Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n
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A49334
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Catechetical questions, very necessary for the understanding of the principles of religion conformed to the doctrine of the Church of England / by Simon Lowth ...
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Lowth, Simon, 1630?-1720.
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1673
(1673)
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Wing L3324; ESTC R14549
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47,430
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154
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the experience of senses nor relyeth upon strength of reason but upon the power and authority of God who can neither deceive nor ever be deceived Q. Why is it called the Apostles Creed A. To distinguish it from the other two Creeds used in the Church Liturgie viz. St. Athanasius his Creed and the Nicene Creed as also from all other Confessions of Faith as that of Calcedon c. Q. Were the Apostles then the Composers of this Creed as St. Athanasius was of his and the Nicene Fathers were of theirs Or was it gathered out of their Writings only as agreeable to their Doctrine A. The Apostles themselves were the Composers of it Q. At what time did the Apostles compose their Creed A. When they were all together at Jerusalem filled with the Holy Ghost before they dispersed themselves abroad to preach the Gospel to several Nations then they agreed upon this as the common Subject and Rule of all their Preaching that there might be no difference in their Doctrines after their departures one from another Anno Domini Christi 44. Anno Imperatoris Claudij 2. July 15. Q. Was it composed by them all together and delivered as the common result of their joynt determination like the Decrees of a General Council or did every several Apostle deliver his own particular Dictate in it and so every one give in his Article A. It is an antient and received Tradition that every one of the Apostles composed his several Article and therefore they are twelve Articles according to the number of the twelve Apostles Q. Can you tell me which Article was made by each particular Apostle A. Yes according to the Tradition St. Peter gave in the first I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth St. Andrew the second And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord. St. John the Evangelist the third Which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary St. James the Son of Zebedee the fourth Suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified Dead and Buried St. Thomas the fifth He descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the Dead St. James the Son of Alpheus the sixth He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty St. Philip the seventh From thence shall he come to judge the quick and the dead St. Bartholomew the eighth I believe in the Holy Ghost St. Matthew the ninth The Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints St. Simon the tenth The Remission of Sins St. Judas Thaddeus the eleventh The Resurrection of the Body St. Matthias the twelfth The life everlasting Q. Is there any probability of truth in this Tradition A. There is first the like probability that is in other Ecclesiastical Traditions in that it hath been delivered to us by Godly men who of their piety were not willing and in policy could have no reason to deceive us with a false story Then again this is plainly intimated in that Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from thence the Latin word Symbolum which signifieth a Shot a Collation or Contribution and implyeth that every particular Apostle conferred his several Article to the whole Sum and Reckoning of the Creed Q. But hath not the Word divers other significations A. Yes And very fitly answering to the Creed As when it is called an Agreement it signifieth that it was consented to by all Sometimes it is a watch word a signal or mark of distinction by which a man may know his fellow-souldier from his enemy And so it is the badge of our Profession by which you may know the difference between a Christian and an Infidel as a Souldier is known in the field as well by the Word as by his Coat and his Colors Yet the first sense as it is a Contribution or Share or Shot is as proper as any and seemeth most to be warranted by the Derivation and Etymologie of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à conjiciendo from casting together or adding one thing to another Q. Why is it called Creed A. Creed is of the first word in Latin Credo to believe So that to say our Creed is to say our Belief that is that which is to be believed Q. Is it sufficient for a Christian man to believe those things only that are contained in the Apostles Creed A. Those things especially are the first and immediate object of our Faith and are to be believed in express terms But also with those we must believe the Canonical Scriptures out of which they may be proved and the expositions and right consequences drawn by the Church from them both and also the other Orthodox and Catholick Confessions of Faith as the Creeds of St. Athanasius Nice and Chalcedon And also those Traditions which we have received by faithful hands from the Apostles As that these and none other are Canonical Scriptures That the Jews Sabbath which was on the last day of the week to wit on Saturday is changed into our Lords-day or Sunday That the power of Governing the Church and Imposition of hands belongs to the Bishops and such like that are agreeable to the Articles of our Creed Q. But is not this to make new Articles of Faith No. These are but explanations of and deductions from the Apostles Creed As the Nicene Athanasian and Chalcedon Creeds are not new ones or other Creeds but the expositions of the old one And concerning those aforenamed Traditions 1. When I know this Creed is agreable to and to be proved by the Canonical Scriptures then I must believe that to be the Scripture which the Church by Tradition commendeth unto us for the same 2. Again When I believe there is a God and that he is to be worshipped and so that some time is to be set a part for his service then I am easily induced to believe that This day that is the Lords-day is the fittest standing time which was first begun by our Saviours Resurrection and seconded by his appearing to his Disciples confirmed by the coming of the Holy Ghost and by the meetings of the Apostles and continued unto our time by the practice of the whole Church 3. Lastly When as I believe the Holy Catholick Church to be a Communion of Saints a company of faithful people then it easily followeth in my perswasion That our Saviour Christ who is the God of order left not this Society in confusion for every man to do and teach when and what he listeth as though all Christians upon their Baptism had presently power given them to Govern Teach and Ordain in the Church as they should see occasion But that our Saviour left this power to his Apostles and they left their Authority to set things in order that should be wanting in the Church upon emergent occasions and to Ordain Priests in every City not to all Christians nay nor to all Priests but to some particular men as to St. Timothy at
Baptism A. No. I being by nature born in sin and the child of wrath was thereby made the child of Grace Q. Are all they that are Baptised partakers of Grace and so in the state of Salvation A. Yes This is plain because they are thereby made the members of Christ the children of God and the inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven and so there is no condemnation to them are thus in Christ Jesus so long as they walk not after the flesh but after the spirit that is till they commit some actual sin Q. Did you undertake nothing when you â—ad this grace bestowed upon you in Baptism A. Yes For Baptism is the answer of a good conscience towards God 1 S. Pet. 3.21 It is a mutual Stipulation wherein there must be a promise made on both sides Q. What did you then promise to God A. I promised and vowed three things 1. That I should forsake the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of the wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh 2. That I should believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith 3. That I should keep Gods holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of my life Q. Did you make this promise then A. Yes Q. How could that be possible when as you knew not any thing that was then done A. I promised and vowed this by my Godfathers and Godmothers Q. Was it your promise then that they made at your Baptism A. Yes Q. How cometh this to pass A. Because they promised and vowed for me in my name and therefore I must be supposed to have made that promise and vow my self though not with my own mouth yet with the mouth of my Proxies and Sureties who did not then so much engage themselves that I should hereafter do it as speak in my stead by way of substitution representing my voice and taking upon them an Obligation for me whom they then personated and acted Q Do you think then that you are bound to do and to believe as they have promised for you A. Yes verily or else I must solemnly disclaim and renounce and really and effectually forfeit all my part in the grace of God and the benefit of Baptism Q. Will you therefore take that charge upon your self A. Yes I will and I do freely acknowledge the engagement to be mine since which my Godfathers and Godmothers undertook for me at Baptism Q. Do you think that you received any great benefit at Gods hand then in Baptism A. Yes and hereupon I bow my knees unto God and heartily thank our Heavenly Father as for all outward and temporal things because in him I live and move and have my natural being so much more for that he hath called me to this state of Salvation and hath made me the member of Christ the child of God and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven Q What moved God to be so good and gracious to you A. No worth nor merit nor desert in me but only his own love and mercy towards me in by and through Jesus Christ our Saviour Q. Do you think that you are able to perform this vow and promise that you have undertaken A. Not that I am sufficient of my self to think any thing of my self but my sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 And it is he that worketh in me to will and to do Phil. 2.17 and so his grace is sufficient for me and by his help I can and will do all things through Christ that strengthneth me Phil 4.13 Q. How will you attain Gods help and find grace in time of need A. I will pray without ceasing unto God to give me his grace his preventing and his following or co-operating grace that I may not only begin but also grow in grace and continue in the same unto my lives end Q. What if a man do not perform these conditions A. Then his state will be worse than theirs that are not Baptised because he hath not only disobeyed Gods Commandments and done those things that in themselves are evil and unjust but also he hath broken his Oath Promise and Covenant with God therefore his condemnation shall be the greater Q. But is not sin to be forgiven that is committed after Baptism A. Yes If a man can repent God will forgive any sin at any time yet a man is not so renewed by penance afterwards as he was at Baptism For Baptism taketh away sin whether it be Original as in children or both Original and Actual as in men of age that are Baptised according to both the guilt and the punishment except only Concupiscence or natural corruption which is the punishment of Original sin But repentance after Baptism taketh away indeed the guilt of sin and so the final condemnation yet not always the temporal punishment which sometimes must be suffered as Gods correction sometimes may be prevented or mittigated by Praying Fasting Alms and Corporal afflictions Q. How shall a man do to perform the first part ef his Promise which is to forsake the the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh A. That is done at first in the very act of abhorring abjuring renouncing and forsaking the Devil the World and the Flesh and resolving then against them in Baptism But the performance is afterward compleated and perfected by keeping the other two parts of a mans promise in the continued acts of Faith and Obedience And this I conceive to be the reason why the Church in her Catechism repeateth nothing of this part of our promise after the mention of it in Baptism but only tells us of the act of renouncing and presumeth that it is not or if men do their duty need not be reiterated but by the performance of the other two which being carefully observed sin cannot reign in our mortal bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof or follow it and be led by it OF THE CREED Q. VVHat do you mean by the Articles of the Christian Faith A. I mean the Apostles Creed Q. Why are they called Articles A. Articulus is the diminutive of Artus and it signifieth a little Joynt Lim or Member and therefore they are called Articles because they are the Joynts and Members of our Faith containing all the particulars thereof that are necessary to Salvation For as the Members of the Body are distinguished by Joynts so in the Confession of Faith whatsoever is to be believed distinctly and severally by it self in difference to another point is rightly and fitly called an Article Q. What is Faith A. Faith is a gift of God and a light whereby man being illuminated doth conceive firmly assent and cleave unto those things which the consent and authority of the holy Church proveth to be revealed and delivered to us by God in holy Scripture Faith respecteth not the order of Nature nor trusteth