Certain Questions and Answers Concerning the Knowledge of God, Title page – Dedication
CERTAINE QVESTIONS AND Answeres, concerning the knowledge of God.
Whereunto are adioyned some Questions and Answeres, concerning the right vse of the law of God.
Taught publikely by way of Catechising.
By William Burton, Minister and Preacher of the worde of God in the Cittie of Bristoll.
Ioh. 17.13.
And this is eternall life, that they know thee to be the only very God, and whom thou hast sent, Iesus Christ.
AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet for Tobie Cooke. 1591.
Faults escaped.
FOlio 9. a. line 27. read the euerlasting sonne, &c.
Fol. 11. b. l. 33. for speaying, reade speaking. f. 12. a. l. 12 for name, read naming, f. 16. a. l. 2. left out, and of the sonne speaking in the new testament. f. 19. a. l. 16. for criptures, read scriptures. f. 21. b. l. 23. that, read that is. f. 24. a. l. 13. for his good pleasure, read the good pleasure l. 18. b. for or sufferings, read & sufferings. f. 32. a. l. 26. for all thing, read all things. f. 33. b. l. 22. for Alethios, read Alethinos. f. 36. b. l. 6. read by deliuering him to, &c. f. 38. b. l. 12. for therin, read them f. 43. a. l. 17. the cōma which is after will, set is after properlie. f. 49. a. l. vlt. for boldly, read bodilie. f. 51. a. l. 32. for thing, read things. in the same line for second, read secondly. f. 55. b. l. 27. put out for. f. 57. a. l. 26. for dy, read by. f. 58. a. l. vlt. read. of how many sorts, &c. f. 62. b. l. 9. for, as father, read, as a father. f. …9. b. l. 19. for was, read we.
TO THE RIGHT reuerend Father in God, Richard, by Gods permission Bishoppe of Bristoll, W. B. wisheth the continuance of the grace of God, with the increase of all heauenlie felicitie.
NOt in vaine doth our Sauiour Christ cal his father an husbandman:Iohn 15.1 For when he perceiueth, that his trees doe not beare fruite kindlie in one place; he translateth thē to see if they may be more fruitfull in another,Verse 2. as a husbandman doth. Some he purgeth, saith Christ, (although they beare fruite) that they may bring foorth more fruite, as a husbandman doeth: And some he supplanteth also, as doeth the husbandman: some for euer, some for a while; for what causes, it is best knowen to his vnspeakeable Maiestie: sometime for their owne vnfruitfulnes,Mat. 3.7. Mat. 21.43. sometime for the barrennesse, and for the vnworthinesse of the ground where they grewe: and sometime for neither, but for some other secrete cause, best knowen to himselfe in his infinite wisdome. As the man in the Gospell was made blinde,Iohn 9.3. neither for his owne sinnes, nor for the sinnes of his Parents, but that the workes of God might be shewed vponupon him.
The trueth whereof doeth sufficiently appeare by the late, and yet daylie experience, both of my selfe, and some others of my brethren. But to speake onelyonly of my selfe (of all the most vnprofitable) when as the lord might vtterly, and yet iustlie hauehave supplanted me, he hath in merciemercy onelyonly remooued me, that I might hereafter labour, which hauehave as yet but loytered in his haruest. The Lorde in merciemercy laye not my negligence to my charge.
Now, when as by your Lordships meanes and appointment, I was placed where I am, for the building vp of the Church of God in this Citie: I thought it most conuenient, first, to lay this foundation of the knowledge of God, that so the rest of the building might goe the better forward. The which (as my first fruites) I hauehave presumed to present vntounto your Lordship, for two especiall causes: First, that hereby I might witnes my thankfull mind to your L. for the exercise of my ministery, & the ministery of my brethrē in our places, which we enioy vnderunder your L. gouernment. And besides that (which I may in no wise forget) that fauour which you shewed me: which, as it was altogether vndeserued, and vnlooked for, so it was not (as some hauehave vntruely reported) conditionall; but only, with desire that I might employe my endeuour to the Lords greatest aduā tage in feeding his people, cōmitted to your care & ouer sight, with doctrine most necessary for that people.
Secondly, that your Lo. might rest satisfied concerning some complaintes which hauehave beene offered (by certain vnderminers) touching the confirmation of some pointes herein conteined.
And thus leauing my present endeuours to your Lordships due consideration, I humblie take my leaue. The Lord almightie graunt encrease and continuance of your godlie care ouer that people, which Iesus Christ, the great Shepheard of the flock, hath bought with his blood, and committed to your charge: so that in the great day of account, you may be free from all their bloods, & receiue that crown of righteousnesse, and immortall ioy, which shall then be giuen to all that hauehave fought a good fight, and hauehave kept the faith in a good conscience vntounto the end. Amen.
Your Lordships alwaies to commaund in the Lord: William Burton.