In Book 3

Ephesians 2:16. All Christians make but one body. The unity of which visible body and Church of Christ consists in that uniformity, which all several persons belonging to it have by reason of that one Lord whose servants they all profess themselves, that one faith which they all acknowledge, that one baptism by which they are all initiated. Christians by external profession they are all, whose mark of recognizance has in it those things which we have mentioned, indeed, although they be impious idolaters, wicked heretics, persons excommunicable, indeed, and cast out for notorious improbity. Section 1.

2. 1 Corinthians 7:8. To be commanded in the Word, and grounded upon the Word, are not all one. If when a man may live in the state of matrimony, seeking that good thereby which nature principally desires, he makes rather choice of a contrary life, in regard of Saint Paul's judgment, that which he does is manifestly grounded upon the Word of God, yet not commanded in his Word, because without breach of any commandment he might do otherwise. Section 8.

3. 1 Corinthians 2:14. The natural man perceives not the things of the Spirit of God. Those properties of God, and those duties of men towards him, which may be conceived by attentive consideration of heaven and earth, we know that of mere natural men the Apostle testifies, how they know both God, and the law of God (Romans 1). Other things of God there are (as the suffering, and rising of Christ from the dead) which are neither so found, nor though they be shown, can ever be approved without the special operation of God's good grace and Spirit. As grace has use of nature, so we hold that nature has need of grace. Ibid.

4. Colossians 2:8. Philosophy we are warned to take heed of: not that philosophy, which is true and sound knowledge attained by natural discourse of reason; but that philosophy, which to bolster heresy or error, casts a fraudulent show of reason upon things which are indeed unreasonable; and by that means, as by a stratagem, spoils the simple, which are not able to withstand such cunning. The way not to be ensnared by them that are so guileful through skill, is thoroughly to be instructed in that which makes skillful against guile, and to be armed with that true and sincere philosophy, which does teach against that deceitful and vain, which spoils. Ibid.

5. 1 Corinthians 1:19. I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, etc. There are those that bear the title of wise men and scribes, and great disputers of the world, and are nothing indeed less than what in show they most appear. These being wholly addicted to their own wills, use their wit, their learning, and all the wisdom they have, to maintain that which their obstinate hearts are delighted with, esteeming, in the frantic error of their minds, the greatest madness in the world to be wisdom, and the highest wisdom, foolishness. Such were both Jews and Greeks, which professed the one sort a legal, and the other secular skill, neither enduring to be taught the mystery of Christ. To the glory of whose most blessed name, whoever studies to use both their reason, and all other gifts, as well which nature as which grace has endued them with, let them never doubt but that the same God, who is to destroy, and confound utterly that wisdom falsely so named in others, does make reckoning of them, as of true scribes, scribes by wisdom instructed to the kingdom of heaven. Ibid.

6. 1 Corinthians 2:4. My preaching has not been in the persuasive speeches of human wisdom. As calling from men may authorize us to teach, although it could not authorize Saint Paul to teach as other Apostles did; so, although the wisdom of man had not been sufficient to enable him such a teacher as the rest of the Apostles were, unless God's miracles had strengthened both the one and the others' doctrine: yet to our ability both of teaching and learning the truth of Christ, as we are but mere Christian men, it is not a little which the wisdom of man may add. Ibid.

7. 1 Corinthians 10:15. The whole drift of the Scripture of God, what is it but only to teach theology? Theology, what is it but the science of things divine? What science can be attained to without the help of natural discourse and reason? Judge you of that which I speak, says the Apostle. In vain it were to speak anything of God, but that by reason men are able somewhat to judge of what they hear, and by discourse, to discern how consistent it is with truth. Scripture indeed teaches things above nature, things which our reason by itself could not reach to; yet those things also we believe, knowing by reason that the Scripture is the word of God. Ibid.

8. Acts 26:22. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do. The question is, how the books of the prophets came to be credited by King Agrippa. For what with him did authorize the prophets, the like with us does cause the rest of the Scripture of God to be of credit. And by experience, we all know, that the first outward motive leading men so to esteem of the Scripture, is the authority of God's Church. For when we know the whole Church of God has that opinion of the Scripture, we judge it even at the first an impudent thing, for any man bred, and brought up in the Church, to be of a contrary mind without cause. Afterwards, the more we bestow our labor in reading or hearing the mysteries thereof, the more we find that the thing itself does answer our received opinion concerning it. So that the former inducement prevailing somewhat with us before, does now much more prevail, when the very thing has supplied further reason. Ibid.

9. Acts 15:28. To the Holy Ghost, and to us it has seemed good. Which style they did not use, as matching themselves in power with the Holy Ghost, but as testifying the Holy Ghost to be the author, and themselves but only utterers of that decree. Section 10. Notwithstanding, as the law of ceremonies delivered to the Jews, so this very law which the Gentiles received from the mouth of the Holy Ghost, is in like respect, abrogated by the end for which it was given having ceased. Ibid.

10. 1 Timothy 6:14. The Apostle Saint Paul does fearfully charge Timothy, to keep what was commanded him safe and sound. In Scripture we grant every one man's lesson to be the common instruction of all men, so far forth as their cases are alike, and that religiously to keep the Apostle's commandments in whatever they may concern us, we all stand bound. But touching that commandment which Timothy was charged with, we swerve undoubtedly from the Apostle's precise meaning, if we extend it so largely, that the arms thereof shall reach to all things which were commanded him by the Apostle. The very words themselves do restrain themselves to some one especial commandment among many; even that which by the same Apostle in the same manner is urged (2 Timothy 4:1): I charge you — preach the Word. Section 11.

11. Romans 11:33. In matters which concern the actions of God, the most dutiful way on our part, is to search what God has done, and with meekness to admire that, rather than to dispute what he in congruity of reason ought to do. Otherwise, we exceed our bounds, and forget who and where we are, and therefore needful it is that our pride in such cases be controlled, and our disputes beaten back with those demands of the blessed Apostle, How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out? Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who was his counselor? Ibid.