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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	antioch_n	apostle_n	elder_n	2,819	5	9.5165	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75723	Fides Apostolica or a discourse asserting the received authors and authority of the Apostles Creed. Together with the grounds and ends of the composing thereof by the Apostles, the sufficiency thereof for the rule of faith, the reasons of the name symbolon in the originall Greeke, and the division or parts of it. Hereunto is added a double appendix, the first touching the Athanasian, the second touching the Nicene Creed. By Geo. Ashwell B.D.	Ashwell, George, 1612-1695.	1653 (1653)	Wing A3997; Thomason E1433_2; ESTC R208502	178,413	343

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

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 instructiō of their Auditours so doth Cyril of Jerusalem in his Catacheses And in their other Tracts wherin they dogmatically explain it they oftē 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 Syria●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

in Symbolo deest quod ex scriptis Dei per Apostolos Dei conditum totum in se quantum ad authoritatem pertinet habet quicquid vel hominum est vel Dei quamvis etiam quod per homines factum est Dei existimandum sit quia non tam illorum per quos factum est quam illius credendum esse qui fecit i That which in Greek is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines call a Collation a Collation I say because the Apostles of the Lord gathered into one in the perfect Breviary of the Creed wherein they faithfully summed up all the Points of the Catholik Beleef whatsoever is largely diffused through the whole Body of the Scriptures This is that short word which the Lord utterd collecting the Faith of both Testaments and concluding the sense of the whole Scripture in a few briefe Sentences framing this Modell out of his owne materialls and comprising the virtue of the whole Divine Law in a most compendious Summary in this manner consulting as a most indulgent Father to apply a Remedy unto the negligence and Ignorance of some of his Children that so the most simple and unskilfull Novice should not be troubled to comprehend it which might also be easily conteined in memory thou seest therefore in the Creed the Authority of God himselfe for a short worke or word will the Lord make upon the Earth Rom. 10. 28. But perhaps thou requirest the Authority of Men neither is that wanting for God made the Creed by the Ministery of men for as he composd the great Bulke of holy writ cheifly by his Patriarchs and Prophets so he framed the Creed by his Apostles Prejsts There is nothing therefore defective in the Creed which being compiled by the Apostles of God out of the Scriptures of God hath perfectly in it selfe for matter of Authority whatsoever either God or men can contribute although indeed that which was thus framed by men is to be esteemed the Worke of God it not being so much to be ascribed unto those by whome it was made as to him who made it nor to be thought the worke of the Instruments but of the Author Afterward he thus sets downe the Text of the Creed Credo in unum Solum verū Deum Patrem Omnipotentem Creatorem omnium visibilium invisibilium Creaturarum in Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium ejus unigenitum primogenitum totius Creaturae ex eo natum ante omnia Secula non factū Deum verum ex Deo vero homoousion Patri per quem secula compaginata sunt omnia facta qui propter nos venit natus est ex Maria Virgine Crucifixus sub Pontio Pilato sepultus tertiâ Die resurrexit secundùm Scripturas in Coelos ascendit iterum veniet judicare vivos mortuos reliqua in Symbolo quòd Ecclesiarum omnium Fidem loquitur c. I believe in one only true God the Father Almighty maker of all Creatures both visible and invisible and in Jesus Christ our Lord his only begotten Sonne the first Borne of every creature begotten of him before all worlds and not made very God of very God of one substance with the Father by whom the worlds were Framed or Ages set in order and all things made who for our sakes came and was borne of the Virgin Mary Crucifyed under Pontius Pilate and buried the third Day he Rose againe according to the Scriptures and ascended into the Heavens and shall come againe to judge the Quicke and the Dead And the rest that Followes in the Creed which speakes the Beleefe of all the Churches By this Creed he confutes Nestorius through his whole First Booke as by that Faith which was received throughout the whole world concluding in these words Licet omnium ecclesiarum sit quia una omnium fides peculiariter tamen Antiochenae urbis atque Ecclesiae est illius sc in qua tu editus in qua institutus in qua renatuses That is Although this be the Faith of al the Churches which believe al alike yet it is more peculiarly the Faith of the Citty and Church of Antioch to wit of that Church wherein thou O Nestorius wert Borne Bred and Baptized 11. Eusebius Emesenus or rather Gallicanus hath three Homilies extant on the Apostles Creed wherein he sets downe the Creed verbatim and after explaines it Gaigneus Chancellour of Paris set forth these Homilies under the name of Eus. Emesenus grounding his opinion on two places of the Decret wherein these Homilies are cited under his name others have ascribed them to Caesarius Bishop of Arles a third sort to Eucherius Bishop of Lyons a fourth unto Faustus Bishop of Regium because the Author of these Homilies saith that he was made Bishop ex Abbate lirinensi as Faustus was so Bellarmine But the Learned Andreas Schottus more probably entitles them to Eusebius not Bishop of Emesa in Syria a Bishop of Gaule sprung perhaps from that or some other Emesa and thence denominated the Latine style being too elegant for a Translation and savouring of the French Dialect and to confirme this he cites an ancient verse made by a Scholler of Rabanus Maurus wherein such an one is set downe by name though his Diocesse be not mentioned But whoever were the Authour of them his Testimony is of good credit each one of the Five mentioned having beene Ancient and famous Bishops 12. Venantius fortunatus Bishop of Poictiers hath written an explication of the Apostles Creed in the Preface whereof he hath these words Collata Apostolis scientia linguarum adhuc in uno positi hoc est inter se Symbolum unusquisque quod sensit dicendo condidere That is The Apostles having conferd on them the gift of Tongues before their dispersion framed the Creed by mutuall consent among themselves every one contributing what he thought meet And a little after Symbolum Collatio dicitur Graece quia hoc ipsi interse per spiritum Sanctum salubriter condiderunt That is The word Symbole in Greek signifies a Collation because the Apostles joyntly framed it for the common benefit through the assistance of the holy Ghost 13. Isidore Bishop of Sevil lib. de off Eccles cap. 22. speakes thus of the Creed Symbolum competentes accipiunt in quo pauca 〈◊〉 verba sed omnia continentur Sacramenta de totis enim Scripturis haec breviatim collecta sunt ab Apostolis ut quia plures Credentium literas nesciunt vel qui sciunt prae occupationibus Seculi Scripturas legere non possunt haec corde retinentes habeant sibi sufficientem scientiam salutarem That is The Competentes receive the Creed wherein there are but few words but all misteries are therein contained which were breifly gathered out of the whole Scriptures by the Apostles because that many of the Beleevers being unable to read and they who can being hindred by their worldly businesses reteining these few

and so rather the Mouth than the Head of the Apostles but there appears no Primacy of order or Jurisdiction over his fellow-Apostles But suppose we should grant said they that Peter had such an unerring paramount privilege yet this might well be personall and annext to his Apostleship not derivable to any Episcopall successour and if derivable why should the Bishop of Rome rather arrogate it to himselfe than the Bishop of Antioch in which City S. Peter first sate Or the Bishop of Alexandria a See instituted by the same Apostle under S. Marke before he ever appointed any Bishop at Rome As for the Grounding of this priviledge on S. Peters martyrdome at Rome where appears any such Dependance or legacy bequeathed by S. Peter that his Infallibility and Supremacy should be annexed to that Chaire alone as to the place of his Death and Buriall 'T is true they confest that the Bishop of Rome was of old accounted Primae Sedis Episcopus The Bishop of the Principall See but withall they said that there was a vast difference between Primacy and Power for if by this pretence he should challenge any Authority or Jurisdiction over the Bishop of Constantinople the Second See Why should not he of Constantinople likewise claime the same Power over the Bishop of Alexandria which is the third And so in like manner Alexandria over Antioch Antioch over Ierusalem An opinion never heard of or entertained in the Church of God The Bishop of Rome therefore had this primacy not by divine right but by humane or Ecclesiasticall that is not from any Apostolicall Priviledge derived from S. Peter but by the graunt of Emperours and Decrees of Councells It was fit that one Bishop should be chiefe for order sake this Honour was given to the Bishop of Rome for the Dignity of his Seat Rome beeing the Head of the Roman Empire For which cause Alexandria had of old the Second place as beeing Praefectura Augustalis the Peculiar of the Romane Emperour so ennobled by Augustus Caesar Antioch the third as the Metropolis of Syria and the Eastern Countryes adjoyning whereas if the preeminency of Sees had been derived from S. Peter the City of Antioch where he sate seven years in person should have beene preferd before Alexandria whether he only sent an other viz S. Marke and appointed him for the first Bishop And for this cause Caesarea too was made the Metropoliticall See of Palestine because it was the seat of the Roman Governor untill the Fathers of the Nicene Councel in honour of Jerusalem where S. James was made the first Bishop of the Christian world and whence the Gospell spread into the whole earth gave the Bishop therof a Patriarchall title that rather of dignity thē Authority for thus runs the seventh Canon of that Councell Quoniam mos antiquus obtinuit vetusta Traditio ut Aeliae id est Hierosolimorum Episcopo honor Deferatur habeat consequenter honorem manente tamen Metropolitanae Civitatis Caesareae propriâ Dignitate that is Because from an old Custome and Tradition honuor hath been given to the Bishop of Aelia that is of Jerusalem let him have Honour accordingly provided that the Dignity of the metropolitan City Cesarea remaine entire For the same cause also when Constantinople was reedifyed made the seat of the Empire and called new Rome by Constantine the Great it was thought fit by the Emperours and succeeding Councells that the Bishop of Alexandria should no longer have the Second but the third Place Constantinople now succeeding in that honour for thus runs the fift Canon of the first Councell of Constantinople Constantinopolitanae Civitatis Episcopum habere oportet Primatus honorem post Romanum Episcopum propter quod sit nova Roma that is The Bishop of Constantinople ought to have the next place of honour after the Bishop of Rome because his City is new Rome And because there could not be two Sedes primae two first or chief Sees the same Councell ordeined that the Bishop of Constantinople should be styled the second Patriarch but in all other things should be of equall Dignity and Authority with the Bishop of Rome So in all the rest whosoever will please to compare the Prelates Sees with the Notitia Imperii shall find that the Church still accommodated her Hierarchy of Mertropolitās Archbishops Bishops unto the state of the Empire the distinction of Provinces and the Dignity of the Cityes according to that ancient Rule Ecclesia est in Republicâ non Respublica in Ecclesiâ The Church is in the Commonwealth not the Common-wealth in the Church 2. The second cause of the Schisme was the Deposition and Excomunication of the Patriarch Photius and of the other Prelats and Abbots his adherents in a great Synod at Constantinople held under the Emperour Basiliu● and the Patriarch Ignatius in the yeare 869 which businesse was mainly urged and furthered by two Bishops of Rome successively viz. Nicolas the first and Adrian the second 3. The third cause was the Rash and Inconsiderate Zeale of the said Patriarch Photius who first dared to accuse the Romane Church of Heresy because it held that the holy Ghost proceeded from the Sonne as well as from the Father whereas in all former disputes between the Greeks and the Latines whether by word or writing neither party accused his Adversary of Heresy for holding either opinion Yea the Latines Demōstrated that some of the Greeke Fathers spake as they did neither could the Greekes deny it And since this precipitate Censure of Photius not a few of the Romane Divines have in requitall accused the Greeke Church of the same Crime for holding the Contrary 4. The fourth cause was the contention about the Primacy between the Bishops of Rome and Constantinople For Iohn surnamed Iejunator and Cyriacus his successour Patriarchs of Constantinople were very earnest with the emperour Mauritius to obteine the Title Authority of Oecumenicall Patriarchs thereby challenging a Superiority over the Bishops of the whole Christian World from the Dignity of their City which was then the Head of the Romane Empire that of the West being utterly broken and Rome the Ancient Seate thereof for that Cause loosing its former Dignity Now against these their endeavours Gregory the great then Bishop of Rome publickly opposed himselfe and taxed them in expresse Termes of Antichristian ambition saying withall that Dato uni Episcopi universalis Titulo reliquos Sacerdotes honore debito privari The giving of the Title of Universall Bishop unto one doth deprive the other Bishops of their due Honour Yet with in lesse than two years after his Death Boniface the Third his Successour abtained the same Title of the Emperour Phocas which Gregory had so much Decried But the Greeke Prelates would never yeeld to it 5. The fift cause was the busines of Images which brake out after this contention about the Primacy For the Emperour Leo Isaurus and his sonne Constantinus Copronymus