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 GROVNDS Of Diuinitie Plainely discouering the Mysteries of Christian Religion propounded familiarly in diuers Questions and Answeres Substantially proued by Scriptures Expounded faithfully according to the Writings of the best Divines and euidently applyed by profitable Vses for the helpe and benefite of the Vnlearned which desire Knowledge To the which is prefixed a very profitable Treatise containing an Exhortation to the Study of the Word with singular directions for the Hearing and Reading of the same By ELNATHAN PARR Minister of the Word at Palgraue in Suffolke PROV 3.13.14 Blessed is the man that findeth wisedome and the man that getteth vnderstanding For the Marchandise thereof is better then the Marchandise of Siluer and the gaine thereof is better then gold LONDON Printed by N. O. for SAMVEL MAN and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Ball. 1614. TO THE VERTVOVS RELIGIOVS AND MOST WORTHY LADY the Lady IANE CORNEVVALLEYS Widdow Grace and Peace from God the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ. MADAME I Present vnto you these my weake and homely labours being the first fruits of my paines in this kinde humbly desiring that your Ladiship wold vouchsafe to patronize them That which hath emboldened me to dedicate them to your worthy Name is Partly A minde willing in the best measure I can to testifie my thankefulnesse for your many vndeserued fauours whereby I confesse you may iustly challenge more then my Mediocrity can euer performe Partly your loue vnfeigned and sincere profession of the Gospell whereby you are an honour to your Degree and Sexe cleerely euidenced many wayes during your abode in Suffolke which as it is a sweete testimony to your owne breast that you are beloued of God and hath made you farre and neere honoured by all such which loue God so also it hath made mee very confident that your Ladiship will fauourably accept these my thankefull endeuours Goe on I humbly beseech you good Madame goe on in that good way which you haue chosen and constantly continue as a bright Starre to shine without waning or being ecclipsed to the directing confirming and comforting of many as hitherto you haue done And for my part I shall neuer cease among many other to stand vp as an humble Suppliant to God that you may bee more and more strengthened in his Grace and directed by the Eternall Spirit that as you haue already by your zeale in Religion prouoked many so you may perseuere vnto the end in this holy course and bring on and encourage others by your singular example Then shall your Name bee still more honourable while you liue here and your account furthered in the day of our Lord IESVS And thus humbly tendering my best seruice to your Ladiship and to the hopefull Gentleman Mr FREDERICKE your ioy vpon whom I beseech God to double the glory of all his Ancestors and wishing vnto you both and to your whole family all temporall and eternall blessings by Iesus Christ I humbly take my leaue and alway rest bound to your Ladiship to my vttermost in all Christian duty Elnathan Parr ¶ To the courteous Reader COurteous Reader Thou hast here the fruit of my sicknesse whereby in the beginning of this Winter I was made vnseruiceable for my publique duety In this while considering that Time is pretious and the dayes euill as the Apostle saith the Lord put into my heart to redeeme the time Whereupon as God enabled me to hold vp my head I looked ouer my ragged Notes and scattered papers Part of which after my rude maner pollished are here offered vnto thee I am not without hope but that by the good hand of God as I had experience of the profit of these things being deliuered by liuely voyce so also the charitable reading of them may much auayle thee I know that euery day there are many new Bookes set forth and of this kind not a few yet in this method with sound briefe Propositions of the principall points of Diuinity euident and infallible proofes succinct and perspicuous Explications and plaine and liuely Applications I haue not obserued any So that this and also the great ignorāce of the multitude considred I doubt not but the Indifferent will free these my Endeuors from the censure of superfluous of writing Iliads as they say after Homer I confesse ingenuously that much of my Explications is drawn frō the fountains of other men both forren Writers and many our owne worthy Countreymen So that as the little Bee greatly industrious flieth ouer many a garden and flower to gather a little hony so haue I out of many mens gardens selected and gathered many such choice things which I iudged might most make for thy benefit And this can be no Imputation to mee in asmuch as the Learned know that not to speake of some of the Pen-men of the holy Ghost both auncient later Writers haue to the great benefit of the Church taken this course also because I haue made such things which I haue receiued from others so to serue my purpose either by contraction addition exposition or marshalling into my order that I may in some sort iustly challenge them as mine owne The summe of this my small Labour to the which is prefixed an exhortation to the study of the Word is an Exposition of the Description of God named the Grounds of Diuinitie expounded applied because it propoundeth preueth and as a key openeth easily vnlocketh the hidden mystery and counsell of God concerning our saluatiō by Iesus Christ The Questions and Answers are familiar and friendly depending The Explications plaine for the most part concise pointing at some things in a word at some in a parenthesis which to the industrious Reader wil be the more aduantageable and for the Vses which being practised are the praise life of knowledge I haue not obserued euery thing nor so pressed any thing but that I leaue much more to be gathered and obserued by such which are accustomed to Meditation In a word that which I iudged most profitable I haue performed for thee If thou beest learned as thou needest it not so I humbly intreate thee to know that I writ it not for thee yet I barre thee not the reading but most willingly submit it to thy censure If thou blamest the Phrase and Stile that it is not fluent and round but ragged and harsh Truly neither can I commend it Happily I haue striuen to be plaine or at least hauing no skill in finer cookery haue drest it as I was able after our homely and country fashion for the stomackes of the vnlearned who rellish and like better of that which is plaine and easie then either learned and deep treatises which they vnderstand not or such cooked conceits where the cost is greater then the nourishment Some delight in toyes like children I should then thinke very ill of my selfe when I should goe about to please their
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