life, describe God so infinitely glorious, so transcendently gracious, so loving in himself, so merciful in his Son, so wonderful in all his works, that the sole confession of it glorifieth God; and how can we expect to enter into that glory which is none of ours, if we deny God that glory which is his? Lastly, the concealing those truths which he hath revealed, the not acknowledging that faith which we are thought to believe, is so far from giving God that glory which is due unto him, that it dishonoureth the faith which it refuseth or neglecteth to profess, and casteth a kind of contumely upon the author of it, as if God had revealed that which man should be ashamed to acknowledge. Wherefore he that came to save us hath also said unto us, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels." (Luke ix. 26.) Such a necessity there is of confession of faith, in respect of God, who commanded it, and is glorified in it; in respect of ourselves, who shall be rewarded for it; and in respect of our brethren, who are edified and confirmed by it. Which necessity the wisdom of the Church in former ages has thought a sufficient ground to command the recitation of the CREED at the first initiation into the Church by baptism* (for which purpose it was taught Ὁ τὸν κανόνα τῆς ἀληθείας ἀκλινῆ ἐν ἑαυτῷ κατέχων, ὃν διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσμαTOS Eiληpe. Iren. 1. i. c. 1. 'Cum sub tribus et testatio fidei et sponsio salutis pignerentur, necessario adjicitur Ecclesiæ mentio, quoniam ubi tres, id est, Pater, Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus, ibi_Ecclesia, quæ trium corpus est.' Tertull. de Baptis. c. 6. 'In quem tingueret? in poenitentiam? quo ergo illi præcursorem? in peccatorum remissionem, quam verbo dabat? in semetipsum, quem humilitate celabat? in Spiritum Sanctum, qui nondum a Patre descenderat? in Ecclesiam, quam nondum Apostoli struxerant? Ibid. c. 11. 'Dehinc ter mergimur, amplius aliquid respondentes quam Dominus in Evangelio determinavit.' Id. de Cor. Militis, c. 3. Sed et ipsa interrogatio, quæ fit in Baptismo, testis est veritatis, nam cum dicimus, Credis in vitam æternam, et remissionem peccatorum per sanctam Ecclesiam? intelligimus remissionem peccatorum non nisi in Ecclesia dari.' S. Cyprianus, ep. ad Januarium, &c. §. 2. 'Quod si aliquis illud opponit, ut dicat, eandem Novatianum Legem tenere quam Catholica Ecclesia teneat, eodem Symbolo quo et nos baptizare, eundem nosse Deum Patrem, eundem Filium Christum, eundem Spi ritum Sanctum, ac propterea usur- and expounded to those which were to be baptized immediately before the great solemnity of Easter), and to require a et in crucem ejus? dixisti, Credo, et mersisti, ideo et Christo es consepultus. Tertio interrogatus, Credis in Spiritum Sanctum? dixisti, Credo; tertio mersisti: ut multiplicem lapsum superioris ætatis absolveret trina confessio.' Ambros. de Sacram. 1. ii. c. 7. Leo speaks thus of Eutyches in his Epistle to Flavianus: 'Quam enim eruditionem de sacris Novi et Veteris Testamenti paginis acquisivit, qui ne ipsius quidem Symboli initia comprehendit? et quod per totum mundum omnium regenerandorum voce depromitur, istius adhuc senis corde non capitur. Ep. X. c. 1. And in the 12. Book de Trinitate, p. 304. ed. Chifflet. 1664. (formerly attributed to Athanasius, but more probably now thought to belong to Vigilius Tapsensis): 'Nec non et illa magna et beata Confessio Fidei, imo ipsa Fides Sanctorum, et Testamentum quod disposuimus ad Patrem, Filium, et Spiritum Sanctum, ad sacrum lavacrum regenerationis venientes, Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus unigenitum, et in Spiritum Sanctum.' Kalws πaρελάβομεν παρὰ τῶν πρὸ ἡμῶν ἐπισκόπων ἔν τε τῇ πρώτη κατηχήσει, καὶ ὅτε τὸ λουτρὸν ἐλαμβάνομεν. Εuseb. of the Confession of Faith which he exhibited to the council of Nice, Socr. 1. i. c. 8. Theodor. l. i. c. 12. Abrenuncio, inquis, Diabolo, pompis, spectaculis, et operibus ejus, et quid postea? Credo, inquis, in Deum Patrem omnipotentem. Salvianus de Gubern. Dei, lib. vi. p. 208. ed. Altorf. 1611. al. p. 182. And when this Creed was enlarged by the council of Nice, and after that by others, Epiphanius commends it to the Catechumeni, to be repeated at their baptism: οὕτως ἑκάστῳ τῶν κατηχουμένων τῶν μελλόντων τῷ ἁγίῳ λουτρῷ προσιέναι, οὐ μόνον ἐπαγγέλλειν ὀφεί λετε τὸ πιστεύειν τοῖς ἑαυτῶν υἱοῖς ἐν κυρίῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ διδάσκειν ῥητῶς, ὡς πάντων ἡ αὐτὴ μήτηρ ὑμῶν τε καὶ ἡμῶν, τὸ λέγειν, Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα θεὸν, &c. Epiphan. in Ancorato, §. 119. And when he had yet farther enlarged it by reason of some new emergent heresies, he commends it: páλiora Toïs τῷ ἁγίῳ λουτρῷ προσιοῦσιν, ἵνα ἀπαγ γέλλωσι καὶ λέγωσιν οὕτως. Ibid. The first council of Constantinople confirms the Nicene confession, as: πρεσβυτάτην τε οὖσαν καὶ ἀκόλουθον Barrioμari. Theodor. lib. v. cap. 9. And the council of Chalcedon of the same : ἣν, ὡς κοινὸν ἐξ ἁγίων σύν θημα, τοῖς μυουμένοις πρὸς τὴν τῆς υἱοθησίας παρεγγυῶμεν ἀσφάλειαν. Parte tertia. The Synod at Jerusalem: τὸ ἅγιον σύμβολον εἰς ὃ ἐβαπτίσθημεν καὶ βαπτίζομεν. The Synod at Tyre : ἐν αὐτῷ βαπτισθέντες καὶ βαπτίζοντες. And the council of Constantinople under Menna, to which the former sent their synodical letters: τὸ ἅγιον σύμβολον ἐν ᾧ πάντες ἐβαπτίσθημεν. Concil. Constantinop. sub Agap. et Menna, Act. 5. Basiliscus and Marcus in two several edicts, confirmed the same Nicene Creed with these words: εἰς ὃ ἡμεῖς τε καὶ πάντες οἱ πρὸ ἡμῶν πιστεύσαντες ἐβαπτίσθημεν. Evagr. I. iii. cap. 4. et 7. And the edict of the emperor Justinian:'Anathematizaverunt eos, qui aliam definitionem fidei, sive Symbolum, sive Mathema, tradunt accedentibus ad sanctum baptisma.' * Οτι δεῖ τοὺς φωτιζομένους τὴν πίστιν ἐκμανθάνειν, καὶ τῇ πέμπτῃ τῆς ἑβδομάδος ἀπαγγέλλειν τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ ἢ Tois TρEOBUTέpois. Concil. Laodic. Can. 46. Where it is to be observed that Пíoriç is taken for the Creed or Symbolum Fidei, and was so translated anciently, as appeareth by the Canon preserved in the Canon-law, and rendered thus: 'Baptizandos oportet Fidei Symbolum discere, et quinta feria ultimæ septimanæ vel Episcopo vel Presbyteris reddere.' De Consec. dist. 4. cap. 58. Symbolum etiam placuit ab omnibus Ecclesiis una die, i. e. ante octo dies Dominicæ resurrectionis, publice in Ecclesia competentibus prædicari.' Concil. Agath. cap. 13. Sicut antiqui Canones jubent, ante viginti dies Baptismi ad purgationem exorcismi Catechumeni currant, in quibus viginti diebus omnino Catechumeni Symbolum, quod est, Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, specialiter doceantur.' Concil. Bracar. 2. cap. 1. The Canon of the Laodicean Council, already mentioned, is verbatim rehearsed in the sixth council in Trulla, Can, 78. It appeareth therefore a general com particular* repetition of it publicly, as often as the sacrament of the Eucharist was administered, and a constant and perpetual inculcation of the same by the clergy to the people.† And as this necessity is great, as the practice useful and advantageous; so is the obligation of believing and confessing particular, binding every single Christian, observable in the number and person expressed, I believe. As if Christ did question every one in particular, as he did him who was born blind, after he had restored him his sight (and we are all in his condition), "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" Every single Christian is taught to make the same answer which he made, “Lord, I believe.” (John ix. 35, 38.) As if the Son of God did promise to every one of them which are gathered together in his name, what he promised to "one of the multitude, whose son had a dumb spirit, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth;" each one for himself returneth his answer, "Lord, I believe; Lord, help my unbelief." (Mark ix. 17, 23, 24.) Not that it is unlawful or unfit to use another number, and instead of I, to say We believe: for in taking in of others, we exclude not ourselves; and addition of charity can be no disparagement to confession of faith. St. Peter answered for the twelve, "We believe, and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." (John vi. 69.) For though Christ immediately replied that "one of them had a devil," yet is not St. Peter blamed, who knew it not. But every one is taught to express his own faith, because by that he is to stand or fall. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James v. 16.) for the benefit of his brother, but his faith availeth nothing for the justification of another. And it is otherwise very fit that our faith should be manifested by a particular confession, because it is effectual by particular application; therefore must it needs be proper for me to say, I believe, and to make profession of my "faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal. ii. 20.) Being then I have described the true nature and notion of mand of the church, that those who were to be baptized, should have a certain time allotted for the learning and rehearsing of the CREED. And in case of necessity, if any were baptized, they were to learn the CREED immediately after their Baptism: ör de (not as it is in the edition of Binius, both in this canon and in the former most absurdly, Ὅτι οὐ δεῖ) τοὺς ἐν νόσῳ παραλαμβάνοντας τὸ φώτισμα, καὶ εἶτα ἀναστάντας ἐκμανθάνειν τὴν πίστιν, καὶ γινώσκειν ὅτι θείας δωρεᾶς Karηženσav. Conc. Laod. Can. 47. As appears in the ancient Greek Liturgies, and the Decree of the third council of Toledo: 'Ut om ni sacrificii tempore ante communionem corporis Christi et sanguinis, juxta Orientalium partium morem, unanimiter clara voce sacratissimum fidei recenseant Symbolum.' t. ii. par. 2. p. 278. Concil. Gen. ed. Bin. Which custom as they call it of the Oriental parts, is said first to be introduced by Petrus Mongus at Alexandria, and after by Timotheus at Constantinople, as appears ont of the fragments of Theodorus Lector. + Symbolum, quod est signaculum fidei, et Orationem Dominicam discere, semper admoneant sacerdotes populum Christianum.' Concil. Mogunt. cap. 45. belief, the duty of confessing our faith, and the obligation of every particular Christian to believe and to confess; being in these three explications all, which can be imaginably contained in the first word of the CREED, must necessarily be included; it will now be easy for me to deliver, and for every particular person to understand what it is he says, and upon what ground he proceeds, when he begins his confession with these words, I believe, which I conceive may in this manner be fitly expressed. Although those things which I am ready to affirm be not apparent to my sense, so that I cannot say I see them; although they be not evident to my understanding of themselves, nor appear unto me true by the virtue of any natural and necessary cause, so that I cannot say I have any proper knowledge or science of them: yet, being they are certainly contained in the Scriptures, the writings of the blessed apostles and prophets; being those apostles and prophets were endued with miraculous power from above, and immediately inspired with the Holy Ghost, and consequently what they delivered was not the word of man, but God himself; being God is of that universal knowledge and infinite wisdom, that it is impossible he should be deceived, of that indefectible holiness and transcendent rectitude, that it is not imaginable he should intend to deceive any man, and consequently whatsoever he hath delivered for a truth must be necessarily and infallibly true; I readily and steadfastly assent unto them as most certain truths, and am as fully and absolutely, and more concerningly persuaded of them, than of any thing I see or know. And because that God who hath revealed them hath done it, not for my benefit only, but for the advantage of others, nor for that alone, but also for the manifestation of his own glory; being for those ends he hath commanded me to profess them, and hath promised an eternal reward upon my profession of them; being every particular person is to expect the justification of himself, and the salvation of his soul, upon the condition of his own faith; as with a certain and full persuasion I assent unto them, so with a fixed and undaunted resolution I will profess them; and with this faith in my heart, and confession in my mouth, in respect of the whole body of the CREED, and every article and particle in it, I sincerely, readily, resolvedly say, I BELieve. I BELIEVE in God. HAVING delivered the nature of faith, and the act of belief common to all the articles of the CREED, that we may understand what it is to believe; we shall proceed to the explication of the articles themselves, as the most necessary objects of our faith, that we may know what is chiefly to be believed. Where immediately we meet with another word as general as the former, and as universally concerned in every article, which is God; for if to believe be to assent upon the testimony of God, as we have before declared, then wheresoever belief is expressed, or implied, there is also the name of God understood, upon whose testimony we believe. He therefore whose authority is the ground and foundation of the whole, his existence begins the CREED, as the foundation of that authority. For if there can be no divine faith without the attestation of God, by which alone it becomes divine, and there can be no such attestation, except there were an existence of the testifier, then must it needs be proper to begin the confession of our faith with the agnition of our God. If his *name were thought fit to be expressed in the front of every action, even by the heathen, because they thought no action prospered but by his approbation; much more ought we to fix it before our confession, because without him to believe as we profess, is no less than a contradiction. Now these words, I believe in God, will require a double consideration; one, of the phrase or manner of speech; another, of the thing or nature of the truth in that manner expressed. For to believe with an addition of the preposition in, is a phrase or expression ordinarily conceived fit to be given to none but to God himself, as always implying, beside a bare act of faith, an addition of hope, love, and affiance. An observation, as I conceive, prevailing especially in the Latin church, grounded principally upon the authority of St. Augustin. Whereas among the Greeks, in whose language * Θεὸς, θεός· Εθος ἦν, ὅταν κατάρχοιντό τινος, θεὸς λέγειν, ἐπευφημιζομέ vois. Hesych. Lex. † For Ser. 181. which is upon the CREED, we find these words: Non dicit, Credo Deum, vel Credo Deo, quamvis et hæc saluti necessaria sint. Aliud enim est credere illi, aliud credere illum, aliud credere in illum. Credere illi, est credere vera esse quæ loquitur; Credere illum, credere quia ipse est Deus; Credere in illum, diligere illum.' And though that collection of Sermons de tempore under the name of St. Augustin be not all his (divers of them being translations of the Greek Homilies), yet this distinction may be collected out of other parts of his works. For, first, he distinguisheth very clearly and seriously between credere Deo, and credere in Deum. 'Nunquam aliquis Apostolorum dicere auderet, Qui credit in me. Credimus Apostolo, sed non credimus in Apostolum.' Tract. 54. in Psalm. And again: 'Credimus Paulo, sed non credimus in Paulum; credimus Petro, sed non credimus in Petrum.' Tract. 29. in Ioan. Secondly, he distinguisheth between credere Deum, and credere in Deum. Multum interest, utrum quis credat ipsum esse Christum, et utrum credat in Christum. Ille credit in Christum, qui et sperat in Christum, et diligit Christum.' De verbis Dom. Serm. 61. And, which is the sum of all, he puts a high value upon the preposition, as if, by virtue of the addition of in, the phrase did properly signify so great an accession unto faith: Quid est credere in Deum? Credendo amare, credendo diligere, credendo in eum ire, et ejus membris incorporari.' Tract. 29. in Ioan. Which doctrine of St. Augustin's being taken notice of by Peter Lombard, hath since been continued by the School-men; and Aquinas, Sum. ii. 22. q. 2. §. 2. ad prim. bringing all three under one act of faith, hath been contradicted by Durand. in 3. Sent. dis. 23. q. 7. §. 6. 'Credere in Deum non est precise actus fidei, sed fidei et caritatis simul; et sunt etiam plures, et non unus actus tantum.' By whose subtile, but yet clear, determination (as |