Q. 7. Was the injunction given to Timothy only for himself? 4. No; it equally concerns minifters and christians ftill. What the apostle fays to Timothy, he is to be conceived faying to every one of us, Hold fast the form of found words. Q. 8. What hereupon may be justly observ'd? A. That 'tis of great use and advantage both for minifters and private chriftians, to have the great truths of the gofpel cloath'd in found words, collected together and regularly difpofed; and fuch compofures are faithfully and affectionately to be kept; or held faft in faith and love, which is in Chrift Jefus. Q. 9. What may be inferr'd from hence? A. That it is a juftifiable practice of the churches of Chrift, to have their publick forms of the fundamental articles of the chriftian faith, drawn up by the joint labour of their learned and godly divines, after much and folemn seeking of God by fafting and prayer, in the folemn profeffion whereof they all confent and agree. Q. 10. Befides the ancient creeds, what inStances of publick confefions have been pointed out with approbation? A. Such are the confeffions which most of the reformed churches have drawn up for their own ufe, comprehending the moft neceffary and fundamental articles of the chriftian faith, to be generally owned and afferted by all within their affeciations and jurifdictions, whether ministers or people. Q. 11. Among fuch forms of found words, which for excellency has been most admired and commended? A. The confeffion of faith which was compiled by the reverend and learned divines of the affembly at Westminster, and prefented to the two houfes of parliament, as their advice in matters of religion, has, by many capable judges, had the first place affign'd it amongst all the confeffions of the reformed churches, and their longer and fhorter catechisms are equally valued. Q. 12. For what purposes ferve fuch forms of found words? ufe. A. Such forms of found words are of special ift, For the more easy inftruction of the church and people of God in the most concerning and fundamental truths and principles of religion, fet together in their mutual connection and dependance, fo as to give light and luftre to each other, and beauty and order to the whole. 2dly, To be a teft of truth and error, by which doctrines and * men are to be examined and tried, and so a bank to keep out error, and prevent diffentions amongst pastors and teachers, as well as amongst the private members of the fame church, which cannot be avoided or easily * The church of Scotland requires every one admitted into it as a minifter, to fubfcribe the Affembly's confeffion of faith, as the confeffion of his own, having found its advantage in it as to purity and peace; and the adverfaries of that confeffion fhall be attended to, when they fay what they would have in its room, or fhew it inconfiftent with the facred fcriptures, in any of the articles they have a quarrel with. In the mean time, No man having drank old wine, Straitway defireth new; for he faith, the old is better. 2 stopt, ftopt, where there is no cómmon standard of agreement; but every one takes the liberty of holding, and holding forth, what he pleases. Q13 Upon what accounts is the form of found words, drawn up by the affembly, in the confeflion of faith and catechifms, a proper teft of orthodoxy and error? A. The form of found words drawn up by the affembly is a proper teft of orthodoxy and error, as they affert nothing but what they produce fcripture for, and with the greatest strength and clearness prove from thence, appealing all along to the law and to the teftimony, the words which the spirit of God teacheth, comparing spiritual things with fpiritual, 1 Cor. ii. 13. Q. 14. But is not the bible or fcripture, teft fufficient, and the fubfcribing this, enough to denominate a man orthodox? A. ft, If fo, none among the various fects that call themselves chriftians, could be called or counted erronious, as they all pretend to own the bible, and will not refuse to subscribe it, and yet retain their various and contrary fentiments when they have done and fo a man may be Proteftant or Papist, Calvinist, or Arminian, and no discovery made of him. 2dly, The calling any to the affembly's confef fion of faith, we by no means take to be a calling them from the fcripture, but a putting them to the trial in what fenfe they understand the fcripture; and when any, whom there is reafon to fufpect of different fentiments, refuses to own that confeffion, and this in the important articles between the Orthodox and Arminians, he plainly confirms confirms that fufpicion: and if the doctrine of the affembly be confonant to the scripture, and so found and orthodox, 'tis obvious what he is who diffents from it, let him call or count himself what he will, The Names of the Divines in the Affembly, at Westminster, authors of the larger and shorter catechisms and confeffion of faith. D R. William Twifs, Prolocutor. Mr. John White. Dr. William Gouge. Mr. Robert Harris, B. D. Mr. Anthony Tuckney, B. D. Mr. John Arrowsmith, Mr. Simeon Ashe. Mr. Philip Nye. Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs. Mr. John Lightfoot. Mr. Thomas Cafe. Mr. George Gipps. Mr. Humphry Chambers, B. D. Mr. Thomas Micklethwait. Mr. John Gibbon. Mr. Chriftopher Tifdale. Mr. John Philips. Mr. George Walker, B. D. Mr. Lazarus Seaman. Mr. Henry Wilkinson, fen. B. D. Mr. Richard Vines. Mr. Nicholas Proffet. Mr. Stephen Marshal, B. D. Mr. Thomas Young. Mr. Thomas Valentine, B. D. Mr. William Greenhill. Mr. Edward Peale. Mr. John Green. Mr. Andrew Pern. |