admitted Proselytes into their Religion by this Rite or Ceremony of Baptizing besides that of Circumcision as hath been observed unto us by men well verst in Rabbinical Writings and the Rituals of all ages as Ainsworth on Gen. 17.12 Heins. his Exâ—râ— on Act. 18.3 Lud de Dieu his Append on Matth. 23.15 and more fully and copiously Doctor Hammond in his fourth Quaere But indeed the Jewish and the Christian Baptisms had different purposes and designations by the one the Proselytes were baptised into Moses that is the Mosaic Law and Oâ—conomie by the other into Christ that is into his Faith Rule and Discipline And it is farther observed by the forementioned Writers that of the Jewish proselytes not onely men of years were baptized but their young Children were also baptized with them and received into the bosome of that Church to be instructed in their Law when they should come to years Which usage was taken up by John the Baptist and afterwards by Christ and his Apostles and continued in the reformed Common wealth though to another purpose and design as we touched before and this Ceremony was thought sufficient to be retained for that end when Circumcision was abolished If the issue of the Question touching Infants-baptism lay upon this Whether the Apostles of Christ did baptize Infants The Scripture by its own light doth not clear the doubt it tells us they baptized whole housholds which testimonies do of themselves make it but probable that they baptized the children of those housholds but if Catholic tradition and the voice of the Church he allowed so much civility and credit with us as to be believed for a matter of fact and story then the business would soon be put beyond all pretensions of scruple and made as secure and firm to our sense as any Article of our Creed As upon the testimony of Travellers and credible men I might be induced to believe firmly and undoubtedly that there is such a City as Constantinople though I neither saw it nor doth the Scripture make any mention of it APHOR. 6. Where it may not be had desire supplies the defect THis must be understood of the adulti or men in years that have not participated of the holy mysteries but do earnestly desire and long for them but by some impediment and invincible necessity cannot obtain them If the fault be not on their side there is no danger but the internal benefit of the Sacrament is communicated to them without the external symbols The penitent Thief on the cross went to heaven without Baptism when Simon Magus went to hell with it the children of Bethlehem that were baptized in their own blood were qualified for heaven by that Baptism without the Baptism of water and Martyrdom in any other doth entitle them to a crown even a crown of glory though unbaptized When the Emperour Valentinian died without Baptism but had determined to receive it but that he was prevented by death St. Ambrose doth state his case thus Quem regeneraturus eram amisi sed ille noâ— amisit gratiam quam poposcit I lost him saith he whom I was about to regenerate or baptise but he hath not lost the grace oâ— fruit of that Ordinance which he desired In such cases Baptismus flaminis supplet baptismum fluminis the Baptism of the Spirit doth supply the want of water-baptism and the Spirit himself doth officiate for the Minister sometimes From hence we may infer that the case of children dying without Baptism is not forlorne and disperate we may not be such Rhadamanths as to passe damnatory sentences upon them for want of that which was not in their power to compass God doth not tye any to those ordinary Laws and methods whereby he saves man but such as may have them and are capable to use them If the Parents be wanting to their child in this duty the sin sure lyes at their door and not the child's and God will require it at their hands as he did at the hands of Moses In like manner the Church of England hath declared her judgement touching the want of the Eucharist if there be no more than the bare defect If any person by extreme sickness or any other just impediment do not receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper if he truly repent him of his sins and stedfastly believe that Christ died for him he doth eat and drink the body and blood of Christ profitably to his souls health though he do not eat the Sacrament with his mouth So the Rubric for the communion of the sick A Prayer occasionally conceived upon the entring into a ruinous Church where no Prayers or Sermons had been in many years before O Eternal Holinesse and immense Goodness how sad and desolate is this place which was lately frequented by a people called by thy name to call upon thy name to seek thy face and to find thee here in thine own appointments and holy dispensations how forlorne is it now become being made a Court of Owls and a place for Satyrs to dance in I acknowledge the hand-writing upon the walls and the charactets of thy just displeasure who doest proportion punishments to the offences and makest the one legible in the analogy and suitablenesse of the other Lord if my sins have drawn thâ—se lines of confusion and of stones emptiness if by any remisness or perfunctoriness in holy Ministeries if by want of zeal for thy glory or any other way I have awaked thy justice lo here in all humility I prostrate my self before thee imploring mercy and pardon and confessing to thy glory that thou art just in all that is come upon us And if the sins of the Congregation that used to meet here have contributed to this judgement and turned away thy presence from this place either by sleighting the Mysteries that were here dispensed or the Dispensers of them we must say again that righteous art thou O Lord and true are thy judgements Thou hast been just in shutting up the doors of thy House against them that did shut their ears and hearts against thee and in taking away that food from before them which they loathed or lightly regarded Yet O Lord be mercifull both to Priest and People and turn not away thy face utterly in displeasure from them as we confesse thy justice so we implore thy mercy Lift up the light of thy countenance upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate and cause thy face to shine upon it Turn thee unto us O Lord and renew our dayes as of old Have mercy upon a distressed Church and a distracted â—tate Behold thy Ministers that are smitâ—en into Corners and their respective Congregations that wander like sheep without a shepherd that travel to and fro â—o seek the word of the Lord and cannot â—ind it Gather them O thou Shepherd of Israel â—nd do thou guide and lead them forth â—nd let thy rod and staff comfort
antientest of them living in the year 160. saith that the whole Church of God dispersed through the World received it from the Apostles and carefully preserved it entire who by their agreement in this faith did seem to dwell in one house and to be animated with one Spirit More testimonies to this effect are amaâ—sed together by the worthy pains of Mr. Ashwell in his Fides Apostolica In this Creed saith reverend Perkins is the pith and substance of Christian Religion taught by the Apostles embraced by the antient Fathers and sealed by the blood of Martyrs It was composed saith he either by the Apostles or Apostolical men who were their Hearers and immediate Heirs of their belief and is of more authority than any writings of Church or Church-men whatsoever was approved by the universal consent of the Catholic Church in all ages is next in authority to the Scriptures and the order of the words ought not to be altered Thus he The Creed is called the Apostles quia ab ore Apostolorum receptum because it was taken from the mouths of the Apostles saith Nowell or as Vâ—sin doth express it because they delivered that Summary of Doctrine to their Disciples from whom the succeeding Churches did afterwards receive the same and transmit it to posterity The substance or matter of it is ipsissima Scriptura saith learned Iunius pure Scripture Et nihil in eo est quod solidis Scripturae testimoniis non consignetur saith Calvin there is no article joynt or limb in it that hath not a scriptum est written upon it that is not found for the sense and substance though not terminis terminantibus in the authentic Canon of Scripture The whole Sysâ—â—m or body of it is mentioned or hinted at least by these circumlocutions in Scripture the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 Tim. 6.20 that precious â—agâ— jewel or depositum that was betrusted â—o Timothy the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tim. 1.13 that form draught or pattern of wholsome words and is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 6.17 that form of doctrine that is that frame or system of doctrinal Truths which the Apostles did in the first place deliver as the ground-work of all other super-structures and such expressions APHOR. 3. The fullness and sufficiency of the Apostolical Creed IN this Creed there is neither want nor waste nothing defective or redundant it is breve simplex plenum saith St. Augustin short and plain but full and comprehensive doctis indoctisque commune the meanest Christian must know so much and the greatest Clerk need know no more for the substance of his belief We may say of this as Athanasius speaks of the Nicen Creed wch is for substance the same with it that it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a full and sufficient system of fundamental verities for the averting of impiety and the establishment of piety in Christ It is Regula una immobilis et irreformabilis in the language of Tertullian the sole Rule of Faith and such a one as is immovable and unreformable that admits neither supplement nor correction As in other Sciences so in this there must be some principles that are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} worthy of belief of themselves and that are fixt and immovable and indemonstrable otherwise there would be no end of disputes and controversies or any satisfaction to the busie mind of man for when a proposition is resolved into these principles there we must take up our rest there is the ultimate resolution and non-ultrà in that point As in the Mathematics omne mobile movetur super immobili every movable moâ—â—â— upon somthing that is immovable so in all discourses every demonstrable proposition is reducible to some indemonstrable principle which is the dernier ressort the last appeal and by consent of parties the final decision of all controversie The Church of Rome whose Sea hath on shoar being not contented with this number of Articles and catalogue of Fundamentals which the Apostles left us hath doubled the Cube and enlarged the Philacteries of our Creed as wide again by an addition of a dozen articles more qui pari passu ambulant that are of equal dignity 4th perfixed before them and Spalato in confide and necessity with the others so material every one of them that there is no salvation to be expected without them a curse is denounced against every man that shall rejâ—ct or deny them So that the Pope is not onely Dictator and Lord of our faith but is himself a prime article in it and the very corner-stone of our Religion as a Cardinal Champion of his Holiness hath given us to understand in these words Romani Pontificis potestatem infallibilitatem esse rei Christianae summam ejusque sententiam pro normâ Regulâ fidei habendam asserimus Erasmus a sober and learned man doth wish that the Christian World had been contented with that one Creed of the Apostles in lieu of all the several Confessions that are in the World for saith he there was never less faith in the World than since the time that confessions of faith were multiplied Vbi caepit minùs esse fidei inter Christianos mox increvit symbolorum modus numerus De Ratione verae Theologiae APHOR. 4. Of the Patriarchs Creed IT were not difficult to demonstrate the truth of this Aphorism by giving proof of each article in order But inâ—â—nding onely some strictures and short animadversions in this place I may not take so much liberty to expatiate I shall at present onely show that the main substance of the Christian Faith was known to Gods chosen from the beginning even long before Christ came in the flesh 1. The article of the blessed Trinity to wit the triple personality of the Godhead was revealed unto them as is proved by Zanchius in his eight books de tribus Elohim by Petrus Galatinus de arcanis veritatis Catholicae and by that learned Noble man of France Sieur du Plessis de veritate Relig Christ cap. 6. 2. Christ the second person of the Trinity was abundantly revealed unto the Fathers of the old Testament that they might be saved saith Augustine by faith in Christ that was to come as we are saved by faith in Christ who is come Their faith and ours had the same object there is but one faith Ephes. 4.5 the difference was onely in the tense or time but the effect was the same All the periods and several acts of mans Redemption by Christ as his Incarnation Passion Resurrection c. were not unknown to the servants of God in old time and the glorious fruits and effects of theâ— were not hidden from them but were assured unto them through faith A Redeemer was promised even to the first sinner after his
prevarication the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3 15. This was the first Gospel in the World extant in the first book of the Bible this was proto-Evangelium and Evangelii aurora the first dawning of Gospel-comfort If ye believed in Moses ye would have believed in me saith Christ to the Jews for Moses wrote of me Joh. 5.46 Moses wrote of Christ both in the forecited Text and else where Abraham saw Christ's day and rejoyced John 8.56 he saw the day of his Incarnation which God revealed by some means unto this his friend wch ministred cause of joy unto him this was the Gospel which God preached unto him Gal. 3.8 for there was Gospel in the World before Christ came to preach it Some of the Prophets tongues dropt some of this balm now and then more especially Esay who was the Evangelist of the old Testament ante Evangelia Evangelicus Isaias saw Christs glory and spake of him John 12.41 Now the Gospel that was preached in those daies was the same with ours to wit justification by faith in Christ remission of sins and life and immortality through him as a reward of faith and sincere obedience Habbakkuk preached the just should live by faith in case he was defective in obedience Circumcision was a Seal of their justification or righteousness which was through faith even a seal of pardon and remission of sins to all believers 3. The Resurrection of the body was a point that Iob a Gentile and an alien from the Commonwealth of Israel was well assured of It is a point generally believed and embraced in the Jewish Church as St. Paul declares in express terms Acts 26. verse 6 7 8. Verse 6. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers i. the promise of a resurrection from death Verse 7. Vnto which promise our twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come for which hopes sake King Agrippa I am accused of the Jews Verse 8. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead Nay the women of the Countrey were strong in this faith for when Christ told Martha that her brother Lazarus should rise again she replied I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day 4. Then for the last point or article of our belief even everlasting life I doubt not but they had knowledge and assurance of it many of them life and immortality was proposed to them as a reward of their obedience if they had kept the Law which if a man do he shall even live in them live not onely a long life here but an endless life hereafter The Law is the administration of death saith St. Paul but that is not the proper work of it that is by accident not in the primary intention of it The Commandment was ordained unto life saith the same Apostle but he found it unto death by reason of his sins the sting of death is sin it is sin and not the Law that bites like a Serpent and gives the mortal wound The old and new Testament do not differ materiâ promissionum in the subject matter of the promises as if the promises of old were onely temporal and under the Gospel onely eternal promises were propounded The Belgic Remonstrants did teach so indeed and so did Michael Servetus whom for this and other Heresies Calvin calls exitiale monstrum These make no other esteem of the antient people of God the seed of Abraham than of a herd of Swine who had their portion in this life without hope of any other as if God had proposed no other guerdon to them nor they expected any but fullness of bread carnal pleasures worldly pomp and power and children to inherit all these after them Michael Servetus whom Calvin terms prodigiosum Nebulonem in another place of his Institutions was by birth a Spaniard of Arragon who of a Physician became a Divine and did pass for a Protestant He was convented at Geneva for sundry heretical opinions that he had broached both there and elsewhere and persevering therein without hopes of reclaiming him he was by the Counsel and consent of the Divines of Bearne Zurick Schaffhauson and Geneva burnt at Geneva in the year 1555. You may see a Catalogue of his errors in Lucas Osiander's Epitome of Eccles History l. 2. Cent 16. c. 21. and in Schlusselburgius and the Anabaptists speak the same dialect as Calvin doth inform us in his Institutions which pestiferous error as he terms it is there fully refuted by him and all Protestant writers tilt at it with their pens where ever they meet it among the rest the Church of England hath laid it under her feet if I do not mistake her meaning In the 7th. Article of her confession where these words are to be found In the old Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ therefore they are not to be heard that feign that the old Fathers did look onely for temporal promises They looked for a City whose builder and maker was God and for a heavenly Countrey Heb. 11.10 16. Fides Abrahae non Palastinae duntaxat regionem spectabat sed caeleflem illam patriam beatorum sedem is a note of Iustinian upon that place APHOR. 5. Of believing the Catholic Church WE must remark that the phrase of this article runs I believe the holy Catholic Church not in the holy Catholic Church for the particle In perfixed to the former articles must be out here and it is out in St. Augustines exposition and Ruffinus and other antient Expositors upon this subject and also in the Trent Catechism * We may not believe in the Church because it is not dominus but domus not the Master of the house but the house as St. Augustin gives the reason We may credere Ecclesiae not in Ecclesiam we may believe the Catholic Church very far and give it the highest credit next Gods own word in matters of fact and practice especially and some points which the Scripture doth not clearly define herein we may follow the practice and embrace the Arrest or judgement of the Catholic Church For it is a staple rule and maxim in St. Aug What is universally * received and retained in the Church we may rationally conclude that it was derived from the first planters of it even the Apostles But we may not rest or relie upon the Church as the chief guide of our Salvation her authority is venerable but it is not the Rule of our faith Wherefore the word Credo I believe in the four last Articles of the Belief imports no more than Credo esse meo bono esse as Alsted doth well expound it I believe that such things mentioned in those several articles truly are