A Compend of the Controversies of Religion, Title page – Dedication
A COMPEND Of the Controverſies of RELIGION, Wherin TRUETH is confirmed, and Errour convinced, By Authoritie of Scripture, Witneſſing of Antiquitie, and Confeſsion of Partie: Most neceſſarie for all, in this Backe-ſlyding Age.
By W. G. Miniſter of God's Word.
Hieron. lib. 1. adv. Pelag.
Non enim de Adverſario victoriam, ſed contra mendacium quarimus veritatem.
ABERDENE, Printed by Edward Raban. 1627.
TO THE RIGHT NOBLE, MOST worthie of all Honour, and truelie Religious, The Counteſſe of EINZIE, Ladie GORDON, &c.
MADAME,
THE ſedulitie of the emiſſaries of that Apostaticke Church of Rome, who like the Phariſees of olde, did compaſſe Sea and Land, to make a proſelyte to them-ſelues, ſhould teach vsus, who are Teachers of the Trueth, to bee aſhamed to bee leſſe …iligent in a better Cauſe, and for a better Master. Theſe are buſilie diſperſing their Manuels, and ſowing their Pople and Tares (lyke that wicked Adverſarie) ſecretlie in the LORD'S Field, to draw men from the Trueth: and why then ſhould no wee bee buſie by Voyce, and Writ alſo, in ſowing the good Seed of th… Word, to keepe Men with the Trueth This hath moved mee to pen thi… COMPEND OF CONTROVERSIES, which the ſimplest may vnderſtand clearly, the buſiest-employe… may peruſe frequentlie, and the weakest memorie may retaine eaſilie: for it is not vnknowne to anie, how our greater Bookes of Controverſies, penned by their graue and godlie Authors, are neglected for the most part, and thought a tedious Taſke, once to reade over: but as for this, each on… (who hath but the least care to know or byde by the Trueth) may count i… but an eaſie exerciſe, there-by to recreate them-ſelues at anie occaſiona… vacancie. And therefore I hauehave here in put GOD'S Sword chiefelie i… Man's hand, to maintaine GOD'S Cauſe, and contented with the most ſelected places onlie in each head of Doctrine; which for the ſolide ſecuring of the Conſcience, in the knowledge of the Trueth, and powerfull convincing of ſeducing Errour, as the Gleanings of Ephraim were better than the Vintage of Abiezer; ſo are theſe few ſmooth Stones, taken out of the Brooke of the Booke of GOD, more fit for the little Davids of the LORD'S People, to ſling against the fore-head of bragging and blaspemous Errour, than Saul's vnwealdie Armour, or the weariſome weight of cunning forged reaſons, and hudge heape of humane testimonies.
And yet, lest that Antiquitie (where-of Babel's brood cauſeleſlie braggeth) ſhould ſeeme al-together eyther neglected by vsus, or not to make for vsus, I hauehave joyned ſome testimonies of Fathers, that are clearest for vnderstanding, ſhortest for memorie, most punctuall for convincing, and a few of manie, to avoyde tediouſneſſe.
Where-vntounto is at last added, for the full triumph of Trueth, the cleare Confeſſion of our Adverſare Partie; that ſo out of his owne mouth, the wicked ſervant may bee condemned, and it may be ſeene what is the force of prevailing Trueth, even our Enemies being Iudges. And ſo in ſumme, that there is no point of Papall doctrine, but that Firſt, it is against Scripture: Secondlie, contrarie to the fayth of the primitiue Church: and Laſt, taught, and acknowledged with vsus, by the Doctors in the Romane Church it ſelfe, farre other-wyſe than the Ieſuits now anie-where profeſſe: ſuch is their bragging of Vnitie, or rather the confuſion of the ſpeach of thoſe builders of Babell.
Which paines of mine heere-in, for the profit of others, I hauehave hūbly dedicated to your religious honour, whome all the godlie who knoweth you, as a Patterne of zeale, and conſtancie, affecteth dearlie, prayſetb truelie, admireth justlie, honoureth deſervedlie, prayeth for earnestlie, and thanketh the LORD for his rare Graces bestowed vponupon you vnfeignedlie, to the great good of his Church, and your eternall glorie. Where-with alſo mine heartliest apprecations ſhal joyntlie concurre, that the bountifull hand of that good GOD, whome in the zeale of His Trueth, ye hauehave conſtantlie followed, may beape vponupon your honour, your most noble, and heroicke Huſband, and that happie offſpring of thoſe hopefull Oliue Plants, which the Lord hath givē vntounto you, all the bleſſings what-ſo-ever, that either Heaven can afford, or mortalitie may bee capable of.
Your Honours moſt humblie devoted, WILLIAM GVILD.