Chap. XIV. The true God distinguished in the Scripture from all fictitious ones, by the creation of the world. Chap. XV. The state of man at his creation; the faculties of the soul, the Divine image, free-will, and the original purity of his nature. Chap. XVI. God's preservation and support of the world by his power and his government of every part of it by his providence. Chap. XVII. The proper application of this doctrine to render it useful to us. Chap. XVIII. God uses the agency of the impious, and inclines their minds to execute his judgments, yet without the least stain of his perfect purity. Chap. I. The fall and defection of Adam the cause of the curse inflicted on all mankind, and of the degeneracy from their primitive condition. The doc- Chap. II. Man in his present state despoiled of freedom of will, and subjected Chap. III. Every thing that proceeds from the corrupt nature of man worthy Chap. IV. The operation of God in the hearts of men. Chap. V. A refutation of the objections commonly urged in the support of Chap. VI. Redemption for lost man to be sought in Christ. Chap. VII. The law given not to confine the ancient people to itself, but to encourage their hope of salvation in Christ, till the time of his coming. Chap. VIII. An exposition of the moral law. Chap. IX. Christ, though known to the Jews under the law, yet clearly re- Chap. X. The similarity of the Old and New Testaments. Chap. XI. The difference of the two Testaments. Chap. XII. The necessity of Christ becoming man, in order to fulfil the office Chap. XIII. Christ's assumption of real humanity. Chap. XIV. The union of the two natures constituting the person of the Me- Chap. XV. The consideration of Christ's three offices, prophetical, regal, and sacerdotal, necessary to our knowing the end of his mission from the Father, and the benefits which he confers on us. Chap. XVI. Christ's execution of the office of a Redeemer to procure our sal- Chap. XVII. Christ truly and properly said to have merited the grace of God Chap. I. What is declared concerning Christ rendered profitable to us by the secret operation of the Spirit. Chap. IV. The sophistry and jargon of the schools concerning repentance, very remote from the purity of the gospel. On confession and satis- Chap. V. The supplements to their doctrine of satisfactions, indulgences, and Chap. VI. The life of a Christian. Scriptural arguments and exhortations Chap. VII. Summary of the Christian life. Self-denial. Chap. VIII. Bearing the cross, which is a branch of self-denial. Chap. IX. Meditation on the future life. Chap. X. The right use of the present life and its supports. Chap. XI. Justification by faith. The name and thing defined. Chap. XII. A consideration of the Divine tribunal necessary to a serious con- Chap. XIII. Two things necessary to be observed in gratuitous justifi- Chap. XIV. The commencement and continual progress of justifica- Chap. XV. Boasting of the merit of works equally subversive of God's glory Chap. XVI. A refutation of the injurious calumnies of the Papists against Chap. XVII. The harmony between the promises of the law and those of the Chap. XVIII. Justification from works not to be inferred from the promise of Chap. XIX. On Christian liberty. Chap. XX. On prayer, the principal exercise of faith, and the medium of our Chap. XXI. Eternal election, or God's predestination of some to salvation, and Chap. XXII. Testimonies of Scripture in confirmation of this doctrine. Chap. XXIII. A refutation of the calumnies generally, but unjustly, urged Chap. XXIV. Election confirmed by the Divine call. The destined destruc- Chap. XXV. The final resurrection. Chap. I. The true Church, and the necessity of our union with her, being the Chap. II. The true and false Church compared. Chap. III. The teachers and ministers of the Church, their election and office. Chap. V. The ancient form of government entirely subverted by the Papal Chap. VI. The primacy of the Roman see. Chap. VII. The rise and progress of the Papal power to its present eminence attended with the loss of liberty to the Church, and the ruin of all mode- Chap. VIII. The power of the Church respecting articles of faith, and its licentious perversion under the Papacy, to the corruption of all purity of Chap. IX. Councils; their authority. Chap. X. The power of legislation, in which the pope and his adherents have Chap. XI. The jurisdiction of the Church, and its abuse under the Papacy. Chap. XII. The discipline of the Church; its principal use in censures and Chap. XVI. Pædobaptism perfectly consistent with the institution of Christ, Chap. XVII. The Lord's supper and its advantages. Chap. XVIII. The Papal mass not only a sacrilegious profanation of the Lord's Chap. XIX. The five other ceremonies, falsely called sacraments, proved not Chap. XX. On civil government. THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE ΤΟ AN EDITION PUBLISHED IN THE YEAR 1559, WITH HIS LAST CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS. me In the first edition of this work, not expecting that success which the Lord, in his infinite goodness, hath given, I handled the subject for the most part in a superficial manner, as is usual in small treatises. But when I understood that it had obtained from almost all pious persons such a favourable acceptance as I never could have presumed to wish, much less to hope; while I was conscious of receiving far more attention than I had deserved, I thought it would evince great ingratitude, if I did not endeavour at least, according to my humble ability, to make some suitable return for the attentions paid to attentions of themselves calculated to stimulate my industry. Nor did I attempt this only in the second edition; but in every succeeding one the work has been improved by some further enlargements. But though I repented not the labour then devoted to it, yet I never satisfied myself, till it was arranged in the order in which it is now published; and I trust I have here presented to my readers what their judgments will unite in approving. Of my diligent application to the accomplishment of this service for the Church of God, I can produce abundant proof. For, last winter, when I thought that a quartan ague would speedily terminate in my death, the more my disorder increased, the less I spared myself, till I had finished this book, to leave it behind me, as some grateful re turn to such kind solicitations of the religious public. Indeed, I would rather it had been done sooner; but it is soon enough, if well enough. I shall think it has appeared at the proper time, when I shall find it to have been more beneficial than before to the Church of God. This is my only wish. I should indeed be ill requited for my labour, if I did not content myself with the approbation of God alone, despising equally the foolish and perverse judgments of ignorant men, and the calumnies and detractions of the wicked. For though God hath wholly devoted my mind to study the enlargement of his kingdom, and the promotion of general usefulness; and I have the testimony of my own conscience, of angels, and of God himself, that, since I undertook the office of a teacher in the Church, I have had no other object in view than to profit the Church by maintaining the pure doctrine of godliness; yet I suppose there is no man more slandered or calumniated than myself. When this Preface was actually in the press, I had certain information, that at Augsburg, where the States of the Empire were assembled, a report had been circulated of my defection to popery, and received with unbecoming eagerness in the courts of the princes. This is the gratitude of those who cannot be unacquainted with the numerous proofs of my constancy, which not only refute such a foul calumny, but, with all equitable and humane judges, ought to preserve me from it. But the devil, with all his host, is deceived, if he think to overwhelm me with vile falsehoods, or to render me more timid, indolent, or dilatory, by such indignities. For I trust that God, in his infinite goodness, will enable me to persevere with patient constancy in the career of his holy calling; of which I afford my pious readers a fresh proof in this edition. Now, my design in this work has been to prepare and qualify students of theology for the reading of the divine word, that they may have an easy introduction to it, and be enabled to proceed in it without any obstruction. For I think I have given such a comprehensive summary, and orderly arrangement of all the branches of religion, that, with proper attention, |