Rogers on Article VIII: Of the Three Creeds

The propositions.

1. The Nicen, Athanasian, and Apostolicall Creedes, ought to be receiued, and beleeued.

2. The three creedes, viz. the Ni. Athan. and of the Apostles, may be prooved by the holy Scripture.

1. Proposition. The Nicen, Athanasian, and Apostolicall Creedes, ought to be receiued, and beleeued.

THis Proposition the Churches of God, both aunciently, and in these daies ¹, doe acknowledge for true.

The adversaries vnto this truth.

Therefore much out of the way of Godlinesse are they, which tearme the Apostles Creede, A forged patcherie, as Barrowe doth ², and Athanasius, Sathanasius creede, so did Gregorius Paulus in Polouia ³, and in the newe Arrians, and Nestorians in Lituania ⁴.

My selfe some [?]8. yeares agoe, heard a great learned man, whose name vpon an other occasion afore is expressed (to whose acquaintance I was artificially brought) which in private conference betweene him, and my selfe, tearmed worthy Zanchius a Foole, & an Asse, from his booke de tribus Elohim, which refuteth the newe Arrians, against whose sounders, the Creedes of Athanasius, and Nicene were deuised. Him attentiuely I heard, but could neuer, since abide for those wordes: & in deede I neuer sawe him since.

2. Proposition. The three Creedes, viz. the Ni. Athan. and of the Apostles, may be prooued by the holy Scripture.

The proofe from Gods word.

Than this assertion nothing is more true. For the Creedes, I meane these three Creedes speake first.

Of one and the same God, whom wee are to beleeue is for essence, but one ⁵, in persons three ⁶, viz. the Father, the Creator ⁷, the Sonne, the Redeemer ⁸, the holy Ghost, the sanctifier ⁹. Next of the people of God which we must thinke, and beleeue is,

The holy ¹⁰, and Catholike Church ¹¹,

The communion of Saints ¹²,

Pardoned of all their sinnes ¹³,

And appointed to arise from death ¹⁴, and to enioy eternall life, both in body and soule ¹⁵.

Aduersaries vnto this truth.

Therefore wee are enemies to all adversaries of this doctrine, or any whit of the same in them comprised, whether they be Atheists, Iewes, Sadduces, Ebionites, Tretheites, Antitrinitarains, Apollinarians, Arrians, Manichies, Nestorians, Origenians, Turkes, Papists, Familists, Anabaptists, or whosoeuer.

Footnotes

1. Confess. Helv. 2. c. 11. Gal. ar. 5. Belg. ar. 9. Saxon. ar. 1. ↩

2. Bar. disco. p. 76. ↩

3. Genebr. l. 4. p. 1158. ↩

4. Surius chron. p. 329. ↩

5. Deut. 6.4. Mal. 2.10. 1. Cor. 8.4. Eph. 4.5, 6. ↩

6. Matth. 3.17. Gal. 4.6. 1. Ioh. 5.7. ↩

7. Psal. 134.3. ↩

8. Esa. 53.4. Rom. 5.18. Gal. 3.13. Eph. 2.16. 1. Ioh. 2.2. ↩

9. 1. Cor. 1.21, 22. 1. Pet. 1.2.
   ↩

10. Eph. 1.3, 4. & 2.21. Colos. 1.22. ↩

11. Esa. 54.2. Psal. 87.4. Act. 1.8. &c. Eph. 2.14. Reuel. 5.9. ↩

12. Eph. 4.15. 1. Cor. 10.16. Heb. 10.25. 1. Ioh. 1.7. ↩

13. Esa. 44.22. Matth. 18.23, &c. Coloss. 2.13. ↩

14. Ioh. 5.28. 1. Cor. 15. Phil. 3.21. ↩

15. Ioh. 6.39. 1. Pet. 1.4. Reuel. 21.4. ↩