Canon of Scripture for if you say it pertaines to unwritten Traditions as S. Jerome and others tell us we must know that those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerne only the Goverment and Rites of the Church whereas the Creed is a Rule of Faith or Doctrine required to be profest by Christians at their Baptisme Answ First To retort a like question why is not the number of the Canonicall Bookes put into the Canon that so we might the more certainly know what Bookes are of Divine Authority and what are Supposititious This sure is a Doctrinall Point the maine Fundamentall one and highly concernes our Faith if any thing doe and yet it is derived unto us by Tradition why may not the Creed in like manner Secondly the Creed is taken out of the Canon of Scripture either in expresse words or by evident and necessary Consequence whereof the Apostles were unerring Iudges reduced only to a Method and set Forme Thirdly The Apostles thought not fit to commit it unto writing but delivered it by word of mouth to the Pastours or Bishops of the Churches whom they left to succeed them and who in a continued Succession downe from the Apostles delivered the Creed unto us Fourthly That unwritten Traditions comprehend not only matters of Practise such as are the Rites Regiment of the Church but also matter of Doctrine I appeale not only to the former instance of the Canon of Scripture and to this of the Creed constantly witnessed by St Ierome with many other Fathers whose testimony deserves much credit but to a Third also the perpetual Virginity of the Mother of God of which Mr Perkins no friend of Romish Traditions saith thus That the Virgin Mary lived and died Virgin is received for Truth but yet not recorded in Scripture and in Ecclesiastical Writers many worthy sayings of the Apostles and other holy Men are Recorded and received of us for Truth which neverthelesse are not set downe in the Bookes of the Old or New Testament and many things we hold for Truth not written in the Word if they be not against the Word Thus he in his Reform Cath. of Tradit Concl. 2. Ob. 6th The Creed hath not been preserved so safe from Addition Detraction Mutation as the rest of the Scriptures alwayes have been therefore not likely to have come from the Apostles Answ I could wish that the holy Scriptures had beene kept so safe as the Objectour beares us in hand the Church then would have been more pure and more peaceble But First For Additions Doth not our Church cut off those Apocryphall pieces which were long a goe an next to Daniel and Hester And doe we not find the 151 Psalme added unto the rest a Copy whereof we have in Sixti Sen. Bibliothecâ And in the New Testament for some Ages the Booke called Hermae Pastor was joyned to the Bookes we now have and esteemed by many for Canonicall Secondly For Detraction Have not whole bookes been taken a way by diverse Hereticks who would acknowledge no scripture that made against them For Instance Marcion acknowledged none of the four Gospels but only that of St Luke neither his entirely as Tertullian witnesseth Examples of other Hereticks are almost infinite Yea which is more some Canonicall Bookes for a while were denied or at least doubted of and so left out in diverse Copyes by some Orthodox Doctors of the Church till the Truth became afterwards better cleared as the Epistles of James Iude the Second Epistle of Peter the Second Third Epistles of St Iohn the Epistle to the Hebrewes the Revelation of St Iohn For this we may consult the Syriack Translatiō of the New Testament Thirdly For Mutation The Hereticks of old time who were bold to cut off whole Bookes did much more boldly adventure on changing of verses wordes letters and points The fraud of the Arians both old and new is notorious in this kind Neverthelesse for all these subtile and various Devices of Satan to overthrow Religion and pervert the Word of Truth by these his mischievous Instruments yet some ancient copies both of the Scripture Creed by Gods especiall Providence have been kept entire whereby the rest might be examined and amended Ob. 7th Although the Creed hath ever been much esteemed in the Church yet was it never accounted Canōicall The Ancient Doctors were so far from equalling it with Scripture that they appealed from it thereunto as to an higher Authority so did Cyr. Catech. 4. And Paschasius in his Booke against Macedonius Bib. Pat. Tom. 9. Which without question they never would have done had they thought it had bin from the Apostles in such Forme and as now wee have it Answ First Whether the Creed were accounted for Authority Canonicall that is Divine and unquestionable and for Frame Apostolicall I appeale to all those Ancient Fathers which I have already produced amongst whom Tertullian one very Ancient expresly tels us that the Creed was ordained by Christ viz. by the Ministery of his Apostles who were Authorised by him and assisted by his Spirit to compose it according to that saying of his He that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10. 16. Whence he sends the Hereticks to the Churches founded by the Apostles to find this Doctrine or Rule of Faith there left by them De praesc adv haer cap. 21. Withall he cals it The Canon or Rule of Faith as Irenaeus had done before him and tels us that no part thereof may be cald in question Seconly 'T is not unlikly that some of the Fathers may cite places of Scripture in confirmation of the Creed as the Apostles themselves in their writings bring forth places out of the old Teastament to back and vindicate the truth of what they said yea our Blessed Saviour himselfe oft cites Moses the Prophets and authorizeth his doctrine by their Testimony bidding his Auditours to Search the Scriptures of the old Testament for they are they saith he which Testify of me Io. 5. 39. See also Act. 26. 22. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Iam. 2 14 23. And it is the usuall practise of our preachers at this day to bring proofes for their textuall observations though oft expresse wordes of Scripture out of other paralell Places But as well those citations of the Fathers as these of our Blessed Sauiour and his Apostles are brought not so much to confirme the truth of what they said as to satisfy the mindes of their Auditours which were more fully cōfirmed whē they they saw the joynt correspondence of the Creed with the Scripture and the Gospell with the Law And we find at this day though divine Authority doe abundantly suffice to confirme us in the Grounds of our Religion yet it doth more fully content the judgment of the Learned when they see the probates of Reason to conspire with the dictates of Faith for Instance in the Vnity of the Godhead and the immortality of the Soule Thirdly As for the two Fathers
the Diuids of Pythagoras Socrates c but what we find written I Answer The Creed is best preserved by Tradition for the sense and substance of the Articles because daily in publike use in the Catechumen's mouthes and the Liturgies of the Church yet subject to variation in point of expression by reason of severall Tongues and Dialects in the Christian World as also because of some exegeticall Additions interserted upom occasion of some particular Heresies which arose in this or that Church So Lawes are best preserved by continued Practise though somewhat varying if received in diverse Nations as the Romane Lawes are in some specialty of expression or by way of application to the exigence of the Times and Genius of the People in diverse Countries As for the dependance of Tradition it relies not only upon Memory but upon continuall use and Practise a better means of Preservation then Writing which is daily subject to the fraud negligence and ignorance of Transcribers many differences arising from whence have raised no small trouble unto Learned Criticks how to reconcile them or if irreconcileable to descerne the true Copie The Hebrew Bible was preserved entire in the true reading thereof as being constantly used in the Jewish Synagogues without any Points or Vowels written as now we have it and that for many hundred yeares according to the most received Opinion a Thinge infinitely more difficult then the Preservation of the Creed Wherefore we may not without Reason say that a short Summary of the Faith such as the Creed is is best kept by Tradition especially such an one as is in continuall use and Practise whereof the Fathers here cited give us good reason in summe that Non sunt evulganda fidei mysteria nisi Initiatis Magistro Duce seu Interprete ne sc derisui Profanis habeantur aut malignantium Calumniis paâ—eant ne erroneis Ignorantium aut male feriantium glossematis obiiciantur The whole Word of God was committed to writing because large and full of Variety yet occasionally and by Degrees The like may be said of the many long various Discourses of Pythagoras and Socrates committed to Paper by their Schollers Our Saviours Sermons and Discourses were oft very large his Miracles and memorable passages of his Life almost infinite and so could not otherwise be well preserved then by Writing yet Irenaeus tels us that many Christian Nations had no Scripture amongst them in his Time who notwithstanding kept Christianity diligently amongst them by an old Tradition And on the other side the Fathers tell us that where the Scriptures were to be had the Hereticks oft set forth unsound Books under the Apostles names and corrupted the true Copies of Scripture which they got into their Hands by this means seducing many troubling more to neither of which inconveniences a knowne practised breife Tradition is obnoxious As for the doctrine of the Druids it was carefully preserved as long as the Religion stood by an unwritten Tradition now Christianity hath a promise of continuance unto the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. so needs no more to feare a failing of its doctrine then its Disciples If it be farther objected that all in generall are commanded to confesse Christ and to give an account of the hope that is in them 1 Pet. 3. 15. which seems to make against the second Reason assigned by Cyril of Ierusalem That the Creed was of old committed to writing by Irenaeus Tertullian that when these Reasons and exhortations were made by Ruffin Cyril and Chrysologus the Creed was committed to writing both by themselves and others I answer first that those Precepts belong properly to Christians that is to Persons entered into the Church by Baptisme who had the whole Creed explained unto them but if they extend to the Catechumeni the Confession and Account must be understood more indefinitely and at large to wit of those more easie and generall Principles whereof they were informed by their Teachers Secondly the Creed is therefore call'd a Tradition because not committed to writing by the Apostles as the Gospell and Epistles were though in after Ages it were put in writing by the Fathers and Councills for the more publike Conviction of Hereticks Yet it clearly appeares by the fore-cited Fathers who cannot well be thought ignorant of the Churches custome in their own Times that the Creed was not delivered in writing to the Catechumeni but taught them by word of mouth to learne and professe this teaching or delivery not without an explication of the Catechist or Bishop least otherwise they might chance to erre in the meaning withall it was not delivered all together but line after line as they were able to receive it CAP. III. Testimonies of Scripture touching the Composure of the Apostles Creed especially out of S. Pauls Epistles as the places are accordingly interpreted by Divines of good note both Auncient and Moderne Some doubts against these Testimonies solved THUS much for the History of the Creeds Composure and its manner of Conveyance to after Ages But that the Apostles did first Compile and then deliver this Creed by an orall Tradition to the Christian Church will need farther Confirmation I shall endeavour to prove it by Scripture Antiquity and Reason all which I hope will be found to attest this Truth as joynt-witnesses of what hath bin already produced out of Ruffinus And first by Scripture for though the Creed be not expresly set down in any place of the New Testament because the Apostles for the foremention'd reasons thought not good to commit it unto writing yet S. Paul in diverse places of his Epistles not obscurely alludes unto it under severall phrases of speech apt metaphours which we find afteward applied to the Creed by the auncient Fathers as they may be most probably interpreted are so understood de facto by the judgment of good Authors both of the Primitive and latter Times 1. First Rom. 6. 17. The Apostle tels us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Forme of Doctrine and expressly cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tradition as the Ancients constantly stile the Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye have obeyed from the Heart that Forme of Doctrine which was delivered you that is whereas before Baptisme ye were the Servants of Sinne now now yee have professed your obedience to the Faith by the publike rehearsall of the Creed delivered to the Church in a set Forme by the Apostles to be openly recited before the Congregation at the time of Baptisme a Custome used from the Beginning and still retained in the Church Thus is the place expounded by Anselme our Learned and Renowned Archbishop of Canterbury Quae doctrina est Forma quia imaginem Dei deformatam restituit which Doctrine saith he is stiled a Forme because it restores the defaced Image of God to wit by Baptisme which the Apostle elsewhere calls The Laver of
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
the latter end of the tenth Century hath these wordes in his Apollogetick which he made to the Kings of France Hugh and Robert Father and Son Primitus de fide dicendum credidi quaÌ„ alternantibus Choris in Francia apud Anglorum Ecclesiam variari audivi Alii enim dicunt ut arbitror secundum Athanasium Spiritus Sanctus a Patre Filio non factus non Creatus sed procedens qui dum id quod est nec genitus subtrahunt Synodicum D. Gregorii se sequi credunt ubi ita est scriptum spiritus sanctus nec ingenitus est nec genitus sed procedens that is I thought meet to speak first concerning the Faith which I find diversly expressed in the French and English Churches for some say as I suppose according to Athanasius The holy Ghost not made nor Created but proceeding from the Father and the Son who in leaving out that particle nor begotten conceive they follow the Synodicall of S. Gregory in which it is thus written The holy Ghost is neither unbegotten nor begotten but proceeding To which words Baron in his Annals ad A. 1001 thus attests Vides lector in his jaÌ„ ante sexcentos annos Symbolum vere ejus esse absque dubitatione credituÌ„ praedicatum thou seest here Reader that above six hundred yeares agoe the Creed which goes under the name of Athanasius was verely believed to be his without the least doubt to the contrary And well might he say so for that ambiguous clause ut arbitror as I suppose in this Testimony of Abbo hath no reference to the Author but to the words and to the various Copies of Athanasius his Creed as appears by the scope and purpose of the Abbot in his Citation 10 That this Creed was asscribed to Athanasius in the Time of Charles the Bald will appeare first out of the second Book of Rathrannus Monke of Corbey written by him against the Greekes a Book not yet extant in Print Secondly out of the first Booke of Aeneas Bishop of Paris written also against the Greeks c. 19. Thirdly out of the Capitulum of Hincmarus Arch-Bishop of Rheims which he gave to the Presbyters of his Diocesse Aº 852. See the first Capit. in Apend Tom. 3-Conc Gall. set forth by Sirmondus But for all three See Armac de Symb. 11. The fourth Councell of Toledo held in the yeare of our Lord 671 according to the edition of Io. Garsia Loaisa and in the third yeare of K. Sisenandus by threescore and two Bishops whereof Isidore of Sevil was one thus professeth its Faith in the words of the Athanasian Creed only somewhat contracting them for thus the Fathers of the councell begin cap. 1. Secundum divinas Scripturas doctrinam quam a Sanctis Patribus accepimus Patrem Filium Spiritum Sanctum unius Deitatis atque Substantiae confitemur in Personarum diversitate Trinitatem credentes in Divinitate unitatem praedicantes nec Personas confundimus nec substantiam seperamus Patrem a nullo factum vel genitum dicimus Christus descendit ad Inferos ut sanctos qui ibidem tenebantur erueret devictoque mortis Imperio resurrexit mortui resuscitandi sunt ab eo Iesu Christo in die novissimo percepturi ab ipso alii pro justitiae meritis vitam aeternam alii pro peccatis supplicii aeterni sententiam Haec est ecclesiae Catholicae fides Hanc Confessionem conservamus atque tenemus quam quisquis firmissime custodierit perpetuam salutem habebit that is According to the Scriptures of God the Doctrine which we have received from the holy Father we professe the Father Sonne and holy Ghost to have the same Godhead and Substance believing a Trinity in a diversity of Persons and an Unity in the Godhead neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the substance we say that the Father was made of none nor begotten Christ descended into Hell that he might deliver the Saints that were there detained and having conquered the Power of Death he rose againe The Dead are to be raised up by him at the last Day to receive from him some for their righteous deeds life eternall others for their sins the sentence of everlasting punishment This is the Faith of the Catholick Church This Confession we preserve and hold which whosoever shall firmely keepe shall obteine everlasting Salvation 12. In two very Ancient Latine Psalters which are in S. Rob. Cottons Library we find Athanasius his Creed together with that of the Apostles conteining the same number of Heads with that of our Dayes In the former Psalter saith the Reverend Learned Armachanus which we gather to be as old as Gregory the first viz. 1050 years both by the old fashion of the Pictures the largenesse of the Characters Athanasius his Creed bears the name of Fides Catholica as it doth also in an other Psalter of S. Lewis 9th extant in King James his Library the other is called Symbolum Apostolorum In the latter Psalter which was once K. Athelstans That of the Apostles hath Symply the name of Symbolum the other is called Fides S. Athanasii Alexandrini The Faith of S. Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria 13. Boethius that great Scholler and Statesman in the Reigne of Theodorick the Goth in his Book De Trinitate hath these words at the Beginning which referre us plainly enough to the Creed of Athanasius Fidei Catholicae haec de Trinitatis unitate Sententia est Pater inquiunt Deus Filius Deus Spiritus sanctus Deus igitur Pater Filius Spiritus Sanctus unus Deus non tres Dii That is This is the Decree of the Catholick faith concerning the unity of the Trinity The Father they say is God the Sonne God the Holy Ghost God therefore the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost are one God not three Gods On which words Venerable Bâ—de our Countryman makes this Glosse Haec est fides quâ credimus quae dicitur Catholica unde in Symbolo Haec est fides Catholica quam nisi quisque crediderit c. Haec est una apud omnes unde Apostolus una fides unum Baptisma that is This is the Faith wherein we believe which is called Catholick whence we say in the Creed this is the Catholick Faith which Whosoever doth not believe c. This Faith is the same among All whence that of the Apostle One Faith One Baptisme 14. S. Augustin in severall Parts of his workes takes whole sentences out of this Creed of Athanasius which shews that it was then extant and used by the Church In his Booke De Trinitate cap. 8. He hath these words Omnipotens Pater Omnipotens Filius omnipotens Spiritus sanctus tameÌ„ non tres Omnipotentes sed unus Omnipotens Ibidem Deus Pater Deus Filius Deus Spiritus sanctus tamen non tres Dii sed unus est Deus that is The Father is Almighty the Sonne Almighty the holy Ghost Almighty and yet there are
not three Almightyes but one Almighty Againe The Father is God the Sonne is God and the holy Ghost is God yet there be not three Gods but one God Which last passage he repeats word for Word in his 174th Epistle written to Pascentius So in his Enchiridion cap. 36. Sicut anima rationalis Caro unus est homo ita Deus homo unus est Christus As the Reasonable Soule and the Body are one man so God and man are one Christ Now these are the Passages for which the Sectaries chiefly deny the Authenticalnesse of this Creed The same father shuts up his Soliloquies whih this Prayer O tres coaequales coaeternae personae Deus unus c. O three Coequall and Coeternall Persons one God c. Neither can we with any probability say that such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were casuall S. Augustine lighting by chance on the same expressions as Athanasius had used writing on the same Subject for besides the unlikelinesse of hitting upon the same very words in severall passages without the least variation we may please to take notice that the Fathers of the first Ages were very punctuall in following the steps of their Ancestors not only in the matter of Faith but in the very forme of expression not accustoming themselves to vary or invent new Phrases except upon necessity and the urgency of Hereticks The sight of these passages caused the great Annalist Baronius to use these words Aliquod Symboli Athanasiani exemplar c. I easily perswade my selfe that a Copy of the Athanasian Creed was convayed unto the Churches beyond Sea by some African Bishop who as it oft fell out at other Times was present at that Romane Synod under Julius seeing it seemes to have come unto S. Austins knowledge whose writings appeare interlaced with some Passages thereof especially in his Comment on Psal 120. v. 6. The Sunne shall not burne thee by day nor the Moone by night where according to Possevins citation Apparat Sac. voce Athanasius though now the reading be somewhat varied he useth these words De hoc Sole c. Concerning this Sunne the holy Father Athanasius Patriarch of Alexandria thus excellently spake The Sonne of God is from the Father alone neither made nor created but begotten 15. An old Manuscript containing the Historicall Fragments of S. Hilary which came forth of the Library of P. Pithaeus and was Printed at Paris in the yeare 1598. sets downe this Creed and entitles it to Athanasius with this Preface Fides dicta a S. Athanasio sive Symbolum quod ejus nomen praefert The Faith pronounced by S. Athanasius or the Creed which bears his name 16. But the most Ancient and pregnant Proofe of this Creed we have from the mouth of Gregory Nazianzen in his 21 Oration which he wrote in the praise of Athanasius num 44 45. the words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Athanasius presented the Emperour with a Gift truly Royall and magnificent a Pious writing against an unwritten Innovation that so one Emperour Speech and writing might overcome the other This Confession of his is received with much veneration both by the Westerne Christians and those of the East as many as have the life of Faith in them of whom some believe it in their heart if you will believe what they say but they bring it not forth to light so that it lies like a dead Embryo in the Mothers Wombe others somewhat blow and kindle this sparke of Faith so farre as to accord with the Time and to give satisfaction to the more Godly and zealous of the Orthodox Laity but others there be who boldly professe the Truth of which party I desire to be To this agrees the Author of that Greeke Book of the Procession of the Holy Ghost which was given to Lazarus Bayffius K. Francis 1. Embassador at Venice in the yeare 1533. Who not only Entitles this Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Confession of S. Athanasius but farther confirmes its Authority by this Testimony of Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Gregory the Divine saith he makes mention also of this Confession in his Encomiastick Oration of Athanasius in which he saith He first of all and alone This Confession of his is received with much veneration c. Where he cites the Oration and sets downe the words The Author of this Book who ever hee were lived in the time when the Controversy of the Procession was hotly agitated between the Greekes and Latines which was about the ninth and tenth Centuries But for the more cleere understanding of these words we must take notice of a three-fold Creed or Confession of Faith written by Athanasius 1. A Synodicall Epistle written to the Emperour Jovianus by Athanasius and the other Bishops of his Patriarchate assembled at Alexandria in the name of Egypt Thebais and Lybia wherein they confirme and set downe the Nicene Creed with a premised explication of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See for this Theod. lib. 4 cap. 3. and Niceph. lib. 10. cap. 42. About the same time a Synod of Bishops assembled at Antioch under Meletius the Patriarch of that See send the like Epistle unto the Emperour prefixing also the Explication of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and subjoyning the Nicene Creed For which see Soc. lib. 3. cap. 21. and Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 4. 2. His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Exposition of the Faith which we find in his Workes distinct both from the Nicene and his own Creed It seemes a larger Paraphrase or Explication of the Nicene Creed or of his own 3. His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confession Creed or Symbole which now commonly goes under his name and is usually Printed with his other Workes This is that which I conceive to be understood in Greg. Nazianzens Oration and that for these Reasons First because it appears by Nazianzen that it was distinct from the Nicene Creed whereof Osius not Athanasius was the Composer as will appeare by the next Appendix And Athanasius his own workes shew that it was diverse from his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is but a Paraphrase on the Nicene and not sent to any Emperour or received by the Westerne Church as this is witnessed to be Nor can any man shew a Third Creed or Confession of Faith ascribed to Athanasius besides that which now bears his name It is That therefore and none other Secondly Nazianzen heere tels us that both the East and West honoured this Creed for which no better reason can be assigned then that which agrees to this Creed of Athanasius which was twise written first in the West for the satisfaction of Julius Bishop of Rome after that in the East for the Emperour Jovianus his satisfaction which can be affirmed of no other Creed but this Thirdly This Creed commended so much by Nazianzen is styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Confession of Faith to which
the Publick view Yet to excuse my selfe in part from Temerity and Presumption in this particular I ventured not on it before I had the approbation of some Learned Friends who were pleased not only to peruse the Worke but solicited me also to the Publication which if it shall awaken some more able Pen to perfect what I have thus rudely drawn I shall not a little applaud my selfe as the Instrument of presenting so fortunate an Occasion But I have almost seemed to have forgot your Lordship whilst I have been thus particular in relating to you the Occasion the Beginning the Progresse and the end of these imperfect labours of mine which I am now bold to offer unto your Patronage that so they may have the same Protection with the Author that presents them For as the many Favours and Civilities which I have received from your Lordships hands oblige me to a Publick acknowledgment so your approbation of the Work which hath had the Honour of your Perusall also in good part hath encouraged me to present that acknowledgement in this kind Besides not only Gratitude but strict Justice seems to require this oblation at my Hands the first-borne of my Pen and entitleth your Lordship more peculiarly unto it for though it were begotten elsewhere it was borne under your Roofe and so belongs unto you as to the Lord of the House and the Father of the Family There remaines nought else but that as I now present this Treatise to your Patronage so to present my Prayers to God for your Person for that of your Noble Lady together with all the Branches of your ancient Family that they may constantly Live and comfortably Dye in the true Christian Apostolick Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints This as it still hath so shall continue to be a constant part of the dayly Orisons of MY LORD Your Lordships Most Faithfull and Affectionate Servant to Command GEO ASHWELL The Contents of the CHAPTERS CAP. I. THE Dogmaticall part of Theologie most necessary to be established and in that most especially the Creed as the Foundation of the rest and this for three Reasons A double abuse of the Creed which occasioned this Treatise together with the abuse of Catechismes The five Heades of the ensuing Treatise The Creed conteines all and only Fundamentalls The Trinity and Incarnation of the Sonne of God cleared out of it CAP. II. The History of the Apostles Composing the Creed out of Ruffinus Five Reasons why the Apostles delivered it to the Church not in Writing but by an Orall Tradition An Objection against the preserving of it by Tradition Answered CAP. III. Testimonies of Scripture touching the Composure of the Apostles Creed especially out of S. Pauls Epistles as the places are accordingly interpreted by Diuines of good note both Ancient and Moderne Some Doubts against these Testimonies solved CAP. IV. Testimonies concerning the Creed and the Composure thereof by the Apost taken out of the Greek Fathers who beare witnesse for the Eastern Churches some Objections against these Authorities partly Answered partly Prevented CAP. V. Testimonies of the Creed and the Composure thereof by the Apostles taken out of the Latine Fathers who beare witnesse for the Western Churches Some Objections to the contrary Answered CAP. VI. Testimonies of the Authors and Authority of the Creed taken out of the Protestant Divines who have unanimously received and acknowledged this Creed of the Apostles together with the Nicene Creed and that of Athanasius 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 CAP. VIII Severall Objections which some have alleadged against the fore-assigned Authors of the Creed Answered at large Certaine Creeds compared together whereby their Conformity appears to one another and to that of the Apostles CAP. IX The second Head of this Discourse namely the Grounds on which and the ends for which the Apostles framed the Creed The Sufficiency also of the Creed for the Rule of Faith is proved by the Testimonies of Divines as well Moderne as Ancient and those both Romish and Reformed 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 CAP. XI The fourth Head of this Discourse namely the Division or Parts of the Creed CAP XII The fift Head of this Discourse touched in Generall viz. the supplementall or exegetticall Creeds framed in succeeding Ages The Grounds whereon they were Framed and their use Some Copies of Creeds set downe as well of the Hereticks as Orthodox both consonant to this of the Apostles Appendix the first of the Athan. Creed CAP. I. Two Reasons why this Creed hath been more oppugned than the rest It s Authority and Author are vindicated in generall more especially touching the severity of the Preface CAP. II. Severall Testimonies concerning the Author and Authority of the Athan. Creed CAP. III. The Time and Place wherein Athanasius wrote his Creed together with the Person to whom The Cause wherefore he wrote it and the Language wherein CAP IV. Some Objections against what hath been laid downe Answered Especially Nazianzens Testimony concerning the Athanasian Creed is farther cleared and vindicated Appendix the second of the Nicene and Constantinopolitan Creed CAP. I. The Reason of the double name of this Creed The Composure thereof The Additionall or Exegeticall Particles inserted into it When and by Whom it was conveied to other Churches and brought into Divine Service CAP. II. When and by whom the Particle Filioque was added to the Nicene Creed is historically delivered and at large Severall other causes of the breach betweene the Churches of Greece and Rome To the Christian and Catholick Reader OUR Blessed Saviour speaking of his second Comming maketh this question or complaint when the Sonne of man commeth shall he find faith on the Earth Luke 18. 8. Now he puts this question to put it out of question for this seeming doubt is a strong Affirmation and amounts to a vehement Complaint that when he shall come to Judgement he shall find little or no faith amongst men No faith in matter of Practise each man will be false to his Brother Homo homini Vulpes as well as lupus the wisdome of the world so generally counted and esteemed being nought else but overreaching the ancient Christian simplicity will be quite lost and the Serpent expell the Dove nothing but insinuating Complements and faire speeches like those of the Serpent to our Grandmother Eve will every where practise to deceive under pretence of friendship Nor on the other side will there be faith found in matter of Doctrine Religion shall be lamentably torne and mangled by intestine Combats of the Tongue and Pen New opinions shall be in Credit as new fashions till faith of one by
linguae sedissent ut loquelis adversis variisque loquerentur per quas nulla eis Gens extera nulla linguae barbaries inaccessa videretur invia praeceptum eis a Domino datum ob praedicandum Dei verbum ad singulas quemque proficisci nationes Discessuri itaque ab invicem normam priùs futurae Praedicationis in commune constituunt ne fortè alias ab alio abducti diversum aliquid his qui ad fidem Christi invitabantur exponerent Omnes Ergò in uno positi Spiritu Sancto repleti breve istud futurae sibi ut diximus Praedicationis Indicium conferendo in unum quod sentiebat unusquisque componunt atque hanc credentibus dandam esse Regulam statuunt c. The summe is this We have received from our Auncestours that after the Ascension of our Saviour into Heaven and the Descent of the Holy Ghost from thence in the shape of Fiery Tongues on the Day of Pentecost the Apostles inabled with the gift of Tongues to Preach unto the most remote and Barbarous Nations prepared themselves accordingly to fulfill their Lords Command for the more convenient and ready Discharg of which Duty though authorized they were to Preach indifferently unto all yet they sorted themselves into severall Provinces But before they went on this Embassie being assembled together and inspired from above they Compiled the Summary of the Christian Faith as the Ground-worke of all their Preaching and as a constant uniforme Rule of Beleefe to all their Auditours whom they perswaded to imbrace the Christian Beleefe least otherwise they might Preach more variously and at randome And this they left behind them both as a Symbole or Token of their Faith munimentum fidei ex lapidibus vivis margaritis Dominicis which neither Winds nor Stormes can subvert and of their Unanimity as being now ready to depart each from other not as the Sonnes of Noah built the Tower of Babel and were therefore punish'd with confusion of Language being not able to understand each others Speech for these indued with the knowledge of all Tongues Turrim fidei unanimes construebant ut illud Peccati hoc Fidei probaretur Indicium Thus far Ruffinus Now the Apostles having thus Composed their Creed they committed it not to writing but delivered it by word of mouth to the Bishops of the Churches their Successours So witnesse besides Ruffinus here St Ierome Cyril of Ierusalem and Chrysologus yea many yeares before them Irenaeus and Tertullian as I shall shew anon The reasons of which manner of Delivery are thus assigned by the same Fathers 1. Vt certum esset neminem haec ex lectione quae interdum peruenire etiam ad infideles solet sed ex Apostolorum traditione didicisse sufficeret So Ruffinus That it might not come by some unhappy chance into the hands of Heathens and Infidels to whom as Dogs these holy Mysteries of the Christian Faith were not to be cast least they should misconstrue or deride Profane or pollute them to their own greater Damnation the Discouragement and Scandall of the weake Christian and the Dishonour of Religion And to this well agrees the signification of the word Symbolum which Title the Creed of old hath borne and most properly imports a watchword now a watchword we know is given by word of mouth not in paper least the Enemy hap to come unto the knowledge of it 2. Observa fidem saith Cyril of Jerusalem à solâ Ecclesiâ tibi nunc traditam ex omni Scripturâ munitam non in Chartâ scribendo sed in Corde memoriam ejus insculpendo necubi Catechumenus ea qua vobis tradita sunt exaudiat Catech. 5. It seemes by him in this Place that the very Catechumeni who were instructed in the Principles of the Christian Catechisme were not acquainted yet with all the Mysteries of the Creed untill they came to Baptisme some Articles were to hard meat even for them to digest Our Saviour hath a like speech to this purpose Jo. 16. 12. 3. Accepturi Symbolum saith Chrysologus Pectora parate non Chartam quia committi non potest caducis corruptibilibus Instrumentis aeternum coeleste Secretum sed in ipsa areâ animae in ipsa Bibliothecâ interni spiritus est locandum ne profanus Arbiter ne improbus quod dilaceret Discussor inveniat fiat ad contemnentis ignorantis ruinam quod confitentis credentis donatum est ad Salutem It suits with the Dignity of the Creed to be ingraven in no other Table then the Heart of man with the safety of Christians that they receive it no otherwise then from the mouth of their Pastour with his short but sound exposition thereof Serm. 58. 4. The same Father in his 61 Sermon gives this Reasan Hoc monemus ne quis committat literis quod est Corde mandaturus ut credat Apostolo sic monente Corde creditur ad justiam Ore autem confessio fit ad salutem Rom. 10. 10. The Confession of our Faith which we make in the Creed hath the Heart for its Mother the mouth for its Midwife the Pen hath nothing to doe here So the Groundwork of this Tradition is laid by S. Paul if we may trust the judgment of Chrysologus 5. The Creed is best and most safely preserved by Tradition especially being so short an Epitome of the Christian faith whereas Memory trusting to Paper is lesse carefull of retaining and we daily see what doubts and disputes there arise amongst Criticks about the diversity of Copies in the Transcription of our Sacred Books and what Errours of the Transcribers Nihil securum quod extra animum fertur Those two great Philosophers Pythagoras and Socrates whom we may justly stile the Fathers of the Rest are observed to have wrote nothing neither did a far greater then They our Blessed Saviour Lycurgu's Laws by a bare Tradition were kept inviolate above 500 years when those of Solon diligently engraven in wood carefully laid up were notwithstanding soon forgoten frequently broken in the Lawgivers own life-time Yea we see by experience both in ludicrous toyes as in Childrens sports and in weightier matters as in the severall Habits Customes of Nations that without any Law written they are both more easily retained and more carefully observed But because I foresee that this last Reason will meet with opposition I shall indeavour to cleare and confirme it both by satisfying those Doubts which probably may arise against it It will be objected that the Creed is not most safely preserved by Tradition because severall Copies thereof doe not a little vary That it seemes very strange a Thing should be safer kept by Tradition then by writing seeing Tradition depends on no other help but memory whereas Things committed to Paper are conveyed to Posterity and remaine by two Helps Memory and Writing If Tradition were the safest way to preserve Things why were the Scriptures written What is preserved of the doctrine of
Pontius Pilate 4. That he descended into Hell and rose againe after three Dayes 5. That he ascended up to his Father into Heaven and sitteth on his right Hand 6. That he shall come at the end of the world to judge both the quicke and the dead and to render to every man according to his workes But because the doctrine of the Trinity lies more implicitely couched in the Creed he expresseth it more at large in his Epistle to the Church of Philippi in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is There are not three Fathers nor three Sons nor three Comforters but one Father and one Son and one comforter wherfore the Lord sending his Apostles to teach all Nations commanded them to Baptize in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost not into one with three names or into three made man but into the name of three of the same Dignity for one of them only was made man not the Father nor the Comforter but the Sonne alone and that not in opinion or appearance but in Truth If any one question the truth of these Epistles out of which I have produced these passages whether they were written by Ignatius or no I shall desire him as well to disprove as to deny for Else nothing of Antiquity which agrees not with every on s fancy shall escape the note of Bastardy I am sure the Epistle to the Church of Tralles out of which I cited the Articles of the Creed which concerne our Saviour agreeing in substance method and very much in words with the forme we now have is acknowledged for the genuine Epistle of Ignatius not only by Eusebius and St Jerome of old by Maestreus a D. of the Sorbon of late but also by Rivet Videlius two protestant Divines who have narrowly examined the Epistles which are entitled to him purged them of what they suspected as asciticious If any would know more of this Ignatius his Antiquity and Esteeme in the Church which may as well establish as ennoble whatsoever he shall testify in this or any other Particular I shall refer him to Nicephorus Eccles Hist lib. 2. cap. 35. Where he expressly tels us that he was that very child whom we find mentioned Mat. 18. 3. Whom our Blesed Saviour set in the midst of his Disciples as a Patterne of Humility he therefore styles him in the same Place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is One Taken by Christ borne in his Armes which Relation seemes to give light unto that Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the same Ignatius cōstantly assumes to himself in the Front of his Epistles as a peculiar Epithete wherby he specificates himselfe endears his Person to the Churches his Age well accords to the story so doth that passage of his in his Epistle to the Church of Smyrna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After the resurrection saith he I saw Christ in body and believe that he remaines so for so not only Maestreus translats it vidi and understands the word of a corporall vision in the presence of our Saviour but Videlius also in his Edition both cōsonantly to Jeron in Ca. Ep. in Dial. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before them Eus l. 3. 30. as I find thē cited And therfore as I conceive the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought not be takē in an Active sence Deum ferens i in pectore vel mente accoding to that of Damascene speaking of the Greeke Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in a Passive Borne in Christs armes or led by his hand for though I deny not that the Ancient Fathers of the Church may in a good pious sense be called by succeeding writers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â Deo inflati though inspired by God in a far lower Degree then the Prophets and Apostles yet for Ignatius himselfe to assume the Speciall style of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one divinly inspired as a distinctiue Character severing him from and exalting him above his fellow-Byshops might be not undeservedly censured of Arrogancy a vice which he was least guilty of as appeares by severall pasages in his Epistles Origen in the Proeme of his Bokes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated out of the Greeke by Ruffinus thus informes us Cum seruetur ecclesiastica Praedicatio per successionis ordinem ab Apostolis tradita usque ad praesens in Ecclesiis permanens illa sola credenda est veritas quae in nullo ab Ecclesiasticâ discordat Traditione Illud tamen scire oportet quoniam Sancti Apostoli Fidē Christi Praedicantis de quibusdam quidem quaecunque necessaria crediderunt omnibus credentibus etiam his qui pigriores erga inquisitionem divinae scientiae videbantur manifestissimè tradiderunt Species verò eorum quae per praedicationem Apostolicam manifestè traduntur istae sunt Primo quod unus est Deus qui omnia creavit atque composuit quique ex nullis fecit esse universa quod hic Deus in novissimis diebus sicutper Prophetas suos ante promiserat misit Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Tum deinde quia Jesus Christus ipse qui venit ante omnem creaturam natus ex patre est qui cum in omnium conditione Patri ministrasset per ipsum enim omnia facta sunt novissimis temporibus seipsum exaniniens homo factus est incarnatus est cum Deus esset Homo mansit quod Deus erat corpus assumpsit nostro corpori simile eo solo differens quod natum ex virgine de Spiritu Sancto est quod hic Jesus Christus natus passus sit in veritae non per imaginem communem hanc mortem verè mortuus est verè enim a mortuis resurrexit post resurrectionem conversatus cum Discipulis suis assumptus est Tum deinde Honore ac Dignitate Patri ac filio sociatum tradiderunt Spiritum sanctum erit tempus resurrectionis mortuorum cum corpus hoc quod in corruptione seminatur surget in incorruptione quod seminatur in ignominiâ surget in gloriâ quod mundus iste factus sit a certo Tempore caeperit pro ipsa sui corruptione solvendus esse Angelos Dei quosdam virtutes bonas quae ei ministrent ad Salutem hominum consummandam Then he ads as the fundamentall principle of all ad extra Quod per Spiritum sanctum Scripturae conscriptae sint The summe of what he saith for he paraphrastically enlargeth some points is this The Doctrine of the Church being successively derived from the Apostles and abiding till that present in the Churchees that only is to be credited as a Truth which in nothing differs from that Eclesiasticall Tradition withall that the Holy Apostles preaching the Faith of Christ most clearly delivered to all Beleevers even to the more dull and simple whatsoever Points they conceived necessary for them the Particular Heads whereof were these which follow
being indeed the Articles of the Creed viz That there is but one God who made all things of nothing That this God sent his Sonne our Lord Jesus Christ begotten of the Father before every Creature by whom all Creatures were made He was incarnate and made man assuming a Body like in all things to us but that it was borne of the Virgin being conceived by the Holy Ghost He truly Dyed not in apearance the comon death of all men for he truly rose againe Having converst with his Disciples after his Resurrection he was taken up into Heaven That the Holy Ghost is associate with the Father and Sonne in the same Honor and Dignity there shall be a time for the Resurrection of the Dead when this body which is sowne in corruption shall rise in incorruption and that which is sowne in dishonor shall rise in glory This world was made and had a certaine time of begining and by reason of ' its corruptability shall be at length dissolved That there are certain Angels of God and good spirits which minister unto him in procuring the salvation of man kind He adds at last an other Traditionall Foundation viz. That the Scriptures were written by the Holy Ghost After all he concluds oportet igitur velut elementis ac fundamentis hujusmodi uti That we ought to make use of these as the first Elemens and Grounds of Christian Religion which he accordingly explaines at large in those foure bookes of his entituled therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Principles of Christianity a worke fit for his office of Catachist which he bore for many years in the Church of Alexandria 4. Marcellus Bishope of Ancyra in Gallatia fellowsuferer with the great Athanasius being accused by the Arians of Sabellianisme as Athanasius also was and by their means expeld his Bishoprick flies unto Iulius Bishope of Rome for succour and having long there in vaine expected his adversaries comming by confronting of whom he desired to have accquitted himselfe at length weary of longer stay he takes his leave of Iulius and leaves behind him an Epistle wherein he makes this Profession of Faith exceeding conformable to that of the Apostles as we read it at this Day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is I Believe in God Almighty and in Jesus Christ his only-begotten Sonne our Lord conceived by the Holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary crucifyed under Pontius Pilate and buried the third Day he rose againe from the Dead he ascended into the Heavens and sitteth at the right hand of the Father whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Church the forgivenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the Body the Life Everlasting But this is not all to shew that this Creed was not of his own framing a little after he subjoynes these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Having received this Faith from the holy Scriptures and being taught it of my spirituall Progenitors or Divine Ancestors I both Preach it in the Church of God and have now wrote it unto thee O Iulius This Epistle with the foresaid Creed inclosed we find recorded by Epiphanius in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haeres 72. Now whom doth Marcellus meane by his Progenitors or Ancestors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to or in God Sure he understands either his Godfathers at the Font or the Bishops of the Church by whom he was instructed in the Ancient Faith Or lastly which seemes to me most probable the Apostles themselves who were the true and proper Fathers or Founders of the Christian Church whence that of S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Though you have ten thousand Instructers or Pedagogues in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers It followes there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in Iesus Christ I have begotten you through the Gospell 1 Cor. 4. 15. 5. S. Basil the Great in his Tract 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the Creed or Christian Faith sets downe this Symbole or Confession thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is We Believe and professe one only true and good God the Father Almighty of whom are all Things the God and Father of our Lord and God Jesus Christ and one only begotten Sonne of his our Lord and God Jesus Christ the only True one by whom all things were made both visible and invisible and by whom all things consist who was in the Begining with God and was God and afterward according to the Scripture he appeared upon Earth and conversed with men being in the forme of God he thought it not robbery to be equall with God yet he made himselfe of no reputation and taking upon him the forme of a Servant by being borne of a Virgin and being found in fashion as a man he fulfilled all things which concerned him and were written of him according to the commandment of his Father he became obedient to the Death even the Death of the Crosse and the third Day arising from the Dead according to the Scriptures he appeared to his holy Disciples and to the Rest according as it is written he ascended into the Heavens and sitteth on the right hand of the Father from whence he shall come at the end of this world to raise up all and to render to every one according to his workes when the righteous shall be taken into Life Eternall and the Kingdome of Heaven and the sinners shall be condemned to everlasting punishment where their worme dieth not and the fire is not quenched And in one only Holy Ghost the Comforter by whom we are sealed to the day of Redemption the Spirit of Truth Here we have all the Articles of the Creed but two viz. The Beleefe of the Holy Catholick Church and the forgivenes of sinnes which he sets downe in the ensuing words wherein he largely descants on the gifts of the Holy Ghost towards the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. By which Spirit we are sealed unto the day of Redemption the Spirit of Truth the Spirit of Adoption by whom we cry Abba Father which distributeth and effecteth in every one the Graces of God unto edification according to his pleasure the good Spirit which leadeth into all Truth and establisheth all that believe in the true and exact knowledge in the Godly and Spirituall service and worship and true confession of God the Father and his only-begotten Sonne c. Concluding thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus we think and thus we baptize 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a coessentiall Trinity according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ who said goe and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sone and of the Holy Ghost A little after he intimates from whom he received the foresaid confession of faith namely from Christ and his Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I beseech you saith
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
and convince the perversnesse of Hereticks For we have received by Tradition that after the Ascension of our Lord and Saviour to the Father when his Disciples being inspired with fiery tongues by the holy Ghost comming on them spake all manner of languages they being to depart each from other and goe unto all Nations to preach the Word of God decreed first by common Consent to frame a Rule or Prescript to themselves of their after-preaching least departing thus a sunder they might Preach any thing Diverse or differently sounding to those who were invited unto the Faith of Christ All of them therefore being gathered together and filled with the holy Ghost Collected into one a short Summary of their Preaching every one contributing what he thought meet and this they appointed to be given as a Rule unto Beleevers The same Father in his 115th Sermon De Tempore sets downe distinctly all the Articles of the Creed and distributes them in severall according to the number of the Twelve Apostles to each of them one Then in his little Booke De fide Symbolo he also sets downe all the Articles of the Apostles Creed withall he tells us lib 1. Retract cap. 17. Concerning this small Tract that he wrote it as an exposition of the Creed which he was commanded to make before a full Councill of African Bishops Assembled at Hippo Regia when he was yet but Presbyter Ut tamen non fiat illa verborum contentio quae tenenda memoriter competentibus traditur Yet not tying himselfe to that forme of words which is delivered unto the competentes to be got without booke Whence we may observe 1. That there was a certaine Forme of Beleefe delivered to the Competentes or Petitioners of Baptisme which they were to rehearse Memoriter when they came to be Partakars of that Sacrament 2. That St Austin had liberty to vary from this when he made the said exposition namely to vary from it not in the matter but in the manner of expression as other Doctours of the Church before him had done in their more Learned Tracts which they published to the world as we have seene in some former examples Lastly In his Enchiridion to Laurentius cap. 7. he hath these words Ecce tibi est Symbolum Dominica Oratio quid brevius auditur aut Legitur Behold thou hast the Creed and the Lords prayer canst thou heare or Read any thing more breife Where Hearing refers to the Creed as being an Orall Tradition and Reading to the Lords prayer as being written in the Gospell A little after he addes Quomodò invocabunt in quem non crediderunt Propter hoc Symbolum How shall they call on him on whom they have not believed For this cause the Creed was Framed Where he makes Prayer necessarily to depend on the Creed according to that of the Apostle Rom. 10. 14 Therefore according to St Austin the Creed was as necessary from the Begining of Christianity as the Lords Prayer and the Apostles Creed it is which he there explaines 7. Maximus Bishop of Turin in his Homily entituled De Traditione Symboli having spoken before of the word Shiboleth where by the Ephraimites were discouered at the Fourds of Jordan he thus applies it to the Creed Quod Beati Apostoli ut ego reor exemplum sequentes Ecclesiae Dei quam adversus malitiam Diabolici furoris armabant mysterium Symboli tradiderunt ut quia sub uno Christi nomine Credentium erat futura Diversitas signaculum Symboli inter fideles Persidosque secerneret alienus a Fide atque hostis apareret Ecclesiae aut tanquam Baptizatus nescisset aut tanquam Haereticus corrupisset That is Which Patterne saith he as I suppose the Blessed Apostles setting before their Eyes delivered unto the Church of God the mystery of the Creed thereby arming it against the malice of the Divels fury that because under the same name of Christ there would be as they foresaw no small diversity of Professours the Creed as a Marke or Seale should distinguish betwene the true Beleevers and mis-beleevers and he might appeare an Alien from the Faith and an enimy to the Church who pretending to be Baptized was found ignorant thereof or by his Heresy had corrupted it 8. Petrus surnamed Crysologus Bishop of Ravenna hath left behind him sixe Homilies one the Apostles Creed viz. From his 56th Sermon to the 63. 9. Leo the Great Bishop of Rome in his eleventh Sermon of the Passion hath these words Hac Fidei Regula quam in ipso exordio Symboli per Authoritatem Apostolicae Institutionis accepimus Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum quem Filium Dei patris Omnipotentis unicum dicimus eundem quoque de Spiritu Sancto natum ex Maria Virgine confitemur That is By this Rule of Faith which in the Begining of the Creed we have received by the Authority of an Apostolik Institution we confesse the same Jesus Christ our Lord whom we call the only Sonne of God the Father Almighty to be also borne of the Virgin Mary by the Power of the holy Ghost The same Leo in his thirteenth Epistle written to the Emperesse Pulchcria speakes more fully and distinctly of the Creed Ipsius Catholici Symboli brevis perfecta confessio duodecim Apostolorum totidem est signata Sententiis That is That briefe and perfect confession of Faith in the Catholick Creed is distinctly marked forth with twelve Sentences equall to the number of the Apostles 10. Cassianus S. Chrysostomes Deacon and afterwards Presbyter of Marceilles in France at the command of Leo the great wrote seven Bookes De Incarnatione Domini against Nestorius as he himself tels us in his Preface in the sixt whereof he hath these words touching the composure of the Creed Quod Graece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur Latine Collatio nominatur Collatio autem ideo quia in unum ab Apostolis Domini totius Catholicae legis fide quiquid per universum Divinorum voluminū Corpus immensa funditur copia totum in Symboli colligitur Brevitate perfecta Hoc est breviatum verbum quod fecit Dominus Fidem sc duplicis Testamenti sui in pauca colligens sed sensum omnium Scripturarum in breuia concludens sua de suis condens vim totius legis compendiocissimâ brevitate perficiens consulens sc in hoc ut piissimus Pater vel negligentiae quorundam filiorum suorum vel imperitiae ut non laboraret utique quamvis simplex imperita mens capere quod possit facile etiam memoria contineri vides ergo in Symbolo authoritatē Dei esse verbum enim breviatum faciet Dominus super terram sed Hominum fortasse quaeris ne id quidem deest per Hominem enim id Deus fecit sicut enim immensam illam Scripturarum sacrarum Copiam qer Patriarchas Prophetas maxime suos condidit ita Symbolum per Apostolos suos Sacerdotesque constituit Nihil ergo
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
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
set downe the Articles but Catechetically explaine them also together with the rest which precede and there hath been no reason ever yet assigned to make us doubt of the composing of these Catecheses by the same man and at the same Time when he was Catechist which was in his youthfull Age seeing they all alike relish of the same juvenile extemporary stile the consideration whereof hath made some to doubt whether any of them were Cyril's or no because they seemed not elaborate enough for so grave a Patriarch though they seeme indeed to have beene set forth by his Successor Iohn and thence became entitled unto him by some latter unwary Transcriber which may serve to satisfy that objection taken out of Simlerus who in his Index of those Bookes which the City of Auspurgh bought of Antony Eparch of Coreyra reckoneth Joannis Jerosol Catech. Illuminat duâ—deviginti Mystagogicus quinque If any yet desire to have this more fully and clearly demonstrated viz. That the Easterne Churches had an Ancient Forme of Beliefe derived to them from the Apostles and whereto they profest to adde nothing in their following confessions because as it is more obscure so it is more oppugned they may please to consult these following Testimonies 1. Epiphanius in his Booke called Anchoratus having set downe the Nicene Creed as we now have it at large adjoynes these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Faith saith he was delivered by the holy Apostles and in the Church the Holy City by all the holy Bishops together above 310 in number The same Creed then was delivered by both by the Apostles as the Primitive Authors by the Nicene Fathers as the Expositors The Nicene Creed thus at full set downe by Epiphanius was written seaven years before the first Councell of Constantinople which first added all after the Article of the Holy Ghost unto that forme which the Nicene Fathers had delivered although they were not the first framers of those additionall Articles and having thus compleated the Creed by borrowing the remaining Articles from that of the Apostles confirmed the entire forme by their Synodicall Authority and so commended yea prescribed the whole to the Catholick Church 2. The succeeding Councells in the Easterne Church expressely tell us that they and their Predecessors were neither Authors of any new Faith nor Adders to it but only Establishers and Exposirors of the old The first Councell of Constantinople which was the second Generall calls the Nicene Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most ancient although that Synod was celebrated but 56 years before the reason therefore of this Title is that they looked upon that Creed not as first composed by the Bishops of the Nicene Synod but as derived and declared out of a Creed ab ultima antiquitate in Ecclesiâ recepto received in the Church from all Antiquity as the Reverend and Learned Primate of Armagh hath rightly exprest it They also decreed to retaine it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as most agreeable to the Sacrament of Baptisme Theod. lib. 5. hist cap. 9. The Bishops Assembled at Tyre Anno 518. professe to embrace the Nicene Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expounded not made by that Synod Act. Concil 5. Constant sub Mennâ And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is That holy Creed whereinto we were all Baptized the Nicene Synod with the assistance of the Holy Ghost hath publickly declared that of Constantinople hath ratified that of Ephesus hath confirmed and in like manner the Great holy Synod of Chalcedon hath sealed The Councell of Chalcedon which was the fourth Generall styles the Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Doctrine unshaken or unmoved from the first Preaching of the Gospell and withall tells us that the Councells of Nice and Constantinople expounded the Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not adding ought as if the faith of their Predecessors had been deficient but declaring their sense by Scripture Testimonies Evagr. lib. 2. cap. 4. To this agrees also that of the Emperour Iustinian writing to Epiphanius Patriarch of Constantinople we keepe saith he that decree of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Symbole which was explained by the 118 Fathers in the Councell of Nice which also the 150 Fathers in the first Councell of Constantinople farther declared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as though the ancient faith were defective but because the enemies of the Truth partly rejected the Divinity of the Holy Ghost partly denied the Incarnation of God the Word therefore the said Fathers by Testimonies out of Scripture explained this Doctrine more at large Thus he 7. leg Cord. De Summâ Trinitate Fide Catholicâ 3. To give you the Testimony of the Westerne Church for confirmation of the same Truth The Liturgy called Ordo Romanus a Book of known Authority and Antiquity in the Preface to the Nicene Creed hath these words directed to the Persons who were to pronounce it before their Baptisme Audite suscipientes Evangelici Symboli Sacramentum à Domino inspiratum ab Apostolis institutum cujus pauca quidem verba sunt sed magna mysteria In which words the Nicene Creed is called The Evangelicall Symbole inspired by Christ and ordained by his Apostles And another old Latine Liturgy in use about the yeare 700 hath these words of the same Creed Finito Symbolo Apostolorum dicat Sacerdos Dominus vobiscum Where it is also expressely called The Creed of the Apostles that is the same explained and enlarged For these Testimonies I am indebted to the said R. and Learned Bishop Now for a close to these Authorities and Arguments I shall subjoyne the testimony of Franc. Quaresimus of the Order of Minors a Person of good note in the Romish Church as who was made by the Pope his President and Apostolick Commissary in the Holy Land during which office of his he took incredible paines in searching out the Antiquities of Palestine now this Author in his Book called Elucidatio Terrae Sanctae Tom. 2. lib. 4. Perear 9. cap. 1. Brings two opinions concerning the Place wherein the Apostles composed the Creed The first that of Adrichomius who thinkes it probable that the place was Caenaculum Sion a Place famous for many other sacred Actions as wherein our Blessed Saviour celebrated his last Supper and instituted the most holy Eucharist wherein the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles at Pentecost and wherein they held that famous Councell about the abrogating of the Ceremoniall Law Act. 15. consonantly to which Tradition he brings that saying of the Evangelicall Prophet Out of Syon shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Isa 2. 3. The second that of Frier Anselme and others that the place where the Apostles framed the Creed was on Mount Olivet three Bow-shootes from the place where Christ is said to have wept over Jerusalem for which he gives this reason Quia est communis in partibus istis Traditio perpetuis
whom the objectour cites I shall returne a more particular Answer First Cyril indeed in that place tels us that the mysteries of the Faith ought not to be delivered unto the Catechumeni simply nakedly but as clothed with scripture and that they should not simply believe him unlesse he brought proofes from thence for what he delivered because the safety of our Faith saith he depends not on the pleasingnes of Rhetorick but on the demonstration of Gods Word written The reason whereof he assignes in the begining of the same Homily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Disciples of the Hereticks by their elegancy of speech and fair soothing tongues under the name of Christians deceive the hearts of the simple they hide the poysoōusdartes of their ungodly Doctrines with sugred expressions of all whom joyntly our Lord saith beware least any man deceive you then he goes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this cause the doctrine of Faith is delivered with expositions thereon So that he would not have the Creed or himselfe believed without Scripture not that the Creed but the Times required such proofe for the Heretickes of those Dayes partly framed new Creeds of their own partly added to altered and perverted the old withall indeavouring to make their doctrine good by seeming probabillities of Reason and flourishes of Rhetorick It was necessary therefore in this case to discover these false Creeds and Interpretations by bringing all unto the Text of Scripture Secondly The other Father Paschasius in the begining of his Booke De Spiritu Sancto written against Macedonius taxeth a false reading of the Creed crept into it through the ignorance of some Transcribers who wrote I believe in the holy Church for I believe the holy Church by this error enervated an Argument usually alleadged by the Fathers for the Deity of the holy Ghost against Macedonius and his Followers Paschasius therefore proves by certeine Places of Scripture that they are commanded to believe in God alone but never in man wherefore seeing the Church consists of a company of men that reading of the Creed must consequently be false which enjoynes us to believe in the Church But what of all this He appealed not in this from the Creed unto Scripture but by Scripture corrects a false reading of the Creed as the Fathers in their polemicall writings against Hereticks frequently correct their corrupt quotations of some places of Scripture by other undoubted places Ob. 8th The Reason assigned why the Apostles composed this Creed discovers the vanity of the Tradition what was that That it might be forsooth to the Apostles a Canon or Rule according to which they should square and conforme their Preaching what to the Apostles to whom Christ promised his Blessed Spirit that should lead them into all Truth Certeinly they needed it not for their owne sakes amongst whom there was no ground of difference nor doubt of the Principles of Christianity And whereas others more probably say it was framed for the Churches sake that shee might have a short plaine yet full confession of Faith as a Formula of Beliefe to be publickly recited at the Time of Baptisme neither will this hold for in the Apostles Age the Confession of Faith was plaine and simple when they came to be Baptized namely in Jesus Christ or in the Father Son and holy Ghost as appeares by the History of the Acts so that the Church had then no need of such a Formula It began not to be required till diverse Heresies brake into the Church Answ First It is readily confest that the Apostles needed no Rule of Faith whereby to square their Preaching as if otherwise they should have erred yet they might well agree one a Canon or Rule of Fundamentals wherewith they thought fit to acquaint all Christians as with Points necessary to Salvation whereas otherwise they might have Preached more at large and intermixt matters of lesser Consequence As for the Authors who bring the Reason alleaged in the objection they lay it downe not in these Termes least the Apostles being seperated each from other ipsi inter se in varias scinderentur partes much lesse thus ne subinde alii abaliis in doctrinâ abirent as is odiously alleaged but Ruffinus renders the reasō thus Ne diversum aliquid his qui ad fidem Christi invitabantur exponerent S. Austin in like words Ne diversum vel dissonum praedicarent his qui ad fidē Christi invitabantur Now diversum and abversum dissonum and absonum are two things there was no feare that the Apostles by being severed each from other should Preach ought contrary to the Truth or to one Another if they had not before agreed uppon a Forme yet they might have Preached somewhat diverse from the Fundamentalls of Christianity namely other Points of inferiour concernment or at least the same in other wordes if they had not agreed on this Rule at their setting forth whence their Auditours might have taken occasion to suspect and argue them of falsehood not believing they were all guided by the same Spirit or to part themselves into factions as it fell out in the Church of Corinth about Paul and Apollos although they taught the same Gospell And what stirres arose in the Church about a Ceremony viz. the time of observing Easter derived frō a different tradition of S. Iohn to the Churches of Asia frō the rest of the Christian world though they all agreed in the main the keeping of the Feast Eusebius others will sufficienly informe us But to come closer to our Subject A notable instance in the very same kind namely in matter of of Doctrin such as the Creed is we find in the Greek and Latine Church about the middle of the fourth Century touching the Grand mystery of the Trinity which yet upon due examination proved only a difference of the tongue language The Controversie is thus set down by Greg. Naz Orat. 21. written in praise of the Great Athanasius Num. 46. 47. The Orientals saith he held one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Essence and three Hypostases or or subsistences The Latines by Reason of the barrennesse of their Tongue and the narrownesse of expression could not distinguish Hypostasis from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subsistence from Essence therefore insteed of Hypostasis brought in the new-coind word Persona Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signify the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proper distinctive Relations of the Three as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Nature what was the effect of this saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The effect deserved laughter or rather Lamentation this small difference of wordes seemed a diversity of Beliefe for the Orientals suspected the Westrne Church of Sabilianisme because they would not acknowledge three Hypostases but caled them by the name of three Persons And the Western Church suspected the Orientals of Arianisme for holding three Hypostases
non in Arca sed in memoria portaretur The quintessence of the whole Body of Scripture is extracted into a few Sentences that so this precious Treasure of the Soule might be the more easily borne not in a Chest but in the Conscience After this he brings two similies to the same purpose comparing the Creed to a picture wherein are united all the severall Graces of the choisest Beauties and to a Rich Man journying who puts all his wealth into a few Jewells which are easily portable 8. S. Austin in his 181 Sermon De Tempore gives this Elogy of the Creed Symbolum breve est verbis sed magnum est Sacramentis quicquid enim praefiguratum est in Scripturis quiquid praedictum est in Prophetis vel de Deo ingenito vel ex Deo in Deum nato vel de spiritu Sancto vel de suscipiendo omni Sacramento vel de morte Domini resurrectonisque ejus mysterio totum breviter hoc Symbolum continet That is The Creed is litle for words but large in mysteries for what soever was prefigured in the Patriarchs proclaimed in Scripture foretould in the Prophets either concerning God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost or of undertaking the mysterious worke of our Salvation or concerning the Death resurrection of the Lord this Creed doth conteine in briefe 9. Leo the Great in his 13th Epistle written to the Empresse Pulcheria calls the Creed as is fore-alleadged The short and Perfect Confession of the Catholick Symbole distinctly marked forth by the twelve Apostles into so many sentences Tanquam instructa sit munitione Caelesti ut omnes haereticorum opiniones solo ipsius possint gladio detruncari cujus plenitudinem si Eutiches c. As compleatly furnisht with celestiall armour so that the the Heades of all hereticall opinions may be cut off by its sword alone the Fulnesse whereof if Eutiches c. 10. Cassianus in his sixt Booke of the Incarnation of our Lord speakes fully to this purpose Quicquid per universum c. whatsoever is largly diffused throughout the whole Body of the Scriptures is all summed up in the perfect breviary of the Creed The place we have cited more at large chap. 5. 11. Venantius Fortunatus in the preface to his explication of the Creed begins thus Fidei Catholicae totius summam recensentes in quâ integritas Credulitatis ostenditur unius Dei omnipotentis id est Sanctae Trinitatis aequalitas declaratur mysterium Incarnationis Filii Dei c. That is Whilst we declare the summe of the whole Catholicke Faith wherein the entire beliefe of a Christian is set forth with the equality of one Almighty God that is of the Holy Trinity and the mystery of the incarnation of the Sonne of God c. where he useth the very words of Clemens Rom. Which we forecited Then he concludes Cunctis credentibus quae continentur in Symbolo salus animarum vitae perpetua bonis actibus praepareiur Let all those who believe the Things contained in the Creed provide by good workes for the salvation of their Soules and life everlasting that Creed being sufficient for matter of beliefe as good workes are for matter of practise 12. I shall conclude these Testimonies of the Ancients with these words of Erasmus lib. de Rat. verae Theolog. Vtinam nostra credulitas Symbolo esset contenta ubi caepit esse minus Fidei inter Christianos mox increvit Symbolorum modus numerus Would to God saith he our Beliefe had been contented with the Creed when there began to be lesse Faith amongst Christians the Creeds straitwaies increased both in bulk number For the farther clearing of this Truth I shall adde to the Authority of the Ancients the Testimonies of some noted Doctors in the Roman Church who make the Apostles Creed the Breviary of the Faith and the note or signe to distinguish the Orthodox Professors from Hereticks as well as Infidells and so by a necessary consequence free the Reformed Churches from the injurious imputation of Heresy seeing they all unanimously receive the Creed in the old Primitive sense as it was expounded and enlarged by the foure first generall Councells 1. Aquinas 2a 2ae qu. 1. Art 9. speaking of the Apostles Creed useth these words Necessarium fuit fidei veritatem in unum colligi ut facilius posset omnibus proponi ne aliquis per ignorantiam fidei a veritate deficeret Et ab hujusmodi sententiarum fidei collectione nomen Symboli est acceptum It was necessary saith he for the Poynts of the true Faith to be drawn into one from which Collection of Sentences it took the name of Symbolum that so they might the more easily be presented to all and for this end least any one should depart from it through ignorance Whence it will follow that all necessary poynts of Faith are therein contained for if any were wanting there were roome left for ignorance 2. Canisius in his Catechisme maketh this Question Estné brevis aliqua fidei complexio ac summa omnium nobis credendorum Is there any short summary of the faith and collection of all Poynts to be believed He answers Est illa quam 12 Apostoli suo Symbolo tradiderunt quod quidem Symbolum velut illustris not a est qua Christiani ab Impiis qui vel nullam vel non rectam Christi fidem profitentur discernendi ac internoscendi sunt There is namely That which the Twelve Apostles have delivered in their Creed which Creed is a famous marke or signe whereby Christians are to be discerned from those ungodly persons who either professe no faith or not the Right 3. Augerius in his Catechisme proposeth the like question Estné brevis aliqua methodus fidei quae necessario nobis tenenda est Is there any short method or rule of Faith which is necessary to be held by us He answers Est quidem ab ipsis Apostolis tradita quae Symbolum ideo vocari solet quod sit quaedam Illustris notae quâ Christianos distinguimus ab iis qui Idololatrarum superstitionem haereticorum impiotatem comitantur There is such an one and that delivered by the Apostles themselves which is therefore commonly called a Symbole because it is a certain marke of note whereby we distinguish Christians from those who follow the superstition of Idolaters and the impiety of Hereticks 4. The Romane Catechisme set forth by the Decree of the Councell of Trent and of Pius 5. hath these words touching the Creed Hanc fidei formulam Symbolum Apostoli appellârunt quia eâ veluti notâ tessera quadam uterentur quâ desertos subintroductos falsos fratres qui evangelium adulterabant ab iis qui verè Christi militiae sacramento se obligarent facilè possent internoscere That is This forme of Beliefe the Apostles called a Symbole because they made use of it as a certain Token or watch word whereby they might easily discerne
and Dignity of each Person so named so that they are Three in the manner of Subsistence but one in the Consent Socr. Hist lib. 2. cap. 7. The Fourth was Framed on this occasion Certaine Bishops being sent by Constantius to his Brother Emperour of the West for to give an account of the Casting out of Paulus Athanasius concealed the precedent Formula of Beliefe made at Antioch and exhibited this other of their owne composure viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe in one God the Father Almighty Creator and maker of all Things of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named and in his only-begotten Sonne our Lord Jesus Christ begotten of the Father before all Worldes God of God Light of Light by whom all things were made both in the Heavens in the Earth whether Visible or Invisible who is the Word and the Wisdome and the Power and the Life and the true Light who in these last Dayes was for our sakes made Man and Borne of the holy Virgin was Crucified Dead and Buried and rose againe the third Day from the Dead he ascended into the Heavens sitteth on the right hand of the Father and shall come at the end of the World to Judge the Quicke and the Dead to render unto every one according to his workes Whose Kingdome never ceasing endureth unto all eternity for he sitteth at the right Hand of God not only in this world but also in that which is to come We believe also in the holy Ghost that is in the Comforter whom according to his Promise he sent to his Apostles after his ascent into Heaven to teach them bring all things to their remembrance by whom also the Soules of those who syncerely believe in him are Sanctifyed But those who say the Sonne was made of nothing or of any other Substance and was not of God and that there was a Time when he was not the Catholick Church doth not acknowledge them for her owne Socr. hist lib. 2. cap. 14. The Fift Creed is that which was rehearsed by Vrsacius and Valens two Arian Bishops in the Synod of Ariminum had bin not long before Composed by the Bishops of that Faction in the Synod of Sirmium The Forme is this which followes We believe in one only and true God the Father Almighty Creator Framer of all things in one only-begotten Sonne of God begottten before all Worlds before all Begining before all imaginable Time which we can possibly conceive or comprehend begotten of God without sense or passion by whom the Worlds or Ages were set in order and all things were made the only Son of his Father God of God like unto the Father who begat him according to the Scriptures whose Generation no one knoweth but the Father who begat him This only-begotten Sonne of his we know came from Heaven for the puttting away of sinne by the will of his Father was borne of the Virgin Mary conversed with his Disciples fulfilled every Part of his office according to the will and Councell of his Father was crucifyed suffered and Dyed descended into the lower Partes of the Earth and ordered all things there the Porters of Hell Trembling at his sight he rose againe the Third Day Conversed with his Disciples and after forty Dayes was taken up into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father and shall come at the last Day in the Glory of his Father to render unto every one according to his workes And in the holy Ghost whom the same only-begotten Sonne of God Jesus Christ promised to send unto mankind the Comforter according as it is writtē I depart unto my Father I will beseech the Father and he shall send you another Comforter the Spirit of truth he shall receive of mine and shall teach you and bring all things to your remembrance As for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essence because it being set downe by the Fathers without explication and not understood by the People gives cause of offence and because the Scriptures have no such word we have thought good to take it away and to make no mention at all hereafter of it when we speake of God because the holy Scriptures mention not at all the essence of the holy Ghost or the Sonne but we say that the Sonne is like unto the Father in all Things as the holy Scriptures say and Teach Soc. lib. 2. cap. 29. The sixt Confession of Faith is that new Formula which Acacius Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine one of the Arian Party proposed in the Synod of Seleucia by Leo a great officer in the Emperours Court The Forme was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We professe and believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth of things Visible and Invisible we believe also in our Lord Jesus Christ his Sonne begotten of him without Sense or Passion before all worlds God the Word the only-begotten of God the light the life the Truth the Wisdome by whom all Things were made both which are in Heaven and which are on Earth whether visible or invisible we believe that in the latter Age of the World he tooke flesh of the holy Virgin Mary for the putting away of sinne was made man suffered for our sinnes rose againe was taken up into Heaven sitteh at the right hand of the Father and shall come againe in Glory to judge the Quicke and the Dead we believe also in the holy Ghost whom our Lord and Saviour called the Comforter when he promised to send him to his Disciples after his departure and accordingly sent him by whom also he sanctifyeth those in the Church who believe and are Baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Those who Preach any other Faith than this wee Judge them aliens from the Catholick Church See for this Socr. Hist lib. 2. cap. 32. The Seventh Confession of Faith is that of the Macedonians exhibited by them to Liberius Bishop of Rome when they fled to him and the Emperour Valentinian for succour from the Persecution of his Brother Valens and the Arian Bishop Eudoxius The Forme was this We believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of all things visible and invisible and in one only-begotten God the Lord Jesus Christ the Sonne of God begotten of the Father that is of the Substance of the 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 on Earth who for us men and for our Salvation came downe was incarnate and made man suffered and rose againe the third Day he ascended into the Heavens and shall come to Judge the Quick and the Dead And in the holy Ghost But those who say of the Sonne of God that there was a Time when he was not a Time
of Athanasius being originally wrote in Greeke and communicated to us from the Easterne Church 't is no marvaile if this Creed is omitted which was at First written in Latine especially when the Latines produced it with the addition of filioque in the procession of the holy Ghost which the Greeks so much abhor'd as an adulterate Insertion and repudiated the whole Creed some of them for that very Reason Pet. Felcmannus testifies that he met with a manuscript of the Palatine Lybrary wherein it was entitled to Athanasius The Reverend Armachanus also tels us it is found in a very old booke of Hymnes written part in Latine and part in Irish the Booke said to be composed in the Nicene Synod by three Bishops Eusebius Dionisius and a third unnamed We have already produced many Authorities to the same purpose all which the Tradition of the Church confirmes which no man can prove ever to have thought otherwise Genebrard withall informes us Quod in vetustiissimis Romanae Ecclesiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sub Athanasii nomine ejus ad primam recitatio usu recepta est That in the most ancient Horologies or liturgies of the Romane Church this Creed hath been usually rehearsed under his name at the first Service Ob. 3. If this were Athanasius his Creed he would have mentioned it some where in his Historical Tracts Epistles or Apologies or some writer of the same or the next Age. Or at leastwise some writer of his life Answ We have produced Testimonies to this purpose out of Nazianzene Hylary Augustine and Boethius who all lived neere his Time Ob. 4. They who ascribe this Creed to Athanasius say it lay a long while in the Romane Archives unknowne to the Church So Baronius and Possevine which is improbably affirmed of this writing if it had beene framed by so famous admired a Champion of the Faith as Athanasius was especially seeing so many succrescent Heresies might have been refuted by it Answ Those Authors affirme indeed that the Originall written by Athanasius his owne hand lay long in the Roman Archives together with the Acts of the Synod wherein he delivered it but they deny not that Copies there of might have been taken divulged yea Possevine affirmes there were such taken Baronius thinks it very probable and those parcells of it which we find in S. Augustine and Boetius confirme the same As for the refuting of heresies by it we find it alleaged by S. Aug. to that purpose and 't is likly that many others did the like whose workes are not come to our hands or not so diligently perused by the objector as touching this particular The Workes of Athanasius as of other ancient Fathers were alleaged by after Ages against succrescent Heresies as we may see by Nazianzen Object 5. If this Creed had been certainly believed of Athanasius his making the Latines had made use of it against the Greekes in the controversy of the Procession as being a Father of so great Authority amongst them whereas the first whom we read of to have made use of this Argument were the Apocrisiarii or Legats of Gregory the 9th When the Controversy had now continued almost 500 years and beene discussed in many Synods and Polemicall writings Answ Although we now read in the Athanasian Creed That the Holy Ghost proceeded from the Father and the Sonne yet in all likelihood it was not so put downe in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or originall written by Athanasius nor by any other for a good while after and therefore no marvaile if the Latines made not use of this Creed against the Greekes as a testimony on their side when there was no such testimony to be found My reasons are these 1. The Greeke Edition of Athanasius his Creed as we have it Printed by Commelinus in the yeare 1600. hath no such words as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although the Latine read it Filioque that the Holy Ghost proceeded from the Sonne also The same we may say of the Parisian and other Printed Editions which have not it in the Greeke 2. Athanasius in his other Workes acknowledgeth no such Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne though having oft-times occasion to speake thereof in his Tracts of the Trinity yea hee seemes rather to say the contrary in more Places than one 3. They who took upon them to adde the same clause Filioque to the Nicene Creed framed in a Synod of Easterne Bishops without asking the consent of the Church which framed it yea contrary to the Decree of the third Generall Councell might well be more bold in adding to the Creed of Athanasius which was the Composure of one single Father made at Rome in the Latine tongue and kept in their own Archives Now the Church of Rome did the one why not the other too which might be done with lesse noyse and notice 4. This Additionall particle Filioque was not added to the Nicene Creed untill the ninth Century at the farthest For Leo the third Bishop of Rome who flourished in the beginning of that Century not only denyed to insert this Particle into that Creed and perswaded the French Bishops that they should not adde it but withall caused the Creed to be engraven in a Silver Table and that Table publiquely placed in S. Pauls Church at Rome without the Particle Filioque so witnesseth Pet. Lombard Sent. lib. 1. Dist. 11. It is likely that the same was added to the Athanasian Creed about the same time as it was to the Nicene and so afterwards made use of by those Apocrisiarii Object 6. Jo. Belethus who slourished above Three Hundred years since tels us of some who thought it to be the Creed of Anastasius now this Anastasius surnamed Sinaita was Patriarcb of Antioch and lived in the reigne of the Emperour Iustinian and of Iustine the younger and was some two Ages juniour to Athanasius Answ The conjecture of those whosoever they were seemes so groundlesse that Belethus who mentions it not so much as names the Authors as being men of small or no credit much lesse produceth any reason to justify their conjecture yea he professedly condemneth this their opinion of falshood The mistake probably was this because this Anastasius wrote a Booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning the Faith now extant in the French Kings Library at Paris Ob. 7. Meletius Patriarch of Alexandria in his letter which he wrote to Io. Douza Aº 1597. acknowledgeth not this Creed as the writing of Athanasius Athanasio inquit falso ascriptum Symbolum cum Appendice illâ Romanorum Pontificum adulteratum luce lucidius contestamur We openly protest against that Creed saith he falsly entituled to Athanasius being corruptly set forth with that Appendix of the Romane Bishops where by the Appendix he means the particle Filioque in the Article of the holy Ghost Answ If Meletius his meaning extend to the whole Creed of Athanasius his Authority as a single and a late Author cannot in
reason challenge a belief contrary to the verdict of so many grave Authors so much Ancienter than he especially in a matter of fact such as this is But I suppose Meletius in those words absolutely denies not that Athanasius was the Author of the Creed now entitled to him but that it is not to be fathered on him as 't is now read in the Westerne Church with the Appendix filioque added thereto by the Bishops of Rome but not Originally inserted as he conceives by Athanasius of which I have already spoken Ob. 8. Nazianzens Testimony concerning Athanasius his Creed or Confession of Faith is to be understood of the latter end of that Synodicall Epistle which he sent to the Emperour Jovianus wherein after he had set downe the Nicene Creed he addes these wordes Nonnulli hanc Fidem a Patribus in Concilio Niceno confirmatam antiquare non sunt veriti alii vero simulant assentiri illi reipsâ autem pernegant dum hanc vocem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perversè interpretantur iisdemque in Spiritum Sanctum loquuntur blasphemè asserendo eum creatum esse factum per filium That is Some have not been afraid to abrogate this Faith Established in the Nicene Councell others there be who feigne to receive it but in truth reject it whilest they interpret the word Homâ—ousion in a perverse sense the same men speake also blaspheamously against the Holy Ghost affirming that he was created and made by the Sonne Then in the close they say Quinetiam neque Spiritum Sanctum a Patre Filio separârunt sed ei unà cum Patre Filio in unâ sanctae Trinitatis fide propterea quod una est in sancta Trinitate Divinitas gloriam tribuerunt That is Neither did they separate the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne but ascribed glory to him together with the Father and the Sonne in the same faith of the holy Trinity because there is but one Divinity in the holy Trinity Theod. hist lib. 4. cap. 3. Answ Whether or no this fragment this foot this Appendix of an Epistle deserve the Title of a Confession of Faith so venerably esteemed by the Churches of East and West of Libellus a Declaration of a Guift truly Royall and Magnificent with which Titles Nazianzen in that place honours Athanasius his Creed let the impartiall Reader judge Besides we may observe for our fuller satisfaction in this particular 1. That these words which the Objector calls Athanasius his Creed referre not to him and to the Bishops of his Patriarchate who wrote the said Epistle but to the Fathers of the Nicene Councell for they run in the third Person neque separarunt gloriam tribuerunt not in the first neque separavimus gloriam tribuimus Therefore they relate to those Fathers who made the Nicene Creed which is immediatly prefixt not to the Bishops who sent this Synodicall Epistle 2. That this Synodicall Epistle was sent in the name of all the Bishops of Egypt Thebais and Lybia whereas the Confession of Faith written by Athanasius was attested by him only or by very few besides So witnesseth Nazianzen in his forecited Oration Primus ille solus aut cum admodùm paucis veritatem palam apertisque verbis promulgare non dubitavit unam trium personarum Divinitatem essentiam scripto confessus quod multis illis Patribus circa Filium prius concessum fuerat idem ipse postea in asserendâ Spiritus Sancti Divinitate superno afflatu consecutus Atque Imperatori donum vere Regium magnificum offert c. That is He first of all and alone or accompanied with very few doubted not to publish the Truth openly and in expresse Termes professing in writing one Deity and Essence of three Persons and that which God had formerly granted to many Fathers viz. the Nicene concerning the Sonne Athanasius obtained the same afterwards by an inspiration from above to assert the Divinity of the Holy Ghost And he presents the Emperour with a Gift truly Royall and Magnificent c. Of what Creed or Confession of Faith can these Words be understood but of that which now bears the name of Athanasius wherein he so clearely and at large asserts the great mystery of the Trinity in Unity and in particular the Divinity of the Holy Ghost in these words The Holy Ghost also is God such as the Father is such is the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost is of the Father and the Sonne neither made nor created nor begotten but Proceeding Whereas the Nicene Fathers had only vindicated the Divinity of the Sonne then called in question by Arius and his Adherents as Nazianzen heere tels us 3. Nazianzen informes us here of the Time when Athanasius wrote his Creed when very very few 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 durst openly professe the true faith which must needs be meant of the Times immediatly succeeding the Death of Constantine the Great or when he was first deposed by the Synod of Tyre and banished to Triers by the importune calumnies and violence of the Arian Party in the latter end of his Reigne for then there appeared but three Bishops in the cause with him who were in like manner faine to fly into the West as Sozomen witnesseth lib. 3. cap. 7. Whereas after this in the yeare 347. there was a Synod of Orthodox Bishops called together at Sardica a City of Illyricum who professed the Nicene Faith and when Athanasius sent the forenamed Epistle to the Emperour Jovianus his whole Patriarchate subscribed together with him to the Nicene Creed therein inclosed the Emperour being then a Catholick Wherefore it is most probable that Athanasius first wrote his Creed at Triers or when he fled to Iulius Bishop of Rome for succour which Creed he afterwards sent also with that Synodicall Epistle to the Emperour Iovianus by whom he was restored to his See thereby to confute his Adversaries who would have had the World believe that he was justly condemned as erroneous in the Faith The Epistle he sent in the name of the whole Synod The Creed in his own THE SECOND APPENDIX OF THE Nicene or Constantinopolitan CREED CAP. I. The Reason of the double name of this Creed The Composure thereof The Additionall or Exegeticall Particles inserted into it When and by Whom it was conveied to other Churches and brought into Divine Service THIS Creed hath a double name from a double Councell whereof the one began and the other finisht it It was begun in the First generall Councell held at Nice in Bithynia in the yeare 325 thence called the Nicene Creed But it was recited approved and enlarged as now wee have it by the second generall Councell held at Constantinople in the yeare 381 thence called the Constantinopolitan Creed by many latter writers The Nicene Fathers being 318 in number all subscribed to it except five who adhered to Arius and would not acknowledge the Sonne to be of the same Essence or
13. his words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is They the Fathers of that Synod added to that Divine Confession of Faith made at Nice The Glory of the most Holy Spirit as a Person of equall Honour and Glory with the Father and the Sonne Gregory of Nyssa supplying what was defective in that Sacred Creed Not that they were the first framers of those additionall particles for we find them extant before the celebration of this Councell in Epiphanius his Anchoratus and for the most part in Cyrils Catecheses but the first who by their Synodicall Authority confirmed the entire Forme having left out something of the Nicene Creed viz. those three fore mentioned Passages but added more and so commended yea prescribed the whole unto the Christian Church This Creed so enlarged was presently received into the Publick service of the Church for Platina in the life of Damasus tels us Mandavit ut in principio celebrationis quam missam vocant Confessio diceretur ut hodie fit that is Damasus who lived at the time of the Constantinopolitan Creed commanded that in the Begining of Common-service this Creed or Confession should be rehearsed as now we use it And Walafridus Strabo de Reb. Eccles cap. 22. informes us that this was done in imitation of the Greeke Church Illud Symbolum quod nos ad imitationem Graecorum intra missas adsumimus Et mox Ab ipsis ergo ad Romanos ille usus creditur pervenisse Yet for some yeares though it were received into the Greeke Liturgy it was not Constantly used till the Time of Timotheus Patriarch of Constantinople who came to that See in the yeare 511. So Theodorus Lector in the Second Booke of his Eclogae or Collectanea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is Timotheus at the desire of his Friends tooke order that the Creed of the 318 Fathers should be rehearsed at every Communion and this in reproofe of Macedonius who had not received it whereas before it was rehearsed only once in the yeare to wit on the Eve of the Passion at the Time when the Bishop Catechized By this it appeares that it was used Publickly in the Easterne Church though but once in the yeare whereas this Timotheus caused it to be constantly rehearsed at every Communion Not long after this we find it commanded to be used in the third Councell of Toledo a Nationall Councell of 78 Bishops assembled under K. Recaredus whereof Leander Bishop of Sevil was one This Councell was celebrated in the yeare 590 the second canon whereof runs thus Pro reverentia sanctissimae Fidei petitione Recaredi Regis constituit Synodus ut per omnes Ecclesias Hispaniae Galliciae secundum formam Orientalium Ecclesiarum Concillii Constantinopolitani hoc est 150 Episcoporum Symbolum fidei recitetur prius quam Dominica dicatur oratio voce clarâ— praedicetur quo fides vera sit manifesta testimonium habeat ad Christi corpus sanguinem praelibandum pectora populorum fide purificaâ—a accedant that is Out of a venerable regard of the most holy Faith and upon the motion of K. Recaredus the Synod hath ordeined that the Creed of the Constantinopolitan Councell that is of the 150 Bishops should be rehearsed after the use of the Eastern Churches throughout all the Churches of Spaine and Gallicia and that it be openly published before the saying of the Lords Prayer that so the true Faith may be manifested and witnessed and that the Hearts of the People being purifyed by Faith may come to the participation of Christs Body and Bloud From Spaine in likelihood it came over the Pyrenees into France part whereof namely Languedoc and the Country adjacent was then under the Dominion of the Gothish Kings of Spaine And as it was commanded to be rehearsed in the Spanish Churches on purpose to profligate the Arian heresy wherewith all their Princes had bin infected until K. Recaredus so was it more generally received in the Churches of France in the latter end of the 8 Century when Elipandus Archbishop of Toledo and Felix Bishop of Urgell had been condemned of Nestorianisme in two Synods namely at Ratisbone in the yeare 792. And at Frankfort where Charles the great was present in the yeare 794. So Walafridus Strabo de Rebus Eccles c. 22. Apud Gallos Germanos post dejectionem Felicis haeretici sub gloriosissimo Carolo Francorum Rege idem Symbolum latius crebrius in Missarum caepit officiis iterari that is The same Creed viz. the Nicene began to be used amongst the Galles and Germans after the deposition of the heretick Felix under Charles the most glorious King of the French more often and throughout more Churches in the Communion-service And the Synod of Frankfort to prevent the spreading of this Heresy tooke order that together with the Apostles Creed the Nicene also should be diligently delivered for the publick use of the Churches the thirty third Canon of which Synod set forth by Sermondus runs thus Vt fides Catholica sanctae Trinitatis id est Symbolum Constantinopolitanum oratio Dominica atque Symbolum fidei Apostolorum omnibus praedicetur ac tradatur That the Catholick Faith of the holy Trinity that is the Nicene or Constantinopolitan Creed and the Lords Prayer and the Apostles Creed be Preached and Delivered unto All. As for our Church of England it was probably brought hither by Augustine and his fellow Preachers who were sent to convert the Nation by Gregory the Great then Bishop of Rome CAP. II. When and by whom the Particle Filioque was added to the Nicene Creed is historically delivered and at large Severall other causes of the breach betweene the Churches of Greece and Rome IT will not be amisse for a close unto the Discourse on this Creed to shew as far as good Authors give us light the Time when and the Person by whom the Particle Filioque and from the Sonne was added to this Creed which declares the holy Ghost to Proceed from the Sonne as well as from the Father And this I thought fit to adde partly for that the matter is obscure and not generally knowne partly for the compleating of my discourse on this Creed and partly also for to shew the Originall and progresse of so chiefe a cause of Difference betweene the Churches of East and West which hath now lasted for some hundreds of years to which I shall adde some other causes of the Breach and so give a conclusion of the whole Treatise My collections on this Argument I have cheifely from the Learned Vossius who with his wonted industry and fidelity hath acquainted us with what he found recorded concerning it out of the best witnesses of Antiquity viz. Dissert 3a. De 3 bus Symb. The Churches of Spaine where the first who added this Particle to the Creed in a Synod held in Gallicia in the yeare 447 as it is cited by the R nd Armachanus The French Churches
following their example are said next to have added it and after them the Romane As for our Church of England venerable Bede tels us hist. eccl lib. 4. cap. 17. That Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury though a Grecian in a Synod which he with his fellow-bishops held at Hatfeild in the yeare 680. Spiritum sanctum ex Patre Filio inenarrabilitur procedentem praedica verunt that is declared the ineffable procession of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne Yet in the Canons entitled Cresconiana the Article touching the holy Ghost runs in the ancient Forme Et in Spiritum sanctum Dominum vivâ—ficatorem ex Patre procedentem cum Patre Filio adorandum conglorificandum qui locutus est per sanctos Prophetas that is And I believe in the holy Ghost the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father who with the Father and the Sonne together is worshipped and glorifyed who spake by the holy Prophets This Collection of Canons is extant in the Publick Library at Oxford Then for the French Churches Aeneas Bishop of Paris in a Booke of his not extant in Print which he wrote against the errours of the Greekes witnesseth for his Time In fide Catholicâ quam die Dominicâ decantat ad missam universalis Galliarum Ecclesia sic canitur inter caetera Credo in Spiritum sanctum Dominum vivificantem qui ex Patre Filioque procedit qui cum Patre Filio simul adoratur conglorificatur qui locatus est per Prophetas that is In the Catholick Faith or Creed which the whole Church of France singeth at the Communion-Service they sing this among the rest And I believe in the holy Ghost the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne c. But to examine this controversy more particularly and in order In the yeare 767 there was a Synod held at Gentilliacum in France under Pipin Father to Charlemagne in which the Greeks and Latines disputed concerning the Procession of the holy Ghost So Ado viennensis Facta est tunc temporis Synodus anno Incarnationis Domini 767 quaestio ventilata inter Graecos Romanos de Trinitate utrum Spiritus sicut procedit a Patre ita procedat a Filio that is There was a Synod called in the yeare of our Lord 767 wherein the question concerning the Trinity was agitated between the Greeks and Romans as also whether the holy Ghost proceeds from the Son as he doth from the Father Then in a Synod at Aquisgrane the question was renewed and decided as it seemes upon this occasion because the Particle Filioque was usually added in the singing of this Creed throughout the Gallicane Churches he who moved the question was one John a Monke of Jerusalem The wordes of Ado in his Chronicle concerning this Synod are these Syuodus magna Grani Aquis câ—ngregatur Anno Incarnationis Dom. 809 in qua Synodo de Processione Spiritus sancti quaestio agitatur utrum siâ—â—â— procedit a Patre ita procedat a Filio Hanc quaestionem Joannes Monacus Hierosolymitanus moverat cum Regula Fides Ecclesiastica firmet Spiritum sanctum a Patre Filio procedere non Creatum non Genitum sed Patri Filio coaeternum Consubstantialem To give a finall determination unto this question Bernarius Bishop of Amiens and Jesse or Asius Bishop of Wormes were sent by the Synod together with Adelhardus Abbot of Corbey unto Leo 3 Bishop of Rome who confirmes the decree of the Synod concerning the Procession as agreeing with his Opinion yet speakes very honorably of the Constantinopolitan Fathers who added not the particle Filioque unto whom he would not presume to equall himselfe but withall he expresly chargeth them to raze it out of the Creed The sending of these three by the Synod is mentioned by a Monke of S. Eparch in the life of Charlemaigne the Answer of Leo is set downe in the Acts of the Synod collected by Smaragdus and out of him by Baronius in the yeare 809 wherein after much discourse the said Legates of the Synod thus aske the Pope Ergo ut videmus illud a vestra Paternitate decernitur ut primo illud de quo quaestio agitur desaepe fato Symbolo tollatur tunc demum a quolibet licite ac libere sive cantando sive tradendo discatur doceatur P. Leo answers Ita procul dubio a nostrâ parte decernitur ita quoque ut a vestra assentitur a nobis omnimode suadetur After this as I said before he tooke order that this Creed should be engraven in a silver Table or Scutcheon without that Addition which he well foresaw would prove the Aple of contention between the Churches of East and West and so to be publikly hanged up and exposed to the view of all that so the whole world might see the Romane Church had added nothing to the Creed So Pet. Lâ—mb witnesseth lib. 1. Sent. Dist 11. Anastas in the life of Leo 3. Euthymius Zygabenus in Panopliâ Dogmat Tit. 12. Photius in Epist ad Aquil. Episc apud Baronium A. 883. § 9. Nicetus Choniates in Orthod fid Thesauro Tom. 21. Thus Leo 3d left the Nicene Creed as he found it without the insertion of this Particle Then for Nicholas 1. and his Successour Adrian who deceased in the yeare 872. They seeme not to have added it for Andrew Bishop of Colosse who pleaded in this cause against the Greekes in the Councell of Florence having diligently revised all that belonged thereto denies that Photius although their bitter enemy for their opinion of the Procession ever objected to them their corrupting of the Creed These are his words Photius Romanae Ecclesiae inimicus acerrimus nullam de Synodi additione faciens mentionem in Nicholaum ac Adrianum summos Pontifices literis invectus est Plurimum Much lesse did Iohn the 8. the successour of Adrian make this Addition who sate in the Romane See till the yeare 882. For this Pope allowed the Restitution of Photius to his See and sent his Legats to the Synod held at Constantinople in the yeare 879. of which Synod Photius was President and wherein with the assistance of the Popes Legats whatsoever had been determined against Photius in the times of P. Nicolas and Adrian was abrogated amongst which chiefely that Synod was condemned which had been held in the yeare 869. against Photius by Ignatius then Patriarch of Constantinople and is now counted by the Church of Rome for the 8. Oecumenicall whereas the Church of Greece gives that Title to this wherein Photius Presided in which among other Things there transacted the Nicene Creed was also read without the Addition of Filioque and so subscribed to yea that Addition was interdicted and all this done Consentientibus Ioannis Papae Legatis by the consent of the said Legats of Iohn 8. The Greekes lay the blame of this Addition on Pope
Substance with the Father by admitting of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Constantinopolitan Fathers were 150 in number who all assented to this Creed And Damasus Bishop of Rome confirmed it for the westrne Church with the suffrages of his fellow Bishops although not present at Canstantinople either in his Person or by Proctor The Nicene Councell was called against Arius who denyed the Sonne to be Coessentiall and Coeternall with the Father Those Fathers therefore enlarged the second Article of the Creed touching the eternall Divinity of the Sonne of God The Councell of Constantinople was called against Macedonius who denyed the Divinity of the holy Ghost whence those Fathers enlarged the eight Article of the Creed which concernes the Third Person of the Trinity As for the Forme of words or Frame of this Creed it had in the first Place Hosius Bishop of Corduba for the Composer who sate in the Councell of Nice as President or Moderator by the appointment of the Emperour Constantine the Great and therefore subscribed in the first Place before Vitus and Vincentius who were the Bishop of Romes Legats as we may see in Binius Conc. Tom. 1. The Composing of this Creed by Hosius we have witnessed by Baronius A. 325 who took it out of the Epist of Athan. ad Solitarios who was present at the Councell the words of Baron are these Consentientibus Catholicis Episc Arianis pariter assentientibus concepta est Catholicae Fidei formula quâ omnia Arianae haeresis capita truncarentur fuit autem ejus formandae Osius imprimis Architectus sapientissimus de quo haec S. Athanasius cum scribit in Arianos ex verbis eorum in eundem Osium apud Constantium conclamantium Hic princeps est Synodorum siquid scribit ubique auditur hic formulam Fidei in Nicenâ Synodo concepit Arianos ubique pro haereticis traduxit that is By the joynt consent of the Catholick Bishops the Arians also agreeing to it there was Composed a Forme of Catholick Beliefe He that Composed it was Osius that most wise Master-builder concerning whom S. Athanasius in his workes against the Arians thus writeth rehearsing their very wordes wherein they cryed out upon him before the Emperour Constantius This is the chiefe President of Synods who if he write ought is hearkned to every where he composed the Forme of Beliefe in the Nicene Synod and hath traduced the Arians every where for Hereticks But the Additionall Particles or supplement of this Creed was made by Gregory Nyssen an eminent Father in the first Constantinopolitan Councell who perfected and compleated the Forme as we now have it So Nicephorus informes us Eccles Hist lib. 12. cap. 13. From that time forward it was held for one entire Creed and promiscuously called by succeeding Ages sometimes the Nicene sometimes the Constantinopolitan Creed It was caled lthe Nicene for the honour of that Councell which was the first Oecumenicall and the Foundation of all the Rest that followed as also because it was conteined virtually and implicitly in the shorter Creed of that Councell So Marcus Bishop of Ephesus in the Synod of Ferrara Sess 5. Conc. Tom. 4. And it was called the Constantinopolitan Creed because finished in that Councell and brought to that perfection wherein we now see it This Creed according as it was framed in the Nicene Synod far shorter than now we have it we may see in these following Authors viz. Athan. Epist ad Iovianum Conc. Tom. 1. pag. 399. Cod. Can. Eccl. Afric p. 19. Ruff. Eccl. Hist lib. 1. cap. 6. Theod. lib. 1. Hist cap. 12. Socr. lib. 1. c. 5. Cass trip hist lib. 1. cap. 17 Niceph. lib. 1. cap. 12. We have already Englished it in the Twelfth Chapter of the precedent Discourse on the Apostles Creed Now I shall set downe the Originall Greeke which runns thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After this the Fathers of the Constantinopolitan Councell enlarged this Forme partly by adding some explicatory particles and partly by resuming out of the Apostles Creed those Articles wherein it was defective The Explicatory particles were chiefly touching the Holy Ghost The Articles taken out of the Apostles Creed were those which follow the Article of the Holy Ghost Notwithstanding they omitted three passages thereof which were virtually inclosed in the rest that preceded or followed viz. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of God because it followes very God of very God 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which are in Heaven and which are in earth because there went before by whom all things were made 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Of the substance of the Father because they thought it sufficiently comprehended in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Epiphanius tells us in his Anchoratus viz. A person of one and the same individuall substance with the Father whence the Orthodoxe Christians were differenced from the Arians by the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is of Homoousians or of those who worshipt the Sonne of God under this Title by professing him of the same substance with the Father So then the entire forme thereof as the Westerne Churches now read it by resuming that passage God of God out of the first Nicene forme and adding the word Filioque that is and from the Sonne in the Procession of the Holy Ghost runnes thus the additionall particles being distinguished from the rest by this marke which encloseth them I Believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible and in one Lord Jesus Christ the only-begotten Sonne of God begotten of his Father before all Worlds God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the Father by whom all Things were made 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 and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate he suffered and was buried and the third day he rose againe according to the Scriptures and ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of the Father and he shall come againe with Glory to judge both the quick and the dead whose Kingdome shall have none end And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord and Giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne who together with the Father and the Sonne is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets And I believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church I acknowledge one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes and I look for the Resurrection of the Dead and the life of the World to come That Gregory Nyssen by order of the Second generall Councell held at Constantinople added the particles here inserted is witnessed as I said by Nicephorus Callistus in hist Eccles lib. 12. cap.