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
word added but in other Places according as we are informed some passages seeme to be added by reason of certain Hereticks on purpose to exclude the novelty of their Doctrines by expressing the true sense 1. Thirdly Vigilius Bishop of Rome in his 4th book against Eutyches hath these words Vniversitas profitetur Credere se in Deum Patrem omnipotentem in Jesum Christum filium ejus Dominum nostrum Huic Capitulo ob id iste calumniatur cur non dixit in unum Iesum Christum Filium ejus juxta Niceni decretum Concilii Sed Roma antequam Nicena Synodus conveniret à temporibus Apostolorum usque ad nunc sub Beatae memoriae Caelestino cui iste rectae fidei testimonium reddidit ita fidelibus symbolum tradidit nec praejudicant verba ubi sensus incolumis permanet That is The whole Church professeth to believe in God the Father Almighty and in Iesus Christ his Son our Lord Eutyches cavils at this last Article because it runs not thus In one Iesus Christ his Sonne according to the Decree of the Nicene Councell whereas the Church of Rome before the assembling of that Councell from the Times of the Apostles untill this present and under Caelestinus of Blessed memory the rightnesse of whose faith Eutyches acknowledged delivered the Creed in these Termes unto the faithfull neither be the words prejudiciall where the sense is entire So then That the Church of Rome kept the Creed inviolate this Apostolicall Tradition faithfully and entirely witnesse here S. Ambrose Ruffinus and Vigilius And that the Apostles distinguisht it into twelve Articles according to their own number witnesse as hath been shewn before the same S. Ambrose Augustine and Leo the Great But because these two Creeds of the Ierosolymitan and Romane Churches differ something in the Bulke that of Ierusalem being somewhat the larger we may if we please to make them exactly agree cut off those Additionall Particles from the Creed of Ierusalem which were added because of Heresies succrescent in those Easterne Parts But if we let them alone the difference will not appeare considerable rather an admirable Harmony will be observed betweene the so distant Churches of East and West in matter of Faith which otherwise in Discipline and Ceremonies did not a little vary Thus the Churches Coat like that of Christ her spouse was seamles though wrought with diverse Colours CAP IX The Second Head of this Discourse namely The Gounds on which and the ends for which the Apostles Framed the Creed The Suffiiciency also of the Creed fo the Rule of Faith is proved by the Testimonies of Divines as well Moderne as Ancient and those both Romish and Reformed HAving evinced as farre as in me Lyes the first and chiefe Head which I proposed to Treat off namely That the Apostles were the Composers of the Creed which commony beares their Name I come now to dispatch the other three in their order as they lie the which will require but a short discussion and first the Grounds and ends of composiing it First The Apostles had Ground and warrant for composing this Breviary of Faith from diverse Patternes in holy Writ of Gods owne setting King Solomon in the old law contracts the whole Duty of Man into these two precepts Feare God and keepe his Commandements Eccles. 12 13. And a wiser then he in the Gospell our Blessed Saviour reduceth the whole Law unto these two Heads The love of God and our Neighbour Mat. 22. 37. More particularly God the Father in the old Testament concluded the whole law of nature with al its Branches within the compasse of ten short Precepts and those ten he reduced into two Tables Thus we have a perfect Rule of Love and obedience from his Mouth Then God the Son under the New Testament at his Disciples request gave us an exact Forme of Prayer whereby to ground exercise and regulate our hopes and desires There remained now in the compiled some short compleat Rule of Faith which the holy Ghost heere did delivering this Creed unto the Church by the Mouthes of the Apostles to be for ever kept therein as a sacred Depositum Thus have we three Briefe but Full Rules of those Fundamentall Christian virtues Faith Hope and Charity namly The Creed The Lords Paryer and The Ten Commandements delivered unto us by the three Persons of the Sacred Trinity Secondly The Framing of the Creed was most necessary for these two ends tht preservation of Faith and Charity First For the ease and safety of Christians especially of the plainer weaker and more Ignorant sort Many have not the ability or leisure to peruse the whole Body of Scripture and thence to collect those Points of Faith which are necessary to Salvation for they lye confusedly scatterd heere there mixt with matter of a diverse kind yea some Articles of the Creed are not expresly and directly found in any determinate Place of holy writ as the eight and ninth together with the mystery of the Trinity which is therein conteined but depend on Consequences and Logicall deductions which though sufficiently cleare in themselves upon a just arguing or comparing of Places yet it cannot be presumed that every one hath the skill to Frame them so that there would be much feare of errour and danger of mistake in so weighty a Businesse Wherefore it was very expedient or rather absolutely necessary that there should be gathered a summary of these points digested into a method and exprest in plaine tearms and that by an unquestionable and unerring hand that so wee might know what to trust to and have alwayes at hand those maine grounds of our Religion which God requires to be believed by us as necessary to Salvation The whole Scripture is indeed a Perfect Rule of Faith so is it also of our hope and life A perfect Rule of our Life and manners in its precepts and prohibitions of our hope in its Promises severall Patternes of Prayer of our Faith in its Dogmaticall Positions yet as it pleased God to summe up the first in Ten short words as Moses calls the Commandements Deut. 10. 4. And to summe up the second in seven shorter Petitions so it was as requisite that upon the the same Ground the Third should be reduced unto some few Heads as they are now in the twelve Articles of the Creed which therefore we may not improperly call Sepes Credendorum The fence or mound of our Faith without which Boundary we should wander up and downe in infinito Campo in a large field at randome This Reason is touched by S. Austin De fide Symb. cap. 1. Est Fides Catholica in Symbolo nota fidelibus memoriaeque mandata quantum res passa est brevitate Sermonis ut incipientibus atque lactentibus eis qui in Christo renati sunt nondum Scripturarum divinarum diligentissimâ Spirituali tractatione atque cognitione roboratis paucis verbis credendum constitueretur proficientibus
in the former they require an absolute Assent and condemne them all for Hereticks who goe not along with them in the same Path in that they shewed there modesty in this their Piety The Fathers being thus cashired and appealed from as unmeet illegall Judges because obnoxious to errour which hath been laboured to be made good by publishing som few paradoxicall Tenents found in the writings of some one or few of them which they conceive to be Errours though many of them perhaps will not appeare such upon due examination and after all their undutifull malicious Search whereby like Cham they have laid open their Fathers nakednesse they cannot finde one palpable Errour which they can justly lay to the charge of all or a major part of them thus at last missing their aime they proceed farther to call the Creed in question that undoubted Rule and Foundation of the Christian Faith which the Apostles with so much care Composed and left unto the Church as a most pretious Depositum the lydius lapis or Touchstone of the Catholick Beliefe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Orthodoxe Professours They have called both the Authors and Authority in question first by doubting of and raising scruples against it then absolutely denying and laying down Arguments to disprove those Authours to whom it hath been constantly entitled for they both fall together take away the Authours and the Authority will soone vanish for if the Creed were not framed by the Apostles but collected out of Scripture by some uncertain and obscure Composer or Composers whose names are buried in forgetfulnesse seeing it containes some Articles which are not set down totidem verbis in any determinate Place of Holy Writ 't were possible that some Points might be mistaken not rightly gathered or deducted as by a fallible Hand and so the whole Frame of it of no more Authority then some peice of a Father or the Canon of a Councill if so much For though it be granted that all the Articles of the Creed be either expresse words of Scripture or by an undoubted consequence deducible from it yet the drawing of these Articles forth of Scripture requires an unerring and Divinely-guided Hand First because none else can know which is an Article of Faith that is a Fundamentall or Point necessary to Salvation who is not divinely informed of Gods will and pleasure in this matter Secondly because the Judge of the consequence must be infallible for otherwise it oft fals out that what in one mans judgment is a necessary Deduction is not so in anothers but probable only or perhaps false else we should have had lesse about the Trinity and Incarnation two maine points of our Faith to name no lesser ones Having removed these two Forts out of their way and demolished these Propugnacula fidei thē after they may safely build what new Fabricks they please upon the abused Groundwork of Scripture or rather having digg'd up the Groundwork of the Creed lay Reason for a new Foundation on which to build Castles in the Aire imaginary structures much like the enchanted Fortresses dream't of in the Monkish Romances then they may entertaine whatsoever strange fancies they please Fancies which unconstantly hover up and down in the Braine like so many Cloudes in the middle Region carried hither and thither by the wind and presenting now this now that monstrous shape having removed these two Bounds of Faith they may wander in the large field of Scripture at randome scatter here there what pernicious seeds they please root up what was already sowen confound the furrowes mixe adulterate graines with the pure seed of the word thus making havock of all and turning the field into a Wildernesse And though they seem to honour Scripture and appeale to it as the sole adequate Rule of Theologicall Truth yet in truth they use it but as a colour to set off their new-fangled Inventions the opinions bred within themselves and so wrest it to serve their own Turnes for where ever it seems to oppose them they strait accuse the Copie of Bastardy that such or such a Passage hath crept out of the Margin or Glosse into the Text or the place hath been interlaced by some of the adverse Party some opposite Father they alter at pleasure points letters words yea dash out whole verses and after all torture the poore Remainder till they have forced it to beare witnesse on their side and speak what they would have it take but for instance the beginning of S. Johns Gospell as 't is expounded by Volkelius If they should openly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reject Scripture they would be exploded and expell'd out of Christian Common-wealths and so hindered from doing mischiefe but now the Divels craft makes use of those to undermine and subvert holy Scripture who seem most to stand for it and to perswade the doctrines of men who seem most to decry them In a word the body of Socinianisme to which we may now adde some other new Sects is compounded like some Hydra or Chymera or what other horrid Poeticall monster of the must pestilent poysonous Heresies which the Church hath ever laboured under or cōdemned in all Ages And wheras this Age hath bin much given to Systems and Compendium's least we should want one in any kind these men have furnisht us with an Epitome of Heresies a Breviary of Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea which is worse yet they have opened a large Gap for more by making weak depraved Reason without any other light or guide however the Scripture be pretended the sole Judg of Truth by abolishing faith that Reason may be exalted in her Place that Reason which is never the same or constant to it self either in diverse men or the same man at diverse times yet though they so much cry up liberty of Opinion they themselves are unwittingly though willingly Slaves to Socinus else why doe they all follow him so close was he the only unerring Guide the monopolizer of Reason The Socinians indeed outwardly receive the Canon of Scripture much extoll it to keep up their credit with the Christian world but expounding it as they doe in their own Sense contrary to the received Interpretation of the Ancients from by whose hands they received the Canon it selfe they doe as good as not receive it for the Scripture consists in the sense not in the words And whosoever shall take a full survey of their opinions will find that they imbrace no mystery therein revealed but only what is demōstrable by or at least fals within the Sphere of bare Reason the light of nature All the rest which appeare either opposite unto Reason or placed above it as the mysteries of the Trinity the Hypostaticall union Christs satisfaction for the sin of mankind the Resurrection of the same numericall Body the everlasting punishment of the damned for temporall faults c. they cannot away with because they can
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
some cal'd in question Secondly because the Forme is now on all hands confessedly ancient fully setled and strictly enjoyned for so many Ages whereas the Fathers lived in a Time when severall Churches used to vary in the expression of severall Articles and they themselves were knowne Champions of the Faith against the Heretickes which then a rose The case is much the same in the number of Canonicall Bookes which is now a like aknowledged by all and entirely setled at leastwise in those of the New Testament but not so heretofore Or in the Translations of the Bible which every one at the first who had some skill in the Greek Tongue tooke upon him to performe as S. Aug tells us Doct Christ lib 2. cap 12. Yet it is Prudence in the Church to tie her children ordinarily to the use of one translation now though not debarring the learneds recourse unto the Originals when as there are so many Divisions Opinions Suspicions Controversies about matter of Religion and such a multitud of Schismes thence arising which might be probably continued and increased by such a promiscuous license Thirdly that the Fathers in their Catechisticall Paraphrases on the Creed which they made to the Catechumeni before they were admitted unto Baptisme somtimes intermixed matter of a diverse kind viz. Practicall Heads or Points of Christianity equally necessary for the instructioÌ„ of their Auditours so doth Cyril of Jerusalem in his Catacheses And in their other Tracts wherin they dogmatically explain it they ofteÌ„ adde some exegeticall Particles against the Hereticks of those dayes the more clearly to confute them and forearme their Disciples against their poysonous doctrines so some of the Easterne Churches in the First Article of the Creed added these two Attributes by way of exposition to God the Father viz. Invisible and Impassible thus contradistinguishing God the Father to God the Sonne and contradistinguishing themselves to the Sabellians and Patri-passians who confounded the two Persons Yet notwithstanding all these seeming Differences the indifferent Reader will easily find that the aforesayd Symboles or Rules of Faith which they set downe in their writings doe plainly relate to this Creed of the Apostles First because they affirme that they received them from the Apostles whereas no Creed ever bore their name but this one which the Church now acknowledgeth under that Title Secondly because they use the same method in setting downe the Articles and commonly they make use of the same words This premised I come now to set downe their Authorities in order as they lie begining with the most ancient and so descending to latter times And first of the Greeke Fathers who shew what Rule of Faith was received in the Churches of the East These witnesses are eight in number viz. Thaddaeus cited by Eusebius Ignatius Origen Marcellus of Ancyra S. Basil the Great Gregory Nyssen Cyril of Jerusalem and S. Chrysostome 1. Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall History lib. 1. cap. 13. speaking of the History of our Saviour and Abagarus King of Edessa tels us how Thaddaeus one of our Saviours Disciples being sent to the King after his Ascension was desired by him to relate the History of the Power and comming of his Master to which he replyed that for the present he desired to keepe silence but on the morrow when the King should have caused a publicke Assembly of his People he would then at large discourse upon these following Heads which are the Articles of the Creed concerning our Saviour touching whom only the King wisht him to discourse namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where we have these Articles 1. Christs Birth or Incarnation exprest under the name of his Comming and being Sent of the Father answerable to the Scripture language Act. 7. 52. Joh. 17. 3. 2. His Sufering Crucifying and Death 3. His Descent into Hell an Article now so much questioned amplyfied with this circumstance that hee broke in sunder that Hedge mound or Partitian-wall which had of old seperated us from the Communion and Priviledge of the People of God Eph. 2. 14. 4. His rising againe from the Dead amplyfied with the circumstance of raising other Dead with him who had slept in their graves for many Ages for which see Mat. 27. 52 53. 5. His Ascension unto his Father amplyfied with the circumstance of a great multitude which ascended up with him wheras he descended alone which great multitude may be understood either of those Saints whom he raised up with himselfe having rescued them from the power of Death wherof the Devil is the Prince see Col. 2. 15. Heb. 2. 14. Rev. 1. 18. Or rather of the Angels who waited upon him in his triumphant Ascension into Heaven Psal 24. 7 8. And 68. 17 18. Heb. 1. 6 7. And 2. 5 9. As for his Descent into Hell Christ only is mentioned in it not any that bore him company thither for which see Act. 2. 29 31. Esa 63. 1 3. Whence he thus bespeakes the Thiefe upon the Crosse To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise not To day thou shalt descend with me into Hell But if any make doubt of the truth of this story wherin Eusebius brings in Thaddaeus rehearsing these Articles of the Creed I shall desire them impartially to consider that it was found by him in the Records of the Citty Edessa where this Thaddaeus Preached and translated by the same Eusebius out of the Syriaâ—k tongue wherin it was originally written as being the language of that City into Greek according to what he there sets downe thus Eusebius in that place expresly tels us Now what better proofe can we reasonably desire of an historicall Passage than the Publick Records of that place where the Thing was done And what better witnesse of those Records then he that saw them and copied out the originall with his owne hand 2. Ignatius that famous Martyr and Patriarch of Antioch contemporary to the Apostls having occasion to confute som Hereticks of those Times who perverted the true Faith concerning our Saviour thus layes downe the Articles of the Creed which concerne him by way of an Antidote against this poyson of theirs In his Epistle to the Church of the Magnesians thus I desire saith he that ye may have the full knowledg of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then in his Epistle to the Church of Tralles he sets downe the same Articles in like words which will not be unworthy our comparing Stop your ears saith he when any one speakes to you excluding Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Compare these to gither and they present us with these Articles which touch our Saviour 1. That he is the Sonne of God begotten of the Father before all Worlds 2. That he was borne in time of the Virgin Mary without the company of man borne truly of the Virgin as as he was begotten of God but not in like manner God and Man being of diverse natures 3. That he suffered was crucifyed died under
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
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.
Emes tels us Hom. 1. in Symb. which appellation agrees to those who lived in latter Times So Canones Apostolorum are called by the Apostles Names though not compiled by them but by Clemens as the Title of those Canons witneseth Yea both Greeke and Latine Fathers have communicated the name Apostle to others to any Bishop the Church of Rome keepe the old stile still The Apostolick See The Apostolick Bulles Our Saxon Predecessours gave the Bishop of Rome the Title of Apostle and Apostolicall Pope Bed hist lib. 2. c. 2 11. Austin the Monke is called Anglorum Apostolus Philip the Deacon is called an Apostle by Tertullian and Epaphroditus by St Paul Phil. 2. 25. So many others besides the Twelve whom St Chrysostome by way of Distinction calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostles by way of Eminency were called Apostles who might give name to the Creed as well as the Twelve therefore it is no concluding or necessary Argument It is called the Apostle Creeds Ergo it was made by the Twelve Then for the Title Symbolum that doth not signify such a Collation or Feast in Common but rhe word Symbola and therefore cannot imply or allude to any such composing of the Creed by the joynt concurrence of the Apostles Besides Cajetan ad 2am 2ae qu. 1. art 8. Tels us that Aquinas thinking fit to number the Articles ex parte rei creditae with relation to the matter not the makers of the Creed for this cause passed by that famous distribution of them according to the number of the Apostles because it is accidental to the Articles of Faith whether they be gathered by many or by one as that of Athanasius Answ Good Authors indeed assigne that for the reason and etymology of the Apostolick Symbole that it was an Apostolicall Collation or Collection of the Fundamentall Points of Beliefe by the twelve Apostoles yet not as the principall argument but by way of Appendix and Congruity unto the forementioned Tradition But this distinction saith the objectour or Collation of severall Articles might be made by Apostolick Men and their Disciples out of the holy Scripture and from thence obtaine the name of the Apostolick Symbole But it might be so and it was so are two things If it might be so it might be otherwise sure this private groundles conjecture may well give place to the constant assertion of so many Ancient and learned Authors who affirme the Apostles to have been the Composers of the Creed and give that for the reason of the name which it beares As for the Testimony of Eusebius Hom. 1. in Symb. who is there produced to say that the Creed was written not by the Apostles but by the Fathers of the Churches he hath no such exclusive words as non ab Apostolis quidem but saith that the Fathers of the Churches whom a litle after he calls Magistri the Masters of the sayd Churches Composed the Creed Now who be these but the Apostles exprest by way of Periphrasis for they and they only may properly be called the Fathers or Masters not of this or that Church in particular but of all the Churches in the World their Comission Being generall Goe and Teach all Nations Math. 29. 19. Whereas others were limited to this or that Church as the Apostles pleased to dispose of them and were the Sonnes or Disciples of the Apostles as St Paul termes Timothy and Titus in his Epistles which he wrote unto them 1 Tim. 1. 2. Tit. 1. 4. Hence also it is that St Paul tels his Corinthians 1 Cor. 4. 15. Though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have Begotten you through the Gospell And St James in his Epistle to the dispersed Jewes secretly taxing the proud-conceited Rabbins who affected the highest seats in the Synagogues the office of teaching their Brethren My Brethren saith he Be not many Masters Jam. 3. 1. This conjecture therefore deserves as litle faith as it hath foundation that is none at all for the Fathers constantly say it was called The Apostles Creed because Framed by and derived to the Christian Church from the Apostles of Christ and this may justly sway us in this Case for the Title prefixt doth not only beare this construction but more directly points out and inclines us to this meaning Titles being therefore given that they may designe the Authors or Composers of that worke unto which they are prefixt and the Fathers living in the first Ages should best know the Tradition the Title then of the Apostles Creed is not nakedly produced as a convincing Argument but as backt and seconded with the Attestation of Antiquity As for the contrary Instance of the Canons of the Apostles although they beare the name of Clemens in the Inscription who first gatherd them into one Body yet they may well challenge the Apostles for the Authors who first instituted and put them in Practise Then as to the promiscuous use of the name Apostle and Apostolick and the applying of them to the Ancient Bishops it will not hurt at all or prejudice the Title of the Creed Because the Fathers entitle it to the Apostles so cal'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of Eminency some of them expresly naming the Twelve as Ambrose Ruffine and Augustine others decyphering them by such circumstances as can agree to none other than The Apostles who left the Srciptures to us so Irenaeus Such Apostles who received this Rule from Christ their Master at the very begining of the Gospell and before the rise of any Heresy so Tertullian Such who left us the Faith per successionis Ordinem by a continued line of Episcopall successours so Origen And all the rest name the Apostles indefinitly not limited to a particular See charge or place by any determining circomstance now it is a knowne Rule in Logick concerning ambiguons Termes Analogum per se positum stat pro famosiori Analogato Neither indeed do the instances alleadged shew that the Name was commonly given to every Bishop at large but either to some Episcopall See which the Apostles had personally founded as to that of Rome founded by Peter and Paul or to some speciall Person who planted a New Church or converted a whole Nation to Christianity which is a worke properly Apostolicall as to Epaphroditus of Collosse and Augustin of our Saxon nation in his sense did our Saxō Kings probably give the Title of Apostolick to the Bishop of Rome as well as for the former reason because Gregory the Great sent over Augustine hither with certaine coadjutors to convert our Ancestours from Paganisme The like may be said in proportion of Philip the Deacon who was sent by the holy Ghost with a speciall Commission to convert the Eunuch of Queene Candace and by his meanes the whole Nation of Ethiopia as Church-story tels us But to the criticall quarrell against the word Symbolum that not it but Symbola
is involved also in the Article of the Generall Judgment as the Account of our workes was If it be objected here that the Creeds or confessions of Faith which we find in the Councels and Fathers cannot be justly called Expositions of the Apostles Creed seeing that those Formes extant in Irenaeus and Tertullian want many Articles which the Creed now hath much lesse have they all which the Creeds of Nice Calcedon and that of Athanasius have I answer that the Creed as it is set downe in Irenaeus and Tertullian is I confesse somewhat defective for which I have before given some Reasons if we will find it full and entire we must have recourse to some famous ancient Church where it was deposited by the Apostles as that of Jerusalem or Rome now to the Creeds of these Churches the Nicene Chalcedon and that of Athanasius have added nothing in substance as appears by what hath been said but only in explication As for Tertullians Creed though it be more imperfectly set downe in his Booke De virg Vel. and that against the heretick Praxeas yet in his Book De Praescrip adv haer Wherein he oppugneth all Hereticks which had infested the Church untill his time some of which scarce left any one Article of the Creed inviolate he sets it downe more fully only he expreseth not distinctly and at large the Article of the Catholick Church and that of Remission of Sinnes for the former had not been yet oppugned by Novatus or Donatus nor the latter by Pelagius who were not then risen notwithstanding we may find even some hints of these wherein the substance of them lies implicitely hid 1. Those words of his qui credentes agat and those other ad sumendos sanctos wherein he expresseth how the Holy Ghost doth guide all Believers and work in them and that our Saviour will come at the last to take the Saints unto himselfe will serve to make up the ninth Article of the Church and Communion of Saints for the Title of Believers is the usuall stile of Christians and of the Christian Church under the New Testament and one Beliefe or Holy Faith is that which makes the Church a Communion of Saints that is of Persons severed and discriminated from those of other Religions but united among themselves Adde hereunto that which the same Tertullian hath in his Booke against Praxeas viz. That the holy Ghost is the Sanctifier of the faith of those who believe in the Father and in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost that is Of the Catholick Church which is a Communion of Saints or Believers 2. Those words applyed to our Saviour That he Preached the new Law and the New promise of the Kingdome of Heaven imply the tenth Article viz. I believe one Baptisme for the Remission of sinnes as it is more amply set downe in the Nicene Creed for by Baptisme we are initiated into this new Law of Christianity and engage our selves to performe it as the condition of the Gospell-Covenant required on our Part as necessary to Salvation whence by a Metonomie 't is taken somtimes as including the Law or doctrine Preached by the Party Baptizing as in that question of our Saviour to the Pharaisees The Baptisme of Iohn whence was it From Heaven or of men Mat. 21. v. 25. Where our Saviours maine end was to convince them that he was the true Messiah from the Word or Testimony of Iohn the Baptist whereby he gave witnesse to him at that time especially when the Pharasees were sent unto Iohn in a solemne Embassy to enquire whether He were the Christ or no Io. 1. v. 19 20 24 26 27. And as by Baptisme we are initiated into this new Law and thereby entituled unto the Kingdome of Heaven and made Inheritours of it so is Remission of sinnes the new Promise the first and newest of the whole Gospell which reconciling us unto God makes us capable of his other Favours to introduce which and prepare us for it Repentance was first Preached by Iohn the Baptist our Saviour and his Apostles Repent for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand and from which our Saviour tooke his Name thereby signifying the cheife end of his comming Thou shalt call his Name Iesus saith the Angell to Ioseph For he shall save his People from their Sins Mat. 1. 21. 3. As for the last Article viz that of Everlasting Life it is partly implyed in the Article of the Resurrection which as it lookes backward unto Death so it lookes forward on Life Everlasting Death the last enemy being by it subdued partly exprest in the Article of our Saviours Coming to Iudgment the cheife end whereof is setdowne in these words ad sumendos sanctos in Vitae Aeternae fructum to assume his Saints unto the injoyment of Life Everlasting Now this Creed of Tertullian which so nearely symbolizeth with that of the Apostles deserves no meane regard First because he is a very ancient Doctor of the Church as who flourished about the end of the second Century Secondly because his workes are confessedly genuine Thirdly and Chiefly because this Creed of his setting downe was not Framed by him but as he expressely tells us derived from Christ by the mouthes of his Apostles before ever any Heretick appeared in the Church so it was not made because of heresies now risen whereof many arose even in the Apostles Times but before any of them arose not for Remedy but prevention and therefore must needs be very ancient But in the two other places he sets down this Creed or Rule of Faith more imperfectly omitting what made not for his present purpose yet those imperfect Creeds he calls Regulas immobiles irreformabiles inviolable and unchangeable Rules that is in regard of those Heades of Beliefe which he had occasion th … to set downe So that all the Creeds which wee meet with in the Fathers or Councells are to be compared with that which the Church for so many Ages hath acknowledged for the Apostles as so many Copies with the Patterne or Structures with the modell not so well with one another for so they may differ in poynt of quantity and proportion like so many Pictures or Statues made to represent the same body whereof the originall is entire and exactly proportioned but the copies diversely shaped and drawn some too Giant like others too defectively to the middle only or the shoulders If it be farther objected that the Romanists affirme all their new Articles to be only Explications of the old and confesse that Articles cannot increase quoad numerum credibilium sed quoad explicationem yet that we condemne them justly for obtruding those explications as necessary to salvation I answer that the Romanists are justly blamed for obtruding their explications on other Churches as necessary to Salvation because themselves make but a particular Church and yet presume upon a false priviledge of universall primacy and Apostolick Infallibility But as to the Exegericall
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
question'd or denied by the Hereticks of those times have taken nothing from the Apostles Creed as in it selfe superfluous but have in a larger Declaration insisted on some Articles which were controverted by the said Hereticks omitting others about which there was no doubt or question raised and therefore not necessary in that case to be repeated The truth of this will more clearely appeare by the Paraphrases of some Fathers on the Apostles Creed who frequently omit some Articles or parcells of Articles in their explications even in that Age when 't is confest on all Hands that the Creed which is now called the Apostles was fully and compleatly extant And if they omitted some considerable Parts of the Creed when they undertook professedly to explain it because either so plain that they needed no explication or because handled before in some other Homily or Paraphrase we may suppose with greater Reason that the Councels and Fathers omitted some one or few Articles in the composing of their new Symboles which were framed upon some especiall occasion directed against a particular Heresy though the Apostles Creed were then fully extant For proofe of this consult the following Fathers 1. S. Chrysostome who flourisht about the yeare 400. in his first Hom. on the Creed omits these particles maker of Heaven Earth suffered died descended into Hell ascended into Heaven and ends the Text of his Creed thus I believe in the Holy Ghost 2. Petrus surnamed Chrysologus who flourisht about the year 440. in his 57 Hom. on the Creed omits Almighty maker of Heaven Earth suffered under Pontius Pilate died descended into Hell In his 58 Hom. he omits suffered and died rose from the dead descended into hell Catholick which Epithete is also omitted in the other following Homilies though exprest in the 57. After siting at the right hand of the Father he leaves out Almighty as also in the 57 Homily In Hom. 59. he omits maker of Heaven and Earth In Hom. 61. he leaves out the last Article life everlasting as included in the precedent of the Resurrection for Death being conquered by our Rising againe it must needs be a Resurrection unto a life immortall 3. Eusebius Gallicanus usually called Emesenus a Father of uncertain Age but placed by Bellarmine in the yeare 430. in his first Homily on the Creed omits maker of Heaven and Earth as implied in Omnipotent all the Articles between Christs Birth and Ascension although he mention them in his explication He omits also the Article of the Holy Ghost The remission of sins by Baptisme as inclosed in the beliefe of the Holy Catholique Church and the two last Articles viz. of the Resurrection and life Everlasting In his second Homily he omits Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth only Son in the second Article Suffered under Pontius Pilate died 4. Venantius Fortunatus who flourished about the yeare 570. in his Exposition of the Apostles Creed omits Maker of Heaven and Earth our Lord in the second Article rose againe from the Dead sitteth on the right hand of the Father though it be in the explication I believe the Holy Catholique Church the Communion of Saints and Life everlasting which is included as by Chrysologus in the Article of the Resurrection Object 12. If the Creed were framed by the Apostles and by them delivered to all Churches of the World it could never have come into the Fathers mindes to have composed so many Symboles and Confessions which for Perfection must needs give place to that of the Apostles no such therefore was then extant which he must needs grant who knowes that this simple formula was required of those that came to Baptisme whether they believed in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Math. 28. 19. Answ The Fathers made no new Creeds or Confessions of Faith as hath been already shewen but only explained the old the occasion of which explicatory Creeds is well rendred by the Learned Vossius Non licuit per haereticos in ea simplicitate permanere Haeresibus igitur obortis quarum Architecti vel Patroni sese pro Christianis venditarent ac misere seducerent imperitos coacti sunt addere alia quibus Ecclesiae Doctrina ab Haereticâ item Ecclesiae filii ab haereticis eorum Sectatoribus secernerentur That is The Hereticks would not suffer the Church to continue in the Primitive simplicity of the Faith for Heresies arising whose Authors and abettors carried themselves for Christians and under that name miserably seduced the ignorant the Fathers were compelled to adde other Creeds whereby the Doctrine of the Church might be distinguished from Heresy and the Children of the Church from Hereticks and their followers Thus he De trib Symb. Dissert 1. num 29. Sceondly as to that Forme of Beliefe in the Trinity which the Apostles are said by direction from their Master to have required of those who came to Baptisme Mat. 28. 19. There is no such matter there set downe only they are charged there to Baptize in the Name of the Trinity not in the name of any strange God or of any one Person of the sacred Trinity but of all Three together Yet I willingly grant that faith in the Holy Trinity was required of the Persons which came to Baptisme but not by vertue of that command which was given to the Baptizers not to the Persons who came to be Baptized but this Faith was not the only thing required of them for we read other points numbred amongst the principles or beginings of Christian Doctrine which the Catechumeni were taught as Repentance from dead workes resurrection of the Dead and Eternall Judgment Heb. 6. 1 2. Ob. 13th If the Creed had been Composed by the Apostles with the same sentences words order which we now have and had been so delivered to the Catholick Church there had not been divers Creeds about the yeere 400 according to diverse Churches diverse in the manner of expression and diverse in the number of sentences which diversity will appeare to him that shall compare severall Creeds together especially the Nicene which hath not a few sentences added others alterd with which additions and alterations it was afterwards received and used in the Eastern Churches the Apostles Creed being in a maner excluded Answ First The diversity of severall Creeds in some few words or in the manner of expression is a Circumstance not materiall so the same sense be kept inviolate and all the Heads or Articles of the Faith preserved entire Secondly As to the number of Sentences more in some Creeds and fewer in others we have before assigned some Reasons why one or more articles have beene omitted in some Creeds and so the number made fewer but for the adding of any new Sentences unto the Apostles Creed I constantly deny that the Primitive Church ever did it but on the other side constantly disclaimed it her office being this to preserve the old Faith which was once delivered to
the Saints not to coine a New Thirdly The Church upon occasion hath added some Explicatory Particles to severall Heads of the Creed especially in the two first Synods of Nice and Constantinople partly to vindicate the Faith from the corrupt Glosses of Hereticks partly the more fully to instruct her Children in the mysteries of Christianity But all these exegeticall Additions referre to some Article or Limbe of this Body of Faith like Physick or nourishiment to the part but make not any new Article thereby to render the Body monstrous The Fathers in those two Synods did neither on the one side dislocate or deprave any limbe of the Creed nor on the other side supplyed any defective member they only gaue a new growth or Augmentation as Burnishing to some Articles or restored that naturall vigour and vitall juce unto some parts which the Hereticks had deprived them off The Nicene Creed that is the Apostles by this meanes become vegete and growen was afterwards used in the Greeke Church yet not presently either that alone or Principally but only once in the year afterward indeed in the time of Timotheus Patriarch of Constantinople which was about six-score yeers after its first composure it was ordained to be used every Sunday But before this we may well presume that the Apostles Creed was used in their Litturgies without these explications except it can be shewen that for foure hundered yeeres and upward they either used no Creed in their Church-service ordinarily which is most improbable or that they used some other Creed which no man yet hath demonstrated To demonstrate this more fully and distinctly it will not be unworthy our labour to compare some Creeds together in which Collation we may contemplate with no small delight and satisfaction The consent of Antiquity in matter of Faith the great care of the Church in preserving that Faith entire and the growing Perfection of our sacred Mother according as shee grew in yeares These Creeds shall be Sixe The Apostles Creed The Easterne Creed or Ierosolymitan set downe by Cyril and compared by Ruffinus The Nicene The Athanasian The Aquileian set downe by Ruffinus and compared with the Easterne and Romane Creeds The Chalcedon Creed And to these we will adde That of the Church of Antioch a good part whereof is set downe by Cassianus Article I. Apost I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth East I believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and Invisible Nice hath the same words Aquil. I believe in God the Father Almighty Invisible and Impassible Athan. There is one Person of the Father The Father is God The Father is Almighty Antioch I believe in one only true God maker of all Creatures Visible and Invisible Article II. Apost And in Jesus Christ his only or only-begotten Son our Lord East And in one Lord Jesus Christ the only-begotten Son of God begotten of the Father before all worlds Nic. And in one Lord Iesus Christ the only-begotten Son of God begotten of the Father before all worlds light of light very God of very God begotten not made of one Substance with the Father by whom all Things were made Aquil. And in Jesus Christ his only Unicum Son our Lord. Athan. The right Faith is that we believe confesse that our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God is God God of the Substance of the Father begotten before the worlds perfect God equall to the Father as touching his Godhead Chalc. We professe the Son our Lord Jesus Christ to be one and the same and all us with one accord pronounce him to be perfect as concerning his Godhead consubstantiall to the Father according to the same Godhead begotten of his Father before the worlds as touching his Godhead Antioch And in our Lord Jesus Christ his only-begotten Sonne the first-borne of every Creature begotten of him before all Worlds and not made very God of very God consubstantiall to the Father by whom the Worlds were framed or Ages set in order and all things made Artic. III. Apost Conceived by the Holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary East Incarnate and made man Nic. Who for us men and for our Salvation came downe from Heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man Aquil. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary Athan. It is necessary to everlasting Salvation to believe rightly in the Incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ for the right Faith is that we believe and confesse that our Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of God is God and man Man of the substance of his Mother borne in the World perfect God and perfect Man subsisting of a reasonable soule and humane flesh inferior to the Father touching his Man-hood who although he be God and Man yet he is not two but one Christ one not by conversion of the God-head into flesh but by taking of the Man-hood unto God one altogether not by confusion of substance but by unity of Person For as the reasonable Soule and Flesh is one Man so God and man is one Christ Chalc. We professe the same to be perfect God when he was made man very God and very Man the same subsisting of a Reasonable Soule and Body of the same substance with us according to his Humanity in all things like unto us without sinne the same in these last Daies for us and for our Salvation was borne according to his Manhood of the Blessed Virgin the Mother of God one and the same Iesus Christ the Sonne the Lord the only-begotten made known in two natures without confussion conversion division or seperation thereof the distinction of the natures being not at all taken away by reason of their union but the propriety of each nature being preserved and both meeting in the same Person not severed or devided into two Persons but one and the same only-begotten Son God the Word and Lord Iesus Christ according as the Prophets have from the begining or from above instructed us concerning him yea and Christ himself and as the Creed of the Fathers hath deliverd unto us Antioch Who for our sakes came and was borne of the Virgin Mary Article IV. Apost Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucifyed dead and buried East Crucifyed and Buried Nic. He was Crucifyed also for us under Pontius Pilate he suffered and was buried Aquil. Crucifyed under Pontius Pilate and buried Athan. Who Suffered for our Salvation Antioch Crucifyed under Ponitus Pilate and Buried Article V. Apost He descended into Hell the third Day he rose againe from the Dead East The third Day he rose againe from the Dead Nic. And the third day he rose againe according to the Scriptures Aquil. The third Day he rose againe from the Dead Athan. Descended into Hell rose againe from the Dead Athan. Descended into Hell rose againe the third Day from the Dead Antioch And the
third Day he rose againe according to the Scriptures Christs descent into Hell as we see in this Collation is expressely set downe but in two Creeds namely this of the Apostles and the Athanasian although the Fathers of the first Ages generally acknowledge it and mention it in their writings for which we may looke back on the Creeds of Thaddaeus and Ignatius set downe before The reason therefore why it is omitted in other Creeds I conceive to be this That they held it involved or presupposed in the following word The third Day he rose againe from the Dead For Christ may not improperly be said to have risen the third Day according to both Parts from the Grave in his Body from Hell a low place especially in comparison of Heaven in his Soule So both Parts in this Rising met together from two severall Places whether they had before Descended both which places are set downe in holy Scripture as the Receptacles of the Dead as well Good as Bad so 't is in either a Rising from the Dead and are joyntly called by the names of Sheol Hades Inferi This also S. Chrysostome in setting downe the Creed passeth by Christs ascension into Heaven as being included in or presupposed by that which followes His sitting at the Right Hand of the Father See Gen. 37. 35. Job 26. 6. Psal 86. 13. 139 8. Prov. 15. 11. Isa 13. 9. Luk. 16. 23. Rev. 1. 18. chap. 20. 13. Artic. VI. Apost He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right Hand of God the Father Almighty East And ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father Nic. hath the same Aquil. the same Athan. He ascended into Heaven he sitteth on the right hand of the Father God Almighty Antioch And he ascended into Heaven Article VII Apost From whence he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead East And he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead Nic. Who shall come againe with glory to judge the quicke and the dead of whose kingdome there shall be no end Aquil. From thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the deade Athan. From whence he shall come to judge the quicke and the Dead Antioch And he shall come againe to judge the quicke and the dead Article VIII Apost I believe in the Holy Ghost East And in the Holy Ghost the comforter who spake by the Prophets Nic. And in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne according to the Latines who with the Father and the Sonne together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets Aquil. And in the Holy Ghost Athan There is another Person of the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost is God the Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son Neither made nor created nor begotten but proceeding Article IX Apost I believe the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints East One holy Catholick Church Nic. One holy Catholick and Apostolick Church Aquil. The holy Catholick Church Where Ruffinus in his explication interprets Holy by that which preserves the Faith or Religion of Christ entire and opposeth the Church to the Conventicles of severall Hereticks which he calls Concilia vanitatis thus explaining the word Catholick and the Communion of Saints Article X. Apost The forgivenesse of Sinnes East One Baptisme of Repentance for the Remission of Sinnes Nic I acknowledge one Baptisme for the Remission of Sinnes Aquil. The Remission of Sinnes Article XI Apost The Resurrection of the Body East And the Resurrection of the Body Nice And I look for the Resurrection of the Dead Athan. At whose comming All men shall rise againe with their Bodies and shall give an account for their own Workes Aquil. The Resurrection of this Body In the Exposition whereof Ruffinus hath these words Et ideo satis cautâ providâ adjectione Ecclesia nostra Aquilegiensis docet quae in eo quod a caeteris traditur Carnis Resurrectionem uno addito pronomine tradit Hujus Carnis Resurrectionem hujus sine dubio quam is qui profitetur signaculo Crucis fronti imposito contingit That is our Church the Aquileian hath warily and providently added the Pronoune This to the Article of the Resurrection of the Body which is delivered without it in other Churches This Body that is which he toucheth who maketh profession of the Creed having the Signe of the Crosse made upon his Forehead whence we may observe not only the Antiquity of the Crosse in Baptisme but the custome also of the ancient Church in adding some exegeticall particles to the Creed as a Thing publickly received and practised in the Christian World Article XII Apost And life Everlasting East And life Everlasting Nic. And the life of the World to come Athan. And they that have done good shall goe into life Everlasting and they that have done Evill into Everlasting fire Aquil. Incloseth it in the precedent Article of the Resurrection in the explication whereof Ruffinus hath these words Dabitur peccatoribus incorruptionis immortalitatis ex Resurrectione conditio ut sicut Deus justis ministrat ad perpetuitatem Gloriae ista peccatoribus ad prolixitatem confusionis ministret paenae That is Sinners also shall rise to an immortall and incorruptible estate so that as God affourdeth the rightious everlasting Glory he also prepareth the sinners for length of shame and sorrow Ob. 14th That Creed which was neithe made by the Apostles nor by any Generall Councell nor was recieved by the Greeke or Easterne Churches but in the Church of Rome and had beene so long recited and used in the Church now about the yeare 400 that then it was held an Apostolicall Tradition which it is certaine was conveyed also by the Church of Rome to other Churches of the West the Easterne Churches in the meane time using other Creeds that Creed was composed by those who had the Government of the Romane Church but there is nought of this which agreeth not to the Creed that we call the Apostles therefore the Bishop and Presbyters of the Church of Rome composed it Answ This is the summary Argument used to disprove the Authors of the Creed and which we have already answered by Parts For that the Creed was composed by the Apostles we have proved at large both by Authorities and Arguments That it was received for the full sense and substance thereof in the Greeke or Easterne Churche appears both by what we have before cited out of the Greeke Fathers especially Marcellus and Chrysostome as also by the foresaid Parallell of the Jerosolymitan Nicene Antiochian and Athanasian Creeds with the Romane and Aquileian That it was held an Apostolicall Tradition by the Church of Rome before the yeare 400 appeares by the forecited Testimonies of the Laine Fathers Irenaeus Tertullian Ambrose and others That it was convaied by the Church of Rome to other Churches of the West which the Objector invidiously
ad divinam doctrinam certa humilitatis atque Charitatis firmitate surgentibus quod multis verbis exponendo esset perficiendum Secondly For the due bounding of our Faith and Charity There are many lesser circumstantiall Points in divinity which Christians may differ about Salva Fide Charitate without prejudice to either but others there be of farre higher Concernment requisite to the very beeing of a true and rightly grounded Christian these we call Fundamentall Points the Nescience of most whereof but the denyall of any is destructive of Salvation whithout ensuing repentance Now it was necessary that these should be knowen and severed from the rest that so the Church might know whome to admit to Baptisme and acknowledg for her Children and on the other side Whom to reject or cut off as Heretickes misbelievers Yea besides that every private Christian might know by this Rule whom to communicate with and whom to fly from and avoid as Heathens and Publicans in our Saviours Language To demonstrate this Father namely that the Creed conteines all Points which a good Christian is bound of necessity to believe I shall produce a Reason or two and thereto subjoine the testimonies of the Ancients which among other Corollaries hence deducible will serve to free the true reformed Churches from that just imputation of Heresy which the Church of Rome hath been pleased to lay upon Them for al of thē generally unanimously imbrace the Creed as appeares by their severall confessions and therfore cannot justly be charged with heresy in the ancient which is the true and genuine acception of the word The reasons are these two which follow First the End for which the Apostles Framed the Creed cannot be imagined to be any other than this viz. To give us a Breviary of the fundamentall Doctrines of Faith Dare we say that the Apostles came short of this their end It must be then either for want of Power or want of will Now to affirme they could not compasse it is little better then Blasphemy and to affirme they would not when they might must needs argue them of grosse negligence in their function and uncharitablnesse to the Christian church faults wholy uncompatible with the Apostolick office and Zeale Secondly The name of Symbole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke and Regula Fidei The Rule of Faith in the Latine whereby the Ancients style the Creed argue the compleatnesse of it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Nota or Indicium the Creed being the note of difference between the true Children of the Church and those who were either unbelievers or misbelievers And the Rule of Faith as Tertullian calls it or The Rule of Truth as Irenaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That unerring Rule of Truth which we received in Baptisme from whom Chrysostome and Austin borrowed the terme who opposed the Creed to the Placita of Hereticks and will have them examined ad hujus amussim by the line or Rule of the Creed must be adequate to the Faith or necessary Truth whereof it is a Rule niether larger nor narrower for else it looseth the very nature of a Rule To this Truth the Fathers give in their Suffrages I shall set downe the Testimonies of some who were the most Ancient and the most famous in their Times 1. The Creed is called Breve Evangelium the Epitome or breviary of the Gospell like Homers Workes inclosed in a nutshell according to the saying of S. Bartholomew recorded by Dionys Arear lib de myst Theo. cap. 1. 2. Clem. Romanus in his forecited Epistle Ad Fratrem Domini calls the Creed Summun totius Fidei Catholicae the Summary of the Catholick Faith and farther saith that in it Integritas credulitatis ostenditur The entire or whole Faith of a Christian is declared 3. Ignatius in his Epistle to the Magnesians after he had reckoned up those Heads of the Creed which touched our Saviour concludes thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He who fully knowes and believes these things is Blessed that is as fare as concernes these Articles or this part of the Faith which relates to our Saviour the same holdes in proportion of the rest otherwise not only a right beliefe although full and entire but a good life also are requisite to happinesse 4. Irenaeus tels us that many barbarous Nations who had not the Bookes of Scripture among them yet Sine Charactere vel atramento Scriptam habuerunt per Spiritum sanctum in Cordibus suis salutem Had Salvation wrote in their Hartes by the Finger of the holy Ghost without the helpe of Pen and Inke Where by Salvation he understands the Tradition of the Creed as appeares by the following words so called by a Metonymie because it is a meanes in its kind sufficient to Salvation Thus he lib. 3. cap. 4. The same Father elswhere gives this testimony of the fulnesse of the Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Neither the most able Orator amongst the Pastors of the Church can say more than this for no man is above his Teacher or Master neither he who is weake in speech can distinguish or speake lesse than this Tradition for there beeing one and the same Faith neither he who is able to speake much of it hath augmented it nor he who is able to say litle hath lessened it at all 5. Origen in the preface of his Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith that the Holy Apostles Preaching the Faith of Christ De quibusdam quidem c. Concerning some Points most plainly delivered unto all Believers even the most dull and slow whatsoever they judged necessary where by Necessaries he understandes the Articles of the Creed which he there reckons up 6. Cyril of Jerusalem in his fift Catechesis speaking of the Creed useth these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we comprehend saith he the whole Doctrine of Faith in a few versicles And afterwardes comparing it unto a small graine of mustard-seed which virtually containes many Branches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so also doth this Creed in a few words comprehend the whole doctrine of Religion which is delivered in the old new Testament 7. Eusebius Galicanus commonly called Emesenus in the begining of his second Homily on the Greed hath these words Hanc nobis fidem velut magnam lampadem Christus adveniens errantibus viam monstraturus exhibuit per quem possit Deus ignotus requiri quaesitus credi creditus inveniri This Faith or Creed saith he like some great Lampe Christ exhibited for his comming thus shewing the way to those in errour By help wherof God who was before unknowne might be sought being sought might be believed on being believed on might be found The same Father in his first Homily derives the name Symbolum from Caena collatitia and then tels us that De utroque Testamento totius Corporis virtus in paucas est diffusa sententias ut facilius animae Thesaurus
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
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
Regeneration Tit. 3. 5. whence it followes in the very next verse Being then made free from sinne that is saith the same Anselme Per Spiritum Sanctum quem accepistis in Baptismo By the Holy Ghost which yee received in Baptisme 2. Secondly Rom. 12. 6. He chargeth those who have the Gift of Prophecy to Prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Analogy or Proportion of Faith Now by the Gift of Prophecy in this place Divines usually understand the Interpretation of Scripture and by Faith they understand the object of Faith or the Principles of Christian Religion which are contained in the Creed thus expounding it Let them so interpret Scripture that they give no sense thereof but what bears Analogy and due correspondence with the main Grounds of Religion comprehended in the Rule of Faith or Articles of the Creed Thus Beza on the place expressly Significat Apostolus verum Canonem Prophetiae id est interpretationis Scripturarum verae à falsa discernendae nempe si ad Christianae fidei Axiomata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exigantur Symbolo comprehensa quod Apostolicum vocant quod jam inde ab initio Evangelicae Praedicationis veluti Evangelii Epitome scriptum fuit ideoque norma regula fidei meritò à Tertulliano vocatur Where he tels us that the Creed is the Epitome of the Gospell the Rule of Faith and more particularly the Rule of Prophecy that is of discerning the true Exposition of Scripture from the false then that it was framed at the first Preaching of the Gospell therefore by the first Preachers of it the Apostles Lastly that the Articles thereof are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex se fide digna that is require our Assent without farther proofe therefore framed by Divine Inspiration With him agrees the Learned Estius though of a diverse Religion Let him Prophecy saith he according to the proportion of Faith id est sic ut sequatur rectae fidei dictamen diligenter caveat nequid vel pronunciet quamvis sibi videatur praeditus spiritu Prophetico vel pro Scripturae Interpretatione adferat quod à Regula fidei discrepet And before him Anselme secundùm rationem fidei ut nihil extra fidei regulam loquamur aut sapiamus To whom we may adde the Testimony of Simon Grynaeus Scripturarum Epitome saith he est Symbolum Apostolorum quod ideo Tertullianus normam Regulam fidei appellat quia ea tantùm vera habenda ac proinde credenda sunt quae revera cum illis consentiunt that is The Apostles Creed is the Epitome of the Scriptures which therefore Tertullian calls the Rule of Faith because those things only are to be held for true beleeved which agree with the Articles thereof 3. Thirdly 1 Cor 3. 2. He thus bespeaks his Corinthians I have fed you with Milke and not with meat for hitherto ye were not able to beare it neither yet now are ye able Then v. 10. He useth another Metaphor As a wise Master-builder I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon Now under these Metaphors of Milke and a Foundation the Apostle seems to allude unto the Creed calling it Milke because it contains the first principles of Christianity the proper food of new borne Babes 1 Pet. 2. 2. Who were lately regenerated by Baptisme Ioh. 3. 3 5. Rom. 6. 4. Whence Cyrill of Ierusalem alluding to this place calls the Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Milkie introduction Catech. 4. And calling it a foundation because it is the very Ground-worke of Christiany comprising the fundamentalls of our Religion whereas other Doctrines are but superstructures which if good and profitable he compares here to Gold Silver and precious stones if Bad to wood hay and stubble Comp. 1. Thess 2. 7. Rom. 15. 20. Eph. 2. 20. Rev. 21. 14. Heb. 5. 12 13. 6. 1 2. Also 1 Cor. 4. 15. 2 Cor. 10. 16. 4. Fourthly The same Apostle in his Epistles to the Churches of Galatia and Philippi reprehending those who made a mixture of two Religions joyning Judaisme and Christianity together endeavours to bring them back to the true and undoubted Rule whereof they had formerly made profession in their Baptisme To the Galatians thus Cap. 6. v. 15 16. In Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth any Thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature And as many as walk according to this Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace be on them and mercy Whence I observe three things 1. That the Apostle opposeth a new Creature to the outward state of Circumcision and uncircumcision now we are regenerated or made new Creatures in Baptisme by Profession of our faith in Christ 2. That he immediately inferrs upon this the walking according to a set Rule such a rule as hath a manifest Reference to the fore-mentioned new Birth or Creature now what Rule can this be but the Creed which hath been allwaies profest in Baptisme and borne the same Title in all Antiquity Irenaeus cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke as he is cited by Epiphanius and Tertullian the most ancient of the Latines usually cals it Regula Fidei 3. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinary walking for it is not a walking at randome but an orderly walking as the same word is rendred Act. 21. 24. an exact keeping of a Path without the least Declination either to the right hand or to the left which signification well sorts with the accurate observation of the Creed without varying from it in the least Particular And least I should seem to goe alone in this Interpretation please but to consult the judgment of these Fathers whose expositions follow and you will find them to understand this new Creature of Regeneration in Baptisme by the Rule or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rule of Doctrine of Faith then profest Chrys on the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle saith he meanes by this new Creature our Christian law or discipline for our soule grown old in Sin is at once or altogethr renewed by Baptisme receiving as it were a new Creation Theophilact expounds it in the same sense the like words Jerome -- nos qui nunc jam in Baptismate Christo consurreximus in novum renati hominem nec Circumcisioni nec praeputio serviamus sed quod futuri sumus jam nunc nos esse credamus Regulam Ad normam omnia diriguntur ut utrùm prava rectave sint cum Regula apposita fuerit arguantur ita ut doctrina Dei quaedam quasi norma sermonis sit c. Where he expoundes the new Creature of Baptisme and the Rule of that divine Doctrine whereby all others are to be examined the Summe whereof is the Creed which was solemnly rehearsed and professed at the time of Baptisme as for the divine Doctrine at large comprised in the New Testament
much of it was not extant when this Epistle was written and therefore cannot be here meant by St Jerome Theodoret to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which he speaks the Doctrine publikely proposed at the time of Baptisme wherein we put off our sinns and put on the spirit what is it but the Creed which was then profest especially since he gives it such a Character of exactnesse that it hath nothing either wanting or wast a fit Periphrasis of the Creed Oecumenius accordeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Poole wherein we are borne anew is the water of Baptisme and the Rule or Doctrine opposed to the Law which ought to satisfie us as that which renders us new Creatures is the Rule of Faith comprized in the Creed Againe to the Philippians the Apostle speaketh in these words Chap. 3. v. 15 16. Let us as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing yee be otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you neverthelesse whereto we have already attained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us walke by the same Rule Where the Apostle useth the very same phrase And this by the way is a good admonition for moderation in Controversies about points of lesser Consequence which grate not upon the foundation that we doe not presently Reprobate those who are otherwise minded but patiently expect their farther Illumination in still keeping our selves without wavering close to those Grounds whereto we have already attained by profession of our Creed in Baptisme The Fathers so understand this Place together with latter Interpreters in their Annotations on it Ambrose Non extra Regulam Disciplinae sapere in conversatione Fidei sed hoc sapere quod Commune sit modestum in Evangelii veritate which is most properly applicable to the Creed for that is the Rule of the Christian Discipline or Faith which is most commonly received and most modestly urged S. Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Rule saith he receives neither Addition nor Diminution for then it looseth the very essence of a Rule let us walk therefore by the same Faith within the same Bounds What Rule what Faith is this but the Creed which is the Boundary or Limit of the Christian Beleife To him assents Theophilact in the same words Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the Rule saith he he understands the Faith or Creed for as you spoile a Rule by taking away from it or adding to it so is it also in the Faith Anselme construes this Rule of Communis Fidei sensus the Common Sense or Substance of the Christian faith which is comprehended in the Creed Cajetan also of the Regula Fidei morum the Rule of faith in the Creed of life in the Commandements Estius in like manner Hortor vos omnes eâdem Regulâ fidei Doctrinae incedere eandemque Regulam tenere etiam alibi de fide loquens Regulam nominat ut Galat vlt Quicunque hanc Regulam I exhort you to walke in the same Rule of faith Doctrine to hold the same Rule The Apostle elswhere speaking of the Faith cals it a Rule Gal. 6 15 16. 5. Fiftly In his Epistle to the Ephesians exhorting them to unity he sets downe seven motives or grounds thereof and amongst these he reckons One Faith where Faith is cleerly taken for the Object of Faith or Principles of Beleefe which are contained in the Creed whence it followes in the very next wordes One Baptisme that Baptisme wherein we make Profession of this Faith Otherwise if we look on the Habite of Faith or the actuall Celebration of Baptisme we have as many Faiths as Believers and as many Baptismes as Persons Baptised And to clear this Interpretation farther yet if we compare this Text with those words of his Chap. 2. 20. in the same Epistle we shall find the Framers of this Creed Yee are built saith he on the Foundation of the Apostles that is on the Grounds of Faith laid by the Apostles not on their Persons for they are dead long agoe It is added there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and on the Foundation of the Prophets viz not the Prophets of the old Testament but of the New who were the Apostles Co-partners in laying the foundation of the Christian Church Comp. Eph 3. 5. Act 13. 1 2 3. Math 23. 34. 1 Cor. 12. 28. 14. 29 32. Rev 18. 20 24. 6. Sixtly 1 Tim 6. 20. He thus chargeth Timothy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Timothy keep the Depositum or that which is committed to thy trust which Depositum both our Divines and those of the Church of Rome understand of the saving Doctrine of the Gospell which we find for matter of Beleife summed up in the Creed And the following words lead us to this construction avoyding profane and vaine bablings and oppositions of Science falsely so called of which Science the Gnosticks had their name which some professing have erred concerning the Faith Besides the Metaphor of a Depositum well suits with the Creed first in the manner of Delivery the one is committed to our Hands the other to our Eares both a kind of Tradition Then in the strictnesse of keeping not the least parcell of a Depositum is to be diminish'd nor the least tittle of our Creed to be parted with S. Basil therefore would not forgoe one Iota when the Arians would have had him change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this sense Expositours agree both Auncient and Moderne So Jerome Commendatum a nobis servandum tibi fidei Depositum custodi And upon those words before v. 12. thou hast professed a good Profession before many witnesses In Baptismo saith he ab renunciando Seculo Pompis ejus at which time they also constantly made a Profession of the Faith Theophilact likewise by his Depositum understands the Grounds of Faith in opposition to humane Reasoning which falsely usurps the name of knowledge make us erre frō the Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the faith admits not saith he of disputes Estius construes the words more plainly of a Doctrinall Tradition contra-distinct to the Scripture delivered by Christ and received by the Apostles which containes fully all the Articles of the Faith to which nothing was added by succeeding Councels but the same preserved still explained illustrated and defended against succrescent Heresies His words are these Non solas Scripturas Paulus apud Timotheum deposuerat sed doctrinam sanam viva voce ei tradiderat Praeter Depositi rationem est ut ei aliquid addatur hinc ergò sequitur fidei semel à Christo traditae ab Apostolis acceptae nihil prorsus addi posse neque id agi in Conciliis Fidei causâ congregatis ut novi condantur Articuli Fidei sed ut fidei Doctrina ab initio tradita conservetur explicetur illustretur contra succrescentes
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
interrogabat quemadmodum ex variis Patrum Testimoniis constat praesertim de Symbolo quod Apostolicum vocant examen habehatur Ille primus quasi ingressus erat in Ecclesiam iis qui jam adulti Christo nomen dabant cum priùs alieni fuissent ab ejus fide Paraeus Fidem pro Symbolo fidei intelligere possumus ubi haud dubiè quaerebatur credisné in Deum Patrem Credisné in Jesum Christum filium ejus unigenitum Credisné in Spiritum Sanctum In his quaestionibus Jeronimi temporibus Catechumeni baptizandi quadraginta diebus erudiebantur ut ipse scribit ad Pammachium These foure Testimonies so cleerely understand this place of the Creed and so plainly speake of the profession thereof at the time of Baptisme that it were lost labour to insist farther on them 9. Ninthly and lastly S. Jude in his generall Epistle ver 3. exhorteth all good Christians That they would earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints Where by Faith is plainly meant the object of Faith or the Principles of Beliefe which are contained as we know in the Creed for he renders this as the reason of his exhortation in the words immediatly following That certain men viz. Hereticks had crept in unawares who denied the only Lord God and our Saviour Jesus Christ which be the two first Articles of the Creed This Faith saith the Apostle was delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So it is a Tradition And but once delivered to shew the perfection and stability of it the Perfection for nothing must be added to it since it was once delivered entire and the stability of it for nothing must be taken from it it must for ever remain firme and untoucht in both like a Depositum no second Delivery thereof either to increase or correct it To conclude This Faith the Apostle would have contended for and that not slightly but earnestly because it concernes the maine Grounds or foundation of Christianity not some By-poynts or slight superstructures Thus at length have I proved the Antiquity and Orinall Authors of the Creed from severall Texs of Scripture accordingly expounded by Divines of the best note both in the Primitive Times and this latter Age. But before I proceed to any farther proofes it will be requisite to remove such objections as may be raised against what I have here produced Ob. 1. How can it be proved out of Scripture that the Apostles made the Creed that is this forme of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same words wherein we now have it Seeing it is no where in Scripture and as for those Metaphors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They agree to every Epistle or Sermon of the Apostles as well as to the Creed and therefore it will no more follow they speake of the Creed under those formes then that I speake of Homo therefore I meane Socrates And indeed most of the Fathers cited on those places seeme to relate to the Doctrine of faith in generall not to any Epitome of it such as the Creed Besides Anselme and Cajetan extend the Rule as well to the Agenda as the Credenda whereas the Creed comprehends no Agenda at all Answ Every Epistle or Sermon of the Apostles cannot properly be stiled a forme of Doctrine a Rule a Depositum c. First not every Epistle for the Apostles mention this forme whatsoever it were in diverse of their Epistles as somewhat severall from them and contradistinct unto them nor secondly every Sermon for the Apostles Sermons which we find recorded in the Acts were commonly made unto the Jewes circumcised Proselites or to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Gentile-worshippers of the true God and observers of the seaven Lawes of the sonnes of Noah now such as these needed nothing to be proved to them but that Jesus was the Messiah that is to have the foregoing Promises and predictions of the Old Testament applied to a particular person namely to Iesus the sonne of Mary as for the rest the most of the Creed they believed it before and therefore had no need to have it preached unto them Yea in that Sermon of S. Paul at Athens Acts 17. to the Heathen Philosophers who were pure idolatrous Gentiles we find nought preached unto them but the knowledge and worship of one true God Christs Resurrection and coming to judgement so not the whole Canon or forme of Doctrine which if it were not explained to the Chatechumeni before they came to Baptisme as we have already learned from Cyril of Ierusalem when he was Catechist much lesse was it propounded in grosse to the raw Pagan who in likelihood at first sight might either deride the faith or stumble at the threshold upon the hearing of so many strange mysteries Besides many of the places alleadged out of S. Pauls Epistles not obscurely allude unto Baptisme wherein the Catechumene made his confession of Faith by a publique rehearsall of the Creed as will more fully appeare hereafter but had not that Creed Preached unto him at his first invitation to Christianity only in the precedent dayes of Lent the Creed was explained to him by the Catechist on Palme-sunday by the Bishop The Rule involves the Agenda or practicall grounds of Christianity as Anselme and Cajetan rightly tell us but it includes the Credenda too that is our Articles of Beliefe and primarily poynts at them which is sufficient for our purpose for we make not the Creed the whole but the Principall part of the Christian Catechisme S. Paul therefore Heb. 6. 1 2. and Cyril of Ierusalem in his Catechises joyne them both together as necessary for the Catechumeni who were to be taught what to doe observe as well as what to believe As for the Fathers in their Expositiōs on the forecited places of Scripture some of thē expressely mention the Creed others referre what they say to Bapt. when the custome was to make open professiō of the Creed these therefore may well speak for the rest and explaine their meaning touching the doctrine of Faith that though exprest it be in more generall Termes yet is to be understood in the same sense for the Breviary of this Doctrine couched in the Creed and confest at the time of Initiation into the Church by Baptisme Ob. 2. Suppose it be granted that the forecited places of Scripture import there was some Forme of Doctrine delivered before the new Testament was written or after and that it contained the cheif heads of Christian Religion yet that this Forme or Rule was the same with that which we call the Apostles Creed is not necessarily inferr'd nor doe most of the Expositours alleaged affirme any such Thing Nay those Principles Heb. 6. 1 2. are such as some of them are not mentioned in the Creed as Baptisme Imposition of Hands Repentance from dead works It is not enough to prove there were Summaries of Faith containing the same in
he that leaving off superfluous questions and unhandsome contentions about words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you would be contented with those Doctrines which have bene delivered by word of mouth from the Holy Apostles and the Lord himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrines not writen but spoken spoken by the Saints and holy Apostles by the Direction inspiration of the Lord he the Author they the instruments Doctrines opposed to curious or superfluous questions and strifes about words that is Doctrines of moment or fundamentall points such as the Creed conteines And this he dilivers more plainly in the closing up of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Beware of false Prophets and withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And not after the Tradition which they received of us let us exactly and orderly walke according to the Rule of the Saints as being built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ our Lord being the head-corner-stone in or by whom the whole building fitly joyned together groweth into an holy Temple in the Lord. This Tradition this exact Rule this Foundation of the Apostles to what can it be applyed more congruously than unto the Creed of the Apostles the substance whereof he sets downe before 6. Gregory Nyssen Brother to the Great S. Basil explaines the Heads of the Creed in that Oration of his which is entituled Catachetica Oratio magna 7. Cyril Patriarch of Jerusalem sets downe the whole Creed in distinct Articles and explaines it at large in severall Catecheticall Orations as whose office it was to instruct all his Auditors not to oppose one Heretick which as I said caused some of the. Fathers to set downe the Creed more imperfectly leaving out those Articles which were not impugned Cyrils Creed is this which followes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is I believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven earth of all things visible invisible and in one Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten son of God begotten of his Father before all worlds incarnate and made man crucifyed and buried he rose againe from the Dead the third Day he ascended into the Heavens and sitteth at the right hand of the Father and shall come to judge the quick and the dead And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Comforter who spake by the Prophets one holy Catholick Church one Baptisme of Repentance for the remission of sinnes the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Any one at the first sight may perceive that this is the same with that which we now call the Apostles Creed in the full sense and substance of it only a little altered in some few words and explayned in two or three Articles by some Additionall Particles This was the confession of Faith received in the Church of Ierusalem the mother Church of the Christian World where this Cyril was Catechist and afterward Patriarch Ruffinus cals it Symbolum Orientale the Creed of the Easterne Church and compares it in his Exposition with the Romane and Aquileian But of this more hereafter 8. Chrysostome hath wrote two Homelies upon the Creed in the former whereof he sets the Creed downe in this forme which I am to give you out of the Latine Edition of Erasmus having not as yet met with the Greeke Originall although sought for both in Sr H. Saviles Edition and that of Fronto ducaeus Credo in Deū Patrem Omnipotentem in unicum Filium ejus Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum iste natus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Mariâ Virgine crucifixus est sub Pontio Pilato sepultus est postquam mortuus tertia die a mortuis resurrexit sedet ad dextram Patris inde venturus est judicare vivos mortuos credo in Spiritum sanctum Iste spiritus perducet ad sanctam Ecclesiam ipsa est quae dimittit peccata promittit carnis resurrectionem promittit vitam aeternam that is I believe in God the Father Almighty and in his only Son our Lord Jesus Christ conceived by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary crucifyed under Pontius Pilate dead and buried the third Day he rose againe from the dead he sitteth at the right hand of the Father from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the holy Ghost He bringeth us to the holy Church shee it is which forgiveth sinnes promiseth the resurrection of the Body promiseth Life Everlasting The consonancy of this Creed to that of the Apostles is sufficiently manifest without farther Descant To these Testimonies I shall crave leave to adde that Confession of Faith which the Arch-heretick Arius with his companion Euzoius presented to the Emperour Constantine in writing who being perswaded by a certaine Presbyter whom his Sister Constantia at her death had commended to him sent for Arius to Constantinople after he had beene banished from Alexandria for not subscribing to the Nicene councill whither being come with Euzoius the Emperour asked him whether or no he assented to the Nicen Creed Arius feigning that he did was straitwaise commanded by him to put his Beleefe in writing which he did in this Forme in the name of himselfe and Euzoius we find it thus recorded by Socrates in his Ecclesiasticall History lib. 1. c. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. We believe in one God the Father Almighty and in the Lord Jesus Christ his Sonne begotten of him before all worlds God the word by whom all things were made both which are in Heaven and which are one Earth who came downe and was incarnate and Suffered and Rose againe and ascended into the Heavens shall come againe to judge the Quick and Dead And in the Holy Ghost the Resurrection of the Body the life of the world to come and the Kingdome of Heaven and one Catholick Church of God spred over the whole world This Confession of Faith as I conceive by the Forme was the Ancient Creed of the Church of Alexandria wherof this Arius was Presbyter deposited therein by its first Bishop S. Marke who received it from the mouths of the Apostles and more particularly from St Peter who sent him thither for it was common with the Hereticks to shelter themselves under the generall Tearmes of the Apostles Creed which admitted of diverse constructions and so lay the more open to be abused and perverted by their unsound Glosses thus did Photinus aworse than Arius some years after thus doe his Disciples the Socinians at this Day Only Arius may be thought to have somewhat enlarged this Apostolicall Creed in the second Article touching the Divinity of our Saviour the better to counterfeit his assent to what the Nicene Fathers had declared in that Point and decreed to be held From these Testimonies of the Greeke Fathers who can best witnesse the Faith of the Easterne Churches we may raise these observations but
more especially from the two Creeds of Marcellus and Chrysostome to which we may adde that of Arius 1. That the Greeke Church received the Apostles Creed by Tradition as well as the Latine Church therefore it was no composure of the Romane Clergy as some invidiously affirme 2. That this Creed was extant amongst them long before the yeare 400 contrary to the assertion of some for both Marcellus and Chrysostome flourished before that time especially Marcellus who convinced the Arians in the Councill of Nice as Epiphanius tells us in the fore cited place Haer. 72. 3. That these Creeds are found upon record after that the Nicene Creed was framed which shewes that the Nicene as it was not the first so it was not the only Creed of the Greeke Church yea it shewes that the Apostles Creed was of publike use amongst them rather then the Nicene which was made but upon a particular occasion viz. The detection and suppression of the Arian heresy Afterwards indeed when a full Creed was composed in the second Generall Councell held at Constantinople wherin the foure last Articles of the Apostles Creed were added to the Nicene and some of them amplified more at larg partly for Illustration of the Faith partly in opposition to Hereticks then that Creed began to be publickly used in the Greeke Church and inserted in their liturgy yet not as a Creed contradistinct to that of the Apostles but as one including or containing it so that we may not unfitly call it the Apostles Creed growne Bigger the parts or Limbs the same the Quantity only augmented 4. That the Greeke Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which S. Cyrils Creed addes to the foure last Articles redounds by a Pleonasme as also in that of Arius for neither Marcellus nor Chrysostome prefixe it to those Articles CAP. V. Testimonies of the Creed and the composure thereof by the Apostles taken out of the Latine Fathers who beare witnes for the Westrne Churches Some objections to the contrary Answered YOU have heard what the Greek Fathers say concerning the Creed and its Originall its Frame and Authors let us now come neerer home and examine what the Fathers of the Westerne Church and other Doctors of note famous for learning and Antiquity have delivered concerning the same Argument and we shall find I hope an unanimous Consent a joynt agreement in their Testimonies which will not a little confirme this Truth to the impartiall Reader when he shall find both East and West to bring in their suffrages in the cause These Witnesses shall be fourteene viz Clemens Romanus Irenaeus Turtullian Ambrose Ierome Austin Maximus Taurinensis Crysologus Leo the Great Cassianus Eusebius Gallicanus Venantius Fortunatus Isidore of Sevil and Rabanus Maurus 1. Clemens Romanus contemporary to the Apostles and mentioned by St Paul as his fellow-worker Phil. 4. 3. Successour also to St Peter in the Bishoprick of Rome in his first Epistle Ad Fratrem Domini translated into Latine by Ruffinus hath these words Apostoli collatâiis scientiâ linguarum adhuc in uno positi symbolum quod fidelis nunc tenet ecclesia unusquisque quod sensit dicendo condiderunt ut discedentes ab inuicem hanc Regulam per omnes Gentes praedicarent that is the Apostles having the gift of Tongues confered upon them being assembled together framed that Creed which the Christian Church now keepeth every one of them contributing thereto that so departing each from other they might publish this Rule amongst all Nations And alittle after Hoc praedicti Sancti Apostoli interse per Spiritum Sanctum salubriter condiderunt This Creed the said Holy Apostles joyntly and profitably composed through the Assistance of the Holy Ghost But least we should doubt whether the Creed he heere makes mention of were the same which we now have he thus breifly Sumes up the Heads of it Summam ergò totius fidei Catholicae recensentes in qua integritas credulitatis ostenditur unius Dei omnipotentis id est Sanctae Trinitatis aequalitas declaratur mysterium Incarnationis Filii Dei qui pro Salute humani Generis a Patre de Coelo descendens de virgine nasci dignatus est quoque ordine quando mortem pertulerit quomodo sepultus surrexerit in carne ipsa Coelos ascenderit ad dexteramque Patris consederit Judex venturus sit qualiter Remissionem Peccatorum sacro Baptismo renatis contulerit Resurrectionem humani Generis in eadem Carne in vitam aeternam futuram sic docuerunt That is The Apostles recounting the summe of the Catholick Faith wherin the whole Beleefe of a Christian is declared viz. The Equality of one Almighty God the Holy Trinity and the mystery of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God who for the Salvation of mankind descended from the Father out of Heaven deigned to be borne of a Virgin how and when he suffered Death how after his Buriall he arose and in the same Body ascended into Heaven and sate on the right hand of the Father and shall come as Judge and how he conferred remission of sinnes on those who were regenerated by holy Baptisme and that there shall be a resurrection of mankind in the same Body unto life Everlasting thus have they taught us And alittle after Et quod in primordio ejusdem Symboli praeponitur Credo in Deum Patrem Omnipotentem praeclarum fidei Testimonium Fundamentum in prima fronte monstratur that is That which is set in the begining of the Creed I believe in God the Father Almighty shewes in the very front a renowned Testimony and Foundation of the Faith I am not ignorant that not a few among the Learned doubt of this Epistle whether it truly belong to Clemens or be a counterfeit set forth under his name as many Decretal Epistles have beene falsly ascribed to severall of the Ancient Bishops of Rome and they bring this for the cheife if not only reason of their Doubt that the Author of this Epistle which is entituled unto Iames the Brother of the Lord makes mention therein of the Death of Peter whereas Peter survived Iames Iames being Martyred at Ierusalem about the midest of Nero's Empire as both Iosepus and Eusebius witnesse but Peter was Crucified at Rome in the latter end thereof For the satisfaction of which doubt I shall desire my Reader to consider what followes First that the stile of this Epistle relisheth of the Ancient primitive Simplicity and that it is entitled To the Brother of the Lord with this Addition Episcopo Episcoporum regenti Hebraeorum sanctam Ecclesiam Hierosolymis sed omnes Ecclesias quae ubique Dei Providentiâ fundatae suut In which words the Author of this epistle gives this Iames two eminent Titles namely Bishop of Bishops and Vniversall Bishop and both of them I conceive in regard of his See Ierusalem where he was constituted the first Bishop that ever was in the Christian World the Bishop of that
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
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
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
succeeding Creeds which the whole Church hath for many Ages imbraced they were Framed in generall Councels or confirmed by Generall Practise Now the Catholick Church which received the Creed from the Apostles and preserved â—t as an inviolable Depositum may justly be presumed best to know the meaning of it the Common Mother of Christians can best informe us which is the true sence of the Common Faith and hath sufficienâ— authority to impose it upon Her Children Reas 4. Those Fathers who wrote since the Nicene Councell set downe and explaine that Creed which beareth the Apostles name not that which was framed in the Councell of Nice as appeares by the fore-cited Testimonies Now this they would not nor could have done if the Nicene Creed had been the first The first Father whom we find to meddle with or handle the Nicene Creed is St Cyril Patriarch of Alexandria who flourished an whole Century after the making of it Doth not this plainly shew that the Church had still the prime if not the sole respect to that Symbole or Rule of Faith which the Apostles left her as the maine Basis on which the Faith of her Children was built the Root whereout other Creeds as so many Branches sprung the Fathers who since the celebration of that Councell have explained and commented on the Apostles Creed I have already mentioned viz. Chrysostome Augustine Chrysologus Venantius Eusebius c. Reason 5th It is a received Rule which S. Augustine laies downe lib. 4. De Baptismo cont Donat. cap. 24. Quod universa tenet Ecclesia nec Conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate Apostolicâ traditum rectissimè creditur That is That which the universall Church holdeth and hath alwaies retained not being ordained by a Councell is most justly believed to have been derived unto us by the Authority of the Apostles And this rule is grounded upon good Reason besides the Authority of the deliverer for a generall effect must have as generall a cause they must be both of the same latitude and extent now there is no Generall cause imagineable of a publiquely received Doctrine Goverment Ceremony or Discipline in the Catholicke Church such especially as is derived to it from hand to hand time out of mind but the Authority of a Generall Councell which is the Church Representative or the concordant preaching of the Apostles who first planted Christianity in the Churches of the whole world So then to apply this Rule unto our present purpose That the whole Church holds the Apostles Creed experience demonstrates that it hath been alwayes reteined in the Church the Testimonies of the fore-aleadged Fathers shew and that it was not Framed in any Genenerall Councell sufficienty appears both by the copies of those Creeds which were framed in them found varying from that of the Apostles as also by the writing of those Fathers who lived before the first General Councel held at Nice wherein they make mention of a Rule of Faith derived downe to them from the Apostles which some of them also set downe as Irenaeus Tertullian Origen Reason 6th Before the Nicene Creed was framed both the Easterne and Westerne Churches had an Ancient Symbole or Creede Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 6. Which could be no other than that of the Apostles since no other is assigned or mentioned by any good Author First That the Westerne or Romane Church had such an Ancient Symble appeares 1. By the words of Vigilius Byshop of Rome lib. 4. De Eutiche Roma antequam Nicena Synodus conveniret a temporibus Apostolorum usque all nunc ita fidelibus Symbolum tradidit viz. in Jesum Christum Filium ejus Dominum nostrum leaving out the Particle Vnicum That is The Church of Rome even before the Nicene Councell from the very Apostles times till this present in these termes delivered the Creed unto Believers And in Jesus Christ his Sonne our Lord leaving out the Particle Only 2. By Ruffinus in his Tract on the Creed who compares the Aquilean Creed with the Romane and withall tells us that the Creed was believed so ancient in his time that it was then held for an Apostolicall Tradition Now this Ruffinus was a man of note in the Church nine yeares before the first Councell of Constantinople viz. in the yeare 372. when he went with Melama from Rome to Alexandria about which time also S. Ierome wrote letters to him namely his Epist 5. 41. Secondly that the Easterne Churches had an ancient Creed too before the Nicene Councell appears by the same Ruffinus who compares the Aquilean Creed with that of the East as well as with the Romane The same appears by Cyril of Ierusalem who explaines it at large in his Catecheses and this Creed of his explaining we shall find much consonant to that which we now call the Apostolicall only cutting off some few exegeticall Particles which were added to fore-arme his Auditors and other orthodox Christians against succrescent Heresies to which Creed of his he adjoynes also some practicall Grounds for the more compleat instruction and Preparation of them against the time of Baptisme This Cyril was first Catechist then Patriarch of Ierusalem and sate afterwards in the first Councell held at Constantinople where the Easterne Bishops were only present and composed a Creed almost in the same termes with this of Cyril He composed these Catecheses in his youth about the yeare 350 and died in the yeare 386 five years after the celebration of that Councell as the learned Vossius demonstrates out of Leo and S. Jerome compared with a passage in his sixt Catechesis Now as the Fathers of the first Councell at Constantinople laboured not to frame a new Creed but were contented to enlarge the Article concerning the Holy Ghost against Macedonius who perverted it so we may justly suppose that the Nicene Fathers retained the words of that Creed which had been of old received in the East least they might otherwise seeme to have framed a new Faith amplifying only the Article concerning the Divinity of our Saviour which was then called in question by Arius that so it might appeare to the World quaedam tantummodo explicatius dici as the same Vossius rightly conceives Cut off therefore from the Nicene or Constantinopolitan Creed or from that of Cyril which much symbolizeth with it the Additionals unto those two Articles and you have the whole Creed of the Apostles for the Communion of Saints is not a distinct Article but a part or Paraphrase of what goes before Saints being implyed in in Holy and Communion in Church or Congregation Ecclesia which is an Assembly of selected People and Christs descent into Hell is presupposed to the Article of his Resurrection Therefore to think that Cyril in his old Age or Iohn the Patriarch his Successor added all that to the Jerosolymitan Creed which followes the Articles of the Holy Ghost is nothing probable because Cyril doth not barely
Luke in the Acts was not altogether so necessary it being enough that it was otherwise testified that lastly S. Luke probably omitted it because it was a thing so vulgarly knowen in the Christian Church the Apostles delivering it to be kept and used wheresoever they Preached Secondly though S. Luke make no expresse mention of this Creed of the Apostles yet S. Paul in diverse of his Epistles not obscurely alludes unto it under severall Formes Phrases of Speech as hath bin shewen at large before so also doth S. Jude v. 3. Thirdly S. Luke sets downe the Apostles Decree concerning the ceremoniall Law because it was the Result of a Generall Councell and that Councell occasiond by a great Dissention in the Church of Antioch which sent to the Apostles about the Resolution of this question Now matters of dissention are the chiefe Theme of Histories and that Councell with the Proceedings and Formes thereof is set downe on purpose as a patterne to all succeeding Ages As for the Creed or Canon of Faith there was no such occasion for the mentioning of it seeing no Cavill then arose about it nor any generall Councell concurred to the Composure of it but only a private meeting of the Apostles Ob. 2d. Not one of the Ancient Fathers who lived within the three first Centuries spake of any such thing in any of their writings and yet they should best know it whose Times were nearest unto the Apostles Then of so many Church-historians who studiously gathered together the confessions of Synods and Anti-Synods not one makes mention of this though a matter of the greatest consequence as being the Rule of Faith and mother of all following Confessions I Answer First That the Ancient Fathers who lived within the three first Centuries make mentiō of the Creed and the Composure thereof by the Apostles I appeale to the former Testimonies cited out of Irenaeus Tertutullian and Origen who all lived within two hundred yeers after our Saviours Assension Secondly Though we have not any Comments extant on the Creed written by the Fathers of the three first Centuries Origen excepted who largely expounds it in his Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet it is more than probable that more of them expounded it paraphrastically First because Ruffinus who lived in the next Age in the Preface to his Exposition of the Creed tels us of those before him comperi saith he nonnullos illustrium Tractatorum aliqua de his pie breviter edidisse That some famous Authors had wrote piously and briefly on this Subject And a litle after Tentabimus quae omissa videntur a prioribus ad implere That he would endevour to supply what had been omitted by former Writers Secondly because it was the custome of the Ancient Bishops to expound the Creed unto Catechumeni when they came to Baptisme at those two solemne times of the year Easter Pentecost as appears by those Homilies or Catecheticall Sermons now extant of Cyril Chrysostome Austin Chrysollogus and others many more doubtles there were framed by former Bishops which either were never committed to paper or being then writen are now lost 3ly As to the silence of Ecclesiastical Historians touching this subject a little observation will informe us that nouell strange singular Passages are the usuall Arguments of their Pens not things Publick knowne and received such as the Creed is was common then in every Novices mouth So the Romane Historians set not downe their lawes customes court-proceedings as things vulgarly known and of daily practice amongst them the omission whereof rendring their Histories obscure to strangers they are set downe distinctly by Dionysius Halycarnasseus 'T is sufficient that severall Fathers in most Ages occasionally make mention of it when they had to deale with Hereticks who denied or perverted it But that Ancient Church-Historians mention the severall Confessions of Faith which were framed in severall Synods and Anti-Synods as Socrates and others in the businesse of the Arian faction hath this double Reason That they were New and contrary to each other whereas the Apostles Creed was an Old known Tradition and received verbo-tenùs by the Arians as well as the Catholicks whence it was that to unmaske their false Glosses the Catholicks were faine to adde by way of explication unto the second Article of the Creed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so to cleare the true meaning thereof and distinguish themselves from the corrupters of the Faith Ob. 3d The very Language of the Creed convinceth it to be yonger than the Age of the Apostles for the word Catholick was not knowen in their Time as witnesseth Pacianus in his Epistle to Sympronianus It is likly it was added in after Ages to distinguish the Vniversall Church spred through out the whole world from the Canventicles of Hereticks and Schismaticks suth as the Novatians and Donastists for if it be said this word was added to distinguish the Christian Church from the Jewish Synogogues circumscribed within the limits of the land of Canaan 't is an improbable Reason because in the Apostles Age there were as many if not more Jewes out Palastine than in it as apeares by the History of the Acts. I Answer 1. Some one word might possibly be added in succeeding Times by way of explication to distinguish the True Church from the Conventicles of Hereticks and yet not prejudice the Antiquity of the whole So St Austin seemes to include it in the Epethete Holy for when he comes to this Article hee addes by way of explication to Sanctam Ecclesiam Vtique Catholicam In case of reply that if one word be added why not many and if the Church might doe so in one Age why not at other times I rejoyne That one word might be added then but by way of explication only not to supply a mutilous member or defective Article but the Forme being now setled for so many hundred years such liberty is taken away together with the cause of it the full and genuine sence of the Creed having been abundanty delivered to the Church in succeeding Exegeticall Creeds and expositions of the Fathers so that there is now no need of coyning new words or Phrases by way of explication But Secondly We have no need to make use of this supposall for the word Catholick might very well be placed in the Creed from the Original composure of it notwithstanding whatsoever is produced to the contrary from the testimony of Pacianus for this Pacianus Bishop of Barcelona and contemporary to S. Jerome in his first Epistle to Sympronianus the Novatian which is entituled De Catholico Nomine after he had dealt with him very gently in the begining superscribing his Epistle thus Pacianus Symproniano Fratri to winne him over the more effectually to the Communion of the Church in the Body of his Epistle he useth these words Sub Apostolis inquies nemo Catholicus vocabatur Esto sic fuerit vel illud indulge cum post Apostolos haereses
contentions dayly growing hotter betweene them had like to have seperated the East and West about a syllabicall difference But Athanasius saith he with much patience and prudence calling unto him and hearing both Parties having examined their meaning and the sense of the words when he found them agreeing in the thing signifyed and at no difference about the doctrine it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 granting them the diversity of their Termes he unites them together in the same Truth Secondly Though we hold it most certaine that the Apostles considered single and apart delivered nothing to the Church either by word or writing but what they were specially assisted in by the holy Ghost and therefore most undoubtedly true yet for ought I know as the holy Ghost revealed not all truths to the Apostles at once no not when he descended on them at the Feast of Pentecost but delayed the manifesting of some till afterwards as for example the Conversion of the Gentiles to Peter in the vision of the sheet Act. 10. So he might not reveale some truthes unto them when they were single and apart but only when they met and consulted together For though every one of them by himselfe was infallible in all necessary Points that is so as to deliver nothing contrary to the Faith or Truth of Christian Religion yet without any Derogation to his priviledge they might need the more especiall assistance of the holy Ghost upon their Assembly to instruct them which Points of Faith were necessary to Salvation which not We have a famous Instance of this recorded Act. 15. For when there arose a great question in the Church of Antioch whether the Gentiles newly converted in Syria and Cilicia should be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses That Paul and Barnabas were sent unto Jerusalem about it v. 2. that the Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this matter v. 6. What needed this considering in a solemne meeting if they had been ascertained what to resolve before they met It followes v. 7. That there was much disputing or debate in the Councell Why not even among the Apostles themselves who were the chiefe members thereof At least this disputing might have been spared or cut short by the Apostles as a thing unnecessary if it had not beene thought a good and needfull Preamble unto a finall Decision If the Church had conceived S. Peter or any other of the Apostles an infallible Judge in this Point with out due examination thereof and the speciall assistance of the holy Ghost in a Synod they might have spared both their meeting and dispute But when there had been much disputing and not before they joyntly determined what Lawes to free them from and what to impose upon them as things necessary to be observed v. 28. Namly the abstaining from Bloud and consequently things strangled v. 29. According to that primitive law given to the Sons of Noah Ge. 9. 4. a Law still observed by the Greek Church by the Moscontieth their neighbour churches of Polād which have admitted the Reformation and long observed generally by the whole Western Church even til the Times of Ludovicus Pius as appeares by his and his Father Charles capitular together with the abstaining from Fornication and things offered to Idols which the Apostle makes a species of Idolatry 1 Cor. 10. 19 20 21. And are more clearly against the Morall Law though not so esteemed by the generality of the Gentiles Then and not before they use that stile It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us that is To us in the Plurall to us assembled together Consonantly to this S. Paul tells us more plainly Gal. 2. 2. that long after his conversion and calling unto his Apostleship he went up to Jerusalem by Revelation and communicated the Gospell which he Preached among the Gentiles unto the Apostles who there resided namely to Iames Cephas and Iohn giving this for a Reason least saith he by any meanes I should run or had run in vaine Gal. 2. 2. Now the composing of the Creed wherein were to be comprised the maine Grounds of Christian Religion was a matter of the highest consequence and so might very well require the joynt and serious deliberation of the Twelve together with the speciall assistance of Gods spirit Thirdly To the Reply against the second Reason I Answer That 't is a groundlesse supposall to think that the Persons to be Baptized in the Apostles times were required to believe only in Iesus Christ or in the Trinity alone for First we find other Principles of Christian Doctrine distinctly set downe in Heb. 6. 1 2. And Preached by the Apostles before they Baptized their Auditors for instance the Article of Remission of Sinnes by Peter Act. 10. 43. And by Paul Act. 13. 38 39. The Article of the Creation of the World by the same Paul Act. 17. 24. Secondly As for beliefe in Iesus Christ the Apostles indeed required it as the maine poynt as we read in the History of the Eunuch Act. 18. 37. and of the Jaylor Act. 16. 31. Yet not as the sole poynt for beliefe in the holy Ghost was also required as appeares by the history of the Disciples at Ephesus Act. 19. 2 3 6. 'T is mentioned therefore as the principall and that which virtually includes all the rest for to believe in Jesus Christ as wee ought is to believe the Doctrine which he taught revealed unto the world from the Father as the guide or light to true Blessednesse now what was this but the Gospell of Salvation whereof the Creed for mater of Doctrinalls is the Epitome consult to this purpose Io. 17. 3. And chap. 3. 13. 36. Thirdly As for beliefe in the most Holy Trinity it gives us more scope as that which comprehends all the Articles of our Faith for as to believe in Jesus Christ implicitely conteines all the mysteries of our Redemption viz. His Godhead Incarnation and Birth Passion Buriall Descent into Hell Resurrection Assension Sitting on the right hand of the Father and second comming to Judgment so to believe in God the Father conteines his workes of Creation and Providence which are the Visible effects of his eternall Power and Godhead Ro. 1. 20. And to believe in the holy Ghost involves the whole worke of Sanctification the applying of Christs Benefits to his Church and compleating the Salvation of mankind which are distinctly set downe in the foure last Articles And this S. Chrysostome teacheth us in his first homily on the Creed already cited where his Text ends thus I believe in the holy Ghost but in his explication he thus unravels the Article and layes it open to view in its full extent who brings us to the holy Church she remiteth our sinnes promiseth the Resurrection of the Body and life everlasting This beliefe therefore in Christ or in the Trinity is not to be nakedly simply understood as if no other Particulars were required but with
time of Preaching the Gospell to the Gentiles and incorporating them into the Church was not before revealed as appears by the Series of the story now this conversion of Cornelius is placed by Baronius Aº 41. the very same yeare wherein S. Mathews Gospell according to him was written It is most probable therefore that this Dispersion of the Apostles happened in that Persecution of Herod mentioned Act. 12. for presently after this we find Paul and Barnabas solemnely consecrated and sent away from Antioch by the holy Ghosts command for the performance of this great worke the conversion of the Gentiles Ast. 13. 2 3 4. Whereas before the Gospell was Preached unto the Jewes only or at the most unto the Hellenists who were Jewes by Nation or Religion that is Jewish Proselites at least though they speake the language of the Grecians amongst whom they lived This appears Act. 11. 19 20. And to this accord the words of S. Chrysostome Apostoli praedicaverunt Iudaeis longoque temporis spatio caesi slagellati in Iudaeâ manentes ac demum ab ipsis propulsi in Gentes profecti sunt That is The Apostles Preached unto the Jewes and having been a long time scourged and beaten yet abode in Iewry till at length being driven out by them they went forth unto the Gentiles Hom. 70. in Mat. cap. 22. Compare herewith Act. 1. 8. chap. 13. 46 47. Thirdly S. Austins meaning in those words may well be thus construed The Articles of the Creed lye disperst in the Scriptures of both Testaments which in his Time were fully and compleatly extant and were collected from thence That is partly from the Old Testament then written partly from the History of the New which the Apostles were eye and eare-witnesses of and shortly after committed to writing Otherwise we must make him palpably to contradict himselfe for elsewhere he more then once affirmes that the Twelve Apostles composed the Creed which now bears their name and which he there explaines Object 10th If the Creed were composed by the Apostles latter Ages out of respect unto them would not have added ought unto it as we see they did in the Creeds of Nice Chalcedon and that of Athanasius for the Church of Rome was very slow to adde one particle unto the Constantinopolitan Creed viz. Filioque thereby to signify the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son as well as the Father though fully perswaded of the Truth thereof so greatly did they respect those 150 Bishops who composed it although they had made some Canons in prejudice of the former Dignity not only of the Alexandrian but of the Roman See Sure succeeding Ages owed far more reverence to the Apostles Answ Succeeding Ages added nothing to the Apostles Creed but only explained some Articles which by reason of their briefnesse or obscurity had been perverted by hereticall Glosses Now this was no disrespect but in honour of the Apostles thus to vindicate their Creed from false Interpretations and so restore it to its primitive Lustre and Integrity Secondly The Constantinopolitan Creed Framed by those 150 Fathers of the Easterne Church had been confirmed by the Church of Rome in the Synod under Damasus no marvaile then if they were not over forward to adde the Particle Filioque without their consents who were the prime Framers of that Creed least by so doing they should seeme to vary as well from themselves as the Fathers of that Councell Howsoever then that Councell might exalt the Dignity of the Constantinopolitan Patriarch now seated in the Head City of the Empire to the seeming prejudice of the Bishop of Rome yet in matter of Faith such as the Creed there was no disagreement at all and so no ground of Alteration If it be replyed That to charge the Creed writen for the capacity of the meanest with obscurity is something hard that to insert ought or adde to it though by way of explication would be thought great presumption that to think they would adde any thing to it who would not endure that of filioque to be put into a Creed of humane Composure when they agreed in the matter is hardly credible Besides that succeeding Ages have added to the Creed in some Particulars is apparent in the Nicene and if those additions be only explications yet to joyne them with the other Articles and to urge them as necessary accounting all those Heretickes who receive them not is all one as to make new Articles or fundamentall Truthes and withall it secretly taxeth the Apostles Creed of insufficiency and obscurity without those Additions I rejoyne First That the Creed in it selfe is plaine for the capacity of the meanest yet the briefnes generally indefinitenes of some Articles hath laid it open to variety of Glosses and those oft Hereticall which hath forced the Church to deliver the true meaning thereof by exegeticall Additions Seconly As for these explicatory Particles the Fathers fecht them not from their owne Braines but from Apostolicall Tradition Conserved in the Church from hand to hand and attested by the writings of precedent Bishops to whom the Apostles both delivered the wordes of the Creed and the true sence of each Article and hence it is that they urged and imposed their explications on the Church as necessary to be believed Neither Thirdly Is the Apostles Creed hereby argued of Insufficiency or obscurity seeing nothing is added to it as if it were Defective in it selfe or explaind as if it were of it selfe obscure 'T is only vindicated by this meanes from corrupt Glosses and restored to its primitive sense and meaning so the Scripture in like manner though cleare in all necessary Points and more copious by far than the Creed yet hath been abused in all Ages by curious and Daring Heads whence so many large comments on it for remedy to this mischiefe and we see dayly that lawes though as clearly framed as may be yet stand in need of Glosses and Additionall Interpretations when abused by reason of their Generality Lastly As to the addition of the Particle Filioque it is not of the same Nature because it was annext to the Creed contrary to the Decree of the third Generall Councell contrary to the mind and open protestation of the Greeke Church which had framed that Creed at Constantinople and by on part of the Church only viz. The See of Rome her adherents in the west Ob. 11h. If after Ages were forced by new succrescent Heresies to adde something unto the Apostles Creed yet sure if they had thought it to be theirs they would never have taken ought frō it for this had been a ready course to make way for new Heresies wheras we find severall Articles of the Creed omitted by them in their new-framed Symboles Answ The Councels and Fathers which have delivered unto us new Symboles or Confessions of Faith occasioned by emergent Heresies or rather explications of the old Creed in some particulars which were
adjectum neither added any thing thereto therefore they judged that Doctrine full and compleat Now that by the Doctrine of the Apostles he meanes the Creed appears clearly by the precedent words The forecited Testimonies of Jo. Pappus Chr. Barbarossa and Pet. Martyr say as much which who so please may looke back upon for farther satisfaction CAP X. The Third head of this Discourse namely The severall Reasons or significations of the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Creed beares in the Originall Greeke THE Apostles Creed is styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Symbole for more Reasons than one all taken from the severall Significations of the word found even in profane Authors First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Collecta or Collatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a conferendo that is a Feast or Supper whereto every one of the Guests brought his share either in meat or mony which kind of Feast was also by an other usuall name called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now this acception of the word well suits with the Creed as having reference both to the Makers and the Matter For the makers or Composers of the Creed were the twelve Apostles parallell in number to the twelve Articles whereof it consists And the matter of the Creed consists of the severall points of Faith gathered out of the whole Scripture and heare United in one methodicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Breviary This also well consorts with an other signification of the word mentioned by Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 33. cap. 1. Both Greekes and Romanes saith he in latter Times called a Ring Symbolum Probably from the severall parcels or graines of Gold melted and fashioned into one Orbicâ—e which graines aptly signify the severall Parts and the orbicular figure the Perfection of the Creed This reason of the name we find given by Clemens Romanus Ruffinus Saint Austin Cassianus and Venantius Fortunatus Secondly The word signifies Tessera Pacti a Tally in Contracts a Bond or Indenture such as we make with God in our Baptisme by profession of our Faith in the Creed wherein the Articles of our Covenant with God for matter of Beliefe are comprized from which if we recede we breake our Covenant and so renounce our Christendome thereby forfeiting all the priviledges of our Baptisme This reason of the name is rendred by Chrysologus Hom. 62. in Symb. Placitum vel pactum quod lucri spes venientis continet vel futuri Symbolum nuncupari contractu etiam docemur humano quod tamen Symbolum inter duos format semper geminata conscriptio in stipulatione cautum reddit humana cautela ne cui surrepat ne quem decipiat perfidia contractibus semper inimica Sed hoc inter homines inter quos fraus a quo facta est aut cui facta est semper laedit inter Deum vero homines Symbolum fidei sola fide firmatur non literae sed spiritui creditur mandatur cordi non chartae quia divinum Creditum humana non indiget Cautione And alittle after Sed dicis qui falli non potest quid est quod exiget Placitum Quid Symbolum quaerit quaerat ille propter te non propter se non quia ille dubitat sed ut tu Credas The summe is That in humane Contracts there are required two Symbola or Tabellae the Indenture and the Counterpane and both these in writing to prevent mistakes and cheatings but one only is required in our Baptismall contract or Covenant to wit our Bond giuen to God not in writing but by way of parole publisht in the face of the Church The reason is because God can be neither decieved nor decieve but we unlesse thus bound might through humane frailty more easily depart from the Faith profest and in fringe our Articles not to the decieving of God who knowes us better than our selves but to the destroying of our Grace and the forfeiting of our glory Hitherto also belongs that of Genebrard in his Booke De Trinitate Aristoteles pulchre dixit elementa quae inter se qualitate unâ communicant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solebant autem Graeci in pactis conventis uti quibusdam tesseris quae loco tabularum syngrapharumque essent ex quibus jus diceretur quae vocarentur Symbola ergo summa fidei compendio verborum concepta ab Apostolis sive ab Ecclesiâ representativâ verè Existit Symbolum quòd ea in judicium Ecclesiae relata declaret penes eum Religionis virtutem esse qui ipsa in suae fidei Probationem confert nam certe penes illum consistit Religionis veritas cui benè credulitate convenit cum doctrinâ Apostolicâ cujus Symbolum est consensionis conventique nota certissima Thirdly The word signifies Tessera Amicitiae or Tessera hospitalis a certaine Token which not only particular men gave to their Friends and Allies but which Citties also publikly be stowed on some well-deserving men that so in their Travailes they might upon producing thereof be friendly received and courteously entertained in the confederate Townes So Budaeus informes us out of Lysias the Orator Now this Confession of our Faith in the Creed hath the same nature and use among all Churches wheresoever disperst over the face of the whole Earth for whosoever brings this Tessera or Token with him is to be received as a Brother But if there come any unto you saith St John and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your House neither bid him God speed 2 Io. 10. To this Sence alludes Leo the Great in his Epistle or Tract against Eutyches Fraterna vos paterna solicitudine commonemus ut inimicos Catholicae fidei hostes Ecclesiae incarnationis dominicae negatores instituto a Sanctis Apostolis Symbolo repugnantes in nullum recipiatis consensionis affectum we warne you out of a fraternall and a fatherly care that ye receive not into your communion the enimies of the Catholick Faith the adversaries of the Church the Denyers of the Lords incarnation and the oppugners of the Creed by the holy Apostles Fourthly The word signifies Insigne militare a military Flag Ensigne or Banner by which Souldiers are knowen to what Captaine or Generall they belong So Herodian in the 4th booke of his history tells us of the Emperour Antonius Caracalla that partly to ingratiate himselfe the more with the Souldiers partly to harden himselfe in warlike exercises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He sometimes bare on his own shoulders the weightiest Ensignes of the Army Now this signification also well agrees to the Creed for by this Profession of our Faith we shew that we belong to Christ our Generall fighting under his Banner against our three enemies the World the Flesh and the Divell His Cognizance we take on us in our Baptisme by attesting to the Creed either in our own Persons if Adulti or if Infants in Personis Susceptorum Fiftly
depositum delivered her from Heaven The occasion of this Creed so revealed was the Heresy of Paulus Samosatenus taken up afterwards by Photinus who denyed the Divinity of our Saviour and consequently overthrew the Trinity which heresy then staggerd many in those Easterne Parts and was therefore condemned in a Synod at Antioch wherof this Paulus was Patriarch The words thereof are these viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is There is one God the Father of the living word of the subsisting wisdome the eternall Power and Character the perfect Father of him that is Perfect the Father of the only-begotten Sonne There is one Lord the only Lord from or of the only Lord God of God the character and image of the Fathers Divinity the operative or effectuall word the wisdome which comprehendeth the whole frame of the World the Power which made the whole Creation the True the Invisible the Incorruptible the Immortall the Eternall Sonne of the True Invisible Incorruptible Immortall and Eternall Father And one Holy Ghost having his subsistence of or from God and by the Sonne clearely manifested unto men the perfect Image of the perfect Sonne the quickening life of the Living that Holinesse which is the Author of Sanctification by whom God the Father is manifested who is above all and in all and God the Sonne who is through all The perfect Trinity neither divided nor diversified from each other in Glory Eternity or Majesty There is not therefore in the Trinity ought created or subservient to another Person nor ought superinduced as not existing at first but afterwards added so that the Father was never without the Sonne nor the Sonne without the Holy Ghost but the same Trinity abideth alwaies without the least change or Alteration The Second Creed is that Confession of Faith made by Eusebius Caesariensis before the Fathers of the Nicene Councell and approved of by them and by the Emperour Constantine it runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of all Things both visible and invisible and in one Lord Jesus Christ the Word of God God of God Light of Light Life of Life the only begotten Son the First-borne of every Creature begotten of the Father before all Worlds by whom all things were made who was Incarnate for our Salvation and conversed amongst men suffered rose againe the Third Day ascended unto the Father and shall come againe with Glory to judge both the quick and the dead We believe also in the Holy Ghost See for this Creed Soc. Hist lib. 1. cap. 5. Theod. lib. 1. cap. 12. Athan. Op. Tom. 2. Pag. 48. Edit Commelin The Nicene Fathers added some Passages to this Creed for the fuller conviction of the Arian Heresy and thus proposed it to the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of all Things both visible and invisible and in one Lord Jesus Christ the Sonne of God the only-begotten of his Father begotten of the substance of his Father God of God Light of Light very God of very God begotten not made consubstantiall to the Father by whom all Things were made both which are in Heaven and which are in Earth who for us Men and for our Salvation came downe was Incarnate made Man suffered and rose again the third Day he ascended into the Heavens and shall come to judge the quick and the dead And in the Holy Ghost Both these Confessions the lesser of Eusebius and the larger of the Councell leave off at the Article of the Holy Ghost because the Arian controversy which was then in agitation required no more not that the Ancient Creed brake off there whence the Arian Bishops who assembled at Antioch Aº 341. When they came in the rehearsall of their Faith to the Article of the Holy Ghost they added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is If it be needfull to adde so much we believe also the Resurrection of the Dead and the life everlasting See for this Soc. lib. 2. cap. 1. Athan. Tom. 7. pag. 687. Comm. As for the Creed of Eusebius which the Nicene Fathers thus enlarged he prefaceth it with this Elogy which shews its Antiquity and Authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As we have received from the Bishops our Predecessors both in our first Catechising and at our Baptisme as we have learned from the Holy Scriptures and as we have believed and taught both when we were Presbyter and when we came to be Bishop so also now believing we propose this our Faith unto you The Third Creed was framed in the Arian Synod at Antioch for Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia the great Patron of the Arians being made Bishop of Constantinople by the Emperour Constantius calls a Councell at Antioch the Bishops whereof not daring openly to taxe what had been decreed in the Nicene Councell yet desiring to overthrow privily the consubstantiality of the Sonne with the Father thus altered the forme of the Nicene Creed viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Wee Believe consonantly to the Evangelicall and Apostolicall Tradition in one God the Father Almighty Framer and Maker of all Things and in one Lord Jesus Christ his only-begotten Sonne God by whom all things were made begotten of his Father before all worlds God of God entire of the entire only of the only perfect of the perfect God king of the king Lord of the Lord the living Word the Wisdome the Life the true Light the way of Truth the Resurrection the Shepheard the Dore Immutable unalterable the unchangeable Image of the Divine essence Power Councell Glory of the Father the first-born of every creture who was in the begining with the Father God the word as it is said in the Gospell the Word was God by whom all things were made and in whom all things consist who in these last dayes came downe from above was borne of a Virgin according to the Scriptures and made man the mediator of God and men the Apostle of our Faith and Author or Prince of life as he saith I came downe from Heaven not to doe mine owne will but the will of him that sent me who suffered for us and arose for us the third Day and ascended into the Heavens and sitteth at the right hand of the Father and shall come againe with glory and Power for to Judge the Quick and the Dead and in the holy Ghost who was given for the Comfort the Sanctification and Perfecting of Believers acording as our Lord Jesus Christ Charged his Apostles saying Goe and Teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost It is manifest that the Father is Truly or really the Father the Sonne truly the Sonne and the Holy Ghost truly the Holy Ghost the names not being barely or in vaine imposed but exactly signifying the proper subsistence order