Of Fundamentals, Treatise · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Of the Creeds in general, and firſt of the Apoſtles Creed.
§. 1. THE method now leads from the more compendious, to the larger and fuller view of this foundation, as it is ſet down in the Creeds of the Church, and firſt in that which is called ſymbolum Apoſtolicum, The Apoſtles Creed.the Apoſtolick badge or mark, (a teſſera or token of the Apoſtles having planted the Faith in any Church) the known ſummarie of that belief, which had been received from the Apoſtles.
Proved to be the Apoſtles.§. 2. For although in their Epiſtles, which were all written to them which were Chriſtians already, there is not to be expected any complete Catalogue of thoſe articles, which they had every where taught, becauſe they were ſuppoſed by them to be ſufficiently known, and might briefly be referred to, as ſuch without any perfect enumeration, yet in any city or region, where the Apoſtles came to plant the faith, it is the affirmation of the firſt writers of the Church, as frequently appears in Tertullian, Irenaeus, &c. (and there is no reaſon of doubt of the truth of it) that all thoſe articles, which were thought fit to be laid, as the foundation of Chriſtian life, were by them diſtinctly delivered; And this being a matter of fact, of which (as of the Canon of ſcripture, or of this or that book in it) only the records, and ſtories of the firſt times are competent judges, that Creed which is delivered down to us by the Antient Churches thus planted (I mean thoſe of the firſt three hundred years) and by them entituled to the name the Apoſtles, and expounded in the homilies of the Fathers, ſome extant, others mentioned by Ruffinus, illuſtres tractatores which had gone before him in that work, is in all reaſon to be deemed the ſumme of that Foundation. Of this if any farther evidence be neceſſary, it will be thus eaſily made up.
§. 3. The time of forming the Nicene Creed, and the occaſion of it, (by way of oppoſition to thoſe hereſies which had then broken into the Church) is known to every man. Now before this was formed, it is certain, that †Eccleſia per univerſum orbem uſque ad ſines terrae ſeminata, & ab Apoſtolis & à diſcipulis corum accepit eam fidem quae eſt in unū Deū patrē omnipotentē &c. Iren: l. 1. c. 2.all the Churches of the world, both Eaſtern and Weſtern had a form of confeſſion of Faith, which they had received from their immediate anceſtors, and they from the *Quid ſi neque Apoſtoli quidem ſcripturas reliquiſſent nobis, nonne oportebat Ordinem ſequi traditionis, quam tradiderunt iis, quibus conſtituebant Eccleſias? Cui ordinationi aſſentiunt mullae gentes barbarorum, quorum qui in Chriſtum credunt, ſine chartâ & atramento ſcriptum habentes in cordibus ſuis ſalutare, & veterem eruditionem diligenter cuſtodientes, in unum Deum credentes &c. Iren: l. 3. c. 4.Apoſtles themſelves.
§. 4. And of this there is no place of doubting, but that it was the very ſame which we now call the Apoſtles Creed, not only becauſe there was never any other aſſigned by any, or affirmed to have had that general reception, but becauſe the teſtimonies of the Antients are expreſly for this. Ruffinus and Vigilius cont: Eutychen teſtifie clearly for the Weſtern Church, and Ruffinus again, and Cyrill of Jeruſalem for the Eaſtern.
§. 5. And Marcellus Biſhop of Ancyra in the Great Councel of Nice, a famous ſupporter of the true Faith, (and a great ſufferer for it) againſt the Arians, at his taking his leave of Pope Julius, leaves behinde him the Confeſſion of his faith, which, ſaith he, he had received foreign from his predeceſſors in the Lord, And this was the ſame with that which we now ſtyle the Apoſtles Creed, as appears in that ſtory, ſet down by Epiphanius haer: 72. All which will receive yet farther force from that known obſervation of Saint Auſtines, that what the Ʋniverſal Church holds, and hath not been inſtituted by Councels, but alwaies retain'd, is with all reaſon to be believed to have been delivered by tradition Apoſtolical, (there being no other ſo large an Original to which ſo univerſal an effect may be imputed) li. 4. de bapt: cont: Donat: c. 24. eſpecially when to that we adde Tertullians words of this very matter lib. de velandis virgin: Regula quidem fidei una omnino eſt, ſola immobilis & irreformabilis, Credendi ſcilicet in unicum Deum, omnipotentem, mundi Creatorem, & filium ejus Jeſum Chriſtum, natum ex virgine Maria &c. The Rule of faith is altogether one, and that alone immovable, and unreformable, to wit of believing in one only God, omnipotent, Creator of the world, and in his ſon Jeſus Chriſt, born of the virgin Mary &c. Which being a ſummary reference to this Creed, and that reſolved to be one over all the world, and that unchangeable, muſt needs be imputed to that Apoſtolick original, which alone can pretend to that dignity.
The articles thereof fundamental to good life.§. 6. And that every branch thereof in ſeveral, was a fit and proper ground-work of Chriſtian obedience, wherever it were planted, and all together ſufficient to found the reformation of whole cities, and provinces at once, will be diſcernible by the moſt curſorie ſurvey.
§. 7. The Articles 1. of God the Father, the *foreign.Ruler and Creatour of all the world; 2dly, of God the Son, both in his titles and offices, and in the paſſages of his ſtorie, from the Aſſumption of our fleſh to his coming again from heaven to be our Judge; and 3dly, of God, the holy Ghoſt, being all amaſſed together, make up this plain ſenſe, that all the divine (and infinitely wiſe) waies of oeconomie that God in heaven could think fit to uſe toward a rational creature, to oblige, and reduce mankinde to that courſe of living, which is moſt perfectly agreeable to our nature, and by the mercy of God ordinable to eternal bliſſe, all the moſt powerful methods of impreſſing our duty on us, the authority of the God of heaven, who hath ſoveraign dominion over all, of God the Son, made up of all humble and charitable waies of condeſcenſion, to invite, and yet of all power, and terrors, to conſtrain, and engage our obedience (to execute vengeance on thoſe that will not be wooed by him) and of God the holy Ghoſt, who hath ordained a ſucceſſion of men, from that time to the end of the world, continually to negotiate this one affair of reducing ſinners to repentance: All theſe, I ſay, have been ſo ſolemnly made uſe of, and impreſſed by him, that there wants nothing but care and conſideration of our own eternal weal, a tolerance or endurance of being made happy here, and bleſſed eternally, to bring all that have believed thoſe articles, to forſake their ſinful courſes, and ſincerely to apply themſelves to the obedience of Chriſt.
The article of God the Father.§. 8. The firſt ſtone of this foundation is the conſideration and acknowledgment of the one eternal God, under thoſe two great relations of a Father and a Prince, and both thoſe founded in his right to the creature by title of creation; And the one belief and acknowledgment of this intitles him, and engages us to a ready voluntary obedience to, and dependence on him, and prepares for ſuch an univerſal reception of all that ſhall ever be revealed to be his will, that every preſumptuous, known act of prevarication is no leſſe then a foreign, a rebellion, like that of the old giants, a fighting againſt God, a conteſting with heaven, a reſiſting his will and our own happineſs, and that may be one ſeaſonable degree toward the obliging us to piety.
Of God the Son.§. 9. The ſecond, and that which brings along with it all the force and authority of the former (as the only Son bearing the perſon, and employed in the Embaſſie of the Father) is the acknowledgment of Jeſus Chriſt, who, by being ſent into the world to be our King or Lord, and by the divine miraculous way of his entrance into it, the powers and mighty works, and piety of his life, and the ſtupendious manner of his paſſage out of the world, to reſume, in his humane, as well as divine, nature, that regal power in heaven, which from all eternity belonged to him as God, is fitly qualified, and prepared to take poſſeſſion of his inheritance, to rule and reign in our hearts by this faith, and ſo to recall and reduce immediately all, that cordially believe the true God (who now in this gracious pacifick manner comes to treat with them) and to convince all the blinde worſhippers of Idol falſe Gods, of the vanity and villany of their former courſes, and ſo to bring them back to their own peace.
§. 10. Thirdly, the acknowledgment of the holy Ghoſt, Of God the holy Ghoſt.in that great office of Paraclete, or Advocate of Chriſt, convincing the world of the truth, and divine authority of Chriſt's meſſage, and then commiſſionating and aſſiſting the Apoſtles, and their ſucceſſors in their continued never-ceaſing Embaſſie to us, to pray us in Chriſt's ſtead to lay down our weapons of hoſtility, and to be reconciled unto God, to live friendly and filially, i. e. obediently before him, What is it but a continued perpetuated voice from heaven, reſounding for ever in our ears? as if it were minutely proclaimed in thunder from heaven, to give men no reſt in their ſins, no quiet from Chriſt's importunity, till they awake from the lethargick ſleep, and ariſe from ſo dead, ſo mortiferous a ſtate, and permit him to give them life.
Of the Holy Catholick Church.§. 11. That which follows of the Holy Catholick Church, As it is (with the reſt) an attendant on this article of the holy Ghoſt, the end of whoſe deſcent was to gather a Church or ſociety of holy Chriſtian livers over the whole world, ſo is it the interpretation of thoſe two parts of the myſterie of piety formerly explicated [Chriſt's being preached among the Gentiles, and believed on in the world] of the foreign, 2 Theſſ. 2.1. the gathering together of a multitude over the world, among Gentiles, as well as Jewes, to that banner ſet up by Chriſt, enrolling themſelves in his muſters, engaging their faithful obedience to him; And if we will not be made the mark, and aime of all his arrows, be lookt on as the profeſſed oppoſers of all his methods, and therein of all piety, and of our own ſouls, we muſt think our ſelves obliged to haſten into that number, and that in reſpect of the holineſs, as well as the aſſemblies, of the practiſe, as well as the profeſſion of Chriſtianity.
§. 12. And the conſideration and ſerious belief of this, that God hath taken ſuch care to anticipate, and prevent every man, to draw him early into his Church, there to inſtruct and oblige him to all Chriſtian performance, to give piety the prepoſſeſſion, before other competitors (homebred luſts or vitious cuſtoms of the world) ſhould be able to pretend to him, and ſo to engage him in holineſs firſt, and then in bliſſe, is another argument of great energie to work effectually on mankinde, and recommend this obedience unto them.
§. 13.Of the Communion of Saints. So likewiſe the foreign, which ſeems to me (and is elſewhere explicated) to belong to the communication, Act. 2.42. as that ſignifies liberality of the Saints which firſt received the Faith of Chriſt, and as it is there explained by their having foreign all things common, v. 44. and that again by ſelling their poſſeſſions, and diſtributing them to all, as every man had need; v. 45. and again by foreign, praiſing God, and having or exerciſing charity to all the people, v. 47. (making their liberality a ſpecial branch of their Euchariſt, their bleſſing and worſhipping of God) as it is an evidence of the great force that the Goſpel of Chriſt had then upon men's ſouls, melting them into that liberal effuſion of all that they had, into an abſolute contempt of all that is moſt doted on in the world, foreign, poſſeſſions of all kindes, and by parting with all indefinitely, throwing themſelves abſolutely upon God's minutely providence for the ſuſtaining of them (which is directly the Merchant's courſe in the Goſpel, ſelling all, and buying, at that vaſt price, the one hidden Jewel which he had found) ſo is it an engagement to all that will undertake this profeſſion, to come with preparations of minde ſome way proportionable to theſe examples, to exerciſe that charity to men, and dependence on God in the things of this world, which ſhall evidence their foreign, that the joyes which they depend on are in another world, and that the either having or wanting here, is no otherwiſe conſiderable, then as it is the opportunity of exerciſing the ſeveral graces, which are the propereſt means to exalt and perfect our Nature, and the way to our immortality.
§. 14. As for the other larger notion of this foreign, ſo as to import the ſpiritual Ʋnion of Faith and Love between all profeſſors of Chriſtianity, and, (as exerciſes of that) the Communication of the myſteries (ſo ordinarily ſtyled foreign) of Prayers, of Faſtings, of Tears, of Sufferings, of Rejoicings, of Thanksgivings, it muſt be taken in by analogie with this former, and will alſo fitly be comprehended under the former article of the Church (and therefore it is, that the Nicene Creed ſets [the Holy Catholicke Apoſtolicke Church] in the place of both theſe) and therefore need not be farther inſiſted on here.
The forgiveneſs of ſins;§. 15. The forgiveneſs of ſins, which now follows, is, being rightly underſtood, the moſt eminent branch of this foundation, and the removal of an hindrance which might otherwiſe obſtruct all thought or deſigne of reformation, but being miſunderſtood is rendred inſtrumental to the moſt preſumptuous obſtinate ſecurity in ſin.
Misinterpreted.§. 16. Should it be miſtaken for an abſolute impunity promiſed freely by God, or abſolutely purchaſed by Chriſt either for all men indefinitely, or for ſome ſpecial favorites of heaven, without reſpect to their reformation or new obedience, it were the direct foundation of all impenitence to all that either had, or believed themſelves to have their part in it, and might by all carnal men probably be made uſe of as ſuch.
§. 17. For to a carnal liver, which were once poſſeſſed of this perſwaſion, that all his ſins paſt and future were abſolutely forgiven by the tenure of the Goſpel, and that without any condition of change required of him, what imaginable motive is there to perſwade him to forſake any one ſin, to which he hath the ſlighteſt temptation? When God is once a favourer of his groſſeſt ſins, or of his perſon in deſpite of his ſins, all the other Articles of his belief will ſound nothing but mercy and promiſes to him, and accordingly thoſe that have imbibed this error, have extended the influence thereof to the whole Goſpel, which they will not allow to contain any thing but promiſes, and ſo all the commands of Chriſt are at once outdated.
§. 18.Rightly underſtood. But when it is rightly underſtood, and confined within thoſe due limits, which the Goſpel every where aſſignes it, 1. to be the pardon of ſins paſt and forſaken (which belongs not either to future ſins, or to any that are not reformed) 2dly, to be the admiſſion of ſinners to repentance, and ſo, and by no other means, to forgiveneſs, (and therefore John's ceremony of admitting Proſelytes is called the baptiſme of repentance for the remiſſion of ſins) 3dly, to extend no farther to any ſort of ſins continued in or unforſaken, then as they are reconcileable with ſincere endevours (and uſe of the means) to forſake and get victory over them (which though it ſecure us of God's favour and pardon to our infirmities and ignorances, doth denounce his wrath againſt our wilful ſins) When it is taken with theſe reſtraints and conditions on one ſide, and is then extended (as the general promulgation extends it) to all the ſins of every ſinner in the world, who ſhall by repentance and ſyncerity of change be rendred capable of it, When that which is miſtaken to be particular and abſolute, is duly underſtood to be general, but conditionate (and to belong to none, who ſhall not perform the condition, i. e. impartially, and ſyncerely, and univerſally reform his waies according to the rules delivered by Chriſt, his precepts of Chriſtian purity, extending to the very heart) then is there a ſure ground-work laid of renovation and care for our future lives, and all objections removed, that might probably obſtruct that ſuperſtructure.
The want of this to Renovation§. 19. As long as we are guilty of any paſt ſin, and have no promiſe (the only due ground of hope) of remiſſion, whatever our future care be, this deſperation of ſucceſſe chills all our induſtrie, in a firſt,and we ſin on, becauſe we have ſinned, we caſt off the care of all future thrift, becauſe we are already bankrupted.
§. 20.a ſecond, So again while we make no diſtinction of ſins, and deem every invincible infirmity or ignorance (from which we have no hope to be freed in this life) to be as dangerous and mortiferous as the moſt wilful act, or favoured habit of carnality, another face of the ſame deſperation affrights us, and admoniſheth us to provide for our eaſe, when we cannot for our ſecurity, deterres from attempting what we cannot finiſh, and permits us to be careleſſe, when we cannot hope to be proſperous in our care.
§. 21.a third reſpect. Nay when we undertake the baptiſmal vow, and enter on this new life, if, as that baptiſme cannot be repeated, ſo it were impoſſible that any groſſer fall after the firſt repentance could receive any cure or remedy; the experience of our own frailties, and the conſideration of the ſlipperie place we ſtand on, of the watchfulneſs of the tempter, and the advantage he hath from a falſe partie within us, which is alwaies ready to joyn with him, and betray us, and of the great difficulty, the moral, though not natural, impoſſibility, that in ſo long a work, we ſhould continue ſo vigilant, as to be obnoxious neither to ſurpriſe, nor fall, would be apt (like the news of the Anakims in the way) to diſcourage us from leaving the accuſtomed familiar wilderneſs, and undertaking the unknown voiage to that good land, invironed with ſo many difficulties: An opinion of the fecibleneſs or ſuccesfulneſs of the work being as neceſſary to found a purpoſe of undertaking it, as either the authority of commands, or the perſwaſiveneſs of promiſes, or pungency of menaces, or proſpect of miſchiefs upon neglect, can be imagined to be.
The neceſſity of it.§. 22. But when all theſe objections are anſwered, diſcouragements removed, difficulties provided for, (as they are by this Article of Remiſſion of ſins, duly explained, and ſuperadded to the former branches of the foundation) they to whom all this is revealed and received with an undoubting faith, if they doe not preſently ſet about ſo eaſie, and ſo happy a task, which hath ſo many grains of equity and mercy allowed in the weighing it out unto us, if they will not be directed into a path ſo plained and ſmoothed, that the wayfaring men, though fools, ſhall not erre therein (that weakneſſe, or ignorance, or natural defects, or humane frailties, or any thing that includes not unſynceritie and preſumptuous going on in ſin, ſhall be reconcileable with their hopes and God's acceptance) muſt needs acknowledge themſelves in the number of the blinde people that have eyes, of the provokers that ſhall not, becauſe they will not, enter into God's reſt, of the ſinners that have no excuſe for their ſin.
§. 23.The belief of the Reſurrection of the Body. In the next place the Reſurrection of the body, which includes and ſuppoſes a future ſtate of ſouls after that of this life (for to what purpoſe ſhould that world of foreign, carkaſſes, ariſe, if there were not as numerous a world of ſouls ready to animate them, and joyn with them in receiving rewards or puniſhments for all that the ſouls have acted by thoſe inſtruments in this life?) is moſt neceſſary to found, and inforce this Renovation; For, if there were nothing after this life, if in the death of a man there were no foreign, cure or remedy, Wiſd. 2.1. if the premiſes of the Atheiſt in that chapter had truth in them, his concluſion being founded on thoſe premiſes, it could not be ſtrange, or irrational for him to proceed, Come on therefore, let us enjoy the good things that are preſent, v. 6.
Fundamental to Renovation.§. 24. And if, ſuppoſing the immortality of the ſoul, the body were not aſcertain'd to return to that old aſſociate, if that foreign, that ſhop or workhouſe of the good or evil ſpirit, ſhould, with all that hath been wrought in it, be conſumed eternally, this would take it much out of the care of the ſoul, either to ſtop it in its Career of ſin, or to mortifie thoſe affections that are in this earthy part, or to ſpiritualize and repleniſh it with good works.
The want of it very hurtful.§. 25. If the upper ſoul, that hopes to reign in another world, can ſo farre preſerve that degree of ſuperiority and dignity of its nature, as to reprehend and check what is conſented to by the will or middle faculty, in complyance with the fleſh, that inferior and brutiſh, (as it is, as oft as any ſin againſt conſcience is committed, and can then hope, that after a few years of ſenſuality, that importune rebellious ſervant ſhall be eternally caſt off, drop into a perpetual impaſſible nothing, take a long progreſſe into a land where all things are forgotten (and conſequently the good which hath been acted in that fleſh, as well as the evil) this would be ſome colour for that novel perſwaſion (a fruitful principle of all carnality) that the man may be regenerate in the ſight of God, though he be ſold under ſin, led captive unto the law of ſin, which is in the members.
§. 26. But when the prevarications and irregularities of the body, The perſwaſion gainfull.which are not ſubdued, as well as check'd; mortified, as well as diſliked by the ſoul, ſhall receive their certain payment in the body (reunited on purpoſe to the ſoul, that that which hath merited by compliance, may be rewarded by ſympathie) when the flames (that by being inflicted on the body are experimented to afflict, and enter into the ſoul) ſhall demonſtrate to the ſoul her cloſe concernment in all that is permitted to come ſo neer her, then it will appear to be every man's intereſt to joyn good performances to ſpiritual purpoſes and reſolutions, to act, as well as to deſigne, to ſubdue and quell the exorbitances of the fleſh, as well as to continue the wouldings of the ſpirit; And this being abſolutely required to the ſyncerity and reality of our repentance and renovation, which conſiſts not in the ſtrife, or wiſh, or purpoſe, but in the actual operations of good life, the belief of the reſurrection of the body, which is ſo inſtrumental and preparative to this, muſt needs be fundamental to that, which is ſuperſtructed on it; and was therefore deemed fit to be firſt preached to all men, before ſtrict Chriſtian performances could reaſonably be required of them.
Everlaſting life.§. 27. Laſtly, the everlaſting life both of body and ſoul in that future ſtate, whether in bliſſe or woe, hath with all reaſon been added as the laſt ſtone to this foundation, and in it all the promiſes and terrors of the Goſpel, to perſwade and drive us to repentance.
The neceſſity of the belief of that.§. 28. Were the ſtate, wherein we expect our reward for the abſtinencies, or riots of this preſent life, under the prejudices of ſhort, or finite, as it hath the diſadvantage of abſence and futurity, the promiſes and threats of Chriſt would loſe much of their virtue and energie, and being by their ſpiritual and inviſible nature rendred ſo faint in the original, and yet (to make them more ſo) ſet to ſollicite us at a diſtance, they would want a competent inſtrument to collect and convey their rayes ſuccesfully, or ſo as to affect, or impreſſe the ſpecies with any vigor on a dull, and withall prejudicate faculty. We know a life in reverſion is not half ſo valuable, as that which may at preſent be entred on, and this not only in the opinion of fools, but of the moſt prudent purchaſers; And unleſſe there be ſomewhat in the duration to inhaunſe the value, and to he offered in commutation, and to reward the patience of the preſent ſelf-denial, heaven it ſelf would be look'd on jealouſly, as a project to deprive us of our preſent portions to cheat us of our poſſeſſions; But when the loſſe of every preſent advantage to fleſh and blood, is ſure to be repaid in a farre nobler coin, and to continue to be enjoy'd to all eternity, when beſide the liberal harveſt of ſatisfactions for any the moſt trivial loſſe or ſuffering, ſubmitted to upon Chriſt's command or adviſe (the hundred fold more in this life) we are ſecured to reap in another world, everlaſting unperiſhable felicities, and when to the empty, nauſeous, afflicting pleaſures of ſin, for ſome one ſhorteſt moment, attended immediately with a farre more durable ſhame, and then followed with an immortal, endleſſe gnawing death (that is all jawes, but no ſtomach) ſhall remain (by way of arrear) a ſharp, yet ſullen payment to all eternity, when every play or jeſt of ſin, ſhall engage us in that perpetual earneſt, and after the tranſitory joy is forgotten or loathed, the irreverſible ſentence of endleſſe woe is expected, inſtantly and infallibly to come out, and with it an foreign all the ſtore-houſes of eaſe or mercy ſealed up, all drops to cool, or oceans to quench our miſery; Then certainly upon this perſwaſion duly rooted (not in the brain but heart) an ordinary orator may ſuffice to ſuperſtruct an admiſſion of the precepts of Chriſt, and induce in a rational creature a willingneſſe to be happy here (by a patient bearing of a gentle, deſireable yoke) that ſo he may be bleſſed eternally.
§. 29. And ſo we have taken a curſorie view of the ſeveral Articles of the moſt antient and ſhorteſt Creed, and therein exemplified the propriety of our definition of Fundamentals, and having the Apoſtles judgment in their preachings to confirm us in the truth, that the laying of ſo large a foundation was deemed neceſſary, to their deſigne of planting the ſame fruits in all ſoils, piety, probity, and purity, in a nation of hypocritical Jewes, and a world of Idolatrous polluted Gentiles, we have already ſhewed how unneceſſary it is to enquire, whether any ſingle ſinner of either of thoſe provinces might not poſſibly be reduced to Chriſtian life, without ſome one of theſe explicitely and actually conſidered, and ſo have no temptation to inlarge this Chapter by any ſuch conſideration.