A Supplement to Knowledge and Practice, Title page – Table of contents
A SUPPLEMENT TO Knowledge AND PRACTICE. Wherein the main things neceſſary to be known and believed in order to Salvation are more fully explained, and ſeveral new Directions given for the promoting of real Holineſs both of Heart and Life. To which is added a ſerious Diſſwaſive from ſome of the reigning and cuſtomary ſins of the Times, viz. Swearing, Lying, Pride, Gluttony, Drunkenneſs, Ʋncleanneſs, Diſcontent, Covetouſneſs and Earthly-mindedneſs, Anger and Malice, Idleneſs. By Samuel Cradock, B. D. late Rector of North-Cadbury in Somerſet-Shire. Uſeful for the Inſtruction of private Families.
Quod de Scripturis authoritatem non habet, pari facilitate rejicitur, qua accipitur. Hieron.
LONDON, Printed for Thomas Simmons, at the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1679.
To the INHABITANTS of NORTH-CADBURY in SOMERSETSHIRE.
My Loving Friends,
SOme years ſince, when I ſtood in the Relation of a Paſtor to you, I wrote my Book of Knowledge and Practice, aiming therein more eſpecially at your benefit. Which Treatiſe, I hope (through the Lords bleſſing) hath been of ſome uſe to you. I have ſince thought that it would not be a ſervice unacceptable to you, to add by way of Supplement, a more full explication of the Main Principles of the Chriſtian Faith, and ſome Further Directions for regulating of your Practice, and to ſend them unto you to ſupply my Perſonal abſence. God only knows whether I ſhall ever ſee your Faces again in this World, Providence having fixed my Habitation at ſo great a diſtance from you. However my hearts deſire and prayer to God for you is, that you may be ſaved; and if this poor Book may in any meaſure contribute thereunto, I ſhall heartily rejoyce. The holy Apoſtles, no doubt, in writing their Epiſtles, aimed at the Spiritual good of the Church in general; yet we may well ſuppoſe that thoſe particular Churches to whom their Epiſtles were directed, read them with more eſpecial regard, and poſſibly reaped more ſignal benefits by them than others did. So, though I deſign theſe inſtructions for your Spiritual good, and benefit of all thoſe into whoſe hands they ſhall come; Yet I hope they ſhall be more eſpecially minded and regarded by you to whom they are particularly directed, and in contemplation of whoſe neceſſities, and with an aim at whoſe benefit they were particularly framed. I know many of you are ſuch of whom the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Heb. 5.12. Who have need that one teach you the firſt Principles of the Oracles of God, and have need of milk and not of ſtrong meat. I ſhould be glad to have you all rightly inſtructed in the main fundamentals of Chriſtianity, and that not for your ſakes only, but for my own, that I may give up my account with joy and not with grief. Heb. 13.17. But yet I muſt tell you that it is not enough to ſave any of you, that you are of the true Religion, except you be true to it, and live agreeably thereunto. God hath indeed made ſufficient proviſion by the obedience and death of his Son to ſave Mankind. But you muſt earneſtly leg of God to inable you to do your part, which is, unfeignedly to repent of all your ſins, ſavingly to believe in Chriſt and to accept him for your Lord and Saviour, and to deliver up your ſouls to him, that you may be pardoned through the infinite merit of his active and paſſive obedience, and ſanctified by his Spirit, and inabled by his grace to lead a holy and good life. And as I earneſtly deſire you all to have an eſpecial care of your own Souls, ſo do I with ſome importunity intreat all, that are Parents or Maſters of Families among you, that they would take great care to inſtruct their children and ſervants in the main Principles of the Chriſtian Religion. I have often thought, that if ever real Piety and Chriſtianity flouriſh in England, more muſt he done by Parents and Maſters in inſtructing thoſe under their care than is now ordinarily done. I hope this ſhort Treatiſe (may with the bleſſing of God) ſomething aſſiſt and help you in performing that part of your duty. May the God of all grace lead you and guide you in ways of truth and holineſs and inable you to live in love and peace one with another. And though I ſhould never ſee you again in this life, yet may the Father of Mercies (through his infinite goodneſs) grant that I may meet your Souls in Heaven. This is the earneſt deſire and prayer of him who was once your unworthy Paſtor, and is ſtill your very loving and affectionate friend,
Wickham brook, Novemb. 6. 1678. SAM. CRADOCK.
The CONTENTS of the FIRST PART.
CHAP. I. Of God.
SECT. 1. Of the Nature of God and his Divine Attributes. page 1.
SECT. 2. Of the Trinity of perſons in the unity of the Divine Eſſence. page 18.
SECT. 3. Of the works of God, page 31.
1. Creation, where
Of good Angels, page 32.
Of evil Angels, page 40.
2. Particular, page 48.
CHAP. 2. Of Man. Page 62
SECT. 1. Of the happy State wherein Man was created and the Covenant of Works made with him in that State, p. 62.
SECT. 2. Of his Fall and the conſequents thereof, p. 66
SECT. 3. Of the Covenant of Grace made with Man immediately after his Fall, which ſhews the only way of his recovery to be by Jeſus Chriſt, p. 73
CHAP. 3. Of Jeſus Chriſt. Page 80
SECT. 1. Of his Titles which in the Creed are four,
1. Jeſus, p. 80
2. Chriſt, where, of his three Offices
Prophet, p. 83
Prieſt, p. 86
King, p. 88
3. His only Son, p. 91
4. Our Lord, p. 93
SECT. 2. Of his Natures, Divine and Humane, p. 95
SECT. 3. Of his birth, p. 96
SECT. 4. Of his Life, p. 100
Here a ſhort and methodical Hiſtory of our Saviours Life is exhibited; and the particular Times in which he inſtituted Baptiſm and the Sacrament of his Supper are pointed at. Ʋpon both which Sacraments there are diſtinct diſcourſes added at the end.
SECT. 5. Of his Death and Burial, p. 137
SECT. 6. Of that Article in the Creed, He deſcended into Hell, page 131
SECT. 7. Of his Reſurrection, and ten ſeveral appearings after it in the ſpace of forty dayes he continued on the earth, p. 143
SECT. 8. Of his Aſcention and ſitting on Gods right hand, p. 149
SECT. 9. Of his coming to judg the World. p. 154
CHAP. 3.
SECT. 1. Of the Holy Ghoſt, p. 162
SECT. 2. Of the Catholick Church, 166
SECT. 3. Of Communion of Saints, p. 175
SECT. 4. Of forgiveneſs of ſins, p. 178
SECT. 5. Of the Reſurrection of the body, p. 193
SECT. 6. Of Life everlaſting
Of Baptiſm, p. 200
Of the Lords Supper, p. 205
Of the Lords Prayer. p. 220
The ſecond part contains a ſerious diſſwaſive from ſome of the reigning and cuſtomary ſins of the Times. viz.
Swearing,
Lying,
Pride,
Gluttony,
Drunkennneſs,
Ʋncleanneſs,
Diſcontent,
Covetouſneſs and Earthly-mindedneſs,
Anger and Malice,
Idleneſs.