Still Waters Revival Books - Creeds, Confessions and Covenants - Separation, Unity, Uniformity, etc. - Puritan Hard Drive
Arguments in Favor of Creeds
Creeds and confessions defined; the need to maintain unity in the church;
the Church's responsibility as a witness for the truth; the candor which each
church owes to both other churches and the world; the obligation to study
Christian doctrine; the historic necessity of creeds; the opponents of creeds
generally latitudinarians and heretics; creeds inevitably employed by their
opponents.
Answers for Objections to Creeds
The objection that creeds supercede the Bible as a standard of faith; the
objection that creeds interfere with the rights of conscience; the objection
that creeds discourage free inquiry; the objection that creeds fail to achieve
their purpose; the objection that creeds promote discord and strife.
The Extent of Creeds
Whether the creeds of the Church may, or should, include articles other than
those which are fundamen tal; the importance of doctrines respecting church
government and the sacraments.
Concluding Remarks
Creeds not to be feared as instruments of oppression; subscription of creeds
a solemn transaction; the obligations which rest upon men who have subscribed a
creed; a warning: how a single unsound minister can produce extensive harm in
the Church; the duty of members, and ministers, of the Presbyterian Church to
spread a knowledge of the doctrinal standards; the mistake of those who wish to
abandon all creeds and confessions.
Letter 1
Extremes to avoid; the meaning of public subscription to the Confession of
Faith; minor differences among the Westminster divines; the Calvinistic system
of the Confession; the difference between the essential nature of Christian
doctrine, and different modes of expounding it; the exclusion of Pelagians,
Arminians, and other heretics; false subscription a solemn perjury; evasive
subscription a base deception; Pelagian philosophy a dangerous and corrupting
influence; the duty of church courts to guard against loose subscription.
Letter 2
The lack of adherence to the doctrinal standards in some presbyteries; the
scriptural priority of doctrinal purity; examples of erroneous teachings:
denial of original sin, denial of human depravity, belief in free will, denial
of human inability, denial of sovereign grace; false subscription; Pelagian and
Arminian heresies discussed and refuted; the biblical doctrine of salvation;
the foolish claim that these systemic differences are merely a dispute over
terminology; the Presbyterian Church a Calvinistic church; Pelagian and
Arminian errors poisonous to genuine spirituality.
Letter 3
Doubtful practices within church judicatories: presbyteries formed upon the
principle of "elective affinity," licensing candidates previously
disapproved by another presbytery; the presbyterial right, and responsibility,
to judge the qualifications of candidates for the ministry; fraternal relations
between Presby terians and Congregationalists; Congregationalist approval of
men previously disapproved by a presbytery; the impropriety of allowing
fraternal delegates to vote in church judicatories; a concluding admonition to
preserve truth and oppose error to maintain the confessional standards of the
Presbyterian church.
Copyright Notice
Copyright © 1989, 1996 by
Presbyterian Heritage Publications
The text for this edition is based upon the following: The Utility and
Importance of Creeds and Confessions by
Samuel Miller (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1824, 1839
[1841 printing]. The section on "Adherence to Our Doctrinal
Standards" originally composed Letters VI VIII of Letters to
Presbyterians on the Present Crisis in the Presbyterian Church in the United
States by Samuel Miller (Philadelphia:
Anthony Finley, 1833), pp. 89-150. The letters first appeared serially in The
Presbyterian magazine between January and
May, 1833.
The text for this reprint has been grammatically revised to reflect greater
conformity to contemporary spelling, punctuation, and usage. Words or phrases
in brackets [ ] have been provided by the publisher.
The electronic version of this document has been provided as a convenience
for our readers. No part of this publication may be transmitted or distributed
in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical photocopying, or
otherwise) without prior permission of the publisher. Inquiries may be directed
to: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, P.O. Box 180922, Dallas, Texas 75218,
U.S.A.