Common Places, Propositions · Section 1 – Section 10
Out of the firſt chapter of Geneſis.
Neceſſarie.
proposition 1 SEeing the holie ſcripture is a declaration of the wiſedome of God, we hauehave from thence the fountaine of our felicitie.
proposition 2 Albeit that thoſe things which be ſet downe in the holie ſcriptures, doo ſerue both vntounto knowledge and practiſe, yet is there nothing therein conteined, but is a furtherance to our actions.
proposition 3 The excellencie of the holie ſcriptures is herein perceiued, that it ſendeth vsus to the high cauſe of the will of God, which is reuealed in them.
proposition 4 The ſumme of thoſe things which are conteined in the holie ſcriptures, is the lawe and the Goſpell, which parts are indifferentlie conteined, as well in the new as in the old teſtament.
proposition 5 The fift booke of Geneſis hath a preface agréeable to the lawe and the Goſpell, as being that which ſhould be capable both of the one part and the other.
proposition 6 They which perceiue the knowledge of God, taught here by the creation, doo obteine the ſame by faith.
proposition 7 We beléeue that the world was ſo made by God, that notwithſtanding there is auouched no alteration of the will of God.
Probable.
proposition 1 HEauen and earth, which are written to hauehave béene firſt made, doo expreſſe the matter of all things that were to be brought foorth, both of the bodies aboue and beneath.
proposition 2 The ſpirit of the Lord which was carried vponupon the waters, may verie probablie be taken for the holie Ghoſt, and for the wind.
proposition 3 The word of GOD in the bringing foorth of things is a manifeſtation of his will.
proposition 4 Whereas GOD might manie waies hauehave made the world, he onelie approoued this waie, and therefore it is oftentimes added; And God ſawe that it was good.
proposition 5 The euening and morning were made the firſt daies of the gathering togither & ſpreading foorth of the light, before the bringing foorth of the ſunne.
proposition 6 The waters aboue the firmament be in the middle region of the aire.
A diſputation of the article of creation.
proposition 1 WHen we ſpeak of the creation of things, we bring not foorth one thing out of another after Ariſtotles maner, but we affirme all natures, as well bodilie as without bodie, to be created of nothing by the word of God.
proposition 2 For God, to the intent he would make manifeſt both his power and his merciemercy, created of nothing an infinit ſort of men in the whole nature of things.
proposition 3 And thus muſt this creation be vnderſtood; not that things be here created in ſuch wiſe as they ſhould hauehave their being without the counſell of God: but God continuallie gouerneth and directeth them, as Paule in the Acts ſaith; In him we be, we liue, and hauehave our moouing.
proposition 4 Further the maner of the creation was this. Firſt God made the heauen, and the earth, and thoſe things which be conteined in them.
proposition 5 Beſides this, that there might be a certeine mind, which ſhould vnderſtand this infinit power and wiſedome of this creation, he made man, and gaue him rule ouer his creatures.
proposition 6 And bicauſe he had made him after his owne image, he commanded alſo that he ſhould be acknowledged and magnified of him aboue his works.
proposition 7 And this was no hard matter for man to doo, when he had the whole power in his owne hand.
proposition 8 For the image of God, according wherevnto God had made man, was the mind it ſelfe in man, in the which mind ſhined the true knowledge of God, and in the will, true obedience.
Propoſitions out of the firſt chapter of Geneſis.
Neceſſarie.
proposition 1 ALbeit that names are manie times giuen by men, yet this alſo muſt be referred vntounto God, ſéeing the ends & conditions from whence things be named be of God, and by his procurement, he that nameth, is rather mooued in reſpect of one of thoſe things, than in reſpect of another.
proposition 2 The kéeping backe of waters from drowning the earth, we attribute not to the ſtars, but to the word of GOD, as alſo the power whereby plants and hearbs are brought out of the earth.
proposition 3 The great lights are ſet for ſignes, to gather thereby the faire and ſtormie weather to come, and the other diſpoſitions of the aire: and they be alſo ſignes, whereby the wrath and merciemercy of God is perceiued before hand.
proposition 4 VntoUnto the ſignes of heauen muſt not be attributed a power ouer the reaſonable part of our mind, neither yet a frée power of things to come.
proposition 5 Albeit it is ſaid; Let the waters or earth bring foorth this or that, yet the creation of all things muſt be attributed to God alone.
proposition 6 So muſt we occupie our ſelues in the bookes of philoſophie, and in the contemplation of naturall things, as we referre all the properties, inſtruments, actions, and ſubſtances of them vntounto God the authour.
proposition 7 Whatſoeuer things are ſpoken in the creation of man, as touching the image and ſimilitude of God, doo moſt fullie agrée vntounto Chriſt, and by him are reſtored vntounto vsus.
proposition 8 In that that man, being created according to the image of God, is ſet ouer creatures, we gather a rule what maner of elections we ought to make, either of miniſters of the church, or of magiſtrates.
proposition 9 The perfection of life muſt not be weighed by abſtinence from eating of fleſh.
proposition 10 The true ſabboth is the ceaſing from works which be proper to our nature corrupted; but not from thoſe wherevnto God leadeth vsus by his ſpirit and admonition.
proposition 11 All the life of a chriſtian man ought to be a ſabboth after the maner before ſaid.
Probable.
proposition 1 A Man is ſaid to be created vntounto the image and ſimilitude of God, bicauſe ſince he is made of a reaſonable nature, and indued with all vertues, whereby he ſhould repreſent GOD, he had by God his dominion ouer creatures.
proposition 2 God hath oftentimes reſtored by faith vntounto the godlie that power ouer creatures, which was giuen at the beginning.
proposition 3 Our bodie is partaker of the image of God, bicauſe it is the inſtrument wherewith we, through our actions, doo expreſſe the properties of God.
proposition 4 By this reaſon that a man is indued with the image and ſimilitude of God, is declared the nature of true felicitie, of vertues, and of all laws, and whome the church ought to hauehave for hir citizens.
proposition 5 When God ſaid: Be ye fruitfull, and multiplie, he commanded matrimonie, by which precept all men are bound, which can doo that dutie, or by a ſpeciall inſtinct of God are not mooued, that in ſingle life they ſhould be more readie to ſerue the Goſpell.
proposition 6 The eating of fleſh was not diſpenſed with before the floud, either bicauſe men were then ſtronger, or bicauſe the earth brought foorth better fruits than now it dooth, or elſe that men might more enure themſelues to humanitie.
proposition 7 Whereas in the holie ſcriptures are taken manie arguments and ſimilitudes, wherby we are perſuaded to liue well, there is a forme giuen vsus from plants, lights, & liuing creatures, which forme we may vſe in other things when they happen.
Propoſitions taken out of the ſecond chapter of the booke of Geneſis.
Neceſſarie.
proposition 1 MAns ſoule is not of the ſubſtance of God, neither hath it the ſame nature that the ſoules of other brute beaſts hauehave.
proposition 2 The ſoules of men were not all created at the beginning, but are dailie created of God, to be put into the bodies.
proposition 3 Thoſe things, which are ſpoken of paradiſe, muſt not be vnderſtood ſo allegoricallie, as the truth of the hiſtorie ſhould not be reteined: but the allegories may profitablie he ioined vntounto the thing that was doone.
proposition 4 Whether that garden of pleaſure be yet extant, cannot be defined by the holie ſcriptures.
proposition 5 The dignitie of the lawe of GOD is not to be eſtéemed by deſerts of actions commanded or forbidden therein, but for that in it is conteined the iudgement of GOD for dooing of things, which alwaies muſt be preferred before the counſell of man.
proposition 6 Both kinds of death, as well of the bodie as of the ſoule, was ſet before Adam, if he tranſgreſſed the commandement of God.
proposition 7 The firſt man was created mortall, albeit it was in him not to die.
proposition 8 It is not good for a man to be alone: bicauſe it is not pleaſant, nor honeſt, nor profitable.
proposition 9 Thrée exerciſes were ſet before man at his creation; namelie, to obeie God, to behold the natures of things created, and to exerciſe huſbandrie.
proposition 10 The ſléepe of Adam, in the bringing foorth of the woman, ſignifieth vntounto vsus, that Chriſt by his death purchaſed his church.
Probable.
proposition 1 THe breathing of God, whereby the firſt man was made a liuing ſoule, is a token ſhewing vsus, that the reaſonable ſoule is giuen vntounto men, not by the ſtrength of nature, but …u… wardlie by the helpe of God.
proposition 2 The garden of pleaſures was planted in the region of Eden, as the name declareth, not far from Aſſyria, Meſopotamia, and Arabia.
proposition 3 The trée of life, hauing fruit, which prolonged life to them that ſhould eate of it; allegoricallie ſignifieth Chriſt.
proposition 4 The trée of good and euill, is not onelie ſo called of that which followed; but bicauſe of the ſame there was a lawe giuen, whoſe propertie is to ſhew the difference of good and euill.
proposition 5 By forbidding the fruits of the trée of good and euill, we are taught, not to be ſo hardie as to rule our ſelues by the wiſedome of the fleſh; or elſe to determine by mans iudgement what is good, and what is euill: which neuertheleſſe is requiſite that we decrée by the ſpirit of God, and by the word.
proposition 6 Séeing the lawe was giuen to Adam, the woman being not yet created, it ſheweth that women ſhould be inſtructed by men, as touching the lawe and word of the Lord.
proposition 7 The woman was made of the rib of man, to declare, that the church was foundes in the ſtrength of Chriſt.
Propoſitions out of the ſecond and third chapters of Geneſis.
Neceſſarie.
proposition 1 CHildren muſt not for their wiues ſake ſo leaue their parents, as not to ſuccour or reuerence them, albeit they are bound to liue néerer to their wiues, than to their parents.
proposition 2 Whereas the huſband and wife are ſaid to be one fleſh, matrimonie is declared to be inſeparable, ſo long as they can be one fleſh; which is taken awaie by adulterie, and for want of power to performe the dutie of marriage one towards another.
proposition 3 Matrimonie is therefore ſaid to be a myſterie, bicauſe it repreſenteth vntounto vsus the moſt ſtreict coniunction of Chriſt with his church.
proposition 4 The church immediatelie from hir beginning had Adam for hir gouernour, not without the word of God: for he, being indued with the ſpirit of GOD, ſpake with the ſelfe-ſame words, both as touching Chriſt, and as touching matrimonie.
proposition 5 Temptations are therfore permitted by God, bicauſe they be profitable for the church.
proposition 6 The diuell promiſed vntounto the woman thoſe things, which ſhe had alreadie; to wit, the opening of the eies, and likeneſſe to God.
Probable.
proposition 1 WHereas God brought Eue framed vntounto Adam, we are thereby taught, that thoſe marriages are not well knit, where God ioineth not the parties togither.
proposition 2 Since that mans ſoule is a ſpirituall ſubſtance, and is immortall, we muſt not grant that it is deriued vntounto the children by the ſéed of the parents.
proposition 3 The ſerpent was the fitteſt inſtrument in temptation, to expreſſe the ill practiſes of the diuell, and his craftineſſe againſt men.
proposition 4 The wicked will of the tempter, declareth the moſt ſkilfull wiſedome of GOD, whereby he knew how to vſe wel euen moſt wicked things.
proposition 5 This did the diuell by his firſt temptation chéeflie indeuour, that Gods word ſhould not be beléeued as it was requiſite.
proposition 6 The originall of Eues fall was, that ſetting aſide the earneſt cogitation of the word of God, ſhe began to weigh in hir mind the commoditie of the forbidden fruit, which the diuell ſet before hir, togither with the beautie and ſwéetneſſe thereof.
proposition 7 The ſhame and the deuiſe of the couerings are not to be aſcribed to the diuell, but to the goodneſſe of God, as a bridle, whereby the euill now brought in might the leſſe ſpread it ſelfe abroad.
Propoſitions out of the third chapter of Geneſis.
Neceſſarie.
proposition 1 SHame and the ſhunning of Gods ſight are properties which followe ſinne.
proposition 2 The enimitie, which GOD put betwéene the diuell and the woman, belongeth vntounto all godlie men.
proposition 3 Albeit the power of treading downe the diuell be proper vntounto Chriſt, yet dooth he communicate the ſame with the faithfull.
proposition 4 The curſſes, which GOD laid vponupon the firſt men, were not onlie puniſhments, but alſo they ſhewed men their duties, and brought remedies againſt temptations and ſinnes.
proposition 5 If the creatures through mans tranſgreſſion fell into a woorſe condition than they were, it is méet that vponupon the reſtitution of him, thoſe alſo ſhould be reſtored.
proposition 6 Since God remooueth idleneſſe from man, they which altogither ſhun labour, agrée not with his will.
proposition 7 Chriſt tooke not awaie by his firſt comming, the puniſhments of theſe curſſes, but mitigated them: howbeit, at his ſecond comming he will altogither take them awaie.
proposition 8 Séeing garments are inuented for the profit and honeſtie of this preſent life, thoſe garments are iuſtlie found fault withall, which hauehave anie thing againſt theſe two properties.
proposition 9 Sacrifices be ſignes, whereby we confeſſe the excellencie of God.
proposition 10 Anie man is accepted of GOD, before his works be acceptable vntounto him.
proposition 11 Thoſe things, which God either by exhorting or commanding ſheweth ſhould be doone, thoſe are not in our power to be doone of vsus, vnleſſe we be holpen by his grace.
Probable.
proposition 1 THe ſcripture therefore ſaith, that the eies of the firſt men were opened after ſinne, bicauſe there brake out a new féele of new puniſhments.
proposition 2 By the example of God, who ſo preciſelie inquired after ſinne, iudges are admoniſhed, that they condemne not men before they be heard, and their cauſe examined.
proposition 3 In the curſſing of the ſerpent, thoſe puniſhments of the diuell are rehearſed, whereby we may be eaſilie brought to beware of him.
proposition 4 By the names, which were giuen to the wife of the firſt man, to his firſt begotten ſonne, and to manie other in the old teſtament, we are taught to giuegive thoſe names vntounto them that be of our familie, whereby we may be often admoniſhed of the benefits of God towards vsus.
proposition 5 In the caſting foorth of Adam out of paradiſe, we may perceiue a ſhadowe of the accurſſed and excommunicates out of the church.
Propoſitions out of the fourth, fift, and ſixt chapters of Geneſis.
Neceſſarie.
proposition 1 HE that refuſeth himſelfe to be a kéeper of his neighbour, as Caine did, he ſheweth himſelfe to be vncharitable.
proposition 2 So long as GOD ſuffereth the wicked to remaine aliue, a priuate mans ſword muſt not ariſe againſt them.
proposition 3 Since that GOD can defend thoſe, whom he loueth, and yet ſuffereth them to be oppreſſed, it is euident that the ſame oppreſſion is profitable for them.
proposition 4 Inſomuch as we beléeue that God is iuſt, and that now his fréends are oftentimes ill intreated, it followeth that his iudgement muſt be looked for afterward, whereby theſe things may be recompenſed.
proposition 5 Albeit that the finding out of munition came of an ill occaſion, yet is the vſe thereof lawfull.
proposition 6 The vtilitie is not ſmall that commeth by the deſcription of genealogies, which be in the holie ſcriptures.
proposition 7 Euen as the maner of godlie men is, to inuent titles and names for things which may ſet foorth the praiſes of God; ſo contrariwiſe the vngodlie ſéeke by them to eſtabliſh their owne memorie, not a memorie of the Lord.
proposition 8 How manie ſoeuer as are now borne amongſt men, are marked not onelie with the image of God, but alſo with the image of the firſt Adam.
Probable.
proposition 1 IT is verie likelie, that the old fathers, which were before the flood, came more latelie to the time of generation than men of our age doo.
proposition 2 They which be reckoned in this genealogie, it may well be that they were not all the firſt borne.
proposition 3 The huge hoſt of the children of Iſrael, which of a few men were multiplied within a ſhort time in Aegypt, prooueth that mankind was ſoone increaſed in number.
proposition 4 Whether the angels, or the ſpirits, or the godlie men, or the ſonnes of princes, are ſaid to be thoſe ſonnes of God, which went into the daughters of men, it cannot by the holie ſcriptures be defined.
proposition 5 The hundreth and twentie yeares, which are ſaid to be giuen vntounto men before the flood, were the ſpace granted them to repentance.
Propoſitions out of the ſixt, ſeuenth, and eight chapters of Geneſis.
Neceſſarie.
proposition 1 GOD did not onelie by ſpeciall words prouide that his prophets ſhould warne men concerning their commoditie, but he would that the ſame ſhould alſo be doone of them by certeine outward actions.
proposition 2 Albeit that God knew that ſome would not returne to him, yet dooth he not in vaine call them manie waies.
proposition 3 Sometimes it may be, that holie men praie not for certeine perſons, not led therevnto by their owne fault, but by the commandement of God.
proposition 4 When God maketh a couenant with men, all things there depend of his merciemercy.
proposition 5 God ſometimes giueth manie things to certeine men, for their forefathers and poſterities ſake.
proposition 6 In a church well ordered, euen this among other things muſt be taken héed of, that there be no want of bodilie ſuſtenance to the members of Chriſt.
proposition 7 Good works are not cauſes of ſaluation: but we verie well grant it to be requiſit, that to whom GOD hath giuen them, to thoſe he alſo gaue ſaluation.
proposition 8 Manie things which are commanded in Moſes lawe touching ceremonies, are found alſo to hauehave béene kept before the lawe.
proposition 9 God is ſaid to remember, not that he at anie time forgetteth, but bicauſe he hath the effects of man, who remembreth ſome thing.
proposition 10 We read that God hath ſometime repented him, not that he is troubled with this perturbation, but bicauſe he dooth that which repentants are accuſtomed to doo.
proposition 11 When we affirme that he repenteth himſelfe of ſome thing, the change muſt not be placed in himſelfe, but in man.
proposition 12 It muſt not be attributed vntounto puniſhment it ſelfe, that it hath the power to purge ſinne.
proposition 13 Outward ſacrifices are acceptable to God, if they be ioined with inward ſacrifice.
proposition 14 Outward ſacrifices doo excéedinglie diſpleaſe God, if the mind be void of inward ſacrifice.
Probable.
proposition 1 THat ſome liuing creatures be cleane and vncleane, it commeth rather to paſſe by our eſtimation, than by the nature of them.
proposition 2 The flood is a figure of the laſt iudgement.
proposition 3 The arke was a figure of the church.
Propoſitions out of the eight and ninth chapters of Geneſis.
Neceſſarie.
proposition 1 THe Lords ſupper may be called a ſacrifice, howbeit, not that it purgeth the ſoules of the dead; and that it iuſtifieth (as they ſaie) for the worke ſake that is wrought.
proposition 2 Whoſoeuer are borne altogither of Adam, are guiltie of originall ſinne.
proposition 3 The ſaints are abſolued from this vice by repentance and faith, wherewith they hauehave béene indued, the corruption of nature is not taken awaie.
proposition 4 They which are puniſhed for originall ſinne, ſuffer puniſhment, not for another mans ſinne, but for their owne.
proposition 5 No morall vertues or mans induſtrie can take awaie this diſeaſe of nature.
proposition 6 We affirme that in this originall corruption, is folden vp togither both ſinne and guiltineſſe.
proposition 7 Guiltineſſe and originall ſinne be not the ſelfe-ſame one with an other.
proposition 8 Originall ſinne is a corruption of the whole man, from the image of GOD, brought in after the fall of the firſt man.
proposition 9 This bringing in is not admitted, this thing is not in our power, therefore it is no ſinne.
proposition 10 Originall ſinne is forgiuen through faith by Chriſt.
proposition 11 It is not forgiuen in baptiſme, for the worke wrought (as they ſpeake) but by the power of faith.
proposition 12 God did not ſo greatlie addict the remiſſion of ſinnes to the ſacrament of baptiſme, as without it he dooth not otherwhile giuegive the ſame.
proposition 13 VntoUnto them which belong not vntounto Chriſt, originall ſinne bréedeth damnation vntounto hell fier.
proposition 14 The promiſes of God doo come to an indeuor of praieng.
Probable.
proposition 1 THrough the excéeding great coniunction of the ſoule with the fleſh, the ſame fleſh after the fall of Adam being defiled, the ſoule alſo it ſelfe is contaminated with originall ſinne.
proposition 2 The ceremonie whereby it was commanded, that men ſhould abſteine from bloud, dooth in part ſhadowe out the ſacrifice of Chriſt, and partlie dooth admoniſh vsus of inconſtancie.
proposition 3 When the ſoule as well of brute beaſts as of men, is called bloud, that muſt be vnderſtood by a figuratiue kind of ſpéech.
Propoſitions out of the tenth, eleuenth and twelfe chapters of Geneſis.
Neceſſarie.
proposition 1 IT is not lawfull for anie man to kill himſelfe, vnleſſe he be ſtirred therevnto by the ſpeciall motion of God.
proposition 2 We muſt temper our ſelues from the ſlaieng of man, becauſe he is made to the image of GOD.
proposition 3 It is lawfull vntounto chriſtians for defenſe of their life, to vſe the armed helpe of the magiſtrate.
proposition 4 Euen as droonkenneſſe is iuſtlie to be condemned in droonkards, ſo in Noah it deſerueth excuſe.
proposition 5 That which is bondage in déed, had the originall thereof from ſinne.
proposition 6 Bondage is contrarie vntounto mans nature as the ſame was inſtituted of God.
proposition 7 It is not lawfull for ſeruants vnderunder the title of chriſtianitie to ſhake off the yoke of bondage, naie they ought to ſerue their maſters ſo much the rather bicauſe they be chriſtians.
proposition 8 As touching redemption, felicitie of ſoules, and iuſtification by Chriſt, there is no difference betwéene ſeruants and frée men.
proposition 9 In outward and politike matters, it is lawfull for chriſtian men to vſe manie differences betwéene ſeruants and frée men.
Probable.
proposition 1 THe couenant which was made by GOD with Noah, whoſe ſigne the rainebowe is, ſhadowed the couenant of deliuerance by Chriſt.
proposition 2 By Gods promiſes which had reſpect to the conſeruation of bodilie life, we may inferre, that euen he will giuegive vsus the ſaluation of our ſoules.
proposition 3 The matter and efficient cauſe of the rainebowe, the coloures thereof and figure, be fit tokens to ſhew, that a generall flood is no more to be feared.
proposition 4 The Chriſtian fathers by a verie likelie argument interpret the rainebowe to be Chriſt.
proposition 5 When Noah being dronken and laid naked in his pauillion was mocked by his ſonne, he bare a figure of Chriſt crucified.
proposition 6 There is a certeine voluntarie bondage procéeding of charitie, which although ſinne had not happened, might hauehave had place in our nature.