A sermon concerning the doctrine, unity, and profession of the Christian faith preached before the University of Oxford : to which is added an appendix concerning the Apostles Creed / by Tho. Smith ...

Appendix concerning the Apostles Creed.

THis form of Faith is called by a 1.1 Irenaeus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or the invariable Rule of Faith, received and openly profess'd and acknow∣ledged by the new Convert at his Baptism; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And so in several other places he refers not only to the Christian Faith in general, but to a fixt and known rule of it: As lib. 1. cap. 19. Cùm teneamus autem nos regulam veritatis. And lib. 2. cap. 43. Nusquam transferentes regulam, neque errantes ab artifice, neque abjicientes fidem—This rule of Faith is called some∣where by him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or little body or Sy∣stem of Articles, containing the sum and substance of the Christian Religion. Tertullian does also often mention the regula fidei, as a thing every where known and acknowledged; as in his Book against Hermoge∣nes, in the beginning, de praescript. cap. 13. Apol. cap. 47. And in his Book, de velandis Virginibus, in the beginning, Regula quidem fidei una omnino est, soia, immobilis (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) & irreformabilis; and is the same with what he calls soon after, Lex fidei, or the unal∣terable Law of Faith, which admits of no change; whereas the Church has a Power in matters of Eccle∣siastical Discipline and external behaviour, to make what alteration shall be judged most suitable to the rules of Piety, Prudence, Decency, and to variety of Circumstances of places, and times, and other acci∣dents. Hâc lege fidei manente, caetera jam disciplinae & conversationis admittunt novitatem corrections, ope∣rante scilicet & persiciente us{que} in finem gratiâ Dei. Thus in general there was an explicite rule of Faith,

or form of words in their times, who lived to∣ward the end of the second Century.

That this form was the same in the main with what we call the Apostles Creed, is next to be made out, which I shall do by laying down the words and Articles of that Form. I begin with Irenaeus, l. 1. c. 2. Ecclesia per universum orbem usque ad fines terrae semi∣nata, & ab Apostolis, & à Discipulis eorum accepit eam fidem, quae est in unum Deum Patrem omnipotentem qui fecit Coelum, & terram, mare, & omnia quae in eis sunt; & in unum Jesum Christum, filium Dei, incarnatum pro nostrâ salute, & in Spiritum Sanctum, qui per Prophe∣tas praedicavit dispositiones Dei, & adventum, & eam, quae est ex Virgine generationem, & passionem, & resur∣rectionem à mortuis, & in carne in Coelos ascensionem di∣lecti Jesu Christi Domini nostri, & de Coelis in gloriâ Patris adventum ejus, ad recapitulanda universa, & re∣suscitandam omnem carnem humani generis. Here is an explicite acknowledgment of the Doctrine of the Christian Faith, received all the World over by all Or∣thodox Christians, wherein they profess to believe in one God the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all things which are therein: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, incar∣nate; that he was born of a Virgin, suffered, rose from the dead, ascended into Heaven, and that he shall come again in the glory of the Father, and that he shall raise the dead; and in the Holy Ghost. It is not here undertaken to be proved, that it is the same in every expression of it; for that is variable; or in all its clauses, several of which were added in after times for wise and just reasons and ends mentioned before by Rufinus. But it is evident, that the beginning was ever the same, the Article of one God, Almighty,

maker of the World, or of all things, or of Heaven and Earth: For they were not confined to a Phrase, and the explication was various: And then immedi∣ately follows the Article concerning our Blessed Sa∣viour Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Lord—this Solemn Profession being so common and univer∣sal, that the Fathers who refer to it, in all probabi∣lity thought it unnecessary oftentimes to repeat any more than the beginning, the rest being easily under∣stood. So, l. 1. c. 19. Cùm teneamus nos autem re∣gulam veritatis, id est, quia sit unus Deus, omnipo∣tens, qui omnia condidit per verbum suum & aptavit, & fecit ex eo, quod non erat, ad hoc, ut sint omnia—lib. 2. cap. 43. Nunquam transferentes regulam, neque errantes ab artifice, neque abjicientes fidem, quae est in unum Deum, qui fecit omnia. lib. 4. cap. 45. Hi & eam, quae est in unum Deum, qui omnia fecit, fidem no∣stram custodiunt, & eam, quae est in Filium Dei, di∣lectionem adaugent, qui tantas dispositiones propter nos fecit: And to the same effect cap. 62. Omnia er constant, & in unum Deum Omnipotentem, ex quo om∣nia, fides integra, & in Filium Dei Christum Jesum Dominum nostrum.

He supposes all along, that this Confession of Faith and particular form, agreeable to what we find in the Creed, was handed down in the way of Tradition from the Apostles. Thus, lib. 3. cap. 3. speaking of St. Clement, he says, that in his Epistle to the Corin∣thians, he did annuntiare quam in recenti ab Apostolis receperant traditionem, annuntiantem Unum Deum, Omnipotentem, factorem Coeli & terrae: But more ex∣presly and fully in the 4th. Cap. Quid autem si neque Apostoli quidem Scripturas reliquissent nobis, nonne oportebat ordinem sequi traditionis, quam tradiderunt

iis, quibus committebant Ecclesias? Cur ordination assentiunt multae gentes Barbarorum, quorum fortassè aliqui qui in Christum credunt, sine chartâ & atramento Scriptam habentes per Spiritum in cordibus suis salu∣tem, & veterem traditionem diligenter custodientes, in unum Deum credentes, fabricatorem Coeli & terrae, & omnium, quae in iis sunt, per Jesum Christum Dei filium. Qui propter eminentissimam erga figmentum suum dilectionem, eam quae esset ex Virgine, genera∣tionem sustinuit, ipse per se hominem adunans Deo, & passus sub Pontio Pilato, & resurgens, & in claritate receptus in gloriâ, venturus salvator eorum, qui sal∣vantur, & judex eorum, qui judicantur, & mittens in ignem aeternum transfiguratores veritatis & contemp∣tores Patris sui & adventûs sui.

To this form or rule Tertullian plainly alludes in his Book against Praxeas, making it as Ancient as the first Preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles, cap. 2. Nos verò & semper & nunc magis, ut instructiones per Paracletum, deductorem Scil. omnis veritatis, unicum quidem Deum Credimus, sub hûc tamen dispen∣satione, quam Oeconomiam credimus, ut unici Dei sit & filius sermo ipsius, qui ex ipso processerit, per quem omnia facta sunt, & sine quo factum est nihil. Hunc missum à Patre in Virginem, & ex eâ natum hominem & Deum, filium hominis, & filium Dei, & cognominatum Jesum Christum, hunc passum, hunc mortuum, & se∣pultum secundum Scripturas, & resuscitatum à Patre, & in Caelos resumptum, sedere ad dextram Patris, ven∣turum judicare vivos & mortuos, qui exinde miserit secundum promissionem suam, à Patre, Spiritum Sanctum, Paracletum, Sanctificatorem fidei eorum, qui credunt in Patrem, & Filium, & Spiritum Sanctum. Hanc re∣gulam ab initio Evangelii decucurrisse etiam ante priores

quosque haereticos, nedum ante Praxean hesternum, pro∣babit tam ipsa Posteritas omnium haereticorum, quam ipsa novellitas Praxeae hesterni. But more contracted∣ly in his Book de velandis Virginibus, thus, Regula quidem sidei una omnino est, sola, immobilis, & irre∣formabilis, credendi Scil. in Unicum Deum, Omnipo∣tentem, mundi conditorem & Filium eius Jesum Chri∣stum, natum ex Virgine Mariâ, crucisixum sub Pontio Pilato, tertio die resuscitatum à mortuis, receptum in Caelis, sedentem nunc ad dextram Patris, venturum ju∣dicare vivos & mortuos, per carnis etiam resurrectionem.

Novatianus, a Roman Presbyter, who lived about the Year 240, thus begins his Book de Trinitate. Regula exigit veritatis, ut primò omnium credamus in Deum Patrem & dominum omnipotentem, id est, verum omnium perfectissimum conditorem. Cap. 9. Eadem regula veritatis docet nos credere, post Patrem, etiam in Filium Dei, Christum Jesum dominum Deum nostrum, Dei filium, hujus Dei, qui & unus & solus est, condi∣tor scilicet rerum omnium; ut jam & superius expres∣sum est. Cap. 29. Sed enim odorationis & fidei aucto∣ritas, digestis vocibus & literis Domini, admonet nos post hoc credere etiam in Spiritum Sanctum.

That the Apostles made a Creed, and that this ac∣cording to the limitations laid down above, is that Creed; both History and Tradition justly induce us to believe, and it appears hence, that it is a meer Fancy and conjecture of Vossius, dissert. prima de tri∣bus symbolis, Sect. 24. When he says, that it was composed by the Bishop and Clergy of Rome, (he means Pope Damasus) about the Year of Christ 400. For besides what has been said already, Rufinus, who lived at that time in the Neighbouring Church of Aquileia, speaks of it, as of a most Ancient form in

use in the preceding Ages: And Vigilius, lib. 4. con∣tra Eutychem, who lived about the Year of Christ 500, under Zeno and Anastasius, puts it out of all doubt, quoting the words of St. Leo, and answering the objection from the variety of the reading. Uni∣versitas prositetur credere se in Deum Patrem omnipo∣tentem, & in Jesum Christum silium eius Dominum no∣strum. Huic capitulo ob id iste calumniatur; cur non, dixit, in unum Jesum Christum, silium ejus, juxtà Nicaeni decretum consilii? Sed Roma & antequam Nicaena Synodus conveniret, à temporibus Apostolo∣rum usque ad nunc, & sub beatae memoriae Caelestino, cui iste rectae fidei testimonium reddidit, ità sidelibus symbolum tradidit, nec praejudicant verba ubi sensus incolumis permanet. This Creed was in use in the Roman Church long before the times of the first Council at Nice; yea, from the first times of the Apostles. St. Leo, in his Epistle to the Empress Pulcheria, Epist. 27. Ipsius Catholicae symboli brevis & perfecta confessio, quae duodecim Apostolorum toti∣dem est signata sententiis, tam instructa sit in muniti∣one Caelesti, ut omnes haereticorum opiniones solo pos∣sint gladio detruncari. Serm. 24. Catholici & Apo∣stolici symboli regula. Serm. 60. Qui est de Passione Domini Christi hâc sidei regulà, diledissimi, quam in ipso exordio symboli per auctoritatem Apostolicae institu∣tionis accepimus. Serm. 93. Instituto à S. Apostolis Symbolo repugnantes. And above one hundred Years before him, oo 1.2 St. Ambrose, and other Bishops with him, in an Epistle to Pope Syricius, Credatur Symbolo Apostolorum, quod Ecclesia Romana inteme∣ratum semper custod••t & servat. The Confession of Faith made by Marcellus, Bishop of Anerra, during his stay at Rome with Pope Juli••••, agrees almost in

every particular with the Apostolical form; which I shall here set down out of Epiphanius, haeres. 72. Sect. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

This must be before the Year 352. in which Pope Julius dyed: And Marcellus himself, who had been made Bishop in the Reign of Constantine, as appears by his Subscription to the Ancyran Council, which was held some few Years before that at Nice, only lived to the Year of Christ 373. So that these in∣stances sufficiently demonstrate, that this Apostolical form was used in the Roman Church before the Year 400, which is the assertion of Vossius, pag. 18. But whether it was used elsewhere or no, we shall see pre∣sently.

It will be altogether impertinent to alledge, that this is to be understood of the Creed, as now we have it, totidem syllabis: For this no one ever thought of; but the question is double, whether the Apostles made a form of Faith for the use of the new Converts, or no; and whether this form is not the same in the ge∣neral, notwithstanding those few insertions and va∣riations, which were made before it was thus fixt. For the affirmative of both which, we have positive Proofs, and nothing of any moment is alledged by Vossius to invalidate either them or the Tradition of the Church. All his other Arguments are such as these; that if the Apostles had agreed upon any form, St. Luke, who wrote their Acts, would not have omitted it, or at least, some of the Apostles themselves would have transcribed it into their Epistles. But the

Creed is supposed all along in the Apostolical wri∣tings, which were written to such, as had been al∣ready Converted to the Christian Faith, and so are not to be look'd upon as an Institution, so much as a Direction to and confirmation of them in the Chri∣stian Doctrine: And besides, there was no necessity that it should be put down in writing, it being short, and easily remembred; as St. Hierome justly sup∣poses, ad Pammachium, 61 Epist. In Symbolo fidei & spei nostrae, quod ab Apostolis traditum, non scri∣bitur in chartâ & atramento, sed in tabulis cordis car∣nalibus. b 1.3 Again, he pretends, that if there had been such a form, it would have been the same every where. I am sure it was so in effect, and in the main: And we shall shew presently, that the Oriental Creed was not so different in the expression, but that at first it might be the very same, those varieties happening up∣on the occasions above mentioned, to secure the Catholick Doctrine a∣gainst the innovations of Hereticks. Again, he pre∣tends, that granting such additions to have been made, nothing can be imagined more irreligious, than to suppose the Holy Fathers of the Primitive Church to have razed many things out of this Apostolical form; but this is a bare supposition of his own; nor can it be proved, that ever any such thing was so much as ever attempted; for they only added a few words for necessary explication. Again, he pretends, that no Ecclesiastical Writer or Council make mention of it. To the former part of his Assertion we oppose the Authorities of Irenaeus, Tertullian, Novatianus, St.

Ambrose, St. Hierome, Rufinus, St. Leo, Vigilius—And for the Greek Historians, we shall find, that they, following the Opinion and Acknowledgment of the Nicene Fathers, look'd upon that form, making some allowances, to be derived from the Apostles, not only as to the sense of the Articles, but as to the expressions: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Epiphanius in Anchorato, just after he had repeated the Nicene Creed. We are therefore in the next place to enquire, whether there was not a form of Faith used in the Oriental Churches, long before the Coun∣cil at Nice, and what that was.

a 1.4 Eusebius Pamphili, Bishop of Caesarea in Pa∣laestine, proposed a Creed, or form of Faith to the Emperour and Nicene Fathers, which, he says, he had received from the Bishops his Predecessors, and had been taught and Catechized in, and made pro∣fession of at his Baptism, according to the establish∣ment and order of the Catholick Church. The ground of this, those great and wise Men, who were Assem∣bled in that Council, thought sit to retain, making some alterations and additions, which were judged necessary to confound the Heresie of Arius, which had distracted the minds of the People, and disturbed the Peace of the Empire. The b 1.5 Fathers of the first Council at Constantinople call this Nicene form, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, most Ancient, and what was pronounced by the Candidates of Baptism. If the form of the old Jerusalem Creed were entirely extant (part of which we have in the Liturgy of St. James) the matter would then be put out of doubt; for that it was more contracted than that form, which St. Cyril about the Year 350 explained in his Learned

Lectures or Institutions, to those who had been Baptized, ap∣pears by the Fragment preserved.

The form which Eusebius presented to the Emperour and Council, was thus. We believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, God of God, light of light, life of life, the only begotten Son, the first-born of every Creature, begotten of God the Father before all Worlds, by whom all things were made, who for our Salvation was Incarnate, and conversed a∣mong men; he Suffered, and rose the third day, and ascended to the Father, and he shall come again with glory to Judge both the quick and the dead—We believe also in the Holy Ghost—I do not pretend to say, that this was the old form used from the be∣ginning; for it is plain from the very contexture, and from the omission of some Clauses by the Nicene Fathers, that they lookt upon this as interpolated. It being certain and undoubted, that there was an old Apostolical form, or form used from the very beginnings of Christianity to be profest at Baptism, the Bishops of the chief Sees thought themselves at liberty to explain or add, as they judged most proper for the time wherein they lived; which is the true Reason, as I must intimate again, why the forms are so various. And especially when we consider, that accord∣ing to the form of Baptism, the chief design of this Profession of Faith made at the receiving it, was an explicite acknowledg∣ment of each of the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity: And accordingly here the Nicene Creed stops (for that which is com∣monly called so, ought, upon the account of the several additi∣ons, to be called the Constantinopolitan Creed.) Though that in some other old Creeds were added the Articles of the Resur∣rection of the Flesh, and of everlasting Life, appears from the a 1.6 Confession of the Bishops met at Antioch not long after un∣der Constantius. And that of one Church also, in others, as St. b 1.7 Jerome positively asserts. And that of Remission of Sins,

and everlasting Life, is clear from St. c 1.8 Cyprian. Agreeably to this, Vossius supposeth the old Eastern Creed to be this, or after this manner. I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of all things, visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God, who for us men, and for our Sal∣vation came down from Heaven, and was Incarnate, and was made man: He suffered, and rose the third day from the dead, and ascended into the Heavens, and he shall come again to judge both the quick and the dead. And (I believe) in the Holy Ghost.

If this should be allowed him, which has no other Autho∣rity but his own conjecture, yet we may hence conclude, that both the Eastern and the Western Churches may well and justly pretend to derive their forms from the Apostles: Which must be understood as to the ground of each Creed, and in the ge∣neral. For that the Apostles did Pen every word, or every Ar∣ticle of the Creed, which now bears their Name, was never pretended or asserted by any one: Nay, the contrary is now, and was Anciently acknowledged, and the variety of forms in the chief Apostolical Sees, used according to the exigence of the times, is a convincing Proof. But this doth not hinder, but rather suppose; that there was a short Form proposed by the Apostles, as the Ancient Writers have asserted: And that the old Oriental Creed, and the old Roman are almost in expression, but wholly in effect, the same, and consequently Apostolical.

FINIS.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Lib. 1. adv. haereses, cap. 1.
• oo 1.2

  Epist. lib. 1. Epist. 7. 〈…〉〈…〉 1614. 〈…〉〈…〉 1538. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉
• b 1.3

  Rufinus in expositione Symboli idcirco non scribi chartulis atque mem∣branis, sed retineri cordibus tradide∣runt: Ut certum esset neminem haec ex lectione, quae interdum per venire etiam ad Infideles solet, sed ex Apo∣stolorum traditione didicisse. Fa∣cundus Hermianensis in defensione trium Capitulorum Concilii Chalce∣donensis, lib. 8. cap. 7. Sic nec ge∣nerali Symbolo fidei Christianae, quâ initiamur, quicquam est fortius, quam vis non Scripto non tradatur.
• a 1.4

  In Epistolâ ad suos Caesa∣rienses apud Socrat. Histor. Eccles. lib. 1. cap. 8 Theo∣dorit. Hist. Eccl. lib. 1. cap. 12.
• b 1.5

  Theodo∣rit. lib. 5. cap. 9.
• a 1.6

  Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 10.
• b 1.7

  In Sym∣bolo fidei & spei nostrae, quod ab Apostolis traditur, non scribitur, in chartis & atramento, sed tabulis cordis carnalibus, per confessionem Trinitatis & unitatem Ecclesse, omne Christiani dogma∣tis Sacramentum carnis resurrectione concluditur. Epist. 61. ad Pammachium adversus er∣rores Joannis Hierosolymitani.
• c 1.8

  Epist. 70. Sed & ipsa in∣terrogatio, quae fit in Baptismo, est testis verita∣tis. Nam cum dicimus, credis in vitam aeter∣nam & remis∣sionem peccato∣rum per San∣ctam Ecclesiam, intelligimus remissionem peccatorum non nisi in Ecclesiâ dari. Epist. 76. Magno. Quod si aliquis illud opponit, ut dicat eandem Novatianum legem tenere, quam Ecclesia Catholica teneat, eodem Symbolo, quo & nos Baptizare, &c. Nam cum dicunt, credis remissionem peccatorum & vitam aeternam per Sanctam Ecclesiam, mentiuntur in in∣terrogatione, quando non habeant Ecclesiam.