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1 !	PRINCETON, N. J.	*'«S,
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]\ ..lis: Nor can any

yt^i "^ " ^"' — Tau indeed ^ v

-AS S E M BX Y s^^

Shorter CXtechism,

Rescu'd from the

Late Reviser and Vindicator:

BEING, ALARGE

DEFENCE

Of that Most Excellent

Compend of Divinity:

To which is added,

A P O STS C I PT,

.ed to the Congregation of Protestant Dissenters at Hacbiey^ now under the Paf- toral Care, of the Reverend Mr. Barker.

.1 Containing a very particular Anfwer to Mr. G I B B S 's " LETTER.

Ceafe, my Son, to hear the InJiruSiion that caufeth to err from the Words of Knowledge , Pro v. xix. 27.

^ He goeth before them^ and' the Sheep follow him : For they knoiu his Voice. And a Stranger will they not follow, but will fee from him: For they know not the Voice of Strangers, John x. \ 4. 5- .

V Search the Scriptures, John v. 39.

LONDON,

Printed fgr Joseph Davidson, at the Golden Uqu in the -P^«//0', M.DCC.XXXVjlII.

.f-^.i

*/

^^

^^he Rcverena

T":

0 one of them ever thoiiu

Ministers

s o

E D u

Who

.u all this : Nor can any

hifin. They fay indeed,

^■0 pafs : But, I believe,

T H E Jl *^he Aaions of Men

'-Caule." What they

9 nd '^ nothing comes to pafs

^ .e^ or whether he would

c y^;;z^ Purpofey to caufe,

U N I T F, then to limit, direa, and

C; and all for his own glory. the Ehd are but pajjlve^ in jal Calling : But, that after- TH and UNDER Grace. And, Tcfj they thought they Avere never ^ed, I. e, FREE to difcharge their HE Son made them free. :en. 'Twould be ftrgnge indeed, if . i fancy fome of thefe Things, when e Catechifm, is taken up in teach-

JL \_} \J ^ought, that, through the free and dili- .earned, the Principles of Chriftianity • pjjj -n this prefent, than in any fince the I am glad the firft Ages are excepted ; t%hat he calls the common DoSfrine of the Jiofe Ages, exco?n?mmicaiedy and hardly d, when Pelagtus appeared, he alfo had

/me Manner, had he not fcandaloufly od of Diofpolis. But to go on, if this arned of the later Jges^ let us thank the g for it ; for, God knows, it is neither .king, our Diligence nor Serioufnefs, but I made usy^ learned. Our P'athers were 'fly more diligent^ than we: And, when ejent and the tiuo laji Ages, come to be , I am afraid a Tekel will be writ- *^^ s there are ftill farther Advances made :, and by the later Annotations on the i)^rovements are made,— 'twould be unrea-/r?t n ninety Years Space, Men of .Letters .e no Caufe for fome way or other vary- been taught before that Period f." To Modejly of this, " that they are the dy ;" they would do well to remember, fame : That the Do£irines of Faith do Humours : And that the beft Critics,

are

R

Their

ibid. p. 5, A 2

and

< i

"• hJ %

mp

lllifc.^';

( iii )

fee he dare not fay, they really believed all this : Nor can any one think fo, who reads their Catechiiin. They fay indeed. That Gcd fore-ordained whatfoever cofnes to pafs : But, I believe, no one of them ever thought, " That all the Adions of Men « came from his abfolute Decree, as the Caufe." What they meant, I conceive, was only this. That nothing comes to pafs without his Knowledge and Providence^ or whether he would or no ; and confequently, without fame Fiirpofe^ to caufe, excite to, aflift in? or permit ; and then to limit, direct, and overule, whatfoever comes to pafs ; and all for his own glory. They were of Opinion, That the Eled are but paffive^ in their Regeneration, and efFeftual Calling : But, that after- ward, they themfelves del with and under Grace. And, as to their being Free -Agents^ they thought they were never inclined, difpofed, or enabled, i, e. FRE E to difcharge their Duty acceptably, till the Son made them free. So far is this Author miftaken. 'Twould be ftrgnge indeed, if an impartial Reader fhould fancy fome of thefe Things, when about two Thirds of the Catechifm, is taken up in teach- ing us our Duty.

" 'Tis now generally tliought, that, through the free and dili- <« gent Searches of the Learned, the Principles of Chriftianity «' are better underftood in this prefent, than in any fuice the "" primitive Ages *." I am glad the firft Ages are excepted ; becaufe the Deniers^ of what he calls the cotnmon DoSfrine of the Trinity, were, in thok Ages^ excommunicated^ and hardly counted Chrijiians ; and, when Pelagius appeared, he alfo had been ferved in the fame Manner, had he not fcandaloufly (huffled, with the Synod of Diofpolis. But to go on, if this is indeed the moft learned of the later Jges, let us thank the laft, and the foregoing for it ; for, God knows, it is neither our Reading nor Thinking, our Diligence nor Serioufnefs, but their Labours that have made usy^ learned. Our P'athers were as free., and egregiou fly more diligent^ than we: And, when the Labours, of the prefent and the tiuo lajl Ages, come to be compared by Pofterity, I am afraid a Tekel will be writ- ten upon them. " As there are flili farther Advances made <« in critical Learning, and by the later Annotations on the " Scripture great Improvements axe made,— 'twould be unrea-/r?i " able to think, that in ninety Years Space, Men of .Letters *' and Study, fhould fee no Caufe for fome way or other vary- " ing, from what had been taught before that Period f." To pafs the extraordinary i^d?^^^;' of this, "that they are the Men of Letters and Study ;'* they would do well to remember. That I'ruth is ftill the fame : That the Do£lrines of Faith do not change with Mens Humours : And that the bell Critics,

f Ihid, * ihtd. p. 5.

A 2 and

(iv)

and the beft Commentators the World ever faw, if they have not been in the AlTembly's Mind, throughout^ have yet agreed, in every refpe^l, much better with them, in all the mojl Jvhjlantial Points here controverted, than with our Adverla- ries. After all, I do not know but we may defy them, to fhew us fo much as one jiiji Criticifm, upon any PafTage of Scripture, made within thefe laft ninety Years, oi fo much Importance^ as to m.ove any judicious honeft Chriftian, to give up any one Point, of any Moment, in ail the AJfemhlf s Cate^ chifm. We have had Critics, and Annotators on our fide, as well as they have on theirs : And, let them dream what they wnll, we know^ that, whatever wriggling, or {training m.ay Ao^ no jtiji Criticifms or Annotations, can ever obfcure, fhake, or overturn any of thofe Truths^ which are written, in the Bible, as with a Sun-Beam ; and, which occur, every where, from the beginning to the End of it. " Efpecially, confider- *' ing that, when the AfTembly fat, our Preachers had been <' no very long while out of Antichriftian Darknefs * ;" As fhort awhile they had been out of h^ antichristian Darkness was then about, and by their Means too, more thoroughly^ and uni'v erf ally difpelled, in this Nation, than ever it had been in any Nation before, or in this ever fmce. And 'tis but a forry Evidence of the extraordinary Learning of this Age, that Antichristian and Deist ic al Z>i7r/^?z^^ is fo much fpreading among us, and, that fuch Gentlemens La- bours fliould contribute any Thing towards it. " How much «' of their Time had been taken up in defending the Refor- " mation againfl: the Romanics f j " The C'ontroverfies they had with the Romanifts, had been, in a great meafure, over, for many Years : Nor had the TVeJlmirJler Divines had much trouble, in oppofmg Pop er Y, any other way, than by oppo- fmg Arminianism ; which was, by the Church?nen, as well as the Puritans, then generally thought, to have been defigned as a Back-door to let it in upon us. We all know, whowere thebiefTedP/^w/^?-^, of THAT sovereign Drug ; and, by what means, and under whofe Influence, it has thriven fo well fmce. " And how little they had left for ftudying " the inferior Points of Gofpel Divinity J." What does this Gentleman mean ? Are the Dcftrines of the Trinity, the Co- 'uenarct of Works, original Sin, the SaiisfaSfzon of Chrifl, Jujii- fication, &c. he, which he has thought fit to alter, to he ac- counted, INFERIOR Points! If they are ; I would fain know, which are the superiour! If thefe Gentlemen go on, re- vising and vindicating, I'm afraid we fhall not agree in any one Point of Gofpel Divinity, either inferior oi fuperi- our^ but ONE.

* Ut4> t ihid. X ibid,

■ ^ If

(V)

If " modeft, Impartial, pious, and learned Enquirers of <* all Denominations, have difliked feme Things in the Cate- «' chifm *; " we cannot help it. His Alterations will be more difpleajing, to a great many more fuch Enquirers. " It cannot " be denied they have conveyed fuch a Scheme of Principles «' (with regard to abftrufe points of Do6lrine) as many have *' thought, in its Confequences, to weaken the Obligations " to practical religion f." A fad Thing I But vv^ho can help Peoples thinking ? And are the Points jufl: now named, all abjiriife Points P I am fure they are, many of them at leaft, clearly revealed In the Bible. Befides, if it is fo, vv^hy has not he Jirengthened them f I call upon him, to {hew fo much as one of his Alterations, which can, any how, Jirengthem them. I cannot perceive any one, that any how looks this v/ay, but his leaving out fome of their Words, in the Defcription of 'Juftification. [For the Aflembly have inculcated, our diligent Ufe of all the Means of Grace, and our Endeavours after neiv Obedience, as well as he ; nor hath he made any Alteration in any other point, which does not vifibly weaken them, more Ways than one.] And as to this, we muft tell him, and Mr. Gibbs too, That the pretended Confequence, which wic- ked Men, now draw from THE Imputation of Christy's Righteousness, being the very fame, which was drawn from the Apoftje PtfzJ's Do6trine of Justification, puts it beyond all Doubt, with us, That our Doctrine is the very fame with his : And, that That Faith which re- ceive t h the Ri^hteooufnefs of Chriji, is not, cannot be ALONE, i.e. cannot be dead, indolent, and una(5i:ive : And confequently. That thofe, againll whom the apoftle James dif- putes, had not that Faith ; and therefore, that there is not fo much as a feeming Contradidion between the Apoflles, be- caufe they fpeak not of the fame Things. " A Scheme which, *-'- upon this, as well as other Accounts, Is not approved of, " throughout, by a great Majority of the Minifters of our "Time. J" The Word, throughout, is a faving Word : If there be any one Exprcffion not fo clear, any one Word impro- per, or obfolete, or the like, they may not approve of it throughout I In this Senfe, there may be, and perhaps always were, a great Majority. But, I hope, there are not many who approve of the Revifal ; and I have not heard of any one, v^^ho approves of the Vindication \ but, if there be any, I perfuade myfelf, this Defence will be fo convincing, that neither of themfelves fhall approve what they have done, throughout. If " the Confclentions are brought into difficul- " ties by teaching it || f let them inform themfelves better, or

♦ Preface, p. 5. f Ibid. t I^i^'

II Ihid. p. 6.

pafs

Cvi)

pafs over what they do not fee proved. " The moft I'ntelh- gent Hearers cannot h^ jiijily offended^' if it be well fuppopt- ed by Scripture ; or if they are, such Offences must COME. What" ill Confequences it may be attended with to <' thofe that learn it * ," I know not ; the ill Confequences of not learning it, are alas ! but too apparent. Their great Modefly alfo, in calling themfelves, or thofe of their party, *' the mort " able and rational of our modern Divines f," and the like, may well put us in mind of Job's tartSarcafm, No doubt but ye are the people^ and ivijdojn fn all die with you.

He then tells us his Defign, '' Tliat feveral Controverfies, «' about things not abfolutely necellary to Salvation, may be ^< paft by J j-' and yet, if any Points " concern fuch things,'* the Doctrine of the Trinity, the Depth o/' our Sin and Misery by Nature, the Satisfaction of Christ, Justification, ^r. are certainly of that number. " That *' the Ufe of it may be fcruplcd by none, or by as few as " poilible : — - To render it more cathoiick, and fitter for gene- *' ral Ufe ||. '' Noble Defigns ! but if it be Scriptural, why {hoald it be altered ? Should we make that wide and BROAD, which God has made STRAIT and NARROwr' What End would this anfwer ? And yet, were this a wife and pious At- tempt, as it is neither the one nor the other, he hath been very unhappy in it ; for, it is, tome, certain, it cannot, upon any Account, anfwer the End effecSlually. If he grants, that Reafon isasuFFiciBNT Rule, for the Salvation ^Sinners; the Deifts will laugh at him, for looking for another. If he has, in any degree, pleafed the Papijis ; they will never forgive him, while the fecond Com?nand, with the AfTemblies Explica- tion, i5c. ftand as they did, Pelagianizers will wonder to obferve, th:it Faith in Jefus Chrijl, and Repentance unto Life .^ are each of them called, a saving Grace, l^c. in a Ca- thoiick Catechifm. If our Brethren of the Church of Eng- land, believe their own Articles, they muft be offended, that the DoiSlrineof the Trinity is fpoken of fo fuperficially, that they hear nothing of Predejlination, EleSiio?:, and fpecial Grace, and fo much of our otvn Endeavours, Freezuill, and good Difpofitions, without preventing Grace, kc. The Jntipa- dcbaptijls, as fuch, will think it as uncatholick as the Affemblies. Were good Mr. Baxter alive, he would loudly complain, that a Chrijfian Catechifm fhouid appear, without a Word of Elec- tion, fpecial Grace, Sec. in it : and would rather, I believe, his Nojlrums had never been heard of, than that they fhouid ever have bqen brought upon the Stage, any how to patronize an Attempt, to bury the common Do^rine of the Trini-

* Vreface, _p. 6. + Ibid. % Ibid.

\\ Ibid, p. 7,

TV

TY in Silence. I hope his Admirers and Difciples, are of the fame Mind. So that I cannot fee, that this Catechifm either will, or can, pleafe any Party, but the wretched Socinians : And as for them, as they are far, blefled be God, from being a Majority, fo I am heartily forry that any who call themfelv«i Chrijiiansy fhould t2ike fuch Methods to oblige them ; though, if I am not miftaken, they will not like it, throughout^ any more than we, Thefe are the fpecious Things this Author would palm upon us ! And yet, after all, I am apprehenfive, fome will think the true Defigns of this TVork were, under Colour of giving fome Eafe to thofe who did not approve of it, through- outy to flip quite another Things upon the Ignorant or TVeak m- ftead of the Aflembly's Catechifm ; that this might be fold for it ; that fo, in Time, our good old Catechifm might be laid afide, and the Do<5frines of Faith, which it particularly inculcated, be forgotten, by Degrees; that the rifwg Generation might be trained up gradually, for other Matters \ that they might be kept in Ignorance, of the Do5iriyie^ for Example, of the Tr IN IT Y, or the Importance of it ; that fo, the next bold In- novator, may revise us altogether out of it; and the like; For, fome Men are, by their Principles, fo indifferent about 'Matters of Faith^ that they are very eafy what People he.Ueve^ or whether they believe any Thing at all^ provided^ they arc fo good Chrijiians^ a?id fo true Protejiants^ as to exclaim againft the DocSlrines of the Affemblys Catechifm,

His " Hopes *," in the next Paragraph, we have fully {hewn, in the following Sheets, are, all of them that are worth nam- ing, as much fruftrated, as every any Man's were.

The Author, fearing all this would not juftify fuch an Un- dertaking, brings in, at laft, three great Authorities, to eke out his Apology : And yet, he could hardly have pitched upon three, who have fpoken more honourably of the Aflembly, and their Catechifn ; or would have more heartily oppofed the moft and chief of thefe Alterations. " The great Mr. Baxter *' was not perfectly pleafed with every Thing in this Cate- <' chifm f." Nor was he, nor any great Man in the World, ever perfeSlly pleafed with any of their own Works. And yet ali he faid, as far as I can learn, was, " I could wijh fome Words *' in their Catechifm had been more clears And fo could I. *' The worthy Dr. Cotton Mather did not think it took in all *' the Particulars, which ought to have been mentioned ivi a " Work of this Nature %" Why then, our Author, or any other, might have borrowed them, from their larger Cate- chifn or Confeffwn, And yet, he has brought in none of thofe Particulars, but one very impertinently ; and, for one fmgle good Addition, has skipped over, or darkened, a great many

* Ihid, p. 6, t Ihtd, p. 7. XJhid,

which

which are more confiderable. Thefe two are gone to their Reli " The in2;enious Dr. TVatts Intimates as if it did not *' exprefs every Thing in fuch a Manner as might have been <' vi^iihed *." What then ? Did he find any Fault with the Do£irines of it ? No. Does he approve of the Liberties thefe Men have taken with it ? By no means. He feems, chiefly, to have defired a Catechifm, more level to the Capacities of the young and the weak, to fit them, as they grew in Years and Underitanding, for this. Little did he, I dare fay, imagine, he fhould ever fee what he faid quoted, in fuch a Manner, and with fuch a View. That great Man's Words, are very juftly and generally, regarded ; and will go as far, as any Man's of the Age; and did he know, how many of the Hearts, of thofe that fear God, tremble^ when they hear his Authority brought, to vouch for any^ even the leaj} Alteration^ in thofe Doctrines, which are as dear unto them as their Lives ; I am fure, he would be cautious of every Word that drops from his Mouth or Pen. The Argument then is this. Three great Men, who highly honoured the AfTembly's Catechifm, did not think it, in all Refpe6ls, Perfect : Therefore one or two, not worthy to be named ivitli them, may take the Liberty, by adding, deleting, and altering it, to overturn, inagoodmea- fure, the very Nature and End of it !

'' The obftinate rejeding of Alterations in Conftitutlons ^' and Com.pofares merely human, has been juftly complained *' of in thofe of the Church of Ro?ne, as tending to nurfe up '' Superftition f , {frV." And with very good, and obvious Rea- fon. What is merely human, ought to have no Place at all in Catechifms, Articles, ConfelTions of Faith. It can- not fail of " nurfing up Superftition, ^c'\ and much worfe Things. But the Do6lrines of the AJfemhlfs Catechifm^ are not any of them merely human. Did I know any that was, I fhould be one of the firft for cafhiering it for ever : But, fince we believe they are all Scriptural, we fhall ^^r«^/jf contend for keeping them in their Place. " Changes for the " better will always meet with Efteem from the honeft-minded " and wiferPart of the V/orld, ^^." And can he be fo fan- guine as to dream. That the honeft-minded and wifer Part, who have read^ fearched, and love their Bibles, can ever think, that fuch Changes are for the better ? Or, that ferious Chrif- tians, v^ho have been baptized^ into the Name of the^i.v.s'^'^'Q Three ; have been thoroughly convinced of their finful State ; have experienced the Power of dijiingiiij})ing^ drawing Grace ; made their Calling and Election fure j have found in their Blefled Saviour, both Right Eovsi^ ess and Strength, &c. 5vc, Sic. will ever fufFer themfelves^ be moved by fuch

"^^ Ibid, t Ibid. j: Ibid. p. 7,

poor

(ix) •

poor Pretences ? No, no. All fuch, will love their Cate- chifm, from henceforward, fo much the better, when they obferve what Methods are taken, to fteal it from them.

He then puts up a Prayer, " That God would favour this " well-meant Endeavour with his Blefling, ^<:." and fo con- cludes. What his hitentlons were, we (hall leave to " the aw- " ful Day of Judgment : " The Intention of his Work, I have examined, tried, and convicted, by the Word of God ; and fhall fubmit the whole, to all ferious, judicious, fmcere Chriftians.

Several Months after the Publication of the Re visa l, a Divine of Learning, Piety, and great Reputation, (as was 'commonly thought) made Remarks, upon every Alteration the Author had brought into his Work : And, not long af- ter, came forth a Vindication of the Revifal. My Bu- iinefs, at prefent, is not to defend the Remarker^ which he is well able to do himfelf ; but to Rescue the Assembly's Catechism, out of the Hands of thofe, who have wound- ed, defaced, and quite metamorphofed it, as was the poor Man^ in the Parable, who fell among Thieves, The Vindicator'^ long, ill-natured Preface, in v/hich are not a few Falfehoods, many Trifles and Impertinencies, and a great deal of Lan- guage very unbecoming fuch a Difpute, l^c. ilfc. lies there- fore out of my Way. But, becaufe I agree with the Remarker in thinking. That the Title of the Revifcrs Catechifm, is un- fair, and defigned to impofe upon the Weak, and Inadvertent ', I fhall confider what the Vindicator fays by way of Apo- logy.

And, I. « Dn Stanhope, and Bifhop Fell, did fome fuch " Thing, by the Works of Parfons, Akempis, &c. f " i- e. Two private Divines, undertook, in fome fuch way, to re- vife fome Pieces, of fome other private Divines ; tho', per- haps, they might have been otherwife as well employed : Therefore, One or Two, no Body knows who, might take the fame Liberty with a puhlick Work, of the greateft Repu- tation that any fuch Work ever had j and, by fo doing, make it quite a different Thing from w^hat it was ! A glorious Ar- gument ! " 2. l^he Wejhninjier AJfemhly revijed and altered " the thirty-nine Articles of the Church of " England, he. \\ " /. e. The Wejiminfier Divines, among whom were a great Number, in all Refpedls, as well quali- iied for revising, as our pious Reformers were for com- posing them, 2Lnd of the fame Se?iti'ments alfo, were called by the Parliament of England to this Work ; and did it, to the Satisfa^ion of the Generality of the Nation, and of all the Reformed Churches : Therefore, one or two, not woi-

* Ibid, i Fref p. 5, % ibid. p. 6. ^.. a thj

(X)

^hy to be compared to them> and of very different religious Opinicns alio, niiglit, of their own Heads^ chop, and flice, and deface the ?noJi perfe^ Work, of the Kind, in the World ; to the Satisfa^iicn of no Party, but thofe, who would have us abate in cur Zeal, for fome or other of the Points x)f Chrijiian Faith ! A Reafon like the former ! 3. " The AlTembly render' d " the Senfe of the thirty- nine Articles more '' exprefs and determinate, in favour of Calvimf?n, &c. * '* i. e. They gave the Jame Senfe, which had been, very exprefs- ly and det er mined ely, put upon them, by almoft the whole Na- tion, for at leaft threefcore Years after they were compofed ; and that, agreeably to the Confeilions of all the Reformed : therefore, thefc Gentlemen might, under the Name of re- vising, give us a Catechifm, neitlier exprefs x^ox deter?ni- nate, for t\\Q greai and chief Points of our Religion ; as ex- prefs and determinate, in almoft every Cafe, againft the 39 Articles, as againji the Affemblys Catechifm ; and not at all agreeable to the Confeflions, of any of the Protefiant Churches ! A goodly Apology ! And yet the AlTembly had too much Dif- cretion, Honefty, and Honour, to call their Confeffion, The Articles of the Church of England revised; tho' the Dif- ference in DoSfrinals, is nothing between them, to what it is between their Shorter Catechifm and the Revifal, 4. The beft of all follows ! " Thofe Changes in the Revifal, do not " amount to the Quantity of four Pages, ^c. f " Very well ! But, one may, very eafily, in one fingle Page, make Changes enow to overturn Chrijiianity ; and yet, not depart altoge- ther " from the AfTembly's Method and Language." Thus. Q^ Are there more Gods than one ? Anf. Yes. Tho' Nature, Reafon, and Scripture, do all abhor Polytheifm and Idolatry, Qi How 7nany Perfons are there in the God-head f Anf. On e ONLY. Tho' Chriftians are baptized in the Name ofTu REE, are bleffed in the Name o/' Three, and tho' the Revifer 2lc- knowledged that Text, i John v. 7. And these Three are One, to be authentic, &c. &c. %. Q^TVhat are the Decrees of God ? Anf. They are unfit for our Catechifm. Tho', if there is a particular Providence, without the Belief of which there can be no Religion, the Decrees muft, of NcceiTity, be as particular, and as extenfive as That. Q^ Did God enter into a Covenant zvith our firji Parents, in the EJiate wherein they zvere created P Anf. No. Tho* that Covenant, is the ONLY Foundation of Natural Religion. Qi Did all Mankind fall in Morn's firji Tranfgreffion ? Anf. no: They only fell with him through it. Though it is impoffible, they could fall with ^'- him through it," and not fall with him in it. Q^ IVhat h the Punifhment of

* Ibid. f Ihid, p. 4. X Bev, p. 5,

Sin

Sin in the future IVorld? Anf. eternal Death, /. ^. among Friends, Annihilation. Though natural Con- fcience as well as the whole Word of God, reclaims againft fuch a Delunon. Q^ Did Chriji as aVKiE^T fatlsfy fcr our Sins? Anf. yes: But, though he Vv-as deserted of God for a Seafon^ he did not undergo h is Wr a t h for a Sea- fon: Yet this is a manifeft Contradidion. I need add no more. The Revifer and Vindicator both know, there are fo7ne who call themfelves Chriftians^ that would boldly give thefe An- fwers to thefe Queitions ; though they appear plainly to over- throw Chrijlianity. To come then to our Purpofe, I cannot think, notwitliftanding all thefe Subterfuges, and all that can. be faid for it, that adding the Word revised to the Titky makes it either fair or honcft. Had he illuftrated, and con- firmed theAfTembly's^w^zfw 5^^/^, explaining, or changing, any Word he thought not fo proper^ or the like, fome Excufe might be made for him : But, as it is, I can think of none. Should any private Lawyer prefume, fo to corrupt any puhlick Deed, or Record, ^c. and then publifh it, under the Name oi, fuch a Dced^ or Record revised, 1 know what every honeft Man would fay of him I Nor is there an upright Judge

in the World, but would call him a , if not fentence him to

the .

In this Defence, I have offered a great many Scripture Proofs^ efpecially to thofe Anfwers which are ?nofl controverted^ or of the greateft Moment; all wliich either dircdly prove the Af- fembiy's Doctrine, or much illuftrate and contirm it. I have confidered every the leaji Alteration^ I could obferve in the Revifal, and have freely given my Thoughts of them, and fully anfwered every Thing in the Vindication, which 1 thought worth any Notice. If I have anywhere miftaken the Senfe of my Adverfaries, I difpute not againft them, but the Scnfe I have put upon their Words : But, I have fairly quoted them, and have not, wilfully, put any ftrained Conftruciion upon them ; and fhail be heartily glad to know, they have not de- parted fo far from the Truth, as I fear they have. I contend not for Vi^ory ; but for what / fincerely believe^ vjith all my Heart : And therefore, if either of them, or any other, fliall favour me with a Reply, I defire no other Treatment than 1 have given. Let them quote my own Words honeftly ; con- fider, and anfwer all I have faid, on any Point, fairly ; con- fute me, with Scripture and Reafon ; and treat the Subject, with becoming Gravity ; and, if they fucceed, I allure them, I {hall be as well pleafed as Tliey. The Revifer has been, generally, more foft, and feemingly grave and ferious : But, as for the Vindicators Manner and Stile, one had need to ferve an Apprenticefhip at Billingfgate^ to qualify him to re- ply in his own Way. In thefe. Til allow him the Advan-

a 2 tage !

tage ! and have only imitated him fo far, as to turn fome of his more civil Rhetoric upon himfelf, with a few Improve- ments, of which, 'tis hop'd, he will be the kit will com- plain.

I would not be thought, by this Defence^ to plead. That the AJjhnhlys Catechifjn is abfolutely fcrfe£l \ or, that nothing may be changed in it, or added to it, for the Better : Far from it. I have freely owned the contrary. It is the Pre- rogative of THE Scripture alone, to be, in all Refpe6ls, PERFECT, j^il the Works of Men, even the moft excel- lent, ever had, and ever will have, fom.ething hurnan^ i. e. iviperfeof^ in them. My Defign is. To rescue this Work, which has been long, as it were, iS^av^ among us, out of the Hands of thofe Manglers of it : To explain, ilJuftrate and confirm, efpecially thofe Points, which they have ex- punged, altered, or defaced : And, in fo doing, to fhew. That thefe Men are very unhappy in their Undertaking, and wholly improper for Reviftng it : That their Alterations are, almofi every one of them., much for the worfe j and not a few of them of very dangerous Confequence : And, That good Chriftians, had much better put up, with the Catechifm their Fathers fo juflly admired, were there a hundred more little Imperfections in it, than there are ; than admit of ftuh e Revijaly as would, in a good Meafure, quite change their Faiib ; and make Way for other Things, which might, at laft, wholly worm them out of it. Should ever fuch another Allembly be called in England., which is not more improbable at this Day, than v/as the Calling of the Wejhninjler Divines^ about an Hundred Years ago, I hope God will put it into their Hearts, to revife this Catechifm., and alTifl them, in any little Alterations, or Additions, which may feem expedient, or neceflary : But, till then, I believe all honeft Proteftant Diffenters^ who love the Word of God^-2in^ their own Souls^ had beft be content with it as it is.

The foliov/ing Sheets were ready for the Prefs, many Months ago ; and, perhaps, might never have fcen the Light, had I not heard it fur;gefi:ed, That fome Miniftcr, in or near London^ would fcon declare himfelf another Man than he had been taken to be ? —I then read them over, and, not know- ing, but fomething in them might put him upon thinking a- g:vin,fent them to the Bookfeller. But, before thirty Pages were printed off, I fuv Mr. Gz^Z'i's miserable Letter. A Friend, feveral Years fmce, having been in his Company, from the Converfation that pafl, faid, in my hearing, he was afraid he was a going. Some read his Letter with Surprize, not a few with Pity, and many w'itli a juji Indignation, Tiiac a Man who had been fo verv zealous for thefe Matters, ihould noWj r.ot only change his Mind ! That is no ftrange

Thing

( xia )

Thing in our Day ; nor is This of any great Moment : But, fhould reprefent Things fo igndrantly^ ox falfcly ; fpeak of ma- ny of them, without all Difcretion and Modefty, e\Tn, as they thought, ogainft his Confcience ; dictate, throughout^ fo magifterially^ without any, even the leaft Proof \ and, without any Shame^ and little Appearance of Griefs give fuch zfcandalous Account of hi?nfelf and of his Jhufiing with God and Man for fo ?nany 7'ears, &c. &;c. I mull confefs, he has done his Bufi- nefs to Purpofe ! Many others of his Way, have thought it bert, to be at firft fomewhat upon the Referve, to open them- felves by little and little, to give thofe they would catch their Doubts and fly Objeilions, and, by a Thoufand mean Ways, to infmuate, Tnift, pretend, beguile, iffc. till they had under- mined their Faith^ and fiole them into their Opinions I But, VLx. Gibbs is fo full of his New Light, that all Doubts are wholly removed at once ! Yea, he is fo thoroughly en- lightned^ " That he is now convinced. That to fay there are " two dijlin^t Natures in Chrift, ^c. is introducing an Ima- *' aginary Chriff, in the room of the real One * ! '* And, by Confequence, that Ninety-nine of every Hundred, of ali the Protejiant Churches^ of all Denominations, to go no far- ther back than the Reformation^ have believed in, yea, as learned, religious, and fober Men as ever lived, have conjiantly wor/hipped^ and loved^ and died in Peace and Jcy^ committiilg their Souls into the Hands of an Imaginary Christ, /. e. an Ens Rationis, a Figment of their Brains^ a Being which had no Exijience but in their own Heads ! and fo, lived and died Guilty of horrid Blafphetny and Idolatry ! Sec. &c. He therefore fcorns all thofe fneaking Methods , nor will he give us fo much as fair Words ; but boldly rides through thick and thin ! The IVord of God^ the Confejftons of the Churches, the Experiences of Believers, &c. ^c. ar^ all nothing to him ! and, if we'll take his AfTertions, " I now think^ I cannot hut *' think ^ I am now convinced^ &c." for Proofs ; he'll make us all as wife as himfelf in a Trice. Verily, were the wretched Socinus^ and fome others, I could name, alive, I hm apt to think, they would ftroke his Head, as a promifing Lad of prodigious Hopes, and befpeak him in Solomon's Encomium of the virtuous Woman, only changing the Gender, Many Sons have done virtuoujly^ but THOU, my Child, excellejl them all / But, tho' his new Friends fneer and banter, it is their Way 1 and moft of his old Friends think him beneath Regard ; while others fpeak of him and his Performance, as they fee they deferve : Tho', it is not eafy to read his Letter v^^ith Patience ; yet, becaufe, calling Names, does feldom any Good,— I have ht^n on my Guard, as much as I lawfully

* Pref.^, 3.

could.

{ XIV )

could, /. e. as I thought confiftent with my Duty, to Truth, my fellow Chriftians, and him.

His renouncing the Principles of the A[fe7nhlys Catcchifm, and \\\ the Manner he has done it, brings his Letter within my Province : For which caufe, I have confidered it very par- ticularly. ' What he has faid, comes naturally, in almoft every Tittle of it, to be confidered in the Rescue. So that I could do it more eafily, now my Hand was in, than another. Had it been puhliihed a Month fooner, every Thing he has faid, fliould have been tefuted, under the Anfwcrs to which they refer. But hnce it was not, I have been obliged to r^- ^]y to t\\\s nnaccc,untable 'btu^^ in a Postscript ; wdierein, I have very parcicularly confidered every Article^ of his pre- fent Faith, as he ridiculoufly calls it ; very freely expoi'ed his unparalled Confidence ; and very carefully endeavoured to con- vince^ and undeceive him, by many clear, full, and exprefs Teflimonies of Scripture, and obvious, undeniable Reafon, frequently referring to the Pages of the Rescue, where many of them are handled more at large. The Postscript I have directed, To the Congregation of Protestant Dissenters at Hackney^ under the Pafloral Care of the Reverend Mr. Barker. This worthy Gentleman I never once fpoke to, nor was I ever in Hackney but once, and once that I walk'd through it \ fo that \ am an utter Stranger, to the beft of my Knowledge, to them all, but one or two. I there- fore beg their Pardon for this Trouble, and hope it will be as kindly accepted as it was intended. Such as search the Scriptures, carefully, and in the Fear of God^ and will take his Word for what is revealed, fiall be kept., during this Hour Temptation^ which is come upon thefe Nations^ notwith- ftanding all the cunfiing Craftinefs of thofe that lie in wait to deceive; the fliameicfs AiFu ranee of fuch, as would have them embrace their dangerous Notions, merely becaufe they have the Front to fay, tliey arc fully perfuaded of them ; or, the more daring Attempts of fuch, as would y^^rr, and baiiter them out of tlnir Faiih^ and a good Confcience.

the

The

A S S E M B L Y s

Shorter Catechifm

R E S G U ' D, ^c.

tT^tH W W 'J^ ■>•< 'l^ 'f^ W 'fvC m W fT< ►K iTc fh W w Vvt W r.i w tT< tW m in m fj'^ ♦« W' ♦T< ■>T< ')T< ')!< JK WW f|< ♦(< '>U '^TT<'">p"'W^|t W'?K

Q^U E S T I O N I*^

iy^T* /^ f/:?^ chief End of Man ?

Anfw, Man s chief End is to glorify God ^, and to enjoy him for ever b.

ttProv. xvi. 4. Mat. V. 16. Rom. xi. 36,' i Cor. x. 31. i Pet. iVo II, &c. b Pfal. Ixxiii. 25, 26. Lam. iii. 24. John xvii. 21—. 23. I ThefT. ivi 17. i John iii. 2, &c*

2 Queft. #^)6i3:/ Rule hath God given to dire5t us bow we may glorify and enjoy him ?

Anf The Word of God (which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament c) is the only Rule to direft us how we may glorify d^ and enjoy him e.

f Eph. ii. 20. I Their, ii. 13. 2 Tim. iii. 16. 2 Pet. i. 19--^ i,'

// Ifa. viii. 20. Luke xvi. "29, 30. John xvii. 17. Gal. i. 8,9.

2 Tim. iii. 15, 16, 17, Pfal. cxlvii. 19,20, e i Johri i. 3. I Petii..8,9, &G.

- B The

I 2 j

The Word of God (which is contain'd in the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament c) is not only afufficicnt d., hut the principal KuIq to dired us how we may glorify and enjoy him e.

c 2pet. i. ±\. ch. iii. 15,16. iThelT. ii. 13. d zTim. iii. 15. e Pfal. cxlvii. 19, 20.

Againft this Alteration it was alledged, and with good Rea- fon, " That it left Room for a Thought as if there were *• fome other yz/^aV«/ Rule, even to us^ of glorifying and en- ^' joying God, l^c, * " To which our Author replies ; <' As to Things which are to be judg'd of by Reafon, for the *' Purpofe of anfwering the high End of our Being, with Re- *' gard to thefe, Reafon is a Rule ; and therefore, it feems, it *' did not appear, to the Revifer, fo accurate and fafe, to «' fay that Scripture is the only Rule^ exclufive of natural Rea- " fon f .'' In which he would fay fomething, but is afhamed to fpeak out. Under the Terms Reafon^ and natural Reafon^ I fuppofe he comprehends what is commonly called TheLight, and THE Law of Nature, if they are not much the fame : Now, as to thefe, fo far was the AfTembly from ex- cluding them from being a Ride, in many Cafes, and for various ^nd manifold Ends and Purpofes, that, in the very firft Words -of their Confejfion^ and in the fecond Anfwer of their Larger Catcchlfm^ they have freely own'd both its Obligation and Vfe, The Laiv of Nature^ which the Apoftle fays is written in the Hearts cf Mcn^^ and whatever right Reafon di6lates, is the Law of God^ as well as the ivritten Word : Nor did any of us ever entertain the Icaft Doubt of it. But the prefent Enquiry is. Whether any, or all of thefe together, be fuch a Rule as can direSi us, Sinners, fo to glorify God, as that zve ?nay enjoy him for ever. This the AfTembly denied, as the Generality of Chriftians harv-e done In all Ages, and will do to the End of Time. And the Vindicator himfelf, whatver his Mind is, dare not, we fee, plainly affirm it. However, iie either really thinks, that it is, or is not. If, that it is not ; he ought n<?t to infinuate that it is ; fmce fuch a Fancy cannot fail to have many mifchievous Confequences : If that it is ; it muft needs be firfficient for this End ; and then another appears to be fuperfluous and needlefs. For, why (hould there be twofufpcient Rules ? What End can they anfwer ? What need of a fecond, if the firft was fufficient? The very Terms, in the prefent Cafe, feem, to. me, to imply a Contradiilion. Befides, this is notonly the Foundation, but almoft the very Eflence of Deifrn : And we all know, what ufe the Deifts have made of this odious