Veneer on Article VII: Of the Old Testament

[…]

The Exposition.

0 far is the Old Teflament from be- The old mi

1 ing contrary to the New, that they ’ Tepmm Q confirm one another, and convey -f- ” SMjl Authority to each other, hink not

that I am come to destroy the Law and the

Prophets^ faith our Blefled Saviour ^ / am not

N 3 come

1^8 Jn Expofidon on the

[…]

-‘“V; Arts xviii. 28. ‘Tis said of St. Paul, That he mightily con’vinccd the Jews, and that puhlickly Jbewin by the Scriptures, that Jesus was Christ, And, John v. 39. our Saviour says to the Jews Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye ha’ve Eternal Life, and they are they which testify of me. And again, rr. 4:6. Had ye believed Moles, ye zvould have believed me for he wrote of me. AniOrigen calls the Scriptures a per- fed: and well-tun’d Organ, fending forth one and the fame Harmony, to those who are wil- ling to underfland the Things which belong to their Salvation, though composed of various Sounds ; a Harmony which keeps under, and guards them from the Power of the Evil Spirit.

They ahn like- A s there IS such an Agreement betwixt the wife at the Old and New Teflament, ib likewise do they fame End. \ j j.g End, that is, the Eter- nal Salvation of Mankind by Jesus Christ. Thus, Gen. iii. 15. God faith to the Serpent, / will put Enmity between thee and the IVoman, and between thy Seed and her Seed : It JJmII bruise thy Head, and thoujJoalt bruise his Heel. This is a Promise of “Chrifl, to restore Man from the milerable Condition to which he had reduced himielf by his Disobedience, which is recorded in this Chapter. That the Old Teflament con- cerns itself about the Eternal Salvation of Man- kindj may be proved beyond Contradidion, from Dan. xii. 2, 3. where he speaks of a Time when many of them that Jleep in the Dufl of the Earth Jloall awake, feme to Everl-afting Life, and fome to Shame and Everlafiing Contempt. And they that be wifefloallfhineas the Brightness of the Firmament , and they that turn ’ many to * Righteoufnefs

Thirty-N’me Articles. 199

Kighteoufnefs as the Stars for euer and ever. Article vil As to the Method of securing our Salvation, -/V""* the Old Testament gives us the Law, and pro- mifes Salvation to iuch as obey it. But inaf- much as the Infirmity or Weakness of Human Nature is fo great, that no Man can pay an exad: Obedience to the Law ; it follows, that by the Law no Man is saved : And therefore the Old Testament points out Christ to us, as the only Author of our Salvation, through the Shadowings of Ceremonies, Types, and Pro- phecies ; and the New Testament (hews him to us plainly, as appears from Roin. iii. 21. But now the Kighteoufnefs of God without the Law is manifested being witneffed by the Law and the Prophets. From chap. xvi. 26. But now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Pro- phets according to the Commandment of the Ever lasting God made kjtown to all Nations for the Obedience of Faith. And from Gal. iii. 24. Wherefore the Law was our Schoohnafter to bring us unto Christ J that we might bejuftijied by Faith. We love the Prophets, faith S. Ignatius because they were eminent Men until the Coming in of the Gospel, and because they hoped in Christ, and waited for him ’. Let them not therefore, faith Irenceus., aicribe the Infidelity of fome to the Law ; for the Law did not hinder them from believing in the Son of God, but ex- horted them, saying. That there was no oth Way for Men to be saved from the old Misfor- tune which the Serpent or Devil occafioned, unless they believe in him, who, according to the Likeness of fmful Flesh, was lifted up from the Earth upon the Tree of Martyrdom, draws

Epiil. ad Pliiladd.

N 4 all

200 An Exposition on the

Article VII. all Things unto himself, and revives thole that

[…]

Justin Martyr^ we find our Lord Jesus Christ

foretold, as born of a Virgin, and crucified,

and dying, ^^.’^

To explain thisMattcr a little more fully, I (hall ihew, first, That the Jews always expedled a Chrifi or Meffias and upon what Grounds their Expectation was built • andfecondly, That what the Gospel contains in relation to that Jesus in whom we believe, is exadly correspondent or agreeable to what they taught upon this Head. That there was among the Jews an Expecta- tion of such a Christ to come, is most evident. The Wom.an of Saraaria could Ipeak with Con- fidence, J knew that Meffias cometb t. And the unbelieving Jews who will not acknowledge that he is already come, expc6t him still. Thus we find all Men mufing in their Hearts of John ‘whether he were the Chrifi or not . When Jesus taught in the Temple, those which doubted, said, IVhen Chrifi cometh no Man knoweth whence he is § ; those which believed, said, When Christ coraeth will he do more Miracles than these which this Man hath done ? Whe- ther therefore they doubted, or whether they believed in ‘fefus they all expedcd a Chrifi to come 3 and the greater their Opinion was of

f Acher. HAref. lib. 4. ca-^. 5-.

^ John i\r. ly.

11 l.uke iii. I)-.

% John vii. 27.

X ibU. ver. 3 1 ;

him.

Tbirty-Nine Articles. 201

him, the more they believed he was that Article vii; Meffias. Many of the People said. Of a rrutb -VN tbis is the Prophet -, others said, fhis is the Christ *. As foon as John began to baptize, the Jews fent Priests and Levites from Jerufa- lem to ask him Who art thou f ? that is, whe- ther he were the Christ or no ? And he con— feffed and denied not hut confeffed I am not the Christ . For as they asked him after, IVhat then art thou Elias ? and he said I am not : Art thou that Prophet ? and he answered No : So without Question their first Demand was. Art thou the Christ ? and he answered, / am not. From whence it clearly appeareth, that there was a general Expedlation among the Jews of a MeJJias to come ; and not only fb, but the Learned inform us, That it was always counted among them an Article of their Faith, which all were obliged to believe who profefTed ’ the Law of Moses and whofoever denied that, was thereby interpreted to deny the Law and the Prophets. Wherefore it will be worth our Enquiry to look into the Grounds upon which they built that Expeclation. It is most certain that the Meffias was promised by God, both before and under the Law. God said unto Abraham In Jfaac jhall thy Seed he called X : And we know that was a Promise of a Afeffias to come, because St. Paul hath taught us, Now to Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made. He faith not And to Seeds as of many - hut as of cne And to thy Seed which is Chriji §. The Lord

• John vii. 40, 41. t I^id. i. 19. ij ib’uL 20, 21. ± Gen. xxi. i 2. § CaL iii. 1 6.

fai4

loi Jn Eypofition on the

Article VII. fald unto Moses 1 110 ill ta’tfe them up a “Prophet yy’ from among their Brethren like unto thee *. And St. Peter hath sufficiently satisfied us, that this Prophet promised to Moses is Jesus the Chrifi. Many are the Prophecies which concern him, many the Promises which are made of him : But yet Ibme of them very obscure , others, though plainer, yet have Relation to the Per- fon, not to the Notion or the Word Mejffias. It may therefore seem flrange, how fo univer- fal an Expedtation of a Redeemer, under the Name of the MeJJias should be spread through the Church of the Jews. But we are to consider, that in the Space of Seventy Years of the Ba- hylonijh Captivity, the ordinary Jews had loft the exa(5t Underilanding of the old Hebrew Language before spoken in Jttdcea and there- fore when the Scriptures were read unto them, they found it neceffary to interpret them to the People in the Chaldee Language, which they had lately learned : As when Ezra the Scribe brought the Book of the Law of Moses before the Congregation, the Levites are said to have caused the People to understand the Law, be- cause they read in the Book in the Law of God diftinly and gaue the Sense and caused them to understand the Reading. Which constant Inter- pretation begat, at last, a Chaldee Translation of the Old Teflament to be read every Sabbath in the Synagogues : And that being not exactly made Word for Word with the Hcbreiv but with the Liberty of a brief Exposition by the Way, took in, together with the Text, the ge- neral Opinion of the learned Jezvs. By which means it came to pais, that not only the

• A:h iii. 12,

Dodlrine,

Thtrty^Wine Articles. 203

Dodrine, but the Name also of the Meffias Article vil. was very frequent and familiar with them. In- VVN. fomuch, that even in the Chaldee Paraphrase now extant, there is express Mention of the Mejjias in above Seventy Places, besides Daniel ix. 26. where it is foretold, that the MeJJias Jhould he cut off. The Jews then, informed by the plain Words of Daniel inftruded by a con- slant Interpretation of the Law and the Pro- phets, read in their Synagogues every Sabbath- Day, relying upon the infallible Predidions and Promises of God, did all unanimoully ex- ped out of their own Nation, of the Tribe of Judah of the Family of Dan)td a Mejfias or a Christ to come. Now, this being granted, as it cannot be denied, it may not be amifs to take Notice of the Time in which this Promise was to he fulfilled : Which we shall demonstrate out of the Scriptures to be pad, and confe- quently that the promised Mejfias is already come, which will serve as an excellent Intro- dudion to what I shall fay on the Second Pro- position.

The Predidion of Jacoh on his Death-Bed is clear and pregnant. The Scepter jloall not de— part from Judah nor a Law-gwerfrofu between his Feet., until Shiloh come j and to him jloall the Gathering of the People he. But the Scep- ter is departed from Judah neither is there one Law-giver left between his Feet. There- fore Shiloh that is, the Meffias is already come. That the Jewijh Government hath totally failed, is not, without the greatest Folly, to be denied ; and therefore th Ishiloh is already come, must be granted, except we should deny the Truth of the Divine Predidions. There remains then nothing to be proved, but that by Sbiloh is

to

204 ^^ Exposition on the

Article VII. to bc uiiderftood the MeJJias : Which is fuf?i- -y ciently manifest both from the Conlent of the ancient Jews and from the Description imme- diately added to the Name. For all the old Paraphrafts call him expreily. The Meffias and the Words which follow, to him Jhall the Ga* therhig of the People he speak no leis ; as giv- ing an Explication of his Perfbn, Office, or Condition, who was but darkly delcribed in the Name of Shilob j for this is the lame Cha- racter by which he was fignifyM unto Ahra— ham i In thy Seed Jloall all the Nations of the Earth he hleffed j by which he is decyphered in Jfaiah , In that Bay there Jhall he a Root of Jeffe ‘which JJoall fiand for an Enjtgn of the People 3 to it Jhall the Gentiles feek and his Rest JJoall he glorious Ifai. xi. lo. And in Mtcah chap. iv. ver. i. he Mountain of the Houje of the Lord Jhall he eftahlijloed on the op of the Mountains and it Jhall he exalted above the Hills and People JJj all flow to it. And thus the BlelTing o(Judah is plainly intelligible : Judah thou art he whom thy Brethren Jhall pratfe thy Hand fuall he in the Neck of thine Enemies thy Father s Children Jhall how down hefore thee. Gen. Ixix. 8. Thou shalt obtain the Primogeniture of thy Brother Reuben, and by Virtue thereof shalt rule over the rest of the Tribes : The Go- vernment (hall be upon thy Shoulders, and all thy Brethren shall be fubje6t unto thee. And that you may understand this Bleffing is not to expire until it make Way for a greater, know, that this Government shall not fail, until there come a Son out of your Loins, who fliall be far greater than yourself : For whereas your Dominion reacheth only over your Brethren, and fo is confined unto the Tribes o( Israel -, his Kingdom shall be uni- verial, and al! Nations of the Earth shall serve

him.

Thirty ‘Kine Articles, 205

him. Since then this ShHoh is fb deicribed in Article VII. the Text, and acknowledged by the antient -""V “Jews to be the Meffias ; since God hath pro- mifed by Jacol\ the Government of Israel should not fail, until Philoh came ; since that Government hath visibly and undeniably failed: it followeth inevitably, that the Aicjfas is alrea- dy come. In the fame manner the Prophet Malacbi hath given an express Signification of the Coming of the Meffias while the Temple stood, Mai iii. i. Behold I will jend my Mef- fenger and he fl.iall prepare the IVay before me ; and the Lord whom ye [eekjloall suddenly come to his emple even the Mejjenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in. And the Prophet Haggai yet more clearly, chap, ii. 6, 7, 9. fhus faith the Lord of Hosts Tet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earthy and the Sea and the dry Land and I will Jhake all Nations ; and the Desire of all Nations J?: a II come : And I will fill this Houfewith Glory , faith the Lord of Hosts. It is then mod evident ifrom these Predictions, that the Mefjias was to come while the Second Temple stood. It is as cer- tain, that the Second Temple is not now (land- ing. Therefore, except we contradid: the Ve- racity of God, it cannot be denied but the Meffias is already come. Nothing can he ob- jeded to enervate this Argument, but that these Prophecies concern not the Meffias • and yet the ancient Jews confefTed they did, and that they do fo cannot be denied. For first, thoie Titles, he Angel of the Covenant he Delight of the Ijraelitesy he Desire of all Nations are certain and known Charaders of the Christ to come. And secondly, it cannot be conceived how the Glory of the Second Temple fhonld be greater than the Glory of the Firil, without

the

2o6 Jn Exposition on the

Article VII. the Coming of the Mejfias to it. For the Jews *-” themselves have observed, that Five Signs of the Divine Glory were in the First Temple, which were wanting to the Second : As, The Urim and nummm by which the High Priest was miraculously instructed of the Will of God 3 The Ark of the Covenant, from whence God gave his Answers by a .clear and audible Voice ; The Fire upon the Altar, which came down from Heaven, and immediately consumed the Sacrifice ; The Divine Presence or Habitation with them, represented by a visible Appearance, or given, as it were, to the King and High Priest, by anointing with the Oil of Un6lion ; and lastly. The Spirit of Prophecy, with which those especially who were called to the Prophe- tical Office, were endued. And there was no Comparison between the Beauty and Glory of the Strudure or Building of it, as appeared by the Tears which dropt from those Eyes which had beheld the former : For many of the Priefis and Levites and chief of the Fathers who were an- cient Men that had feen the first House when the Foundation of this House was laid before their Eyes wept with a loud Voice Ezra iii. 12. and . by those Words which God commanded Haggai to speak to the People for the introducing of this Prophecy ; IVho is left among you that faw this House in her first Glory ? And how do you fee it now ? Is it not in your Eyes in Comparison of it as nothing. Hag. ii. 3. Since then the ‘Strudure of the Second Temple was fo far in- ferior to the First, fmce all those Signs of Di- vine Glory were wanting in it, with which the former was adorned j the Glory of it can no other Way be imagined greater, than by the Coming of him into it, in whom all those Signs of the Divine Glory were far more eminently

contained :

Thirty-Nine Articles. 107

contained : And this Person alone is the MeJJlas j Article vil

for he was to be the Glory of the People Ifraely ^-^‘“VN^

yea, even of the God of Israel , the Urim and

Sthummtm^ by whom the Will of God , as by a

greater Oracle, was revealed ^ the true Ark of

the Covenant, the only Propitiatory by his

Blood y he which was to baptize with the Holy

Ghost, and with Fire, the true Fire which

came down from Heaven ^ he which was to take

up his Habitation in our Flesh, and to dwell

among us, that we might behold his Glory ^ he

who received the Spirit without measure, and

from whose Fullnels we do all receive. In him

were all those Signs of the Divine Glory united,

which were thus divided in the firft Temple ^ in

him they were all more eminently contained, than

in those : Therefore his coming to the Second

Temple was, as the Sufficient, fb the Only

Means by which the Glory of it could be greater

than the Glory of the First. If then the MeJJias

was to come while the Second Temple flood, as

[…]

that Temple, many Ages fjnce, hath ceased to

be, there being not one Stone left upon another -,

if it certainly were before the Deftrudlion of it

in greater Glory than ever the former was ; if

no such Glory could accrue unto it but by the

Coming of the MeJJias ^ Then is that MeJJias

already come.

Having thus fhewn that the wj always expe- lIed a Cbriji or MeJJias and upon what Grounds their Expedtation was built, and that, according to their own way of Reaibning, he is, and must be already come • I proceed to (hew, in the second Place, That what the Gospel contains in relation to that Jesus in whom we believe, is exadly correspondent or agreeable to what they

taught

20 8 An Expofitiofl on the

Article VII. taught upon this Head. And first, we are told yy\J in the New Testament, what is likewise acknow- iedged both by Jew and Gentile that this Jesus was born in Jttdea and lived and died there, before the Commonwealth of//r/wasdifpeffed, before the Second Temple was destroyed, that is, at the very Time when the Prophets foretold the MeJJias should come: And there was no other beside him, that did, with any Shew of Probability, pretend to be, or was accepted as the MeJJias , therefore we must confess be was- and only He could be, the Chriji, Secondly, All other Prophecies belonging to the Mejfias were fulfilled in Jesus, whether we look upon the Family, the Place, or the Manner of his Birth ; neither were they ever fulfilled inanyPerfon beside him : He then is, and no other can be, the Mejfias foretold in the Old Testament. That he was to come out of the ”lUrihcofJudah and Family of David is very manifefl. The fews which mention MeJ/iasdiSdiSonoiJoJeph oxoiEphraim do not deny, but rather dignify the Son of David or of Judah whom they confess to be the greater Chriji. ‘J’here Jloall come forth a Rod out of the Stem of JelTe, and a Branch shall grow out of his Roots and the Spirit of the Lord Jhall reji upon him faith the Prophet Isaiah : And again. In that Day there Jhall be a Root of JeiTe, which Jhall Jiand for an Ensign of the People i to itJJjall the Gentiles Jcek and his ReJi Jhall be glorious Ifeilah yil i, lo. The Genea- logy of Jesus (hews his Family, and that the Prophecy was certainly fulfilled in refpedtof his Lineage for it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah and that he was descended from Jeffe and of the House of David. Besides, if we look upon the Place were the Mejfias was to be born, we fliall find, that Jesus by a parti-

cular

Thirty^‘Nhie Articles. 209

cular Adl of Providence was born there. When Article viL” Herod had gathered all the Chief Priests and ’^-^‘VN*^.

Scribes of the People together he de?nanded of them where Christ JJjould he horn. And they f aid unto him In Bethlehem of Judea, Mat. ii. 4, 5. The People doubted whether J-efus was the Christ becaufc they thought he had been born in Galilee where Joseph and Mary lived ; where- fore they fliid. Shall Christ come out of Galilee ? Hath net the Scripture said ‘that Christ comsth of the Seed of David, and out of the own of Bethlehem, where David was ? John vii. 41, 42. That Place of Scripture which they meant was cited by the Scribes to Herod according to the Interpretation then current among the Jews and ftili preserved in the Chaldee Paraphrase : For thus it is written hy the Prophet ; And thou Bethlehem in the Land of Judah, art not the least among the Princes of Judah , for out of thee shall corns a Go’vernor that ftoall rule my People Israel, Mat. ii. 5, 6. This Predidlion was most manifeftly and remarkably fulfilled in the Birth of Jesus when, by the Providence of God, it was fb ordered, that Augustus should then Tax the World, to which end every one should go up into his own City , whereupon Joseph and Mary his efpoufed Wife, left Nazareth of Galilee their Habitation, and went into Bethlehem of Judcea., the City of David. there to be taxed, because they were of the House and Lineage of Z)a;/ii; And while they were there, as the Days of the Virgin Mary were accomplished, fo the Prophecy was fulfilled j for there fhe brought forth her First- born Son and fo, unto us was horn that Day in the Ctty of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord’ Luke ii. 2, 11. But if we add unto the Family and Plaee the Manner of his Birth,

O whicfi

110 J?i Exposition on the

Article VII. which is alio foretold, the Argument mufl ne- - VN ceflarily appear conclusive. The Prophet Ifaiab fpake thus unto the House of Da-vid ; be Lord himself Jloall give you a Sign : Behold a Virgin Jhall conceii:e and hear a ScUj and Jhall call his Name Immanuel, Ifaiab vii. 14. : And we know that Jefiis was thus born of the bleffed Virgin Mary “that it might he fulfilled ‘ivhich zuas thus fpokenof the Lord hy the Prophet Mat. i. 22. If we pais on from the Prophecies relating to his Family, and the Place and Manner of his Birth, to thoie which concern his Preaching, we find him teaching the Jews as one halving Authority and not as the Scrihes Mat. vii. 29. According to the Prediction of ilfiyjj Z)//?. xviii. 15. and ordering his Disciples to go and teach all Nations Mat. xxviii. 19. j according to that of ifaiab xlii. 1,4./ have put my Spirit tipon him : be floall hring forth Judgmnt to the Gentiles, and the Ijles floall “-dJ ait for bis Law. If to those which relate to the Miracles which the Meffias was to perform, we may compare Ifaiab xxxv- 5, 6. with our Bleffed Saviour’s MelTage to St. John the Baptist Mat. xi. 4, 5. The Words of the first are, ‘itben the Eyes of the Blind Jhall he opened. and the Ears of the Deaf Jhall he iin- flopped, ben jljall the Lame Man leap as an Hart and the ongne of the Bumh Jloall fing. Thole of the latter, Go. and Jhe-w John again those ‘things which ye do bear and fee : The Bl:nd recei’Ve their Sight.y and the Lame walk the Lepers are cleanfed the Deaf hear., and the Bead are raised up. Another Mark or Cha- rad:er which the Meffias is delcribed by, is his Sufferings, by which we may underfiand the Wretchedneis of his Life, and the Violence and Ignominy which attended his Death. The Prophet Ifaiab speaking of his outward Con- dition,

T/jirty-Nine Article.?; 2 1 1

dition faith. He hath no Fomi or Comelinefs : Article vir, and when we [Jjall fee him there is no Beauty V./VN-. that we fbould desire him. He is defpifed and reje5fed of Men Isaiah liii. 2, 3. ” And St. Mark tells us, th2itxhQjews laid of him. Is not this the Carpenter the Son of Mary? ?Aid iht they were offended at him Mark vi. 3. Being in the Form of God faith St. Paid he thought it not Robbery to he Equal zvith God : yet he made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the Form of ci Servant Phil. ii. 6, 7. And, while the Foxes had Holes, and the Birds of the Air had Nests, the Son of Man had not where to lay his Head, Mat. viii. 20. If Zachary fay, fhey weighed for my Price thirty Pieces of Silver Zach. xi. 12. St. Matthew will flicw, that Judas ibid Jesus at the fame Rate, Mat. xxvi. 15. If Isaiah says That he was wounded ; if Zachary faith. They fjall look upon me whom they have pierced j if* the Prophet David yet more particularly, fhey pierced my Hands and my Teet the Evangelifts will (hew, how he was faflened to the Crofi, and Jesus himself the Print of the Nails f. If the Pfalmift tells us, I’ hey jbould laugh him to Scorn., and f Jake their Heads saying., He trufied in the Lord that he would deliver him ; let him deliver him feeing he delighted in him : St. Mat” thew will describe the fame Adtion, and the fame Expreilion , For they that paffed by revilec him wagging their Heads. and saying.. He trufied in God let him deliver him now if he will have him , for he said I am the Son of God Mat. xxvii. 39, 43. llet David fay, 3Iy Godj my God J why haft thou forsaken me ? Pfilm xxii. I. and the Son of David will Ihew in whoie

[…]

O a * FerfoB

RTI

^ I X An Exposition on the

\l\ Person the Father fpake it. Mat. xxvii. 46. where he cries out, Eli EU Lama Sahahani. Let Ifa’iah foretel, That he was yiumlered with the franfgrejfors Isaiah liii. 12. and you (hall find him crucified between two Thieves, cue en his Right Hand the other on his Left Mark XV. 27. Read in the Pfalmift In my hirfl they gave me Vinegar to drink, Plalm Ixix. 21. and you shall find in the Evangelifl, Jefusy that the Scripture might be ftilfilled said I thirst : and they took a Spunge and filled it with Vinegar and put it on a Reed and gave him to drtnk John xix. 28. Mat, xxvii. 48. If we read r f aim yi’i. 18. They part my Garments among them and cast Lots upon my Vefture St. John will tell us, that the Soldiers took his Garments and made four Parts to every Soldier a Part and also his Coat ; that his Coat ‘was without Seam woven from the ‘top throughout and that they said among themselves Let us not rend it hut cast Lots for it whose it ffoall he John xix. 23, 24. In the last Place, if the Prophets teach us. That he shall be brought like a Lamb to the Slaughter and be cut off out of the Land of the Living, Isaiah liii. 7, 8. all the JEvangelifts will declare how like a Lamb he suffered j and, the very Jewis will acknowledge that he was cut off: And now we may well conclude, T’hus tt is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer Luke xxiv. 46. j and what it fo behoved him to suffer, that he suffered. If Isaiah faith, He made his Grave with the IVtcked and with the Rich in his Death the Gospel will tell us, that he was buried by Joseph of Arimathea an honourable Counsellor. If it be prophefied of the Meffias That he (hould have the Heathen for his Inheritance and the uttermoft Parts of the Earth for his Poffejfwn Psalm ii. 8. 5 and that all

Kings

Thirty ‘Nine Articles. 2 1 5

Kings Jhould fall down before him and all Nations Article vir. fere him Psalm Ixxii. ii. St. P/// will in- OPw’ form us, that the Gospel was in his Time preached to every Creature under Heaven, Coloff.i, 23. He himself went from ;7r/(//;/’ round about, through Phosnice Syria and Arahia through Afia Achata and Mace- donia even to Illyricum full preaching the Gospel of Christ. And, doubtleTs, the other Apostles and Disciples were likewise diligent and indefatigable in their Endeavours to propagate the Faith j fo that many were the Nations, and innumerable were the People which believed in the Apostles Days: And in not many Years after, notwichftanding Millions were cut off in their bloody Perfecutions, yet did their Num- bers equalize half the Roman Empire j and little above two Ages after the Death of the last Apostle, the Emperors of the World gave in their Names to Christ and submitted their Scepters to his Laws, that the Gentiles might come to his Lights and Kings to the Brightness of his R-ifing-, that Kings might becom.e the nurfmg Fathers and eens the nursing Mothers of the Church.

That Christ is the only Mediator between c/)? ? only God and Man, appears from i Tim, ii. 5. For ‘for be- there is one God and one Mediator between God”"" ’ ” and Man the Man Christ Jesus, When we call him a Mediator, we call him fo, not only as he is our Redeemer, but also as he is our Inter- ceffor. For if any Man fin we have an Achocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous. I John ii. I. f

[…]

O 3 From

214 -^^^ Exporiticn on the

Article VII, pROM what hath been said, it appears. That ‘y’ they are not to be heard which feign that the Old Fathers did look only for tranfitory Promises and that they looked for Spiritual and Eternal Things, appears at large from Hi?. xi. lo. where his laid oi j4braha7n that he looked for a City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God: And from ruer. 13. and 14. in the firfl of which ‘tis said, hat they who [prang from Abraham and Sarah, died in Faith not having received the Promises hut having feen them afar off and isoere persuaded of them and etnhraced thern and confeffed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth. And in the latter ‘tis said-, That they that fay such things declare plainly that they feek a Country.

It is therefore not to be doubted, but that the Faithful before the Manifestation of Christ in the Flesh, were fo inftruded by God, that they were fully aflured, that there was a better Life after this , and, therefore, they negledled this Earthly, momentary and miserable Life, and principally fought and endeavoured after the other which is Divine and Heavenly. There v/as, however, fome Difference betwixt their Condition and ours, inafmuch, as though it pleased God to raise their Minds from Temporal and Earthly Things, to have a Knowledge of, to feek after, and to desire an Inheritance in Heaven, and the Life of the World to come ; yet, that they might be the better strengthened in the Hope and Expedation of it, he gave them a Sort of Earnest, or Foretafte of it, in those Temporal and Earthly Bleflings which he bestowed upon chem in such great abundance : Whereas the Life which is to com^^ being more

clearly

T¥:rly-Wme Articles. 215

clearly revealed to us by the Gofpcl, he omits Article til that inferior Kind of concluding us, by the -‘OX Consideration and Enjoyment of thole meaner Things, and fallens our Thoughts more diredly and immedi itely on such Things as are Spiritual and Divine. \

In the remaining Part of this Article, the Precepts of the Old Testament are divided into those which do not oblige Christians, and thole which do. And, ir, *tis said. That the Cere- monies and Rites of the Law do not o’.lige -”'''' Chriflians ; and that the Ceremonies of the ‘TT:” Mofaical Law were to be aboliHied, is foretold oblige chri- by God himself, Jr. xxxi. 31, 32. Behold the P”f’ Days come faith the Lord that I will make a new Covenant with the House o/Israel, and with the Hoiife of Judah : Not according to the Coue- 7iant that I made with their Fathers in the Day that I took them hy the Hand to hring them out of the Land of Egypt. And that they were in Fast abolifned by the Christian Dilpenlation, appears (xomGal iii. 25. BtU after that Faith is come we are no longer under a School-Mafler &c. What the Apostle means by School- Mailer, appears from the Verse immediately preceding; IVberefors the Law was our School- Ma fier &c. Their being abolifned is likewise to be proved from chap. v. I. Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and he not intanled again zvltb the Toke of Bondage. What this Yoke of Bondage is, is explained in the next Verie ; Behold I Paul fay unto you hat if ye he ctrcum’ cifedy Christ f jail profit you nothing. Col. il 16, 17. the Apoflle speaks to the lame Purpose:

i See Field of the Church, Book I. cap. j,

O 4 ’ Let

ii6 jin Exposition on the

[…]

ur>r^

or in refpefi of an Holy-Bay or of the New-Moon or cfthe Sabhatb’Days which are a Shadow of ‘things to come J hilt the Body is of Christ. And the Author of the Epiftle to the Hebrews chap. vii. 12. hath these Words : For the Priesthood heiiig changed there is made of Neceffity a Change also of the Law. And “ver. i8, 19. For there is ler/ly a DifannuUing of the Commandment going before for the IVeaknefs and Unprofitahlenefs thereof: For the Law made nothing fjerfe hut the bringing in of a better Hope did ; by the which we drazv nigh unto God. The Point which I am labouring to ellabiifh, is likewise diiculTed at large, As xv. In this Chapter we are told, that certain Men went down from Judea to Antioch and taught the Brethren, that except they were circumcifed after the Manner of Moses they could not be saved. When Paul and Barnabas had disputed the Point with them, we are told farther, that they and fome others were fent to Jerusalem about this Question ; that when they came thither, fome of the Sed: of the Pharifees. which believed, infifted on the Neceflity of Circumcision, and observing the Law of 3Iofes : But after a full and free Debate, it was resolved by the Apoflles and Elders, only to exhort them to abstain from Meats offered to Idols, and from Blood, and from Things strangled, and from Fornication. Agree- able hereto, is what St. Ignatius faith f. That *tis absurd to call Jesus the Christ, and to Judaize, or imitate the Jews : And what Origen faith t.

[…]

That

Thirty-lSlhie Articles. txj

That the fame Wisdom which once gave the Article VIL Law, and afterwards the Gospel of Jesus Christ, —VNp. was not willing that such Things as belonged to the Jews should continue, having destroyed their City and Temple. And lastly, what Irenceus faith §, That as the Law began ia Moses’s Time, ib of course it ended in the Time of John 5 and that Christ came to fulfil it ; And what Jtifim Martyr faith in his Dialogue with Gryphon H, that we do not hope in Moses or the Law ; and that the Law is antiquated and abolished.

This Reasoning is, without doubt, fatis- fadory enough to Chriflians, but will not satisfy the Je-ws who do not allow the New Tesla- ment to be of any Weight in this Controversy. We must therefore proceed to argue with them in another manner. That the fame Power which makes a Law, may at Pleasure revoke or repeal that Law, and fubflitute another in its Room, is what no Rational Man will deny. And it cannot be more inconfiftent with the WifHom of God, to alter or add to the Law o( Moses than it was to make any Addition whatfbever to the Revelation made to Adam and the Patriarchs. If it were not repugnant to the Wifdom of God to fuperadd Rituals and Ceremonials to Morals and Naturals ; why Ihali it be to take down the Scaffolds of Ceremonies, when God’s Spiritual Semple the Church of God, is come to its full Height ? Is there not more Reason that Rituals should give Place to Subflantials, than that such should be fuperinduced to Morals. There are

only

21 8 Jn Exposition on the

[…]

UO^>^

Reason be pleaded by the Jews why it ihould be more repugnant to the Wisdom of God to add to the Law oi Mofcs than to any former Renjelatwn- which are, i. The greater Per- fedlion they fuppofe to be in this Revelation above others. And, 2. That God in the Pro- mulgation of it, did express that he would never alter it : But both these are manifeftly defedlive and insufficient, in order to the End for which they are produced. For F/r/, What Evidence is there that the Lce; of Moses contained fo great Perfeion as that it was not capable of having any Additions made to it by God him- self ? VVe Ipeak not now of the PerfeHion of the Moral Law, which it is granted contained in it the Foundation of all po fit I’ve Precepts j for this we never contend for the Abrogation of, but the ritual Law is that we meddle with and is it pn£ible any Men fliould be fo little be- friended by Reason as to think this to be the pJmofi Pitch of what God could reveal to the JVorld as to the IVay of his own Worship ? Let any indifferent rational Person take the Precepts of the Gospel and lay them in the Ballance with those of the Ceremonial La-zv , and if he makes any Scruple of deciding on which Side the Over- Weight lies we may have Cause tofufpe him/or- faken of that little Reason which gave him the Name of Man, Let but the Fifth of St. Matthew be laid against the whole Book of Leviticus and then fee whether contains the more excellent Precepts and more suitable to the Divine Nature ? I speak not this to difparage any hmg which had once God for the Author of it, but to let us fee how far God was from the Neceflity of Natural Agents, to a6t to the Height of his Strength in that Discovery of his Will. God is

Wife

Thhty-Wtne Articles. 2 1 9

Wife as well as Righteous in all his Ways ; as Article vii. he can command nothing but what is just, fo VOO, he will command nothing but what is good ; nay, excellent in its kind: But though all the Stars be in the fame Firmament, yet one Star diffcreth from another Star in Glory ; cveiy Part of Holy Scripture, every Parcel of Divine Revelation, hath fbme Perfeion in its kind ; yet there may be fome Monjlra Perfcionis as Scaligers Expreflion is, ibme extraordinary Degrees of it, that may far outvy the Glory and Excellency of the rest. Can we think the Mills and Shadows of the Law could ever cafi: ib glcrious Light as the Sun of Righteoufneis in his Meridian Elevation? As well may we think a dark shady Paflage more magnificent and glorious than the mofb Princely Palace ; a Picture drawn in Charcoal, more exquisite and curious than the Lines o£ Apclles ; fbme im- perfed Rudiments, more exadl and accurate than the moil elaborate Work, as go about to com- pare the Law oi Moses with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in Point of Excellency and Perfe6lion. Let the Jews then boafl never fo much of the Books of Moses and how much they exceed the Degree of the Revelation in other Prophets ; we know if his Light be compared with what the Gospel communicates, it will appear, that Moses himself faw but as in a Glals darkly. We honour Moses much, but we have learnt to honour Him, at whoie Transfiguration he was present more ; neither can that be thought any Dilparagement to him, who accounted the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt.

II. But it may be, though the Law In itself be not fo absolutely perfeft, yet God may

have

2 20 An Exposition on the

Article VII. have declared he will never alter it, and then It yy is not confiftent with Divine Wisdom to repeal it. Very true : God will never alter what he hath said he will not ; but where is it that he hath thus bound himielf up ? Is it in that noted Place to this Purpose, boufljalt not add thereto nor diminijh frcr/i itj Deut. xii. 32.: So, indeed, Maimonides argues * • but therein, more like a Jew than himself , and yet, one of his own Nation, therein far more ingenuous than he, gives a mod: sufficient Answer to it, which is K. Jof. Albo j whose Words are thus produced by Vorfthts and others, ’ The Scripture only ” admonilheth us, that we (hould not add to, *’ nor diminiih from God’s Commands, accord- ing to our own Wills j but what hinders, ” faith he, but God himself may, according to ” his own Wisdom, add to, or diminiih what *’ he pleafeth ? ” But are they in good Earnest, when they fay God bound up himself by this Speech ? Whence then came all the Prophetical Revelations among the Jews ? Did these add nothing to the Law of Mofss which was as much the Will of God when revealed by them, as any Thing that was revealed by Moses him- self? Or will they fay, that all those Things were contained for the Substance in the Law of Moses J as to what concerned Pra6lice? Very true j but not in the Ceremonial but the Moral Law ; and fo we shall not (lick to grant, that the whole Duty of Man may be reduced to that. But \i adding to the Precepts be the doing of God’s Commands in another way than he hath pre- fcribed j and diminishing from them, be meerly not to do what God hath commanded, as fome

conceive.

ThWiy-lSlme Articles. 221

conceive, then these Words arc still more remote Article vil. from the Sense which is fixed on them by the /‘V’” incredulous Jews : For why may not God him- self add to his own Laws, or alter the Form of them, although we are always bound dire6tly to follow God’s declared Will ? May not God inlarge his own IVill and bring his Scholars, from the Rudiments of their Nonage to the higher Knowledge of those who are full grown ? Or must the World, of Neceflity, do that which the Old Roman fo much abhorred, Sene [cere in Elementis wax gray in learning their first Rudiments ? Or was the Ceremonial Law like the Chnia Cbaraers that the World might spend its Age in conning of them ? But it appears, that there was no other Meaning in that fl:ri5l Prohibition, than that Men should not of their own Heads offer to find out new Ways of Worship, as Jeroboam did • but that God’s Revelation of his own Will, in all its dif- ferent Degrees, was to be the adequate Rule of the Way and Parts of his own Worship. And I would fain know of the Jews whether their own severe and ftri6t Prohibitions of Things not at all forbidden in the Law of God, and that on a Religious Account as a Boundary to the Law come not nearer the adding to God’s Law, than God’s own further Declaratton of his fFtll doth ? All the Dispute then mufl be, not ” whether God may add to his own L:iw, but whether the Gospel be a prohibited Add’tion to the Law of Moses that is, whether it be only the Invention of Men ? Or whether it be the express Declaration of the If til of God? As to which Controversy, he is no true Chriflian who dares not readily join Iffue with them, and undertake to prove, by all the Arguments by which they believe the Law of Motes to have

been

2 2 2 Aji Exposition on the

Article VII. been of Divhie RevclatioH that the GofJDcl of KyY’ Christ is a clear Manifestation of the Will of God. From hence it is evident, that God hath not by this Place, tied up himself from any- further Manifestation of his Mind beyond the Law of Moses ; but it may be, they may put greater Confidence in those ExpreOions which ieem neceflarily to imply a perpetual and unal- terable Obligation in the Law of Moses ; for laith the late learned Rabbi Manajfe Ben Israel ” If by such ExpreiTions as those which are ” ufcd in Scripture, which seem to import the ’ Perpetuity of the Law of Moses ibmewhat ’ elfe fliould be meant than they seem to ex- ” prels ; what did Moses and the Prophets in ” using them, but lay a Stumbling-Block in the ” Ways of Men, whereas they might have ” spoken clearly, and told us there should a Time come, when the Ceremonial Law should ’* oblige no longer ? ” ’

This being a Charge of fo high a Nature, must not be difmifled without a particular Li- quiry into the ExprefHons which are the Ground and Reason of it. The Places most infifted on by the Jews are Bent. xxix. 29. things which are repealed belong to us and to cur Children for e-ver : So Levit,yxnl 14. the Precept of offer- ing the Firfl-Fruits, is there called a Statute for ever J and that of the Paffover, Excd. xii. 17. where the fame Exprefiion is used. From hence they infer That no Alteration can happen as to the Ceremonial Law, fmce God himself hath declared that it shall continue /r ever. To this common Argument of the Jews it is in general

■^ Cmc’il. in Levh. ix. 7.

repliedj

TJjtrty-Nhie Articles. 225

replied. That the IVord in which the main Article vir. Force of the Argument lies, doth not carry with -""VN it an absolute Perpetuity but it signifies accord- ing to the Subject it is joined with : So when it is applied to God, it iignifies Eternity ; not fb much from the mere Importance of the Word, as from the neceifary lixiftence of the Divine Nature. And it is most plain in Scripture, that /or e-ver is fb far from implying a neceifary Perpetuity, that it is applied to such Things as can have no long Duration, as Exodus xxi. 6. And he fioall serve htm for ever that is, as the JcujuS themselves expound it, to the next Jubilee, though it were near or far off: So i Sam. i. 22. where Samuel is said to abide hefore the Lord for ever. This is fo plain, that the formerly cited R. Joseph Albo doth in Terms confess it, and produccth a Multitude of other Places to the lamePurpofe ; for which, tho’ he be sufficiently cenfured by his Brethren, yet we may fee there may be fome Ingenuity left in a JeimJJo Rabbi, even in the grand Dispute concerning the Eter- nity of the Law of Moses*

All the Difficulty now, is to aflign fome Rational Accounts why such Precepts which God did not intend should be always Obligatory, should be inforced upon them in such Expreffions which may seem at least to imply a Perpetuity : Of which these may be given. First, That these Precepts to which these Expreffions are annexed, should not be looked on as mere am- bulatory Laws, that did only concern them in their Travels through the Wilderness, and not continue Obligatory when they were settled in Canaan. For which Purpose we are to observe, 1 hat though all the Laws were given in one Body in the WUdernefs, yet the Obligation to

all

2 24 ^^^ Exposition on the

Article VII. all of them did not Gommence at the lame time, -f neither were they to continue for the fame Duration: These three Sorts of Precepts may” be observed among them ; First, Such as con- cerned them only in the preient Condition, as that about the Tabernacle, whicn was then a moveable Temple among them, suitable to their Condition , but when they were settled, God was to have a settled House too : So that Pre- cept of going about the Camp, Dent. xxiiK 12. had an immediate Refpe6l to their Peregrina- tion, or wandering Condition. Secondly, Such Precepts as were given them, but they were not bound to perform them till their Settlement in Canaan as driving out the Canaanites Numb. xxxiii. 52. building the Temple in the Place which God fliould chufe, erecting Judicatories in their several Cities, chufmg a King, c. Thirdly, There were such Precepts as con- cerned them where-ever they were, whether in the Wilderness, or in Canaan ; now these are the Precepts which are said to be perpetual. But becauie this may be liable to fome Exceptions, I therefore add, that the Reason of those Ex- preflions being annexed to the Precepts of the Ceremonial Law, is, because they were to con- tinue Obligatory till such a remarkable Period of Time came, v\hich should alter the State of Things among them. And such a Period of Time, the Coming of the Me£las is by them- selves fuppofed to be, when, in their famous Computation they make three Epocha’s, before the LazVj tinder the Law and the Coming of the Meflias. And it is evident yet by them, that they do liII expect a wonderful Alteration of the State of Things when the AleJJias com.es ; doth it not therefore stand to Reason, that for ever should be added to such Things which

were

Thirty-lSline Articles. iif

were to continue tiJl {o great an Alteration Article jlh

as Ihould be on the Coming of the MeJJias^ U/’VXi^

eipecially if the Coming of the Mejjias had been

deferred fb long as they falily fuppofe it to be ?

But however, granting that a new Series of

[…]

there is very great Reason why that Exprellion

should be added to those Things which were to

continue as long as the a.icov did, that is, till the

MeJJlas Gome^ which we freely acknowledge.

And in this. Sense is for ever often taken for

fuch a Duration of Things which had fome

remarkable Period to conclude it, as in the Caie

of the ‘Jubilee^ of the Servant^ and the [‘fecial

Employment which God called Samuel to ^ in this

Cale it relates to the Event, or the End of his

Life in HannaFs Defignation, when fhe faid he

Ihould attend upon the Lord for ever^ which

would ftili have continued Obligatory, unless

God himself had altered the Obligation of them,

by a new Revelation of his Will: For in this

Cafe it is moil certain, that all positive Precepts

coming immediately from God, do carry with

them an unalterable Obligation, unless the

Legillator himfelf do in as evident a Way repeal

them^ as he did once eftablifh them ; that is,

in fuch Laws which depend merely upon God’s

pofitive and arbitrary Will. For in this Cafe

God allows none to alter any Thing concerning

his Law , but indifpenfable Obedience is our

Duty till God himlelf repeal his former Law^s :

And this we affert to be the Cafe in the Gospel.

So that it appears plainly, that it implies nothing

inconfiftent with the Wisdom of God to repeal

an eftablifhcd pofitive Law, though fome Ex-

[…]

Perpetuity of it. ”^

%zG An Expofitioii on tie

Article VII. s/y, ‘T I s said in this Article, that there is 0” no Necefiity for receiving the Civil Precepts of feld’irhf’ Y Commonwealth- nor

Civil Precepts IS it fo much as hinted in any Part of the Scrip- cf the Moiaical ture, that there is a Neceility for receiving them : ^^^* On the contrary, when St. Paul was asked by

Feflus Whether he would be judged at ‘Jerusalem before him ? His Answer was, J fiand at Csefar’i- Judgment-Seat inhere I ought to be judged Ad:s XXV. 10. By which he acknowledges the Vali- dity of the Ro?/7; Laws, and though he were a Jew yet because he was intitled to the Privi- leges of a Koman he boldly claims the Benefit of them, though the Ro?7ian and Jew’tjh Law were, at that Time, a Sort of Rivals to each other. But what puts the Matter beyond all Doubt, is, St. Vaufs commanding the Romans to be fubjed: to their Governors, Rom. xiii. and St. Peters commanding Christians in general, to obey the Government they live under, i Pet,

TheMoralLaro BuT 3%, Though the Ceremonial and

obliges all Men. CiyW Parts of the Law do not oblige Christians,

yet the Moral Part does, for fo exquifitely

fitted to the Nature of Man are the Precepts of

the Moral Law^, that if they were to be difTolved,

the Misery of Mankind in this World would be

[…]

rati/es it. our BlefTed Saviour to ratify and confirm them

afrefh. Mat. v. 17, i8, 19, 20. ^hink not that

1 am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets : I

mi not come to destroy.^ Init to fulfil. For ^verily I

fay imto you^ till Heaven and Earth pass^ one Jot

or one Tittle flo all in no wife pass from the Law.,

[…]

lY§ak one of these leafl Commandments , andJhaU

teach

TJjirty-Nme Articles, ti^

teach Men fo, he P,jaIl he called the leafl ht the Article Vir Kingdom of Heaven : But whofoe-ver Jhall do and /VN*/. teach them the fame jhall he called great in the Kingdom of Heaven, For I fay uMo you that except your Right e on fnefs fjjall exceed the Right eotifnefs of the Scribes and Pharifees ye JJjall in no Cafe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. That the Moral Law obligeth Christians, ap- pears likewise from James ii. 8, 9, lo, 11 If ye fulfil the Royal Law accordtng to the Scrip- ture hou floalt love thy Neighbour as thyfelf ye do well. But if ye have Refpe to Persons ye commit Sin and are convinced of the Law as ranfgreffors. For who foevcr fj jail keep the whole Law and yet offend in one Pointy he is guilty of alL For he that said Do not co7?2mit Adultery said also Do not Kill. Now if thou commit no Adultery yet if thou Kill thou art become a ranfgreffor of the Law. That our Lord i And impro’m not abolifli the Natural Parts of the Law, faith ?, Irceneus by which a Man isjuftifiedj and which those Men kept before the giving of the La Wj who were justified by Faith, and pleased God • but extended them, and supplied what was wanting to them, is manifest from thoie Difcourfes of his, which begin in this manner - It was said by them of Old T’me &c. This Father here alludes to Mat. v. in the 2ifl:, 22d, 23d, and 24th Verses of which Chapter, our Bleffed Saviour not only forbids a wilful killing a Man, under the Notion of Murder, but ail cauflefs and obftinate Anger. In the 27th and 28th Verses, he not only forbids acfbual Adultery according to the common Acceptation of the Word 3 but alio the very looking on a Woman

Ail’vn, U^r. lib. 4, cap. 27.

? a te

128 Jn Expofitiofl on tie

Article VII. to luft after her. In the 31ft and 3 2d Verse, r\J he forbids unreasonable Divorces, and the mar- rying a Woman divorced, without just Reason. In the 33d5 34th, Sjfth, sdth, and 37th Verses, he not only forbids Perjury, but all vain and rash Swearing. From the 3 8th to the 43d Verse, he forbids a being forward to return Injuries or Affronts , and recommends a patient, yielding, and beneficent Temper. And laflly, from the 43d to the End of the Chapter, he forbids the hating of our Enemies, and requires us to love them, to bless them that curie us, to do good to them that hate us, and to pray for them that deipitefully ufe us, and perfecute us. In all these Places he hath made Improvements to the Notions Men had fome time had of several Branches of the Moral Law f.

t See Hammond’s Pradl. Cat. Book II. §. 3. Hooker’s EccI, Pol. Book I. §. i^

Article

Thirty-Nine Articles. 22p

Article VUL

Of the Three Creeds.

[…]

The Expos IT lo

N.

I Y the Word Creed is meant the Sub- llance of a Christian^s Belief : The Latin Word for it is Symholum^ which also signifies a Sign or Token ; for as there are certain Marks of Diftin6tion made ufe of in War, by which the Soldiers of one Side are diftinguifh’d from those of the other ; fo by Creeds, such as are Orthodox or Sound Christians are diftinguifh’d from Infidels and Hereticks.

The Mce Creed, is fo call’d, because it was, r^eNice Creed for the most Part, composed by the Fathers w^j’/o «r;?//V. which met at the Council of Nice. That Part of it which relates to the Divinity of the Holy

P 3 Ghost,

1 5 o An Exposition on the

[…]

The first Publishers of the Gospel of Christ delivered a Rule of Faith to the Christian Churches which they founded, comprehending all those Articles that are found in that Epi- tome of Christian Religion, which we call the poftles Creed. But in Process of Time, when Arrius and his Accomplices questioned the Di- vinity of Christ, and denied him to be the Son of God co-equal, co-eternal, and co-effential with the Father, Conjlanthie called a Council, and aftembled the Biftiops of the Christian Vv’orld at Nice, a City in Bithinia. These Bishops cleared the Point in Controveriy, and with unanimous Consent composed a Creed, containing a full Explication of whatsoever might be questioned with relation to the Divi- nity of Christ. This Form of Christian Pro- feflion was called the Nice or Nicene Creed and was received as a most excellent Rule of Faith by all right Believers throughout the World. In this Creed there was nothing exprefly put down concerning the Holy Ghost, more thau was found in the A poftles Creed “viz. hat we leUeve in the Holy Ghost. But when Macedo- mus and Eimomius denied the Divinity of the Holy Ghost, the Fathers affembled in the first Council of Couftantinople added, as we observed under the Fifth Article these Words to the Ni- cene Creed. — — / believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord and Giuer of Life ivho proceedeth from the Father. who together with the Father and the Son is worJJoipped and glorified who fpake hy the Pro phets , exprefting his Proceeding from the Fa- ther v/ithout any Mention of the Son. This

Creed

Thtrty-Nhje ArticlQS. 231

Creed was confirmed in the Council of Ephefus Article vili: and ail they accurled that should add any thing y to it ; meaning, as ‘tis reasonably to be fup- posed, to condemn such Addition as m’ght make any Alteration, and not such as might ierve for a more full and definite Explication. But however, this Creed thus enlarged in the Council of Confianthiople was without any fur* ther Addjtion confirmed, and proposed to the Christian World for a Rule of Faith, in all the General Councils that were ever held, and was publickly received by several Christian Churches, and inserted in their Liturgies. But in Time the Bishops of Spai7i began to add, the Pro

ceedtng from the Son^ saying, • We believe

in the Holy Ghofi the Lord and Giver of Life who proceedeth from the Father and the Son. And the French not long after admitted the fame Addition 3 but the Romans did not : Whereupon Charles the Great called a Council at Jquifgrane in which it was debated, whe- ther the Spaniards and after them the French had done well in adding to the Creed, the P-o ceeding of the Holy Ghoji from the Son ? And whether, fuppofmg the Point of Doctrine to be true, it were fit to fmg and recite the Creed in the Publick Service of the Church with this Addition, the Church of Rome and ibme other Churches refusing to admit it, Besides this, fome Persons were fent to Leo the Third about this Affair, but he would by no means allow of this Addition, but persuaded them that had given Way to it, to put it out by little and little, and to fing the Creed without it. The fame Leo caused the Creed to be translated, and written out in a Table of Silver, in the Form in which it had been delivered in the Councils, and placed it behind the Altar of St. Peter and

P 4 left

13 X An Exposition on the

Article VIII. Jest it to Pofterity, out of the careful Deflre, ”yy*’ as he pretended, of preserving the true Faith. And in this Creed in the Article concerning the proceeding of the Holy Ghofi the Father only is named in this Manner, — And in the Holy Ghoftj the Lord and Giver ofLife who proceedeth from the Father. Neither was this the private Fancy of Leo only ; for after this Time, John the Eighth fhew’d his Dislike of this Addition likewise, for in his Letter to Photius Patriarch of Constantinople he hath these Words : ’ That ’ we may give you Satisfaction with regard to that Addition in the Creed and from the ’ Son\ we let you know, not only that we ’ have no such Addition, but also that we con- ” demn them as TranfgrefTors of the diredt ’ Word, that were the first Authors of this ’ Addition.” And afterwards he adds, ” We ’ carefully labour and endeavour to bring it ’ to pass, that all our Bifliops may think as we * do 5 but no Man can suddenly alter a thing ’ of such Consequence, and therefore it seem- ’ eth reasonable to us, that no Man be vio- ’ lently constrained by you to leave out this *’ Addition/’ But in the Year 883. the Ko- mans also made the fame Addition to the Creed in the Time of Pope Nicholas the First. I shall here dcfire the Reader to permit me to digrefs fo far, as to observe the Inconftancy, Irrefblu- tion, and Uncertainty of the Roman Bishops, and that in Matters of great Importance, other Bishops have gone before them, and drawn them to do that in the End, which at first they dif liked, fo that all Diredion in former Times was not fought for or taken from Rome. *

Tbirty-Nme Articles. 23;’

Notes

• Ap]. I. ca^. 39. See HammcncH Pra6l. Cat. lib. i. §. i. Preface to the Whole Duty of Man, §. 12, O’^- CUgct on 2 ‘Set. i. 19. Nowelli Catech. p. 41.
• Adver. HAvef. lib. 4,. r. 8. (IPageizS. •
• Btlimil. Lig. c. 9. §. I. Ikkarir/*, I. 5. c. ’,.
• See Stillingfeefs Orig, Sac. lib. 2, cap^ 7 .
• See Held of the Church, Book 3. ch. 1. p.^-a-