by article, when they were baptized, as I have proved elsewhered. Now that it was this very Creed, which we call the apostles', that they answered to in their baptism, is plain from those very questions yet upon record in the Fathers, which are in the very words of this Creed, which therefore we may reasonably believe was taught young Christians from the very beginning of Christianity. 3. We can assign the authors of all other Creeds, and can shew what Father or what council made them, but no other author of this Creed (besides the apostles) can be produced, no council composed this. Wherefore, as St. Augustinef well observes, "That which the whole church holds, and was not instituted by councils, but always retained, that is justly believed to have been delivered from apostolical authority." 4. It is certain there was a Creed in the church before any heretic arose, and long before the meeting of the h Nicene council: and if we would know what Creed that was, doubtless it must be the apostles', for that, St. Ambrose saith, the Roman church had kept unaltered. And that is still the most perfect of all Creeds, having all the articles of the longest, and nothing put into it, with respect to any heresy, but all the articles are short, plain, and suitable to one another; whereas most other Creeds are large in some articles, and de-` ficient in others not then questioned. So this Creed is certainly the original and foundation of all the rest; and therefore of apostolical composure. d Discourse of Baptism, sect. I. §. viii. * Credis in Deum Patrem om nipotentem? et dixisti Credo. Ambr. de Sacram. lib. 2. cap. 7. Plura vide, Discourse of Baptism, sect. I. §. viii. f August. de Bapt. in Donat. lib. 4. cap. 24. g Tertull. ut supra. h-Roma et antequam Nicæna Synodus conveniret a temporibus apostolorum usque ad nunc ita fidelibus symbolum tradidit. Vigilius in Eutych. lib. 4. Credatur symbolo apostolorum quod Ecclesia Romana intemeratum semper custodit et servat. Ambros. Epist. ad Syric. 81. III. That all but the contentious may receive satisfaction, we will answer the principal objections against this truth. Object. I. It is a wonder the apostles did not leave it upon record in the canon of scripture in express terms; and strange that no Father in the first two centuries hath set down the words thereof entirely. Answ. There are many weighty things trusted to the church's tradition, and only hinted in scripture, (as we have proved this to be,) viz. the Sunday-Sabbath, baptism of infants, &c. And of all others there is most reason why this should not be committed to writing, because it was the Christian's watchword, and so not to be divulged to any stranger or enemy, but (as all mysteries) was to be kept secret. Hence St. Cyril 134 lays so strict a charge upon the catechumens to whom he had taught the Creed, by no means to tell it unto any unbaptized person1; nor could any torments force the primitive martyrs to divulge this Creed, lest the heathens should deride and profane it; so that it ought not to have been written. And therefore though there be some forms which come very near it in the first ages, as that of St. Thaddæus, found by Eusebius in the archives at Edessa", and that of St. Ignatius in two of his epistles", and of the famous Origen; yet they chose rather to give us the sense than the words of the Apostles' Creed, which were sufficiently preserved by the memories of those who were baptized; so that they were not divulged in writing till the world was Christian. k Ex forma omnibus mysteriis silentii fides debeatur. Tertull. Ap. cap. 7. Vid. Lactant, Instit. lib. 2. cap. 26. 1 Μηδὲν λέγε τῷ ἔξω. Cyr. Præf. ad Catech. m Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib. 1. cap. 13. n S. Ignat. Ep. ad Magnes. et Ep. ad Tral. o Proœm. ad lib. πeρì aрxшv. Object. II. If the Fathers of the primitive councils had known of any such Creed, they would not have made new ones, nor presumed to add to it, or take from it. Answ. The Fathers of those councils did profess they made no new Creed, nor did they compose their confessions, as if any defect were in the ancient Creed", only they explained some articles more fully, which some heretics then questioned; and because their creeds were grounded on and agreeing with the apostles', hence they accounted them the same; and Epiphanius calls the Nicene, the Creed delivered by the holy apostles; and so it is called in some old Roman offices, as bishop Usher hath observed. In some of these Creeds the difference is very little, and only in phrases, not sense, as in that of Jerusalem, Alexandria, of Marcellus of Ancyra, &c.; and if others be larger, yet we learn from Vincentius Lyrinensis, "that a man is not another, though bigger than when he was a child; his limbs grow in largeness, not in number; if he had more or fewer limbs, he would be monstrous or defective, but the regular increase doth not hinder him from being the same: so in the articles of the faith, if they were more or fewer, it were another faith, but not, if some particulars be more largely explained." Object. III. If the apostles, who were inspired by the Spirit of God, were the composers of it, then it should be of equal authority with the canon of scripture, whereas we are wont to prove the articles thereof by scripture. Answ. So we prove one place of scripture by another which are all of equal authority, and our Lord Ρ Οὐχ ̓ ὡς τὶ λειπὸν τοῖς προλαβοῦσιν ἐπεισάγοντες. Εuagr. lib. 2. cap. 4. 4 Αὕτη μὲν ἡ πίστις παρεδόθη ἀπὸ τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων. Epiph. Anchor. r Tract. de Symb. s Common. adv. Hær. c.28, 29. 135 Jesus and his apostles did prove their doctrine from the Old Testament, to shew the harmony between them, rather than to derive authority from thence. We may say indeed, that we believe the Creed more firmly, since the articles are all found in holy scripture; yet in strict speaking, it is but the same doctrine delivered in divers manners, by writing in scripture, by tradition in the Creed; and we rejoice to find them so exactly agreeing to one another. And because the way of tradition is more liable to mistake and alteration than that of writing, therefore we confirm the Creed, and shew it hath not been changed, by its consent with scripture. Yet I do not see any inconvenience, if we shall believe the Creed divinely inspired; that as there are three Persons in the Trinity, and three principal graces, faith, hope, and charity, so each person may give us a proper rule for each of these graces; the Father hath given us the Commandments, to direct our charity; the Son the Lord's Prayer, to exercise our hope; and it is probable, that the Holy Ghost indited this Creed, for the entertainment of our faith. Nor will this be derogatory to the holy scripture, since it is the same doctrine which is in scripture; we all grant that the Holy Ghost indited the parts, why then not the whole? Sure I am Tertulliant calls this, the rule of faith, (as well as scripture,) and saith, "it was instituted by Christ." And the ancients quote the Creed, as well as scripture, to confute heresies, and seem to have given it the same honour, because indeed it is the same thing, called therefore the compendium of the gospel, and the epitome of holy scripture. The other objections are trifling, and may be answered from hence; this therefore shall suffice to prove t De Præscr. lib. 1. cap. 13. the antiquity and authority of this Creed; which we shall not particularly explain, but only discourse these three things: I. Why it stands in this place in our Liturgy. II. Why it is daily repeated there. III. How we may profit by the repetition thereof. And this we will subjoin to the following analysis, which regularly comes in here. 2. That this one God is distinguished into three Persons, §. II. In the Creed are two parts, shewing what we believe, II. Concerning ourselves, I. Concerning God, 3. His 13. The Holy Ghost de scribed by, :{ 1. His divi } } nity: .... 2. His huma- 1. His pas- Art. I. I believe in God Maker of heaven and earth: II. And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, III. Who was conceived 2. His resur-V. The third day he rose rection : 3. His ascen sion and ..... 4. His return ment:.... again from the dead, VI. He ascended into hea ven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; VII. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. 1. His nature, VIII. I believe in the Holy 2. His office: Ghost; 1. That we are I. We are united toge-IX. The holy Catholic members of an holy society, 2. That we have 2. 3. ther......... with one another: 2. Here after, 1. To the Church; The communion of saints; X. The forgiveness of sins; J XI. The resurrection of the body, XII. And the life everlasting. Amen. A General Discourse on the Apostles' Creed. §. III. The place of this Creed in our Liturgy may be considered with respect to what goes before and that which follows it. 1. That which goes before it is the lessons, taken out of the word of God, for faith 136 |