city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. They that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country-Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.-Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection. See also Field of the Church, B. I. Chap. 5.

we

Although the Law given, &c.] That the ceremonies of the Mosaical Law were to be abolished, God himself foretels, in Jer. xxxi. 31, 32. Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt. See also Gal. iii. 25. After that faith is come, are no longer under a schoolmaster. And Gal. v. 1. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. And Col. ii. 16, 17. Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy-day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. And Acts xv. the whole Chapter. And Heb. vii. 12. 28. The priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. The law maketh men high-priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

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advers. Hæres. l. 4.

p.

See also Ignatius. "It is absurd to call Jesus the Epist. ad Christ, and at the same time to Judaize."—And Irenæus. Magnes. "The Law began in Moses's time, and of course ended "in the time of John, when Christ came to fulfil it."- c. 8. And Origen. "The same Providence which heretofore Contra Celgave the Law, and now the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not sum, l. 7. being willing to retain the rites and ceremonies of the P. 349. "Jews, destroyed their city and temple, &c."—And Justin Dialog. cum Martyr. "We do not hope in Moses, or in the Law; for Tryph. "then we should do the same with you: but now, Op. 228. Al. "Tryphon, I have read that there was to be the last "Law, and a Testament the strongest of all, which now "all men must obey, whoever would lay claim to the in"heritance of God. For the Law which was given in "Horeb, is now antiquated."-See also Stillingfleet's Orig. Sacræ. L. II. C. 7.

Yet no christian man, &c.] The precepts of the moral law are so excellently adapted to human nature, that if

Adv. Hær.

1. 4. c. 27.

they should be made void, the condition of mankind would be extremely miserable. And therefore Christ himself hath ratified them anew. Matt. v. 17, 18, 19, 20. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. See also James ii. 8, 9, 10, 11. If ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

See also Irenæus. "That our Lord did not abrogate "the natural duties prescribed by the law, by which du"ties a man is justified, and which those men who were "justified by faith, and pleased God, observed before the giving of the law, but that he enlarged them, and supplied what was wanting in them, is manifest from those "discourses of his which begin in this manner: It was "said by them of old time, &c.". See Matt. v. 21, &c. See also Hammond's Pract. Cat. B. II. Sect. 3. Hooker's Eccl. Pol. B. I. Sect. 15.

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ARTICLE VIII.

Of the Three Creeds.

THE Three Creeds, Nicene Creed, Athanasius's Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles' Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of holy Scripture.

Creeds] In Latin they are called symbola, which also signify watch-words or signals in war. And thus, as by those signals or watch-words the soldiers of one side are distinguished from those of the other; so by these Creeds the orthodox or sound Christians of the Catholic or Universal Church, are distinguished from Infidels and Heretics.

Nice Creed] So called, because the greatest part of it was composed by the Fathers who were assembled at the Council of Nice. The part of it which relates to the Divinity of the Holy Ghost, was added by the Council of Constantinople, except these words,-And the Son: which were added by the Western Church. See Field of the Church, B. III. Ch. i. p. 53. Pearson on the Creed, p. 322.

Athanasius's] So called, not because it was written by Athanasius, but because it is very agreeable to his sentiments, who was the most celebrated champion for the orthodox faith.

Commonly called, &c.] For it does not sufficiently appear that it was written by the Apostles themselves. See Hooker's Eccl. Pol. B. V. Sect. 42. Wall's Hist. of Infant-Bapt. Part II. Chap. 9. Sect. 10. Cave's Hist. Lit. Vol. I. p. 146. & Vit. Athanasii, Sect. 6. n. 10. Bulli Judic. Eccl. Cath. C. 5. Waterland's Critic. Hist. of the Athanasian Creed.

See

Ought thoroughly to be received, &c.] As many therefore as subscribe to this Book of Articles, and yet do not believe that these Creeds are agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, are guilty of lying abominably both to God and men. Jude 3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.

Almost all things contained in these Creeds have already been confirmed, under the preceding Articles, by the testimonies of the Fathers. But because heretics bitterly and reproachfully inveigh against the Nicene Fathers, and against Athanasius, as if they were corrupters of the Christian faith, I shall here insert some expositions of faith which are older than the Nicene Creed.

An Exposition of the Catholic Faith, as taken from

IRENEUS.

THE Church which was planted all over the world, even Adv. Hær. to the ends of the earth, received both from the Apostles . 1. c. 2.

De Præ

and their disciples that faith which is in one God, the Father Almighty, who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things which are therein; and in One Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was incarnate for our salvation; and in the Holy Ghost, who by the prophets foretold the appointments of God and the coming of his beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, his being born of a Virgin, his passion, his resurrection from the dead, his ascension into heaven in the flesh, and his coming again from heaven in the glory of the Father, to take cognizance of all things past, and to raise the whole race of mankind from the dead; that so to Christ Jesus, our Lord and our God, our Saviour and our King, every knee may bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue may confess to him, and that he may administer true judgment unto all; that he may send the spiritual wickednesses, and the angels who transgressed, and became apostates, and impious, unjust, unreasonable, and blasphemous men, into eternal fire; but that, giving life to the righteous and religious, to those who observe his precepts, and persevere in loving him, some from the beginning, and some from the time of their repentance, he may reward them with incorruption, and surround them with everlasting brightness and glory.

An Exposition of Faith, as taken from TERTULLIAN.

THE rule of faith is that by which we believe that there script, adv. is one God, and no other besides the Creator of the world, Hær. c. 13. who made all things out of nothing by his Word, whom he begot before all things; that this Word, who is called his Son, in divers manners appeared to the patriarchs as God, and is always mentioned as such in the writings of the prophets; that at length by the Spirit and power of God he descended into the Virgin Mary, was incarnate in her womb, was born of her in the human nature, and so became Jesus Christ; that afterwards he preached a new law, enforced by a new promise of the kingdom of heaven: that he wrought miracles, was nailed to the cross, and rose again the third day; that he was taken up into heaven; and sat at the right-hand of the Father; that he sent the power of the Holy Ghost to supply his absence, and to influence those who believe in him; and that he shall come again with splendour to receive the saints into the enjoyment of eternal life, and the heavenly promises,

and to condemn the wicked to everlasting fire, after having raised both parties from the dead, and restored to them their fleshly bodies.

The Ancient Creed of the Church of JERUSALEM.
From St. CYRIL.

I believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; very God by whom all things were made; who was incarnate and made man, crucified and buried; who rose again the third day from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sat at the right-hand of the Father; who shall come again to judge the quick and the dead; of whose kingdom there shall be no end: And in the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, who spake by the Prophets: And in one baptism of repentance, for the remission of Sins: And in One Catholic Church and in the resurrection of the flesh, and eternal life.

The Creed of GREGORY THAUMATURGUS, Bishop of Neocæsarea in Pontus.

There is one God, Father of the living world, of the subsisting Wisdom, and of the eternal Power and express Form of Himself; the perfect Begetter of Him who is Perfect; the Father of the only-begotten Son. There is One Lord, the sole Lord from the sole God, God of God, the character and image of the Godhead, the efficacious Word, the Wisdom which comprehends the frame and constitution of all things, the power which forms and actuates all creatures, the true Son of the true Father; invisible of him who is invisible, incorruptible of him who is incorruptible, immortal of him who is immortal, and eternal of him who is eternal. And there is One Holy Ghost, having existence from God, and who appeared to men by the Son; the perfect image of the perfect Son; the life, the cause of the living: the holy fountain, sanctity, and the giver of sanctification; in whom God the Father is manifested, who is above all, and in all; and God the Son, who is through all. And there is a perfect Trinity, which is not divided, nor excluded, in glory, and eternity, and dominion. There is not any thing then 7