Fides Apostolica OR A Discourse asserting the received Authors and Authority of the APOSTLES CREED . TOGETHER WITH The Grounds and Ends of the Composing thereof by the APOSTLES , the sufficiency thereof for the Rule of Faith , the Reasons of the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Originall Greeke , and the Division or Parts of it . Hereunto is added a double Appendix , the First touching the ATHANASIAN , the Second touching the NICENE Creed .

By GEO. ASHWELL B. D.

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Jud. v. 3. Christianus , mihi nomen est ; Catholicus vero Cognomen . Pacian . Ep. ad Symp.

I shall believe that the Apostles Creed was made by them ( such Reverence I beare to the Churches Tradition ) untill other Authors be certainly found out . K. Ch. 5 Paper to M. Henderson .

OXFORD , Printed by LEON . LICHFIELD Printer to the University , for Jo. Godwin , and Ric. Davis . 1653.

OUR Blessed Saviour , speaking of his second Comming , maketh this question or complaint , when the Sonne of man commeth , shall he find faith on the Earth . Luke 18. 8. Now he puts this question , to put it out of question , for this seeming doubt is a strong Affirmation , and amounts to a vehement Complaint , that when he shall come to Judgement , he shall find little or no faith amongst men . No faith , in matter of Practise ; each man will be false to his Brother : Homo homini Vulpes , as well as lupus ; the wisdome of the world , so generally counted and esteemed , being nought else but overreaching , the ancient Christian simplicity will be quite lost ; and the Serpent expell the Dove : nothing but insinuating Complements , and faire speeches , ( like those of the Serpent , to our Grandmother Eve ) will every where practise to deceive , under pretence of friendship . Nor , on the other side , will there be faith found in matter of Doctrine ; Religion shall be lamentably torne and mangled by intestine Combats of the Tongue and Pen ; New opinions shall be in Credit , as new fashions ; till faith , of one by Division become none ; as a great entire streame looseth it self , and is quite dried up , when parted into severall small Channels .

Now , that this day is neere approaching , these sad Prognosticks tell us ; especially the latter , wherewith the present Age so greivously labours ; all which mischeife both heretofore arose amongst us , and now tyrannizeth over us , for want of a sure Rule or Ground of faith , rightly understood and applied . The holy Scripture indeed is an aboundantly sufficient Ground of our Beleife , and Rule of manners ; but being exposed , as now adayes it is , to every mans private Fancy , the Glosse too too oft wyer-drawes and corrupts the Text ; so that we look upon Gods word , through a false-coloured Glasse ; Pretences of a private Spirit , and enthusiasticall Revelations , with the Anabaptist ; of right Reason , with the Sosinian ( which is as diverse in men , as their fancies or faces ) make what they please of Scripture , and force it to speak their mind ; thus by perverting it to their own sense , they are not judged by , but judge the Law ; and become ( as S. James in a like Case saith ) James : 4. 11. Not Doers [ or Beleevers ] of the Law , but Judges .

The Apostles , those renowned Patriarchs of the Christian faith , foreseing this evill left us a double Remedy , both by Tradition preserved in the Church , to be delivered down unto all Ages , from hand to hand , viz. a Rule or Ground of faith ; and the exposition ; or right applying of this Rule . The Ground or Rule , in the Creed , composed by themselves as a Summary of the points of Faith , which lie dispersedly here and there in the large volume of the Scriptures . The undoubted Exposition , and right applying of this Rule , they have left us in the writings of the Fathers , who were their Successours , to whose care and custody , they not only committed the Oracles of God in writing , and the Creed by word of mouth ; but the interpretation also of both , as they heard them expounded from their own mouthes , whil'st they lived and preached amongst them ; for in vaine had the Apostles given them the words , if they had not given them the sense withall , whereby to stop the mouthes of Hereticks , who arose even at the first preaching of the Gospell , as we may see in S. Pauls Epistles . This orthodoxe sense is that , which is so frequently mentioned in the writings of the Ancient Fathers , under the name of Depositum , Catholica seu Apostolica Traditio , fides Ecclesiae , and the like expressions ; and which Tertullian makes use of to confound the whole Hydra of Heresies , in his Book De Praeser : adu : Haeret. bidding the Hereticks goe to those mother-Churches , which the Apostles founded , and personally resided in , and to which they committed the true genuine Faith ; where saith he , yee shall heare no newes of your upstart heterodoxe Doctrines , invented by yourselves ; wherewith this proud factious Generation infested the Church , and led away after them many seduced Proselytes . Of this Tradition S. Paul speaks to his Disciple Timothy , whom he had left behind him as his Deputy at Ephesus , The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses , the same commit thou to faithfull men , who shall be able to teach others also . 2 Tim: 2. 2. And to the Church of Thessalonica , Brethren stand fast , and hold the Traditions which yee have bin taught , whether by word or our Epistle . 2 Thes: 2. 15. comp: v. 5. 6.

Observe here the cunning of Satan , whereby in all Times , but especially in these last and worst , he makes way , by these his fore-runners , for the comming of that great Anti-christ . He hath set men on work under pretence of honouring Scripture , as the sole Al-sufficient Rule of Faith ; and of withdrawing themselves from all dangerous Dependance on mens erroneous judgments ( seeing every man is a liar ) wholy referring and submitting themselves to the Holy Ghost , to be enlightened , guided , and directed by him ; some to render suspected : others by degrees to enervate , and secretly subvert : a third sort , openly to decry the judgment and Decisions of the Church , in the Councils and Fathers ; when in the interim , they are grossly and willingly ignorant , that what they denie to Her , they ascribe to themselves , strongly and confidently asserting that to be the sole meaning of the Holy Ghost , which agrees with their opinions , confirmes their fore-received Tenents , and favours their Side and Faction .

Now let all the world judge , if it will be but an indifferent Arbiter , whether it be not more equall to be judged , in point of Religion , by reverend Antiquity , then by upstart giddy Novelty : By the Consent of so many Auncient Worthies , who living long before our Times , are uninteressed and disengaged in our Quarrels ; then by the partiall Determinations of men educated in ; and addicted to a Faction : By the joynt consent of many , then the singular opinion of some one : By men eminent for Learning , who therefore well could not ; and for Piety , who therefore would not deceive us , then by the conceited Ignorance , and factious spirit of some proud Novellist , start up in this declining , wicked , Atheisticall Age : By those who lived neerest the Apostles Times , when the Church was one ( undevided into Greeke and Latine , Romish and Reformed , Lutheran and Calvinian ) when Tradition was fresh , and uncorrupted , like a streame running pure neere the Fountaine-head , which afterwards gathered Dreggs by running farther into the more remote and succeeding Ages ; then by the Schismatical Directions of latter , degenerate corrupt Times : Lastly ( which is farre the most effectuall Argument ) by those who as they had newly received , so constantly , unanimously , and uncorruptly held the Doctrinall Traditions of the Apostles , the genuine sense of Scripture , which they themselves left behind them , who left the Scripture it selfe ; then to pinne our Religion upon the sleeves of some Idolized Innovatour , who though he pretend the Authority of Gods Word , an unerring spirit , or the cleare inducements of Reason , yet in truth hath nothing but Impudence , and his Ipse dixit , to maintaine his Assertions . This Tradition it is , which made the Auncient Bishops and Doctors of the Primitive Church , so unanimous among themselves , in what Part of the World soever they lived , as having the same Deliverers of it who planted all those Churches , wherein they succeeded ; and so taught in all , as who received it from the same spirit , who received it from the same Christ , who received it from the same God the Father , as Tertullian deduceth its Pedegree out of St Iohns Gospel . Ch. 16. 13. 14 and Ch. 8. 28. Else , if they had followed their own private judgements , they must needs have often varied in their Determinations . Hence it is , that they make a great Distinction betweene what they received and published to the world , as Depositaries , Witnesses , Historians , and what Expositions or Conclusions they drew from their owne Braines , as being their private Opinions ; in the latter they leave every man to his owne Censure and Judgment , to receive or reject them as they find them Consonant to Scripture , Antiquity , and right Reason , but in the former , they require an absolute Assent , and condemne them all , for Hereticks , who goe not along with them in the same Path , in that they shewed there modesty , in this their Piety .

The Fathers being thus cashired , and appealed from as unmeet , illegall Judges , because obnoxious to errour , which hath been laboured to be made good by publishing som few paradoxicall Tenents , found in the writings of some one , or few of them , which they conceive to be Errours , though many of them perhaps will not appeare such upon due examination ; and after all their undutifull , malicious , Search , whereby , like Cham , they have laid open their Fathers nakednesse , they cannot finde one palpable Errour , which they can justly lay to the charge of all , or a major part of them , thus at last ( missing their aime ) they proceed farther to call the Creed in question , that undoubted Rule and Foundation of the Christian Faith , which the Apostles with so much care Composed , and left unto the Church , as a most pretious Depositum , the lydius , lapis or Touchstone of the Catholick Beliefe , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Orthodoxe Professours . They have called both the Authors , and Authority in question ; first , by doubting of , and raising scruples against it ; then absolutely denying , and laying down Arguments to disprove those Authours to whom it hath been constantly entitled : for they both fall together , take away the Authours , and the Authority will soone vanish ; for if the Creed were not framed by the Apostles , but collected out of Scripture by some uncertain , and obscure Composer , or Composers , whose names are buried in forgetfulnesse , seeing it containes some Articles which are not set down totidem verbis in any determinate Place of Holy Writ , 't were possible that some Points might be mistaken , not rightly gathered or deducted , ( as by a fallible Hand ) and so , the whole Frame of it of no more Authority , then some peice of a Father , or the Canon of a Councill , if so much . For though it be granted that all the Articles of the Creed be either expresse words of Scripture , or by an undoubted consequence deducible from it , yet the drawing of these Articles forth of Scripture , requires an unerring , and Divinely-guided Hand ; First , because none else can know which is an Article of Faith , that is , a Fundamentall , or Point necessary to Salvation , who is not divinely informed of Gods will and pleasure in this matter . Secondly , because the Judge of the consequence must be infallible , for otherwise it oft fals out , that what in one mans judgment is a necessary Deduction , is not so in anothers , but probable only , or perhaps false ; else we should have had lesse about the Trinity and Incarnation , two maine points of our Faith , to name no lesser ones . Having removed these two Forts out of their way , and demolished these Propugnacula fidei , then after they may safely build what new Fabricks they please , upon the abused Groundwork of Scripture ; or rather having digg'd up the Groundwork of the Creed , lay Reason for a new Foundation , on which to build Castles in the Aire ; imaginary structures : much like the enchanted Fortresses dream't of in the Monkish Romances ; then they may entertaine , whatsoever strange fancies they please , Fancies which unconstantly hover up and down in the Braine , like so many Cloudes in the middle Region , carried hither and thither by the wind , and presenting now this , now that monstrous shape : having removed these two Bounds of Faith , they may wander in the large field of Scripture at randome , scatter here & there what pernicious seeds they please , root up what was already sowen , confound the furrowes , mixe adulterate graines with the pure seed of the word , thus making havock of all , and turning the field into a Wildernesse .

And though they seem to honour Scripture , and appeale to it , as the sole adequate Rule of Theologicall Truth , yet in truth they use it but as a colour , to set off their new-fangled Inventions , the opinions bred within themselves ; and so wrest it to serve their own Turnes ; for where ever it seems to oppose them , they strait accuse the Copie of Bastardy , that such or such a Passage hath crept out of the Margin , or Glosse into the Text ; or the place hath been interlaced by some of the adverse Party , some opposite Father ; they alter at pleasure points , letters , words , yea dash out whole verses , and after all , torture the poore Remainder , till they have forced it to beare witnesse on their side , and speak what they would have it ; take but for instance the beginning of S. Johns Gospell , as 't is expounded by Volkelius . If they should openly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , reject Scripture , they would be exploded , and expell'd out of Christian Common-wealths , and so hindered from doing mischiefe ; but now the Divels craft makes use of those to undermine and subvert holy Scripture , who seem most to stand for it ; and to perswade the doctrines of men , who seem most to decry them .

In a word the body of Socinianisme ( to which we may now adde some other new Sects ) is compounded ( like some Hydra , or Chymera , or what other horrid Poeticall monster ) of the must pestilent & poysonous Heresies , which the Church hath ever laboured under , or condemned in all Ages ; And wheras this Age hath bin much given to Systems and Compendium's , least we should want one in any kind , these men have furnisht us with an Epitome of Heresies , a Breviary of Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : yea , which is worse yet , they have opened a large Gap for more , by making weak , depraved Reason ( without any other light or guide ; however the Scripture be pretended ) the sole Judg of Truth ; by abolishing faith , that Reason may be exalted in her Place ; that Reason , which is never the same , or constant to it self , either in diverse men , or the same man at diverse times ; & yet , though they so much cry up liberty of Opinion , they themselves are unwittingly , though willingly Slaves to Socinus ; else why doe they all follow him so close ? was he the only unerring Guide ? the monopolizer of Reason ? The Socinians indeed outwardly receive the Canon of Scripture , & much extoll it , to keep up their credit with the Christian world ; but expounding it ( as they doe ) in their own Sense , contrary to the received Interpretation of the Ancients , from & by whose hands they received the Canon it selfe , they doe as good as not receive it , for the Scripture consists in the sense , not in the words . And whosoever shall take a full survey of their opinions , will find that they imbrace no mystery therein revealed , but only what is demōstrable by , or ( at least ) fals within the Sphere of bare Reason , & the light of nature ; All the rest , which appeare , either opposite unto Reason , or placed above it , as the mysteries of the Trinity , the Hypostaticall union , Christs satisfaction for the sin of mankind , the Resurrection , of the same numericall Body , the everlasting punishment of the damned for temporall faults , &c. they cannot away with , because they can see no reason for them ; diverting in the meane time all those Testimonies of Scripture , which are produced to confirm these Principles , by altering ( as I said ) of words , letters . points , wresting of phrases , & affixing to the words new contrary Glosses ; & by perverting other places to serve their own turn , by false , unheard-of Expositions ; so that this right Reason proves a crooked Rule ; and instead of imforming us of the Truth , deformes the Originall , the Touchstone of its Triall . The Church of England in her 21 Article saith indeed , that Generall Councils may erre , and have erred , But shee saith not , that they have erred in matters of Faith , only shee infers from hence , wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to Salvation , have neither strength nor authority , unlesse it may be declared , that they be taken out of Holy Scripture . And good reason ; because the Scripture containes all things necessary to salvation . But by whom are these things to be so declared ? Sure by the Fathers assembled in a Generall Councill : So she makes these Fathers , Declarers , or Collectours of those necessary Points out of Scripture , and for ought I can see , judges of that necessity ; A very great Priviledge , and as much as was ever challenged by them . But she more expresly ties her Clergy to submit unto the judgment of the Fathers ( whether in , or out of a Councill ) in weighty Points of Religion ; Synod . Lond. An. 1571. Tit. 19. De Concionatoribus . Imprimis videbunt [ Cincionatores ] ne quid unquam doceant pro Concione , quod a Populo religiose teneri & credi velint , nisi quod consentaneum sit doctrinae veteris aut N●vi Testamenti ; quodque ex illa ipsâ doctrinâ Catholici Patres & veteres Episcopi collegerint . Where she makes the Orthodoxe Fathers , the sole Interpreters of Scripture , who are to be followed by Preachers , in matters of Consequence ; and ranks their Collections out of Holy Scripture with the letter it selfe ; which if it imploy not infallibility in expounding Scripture , I am sure , it comes very neere it .

Reason then , is not the Judge of all Truth , ( to which our Church may seeme to referre us , by making Councils fallible ) that is , bare naturall Reason ; but Reason enlightned : neither were the Fathers guided by it in the maine Principles of Religion , but by Faith relying on Authority divine , or universall Tradition . She may indeed , yea ought to search into , and examine Tradition , whether it be genuine or spurious , as the Beraeans , Acts 17. 11. examined S. Pauls Citations of the Old Testament , touching the Prophecies of the Messiah . But when the Tradition is found to be good and cleare , old and Catholick , then Reason must submit to it , although it may seeme to thwart , or exceed her .

Neither doth S. Peter bid us to give a reason of our faith , but to be ready to give an answer to every one that asketh us a reason of the hope that is in us . 1 Peter 3. 15. that is , upon what Grounds we expect eternall Happinesse , by the Profession and Practice of the Christian Religion ; and this answer , or reason to be given , not rashly or conceitedly , but with meeknesse and feare . Indeed , who the most Learned , much lesse every ordinary Christian ( who hath the charg there given him ) can give a Reason or Demonstration of all Mysteries in Religion ? some of which ( as the Trinity , and Incarnation ) we cannot so much as conceive , or comprehend , fully and distinctly . Besides the word ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) there may be as fitly rendred , a Reckoning or Account ; for the word is , thus elsewhere taken ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Give an Account of thy Stewardship , Luk: 16. 2. and , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they shall give an Account thereof , viz. of every idle word . Mat. 12. 36. but never as farre as I remember , is the word used for a medium , or Demonstrative Argument a Priori .

Is it not then the ready way to the Introduction of all Sects , of Libertinisme , yea ( at last ) of Atheisme it selfe , to bring all Points of Religion to the Censure , and Tribubunall of this conceitedly-blind Iudge , which according to the mad wish of that Roman Tyrant , cuts off the very neck of Religion at one blow ? For all Religions , which hitherto have dared to shew their face to the world , have grounded themselves on Authority either true or false ; on Reall , or Pretended Revelations ; The Grecians had their Oracles , Numa his Egeria , and Mahomet his pretended Gabriel ; as well as the Jewes had their Moses ; and Christians , their Jesus . Humane Reason , left to its own light , and guidance , never presumed in any Nation , to be the Mother of a new Religion : or a sufficient Directresse in it , yea , the light of Nature is acknowledged by the most acute Philosopher , to be dim , and darke in relation to Divine Objects ; compared therefore by him to the eye of an Owle at mid-day : 't is not able therefore of it self , to shew us the way to Heaven , who converse here in a spirituall Aegypt , a land of darknesse , which is our naturall state ; no getting into Canaan , but by a pillar of fire , supernaturally raised , and divinely moved .

Now as Anabaptisme is more suitable to the dreggs of the People , and worketh on the grosser humours of the Body Politicke , to whom Community of goods , and freedome from the power of Magistrates are pleasing Tenents : so this , as a poyson farre more deadly , seazeth on the subtler wits , as on the finer animal-spirits , therefore the more dangerous , because abler Instruments of mischeife , Reason at the best is fallacious enough , but when thus cried up as the sole , supreme Judge of all , from whom lies no Appeale , no marvell if she extreamly please he selfe in novell Inventions , and become much enamoured of them , as her owne genuine Birthes . Shee is therefore a most dangerous Guide , being thus left to her selfe , in matters of Religion , which ( as Vincentius Lir. tels us ) is not Res inventa , sed tradita , not found out by our selves , but received from our Auncestours . Sure then , Eternall Salvation is a businesse of more weight , then to be intrusted to her Dictates and Directions ; whence it is , that holy Scripture every where cries downe the wisdome of the world , the judgment of the naturall man , the vaine deceits of the Heathen Philosophers ( who were the great Masters and Admirers of Reason ) and the darknesse of our understanding in things Divine , in the Mystery of Godlinesse . And methinks when Reason decives us so oft in smaller matters , in objects farre lower , such as lie within its owne Spheare ; it should a loud proclaime this Caveat to an indifferent and experienced man , that we are not to trust it , in things of the greatest moment , which lie so farre above its reach ; that we are not to follow a false , wandering Meteour , an Ignis fat●us here below , when we have the bright Morning Starre to guide us , in this vale of darknesse , untill the Sunne of Righteousnesse arise with healing in his winges .

But , to returne to the Argument , which I have in hand . As I dare not be so rash as to taxe all those of Socinianisme , who denie or doubt of the received Authours of the Creed ; so this I may safely say , that unawares they may make way for it , as they doe also , who decry or debilitate the Authority of the Church , and Fathers .

I have endeavoured therefore in this following Treatise to vindicate as well the Authours , as the Authority of the Apostles Creed , as being the maine Basis of the Christian Religion , to which all succeeding Creeds are in the nature of Paraphrases , or Superstructures ; a worke , I conceive , too suitable unto the Disease of this Age , and so most unhappily requisite ; an Age wherein the very Principles of Christianity are called in Question , and Faith derided as the Portion of deluded Fooles , and Idiots : An Age , wherein some have taken upon them to Correct the Old Creed ; and others , to frame new Ones : An Age , wherein some accuse our Mother the Church of England for Beleeving too much , as the Socinian , with some other Sectaries ; and others , for Beleeving too little , as the Romane Catholick : whose Church hath added to the Creed , severall other Articles , to be beleeved by all Christians , as of necessity to Salvation ; a Catalogue whereof we may find in the Bull of PIUS 4th , among the Acts of their late Tridentine Councill ; as also in the Romane Catechisme . Wherefore I shall indeavour withall , to cleare my much honoured Mother from this double crosse-imputation , by asserting as well the sufficiency , as the necessity of the Creed for Salvation . This is the summe and end of my Thoughts ; which I never intended to make publick , when I first composed these notes some yeares agoe , for my Collegiate , Catechisticall Lectures . But when I since daily found many , little or nothing to regard the Authority of the Creed , and some ( of no meane note ) to write against both the Authority , and the Authours ; I reviewed , and enlarged them by farther Testimonies of Divines , both Ancient and Moderne ; amongst whom finding an unexpected Harmony and Consent in this matter ; I undertook to examine the Reasons produced to the contrary , which ( as I hope ) upon due triall , will not be found so weighty and convincing , as to overthrow so Old , so Generall , so Received a Tradition . Now having proceeded thus farre , and taken no small paines in the Search , I presumed to expose them to a more publick view , not knowing any who hath hitherto handled this Argument Polemically , and in a set Discourse ; wherein if I have any way failed , the Truth ( I hope ) will not suffer by my weake Defence , but meet hereafter with an abler Patron . But if I have so handled it , that I can revoke any erroneous Christian , fixe the wavering , or confirme him that stands , I shall have great Cause , and good opportunity to rejoyce , in contributing the least Mite to the profit of the Christian Church , or the praise of Christ our common Saviour , who is stiled by the Apostle , The Author and finisher of our Faith , Heb. 12. 2. To whose blessed Guidance , and Protection I commit both thee and my selfe , in these darke , dangerous , and unsetled Times .