A Treatise of Knowledge and Love, Part 1 · Chapter 7 – Chapter 8
Chap. 7.
Inference 1. The true Reaſon and uſefulneſs of the Chriſtian Simplicity, in differencing the Covenant, and Principles of Religion from the reſt of the holy Scriptures.
IT hath ever been the uſe of the Church of God, to Catechiſe men before they were Baptized; and therein to teach them the true meaning of the Baptiſmal Covenant, by opening to them the Creed, the Lords Prayer, and the Decalogue: And when they underſtood this Covenant they were admitted (upon conſent) by Baptiſm into the Church,As Antonine ſaith,) in greater darkneſs) li. 2. § 5. [foreign, &c.] Vides quam pauca ſint, quae ſiquis tenuerit, proſperam ac divinam propemodum vitam degere detur: Siquidem & Dii ipſi nihil amplius exigent ab eo, qui iſta obſervaverit. and accounted Chriſtians and members of Chriſt, without ſtaying to teach them any other part of the Bible, no not ſo much as the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. (Though indeed the opening of Baptiſm was the opening of the Life of that. Becauſe it is the ſame Covenant which is Solemnized in both.
By doing thus the Church notoriouſly declared that they took not all the Scripture to be equally neceſſary to be underſtood; but that the Govenant of Grace, and the Catechiſm explaining it, is the Goſpel it ſelf, that is, the Eſſence of it, and of the Chriſtian Religion, and that all the reſt of the Scriptures contain but partly the Integrals, and partly the Accidents of that Religion. He is the wiſeſt man that knoweth Moſt and Beſt; and every man ſhould know as much of the Scriptures as he can: But if you knew all the reſt, without this (the Covenant of Grace, and its explication) it would not make you Chriſtians or ſave you. But if you know this (truly) without all the reſt, it will.
The whole Scripture is of great uſe and benefit to the Church. It is like the body of a man; which hath its Head, and Heart, and Stomach, &c. And hath alſo Fingers, and Toes, and fleſh; yea Nails and Hair. And yet the Brain and Heart it ſelf fare the better for the reſt, and would not be ſo well Seated ſeparate from them: Though a man may be a man that loſeth even a Leg or Arm. So is it here. But it is the Covenant that is our Chriſtianity and the duly Baptized are Chriſtians, whatever elſe they do not underſtand. Theſe are the things that all muſt know, and daily live upon.
The Creed is but the Expoſition of the three Articles of the Baptiſmal Covenant. [I believe in God, the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt.] Though the Jews that had been bred up to a preparing knowledge, were quickly baptized by the Apoſtles upon their Converſion, Acts 2. Yet no man can imagine that either the Apoſtles or other Miniſters did uſe to admit the Ignorant Gentiles into the Covenant of God, without opening the meaning of it to them; or Baptize them as Chriſtians without teaching them what Chriſtianity is. Therefore Reaſon and the whole Churches ſubſequent Cuſtom aſſure us that the Apoſtles uſed to expound the three great Articles to their Catechumens; And thence it is called, The Apoſtles Creed.
Marcus Biſhop of Epheſus told them in the Florentine Council (as you may ſee Sgyropilus) that we have none of the Apoſtles Creed: And Voſſius de Symbolis (beſides many others) hath many Arguments to prove that this ſo called was not formally made by the Apoſtles. Biſhop Uſher hath opened the changes that have been in it. Sandford and Parker have largely (de Deſcenſu) ſhewed how it came in as an Expoſition of the Baptiſmal Articles. Others ſtifly maintain that the Apoſtles made it. But the caſe ſeemeth plain. The Apoſtles uſed to call the Baptized to the profeſſion of the ſame Articles (which Paul hath in 1. Cor. 15.1, 2, 3, &c.) and varied not the matter. All this was but more particularly to profeſs Faith in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt. Two or three further Expoſitory Articles are put into the Creed ſince: Otherwiſe it is the ſame which the Apoſtles uſed; not in the very ſyllables, or forms of words; but in the ſame ſenſe, and the words indeed being left free, but ſeldom much altered, becauſe of the danger of altering the matter. Of all the Antienteſt Writers, not one repeateth the Creed in the ſame words that we have it; nor any two of them in the ſame with one another. Irenaeus once, Tertullian twice hath it, all in various words, but the ſame ſenſe. That of Marcellus in Epiphanius cometh neareſt ours called the Apoſtles, and is almoſt it. Afterward in Ruffinus and others we have more of it. Yet no doubt but the Weſtern Churches (at leaſt) uſed it with little variation ſtill. The Nicene Creed is called by ſome Antients the Apoſtles Creed too. And both were ſo; for both are the ſame in ſenſe and ſubſtance: For it is not the very words that are truly fathered on the Apoſtles.
About 30… years a go Mr.Aſhwel having publiſhed a Book for the Neceſſity and Honour of the Creed, I wrote in the Poſtſcript to my Reformed Paſtor, Ed. 2. a Corrective of ſome▪ paſſages, in which he ſeemeth to ſay too much for it, or at leaſt to depreſs the Scripture too much in compariſon of it. But long experience now telleth me, that I have more need to acquaint men with the Reaſons and Neceſſity of the Creed: Seeing I find a great part of ignorant Religious people much to ſlight the uſe of it, and ſay, It is not Scripture, but the work of man: Eſpecially taking offence at the harſh tranſlati…n of that Article, [He deſcended into Hell.] which from the beginning it's like was not in. It is the Kernel of the Scripture; and it is that for which the reſt of the Scripture is given us, even to afford us ſufficient help to underſtand and conſent to the Covenant of Grace, that our Belief, our Deſires, and our Practice may be conformed principally to theſe Summaries. It is not every Child or Woman that could have gathered the Eſſential Articles by themſelves out of the whole Scripture, if it had not been done to their hands: Nor that could have rightly methodized the Rule of our deſires, or gathered the juſt heads of natural duty, if Chriſt had not done the firſt in the Lords Prayer, and God the ſecond in the Decalogue.
Obj. But I believe theſe only, becauſe the Matter of the Creed, and the words alſo of the other two are in the Scripture, and not on any other Authority.
Anſ. If you ſpeak of the Authority of the Author, which giveth them their truth, it is neither Scripture nor Tradition, but God, for whoſe Authority we muſt believe both Scripture and them.
But if you ſpeak of the Authority of the Deliverers, and the Evidence of the Delivery, be it known to you, 1. That the Creed, Lords Prayer, Decalogue, and the Baptiſmal Covenant have been delivered down to the Church from the Apoſtles by a diſtinct Tradition, beſides the Scripture Tradition. Even to all the Chriſtians one by one that were Baptized, and admitted to the Lords Table, and to every particular Church. So that there was not a Chriſtian or Church that was not even Conſtituted by them.
2. Be it known to you, that the Church was long in poſſeſſion of them, before it had the Scriptures of the New Teſtament. It's ſuppoſed to be about eight years after Chriſt's Aſcenſion before Matthew wrote the firſt Book of the New Teſtament, and near the year of our Lord one hundred, before the Revelation was written. And do you think that there were no Chriſtians or Churches all that while? Or that there was no Baptiſm? Or no Profeſſion of the Chriſtian Faith in diſtinct Articles? No Knowledge of the Lords Prayer and Commandements? No Goſpel daily preached and practiſed? What did the Church-aſſemblies think you, do all thoſe years? No doubt, thoſe that had Inſpiration uſed it by extraordinary gifts: But that was not all. Thoſe that had not did preach the Subſtance of the Chriſtian Religion contained in theſe forms, and did Pray and Praiſe God, and celebrate the Lords Supper, provoking one another to Love and to good works.
3. Be it known to you that theſe three Summaries come to us with fuller Evidence of Certain Tradition from God, than the reſt of the Holy Scriptures. Though they are equally true, they are not equally Evident to us. And this I thus prove. 1. The Body of the Scriptures were delivered but one way; but the Covenant, Creed, Lords Prayer and Decalogue, are delivered two ways. They are in the Scripture, and ſo have all the Evidence of Tradition which the Scriptures have. And they were beſides that delivered to the memories of all Chriſtians. If you ſay that the Creed is not in the Scripture, or that the Scripture is not altered as it is; I anſwer, 1. That it is in the Scripture as to the matter ſignified in as plain words, even of the ſame ſignification. 2. There is no alteration made, but a ſmall addition, which is no diſparagement to it, becauſe the ancient ſubſtance of it is ſtill known, and the additions are not new made things, but taken out of Scripture. And if yet any Heretick ſhould deny that God is Wiſe and Good, and Juſt and Merciful, it were no diſhonour to the Creed nor weakening of its certainty to have theſe attributes yet added to it.
2. Theſe Summaries, as is ſaid, were far ancienter than the reſt of the New Teſtament, as written and known, and uſed long before them.
3. Theſe Summaries being in every Chriſtians mind and memory were faſter held, than the reſt of the Scriptures. Therefore Parents could and did teach them more to their Children. You never read that the Catechizers of the people did teach them all the Bible, nor equally ask them who Jared, or Mehaleel or Lamech was, as they did who Chriſt was. Nor put every Hiſtory into the Catechiſm, but only the Hiſtorical Articles of the Creed.
4. Therefore it was far eaſier to preſerve the purity of theſe Summaries, than of the whole Body of the Scriptures: For that which is in every mans memory, cannot be altered without a multitude of reprovers: Which makes the Greeks ſince Photius keep ſuch a ſtir about [Filioque,] as to think that the Latines have changed Religion, and deſerved to be ſeparated from, for changing that word. But no wonder that many hundred various Readings are crept into the Bible, and whole Verſes and Hiſtories (as that of the Adulterous Woman,) are out in ſome that are in others. For it is harder to keep ſuch a Volume uncorrupt than a few words. Though writing as ſuch is a ſurer way than memory, and the whole Bible could never have been preſerved by memory. Yet a few words might, eſpecially when they had thoſe words in writings alſo.
5. Add to this, that the Catechiſtical Summaries aforeſaid, were more frequently repeated to the people, at leaſt every Lords day. Whereas in the reading of the Scriptures, one paſſage will be read but ſeldom, perhaps once or twice in a year. And ſo a corruption not ſo eaſily obſerved.
6. And if among an hundred Copies: of the Scripture ten or twenty only ſhould by the Careleſneſs of the Scribes be corrupted, all the reſt who ſaw not theſe Copies would not know it, and ſo they might fall into the hands of Poſterity, when many of the ſounder might be loſt.
7. And Laſtly, The danger of depravation had no end. For in every age the Scripture muſt be written over anew, for every Church and perſon that would uſe it. And who that knoweth what writing is, could expect that one Copy could be written without errors, and that the ſecond ſhould not add to the errors of the 1ſt, as Printers now do, who print by faulty Copies. And though this danger is much leſs ſince Printing came up, that is but lately. And the miſchiefs of Wars and Heretical Tyrants burning the trueſt Copies, hath been ſome diſadvantage to us.
Obj. Thus you ſeem to weaken the Certain incorruption of the Scriptures.
Anſ. No ſuch thing: I do but tell you the caſe truly as it is. The wonderful Providence of God, and care of Chriſtians hath ſo preſerved them, that there is nothing corrupted which ſhould make one Article of faith the more doubtful. I aſſert no more depravation in them than all confeſs; but only tell you how it came to paſs, and tell you the greater certainty that we have of the Eſſentials of Religion than of the reſt. And whereas every man of brains confeſſeth that many hundred words in Scripture (by Variety of Copies) are uncertain, I only ſay, that: it is not ſo in the Eſſentials. And I do not wonder that Virgil, Ovid, Horace, Cicero, &c. Have not ſuffered ſuch depravations. For, 1. It is not ſo eaſy for a Scribes error to paſs unſeen in oratione ligata as in oratione ſoluta, in verſe as in proſe. 2. And Cicero with the reſt was almoſt only in the hands of Learned men; whereas the Scriptures were in the hands of all the Vulgar, Women and Children. 3. And the Copies of theſe Authors were comparatively but few: Whereas every one almoſt got Copies of the Scripture that was able. And it's liker that ſome depravation ſhould be found among ten thouſand Copies than among a hundred.
So that I have proved to you that the Creed, Lords Prayer, Commandments and Covenant of Baptiſm are not to be believed only becauſe they are in the Scripture, but alſo becauſe they have been delivered to us by Tradition, and ſo we have them from two hands as it were, or ways of Conveyance, and the reſt of the Scriptures but by one, for the moſt part.
I will ſay yet more, becauſe it is true, and needful. If any live among Papiſts, that keep the Scripture from the people, or among the poor Greeks, Armenians or Abaſſines where the people neither have Bibles commonly, nor can read, or if any among us that cannot read, know not what is in the Bible; yea if through the fault of the Prieſt, any ſhould be kept from knowing that ever there was a Bible in the world: Yet if thoſe perſons by Tradition receive the baptiſmal Covenant, the Creed, Lords Prayer, and Commandments as Gods Word, and truly believe, and Love and Practice them, thoſe perſons ſhall be ſaved. For they have Chriſts promiſe for it. And the very Covenant itſelf is the Gift of Chriſt and Life to conſenters. Whereas he that knoweth all the Scripture can be ſaved only by conſenting to and performing this ſame Covenant. But having greater helps to underſtand it, and ſo to Believe it and Conſent, he hath a great advantage of them that have not the Scripture; And ſo the Scripture is an unſpeakable mercy to the Church. And it is ſo far from being too little without the ſupplement of the Papiſts Traditions and Councils, as that the hundredth part of it as to the bulk of words, is not abſolutely it ſelf of neceſſity to Salvation.
Yet I ſay more; If a man that hath the Scripture ſhould doubt of ſome Books of it, whether they be the Word of God) as of Ruth, Judges, Joſhua, Chronicles, &c.) Yea if he doubted of all the Old Teſtament, and much of the New; yet if he believe ſo much as containeth all the Covenant of Grace, and the foreſaid Summaries, though he ſin, and loſe much of his helps, yet he may and will be ſaved, if he ſincerely receive but this much. The reaſon is before given. Though no man can believe any thing truly who believeth not all that he knoweth to be Gods Word, yet a man may doubt whether one thing be Gods Word, who doubteth not of another, by ſeveral occaſions.
And here you ſee the Reaſon why a particular or explicite Belief of all the Scripture it ſelf, was never required of all that are baptized, nor of all or any man that entered into the Miniſtry. For the wiſeſt Doctor in the world doth not attain ſo high. For no man hath a particular explicite Belief of that which he doth not underſtand. For it is the matter or ſence that we believe: and we muſt firſt know what that ſence is before we can believe it to be true. And no man in the World underſtandeth all the Scripture.
Yea more, it is too much to require as neceſſary to his Miniſtry, a ſubſcription in General that he implicitely believeth all that is in that Bible which you ſhall ſhew him. For 1. Many faults may be in the Tranſlation, if it be a Tranſlation. 2. Many errors may be in the Copy, as aforeſaid.
Nay ſuch a ſubſcription ſhould not, as abſolutely neceſſary, be required of him as to all the real Word of God. For if the man by error ſhould doubt whether Job or the Chronicles or Eſther were Canonical, and none of the reſt, I would not be he that ſhould therefore forbid him to Preach Chriſts Goſpel. I am ſure the ancient Church impoſed no ſuch terms on their Paſtors, when part of the new Teſtament was ſo long doubted of; and when ſome were choſen Biſhops before they were Baptized; and when Syneſius was choſen a Biſhop before he believed the Reſurrection. I would not have ſilenced Luther, Althamer or others that queſtioned the Epiſtle of James.
What then ſhall we ſay of the Roman inſolence, which thinketh not all the Scripture big enough, but Miniſters muſt alſo ſubſcribe to many additions of their own, yea and ſwear to Traditions and the Expoſitions of the Fathers, and take whole Volumes of Councils for their Religion? No wonder if ſuch men do tear the Churches of Chriſt in pieces.
1. By this time I hope you ſee to what uſe Baptiſm and the Summaries of Religion are. 2. And of how great uſe Catechizing is. 3. And that Chriſtianity hath its eſſential parts. 4. And how plain and ſimple a thing true Chriſtianity is which conſtituteth the Church of Chriſt; And how few things as to knowledge are neceſſary to make a man a Chriſtian, or to Salvation. Multitudes of opinions have been the means of turning Paſtors and People from the holy and diligent improvement of theſe few truths in our practice, where we have much to do which might take up all our minds and time.
Chap. VIII.
Inference 2. Of the uſe of Catechizing.
THough it be ſpoken to in what is ſaid, I would have you more diſtinctly here note the uſe of Catechizing. 1. It collecteth thoſe few things out of many, which the Ignorant could not themſelves collect. 2. It collecteth thoſe neceſſary things, which all muſt know and believe that will be ſaved. 3. It containeth thoſe Great practical things, which we have daily uſe for, and muſt ſtill live upon; which are as Bread and Drink for our food. Other things may be well added; the more the better, which God hath revealed. But our Life and our comfort and our Hope is in theſe. 4. And it giveth us the true method or order of holy truths: which is a great advantage to underſtand them. Not but that the things themſelves have the ſame orderly reſpect to one another in the Scripture, but they are not delivered in the ſame order of words.
Therefore 1. Catechiſms ſhould be very skilfully and carefully made. The true fundamental Catechiſm is nothing elſe but the Baptiſmal Sacramental Covenant, the Creed, the Lords Prayer and the Commandments, the Summaries of our Belief, Deſires and Practice. And our ſecondary Catechiſm muſt be nothing elſe, but the plain expoſitions of theſe: the firſt is a Divine Catechiſm: the ſecond is a Miniſterial Expoſitory Catechiſm. And here 1. O that Miniſters would be wiſer at laſt, than to put their ſuperfluities, their controverſies, and private opinions into their Catechiſms? and would fit them to the true end, and not to the intereſt of their ſeveral ſects. But the Roman-Trent Catechiſm (and many more of theirs) muſt needs be defiled with their traſh, and every ſect elſe muſt put their ſingularities into their Catechiſms; ſo hard is it for the aged decrepit body of the diſeaſed Church (for want of a better concoction of the common eſſentials of Chriſtianity) to be free from theſe heaps of inconcocted crudities, and excrementitious ſuperfluities, and the many maladies bred thereby.
I deny not but a uſeful controverſie may be opened by way of Queſtion and Anſwer. But pretend it not then to be what it is not,Rom. 14.1. Milk for Babes. Him that is weak in the Faith receive, but not to doubtful diſputations. The Servant of the Lord muſt be apt to teach, but muſt not ſtrive.
2. And it is not commonly believed, how great skill is needful to make a Catechiſm, that the method may be true, and that it may neither be too long for the memory, nor too ſhort for the underſtanding, for my part, it is the hardeſt work ſave one (which is the full methodizing and explaining the whole body of Divinity) that ever I put my hand to; And when all's done, I cannot ſatisfy my ſelf in it.
Since this I have publiſhed a Book called the Catechizing of Houſholds.II. Why is not Catechizing more uſed, both by Paſtors and Parents? I mean not the bare words unexplained without the ſence, nor the ſence in a meer rambling way without a form of words. But the words explained. O how much fruit would poor Souls and all the Church receive, by the faithful performance of this work, would God but cure the prophaneneſs and ſloth of unfaithful Paſtors and Parents which ſhould do it. But I have ſaid ſo much of this in my Reformed Paſtor, that I may well forbear more here.