Anonymous on Article VIII: Of the Three Creeds

Creed, which we call the Apostles, was in all likelihood the fame which they delivered ; that upon the Rise of Arianism the Nicene Creed, which the Council of Nice publish’d, was an undoubted Ex- position of the Apostles ; and that the Athanasian Creed was penn’d by Atbanasius in the Time of his Persecution, to shew the Or-

thodoxy of his Faith.

1st, That the Apostles did deliver a Form of sound Words to their Converts, to be remember’d by them, is past doubt: Which they

| sometimes term the One Faith, the Rule they are to walk by; some- time the Depositum, or that which was committed to their Trust, or

the first Principles of the Oracles of God ; sometimes the Foundati- on of the Apostles, which they laid and built upon; and sometimes

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Thirty Nine ARTICLES.

the Faith once deliver’d unto the Saints. And therefore whatever the Form or Rule of Faith was, it is undeniable that they had one, which they communicated to their Converts, and imparted as a Stan- dard to measure Truth by. As they were appointed to go and disci- ple all Nations, and to remain separate from one another, it was ver

reasonable that they should have some common Declaration of Faith,

by which their respe&ive Disciples might know one another, and be able to oppose Gainsayers. And since we read of such a Form and Rule, we may safely. conclude, that they had agreed upon it, and that the Converts over all the World were to preserve it. And as

many as walk according to this Rule, Peace be on them, and Mercy, and bn the Israel of God.

2. The Creed, which they call the Apostles, was in all likelihood

the fame which they deliver d: For as it is manifest they had a Form of sound Words, what could it be but the fame, which the

first Christians after them recite and publish as Apostolical> I know it is reported out of Clemens Romanus, that the Apostles enjoying the Gift of Tongues, being assembled together, fram’d the Creed, which the Christian Church now receives; every one adding his own

Sentiments; that departing from one another, they might publith

this same Rule to all Nations. But admitting that this Report should be suspicious, as that also which assigns to every Apostle an Article;

Article VIII. ae

Gal. 6,16

yet we have reason to conlude from plain Texts of Scripture, that

they had a Form and Rule; and what could that be, but the same

which Justin Martyr, Irenæus, and Tertullian mention, which comes

as near to that, which we call the Apostles,as if it was the very same. And therefore let the Story of the Apostles Assembly be as fallacious as some would have it, we are assur’d from Sctipture they had a

Times was called Apostolical : For we hear .of no other Form but that; and for that Reason it should be the same, which the Apostles made current with their Authority. It cannot be thought in those early Days, that they would invent, coin, and establish an Article, according to the Necessities of the Church , as a dangerous Conceit would insinuate: For this Form was in Reputation soon after the Apo- stles decease ; and allow but such a Necessity of making and declaring new Articles, -and in Process of Time we may change our Creed, and out Bibles. This is enough to caution us against modern Inventi-

ons; for the Faith which we profess, was once delivered unto the

Saints. O Timothy , keep that which is committed to thy trust, a- ding prophane and vain bablings , and opposition of science falsly so 3. Upon the Rise of Arianism, the Nicene Creed was an undoubt- ed Exposition of the Apostles; as may be observ’d by any indiffe-

rent Judge, that will compare them together; and whatever modern

Form; and that is sufficient to guide us to that, which in the first

1. Tim, 6. 20,

Pretenders may clamour, the Nicene Fathers did but publish the old

Faith, and add those significative Words, which the Catholick

Church, long before Arius was born, profess d under other Terms.

It appears from Ignatius, and others, that the Christians believ’d Jesus to be the Son of God, and God equal with the Father, before his

Divi-

54 An EXPOSITION of the

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Article Divinity was so much as called in Question: But when it was de- VIII. ny’d by some, and doubted of by others, the Nicene Fathers could V do no less, than collect the common Sentiments of Christians upon this Point, and for ever free the Majesty of the Son of God from the vile Aspersions of his Adversaries, by a plain Exposition of their own ; they were so old and so knowing, that they could not mistake 9 the unanimous Sense of their Forefathers in this Matter; and had 1 been so stout under Persecutions, and resolute in the Profession of their Principles, that it cannot be suppos’d, that they would start = | up, and maintain a novel Doctrine, so disparaging and disagreein 3 with former Sentiments. There were not above three Centuries alt since the Apostles and Apostolical Men were amongst them. They had all the Advantages of Records and Tradition, and knew better what the Times before them thought of the Son of God, than any

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upstart Unitarians, And as they were conven’d by the Great Con- *F stantine to publish the Truth, as profess’d by the Catholick Church, 1 we may be certain that their Exposition contains the true Sense of the 7 Apostles Creed; and that the first Christians acknowledge, that the 3 Holy Jesus was Light of Light, God of God, Very God, begot- F

ten, not made, being of One Substance with the Father, by whom all Things were made: Or in St. Paul’s Language, God manifested 1 Tim. 3.16, in the Flesh. And without controversp, great is the 21 0 of God- 1 | liness; God was manifested in the Flesb, justified in the Spirit, seen Þ of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the World, re- 3 ds into Glory, . TIED þ 3 4. The At banasian Creed was penn’d in the Time of his Persecution, (as is presum’d) to show the Orthodoxy of his Faith; he was driven from Place to Place by the Arians, and was fore’d to leave 4/ia, and come into Europe for his Safety. And (as it was usual in those Days) when any Patriarch or Bishop was driven from his Diocese, to write a short Sum or Account of their Faith, to sa- tisfy. those to whom they fled ; Athanasius thought fit to write the Confession of his Faith (for which the Arians hated him fo mor- tally, and pursued him with such bloody Minds) which hath ever 2 since gone by his Name, or is known by the Title of Athanasiusss Y Creed. Though some are confident it was compos’d by Vigilius Tap- 1 sensis. It is stigmatiz’d indeed by his Adversaries as presumptuous, | being the Work of a private Man , who undertakes to damn all that are not of his Mind: But not so private as is pretended, for he was a Patriarch, and well acquainted with the Principles of the Eastern Churches. And since he wrote no more than what the Orthodox un- der his Charge consented to, and what the Latin Bishops approved of, J cannot see wherein he was or could be blam’d, What would his Enemies have him do? May he write his Faith, or not? If he might, (as Mankind will agree to be reasonable), Wherein is he to be accused, or condemned for Innovation, when he writes the very same ® Faith, which the 4 * and Western Churches acknowledge to be i |

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| true concerning the Holy Trinity ? But it seems he says, * Whosoe- 3 i < ver will be saved, before all Things it is necessary that he hold the ” * Catholick Faith; which Faith except every one keep undefiled, with- 2

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Thirty Nine ARTICLES.

out doubt he shall perish everlastingly ”. What Boldness is in this more than should be ? Or what does he here publish that 1s not accord- ing to Scripture ? Is it necessary to believe in God manifested in the Flesh, or in the Holy Spirit of God, by which we are sealed to the Day of Redemption? If it is necessary to Salvation to believe this, and there is no Pardon of Sin to be obtain’d, no Eternal Life to be enjoy’d, but what God manifested in the Flesh, is appointed by his Father to give; Wherein is Athanasius an Offender, or in what hath he discover’d intolerable Pride? Is it a Crime to publish the same Faith, which the Scriptures contain? Or for a Bishop or a Patriarch to apply the Threatning of Damnation, which his Lord hath autho-

riz’ d him to pronounce ? But it is urg’d further, that he says, © He

e therefore that would be saved, must thus think of the Trinity”, ac- cording to his Explication and Sense. Why not? For either the Scripture reveals to us, that there is a Trinity in Unity, or not: If it does, how can the Equality of Majesty and Power be better ex- plain’d ? And how can he be represented as proud and imperious, when he writes no more than what the Scripture warrants him in, and taught him to write? Upon the whole therefore our Church ac- knowledges his Creed as Authentick, and teaches all her genuine Children to believe, that there is but One God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. She in effect confesses, that he hath compriz’d the true Sense of the Catholick Church in his Creed; and therefore the hath appointed it to be read at particular Seasons, that her Concurrence in this grand Catholick Doctrine may be publish’d and known by all

that are in her Communion. But,

2 217110 $53 Ho POS 4 […] II. The Reason which our Church gives, why these Three Creeds

ought to be throughly received, is, Because they may be prov’d by express Warrant of the Holy Scriptures. There is no Question moved concerning the Apostles Creed, it being exactly agreeable to the very Words of the Sacred Canon:? And the Nicene comes so near to the Apostles in Explication, and is so consonant to many Texts in Scripture, that the vast Concourse of Bishops at Nice subscribed it, same few excepted. The At banasian Creed hath been much more op- pos d, Shea ly in the two last Centuries by the Unitarians ;; but it is in it {elf so conformable to the Unity of the Godhead, in Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and so fitted to the sacred Text, that I can- not see. how it can be oppos’d by any, but Arians or Socinians. To be sure our Church receives it, and declares it may be proved by ex- press Warrants of Scripture, as well as the other Two; as hath been proved by me in the Article of the Trinity. Our Church which would have no Creed received or believed, but as proved by the Holy Scriptures ; leaves us at Liberty to try and examine these Creeds by the Word of God, and encourages us to reject any Articles of Faith, for which we can find no Scripturee. 35 e

1st, Our Church would have no Creed received or believed, but as prov d by Holy Scripture; not so much as the Apostles or any other; unless certain Warrant from the Holy Text can be produc’d on their Side. She refers not her {elf to Traditions, to a Divine

I We TEENS

“An EXPOSITION of the

Article VIII.

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Authority lodged in her self, or that absolute Dominion that some

may challenge, to lord it over God’s Heritage: Plain Text of Scri- them all down. When the Scripture says, Drink ye all of this; she . will have the Laity to partake of the Cup, notwithstanding the Cry of Tradition. When the Scripture iays, Search the Scriptures ;, she

pture is in her Ffeem of greatest Moment, and weighs

will not (ide with a Church, which shuts them up in an unknown

Tongue. When the Scripture says, Let Man or Angel be accursed, that preaches another Gospel ;, our Church will admit of no new

Gospel. She is sensible that cunning crafty Men lye in wait to de-

ceive, and always appeals to Scripture as the best Warrant to secure

2 Tim. 3. 17. our Faith. All Scripture ts given, that the Man of God may be per- Fect, throughly furnished unto all good Works. Tg eel

1 John 5. 7.

and examining what ye believe by it? This Liberty wi

2. We are left at Liberty to try and examine all Creeds by the

Scriptures, for our Information and Satisfaction. For this Purpose

the Bible is laid before you in your Mother- Tongue, and ye are

with much Earnestness call’d upon to read for your selves; ye must consider for your selves, and believe for your Abbes But how can ye

consider and believe, without trying your Principles * the Word,

excuse either Arian or Socinian; for if they have but Sense enough

to tell Three, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, they must deny plain

Scripture, if they will not acknowledge the Trinity. For there are

Three which bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the

Holy Ghost, and these Three are One.

3. We are encouraged to reject all those Articles, for which we can find no Scripture : And most certain Warrants of Scripture have in-

duc’d us to admit of these Three Creeds. If any other Creeds

should be obtruded upon you, for which there 1s no Scripture,

, ye are obliged to reje& them. There is a new Creed got into the World,

1 > 7

which some are very fond of, and which is offer’d to a very great many to be receiv’d and believ d; I mean the Trent Creed, by which ye must believe Seven Sacraments , Justification by Merits, Purga- tory after this Life, the Sacrifice of the Mass, Transubstantiation,

the Sacrament in one Kind, the Invocation of Saints, the Venerati-

’

on of Relicks, and the Adoration of Images; that the Roman Church is Head of all Churches, and the Pope Head in that. The only way that ye can take to try the Reality of this Creed, 1s to take your

Bible and examine Article after Article by the Scriptures ; and if ye

can find any or all of them warranted therein, I would advise you to

believe them; if you cannot, as I am persuaded it will puzzle the

most diligent amongst you to find any Expression in Holy Writ

proper to establish such Doctrines upon; it is your Duty to reje&

them. For as we desire not to be credited any further, than our Words are agreeable to the Holy Scriptures ;’ ye ought to take the

fame Liberty in examining the Opinions of other Churches, and to

_ oppose that as counterfeit, which is not warranted by the Holy Scri-

ptures, though magnified as Rational, and recommended to you by some great Names. The’ Word is our ‘Rule and our Guide, by which in such Cases we are to stand or fall. As the Fews formerly

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Thirty Nine Ax TiCLES.

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appeal’d to the Law and Testimony, and rejected what was not a- greeable thereto ; we must apply our selves to the Holy Scriptures in the Examination of our Faith ; and if it is conformable to them, it is sound and good; if not, we may not receive or entertain it. From this it is clear, that it is necessary for you in these Times to know and understand your Faith, to keep steadily to that, which the Catholick Church has convey’d to you, to live up to your Creed, and to please your selves in Well-doing, with the comfortable Ex- pectations of a ResurreRion and Eternal Life; which ye say ye do believe. ay | 7 1st, It is necessary for you in these perilous Times, to know and understand your Faith, that ye may be fixed in your Principles, and remain unshaken in the Truth. We live in those Days in which some appear against all Religion; and the Fools are grown fo impu- dent as to say there is no God; others confess a Deity indeed, but of their own Notion and setting up, and will not allow Revelation to govern their Thoughts, or to be the Foundation of their Opini- ons. Such are Theists, who own a Supreme Majesty of Heaven, but deny the Trinity in it. Not a few will acknowledge the Fa-

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Article

VIII.

ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, who in Effect deny them, declaring

Christ to be but a Man, and the Holy Spirit but an Operative Ver- tue and Power of the most High. In such a Variety of Opinions,

what should the sincere Christian do, but keep to his Creed, as war-

ranted by the Scriptures; and if any contradict the Creeds, or esta-

blish contrary Doctrines, let them be look’d upon as Deceivers, as

Erroneous, and not fit to be trusted. Your Creeds are in such Cases

your Rule and Guide; and if any bring not that Doctrine with

them, let them not be entertained or encouraged by you. F there

come any unto you, and bring not this Doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed ; for be that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds. 5

2. Keep steadily to that Doctrine, which the Catholick Church hath conveyed unto you. For the Primitive Christians knew best what was the Mind of Christ, and his Apostles ; and the Form of sound Words, which they have handed to us, must be most conso- nant to the Truth: As therefore ye would not remove some ancient Land-Marks, by which Possessions are bounded, ye mult not vary from the Catholick Faith, or admit of new Terms in Creeds ; for this 1s in Effect to remove old Catholick Boundaries of the Faith, and to yield to those, who after they have corrupted the Faith, will fill your Heads with unfound Notions, and lead you into Destruction. We are allow’d to be zealous for the Faith of Christ, and if ever we contend earnestly, we may for the good old Doctrine of the Church, and the good old Way to Heaven. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was need- ful for me to write unto you, and exhort you , that ye should earnestly contend for the Faith, which was once delivered unto the Saints,

3. It must be your Care to live up to your Creeds, and to walk in Newness of Life, according to your Expectations. The true Faith is necessary, but it is a good Life that must adorn it; and 1 ] e-

2 Joh. 10, 11.

Jude 3.

u EXPOSITION of the

Article VIIL Pym

Behaviour agreeable to the Greatness of it, that must make it saving.

| Those that call’d upon Christ as Lord, had a true Faith; for they

own’d him as Lord, pray’d to him as Lord, and wrought Miracles by his Authority and Power; and yet their Faith was but of little

orth, when they wrought Iniquity, and lived not up to their

Faith. We also may believe rightly the Incarnation of the Lord Je- sus Christ, and may not be the better for our Creed, when we persist in Sin, and expect that the Orthodoxy of our Creed should make Amends for the Viciousness of our Hearts, and the Corruption of our Lives. If we would proceed as sincere Christians should and

ought, we should compare our Creeds and our Lives, and not only take

care to believe as we ought, but to praise as we are commanded ;

Jam, 2. 26.

that our Heads may be established in the true Doctrine, and our Hearts in true Piety : And we must not only believe as the Church believes, but act as the Church acts, and abound in every Thing that is Praise-

worthy, and of good Report. As we profess the Truth, the Truth

must set us free from the Slavery of Sin and Satan, and engage us in all that is good. For as the Body without the Spirit is dead, so Faith without Works is dead also. | 5

4. When ye believe and practise as ye ought, ye may please your

selves with the comfortable Expectation of the Resurrection and Eter-

nal Life, which ye profess to believe: For as ye own the Truth,

and live up to it, ye my look beyond the melancholy Grave, and or

1 Jam. I.. 23.

hope to rise again to live ye have been taught to expect. Ye must therefore keep to the Truth

ever; as your Lord hath promised, and

and your Duty; hold fast the Form of sound Words, and credit it by holy Living. Your Works will prove the Truth of your Faith, and your Faith will commend the Goodness of your Works ; and

both through Christ will bring you unto Salvation. Be ye doers of

the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

POTS

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