antientest of them living in the year 160. saith that the whole Church of God dispersed through the World received it from the Apostles and carefully preserved it entire who by their agreement in this faith did seem to dwell in one house and to be animated with one Spirit More testimonies to this effect are amaâ—sed together by the worthy pains of Mr. Ashwell in his Fides Apostolica In this Creed saith reverend Perkins is the pith and substance of Christian Religion taught by the Apostles embraced by the antient Fathers and sealed by the blood of Martyrs It was composed saith he either by the Apostles or Apostolical men who were their Hearers and immediate Heirs of their belief and is of more authority than any writings of Church or Church-men whatsoever was approved by the universal consent of the Catholic Church in all ages is next in authority to the Scriptures and the order of the words ought not to be altered Thus he The Creed is called the Apostles quia ab ore Apostolorum receptum because it was taken from the mouths of the Apostles saith Nowell or as Vâ—sin doth express it because they delivered that Summary of Doctrine to their Disciples from whom the succeeding Churches did afterwards receive the same and transmit it to posterity The substance or matter of it is ipsissima Scriptura saith learned Iunius pure Scripture Et nihil in eo est quod solidis Scripturae testimoniis non consignetur saith Calvin there is no article joynt or limb in it that hath not a scriptum est written upon it that is not found for the sense and substance though not terminis terminantibus in the authentic Canon of Scripture The whole Sysâ—â—m or body of it is mentioned or hinted at least by these circumlocutions in Scripture the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 Tim. 6.20 that precious â—agâ— jewel or depositum that was betrusted â—o Timothy the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tim. 1.13 that form draught or pattern of wholsome words and is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 6.17 that form of doctrine that is that frame or system of doctrinal Truths which the Apostles did in the first place deliver as the ground-work of all other super-structures and such expressions APHOR. 3. The fullness and sufficiency of the Apostolical Creed IN this Creed there is neither want nor waste nothing defective or redundant it is breve simplex plenum saith St. Augustin short and plain but full and comprehensive doctis indoctisque commune the meanest Christian must know so much and the greatest Clerk need know no more for the substance of his belief We may say of this as Athanasius speaks of the Nicen Creed wch is for substance the same with it that it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a full and sufficient system of fundamental verities for the averting of impiety and the establishment of piety in Christ It is Regula una immobilis et irreformabilis in the language of Tertullian the sole Rule of Faith and such a one as is immovable and unreformable that admits neither supplement nor correction As in other Sciences so in this there must be some principles that are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} worthy of belief of themselves and that are fixt and immovable and indemonstrable otherwise there would be no end of disputes and controversies or any satisfaction to the busie mind of man for when a proposition is resolved into these principles there we must take up our rest there is the ultimate resolution and non-ultrà in that point As in the Mathematics omne mobile movetur super immobili every movable moâ—â—â— upon somthing that is immovable so in all discourses every demonstrable proposition is reducible to some indemonstrable principle which is the dernier ressort the last appeal and by consent of parties the final decision of all controversie The Church of Rome whose Sea hath on shoar being not contented with this number of Articles and catalogue of Fundamentals which the Apostles left us hath doubled the Cube and enlarged the Philacteries of our Creed as wide again by an addition of a dozen articles more qui pari passu ambulant that are of equal dignity 4th perfixed before them and Spalato in confide and necessity with the others so material every one of them that there is no salvation to be expected without them a curse is denounced against every man that shall rejâ—ct or deny them So that the Pope is not onely Dictator and Lord of our faith but is himself a prime article in it and the very corner-stone of our Religion as a Cardinal Champion of his Holiness hath given us to understand in these words Romani Pontificis potestatem infallibilitatem esse rei Christianae summam ejusque sententiam pro normâ Regulâ fidei habendam asserimus Erasmus a sober and learned man doth wish that the Christian World had been contented with that one Creed of the Apostles in lieu of all the several Confessions that are in the World for saith he there was never less faith in the World than since the time that confessions of faith were multiplied Vbi caepit minùs esse fidei inter Christianos mox increvit symbolorum modus numerus De Ratione verae Theologiae APHOR. 4. Of the Patriarchs Creed IT were not difficult to demonstrate the truth of this Aphorism by giving proof of each article in order But inâ—â—nding onely some strictures and short animadversions in this place I may not take so much liberty to expatiate I shall at present onely show that the main substance of the Christian Faith was known to Gods chosen from the beginning even long before Christ came in the flesh 1. The article of the blessed Trinity to wit the triple personality of the Godhead was revealed unto them as is proved by Zanchius in his eight books de tribus Elohim by Petrus Galatinus de arcanis veritatis Catholicae and by that learned Noble man of France Sieur du Plessis de veritate Relig Christ cap. 6. 2. Christ the second person of the Trinity was abundantly revealed unto the Fathers of the old Testament that they might be saved saith Augustine by faith in Christ that was to come as we are saved by faith in Christ who is come Their faith and ours had the same object there is but one faith Ephes. 4.5 the difference was onely in the tense or time but the effect was the same All the periods and several acts of mans Redemption by Christ as his Incarnation Passion Resurrection c. were not unknown to the servants of God in old time and the glorious fruits and effects of theâ— were not hidden from them but were assured unto them through faith A Redeemer was promised even to the first sinner after his
admitted Proselytes into their Religion by this Rite or Ceremony of Baptizing besides that of Circumcision as hath been observed unto us by men well verst in Rabbinical Writings and the Rituals of all ages as Ainsworth on Gen. 17.12 Heins. his Exâ—râ— on Act. 18.3 Lud de Dieu his Append on Matth. 23.15 and more fully and copiously Doctor Hammond in his fourth Quaere But indeed the Jewish and the Christian Baptisms had different purposes and designations by the one the Proselytes were baptised into Moses that is the Mosaic Law and Oâ—conomie by the other into Christ that is into his Faith Rule and Discipline And it is farther observed by the forementioned Writers that of the Jewish proselytes not onely men of years were baptized but their young Children were also baptized with them and received into the bosome of that Church to be instructed in their Law when they should come to years Which usage was taken up by John the Baptist and afterwards by Christ and his Apostles and continued in the reformed Common wealth though to another purpose and design as we touched before and this Ceremony was thought sufficient to be retained for that end when Circumcision was abolished If the issue of the Question touching Infants-baptism lay upon this Whether the Apostles of Christ did baptize Infants The Scripture by its own light doth not clear the doubt it tells us they baptized whole housholds which testimonies do of themselves make it but probable that they baptized the children of those housholds but if Catholic tradition and the voice of the Church he allowed so much civility and credit with us as to be believed for a matter of fact and story then the business would soon be put beyond all pretensions of scruple and made as secure and firm to our sense as any Article of our Creed As upon the testimony of Travellers and credible men I might be induced to believe firmly and undoubtedly that there is such a City as Constantinople though I neither saw it nor doth the Scripture make any mention of it APHOR. 6. Where it may not be had desire supplies the defect THis must be understood of the adulti or men in years that have not participated of the holy mysteries but do earnestly desire and long for them but by some impediment and invincible necessity cannot obtain them If the fault be not on their side there is no danger but the internal benefit of the Sacrament is communicated to them without the external symbols The penitent Thief on the cross went to heaven without Baptism when Simon Magus went to hell with it the children of Bethlehem that were baptized in their own blood were qualified for heaven by that Baptism without the Baptism of water and Martyrdom in any other doth entitle them to a crown even a crown of glory though unbaptized When the Emperour Valentinian died without Baptism but had determined to receive it but that he was prevented by death St. Ambrose doth state his case thus Quem regeneraturus eram amisi sed ille noâ— amisit gratiam quam poposcit I lost him saith he whom I was about to regenerate or baptise but he hath not lost the grace oâ— fruit of that Ordinance which he desired In such cases Baptismus flaminis supplet baptismum fluminis the Baptism of the Spirit doth supply the want of water-baptism and the Spirit himself doth officiate for the Minister sometimes From hence we may infer that the case of children dying without Baptism is not forlorne and disperate we may not be such Rhadamanths as to passe damnatory sentences upon them for want of that which was not in their power to compass God doth not tye any to those ordinary Laws and methods whereby he saves man but such as may have them and are capable to use them If the Parents be wanting to their child in this duty the sin sure lyes at their door and not the child's and God will require it at their hands as he did at the hands of Moses In like manner the Church of England hath declared her judgement touching the want of the Eucharist if there be no more than the bare defect If any person by extreme sickness or any other just impediment do not receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper if he truly repent him of his sins and stedfastly believe that Christ died for him he doth eat and drink the body and blood of Christ profitably to his souls health though he do not eat the Sacrament with his mouth So the Rubric for the communion of the sick A Prayer occasionally conceived upon the entring into a ruinous Church where no Prayers or Sermons had been in many years before O Eternal Holinesse and immense Goodness how sad and desolate is this place which was lately frequented by a people called by thy name to call upon thy name to seek thy face and to find thee here in thine own appointments and holy dispensations how forlorne is it now become being made a Court of Owls and a place for Satyrs to dance in I acknowledge the hand-writing upon the walls and the charactets of thy just displeasure who doest proportion punishments to the offences and makest the one legible in the analogy and suitablenesse of the other Lord if my sins have drawn thâ—se lines of confusion and of stones emptiness if by any remisness or perfunctoriness in holy Ministeries if by want of zeal for thy glory or any other way I have awaked thy justice lo here in all humility I prostrate my self before thee imploring mercy and pardon and confessing to thy glory that thou art just in all that is come upon us And if the sins of the Congregation that used to meet here have contributed to this judgement and turned away thy presence from this place either by sleighting the Mysteries that were here dispensed or the Dispensers of them we must say again that righteous art thou O Lord and true are thy judgements Thou hast been just in shutting up the doors of thy House against them that did shut their ears and hearts against thee and in taking away that food from before them which they loathed or lightly regarded Yet O Lord be mercifull both to Priest and People and turn not away thy face utterly in displeasure from them as we confesse thy justice so we implore thy mercy Lift up the light of thy countenance upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate and cause thy face to shine upon it Turn thee unto us O Lord and renew our dayes as of old Have mercy upon a distressed Church and a distracted â—tate Behold thy Ministers that are smitâ—en into Corners and their respective Congregations that wander like sheep without a shepherd that travel to and fro â—o seek the word of the Lord and cannot â—ind it Gather them O thou Shepherd of Israel â—nd do thou guide and lead them forth â—nd let thy rod and staff comfort
Articles that are contained in the Apostles Creed Which Creed is the Key to all other doctrinal points of Religion VI THe Patriarchs and Servants of God in old time were saved by the faith contained in this Creed every Article thereof being revealed unto them and to be sound dispersedly in the writings of Moses (a) and the Prophets For as there was but one (b) Church from the beginning of the World so there was but one (c) faith which is common to us and them and to all that shall come after us VII OF those twelve Articles some do concern God the Father as the first Article some concern God the Son as the six Articles immediately following and some do concern God the Holy Ghost as the eighth Article The four last do set forth the state of the Church both in this World and in the nexâ— VIII THe Article of Christ's descent into Hell may safely be understood and believed either of these two waies 1. That the soul of Christ descended locally among the Infernal Spirits not to suffer but to manifest the power of his Godhead which is the interpretation of the Fathers and divers eminent Writers * of later age 2. By descending into Hell no more is to be understood than that Christ descended into the state of the Dead and was there continued for the space of three daies which is more generally received of the later Writers IX TO believe the Holy Catholick Church is to believe that among all the Tribes (a) and Nations of the World God hath some chosen servants a peculiar people whom he hath taken (b) out for his name sanctified with his Spirit (c) called unto the state of grace (d) and ordained unto eternal Glory X. TO believe the Communion of Saints is to believe that the Saints and Servants of God are knit by an invisible tye of faith and love to Christ their head (a) and to each other by common participation and mutual communication of all good things both spiritual and temporal as if they were but one body and were acted by one soul and spirit (b) XI TO believe forgiveness of sins is to believe that God doth freely pardon sin to penitent (a) sinners thtough faith in Christ (b) without any other merit or satisfaction And that he hath given power to his Church (d) to declare and prâ—nounce this pardon in his name upon just and lawfull occasions XII THe Nicene Creed and the Creed of Athanasius are but Paraphrases and Explanations of the Apostles Creed upon occasion of Heresies that sprung up in the Church about those times touching the holy Trinâ—ty and the Incarnation of Christ But they contain nothing material or substantial that is not couched in the short symbol of the Apostles XIII THat little Hymn of glory called Gloria Patri c. is as it were a little Creed and an Abridgement of the Apostolical brought into the Church about the time that Arrianism prevailed for to be a badge to distinguish the Orthodox Believers from the Heterodox or mis-believers For by giving glory to God in this form they confessed the Trinity in Unity which the Arrians opposed A PRAYER BLessed be thy holy name O Lord for all the holy Scripture which thou hast given us for a light unto our feet (a) and a lantern unto our paths And particularly for that part of it which thy holy Apostles have delivered for a Summary of Faith and a Rule of right belief to teach us to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ (b) whom thou hast sent Lord strengthen and confirm this faith in us more and more that we being built upon the Rock (c) and the firm foundation of the Prophets (d) and Apostles may stand up stedfast unshaken and unmovable against all the temptations of Satan both against the strong blasts of persecution when any shall arise and against the breath of seducers which do daily lie in wait to deceive and to beguile unstable souls That so holding fast this (f) pledge which was once delivered unto the Saints we may at last obtain the end (g) of our faith even the salvation of our souls through him who is the Author (h) and finisher of our faith Jesus Christ the Righteous Vnto whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit all glory be rendred by all the Church as in the beginning so now and to all ages of the World Amen OF THE COMMANDMENTS I. THe second general Hâ—ad of Christian Religion are the Commandments which are the Breviate of the Law Moral and of all the practical duties of humane life It is the Rule of our obediencâ— the Tree (a) of knowledge of good and evil shewing what is good (b) and what is bad what is to be followed and (c) what to be eschewed II. OUr Saviour Christ did not abolish the Ten Commandments for it is a law founded in Nature (a) and natural equity and therefore is unmovable and unchangable It is the eternal Rule of Justice to all persons to the end of the World for the Gospel doth not exempt any persons from natural or moral obligations at any time III. CHrist freed us from the Ceremonial Law which was grown to be (a) unsupportable but not from the law of good manners (b) which was promulgated upon Mount Sinai He hath freed us also from the rigor and punctuality of this Law but not from the regiment of it And lastly he hath freed us from the curse (c) of this law or the curse annexed to the breach of it when he was himself made â— curse by suffering an accursed death for our sins (d) IV. THis Law called Moral is a holy (a) and perfect (b) Law having a spiritual (c) as well as a literal sense being made to regulate the whole man both outwardly in his members and inwardly for the thoughts and intentions of the heart (d) Christ did fullfill this Law by doing it not by filling up the vacuities of it for there was no defect or imperfection in it (e) V. GOd summed all moral duties in ten general Precepts or Ten (a) Words as Moses calls them Our Saviour Christ reduced these ten into two and St. Paul into one even Love Love (c) is the fullfilling of the Law and the end and complement (d) of it (b) that is Love towards God and Love towards our Neighbour this is the total sum of the Moral Law VI THough the Law be so nice and exact (a) in it self that we cannot perform it so fully as we ought or as it requires (b) nevertheless we may Gods grace assisting us perform it so far as to find a gracious acceptance with him through Christ (c) The doing the uttermost of what we can (d)
of later age 2. Secondly by descending into Hell no more is to be understood than that Christ descended into the state of the Dead and was continued under the power of Death for the space of three daies which is more generally received of the later Writers What is meant by this article I believe the Holy Catholic Church To believe the Holy Catholic Church is to believe that among all the Tribes and Nations of the World God hath some chosen Servants and a peculiar people whom he hath tâ—ken out for his name sanctified with his Spirit called unto the state of grace and ordained unto eternal glory What do you understand in the same article by the Communion of Saints To believe the Communion of Saints is to believe that the Saints and Servants of God are knit by an invisible tye of faith and love to Christ their Head and unto each other by common participation and mutual communication of all good things both spiritual and temporal as if they were but one Body and were acted by one soul and the same spirit What do you understand by this article I believe the forgiveness of sins We believe that God doth freely pardon sin to penitent sinners through faith in Christ without any other merit or satisfaction and pronounce this pardon in his name upon just and lawfull occasions Are there not some other Creeds besides that of the Apostles Yea the Nicen Creed and that of Athanasius yet these are but Paraphrases and Explanations of the Apostolical Creed upon occasion of Heresies that sprung up in the Church in those times especially touching the Trinity and the Incarnation of Christ but they contain nothing material or substantial that is not couched in the short symbol of the Apostles What is the use of that little Hymn called Gloria patri It is as it were a little Creed and an Abbridgment of the Apostolical brought into the Church about the time that Arrianism prevailed for to be a badge to distinguish the Orthodox Believers from the Heterodox or mis-believers For by giving glory to God in this form they confessed the Trinity in Unity which the Arrians opposed OF THE COMMANDMENTS WHich is the second general part of Christian Religion The Commandments which are a Breviate of the Moral Law and of all the practical duties of humane life the Rule of our obedience the Tree of knowledge of good and evil shewing what is good and what is bad what is to be followed and what to be eschewed Did not Christ abolish these Commandments No for this is a Law founded in Nature and natural equity and therefore is unmovable and unchangable It is the eternal Rule of Justice to all persons to the end of World The Gospel doth not exempt any persons from natural and moral obligations at any time But it is said that we are not under the Law but under Grace therefore we are freed from the Law Indeed Christ hath wholly freed us from the Ritual or Ceremonial Law which was grown to be unsupportable but he hath not discharged us from the law of good mannerâ— promulgated on Mount Sinai yet he hath freed us in part from this Law freed us from the rigor and severity of it filed the teeth of it as it were he hath freed us from the curse annexed to the breach of it when he was made himself a curse by suffering an accursed death for our sins Was this Law a perfect Rule of obedience and such as needed no amendment Yea it was a holy and a perfect Law having a Spiritual as well as a literal sense being made to regulate the whole man both outwardly in his members and inwardly for the thoughts and intentions of the heart Christ did fullfil this Law by doing it not by filling up the vacuities of it for there was no defect or imperfection in it Are not the duties of man very numerous in this life Yea sâ—â—e but God in his wisdom hath summed them all up in Ten general precepts or Ten words as Moses calls them Our Saviour Christ reduced these 10. into two Mat. 22.40 and St. Paul into one Rom. 13 10. namely Love Love is the fullfilling of the Law the end and complement of it that is Love towards God and Love towards our neighbour This is the total sum of the Moral Law Is it possible for any to perform or fullfil this Law Though it be so nice and exact in it self that we cannot perform it so fully as we ought or as it requires nevertheless we may Gods grace assisting us perform it so far as to find a gracious acceptance with him through Christ The doing the uttermost of what we can and the bewailing of what we cannot do is all that the merciful God requires at our hands in this point What do the precepts of the first Table contain They do contain the duty of man towards God being given to direct him in the service of his Maker and in performing the internal and external worship that is due unto him â—or he that made both soul and body expects the service of both and to be glorifiâ—d in both What do the precepts of the second Table concern They do concern and contain the duty of man towards his Neighbour obliging him to love him as himself and that as his fellow-creature hewn out of the same rock made by the same hand and bearing the same â—â—amp image and super scription with him evâ—n the image of him that made both the one and the other The Commandments are but few in number and short in words have they not sâ—me farther latitude in sense than in words Yea surely and there are certain Rules to shew what latitude they bear that is how far they may be amplified and extended as First where any virtue is commanded all virtues of the same kinde are under that name commanded and where any vice is forbidden all vices of that kind or race are forbidden likewise What other Rules have you to measure the latitude of these Commandments Take these two more where any virtue is commanded there the opposite vice is forbidden and where any vice is forbidden there the opposite virtue is commanded by the Rule of Contraries As where stealing is forbidden there honest labour industry and frugality is commanded that men need not be forced to steal What is the other Rule Where any duty is commanded there all lawfull meanâ— conducing to that duty are tacitly commanded And where any vice is forbidden there all the means and occasions as also the allurements and provocations that do any way tend or induce thereunto are likewise forbidden OF THE LORDS PRAYER WHat is the use of prayer Since there is no man in the world so full and self-sufficient but doth want something and must seek out of himself for a supply of that want Nature dictates and suggests that prayer and supplication is an effectual means to obtain this supply and that humble address must
prevarication the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3 15. This was the first Gospel in the World extant in the first book of the Bible this was proto-Evangelium and Evangelii aurora the first dawning of Gospel-comfort If ye believed in Moses ye would have believed in me saith Christ to the Jews for Moses wrote of me Joh. 5.46 Moses wrote of Christ both in the forecited Text and else where Abraham saw Christ's day and rejoyced John 8.56 he saw the day of his Incarnation which God revealed by some means unto this his friend wch ministred cause of joy unto him this was the Gospel which God preached unto him Gal. 3.8 for there was Gospel in the World before Christ came to preach it Some of the Prophets tongues dropt some of this balm now and then more especially Esay who was the Evangelist of the old Testament ante Evangelia Evangelicus Isaias saw Christs glory and spake of him John 12.41 Now the Gospel that was preached in those daies was the same with ours to wit justification by faith in Christ remission of sins and life and immortality through him as a reward of faith and sincere obedience Habbakkuk preached the just should live by faith in case he was defective in obedience Circumcision was a Seal of their justification or righteousness which was through faith even a seal of pardon and remission of sins to all believers 3. The Resurrection of the body was a point that Iob a Gentile and an alien from the Commonwealth of Israel was well assured of It is a point generally believed and embraced in the Jewish Church as St. Paul declares in express terms Acts 26. verse 6 7 8. Verse 6. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers i. the promise of a resurrection from death Verse 7. Vnto which promise our twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come for which hopes sake King Agrippa I am accused of the Jews Verse 8. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead Nay the women of the Countrey were strong in this faith for when Christ told Martha that her brother Lazarus should rise again she replied I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day 4. Then for the last point or article of our belief even everlasting life I doubt not but they had knowledge and assurance of it many of them life and immortality was proposed to them as a reward of their obedience if they had kept the Law which if a man do he shall even live in them live not onely a long life here but an endless life hereafter The Law is the administration of death saith St. Paul but that is not the proper work of it that is by accident not in the primary intention of it The Commandment was ordained unto life saith the same Apostle but he found it unto death by reason of his sins the sting of death is sin it is sin and not the Law that bites like a Serpent and gives the mortal wound The old and new Testament do not differ materiâ promissionum in the subject matter of the promises as if the promises of old were onely temporal and under the Gospel onely eternal promises were propounded The Belgic Remonstrants did teach so indeed and so did Michael Servetus whom for this and other Heresies Calvin calls exitiale monstrum These make no other esteem of the antient people of God the seed of Abraham than of a herd of Swine who had their portion in this life without hope of any other as if God had proposed no other guerdon to them nor they expected any but fullness of bread carnal pleasures worldly pomp and power and children to inherit all these after them Michael Servetus whom Calvin terms prodigiosum Nebulonem in another place of his Institutions was by birth a Spaniard of Arragon who of a Physician became a Divine and did pass for a Protestant He was convented at Geneva for sundry heretical opinions that he had broached both there and elsewhere and persevering therein without hopes of reclaiming him he was by the Counsel and consent of the Divines of Bearne Zurick Schaffhauson and Geneva burnt at Geneva in the year 1555. You may see a Catalogue of his errors in Lucas Osiander's Epitome of Eccles History l. 2. Cent 16. c. 21. and in Schlusselburgius and the Anabaptists speak the same dialect as Calvin doth inform us in his Institutions which pestiferous error as he terms it is there fully refuted by him and all Protestant writers tilt at it with their pens where ever they meet it among the rest the Church of England hath laid it under her feet if I do not mistake her meaning In the 7th. Article of her confession where these words are to be found In the old Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ therefore they are not to be heard that feign that the old Fathers did look onely for temporal promises They looked for a City whose builder and maker was God and for a heavenly Countrey Heb. 11.10 16. Fides Abrahae non Palastinae duntaxat regionem spectabat sed caeleflem illam patriam beatorum sedem is a note of Iustinian upon that place APHOR. 5. Of believing the Catholic Church WE must remark that the phrase of this article runs I believe the holy Catholic Church not in the holy Catholic Church for the particle In perfixed to the former articles must be out here and it is out in St. Augustines exposition and Ruffinus and other antient Expositors upon this subject and also in the Trent Catechism * We may not believe in the Church because it is not dominus but domus not the Master of the house but the house as St. Augustin gives the reason We may credere Ecclesiae not in Ecclesiam we may believe the Catholic Church very far and give it the highest credit next Gods own word in matters of fact and practice especially and some points which the Scripture doth not clearly define herein we may follow the practice and embrace the Arrest or judgement of the Catholic Church For it is a staple rule and maxim in St. Aug What is universally * received and retained in the Church we may rationally conclude that it was derived from the first planters of it even the Apostles But we may not rest or relie upon the Church as the chief guide of our Salvation her authority is venerable but it is not the Rule of our faith Wherefore the word Credo I believe in the four last Articles of the Belief imports no more than Credo esse meo bono esse as Alsted doth well expound it I believe that such things mentioned in those several articles truly are
kind or any other I am but little acquainted with of late times living remote from the Kiriath-Sephers the common Marts and Staples of such marchandises and being rendred both unable to buy and uncapable to employ them Yet my reason tells me and it is the common voice and vote of divers others as I hear that Catechising is a very necessary expedient for the preservation of Christian Religion among us and the most probable means if not to recover the Diseased from infection yet to preserve the Sound from being infected The principal way of fortifying against false Teachers is to be well-grounded in the principles of true teaching that is of the doctrine of Christ without which men are like chaff without any solid grain in them which are soon blown away from the floor of the Church and tossed to and fro with every wind of vain doctrine like a ship without ballast or anchor and like a building that having no basis or foundation is easily storm'd down and demolished And hence it is that the Master-builders of our Sion who have spent much pains in the Pulpit yet because they have spent so little in foundation-work have found that they did but aedificare in ruinam and that all their labour was but lost in building The smallest of Gods creatures do often read Lectures unto their Master man the Pismire reads a Lecture of providence and industry and the Bee reads a lesson of wit and sagacity For this wise little foul when she goes abroad a forraging and is perhaps surprised with windy-weather before she adventures back again she takes up some gravel in her fangs to balance her little body and then she hoises sail and steers her course home-wards more stedily Saepe lapillos Ut cymbae instabiles fluctu jactante saburram Tollunt his sese per inania nubila librant If men would learn the like providence before they adventure forth in windy-weather among the storms and counter-tydes of disputes and controversies in the world as to take in the ballast of Catholick principles which are here treated of they would certainly hold their road and course with more safety and less danger of making shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience They would not fluctuate like those unstable souls that Optatus speaks of Inter licet nostrum et non licet vestrum nutant remigant populorum animae For let the winds blow and the waters flow and the Devil storm never so much a well-principled Christian knows how to steer his course and where to rest and cast anchor This is the benefit and advantage of Catechistical exercises and of building up a Christian Methodically from the foundation upward Such an Edifice being {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an harmonious building the super-structure being cemented to the foundation and the roof and covering being adapted to the super-structure and all parts being framed and compacted according to the Rule of Proportion is most like to last and bear up and to prove storm-proof Now the subject matter of Catechising as all know are the first principles of Christian Religion which St. Paul calls the Elements and the beginnings of the doctrine of Christ As there are principles in all Sciences upon which the whole Art depends and upon which it is built as upon a foundation So in this Architectonical Science and the Art of saving souls there are certain principles which are of such moment and consequence that he that hath not these hath nothing he graspeth a cloud his soul is empty like a hungry man that dreameth he is eating and loe when he awaketh he is empty And the principles of this Divine Art are these four the Creed the Commandments the Lord Prayer and the Sacraments These are the Catholick Principles of the Catechism saith reverend Perkins which have been agreed upon ever since the Apostles daies by all Churches of the World These are fundatoria Religionis the foundations of that City that came down from heaven which was four square these are the four Elements that do constitute the Christian Faith the Vials wherein the vital substance of Religion consisteth They are in brief the antient Land-Marks that have been settled since the foundation of Christendom and points that have been generally and universally received wheresoever Christ had a Church being Heyr-looms as it were and standing implements of the Church from the beginng and descending down from age to age indisputably to the Heirs of salvation Amidst all the garboils of the Church when it hath been most torn with Schiâ—ms and over-grovwn with the Tares of Heresie in those times when it required some wit to be a Christâ—â— and to continue so God reserved this seed unto his Church and people and preserved the vitals of Christianity un-invaded at least among most men and in most parts of the world True it is that Satans Pioners have been busie in all ages with these foundations and have turned up every stone in it yet that will not prejudice the universality of them no more than some hills and vallies do perjudice the roundness of the earthly Globe So that I may here fitly apply a piece of that Remonstrance which the renowned Athanasius Patriarch of Alexandria together with the Bishops under his Patriarchate presented to the Emperour Jovinian being newly advanced to the Empire to induce him to quit the Arrian party and to embrace the Orthodox Faith The Confession of Faith which we present unto your Highness most sacred Emperor is received by all the Churches of God every where as in Spain Britain France Italy Dalmatia Mysia Macedonia and all Greece By all the Churches of Africa Sardinia Cyprus Creet Pamphylia Lycia Isauria the Churches of Egypt Lybia Pontus Cappadocia and the neighbouring Regions of all the East excepting some few of the Arrian faction that do oppugn it Non tamen inde praejudicium fieri potest orbi universo They are but as the dust of the ballance and their paucity cannot prejudice the universal consent of the Christian World as bearing no proportion with it I may say the same of these Catholick Principles that are handled in the ensuing pages and therefore it is safe yea necessary to embrace Quod ab omnibus quod ubique quod semper c. For there is nothing of this nature that hath such an impress of Universality Antiquity and Consent upon it that is not Apostolical For as the Apostles in all points that they preached were unius labii of one lip and language though their bodies were far a sunder so were the Churches that were planted by them They had all the same Depositum the same Body of Theology form of Doctrine and System of saving and necessary truths entrusted to them which they also transmitted to the next generation as faithfull Trustees and Depositaries from whom they were handed over unto us
under the same trust and obligation of bequeathing them to our posterity until Christ himself cut off the entail Let none therefore over-look these things or despise the day of small things for by over-looking these we have almost lost our religion while we wander in vain fantasies following after new notions or new-nothings Chymical and Chymerical Divinity and such quelques-choses to please the fastidious and irregular appetites of this age we are bewildred like Travellers that disdaigning the beaten and obvious road-waies are alwaies seeking out short cuts and compendious traverses till they be entangled in some thickets and can hardly meet with the right way again Ardua dûm quaerunt amittunt vera viaï Wherefore despise not I say these small things without which none ever came to be great in solid and saving knowledge God hangs great weights upon small wires All Religion hangs upon these few plain principles which are Radical verities from whence all others are extracted as numbers from their rootes and conclusions from their premisses When the French called upon the English that came to the aid of Henry the 4th to hasten their slow march one of the English Commanders replyed With this march our Forefathers did once over-run all France we may say in like manner that how meanly soever some may deem of these things we know that by these waies and means the Gospel marched over the World the Primitive Christians won the field subdued whole Kingdoms unto Christ and at last won heaven for themselves By this means the Protestants got ground of the Papists as the Pope himself once did complain and divers * Romanists have confessed that the Protestants never used a more mischievous engine against Rome than Catechising And thereupon they fell to counter-work them by the same way and fram'd Catechisms of several sorts And surely if ever they get back of us that ground which they have lost it will be as a Reverend man hath long since premonished by this way by their more exact care in requiring of this duty from the Parochial Ministers I will preface no farther in this business but advertise the Christian Reader that this Synopsis was intended for an explanation of the Church-Catechism and indeed to succeed it in the order and method of teaching for this presupposeth the learning of the other and the having it by heart before hand as the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the milky way which all Children should first tread in and learn to order their steps by The Romans caused their Youth to learn the Laws of the 12. Tables by rote and why should not Christian Children learn that more excellent Law of the Two Tables and the other Heads of Christian Love in their tender years when the memory is most receptive of good impressions most retentive of what is committed to it This indeed is fitted and set to the elevation of mens capacities at 12. and 13. years of age when it begins to be day-breaks in their understandings in matters of this nature A year or two will not serve to be Discipulus Catechismi under the discipline of the Catechist This foundation-work will require more time pains than so Let none make too much haste out of this lower form till Christ be formed in him and until these prima fidei lineamenta the first lines and traces of Christ's face be drawn upon the Tablet of his mind The variety and multiplicity of Catechisms which I hear to be abroad hath kept this a while under my wing But at last I adventured it abroad because I understand there are but few of those fram'd according to the Scheme of the Church-Catechism and another motive of the publication was the Counsel of a pious and learned Father of the Church which was that men should publish various Tractâ— touching one and the same subject that the same thing coming forth in various dresses into mens hands they might be reduced to read and affect them one way or other For sometimes the person of an Author being familiarly known unto us invites us to read sometimes a singular method and sometimes neatness and elegancy of style prefers a Book to the Readers acceptance If any of these circumstances shall befriend this small piece and procure it a favourable aspect from the Christian peruser I may hope of some good may be done by it And God give a blessing to it according to the sincerity of my intentions therein And thine eares shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn unto the left Isa. 30.21 YOung man if thou wouldst Christian be In truth and in reality Four things imprint upon thy mind Whil'st it is tender yet and kind 1. First learn the Creed that golden Key Of true Belief which lets in day 2. The Precepts next must be thy Lore To guide thee safe from shore to shore 'Midst rocks of Vices and the Sands Which threat thy Vessel on all hands 3. Then that most holy Prayer take Which for thy use thy Lord did make To teach thee to send fit desires Lest thou offend with foolish fires 4. The Sacraments in the last place With bended knees and heart embrace The Seals of thy Redemption and Thy title to the Holy-Land Make use of these if thou would'st fain That life which knows no Death obtain BIs tria (1) sunt Oranda tibi Credendaque (2) bis sex Quae (3) Peragenda decem (4) Participanda duo OF THE CREED I. THere are four general parts of Christian Religion which are received and embraced of the whole Church of God throughout the World and do virtually contain the whole Body of Divinity namely The Creed the Commandments the Lords Prayer and the Sacramentâ— II. AS man was made after a differenâ— manner from other sublunaâ—y Creatures so he was designed for a different end (a) to weet eternal happiness after this life For the attainment whereof God hath shewed him what to do (b) prescribed the means thereunto conducing if he make use of them III. THe means that God appointed unto man for to arrive at happiness are chiefly these two 1. To believe rightly in God 2. To walk uprightly before him that is according to his Will and Command revealed in his Word This is the whole duty of man IV. THe Word wherein God declared his Will is the Scripture which is the Authentick Rule of Faith and Manners Life Belief containing all points of necessary and saving truths to make the man of God perfect and to carry him on to his designed end of happiness and glory V. ALl the chief points of Faith and right Belief and which are necessary of all men to be received to whom they are propounded are summed up in those 12. points or
PRAYER BLessed Lord thou hast been gracious unto thy people and wonderfull in all thy doings towards the children of men Thou hast been pleased since thou hast created us for thy self to guide our steps unto thee and to set us in the paths that lead unto everlasting life By teaching us to believe (a) rightly in thee to walk (b) uprightly before thee and in all our Addresses (c) to speak advisedly and discreetly unto thee And thou hast been farther pleased to afford thy servants suitable and convenient helps for the performance of those Duties thou hast enjoyned them even thy holy Sacraments which thou hast ordained to nourish and strengthen our saith in thee to enflame our love towards thee and to embolden our addresses unto thee by assuring and sealing (d) unto us all the gracious promises that thou hast made unto thy Church in thy beloved Son Lord teach us to use these helps and means discreetly reverently and thankfully as thine own holy institutions Continue them still unto us and let thy holy Spirit be ever present with them that they may be instrumental and effectual to those ends and purposes for which thou hast ordained them Lord hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place and have mercy and pardon the sins of this most sinfull Nation Heal all our rents and breaches Thou whose name is the Repairer (e) of the breaches and tâ—e Restorer of the paths to dwell in let this ruin (f) be under thy hand and be thou a Healer Say unto this Nation as thou didst once to thy antient people (g) I will bring it health and cure and I will cure them and reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth Grant this for thy mercies sake and make haste to help O Lord God of our Salvaâ—ion How long O Lord at length repent And of our miseries relent Thine earely mercy shew That we may unknown comforts tast And for long daies of sorrow past As long of joy bestow The preceding Aphorisms resolved into Questions and Answers for the better fixing of them in the memory and a farther illustration of them to weaker understandings THis short Abstract is fram'd and contrived first Axiomatically by way of Theses Aphorisms or Axioms as Hippocrates summ'd up the Rules of his art in Aphorisms Piscator Junius and Grynaeus have delineated the Body of Theology in the like form In the second place These Theorems are handled Dramatically by inter-locutions or by Questions and Answers which was the antient way not onely of teaching Philosophy used by Socrates and Plato but also of planting the Christian Faith and propagating it over the world This Method and Oeconomy will much conduce not onely to illustrate the matter in hand and insinuate it to the understanding but will serve also to rivet it the faster in the minds of the learners that they may be as goâ—ds and nails fastned by the Masters of the Assemblies It is a command of Moses concerning the Law Thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children Deut. 6.7 In the Hebrew it is Exacues thou shâ—lt sharpen these precepts and set a point on them that they may penetrate as men sharpen a stake to drive it into the ground or set an edge on a knife by often drawing it over the whetstone So it is needfull that such Rules should be often inculcated and repeated that they may pierce deeper and hold faster And lest I might seem to obtrude any thing Magisterially or like a Dictator on any mans belief I have pointed to the rock from whence they were hewn by subjoyning Scripture-citations to each of them I have also confirm'd them by the authority of some ancient and modern writers such as were the Heads of their Tribes and renowned men in their Generations The Protestants of France took just offence at the Sorbon Doctors when they published the Capital points of Christian Religion in 25. Propositions without any proofs of Scripture for any of them but obtruded naked Conclusions and Axioms tanquam pro imperio nullis rationibuâ— aut firmamentis adjectis But I hope I have prevented such objections by what is added to these Theorems OF THE CREED HOw many parts be there of Christian Religion There are four general parts thereof which are universally embraced of the whole Church of God through the World and do virtually contain the whole Body of Divinity namely the Creed the Commandments the Lords Prayer and the Sacraments What is the preeminence and excellency of man above other creatures As man was made after a different manner from all other creatures here below so he was made to a different end namely eternal happiness after this life For the attainment whereof God hath shewed him what to do prescribed the means thereunto conducing if he make a right use of them What are those means that God hath appointed unto man for obtaining eternal happiness They are chiefly these two first to believe rightly in God secondly to live uprightly before him that is according to his will revealed in his word Living and believing making up the whole duty of man What word do you mean The word wherein God declared his will is the Scripture which is the authentic Rule of faith and manners life and belief containing all points of necessary and saving Truthâ— to make the man of God perfect and to carry him on to his designed end of happiness and glory What are the chiefest points of faith and right belief The chief and fundamental points of faith and true belief and which are necessary to be received of all to whom they are propounded are summed up in these 12. points or articles which are contained in the Apostles Creed which Creed is the key to all other doctrinal points of Religion How did the Patriarchs and Servants of God of old time believe before this Creed was framed They believed as we do and were saved by the saith contained in this Creed every article thereof being revealed unto them and to be found dispersedly in the writings of Moses and the Prophets for as theâ—e was but one Church from the beginning of the world so there was but one Faith which is common to us and them and to all that shall come after us What do these 12. articles contain or concern Some do concern God the Father as the first article some God the Son as the six articles immediately following and some do concern God the Holy Ghost as the eighth article The four last do set forth the state of Gods Church both in this world and in the next What is meant by Christ's descending into Hell which is mentioned in the Creed That article or period may safely be understood either of these two waies 1. First that the soul of Christ descended locally among the infernal Spirits not to suffer but to manifest the power of his Godhead which is the interpretation of the Fathers and divers eminent Writers
of Baptism There is no danger in the bare want of it where it may not be had but in the neglect or contempt of it where it may be had this is a soul-endangering sin and imports a contempt of the Author and a rejecting of the counsel of God Gods anger was highly inceâ—sed against Moses for not Circumcising his child in due time according to the command Are young children capable of Baptism Yea the children of believing Parents are as the children of the Israelites being but eight daies old were of Circumcision And where but one of the Parents is a believer the children are admitted unto those favouâ—â— and privileges of the Church that do belong unto that Parent as a believer Wherefore was the Lord Supper instituted It was instituted by Christ not onely for a memorial of his own death but also for a means of applying his merits to the partakers for the increasing of love and amity among the faithfull and for the improving and strengthening of their faith and love towards God by these outward tokens and pledges of his love to them What is necessary for the due receiving of the Lords Supper It is expedient that a man examine himself but not so necessary that he should examine others whether they be worthy or unworthy for no man is partaker of another mans sins except he be accessâ—ry thereunto either by counsel or consent or approbation or some such way Is it expedient that a man be a frequent partaker of the Lords Supper Yea for often approaching to the Lords Table in due mannâ—r besides other benefits conduceth much to the advancement of piety and a holy life for thereby we are called to a re-inforcing of our watch to descend to that most usefull duty of self-examination or searching our own bosoms to purge out the old leaven and all impurity that is there contracted and lastly to a renewing of our vows and promises made in baptism of serving God with more circumspection and vigilance Are these Sacraments to continue for some certain time onely or for ever They are not temporary â—iâ—es but standing appointments in the Kingdom of Christ and of perpetual use in his Church until his second coming None can arrive at such perfection in this life at to be above Ordinances or not to stand in need of them for the uses before mentioned for which purposes all sober and humble Christians have alwaies founâ— them usefull and efficacious Who are lawfull Administrators and Dispensers of the Sacraments Onely such as are lawfully called to Ecclesiasticall Ministeries are lawfull Administrators of the Sacraments They are the Keepers of the Seals and are entrusted to apply and dispense them to such persons as desire them and are meetly qualified for them and none other FINIS A review of the precedent Aphorisms Wherein some of the most material points and passages that have been most liable to mistakes in these times are farther illustrated and verified 1. OF Fundamentals 2. Of the Authors and authority of the Creed 3. Of the fullness and sufficiency of it 4. Of the Patriarchs Creed 5. Of believing the Catholic Church 6. Of the Nicen and Athanasian Creeds 7. Gloria patri a short Creed 1. OF the obligation of the Moral Law under the Gospel 2. Of the perfection of the Moral at the first enacting of it 3. How this Law is possible to be performed 1. OF mens ignorance in the duty of prayer 2. That the Lords Prayer is a prayer 3. It is the Rule and Law of all prayers 4. Surpâ—sseth all other Compositions 5. Of set forms of Prayer 6. The Lords Prayer may not be laid aside 1. SAcraments why instituted 2. Their virtue and efficacy from the Author 3. They are Seals as well as Signs 4. Absolutely necessary where they may be had 5. Infant-Baptism more antient than Christ and his Apostles 6. Where the Sacraments may not be had desire supplies the defect APHOR. 1. Of the four fundamentals of Religion MOst men do divide this Sovereign Science of Theology into four parts Dr. Nowel in his Catechism calls those four by the names of Faith Obedience Invocation and Sacraments which amounts to the same with this division which we here follow for faith is summed up in the Creed obedience in the Decalogue Invocation in the Lords Prayer and the Sacraments make the fourth part Mr. Perkins calls these four Hâ—â—ds the grounds and Catholic principles of the Catechism and Dr. Dâ—avenam that â—d Jewel of Salisbury calls them the Fundamentals of Christian religion By Fundamentals he understands such things as are absolutely necessary to salvation and as such to be embraced of all men when they are sufficiently proposed unto them And such are saith he not onely mysteries of faith comprized in thâ—Creed but also the dictates of the Divine Law contain'd in the Decalogue which he calls Symbolum Agendorum as the other is Symbolum Credendorum A Speculative knowledg of Divine Mâ—stâ—ries will not carry us one step forward towards heaven without the practical knowledge of Divine Mandates and it is no less damnable to erâ— in moral principles than in speculative that is it is as great a Heresie dogmatically to impâ—gn one of the Commandments as one of the Articles of the Creed For he that affirms that God is not to be worshipped or that Parents are not to be honoured or teacheth that theft and murther are no sins is an absolute Heretick for every practical dictate of the moral law is a fundamental truth and ought as firmly to be believed as any article of the Creed for it is implicitly contained in it There are some general verities and propositions also in the doctrine of prayer and Sacraments which are no less fundamental than the other and which to dâ—ny or oppose would be both impious and heretical Those Churches that are built upon these fundamentals and do firmly retain them have that which may suffice them to salvation they have a foundation sufficient to bear that super-structure which they are intended for even mans eternal salvation And if men indeavour to live according to these principles thâ—y are to be deemed members of Gods Church and such to whom all Christians should give the right hand of fellowship and not sâ—parate from though they might be guilty of sundry failings otherwise This is the substance of some chapters of that pious mans Irenicon or exhortation to peace directed to the Proâ—estant Churches of Germany which are divided into Lutherans and Calvinists APHOR. 2. Of the Authors and authority of the Apostles Creed MAgno certè verterum consensu c. surely by a general vote suffrage of the antient Fathers this Creed is ascribed unto the Apostles saith Mr. Calvin ab ultimâ memoriâ Sacro-sanctae inter pios omnes authoritatis â—uit as he goes on and it was esteemed of sacred authority among all Gods servants from the first spring of Christianity Ireneus one of the
and that I have a share and interest in them The Catholic Church here mentioned is not visible for it is an object of our faith not of our sight and faith is of things not seen Heb. 11.1 This Holy-Guild society Fraternity of the Rosie-Cross as I may not unfitly term it is invisible for it is Caetus praedestinatorum a company of men predestin'd to Salvation whose names are written in the book of life enroll'd in that sacred Register among the Candidates of eternity Now who those are and whose names are there registred we are not allowed to know that such there are we know and firmly believe but who they are we know not having no certain {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or infallible indication to know them by for they do not carry the marks of their election in their foreheads God alone knoweth them that are his We have not the gift of knowing men and discerning spirits by inspection we may know their persons but for their eternal state and condition we may probably guess at but not make a sure and infallible judgement There is Indaeus in occulto Judaeus in propatulo we may know the one but do not know the other to know the reins and the heart is the prerogative of him that made and moulded both As this Church is not visible so it is not topical or confined to one place but is Catholic or universal both for times places and persons They robb Christ of his inheritance that confine his Kingdom or Church within one Nation Canton or Conventicle as Donatus did arrogantly affirm That God had no Church in the world but in that part of Africa where he and his party swayed none was within the Ark of Gods Church but who had entered into his Cock-boat God gave his Son the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession of his Kingdom there is no end no limits of duration or extension They are therefore injurious to him that would retrench his inheritance and robb him of any part of his purchased possession by denying a Catholic Church Hear the expostulation of Optatus with the old Donatists upon this point Si sic pro voluntate vestrâ in angustam coarctatis Ecclesiam si universas subducitis gentes ubi erit illud quod silius dei meruit quod libenter largitus est ei pater dicens Dabo tibi gentes haereditatem tuam ut quid tale infringitis promissum ut a vobis mittatur quasi in carcerem latitudo regnorum APHOR. 6. Of the Nicen and Athanasian Creeds THe Nicen Creed which is extant in our Liturgy was fram'd by the Fathers of the first general Council that was held at Nice a City of Bythinia and was conven'd by the renowned Emperour Constantine in the year 325. where 318. Bishopâ— were assembled whence St. Hierom calls this Creed fidem 318. patrum the faith of the three hundred and eighteen Fathers or Bishops In this Council the Heresie of Arrius a Presbyter of Alexandria who denied the Divinity of Christ and thereby did much disturb the peace of the Church was arraign'd and condemn'd It is reported by Sozomen that the Arrians held another Council at Nice in Thrace in opposition to the former in the year 359. Here was Nice against Nice but the truth did at last {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} prevail and overcome and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} canere trumph over Error and Heresie Athanasius was in those daies a stout opposer of the Arrians and stood up single in defence of the truth when all the world was almost turn'd Arrian as Hierom complains whereby he got a fame suitable to his name He was by their means four times banished and oft times brought into jeopardy of his life so violent was this storm in the Church so that Vincentius Lirinensis rightly terms the Arrian Heresie a Bellona and a Fury for the bitternss of i. During his banishment at Rome this good man composed the Creed that bears his name and presented it to Pope Iulius and afterwards to the Emperour Iovinian when he was elected Emperour and when he himself after all troubles was advanced to the Patriarchal dignity of Alexandria So that these Creeds were made not as supplements but explanations of the Apostolical Creed occasioned by the turbulency of some Spirits who out of some vain glory or discontented singularity raised those sad tragedies in the Church which continued long and sharp for we read of 120 Bishopt banished at one time into the I le of Sardinia by Thrasimundus an Arrian King of the Gothes The 3. Creeds the Nicen Athanasian and Apostolical Creeds ought throughly to believed and received because they may be proved by most certain warrants of holy Scripture so the 8th Article of the Church of England which is also received among the Articles of Ireland in terminis APHOR. 7. Gloria patri a little Creed AS the Apostles Creed was called Symbolum that is a badge or token or mark of difference quod fideles perfidos secerneret to distinguish believers from unbelievers or a certain watch-word as they have in the Wars to know a friend from a foe So this little Hymn of glory which is symbolum parvum a little Creed was brought in as a Shibboleth a privy mark or token to make discovery of dissembling professors and Covert Arrians who desir'd to live in the bosom of the Church though they were enemies to the faith and peace of it It was not as the great symbol to distinguish believers from unbelievers but true believers from mis-believers or such as believed amiss touching the article of the holy Trinity It was brought in use about the time of the Nicen Council or as some say before For long before this period we read that Polycarpus that blessed Martyr in the very place and at the hour of his martyrdom had a kind of Doxology very neer and much like to this who concluded his prayer and his lifâ—â—n these words Therefore in all things I praise thee I bless thee I glorifie thee O Father Almighty through the eternal Priest of our profession Jesus Christ thy beloved Son To whom with thee O Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for evermore Amen As we have received saith St. Basil so we baptize As we baptize so we believe and as we believe so we give glory His meaning is that as we believe in three persons and one God so we baptize into the names of these three And as we baptize into their names so we give glory unto them joyntly and severally So that in the most solemn Offices of the Church as Confessing Baptizing and giving Praise the holy individual Trinity is professed and acknowledged This was the use and purport
of the Gloria patri originally in the Church Mr. Cartwright in his Exceptions against the public Liturgy of our Church thought it meet that both this and the Athanasian Creed should now at last be laid aside because saith he the fire of Arrianism is well quenched and the sore being healed there is no need of a plaister How well this fire was quenched in the first hearth of it I know not if it was extinguished in Egypt or Asia it brake forth in other places far more neer unto us as Poland Transylvania and other places and from thence the sparks have flown over into this Kingdom and the fire hath prevailed much and gotten no small strength since this Hymn and Creed have been cashierd among us so that if this little bucket was of use to quench that fire at first there is very great need to revive it and resume it again for that purpose OF THE COMMANDMENTS APHOR. 1. Of the obligation of the Moral Law under the Gospel THe Moral Law is legibilis honestas as Parisiensis terms it honesty made legible in characters and transcribed from that original coppy within us which every man carries about him in scrinio pectoris It is the voice of common reason prescribing nothing but what every man indued with reason would judge to be aequum bonum to be very honest fit and reasonable to be done if they had never been commanded yea if there were neither heaven nor hell neither reward for well-doing nor punishment for evil-doing after this life Cicero in his book de Republica cited by Lactantius giveâ— this character of it It is the law saith he of right reason agreeable to nature a constant sempiternal Law that calls every man to his duty teaching what he should and what he should not do A Law that admits of no addition or defalcation much less of dissolution which neither Senat nor People can dispense with and which needs no Interpretation or Comment An universal Law which binds all men in all places and rules at Rome as well as at Athens yea rules the Rulers and is irreversible and unchangeable Of this delineation the same Lactantius gives this Elogy Quis Sacramenta dei sciens tam significanter enarrare legem dei posset what Theologue well verst in Scripture could so Graphically describe Gods Law as the pen of this Heathen hath done This Law is the fundamental Law of all Nations the â—ared Pandects all the laws that are extant are but the issues and emanations of the Moral Law By this civil governments do stand and humane societies subsist Our Saviour came not to dissolve this Law or to absolve men from it some other Rites and Ceremonies and temporary Ordinances he abrogated but not this He did not mean that his followers should be a lawless crew sons of Belial without yoke and the Christian Common-wealth a Synagogue of Libertines Let no man deceive himself or others with scraps of Scripture misunderstood which too many being inchanted with this Circean cup of liberty do often wilfully mistake and wire-draw to their own sense and destruction both There is never a line in all the New Testament to countenance disobedience to superiors or a loose and licentious course of life We were not called to uncleaness but unto holiness saith the good Apostle Paul And without holiness we shall never see Gods face as the same Apostle assures us Which holiness consists in a sincere and hearty desire indeavour and study to walk in all Gods Commandments and to live conformable to his pure and holy Laws quoad nôsse posse according to the best of our skill and power They that prâ—tend to the Spirit and yet wallow in all filthy and libidinous desires Ego nescio quem Christum fabricantur quem Spiritum eructant I know not saith Mr. Calvin what Christ they profess or what Spirit they breath or belch rather for surely it is not the Spirit of God which is a clean spirit and loves clean bodies and souls to dwell in as the Dove which is its emblem loves a clean coat It is a duty incumbent upon all Ministers as a good man admonisheth to teach the people the perpetual obligation of the moral law and that it must be retained and upheld or else Christ cannot be retain'd for the contrary perswasion iâ— destructive to piety and morality and disposeth men to turbulencies and rebellions and le ts loose the reins to all extravagant and inordinate desires as the experience of late ages hath made it evident and legible to the world APHOR. 4. Of the perfection of the Moral Law at the first enacting of it HOw that Law that came forth from the mouth of God was by him prescribed as a Rule of obedience to his chosen people Israel was an imperfect Law a kind of monogram or rude draught that was to receive full proportion colours and consummation by a skilfuller hand I do not yet well apprehend For King David who was a sedulous student of the Law all the day long was his study in st tells us that the law of the Lord is a perfect law converting the soul And the same student mooting this prime question How shall a young man cleanse his way makes answer even by ruling himself after thy word So that the Law is sufficient to cleanse a mans waies that is to keep him in an exact frame of dutifullness and conformity to Gods will and to regulate his thoughts wordâ— and actions which is totum hominis the all of man And sure no Law can go higher or be screwed to a higher pitch There is but internal and external obedience requlred by the most exact Law that is imposed and both these is included in every precept of this Law for the Law like the Law-Giver is spiritual There is not onely a literal but a spiritual sense in every mandate and this is the perfection of it that iâ— reacheth to the thoughts and intentions of the heart which other Laws do not nor cannot do We are forbidden to worship not onely the Images of our hands but also the Imaginations of our hearts false Opinions and Heresies having no reality or existence in the word and which some men do passionately dote upon come within the compass of the Law of the second Commandment We are forbidden also to kill not onely with the hand but also with the tongue by slander and with the heart by inveterate malice and unmeasurable wrath these are incruenta homicidia dry murthers which stain the soul as deeply as where life is destroyed Nay all the legal administrations of the old Testament did carry a spiritual importance and intendment the Circumcision of the foreskin did betoken the circumcision of the heart which is inward in the spirit not in the better and Gods whole drift and design in that Oeconomy was to make men
ingenuously confess that it would be more for the edification of the Church if public prayers were performed in a language that is common both to Priest and People Pope John the 8th of that name could not elude or resist the force of this Text or the reasonableness of the practice of the Moravians who did celebrate divine service in the Sclavonian tongue which was the vulgar or mother-tongue of that Nation For in an Epistle written by the said Pope in the yeaâ— 808 to Stentor Prince of Moravia touching this point he doth cite this parcel of Pauls Epistle and saith that he that made the Hebrew and the Latine tongues did make other tongues also for the glorifying of his name withall When this business of having the public service in the vulgar-tongues was hotly controverted in the Church there was a voice in the air heard to say Let every spirit praise the Lord and every tongue confess his name as Zâ—inger reports cited by Dr. Iames Manud art 6. Si populus intelligat orationem sacerdotis meliùs reducitur in deum devotiùs respondet Amen APHOR. 7. It is not warrantable to lay aside the Lords Prayer IF it be a prayer and there is a command extant for the using of it there cannot be any just pretensions for discarding it out of our Liturgies In the Posie of godly prayers this was ever held the most fragrant flower it is sal omnium divinorum officiorum the salt of the spiritual sacrifice for as every sacrifice under the Law was seasoned with salt so all devotion wch is a Gospelâ—Sacrifice should be seasoned with this prayer {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} left it prove insipid or unsavoury Let none suppose that it was intended onely for Christians of the lower form for St. Austin assures us that it was made not onely for the Lambs but even for the Rams of the flock arietibus gregis i. Apostolis suis dominus dedit and elswhere he adds it to be a form necessary for every particular believer Iustin Martyr saith that the Apostles themselves did use this prayer at the celebrating of the Eucharist which was very frequently in those daies and we may presume that he delivered but his knowledge herein for he living so neer the Apostles might very well understand their practice in this or any other affair If it hath been too often used heretofore as some urge sure I am it is now used too seldom which is the worser fault of the two as of two extremes one may be far worser than the other And it may be well supposed that they have too mean a conceit of this prayer and too high an esteem of their compositions that will not vouchsafe it a room among them One of the reasons given for abolishing the Common-prayer-Book was because it gave offence to divers godly Christians sure I am that the omitting of this prayer or casheering of it for company with our other prayers of the Church gives greatet offence to persons really godly who are as much grieved in spirit at this affront as at any other put upon the Christian Religion in these frantick Corybantiasms that have of late years possessed this Nation The omitting of this Prayer and Creed and Commandments in the public Assemblies have made some men believe that they were but some Grotesques and superfluities in our Religion some parentheses as it were or things indifferent that might be used or omitted at pleasure so that the people have often since mused what Religion hath been taught them these 1600 in this land when the very corner-stones of it are now taken away and the foundations are digged up Where zeal not guided with discretion is in the Commission of Reformation it knows not where to stop or stay but is alwaies pulling down but knows not how to build up or erect any thing like an Apollyon being onely skilfull to destroy to unravel and root up all Et convellere tota Fundamenta quibus nixatur vita salusque Lucret l. 4. OF THE SACRAMENTS APHOR. 1. Sacraments why ordain'd HE that made man and knew best how to instruct and teach him in the great interest of his salvation thought fit to inclose apples of gold in pictures of silver heavenly mysteries in earthly representations and objects because it is natural to man to aâ—cend to super-natural verities by natural helpâ— and to â—cale heaven by a ladder whose rounds are made as it were of gross materials and whose bottom like that of Iacob stands upon the earth though the top reacheth to heaven Geomâ—ters do use certain Schems and Diagrams drawn in the sands or on paper to assist the weak capacities of their Scholars to understand some Conclusions or problems of their Art So God vouchsafes to instruct his Scholars not onely by words but also by signs and symbols to speak not onely to the ear but also to the eye the preaching of the word was not thought * sufficient to inform mens dull capacities and to stir up their other faculties to their proper duties but Sacraments are also added which are a kinde of a visible word Both have the same use the one to teach the minde by the sense of seeing as the other by the sense of hearing And to this purpose the Sacrament is more effectual than the word having a greater energy * and force upon the mind because the eye is a better instructer than the ear * Segniùs irritant animos demissa per aures Quam quae sunt oculis subâ—ecta fidelibus Horat de arte Poet APHOR. 2. Their efficacy from the Author alone THere is no such vertue inherent in the Sacramental symbols to work good upon the soul as there is in herbs or mineral waters to work good upon the body the very applying of the Sacraments as an active to a passive or the opus operatum aâ— the Romish writers express it the very action or deed done doth not do the deed as is pretended God doth not tye his grace to the Means nor to the Ministrators whose worthiness doth not contribute to nor unworthiness derogate from the Sacraments but the work depends wholly upon the good pleasure of the Ordainer and Institutor of them who doth preside in this grand Agend of the Church and who doth exhibit grace therein to all but it is not effectual and beneficial to any but to the worthy Receiver qualified by previous dispositions and expedients We do not depreciate the Sacraments or make them lower or lesser than what indeed they were intended to be by asserting the efficacy and vertue derived from them to him that ordained them We do not over-value nor under-value them we know who have offended in these extremes We do not make them empty Pageants and bare shadows or dumb shews the Church of England declares otherwise in few words Sacraments are not
onely badges of Christian profession but also sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace agreeable to the Belgic confession Sacramenta non sunt vana vacua signa ad nos decipiendos instiâ—uta c. For where they are administred and received in the due form and manner we acknowledge that they really give what they promise and are what they signifie on Gods part they give an investiture and possession of the heavenly promises as firmly as a Bishop is invested in his Office per baculum annulum as St. Bernard makes the simile Serm de Caena Dom. The unworthy Receiveâ— indeed doth frustrate and defeat the good that is intended by them and presented in them makes divorce between the sign and thing signified eats the Bakers bread not the bread that came down from heaven Sacramentum non rem Sacramenti If this Romish fansie of the opus operatum were current I marvel why the Sacraments of the old Testament did not confer grace as well as those of the new which they deny making that the main difference between them whereas the truth is they differed onely in the outward symbols not in the inward sense and substance nor yet in the effects for their Sacraments had the same materiam substratam the same invisible grace presented in them though the visible signs were not the same and the worthy partakers did feed on Christ as lushiously and savourly then as others do now they did eat the same spiritual meat and drink the same spirituall drink which was Christ as St. Paul doth expressely teach 1 Cor. 10.3 4. APHOR. 3. They are Seals as well as Signs THe Gospel is the Grand Charter of mans Salvation and the Sacraments are as it were seals appendant thereunto they are not onely signs of some grace exhibited but also seals to ratifie and confirm the promises contained in the Instrument before mentioned As seals are put to civil Contracts and Indentures for a full and final ratification of them This comparison is used by most Writers of the Reformation but it is so foolish in Bellarmine's conceit that nothing can be more and which ought with all diligence saith he to be beaten down Sacramenta dici sigilla vel signacula nusquam legimus nisi in Evangelio secundum Lutherum is the Cardinals witty sarcasm in the forecited Treatise that the Sacraments are called seals saith he we read no where but in the new Gospel according to St. Lather But he might have read it in an old Epistle according to St. Paul who calls Circumcision {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the seal of the righteousness which is by faith that is a seal whereby it was ratified and made sure unto Abraham that he was justified or made righteous before God through faith in Christ Nay the Cardinal himself to prove the Septenary number of the Sacraments doth fetch an argument from the book with seven seals Rev. 5.1 which was the new Covenant with seven Sacraments appendant thereto as he interprets the place if that Text will be of force to evince the Sacraments to be seven in number it will also evince them to be seals for use APHOR. 4. Absolutely necessary where they may be had THe Divine Precept hath layed the highest obligation that may be upon us of using the Sacraments and that with reverence and religion saith Dr. Ames If the Sacraments be wanting unto us through our own default it involves us in guilt saith Augustin neither can that man pretend to a sincere conversion or love to God that contemns any Sacrament of his institution * Faith will not avail any man who receives not the Lords Lords Sacraments when he may saith St. Bernard If this be a duty commanded why may we not slight any other and all other duties as well as this What reasonable hopes hath any man that God will save him by some other means or without means when he hath declared that by these means in conjunction with some others he intends to save Ames calls Baptism one of the ordinary means of Salvation ex istâ hypothesi upon that account he affirms it to be absolutely necessary to Salvation where it is to be had * Except a man be born of water and the Spirit saith Christ he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven From hence the antient Fathers did infer the necessity of Baptism But some later Writers have ratified this water into spirit and interpret the words tropically except a man be born of water that is of the Spirit for water is here but an emblem of the Spirit say they as fire is elsewhere Mat. 3.11 But to these I shall oppose the sense and censure of the learned Hooker you shall have his own expressions for they cannot be mended I hold it an infallible rule in the Exposition of Scripture that where a literal construction will stand the farthest from the Letter is commonly the worst there is nothing more dangerous than this licentious and deluding are which changeth the meaning of words as Alchimy doth or would do Metals maketh any thing what it listeth and in the end bringeth all truth to nothing The general consent of antiquity concurres in the literal interpretation and must the received construction be now disguised with a toy of novelty We may by such Expositions attain in the end perhaps to be thought witty but with ill advice so he Non possum quin simplicissimam Theologiam hoc est quae minimè recedit a litera caeteris ut commodiorem praeferam APHOR. 5. Infant-Baptism more antient than the Apostles TO secure the interest of children in this Sacrament who ex praerogativâ sâ—minis as Tert speakes are entitled thereto enough hath been spoken of late years by our English Writers to the conviction of all gain-sayers more particularly by the excellent Dr. Hammond in his Quaerâ—s When we find the practice of baptizing Infants in the Christian Church to be so antient as the very next age to the Apostles and so universal that it was received through all parts of the world where Christ had a Church I cannot see how it could have any other original than from the Apostles who founded the Churches through the World St. Augustine speaking of this usage or custom saith That the Church of God ever had it ever held it and received it Hanc praxin Ecclesia Catholica ubique diffusa tenet Home de Adamo Eva from the Religion of former ages and Calvin saith That the antientest Writers that we have of our Religion do without any scruple refer the original of this practice to the Apostles Nullus Scriptor tam vetustus qui non ejus originem ad Apostolorum tempora pro certo referat But this practice did not begin with or by the Apostles neither for they did but continue what was before in use in the Jewish Church who