A Chain of Principles, Title page – To the reader
ARMILLA CATECHETICA.
A CHAIN of PRINCIPLES; Or, An orderly concatenation of Theological Aphoriſmes and Exercitations; Wherein, The Chief Heads of Chriſtian Religion are aſſerted and improved: By JOHN ARROWSMITH, D. D. Late Maſter both of St Johns and Trinity-Colledge ſucceſſively, and Regius Profeſſor of Divinity in the Univerſity of CAMBRIDGE.
Publiſhed ſince his Death according to his own Manuſcript allowed by Himſelf in his life time under his own hand.
ECCLESIASTES 12. 9, 10, 11.
Becauſe the Preacher was wiſe, He ſtill taught the people Knowledge. Yea; He gave good heed, and ſought out and ſet in order many Proverbs.
The Preacher ſought to finde out acceptable words, and that which was written was upright, even words of Truth.
The words of the Wiſe are as goads and as nayls faſtened by the Maſters of the Aſſemblies, and given by one Paſtor.
CAMBRIDGE: Printed by John Field, Printer to the Univerſity 1659. And are to be ſold at the ſigne of the Seven Stars in Fleet-ſtreet near S. Dunſtans Church, LONDON.
To the Reader.
IT is the Profeſsion of the Apoſtle Paul to the Corinthians in regard of Himſelf; That as a wiſe Maſterbuilder 1 Cor. 3. 10.he had laid the Foundation; Whereby he would ſignifie and declare thus much unto them: That the laying of the Foundation is the work of a Master-builder, as alſo that ſome skill and wiſdome is both required and ſhewn in the right laying of it.
This hath been Eminently the care of the Reverend and Learned Authour of theſe enſuing diſcourſes, who being ſufficiently ſenſible of the defect, as well as neceſsity of a ſettled and wellgrounded knowledge in the Fundamentals of the Doctrine of Chriſt; Heb. 6. 1.hath therefore with all diligence applied himſelf hereunto in this Treatiſe, which he hath left to the world.
Neither was this more ſeaſonable for the Time then it was proper and fitting for the place, in which at firſt it received it's Beginning, being in One of the Schools of the Prophets, & a Principal Seminary of Divines, St Johns Colledge in Cambridge. Where being at that time Maſter (and having as yet no other publick imployment, which might take him up) he was willing to lay himſelf forth ſo much the rather in this way of his Miniſtery, by Catechetical Lectures in that Chappel on the Evenings of the Lords day. As Eliſha when he came to Jericho, 2 King. 2. 21.caſting ſalt into thoſe ſprings of water, for the preſerving of all ſavourineſs and fruitfulneſs in them.
Now theſe Sermons of his he had drawn up (ſo far as to the preaching of them) into a complete Body of Divinity in thirty diſtinct Aphoriſmes with their reſpective Exercitations; being alſo the ſum, and extract of moſt of his former labours in the whole courſe of his miniſtery; which He had intended (if God had permitted) to have fitted, and prepared for the preſs. But being prevented of this his purpoſe by a long and tedious ſickneſs, and much weakneſs growing upon him, and at laſt by Death it ſelf; he finiſhed onelyonly theſe ſix, which are now preſented to view; and authorized under his own hand for thoſe which he allowed of as his, Excluſively to any other beſides: and committed them to our care alone for the management of the publiſhing of them: which accordingly we have endeavoured to do with all fidelity.
The Book is not unfitly ſtyled (and that by the Authour himſelf) a Chain of Principles. For ſuch is the Nature of the Truths propounded in it; as in order to other Points of Divinity, which are founded upon them, ſo likewiſe to the Life of a Chriſtian, which is much regulated by them in the right improvement of them. Every Article of Chriſtian Religion hath ſomewhat in it of Principle to a Gracious and Holy Converſation which it is carried and directed unto. Hence 1 Tim. 3. 16. It is ſaid, Great is the myſtery of Godlineſs, God manifeſted in the fleſh &c. The Incarnation, Paſſion, Reſurrection, Aſcenſion of Chriſt and the like they are all matters of Godlineſs: becauſe that they tend to Godlineſs in the Nature and Diſcovery of them, as alſo promote Godlineſs in the true Compliance and cloſing with them.
It is called A Chain of Principles for ſundry reaſons likewiſe.
Firſt, From the Connexion, which they have one with another. For like as in a chain there are divers links joyned together, and theſe in a mutual dependance & concomitancy and ſubordination; Even ſo is it likewiſe with the Doctrines and Principles of Chriſtian Religion. They are connexed, and knit ſo together, as that there cannot be a denial of one of them: but more will conſequently fall with it. Look as in things neceſſary to be done, there is a dependance and connexion of Commands, ſo that he, who breaketh one Law is interpreted to break all the reſt, & to be guilty of an Ʋniverſal tranſgreſsion; becauſe he ſins againſt that General Authority, whereby all the reſt were given; ſo alſo in things neceſſary to be beleeved; he that denieth One Article of faith which is offered to him by God to be received, denieth the Faith 1 Tim. 5. 8.it ſelf in the latitude of it: as ſinning againſt the General Veracity of him that propounds it, and weakening all other Truths, which are dependent upon it. Though perhaps in ſo doing, he may not always actually intend it.
Secondly, A Chain alſo for that ſpecial Concord and Agreement which it breedeth (and ought to breed) in thoſe that profeſs it, notwithſtanding all collateral and circumſtantial differences whatſoever. The Principles of Chriſtianity as they are united within themſelves, ſo they do marvellouſly unite thoſe who do really and cordially embrace them, and make them to ſpeak the 1 Cor. 1. 10.ſame thing that there be no diviſions amongſt them; But to be perfectly joyned together in the ſame minde, and in the ſame judgement: as the Apoſtle expreſſeth it. From thence it cometh to paſs, that there is ſo much diſunion in Affection becauſe there is ſo much diſtraction in opinion. Whereas the Acts 4. 32.Primitive Beleevers, whiles they were all of one Faith, they were anſwerably all of one heart and of one ſoul; and ſo preſerving the unity Epheſ. 4. 3.of the ſpirit in the bond of peace.
Thirdly, A Chain alſo for the worth and dignity of it, Prov. 1. 9. They ſhall be an ornament of Grace unto thine head, and Chains about thy neck. Perſons of Quality and Authority they are wont to wear their golden Chains wherewith they are ſet out and Gen. 41. 42. Dan. 5. 29. Ezek. 16. 11.adorned. It is the expreſsion of Chriſt to his Church, Cant. 1. 10. Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels. Thy neck with chains of Gold. And again, Canticles 4. 9. Thou haſt raviſhed my heart, my ſister, my ſpouſe, thou haſt raviſhed my heart with one of thine eyes, with one Chain of thy neck. This ſyſteme and Body of Truth which is here in part commended unto us, is the precious and glorious chain upon the neck of the true Spouſe of Chriſt, which makes her to look pleaſingly, and amiably in the eyes of her Beloved, and diſtinguiſhes her from all falſe and counterfeit lovers.
To all this we may finally add, what it is in the very work it ſelf, and the contrivances of it: wherein (not to anticipate the thoughts of others that ſhall peruſe it) ſoundneſs of judgement with elegancy of expreſsion; Sublimity of Notion with ſobriety of ſpirit; Variety of reading with accurateneſs of compoſure; Sweetneſs of wit with ſavourineſs of heart, do ſeem to be linked together in ſo rare, and happy a conjunction, as which makes this Chain of Principles to be a chain of Pearls.
The Lord by his holy ſpirit ſet home the Truths in it upon the hearts of all thoſe who ſhall be made partakers of it. To him be Glory in the Church by Chriſt Jeſus throughout all ages world without end.
Amen. Cambridge, Novemb. 2. 1659.
THOMAS HORTON.
WILLIAM DILLINGHAM.