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The Sum of Saving Knowledge
This book deals with the vital matter of defining authentic personal faith and the essence of the Christian life. As B.B. Warfield notes, that is why our forefathers turned for spiritual nourishment especially to this volume. It forms a practical application of the truths contained within those the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms. It is a sure guide in relation to the matters of salvation and the reader may return to it regularly with great benefit.
- GenresTheology
55 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1871
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About the author
David Dickson
22 books1 followerDavid Dickson (c.1583 – 1663) was a Church of Scotland minister and theologian. He was the only son of John Dick or Dickson, a merchant in the Trongate of Glasgow.
Dickson was educated at the University of Glasgow, where he graduated M.A., and was appointed one of the regents or professors of philosophy, a position limited to eight years. On the conclusion of his term of office Dickson was in 1618 ordained minister of the parish of Irvine.
Having publicly testified against the Five Articles of Perth, he was at the instance of James Law, archbishop of Glasgow, summoned to appear before the High Court of Commission at Edinburgh on 9 January 1622; but having declined the jurisdiction of the court, he was subsequently deprived of his ministry in Irvine, and ordained to proceed to Turriff, Aberdeenshire, within twenty days. When he was about to travel northward, the Archbishop of Glasgow, at the request of the Earl of Eglinton, permitted him to remain in Ayrshire, at Eglinton, where for about two months he preached in the hall and courtyard of the castle. As great crowds went from Irvine to hear him, he was then ordered to set out for Turriff, but about the end of July 1623 was permitted to return to his charge at Irvine, and remained there unmolested till 1637.
In 1643 Dickson was appointed, along with Alexander Henderson and David Calderwood, to draw up a Directory for Public Worship, and he was also joint author with James Durham, who afterwards succeeded him in the professorship in Glasgow, of The Sum of Saving Knowledge, frequently printed along with the Westminster Confession of Faith and catechisms, although it never received the formal sanction of the church. In 1650 he was translated to the divinity chair of the University of Edinburgh, where he delivered an inaugural address in Latin, which was translated by George Sinclair into English, and, under the name of Truth's Victory over Error, was published as Sinclair's own in 1684. The piracy having been detected, it was republished with Dickson's name attached and a Life of Dickson by Robert Wodrow in 1752.
In 1650 he was appointed by the Committee of the Kirk one of a deputation to congratulate Charles II on his arrival in Scotland.
Dickson was educated at the University of Glasgow, where he graduated M.A., and was appointed one of the regents or professors of philosophy, a position limited to eight years. On the conclusion of his term of office Dickson was in 1618 ordained minister of the parish of Irvine.
Having publicly testified against the Five Articles of Perth, he was at the instance of James Law, archbishop of Glasgow, summoned to appear before the High Court of Commission at Edinburgh on 9 January 1622; but having declined the jurisdiction of the court, he was subsequently deprived of his ministry in Irvine, and ordained to proceed to Turriff, Aberdeenshire, within twenty days. When he was about to travel northward, the Archbishop of Glasgow, at the request of the Earl of Eglinton, permitted him to remain in Ayrshire, at Eglinton, where for about two months he preached in the hall and courtyard of the castle. As great crowds went from Irvine to hear him, he was then ordered to set out for Turriff, but about the end of July 1623 was permitted to return to his charge at Irvine, and remained there unmolested till 1637.
In 1643 Dickson was appointed, along with Alexander Henderson and David Calderwood, to draw up a Directory for Public Worship, and he was also joint author with James Durham, who afterwards succeeded him in the professorship in Glasgow, of The Sum of Saving Knowledge, frequently printed along with the Westminster Confession of Faith and catechisms, although it never received the formal sanction of the church. In 1650 he was translated to the divinity chair of the University of Edinburgh, where he delivered an inaugural address in Latin, which was translated by George Sinclair into English, and, under the name of Truth's Victory over Error, was published as Sinclair's own in 1684. The piracy having been detected, it was republished with Dickson's name attached and a Life of Dickson by Robert Wodrow in 1752.
In 1650 he was appointed by the Committee of the Kirk one of a deputation to congratulate Charles II on his arrival in Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 3, 2025
A Necessary Addition
Though not officially part and parcel of those great Westminster documents, The Sum of Saving Knowledge is virtually synonymous with the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, being penned by two Scottish delegates and printed alongside them for ages. The brief document encapsulates and employs the beautiful doctrines in Westminster to the well-being of the soul, and it should be required reading for aspiring Presbyterian officers.
Their fourfold structure should be employed by pastors in a host of corporate and private settings. Particularly for today, their insistence on the freeness of the gospel warrant was emotionally moving and pastorally motivating. Furthermore, they model an exegesis that we would do well to recover.
I regret that I’ve waited so long in life to read this, and it will be among my annual “read again” list. It will also serve as a focal point in my upcoming class on the Westminster Confession.
Though not officially part and parcel of those great Westminster documents, The Sum of Saving Knowledge is virtually synonymous with the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, being penned by two Scottish delegates and printed alongside them for ages. The brief document encapsulates and employs the beautiful doctrines in Westminster to the well-being of the soul, and it should be required reading for aspiring Presbyterian officers.
Their fourfold structure should be employed by pastors in a host of corporate and private settings. Particularly for today, their insistence on the freeness of the gospel warrant was emotionally moving and pastorally motivating. Furthermore, they model an exegesis that we would do well to recover.
I regret that I’ve waited so long in life to read this, and it will be among my annual “read again” list. It will also serve as a focal point in my upcoming class on the Westminster Confession.
August 6, 2024
Westminster federalist perspective, a kind of 'how to apply the Westminster Standards in pastoral ministry' booklet. pastoral, readable. Helpfully gentle in speaking directly to those who might be a "weak believer", "watchful believer", "every man". B. B. Warfield described this book as a special source of spiritual nourishment. Robert Murray M’Cheyne wrote in his diary that this was instrumental in his conversion.
"That such as believe in Christ Jesus, and are fled to him for relief from sin and wrath, albeit they be weak in the faith, yet they are indeed children of the same Father with the apostles; for so he accounts of them, while he calls them brethren."
"That all such persons as are fled to Christ, and do strive against sin, however they may be possibly exercised under the sense of wrath, and fear of condemnation, yet they are in no danger; for “there is no condemnation (said he) to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”"
"That every one who hears the gospel, must make conscience of the duty of lively faith in Christ; the weak believer must not think it presumption to do what is commanded; the person inclined to desperation must take up himself, and think upon obedience to sweet and saving command; the strong believer must dip yet more in the sense of his need he has of Jesus Christ, and more and more grow in the obedience of this command, yes, the most impenitent, profane, and wicked person must not thrust out himself, or be thrust out by others, from orderly aiming at this duty, how desperate ever his condition seems to be; for he that commands all men to believe in Christ, does thereby command all men to believe that they are damned and lost without Christ: he thereby commands all men to acknowledge their sins, and their need of Christ, and in effect commands all men to repent, that they may believe in him."
The table of contents summarizes the book most straightforwardly
THE SUM OF SAVING KNOWLEDGE
1. Our woeful condition by nature,
2. The remedy provided in Christ Jesus,
3. The means provided in the covenant of grace,
4. The blessings conveyed by these means,
THE PRACTICAL USE OF SAVING KNOWLEDGE
1. For convincing of sin by the law,
2. Of righteousness by the law,
3. Of judgment by the law,
4. For convincing of sin, righteousness, and judgment, by the gospel,
5. Of righteousness to be had only by faith in Christ,
6. For strengthening the man’s faith who hath agreed unto the covenant of grace,
WARRANTS AND MOTIVES TO BELIEVE
1. God’s hearty invitation,
2. His earnest request to be reconciled,
3. His command, charging all to believe,
4. Much assurance of life given to believers, etc.
EVIDENCES OF TRUE FAITH
1. Conviction of the believer’s obligation to keep the moral law,
2. That the believer practise the rules of godliness and righteousness,
3. That obedience to the law run in the right channel of faith in Christ,
4. The keeping of strait communion with Christ, the fountain of all graces and good works
For strengthening the Believer in Faith and Obedience, by these Evidences.
"That such as believe in Christ Jesus, and are fled to him for relief from sin and wrath, albeit they be weak in the faith, yet they are indeed children of the same Father with the apostles; for so he accounts of them, while he calls them brethren."
"That all such persons as are fled to Christ, and do strive against sin, however they may be possibly exercised under the sense of wrath, and fear of condemnation, yet they are in no danger; for “there is no condemnation (said he) to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”"
"That every one who hears the gospel, must make conscience of the duty of lively faith in Christ; the weak believer must not think it presumption to do what is commanded; the person inclined to desperation must take up himself, and think upon obedience to sweet and saving command; the strong believer must dip yet more in the sense of his need he has of Jesus Christ, and more and more grow in the obedience of this command, yes, the most impenitent, profane, and wicked person must not thrust out himself, or be thrust out by others, from orderly aiming at this duty, how desperate ever his condition seems to be; for he that commands all men to believe in Christ, does thereby command all men to believe that they are damned and lost without Christ: he thereby commands all men to acknowledge their sins, and their need of Christ, and in effect commands all men to repent, that they may believe in him."
The table of contents summarizes the book most straightforwardly
THE SUM OF SAVING KNOWLEDGE
1. Our woeful condition by nature,
2. The remedy provided in Christ Jesus,
3. The means provided in the covenant of grace,
4. The blessings conveyed by these means,
THE PRACTICAL USE OF SAVING KNOWLEDGE
1. For convincing of sin by the law,
2. Of righteousness by the law,
3. Of judgment by the law,
4. For convincing of sin, righteousness, and judgment, by the gospel,
5. Of righteousness to be had only by faith in Christ,
6. For strengthening the man’s faith who hath agreed unto the covenant of grace,
WARRANTS AND MOTIVES TO BELIEVE
1. God’s hearty invitation,
2. His earnest request to be reconciled,
3. His command, charging all to believe,
4. Much assurance of life given to believers, etc.
EVIDENCES OF TRUE FAITH
1. Conviction of the believer’s obligation to keep the moral law,
2. That the believer practise the rules of godliness and righteousness,
3. That obedience to the law run in the right channel of faith in Christ,
4. The keeping of strait communion with Christ, the fountain of all graces and good works
For strengthening the Believer in Faith and Obedience, by these Evidences.
December 8, 2024
I was able to download a PDF version of this book for free, but I recommend you use the version David Whitla edited more recently, which was published by Crown and Covenant, instead. An elder in my congregation taught an adult Sabbath School class on this for 20 weeks using the Whitla version with the study questions Whitla wrote. It was excellent, especially for those who struggle with assurance. Whitla has edited the language of the Sum so that some of the archaic English vocabulary has been updated and thus more easily understandable.
April 4, 2022
Full of good doctrine
I've enjoyed reading this book I found myself marking many sections full of great solid doctrine
I was sorry when I turned to the last page and found refinished!
I've enjoyed reading this book I found myself marking many sections full of great solid doctrine
I was sorry when I turned to the last page and found refinished!
August 2, 2019
A good primer on traditional views on Law/Gospel in the Church of Scotland ca 1650.
February 28, 2023
Great primer on the core of the Westminster Standards and a reformed understanding of the Law/Gospel distinction.
I will return to this work annually.
I will return to this work annually.
June 7, 2012
The worthy authors of this little work attempted to set before thier readers the 'basics' of the gospel message as they understood it from Scripture and, as they claimed, the Westminster Confession of Faith.
It's beautifully written with Durham's style clearly evident alongside Dickson's. But is it truly in line with those truths agreed on at Westminster? On the side of those claiming it is is the fact that it has so often been published in Scotland with the Westminster documents with little or no recorded historical controversy. Still, does that really prove the point?
Liked it, but am unsure about all of the language used.
It's beautifully written with Durham's style clearly evident alongside Dickson's. But is it truly in line with those truths agreed on at Westminster? On the side of those claiming it is is the fact that it has so often been published in Scotland with the Westminster documents with little or no recorded historical controversy. Still, does that really prove the point?
Liked it, but am unsure about all of the language used.
January 22, 2015
A better summary of saving faith and the Christian walk could scarcely be found. Succinct and thorough.
February 11, 2020
This is a good family devotion to put into regular rotation.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews