Canon of Scripture for if you say it pertaines to unwritten Traditions as S. Jerome and others tell us we must know that those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerne only the Goverment and Rites of the Church whereas the Creed is a Rule of Faith or Doctrine required to be profest by Christians at their Baptisme Answ First To retort a like question why is not the number of the Canonicall Bookes put into the Canon that so we might the more certainly know what Bookes are of Divine Authority and what are Supposititious This sure is a Doctrinall Point the maine Fundamentall one and highly concernes our Faith if any thing doe and yet it is derived unto us by Tradition why may not the Creed in like manner Secondly the Creed is taken out of the Canon of Scripture either in expresse words or by evident and necessary Consequence whereof the Apostles were unerring Iudges reduced only to a Method and set Forme Thirdly The Apostles thought not fit to commit it unto writing but delivered it by word of mouth to the Pastours or Bishops of the Churches whom they left to succeed them and who in a continued Succession downe from the Apostles delivered the Creed unto us Fourthly That unwritten Traditions comprehend not only matters of Practise such as are the Rites Regiment of the Church but also matter of Doctrine I appeale not only to the former instance of the Canon of Scripture and to this of the Creed constantly witnessed by St Ierome with many other Fathers whose testimony deserves much credit but to a Third also the perpetual Virginity of the Mother of God of which Mr Perkins no friend of Romish Traditions saith thus That the Virgin Mary lived and died Virgin is received for Truth but yet not recorded in Scripture and in Ecclesiastical Writers many worthy sayings of the Apostles and other holy Men are Recorded and received of us for Truth which neverthelesse are not set downe in the Bookes of the Old or New Testament and many things we hold for Truth not written in the Word if they be not against the Word Thus he in his Reform Cath. of Tradit Concl. 2. Ob. 6th The Creed hath not been preserved so safe from Addition Detraction Mutation as the rest of the Scriptures alwayes have been therefore not likely to have come from the Apostles Answ I could wish that the holy Scriptures had beene kept so safe as the Objectour beares us in hand the Church then would have been more pure and more peaceble But First For Additions Doth not our Church cut off those Apocryphall pieces which were long a goe an next to Daniel and Hester And doe we not find the 151 Psalme added unto the rest a Copy whereof we have in Sixti Sen. Bibliothecâ And in the New Testament for some Ages the Booke called Hermae Pastor was joyned to the Bookes we now have and esteemed by many for Canonicall Secondly For Detraction Have not whole bookes been taken a way by diverse Hereticks who would acknowledge no scripture that made against them For Instance Marcion acknowledged none of the four Gospels but only that of St Luke neither his entirely as Tertullian witnesseth Examples of other Hereticks are almost infinite Yea which is more some Canonicall Bookes for a while were denied or at least doubted of and so left out in diverse Copyes by some Orthodox Doctors of the Church till the Truth became afterwards better cleared as the Epistles of James Iude the Second Epistle of Peter the Second Third Epistles of St Iohn the Epistle to the Hebrewes the Revelation of St Iohn For this we may consult the Syriack Translatiō of the New Testament Thirdly For Mutation The Hereticks of old time who were bold to cut off whole Bookes did much more boldly adventure on changing of verses wordes letters and points The fraud of the Arians both old and new is notorious in this kind Neverthelesse for all these subtile and various Devices of Satan to overthrow Religion and pervert the Word of Truth by these his mischievous Instruments yet some ancient copies both of the Scripture Creed by Gods especiall Providence have been kept entire whereby the rest might be examined and amended Ob. 7th Although the Creed hath ever been much esteemed in the Church yet was it never accounted Canōicall The Ancient Doctors were so far from equalling it with Scripture that they appealed from it thereunto as to an higher Authority so did Cyr. Catech. 4. And Paschasius in his Booke against Macedonius Bib. Pat. Tom. 9. Which without question they never would have done had they thought it had bin from the Apostles in such Forme and as now wee have it Answ First Whether the Creed were accounted for Authority Canonicall that is Divine and unquestionable and for Frame Apostolicall I appeale to all those Ancient Fathers which I have already produced amongst whom Tertullian one very Ancient expresly tels us that the Creed was ordained by Christ viz. by the Ministery of his Apostles who were Authorised by him and assisted by his Spirit to compose it according to that saying of his He that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10. 16. Whence he sends the Hereticks to the Churches founded by the Apostles to find this Doctrine or Rule of Faith there left by them De praesc adv haer cap. 21. Withall he cals it The Canon or Rule of Faith as Irenaeus had done before him and tels us that no part thereof may be cald in question Seconly 'T is not unlikly that some of the Fathers may cite places of Scripture in confirmation of the Creed as the Apostles themselves in their writings bring forth places out of the old Teastament to back and vindicate the truth of what they said yea our Blessed Saviour himselfe oft cites Moses the Prophets and authorizeth his doctrine by their Testimony bidding his Auditours to Search the Scriptures of the old Testament for they are they saith he which Testify of me Io. 5. 39. See also Act. 26. 22. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Iam. 2 14 23. And it is the usuall practise of our preachers at this day to bring proofes for their textuall observations though oft expresse wordes of Scripture out of other paralell Places But as well those citations of the Fathers as these of our Blessed Sauiour and his Apostles are brought not so much to confirme the truth of what they said as to satisfy the mindes of their Auditours which were more fully cōfirmed whē they they saw the joynt correspondence of the Creed with the Scripture and the Gospell with the Law And we find at this day though divine Authority doe abundantly suffice to confirme us in the Grounds of our Religion yet it doth more fully content the judgment of the Learned when they see the probates of Reason to conspire with the dictates of Faith for Instance in the Vnity of the Godhead and the immortality of the Soule Thirdly As for the two Fathers
Church from which all other Churches sprang as so many Daughters from the Mother Church and therfore were to honour her acordingly Isa 2. 3. Now we know that in after Ages the Bishop of Rome was taxed for challenging to himselfe the Title of Episcopus Episcoporum as Stephen by S. Cyprian Conc. Carthag apud Cyp. and universall Bishop which Boniface the third assumed by the grant of the Emperour Phocas whereas here these Titles are not challenged by Clemens Bishop of Rome but voluntarily given to an other it is therefore wholy improbable that this Epistle was fained by some latter writer as many of the decretall Epistles have bene since under the name of Clemens to magnify the Bishop of Romes Authority since nemo gratis mendax Secondly Ruffinus the forenamed Presbyter of Aquileia translated it out of Greeke into Latine as the genuine Epistle of Clemens it appeares therefore that it was written at first in Greeke as was also that famous Epistle of his to the Corinthians so not by some latter Romane Author and at least before the time of Ruffinus who flourished toward the latter end of the fourth Century Thirdly the Epistle might probably be thus inscribed Fratri Domini To the Lords Brother then some latter Sciolus finding James peculiarly honoured with this Title by S. Paul Gal. 2 v. 9. And finding that he about that Time was Bishop of Ierusalem too rashly added the name Iacobo whenas Clemens might well write it Simoni Cleophae the Brother of Iames and his successour in that See his Brother as appeares by comparing Mat. 13. 55. Mar. 15. 40. Ioh. 19 25. And his successour in the Bishoprick as is witnessed by Eusebius and others Fourthly But if the name Iacobo must needes stand we may possibly suppose that Clemens so farr off might not heare of the death of Iames. as the Jews at Rome heard no evill report of S Paul Act. 28. 21. from their countrymen in the East though for many years they had persecuted him both with tongue and hand and so write to him as alive or if this seem not probable we have a very faire testimony out of the Chronicle called Epitome Temporum that this Iames survived Nero and consequently survived Peter this Chronicle was set forth by Ios Scaliger and reacheth downe from Adam to the 20th yeere of Heraclius the Emperour the words are these 1. Olymp CCXII. The Emp. Galba Nero's Successour and Titus Ruffinus being Consuls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The the same yeare S. James the Apostle and Patriarch of Jerusalem whom S. Peter placed in his Throne or See as he was going up to Rome died and Simeon who is also caled Simon assumed the dignity of the Bishoprick of Jerusalem and became Patriarch Which well agrees with that of Eusebius in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit That Simon Cleophae succeeded James after the Destruction of Jerusalem his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The foresaid Epitome is thus praised by that Great Critick Scaliger Opus utilissimum quanquam Scriptoris Idiotae Onuphrius Panumus whom Scaliger calls the Father of History called it by the name of Fasti Siculi because it was found first in Sicily when learning revived in these Westrne Parts But the Learned Vossius lib. 2. de Hist Gr. cap. 23. Calls it by a third name Chronicum Alexandrinum from Matt. Raderus who set it out with his Translation Eò quod in frontispicio illud commendet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who was probably the 50th Patriarch of that See An Do. IICXL Opus est saith the same Vossius Cronologis perutile vel ob multa ex Africano atque Eusebio excerpta quae frustra alibi quaeras See Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 2. c. 23. 2. Irenaeus the Apostes Scholer but once removed as who was Scholer to Polycarpus the Scholer of St John makes mention of the Apostles Creed and setts it downe lib. 1. adu haer cap. 2. I shall cite his words in the Originall Greek for in that tongue he wrote as having bin bred in the Asian Church though afterwards translated to the Bishoprick of Lions in France according as Epiphanius records them lib. 1. haer 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is The Church although dispersed throughout the whole world from one end of the Earth unto the other hath received from the Apostles and their Disciples The Beleefe in One God the Father Almighty who made Heaven and Earth and the Seas and Whatsoever is in Them and in one Jesus Christ the Sonne of God who was made flesh for our Salvation and in the holy Ghost who published by the Prophets the offices and double comming of the Beloved Jesus Christ our Lord his Birth of a Virgin his Passion his Resurrection from the Dead and his bodily assumption into Heaven and his comming from Heaven in the Glory of his Father to recollect all things and to raise againe every body of all mankind to the end that every knee of Things in Heaven and things one earth and things under the earth may bow to Jesus Christ our Lord and God Saviour King every tongue may confesse unto him and that he may doe righteous judgment unto All by sending the wicked Spirits the Transgressing and Apostate Angells with the ungodly unjust lawlesse and blasphemous men into everlasting Fire and freely bestowing that life immortality eternall Glory which he had purchased one those who are Just Holy who have kept his commandments and abode in his love either from the begining or since their Repentance and Conversion The same Father lib. 3. cap. 4. sets downe the Creed more summarily and contractedly with this preface to the forme Quid si neque Apostoli quidem scripturas reliquissent nobis nonne oportebat ordinem sequi Traditionis quam tradiderunt iis quibus committebant Ecclesias Cui ordinationi assentiunt multae gentes Barbarorum eorum qui in Christum credunt sine charactere vel atramento scriptam habentes per spiritum in cordibus suis Salutem veterem Traditionem diligenter custodientes In vnum Deum credentes Fabricatorem Caeli terrae omnium quae in eis sunt per Jesum Christum Dei Filium qui propter eminentissimam erga figmentum suum Dilectionem eam quae esset ex Virgine Generationem sustinuit ipse per se Hominem adunans Deo Passus sub Pontio Pilato Resurgens in claritate receptus in Gloria venturus Salvator eorum qui saluantur Judex eorum qui judicantur mittens in ignem aeternum Transfiguratores veritatis contemptores Patris sui Adventus ejus what if the Apostles saith he had not left us the Scriptures ought we not to follow the Rule and series of Tradition which the Apostles delivered unto them to whom they committed the charge of the Churches which Rule is held and assented to by many of those barbarous Nations
sentences in memory might have at hand a sufficient knowledge of Salvation To these words he subjoynes the history of the Creeds composure out of Ruffinus which we have had already 14. Rabanus Maurus that Ancient Archbishop of Mentz and the most Learned Man of his Age may well be added unto the former who lib. 1. De Instit Cleric c. 26. thus informes us Catechumenus dicitur qui doctrinam Fidei audit necdum tamen BaptismuÌ„ recepit Competentes sunt qui jam post doctrinam Fidei post continentiam vitae ad Gratiam Chrsti percipiendam festinant ideoque appellantur competentes id est gratiam Christi petentes nam Catechumeni tantùm audiunt necdum petunt competentes autem jam petunt c. Istis traditur salutare Symbolum quasi commonitorium Fidei sanctae Confessionis Indicium quo instructi agnoscant quales jam ad Gratiam Christi exhibere se debeant That is He is cal'd a Catechumene who heareth the Doctrine of the Christian Faith but hath not as yet received Baptisme Competentes are they who after the Dâ—â—â—â—ine of Faith and Strictnesse of life hasten to be made Partakers of the Grace of Christ therefore are called Competentes That is Petitioners for the Grace of Christ for the Catechumeni are only Auditours not Askers but the Competentes are Petitioners c. To these CoÌ„petentes the saving Creed is delivered as a Remembrancer of the Faith and a breviat of that holy confession wherein being instructed they may take notice what manner of persons they ought to shew themselves in reference to the Grace of Christ Where by the Grace of Christ he understands the Priviliges of Baptisme at the Participation whereof they constantly made a Publick profession of their Faith by the Rehearsall of the Creed therefore the Creed could not come much short of the Institution of that Sacrament consequently froÌ„ no other Composers but the Apostles Now for a conclusion to these Testimonies of the forenamed Ancient Fathers both Greek and Latine I shall summe up what they say and proove in this Argument in three short observations 1. They affirme that the Apostles by joynt consent the speciall Concurrence or Inspiration of the holy Ghost framed a certaine set Rule of Faith or Forme of Beliefe and that those Confessions or Rules of Faith which they rehearse in their writings were received from the Apostles and this they build upon the constant tradition of their Ancestours the same evidence which we have for the number Authors and Authority of the Canonicall Books of Scripture This is affirmed by Origen and Marcellus of Ancyra for the Esterne Church By Irenaeus and Tertullian for the Western all foure very Ancient to name no latter ones 2. That in setting downe these Rules or Confessions of Faith they keepe themselves often to the same words ordinarily to the same method but constantly to the same heads or Articles of Faith that is no Head or Article of Beliefe set downe in the Creed of one Church or Father is different in sense from the same proportionably set downe in another much lesse opposite to any diverse Article either precedent or subsequent and for the Difference of expression it is not considerable as being caused by the diversity of Tongues and opposition of Heretickes the Church in those Times both practising and allowing it As for the Imperfection of the Formes though they omit some of them to expresse some of the Articles of the Creed in those full and exact Termes wherein we now have them because either not pertaining to the subject they were handling or not questiond by the Hereticks against whom they wrote or as implyed and inclosed in the Body of those Articles which they set downe by a necessary Dependance so S. Chrys in his fore-cited Homily involves the foure last Articles in that of the holy Ghost as appeares by his explication yet some of them set downe all the Articles as Marcellus Cyrill Jeros Augustin Chrysologus Eusebius Gallicanus Irenaeus also and Tertullian scarce want any one especially Tertullian And for those Fathers whose Formes are more defective they canot be said to differ in substance from the other who deliver the Creed more fully especially seeing they had severall Grounds and occasions for what they so did this is a Diversity only quoad majus minus in quantity not in substance some Articles made for one Fathers purpose some for another more for this fewer for that And they who cite the Creed defectively say that the Formes set downe by them came from the Apostles as well as they who set it downe more fully their meaning is that those imperfect Formes came from the Apostles though not so imperfectly for they affirme not that the Apostles delivered no more Articles than what they there set downe but that what they so set down came from no other than the Apostles St Austin and Leo the Great sufficiently informe us that the Apostles joyntly delivered all the twelve Articles according as we now have them for they distinctly mention and reckon up so many with reference to the same number of the Apostles who composed the Creed but the Fathers in their writings set them not alwayes downe entirely but those only which were opposite unto those Heresies that they were in hand with to confute for urging the Creed as they did by way of Argument and Convictions they might well omit those Articles which made not for their purpose Now as some of the Fathers have thus contracted the Creed so others have enlarged part of the Articles by way of Paraphrase that so they might both distinguish themselves and defend the Church from the Hereticks of those Dayes who seemingly received the Apostles Creed and subscribed to the words but perverted it to a wrong sense by their false erroneous Glosses Withall in their prefaces to this subject they have shewed the severall Reasons or ends for which the Apostles framed it the Delivery thereof by an orall Tradition and the Ancient Custome of rehearsing it in Publick at the time of Baptisme 3. That some of these fore-alleadged Fathers lived before others since the Nicene Councell wherein that Creed was framed which beares the name of the Councell the first which was ever publickly authorized by the Church assembled in a Synod yet they who lived before the Councell make mention of a former Creed as Ireneus Tertullian Origen and Marcellus of Ancyra and they who lived afterward set not downe or explaine the Nicene Creed but one farre more ancient received as they themselves say from the first Founders of the Christian Church as St Basil Cyril Chrysostome among the Greeks St Austin Maximus Chrysologus Eusebius Gallicanus among the Latines which Generall Tradition so fully witnessed by the Fathers of so distant Churches who had no intercourse with each other and in the most ancient uncorrupt Times aloud Proclaimes the Authors and Antiquity of the Apostles Creed CAP.
it might be so cal'd quia ex eorum scriptis summa fide collectum because the Creed was most faithfully gathered out of the Apostles writings he might well indulge to the doubtfull speaking of some Divines in his Time 11. Confessio Saxonica Artic. 1. Affirmamus clare coram Deo universa Ecclesia in Coelo in Terra nos vera Fide amplecti omnia scripta Prophetarum Apostolorum quidem in hac ipsa nativa sententia quae expressa est in Symbolis Apostolico Niceno Athanasiano Et haec ipsa Symbola eorum nativam sententiam sine corruptelis semper constanter amplexi sumus Deo Juvante perpetuo amplectemur Damnamus etiam constantissimè omnes furores qui pugnant cum Symbolis ut sunt Samosateni Serveti Arii Pneumatomachorum portentosae opiniones aliae condemnatae veris Ecclesiae Judiciis That is We openly affirme before God and the universall Church in Heaven and in Earth that with a true faith we imbrace all the writings of the Prophets and Apostles in that very genuine primitive sence which is exprest in the Creeds of the Apostles Nic. and Athanatius and that we have alwayes constantly imbraced and by Gods helpe will alwayes imbrace these Creeds and their true native meaning without falsifying or depravation we also most resolutely condemne all those mad heresies which are repugnant to the Creeds namely those of Samosatenus Servetus Arius and the portentous opinions of the Pneumatomachi and what others condemned by the Just censures of the Church 12 Bohemica Confessio Fides Apostolica in duodecim Articulos digesta tradita in Symbolo per Nicenam Synodum atque adeò alias confirmata exposita est That is The Apostolick Faith being digested into twelve Articles and dilivered in the Creed hath been confirmed and explained by the Nicene and other succeeding Synods 13. Galliae Confes Art 5. Tria illa Symbola nempe Apostolicum Nicenum Athanasianum idcircò approbamus quod sint verbo Dei Scripto consentanea That is Those three Creeds the Apostolick the Nicene and that of Athanasius we therefore approve of because they are agreeable to the written Word of God And Serrarius the Jesuit whom we may well credit in such a matter in his Tract of the Athanasian Creed informes us that the Calvintan Divines in an Assembly of theirs at Lausanna profest that they agreed with the Lutherans concerning those Ancient Creeds and ascribed to them together with the Sciptare a Judiciary Power or Authority which all ought to obey Whence we may gather that they Judged them to proceed from the same Fountaine to wit from Divine or Apostolick Tradition otherwise they would not have conjoyned them with the Scriptures as the Authentick Judges or Rules whereby all Controversies are to be decided 14. The Church of England in her eight Art of the three Creeds agrees with the rest The three Ceeds Nic. Creed Athanasian Creed and that which is commonly cal'd the the Apostles Creed ought thorowly to be received and observed for they may be proved by most certaine warrants of the holy Scripture From these Foure last Testimonies taken out of the Confessions of the Reformed Churches I gather 1. That they concordantly receive these three Antient Creeds and reject whatsoever Heresy or opinion is repugnant to them from whence it will appeare that they have introduced no new Faith or Religion different from the old much lesse opposite unto it 2. They not only receive the Apostles Creed but also acknowledge it for such and by that name contra distinguish it to the Nicene and Athanasian therefore by that Title they are as justly presumed to acknowledge the Apostles for the composers of the one as the Councell of Nice and Athanasius for the Composers of the other Two 3. The Bohemick Confession tels us that the Nicene Councell and the rest that followed did confirme and expound that Faith which had been delivered in the Creed of the Apostles and distributed according to their number into twelve Articles so then the Apostles Creed was the First and not only the First but the Entire and Compleat Summary of the Christian Faith to which succeding Ages added nothing in their severall Formes of Confession or Beleefe but only explained them 4. The Gallican Church and our Mother of England say indeed that they receive the three Creeds because agreeable to the holy Writ but they say not that they receive them only for that Reason so that this expression doth not any way crosse the fore-delivered Tenent of deriving the Creed immediatly from the Mouthes of the Apostles no more than our Blessed Saviour and his Apostles confirming the Doctrine they taught by the testimonies of Moses and the Prophets prejudiced the truth and infallibility of the Spirit by which they spake See Jo. 5. 39 46 47. Act. 26. 22. Chap. 28. 23. Such an Accessory confirmation renders the Truth more cleare and Full and serves not so much to confirme the Doctrine it selfe as the Persons to whom it is delivered CAP. VII Six Reasons evincing the Apostles to have been the Composers of the Creed which commonly bears their name Some Objections against these Reasons answered The Place where the Creed was Made Of Fundamentalls and Traditions TO the Testimony of Scripture Consent of Antiquity and the joynt concordant Suffrages of our latter Protestant Divines I shall subjoyne in the last Place the Verdict of Reason which waits upon the forementioned Authorities giving strength unto some and light unto others Reason 1. The Title which it bears of the Apostles Creed or Symbole hath been generally acknowledged throughout all ages of the Church never questioned till of late cheefly by our moderne Antitrinitarians That Arch heritick Photinus their Fore-father perverted it indeed with the comments Vt fideliter simpliciter dicta ad argumentum sui dogmatis traheret That he might pervert the generall wordes thereof to the countenancing of or complying with his corrupt Tenents as Ruffinus informes us but he never durst deny either its Authority or its Authors Sure this Generall Tradition and unanimous consent of the Church is no weake Argument to evince the true Authors But to this Reason I find three things Objected Ob. 1. Against the Name Symbolum From whence some draw an Argument that it was joyntly composed by the Apostles because the Word is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conferre in unum and so signifies a Collation of many the Metaphor being drawne from Caena collatitia a Supper in common whereto every one of the guests brought his dish of meat or were he laid downe his shot equally with the rest whereas it might be called a Symbole or Collation not because it was gathered a Pluribus sed ex Pluribus not by many men but out of many materialls and this Collation made out of Scripture not by the Apostles themselves but by Apostolick men and their Disciples ab Ecclesiarum Patribus as Eusebius
extitissent diversisque nominibus columbam Dei atque Reginam lacerare per partes scindere niterentur nonne cognomen suum Plebs Apostolica postulabat quo incorrupti Populi distingueret unitatem ne intemeratam Dei Virginem Error aliquorum per membra laceraret Where we may observe First That he mentions not at all the applying of the word Catholick to the Church or whole Company of Believers as it is placed in the Creed for this was not cal'd in question by Sympronianus but the aplying of it to particular persons which in the Apostles times were called Disciples or Christians not Catholicks as Sympronianus objected Secondly That Pacianus absolutely granteth not that the word Catholick was not so used in the Apostles Times but only indulgeth so much unto his adversary because notwithstanding this supposall he was otherwise able to convince him upon his own concessions which kind of supposall or indulgence is most usuall amongst Polemick writers there by to winne over and worke upon the Adversary Thirdly That the Reason of the name brought by Pacianus and urged upon Sympronian namely the distinguishing of the true Church from the severall Sects led by denominated from their severall factions and Hereticall heads is very agreeable to the Apostles dayes and so required the like distinctive Epethete for S. Paul blames the Church of Corinth for Schismes and addicting themselves factiously to severall Idolised Teachers which they had chosen to themselves for though he names only Peter Apollos and himselfe yet his Discourse cheifly aimes at some other Popular Preachers and false Apostles as appeares by comparing 1 Cor. 4. 6. 2 Cor. 11. 13 20. And S. John expresly names the Nicolaitans denominated from one Nicolas in his Revel ch 2. v. 15. As for S. Austins involving the word Catholick in the Epithet Holy it proves not that it was not then in the Text of the Creed for it was usual with the Fathers in their Paraphrasticall explications to omit the expression of severall Particles sometimes one sometimes another which yet were cōfessedly in the Creed are expresly mentioned by them in their other Homilies or Tractates as wee may see in Chrysollegus Eusebius Gallicanus and others Thirdly Hereticks arose not only after but even in the very Apostles Times the Tares were scattered presently upon the sowing of the Wheat in the lateplowed field of the Church S. Luke mentions Simon Magus that First-borne of the Devill and Father of Hereticks as the Auncients Style him Act. 8. 9. 24. S. Paul tels us of Hymenaeus and Phyletus 2 Tim. 2. 17. And of Alexander Phygellus and Hermogenes 1 Tim. 1. 20. 2 Tim. 1. 15. Yea S. John informes us in more generall Termes That there were many Antichrists in the world even whilst he lived who denyed the Father and the Sonne 1 Io. 2. 18. 22. These Antichrists then were Hereticks who taught contrary to the Faith of Christ wherefore it is most probable that the word Catholick was placed in the Creed even by the Apostles themselves for the reason before assigned Fourthly The Christian Church might justly be styled Catholick or universall to distinguish it from the Church of the Jewes which was a particular Church confined if not within the Bounds of one Country yet unto one Nation whereas the Christian Church comprehended all Nations and had no other Bounds than those of the world although not actually at the time of making the Creed yet in vertue and power according to that generall Commission of our Saviour to his Apostles Goe teach all Nations Mat. 28. 29. And gaine Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and all Judea and in Samaria and to the uttermost part of the Earth Act. 1. 8. The Jewes were so envious and proud as not to receive the Gentiles into their communion or acknowledge them partakers in the promises of the Messiah they would have had them all circumcised and submit to the Ceremonial Law but God broke downe this Partition wall Eph. 2. 14. As he made appeare by the Vision of the Sheet which he sent to S. Peter Act 10. 11. 15. And by the Decree of the Councel at Jerusalem Act. 15. And so gathered all into one Body or Church Catholick so called in respect of Time Place Persons Faith which is therefore called the Common Faith Tit. 1. 4. For this Reason at least the Apostles might justly frame the Article at the very first Composure in these words I believe the holy Catholick Church Ob. 4th The different relation of the Story bewrayes the uncerteinty of it for they give not all the same Article to the same Apostle and some marshall them one way some another Answ First Diversity of opinions in Circumstances not materiall cannot justly call the maine Point in doubt So all Christians believe the Gospell of St Mathew and the Epistle to the Hebrwes to be the Word of God though Divines differ about the language in which and the time when they were writen and they all agree there is an Hell though they doe not about the place where Therefore notwithstanding some slight groundlesse differences some of them of latter inconsiderable Authors wee have no just reason to disbelieve the Apostles Composing of the Creed Secondly As to the various marshalling and order of the Articles it cannot justly argue the uncerteinty of the Tradition because the Bookes of the holy Scripture are also placed in a various method according unto severall Editions and Translations some following the order of the Hebrew Text as the Protestant Churches others that of the Septuagint and the old Latine Translation as the Churches of Greece and Rome Thirdly Neither can the diverse ascribing of them to severall Apostles raise any just doubt of the Composers of the whole for we find not a few Controversies agitated amongst Divines concerning the Authors of severall Bookes of Scipture in the Old Testament of the Bookes of the Judges Kings and Chronicles of the Booke of Job in the New Testament of the Second and Third Epistle of St Iohn and of the Revelation whether Iohn the Elder were the Author of these Epistles and Iohn the Divine of the Revelation as distinct Persons from Iohn the Evangelist Or whether Iohn the Ap. were the Author of all three under 3 several Titles But more especially the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrwes is questioned whether it were Paul or Barnabas Luke or Clemens And yet not withstanding all these Controversies the Christian Church now doubts not of the Authority of these Bookes why should we more doubt of the Authority of the Creed although we know not how certainly to assigne the Distinct Articles to their severall Apostles whenas in truth the more probable opinion is that they joyntly concurd to the framing of them all Ob. 5. If the Creed for matter and forme were from the Apostles and they delivered it precisely in those words wherein we now have it why is it not placed in the
see no reason for them diverting in the meane time all those Testimonies of Scripture which are produced to confirm these Principles by altering as I said of words letters points wresting of phrases affixing to the words new contrary Glosses by perverting other places to serve their own turn by false unheard-of Expositions so that this right Reason proves a crooked Rule and instead of imforming us of the Truth deformes the Originall the Touchstone of its Triall The Church of England in her 21 Article saith indeed that Generall Councils may erre and have erred But shee saith not that they have erred in matters of Faith only shee infers from hence wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to Salvation have neither strength nor authority unlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of Holy Scripture And good reason because the Scripture containes all things necessary to salvation But by whom are these things to be so declared Sure by the Fathers assembled in a Generall Councill So she makes these Fathers Declarers or Collectours of those necessary Points out of Scripture and for ought I can see judges of that necessity A very great Priviledge and as much as was ever challenged by them But she more expresly ties her Clergy to submit unto the judgment of the Fathers whether in or out of a Councill in weighty Points of Religion Synod Lond. An. 1571. Tit. 19. De Concionatoribus Imprimis videbunt Cincionatores ne quid unquam doceant pro Concione quod a Populo religiose teneri credi velint nisi quod consentaneum sit doctrinae veteris aut Nâ—vi Testamenti quodque ex illa ipsâ doctrinâ Catholici Patres veteres Episcopi collegerint Where she makes the Orthodoxe Fathers the sole Interpreters of Scripture who are to be followed by Preachers in matters of Consequence and ranks their Collections out of Holy Scripture with the letter it selfe which if it imploy not infallibility in expounding Scripture I am sure it comes very neere it Reason then is not the Judge of all Truth to which our Church may seeme to referre us by making Councils fallible that is bare naturall Reason but Reason enlightned neither were the Fathers guided by it in the maine Principles of Religion but by Faith relying on Authority divine or universall Tradition She may indeed yea ought to search into and examine Tradition whether it be genuine or spurious as the Beraeans Acts 17. 11. examined S. Pauls Citations of the Old Testament touching the Prophecies of the Messiah But when the Tradition is found to be good and cleare old and Catholick then Reason must submit to it although it may seeme to thwart or exceed her Neither doth S. Peter bid us to give a reason of our faith but to be ready to give an answer to every one that asketh us a reason of the hope that is in us 1 Peter 3. 15. that is upon what Grounds we expect eternall Happinesse by the Profession and Practice of the Christian Religion and this answer or reason to be given not rashly or conceitedly but with meeknesse and feare Indeed who the most Learned much lesse every ordinary Christian who hath the charg there given him can give a Reason or Demonstration of all Mysteries in Religion some of which as the Trinity and Incarnation we cannot so much as conceive or comprehend fully and distinctly Besides the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there may be as fitly rendred a Reckoning or Account for the word is thus elsewhere taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give an Account of thy Stewardship Luk 16. 2. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall give an Account thereof viz. of every idle word Mat. 12. 36. but never as farre as I remember is the word used for a medium or Demonstrative Argument a Priori Is it not then the ready way to the Introduction of all Sects of Libertinisme yea at last of Atheisme it selfe to bring all Points of Religion to the Censure and Tribubunall of this conceitedly-blind Iudge which according to the mad wish of that Roman Tyrant cuts off the very neck of Religion at one blow For all Religions which hitherto have dared to shew their face to the world have grounded themselves on Authority either true or false on Reall or Pretended Revelations The Grecians had their Oracles Numa his Egeria and Mahomet his pretended Gabriel as well as the Jewes had their Moses and Christians their Jesus Humane Reason left to its own light and guidance never presumed in any Nation to be the Mother of a new Religion or a sufficient Directresse in it yea the light of Nature is acknowledged by the most acute Philosopher to be dim and darke in relation to Divine Objects compared therefore by him to the eye of an Owle at mid-day 't is not able therefore of it self to shew us the way to Heaven who converse here in a spirituall Aegypt a land of darknesse which is our naturall state no getting into Canaan but by a pillar of fire supernaturally raised and divinely moved Now as Anabaptisme is more suitable to the dreggs of the People and worketh on the grosser humours of the Body Politicke to whom Community of goods and freedome from the power of Magistrates are pleasing Tenents so this as a poyson farre more deadly seazeth on the subtler wits as on the finer animal-spirits therefore the more dangerous because abler Instruments of mischeife Reason at the best is fallacious enough but when thus cried up as the sole supreme Judge of all from whom lies no Appeale no marvell if she extreamly please he selfe in novell Inventions and become much enamoured of them as her owne genuine Birthes Shee is therefore a most dangerous Guide being thus left to her selfe in matters of Religion which as Vincentius Lir. tels us is not Res inventa sed tradita not found out by our selves but received from our Auncestours Sure then Eternall Salvation is a businesse of more weight then to be intrusted to her Dictates and Directions whence it is that holy Scripture every where cries downe the wisdome of the world the judgment of the naturall man the vaine deceits of the Heathen Philosophers who were the great Masters and Admirers of Reason and the darknesse of our understanding in things Divine in the Mystery of Godlinesse And methinks when Reason decives us so oft in smaller matters in objects farre lower such as lie within its owne Spheare it should a loud proclaime this Caveat to an indifferent and experienced man that we are not to trust it in things of the greatest moment which lie so farre above its reach that we are not to follow a false wandering Meteour an Ignis fatâ—us here below when we have the bright Morning Starre to guide us in this vale of darknesse untill the Sunne of Righteousnesse arise with healing in his winges But to returne to the Argument which I have in hand As I dare not be so rash as
only against their opposers but against all those too who concurre not with them in every tittle and Ioâ—a whether negative Errours condemned or positive Doctrines asserted So that now Ecclesiam quaerimus in Ecclesiâ we have even lost the Church among so many Conventicles we have as many Religions as Families and those too not seldome disagreeing yet all appropriating Salvation to themselves Every one takes upon him to be a Pope the name so much in shew detested and seats himselfe in his usurped Chaire as an infallible Judge guided by the Dictates of the Spirit so that one knows not whom to adhere to especially weake and ignorant Christians are most dangerously scandalized And we heard of one not long agoe in Holland who whether out of Pride or Despaire I know not had contracted the Church within the small compasse of his own Microcosme and upon that Ground true Baptisme being annext unto the true Church he Baptized himselfe thence called the Se-Baptist Now what course might be taken to heale these numerous wounds sure they would all close up of themselves if all Christians would have recourse to this Ancient Catholick and undoubted Rule beleeving as much requiring no more And by the way we may account it none of the least Blemishes in the face of our Church that so many private Catechismes with other Tracts of the like nature have been suffered to fly abroad from every quarter not a few of them for I should offend as much against Truth as modesty to censure all erronious most of them defective in the maine Points yet stuff'd with uncertainties and impertinencies which instead of Fundamentals give us Circumstantials and Appendixes instead of a sound Body of Credenda's haire and nailes if not boiles and botches Thus have the tender Plants in the faire Garden of this Church been partly infected with a poysonous joyce partly made crooked and deformed in their Infancy whilst they have bent themselves towards this or that Pamphleter like those heretofore in the Church of Corinth who said I am of Paul I of Apollo's and I of Cephas and 't were well they had no worse Tutours to the great prejudice of verity and utter bane of unity Now all this might have been prevented if they had not thus from the Birth been put forth to strange Nurses but caused to suck the Brests of their true Mother the Church of England for S. Paul cals the first Rudiments of the Christian Religion Milke a nourishment fit for Babes a good portion of which Milk is contain'd in the Creed which therefore is stiled by S. Cyril Patriarch of Jerusalem ParvuloruÌ„ in Christo lactea Introductio Catech. 4. But before I enter upon the Body of the Creed which I purpose to treat of hereafter as God shall give me life and strength meanes and leasure I conceave it will be expedient if not wholy necessary to lay down by way of Preface or Introduction some Prolegomena which I shall reduce to these five Heads the Bounds of my insuing Discourse 1. That the Apostles were the Authours or Composers of the Creed which beares their Name 2. The Grounds upon which and the Ends for which the Apostles framed it where I shall speak also of the Sufficiency of the Creed for the Rule of the Christian Faith 3. The severall Reasons of the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Title it beares in the Originall Greek 4. The Division or Parts of it 5. By way of Appendix I shall adde two Diatriba's or Discourses concerning the Nicene Creed and that of Athanasius especially the latter because most questioned which the Catholick Church and particulary the Church of England in her eighth Article hath joyntly received with that of the Apostles and are larger explications of it especially in the two maine Points of the Trinity and Incarnation then called in question and perverted by Arius and Macedonius But before I proceed to the handling of these particulars it will be requisite to remove some Doubts which may arise against what I have already writteÌ„ thus clearing my way as I go of al Imaginary rubs obstacles Ob. 1. The denying of the Apostles to be the Authours of the Creed doth not seem to weaken or shake any Ground by which we may prove a Trinity first because every Article of the Creed is confess'd to be in Scripture Then because no other Argument is pretended to be fetcht from the Creed for the proofe thereof but this that the Phrase Credo In is attributed to the Sonne and Holy Ghost as well as to God the Father but not so to the Catholick Church or to the Articles which follow it whereas this seemes to be a groundlesse Proofe for in the Scripture and the best Authours Credere in Deum in Deo Deo are promiscuously taken as signifying the same Thing So we Read Exod. 14. 31. Crediderunt in Dominum in Mosem They beleeved in God and in Moses which the 70 render ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus construing it for a meere Historicall assent So also 1 Sam. 27. 12. Achish beleeved in Davidem in David according to the Heb. that is he beleeved David And 1 Joh. 5. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he beleeved not in the Testimony is no more but to believe the testimony not to be true The Creed of Nice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in some auncient Latine Copies of the Apostles Creed we read Credo in Ecclesiam Catholicam in remissionem Peccatorum c. Particularly in a very old MS. in BIBL BODL we have Credo in Spiritu Sancto Sanctâ Ecclesiâ remissione Peccatorum c. Answ Every Article of the Creed is confest to be in Scripture either in expresse words or by necessary Consequence one of which Consequences or Conclusions is the Doctrine of the Trinity gathered by Apostolicall hands and placed in their Creed for who else could Infallibly collect it and impose it on the Faith of Christians As for the particle Credo in which as Stephanus observes in his Thesaurus is a phrase peculiar to Christian Divines it s being applied to the three Persons in the Sacred Trinity to none else in Propriety of speech is a sufficient Argument for the proof of that high Mistery so generally understood by the Latine Fathers S. Aug. Serm. 181. De Temp. upon those words of the Creed Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam saith thus Sciendum est quod Ecclesiam credere non tamen in Ecclesiam credere debemus quia Ecclesia non Deus sed domus Dei est we must know that we ought to beleeve the Church not in the Church for the Church is not God but the Household of God Ruffinus in his Exposition of the Creed on the same Article of the Church non dixit in Sanctam Ecclesiam nec in remissionem Peccatorum nec in carnis Resurrectionem si enim addidisset In praepositionem una eademque vis fuisset cum Superioribus nunc
autem in illis quidem vocabulis ubi de Divinitate fides ordinatur In Deum Patrem dicitur In Jesum Christum Filium ejus in Spiritum Sanctum In caeteris verò ubi non de Divinitate sed de Creaturis ac Mysteriis sermo est In praepositio non additur ut dicatur In Sanctam Ecclesiam sed Sanctam Ecclesiam credendam esse non ut in Deum sed ut Ecclesiam Deo congregatam Remissionem Peccatorum credendam esse non in remissionem peccatorum resurrectionem carnis non in resurrectionem carnis Hac itaque Praepositionis syllabâ Creator à Creaturis secernitur divina separantur ab humanis that is He said not In the holy Church nor in the forgivenesse of sinnes nor in the resurrection of the Body for if he had added the Preposition In there had been the same sense with what went before but now in those passages of the Creed wherein our faith concerning God is digested we say In God the Father and in Jesus Christ his Sonne and in the Holy Ghost but in the residue which speak of the Creatures and the mysteries relating to them the Preposition In is not added for we say not I beleeve in the Holy Church but I beleeve the Holy Church not as in God but as the Church gathered to God likewise we are to beleeve the remission of sinnes not in the remission of sinnes and the resurrection of the Body not in the resurrection of the Body So by this short Preposition the Creatour is distinguished from the Creature and God from man Now Ruffinus was one very well skill'd in the Greek Tongue as who Translated much of Origen out of that Language as well as in the Latine and so deserves the more credit in judging of the Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Credo in Paschasius also in his Book de Spiritu Saucto written against Macedonius vindicates the true Writing and sense of the Creed as touching this particular in these words Credimus Ecclesiam quasi Regenerationis Matrem non in Ecclesiam credimus quasi in Salutis Authorem nam cum hoc de Spiritu Sancto universa confiteatur Ecclesia numquid in seipsam credere potest qui in Ecclesiam credit in Hominem credit non enim Homo ex Ecclesiâ sed Ecclesia esse caepit ex Homine recede itaque ex hac Blasphemiae persuasione ut in aliquam humanam te aestimes debere credere Creaturam cum omninò nec in Angelum nec in Archangelum sit credendum nonnullorum imperitia praepositionem hanc In velut de proximà vicinaque sentintiâ in consequentem traxit ac rapuit ex superfluo imprudentur apposuit in nullis autem Canonicis de quibus textus Symbolipendet accepimus quia in Ecclesiam credere sicut in Spiritum Sanctum Filiumque debeamus Et ideò cum ab hoc Honore Creatura omnis aliena sit hic in quem credere praecipimur viz. Spiritus Sanctus Deus est quod verbum Divinitati specialiter vox Domini Salvatoris assignat ita dicens Credite in Deum in me credite Et iterum Qui credit in me non credit in me sed in eum qui me misit that is We beleeve the Church as the Mother of our new Birth not in the Church as in the Authour of Salvation For when as the whole Church professeth this of the Holy Ghost can she beleeve also in her selfe He who beleeveth in the Church beleeveth in man for man sprung not from the Church but the Church from man be farre therefore from this Blasphemous perswasion as to think that thou oughtest to beleeve in any humane Creature whereas our Faith is not to be placed no not in an Angel or Archangel The unskilfulnesse of some hath caused them to take the Preposition In from the neighbouring sentence which went before and to apply it to the subsequent rashly imprudently and superfluously whereas we are not warranted by any of the Canonicall Books on which the Text of the Creed depends to beleeve in the Church as we ought to beleeve in the holy Ghost and the Sonne and therefore seeing this Honour is not communicable to any Creature he in whom we are commanded to beleeve namely the holy Ghost is God hence also our Saviour especially applieth this word unto the Divinity saying thus yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me And againe He that beleeveth in me beleeveth not in me but in him that sent me Thus did these Fathers read this Article of the Creed and thus they understood it Credo in that is Colloco fiduciam in Deo which the Scripture appropriats to God alone as to the peculiar object of our Trust and Confidence and wholy denies to Creatures See Psal 146. 3. 44. 7. Jer. 17. 5. 1 Tim. 6. 17. As for that place Exod. 14. 31. the Hebrew word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used signifies properly to beleeve the truth or Fidelity of one so may well agree to Moses who spake to the People in Gods name and had so often confirmed the truth of his words by the following miraculous Successe now the word is usually joyned in Construction with a Noune of the Ablative Case having the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prefixt which is the signe of that Case and therefore should be rather translated if we follow the Hebraisme close Crediderunt in Deo in Mose However the sense is this They beleeved Gods word spoken to them by Moses God as the Author Moses as the Messenger So here 's no opposition but a Subordination and therefore no Derogation to Gods Prerogative But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke and Credo in in the Latine are phrases implying more and answer to the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to depend or rely on an Infinite Power and goodnesse which therefore both can and will deliver us from all evill and conferre in due time all Good upon us now this is peculiar to God alone and therefore appropriated to him both in the Scripture and Fathers The Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew is I confesse oft superfluous Thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek and In in the Latine which answer to it sometimes redound in the Scriptures Creeds and Fathers in their translations out of the Hebrew or imitations of that sacred Tongue yet not alwayes Now to know when these Particles redound when not we are to compare them with other Parallell places of Scripture and Copies of the Creed and then we shall find that though some Greeke Copies of the Creed prefixe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Article of the Church and the three subsequent ones yet others as those of Marcellus Anoyranus and Chrysostome hereafter to be alleaged omitt it as superfluous but still religiously retaine it in the precedent Articles of the Sonne and Holy Ghost by
the Diuids of Pythagoras Socrates c but what we find written I Answer The Creed is best preserved by Tradition for the sense and substance of the Articles because daily in publike use in the Catechumen's mouthes and the Liturgies of the Church yet subject to variation in point of expression by reason of severall Tongues and Dialects in the Christian World as also because of some exegeticall Additions interserted upom occasion of some particular Heresies which arose in this or that Church So Lawes are best preserved by continued Practise though somewhat varying if received in diverse Nations as the Romane Lawes are in some specialty of expression or by way of application to the exigence of the Times and Genius of the People in diverse Countries As for the dependance of Tradition it relies not only upon Memory but upon continuall use and Practise a better means of Preservation then Writing which is daily subject to the fraud negligence and ignorance of Transcribers many differences arising from whence have raised no small trouble unto Learned Criticks how to reconcile them or if irreconcileable to descerne the true Copie The Hebrew Bible was preserved entire in the true reading thereof as being constantly used in the Jewish Synagogues without any Points or Vowels written as now we have it and that for many hundred yeares according to the most received Opinion a Thinge infinitely more difficult then the Preservation of the Creed Wherefore we may not without Reason say that a short Summary of the Faith such as the Creed is is best kept by Tradition especially such an one as is in continuall use and Practise whereof the Fathers here cited give us good reason in summe that Non sunt evulganda fidei mysteria nisi Initiatis Magistro Duce seu Interprete ne sc derisui Profanis habeantur aut malignantium Calumniis paâ—eant ne erroneis Ignorantium aut male feriantium glossematis obiiciantur The whole Word of God was committed to writing because large and full of Variety yet occasionally and by Degrees The like may be said of the many long various Discourses of Pythagoras and Socrates committed to Paper by their Schollers Our Saviours Sermons and Discourses were oft very large his Miracles and memorable passages of his Life almost infinite and so could not otherwise be well preserved then by Writing yet Irenaeus tels us that many Christian Nations had no Scripture amongst them in his Time who notwithstanding kept Christianity diligently amongst them by an old Tradition And on the other side the Fathers tell us that where the Scriptures were to be had the Hereticks oft set forth unsound Books under the Apostles names and corrupted the true Copies of Scripture which they got into their Hands by this means seducing many troubling more to neither of which inconveniences a knowne practised breife Tradition is obnoxious As for the doctrine of the Druids it was carefully preserved as long as the Religion stood by an unwritten Tradition now Christianity hath a promise of continuance unto the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. so needs no more to feare a failing of its doctrine then its Disciples If it be farther objected that all in generall are commanded to confesse Christ and to give an account of the hope that is in them 1 Pet. 3. 15. which seems to make against the second Reason assigned by Cyril of Ierusalem That the Creed was of old committed to writing by Irenaeus Tertullian that when these Reasons and exhortations were made by Ruffin Cyril and Chrysologus the Creed was committed to writing both by themselves and others I answer first that those Precepts belong properly to Christians that is to Persons entered into the Church by Baptisme who had the whole Creed explained unto them but if they extend to the Catechumeni the Confession and Account must be understood more indefinitely and at large to wit of those more easie and generall Principles whereof they were informed by their Teachers Secondly the Creed is therefore call'd a Tradition because not committed to writing by the Apostles as the Gospell and Epistles were though in after Ages it were put in writing by the Fathers and Councills for the more publike Conviction of Hereticks Yet it clearly appeares by the fore-cited Fathers who cannot well be thought ignorant of the Churches custome in their own Times that the Creed was not delivered in writing to the Catechumeni but taught them by word of mouth to learne and professe this teaching or delivery not without an explication of the Catechist or Bishop least otherwise they might chance to erre in the meaning withall it was not delivered all together but line after line as they were able to receive it CAP. III. Testimonies of Scripture touching the Composure of the Apostles Creed especially out of S. Pauls Epistles as the places are accordingly interpreted by Divines of good note both Auncient and Moderne Some doubts against these Testimonies solved THUS much for the History of the Creeds Composure and its manner of Conveyance to after Ages But that the Apostles did first Compile and then deliver this Creed by an orall Tradition to the Christian Church will need farther Confirmation I shall endeavour to prove it by Scripture Antiquity and Reason all which I hope will be found to attest this Truth as joynt-witnesses of what hath bin already produced out of Ruffinus And first by Scripture for though the Creed be not expresly set down in any place of the New Testament because the Apostles for the foremention'd reasons thought not good to commit it unto writing yet S. Paul in diverse places of his Epistles not obscurely alludes unto it under severall phrases of speech apt metaphours which we find afteward applied to the Creed by the auncient Fathers as they may be most probably interpreted are so understood de facto by the judgment of good Authors both of the Primitive and latter Times 1. First Rom. 6. 17. The Apostle tels us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Forme of Doctrine and expressly cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tradition as the Ancients constantly stile the Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye have obeyed from the Heart that Forme of Doctrine which was delivered you that is whereas before Baptisme ye were the Servants of Sinne now now yee have professed your obedience to the Faith by the publike rehearsall of the Creed delivered to the Church in a set Forme by the Apostles to be openly recited before the Congregation at the time of Baptisme a Custome used from the Beginning and still retained in the Church Thus is the place expounded by Anselme our Learned and Renowned Archbishop of Canterbury Quae doctrina est Forma quia imaginem Dei deformatam restituit which Doctrine saith he is stiled a Forme because it restores the defaced Image of God to wit by Baptisme which the Apostle elsewhere calls The Laver of
haereses defendatur Comp. 2 Tim. 2. 2. 3. 14. 7. Seventhly the Apostle renews the same charge to him 2 Tim 1. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me not which thou hadest of me in writing for the Creed as I have shewed is a Tradition in faith and love that is concerntng Christian Faith and Charity namely concerning Faith in the Creed concerning love or charity in the Commandements thus he conjoynes our Credenda and Agenda that is the Rules of our Beleefe and Practise And it follows in the next v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keep that good Depositum the good Thing which was committed unto thee Vpon which words consult the following Interpreters S. Chrysost T◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is this Depositum the Faith S Jerome Secundùm meam formam vide doce quam à me breviter accepisti quomodo integrè credere alterutrum deligere debeamus What is this breife and entire Forme of Beleefe but the Creed Theophilact likewise by this Depositum understands the Rule of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Articles which we are cōmanded to believe But how saith he wilt thou keepe these Rules not by humane strength but by the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which dwelleth in us through Baptisme take care therefore to keepe that Spirit and that Spirit will keepe this Depositum Cajetan Habeto in usu formam Sermonum quos a me non per Scripturas didicisti sed audisti Ipsa forma sanorum verborum quae audierat a Paulo appelatur Bonum Depositum Now this set forme of wordes delivered by word of mouth to what agrees it but to the Creed Estius in like manner Depositum id est Doctrina ab Apostolis continuata serie tradita in sola Ecclesiâ Catholicâ asservatur Scriptura enim ei cum Haereticis communis est Now this Doctrine delivered down from the Apostles to us in an uninterrupted Succession which is here contradistinguish'd to the Scriptures and said to be kept in the Catholick Church what is it else but the Creed 8. Eightly The Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews whom I little or not at all doubt to have been the same Apostle tells the Jewes That they had need to be taught again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Babes having need of milke Now these Principles are contained in the Creed and Cyril of Jerusalem in his Catech. 4. wherein he Paraphraseth on the Heads of the Creed alluding plainly to this Place as to the other two Parallell ones 1 Cor. 3. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 2. cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I observed before To this sense accord the following Fxpositions Beda Quod in lactis commemoratione posuit Doctrinam ipsa est quae per Symbolum traditur Orationem Dominicam Anselmus Elementa vocantur illae Partes de quibus Sermo Dei priùs contexitur sc Incarnatio Passio Resurrectio Commune Judicium Damnatio malorum Corona justorum caetera quae primum annunciantur eis qui convertunt tur Exordium enim Sermonum est Symbolum Christianae Fidei Aquinas Exordia Sermonum Dei prima Principia et Elementa sunt Articuli Fidei et praecepta Decalogi Cajetan Elementa sermonum Dei sunt ea Principia quae docemus Catechumenos Dicitur in Symbolo Apostolica Ecclesia quia fundatur in Apostolis Their words are so plain that they need no Logick to apply them to the Creed Then in the Beginning of the next Chapter viz Heb 6. 1. the same Authour mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Foundation Amongst which Fundamentall Principles he reckons up Faith towards God and the Resurrection of the dead which two be the first last Articles of the Creed the last I say reading the Creed as some of the Ancients did with this close The Resurrection of the dead unto life everlasting thus coupling two Articles in one Let us now see what Expositors beare witnesse to this sense applying these words to the Apostles Creed S. Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where he interprets the words of the grounds of Christianity wherein we are Catechized and whereinto Baptized those fundamentall Doctrines of faith to which all the rest are in the nature of superstructures and what are these but the Creed S. Ambrose Quis fit sermo inchoationis Christi nisi Fidei initium Sicut enim cum qui in doctrinam literarum inducitur elementa oportet primum audire sic Christianus primum omnium de fide Catholicâ erudiri debet quod est fundamentum nostrae salutis quia enim fides fundamentum est caetera verò superaedificationes sunt D. Paulus sequentibus verbis ostendit This fidei initium the groundworke of Faith and Salvation and this fides Catholica wherein a Christian ought first to be instructed as being that foundation whereon the whole after-frame is built what else can it be but the Creed S. Aug. De fide operibus cap. 11. Epistolâ quae ad Hebraeos inscribitur cum eorum qui baptizantur commemorarentur Initia posita est ibi paenitentia a mortuis operibus Haec igitur omnia pertinere ad initia Neophytorum satis apertéque Scriptura testatur Venerable Bede hath the same words borrowing them as much else of his Comments from S. Austin Both referre them to those Principles of Christianity which the Novices or Catechumeni were instructed in and profest at Baptisme among which the principall was the Creed Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where he shewes the method of the Christian Catechisme some poynts whereof were explained to the Novices in Religion before Baptisme as Repentance from dead works Beliefe in God the nature and use of Baptisme as also of Imposition of Hands in Confirmation after Baptisme whereby to be made Partakes of the Spirit and some after Baptisme as the Mysteries of our Saviours Passion and High-priesthood his taking our sinnes on himselfe and working our Salvation the mysteries of our Resurrection of the last judgement and everlasting Reward or life the most of which Principles are comprehended in the Creed Theophyl also on the same place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where he interprets this repentance from dead works of renouncing the works of the Devill in Baptisme and referres the resurrection of the Dead in expresse termes to our Confession of Faith or Creed which at the time of Baptisme we publiquely attest Anselmus Necrursum jacientes fundamentum Doctrinae inquit quae in exordio tradita est vobis per Symbolum orationem Dominicam ut hac iterum incipiatis imbui Estius fidei in Deum Respicit ad professionem Symboli quam faciebant Baptizandi Calvinus Erant certa capita de quibus Pastor Catechumenum
substance with the Creed for so all Creeds and Confessions of Faith if true might be called the Apostles Creed nay the Scripture of the New Testament contains nothing else in Substance the Apostles Creed is that only which is delivered in this Forme and in these wordes which distinguish it from all other Creeds If any now among us who receive it as framed by the Apostles should even for explication or under any other pretence offer to alter the least word or tittle we should count it and that justly high Presumption and Sacriledge and should not esteem it so altered though containing nothing but Truth to be the Apostles Creed Answ The fore-cited places of Scripture evince thus much that a Forme containing the Heads of Religion was delivered not after but before the New Testament was written for else the New Testament could not have born witnesse of it Now the Church saith the Apostles Creed is that Forme for she hath delivered us none other nor entitled any other to the Apostles name in any age past therefore let the Objectours either produce another or subscribe to the Churches Testimony The like Argument may be urged touching any Book of Scripture As for Instance Antiquity tels us that S. Paul wrote an Epistle to the Romans the Church tels us that the Epistle we now have so entitleed is that Epistle and none other therefore if any man will doubt of or deny it let him ether shew another Epistle which S. Paul wrote to the Romans or accept this upon the Church's word As for what the Expositours say on the fore-alleaged Places of Scripture hath been already shewen Those Principles mentioned Heb. 6. 1 2. are some of them Practicall Heads of Christianity which were taught the Catechumeni together with the Creed and because Practicall Points not included in it the Creed being composed for a Summary of pure Doctrinals yet they all refer to the Tenth Article of the Creed namely to Remission of sinnes Repentance as the Antecedent or preparative Baptisme as the outward means and Imposition of Hands in Confirmation as the Complement or Perfection thereof As for other Summaries of Faith they cannot be either so truely or so properly called the Apostles Creed because they want the Attestation of the Church which never acknowledged them for such though otherwise perhaps in substance they agree with it as Paraphrases or parts thereof The New Testament containes many things besides the fundamentall Articles of Beleefe as smaller Doctrinall Points Evangelicall Rules of Practice matters of History Disputes Prophecies c. All extra Fidem besides the Creed the Forme and wordes whereof were delivered by the Apostles as well as the Heads and Substance of the Faith though some now doubt which they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in expresse wordes As for explicating or altering the Creed we may safely paraphrase or comment on it now though not alter the Text thereof in wordes or sense because it hath been delivered to us totidem verbis by a confest evident Tradition of above 1200 years as the Oppugners of its Authors are forced to yeeld Before it was thus setled there was more liberty of expression because diverse Churches somewhat varied the Forme by reason of succresent Heresis but now it hath triumphed over all and is long agoe setled in full possession of the Christian Faith Besides in all those former variations though the Forme was changed in some few Particulars yet the heads or Articles of Beleefe continued the same It was not therefore sufficient for any confession of Faith to gaine the Title of the Apostles Creed in that it contained nothing but Truth CAP. IV. Testimonies concerning the Creed and the composure thereof by the Apostles taken out of the Greeke Fathers who beare witnesse for the Easterne Churches Some objections against these Authorities partly answered partly prevented YOU have seene what light the Holy Scripture gives us concerning this Creed of the Apostles but this Truth will be farther cleered and confirmed by the concordant Testimonies of the Fathers and most of those the most ancient for Time as living neerest the age of the Apostles and the most venerable for Authority who therefore may best be credited in this matter and well speake for the rest Now in reciting their Testimonies when I produce some of them who in their writings set downe the Creed or Rule of Faith not agreeing totidem verbis expressely in every word and tittle with that which the Church now receives for the Apostles I shall desire my Reader to take notice of these three things 1. First that diverse of the Fathers writing against the Heretickes of their Times mentiond only or chiefly those Articles which were then cald in question by those against whom they wrote whence it is that they doe not alwaies set the Creed downe whole and entire which by the way may well be one Reason why the Article of Christs descent into Hell was omitted in many latter Creeds because never question'd by any of the Hereticks of those dayes The same reason induced the Nicene Fathers to proceed no farther in their Creed than this Article in Spiritum Sanctum And I believe in the Holy Ghost although the old Creed was larger as will appeare more fully in what I shall produce hereafter namely because the Arian controversy required no more 2. Secondly That the Fathers maine care in setting down this Rule of faith was to keep themselves to the same Heads or Articles of the Creed giving themselves somtimes liberty to vary words phrases whence it is that though they alwayes set downe the Creed wheresoever they mention it as the only necessary unchangeable Rule of faith the immoveable Basis of Christianity the distinctive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or assured marke of a true orthodoxe Christian contradistinguishing him to Pagans Jewes and Hereticks yet somtimes as learned Discoursers they enlarge the parts of the Creed by way of Paraphrase otherwhiles as short Comprisers thereof they contract the sum of it into fewer words according as they saw cause or had occasion offered So Tertullian though he lay downe this for a ground that Regula fidei una omninò est sola immobilis irreformabilis The Rule of faith is only one soley immoveable and umchangeable De Virg. vel chap. 1. Yet whereas he thrise rehearseth it in three severall Tracts he never useth the same words exactly but varyeth his expression now extending now contracting it at pleasure Besides there is an other reason why some of the Creeds end with the Article of the Holy Ghost viz because the four following Articles are virtually included in it which appeares by S. Chrysostomes first Homily on the Creed as shall be shewen by and by As for us of this Age we are not unjustly abridged the like liberty in varying of words or phrases First because these are suspected times wherein the very Grounds of Faith are by many very doubtfully held and by
being indeed the Articles of the Creed viz That there is but one God who made all things of nothing That this God sent his Sonne our Lord Jesus Christ begotten of the Father before every Creature by whom all Creatures were made He was incarnate and made man assuming a Body like in all things to us but that it was borne of the Virgin being conceived by the Holy Ghost He truly Dyed not in apearance the comon death of all men for he truly rose againe Having converst with his Disciples after his Resurrection he was taken up into Heaven That the Holy Ghost is associate with the Father and Sonne in the same Honor and Dignity there shall be a time for the Resurrection of the Dead when this body which is sowne in corruption shall rise in incorruption and that which is sowne in dishonor shall rise in glory This world was made and had a certaine time of begining and by reason of ' its corruptability shall be at length dissolved That there are certain Angels of God and good spirits which minister unto him in procuring the salvation of man kind He adds at last an other Traditionall Foundation viz. That the Scriptures were written by the Holy Ghost After all he concluds oportet igitur velut elementis ac fundamentis hujusmodi uti That we ought to make use of these as the first Elemens and Grounds of Christian Religion which he accordingly explaines at large in those foure bookes of his entituled therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Principles of Christianity a worke fit for his office of Catachist which he bore for many years in the Church of Alexandria 4. Marcellus Bishope of Ancyra in Gallatia fellowsuferer with the great Athanasius being accused by the Arians of Sabellianisme as Athanasius also was and by their means expeld his Bishoprick flies unto Iulius Bishope of Rome for succour and having long there in vaine expected his adversaries comming by confronting of whom he desired to have accquitted himselfe at length weary of longer stay he takes his leave of Iulius and leaves behind him an Epistle wherein he makes this Profession of Faith exceeding conformable to that of the Apostles as we read it at this Day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is I Believe in God Almighty and in Jesus Christ his only-begotten Sonne our Lord conceived by the Holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary crucifyed under Pontius Pilate and buried the third Day he rose againe from the Dead he ascended into the Heavens and sitteth at the right hand of the Father whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Church the forgivenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the Body the Life Everlasting But this is not all to shew that this Creed was not of his own framing a little after he subjoynes these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Having received this Faith from the holy Scriptures and being taught it of my spirituall Progenitors or Divine Ancestors I both Preach it in the Church of God and have now wrote it unto thee O Iulius This Epistle with the foresaid Creed inclosed we find recorded by Epiphanius in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haeres 72. Now whom doth Marcellus meane by his Progenitors or Ancestors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to or in God Sure he understands either his Godfathers at the Font or the Bishops of the Church by whom he was instructed in the Ancient Faith Or lastly which seemes to me most probable the Apostles themselves who were the true and proper Fathers or Founders of the Christian Church whence that of S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Though you have ten thousand Instructers or Pedagogues in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers It followes there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in Iesus Christ I have begotten you through the Gospell 1 Cor. 4. 15. 5. S. Basil the Great in his Tract 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the Creed or Christian Faith sets downe this Symbole or Confession thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is We Believe and professe one only true and good God the Father Almighty of whom are all Things the God and Father of our Lord and God Jesus Christ and one only begotten Sonne of his our Lord and God Jesus Christ the only True one by whom all things were made both visible and invisible and by whom all things consist who was in the Begining with God and was God and afterward according to the Scripture he appeared upon Earth and conversed with men being in the forme of God he thought it not robbery to be equall with God yet he made himselfe of no reputation and taking upon him the forme of a Servant by being borne of a Virgin and being found in fashion as a man he fulfilled all things which concerned him and were written of him according to the commandment of his Father he became obedient to the Death even the Death of the Crosse and the third Day arising from the Dead according to the Scriptures he appeared to his holy Disciples and to the Rest according as it is written he ascended into the Heavens and sitteth on the right hand of the Father from whence he shall come at the end of this world to raise up all and to render to every one according to his workes when the righteous shall be taken into Life Eternall and the Kingdome of Heaven and the sinners shall be condemned to everlasting punishment where their worme dieth not and the fire is not quenched And in one only Holy Ghost the Comforter by whom we are sealed to the day of Redemption the Spirit of Truth Here we have all the Articles of the Creed but two viz. The Beleefe of the Holy Catholick Church and the forgivenes of sinnes which he sets downe in the ensuing words wherein he largely descants on the gifts of the Holy Ghost towards the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. By which Spirit we are sealed unto the day of Redemption the Spirit of Truth the Spirit of Adoption by whom we cry Abba Father which distributeth and effecteth in every one the Graces of God unto edification according to his pleasure the good Spirit which leadeth into all Truth and establisheth all that believe in the true and exact knowledge in the Godly and Spirituall service and worship and true confession of God the Father and his only-begotten Sonne c. Concluding thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus we think and thus we baptize 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a coessentiall Trinity according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ who said goe and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sone and of the Holy Ghost A little after he intimates from whom he received the foresaid confession of faith namely from Christ and his Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I beseech you saith
in Symbolo deest quod ex scriptis Dei per Apostolos Dei conditum totum in se quantum ad authoritatem pertinet habet quicquid vel hominum est vel Dei quamvis etiam quod per homines factum est Dei existimandum sit quia non tam illorum per quos factum est quam illius credendum esse qui fecit i That which in Greek is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines call a Collation a Collation I say because the Apostles of the Lord gathered into one in the perfect Breviary of the Creed wherein they faithfully summed up all the Points of the Catholik Beleef whatsoever is largely diffused through the whole Body of the Scriptures This is that short word which the Lord utterd collecting the Faith of both Testaments and concluding the sense of the whole Scripture in a few briefe Sentences framing this Modell out of his owne materialls and comprising the virtue of the whole Divine Law in a most compendious Summary in this manner consulting as a most indulgent Father to apply a Remedy unto the negligence and Ignorance of some of his Children that so the most simple and unskilfull Novice should not be troubled to comprehend it which might also be easily conteined in memory thou seest therefore in the Creed the Authority of God himselfe for a short worke or word will the Lord make upon the Earth Rom. 10. 28. But perhaps thou requirest the Authority of Men neither is that wanting for God made the Creed by the Ministery of men for as he composd the great Bulke of holy writ cheifly by his Patriarchs and Prophets so he framed the Creed by his Apostles Prejsts There is nothing therefore defective in the Creed which being compiled by the Apostles of God out of the Scriptures of God hath perfectly in it selfe for matter of Authority whatsoever either God or men can contribute although indeed that which was thus framed by men is to be esteemed the Worke of God it not being so much to be ascribed unto those by whome it was made as to him who made it nor to be thought the worke of the Instruments but of the Author Afterward he thus sets downe the Text of the Creed Credo in unum Solum verū Deum Patrem Omnipotentem Creatorem omnium visibilium invisibilium Creaturarum in Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium ejus unigenitum primogenitum totius Creaturae ex eo natum ante omnia Secula non factū Deum verum ex Deo vero homoousion Patri per quem secula compaginata sunt omnia facta qui propter nos venit natus est ex Maria Virgine Crucifixus sub Pontio Pilato sepultus tertiâ Die resurrexit secundùm Scripturas in Coelos ascendit iterum veniet judicare vivos mortuos reliqua in Symbolo quòd Ecclesiarum omnium Fidem loquitur c. I believe in one only true God the Father Almighty maker of all Creatures both visible and invisible and in Jesus Christ our Lord his only begotten Sonne the first Borne of every creature begotten of him before all worlds and not made very God of very God of one substance with the Father by whom the worlds were Framed or Ages set in order and all things made who for our sakes came and was borne of the Virgin Mary Crucifyed under Pontius Pilate and buried the third Day he Rose againe according to the Scriptures and ascended into the Heavens and shall come againe to judge the Quicke and the Dead And the rest that Followes in the Creed which speakes the Beleefe of all the Churches By this Creed he confutes Nestorius through his whole First Booke as by that Faith which was received throughout the whole world concluding in these words Licet omnium ecclesiarum sit quia una omnium fides peculiariter tamen Antiochenae urbis atque Ecclesiae est illius sc in qua tu editus in qua institutus in qua renatuses That is Although this be the Faith of al the Churches which believe al alike yet it is more peculiarly the Faith of the Citty and Church of Antioch to wit of that Church wherein thou O Nestorius wert Borne Bred and Baptized 11. Eusebius Emesenus or rather Gallicanus hath three Homilies extant on the Apostles Creed wherein he sets downe the Creed verbatim and after explaines it Gaigneus Chancellour of Paris set forth these Homilies under the name of Eus. Emesenus grounding his opinion on two places of the Decret wherein these Homilies are cited under his name others have ascribed them to Caesarius Bishop of Arles a third sort to Eucherius Bishop of Lyons a fourth unto Faustus Bishop of Regium because the Author of these Homilies saith that he was made Bishop ex Abbate lirinensi as Faustus was so Bellarmine But the Learned Andreas Schottus more probably entitles them to Eusebius not Bishop of Emesa in Syria a Bishop of Gaule sprung perhaps from that or some other Emesa and thence denominated the Latine style being too elegant for a Translation and savouring of the French Dialect and to confirme this he cites an ancient verse made by a Scholler of Rabanus Maurus wherein such an one is set downe by name though his Diocesse be not mentioned But whoever were the Authour of them his Testimony is of good credit each one of the Five mentioned having beene Ancient and famous Bishops 12. Venantius fortunatus Bishop of Poictiers hath written an explication of the Apostles Creed in the Preface whereof he hath these words Collata Apostolis scientia linguarum adhuc in uno positi hoc est inter se Symbolum unusquisque quod sensit dicendo condidere That is The Apostles having conferd on them the gift of Tongues before their dispersion framed the Creed by mutuall consent among themselves every one contributing what he thought meet And a little after Symbolum Collatio dicitur Graece quia hoc ipsi interse per spiritum Sanctum salubriter condiderunt That is The word Symbole in Greek signifies a Collation because the Apostles joyntly framed it for the common benefit through the assistance of the holy Ghost 13. Isidore Bishop of Sevil lib. de off Eccles cap. 22. speakes thus of the Creed Symbolum competentes accipiunt in quo pauca 〈◊〉 verba sed omnia continentur Sacramenta de totis enim Scripturis haec breviatim collecta sunt ab Apostolis ut quia plures Credentium literas nesciunt vel qui sciunt prae occupationibus Seculi Scripturas legere non possunt haec corde retinentes habeant sibi sufficientem scientiam salutarem That is The Competentes receive the Creed wherein there are but few words but all misteries are therein contained which were breifly gathered out of the whole Scriptures by the Apostles because that many of the Beleevers being unable to read and they who can being hindred by their worldly businesses reteining these few
Church 2. That this Creed is produced by Tertullian against those Hereticks who denyed the Scriptures 3. That the Nicene Creed although a full and compleate Forme yet was not the first which the Christian Church had for which he refers us to Tertullian Now that Creed which was older than the Councell of Nice can be no other than the Apostles Creed seeing no other Creed was ever mentioned before the time of that Councell nor other Authors assigned And for Tertullians Testimony to whom we are referd he clearely assignes the Apostles for the Authors 6. Bullinger in the Begining of his Decads whereto he prefixeth the Ancient Creeds hath these words Sufficiebat hactenus Symbolum Apostolorum sufficisset Ecclesiae Christi etiam Constantini Seculo confitentur enim omnes omnes Ecclesias non alio Symbolo quam Apostolico usas eodemque fuisse per totam terrarum orbem contentas quoniam verò Constantini magni aetate emerfit impius blasphemus Arius qui Christianae fidei puritatem corrupit simplicitatem doctrinae Apostolicae pervertit coacti sunt ipsa necessitate Ecclesiarum ministri sese impostori opponere ac Symbolo editio verum id est veterem fidei confessionem damnatâ Arii novitate declarando ex Scripturis canonicis illustrare neque enim in aliis mox sequentibus tribus conciliis Generalibus editis Symbolis quicquam mutatum est in Doctrinâ Apostolorum neque quicquam novi adiectum quod prius ex Scriptura sancta Ecclesiae Christi habuerunt crediderunt sed corruptionibus novitatibus Haereticorum antiqua veritas illustrata per Symbola prudenter utiliter religiose est opposita That is Hitherto the Creed of the Apostles sufficed and had sufficed the Church of Christ even in the Time of Constantine for it is confest by all that all Churches used no other Creed than that of the Apostles and were contented therewith all the world over but because in the Time of Constantine the Great there sprang up that impious and blasphemous Arius who corrupted the Purity of the Christian Faith and perverted the Simplicity of the Apostolick Doctrine the Pastors of the Churches were compeld out of necessity to oppose themselves unto such an Imposture and setting forth a Creed to illustrate the True that is the Ancient Confession of Faith by manifesting it out of Scriptures thereby condemning the novelty of Arius for neither in the three other generall Councels which followed that of Nice was there any thing changed by setting forth their Creeds in the doctrine of the Apostles nor any new thing added unto what the Churches of Christ formerly had and believed out of the Holy Scripture but the Ancient Faith being illustrated by the Creeds was prudently profitably and piously opposed unto the Corruptions and Novelties of the Hereticks 7. Christopher Barbarossa in the Preface to his Catecheticall Analysis wherein he hath drawne into Method the Catechisticall Meditations of seventeene Protestant Divines set forth by the Deane and Colledge of Divines in the Academy of Rostock hath these words Apostoli Synodi brevibus Symbolis doctrinae Christianae Summam complexi sunt quilibet Apostolorum suum contulit ad hoc Symbolum Ratio quare Apostoli composuerunt hoc Symbolum duplex est 1. Suiipsius causâ ut certam haberent Regulam Amussim doctrinae postquam exire vellent in totum Mundum 2. Propter nos ipsos ut haberemus Regulam Amussim Fidei contra Haereticos Nomen Articuli requirit integram omnium Fidei Articulorum cognitionem confessionem si modò Fides perfecta integra esse debet That is The Apostles and Synods comprehended the summe of Christian doctrine in certaine breife Creeds Every one of the Apostles contributed his part to the Creed There is a double Reason why the Apostles composed the Creed 1. For their owne sake that they might have a certaine Rule or measure of Doctrine after they had resolved to goe forth into the whole world 2. For our sakes that we might have a Square or Rule of Faith against the Hereticks The word Article requires an entire knowledg and Confession of all the Points of Faith if so be it ought to be whole and perfect 8. Grinaeus de Eccles contin Primitiva Ecclesia habuit Symbolum Apostolorum cujus plena in Scripturis explicatio non abit ab hoc quod in Irenaeo extat Symbolum lib. 1. cap. 2. That is The Primitive Church had the Creed of the Apostles which is fully explained in the Scriptures This Creed is not diverse from that which is extant in Irenaeus 9. Nicol. Selneccerus in his Paedagogia Christiana Tria Symbola usitate nominantur Apostolicum Nicenum Athanasianum Apostolicum majus in quarta Apostolorū Synodo conscriptum fuisse arbitrantur 1. De electione Matthiae 2. De Ordinatione Diaconorum 3. De Abdicatione legalium 4. Vt existimatur de conscribendis his Fidei Articulis ut certa norma 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praecipuorum Capitum doctrinae Christianae cum Apostolis jam esset in totum terrarum orbem abeundum extaret confessio quae unanimem ipsorum consensum exhiberet ut autem hoc se habeat certum tamen est in hoc Symbolo quod internae nostrae Fidei Professio concordia est contineri omnia Capita totius Religionis Christianae recte perspicue ordine That is There be three famous Creeds the Apostles the Nicene and that of Athanasius the Apostles Creed is of the greatest account and is supposed to have been compiled in the fourth Synod of the Apostles whereof the first was concerning the election of Mathias the Second concerning the Ordination of Deacons the Third concerning the disanulling of Ceremonies Act. 15. the Fourth as is conceived concerning these Articles of Faith which should serve as a certaine Rule or Modell of the cheife Heades of Christian Doctrine and seeing that the Apostles were now to goe forth into the whole world there might be extant a Confession which should exhibite their unanimous consent unto all But however this businesse was ordered 't is certaine that in this Creed which is the concordant profession of our inward Faith are conteined all the Heads of the whole Christian Religion Rightly Clearely and Orderly 10. Alex. Nowell in his Catechisme giveth two Reasons why the Creed is entituled to the Apostles whereof the First and Cheife and to which he principally enclines is this that it was ab Ore Apostolorum exceptum Received from the mouthes of the Apostles and his following words confirme this reason of the Name wherein he declares that it hath been Ab initio usque Ecclesiae receptum received from the very begining of the Christian Church and from that Time hath perpetually abode in it firme Authentick immoved amongst all Pious Christians ut certa atque constituta Christianae Fidei Regula as a sure setled Rule of the Christian Beliefe As for his latter conjecture of the name Apostolick that
Catholick a Tradition doth not a litle confirme me in my Beliefe that the Apostles were the Authors of the Creed First Ruffinus in that place shewes no doubt at all of the Authors as appears by the fore-cited Relation but having before recited the Tradition of his Ancestors and himself accordingly affirmed the Apostles to have been the Authors in these words Symbolum fecerunt Apostoli in his Sermonibus in unum conferendo quod unusquisque sensit Decessuri ad predicandum istud unanimitatis fidei suae Indicium Apostoli posuere Sure those following words qui Symbolum tradiderunt must needs relate to the Apostles as the antecedent Secondly that severall Authors have mentioned this Tradition before the yeere 400 as well as after and those not only of the Westerne but of the Easterne Church I appeale to the fore-cited Testimonies of the Fathers among whom Origen Marcellus of Ancyra and Cyril of Jerusalem were of the Greeke Church and before the yeare 400 whereof the two latter set the Creed downe and Origen tells us that the Apostles delivered it Tertullian and Ambrose were of the Lattine or Westerne Church whereof the former sets it downe and entitles it to the Apostles and the latter names the Twelve Apostles for the Authors citing for proofe both of the Creed and its Composers a perpetuall inviolate Tradition of the Church of Rome now St Amb. flourished before the end of the fourth Century Tertullian long before As for the silencing of the Apostles Creed since the Nicene Councell in the Easterne Church 't is cleere that it was extant amongst them since the Councell for Marcellus sets it downe and Chrysostome explaines it but when the Constantinopolitan Creed was framed it was by degrees it seemes disused because therein included Then as to the Ethiopian Creed it is the very same with the Nicene or Constantinopolitan and communicated from the Greeke Church by the neighbouring Patriarch of Alexandria as in all likelihood we may suppose to that more Southerne People Lastly To the Testimony cited out of the 115. Serm. de Temp. The objector confesseth that the Creed was first rehearsed entire and then explained only he questions the assignation of the severall Articles to distinct Apostles as a spurious piece inserted out of the Margine into the Body of the Sermon the rest he acknowledgeth for genuine but this passage I stand not much upon whether it were so or otherwise for notwithstanding this supposall the Creed may well be styled a Symbole or Collation because agreed on in common by the Apostles they reducing the Number of the Articles to Twelve because themselves were Twelve the Founders or Foundation of the Christian Faith as St Paul cals them Eph. 2. 20. St Jo. Re. 21. 14. Reason 2d. In the Primitive Church the Catechumeni were men instructed in the first Rudiments of Christianity chiefely in the time of Lent Then on Palme-sunday they were called Competentes that is joynt Petitioners of Baptisme and had the whole perfection of the Faith that is the whole Body of the Creed expounded unto them because Easter the assigned Time of their Baptisme then approached This is testified by S. Ambrose Epist 35. lih 5. Sequenti die erat autem Dominica post lectiones atque Tractatum dimissis Catechumenis Symbolum aliquibus competentibus in Baptisteriis tradebam Basilicae That is The next day being the Lords day after the Reading of the Scriptures and the Sermon having dismissed the Catechumeni I delivered the Creed to certain Competentes in that part of the Church which is assigned for Baptisme And by Isidore of Sevil lib. 1. De Eccles Offic cap. 27. De Domin Palm Hac autem die Symbolum Competentibus traditur propter confinem Dominicae Paschae solemnitatem ut quia jam ad Dei gratiam percipiendam festinant fidem quam confiteantur agnoscant That is On this day on Palmesunday the Creed is delivered to the Competentes by reason of the approaching solemnity of Easter that so they may more fully understand and embrace that Faith which they professe their Baptisme now hastening on And wee have already in part demonstrated the same out of the forecited Fathers particularly out of their Homilies on the Creed which they commonly made on Palmesunday to the Competentes who were now ready to be baptized But now when Easter came the solemne time of Baptisme as Pentecost also was before they were admitted to it they made an open confession of their Faith as our Infants now doe in the Person of their Godfathers I aske then what confession of Faith was this which they thus publiquely pronounced at Baptisme No man is so absurd to think that every one was left to his owne discretion to frame it as he pleased but that the Church had a certaine prescribed forme of words or Rule of Beliefe which the Competentes did openly rehearse the same forme no doubt which had been explained unto them on the foregoing Palmesunday now this was no other then the Apostles Creed as appears both by those Homilies of the Fathers upon it which were usually made to the Competentes on Palmesunday as preparatives to their Baptisme as also because we find no other Confession of Faith publiquely received in the Church for above 300 years after the Birth of our Saviour besides this of the Apostles To this agree the words of Saint Jerome cont Lucifer Solenne est in lavacro post Trinitatis confessionem interrogare Credis in sanctam Ecclesiam credis remissionem peccatorum That is It is the custome at Baptisme after confession of the Trinity to aske Believest thou the Holy Church believest thou the Remission of sinnes And long before him S. Cyprian Epist 70. ad Janu ar c. Ipsa interrogatio quae fit in baptismo testis est veritatis nam cum dicimus credis in vitam aeternam remissionem peccatorum per sanctam Ecclesiam Intelligimus remissionem peccatorum non nisi in Ecclesiâ dari That is The very questioning in Baptisme witnesseth the Truth for when we say believest thou the life everlasting and remission of sinnes by the holy Church We conceive that remission of sinnes is not given but in the Church If any one desire to have this Custome of rehearsing the Creed at Baptisme brought higher yet up to the Age of the Apostles that so we may know positively when this forme of Profession began and the rather because when the Apostles baptized 3000 in one day and presently after S. Peters Sermon either no forme was then used or it was a very short one and quickly learned I Answer That the custome of making Homilies on the Creed by the Catechists and Bishops of old for the better instruction of those who were to be Baptized shews that this confession was very anciently practised and Russinus who himselfe was ancient tells us of many Illustres Tractatores many famous expounders of the Creed in this kind before his Time why then
may not we justly referre that custome to the Age of the Apostles whereof we can find no beginning in the Church But to give you a more Positive and Expresse proofe that place in the First Epistle to Timothy cap. 6. v. 12. where he is said to have made a good Profession before many witnesses is understood of the Profession of the Creed at his Baptisme by S. Jerome and Occumenius And that other passage in Heb. 6. 1 2. of Faith towards God and the doctrine of Baptismes which are there joyned together is understood in the same sense by Chrysostome Augustine Oecumenius Theophylact and of latter times by Calvin and Panaeus as hath been shewed before Then for the instance of S. Peters 3000 cōverts it is not said that they were Baptized all in one day which can hardly be judged probable at that time for want of hands enough to the worke want of water about Jerusalem and the danger of making so publique a Baptisme but added to the Church that is dederunt nomina Christo they put themselves in the list of Disciples or Catechumeni and so became Candidates of Baptisme a custome anciently used in the Church as appears by Tertullian De Baptismo But if by Adding we must needs understand Initiating into the Church by Baptisme we must interpret The same day thus About the same time Day being put for Time by an usuall Hebraisme for which see Deut 27. 2. compared with Ios 8. 30. c. and Luk. 19. 42. As for their Confession of Faith whether the same Day or afterwards I readily grant that it could not be then framed in the words of the Apostles Creed which was not so early composed but instead of that they publiquely attested to the Truth of Saint Peters Sermon which contained the fundamentalls of Christianity that were after succinctly gathered into one Body in the Summary of the Creed which was thence forward the sole forme of Confession or Beliefe used at the time of Baptisme for none other we finde then used Besides some of the first conversions were miraculous and so not to be drawn into example as ordinary set Patternes of the Churches succeeding Practise the Apostles had the gift of discerning faith in the heart and so needed not alwaies expect an open Profession whereas others in following Times who had not the same Gift were tied to the ordinary Rule and method of proceeding thus the same Apostle caused Cornelius and his friends to be Baptized without any formall Profession of their Faith that we read of because he perceived that the Holy Ghost was powred on them Act. 10. 47 48. Reason 3d. The Creeds or Confessions of Faith which were framed by the Councells of Nice Constantinople Chalcedon and the rest that followed or which we find in the writings of the Fathers as in Athanasius Ierome and others are no new Creeds but comments on the old explanations of some points not so fully and clearly exprest which were then called in question and misinterpreted by some Hereticks of those times Now this may serve for a third Argument to prove that these Councells and Fathers had still a very carefull Eye on some former Creed derived from the Apostles unto their Times as a Rule or patterne to square their Symboles by To instance in the two most famous the Nicene and Athanasian The Nicene Creed enlargeth it selfe chiefly in the Point of our Saviours Divinity and that of the holy Ghost withall adding here and there some small Particles by way of Explication 1. To the first Article it addes and of all things visible and invisible thus more distinctly setting downe the parts ornaments and inhabitants of Heaven and Earth and withall condemning the opinion of some ancient Hereticks who made the Angels the Creatours of the world and so exempted these invisible Spirits from the ranke of Creatures 2. To the third Article it addes who for us men and our Salvation came downe from Heaven and was incarnate c. thus setting downe the end of our Saviours Incarnation 3. To the fift Article it addes according to the Scriptures thus shewing how our Saviours Resurrection answered to the foregoing Prophecies of the Old Testament 4. To the seventh Article it addes whose Kingdome shall have no end thus setting downe the necessary consequent of the generall Judgment namely the eternity of his heavenly Reigne Christ having then fully vanquisht and trodden all enemies under his feet 5. To the eight Article it addes these two Epithets which are applied unto the Church by way of explication viz. one and Apostolick the first included in the word Church which is of the singular number the second in the word Catholick for as the Apostles Commission was vniversall so also was their doctrine on which the Church was Founded 6. To the tenth Article it addes I acknowledge one Baptisme for c. thus shewing the meanes or Ordinance of Gods appointing whereby he forgives and cleanseth us from sin Then for the Creed of Athanasius If we cut of the Preface and conclusion which to speake properly are no parts but Adjuncts of it as wherin he shewes the necessity of the Catholick Faith to Salvation that is the evident danger of denying opposing or corrupting any Article of the Faith as the Arians and other Hereticks of those dayes did 1. He explaines at large the mystery of the Trinity which lies infolded in the First Second and Eight Articles of the Apostles Creed wherein we professe to believe in God the Father in his Sonne Iesus Christ and in the holy Ghost for this believing or putting our whole trust and confidence in the Sonne and holy Ghost as well as in God the Father shewes their coequality of power Goodnesse Wisedome and All sufficiency with him and consequently their Identity of nature whence the holy Scripture every where forbids us to place our Faith in or rely upon any Creature but to trust in God alone and when the Creed comes to the Article of the Church which is but an assembly of men though of the best and highest rancke it changeth the style saying not as before I believe in the Holy Catholick Church but I believe the Holy Catholick Church 2. He distinctly unfolds illustrates at large the mystery of our Saviours Incarnation especially by the similitude of the Soule and Body Now this is nought but a Paraphrase on the third Article of the Apostles Creed 3. To the tenth Article namely that of the Resurrection he adds these words all men shall give an account for their workes which shew the end of the Resurrection are besides involved in the precedent Article of Christs comming to judgment for there can be no Judging of mens Actions without a previous examination and giving an Account 4. To the last Article namely that of Life eternall for the good he addes and they that have done evill shall goe into everlasting Fire which necessarily followes by way of opposition besides that it
set downe the Articles but Catechetically explaine them also together with the rest which precede and there hath been no reason ever yet assigned to make us doubt of the composing of these Catecheses by the same man and at the same Time when he was Catechist which was in his youthfull Age seeing they all alike relish of the same juvenile extemporary stile the consideration whereof hath made some to doubt whether any of them were Cyril's or no because they seemed not elaborate enough for so grave a Patriarch though they seeme indeed to have beene set forth by his Successor Iohn and thence became entitled unto him by some latter unwary Transcriber which may serve to satisfy that objection taken out of Simlerus who in his Index of those Bookes which the City of Auspurgh bought of Antony Eparch of Coreyra reckoneth Joannis Jerosol Catech. Illuminat duâ—deviginti Mystagogicus quinque If any yet desire to have this more fully and clearly demonstrated viz. That the Easterne Churches had an Ancient Forme of Beliefe derived to them from the Apostles and whereto they profest to adde nothing in their following confessions because as it is more obscure so it is more oppugned they may please to consult these following Testimonies 1. Epiphanius in his Booke called Anchoratus having set downe the Nicene Creed as we now have it at large adjoynes these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Faith saith he was delivered by the holy Apostles and in the Church the Holy City by all the holy Bishops together above 310 in number The same Creed then was delivered by both by the Apostles as the Primitive Authors by the Nicene Fathers as the Expositors The Nicene Creed thus at full set downe by Epiphanius was written seaven years before the first Councell of Constantinople which first added all after the Article of the Holy Ghost unto that forme which the Nicene Fathers had delivered although they were not the first framers of those additionall Articles and having thus compleated the Creed by borrowing the remaining Articles from that of the Apostles confirmed the entire forme by their Synodicall Authority and so commended yea prescribed the whole to the Catholick Church 2. The succeeding Councells in the Easterne Church expressely tell us that they and their Predecessors were neither Authors of any new Faith nor Adders to it but only Establishers and Exposirors of the old The first Councell of Constantinople which was the second Generall calls the Nicene Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most ancient although that Synod was celebrated but 56 years before the reason therefore of this Title is that they looked upon that Creed not as first composed by the Bishops of the Nicene Synod but as derived and declared out of a Creed ab ultima antiquitate in Ecclesiâ recepto received in the Church from all Antiquity as the Reverend and Learned Primate of Armagh hath rightly exprest it They also decreed to retaine it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as most agreeable to the Sacrament of Baptisme Theod. lib. 5. hist cap. 9. The Bishops Assembled at Tyre Anno 518. professe to embrace the Nicene Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expounded not made by that Synod Act. Concil 5. Constant sub Mennâ And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is That holy Creed whereinto we were all Baptized the Nicene Synod with the assistance of the Holy Ghost hath publickly declared that of Constantinople hath ratified that of Ephesus hath confirmed and in like manner the Great holy Synod of Chalcedon hath sealed The Councell of Chalcedon which was the fourth Generall styles the Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Doctrine unshaken or unmoved from the first Preaching of the Gospell and withall tells us that the Councells of Nice and Constantinople expounded the Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not adding ought as if the faith of their Predecessors had been deficient but declaring their sense by Scripture Testimonies Evagr. lib. 2. cap. 4. To this agrees also that of the Emperour Iustinian writing to Epiphanius Patriarch of Constantinople we keepe saith he that decree of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Symbole which was explained by the 118 Fathers in the Councell of Nice which also the 150 Fathers in the first Councell of Constantinople farther declared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as though the ancient faith were defective but because the enemies of the Truth partly rejected the Divinity of the Holy Ghost partly denied the Incarnation of God the Word therefore the said Fathers by Testimonies out of Scripture explained this Doctrine more at large Thus he 7. leg Cord. De Summâ Trinitate Fide Catholicâ 3. To give you the Testimony of the Westerne Church for confirmation of the same Truth The Liturgy called Ordo Romanus a Book of known Authority and Antiquity in the Preface to the Nicene Creed hath these words directed to the Persons who were to pronounce it before their Baptisme Audite suscipientes Evangelici Symboli Sacramentum à Domino inspiratum ab Apostolis institutum cujus pauca quidem verba sunt sed magna mysteria In which words the Nicene Creed is called The Evangelicall Symbole inspired by Christ and ordained by his Apostles And another old Latine Liturgy in use about the yeare 700 hath these words of the same Creed Finito Symbolo Apostolorum dicat Sacerdos Dominus vobiscum Where it is also expressely called The Creed of the Apostles that is the same explained and enlarged For these Testimonies I am indebted to the said R. and Learned Bishop Now for a close to these Authorities and Arguments I shall subjoyne the testimony of Franc. Quaresimus of the Order of Minors a Person of good note in the Romish Church as who was made by the Pope his President and Apostolick Commissary in the Holy Land during which office of his he took incredible paines in searching out the Antiquities of Palestine now this Author in his Book called Elucidatio Terrae Sanctae Tom. 2. lib. 4. Perear 9. cap. 1. Brings two opinions concerning the Place wherein the Apostles composed the Creed The first that of Adrichomius who thinkes it probable that the place was Caenaculum Sion a Place famous for many other sacred Actions as wherein our Blessed Saviour celebrated his last Supper and instituted the most holy Eucharist wherein the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles at Pentecost and wherein they held that famous Councell about the abrogating of the Ceremoniall Law Act. 15. consonantly to which Tradition he brings that saying of the Evangelicall Prophet Out of Syon shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Isa 2. 3. The second that of Frier Anselme and others that the place where the Apostles framed the Creed was on Mount Olivet three Bow-shootes from the place where Christ is said to have wept over Jerusalem for which he gives this reason Quia est communis in partibus istis Traditio perpetuis
whom the objectour cites I shall returne a more particular Answer First Cyril indeed in that place tels us that the mysteries of the Faith ought not to be delivered unto the Catechumeni simply nakedly but as clothed with scripture and that they should not simply believe him unlesse he brought proofes from thence for what he delivered because the safety of our Faith saith he depends not on the pleasingnes of Rhetorick but on the demonstration of Gods Word written The reason whereof he assignes in the begining of the same Homily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Disciples of the Hereticks by their elegancy of speech and fair soothing tongues under the name of Christians deceive the hearts of the simple they hide the poysoōusdartes of their ungodly Doctrines with sugred expressions of all whom joyntly our Lord saith beware least any man deceive you then he goes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this cause the doctrine of Faith is delivered with expositions thereon So that he would not have the Creed or himselfe believed without Scripture not that the Creed but the Times required such proofe for the Heretickes of those Dayes partly framed new Creeds of their own partly added to altered and perverted the old withall indeavouring to make their doctrine good by seeming probabillities of Reason and flourishes of Rhetorick It was necessary therefore in this case to discover these false Creeds and Interpretations by bringing all unto the Text of Scripture Secondly The other Father Paschasius in the begining of his Booke De Spiritu Sancto written against Macedonius taxeth a false reading of the Creed crept into it through the ignorance of some Transcribers who wrote I believe in the holy Church for I believe the holy Church by this error enervated an Argument usually alleadged by the Fathers for the Deity of the holy Ghost against Macedonius and his Followers Paschasius therefore proves by certeine Places of Scripture that they are commanded to believe in God alone but never in man wherefore seeing the Church consists of a company of men that reading of the Creed must consequently be false which enjoynes us to believe in the Church But what of all this He appealed not in this from the Creed unto Scripture but by Scripture corrects a false reading of the Creed as the Fathers in their polemicall writings against Hereticks frequently correct their corrupt quotations of some places of Scripture by other undoubted places Ob. 8th The Reason assigned why the Apostles composed this Creed discovers the vanity of the Tradition what was that That it might be forsooth to the Apostles a Canon or Rule according to which they should square and conforme their Preaching what to the Apostles to whom Christ promised his Blessed Spirit that should lead them into all Truth Certeinly they needed it not for their owne sakes amongst whom there was no ground of difference nor doubt of the Principles of Christianity And whereas others more probably say it was framed for the Churches sake that shee might have a short plaine yet full confession of Faith as a Formula of Beliefe to be publickly recited at the Time of Baptisme neither will this hold for in the Apostles Age the Confession of Faith was plaine and simple when they came to be Baptized namely in Jesus Christ or in the Father Son and holy Ghost as appeares by the History of the Acts so that the Church had then no need of such a Formula It began not to be required till diverse Heresies brake into the Church Answ First It is readily confest that the Apostles needed no Rule of Faith whereby to square their Preaching as if otherwise they should have erred yet they might well agree one a Canon or Rule of Fundamentals wherewith they thought fit to acquaint all Christians as with Points necessary to Salvation whereas otherwise they might have Preached more at large and intermixt matters of lesser Consequence As for the Authors who bring the Reason alleaged in the objection they lay it downe not in these Termes least the Apostles being seperated each from other ipsi inter se in varias scinderentur partes much lesse thus ne subinde alii abaliis in doctrinâ abirent as is odiously alleaged but Ruffinus renders the reasō thus Ne diversum aliquid his qui ad fidem Christi invitabantur exponerent S. Austin in like words Ne diversum vel dissonum praedicarent his qui ad fidē Christi invitabantur Now diversum and abversum dissonum and absonum are two things there was no feare that the Apostles by being severed each from other should Preach ought contrary to the Truth or to one Another if they had not before agreed uppon a Forme yet they might have Preached somewhat diverse from the Fundamentalls of Christianity namely other Points of inferiour concernment or at least the same in other wordes if they had not agreed on this Rule at their setting forth whence their Auditours might have taken occasion to suspect and argue them of falsehood not believing they were all guided by the same Spirit or to part themselves into factions as it fell out in the Church of Corinth about Paul and Apollos although they taught the same Gospell And what stirres arose in the Church about a Ceremony viz. the time of observing Easter derived frō a different tradition of S. Iohn to the Churches of Asia frō the rest of the Christian world though they all agreed in the main the keeping of the Feast Eusebius others will sufficienly informe us But to come closer to our Subject A notable instance in the very same kind namely in matter of of Doctrin such as the Creed is we find in the Greek and Latine Church about the middle of the fourth Century touching the Grand mystery of the Trinity which yet upon due examination proved only a difference of the tongue language The Controversie is thus set down by Greg. Naz Orat. 21. written in praise of the Great Athanasius Num. 46. 47. The Orientals saith he held one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Essence and three Hypostases or or subsistences The Latines by Reason of the barrennesse of their Tongue and the narrownesse of expression could not distinguish Hypostasis from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subsistence from Essence therefore insteed of Hypostasis brought in the new-coind word Persona Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signify the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proper distinctive Relations of the Three as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Nature what was the effect of this saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The effect deserved laughter or rather Lamentation this small difference of wordes seemed a diversity of Beliefe for the Orientals suspected the Westrne Church of Sabilianisme because they would not acknowledge three Hypostases but caled them by the name of three Persons And the Western Church suspected the Orientals of Arianisme for holding three Hypostases
The word signifies Tessera militaris a watch-word whereby Souldiers of the same Army or Campe know one an other and discerne themselves from the Enemy Which signification among all the Rest seemes most proper to the Creed because by this profession of the Faith Christians are distinguisht not only from Iewes Turkes and Infidels but more especially from Hereticks those Renegados and Deserters of the Christian Faith For as watch-wordes are most necessary in civill warres where the Difference is between the same Countrymen who use the same Language apparell armes and manner of fighting these being the only signes and tokens whereby they may try those whom they suspect discover whether they be true friends or concealed Enimies so Hereticks professe Christ in outward shew and take his name upon them but doe not truely Preach him secundum Apostolicas Regulas non integris Traditionum lineis nunciantes to use the words of Ruffinus what out of Pride Curiosity or discontent what for gaine or Belly they frame new Doctrines of their owne some besides some against the Foundation which they obtrude upon the Faith of others Now the watch word to discover these false Apostles these Deceitfull workers who transformed themselves into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11. 13. Was anciently the Creed If upon examination they embraced this in the old Catholick sense they were received as Brethren if not they were rejected and avovded as spies false Brethren Corrupters of the Faith The Heathens also had the like Custome to give for their wathwords the names of their Gods their suposed Deityes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minerva and the like what fitter watchword then for a Christian than the profession of his Faith in the true God the thrise-holy Trinity which he makes in the Creed And this may be therefore judged the most proper in this Place and most likely to be intended by the first entitlers because the Ancient Church of God following his Patterne in holy Scripture useth many other the like military Termes and seemeth to delight in the metaphor The Church her self is described Terrible as an Army with Banners Cant. 6. 4. Our Blessed Saviour is styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The cheife Captaine or Generall of our Salvation Heb. 2. 10. And S. Paul exhorts Timothy whom he had left his Lieutenant at Ephesus to endure hardnesse as a good Souldier of Iesus Christ 2 Tim. 2. 3. In opposition to which that I may give this note by the way the heathen Souldiers under the Christian Emperors got the name of Pagani because when they refused to renounce their Idolatry and so become Christians they were dimissi in Pagos cashiered and sent into the Villages and so returned unto their country Life To proceed our Christian Virtues or graces are styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Compleat Armour of God Eph. 6. 11. 13. The particulars whereof are there described The grand mysteries of our Salvation have the name of Sacraments given them now Sacramentum properly signifies that Oath of obedience which Souldiers took unto their Generall lastly that part of the Church which here on Earth is styled Millitant that in Heaven Triumphant Suitably then doth the Creed weare the name of Symbolum a watchword The Reason of the name we find given by Clemens Romanus Ruffinus Maximus Taurinensis and Isidore Bishop of Sevil. CAP XI The fourth Head of this Discourse namely The Division or Parts of the Creed THE Apostles Creed hath a double Division among Divines to wit A greater and a lesse The one distributes into foure generall Partes The other Anatomizeth it into twelve Articles limbes or joynts for this is the literall signification of the word Articulus which make up the entire Body of Christian Faith As to the first Division The foure generall Parts of the Creed have for their Object God and man viz. The three Persons of the sacred Trinity and the Church instructing us what we should believe of either 1. The first part is touching God the Father and consists but of one Article 2. The second Part is touching God the Sonne and comprehendeth six Articles 3. The third part is touching God the holy Ghost and consists but of one Article as the first did 4. The fourth Part is concerning the Church and a threefold benefit conferd by God upon it answerable in number to the Persons of the sacred Trinity viz. The Remission of sinnes by the Father Eph. 4. 32. Resurrection of the Body by the Sonne Io. 6. 39. Mat. 24. 31. everlasting Life by the holy Ghost the Spirit of life and Glory Gal. 6. 8. Rev. 11. 11. Pet. 4. 14. Then for the Second division The Creed brancheth it selfe into twelve Articles vsually referred to the twelve Apostles in severall but however answerable to their number The Articles we have already distinctly set downe and compared them with six other succeeding Creeds These twelve Articles are compared by some to the twelve Stones which Ioshua in his passage over to Jericho took out of the middest of Iordan to frame an Altar within Gilgal in memory of having gotten possesion of the promised land For the holy Scriptures wherout these Articles of our Beliefe are taken are the true waters of life a spirituall Iordan The river it selfe was sanctifyed by the the very Person of our Saviour when he descended into it at his Baptisme in which solemnity all his Disciples have since made a Publicke profession of their Faith by attesting to the Creed The twelve Articles thereof compiled into one Body well resemble those twelve Stones framed into an Altar and that Altar erected in memory of the Promises now obteined the heavenly Canaan typifyed by the earthly for the Creed conteines the great benefites of God towards his Church heretofore possessed in shadow but now in substance by vertue of our Blessed Saviours Purchase who was the Antitipe of Iosua In whom the promises of God are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. But by others they are more appositely compared to the twelve foundation-stones mentioned in Reve. 21. 14. Which are there said to support the wall of the new Ierusalem and wherein as it is there expresly set downe the Names the twelve Apostles of the Lambe were written This new Ierusalem is Christs Church on Earth for it is there styled The Tabernacle of God with men ver 3. The wall of this Citty is the Faith or professed doctrine of the Church whereby it is guarded against her enimies and seperated from all other Religions And the twelve Stones in the foundation of this wall are the twelve Articles of the Creed which be the Groundes of our Faith the Fundamentalls of Christian Religion To the same sense and purpose S. Paul compares the Church to an holy Temple built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the cheife Corner Stone Eph. 2. 20 21. Now this foundation of the Apostles and Prophets cannot be understood of their Persons for they
linguae sedissent ut loquelis adversis variisque loquerentur per quas nulla eis Gens extera nulla linguae barbaries inaccessa videretur invia praeceptum eis a Domino datum ob praedicandum Dei verbum ad singulas quemque proficisci nationes Discessuri itaque ab invicem normam priùs futurae Praedicationis in commune constituunt ne fortè alias ab alio abducti diversum aliquid his qui ad fidem Christi invitabantur exponerent Omnes Ergò in uno positi Spiritu Sancto repleti breve istud futurae sibi ut diximus Praedicationis Indicium conferendo in unum quod sentiebat unusquisque componunt atque hanc credentibus dandam esse Regulam statuunt c. The summe is this We have received from our Auncestours that after the Ascension of our Saviour into Heaven and the Descent of the Holy Ghost from thence in the shape of Fiery Tongues on the Day of Pentecost the Apostles inabled with the gift of Tongues to Preach unto the most remote and Barbarous Nations prepared themselves accordingly to fulfill their Lords Command for the more convenient and ready Discharg of which Duty though authorized they were to Preach indifferently unto all yet they sorted themselves into severall Provinces But before they went on this Embassie being assembled together and inspired from above they Compiled the Summary of the Christian Faith as the Ground-worke of all their Preaching and as a constant uniforme Rule of Beleefe to all their Auditours whom they perswaded to imbrace the Christian Beleefe least otherwise they might Preach more variously and at randome And this they left behind them both as a Symbole or Token of their Faith munimentum fidei ex lapidibus vivis margaritis Dominicis which neither Winds nor Stormes can subvert and of their Unanimity as being now ready to depart each from other not as the Sonnes of Noah built the Tower of Babel and were therefore punish'd with confusion of Language being not able to understand each others Speech for these indued with the knowledge of all Tongues Turrim fidei unanimes construebant ut illud Peccati hoc Fidei probaretur Indicium Thus far Ruffinus Now the Apostles having thus Composed their Creed they committed it not to writing but delivered it by word of mouth to the Bishops of the Churches their Successours So witnesse besides Ruffinus here St Ierome Cyril of Ierusalem and Chrysologus yea many yeares before them Irenaeus and Tertullian as I shall shew anon The reasons of which manner of Delivery are thus assigned by the same Fathers 1. Vt certum esset neminem haec ex lectione quae interdum peruenire etiam ad infideles solet sed ex Apostolorum traditione didicisse sufficeret So Ruffinus That it might not come by some unhappy chance into the hands of Heathens and Infidels to whom as Dogs these holy Mysteries of the Christian Faith were not to be cast least they should misconstrue or deride Profane or pollute them to their own greater Damnation the Discouragement and Scandall of the weake Christian and the Dishonour of Religion And to this well agrees the signification of the word Symbolum which Title the Creed of old hath borne and most properly imports a watchword now a watchword we know is given by word of mouth not in paper least the Enemy hap to come unto the knowledge of it 2. Observa fidem saith Cyril of Jerusalem à solâ Ecclesiâ tibi nunc traditam ex omni Scripturâ munitam non in Chartâ scribendo sed in Corde memoriam ejus insculpendo necubi Catechumenus ea qua vobis tradita sunt exaudiat Catech. 5. It seemes by him in this Place that the very Catechumeni who were instructed in the Principles of the Christian Catechisme were not acquainted yet with all the Mysteries of the Creed untill they came to Baptisme some Articles were to hard meat even for them to digest Our Saviour hath a like speech to this purpose Jo. 16. 12. 3. Accepturi Symbolum saith Chrysologus Pectora parate non Chartam quia committi non potest caducis corruptibilibus Instrumentis aeternum coeleste Secretum sed in ipsa areâ animae in ipsa Bibliothecâ interni spiritus est locandum ne profanus Arbiter ne improbus quod dilaceret Discussor inveniat fiat ad contemnentis ignorantis ruinam quod confitentis credentis donatum est ad Salutem It suits with the Dignity of the Creed to be ingraven in no other Table then the Heart of man with the safety of Christians that they receive it no otherwise then from the mouth of their Pastour with his short but sound exposition thereof Serm. 58. 4. The same Father in his 61 Sermon gives this Reasan Hoc monemus ne quis committat literis quod est Corde mandaturus ut credat Apostolo sic monente Corde creditur ad justiam Ore autem confessio fit ad salutem Rom. 10. 10. The Confession of our Faith which we make in the Creed hath the Heart for its Mother the mouth for its Midwife the Pen hath nothing to doe here So the Groundwork of this Tradition is laid by S. Paul if we may trust the judgment of Chrysologus 5. The Creed is best and most safely preserved by Tradition especially being so short an Epitome of the Christian faith whereas Memory trusting to Paper is lesse carefull of retaining and we daily see what doubts and disputes there arise amongst Criticks about the diversity of Copies in the Transcription of our Sacred Books and what Errours of the Transcribers Nihil securum quod extra animum fertur Those two great Philosophers Pythagoras and Socrates whom we may justly stile the Fathers of the Rest are observed to have wrote nothing neither did a far greater then They our Blessed Saviour Lycurgu's Laws by a bare Tradition were kept inviolate above 500 years when those of Solon diligently engraven in wood carefully laid up were notwithstanding soon forgoten frequently broken in the Lawgivers own life-time Yea we see by experience both in ludicrous toyes as in Childrens sports and in weightier matters as in the severall Habits Customes of Nations that without any Law written they are both more easily retained and more carefully observed But because I foresee that this last Reason will meet with opposition I shall indeavour to cleare and confirme it both by satisfying those Doubts which probably may arise against it It will be objected that the Creed is not most safely preserved by Tradition because severall Copies thereof doe not a little vary That it seemes very strange a Thing should be safer kept by Tradition then by writing seeing Tradition depends on no other help but memory whereas Things committed to Paper are conveyed to Posterity and remaine by two Helps Memory and Writing If Tradition were the safest way to preserve Things why were the Scriptures written What is preserved of the doctrine of
who believe in Christ having the Doctrine of Salvation written by the Spirit in their Hearts without inky characters and diligently keeping the old Tradition Believing in one God Maker of Heaven and earth and of all Things therein through Jesus Christ the Sonne of God who out of his most eminent love towards his Creature undertooke to be borne of a Virgin thus uniting God and man in his owne Person he suffered under Pontius Pilate and Rising againe was gloriously receiued into Heaven He shall come againe in Glory the Saviour of those who are to be saved and the Judge of those who are to be condemned casting into everlasting fire the corrupters of the Truth the Despisers of his Father and contemners of his comming 3. Turtullian Lib. 1. adu haeret cap. 13. Having en gaged himselfe in the combate with the whole body of Heretiâ—kes produceth against them the Body of the Faith or Apostolicall Creed under the Title of Regula Fidei which he sets downe in these words Regula est fidei ut jam hinc quid credamus profiteamur illa sc quâ creditur unum omninò Deum esse nec alium praeter mundi conditorem qui universa de nihilo produxerit per verbum suum primò omnium emissum Id uerbum Filium ejus appellatum in nomine Dei variè visum patriarchis in Prophetis semper auditum Postremò delatum ex Spiritu Dei Patris virtute in Virginem Mariam carnem factum in utero ejus ex eâ natum Hominem esse Jesum Christum exinde praedicasse novam legem novam promissionem regni Coelorum virtutes fecisse fixum Cruci tertiâ die resurrexisse in Coelos ereptum sedere ad dextram Patris misisse vicariam vim Spiritus Sancti qui credentes agat venturum cum claritate ad sumendos Sanctos in vitae aeternae promissorum caelestium fructum ad prophanos judicandos Igni perpetuo facta utriusque Partis resuscitatione cum carnis resurrectione that is The Rule of Faith whereby we professe what we believe is this that there is one only God the same with the Creator of the world who made all things of nothing by his Word which he first of al sent forth or which first of all came from him This Word called also his Sonne variously or in diverse Formes appeared in the name of God unto the Patriarches was alwayes heard to speake in the Prophets at length conveyed by the Spirit and Power of God the Father into the Virgin Mary was incarnate in her Womb of her born Man and is Jesus the Christ After this he Published a new Law and the new Promise of the Kingdome of Heaven wrought miracles was fastned to the Crosse rose againe the third Day being taken up to Heaven sitteth on the right Hand of the Father sent the Deputy-power of the Holy Ghost to guide those who believe shall come with Glory to assume the Saints unto the enjoyment of everlasting Life and the Heavenly promises and to adjudge the Profane to everlasting Fire having raised up both Parties by the Resurrection of the Body Then he concludes Haec Regula â Christo ut probabitur instituta nullas habet apud nos quaestiones nisi quas Haereses inferunt quae Haereticos faciunt This Rule instituted as will be proved by Christ himselfe admits of no doubts amongst us but such as Heresies produce and produce Heretiks Thus ye see Tertullian writing in generall as he doth in this Booke against all Heretiks puts downe all the Articles thereof which were opposed by any Heretik either before or in his Age For. 1. Christs descentâ— into Hell is included in the Article of the Resurrection or presupposed by it as in some other Creeds but of this more hereafter 2. The Article of the Catholik Church is not so clearly put downe as the rest because not oppugned till Novatus and Donatus arose which was after Tertullians Death 3. Forgivenesse of Sinnes is implyed in the New Promise of the Kingdome of Heaven whereof this is the First and the Foundation to the rest Yet in another booke of his he makes mention of these two latter Articles namely this of the Church and The Forgivenesse of Sinnes as solemnly profest at Baptisme Cum sub tribus testatio fidei sponsio salutis pignerentur necessariò adilcitur Ecclesiae mentio quoniam ubi Tres id est Pater Filius Spiritus Sanctus ibi Ecclesia quae trium Corpus est That is When the Confession of our Faith and the Covenant of our Salvation are engaged under the Authority of Three the Church is of necessity mentioned with them for where those Three are the Father Sonne and holy Ghost there is that Church also which is the Body of those Three De Bapt adu Quintillan cap 6. And alittle after giving the reason why Christ himfelfe did not Baptize in Person he shewes how incongruous it had beene for him to have used the received forme of the Church Ne moveat quosdam quòd Ipse non tinguebat in quem tingueret In paenitentiam Quò ergò illi Praecursorem In peccatorum remissionem quam verbo dabat In semetipsum quem humilitate celabat In Spiritum Sanctum qui nondum a Patre descenderat In Ecclesiam quam nondum Apostoli struxerant That is Let it not trouble any that Christ himselfe did not Baptize in whose name or to what end should he have Baptized To Repentance Why then had he a fore-runner For Remission of sinnes which he gave by his Word In his owne Name which in humility he concealed In the Holy Ghosts who as yet was not descended from the Father into the Church which the Apostles had not as yet built cap. 11. A litle after him S Cyp. in his Epistle to Magnus being the 76. speaking of the Novatians who retained the old wounted forme of wordes in the baptismall Intertogatories expresseth one of them thus Credis remissionem peccatorum vitam aeternam per sanctam Ecclesiam Dost thou believe the Remission of sinnes and Life Eternall by the Holy Church in which words it is cleare that these two Articles were part of the confession of Faith used at Baptisme that Life Eternall was a distinct Article from that of the Resurrection and that the Particle In which Tert. prefixeth to the Articles of the Church and Remission of sinnes is not significant but redundant seeing that S. Cyp. here omitts it compare his Epist to Januarius c. viz. the 70. in Pamel Edit But in two other Tracts he sets downe the Creed more briefly First lib. de virg vel cap. 1. Regula fidei una omninò est sola immobilis irreformabilis Credendi sc in unicum Deum Omnipotentem mundi conditorem Filium ejus Jesum Christum natum ex Virgine Maria crucifixum sub Pontio Pilato tertia die resuscitatum a mortuis receptum in Coelis sedentem nunc ad
tria ista Symbola Nicenum Symbolū quod itidem ut Athanasii contra Arium conditum est quod singulis Dominicis diebus in missa canitur That is In the Apostles Creed was laid the Foundation of the Christian Faith We will adde at latter end to these three Creeds the Nicene Creed also which as that of Athanasius was framed against Arius and which uppon every Lords Day is sung at Masse that is The second or communion service for there of old it hath been placed The same Luther in his Colloquies gathered and set forth by Peter Rebenstocke Anno Dommini 1571. Tome 2. pag. 106. Ad suos frequenter aiebat Symboli verba ab Apostolis constituta esse credo qui in congregatione sua hoc Symbolum verbis tam brevissimis consolatoriis confecerunt est opus spiritus sanctirem tanta brevitate tam efficacissimis emphaticis verbis describere extra Spiritum sanctum Apostolos non potuisset ita componi etiamsi millia secula illud componere conarentur That is Luther was wont to say oft' unto those about him I Believe that the words of the Creed were agreed on by the Apostles who meeting together framed this Creed in so curt but comfortable expressions It is the worke of the holy Ghost to describe a thing with such a brevity and yet most efficatiously and emphatically it could not have been so composed unlesse by the holy Ghost and the Apostles allthough a thousand Ages had endeavoured it These full and cleare Testimonies of his I find cited by Fevardentius in his annotations on Irenaeus lib 1 cap 2. A fiery Adversary of his and so not likely to ly for Luthers credit and Advantage 2. Calvin Instit lib 2. cap. 16 § 18 saith thus of the Creed Apostolis certè magno veterum consensu ascribitur neque vero mihi dubium est quin a primâ statim Ecclesiae origine adeoque ab ipso Apostolorum seculo instar publicae omnium calculis receptae confessionis obtinuerit undecunque tandem initio fuerit profectum Nec ab uno aliquo privatim fuisse conscriptum verisimile est cum ab ultima usque memoriâ sacro sanctae inter Pios omnes authoritatis fuisse constet Concerning the fulnes of it thus Dum paucis verbis Capita Redemptionis perstringit vice tabulae nobis esse potest in quâ distincte ac sigillatim perspicimus quae in Christo attentione digna sunt Then Id extra Controversiam positum habemus totam in eo Fidei nostrae historiā succincte distincteque recenseri nihil autem contineri quod solidis Scripturae testimoniis non sit consignatum quo intellecto de authore vel anxie laborare velcum aliquo digladiari nihil attinet nisi cui forte non sufficiat certam habere Spiritus sancti veritatem ut non simul intelligat aut cujus ore enunciata aut cujus manu descripta fuerit In which words though according to his Judgment an anxious Dispute about the Author of the Creed be needles he affirmeth enough whereon to ground what I have said concerning the composure of it by the Apostles and none other viz. 1. That the Ancients generally ascribe it to the Apostles 2. That it was universally received as a publick Confession of the Faith presently upon the first Rise of the Christian Church and from the Age of the Apostles 3. That it is not probable to have been writen by any Private Man seeing it is most certaine to have been time out of mind of a most Sacred Authority amongst all Pious Christians 4. That it is an assured Truth or Dictate of the Holy Ghost withall telling us that some such Divine Truths are written others only delivered to us by an Orall Tradition such as the Creed is Now I would faine know to whom so Ancient so universally received a Creed one of so Sacred an Authority and so Divine an Author as the Holy Ghost can be justly attributed except to the Apostles who only were the First the Generall the Holy the Divinely-inspired and authorized founders of the Christian Church and Preachers of the common Faith 3. Beza subscribes in like manner to the Authority of the Creed in his annotations on the fore-cited place Rom. 12. 6. where he not only tels us that the Creed was extant when the Gospell began first to be Preached and therefore as we have reason to conceive framed by the first Preachers of the Gospell the Apostles but also that the Articles therein conteined are Axiomata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as require our Beliefe without any farther Proofe that is without proofe from Scripture whereon our Beliefe is grounded therfore in the Judgment of Beza they must needs come from the divinely-inspired Apostles namely the same Authors from whose Mouthes or Pens the Scriptures of the New Testament were derived to us for none else under the Gospell have delivered Axiomata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principles of Religion which require no farther Evidence whence it is that Saint Luke tels us in his Preface that he had his Gospell from the mouthes of the Apostles and St Marke as Church-History hath constantly informed us had his particularly from St Peter 4. Joannes Pappus Comment in Confess August fol. 2. hath these wordes Semper in ecclesiâ scriptorum quorundam publicorum usus fuit quibus doctrinae divinitùs revelatae de certis Capitibus Summa comprehenderetur contra Haereticos aliosque adversarios defenderetur Talia scripta licet perbrevia sunt Symbola illa totius ecclesiae consensu recepta Apostolicum Nicenum Athanasianum Where he tels us that there have been certaine Creeds in the Church of Publick use wherein the summe of Christian Doctrine was conteined and thereby defended against Hereticks namely the Apostles Creed the Nicene and that of Athanasius all received by the consent of the whole Church Now we know that the two latter were composed since the third Century and therefore the Particle Alwayes must especially and absolutely relate only to the Apostles Creed which if as Pappus here affirmes it hath been of Publick and Perpetuall use in the Christian Church challengeth the Apostles for its Composers by those two Badges of Antiquity and Vniversality besides the acknowledgment of its Title 5. Peter Martyr loc Comm de missâ cap. 12. saith thus in Symbolis summa fidei comprehenditur quae sane comprehensio vel summa siquis veteres attente legat Ecclesiae Traditio vocata est quae cum ex divinis libris desumpta est tum ad salutem creditu est necessaria nonnunquam a Tertulliano contra haereticos qui sacros libros negabant producitur Symbolum plenum absolutum Nicena Synodus edidit non tamen primum quandoquidem prius aliqua extabant ut vel ex Tertulliano possumus cognoscere Where he affirmes 1. That the Creed is a summary of the Faith necessary to Salvation and called by the Ancients the Tradition of the