A compend of the controversies of religion wherin the trueth is confirmed, and errour convinced, by authoritie of Scripture, witnessing of antiquitie, and confession of partie. Most necessary for all, in this backe-slyding age. By W.G. minister of God's word.

1. Authoritie of Scripture.

1. KIngs, 8.39. Then heare thou in heaven, thy dwel∣ling place, and forgiue, and giue to everie man according to his wayes, whose heart thou knowest: (for thou, even thou onelie, knowest the hearts of all the children of men.)

Note then, That hee who heareth in heaven, must know the heartes, and the sinceritie there-of: which seeing the Sainctes doe not, but God, even God onelie; therefore they heare not, nor can not receiue our prayers.

Rom. 8.27. And hee that searcheth the hearts, knoweth vvhat is the minde of the spirit, &c.

Note then, That hee must know the heart, and the sinceritie of prayer flo∣wing there-fra. on whom wee must call; (seeing manie tymes ne••ther is our di∣stresse visible, nor our prayers vocall) but God onelie knoweth the heart,

2. Chron. 6.30. For thou o••elie knowest the heartes of the children of men,

sayeth the Scripture: therefore God onlie is to be in-called vpon.

2. King. 22.19. Because thine heart was tender, & thou humbledst thy selfe before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this Place, &c. therefore I haue also heard thee (sayeth the Lord.)

Loe then, In Prayer that the LORD looketh to the disposition of the heart: which disposition seeing Hee onelie seeth, and heareth vs accordinglie; To Him therefore onelie must bee put vp our prayers.

Isai. 63.16. Doubtlesse, Lord, thou art our Father, tho Abraham bee ignorant of vs, and Isaac ac∣knowledge vs not, &c.

Note then: If Abraham, the Father of all the Faythfull, bee ignorant of the neces∣sities of his children on earth; how much more are other Saincts, of the effayres of their fellow-brethren heere?

Iob, 14.21. His sonnes come to honour, and hee knoweth it not: (speaking of the dead) and they are brought low, but hee per∣ceiveth it not.

Ecclesiastes, 9.5. The li∣ving know, that they shall die; but the dead know not any thing:

(to wit, of the worl••e, or worldlie effaires, as the popish Doctors, L•…•… and Ferus, expound.) Where-vpon it followeth, that they are not to bee in∣vocated.