----------------~· Of Catecbijins and [hurcb.Con{ejjions. ~!l:. 14 ~. Wl1at is tl1e bejl: Metl1od of a true (atecbijm or Summ ofT!xolog)' ~ Anfw. GOd willing I n,.u tell the Church my opinion of that at large in a peculiar Lati• Treatife,. called, Mttbodur The~logie, w~ich here ~c.mnotdo. Only t !lull fay, that among all the great var1ety of M(thods ufcd m thefc t1mcs, I thmk none comcth nearer the order of ''" Mamr (which is the true Commendation of a Method) than thofe which open Theology, 1 , In the breviate of the: Baptifrnal ~ovcnanf. :1. In the three explicatoiy fumms, the Creed, Lords Pnyer and Decalogue, with the added Gofpc\ Precept<. 3• In the Largtjl form, which is the whole Scri~ pture; And that our common Engli£h Catcchifm, and P"r~us or Vrjinr, and many fuch who ufe that common cafie Method, are more truly Methodical, than moll that pretend ro greattr accu– ~atenefs ( Though I much commend the great indu1lry of fuch as Dudlty, Frnmr, GomarrM, and cfpecially George SohtniU<•) Q!_efl:. 143· Wl~at ts t!Je t'fe of varioM (/lurc/J Confefoons or Articles oJ Faith ? • An[w. JWill pafs hy the vtri iU ufe .that is made. of them in too many Count~eys, where unnecdfary opm10ns, or unccrtam are put m, and they that can get mto favour with the Secular Power, take advantage under pretence, of Orthedoxnefs and VHiformily, Truth and Peacr 1 to {(t up their opinions and judgements to be the common rule, for all to bow to, though wifcr than themfelves: And to filcn<C all Minificrs, and fcattcr and divide the flocks that will not fay or fwcar as they c1o, that if, that they arc wife men, and arc in the right. The true and commendable ufe of wrious Church Proftf]iont, or Conftfji<IHr of faith is, r. To be an In!hud:ion to the more ignorant how to undcrfiand the Scriptures in mofi of rhe moft weighty points. 2· To be an enumeration of thofe doCl:rines, againft which no Miniltcr !hall be allowed to preach, and accordin~ to which he is to infir~ct the peopl<: . 3• To be a t<fiimony to all neighbour, or forrcign Churches m an heterodox, contentmus and fufpJCtous age, how we underlland the Scri– ptures, for the Confuting of fcandals and unjufi fufpicions, and the maintaining · Communion in } aith, and Charily, and Dod:rinc. Q.!e!l:. 144· May not the.Subfcribing of the .whole Scriptures Jer"Ve turn for aU tbc forejaid ends, tvithout Creeds, Ca.techifms, or (onfeJSions? Anfrr. BY Subfcribing to the Scriptum you mtan either, Gtnerally and Implicitly that All in them is True and GooJ (though perhaps you know not what is in it.) Ot elfepar· ticHiarly and txplicitly, that every point in it is by you both underfiood and be1icved to be true. In the firfi fenfe, it is not futlicient to falvation: For this Implicite faith, bath really no act in it, but 1 Bt!ief rhat all that God faith is true> which is only the formal t>bject of faith an is no more than to believe that there isa God (for aLyar is not a God). And this he may do, who never be– lieved in Chrill, or a word of Scripture, as not taking it to be Gods Word; )'ta) that will not believe that God forbiddcrh his bcaO!y life. Infidels ordinarily go thus far. · In the fecond fcnfe ( of an' explicite, or particular Actual belief) the belief of the whole Scri– turc is enough indeed, and more than any man living can attain to. No m:in 1111dtrjlandttb all the Scripture. Therefore that which no man hath, is not to betxae\ed of aD men, or any man in or– der to Minirlration or Communion. While, L• No man can fubf,ribe to any one Tranflarion of the Bible, thar it is11ot faul1y, being the work of dcfed-ible man: 2· And w have fu.ch acquaintance with the H<.brew, and Chaldcc, and Greek, as to be able: w fay thu they underfhncl the Original L::11"1gmgc! perfd l-ly: 2. And no man that unduthnds the rpordJ, cloth pcrfd[!y undcdhnd 1hc muuer. It foilowcth that no man is to be fOtcedor urged to fubfcribe: to ~11 thing<; in the Scr)pmres, as parricululy undt·rllood by him , with an ExpJicitt faith. And an ImpJicite is not hali enough. 2• The true Nfnm thrrcfore is the antic:nt w1y, t· To felect theEffe:ntials- for all Chrifiiam, to be bt:litv\.d particu\a-dy and explicitcly. 2· To Colh:8 certain of the mofi necdlu: ln~l'g1als ,' which TacLe:s
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=