Of Fundamentals, Treatise · Chapter 9 – Chapter 10
CHAP. IX. Of the Nicene and Athanaſian Creeds together; and ſeverally of the Nicene.
§. 1. HAving view'd the Apoſtles Creed, and of it premiſed this one thing, that it was a complete Catalogue of all, that they (being directed by the holy Ghoſt in their miniſterie) thought fit, to lay the foundation of Chriſtian obedience in every Church, and conſequently that there was no more, in their opinion, neceſſary, in order to this end of working reformation in the world;The deſign of …er Creeds. It will from this datum demonſtratively follow, either that there is in the two other Creeds, the Nicene, and Athanaſian, nothing materially different from that which the Apoſtles Creed had contained (nothing really ſuperadded to it) or elſe that that ſuperaddition was not, in the Apoſtles eſtimation, neceſſary to this end, and conſequently that if (at the forming of them) it were by the following Church thought neceſſary to be thus made, or ſtill continues to be ſo, this muſt ariſe from ſome freſh emergent, one, or more, which had been obſervable in the Church after the Apoſtles time.
§. 2. And which of theſe two is the truth, it will not be uneaſie to define, For though the omiſſion of ſome words, which had been retained in the Apoſtles Creed, Defined.doe not ſignifie much, (for it is certain that they were (while retained in that) and are ſtill, (now they are left out in following Creeds) eternally and unqueſtionably true, in the ſenſe, wherein the Apoſtles and their ſucceſſors underſtood them) nor indeed any more, then that they were virtually contained in other words ſtill continued (as the deſcent to hades, under that of his ſuffering and burial, and not riſing till the third day; and the Communication of Saints, under the Catholick Church, with the Epithet of Apoſtolick added to it) or elſe that they were not neceſſary to be repeated, becauſe already familiarly known and confeſſed, and not queſtion'd by thoſe hereticks, againſt whom the variations were deſigned (as in the Athanaſian Creed the Articles of the holy Ghoſt, ſo largely ſet down in four branches in the Nicene Creed, and the three Articles attending that of the holy Ghoſt, in the Apoſtles Creed, are all omitted) yet thoſe words which in the later Creeds were ſuperadded to the former, were apparently deſigned by the Compilers for ſome ſpecial uſe, either by way of addition, or interpretation, to fenſe the Catholick orthodox Faith from the corruptions, and depravations, or elſe from the doubtings, and contradictions of hereticks.
Of the Nicene.§. 3. Thus in the Nicene Creed, the two additions in the firſt Article, the [foreign, one] prefixed to [God] and the [foreign, and of all things viſible and inviſible] were, upon prudent deliberation and conſidering, interpoſed, the firſt of them on occaſion of the Arians, in one reſpect, and both of them, in another reſpect, by reaſon of the Gnoſtick and Valentinian, and ſuch like following hereticks, whoſe heathen and Poetical Theologie (taken from Heſiod, and Orpheus, and Philiſtion) had rendred them neceſſary. For that thoſe hereticks, One God.beginning with their Simon and Helena, had introduced a plurality of Gods (and ſo made the Profeſſion of the Ʋnitie, part of the ſymbolum that ſhould diſcriminate the Orthodox from them) and affirmed that their Aeones or Angels were begotten by Helena (Simon's foreign,Of all things viſible, and inviſible. firſt cogitation) and that the world was created by them, and that the God of the Jewes was but one of thoſe Angels (and a great deal of the like) appears by Irenaeus, l. 1. c. 22. And theſe two interſertions were clear explications of the Apoſtles old form, God the Father, Ruler of all, Maker of heaven and earth, which ſufficiently contained an acknowledgment of the Ʋnitie (for how elſe could he be monarch, or, Ruler of all?) and alſo aſſerted him the Creator of all the Angels (who were certainly comprehended under the heaven and earth, the phraſe of Scripture to denote the world) but yet was capable of more light, by theſe more explicite words (viſible and inviſible) to exclude the contradictions of hereticks.
§. 4. And though the Creed in the ancient Apoſtolick form were ſufficient for any man to believe & profeſſe, yet when the Church hath thought meet to erect that additional bulwark againſt hereticks, the rejecting (or denying the truth of) thoſe their additions, may juſtly be deemed an interpretative ſiding with thoſe antient, or a deſire to introduce ſome new hereſies, And though good life might have been founded without thoſe additions if on ſuch occaſions they had never been made, yet the pride or ſingularity (or heretical deſigne) of oppoſing or queſtioning them (now they are framed) being themſelves unreconcileable with Chriſtian charity, and humility, are deſtructive of the fabrick directly, and interpretatively of the very foundation, and is therefore juſtly deemed criminous, and lyable to Cenſures in the Church of God.
One Lord Jeſus Chriſt, &c.§. 5. So likewiſe the Oneneſs of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt (as before of the Father referring to the ſeveral hypoſtaſes in the one eternal, indiviſible, divine nature, and the eternity of the Sons generation, and his coeternity, and conſubſtantiality with the Father, when he came down from heaven, and was incarnate &c. for us men peculiarly (not for Angels) and for our ſalvation; and laſtly the perpetuity of his kingdome added in the cloſe, all theſe are aſſertions equivalent to thoſe, which had been before compriſed in the antient, more ſimple, uncompounded article, but were uſefull to be thus enlarged, and explicated, when the Arians oppoſed the Apoſtolick tradition, and by corrupting, detorted the words of ſcripture to their ſenſe.
§. 6. This is elſwhere more largely ſhewed (in the note on 1 Joh. 5.7.) And all that will opportunely here be added, is onelyonly this, that they which, according to the Apoſtles depoſitum, or doctrine in every Church, believed the deſcent, and incarnation of the eternal God, on purpoſe to reſcue mankinde from all impurities, to reveal the whole divine will for the regulating mens lives, to atteſt it by his death, and evidence it by his reſurrection, &c. and at laſt to come to judge the world according to this determinate rule, had all thoſe branches of Chriſtian faith, which were required to qualifie mankinde to ſubmit to Chriſt's reformation. And 'tis the wilfull oppoſing theſe more explicite articles, the reſiſting them, when they are competently propoſed from the definition of the Church (and not the not-believing them thus explicitly, when either they are not revealed, or not with that conviction, againſt which he cannot blameleſly and without pertinacy of his will hold out) that will bring danger of ruine on any.
The H. Ghoſt the Lord and giver of life &c.§. 7. That which is added of the holy Ghoſt [the Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, (ſuppoſing with the Weſtern Church, that the [Filió que ] was found in the firſt copies, and acts of that Councel) who with the Father and the Son together is worſhipped and glorified, who ſpake by the Prophets] is in like manner an enlargement, and explication of the more brief Apoſtolick form, and the ſubſtance thereof was compriſed formerly in that uncompounded ſtyle (fitter then for the belief, and memory of all) but was afterward prudently enlarged for the repelling, and preventing the poyſon of heretical invaders, the Montaniſts and Macedonians, &c.
§. 8.One baptiſme for the Remiſſion of ſins. And ſo likewiſe that addition of the one Baptiſme prefixt to the Remiſſion of ſins was on purpoſe deſign'd againſt the Novatians, whoſe pretenſions were conſidered, and condemned in the Councel of Nice; The practiſes of the Churches in receiving thoſe that had fallen into groſs ſins after baptiſme, had been ſomewhat different, in ſome parts milder, as in the Church of Rome, in others more rigid; The Church of Rome had given ſome liberty for the great offenders, murtherers, adulterers, and ſuch as had fallen to Idol-worſhip, in time of perſecution, viz: that after many years penance they might be reſtored to the Communion, and peace of the Church, without any new baptiſme (ſuch as was uſed in admitting heathens) only by impoſition of hands, or abſolution; extending the virtue of baptiſme formerly received, to the waſhing away of theſe ſins committed after baptiſm, in caſe of ſincere repentance and forſaking of them; This the Novatians diſliked, and thereupon brake off, and made a ſchiſme in the Church. And the Councel of Nice taking cognizance of the matter, judged againſt Novatus and his followers, that there was place for a ſecond repentance, and not only for that firſt before Baptiſme, as appears by the Canons of that Councel. And this was it, that was referred to, in this more enlarged paſſage of their Creed, and the uſe of it thought very conſiderable for the reducing of lapſt Chriſtians, as the Apoſtolical article of remiſſion of ſins indefinitely, had been for the attracting heathens. And this, and all the former additions, being thus ſetled by the Ʋniverſal Church, were▪ and ſtill are, in all reaſon, without diſputing, to be received, and embraced by the preſent Church, and every meek member thereof, with that Reverence that is due to Apoſtolick truths, that thankfulneſs, which is our meet tribute to thoſe ſacred champions for their ſeaſonable, and provident propugning of our faith, with ſuch timely, and neceſſary application to practiſe that the holy Ghoſt, ſpeaking to us now, under the times of the New Teſtament, by the Governours of the Chriſtian Churches (Chriſt's mediate ſucceſſors in the Prophetick Paſtoral, Epiſcopal office) as he had formerly ſpoken by the Prophets of the Old Teſtament, ſent immediately by him, may finde a cheerful audience, and receive all uniform ſubmiſſion from us.
§. 9. And this is all that is here neceſſary to be ſaid of this ſecond Creed.
CHAP. X. Of the Athanaſian Creed.
§. 1. OF the Athanaſian Creed (as it is uſually called) two things will be briefly conſiderable, 1. The doctrine of it, 2. The curſes and damnation denounced againſt thoſe, who doe not entirely maintain it, without the corruptions, and mixtures of the hereticks.
§. 2.The Doctrine of the Athanaſian Creed. The Doctrine is (well-nigh all of it) the aſſerting the Ʋnity of the Divine nature, and the Trinity of hypoſtaſes, whether ſubſiſtences ▪ as the Greek Church called it, or, as the Latine, perſonae, perſons in it, and that in oppoſition to ſeveral novel propoſitions, which had by hereticks been introduced in the Church, and ſo, (as the vices of men ſuggeſt lawes) occaſioned ſuch explications, and enlargements. And of theſe again (much more then of the Nicene ſuperadditions) it may be reaſonably affirmed, that being the explications of a Father of the Church, and not of a whole Ʋniverſal Councel, or of the Church repreſentative, they were neither neceſſary to be explicitly acknowledged, before they were convincingly revealed, nor ſimply and abſolutely impoſeable on any particular man, any farther then he was a member of ſome Church, which had actually received Athanaſius's explication (as it is apparent the Weſtern Churches did) or then it appeared concordant with the more authentick Ʋniverſal Confeſſions, as every doctrinal propoſition of it, will be found to doe.
The Cenſures.§. 3. As for the Cenſures annext 1. in the beginning [that except a man keep the Catholick faith (of which this is ſet down, not as the entire form, but an explication, or interpretation of ſome parts of it) whole and undefiled, he ſhall doubtleſs periſh everlaſtingly] 2dly, in the middle [he that will be ſaved, muſt thus think,] and [it is neceſſary to everlaſting ſalvation that he alſo believe rightly in the incarnation &c.] and 3dly, in the end [this is the Catholick Faith, which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be ſaved] I ſuppoſe they muſt be interpreted by their oppoſition to thoſe hereſies, that had invaded the Church, & wch were acts of carnality in them that broached, and maintained them, againſt the Apoſtolick Doctrine, and contradictory to that foundation, which had been reſolved on, as neceſſary to bring the world to the obedience of Chriſt, and were therefore to be anathematized after this manner, and with deteſtation branded, and baniſhed out of the Church; Not that it was hereby defined to be a damnable ſin to fail in the underſtanding, or believing the full matter of any of thoſe explications, before they were propounded, and when it might more reaſonably be deemed not to be any fault of the will, to which this were imputable.