Furthermore, although this essence applies to God in an absolute way so that there is not one thing and another thing in God, but all what He is, is his essence, we nevertheless rightly assign to Him various properties or attributes, which are classified under the title of divinity (Rom 1:20), suggesting that there is a difference between essence and properties and between the properties themselves. Yet this is not a real distinction, but a relational or rational distinction, in so far as they differ in creatures and in our perception. WIth these properties God himself grants to us the knowledge of who God is and what He is like, and through these attributes we can distinguish the one true God from the false ones and from all other things.

Synopsis of a Purer Theology, Disputation 6 Paragraph 21.

Taking the word in the proper sense of denoting Him, we shall describe God — who cannot be defined, inasmuch as He “surpasses every essence and is incomprehensible” — from the various descriptions of Him apparent throughout Scripture and collected together (Exod 34:6, etc.; Deut 10:17; Rev 4:8; Acts 17:24, etc.; 1 Cor 8:4,5,6; 1 Tim 1:17, and 6:15,16): He is a spiritual essence, entirely simple and infinite, that is eternal and immeasurable, and immutable; living and immortal, understanding, wise and all-knowing. He is goodness itself, love, kindness, mercy, forbearance, righteousness, and holiness, etc. He is one in essence, but three in persons: the Father who has brought forth the Son from eternity; the Son who is born of the Father; the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who even proceeds from the Father through the Son. He is the Creator, the Preserver, and the Ruler of the universe, the Redeemer, Savior and the Glorifier of his elect.

This description of God comprises three parts: the revelation of the one Essence by means of various attributes; the enumeration of the divine Persons; and the revelation of his deeds.

Synopsis of a Purer Theology, Disputation 6 Paragraphs 17 & 18.

We should observe further that the papal teachers claim the apostles did not share with their listeners everything God had revealed to them, but that they entrusted some things to everyone and publicly and other things to only a few and privately. Tertullian in his book Against the Heretics, rightly calls that claim insane.

Synopsis of a Purer Theology, Disputation 4 Paragraph 34.

The reasons why we should consider none of these writings [i.e., Apocrypha] sacred are: In the first place, that they were not produced by the Spirit of prophecy, since they were written after the time of Artaxerxes, in which no succession of prophets was found (Rom 16:26), Josephus, Against Appian, 2). Second, because they were not placed in the ark, as the tables of the Law were, or beside the ark, as the books of Moses were (Deut 31, Epiphanius, On Measures and Weights). Third, because they were not written or preserved in the Hebrew language, nor did the Jewish church, to whom the divine oracles had been entrusted, ever acknowledge them as such (Josephus, Against Appian, 4). Fourth, because neither Christ, nor the apostles, nor the early Church acknowledges them as such, but they considered them not genuine (Amphilochius and Gregory of Nazianzus, both in Balsamon), and were admitted by the later Church with considerable variance and dispute, and then only as ecclesiastical (Synod of Carthage, 3; Augustine, On Christian Doctrine; Rufinus, On the Creeds, 5). Fifth, and finally, because they contain nonsensical, mainly fictitious things, and things that are not in harmony with the sacred writings — which it would take too long to review here.

Synopsis of a Purer Theology, Disputation 3 Paragraph 38.

So then this Scripture alone is the fundamental principle by which, and the material from which, every saving truth must be drawn. It is the rule and standard by which every true and also very false teaching about the things of God must be determined (Isa 8:20; Luke 16:29; Acts 17:10, 11). In sum, it is a self-convincing and irrefutable witness and Judge, namely by virtue of its own demonstrated proof by which every controversy which arises over divine matters must be judged (John 5:39, 45).

Moreover, the criterion or norm for judging is comprised of these axioms: 1. Whatever Scripture contains, or whatever agrees with it either explicitly or by a necessary consequence from it, is true doctrine. 2. That which disagrees with it must be false. 3. Whatever is not contained in it, although it may not be openly opposed to it, is a teaching not necessary for salvation.

Synopsis of a Purer Theology, Disputation 3 Paragraphs 18 & 19.

For we admit freely that it is the Church’s duty to guard Holy Scripture, to preserve its integrity with all reverence and care, to vindicate it from people’s corrupting influence, to exhibit and prove its divine quality to others, whence it is called, “the pillar and bulwark of the truth,” by Paul in 1 Tim 3 [:15]. Be that as it may, from this no authority over Scripture should be drawn for the Church, but only service and proclamation, just as the edicts of leading civic officials do not get their authority from the heralds and servants, even though by these men they are made known and published.

Synopsis of a Purer Theology, Disputation 2 Paragraph 30.

By Holy Scripture we here mean not the actual characters of the alphabet but the word that is signified and expressed in those characters and letters. For all scripture is a sign and indicator of the word; in fact, the word is a sign and indicator of the thoughts and concepts conceived in the mind.

Synopsis of a Purer Theology, Disputation 2 Paragraph 2.

Even though the Old and New Testaments differ with respect to some of the tools whereby the teachings are administered (and also their circumstances), yet they agree as far as the substance is concerned. And the same Theology is advanced in both Testaments: God’s single will to redeem the human race and the one basic promise that salvation must be obtained through Christ (Gen 3:15 and Acts 22:18; Acts 15:11, and 10:43, etc.).

Synopsis of a Purer Theology, Disputation 1 Paragraph 27.

The glory of God is the highest goal of Theology, whereby He has prepared this glory only for himself, because He is all-sufficient unto himself and is in want of nothing, and because not a thing can be added to Him by our doing.

Synopsis of a Purer Theology, Disputation 1 Paragraph 21.

God commended King Josiah for his zeal and impartiality in completing the reformation of religion (1 Kings 23:25). This is a rule for all princes and magistrates how they should reform.

Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici, 76.