid. He must be served of all 245 Love of Christ demonstrated 288 M Merit condemned 135. 204. 205 Mercy of God what 189. generall and speciall 190. 196 Mercy is naturall eternall free 191 Mercy is more to some then others 192 Mercy shewen to the elect in three things 193 Vses to be made of Gods Mercy 194. c. Macedonians confuted 300 N Nature cannot finde God 61 P Pictures of God unlawfull 74 Perfection of God what 77 Perfection of God proved 78. c. Perfection of God different from that of creatures 79 Perfection of God wherein it consistes 84 Please God 82 Vses of Gods Perfection 80. c. Promises whether alwaies to be performed 147 Papists and Pelagians confuted 180. 181 Punishment of the wicked why deferred 209 Punishment two fold 214. Impartially inflicted 218 Power of God what 247. Active or absolute 248 Power why given to God 250 It is infinite 252 Provoke not God 255 A Person what 258. There are three Persons 260 The Son a Person 263. and the holy Ghost 265 The Persons how distinguished 258 Persons are distinguished not divided 259 Persons one before another not in dignity not in time but in order 260 Persons distinguished by their properties 261 Persons distinguished by their workes 263 Purity not to be scorned 303 Purity begun shall be perfected 304 R Redemption not Vniversall 183 S Spirit what it signifies 291 Spirit how distinguished from other Persons 292. 294 Services of men reach not to God 80 S mplicity of God what 85 S mplicity of God proved 86. c. Vses to be made of it 88. c. God a Spirit proved 71 c. God must be worshipped in Spirit 75 Swearing condemned 113 Syncerity commanded 119 Security awakened 143. 210 Scriptures reveale God 12. 13. to be searched 15. 21. 26 Scriptures a perfect sure infallible rule 19 Written for all men 23. to be translated 25 and applied 27. 39 The word of God 29. and 36. plaine reveald by the Spirit 37 Canonicall 40. and 45. Sufficient 45. and 49 Sat han why he tels truth 14 Sabellians confuted 256 Son eternall with the Father 269. 270. 287 T Truth of God what 138 Truth but one 139 Object of Truth 141. Vses of it 143 Be True as God is 146 Traditions to be abhorred 21. 47 Threatnings how to be understood 132 Thankefulnesse 156. 187 Trinity knowne by the word 257. by faith 256 V Vbiquitaries confuted 106 Vnworthinesse comforted 165 W Wicked terrified 90 Will of God what 121. is but one 125 Will of God free and immutable 122. 123. 126. 129 Object of Gods Will. 123. 127. Vses of it 135. c. Wisdome of God what 115. How proved 116 Vses of Gods wisdome 118 Women bound to know God 5 Wicked men punished 229 Workes of the Trinity undivided 263 Worship God aright and how 267 ERRATA PAg. 75. lin 23. condemn us for them p. 100. l. 3. it may doubt ibid. l. 24. Insolent against their inferiours p. 106. l. last but two from externall sinning p 115. l. 17. and 19. prescience p. 134. l. 11. one saith p. 140. l. 19. formally p. 145. l. 4. promise sure p. 148. l. 25 Good is an accident p. 158. l. 14. blot out in p 171. l. 9. in his Son though p. 176. l. 8. is in his sonne p. 185. l. 15. he chose the twelft p. 196. l. 8. 1 Cor. 10. p. 208. l. 10. 11. blot out And also punish them p. 210. l. 6. reports 212 from the end blot out the parenthesis p. 213. l. 12. simply p. 217. l. 4. d. fine blot out it p. 220. l. 14. injurious p. 224. in the text Psal 5. 5. p. 225. l. 9. one thing p. 226. l. 23. may not he make them to c. p. 230. l. 5. deny to some that grace ibid. l. 16. if he as the potter p. 239. l. dominion p. 244. l. 11. horses are thy horses p. 246. l. 5. â— fine blot out which ibid Iob 9. 19. ibid. l. 4. a fine that is authority p. 249. l. 1. blot out that yet p. 254. l. 4. a finite subject ibid. 11. effectings ibid. l. 20. actually it is p 253. l. 17. false true p. 254. l. penult fall p. 255. l. 19. Jer. 10. p. 302. l. 15. two mysteries in this