English Puritan & Reformed

A Synopsis of Theology

Francis Roberts (1609-1675) · 1,811 words · 8 min

The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A91858.0001.001

Project Note

This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.

The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.

This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.

Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.

However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.

This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.

Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org

A SYNOPSIS of THEOLOGY or DIVINITY. Drawn up by FRANCIS ROBERTS, M. A. Minister of the Gospel, for the benefit of his Flock.

EOLOGY is a (a) divine doctrine, according to the (b) Scriptures, of religious (c) living unto God, in order to Mans (d) happiness, and God's (e) glory. (a) 1 Tim. 6. 3. Rom. 6. 17. with 2 Tim. 1. 13. Heb. 5. 12. with 6. 1. Isaiah 51. 4. John 9. 29. Matth. 21. 25. John 6. 45. Galat. 1. 11, 12. (b) Isaiah 8. 20. John 5. 39. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Tim. 3. 15, 16, 17. (c) John 6. 68. Acts 5. 20. (d) Rom. 6. 11, 22, 23. John 3. 36. with 5. 24. 1 Joh. 3. 15. (e) 1 Cor. 10. 31. 2 Cor. 4. 10, 11. Phil. 1. 20.

THEOLOGY, (or the Doctrine of Divinity, thus described) may, for the clearer understanding of it, be considered according to all the four causes of it, viz. The
- I. Efficient Cause, or first Principle of this Doctrine of Theology, whereupon it is firmly grounded, wherein it is clearly revealed, and whereby it is fully proved, is the divine revelation of it in the
  - 1. Holy Scripture.
- II. Formal Cause of this Doctrine of THEOLOGIE, is either
  - 1. Inward, viz. That sweet harmony betwixt the sense of this Doctrine, and the true sense of Scripture, and so consequently, the mind and meaning of God himself.
  - 2. Outward, viz. The method or disposition of this system or body of divine Doctrine, which may be variously drawn up, according to the various rules of Art and Method: Provided always, that the order of divine dispensations, clearly observed in Scriptures, be not thereby inverted or obscured.
- III. Material cause, comprising all the subject matters, wherein our religious living to God consists: which are handled in Divinity; and may be reduced to two heads (whence the two parts of Divinity result) viz.
  - 1. Matters to be known and believed concerning God: and they respect God's
    - 1. Nature, wherein are considerable
      - 1. What God is in himself: So he may be considered
        
        1. Essentially, as One in Essence
        
        2. God.
        
        3. Unity of Essence.
        
        2. Personally, as Three in Subsistence
        
        4. Trinity of persons.
      - 2. Who, or what manner of God he is; both according to the divine
        
        1. Titles, by which he is named, viz. the
        
        5. Names of God.
        
        2. Properties, which are to him attributed, viz. the divine
        
        6. Attributes
        
        1. Essentiall.
        
        2. Personal.
    - 2. Works, which are either
      - 1. Internal, eternal and immanent in GOD himself, viz. His Decree it self.
        
        7. Works of God in general.
        
        8. Decree.
      - 2. External, temporal, and transient from God to the creature, viz. his actual excution of his Decree, which he doth two ways, by
        
        1. Original production of all things out of nothing, exceeding good: which may be considered
        
        1. More generally, in reference to the whole world; by
        
        9. Creation.
        
        2. More specially, in references to the principal parts of the world, intellectual creatures in
        
        1. Heaven
        
        10. Angels.
        
        1. State of Creation.
        
        2. Earth
        
        11. Men.
        
        2. Actual provision for all things created, by his actual providence, both in his
        
        1. Dispensations natural, for the general good of all the creatures natural beings and well beings: and this by his
        
        12. Providence
        
        1. General.
        
        2. Particular.
        
        2. Dispensations supernatural, for the special good of the intellectual creatures in their supernatural beings and well beings, partly by his
        
        1. Confirmation of the elect Angels, that kept their first estate, which the reprobate Angels left
        
        13. Confirmation of Angels.
        
        II. State of Corruption.
        
        2. Restauration of man, that lost his first estate: herein are comprised the
        
        1. Malady, into which man was plunged, and from whence he was to be restored, viz. his first apostasy from God by his
        
        14. Fall into
        
        1. Sin.
        
        2. Misery.
        
        III. State of Restitution.
        
        2. Remedy, whereby man was restored from this malady, viz. REDEMPTION by Jesus Christ. In this Redemption are to be observed three things, viz. the
        
        1. Publication or Revelation of it to mankind, in the glad tidings of the
        
        15. Gospel.
        
        2. Operation or Preparation of it for man: herein consider
        
        1. The Person that wrought man's redemption, viz. only that Immanuel, GOD-MAN
        
        16. Redemption.
        
        17. JESUS CHRIST.
        
        2. The Office laid upon him, whereby he accomplished this work
        
        18. Office of Christ.
        
        3. The States wherein he discharged this office, viz. His
        
        19. State of
        
        1. Humiliation.
        
        2. Exaltation.
        
        3. Application of it unto man. This application may be considered
        
        1. Absolutely in itself; and so it contains God's
        
        1. Salvificall benefits, themselves, which in Christ are applied by several steps and degrees; translating man from misery to mercy, from sin to grace, from grace to glory: and this by advancing man to
        
        1. Union to Christ, separating man unto himself from the common corrupt mass of mankind, by
        
        20. Vocation effectual.
        
        2. Communion with Christ,
        
        1. In his spotless Righteousness, by
        
        21. Communion with God in Christ.
        
        22. Justification actual.
        
        2. In his matchless Sonship, by
        
        23. Adoption.
        
        3. In his true Holiness, by
        
        24. Sanctification real.
        
        IV. State of Perfection.
        
        4. In his endless Happiness, by
        
        25. Glorification eternal.
        
        This Glory is communicated
        
        1. Particularly & incompletely to every elect soul only at his particular
        
        26. Death.
        
        2. Generally & completely to both souls & bodies of all the elect at the general
        
        27. End of the world.
        
        2. Instrumental means, whereby these saving benefits are effectually applied, viz. the outward Ordinances of God: which are either
        
        1. Ordinary used upon all occasions: and these are either
        
        1. Primary Ordinances, made more principally prevalent for the breeding and nourishing union and communion with Christ; These are to be considered
        
        1. Essentially, according to their substance and peculiar operation, both to our
        
        1. Confederation with GOD in Christ, as the dispensation and preaching of the
        
        28. Word.
        
        29. Promises.
        
        30. Covenant of Grace.
        
        2. Confirmation in that confederation, as the administration of the seals of the Covenant, viz.
        
        31. The Sacraments.
        
        2. Accidentally, according to their circumstance and manner of administration in the times before and under the Old and New Testaments
        
        32. Manner of administration of the Covenant and Sacraments before and under the old and New Testaments.
        
        2. Secondary Ordinances, subservient unto the former, in promoting the birth and growth of grace in the soul, viz.
        
        33. Reading, or hearing the word read.
        
        34. Catechising.
        
        35. Religious conference.
        
        36. Meditation.
        
        37. Prayer.
        
        38. Singing of Psalms.
        
        39. Communion of Saints.
        
        2. Extraordinary, used only upon special & extraordinary occasions, for the advancement & improvement of our interests in Christ: and these are religious
        
        40. Fasts.
        
        41. Feasts.
        
        42. Vowes or Covenants.
        
        2. Relatively, in reference to the
        
        1. Proper Instrument, whereby on our part this application is savingly received, viz.
        
        43. True Faith.
        
        2. Peculiar Subject, unto which these benefits of redemption are applied by these means, viz.
        
        44. The Church.
- 2. Matters to be done and observed in obedience unto God. Herein are to be observed.
  - 1. The Rule of Obedience, laid down more generally in the word of God; more specially in the Law of God, which regulateth Obedience, in
    - 1. Political and Civil matters. Thus the Jews Common-wealth was regulated by the
      - 45. Law.
      - 46. Judicial Law.
    - 2. Ecclesiastical and Religious matters, which are either
      - 1. Typicall, peculiar to certain times and persons only. Thus the Jewish Church, during the Old Testament, was under the Pedagogy of the
        
        47. Ceremonial Law.
      - 2. Moral, appertaining to all persons at all times. Thus both Jews and Gentiles, before and under both the Old and New Testaments, are under the
        
        48. Moral Law.
  - 2. The nature of this Obedience, which is considered
    - 1. More generally, here are considerable the general nature of
      - 49. Obedience and
      - 50. Good works.
    - 2. More specially, & so it comprehends
      - 1. The inward Principle of Obedience whence all obediential Acts do flow, viz. the infused Habit or Habits of true
        
        51. Virtue
        
        1. Theological.
        
        2. Philadelphicall.
        
        I. Table.
      - 2. The inward and outward acts or exercise of Obedience, flowing from this Principle of virtue, to be expressed
        
        1. Towards God, in an holy worship of him, which is styled RELIGION and Piety. This Piety is exercised
        
        1. In the having and worshipping of the true God, and him alone, for our God in Christ; which is the proper scope of the
        
        52. Religion, Piety.
        
        53. I. Commandment.
        
        2. In the true worship of this true God. And herein are contained
        
        1. The true and pure worship it self, which is to be performed to this one only true God, merely according to his own will: as is prescribed in the
        
        54. II. Commandment.
        
        2. The Adjuncts of this worship, viz.
        
        1. The true manner How this true God will always be worshipped by us, viz. so Reverendly, Holily, Sincerely, &c. as may be most honorable to his great and holy Name, as is required in the
        
        55. III. Commandment.
        
        2. The special Time When God will be more solemnly and publicly worshipped, viz. on his Day of Sabbath, oth under the Old and New Testament, which Sabbath is sanctified by him authoritatively, and is to be sanctified by us obedientially, as is enjoined in the
        
        56. IV. Commandment.
        
        II. Table.
        
        2. Towards Man, in righteousness, brotherly love and sobriety, which are to be performed
        
        1. In deed, word and thought towards our neighbor, considered either
        
        1. Relatively, in reference to that relation, order or degree of his condition, wherein God hath set him amongst men, by giving respective honor to him, according to the
        
        57. Righteousness, Brotherly love, Sobriety.
        
        58. V. Commandment.
        
        2. Absolutely, in regard of
        
        1. His person, preserving his
        
        1. Life and Health, by offices of Humanity, enjoined in the
        
        59. VI. Commandment.
        
        2. Purity, by offices of Chastity, required in the
        
        60. VIII. Commandment.
        
        2. His Goods and Possessions, by acts of Justice commutative, prescribed in the
        
        61. VIII. Commandment.
        
        3. His good name, by acts of truth and veracity, commanded in the
        
        62. IX. Commandment.
        
        2. In the very first motions of the heart (even those motions that go before a complete and deliberate assent) towards our neighbor, in reference to all and everyone of the fore-going Commandments of the second Table. The well ordering of which motions is charged upon us in the
        
        63. X. Commandment.
IV. Final cause, or the end whereunto our religious living unto God tends, is either
- 1. Subordinate, and less Principal, respecting man, viz. The present and future
  - 64. Happiness of Man.
- 2. Ultimate, and most principal, respecting God himself, viz. The present and eternal
  - 65. Glory of God.

London, Printed by James Young, for John Bartlet, at the Sign of the Gilt-Cup, under Austin's Gate. An. Dom. 1645.