The doubting conscience resolved. In answer to a (pretended) perplexing question, &c. Wherein is…

Consid. It is a very uncouth speech, proceeding from a wild conceit, to say, that God would have expressed and appointed Controverted Questions plainly and clearly, if they had been necessary. It is not the proposition of Controverted Questions, though never so plainly and clearly delivered, that sets an end to Controversies, but the clear and substantial ⟨p. 118⟩solution of them; for herein that which hath any show of being necessary, is not the proposing of them, but the deciding of them: and it were a very preposterous course to talk of deciding Controversies before there were any Controversies moved, right as if a Physicians wisdom and goodness should move him to heal a man before he is wounded; rather he should take care to preserve a mans health that he might not fall into sickness. And so Gods wisdom and goodness hath sufficiently provided for the health of his Church through the integrity of Doctrine delivered in his Word, and that in a manner sufficiently intelligible and plain to them that come with honest hearts, and studious desires to seek after truth and to embrace it. But S. Paul tells us of oppositions to the truth made by men of corrupt minds, plainly ⟨p. 119⟩giving us to understand, that they came with corrupt minds to the reading of Gods Word, and so pervert it as Peter speaks, and thereby pervert themselves first, and afterwards they speak [Greek or Hebrew] wrested things to the corrupting of others, and hinder them from that [Greek or Hebrew] to be found in the faith, Tit. 1.13.

Consid. It is a very uncouth speech, proceeding from a wilde conceit, to say, that God would have expressed and appointed Controverted Questions plainly and clearly, if they had been necessary. It is not the proposition of Controverted Questions, though never so plainly and clearly delivered, that sets an end to Controversies, but the clear and substantiall ⟨p. 118⟩solution of them; for herein that which hath any shew of being necessary, is not the proposing of them, but the deciding of them: and it were a very preposterous course to talk of deciding Controversies before there were any Controversies moved, right as if a Physitians wisdom and goodness shoud move him to heal a man before he is wounded; rather hee should take care to preserve a mans health that he might not fall into sickness. And so Gods wisdom and goodness hath sufficiently provided for the health of his Church through the integrity of Doctrine delivered in his VVord, and that in a manner sufficiently intelligible and plain to them that come with honest hearts, and studious desires to seek after truth and to imbrace it. But S. Paul tells us of oppositions to the truth made by men of corrupt mindes, plainly