The time ends ofa lawful! oth. 3 as witnef{1e, who is the author ofthefe holyScriptures ; and that as the contents of this holy bookeare of vndoubted and certaine truth , fo that whichthey deliuer is oflike na- ture,and free froth all vntruth and falfhood. And thus haue I briefly (hewed what an odi is,together § Sea+ with the formes and ceremonies thereof.Now theends why The endsofaa it was infiituted and ordained,were firfl and principally that oth. Godmight be glorified , whenas by anothhe is appealed ontoas the fupreme Iudge ofheauen and earth, and his om- nifcience,truth, iuf}ice &powerisacknowledged. Second- ly,that truthand iufiice might-be maintained and preferued in things fecret and vnknowne for when all other argu- mentsand reafons arewanting to demonfiratea waighty and neceffary truth , then God, whois the fearcher ofthc heart and reines,the patrone of truth and reuengeroffalfe- hoód,is inuocatedas a witneffeaboueall exceptions.Third- ly,anóthwas ordained to maintaine truth, peace, concord and iuflice,and to put an end toall doubts & controuerfies, as the Apofile fheweth, Heb. 6.16. Forwe canhaueno fur- Heb.6,, therappeale when as the matterbath beene decided before the fupreme Iudge ofheauen andearth;neither canwe bring any fironger argument for proofe , then when we produce God as ourwitneffe toglue teltimony toour fpeeches,who is the alone fearcher ofthe heart and fecretthoughts . And thereforean oth is fitly called the greateft proofeamong(} men to confirme theirfpeeches , and the Chriflians rack e, Plartareb. wherby thoughhebe the Lords freeman,he mayneuerthe- om.gKSft leffe beenforced to confeffe anyhidden truth.And lafily,for the commongood ofmankind,bothofourneighbours,and anour felues : for our neighbourshaue good and benefit by our othes,when as therby theyare perfwaded tobcleeue a neceffary truth, or when their right is defended, and their good name preferued fromRanders and fallimputati ons; in which refpe1allo the benefit of ouroth redoundeth toour felucs,when either our owne name or right is called in que- flion, we wanting other reafons andmeans tomaintaine them againft iniuryand iniufiice. B 2 CHAP.
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