who believe in Christ having the Doctrine of Salvation written by the Spirit in their Hearts without inky characters and diligently keeping the old Tradition Believing in one God Maker of Heaven and earth and of all Things therein through Jesus Christ the Sonne of God who out of his most eminent love towards his Creature undertooke to be borne of a Virgin thus uniting God and man in his owne Person he suffered under Pontius Pilate and Rising againe was gloriously receiued into Heaven He shall come againe in Glory the Saviour of those who are to be saved and the Judge of those who are to be condemned casting into everlasting fire the corrupters of the Truth the Despisers of his Father and contemners of his comming 3. Turtullian Lib. 1. adu haeret cap. 13. Having en gaged himselfe in the combate with the whole body of Heretiâ—kes produceth against them the Body of the Faith or Apostolicall Creed under the Title of Regula Fidei which he sets downe in these words Regula est fidei ut jam hinc quid credamus profiteamur illa sc quâ creditur unum omninò Deum esse nec alium praeter mundi conditorem qui universa de nihilo produxerit per verbum suum primò omnium emissum Id uerbum Filium ejus appellatum in nomine Dei variè visum patriarchis in Prophetis semper auditum Postremò delatum ex Spiritu Dei Patris virtute in Virginem Mariam carnem factum in utero ejus ex eâ natum Hominem esse Jesum Christum exinde praedicasse novam legem novam promissionem regni Coelorum virtutes fecisse fixum Cruci tertiâ die resurrexisse in Coelos ereptum sedere ad dextram Patris misisse vicariam vim Spiritus Sancti qui credentes agat venturum cum claritate ad sumendos Sanctos in vitae aeternae promissorum caelestium fructum ad prophanos judicandos Igni perpetuo facta utriusque Partis resuscitatione cum carnis resurrectione that is The Rule of Faith whereby we professe what we believe is this that there is one only God the same with the Creator of the world who made all things of nothing by his Word which he first of al sent forth or which first of all came from him This Word called also his Sonne variously or in diverse Formes appeared in the name of God unto the Patriarches was alwayes heard to speake in the Prophets at length conveyed by the Spirit and Power of God the Father into the Virgin Mary was incarnate in her Womb of her born Man and is Jesus the Christ After this he Published a new Law and the new Promise of the Kingdome of Heaven wrought miracles was fastned to the Crosse rose againe the third Day being taken up to Heaven sitteth on the right Hand of the Father sent the Deputy-power of the Holy Ghost to guide those who believe shall come with Glory to assume the Saints unto the enjoyment of everlasting Life and the Heavenly promises and to adjudge the Profane to everlasting Fire having raised up both Parties by the Resurrection of the Body Then he concludes Haec Regula â Christo ut probabitur instituta nullas habet apud nos quaestiones nisi quas Haereses inferunt quae Haereticos faciunt This Rule instituted as will be proved by Christ himselfe admits of no doubts amongst us but such as Heresies produce and produce Heretiks Thus ye see Tertullian writing in generall as he doth in this Booke against all Heretiks puts downe all the Articles thereof which were opposed by any Heretik either before or in his Age For. 1. Christs descentâ— into Hell is included in the Article of the Resurrection or presupposed by it as in some other Creeds but of this more hereafter 2. The Article of the Catholik Church is not so clearly put downe as the rest because not oppugned till Novatus and Donatus arose which was after Tertullians Death 3. Forgivenesse of Sinnes is implyed in the New Promise of the Kingdome of Heaven whereof this is the First and the Foundation to the rest Yet in another booke of his he makes mention of these two latter Articles namely this of the Church and The Forgivenesse of Sinnes as solemnly profest at Baptisme Cum sub tribus testatio fidei sponsio salutis pignerentur necessariò adilcitur Ecclesiae mentio quoniam ubi Tres id est Pater Filius Spiritus Sanctus ibi Ecclesia quae trium Corpus est That is When the Confession of our Faith and the Covenant of our Salvation are engaged under the Authority of Three the Church is of necessity mentioned with them for where those Three are the Father Sonne and holy Ghost there is that Church also which is the Body of those Three De Bapt adu Quintillan cap 6. And alittle after giving the reason why Christ himfelfe did not Baptize in Person he shewes how incongruous it had beene for him to have used the received forme of the Church Ne moveat quosdam quòd Ipse non tinguebat in quem tingueret In paenitentiam Quò ergò illi Praecursorem In peccatorum remissionem quam verbo dabat In semetipsum quem humilitate celabat In Spiritum Sanctum qui nondum a Patre descenderat In Ecclesiam quam nondum Apostoli struxerant That is Let it not trouble any that Christ himselfe did not Baptize in whose name or to what end should he have Baptized To Repentance Why then had he a fore-runner For Remission of sinnes which he gave by his Word In his owne Name which in humility he concealed In the Holy Ghosts who as yet was not descended from the Father into the Church which the Apostles had not as yet built cap. 11. A litle after him S Cyp. in his Epistle to Magnus being the 76. speaking of the Novatians who retained the old wounted forme of wordes in the baptismall Intertogatories expresseth one of them thus Credis remissionem peccatorum vitam aeternam per sanctam Ecclesiam Dost thou believe the Remission of sinnes and Life Eternall by the Holy Church in which words it is cleare that these two Articles were part of the confession of Faith used at Baptisme that Life Eternall was a distinct Article from that of the Resurrection and that the Particle In which Tert. prefixeth to the Articles of the Church and Remission of sinnes is not significant but redundant seeing that S. Cyp. here omitts it compare his Epist to Januarius c. viz. the 70. in Pamel Edit But in two other Tracts he sets downe the Creed more briefly First lib. de virg vel cap. 1. Regula fidei una omninò est sola immobilis irreformabilis Credendi sc in unicum Deum Omnipotentem mundi conditorem Filium ejus Jesum Christum natum ex Virgine Maria crucifixum sub Pontio Pilato tertia die resuscitatum a mortuis receptum in Coelis sedentem nunc ad
depositum delivered her from Heaven The occasion of this Creed so revealed was the Heresy of Paulus Samosatenus taken up afterwards by Photinus who denyed the Divinity of our Saviour and consequently overthrew the Trinity which heresy then staggerd many in those Easterne Parts and was therefore condemned in a Synod at Antioch wherof this Paulus was Patriarch The words thereof are these viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is There is one God the Father of the living word of the subsisting wisdome the eternall Power and Character the perfect Father of him that is Perfect the Father of the only-begotten Sonne There is one Lord the only Lord from or of the only Lord God of God the character and image of the Fathers Divinity the operative or effectuall word the wisdome which comprehendeth the whole frame of the World the Power which made the whole Creation the True the Invisible the Incorruptible the Immortall the Eternall Sonne of the True Invisible Incorruptible Immortall and Eternall Father And one Holy Ghost having his subsistence of or from God and by the Sonne clearely manifested unto men the perfect Image of the perfect Sonne the quickening life of the Living that Holinesse which is the Author of Sanctification by whom God the Father is manifested who is above all and in all and God the Sonne who is through all The perfect Trinity neither divided nor diversified from each other in Glory Eternity or Majesty There is not therefore in the Trinity ought created or subservient to another Person nor ought superinduced as not existing at first but afterwards added so that the Father was never without the Sonne nor the Sonne without the Holy Ghost but the same Trinity abideth alwaies without the least change or Alteration The Second Creed is that Confession of Faith made by Eusebius Caesariensis before the Fathers of the Nicene Councell and approved of by them and by the Emperour Constantine it runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of all Things both visible and invisible and in one Lord Jesus Christ the Word of God God of God Light of Light Life of Life the only begotten Son the First-borne of every Creature begotten of the Father before all Worlds by whom all things were made who was Incarnate for our Salvation and conversed amongst men suffered rose againe the Third Day ascended unto the Father and shall come againe with Glory to judge both the quick and the dead We believe also in the Holy Ghost See for this Creed Soc. Hist lib. 1. cap. 5. Theod. lib. 1. cap. 12. Athan. Op. Tom. 2. Pag. 48. Edit Commelin The Nicene Fathers added some Passages to this Creed for the fuller conviction of the Arian Heresy and thus proposed it to the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of all Things both visible and invisible and in one Lord Jesus Christ the Sonne of God the only-begotten of his Father begotten of the substance of his Father God of God Light of Light very God of very God begotten not made consubstantiall to the Father by whom all Things were made both which are in Heaven and which are in Earth who for us Men and for our Salvation came downe was Incarnate made Man suffered and rose again the third Day he ascended into the Heavens and shall come to judge the quick and the dead And in the Holy Ghost Both these Confessions the lesser of Eusebius and the larger of the Councell leave off at the Article of the Holy Ghost because the Arian controversy which was then in agitation required no more not that the Ancient Creed brake off there whence the Arian Bishops who assembled at Antioch Aº 341. When they came in the rehearsall of their Faith to the Article of the Holy Ghost they added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is If it be needfull to adde so much we believe also the Resurrection of the Dead and the life everlasting See for this Soc. lib. 2. cap. 1. Athan. Tom. 7. pag. 687. Comm. As for the Creed of Eusebius which the Nicene Fathers thus enlarged he prefaceth it with this Elogy which shews its Antiquity and Authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As we have received from the Bishops our Predecessors both in our first Catechising and at our Baptisme as we have learned from the Holy Scriptures and as we have believed and taught both when we were Presbyter and when we came to be Bishop so also now believing we propose this our Faith unto you The Third Creed was framed in the Arian Synod at Antioch for Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia the great Patron of the Arians being made Bishop of Constantinople by the Emperour Constantius calls a Councell at Antioch the Bishops whereof not daring openly to taxe what had been decreed in the Nicene Councell yet desiring to overthrow privily the consubstantiality of the Sonne with the Father thus altered the forme of the Nicene Creed viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Wee Believe consonantly to the Evangelicall and Apostolicall Tradition in one God the Father Almighty Framer and Maker of all Things and in one Lord Jesus Christ his only-begotten Sonne God by whom all things were made begotten of his Father before all worlds God of God entire of the entire only of the only perfect of the perfect God king of the king Lord of the Lord the living Word the Wisdome the Life the true Light the way of Truth the Resurrection the Shepheard the Dore Immutable unalterable the unchangeable Image of the Divine essence Power Councell Glory of the Father the first-born of every creture who was in the begining with the Father God the word as it is said in the Gospell the Word was God by whom all things were made and in whom all things consist who in these last dayes came downe from above was borne of a Virgin according to the Scriptures and made man the mediator of God and men the Apostle of our Faith and Author or Prince of life as he saith I came downe from Heaven not to doe mine owne will but the will of him that sent me who suffered for us and arose for us the third Day and ascended into the Heavens and sitteth at the right hand of the Father and shall come againe with glory and Power for to Judge the Quick and the Dead and in the holy Ghost who was given for the Comfort the Sanctification and Perfecting of Believers acording as our Lord Jesus Christ Charged his Apostles saying Goe and Teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost It is manifest that the Father is Truly or really the Father the Sonne truly the Sonne and the Holy Ghost truly the Holy Ghost the names not being barely or in vaine imposed but exactly signifying the proper subsistence order
haereses defendatur Comp. 2 Tim. 2. 2. 3. 14. 7. Seventhly the Apostle renews the same charge to him 2 Tim 1. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me not which thou hadest of me in writing for the Creed as I have shewed is a Tradition in faith and love that is concerntng Christian Faith and Charity namely concerning Faith in the Creed concerning love or charity in the Commandements thus he conjoynes our Credenda and Agenda that is the Rules of our Beleefe and Practise And it follows in the next v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keep that good Depositum the good Thing which was committed unto thee Vpon which words consult the following Interpreters S. Chrysost T◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is this Depositum the Faith S Jerome Secundùm meam formam vide doce quam à me breviter accepisti quomodo integrè credere alterutrum deligere debeamus What is this breife and entire Forme of Beleefe but the Creed Theophilact likewise by this Depositum understands the Rule of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Articles which we are cōmanded to believe But how saith he wilt thou keepe these Rules not by humane strength but by the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which dwelleth in us through Baptisme take care therefore to keepe that Spirit and that Spirit will keepe this Depositum Cajetan Habeto in usu formam Sermonum quos a me non per Scripturas didicisti sed audisti Ipsa forma sanorum verborum quae audierat a Paulo appelatur Bonum Depositum Now this set forme of wordes delivered by word of mouth to what agrees it but to the Creed Estius in like manner Depositum id est Doctrina ab Apostolis continuata serie tradita in sola Ecclesiâ Catholicâ asservatur Scriptura enim ei cum Haereticis communis est Now this Doctrine delivered down from the Apostles to us in an uninterrupted Succession which is here contradistinguish'd to the Scriptures and said to be kept in the Catholick Church what is it else but the Creed 8. Eightly The Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews whom I little or not at all doubt to have been the same Apostle tells the Jewes That they had need to be taught again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Babes having need of milke Now these Principles are contained in the Creed and Cyril of Jerusalem in his Catech. 4. wherein he Paraphraseth on the Heads of the Creed alluding plainly to this Place as to the other two Parallell ones 1 Cor. 3. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 2. cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I observed before To this sense accord the following Fxpositions Beda Quod in lactis commemoratione posuit Doctrinam ipsa est quae per Symbolum traditur Orationem Dominicam Anselmus Elementa vocantur illae Partes de quibus Sermo Dei priùs contexitur sc Incarnatio Passio Resurrectio Commune Judicium Damnatio malorum Corona justorum caetera quae primum annunciantur eis qui convertunt tur Exordium enim Sermonum est Symbolum Christianae Fidei Aquinas Exordia Sermonum Dei prima Principia et Elementa sunt Articuli Fidei et praecepta Decalogi Cajetan Elementa sermonum Dei sunt ea Principia quae docemus Catechumenos Dicitur in Symbolo Apostolica Ecclesia quia fundatur in Apostolis Their words are so plain that they need no Logick to apply them to the Creed Then in the Beginning of the next Chapter viz Heb 6. 1. the same Authour mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Foundation Amongst which Fundamentall Principles he reckons up Faith towards God and the Resurrection of the dead which two be the first last Articles of the Creed the last I say reading the Creed as some of the Ancients did with this close The Resurrection of the dead unto life everlasting thus coupling two Articles in one Let us now see what Expositors beare witnesse to this sense applying these words to the Apostles Creed S. Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where he interprets the words of the grounds of Christianity wherein we are Catechized and whereinto Baptized those fundamentall Doctrines of faith to which all the rest are in the nature of superstructures and what are these but the Creed S. Ambrose Quis fit sermo inchoationis Christi nisi Fidei initium Sicut enim cum qui in doctrinam literarum inducitur elementa oportet primum audire sic Christianus primum omnium de fide Catholicâ erudiri debet quod est fundamentum nostrae salutis quia enim fides fundamentum est caetera verò superaedificationes sunt D. Paulus sequentibus verbis ostendit This fidei initium the groundworke of Faith and Salvation and this fides Catholica wherein a Christian ought first to be instructed as being that foundation whereon the whole after-frame is built what else can it be but the Creed S. Aug. De fide operibus cap. 11. Epistolâ quae ad Hebraeos inscribitur cum eorum qui baptizantur commemorarentur Initia posita est ibi paenitentia a mortuis operibus Haec igitur omnia pertinere ad initia Neophytorum satis apertéque Scriptura testatur Venerable Bede hath the same words borrowing them as much else of his Comments from S. Austin Both referre them to those Principles of Christianity which the Novices or Catechumeni were instructed in and profest at Baptisme among which the principall was the Creed Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where he shewes the method of the Christian Catechisme some poynts whereof were explained to the Novices in Religion before Baptisme as Repentance from dead works Beliefe in God the nature and use of Baptisme as also of Imposition of Hands in Confirmation after Baptisme whereby to be made Partakes of the Spirit and some after Baptisme as the Mysteries of our Saviours Passion and High-priesthood his taking our sinnes on himselfe and working our Salvation the mysteries of our Resurrection of the last judgement and everlasting Reward or life the most of which Principles are comprehended in the Creed Theophyl also on the same place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where he interprets this repentance from dead works of renouncing the works of the Devill in Baptisme and referres the resurrection of the Dead in expresse termes to our Confession of Faith or Creed which at the time of Baptisme we publiquely attest Anselmus Necrursum jacientes fundamentum Doctrinae inquit quae in exordio tradita est vobis per Symbolum orationem Dominicam ut hac iterum incipiatis imbui Estius fidei in Deum Respicit ad professionem Symboli quam faciebant Baptizandi Calvinus Erant certa capita de quibus Pastor Catechumenum
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
he that leaving off superfluous questions and unhandsome contentions about words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you would be contented with those Doctrines which have bene delivered by word of mouth from the Holy Apostles and the Lord himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrines not writen but spoken spoken by the Saints and holy Apostles by the Direction inspiration of the Lord he the Author they the instruments Doctrines opposed to curious or superfluous questions and strifes about words that is Doctrines of moment or fundamentall points such as the Creed conteines And this he dilivers more plainly in the closing up of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Beware of false Prophets and withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And not after the Tradition which they received of us let us exactly and orderly walke according to the Rule of the Saints as being built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ our Lord being the head-corner-stone in or by whom the whole building fitly joyned together groweth into an holy Temple in the Lord. This Tradition this exact Rule this Foundation of the Apostles to what can it be applyed more congruously than unto the Creed of the Apostles the substance whereof he sets downe before 6. Gregory Nyssen Brother to the Great S. Basil explaines the Heads of the Creed in that Oration of his which is entituled Catachetica Oratio magna 7. Cyril Patriarch of Jerusalem sets downe the whole Creed in distinct Articles and explaines it at large in severall Catecheticall Orations as whose office it was to instruct all his Auditors not to oppose one Heretick which as I said caused some of the. Fathers to set downe the Creed more imperfectly leaving out those Articles which were not impugned Cyrils Creed is this which followes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is I believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven earth of all things visible invisible and in one Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten son of God begotten of his Father before all worlds incarnate and made man crucifyed and buried he rose againe from the Dead the third Day he ascended into the Heavens and sitteth at the right hand of the Father and shall come to judge the quick and the dead And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Comforter who spake by the Prophets one holy Catholick Church one Baptisme of Repentance for the remission of sinnes the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Any one at the first sight may perceive that this is the same with that which we now call the Apostles Creed in the full sense and substance of it only a little altered in some few words and explayned in two or three Articles by some Additionall Particles This was the confession of Faith received in the Church of Ierusalem the mother Church of the Christian World where this Cyril was Catechist and afterward Patriarch Ruffinus cals it Symbolum Orientale the Creed of the Easterne Church and compares it in his Exposition with the Romane and Aquileian But of this more hereafter 8. Chrysostome hath wrote two Homelies upon the Creed in the former whereof he sets the Creed downe in this forme which I am to give you out of the Latine Edition of Erasmus having not as yet met with the Greeke Originall although sought for both in Sr H. Saviles Edition and that of Fronto ducaeus Credo in Deū Patrem Omnipotentem in unicum Filium ejus Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum iste natus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Mariâ Virgine crucifixus est sub Pontio Pilato sepultus est postquam mortuus tertia die a mortuis resurrexit sedet ad dextram Patris inde venturus est judicare vivos mortuos credo in Spiritum sanctum Iste spiritus perducet ad sanctam Ecclesiam ipsa est quae dimittit peccata promittit carnis resurrectionem promittit vitam aeternam that is I believe in God the Father Almighty and in his only Son our Lord Jesus Christ conceived by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary crucifyed under Pontius Pilate dead and buried the third Day he rose againe from the dead he sitteth at the right hand of the Father from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the holy Ghost He bringeth us to the holy Church shee it is which forgiveth sinnes promiseth the resurrection of the Body promiseth Life Everlasting The consonancy of this Creed to that of the Apostles is sufficiently manifest without farther Descant To these Testimonies I shall crave leave to adde that Confession of Faith which the Arch-heretick Arius with his companion Euzoius presented to the Emperour Constantine in writing who being perswaded by a certaine Presbyter whom his Sister Constantia at her death had commended to him sent for Arius to Constantinople after he had beene banished from Alexandria for not subscribing to the Nicene councill whither being come with Euzoius the Emperour asked him whether or no he assented to the Nicen Creed Arius feigning that he did was straitwaise commanded by him to put his Beleefe in writing which he did in this Forme in the name of himselfe and Euzoius we find it thus recorded by Socrates in his Ecclesiasticall History lib. 1. c. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. We believe in one God the Father Almighty and in the Lord Jesus Christ his Sonne begotten of him before all worlds God the word by whom all things were made both which are in Heaven and which are one Earth who came downe and was incarnate and Suffered and Rose againe and ascended into the Heavens shall come againe to judge the Quick and Dead And in the Holy Ghost the Resurrection of the Body the life of the world to come and the Kingdome of Heaven and one Catholick Church of God spred over the whole world This Confession of Faith as I conceive by the Forme was the Ancient Creed of the Church of Alexandria wherof this Arius was Presbyter deposited therein by its first Bishop S. Marke who received it from the mouths of the Apostles and more particularly from St Peter who sent him thither for it was common with the Hereticks to shelter themselves under the generall Tearmes of the Apostles Creed which admitted of diverse constructions and so lay the more open to be abused and perverted by their unsound Glosses thus did Photinus aworse than Arius some years after thus doe his Disciples the Socinians at this Day Only Arius may be thought to have somewhat enlarged this Apostolicall Creed in the second Article touching the Divinity of our Saviour the better to counterfeit his assent to what the Nicene Fathers had declared in that Point and decreed to be held From these Testimonies of the Greeke Fathers who can best witnesse the Faith of the Easterne Churches we may raise these observations but
Catholick a Tradition doth not a litle confirme me in my Beliefe that the Apostles were the Authors of the Creed First Ruffinus in that place shewes no doubt at all of the Authors as appears by the fore-cited Relation but having before recited the Tradition of his Ancestors and himself accordingly affirmed the Apostles to have been the Authors in these words Symbolum fecerunt Apostoli in his Sermonibus in unum conferendo quod unusquisque sensit Decessuri ad predicandum istud unanimitatis fidei suae Indicium Apostoli posuere Sure those following words qui Symbolum tradiderunt must needs relate to the Apostles as the antecedent Secondly that severall Authors have mentioned this Tradition before the yeere 400 as well as after and those not only of the Westerne but of the Easterne Church I appeale to the fore-cited Testimonies of the Fathers among whom Origen Marcellus of Ancyra and Cyril of Jerusalem were of the Greeke Church and before the yeare 400 whereof the two latter set the Creed downe and Origen tells us that the Apostles delivered it Tertullian and Ambrose were of the Lattine or Westerne Church whereof the former sets it downe and entitles it to the Apostles and the latter names the Twelve Apostles for the Authors citing for proofe both of the Creed and its Composers a perpetuall inviolate Tradition of the Church of Rome now St Amb. flourished before the end of the fourth Century Tertullian long before As for the silencing of the Apostles Creed since the Nicene Councell in the Easterne Church 't is cleere that it was extant amongst them since the Councell for Marcellus sets it downe and Chrysostome explaines it but when the Constantinopolitan Creed was framed it was by degrees it seemes disused because therein included Then as to the Ethiopian Creed it is the very same with the Nicene or Constantinopolitan and communicated from the Greeke Church by the neighbouring Patriarch of Alexandria as in all likelihood we may suppose to that more Southerne People Lastly To the Testimony cited out of the 115. Serm. de Temp. The objector confesseth that the Creed was first rehearsed entire and then explained only he questions the assignation of the severall Articles to distinct Apostles as a spurious piece inserted out of the Margine into the Body of the Sermon the rest he acknowledgeth for genuine but this passage I stand not much upon whether it were so or otherwise for notwithstanding this supposall the Creed may well be styled a Symbole or Collation because agreed on in common by the Apostles they reducing the Number of the Articles to Twelve because themselves were Twelve the Founders or Foundation of the Christian Faith as St Paul cals them Eph. 2. 20. St Jo. Re. 21. 14. Reason 2d. In the Primitive Church the Catechumeni were men instructed in the first Rudiments of Christianity chiefely in the time of Lent Then on Palme-sunday they were called Competentes that is joynt Petitioners of Baptisme and had the whole perfection of the Faith that is the whole Body of the Creed expounded unto them because Easter the assigned Time of their Baptisme then approached This is testified by S. Ambrose Epist 35. lih 5. Sequenti die erat autem Dominica post lectiones atque Tractatum dimissis Catechumenis Symbolum aliquibus competentibus in Baptisteriis tradebam Basilicae That is The next day being the Lords day after the Reading of the Scriptures and the Sermon having dismissed the Catechumeni I delivered the Creed to certain Competentes in that part of the Church which is assigned for Baptisme And by Isidore of Sevil lib. 1. De Eccles Offic cap. 27. De Domin Palm Hac autem die Symbolum Competentibus traditur propter confinem Dominicae Paschae solemnitatem ut quia jam ad Dei gratiam percipiendam festinant fidem quam confiteantur agnoscant That is On this day on Palmesunday the Creed is delivered to the Competentes by reason of the approaching solemnity of Easter that so they may more fully understand and embrace that Faith which they professe their Baptisme now hastening on And wee have already in part demonstrated the same out of the forecited Fathers particularly out of their Homilies on the Creed which they commonly made on Palmesunday to the Competentes who were now ready to be baptized But now when Easter came the solemne time of Baptisme as Pentecost also was before they were admitted to it they made an open confession of their Faith as our Infants now doe in the Person of their Godfathers I aske then what confession of Faith was this which they thus publiquely pronounced at Baptisme No man is so absurd to think that every one was left to his owne discretion to frame it as he pleased but that the Church had a certaine prescribed forme of words or Rule of Beliefe which the Competentes did openly rehearse the same forme no doubt which had been explained unto them on the foregoing Palmesunday now this was no other then the Apostles Creed as appears both by those Homilies of the Fathers upon it which were usually made to the Competentes on Palmesunday as preparatives to their Baptisme as also because we find no other Confession of Faith publiquely received in the Church for above 300 years after the Birth of our Saviour besides this of the Apostles To this agree the words of Saint Jerome cont Lucifer Solenne est in lavacro post Trinitatis confessionem interrogare Credis in sanctam Ecclesiam credis remissionem peccatorum That is It is the custome at Baptisme after confession of the Trinity to aske Believest thou the Holy Church believest thou the Remission of sinnes And long before him S. Cyprian Epist 70. ad Janu ar c. Ipsa interrogatio quae fit in baptismo testis est veritatis nam cum dicimus credis in vitam aeternam remissionem peccatorum per sanctam Ecclesiam Intelligimus remissionem peccatorum non nisi in Ecclesiâ dari That is The very questioning in Baptisme witnesseth the Truth for when we say believest thou the life everlasting and remission of sinnes by the holy Church We conceive that remission of sinnes is not given but in the Church If any one desire to have this Custome of rehearsing the Creed at Baptisme brought higher yet up to the Age of the Apostles that so we may know positively when this forme of Profession began and the rather because when the Apostles baptized 3000 in one day and presently after S. Peters Sermon either no forme was then used or it was a very short one and quickly learned I Answer That the custome of making Homilies on the Creed by the Catechists and Bishops of old for the better instruction of those who were to be Baptized shews that this confession was very anciently practised and Russinus who himselfe was ancient tells us of many Illustres Tractatores many famous expounders of the Creed in this kind before his Time why then
contentions dayly growing hotter betweene them had like to have seperated the East and West about a syllabicall difference But Athanasius saith he with much patience and prudence calling unto him and hearing both Parties having examined their meaning and the sense of the words when he found them agreeing in the thing signifyed and at no difference about the doctrine it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 granting them the diversity of their Termes he unites them together in the same Truth Secondly Though we hold it most certaine that the Apostles considered single and apart delivered nothing to the Church either by word or writing but what they were specially assisted in by the holy Ghost and therefore most undoubtedly true yet for ought I know as the holy Ghost revealed not all truths to the Apostles at once no not when he descended on them at the Feast of Pentecost but delayed the manifesting of some till afterwards as for example the Conversion of the Gentiles to Peter in the vision of the sheet Act. 10. So he might not reveale some truthes unto them when they were single and apart but only when they met and consulted together For though every one of them by himselfe was infallible in all necessary Points that is so as to deliver nothing contrary to the Faith or Truth of Christian Religion yet without any Derogation to his priviledge they might need the more especiall assistance of the holy Ghost upon their Assembly to instruct them which Points of Faith were necessary to Salvation which not We have a famous Instance of this recorded Act. 15. For when there arose a great question in the Church of Antioch whether the Gentiles newly converted in Syria and Cilicia should be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses That Paul and Barnabas were sent unto Jerusalem about it v. 2. that the Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this matter v. 6. What needed this considering in a solemne meeting if they had been ascertained what to resolve before they met It followes v. 7. That there was much disputing or debate in the Councell Why not even among the Apostles themselves who were the chiefe members thereof At least this disputing might have been spared or cut short by the Apostles as a thing unnecessary if it had not beene thought a good and needfull Preamble unto a finall Decision If the Church had conceived S. Peter or any other of the Apostles an infallible Judge in this Point with out due examination thereof and the speciall assistance of the holy Ghost in a Synod they might have spared both their meeting and dispute But when there had been much disputing and not before they joyntly determined what Lawes to free them from and what to impose upon them as things necessary to be observed v. 28. Namly the abstaining from Bloud and consequently things strangled v. 29. According to that primitive law given to the Sons of Noah Ge. 9. 4. a Law still observed by the Greek Church by the Moscontieth their neighbour churches of Polād which have admitted the Reformation and long observed generally by the whole Western Church even til the Times of Ludovicus Pius as appeares by his and his Father Charles capitular together with the abstaining from Fornication and things offered to Idols which the Apostle makes a species of Idolatry 1 Cor. 10. 19 20 21. And are more clearly against the Morall Law though not so esteemed by the generality of the Gentiles Then and not before they use that stile It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us that is To us in the Plurall to us assembled together Consonantly to this S. Paul tells us more plainly Gal. 2. 2. that long after his conversion and calling unto his Apostleship he went up to Jerusalem by Revelation and communicated the Gospell which he Preached among the Gentiles unto the Apostles who there resided namely to Iames Cephas and Iohn giving this for a Reason least saith he by any meanes I should run or had run in vaine Gal. 2. 2. Now the composing of the Creed wherein were to be comprised the maine Grounds of Christian Religion was a matter of the highest consequence and so might very well require the joynt and serious deliberation of the Twelve together with the speciall assistance of Gods spirit Thirdly To the Reply against the second Reason I Answer That 't is a groundlesse supposall to think that the Persons to be Baptized in the Apostles times were required to believe only in Iesus Christ or in the Trinity alone for First we find other Principles of Christian Doctrine distinctly set downe in Heb. 6. 1 2. And Preached by the Apostles before they Baptized their Auditors for instance the Article of Remission of Sinnes by Peter Act. 10. 43. And by Paul Act. 13. 38 39. The Article of the Creation of the World by the same Paul Act. 17. 24. Secondly As for beliefe in Iesus Christ the Apostles indeed required it as the maine poynt as we read in the History of the Eunuch Act. 18. 37. and of the Jaylor Act. 16. 31. Yet not as the sole poynt for beliefe in the holy Ghost was also required as appeares by the history of the Disciples at Ephesus Act. 19. 2 3 6. 'T is mentioned therefore as the principall and that which virtually includes all the rest for to believe in Jesus Christ as wee ought is to believe the Doctrine which he taught revealed unto the world from the Father as the guide or light to true Blessednesse now what was this but the Gospell of Salvation whereof the Creed for mater of Doctrinalls is the Epitome consult to this purpose Io. 17. 3. And chap. 3. 13. 36. Thirdly As for beliefe in the most Holy Trinity it gives us more scope as that which comprehends all the Articles of our Faith for as to believe in Jesus Christ implicitely conteines all the mysteries of our Redemption viz. His Godhead Incarnation and Birth Passion Buriall Descent into Hell Resurrection Assension Sitting on the right hand of the Father and second comming to Judgment so to believe in God the Father conteines his workes of Creation and Providence which are the Visible effects of his eternall Power and Godhead Ro. 1. 20. And to believe in the holy Ghost involves the whole worke of Sanctification the applying of Christs Benefits to his Church and compleating the Salvation of mankind which are distinctly set downe in the foure last Articles And this S. Chrysostome teacheth us in his first homily on the Creed already cited where his Text ends thus I believe in the holy Ghost but in his explication he thus unravels the Article and layes it open to view in its full extent who brings us to the holy Church she remiteth our sinnes promiseth the Resurrection of the Body and life everlasting This beliefe therefore in Christ or in the Trinity is not to be nakedly simply understood as if no other Particulars were required but with
question'd or denied by the Hereticks of those times have taken nothing from the Apostles Creed as in it selfe superfluous but have in a larger Declaration insisted on some Articles which were controverted by the said Hereticks omitting others about which there was no doubt or question raised and therefore not necessary in that case to be repeated The truth of this will more clearely appeare by the Paraphrases of some Fathers on the Apostles Creed who frequently omit some Articles or parcells of Articles in their explications even in that Age when 't is confest on all Hands that the Creed which is now called the Apostles was fully and compleatly extant And if they omitted some considerable Parts of the Creed when they undertook professedly to explain it because either so plain that they needed no explication or because handled before in some other Homily or Paraphrase we may suppose with greater Reason that the Councels and Fathers omitted some one or few Articles in the composing of their new Symboles which were framed upon some especiall occasion directed against a particular Heresy though the Apostles Creed were then fully extant For proofe of this consult the following Fathers 1. S. Chrysostome who flourisht about the yeare 400. in his first Hom. on the Creed omits these particles maker of Heaven Earth suffered died descended into Hell ascended into Heaven and ends the Text of his Creed thus I believe in the Holy Ghost 2. Petrus surnamed Chrysologus who flourisht about the year 440. in his 57 Hom. on the Creed omits Almighty maker of Heaven Earth suffered under Pontius Pilate died descended into Hell In his 58 Hom. he omits suffered and died rose from the dead descended into hell Catholick which Epithete is also omitted in the other following Homilies though exprest in the 57. After siting at the right hand of the Father he leaves out Almighty as also in the 57 Homily In Hom. 59. he omits maker of Heaven and Earth In Hom. 61. he leaves out the last Article life everlasting as included in the precedent of the Resurrection for Death being conquered by our Rising againe it must needs be a Resurrection unto a life immortall 3. Eusebius Gallicanus usually called Emesenus a Father of uncertain Age but placed by Bellarmine in the yeare 430. in his first Homily on the Creed omits maker of Heaven and Earth as implied in Omnipotent all the Articles between Christs Birth and Ascension although he mention them in his explication He omits also the Article of the Holy Ghost The remission of sins by Baptisme as inclosed in the beliefe of the Holy Catholique Church and the two last Articles viz. of the Resurrection and life Everlasting In his second Homily he omits Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth only Son in the second Article Suffered under Pontius Pilate died 4. Venantius Fortunatus who flourished about the yeare 570. in his Exposition of the Apostles Creed omits Maker of Heaven and Earth our Lord in the second Article rose againe from the Dead sitteth on the right hand of the Father though it be in the explication I believe the Holy Catholique Church the Communion of Saints and Life everlasting which is included as by Chrysologus in the Article of the Resurrection Object 12. If the Creed were framed by the Apostles and by them delivered to all Churches of the World it could never have come into the Fathers mindes to have composed so many Symboles and Confessions which for Perfection must needs give place to that of the Apostles no such therefore was then extant which he must needs grant who knowes that this simple formula was required of those that came to Baptisme whether they believed in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Math. 28. 19. Answ The Fathers made no new Creeds or Confessions of Faith as hath been already shewen but only explained the old the occasion of which explicatory Creeds is well rendred by the Learned Vossius Non licuit per haereticos in ea simplicitate permanere Haeresibus igitur obortis quarum Architecti vel Patroni sese pro Christianis venditarent ac misere seducerent imperitos coacti sunt addere alia quibus Ecclesiae Doctrina ab Haereticâ item Ecclesiae filii ab haereticis eorum Sectatoribus secernerentur That is The Hereticks would not suffer the Church to continue in the Primitive simplicity of the Faith for Heresies arising whose Authors and abettors carried themselves for Christians and under that name miserably seduced the ignorant the Fathers were compelled to adde other Creeds whereby the Doctrine of the Church might be distinguished from Heresy and the Children of the Church from Hereticks and their followers Thus he De trib Symb. Dissert 1. num 29. Sceondly as to that Forme of Beliefe in the Trinity which the Apostles are said by direction from their Master to have required of those who came to Baptisme Mat. 28. 19. There is no such matter there set downe only they are charged there to Baptize in the Name of the Trinity not in the name of any strange God or of any one Person of the sacred Trinity but of all Three together Yet I willingly grant that faith in the Holy Trinity was required of the Persons which came to Baptisme but not by vertue of that command which was given to the Baptizers not to the Persons who came to be Baptized but this Faith was not the only thing required of them for we read other points numbred amongst the principles or beginings of Christian Doctrine which the Catechumeni were taught as Repentance from dead workes resurrection of the Dead and Eternall Judgment Heb. 6. 1 2. Ob. 13th If the Creed had been Composed by the Apostles with the same sentences words order which we now have and had been so delivered to the Catholick Church there had not been divers Creeds about the yeere 400 according to diverse Churches diverse in the manner of expression and diverse in the number of sentences which diversity will appeare to him that shall compare severall Creeds together especially the Nicene which hath not a few sentences added others alterd with which additions and alterations it was afterwards received and used in the Eastern Churches the Apostles Creed being in a maner excluded Answ First The diversity of severall Creeds in some few words or in the manner of expression is a Circumstance not materiall so the same sense be kept inviolate and all the Heads or Articles of the Faith preserved entire Secondly As to the number of Sentences more in some Creeds and fewer in others we have before assigned some Reasons why one or more articles have beene omitted in some Creeds and so the number made fewer but for the adding of any new Sentences unto the Apostles Creed I constantly deny that the Primitive Church ever did it but on the other side constantly disclaimed it her office being this to preserve the old Faith which was once delivered to
third Day he rose againe according to the Scriptures Christs descent into Hell as we see in this Collation is expressely set downe but in two Creeds namely this of the Apostles and the Athanasian although the Fathers of the first Ages generally acknowledge it and mention it in their writings for which we may looke back on the Creeds of Thaddaeus and Ignatius set downe before The reason therefore why it is omitted in other Creeds I conceive to be this That they held it involved or presupposed in the following word The third Day he rose againe from the Dead For Christ may not improperly be said to have risen the third Day according to both Parts from the Grave in his Body from Hell a low place especially in comparison of Heaven in his Soule So both Parts in this Rising met together from two severall Places whether they had before Descended both which places are set downe in holy Scripture as the Receptacles of the Dead as well Good as Bad so 't is in either a Rising from the Dead and are joyntly called by the names of Sheol Hades Inferi This also S. Chrysostome in setting downe the Creed passeth by Christs ascension into Heaven as being included in or presupposed by that which followes His sitting at the Right Hand of the Father See Gen. 37. 35. Job 26. 6. Psal 86. 13. 139 8. Prov. 15. 11. Isa 13. 9. Luk. 16. 23. Rev. 1. 18. chap. 20. 13. Artic. VI. Apost He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right Hand of God the Father Almighty East And ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father Nic. hath the same Aquil. the same Athan. He ascended into Heaven he sitteth on the right hand of the Father God Almighty Antioch And he ascended into Heaven Article VII Apost From whence he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead East And he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead Nic. Who shall come againe with glory to judge the quicke and the dead of whose kingdome there shall be no end Aquil. From thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the deade Athan. From whence he shall come to judge the quicke and the Dead Antioch And he shall come againe to judge the quicke and the dead Article VIII Apost I believe in the Holy Ghost East And in the Holy Ghost the comforter who spake by the Prophets Nic. And in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne according to the Latines who with the Father and the Sonne together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets Aquil. And in the Holy Ghost Athan There is another Person of the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost is God the Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son Neither made nor created nor begotten but proceeding Article IX Apost I believe the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints East One holy Catholick Church Nic. One holy Catholick and Apostolick Church Aquil. The holy Catholick Church Where Ruffinus in his explication interprets Holy by that which preserves the Faith or Religion of Christ entire and opposeth the Church to the Conventicles of severall Hereticks which he calls Concilia vanitatis thus explaining the word Catholick and the Communion of Saints Article X. Apost The forgivenesse of Sinnes East One Baptisme of Repentance for the Remission of Sinnes Nic I acknowledge one Baptisme for the Remission of Sinnes Aquil. The Remission of Sinnes Article XI Apost The Resurrection of the Body East And the Resurrection of the Body Nice And I look for the Resurrection of the Dead Athan. At whose comming All men shall rise againe with their Bodies and shall give an account for their own Workes Aquil. The Resurrection of this Body In the Exposition whereof Ruffinus hath these words Et ideo satis cautâ providâ adjectione Ecclesia nostra Aquilegiensis docet quae in eo quod a caeteris traditur Carnis Resurrectionem uno addito pronomine tradit Hujus Carnis Resurrectionem hujus sine dubio quam is qui profitetur signaculo Crucis fronti imposito contingit That is our Church the Aquileian hath warily and providently added the Pronoune This to the Article of the Resurrection of the Body which is delivered without it in other Churches This Body that is which he toucheth who maketh profession of the Creed having the Signe of the Crosse made upon his Forehead whence we may observe not only the Antiquity of the Crosse in Baptisme but the custome also of the ancient Church in adding some exegeticall particles to the Creed as a Thing publickly received and practised in the Christian World Article XII Apost And life Everlasting East And life Everlasting Nic. And the life of the World to come Athan. And they that have done good shall goe into life Everlasting and they that have done Evill into Everlasting fire Aquil. Incloseth it in the precedent Article of the Resurrection in the explication whereof Ruffinus hath these words Dabitur peccatoribus incorruptionis immortalitatis ex Resurrectione conditio ut sicut Deus justis ministrat ad perpetuitatem Gloriae ista peccatoribus ad prolixitatem confusionis ministret paenae That is Sinners also shall rise to an immortall and incorruptible estate so that as God affourdeth the rightious everlasting Glory he also prepareth the sinners for length of shame and sorrow Ob. 14th That Creed which was neithe made by the Apostles nor by any Generall Councell nor was recieved by the Greeke or Easterne Churches but in the Church of Rome and had beene so long recited and used in the Church now about the yeare 400 that then it was held an Apostolicall Tradition which it is certaine was conveyed also by the Church of Rome to other Churches of the West the Easterne Churches in the meane time using other Creeds that Creed was composed by those who had the Government of the Romane Church but there is nought of this which agreeth not to the Creed that we call the Apostles therefore the Bishop and Presbyters of the Church of Rome composed it Answ This is the summary Argument used to disprove the Authors of the Creed and which we have already answered by Parts For that the Creed was composed by the Apostles we have proved at large both by Authorities and Arguments That it was received for the full sense and substance thereof in the Greeke or Easterne Churche appears both by what we have before cited out of the Greeke Fathers especially Marcellus and Chrysostome as also by the foresaid Parallell of the Jerosolymitan Nicene Antiochian and Athanasian Creeds with the Romane and Aquileian That it was held an Apostolicall Tradition by the Church of Rome before the yeare 400 appeares by the forecited Testimonies of the Laine Fathers Irenaeus Tertullian Ambrose and others That it was convaied by the Church of Rome to other Churches of the West which the Objector invidiously
word added but in other Places according as we are informed some passages seeme to be added by reason of certain Hereticks on purpose to exclude the novelty of their Doctrines by expressing the true sense 1. Thirdly Vigilius Bishop of Rome in his 4th book against Eutyches hath these words Vniversitas profitetur Credere se in Deum Patrem omnipotentem in Jesum Christum filium ejus Dominum nostrum Huic Capitulo ob id iste calumniatur cur non dixit in unum Iesum Christum Filium ejus juxta Niceni decretum Concilii Sed Roma antequam Nicena Synodus conveniret à temporibus Apostolorum usque ad nunc sub Beatae memoriae Caelestino cui iste rectae fidei testimonium reddidit ita fidelibus symbolum tradidit nec praejudicant verba ubi sensus incolumis permanet That is The whole Church professeth to believe in God the Father Almighty and in Iesus Christ his Son our Lord Eutyches cavils at this last Article because it runs not thus In one Iesus Christ his Sonne according to the Decree of the Nicene Councell whereas the Church of Rome before the assembling of that Councell from the Times of the Apostles untill this present and under Caelestinus of Blessed memory the rightnesse of whose faith Eutyches acknowledged delivered the Creed in these Termes unto the faithfull neither be the words prejudiciall where the sense is entire So then That the Church of Rome kept the Creed inviolate this Apostolicall Tradition faithfully and entirely witnesse here S. Ambrose Ruffinus and Vigilius And that the Apostles distinguisht it into twelve Articles according to their own number witnesse as hath been shewn before the same S. Ambrose Augustine and Leo the Great But because these two Creeds of the Ierosolymitan and Romane Churches differ something in the Bulke that of Ierusalem being somewhat the larger we may if we please to make them exactly agree cut off those Additionall Particles from the Creed of Ierusalem which were added because of Heresies succrescent in those Easterne Parts But if we let them alone the difference will not appeare considerable rather an admirable Harmony will be observed betweene the so distant Churches of East and West in matter of Faith which otherwise in Discipline and Ceremonies did not a little vary Thus the Churches Coat like that of Christ her spouse was seamles though wrought with diverse Colours CAP IX The Second Head of this Discourse namely The Gounds on which and the ends for which the Apostles Framed the Creed The Suffiiciency also of the Creed fo the Rule of Faith is proved by the Testimonies of Divines as well Moderne as Ancient and those both Romish and Reformed HAving evinced as farre as in me Lyes the first and chiefe Head which I proposed to Treat off namely That the Apostles were the Composers of the Creed which commony beares their Name I come now to dispatch the other three in their order as they lie the which will require but a short discussion and first the Grounds and ends of composiing it First The Apostles had Ground and warrant for composing this Breviary of Faith from diverse Patternes in holy Writ of Gods owne setting King Solomon in the old law contracts the whole Duty of Man into these two precepts Feare God and keepe his Commandements Eccles. 12 13. And a wiser then he in the Gospell our Blessed Saviour reduceth the whole Law unto these two Heads The love of God and our Neighbour Mat. 22. 37. More particularly God the Father in the old Testament concluded the whole law of nature with al its Branches within the compasse of ten short Precepts and those ten he reduced into two Tables Thus we have a perfect Rule of Love and obedience from his Mouth Then God the Son under the New Testament at his Disciples request gave us an exact Forme of Prayer whereby to ground exercise and regulate our hopes and desires There remained now in the compiled some short compleat Rule of Faith which the holy Ghost heere did delivering this Creed unto the Church by the Mouthes of the Apostles to be for ever kept therein as a sacred Depositum Thus have we three Briefe but Full Rules of those Fundamentall Christian virtues Faith Hope and Charity namly The Creed The Lords Paryer and The Ten Commandements delivered unto us by the three Persons of the Sacred Trinity Secondly The Framing of the Creed was most necessary for these two ends tht preservation of Faith and Charity First For the ease and safety of Christians especially of the plainer weaker and more Ignorant sort Many have not the ability or leisure to peruse the whole Body of Scripture and thence to collect those Points of Faith which are necessary to Salvation for they lye confusedly scatterd heere there mixt with matter of a diverse kind yea some Articles of the Creed are not expresly and directly found in any determinate Place of holy writ as the eight and ninth together with the mystery of the Trinity which is therein conteined but depend on Consequences and Logicall deductions which though sufficiently cleare in themselves upon a just arguing or comparing of Places yet it cannot be presumed that every one hath the skill to Frame them so that there would be much feare of errour and danger of mistake in so weighty a Businesse Wherefore it was very expedient or rather absolutely necessary that there should be gathered a summary of these points digested into a method and exprest in plaine tearms and that by an unquestionable and unerring hand that so wee might know what to trust to and have alwayes at hand those maine grounds of our Religion which God requires to be believed by us as necessary to Salvation The whole Scripture is indeed a Perfect Rule of Faith so is it also of our hope and life A perfect Rule of our Life and manners in its precepts and prohibitions of our hope in its Promises severall Patternes of Prayer of our Faith in its Dogmaticall Positions yet as it pleased God to summe up the first in Ten short words as Moses calls the Commandements Deut. 10. 4. And to summe up the second in seven shorter Petitions so it was as requisite that upon the the same Ground the Third should be reduced unto some few Heads as they are now in the twelve Articles of the Creed which therefore we may not improperly call Sepes Credendorum The fence or mound of our Faith without which Boundary we should wander up and downe in infinito Campo in a large field at randome This Reason is touched by S. Austin De fide Symb. cap. 1. Est Fides Catholica in Symbolo nota fidelibus memoriaeque mandata quantum res passa est brevitate Sermonis ut incipientibus atque lactentibus eis qui in Christo renati sunt nondum Scripturarum divinarum diligentissimâ Spirituali tractatione atque cognitione roboratis paucis verbis credendum constitueretur proficientibus
ad divinam doctrinam certa humilitatis atque Charitatis firmitate surgentibus quod multis verbis exponendo esset perficiendum Secondly For the due bounding of our Faith and Charity There are many lesser circumstantiall Points in divinity which Christians may differ about Salva Fide Charitate without prejudice to either but others there be of farre higher Concernment requisite to the very beeing of a true and rightly grounded Christian these we call Fundamentall Points the Nescience of most whereof but the denyall of any is destructive of Salvation whithout ensuing repentance Now it was necessary that these should be knowen and severed from the rest that so the Church might know whome to admit to Baptisme and acknowledg for her Children and on the other side Whom to reject or cut off as Heretickes misbelievers Yea besides that every private Christian might know by this Rule whom to communicate with and whom to fly from and avoid as Heathens and Publicans in our Saviours Language To demonstrate this Father namely that the Creed conteines all Points which a good Christian is bound of necessity to believe I shall produce a Reason or two and thereto subjoine the testimonies of the Ancients which among other Corollaries hence deducible will serve to free the true reformed Churches from that just imputation of Heresy which the Church of Rome hath been pleased to lay upon Them for al of thē generally unanimously imbrace the Creed as appeares by their severall confessions and therfore cannot justly be charged with heresy in the ancient which is the true and genuine acception of the word The reasons are these two which follow First the End for which the Apostles Framed the Creed cannot be imagined to be any other than this viz. To give us a Breviary of the fundamentall Doctrines of Faith Dare we say that the Apostles came short of this their end It must be then either for want of Power or want of will Now to affirme they could not compasse it is little better then Blasphemy and to affirme they would not when they might must needs argue them of grosse negligence in their function and uncharitablnesse to the Christian church faults wholy uncompatible with the Apostolick office and Zeale Secondly The name of Symbole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke and Regula Fidei The Rule of Faith in the Latine whereby the Ancients style the Creed argue the compleatnesse of it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Nota or Indicium the Creed being the note of difference between the true Children of the Church and those who were either unbelievers or misbelievers And the Rule of Faith as Tertullian calls it or The Rule of Truth as Irenaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That unerring Rule of Truth which we received in Baptisme from whom Chrysostome and Austin borrowed the terme who opposed the Creed to the Placita of Hereticks and will have them examined ad hujus amussim by the line or Rule of the Creed must be adequate to the Faith or necessary Truth whereof it is a Rule niether larger nor narrower for else it looseth the very nature of a Rule To this Truth the Fathers give in their Suffrages I shall set downe the Testimonies of some who were the most Ancient and the most famous in their Times 1. The Creed is called Breve Evangelium the Epitome or breviary of the Gospell like Homers Workes inclosed in a nutshell according to the saying of S. Bartholomew recorded by Dionys Arear lib de myst Theo. cap. 1. 2. Clem. Romanus in his forecited Epistle Ad Fratrem Domini calls the Creed Summun totius Fidei Catholicae the Summary of the Catholick Faith and farther saith that in it Integritas credulitatis ostenditur The entire or whole Faith of a Christian is declared 3. Ignatius in his Epistle to the Magnesians after he had reckoned up those Heads of the Creed which touched our Saviour concludes thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He who fully knowes and believes these things is Blessed that is as fare as concernes these Articles or this part of the Faith which relates to our Saviour the same holdes in proportion of the rest otherwise not only a right beliefe although full and entire but a good life also are requisite to happinesse 4. Irenaeus tels us that many barbarous Nations who had not the Bookes of Scripture among them yet Sine Charactere vel atramento Scriptam habuerunt per Spiritum sanctum in Cordibus suis salutem Had Salvation wrote in their Hartes by the Finger of the holy Ghost without the helpe of Pen and Inke Where by Salvation he understands the Tradition of the Creed as appeares by the following words so called by a Metonymie because it is a meanes in its kind sufficient to Salvation Thus he lib. 3. cap. 4. The same Father elswhere gives this testimony of the fulnesse of the Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Neither the most able Orator amongst the Pastors of the Church can say more than this for no man is above his Teacher or Master neither he who is weake in speech can distinguish or speake lesse than this Tradition for there beeing one and the same Faith neither he who is able to speake much of it hath augmented it nor he who is able to say litle hath lessened it at all 5. Origen in the preface of his Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith that the Holy Apostles Preaching the Faith of Christ De quibusdam quidem c. Concerning some Points most plainly delivered unto all Believers even the most dull and slow whatsoever they judged necessary where by Necessaries he understandes the Articles of the Creed which he there reckons up 6. Cyril of Jerusalem in his fift Catechesis speaking of the Creed useth these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we comprehend saith he the whole Doctrine of Faith in a few versicles And afterwardes comparing it unto a small graine of mustard-seed which virtually containes many Branches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so also doth this Creed in a few words comprehend the whole doctrine of Religion which is delivered in the old new Testament 7. Eusebius Galicanus commonly called Emesenus in the begining of his second Homily on the Greed hath these words Hanc nobis fidem velut magnam lampadem Christus adveniens errantibus viam monstraturus exhibuit per quem possit Deus ignotus requiri quaesitus credi creditus inveniri This Faith or Creed saith he like some great Lampe Christ exhibited for his comming thus shewing the way to those in errour By help wherof God who was before unknowne might be sought being sought might be believed on being believed on might be found The same Father in his first Homily derives the name Symbolum from Caena collatitia and then tels us that De utroque Testamento totius Corporis virtus in paucas est diffusa sententias ut facilius animae Thesaurus
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
false Brethren who had privily crept into the Church and corrupted the Gospell from those who sincerely bound themselves by Oath in Baptisme to the service of Christ 5. A Catechisme taken out of the Workes of Costerus Pet. de Soto and others set forth by the command of the Arch-Bishop of Triers respons ad 2am qu. saith thus Haeretici quosdam Articulos vel penitùs negant vel interpretationibus depravatis in novas alienasque Sententias detorquent neque ulla unquam extitit haeresis quae non hoc Symbolo damnari potuerit That is The Hereticks doe either wholly deny some Articles of the Creed or by their corrupt interpretations wrest them into new and strange senses neither did there ever arise any Heresy which might not be condemned by this Creed of the Apostles Now how the Church of Rome which gives this Testimony of the fulnesse of the Creed for the Rule of Faith and makes it the Distinctive marke whereby to know her true genuine Children from the Bastardy of Hereticks can justly adde many other Articles to it as Pius 4. doth in his Bull De professione fidei to be believed as necessary to Salvation and for the not receiving of them as undoubtedly Catholick necessary Truths together with the Apostolick Articles condemne the Reformed Churches of Heresy I can see no shadow of Reason except she include these her Dictates in the body of the ninth Article and so inforce them upon us by vertue of the Apostles pretēded Authority interpreting the Article thus I believe the Holy Catholick Church That is I believe whatsoever the Church of Rome usurping the Title of Catholick requireth of me to be believed But this Interpretation will be found obnoxious to a double Errour First Because shee beggs the maine thing in question namely That she is the Catholick Church whereas shee is but a member thereof and that a very diseased one Secondly Because the sense of the word Credo I believe must in all reason be taken in the same sense here as it is in the following Articles unto which it is in like manner referred viz. I believe there is a Remission of Sinnes that there is to be a Resurrection of the Body and Life everlasting So here I believe there is an Holy Catholick Church that is That the Christian Church is Holy and Catholick or Universall Holy for Doctrine and Manners and universall for Place not tied to Greece or Rome or Geneva but generally diffused throughout the whole world To conclude this Point I shall adde some concurrent Testimonies of the Protestant Divines whose agreeing in this with the Church of Rome though much differing in others shewes the Power and cleerenesse of this Truth which extorts a Confession from all Mouthes and withall may serve to stop the violence of some zealous Reformatists who even Reprobate all those that goe not along with them in every new-broached Doctrine and in the Resolution of each Theologicall Controversy These Divines shall be six 1. Luther in his larger Catechisme after he hath set downe the Creed the Commandements and the Lords Prayer he subjoynes In hisce tribus partibus summatim ac nuditér quoad ejus fieri potuit simplicissimè comprehensa sunt omnia quicquid passim in sacris literis longè lateque tractamus That is In these Three are summarily and plainly comprehended whatsoever Things are handled at large in the holy Scriptures The Creed being the Breviary of the whole Scripture for matter of Faith as the ten Commandements are for matter of of Practise and the Lords Prayer for our Petitions Each perfect in its kind 2. Selneccerus in his Paedag. Christianâ saith Certum est in hoc Symbolo Apostolorum contineri omnia Capita totius Christianae Religionis rectè perspicuè ordine That is It is certain that in this Creed of the Apostles are contained all the Heads of Christian Religion rightly clearely and methodically 3. Ioan Gerardu◠a late Learned and Moderate Lutherane in the Epistle Dedicatory to his second Tome of Common Places speaks thus of the Creed Quotquot Doctrinae Christianae c. Whatsoever Collections or Systems of Christian Doctrine which Saint Luke calls Catechises Luke 1. 4. Act. 18. 25. Saint Paul The forme of sound words 2 Tim. 1. 13. The Epistle to the Hebrewes The first Principles of the Oracles of God chap. 5. 12. and the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ cha 6. 1. Clemens of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rude Draughts Origen Principles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionysius of Alexandria Elements of Divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eusebius lib. 3. cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A breviary of the Elements of Religion Nazianzen Theology Theophilus and Lactantius Institutions The most at this day call them Common Places Whatsoever Collections I say in this kind of Christian Doctrine have been written and set forth by diverse Authority from the most ancient times of the Primitive Church the first lineaments as it were and chiefe Heads of them are set forth in the Apostles Creed This Rule of Faith set downe by Irenaeus and Tertullian and styled an Apostolicall Tradition if any one compare with the words of the Apostles Creed he will easily find a great agreement between them sometimes the Apostles Creed sometimes the Scripture it selfe is called the Rule of Faith by the Ancients namely by reason of the exact harmony or concord between both which lookes on the holy Scripture as the fountain and the Creed as a streame thence derived As in Ages past when new Disputes ever and anon arose the Fathers who succeeded the Apostles were enforced to set forth larger and more expresse summaries of the Apostolick Doctrine partly to unfold it more fully partly to vindicate it from corrupt Glosses So also in this latter Age of ours wherein the mindes of many are very farre withdrawn from the Apostolick simplicity by the subtilty of Satan the shortnesse of the Creed is to be explained more at large out of the fulnesse of Scripture and thereby fortified against the corruptions of Hereticks that so we may faithfully preserve in our own persons and deliver over to Posterity the sacred Depositum of the Christian Faith Thus for Jo. Gerardus 4. Calvin Instit lib. 2. cap. 16. § 18. Of this we are undoubtedly assured saith he Totam in eo Symbolo Apostolorum fidei nostrae historiam succinctè destincteque recenseri That the whole History or subject of our Beliefe is contained in the Apostles Creed briefly and orderly 5. Beza on Rom. 12. 6. the place before cited tels us That the Apostles Creed was composed at the very beginning of the Gospels Preaching veluti Evangelii Epitome as a Compendium or short summary of the Gospell and therefore was deservedly called the Rule of Faith by Tertullian 6. Bullinger in the Preface to his Decads tels us That the Generall Councells in setting forth their Creeds changed nothing in the Doctrine of the Apostles neque quicquam novi
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
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.
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