Welchman on Article VIII: Of the Three Creeds

Creeds) In Latin they are called Symbola, which also signify Watch-words or Signals in Mar. And thus, as by those Signals or HYatch-words the Soldiers of one Side are distinguished from those of the other; so by these Creeds the orthodox or sound Christians of the Catholick or Uni- versal Church, are distinguished from Infidels and Hereticks. Nice Creed] So called, because the greatest Part of it

was composed by the Fathers who were assembled at the Council of Nice. The Part of it which relates to the Di- vinity of the Holy Ghost, was added by the Council of Constantinople, except these Words, Aud the Son; which were added by the Mestern Church. See Fiell ot the Church, B. III. Ch. i. p. 53. Pearson on the Creed, p. 325.

Athanasius’s] fo called, not because it was written by Athanasius, but because it is very agreeable to his Senti- ments, who was the molt celebrated Champion for the orthodox Faith, 33

Commonly called, &c.] For it does not sufficiently appear that it was written by the Apostles themselves. See Hooker’s Eccl. Pol. B. V. Sect. 42. Wallis Hift. of Infant-Bapt. Part II. Ch. 9. Sect. 10. Cave’s Hist. Lit. Vol. I. p. 146. & Vit. Athanasi, Sect. 6. n. 10. Bull: Judic. Ecel. Cath. C. 5. Waterland’s Critic. Hist. of the Athanasian Creed.

Ought thoroughly to be received, &c.] As many therefore as subscribe to this Bock of Articles, and yet do not believe that these Creeds are agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, are guilty of lying abominably both to God and Men, See Jude, verse 3. Beioved, when I gave all Diligence to write fo you of the common Salvation, it was needfiui for me to write unto you, and exhart you, that ye should earnejtly contend for the Faith, which was once delivered to the Saints.

Almost all Things contained in these Creeds, have al- ready been confirmed, under the preceding Articles, by the ‘Testimonies of the Fathers. But because Hereticks bitterly and reproachtully inveigh against the Nicene Fa- thers, and against Athanasius, as if they were Corrupters of the Chrittian Faith; 1 shall here insert some Exposi- tions of Faith which are older than the Micene-Creed.

An Exposition of the Catholic“ Faith, as taken

from IREN us.

THE Church which was planted all over the World, even Au. He to the Ends of the Earth, received both from the Apostles J 1: c. 2-

and their Disciples that Faith which is in One God, the Father

24 NorTts on the XXXIX Articles

Father Almighty, who made Heaven, and Earth, and the Sea, and all things which are therein; and in One Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was incarnate for our Salva- tion; and in the Holy Ghost, who by the Prophets fore- told the Appointments of God, and the Coming of his beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord, his being born of a Virgin, his Passion, his Resurrection from the Dead, his Ascension into Heaven in the Flesh, and his Coming again from Heaven, in the Glory of the Father, to take Cogni- zance of all Things past, and to raise the whole Race of Mankind from the dead; that so to Christ Jesus, our Lord and our God, our Saviour and our King, every Knee may bow, of Things in Heaven, and Things in Earth, and Things under the Earth; and that every Tongue may confess to Him, and that he may administer true Judgment unto all; that he may send the Spiritual Wickednesses, and the Angels who transgressed, and became Apostates, and impious, unjust, unreasonable, and blasphemous Men, into eternal Fire; but that, giving Life to the Righteous and Religious, to those who observe his Precepts, and per- severe in loving him, some from the Beginning, and some from the Time of their Repentance, he may reward them with Incorruption, and surround them with everlasting -. Brightness and Glory. |

An Exposition of Faith, as taken from TERTULLIAN.

his Son, in divers Manners appeared to the Patriarchs as God, and is always mentioned as such in the Writings of the Prophets ; that at length by the Spirit and Power of God he descended into the Virgin Mary, was incarnate in her Womb, was born of her in the Human Nature, and so became Jesus Christ; that afterwards he preached a new Law, enforced by a new Promise of the Kingdom of Hea- ven; that he wrought Miracles, was nailed to the Cross, and rose again the Third Day; that he was taken up into Heaven; and fat at the Right-hand of the Father ; that he sent the Power of the Holy Ghost to supply his Absence, and to influence those who believe in him; and that he shall come again with Splendor to receive the Saints into the Enjoyment of Eternal Life, and the Heavenly Promises, and to condemn the Wicked to Everlasting Fire, aster 4 baving

of the Church of Exct ant: having raised both Parties from the Dead, and restored to them their fleshly Bodies: f

The Ancient Creed of the Church of J&R uSALEM, = From St. CYRIL,

believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, ard of all Things visible and invisible : And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son-of God, begotten of the Father before all Worlds; Very God by whom all Things were made; who was incarnate and made Man, crucihed and buried; who rose again the Third Day from the Dead, ascended into Heaven, and fat at the Right-hand of the Father ; who shall come again to Judge the Quick and the Dead; of whose Kingdom there shall be no End: And in the Holy Ghost; the Comforter; who spake by the Prophets: And in one Baptism of Re- pentance, for the Remission of Sins: And in One Catho- lic Chutch : And in the Resurrection of the Flesh; and

Eternal Life;

[…]

There is one God, Father of the living World; of the subsisting Wisdom, and of the eternal Power arid express Form of Himself; the Perfect Begetter of Him who is

Perfect; the Father of the only-begotten Son. There is One Lord, the sole Lord from the sole God, God of God, the Character and [mage of the Godhead, the efficacious Word, the Wisdom which comprehends the Frame and Constitution of all Things, the Power which forms and actuates all Creatures, the true Son of the true Father; in- visible of Him who is invisible, incorruptible of Him who is incorruptible, immortal of Him who is immortal, an eternal of him who is eternal. And there is One Holy Ghost, having Existence from God, and who appzar’d to Men by the Son; the perfect Image of the perfect Son; the Lite, the Cause of the Living; the holy Fountain, Sandity, and the Giver of Sanctification: In whom God the Father is manifested, who is above all, and in all; and God the Son, who is through all. And there is a perfect Trinity, which is not divided, nor excluded, in Glory, and

5 Eternity,

_ o —ͤ—U—— — 2 […] wank - =” 49S we w — * k _ 2 4 ä . o ws 0 […] Jn

— PO ͤ ˙ 1 FR “0 W » xv; haf […] y _ - K 2 2222

—— > 5a + * 4 4H4*

• • 2 * Py 3

— s 4. […] mo =

[…] S * - — - * 2 * — *

[…] 3 […] . a . […] . a — — n 3 —— 98 2 Rl r 3. = wm I * m— 1 - 4 22, _ 5 133 * * 8 […] ,

• SS - —ͤ—ũ—ũ CGD Woe, © OS

k— Io IG

[…] o- ©® 2 — * 3 Fo _ A 1 POS — -

I Fs

—— << .- -S cs .

—

I WI——— 22 —

Fa […] —

los 2 — —

Lo W e - =wDD_ COW — —-— —

— . am —

— S 2 2 - 2 EET EE. — DOE ¶ — —

—

e

þ od

ay . ——

4g” - - — — . „ oy […] ww — -

A

Norks on the XXXIX Articles

Fternity, and Nominion. There is not any Thing then created, or dependent in the I rinity ; nor any Thing su- perinduced, as if it did not exist before, but came in after- wards. And therefore the Father was never without the Son, nor the Son without the Spirit; but there was always the same immutable and invariable 5

— ” PR 3 “I * r FI * PREY th A.

Notes

• THE Rule of Faith is that by which we believe that there {cript. adv. is one God, and no other besides the Creator of the World, Her. c. 13. who made all Things out of Nothing by his Word, whom he begot before all Things; that this Word, who is called