^:s-3 THE Athanasian Creed A PRESERVATIVE AGAINST H E R E S I E OR, THE Reasonableness, and Necessity of Retaining it in the Public Liturgy. In Answer to Two Late Pieces, Entitulcd, The One, An EJfay for a Review of the^ooK of Common Prayer; The Other, yf Defexce of the Ess AY. W H E R EI N The Author's Citations from Mr. Chil l ingvvorth, BiHiop Taylor, Arch-Bifliop Tillotson, Dr. Cave, Mr. Hales, Bifhop Stillingfleet, and his Prefent Grace of Canterbury, arc Examined. Arnica Pax, 7nagi5 Arnica Veritas. L N B O -^i Printed for John Crownfield, at the Rifing- Sun, in St. PWs Church- Yard, and fold by Cornelius Crownfield, Printer to the Univerfity of Cambridge. Mdccxxxv. Digitized by tine Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Duke University Libraries http://www.archive.org/details/athanasiancreedpOOIond THE PREFx\CE. T may require fome Apology^ that fuch a Full and Parti- cular Anfrrer (fo far as the Athanalian Creed is con- cerned) is here given to the Effay for a Review of the Book of Common Prayer, and the Defence of it. A Piece ivritten with fo little Accu^ racy and Care^ or even Regard to the Truth of Fa£ls ; and afterwards de- fended with fo little Moderation and Temper, could noty in itfelf, deferve any Reply. But, as the Subjed is fo Important^ and of fuch Univerfal Con- cern ; As Thofe Pieces may tend to an' A -2 fettle iv PREFACE. fettle the Minds of lefs-thinking People : As an uniijual Freedom has been taken by the Author, of appealing to our Go^ pernors in Church and State — It is therefore become necejfary^ that fome Notice fijould be taken of them, I vpaited Jome Time^ after the Pub- lication of the EflTay, in Hopes that No* tice rvould have been taken oj it^ by fome more able and learned Hand: But finding Nothing of that Kind ap- peal' dy I refolved to do my Beft Endea- vour^ toward the Defence of Jo goody and fo Important a Caufe. The End and Defign therefore of the following Sheets^ are to fatisfy all un* prejudiced Perfons^ that the Athanafian Creed (whatever unreafcnable Doubts and Scruples have been entertain d a- gainfl it) is no Other ^ than an ufeful^ and necejfary Illufiration of Scripture Do£lrine — That it does not attempt to Explain Myfteries, as is weakly fuggefled ; but only contains what we arc neccjfarily to believe^ concerning \ Father, PREFACE. V Father, Son, and Holy Gholl:^ Three Perjons and One Gody — That it is fo far from being a Brand of Contention among True Chriflians^ as the Author of the EiTay Infinuates^ that it has hitherto proved in the Chriflian Church., an inviolable Bond of Unity and Peace. That it has Nothing in it Bard or In-' comprehenfble : The Sacred My fiery it- felfy the Manner How Three Diflin3 Perfons are joind in One Godhead^ as it is above our Comprehenfion ; foy nei* ther is it inTh^t Greed Enquird into : We only prof efs our Belief in the Gene- ral Doftrine^ as it is taught in Scrip- ture; not prefuming to knorv more than is reveal'd to us. Great Names and Authorities are made Ufe of by This Gentlemany and called in^ as fo many Witnejfes againfi Us : But Mas ! Some of Thefe tpHI be found to defert Him intirely: He puts Words into the Mouths of Others^ which They never fpoke : Some He has un* derflood by Halves ^ and Thefe turn Evidence vi PREFACE. Evidence again fl Him. Others^ ^i^^^y have plainly /hervn by their Condufty that their Sentiments inThis Point ^were very different from His ; Of All rrhich^ In/lances are given in the proper Place: So that nre might almofl venture to refl our Caufe^ upon Mofl of thofe very Te/Iimonies which He hath produced : Tho' It mufl be ownd^ that^ not mere Authorities, but Scripture, and Rea- fon are to have Weight about Articles of Faith ; The One is to be the Rule; The Other to Examine and Confider That Rule. I think it a little furprijing^ that our Author fijould mahe Dr. Taylor, One of his Authorities againfl the Athana- fian Creed. But it feems^ That Gen- ilernans Bufinejs rvas blindly to follorp Dr. Clarke : For, Any One rvho will turn to Scripture Doftrine, isfc. Part, iii. Chap. 2. will plainly fee, that He fpeaks, but out of the DoSior's Mouth. Every one knows, who knows any Thing of Books ^ that Dr. Taylor, in his Li- berty PREFACE vli berty of Prophefying, in Order to moderate Heats^ and to excite Chri' flians to bear mth One Another in their different Opinions, mahs it his Bufi- nefs to Jhexp, how much may be plaufi- bly pleaded for the wrong Side oj every ^eflion, and accordingly urges every ObjeSiion^ againfl what He at the fame Time knew to be the Truth ; and which ObjeBions He could have as eafily An- fwcr'd, ^i Propofed. Nay-, It fecms^ the Doftor had drawn out the Caufe of the Anabaptifts;, or Antipsedobap- tifts, to Juch Advantage^ that^ not only Dr. Hammond took the Trouble to ion" fate Hiniy but Dr. Taylor Himfelf thought it advifable^ for his oivn jfufti' feat ion, to anwjer his Own Arguments* And now, where is the Wonder j If in juch a Book as This, we find Ob* je6tions urged againfl the Athanafian Creed ? or, of what Authority^ can Pajfages picked out of a Book of fich a Nature be, which renders it difficult to determine, in all Cafes, when the Au* thor vill PREFACE. thor /peaks his Own Sentiments; cr, Tvhen He is only playing tbe Part of an Obje£lor ? As to His Authority then^ confidcrd merely as an Authority, It is Nothing worth. And^ as to Any Thing of Reafon^ which may be contain d in his Cbjeftions^ That Point I have con- fderd in its Place, But Above All^ the Reader will be fitrpri^ed to find^ that Any One jlmild propofe the Rejecting the Athanafian Creed, as a proper Scheme or Method of uniting Proteftants; rvhen, 1 be- lieve, not One Proteftant Church in the whole World can be named, which bath not acknowledged It. The Kirk of Scotland has fubfcri- bed to^ and approved It, Whom then, can This Gentleman oblige, but the Church of Rome, in this Propojal? She, furely, would rejoyce to fee the Church of England^ differing in this Important Point, not only from Her, but from All Proteflant Churches in the World! It PREFACE. li h is ft alfo^ that the World JlmM KnoiVy that there is no Difference be- trveen Vs-, and the Didenters, u^on This Head* it is nor^ agreed between Them, and TJsj that Thofe ClauJeSy which have been mofl excepted againjij have nothing in Them^ when moderately ^ and juflly explain d [as they ought to be, and have been) contrary either to Charity, or Truth — 1 /peak not This ra/Jyly ! but have appealed to the Evi- dence given by the Di {Tenting Mini- fters Themjelves. Now J If This be truly the State of the Cafe, as it will fufficiently appear to be', We are not like to find any great Adverfaries to the Athanafian Creed, unlejs among Thofe^ who are, at the jame Time^ Adverfaries to the Chrl- ftlan Faith ; or Such, as are drawn away by Them, tinder other Pretences, becauje the True Reafon is too fJjocking to be given. When I had drawn up the Firft Part Of toe following Papers, which contains a an X PREFACE. an An Twer to the Effay, / met rrhh Two Letters in the Weekly Mlfcella- ny; One oj Oc\oh. 19. The Other of Oftob. :i6. containing fome brief Re- nuirks upon the Ed ay : Andy upon Read- ing Thcmj 1 had the Pleajtire to find^ that Jhoje Letters {which like the Sket- ches and Out'lines of fome great Pain- ter^ difcoverd a maflerly Hand) were intirely agreeable to what I had faid on the Jame Topics. But, As It was impofiblc to Handle the fever al Points fully in fo Jhort a Compajs ; And^ as I found the Learned Writer had not un- dertaken {what indeed could not have been done in the Compafs offucbPapers) to examine the fever al Clt^twns from the many Great and Learned Hands^ which the Author of the Effay had called in to his Affifiance ; All which Citations, as I thought it neceffary, I had parti- cularly Examined; I judged it there- fore proper to continue in my T)efign^ of Committing my Papers to the Prefs. In the mean Tirne^ while they were print- ing PREFACE xl ing off. The Author of the ElTay puh- lijh'd His Defence ; In which he' calls for An Anjrver to the foremcyitioned Citations; rphich Coyifirmd me in my Opinion^ of the Necejjity there n^as^ for Examining themj that He might not go on rvith his Triumph on That Head, Here He will find them All Confider'd : And, as He builds fo much upon Them ; If He Jhall think It advijahle to Reply any Thing to what I have written ; It is Exp«£led, that He either Defend Thofe Citations, or^ Give them up. He will find here likewife^ a Full and Particular Anfrver to His Defence ; whichy As I had undertaken the SubjcEl, I thought necejfary to draiv up^ and Annex to the other* Our Author has-, in his Eflay, ad- vanced feveral Things of the fame Kind^ with what Dr. Clarke had faid in his Scripture Do£lrine; and which were anfwerd in Dr. Waterland'j Critical Hiftory of the Athanahan Creed^ many Tears ago. But this Gentleman^ a 2 wi'J) xil PREFACE. with Whom I have to dj^ takes not the leafl Notice of This ; either^ not hav- ing read That Book^ or depLgncdly omit- ting to orrn it. 1 have not jcruplcd there- fore^ on a proper Occajionj to make iijc of the Sentiments of the Author of the Critical Hirtorv ( for rrhilll Errors are A4an}% Truth is but One) my only View being to preferve the Vnivaryy from being deceived by the Specious Pre- tences of the Eflay ; and to Contribute All the Good in my Poiver^ to the Ca- tholic Caufe. And, If what 1 have faidy fjoiiid have the good Fortune, in any Degree^ to produce thedefird Effe^; I J] J all think my Trouble more than Re- compenced. But Imufl not forget to ohferve^ that ■\he Retaining /wc/; an Explicite Con- fefTion of our Faith;, as the Athana- fian Creed, rrill, I dare fay, appear more particularly necejjary at This Time;> to all Thoje yvho have an Hearty Concern for the Honour of Chriil and his Church; when They fee fuch Open Attacks PREFACE xlii Jiztacks made upon theChni\.i:\n Faith: 1 fa}\ upon the Chriflian Faith/ For^ Tvhilft jomey on the One Hand^ are la- bouring to pull doivn^ and demoli/Jj the Outworks and Defences; Others are boldly flriking at the Faith itfelf. / mean the Author oj a Booh^ Entituled^ Chrirtian Liberty Aflerted, &:c. By A Clergyman in the Country; rfhich has appear d fince I began to draiv tip the je Papers. The Author, inthisBooky is pleased to fligmati'^^e the Eftabhflied Do£lrine of our Church, among other hard Names ^ with the Titles oj^ Grofs, Irrehgious, and Antichrittian Error, {p. I.) An Impious Hypothelis5(/).59.) A monftrous Syftem of the worft Herefies, {p. 59.) Tritheifm, {p. a.) Blafphemy, (/?. 58,) with a great Deal more of the //A^ Calumny, which. He ought to hnoWj is No Convidlion. In p. 62. The poor Man Jeems to be a little befide Himjelj. For He ends his raving Declamation in That Page^ as follows-^ fpeaking of Dr. WaterUncl, xlv PREFACE. *^ If (fays He) He is Jo infatuated *^ Tfith the Love of Antichrillian Er* *^ ror, as not to abide the Communion '' of Faithful Chriftians, the Door is '^ ope-n^ and he may^ rrith his Deluded ^' Folloivers, leave That Churchy which " pyofejfeth the Scripture^ and the Scrip- ^^ ture only^ to be the Rule of its Faith , ^^ and rrhich has no Concern with His ^^ Hypothecs but to Condemn It. ^^ As if the Doflrine We Profefs rvas An- tichriftlan Error; and Arians onlyy were the Faithful Chriftians : As if the Church Eftablifti'd was an Arian Church; and The Trinitarian Doc- trine^, An Hercfy of Dr, Waterland^ and his deluded Followers. Surely. This is taking A more than Chriilian Liberty! And, if the Gentleman is really in his Senfes, It is a Proceeding Highly Culpable, Thus to Libel the whole Body of the Clergy; and brand the Chriftian Church, with the Infamous Chara^er of Arianifm; and cannot but recall to our Minds ^ Ho IV PREFACE. x\r Horp the Men of that Tribe, for- merly, after The Council of Ari- minum (H^/^ in 559.) in the fame Manner piibliJJjed it abroad^ that All the Catholic Bifljops rrho were there affembledy rvere Ally Arians. This They did; becaufe^ by their Clamours and Artifices, they had prevailed upon the Orthodox, to fink the Word, Confub- Itantial, in their Creed, and to draxp up a new Creed without It ; yet, as the Orthodox Party thought, containing the very fame Do£lrine. ^ And fhould the Church, now condejcend to Throw out the Athanafian Creed ; If the Author of Chriftian Liberty Afferted, has prefumed to tax it with being Arian, when he has not the leaft Ground for It ; How would He Tri- umph after Juch A Condefcenfion ! J cannot but think therefore, that no- thing can be more Neceffary than to retain * c See Bing. Orig Eccl. B. 6, C. -. Se£l. x. p, 218. Fol. Ed. xvi P R E F A C ii. retain the Athanafian Creed in oui^ Public Liturgy, to flare this Gentle- man in the Face^ and convince his de- luded Followers, that thcDodinuQ of our CAwirchj is the Doftrine of a Co- equal and Coeternal Trinity ; And to fland a Lafling Monument^ in Oppoji- tion to the fcandalous Refie£lion He has cafl on the Chriftian Church, J dare fay ^ if the Author of the EfTay, is really fincere in his Profeflions^ This Gentleman s Performance, rvill alone be fufjicient to make him change his Alindj in Relation to Throw- ing out the Athanafian Creed. He has norf, an Opportunity given him^ of ftiewing his Sincerity; tmlefs He can Think It better -^ to throw off all Guards and Defences oj his Faith, at a Time, when it is Publicly and Notorioufly Attacked: And to leave All Open, to the Attempts of every Bold;, and Au-^ dacious Heretick. As to what is contain d in Chriftian Liberty Afferted, &c. 1 can find no- thing PREFACE. xvli thing in ipy hut what was folidly Con^ futedy Jome 7 ears ago; when the Con- troverfy was Carried on between Dr. Waterland, and Another, or the Same Clergyman in the Country; The Truth of the Doctrine has been [a well defended, and our Claim thereto^ Jo often^ and fo fully made goody a- gainfl all the Arts ^^^ Arguments that could be invented^ that Jurely^ we are noty at This Time o Day^ to begin aneiv^ and fet forth our Title \ ]f Men will flill be fo impertinent, as to brin^^ up again J and Endeavour to put off to the PubliCy all the Old and Stale Argu^- ments, which have been confuted ovt^ and over ; It is unreafonable to expcBy that the Church is obliged to attend Them^ and Confute them^ as often as they JJjall pleafe to be Confuted. Ne- verthelefsy I dare fay, that No One is afraid to have the Caufe tryedy over and over. Let It have as many Hear- ings as they pleafe ; It will only be^ to their greater Shame and Confufon ! And will xvul PREFACE, will bring this Advantage rvith It ; that vpe /hall flill be the more Con- firmed in our Faith, by objerving how Weak, and Vain, our Ad verfarles At- tempts prove againft It. ERRATA. " 1, 18. in the Pref. Anfwer io.l, xa. fufiicieht 11.1,1;. Schifmatical ^i.l, ulr. begotten j8. 1, uk. better ^9.1^1. more * li^At, Qiniczl Hirt. r.xi. p. 174. Ldit^ i. y^ Preservative ^^^/V//? Heresies. 5 that it was guided by his abundant Zeal to promote feme private Caufe ; and, that he was aduated by a Prejudice, in Favour of fuch Principles. But^ however this may be ; he propofes what he calls Rea,-- fons for this Attempt. Now, as it is in- cumbent upon all who are Profeflbrs of the Faith in Jefus Chrift, as it is laid down in the Athanafian Creed^ to contri- bute what they are able, againft all At- tempts made upon it \ as it is their -Duty, to endeavour to keep tip thofe Fences and Bulwarks^ which others are for breaking down and dejiroying ; and to preferve pure and uncorrupted that which they efteem to be the true Faith, the Doctrine deli- vered by Chrift and his ApoftleSj fealed by their Blood, and the Blood of many pious ConfefTors and Martyrs: This is a fufficient Reafon for bearing my Tellinio- ny in the following Sheets, wherein I Ihall examine the Reafons, propofed by the Au- thor of the Ejfay icr laying afidc the Atha- nafian Creed. The Author of the Ejfay offers in ge- neral, as a Reafon for laying afide the Atha^ vajtan Creed^ that " It has been the Oc- ^' cafion 6 T/je Athanasian Creed ^^ cafion of great Strife and Contention, " and of very uncharitable Difputes among *' Chriftians.''* As to its having been the Occaficn of very taicharitable T>'ifpites among Chrijiians : It muft indeed for ever be fo, as long as Here ticks are reckon'd in the ?^umbcr of Chrijiians^ and a 2)^- fence of the true Failh is termM an un- charitable T>ifl>ute. But muft Orthodoxy give way to Herefy ? mutt v/e give up the true Faith, hecaiife there are Hereticks^ when that is the very Reafon why we ought more ftrenuoufly to contend for it : For upon this Hinge turns the whole Dif- pute. If the Dodrine contained in the Athanajian Creed be falfe, or unwarrant- able by Scripture, away w^th the Creed ! but^ firft, let it be proved to be fo , for hitherto the Truth of that Doctrine, after many AlfauUs, remains impregnable. But if the Dodrine be true, and important, then, its. having been the Occafion of jD//^ fates ^ is no Reafon for giving it up^ fince the important Truths of Chriftianity are not to be facrificed to the Teace of Men. Myjieries * Effa}', p, 40. ^ Preservative ^^^/;//7H£REsiEs. 7 Mypries will always be the Occafion of T)ifpites^ fo long as there are Men who will not believe them upon any Ac- count, unlefs they can CGmprehend^ and imagine them ; that is, unlefs they were no Myjlertes \ for,did they fall under our Ima-' gination^ they would ceafe to be Mj'JterieSi The Deity is all over myfterious ; it is the Property of God to be unfearchable • and have not in Confequence many of his Attributes been theOccaficns oi'Difputes'i as they mull always be, when finite Crea^ tures pretend to comprehend the Incom- prehenfible^ or exped to fee him Face to Face^ whilft it is their Lot to behold him only through a Glafs darkly. Has not God^s Trefclence oi future Conthi^eiices occafioned many TDifputes ? But, muft we therefore no longer defend it ? nay, has not the very Being of a God been difputed ? and will this Gentleman argue, that we muft, for that Reafon, give it up ? Surely he will not: And therefore his Reafon would prove a great deal too much : And then, I hope, he need not be told, that it proves nothing at all. The Reafon he gives 5 The Atkanasian Creed gives for laymg a/ide the Athanafiaii Creed, is the very Reafon I alllgn for re^ taming it, i:iz,. becaufe there are Hereticks, and thofc who di/pnte the Truth of the Doclrlne contained therein. But '' It has been (fays he) the Occa- " fion of great Strife and Contention j' very true: But is not every Man obliged to Jlr'iue an4 contend for the fundamen- tal Articles of his Faith, againft thofe who impugn them ? and is oiu' contending for them, any Reafon why we fliould gh(; 'efn up ? Is \htT)efeJice of a Fortrcfs to be afiigned as a Reafon for a Surrender ? This is llrange Sort of reafoning truly ! But if our Advcrfaries are fo avetfe to Strife and Contention in this Matter^ why don't thej give up t/je/r Point ? and why does this fac'tfick Gentleman throw out anew Bone of Contention among us, by propofing to lay afide the Atban^ifian Creed ? If it be faid, that they cannot give up their Point, becaufe they don't believe the Doftrine we maintain : Then, 'tis plain they lay no Strefs in their own Cafe, upon the Argu, ment of Strife znd Content io7i\ but upon iheir Ohje^lons to the TDoEirlne \ and I anfwery y^PRisERVATiVE^^*!?/;/;? Heresies. 9 anfwer, neither can we give up our Point, becaufe we do believe the Doctrine, and lee no Reafon we have, to compliment them with our Principles. It would be as criminal in us, to give up the Articles cf eur Chriitian Faith, as they think it would be in them, to admit them as fuch : And therefore the Matter is reduced to this ; *uiz. Whether we are in the Right, ot they ? Whether the Dodrine we contend for, be true and important, or not ? And, how are we to judge of this, but by what has been faid on both Sides } To thofe Works, to Scripture, to Antiquity I appeal ! And let the World judge im- partially, who has made their Caufe good. If this Gentleman^ with whom I have to do, thinks our Adverfarles have done it, let him lay fo ; let him reft his Caulc there, and we know how to anfwer him : But, as to his Argument about Strife and Contention, it has nothing in it. For, if we have fufficiently flievvn the Dodrine we contend for to be true and important^ juftifiable by Scripture, and Antiquity ; then we ought ftill to firive and contend for it J and they alone are to blame^ who G Jirive 10 The Athanasian Creid Jlrive againft the Stream of Antiquity, contend againft Scripture, and kick againji the bricks. But the Author of the EiTay defcends to Particulars, and tells us. That his '' Rea- *^ fons for exchanging xh^j^thanajian Creed '* for one of the other, are, *' Firft^ Becaufe many found and or- ^' thodox Chriftians of our Church, both *' Clergy and Laity, have been greatly " diflatisfied with it. " Secondly^ In regard the true Faith ^^ will be equally feciired and prefer ved *^* among us, by the Ufe of the Nicene " or AfGJlles Creed \ either of which con- " tains the Sum, Subftance, and funda- " mental Articles of the Chriftian Faith/'* To prove his firft AfTertion, he cites Paffages from feveral Perfons. Now, fince any Man*s (be he ever fo great and learn- ed) being diffatisfied with the Athanafian Creed, without fuficient Reafons for being fo, will be no Argument at all for laying it afide ; And fince the Paffages here cited are * Eir.)', ^.41 ^Preservative ^^^/^7? Heresies, ii are fuppofed to contain the Reafons of fiich DijQTatisfaaion, 1 fliall therefore ex- amine what Force there is in fuch Reafons as are there produced. He begins with Mr. Chillingworth, and tells us, that He, " in a Letter to Dr. Sheldon^ " afterwards Archbiftiop of Canterbury^ ^' printed with his Works in the Year 1719. ^' writes thus : The damntng Sentences in *' St. AthanasiusV Creed {as we are " made to ftihjcribe it) are moll falfe, '^ andalfoin a high "Degree prefumptuous " and fcifmatical ; and therefore 1 cannot ^^ Jtibfcribe it to be agreeable to the Word ^' of God, feeing I believe it repugnant ^' thereto. And which [continues the " Author of the Effay] was the principal '^ Reafon that great and good Man per- " fifted, not only in his Refufal to fub- " fcribe the Thirty-nine Articles of Re- *' ligion, bat of accepting any Preferments ^' in the Church, though often prefled ^' to it.''* C 2 Now * £%,/.. 41. j2 The Athanasian Greed Now to this I anfwer : Firjij However found and orthodox! Mr. Chillingovorth be fuppofed to be, and however d'ljfatisfied he was with the Athanafian Creed \ yet, if Mr. Cb'iliing^ 'UJorth\ Rcafons prove to be infufficient, then Mr. ChiHhtg''Ji'orth^s being dijfatis* fied with that Creed, will do our Gentle- man no Service to the End he defigns it, ^tz. to its being laid ajide or exchanged. Now the Reafon of Mr.CHiLLiNG worth's being dijfatisfed appears to be this ^ viz. that '^ the damning Sentences are not " agreeable^ but repignant to the Word «' of GodP — But what is repugnant tp the Word of God ? Is it repugnant to the Word of God, that Men fhall be eternally punifhed ioiVnbeliefxn general^ for rejefting the true and right Faith as taught in Scripture ? This, furely, can never be afhrmed ; when we hear our Lord himfelf pronouncing, that he thaf believeth not (J-all be damfied,^ It is plainly agreeable to Scripture, that he who rejcds i^Unrh xvi. i^. y^ Preservative ^?^. 2. 14 216^ Athanasian Creed to Scripture, to pronounce what Scripture itfc : pronounces, luch Allowances as are aforcn.v rationed being made. It is agree- aV ' ' :hcn to Scripture to lay, that Except every one do keep '-^hole aiid undejiled the Cat ho lick Faith J without "Doubt he jljall feriyj ever Lift iJigly, And if the Faith contained in the Athanafian Creed be the true Catholick Faith ; then it is likewiie as right to fay, that This is the Catholick Faith^ which except a Man believe faiths fully ^ he cannot be faved. Thus far, then, is evidently true : But yet there is no Reafon for fcrupulous Men to be ftartlcd at this • for 1 fhall obferve from the learned Writer above cited, that " This " is to be underftood like all other fuch <^ general Proportions, with proper Re- " ferves and qualifying Conftrudlions : ^* As for Inftance, if after laying down a " Syftcm of Chriftian Morality, itbefaid, ^^ This is the Chriflian Tractice^ which ^ '^ except a Man faithfully obfcrvc and '' follo-Wy he cannot be faved -^ it would ^'^ be no more than right and juft thus to " fay ; Euc no one could be fuppofcd *^ hereby ^Preservative ^^^/V;y? Heresies. 15 *^ hereby to exclude any fuch merciful *' Abatements, or Allowances, as fhall ** be made for Mens particular Circum- " ftances, WeakneflTes, Frailties, Igno- ^' ranee, Inability, or the like ; or for " their Jincere Intentions, and honejl " Defires of knowing and doing the " whole Will of God, accompanied with *' a general Repentance of their Sins,- ^^ and firm Reliance upon God's Mercy, *^ through the fole Merits of Chrift Jefus. '^ There can be no Doubt, however^ *^ but that Men are accountable for their " Fatth^ as wtU as their Praclice ; and " efpecially if they take upon them to " inftrud and direct others, trufting to ^' their own Strength and Parts, againfl: *' the united Judgment and Vcrdici of V' whole Churches^ ancient and modern!'* It appears, then, that if the Dodrine contained in the At hanajiau Creed be the true F. -'>^ then the damnatory ClauJeSj with thole proper Qualiiications and Al- lowances as are always to be made, are very * ff'H/. Cric. Hid. f, 10. />. 270. £, for laying ajide or exchanging the Athanafian Creed: Nor will it be any, fo long as our Ad- verfaries are unable to make it appear, that '^Preservative /7^<^/;//? Heresies. 17 tliat the Doftrine is falfe ; and we are always able and ready to maintain and prove from Scripture and Antiquity, that this is the true Catholick Faith. I may obferve, that it does not appear, by what the Author of the Ejfay has produced, that Mr. Chillmgwortb was dijfatisfied with the Athanafian Oeed^ but with the damnatory Claufes ; v/hich, perhaps, bje underflood in too ^n^ a Senie, with- out the forementioncd Allowances. In Wk^i Manner they are iuppoled to relate to the Doctrine of the Athanafidu Creed^ you may fee, p. 13, and 14, 15. r^'^;But, Secondly^ The Author of the £'//vrv aflerts, that '' This w^as the principal Rca- *' fon that great and good Man perfiftcd " not only in his Refufal to fiihjatbe the " Thirty-nhie Articles of Religion, but of ^^ accepting any Trefcr7ncnts in the Cbnrch ^^ though often prelTed to it."^ This very AfTcrtion concerning Mr, Chill^ng^k>rth was fpread feveral Years ago ; and was as long ago confuted by Dr. Water LAND, in his Critical Hijlory D of * Efla/, O'C, ;>. 41, 1 8 The Athaxasian Creed of the Athanafian Creed^ (c. 1 1.) printed in 1724. reprinted in 1728. which, inChari- ty, I will fuppole the Author of the Ej/ay not yet to have read , and therefore I muft inform him, as a full and fufficient Confu- tation of this Aflertion, that if he will give himfelf the Trouble to confult the Office of Sarum^ he will find, it feems, upon Re- cord, the following Article ; viz. Ego GULIELMUS ChillingwortHj Clericus, in Artibus Magiftcr^ ad Can^ cellariatum Ecclefi^ Cathedralis Beatx Mariae Sarum^ una cum Praebenda de Brinworth^ alias Brickie/worthy in Comitatu Northampton Petriburgenfis Dioecefcos in eadem Ecclefia fundata, et eidem Cancellariatui annexa, admit- tendus et inflituendus^ omnibus hisce Articulis, et Singulis in eifdem con* tentis volens et ex aiiimo fubJcribOy et Confenfum meum eifdem pabeOy vicefi- mo die Julii 1638. GuLiE LMUs Chillingworth.' This is the Perfon, who, we are told, ferfijled in his Reftifal to ftibfcribe the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, and of accepting !i#pRESERVATivE dgainji Heresies. 19 accepting any Preferment in the Church ! The Cafe appears to be this : Mr. Chil^ lingworth had, it feems, once fome Scru- ple^s about thefe damnatory Clau/es^ and refufed to fubfcribe in the Year 1635. But he did not Perjiji very long to refufe fuch Subfcription ; for, I find, that about three Years after, when he had well weighed and confidered the Matter, he changed his Mind ; his Scruples vanifhed; he found them, no doubt, to be without Foundation, and th^xtioxQ fubfcribe d yttly 20th, in the Year 1638. as ftands upon Record in the abovementioned Article, to be found in the Office of Sammy where he was inftituted Chancellor of the Church. In vain, therefore, does the Author of the Effay produce Mr. Chillingivorth as an Inftance of one who was dtjfatisfied with the Athanajian Creed, and as one who re^ fufed to fubfcribe i lince it is evident that he did fubfcribe, and (however dijfatis'' jied he may once have been) thereby plain- ly declared he was then vtry well fatis* fed with it. 20 The Athakasian Creed His next Authority is Bifliop Taylor, who ( fays he ) '' thus cxpreflcs himfelf *' concerning the Atbanafian Creed : If ^^ it were confider'd how many People 7in- " derftand it not-, how contrary to natural ^^ Rcafon it Icems ; how little the Scrip" ^^ ture fays of thofe Curiofities of Expli- ^'' cation ^ and how Tradition was not clear ^' on his Side for the Article itfclf, much " lefs for thofe Forms and Minutes : — It '' had not been amifs, if the final Judg- *' ment had been left to Jefus Chrift.''* Whether Dr. Taylor delivered thefc as his ^tc7/ Sentiments^ or was only fliewing what might be pleaded by an Op^07ient^ I fhall not here enquire : Becaufe, whether or no they be the Sentiments of Dr. Taylor^ 'tis plain they arc tlie Sentiments of the Author of the Ejjay \ and fincCj as they here ftand dctdched from Dr. Taylor^s Work, they may be fuppofcd to contain fome real Obje[tions to the Atbanafian Creedy I Ihall examine them in that Light, left others, as well as this Gentleman, ihould * Eflay, ^4^4*. '^Preservative ^^^ir/y? Heresies. 21 ihould think there is any Force in them, u'hen in Reality there is none. Many Teofle under jland it not ; by Teoj^le muft here be meant either the Learned^ or the Vulgar J or both. If he means the Learned ; I would ask, 'Uijhat is it which they do not underftand ? Do they not underftand that the Athanajlan Creed is in Oppofition to the Hcrefics of the Arians^ Thotinians^ Sabellians^ Alaccdo^ ntans^ Apollmartans^ Nejiorians^ Eiitycbi' ans ? If they do; they underftand, lb far, the Defign of that Creed. I prefume too, they underftand of what Kind thofe He- refies were ; and if fo, they will then un- derftand the Paflages which guard againft them. Further * Do they not underftand what is meant by a Trinity in Unity^ in the general'^ viz,, that there are threCy the Father^ Son^ and Holy Gbojl ; fo dijiiuEi^ as not to be 07ie the other ; and fo united^ as to be one God : TYiis general ^o6trine is clear and plain to be under- ftood ; and if they underftand thefe gene- ral Truths^ it is fufficient. As to the Modus or Manner^ how three Perfons are one 22 T'/:'^ Athakasian Creed one God • that^ indeed is what they will never nnderftand ; nor is it any where re- quired : But yet this is no Reafon why they fhould be dijfatisfied \ for every one ought to be fatisfied with the Dilpenfa- tions of Heaven. It hath pleafed God that our Knowledge, whilft we remain on this Side the Grave, fhould be imferfe6i ; that whilft we dwell below in this earthly Tabernacle, the Veil fiiould be drawn be- tween us and Heaven. The Revelations which are afforded us, are fufficient for the Neceflities of our prcfent State, though they reach not far enough td fatisfy our Ciiriofity : And the natural Conclufion from this, is, that we ought to be conten- ted that we know fo much ; not impatient that we know no more. We fliould thank God that he has been gracioufly pleafed to communicate/^ much of himfclf to us ; not be dijfatisjied that he has not given us a full Knowledge of every Thing. In Iliort, we Ihould be content that he has placed us in fo high a Clafs of Beings ; not murmur that he has not placed us higher : We Ihould thank him that we are !/? PR.ESERVATIVE agai/^Jl Hl^isies. ij are Meu ; not repine that we are not ^;/- ,ge/s. It is enough then, that we know, that the Unity in Trinity^ and the Trinity in Unity is to be wotpipped. This is juftifiable from holy Scripture, and is plain and eafy to be underftood, as to the General T)o6irine ; and we are not or- dinarily obliged to enquire any further: And therefore, whatever Learned Man is for rcjeding the Athanafian Creed ^ I am afraid, it is not becaufe he does not tm- derfiand it, but becaufe he does not be- lieve the general T^o^irine, If it be re- plied, that he believes the general "Doc- trine^ but is not fo well fatisfied with the Curiojities of Explication \ I anfwcr, that, when it is faid. He therefore that will be faved^ mujl thus think of the Trinity ; we may reafonably fuppofe, tJiaC this is not meant of every little liluflra- tion mentioned in that Creed \ but of the general Dodrine of a Trinity in Unity. ^^ I incline (fays a very learned and ju- ^^ dicious Writer) to the moderate Opi- " nion of thofe who think that the Author " [ of the Athanafian Creed ] here does •^ not lay the Strefs upon every little • ^' Nicely cc 24 The AtH AN ASIAN Creed Nicety of Explication before given ; *-' but upon the main T^oEirine of a C(?- " equal and Coeternal Trinity ; — as ^' confifiing of three Perfons Coeternal^ *^ and Coequal \ and all one Cod , diftinft '^ enough to be three \ united enough to '' be one ; diftincl: without Divifion \ uni- *^ ted without ConfuGon."* But ft''', all thcfc Explications are eafy enough to be underftood in the general^ though not as to their Modus. The Generation of the Son^ and TroceJJion of the Holy Ghojl^ are plain as to the general T^oEirine ; though the Modus of them is not fb : They are intelligible^ (and, I add, taught in Scrip* cure) though incomfrehenjible. It may here perhaps be replied by fome, that a Search into the Modus or Manner of the Trinity in ^nity^ or an Explication of the Myflery^ is, what they are as averle to, as we can be : And, that, for that very Reafon it is, they would have the Athana- Jian Creed laid afide, becaufc it contains fomcNiceties of Explication j upon which, we ^ Wm. Crit, Hift, r. 20. f, 262, 263. Idit, 2. ^Preservative ^7^4/«/? Heresies. 15 \re ourfelves are inclined to believe, that the Author of the Creed does not lay fo great a Strefs, as to make our eternal Sal- vation depend upon them. Now to this I anfvver, FirJ}^ that if we admit that the Author of the Athanajian Creed does not mean to pronounce, that he who would be faved, niuft think of the Trinity, according to the feveral Thrafes of that Creed j then there is no Reafon to objcd againft fuch Explications, out of any Fear of incurring Jnch Condemnation. Secondly^ that the Explications in the Atha- najian Creed are not, as our Advcrfaries pretend, fearching into the Modus of the Trinity^ or explaining the Myjlery. The Author of the Effay has touched upon this String: " The Trinity (fays he) be- <^ ing allowed by all to be a Myjiery^ in c^ the Nature of the Thing, it cannot be ^^ capable of a clear, certain, and defined '" Explication, as to the metaphyfical Ef- " fence ^ Siihjlance^ and Tro^erty of each ^' Perfon in the Godhead. And yet it "'^ is attempted to be done in that Creed, [\ though little to the Satisfaction of ma- E '' ny 0,6 The Athakasian Creed " ny learned and pious Perfons/'* This Gentleman fcems to be no betteraAZf- taphyfician^\\izx\ he is a Reformer : For, if he had underftood what is meant hy met a» fhyfical Ejj'cnce^ Sukftance^ (Sc. he would not have made an Objeftion to the Atha^ nafian Creed^ which hath no Truth in it. Let him point out the Paffages in that Creed, wherein the metaphyfical EJfence and Subftance of the Godhead, is pretend- ed to be explained farther than Scripture teaches, and we may Ihew him hisMiftake. There is a Difference between explaining the Myfiery^ and explaining \h.zTDo6irine ; the latter is what is done in the Athana- Jian Creed : An Explanation of the Myjie^ ry is not attempted. It is not there pre- tended to be fhewn, ho'-ju Three ^erfons are One God^ or how God and Man are one Chrijt ; but the plain, and general Truth only is declared in fuch Terms, as arc moft proper to illujirate^ not the My- fiery ^ but the T)o6irine ; and to defend the main Doftrineagainft the Mifconftruftions of Adverfaries. The whole of that Creed, when * Sec EfTay,^. 41," ^Preservative ^^^/^j^ Heresies. 37 Vhen laid together, amounts to no more than this, viz. That there are three Ter- Jons in the Godhead^ coequal and coeternal^ fo dijlin£t^ as not to be one the other ; and to united^ as to be one God i and that God -^nd Man is one Chrift. This is the Sum and Subflance of the Doftrine there laid down. It is faid indeed. That the Father is made of Ttone^ neither created^ nor begotten. That the Son if of the Fa- ther alone^ not made nor created^ but be- gotten And that the Holy Ghofi is of the Father^ and of the Son^ neither made^ nor created;, nor begotten:, but -proceeding. But this is no farther defining the meta^hyfl- cal Ejfence of the Perfons in the God- head, than is wholly juftifiable from Scrip- ture. The Terms ^lx^ general \ the Modus is not enquired into. And I may add, that the fame Terms of Begotten and Proceedings are ufcd in the Nicene Creed, which this Gentleman is for retaining : And therefore, it cannot be this Part of the Creed, where he means that the metaphyjical Ejfence ^ Kc. of the three Perfons in the Godheadjis attempt- ed to be explained. I apprehend it to be in the Doftrine of the Incarnation. It i$ there faid, That Qur Lord Jefiis Chrijl is ^ % ^ God 28 The Athakasian Creed God and Man ; God^ of the Subjlance of the Father^ begotten before the IVorlds : and Man^ of the Subjlance of his Mother y born In the IVorld : But I fee here no Me- taphyficks ; all that is afTcrted, is, That he is God and Man : As to any farther rnetaphyfical E(fence^ than what is thus laid down, there is none. All that was ainiM at in thcfDregoingPaffage, and thofe which follow, was only an accurate Explanation of the general Truth^ not the rneta^hyft^ cal Eifcncc\ and to flicw, that Jefus Chrift, was ptrfe[i God^ and ^erfefi Man^ cf a reafonable Soulj and human Flepj fubfiji- ing ; liho^ although he be God and Man^ yet he is not t\zo^ but one Chrifl • one^ not by Converfion cf the Godhead into Flcjh^ but by taking cf the Manhood into God\ me altogether J not by Confn/ion of Sub- fiance ^ but by ^n:ty of Terfoif. If thcfe are ^letaphyficks^ they are fuch as Scrip- ture will juftify us in: And thofe Meta- phyficks which are agrcfable to Scripturc-i will always be true, Jf the Author of the Ejjay has refped to that Paffagc, where the "Vnion of God and Man is illultrated, by the ^Onion of the Soul and Body ; I anfwcr. ^ Preservative ^^^i;//? He REstES. 29 anfwer, that is ftill not illuftrating the Myjiery^ but the general T>o6}rinc^ ov ge^ neral Truth. It is not fearching into the metapbyfical EJfence^ but Ihewing the Tof. Jibllity of two Subjiances making oneTer- fon^ by inftancing in a Matter of Fa6i^ which every one mitjl ajfent to. In ihort, what is here faid of the Incarnation^ is ab- fohitely necefFary to be faid againft thofe who would corrupt it: Words, the fir on- geft and moft expreffive^ fuch as could not eafily be eluded, were ncceflary to be cho- fen, to fecure us in this Article from the Equivocations, and Perverfenefs ofArians^ ^jPhotinianSy and Apoll'marians : And no Wonder to hear Men crying out againft thofe Guards which are our Defence againft thcmj and complaining of the Strength of thofe Bulw^J^ks, which keep them from plundering us of the Articles ofour F^iith. The metaphyfical ElTcncc of the three Per- fons in the Godhead, are no farther at- tempted to be explained in the Athanajian Creedy than is agreeable to Holy Writ, and is made necelfary, by thofe who would otherwife pervert the true Faith of Chrift, by their falfe Glolfes and Mifconftrudlion : And go 716^ Athanasian Creed And therefore, the Accuracy and Minute^ vefs of the Athanajlan Creed ^ are fo far from being 2ijuJlComflahit againftit, that it is the great Value of it ; and thofe who Ipcak againft it on this account, thereby plainly fhcw the \i{^ of it. They feel the Force and Strength of it againft them; and, by their difliking it, they fhew us how wife- ly it is compofcd, and fitted to oppofe their Heretical Tenets. Their thus con- dcmning it, is the greateft Commendation of it ; and their pleading for its being on this account laid alide, is a very fubftantial Reafon for us to retain it. In learching into the Myftery of the Trinity in Unity, this Rule is to be ob- Icrvcd ; That wc arc to fearch no farther than Scripture^ taking in all the juft and proper Helps, ufeful and neceffary, in or- der to underftand it rightly \ fo far as that will jnftify us, may we go, and no furtiier. And therefore, when we blame Men for fearching into the 3f^^«J"ofthc Trinity in Unity \ 'tis becaufe they thcre-^ by go beyond this Rule. They defire to be "wlfe^ above "juhat is WYitten^ and refufc to believe the Truth of the T^G^rinCy be- caufe !/4 Preservative aga;np Heresies, ^t caufe they cannot fully comprehend it in every Tart, But this is not our Cafe. The Athanafian Creed has Scripture to de- fend it ; it proceeds no farther than it has from thence a Warrant for : It fearchcs noC into the Modus of the Things nor endea- vours to explain the Myflery^ but the ge^ neral Truths in the ftrongeft and moft cx- prelfive Terms : And, fo long as we are able to make this good, the Charge of C/<- riojittes of Explication^ and fcarching in- to the metaphyjical EJfence^ ^c. cannot with the leaft Jufticc be here alledged. To return to the Quotation from Bifhop Taylor — If by Teofle^ be meant the VitU gar^ when it is faid, that the Teople do not underjiand the Athanafian Creed ; let us enquire, what it is which they do not under- fiand. Now, it will be found, that they //;;- derfiand all that is ordinarily required of them to be believed. ^^ Any plain Man " may eafily conceive, that Father Son *^ and Holy Ghoft are properly Z)/- *^ vine^ are not one the other, and yet are *^ one Gody by an intimate Union ; and that --^' the Son in particular being God and Man, " is one Chriji. — This is enough for ^'^ any plain Chriftian to know or believe; '' and ji TChe Athanasian Creed '^ and he is not ordinarily obliged (6 be '^ more minute in his Enquiries, or to un- " derftand Scholaftick Terms."* The Vulgar then, we fay, may nnderjland the general "Do^rine contained in the yltba- nafian Creed, and, as to the leveral Cir" cumftances and Afpeiidages^ the leveral Technical Terms and 'Phrafes^ they are not required to tioubie their Heads about them, ordinarily, I mean, at leaft. The Vulgar need not be under any Concern, about ad- jufting the Senfe of the Terms, Verfon^ JSnbJiancej Coequality, £Cc. For, though thefe Terms are of wij^^ and neceflary to fettle the Controverfy with greater Accu- racy, amongft thofe who underftand them ; yet God forbid we Ihould fay, that the eternal Salvation of every Tlowman and Mechanicky depends upon them ! No ; the ^DoEirine may be nnderjiood without them : And, though they now become neceflary to prefer ve the Do£i:rine///r^j and uncor" rtipted by thofe who may impugn it \ yet, no doubt but wc might have lived and died -k Dt. H^'aterland^s Importance of the Dodlrine of the Holy Trinity Afllrted. c, i. ^ 2+. £o6irine ; yet that we may prejerve this general "DoHrine^ F from ♦ ^4/. Imp. c,\. p. a8. £//? Heresies. 3$ Creed, to guard againftany Heretical one. The Vulgar will underftand the general Doftrine of a Trinity in Unity : That there are three j the Father^ Son^ and Holy Gbojf^ and that thele three are ojie God : And, that the Son being God and Man^ is one Chrifl : And this (as was obierved before) is as much as is ordinarily neccffary for the Vulvar ^ to know and believe. And when- ever there is a Nccejjlty for them to fcarch into particular Explications^ they have this Form ready to turn to, where they will be fupplied with true ones. When- ever any Heretick fliall endeavour to im- pofe \{\sfalfe Explications of the Do6lrine upon them ; the true ones, which they will find here, will be of ufe to prevent his Dcfigns, and to keep them fteady in the true Faith. If the Wolves never ap- proach, the Flock will feed in Safety : But, it is certainly a neceflary Care in the Shep- herds, to watch over them and guard them in the bed Manner they can, againft all Attacks. If the Vulgar never have any Occafion to fearch into particular Explica- tions, fo much the better : But then, there is no Harm done, in wifely providing a- gainft the worft: And, if ever they have F 2 Occafion, 7^6 The Athakasian Creed Occafion, here is a proper Clue ready to direcl theni, to lead them into the right Path, and prevent their wandering. I do not pretend to fay, that every one among the Vulgar J can fully comprehend every Nicety of Explication in the Athanafian Creed ; or, are capable of feeing through the full Intent and Aim of every Part of it; and to what End and Purpofe every Palfage was defigncd : But this I fay, that every one who is capable of being feduced-) and fet wrong in any one Article, is as cafa- bleoi being brought back^ zxiiifet right by this Form. If they are capable of under- ftanding the Creed of Heretkks^ they will be equally capable of undeiftancling that of the Orthodox \ and, if they can drink the Toifon they can drink the Antidote. And wto this End is the Athanafian Creed retained, to be a Bulwark of our Faith a- gainft the Befiegers^ and an Antidote ready at Hand, for all to take, in order to prc- ferve themfelves againft thofe who fliall ftretch forth the Toifon to them. It is plain then, that both the Learned^ and the Vulgar may undcrftand the Atha- najlan Creed, io far as it is neceffary. They undcrftand ihQ general T)o0r in e ; and the uff Preservative /^g^i;//? Heresies. 37 the particular Explications there to be found, are defigned to guard againft the^^r- tictdar Explications of Hereticks ; and, when they underftand the latter, they will then be able (and before they have no Oc- cafion) to underftand the former. I would ask the Author of the E(fay this plain Queftion, viz. Does hc/incerely and ho- nejily believe the Dodrine of a coequal and coeternal Trinity, three Perfons and one God, and of a God Incarnate ? If he does, he believes all that the Athanajian Creed profeffes. Thefe are the main Ar- tides contained in that Creed ; and the ad- ditional PalTages are defigned to preferve thefe Articles pure and free from Corrup- tion. They contain nothing nevj or more in them, than what is in the^^//^r^/ Tioc^ trine honcftly underftood : But their Ufe is to defend the prime Articles, by fixing and afcertainlng the true Senfe of the Terms, and thofe Propofitions wherein the Dodrine is contained. If then, I fay, the Author of the ^S.^^ fine ere ly believes the prime Articles^ he can have no good Rea- fon for endeavouring to take away the Fences and Guards of that Dodrine he profclfes, and expofing it to the Attacks of fubtic 5 8 The Athanasian Creed fubtle and dcfigning Hcrcticks, who, no doubt, would make their Ulc of it. But on the contrary, if he does not believe the forementioned Articles, then the Cafe is clear, and requires no Oedipus to difcover the Tendency of his Scheme; and his urging, that the Athanafian Creed is hard to be underflood^ is only a Difguife, and fpe- cious Pretence to make his Propofition for laying it ajide^ pafs the better with thofe, who, fhould he openly profefs a Disbelief of the Dodrine, would rejcft his Propo- fals with Horror. But in the Pallagc quoted from Bifhop Taylor^ by the Anther of the Effay^ it is further faid, that it fecms contrary to na- tural Reafon, Here, I muft beg leave to obferve, that we ought always to diftin- guifh between thofe Things which are coii^ trary to our Reafon, and thofe which are only above our Reafon. There are many Things above our Reafon j, which yet arc not contrary to it. The Ofnniprefence of God, the ^nion of the Soul and Body ^ arc above our natural Reafon ; but yet, are by no means contrary to it: And thefe are what we call Myferics J by which we mean in all fuch Cafes as the prefcnt, a Doctrine w^hich ^Preservative <5^^/>//? Heresies. 39 which is fo above our ReafoUy that we are incapable o^ comprehending it : A Doftrine, concerning which our Ideas are, either /;/- adequate^ or indeterminate \ and confe- quently, fuch a Doctrine, that we cannot in many Inllances perceive the Connexion of its Parts^ or be able to anfwer all the fubtlc Queftions, or folve the nice Diffi- culties which may be raifed about it ; fuch Dodrines are faid to be above our Reafon ; and when revealed^ are the proper Matters of Faith, Thofe Doflrines which are con-- trary to owi Reafon, are fuch as zx^ repug- nant to the evident Knowledge, which the Mind has of its own clear and dillind Ideas : In thefe, Reafon muft be hearkened to, as to a Matter within its Province. Now, the Doctrine of the evcr-blelTed Trinity in Unity, as laid down in the Athanafian Creed, is not contrary tOy but only above our Reafon : There is nothing in ic, which is repugnant to the evident Knowledge the Mind has, of its own clear and dii^mdi Ideas. For Inflance, it is not contrary to our Rea- fon, that threCy in one RefpeEt^ Ihould be one in another : that, in this Trinity, there ihould be a Coequality^ and yet a Subor^ dination : 40 The Athanasian Creed dination : A Subordination of 0/'^e?r , and Office ; and yet a Coequaiity in T>Hration and T>igmty. It is not contrary to Rea- fon, to confider the Father as firfl^ the 4y^« as fecond^ and the //^/)/ //- as third in Or<^(fr ; The Father as fnpreme in 0/^ ^/f7? Heresies. 43 the Nature of it, and comprehend every Thing relating to it ; the Eternity^ the Omniprefence^ nay, the very Being of a God, would Hand upon a precarious Foun* dation ; I may fay, no Foundation at all. For, if ,\ve were to believe nothing that is tncomprehenjible in any Part of it, — the Nature of God is all over incomprehen- fible. Nay, further, there would be an End, not only of all divine, but of all human Teftimony too : For, if we were not obliged to affent to any Thing, unlels we could ourfelves comprehend the whole Nature of it, there would be no Room for Teftimony at all ; and we fhould often donkt of thofe Truths, which are yet known to others, to be ftri[ily demonftrable. I remark this, in Anfwer to thofe who are for crying down the Belief of Myfteries in general. From what has been faid upon this Point, it appears, Firft^ That the Doctrine contained in the Athanafian Creed is not contrary to^ but only above our Reafon : Secondly^ That, as it is above our Reafon, it is the proffer Obje£i of Faith ; and, G 2( con- 44 5r/j^ Athakasiak Creed confcqiiently, if it be a revealed Do^rine^ is to be aflcntcd to, as depending upon the higheft Telliniony. Thole Men, there- fore, who are for depretUting this Doc- trine, fhould not only /y, but jheiVy that it is contrary to our natural Rcafon, which wc defy them to do ; or elfe, they flioukl make it appear, that it is not a re. vealcd ^DoiJrhic j and anfwer the Argu- ments of thofe learned Men who have ap- pcared in thisCaufe; and have fufficiently ihcwp, that the Sciiptures, which they cite for the Proof 'of this Doctrine, can- not, without the utmoit Violcfice done to all the approved Rules of Grammar and Criticifm, be interpreted othervvife than they interpret them. Let not our Ad- vcrfaries, when they find they cannot evade the Force of Scripture^ remove their Caufe to^Philofoj?hy^ and run off to a quite different Confidcittion, the Ratiouale of t!i€ Th'if/g. T))is has been the conflant Conduct of thofc who oppole u^ ; "A '^ plain Token'' as obferves the y;/////?^?^ . 1. ^6 7/^^ Atha^^'Asian Creed plain : The Road there is fmooth and eafy ; and the Briars and Thorns are of their own fowing. But this Manner of oppoling tlie Doctrine will do them no Service. All tliat they uill ever be able to do, will be to ihew, that the Modus of the Thing is above our Reafon \ which wc arc ready to allow at once \ But '' Reafon *^ never has, never can dcmonftrate the " Thing to be impcffible : After repeated *' Tryals, 1400 Years, upwards, and more, ^^ and all tonoPurpoic, That fliould now *' be looked upon as a Rilled Toint.*'*^ Our Advcrfaries, therefore, ought to keep clofe to Scripture^ and fhew us, if they are able, that thofe PaiTages on which our Caufe depends, ought not to be interpreted as we interpret them. On Scripture we icft our Caufe \ and ^^ Whoever under- " takes to debate this Queftion, fhoulci /' forbear every Topick drawn from the *^ Nature of the Thing ; becaufe fuch *' Arguments belong only to the other V^ Queftion ; Whether the ^oEirine be " fof I. * Importance, Crc c*\, /•• Jf. "^dit. i. '^Preservative ^^^/V//? Heresies. 47 «^ fofflbiey^ And this ought to be a Ruled Toint, If then, the Docliine con- tained in the Atbanajlan Creed, be not (as it is afferted in the Quotation from Bifliop Taylor) contrary to our Natural ReafoHj but only above it ; then here is no fufficient Ground for being dtffatisfied with the Creed, till it fhali appear that the Doftrine be not a revealed T)oflrim\ If the Calc be as the Author of the Importance^ &c. ftates it ; viz. that *^ Scriptun; in its plain, natural, obvious^ *^ unforced Meaning, fays it ; and Reafou ^^ does not gainfay />^''** Or if, as Bifhop Bull fixes it, *' The Antitrinitarians can *' never produce a demon jir at ive Reafon " to prove that this cannot he^ and divine " Revelation aflures us that fo it is \ ''^-** If this, I fay, be the State of the Cale, as we are perfuadcd it is, and indeed as k muft appear to every impartial Man to be, who has well confidered what has been faid on * IVaterland's Second Defence, 6)uerj xxxi. ^, fx6, Idit. I. *^ ** Importarcc, ^-c. c.i. p.zg. EJit.i. 4? The ArrrANASiAK Creed on both Sides ; tlicn, all Pretences ufge'd at this Time, of the Doftrine being con-^ trary to Rcafon^ arc ftalc and impertinent ; and all Endeavours to evade the Force of Scri^ture^ and to intercept its glaring Light, by the Veil of Philofophical Sub- tleties, will only fhcw, that the Rays of Truth arc able to pierce through the thickeft Clouds \ and that the Caufe of Arianifm is not tc be fupported by all the modern Improvements of thefe latter Years in Philofophy, Logick, and Meta- phyficks. But I pafs on : The Quotation from Bifliop Taylor proceeds, with urging that the Scripture fays little of thofe Curiofuies of Expli- cation j which are found in the Atha^iajian Creed. To which I anfwer, That there is no Dodtrine contained in the Athanajian Creed, but what may be proved by mofi certain Warrants of Holy Scripture ; as it is eypreffed in our eighth Article, The Scripture indeed, does not dcfcend to fuch particular Explications of the Doftrine, as are laid down in the Athanajian Creed \ nor is it at all to be wondered at : The plain naked Dodrinc is laid down in Scripture, eafy yf Preservative ^^^/;s^y? Heresies. 49 cafy to be underftood, obvious to all ; and fo would it have remained, had there not) in Procefs of Time, arofe Men who cor-^ rufted ih\s Dodrine by ih^ir fa ffe Gloffes and MifconJirn5iion^ and by their Herejies difturbed the Church of Chrifl. But when this happened, it was the Duty of the Church to oppofe thefe falfe Teachers, and with all proper Caution to guard againft them. It was the Method of the Primitive Churches to enlarge their Creeds in Proportion to the Growth of Eerejies • and further to explain fuch Parts o? Scrips tnre 'Dofirine^ as were in Danger of be- ing corrupted. And had they not been thus careful, the true Faith of Chriil: might foon have been lolt, through the Craft of Hereticks, and the Artifices of fubtle and dcfigning Men. Thus the Scripture Doc- trine is, that there are Three j, the Father^ Son J and Holy Ghofij each of them properly *Divine : But, when Sabellius, and his Predeceffors Praxeas, and Noit(js ralfcd their Difputes againft the Church of Chrift, and charged the Catholicks with three Gods^ the Terms Terfon and Snb^ Jlance came into Ufe ; and the "Dijltn^ion H was 50 The Athak ASIAN Creed was expreflcd by Terfons^ and the ^nity by one Subjlancc : And the Anfwer of the Catholicks was, that they did not pro- fcil t--j:;o Gods^ or three Gods ; but one God^ and fisjo Terfons^ or three Terfons. So agahi, with refpcft to the Article of the Incarnatio7t ; as on one hand, the Arians make of Chr'tjl a created God, and allow him to be God on account only of his Cjjicej and not of his Nature j and as on the other, the A^poll'inarians and other Hereticks pretend, that Chriftj either had no human Body at all, or that he brought it with him from Heaven, and took it not of the Virgin Mother : In Oppofition to thefe Herefies, we are forced to be more explkitej, and to make ufe of that PafTage in the Athanajian Creeds God of the Subjlancc of the Father^ begotten before the rVcrldsj and Man^ of the Sub" fance of his Mother^ born in the World ; thereby exprefTmg his Stibflance^ as being r\oi frail J mutable j ferijhing^ as the Sub- ftance of Creatures is • but eternal and un- changeable, and all one with the Fathers, in Oppofition to the Arians •, and, that he was y^f Preservative ^^^/^{/? Heresies. ,4J, 58 The KrnKy^KtiKti^ Creed it is at heft, but a Piece of Secret Hijiory ; a Copy from an Originaly which is now in^ vljible : And therefore, there ii no Abfnr^ dity in doubting about it j and whether wc have now the whole Letter : Whether Dr. Ttllotfon (confidering his other Writings) might not e^^rcfs himfelf more fully ^ or explain his Meanings of wijhing to be rid of ity in fome other Senfe, than we can now fee. But, even fuppofing it to be as pretended ; yet, fince we have here only a mere tranfient IVijJjy in a private Letter^ without any fubftantial Reafon^ it can be but of little or no Confequence in the pre- fent important Queilion. This will ap- pear the more rcafonable, if we confider that That Prelate, a few Years before, in 1689, was one of the CommiJJioners ap- pointed to review and correft our Liturgy ; and with the reft of the Commiffi&ners^ agreed to the Rubrick then prepared, of which I have given the Reader a Copy in/. 54. wherein the Ufe of the Athanajian Creed is impofed ^ and wherein 'tis determined that the Articles of it ought to be received^ and believed^ as being agreeable to the Ho* ly Scriptures. — And now, let any ratio- nal Manjudgc, which is thebeft Authority, and 1^ Preservative againjl Heresiss; 59^ and moft to be depended upon • a Co])y of an Original {now loji) of a Trivate Let^ ter to a Friend, publiihed long after the V^eatb of the Perfon who ijurote it ; and which only contains a Wijh to be rid of the Athanajian Greed • or the fublick and deliberate Judgment given among the Commiflioners ; and the folcmn Af- fent to a Rubrick for retaining that Creed in the Liturgy of the Church ; and decla- ring, that the Articles of it ought to be re- ceived and believed, as being agreeable to the Holy Scriptures. — This is the Cale, and let the Publick be Judges, The Author of the Ejfay proceeds to cite Dr. Cave, who (fays he) informs us, /' That the difficulties in this Creed, (and ^ which was never feen till about the Year ^^ 800, near 400 Years after the Death of " Athanajius\ nor received in the Church ^^ till fo very late, as about the Year 1000) *^ have to many learned and conliderate " yi^n^feemed very grcat,^" I may here re- mark, that Cave does not fay was never feen^ but only that it was not quoted be- fore the Year 800, or nearly (which yet is I 2 a * H*y* p. 4ii 66 The Ath AN ASIAN Creed a Miftake) and the Author of the EJfay Ihould have known^ that Dr. Cave afcribes that Creed to Vigilius Tapsenis, who flourifhed in the Vth Century about the Year 484 ; which is more than 300 Years before the Time which this Author makes Dr. Cave fay, that the Creed was never feen, I am perfuaded this Gentleman ne- ver confultcd Cave about it ; but, though he has cited the very Page from Y>x, Cavers Hifioria Liter aria {viz. t. 146) yet took the Obfervation upon Trtijl from Dr. Clarke ; who, in the Second Edition of his Scripture T)o[irine^ has the very fame Words which this Author makes ufe of; and was taken notice of by Dr. Waterland^ in his Critical Hijlory^ for thus mifrepre- fenting Dr. Cave\* And, accordingly I find that Dr. Clarke in the Third Edition of his Scripture T)oflrif!eyip.^j^.h2is correEt-- ed this Miftake: It is pity our Author had not informed himfelf better in this Af- fair : For upon the Whole it appears, that the Author of the Efay has taken Dr. Clarke's Words, and repeated them for Dr. Cave'sy fincc I • fTaterland's Crit,Hift. c.i./.ii. ^Mt.t.] '^Preservative agahjl Keki'sies, 6t iincc he is guilty of the very fame Error with Dr. Clarke. But to return. To what End is Dr. Cavers Authority brought ? why, to ftiew that he was of Opinion that the difficulties in the Athanajlan Creed^ have^ to many Learned Menfeemed very great. But I muft obferve, that here is another unhappy Miftake in the Quota- tion ; for it is not Dr. Cave^ but Dr. Clarke who informs us that the ^difficulties a^J^ear' ed very great^ &Cc. This Authority is therefore Dr. Clarke*Sy not Dr. Cave's j which the Author of the Effay Ihould have known, becaufc Dr. Clarke's Authority in this Cafe will have but very little Weight. It is no News that Dr. Clarke was dif- fatisfied with the Athanajlan Creed : And the Learned World are very well acquaint- ed with his Reafons. — However, it is faid that the difficulties in the Athanajlan Creed have^ to many Learned Men Jeemed very great. This may be true : And per- haps, it often happens, that a Man may be, the more learned^ the lejs a ChriJlian ; not, becaufe he is really wifer for his Learning . but becaufe Learning is too often fuppofed to 6^ 77;^ Atiianasian Creed to con^i^lnmetaphyjical Subtleties ; whicJi^ when employed about AhJier'teSy are fixed upon tmpoper ObjeEis : And confequcntly, inftcad of giving any Light, into that which is incomprehenfible by all the Fa- culties of Rcafon, generally plunge the too minute Enquirer, into inextricable 2)//^ ficultzes of his own raifing : And if he will, not be falisfied, unkfs he can fblve theau that is, if he will not be fatisfied, unlets he can comprehend My- jlerieSy he is gone p:^ Recovery! And It is worth obferving, what Dr. ff^a- terlarid mentions from Hilary of 2^^/V- tiers^ anhoneft and a knowing Man of the IVth Century, viz. " That the "Fopulace ^^ of that Time, for the moft part, kept the ^^ true and right Faith in the Trinity^ ^' when their Minifters, fevcral of them, ^' by prying too far into it, had the Mis- 4' fortune to lofe it."* But to the Point ; are the "Difficulties here mentioned, meant of the ^^^;/^r^/2)^^r/>/^ of the Trinity ? If they are ; they are fuch "Difficulties^ as Re- 'Delation teaches : They are the G off el- Difficulties ; And therefore, if the Author of * Sc-e Imporiartcc, Sec. c. i. />. 22. EJii» ij of the EJay would make this, a Reafon for laying afide the Athanajian Creed^ he may, for the fame Realba propofe laying afide the Go/pel too. If the difficulties rclpeft the nicer Explications ; I would ask, whether it is meant, that they are dif- ficult to be under Jlood^ or difficult to be be» lievedi If the former be faid \ I mull ob- fcrve, that thofe who underftand what He- refies have arofe in the Church of Chrift, will foon underftand thefe PafTages which are oppofed to them, and defigned as Defen- ces againft them : And thofe who are igno- rant of thefe, are to fatisfy themfelvcs with underftanding the general ^o^irinc. If it is meant, that thefe Explications are difficult to be believed y I anfwer, that whoever believes the general ^o^rines of a coequal and coeternal Trinity, and of a God incarnate, believes thefe Explica- tions, or lUuftrations of thofe Doctrines al- fo : For there is nothing more than is con- tained in the general Dodrine* The Atha^ najian Creed is nothing more than the Ge- neral T)o6irine guarded : whoever there- fore believes the one, will believe the other. And the Difficulties will continue to <^4 3^^^^ Athanasian Creed to feem very great to thofc only, who rc« jcft the general l^oririne. But, when fuch Men complain of their T>iJ}iculties j fo far will that be from a Reafon, for laying a- fide this Creed ; that, on the contrary-j had it ever been laid ajide^ this would have been a very good Reafon for taking it in again, I now pafs on to confider, what the Au- thor of the EjJ^ay has cited from Mr. Hales's Trad of Scijm. ThePaffage is this, " Were zW^ublick Forms of Service *' fo framed, as that they admitted of no ^' particular /rii^^^^ Opinions j but contain- " cd only fitch Things^ in which all Chrif " tians do agree ; Scifms upon Matter of " Opinion, would utterly vanifti/'* I know not, that our publick Form con- tains any private Opinion ^ for I hope that will not be called 2i private Opinion^ the Re- ception of which \j2iS general and antient\ which has been received mFrancefjermanyy England^ Italy^ and Rome itfelf • by Greeks and Latins^ by all the Wefiern Churches, not only before, but fmce the Reforma- tion. * ^S'^h P'43' I^Prservative a^amjl Kekesils. 65 matfon. — This, I fay, will not eafily be looked upon as a private Opinion^ unkfs hy private Opinion^ be meant an Opinion upon which Men differ^ (as Mr. Hales a little lower exprefles himfel£) But, if this be meant, I would ask the Author of the Effay^ who feems to have fpent Ibme Time in revijing^ correlating^ and enlarging our Liturgy \ Whether, after all his Re^ vifals^ CorreEiions^ and Enlargements^ he thinks he could be able to ftrike out a Form^ in which there Ihould be none of thefe private Opinions ; that is, nothing upon which Men differ ? I fancy he will acknowledge it impoffible. Every one knows that Men, while they are Men? will think differently : And fhould the Church endeavour to pleafey///; fofar would it be from having no private Opi- nions in it, that, on the contrary, it would confift of little elfe. Nav, the Author of the EJfay in the "Preface to his Specimen^ tells us, that. Correding the Liturgy is " a DeCgn nice and difficult , and con- ^^ feffes, that to render it pleafing and '' agreeable to all^ is in the Nature of V' the Thi^ig impojfible^ confidering the K ^^ Variety 66 The Athanasian Creed " Variety of Sentiments^ different Tem^ ^* pers^ Humours^ and TaJJions of Men/' — Why then does he urge the Diffe^^ rences of Men about the prefent Liturgy^ ^s an Argument for altering it ; when he grants, that to compile one, about which there fliould be 7ic Tjtfferences^ or which fhouid be agreeable to All^ is, in the Na- ture of the Thing, impoffibk ? The Church therefore, is not to regard whether Men liifer ; but whether they differ upon good Grounds and Reafins ; for there will al- ways lie the Merits of the Caufe. The Church is to be guided, not by human 'Differences^ but by holy Scripture ; not by the Voice of Men, but the Voice of God. So long as fhe keeps to this Rule, fhe goes upon fure Ground ; and, when ihe deviates from it, fhe is wrong. To make human Differences, the Rule for modelling our Liturgy, would make it, like the Rule itfelf, the moft fluftuating, uncertain, inftable Thing in the World : and would be opening a Floodgate to the Torrent ofall Sorts of Errors, which would foon overflow the Church, and bear away Chriftianity itfelf. And, I Ihall here beg Leave, A Preservative agmnjl Herisif.s. ^7 Leave, with the greateft Juftice, to retort the Argument, and fay, that the retain^ ing the Athanafian Creed is a general^ and the rejecting in a private Opinion ; and a private Opinion^ is no Reaibn for the Church to part with one Article, much icfs to throw away whole Creeds. But Mr. Hales would have " Publick ** Forms contain only fuch Things, in ^* which all Chriftians do agree.^' And what then ? Why then, it feems, " Scifms •' upon Matter cf Opinion, would utterly *^ vanifli" : When this is only meant, with relpeft to laying afide Ceremonies really indifferent in thcmfelves, for the Sake of ^eace and Unity^ could it by this Means be fecured, there WDuld be no good Reafon to object. But then, in the firft Place, I muft remark, that it muft be fhewn, that they are really indifferent in themfelves : For there are fome Things, which may be indifferent in one View, and yet not fo in another : for Inftance, a Ce- lemony may be indifferent with Refpe£l to our Eternal Salvation \ i. e. our Salva- tion may not depend upon the Ufe of fuch a Ceremony • and yet it may not be indit- K ^ ferent 68 Tfje Athanasian Creed fcrent with Rcfpccl to Decency and Order. And in the next Place, if they are really indifferent in all Views ; then there is as good Rcafon for retaining them, as for r^- jeEi'tng them. And thofe Scifms^ which would utterly vanijh upon fuch indifferent Ceremonies being laid afide, 'tis plain, are Scifms foundcdj not upon Reafon^ but Gz- frice. For whoever urges, that CeremO" 7ties indifferent in themfehes^ ought to be laid affde to prevent Scifm^ and pre* ferve the Tcace and Unity of the Church j muft be put in Mind, that Ceremonies in- different in themfelves^ are not a fufficient Ground to build Scifm upon ; to dillrail the TPeace and Unity of the Church, and to divide the Body of Chrift. Neverthc- lefs, 1 fay, to preferve the Peace and Unity of the Church, could it be done by lay- ing afidc Ceremonies really indifferent in t hem fe Ives ; I apprehend that no good Men would oppofe it ; But, if the Difeafe lies deeper ; if thofe which are called indif^ ferent Rites and Ceremonies^ are not the true Cauje of the Scifm ^ but only ^re» fences^ and A^^endages to the main Ob-' Objection ./f Preservative ^^^i«/^ Heresies'. 69 ObjeEiion againft fbme important Toint ; then, to lay afide fuch indifferent Rites and Ceremonies^ would be all in vain : It would by no means prevent the Sc'tjm j but only ftiew that it was not really foun- ded upon fuch ifidijferent Ritesy but up- on fome other important Matter^ which the Church can never give up 5 (for Mct> muft not turn Scifrnaticks to prevent Stifm ; ) and therefore, it would be only more plainly difcovering the Wound , with- out being able to cure it. Again, there are fome Things which Men may call Rites and Ceremonies^ which arc of a much higher Chara^er \ for Inftance, Ibme Men may rank our Creeds^ and other important Matters, in the Number of mere Rites and Ceremonies ; as the Gentleman I am now concerned with, feems covcitlv to do ; which is one general Fallacy run- ning through his whole Performance. The Book carries Deception in its very Face : For the Title Page, by Way of Motto^ prefents you with the following Paflage, from the Preface to the Book of Common ^rayer^ viz. " The particular Forms of Divine 70 T'be Athanasian Creei *' Divine Worlhip, and the Rites an4 " Ceremonies appointed to be ufed therc- *' in, being Things in their own Nature " INDIFFERENT and ALTERABLE, and lb *' acknowledged ; it is but reafonablc, that, *^ fuch Changes fhould be raade therein, ^* as to thole that are in Place of Autho- " rity, fhould from Time to Time feem <' cither neceffary or expedient/* Here the Author of the Ejfay would infinuate to the Reader, at his tirll Entrance, as if he was not pleading for any Thing being laid afide or altered, but what was a Matter of no Importance^ a Thing ©f mere Ceremony : But, when we cpme a little farther into his Book, we find he has a far different Aim, than what he here pretends to ; For, while he would have us believe, that he is only for altering Rites and Ceremonies^ he is for laying afide or exchanging Creeds, And, w hi 1ft he would feem to be pleading only againft Things /;/ their oijvn Nature indifferent, and ALTERABLE, he is attacking the Profeflion of our true Faith in Chrift, and ftriking at Fundamentals, But it can never with any Juftice be pleaded^ in order to have the .^PRESERVATivE agahifi Heresies. 71 the Athanajian Creed laid afide, that it is an indifferent and alterable Form or Cere-- mony ; fince it is a folemn Explanation and Profeffion of our Faith^ and of the utmoft Importance^ as being the Guard and De- fence of it. But further, — If the Atha^ Ttajian Creed^ be a Thing in which all Chriftians do not agrecy every one knows, that it is often upon account of the Ar* tides it contains ; and therefore, when it is pleaded, that That Creed, in order to prevent Scifm^ fiiould be left out of the Publick Form, as being a Thing in which all Chriftians do not agree ; the 2)//^ agreement muft be alfo meant of the Ar- ticles it contains ; and confcquently, as the Author of the Ejfay is pleading for lay- ing afide the Athanajian Creed \ and, as his Quotation from Mr. Hales muft be levelled againft that Creed \ the Argument " will extend to this \ — • that, ^' If all/^^- ^^Aick Forms of Service were fo framed, " as that they fliould contain only fuch " Articles of Faith, in which all Chriftians *^ do agree ; Scifms upon Matters of Faith " would utterly vanifli/' But this, I con- fefs, is the ftrangeft Way to prevent Scifm 1 have ^2 The Athanasian CreeJ I have ever yet heard of. For was it pof^ fible to compofe fuch a publick Form, which fhould contain only fuch Things in which all Chriftians do agree^ it might ftill be very defe^five ; becaufc there might be fome Things left out, which, though all Chriftians fhould not agree in, might neverthelefs be the 'DoEirine of holy Scripture^ and of great Importance, It may fo happen, that Men may agree to the Terms in which a general T)o6irlne is delivered ; but yet, underftanding them according to \ht\i o'^n private Interpreta- tion^ may agree to them in a very dtf" ferent Senfr^ than what the Church means by them ; and therefore, may only feem to agree with her, when they really do not. They may agree in Sound^ but not in Senfe : And, by this Means may appear to be orthodox^ whilft they are really fa- vourers of hereticalOpinions. And there- fore, if there was nothing in the publick Form^ but what Men thus feem to agree in ; it would be impoffiblc to know Truth from Herefy, or diftinguilh thofe who would defend^ from thofe who would im-^ pugn the Catholick Faith. And therefore, to ^Preservative agalnjl Heresies. 73 to fecure the Church from entertaining in her Commumon falfe Brethren^ it is high- lynecefFary and ufefu!, to have 2i j} ending Explanation of our Faithj as a Guard and a Teft whereby we may preferve the Flock of Chrift, puire and' free from thofe who would- creep into the Fold, by ap- pearing TnSh'eeps Cloathing; whiift in- wardly^ they' are Tuch as v/ould fubvert the' true Faith^- and perplex the Ghurch with their Herefies. If then, there were only fuch Things in the publick Form, in which all who call themfelves Chriflians do agree ,• we might, at the fame Time, be very deficient in fecuring and defending the true Faith* For Inftance'; if in our Creeds^ '^^fi^ Chrijl was only faid to be God^ the Arians Avould agree with us ; but yet, fmce they would not mean, that he vi2iS Ji'ri5ily and properly divine., but a fort of a Creature^ Cod \ it is necefiary, that we explain the Meaning of the Church, by faying he is Cod of the Subftance of the Father^ co^ eternal and coequal with him. And now, muft we lea've out fuch a Comment, be- ^caufe we may haye nothing but what ail - \, agree 74 The Athanasian Creed agree in ? Muft our Creed be defective upon this Account ? Muft the Church, to prevent Men from differing from her, form and model herfelf, according to their Wilhcs ? Or, that our Faith may not ex* ceed theirs^ nnift we bring it down to their Standard ? Mufl we give up the true Faith in Chrift, to prevent a Scifm in his Church ? Are we to fubmit to our Adverfaries, thai they may not differ from us, or yield to Herejy^ that we may pre- fcrve ^Onion ? Tliis is ftrange kind of Ar- guing, truly ! and yet, 'tis no lefs than what is here pleaded for. For if we were to put fuch Things only into our publick Form, in which all who call themfelves Chriftians agree j we muft leave out what we think to be trut-y veceffary^ and im- portant ; and that would be, to give up the true Faith, and yield to Herefy. " And might not a 2)^//? argue, from " Parity of Rcafon, for the throwing out " Chrift Jefus ; that fo both Chriftians ^^ and Dcifts may agree in one Liturgy, " directing all Prayers to one eternal God ? " If it be faid, that neither the Precepts, '' nor Examples found in Scripture, will ^' permit ^"Preservative ^^^^;;^7^ Heresies. 75 ^^ permit Ghriftians thus to curtail their ^^ Prayers, to oblige the T)eiJIs ; the fame " I fay as to orthodox Ghriftians, that " neither, will the Scripture Rule, nor " Apoftolical Pradice, nor the very Rea- ^^ Ion of the Thing permit, that they ^' fliould totally lay afide the direft Wor- *^ Ihip of God the Son, or God the Holy ^' Ghoft.'' — Remarks on T>r. Clark's Expo fit ion on the Church Catechtfm^ p. 19, Ed. 5. The Truth is, in Things o? real Indif" ferency^ for the Sake of Teace and Unity ^ it may be right to comply with thofe who differ from us , but not in Fundamentals, We are to be guided by the holy Scrip- tures : They are to be our Rule of Faith j and the Practice of the three firfl Centu- ries, our Model of Worfliip : And whilft nothing is put into the publick Form as fundamental T)oBrtne^ but what may be proved by the Writings of Chrifi and his Apoftles^ wc are fafe, and juftifiable. And if others teach a Doclrine which is contrary to Scripture ; if an Angel from Heaven preach any other Golpel, than has been preached unto us by Chrif and his L % Apofiks^ 7a The Atk'-' LAN Creed jl^cfiles^ , we are not to hearken to it,. Andfo far ought we to be from Icavivg out of Qwx piihlick For?n -^iW"^ fundamental "Dotfi iacj which we know and are per- {uadcd is taught in holy Writ, in order that thcfe who preach another Doclrine, may not differ from us j that we ought oh the contrary, to refufe Communion withfucbi, upon any Account, whilft they remain , in fuch a State.. Let us hear what Inftnictions St. Taul gives in fuch Cafes j — Mark them ( fays he ) ^jjhich canfi *DiviJions and Offences^ contrary to the ^Doctrine ^ujhtch ^e have learned^ and avoid them,^ St. T^anl here, does not advifc them to comp'omife the Matter, or not to tvfijl upon fuch Doctrines which their Adysrfaries opfofcd • but, on the contrary, to mark^ and find out thofe who caiufcd^ fuch Divifions, and to fly from, and avoid them. The like Advice "he gives to Timothy. Thcfe Things teach and exhort. If any Man teach othervL'tfCy and conjhit not to vi:'hoicfome IVords^ even th^ l^ords of our Lord Jefus Chrifi^ and ^.^JR«». XV i. 17, -^ Preservative ^^^/V;y? Heresies. 77 to the T>o6trine which is according to God- UnefSy &c. — from fiich withdraw thy- felf* He docs not fay, leave out thofe wholefome Words of our Lord Jcfus Chrift, to which others will not confent, that you may affociate with them j but — withdraw thyfelf from them. This then is what we are to do. We are to prefeye the true Faith of Chrift in its native Purity and Perfection : We are not to curtail, deface it, and leave out necet fary, important, fundamental Dodrincs, to oblige thofe who dtfj^er from us. And, as to thofe who teach and propagate their Hereliesj and adulterate the Faith ^ we arc to mark them, avoid them, withdraw ourfelves from them^ by the Suffrage and Advice of the great Apoftle St. TauL ^^ To own them ( fays a late learned and ^' judicious Divine ) as fellow Chrijlians^ *' is to take their Guilt upon ourfelves, or *' greater. I fay greater ; becaule, fiip- *•' pofing them fo far innocent, as honeftly '' to follow their own Judgment, yet, ^^ while we are of a contrary Judgment, " it f I T/w. yi. 2--J* '78 The KrviKriksikYi Creed ^^ it cannot but be guilty Prafticc and " Conduft in us, and very great too, to ^^ fmother our Sentiments ; or, not to bear ^' our Teftimony in fuch a Way, asChrift '' has appointed, againft all notorious Cor- " ruptions either of Faith ^ or TVorffjipj or *' ^ccirinc*^"^ To leave out of our pub- lick Form, what we efteem as a valuable Summary of our Faith, or rather, as a Comment^ and Explanation of the Doc- trines of our Faith ; to leave this outy in order to oblige thofe who differ from us, "would be to fmother our Sentiments^ in a Caufe the moft important ^ and to incur even greater Guilt than our Adverfaries themfelves. No ; fo far fhould we be from confenting to this, that (at leaft, if they pretend to fropagate their Doftrine) we ftiould refufe to 0W7t them as fellow Chrifiians. When Polycarp, the Dif- ciple of St. John^ and by him conftituted Bifliop of Smyrna^ came to Rome^ to in- terpofe vj'whAnicettts^ (Bifliop of that See,) and the Chief of the Weftern Church, on account of the ^artodeciman Controver- • Dr. Wat, Importance, ^c. c. 4. />. i54« ^^^^' ?-« 'A Preservative ^^^i/(/? Heresies. 79 fy, concerning the Time of the Obfer- yation of Eajler ( which began to arife A 2). 157.) during his Stay at Rome^ 'by his Dodrines he recovered many to the Church, who had been infefted with Er- rorSj elpecially with the Herefies of Mar^ cion and Valentinus. Marcion once acci- dentally met him in the Street ; and re- fcnting it, that he did not falute him, called out to him — Poly CARP, own us ! but the good Bilhop replied in a juft Indignation, / own thee to be the firjl-born of Sa- tan. So extremly cautious (adds the Re- later of this Story) were the Apojiles and their Followers^ to have no Communion^ no^ 7iot fo much as in ^Difcourfc with any Man that corrupted the Truth • ac- cording to St. PaulV Rukj Tit. iii. 10. Thus are we juftified, not only by the Trecepts^ but the Trafiice of Antiquity, the Pradice of a truly Apoftolical Bifhop and Martyr, in refufmg to own Heretkks as fellow ChriJUans : To do this, would be to /mother our Sentiments^ wliich is, in EfFed, facrificing the Truths cf Chrif tianity to the Teace of Men. And what is here pleaded for, viz, the laying afide important So The Athanasian dreed important T)o[frhes^ comes under the Cenfure of f??iotheriug our Sciithnents ; and is much the fame, as giving them up : But this mull not be done, even to pre- vent Scifm : Nay, if it were done, ^tis highly improbable it would have the de- fired Effect. For, (as it is well remarked) " When Ibme Perfons of more Warmth ^' than Wifdom, have gone upon what ^^ they call healing Methods, in order to ^' reconcile many ( as they fuppofed ) to " Chriftianity fhortened and curtailed in ^' its prime Articles, they have been for «' the moft part miferably difappointed : ^^ Their unwarrantable Co7iceJ]lons^ inftead *' of making more Cbrijiians ( Half- *^ Chrijliansj I Ihould fay ) have only "made more Infidels. And it was na- *^ tural to think, that fuch would the " Refult be. For, when once' the Ad- " vocates for Religion begin to recede, " beyond what they have Warrant for, ^' they give very great Advantage to the ^^ Enemy, who may then modeftly ex- *^ peft to draw them on further, upon the " fame Motive or Principle, which had " before oi^pRSERVATiv^E again/} Ker^ SI zs. 8i ^^ before carried them too far. For If " they yield to Importttntty^ rather than " to Reafon in one Cafe, why not in " another ? "* Since this then is the Cafe, we fliould be very cautious what Concef- Jions we make, and how far we yield to Importunity. It behoves us greatly to be- ware of laying afide any important "Doc- trine^ or neccffary Explication of fjch Dodrine, to oblige thofe who differ from us in fuch Points ; left their next Requeft to us fiiould be, to pay them a farther Compliment, and to infert their Dodrlnes in the Room. Mr. Hales obferves farther ; that — ^' If " we removed from the Liturgies what- " foever is oflenjive to aijy^ the Event '' would be, that the piblick Service and " Honour of God would no ways fuffcr/'"^^ This is making the Caprice of every fingle Man, a Rule for modelling our Liturgy : And when, by fuch a Rule^ the Liturgy would be compleated, I leave to thofe to determine, who can forefee when the Time M will » Oi-. WAt. Importance, c. y, p, 138— £(///. i, •• £%, />. 43. 82 The Athanasian Creed will come, that all Men lliall think alike. But I mufl further obferve, that it is a very great Error to imagine, that, if wc could remove every thing from the Liturgy which is ojj'^enfive to any^ the publ'ick Ser* "dice and Honour of God vjotild no "Jioys ftiffer : For there may be fome Things in the Liturgy, which may be o-ff^cnjive to fome, and yet may neverthclefi be a high and important T>o[irine of Holy Scripture^ 2vlen may be mijiaken in their Judgments^ and may take Offence at what they ought not. And therefore, fiiould we leave out every thing which may be offenjive to any^ we might leave out a neceffary and impor^ tant ^o6irine of holy Scripture. Perhaps, fome of the Commandtnents are offenjive to fome Men *, but what then ? muft we therefore abrogate the Law of God ? liire- ly there are few who will pretend to juftify fuch a Proceeding. The Honour of God would greatly fujfer by fuch Methods : And no doubt, but they muft anfwer for it, who confent to fuch unrighteous Deal- ing. But the public k Service and Honour of God would manifeftly y?/^r in another View. For if we fhould leave out of our Liturgy^ .^Preservative ^?^^i;/y? Heresies. 85 Liturgy^ every Thing which is of en five to any ^ this would be, as it were, granting a Licence for the utmofi: Conftiflon in our V/orfloip ; and openly confenting to com- municatc with thofe, who, we may at the fame Time be fenfible, differ from us even in the Object oflVorfbip. '' It is in " vain ( fays a late Writer) to caft about " for any far.fetch'd Reafons, Colours, or " Pretences in a plain Cafe. Suppofing it *^ not neceffary. that all Doctrines, even " though very important, fhould be ex- ^^ prefs'd in a publick Liturgy, (though if *' they were, I fhould not think it at all. " improper or amifs,) yet certainly, the " Liturgy fhould be io contrived, as ef- ^' fedually to point out the Ohje£i of " our JVor^np. If the Supplicants cannot " agree about the very QbjeEi ofJVorjhip^ ^' I do not fee how they can at all unite " in one common Liturgy ; or, fo much " as hold Communion with each other. ''^ If then, by leaving out of the Liturgy whatfoever is ofetifive to any^ we fhould M 2 not * Remarks on Dr. CUrlii Expofitlon cf the Churdi Catechilb, ^. 19. £//;/, 3. 84 The Athanasian Creed not ejfeciually point out the true ObjeEi cf IVor^np j this would render a reafonable Communion impoffible. But nothing is more plain, than that the true Objefi of IForjljip would noi ho, effeitually pointed oitt^ fhould w^e leat'e out of our Liturgy whatfoever is ojfenji'ie to any. For, if we were to leave out of our Liturgy whatfoever is oifenfive to any ; we muft remove from thence every Paffage, which makes Jeftis Chrijt God^ co-equal^ and co-eternal with the Father^ in order to oblige the Artans : But this would be confenting to Communicate with them ; when, at the fame Time wc fliould know that we differed in the Ohje£i of Worjhip ; which would not be effe5iually pointed out^ becaufe Jefus Chriji would not be pointed out^ as the Object of true fVorjhip. And what Confufion in the publick Ser- vice, what an high Affront to our God and Saviour would (and by our Confent) neceffarily follow I For we fhould wor- iliip J^fi^s ChriJI as truly and properly God^ whilfl ihcArians would only pay him an inferior fVorjhip ; and thereby, if he be truly God^ would difhonour and degrade -^pRESERVATivE^^:?i;//? Heresies. §5 degrade him. If the Son and Holy Gbojl be one God with the Father^ and the A^ rians look upon Both^ but as Creatures ; then, when Arians and Catholkks join in the {^imc folemn A6is of outzvard Worfliip .; thofe Religious AEts^ are, on the Arian Side, defiled by an irreligious Meaning ; and amount rather to a folemn Mockery of their God and Saviour ^ than to a refpe^tful Remembrance of him ; and are in Reality^ though not int edition ally ^ flat Tolytheifm and Idolatry,^ To leave out of the Li- ^//rg^ then, thofe PafTages which make y^- fus Chriji really and truly God^ would be knowingly to admit this Confufion of JVor^ jbip ; which if he be really "Divine^ is un- doubtedly a folemn Mockery of God^ and a "Defilement of his Sacred Service. We are not therefore to confider, whether a a Do6trine may give Offence^ but whether it is true and important ; for if it be ; then the fublick Service and Honour of God may^we fee, greatly Jujfer by leaving it out of our Liturgy. What we are to confider, is, whether the Dodrine be true^ impor- tanty ♦ Dr.lVAterUnd's Importance, ^.40. 86 The Athanasian Creed tant zwdijuftijiable by Scripture ; and whe* thcr the Form it is put into, in the L'ttur^ gy^ be the bed framed, to preferve the Dodlrinc pure and free from the Corrup' tions of falfe Teachers : If it be ; we are to retain it, againft all Oppofition. " St. '' "^Panl (fays a Learned and Judicious *' Prelate of our Church) has plainly taught ^' us, how we ought to condud; ourfelves in fuch Cafes. He knew very well, that Jew and Gentile took great Offence at the Doctrine of a Crucified Saviour j " and he could not but fee, that Chriftia- " nity would be more favourably enter- *' tained by both, if that Offence were re- *' moved, and the Gofpcl reduced to a " Scheme of mere Morality ; ratified by a *' Perfon fent from God ; and inforced by " ftronger AlTurances of P.evvards and Pu^ *^ nifhmcnts, than ever had been given be- *' fore. But, notvvithftanding all this, (fays " he) IVe preach Chriji crucified J unto the ^^ Jews a ftumbling Blocks and unto the ^' Greeks Foolifl>nefs, (i Cor. i. 23.) "^ And another very learned Writer, taking Occafion * Bifiiop of Io^^/j/k's Charge of Mny 28, 1750. f. jj". £<(, z] -//Preservative agaznji H^^tsi^Es. §7 Occafion to mention this PafTagc, remarks thus upon it very appofitely to my prefent Purpofc, viz. " The Reafon (fays he) is " plain : For, the Miniflers of Chrift are " under fpecial Diredion, and muft not ^' dare to prevaricate in their facrcd Em- *' ployment. They muft never prefume ^^ to betray the Truth of the Gofpel^ with *' any View to prevent Offence : For, fuch " Offence is taken^ not gtven^ and is there- ^' fore of no Moment. They only are to i' bear the Blame, who are caufekjly of- '^ fended at what they ought to receive *' with the profoundeft Refped and Vene. " ration/'* The Author of the Effay concludes Mr. Hales^s Obfervations with thefe Words — " That putting Things mne^ " cejjary into the Service of the Church, " was the firft Beginning of Superftition/' And then he proceeds to cite Bifnop Stil- LiNFLEET as foUov/s I — '' Were we ^^ (fays the Bilhop) fo happy but to take " off Things granted tinneceffary by all^ '' and fufpedted by many, and judged un- '' lawful * fi'aferlanti^s Imp. c. f, p. 138. Idit.i, 83 The Athanasian Creed ^^ lawful by fome ; and to make nothing *' the Bonds of our Communion, but ^' what Chrift has done, viz, one Faith, ''- oncBaptifm, C^r. allowing a Liberty for " Matters of Indijferency - — we might ^^ indeed be reftored to a true primitive ^" Luftre. — God will one Day convince '^ Men, that the Union of the Church, ^' lies more in the Unity of Faith and Af- " fe^iojijth^n in the Uniformity ofdoubt- " ful Rites and Cerewo/ues.'^'^* To what Purpofc is this Qiiotation from Bifhop Stilling fleet ^ which is plainly levelled a- gainft doubtful Rites and Ceremonies^ a- gainft Things granted nnnecejfary by ally and Matters of Indifferency ; and has no manner of relation to the Point in Debate ? unlefs the Author of the Ejfay can fhew us, that Bifhop Stillingfleet reckoned the Athanajlan Creed among the Number of doubtful Rites andCeremoJiies. This Quo- tation from the Bijjjop comes in, as a Proof of this Gentleman's Tfr/? Reafon for laying ajide the Athanajian Cre^d^ viz*. " Be- *' caufe many found and orthodox ChriC- " tians ■* EfTu)', f 44. y^PRisERVATivE agaifijl Heresies. S9 " tians of our Church, both Clergy and " Laity, have been greatly diflatisfied with " it.'' But, how this receives any Proof from the foregoing Palfage of Bifhop Still'mgfleet^ I know not : Unlefi recom- mending an Ufiify in Faith^ and a Liberty for Matters of Ind'ijfcreiicy^ and doubtful Rites and Ceremonies^ is hc\n^ dij^atisjied with the Athanafian Creed. Nor can I believe that Dr. Stiliingfleet meant to ex- prefs any "Dijjatisfaclton at that Creed^ when he himfclf declared^ that, 7iot mere- ly our Churcbj but the Chrijlian JVorld owned it to be 2ijuft and true Explication of theT)o^rine of theTrinity.^ But what- ever Bifhop Stillingflcet may do, 'tis plain that the Author of the EjJ'ay would have this Paflage contain a Reafon for laying ajide the Athanafian Crc^d. Let us juft fee then, what Force it has in that View. From what has been before faid, I hope all unprejudiced Men will be convinced, that it is no found Reafon for the Church's leaving out any Part of the Liturgy^ be- caufe it may be fufpedied by many^ or judged unlawful by fome : For fuch Sufpi^ N cions .^ y indication of the Trinity, /. 7. jp. 101. ^o The Athavasian Creed ciofu may be ill grounded^ and fuch Judg^ ments may be miflaken. The only Force, if there be any, lies in the Words ^r^;/^^^ nnnecejfary by all, and allo'ujbig a Liber • ty for Matters of Indijfirency^ &Cc. Bin here the Gentleman is playing the fame Trick as before : He amiifes the Reader with an Harangue,about laying afide Things granted unnecejfary by all^ Matters of In^ differeficy^ and doubtful Rites and Cere^ monies \ and whilft this Mift is raifed be- fore his Eyes, his main Defign is to expunge Creeds^ and to flip Fundamentals into the Number of doubtful Rites andCeremonies. I took notice before, that the Motto to his EJfay was a Piece of formal Deception : And give me Leave to remark here, that the Motto to his Specimen^ is ftill a more grofs Impofition upon the Reader, than the other : It is taken from Dr. Prideaux, and is this, — " If that Stiffnels of Hu- •' mour, which is now among too many " of us, againft altering any Thing in our ^^ Liturgy, fhould continue, — all Lan^ " ^//^^^ being lajluxu^ — and our Liturgy " remain without any Change or Altera- !' tion, it would be as much in an unknown " Language^ ^PRESERVATiyE4^df//!f/'?HERESIHS.rf9l ^' Language^ as now the Roman Service is *^ to theVulgarof thatCommunion^\ This is all very true, and is fair and plaufible! He profefTes here, only to corred a few obfolete ExfreJJlons in the Language^ that it may be intelligible, — Who would think that this Gentleman had altered whole C?/- leEis^ and ftruck out Creeds ? But to return. Was the Athanafian Creed a Thing grant- ed unneccjjary by ally or a Matter of Indif- ferency^ or a mere doubtful Rite or Cere- mony^ the Argument might be alledged with a better Grace : But, when the Cafe is diredly contrary, it is mere Words. For is the Athanafian Creed a mere doubtful Ceremony^ or a Matter of Indiffereftcy ? No one will affirm this, but thofe Gentle- men, who are fo complaifant as to comply with Articles of Faith as mere Ceremo^ nialsy and to believe out oi good Manners : But then again, fuch ^e/^f/Z-^r^ J Gentlemen would have no Occafion to plead for its being laid afide. Is the Athanafian Creed granted unnecejfary by all? I am fure it is not : And I hope upon Occafion it will be able to find many powerful Advocates. — But I fliall have Occafion to Ipeak more N z fully 92 7he Athanasian Creed fully to this Plea of its being unnecejfary^ in another Place : I fhall only hint here, that fo long as the Doftrlne contained in the Athanajlan Creed ^ can be proved to be Scriptnre'T)oEirine ^ it can never be unne- cejjary to retain that Creed in our Liturgy ; whilfl: there are thofe \i\\o public kly plead for its being laid ajide, — But the Plea of its being indifferent has this Misfortune in it (and indeed the fame Weaknefs is charge- able upon all Pleas in general, for laying afide Matters of Indifferency') viz,. If the Athanajlan Creed be not a Matter oi Indif, ferencyj the Plea is falfe: And, if it be really a Matter of Indifferency, why are they fo ftrenuous in pleading for its being laid afide ? I would only mention one Thing more ; viz. Though this Palfage, cited from Bithop Stilling fleet's Ire- nicnm^ docs not at all afFccl the Point here in Debate ; yet^, fince the Author of the Ef- fay has cited this with other Paffagcsfrom that Book^ as fupporting him in his Dcfign of altering our Liturgy j it may be proper to give the Reader fomc little Information concerning that Piece. I find in the Life of Biftiop Stilling fleet the following Paf- fage.~ w^ Preservative ^^/^zir//? Heresies. 9j iagc. — ^' He profefTcs himfclf to havepnb- " lifhcd his Irenicnm^ hoping by it to bring " over thofe to a Compliance with the " Church of England (then like to be re- " eltablifhed) who flood off, upon the *' Suppofition that Chrift had appointed, '* a Presbyterian Government to be al- *' ways continued in his Church \ and " therefore thought Prelacy was to be de- " tefted, as an unlawful Ufa rpat ion; ad- * ding moreover, that it did not want Snc- *' cefs that Way, both here and in a Ncigh- '* hour Kingdom. Eftft, T)cd, before the " Ordination-Sermon at St. "^Peters Corn- " hill^ March 15. 1684-5-. and/. 148. of *' feveral Conferences bct'ween a T'opifh " Triejl^ a FanaUck Chaplain^Kc. where, ^^ in the Pcrlbn of !P. 2). he fpeaks freely ^' of it, and fays, I believe there are many " Things in it^ which if T)r, Stillingflect *^ were to write now^ he would not have '^ faid: For there are fome which fljew ^^ his Youth a?id IVant ^ydue Confidera- '' tion ; others which he yielded too far, in " Hopes of gaining the IDiffentijig "Parties *' to the Church of England; but upon the ^^ whole Matter J, I am fully fat is jied the '' Book 94 37^^ Athanasian Creed " Book was written with a Defign to '' ferve the Church of England^ gcc/' ^ — I here give the Reader Dr. Stilli7igfleet\ own Sentiments of his Irenicunty as they are related by the Writer of his Life ^ that he may confider the Paffages quoted from it by the Author of the Effay^ in their true Light ; and that the Name of Bifhop Stillingf LEET, may not carry more Weight in it, than the Bifhof himfelf if he were alive, would dejire it jhould. The Author of the Ejfay ends his Quo- tations upon this Head, with his prefent Grace of Canterbury : *^ It has never ^' gone well with the Church of Chrift, ^' fince Men have been fo narrow-fpirited, *^ as to mix the Controverfics of Faith ^' with their pub lick Forms of U^07JhiJ> ; " and having made their Liturgies^ in ^' Head of being Offices of Devotion to " God, hccomcTef s znd Cerifures of the *' Opinions of their BrethrenP — The remaining Part of this Quotation is a fufficient Anfwer to the foregoing, vizi. - — *^ But yet, when all is done, the Truths " of Chrif ianitj muR not he facrificed to '' the ♦ Life of Dr. S$illw£jl€et, printed M DCC X. ^. ii, i3» '^Prbservative agahiji Kekisii.s. 95 " the Peace of Chrijiians ; nor the Honctir ^^ of God be given up ^ to keep u^^nity *^ and Communion with one another.''* It is here proper to obferve ( with juft Deference to his Grace of Canter- bury, would I fpeak it) that Men are by- no Means to be thought narrow-fpirited^ for defending the true Faith in our pub- lick Forms, with its proper and neceffary Guards. It is to fecure us from narro'w Believers^ who would make their Ad- vantage, if thofe Fences were broken down. If this be to mix Controverjies of Faith with publick Forms^ They are the Occafion of it, who caitfe fuch a Contro- verfy^ by oppojing and corrupting the true Faith of Chrift. Nor do I fee any /lb- furdity in having in our Liturgy fuch a Teft of the Opinions of our Brethren, as Ihall fecure us ixomfalfe Brethren^ diftin- guifli Hereticks from Chrijiians^ and pre- vent that Confiijion of Worlliip, which we fliould otherwife knowingly admit. Nay, amongft others, one Ufe of Creeds in the primitive Times^ w^as to be fuch a Tejt J and to hinder Hereticks from an un- difiernible * Eilay, f . 4.4.. P^ The Athanasiak Cretd d'lfcermble mixing themfelves 'with the orthodox Chriflians.^ But however, the ^thanafia'ti Creed is not fo much a Tcjl of the Opinions of others, as it is to prelcrve the true Faith pure and entire ; and to re-- mind Men what is the Catholick Paithy that they may not be led away by Sedu-- cers and falfe Teachers. As his Grace of Canterbury judicloufly obferveg, the Truths of Chriftiantty muft not be facri. ficed to the Tcace of Chriflians : Now the AthanafiaH Creed is defigned to keep the Truth: of Chriftianity pure and uncor- rupted by Herefics : And when there are fuch Herefies abroad, to lay afide this Gnard^ would be facrijicing the Truths of Chrijlianity — I will not fay to T^eace and Union ; becaufe I rather believe it would be, to Disturbance and Dis- traction ; whilft the Church of Chrilt would be divided and perplexed by the flowing in of fo many Herefies^ as would then be the Confcquence. Nor indeed could there pofiibly be any U?mn or Com^ miimony * See Crif. Hif>. of the ApoH. Creed, ^.i. ^, 38. yf Preservative 4?^^/;//2 Heresies. 97 munion^ fo long as Men would dilFer fo much, in the ftmdamental Articles of Faith^ — nay, even in the very ObjeEi of JVorfljip. The Author of the Ejfay ftems to feel the Force of the latter Part of the Quota- tion from his Grace of Canterbury • and therefore immediately proceeds with his Endeavour to fhew, that " An Ex- " change of the Athanafian Creed for the ^' Apojiles or Nicene^ will not be facri^ ^' jicing the Truths of Chrijlmmty to the ^^ 'Peace of Chrlftians, or giving up the ^^ Honour of God, for the Sake oiUntty^* This (fays he) " will appear from my " Second Reason for fuch an Exchana:e/' This Reafon I Ihall examine prefently; but firft, I fhall conclude the foregoing Head, with obfcrving, ihat^ fince ( as I hope) I have made it appear, that thofe Reafbns which the Author of the Ejfay has produced in his ^totations^ from the foregoing Writers, to fhew that they were d'lffatisfied with the Athanajlan Creeds are infujfcient to ground any fuch "Dif- fatisfafiion upon : Since 1 have fhewn this, I fay, their being dijfatisfied (thofe O I mean 9^ The Athanasiak Creed I mean who '•djere diflaiisfied, for it dort not appear that all of them were) with that Creed^ is no Reafon for our layvig it afidcy or exchanging it. For a Man's be- ing merely dijfatisfied^ withcrut fttficient Reafons^ is no Argument for our com- plying with his TDeJires or IVifhes^ except it be in Things of real hid'tjferency : He is to be no otherwife regarded, than by endeavouring to fet him right, and give him Satisfa^'ton^ and, by pointing out the Infufickncy of his Reafons^ to prevent others from falling into the fame Errors. I now return, to confider what Force there is in this Gentlcman'g Second Rea- son for laying afide^ or exchanging the Athanafian Creed. His Realbn is this, viz, " Bccaufe the JlpoJileSy and Nicene ^^ Creed, one or other of which is pro- " pofcd to be fubftituted in its Place, do " contain the Snm^ Subjiame^ and funda^ '^ mental Articles of the Chrifiian Faith. " And if I demonflrate it (fays he) of " the Jpojiles Creedy it will be, I pre- *' fume, fufficient, as the Nicene is yet ** more expe/Sy fully and comprehenfive/'* He y^ Preservative ^^^/^7? Heresies. 99 He then proceeds to demonjlrate what he aflerts of the Apoftles Creed^ by producing feveral Writers, who fay, that theApoftles Creed contains all thofe Joints of Belief which are neceffary to be believed ; that it is a ferfeEi Summary of the Fundamen^ tals of the Chrijiian Faith^ &c. Now, in Anfwcr to this, I may grant his Vremifes^ and yet deny his Concliijion, I may admit, that the Aj^ojlles Creed is a Sttmfnary of the Fundamentals of the Chrijiian Faith ^ and that it contains (im- plicitely) all the Articles of Faith Jtecef- fary to be believed : And yet I fhall deoy, that This is any Reafon for laying afide^ or exchanging the Athanajian Creed, This Plea (like That in Relation to Mr. ChiU lingworth) was urged ?nany Tears ago^ and was likewife many Tears ago confuted in the Critical Hijlory of the Athanajian Creedy Ch. XL But, as this Gentleman thinks proper to advance it again^ it muft be again confuted. I would obferve then, that all learn- ed Men know, that the Creed called the ApoJileSyXs no other than the Roman Creed, the Creed of that particular Church ; and O 2 pur- 100 77-?^ Athanasian Creed purpofdy contrived jhort^ for the Eafe of thofe- who were to repeat it at Baptijht ; and, that it might be the more eafily re- tained in Memory. And, notwithftanding the Differences to be found in the Opi- nions of learned Men, concerning the jid" ditional Articles \ 'tis generally agreed, that the Creed was not always the fame that it is now^ nor always contained the fame Number of Articles : I refer thofe who would be fully and critically informed concerning this Matter, to Mr. Bingham's Origines Ecclefiaflicie^ B. x. c. j, and 4. The Critical Htflory cf the Apo files Creed^ throughout; Dr. WATERLA^iD's Impor- tance of the Trinity^ c. 6, p. 225, 5t?f. Edit. I. I fhall only remark, that Dr. Grabe thinks that all the Articles of the Creed, except thcfe three, viz, the Com- mumon of Saints^ the Churchy and the T)efcent into Hell^ were folemnly profcf- fed by the firft Chriftians in their Con- feiTions of Faith, in the Apoftlcs Days, by their Authority, or at leaft their Ap- probation."^ And Mr. Bingham fup- pofes * SceEin£h;im Grig. Ec: B.a. f 3. Seii.j. P. 443 .Fr/o£, 441 . fol. Edit. ** Critical Hidory of the Athanaftan Creed, e.w. p. 284 f** 6tcCrit.Hift. of the Apoft. Creed, c» 1.^.9^, &c» io'2 The Ath AN ASIAN Creed " neither the Work of one Man, nor of " one Day, biit^ during a long Trad of *' Time, paffcd fucceflively through fcve- ^^ ral Hands, c'rc it arrived to its prefent ^' Pcrfeftion : The Compofure of it was " gradual, and not inftantancous ; theMan- ** ncr whereof, I apprehend to have been *^ thefc two Ways : F'trfi^ Some of the *^ Articles therein were derived from the ^^ very Days of the Apoftles : Secondly^ *"' The others were afterwards added by *' the primitive Doctors and Bifhops, in *^ Oppofition to grofi Herefies and Errors " that fprung up in the Church.**'* Upon the Whole^ the old Roman Creed which is commonly called the Apojlles Creed^ was not brought to its prefent intirc Form, till after the Year 600. and was no more than This : ^7. _ j/fcj« *' I believe in God the Father Al. " mighty \ and in Jefus Chriil his only *^ begotten Son our Lord, who was " born of the Holy Ghoft and the " Virgin Mary^ and was crucified un- " der * Crit. Hiil. Apoft. Creed, c,\.f, 34. ^A Preservative dgainjl HeiIesies. 105 " der Tontius TilatCy and was buried, " and the tjiird Day rofe again from the " Dead, afcended into Heaven, fitteth " on the Right Hand of the Father, " whence he fhall come to judge the ^* Quick and the Dead. And in the '' Holy Ghoft, the Holy Church, the *' Remiflion of Sins, and the Kefiir- " reftion of the Flelh. Amenr^ Now from this Creed it Is evident, that the feveral Articles of God being Creator of Heaven and Earthy of Chrift^s being dead^ and of his T^efcent into Hell^ of the Church being Catholicky of the Commn- nion of Saints j and of the Life everlaji- ingj were all wanting^ originally, in the Roman Creed. Nay, it is obferved by the learned Author of the/w/'^r/<^;/^^, SCc. that even this ^' ftiorter Form of the Roman '' Creed liecms to carry fome Marks of its " having been formerly IJ:orttr^ by its *^ bringing in the Article of the Holy ^^ Ghoft in this abrupt Manner, And in " the Holy Gbofi : Words which came in " very ♦ See t'lnghnm Qrig. Ecd. 5. x. f.4.. Seci. 12. ^ 4->'o» lol. Uit, 104 ^^^ Athanasian Creed ^' very aptly in the primitive Form [of '^ Creeds which feveral learned Men have ^' conceived to be no more than this, viz. '' I believe in God the Father ^ Sortj and " Hch Ghoji ] when they immediately " followed and in the Son ; but which ^^ would appear abrupt, after feveral new '' Infertions made between the two Arti* " clcs. Wherefore, to falve that appear- *' ing Abruptnefs^ the Church afterwards " ftriking out ^nd^ infcrted / believe in <' that Place, making the Article run^ *' as i|t does at this Day, / believe in the « Holy Ghojl, ac.''* The Ufe I would make of what I have here laid down, is this : It is argued, that the Athanajian Creed may fafely be laid ojide^ becaule the A^ pojllei Cr^(?^contains the Sum and Snbjlanee of the Chrijlian Faith^ all the Articles iieccjfary to be believed, Bifhop Tayiok, as quoted by our Author, thus writes ; *^ TYi'c ApoJtleSy or the holy Men their ^^ Contemporaries and Difciples, compofed " a Creed^ to be a Rule of Faith to all '' Chriftians ; • Importance, or. f. 6, />. 226. £ ^1^^^ ^'^^ Articles of the Cr^^i, «' r demand why it was made the Charac- *' terifiick Note of a Chrijlian from an " Heretick, or a 7!?I^', or an Infidel ? or ^' to li^'Z?^^ Turpo/e was Tt compofed ? or, it *' this was intended as fufiicient, did the " Apojlles or thofe Churches which they 4fc^foundcd, know any Thing elfe to be *^ nece[fary ? If they did not , then, cither '' nothing more is necejjary^ (I fpeak oi '' Matters of mere Belief,) or they did P ' *' iiQt io6 7^/6^ Athak ASIAN Creed ^' not bwj:: all the Will of the Lord, and ^' fo were unfit Dilpenlcrs of the Myflery *' of the Kingdom : Or, if they did know ^- more was necejfary^ and yet would not ^* tnfert it, they did an Ad of public *' Notice, and ccnfigncd it to all Ages *' of the Church to no Turpofe, But, if " th\$ rsjas Jnjjicient to bring Men to Hear ^' ^r// tfyefi^ ^i^hy not no'uj ? It the ^p&Jiles *' admitted all to their Communion that ^' believed this Creeds, why fhall we rx- *^ r///^e^ ^^{>', that preferve the/irw^ intire? cc Why is not our Faith oithefe Articles^ '^ of as much Efficacy^ for bringing us to ^ Heaven^ as it --Jijas in the Churches Afvf- ^ tolicalf"" I anfwer, T. Bifhop Taylor goes upon a talfc Suppofition, that the Creed com- monly called the /ipojiles Crecd^ was com. pofcd by the ylPoJlles^ or -the holy Men their Contemporaru'S. Whereas ( as has been obferved) fo7ne of the Articles only, were derived from the Days of the Apoftles ; and the Othc^rs were afterwards add^ by * Efiav, e''. .^.'f/* 4'»' A Preshrvative^^^^/V//? Heresies. 107 by the primitive T)oBors and Bijjjops^ in Oppcfition to grofs Here fie s and Errgrs, as they fprung up in the Church.* ir. Biiiiop Taylor has another falfe Sup. pofition^ nuich of the fame Kind with thz former, for he fecms to fuppofe that the Creed called the ApojHes Creed^ was always the fame that it is now i whereas it has been fliewn, that it was not brought to its prefent intire Form, till after the Year 600. He tells us, that this "Creed was eftecmed by the whole Church of God in all Ages, as containing «^// the true Ob^ ject of Faith^ and the Foundation of Re- ligion, And "-^ That it was io cfteemcd *-^ (fays he) appears in this, viz^ Since *' Faith is a necejfary '^Ptedifpofition to ''^ Baptifm in all Perfons capable of the " Ufe of Reafon, all Cateclnmiens in the ^' Latin Church, coming to Baptifm^ were ^' interrogated concerning their Faith^ and <^ gave SutisfaEiion in the Recitation of ^^ this Creed. — Now, x'i more were neccf- " f^^y than the Articles of the Greedy I P 2 " demand * S(c the Critical Hiftory of the Apoftles Creed, and Biflghfim'^ Grig. Ecd. i'.x. c. 5. FQi.Ed'.t. loS The Ath AN ASIAN Creed ^^ demand why ic was made the Charac- " tcriftick Note ot a Chriftian, from an '' Herctick, or a Jew or an Infidel ? Now in Relation to this J^afl'age, I muft obfervc, that the Creeds which wxre re- cited by Cattchtiniens before Raptifm^ were purpofely contrived yZ^^r/ (as I had Dccafion to mention above ) that they might be the more eafily retained in Me- mory, and take up the lefs Time in reci- ting ; and were defigned for Hnits^ and Minutes of the main Credenda : And for this Reafon it was, that the Catechumens were to be m(lrn6ied in the Creed^ pre- yioufly to Baftifm^ for many Days toge- ther : and the Creeds were but a kind of Recapitulation^ of what the Catcclmmevs had been taught more at large \ the mam Heads whereof were committed to Memo- ry^ and pubHckly recited, and fo became a Creed \ but, had there been no fuch preparatory Inflriirllons. as were given in their Catechetical I.edures ; Cveeds^ containing only Hints and Minntes of the main Credenda^ and which wanted, and accoidingly had, a furiher Explana- .fio?ij would have been of final! Ufe to Catg- -^Preservative agahiji Heresies. 109 Catechumens.^ Thus the Creed, com- monly called the Apofiles Creed^ being only the Baptifmal Creed of the Church of Rome^ was (not xht fame that it is 7i0Wy but) much (hortery and defignedly fo, for the Reafons before given in Relation to all Bap'tfmal Creeds. When then, the Author of the Ejfay argues from Bifliop Taylor y '^ That, becaufe all Catechumens ** in the Z/<7f/;/ Church, when interrogated " concerning their Faith, gave Satisfac- ^' tion^ by reciting the Creed called the '' Apojlles \ and that therefore that Creed ^' is fufficieh't^ and that we may rcafonably " lay afide the Athaiiafian Creed : When the Author of the Ejfay argues thus, his Argument, if it has any Force, has more than perhaps he intended : For it may be urged with equal Reafon, that we ought to refcind all thofe Articles that have been (inee added to the Apojiles Creed^ and re- duce it to the primitive Shortnejs of the old Roman Baptifmal Creed, fmce that is fup- * Sc-e WnnrlAnd\ hioyer's Le»Sures, Serin. 8. For a full .AcvTour^ of the Method of Inftru^tion and Diicipline of C^te- chtimtm, iee Bingham Grig. Eccl. Zj. x. c.\t and 2. Fot.Edtt, no The KiYik^k^ik^ Creei fuppofcd to be fufjic'tent, Bifhop Taylor^ asks ''' If this was llifficicnt to bring Men *^ to Heaven theu^ why not noi:: 1 If the " Apoftlcs admitted all to their Commu- *' iiion that believed this Creed, why fliall *"' wc exclude any that preferve ^vt faiiK *' entire / '' and therefore (the ATuhor oi the Ejjay would add) lay aficic the Atha- najian Creed as tumeceffary. But now, as we have fhewn that the Apoftks Creed was much fhorter in rht primitive Tivies^ than \w the prefent ; we niay retort BiiTiop Taylor s Words, to fliew that his Realbo- ing cverfnoots the Mark, and proves too much ; For We may ask, " If ih^ii ancienf T. fbort Form was fuiScient to bring Men ^ to Heaven the^j, why not 710''j:^ ? If the " Apoftlcs admitted all to their Commu- *' nion that believed that drief Creed, *^ why fiiall we e>xlnde any who prefer ve *' ihz fame entire? " And therefore we may fir ike out all the additional Articles^ which have been ivferted Into the ApojUcs Creedy irom their Time, to this 'Day; and among the Reft, the Article of Ltje ever. lafiin^ may be expunged, as no necejfary Article of Faith. Bifhop -^PilESErO/ATIVJ: ^^?^/V//?H£S-ESIE^. Ill Bifliop Taylor furtlicr asks, "If this *' [the Apoijlcs Creed] was intended as *' f'*ffi^^^^^^'> ^id ^^^ Apofrles or thole '' Churches which they founded, know ' any thing z\{t to be necejfary ? If they '^ di(J not ; then, either nothing more is *' necejfary^ (I fpeak of Matters of mere *' Beh'cf ) or they did 7iot know all the '^ IP^tll of the Lord, and fo were f^;/;?^ '' Difpenfers of the Myflery of the King- *^ dom : Or, if they did know more was ^^ necejfary^ and yet would not infert it, *' they did an Act of publick Notice, and ^' coiijigned it to all Ages of the Church to " no Turpofe?' Now, fince It is known and acknow- ledged by all learned Men, that the AfoJIle^ Creed was originally much (Jjorter ; if the Bij(jop\ Reafoning be true, it will prove more than he intended : for it will be redu- ced to this Dilemma, viz. that (fince this Creed was at iirft a much fijorter Form') if i\\2ii port Creed compofed by the y^fojlles^ was intended as fttfficient^ then by the Bijhop's Way of Reafoning it will follow, that either all thofe Articles that have beeri ^ikd fince the A^ofiles T)ays^ are titmef^ fary 112 The Athanasiam Crcsd fary Articles ; or, if they are itecejjary Articles, then the Apoftles either did not know all the Will of the Lord, and fo were unfit Difpenfers of the Mylkry of the Kindgdom \ or, it they did know more was neceflary, and yet would not infert it, they compofed a Creed to no Purpofe. This, as it happens, muft be the Confe- qucnce of \\i^ Bi'kcf^ Rcafoning ; and what was defigqcd to maintain the Honour and Sufficiency of the A^oJlleSj will accu dentally bear hard upon their Character ; fincc I believe few will deny, but the Articles added i^nce the Apoftles Times, are ncccffary Art'ules of Faith. But the Cafe is plain ; -^x-'A \i is cafy to reconcile the Neceffity of enlarQ^ing of Creeds^ with the Honour and Sufficiency of the holy Apcflles : For -Creeds were not defigncd to be cQrnfleat Cdtalo^^nes of Fnndamen* tals ; there hcin^ haidly two, which con- lilt exadlv of the fame Number of the fame Articles, neither more nor lefs : Nor were thev intended to contain in full and explktte Terms, . all that fhould be necef- fary for Chriftians to believe.^ " Creeds (fays ^Preservative ^^^/V;?/? Heresies. 113 (fays the Author of the Critical Hi ft oryoi x\\Q, Athanafian Creed) " were never inten- *^ ded to contain, as it were, a certain ^uaU' ^' tity of Faith, as neceflary to bring Men to ^^ Heaven, and no more than is neceffaryo " Were this the Cafe, all Creeds ought ^' precifcly to have confifted of an equal ^' Number of Articles, and th.Q Jawe indi^ '' vidual Articles : Whereas there are no ^^ two Creeds any where to be found, which " anfwer to fuch Exadnefs • ''^" and the Author of the Critical Hiftory of the Apofiles Creed obferves the fame, " Scarce ^' two Churches, (fays he) I think I may " fafely venture to fay, that not two had ^' exadly the fame Symbol without any ^' Variation or Difference.''** ^' A plain " Argument (fays the former Writer) that <^ the Church, in forming of Creeds, early *' and late, went upon no fuch View, but " upon quite another Principle/'*^^ The Defign of Creeds was to preferve the whole Com^ages of the true Faith of Chrift, pure Q^ and ■* Dr. Wm. Crit. Hifl. of the Athan, Creed, c. xi. f 18/. "Bdh. 2. ** c. 1. p, ip, *** Dr. {V(it. Crit. Hift. of thcAthan. Ciecd, i^.xi. />. i^r. "Edit, 2. 114 The Athanasian Creed and uncorruptcd, as it Hands in holy Scrip- ture : And when any Part of it was in Danger of being corrupted by the Attacks of Hereticks^ the Church then thought it their Duty to ufe all proper Care and Cau- tion, to guard againft fuch rifing Herefies : And to that End, to infert in their Creeds fuch Articles, as Ihould be oppofed to, and fubverfive of fuch Heretical Tenets ; and fecure the People committed to their Charge, from degenerating from the true Faith. Thus, the Jirjl Creeds in the A- foftolical Age confilled only of the main Stamina of the Faith, and particularly the Doftrine of the Trinity ^ which was not enlarged upon, but only briefly hinted, be- caufe ( as Dr. Water land oblerves ) the Form of Baptifm led to itJ^ The other Articles were occafionally introduced, as Neceffity required, to guard againft the Corruptions and Adulterations of Here- ticks. Whenever any Heretical Notions appeared, the Church inferted fuch Arti- cles as Ihould be Antidotes againft them, and * Crit. Hift. of the Athan, Creed, c, xi. f. 286. Edit. 2. ^Preservative <^^^i^/ Heresies. 115 and inform their Flock what it was they were to believe, that they might not be led away by the falfe Opinions of other Men, The Author of the Critical Hif- tory of the Afofiles Creed has fumm'd up the Whole with relation to that Creed, in the following Paffage ; " Not long after '' the Apoftles Days, and even in the A- ** poftolick Age itfelf, feveral Herefies *' Iprung up in the Church, fubverfive of " the Fundamentals of Chriftianity ; to ^^ prevent the Malignant EfFeds whereof, '^ and to hinder fuch Hereticks from an un- ^^ difcerniblc mixing themfelves with the " orthodox Chriftians ; as alfo to eltablifh " and ftrengthen the true Believers in the " neceffary Truths of the Chriftian Re- " ligion, the Chriftian Verities oppofite to ^* thofe Herefies, were infer ted in the " Creed ; and together with thofe other '' Articles, which had without any Inter- ^' miflion been conftantly ufed from the '^ Time of the Apoftles, were propofed ^' to the AfTent and Belief of all Perfons " who came to be baptized : The Gover- " nors of the Church judging this a pru- ^\ dent and an efifedual Courfe^ topreferve 0.2. ^« the ii6 The Athanasian Creed " the Fundamentals of Religion from he,. *' ing undermined, and overthrown by ^' cunning and ibbtle Hcreticks/'^ Thus the Apcftles drew, as it were, the Outr lines of the Cretd^ which afterwards, as Occafion required, were filled iif^ YiU it was brought to its compUat Form in which we now have it. — From what has been faid we may draw the following Conclufions. F'lrj}^ That the Apojlles Creed having been enlarged from Time to Time with neccffary Articles, fince the Days of the Apoftles, is no Argument, that either they did not know all the Will of the Lord ; or they made a Creed to no Purpofe, This might be urged, if it could belhewn, that the Apoftles intended in their Form to give a complcat Catalogue of Ftinda- mentals ; to fct down every Particular that Chriftians v/ere to believe • and to explain it in the utmoft Latitude ; and that This was the Purpofe, and the only Purpofe ihey had in View, in forming their Creed- If * Crit.Hift. of the Ap. Creed; f. i. ^.38. >f Preservative ^^^i;?/^ Heresies. 117 If this had been their Intention, then in.^ deed it would follow, either, that all the additional Articles of the Afoftles Creed are unnecejfary \ or eUe, that the Apojiles either did not know the whole Will of the Lord, or compofed their Creed to no Pur- pofe. And fince it would be impious, and abfurd, to make either of the latter Sup- poiitions, of thofe holy Men, bleft with fo plentiful an EfFufion of the Spirit ; it would follow that all the Articles added to the Apojlles Creed fince their 'Days^ are unnecejfary Articles^ and confcquently ought to be e}ypunged, and the Creed re- duced to its primitive Form. But, as the Intention of the Apoftles was only to lay down the main Credenda^ the main Sta^ mina of our Faith, the Creed anfwered the End defigned. The Apoftles did not intend to oppofe Herefies, before they arofe : No \ that in the Nature of Things is hardly poffible to be done at once ; Herefies being as infinite as human Imagi- nations ; and therefore it was left to the Churches in after Ages, to infert fuch Ar- ticles, as fhould oppofe the ieveral Here- fies, as from Time to Time they Ihould arife. ii8 7"/?'^ Athanasian Creed arife. And from hence it appears, that the additional Articles^ may yet be fiecef- fary Articles. For though the Matter of faith cannot vary with Times and Cir- cumltances. Truth being uniform and uni* verfal^ always \hQ fame -^ yet Times and Circumftances may be very good Reafons for altering, or enlarging Creeds^ (as has been Ihewn) they being only particular Forms of Profeffions, and may either be fufficient, or defective, as Herefies ceafe or arife in the Church. Times and Circum- ftances indeed, will never be a good Rea- fon for leaving out^ or laying afide any true and important T>o£irine ^ becaufe its Truth and Importance will always be fuf- ficient Reajons for keeping it in. But, on the contrary, when any Men arife who propofe to lay afide an important Dodrine, fuch Timcsy and fuch Circuraflances will make it the more reafonable to retain it. Secondly^ That, if becaufe the Apoftles Creed in its prefent Form, contains the Sum and Subftance of the Chriftii^n Faith, therefore the Athanafian Creed is unnecef- fary^ and may be laid afide : It may with the fame Shew of Reafon be argued, that the ji Preservative agaiujf Keres^ies. 119 the Apofiles Creed may be ihortened and curtailed ; all the Articles, added fince the Apoftles TimCj ftruck out, and the Creed reduced to its firft Standard ; fince That Form, though much ftiorter than the pre- fent, contained the main Credenda^ the Sum and Stibftance of the Chrijlian Reli^ gton. But it would be a fufficient Anfwer to fuch a Plea, to fay ; that though the fliorter Form contains the main Credenda^ yet the ether Articles are necelfary to be retained, in Oppofition to Herefies which have arifen fince that Time. The ftiorter Creed was fufficient, when fuch Herefies had not appeared ; and would be the fame ftill, if the Cafe were the fame : But, fince fuch falfe Opinions have been broach- ed, propagated, and defended, it is now necelfary to retain thofe Articles which are oppofed to fuch Herefies \ and thus, fuch a Creed becomes necelfary noWy which was not fo at firfl. Thirdly^ From the Whole therefore I conclude, that the fame kind of Anfwer is fufficient, when made to thofe who plead for laying afide the Athanajian Creed^ be- caufe 120 The Athanasian Creed caufe the Afoflles and Nicene Creeds con- tain the Sum and Snbjlance of the Chri- ftian Religion, and are therefore fuf&cient, without any other. I admit that the Apojtks and Nicene Creeds contain the Sum and Subftance of the Chriftian Faith ; but then I muft te- marif, that it is implicttely. Creeds were not equally f.v///V/V^; and theRcafon was, becaufc there was not the fame Occalion. Herefies arofe, and prevailed more or lefs at different Times, and different Places ; and accordingly the Creeds varied from each other, and were more or lels expli- cite. The Eajt was more infefted with Herefies than the fVeJi : And it is ob- fervable that, therefore, the £^^r« Creeds, generally Ipeaking, were larger^ and more exflicite^ than the JVeJiern. The Roman Church in particular, was lefs infeflcd with Herefies, than others : It needed not there- fore, fo long a Creed \ nor was it ^o ex^ fltcite^ as fome others were. For Inftance, The Nicene Creed (a Creed of the Greek Church, firft publifhcd by the Council of Nice^ Anno 325,) and compleatcd by the Council ^Prseryative ^^^sji///? Heresies. 121 Council of Conjiantinopky Ann. 381) was more expltcite than the Romany commonly called the Apojlles Creed. This Creed, as formed by the Council of Nice^ was in Oppofition to the Herefy of the Ar'tans, After this Creed had been made a Part of the Liturgy in the Oriental Churches, the fame Cuftom was brought from them into the JVefi \ firft in Spain and Gallicia^ at the Petition of King Recaredus^ by the Order of the third Council of Toledo^ about the Year 589, when thofe Churches were newly recovered from the Inundation of the Avian Herefy ; which Pradice was then thought a proper Antidote to preferve them from relapfing into their ancient Er- ror.* But though this Creed might be a proper Antidote to preferve Men fi.-om Arianifm^ in 589 j yet, it may not be fo in 1734 •, if Men fhould have learned the Art of reconciling that Creed, with their own Arian Sentiments — in fuch Circum- ftances fomething more is neceflary. R And * See 'Bhghum Grig, Ecd. £. x, tf. 4. Seol, ij. p. 4/5. 122 The Athanasia^^ Creed And as the Apcjllcs and N'lcene Creeds contain implicit cly the Sum and Subftance of the Chiiftian Faith, and are, ceteris faribus^ fuflicient ; fo this niuft always be fuppofed to be fpokcn of them, when they are underftood rightly, and in their true Senfe and Meaning. And to in- terpret them according to their true Senfc and Meaning, we muft interpret them according to the true and certain Meaning of the Compilers. I fhall chufe to expreis niy fclf on this Point, in the Words of the learned Author of the Critical Hijiory of ihtjipojiles Creed. — '' Although nothing *^ that is contained in the Creed muft be " believed ^n^ farther, than it agrees with ^' the Holy Scriptures ; yet the intended " Senfe of the greateft Part thereof, is not " to be fetched from thence, but from *' the Writings of the Fathers, and from '^ thofe Hercjies againft whom it was de- ^^ figned •, which Expreflion may at the ^*'. the firlt Hearing be perhaps efteemed ^' by fome too hafty and inconfiderate ; '^ but the Nature of the Thing well re- " flefted on, makes it evident and beyond '^ ContradidLon 5 and if the Authority of ^^ othei's ;^ Preservative ^^^/V;y? Heresies. 123 '^ others before me, will be more valued ^^ and better received, it will be no diffi- *^ cult Task to produce feveral, who have " affirmed the fame Thing • but at pre- ^' fent I fliall content myfelf with the " Teftimony of Monfieur J'ur'ieu^ a c< French Divine, now living, who writes ^^ in exprefs Terms, that for his Part, he ^' is ferfuaded^ that we mujl not feek the ^' Senfe of the Articles of the Jpojlles ^^ Creed in the Scriptures^ but in the In« " tention of thofe who compofed it,^^^^ To this Teftimony of Monfieur Jurieu^ cited by the Author of the Critical Hi f tory^ &c. I ihall add the Authority of another very learned and judicious Divine of our Church, who writes thus — '' The *^ Creeds of the Church ought moft cer- " tainly to be interpreted according to '' the Mind of the Church, and not by " any After -thoughts of Hereticks. For ^' though the Scripture, properly, is tjie J^ Rule for receiving any Creed, or any R 2 '' Doctrine ^ * Je fuis perfuadc qu'il faut chercher le fens des Articles du Syiiiuulc dcs Ap6ftrei, non dans i'ecriture. raais dans I'mte t'nn de ceu.\ qui one compose ce SymboU. — Frejug. Legit, com t .e £apift?,e, i.P^rt. c. i, p, z6. * Crit. Hill, of ihc Apoft. 0% c i. f. 4.1, 43. 124 The Atha-sasia-^ Creed *' Dociiine ; yet, it is not the Rule of In- *' terfretatlon \ hvxWords^ Tbrafes^zndi " Formularies^ muft be interpreted ac- '' cording to their received ^Ofe^ and the " hio'-ji'n Scnfe of the Compilers and Im^ ^' pofers!'^ And as a Confirmation of this, I find that Bifhop Bull is clearly in the fame Sentiments. That great and learned Prelate thus remarks \ " What *' (lays he) if any Heretick ftarts up who ^' is but of Yefterday, and contends that ^' the Words may be other wife explained ? " Surely the Creeds of the C/6//rf/; fliould " be expounded according to the Senfe of <* the Churchy not the Fancier o^Hereticks. '^ If they were, how foon would they not '' leave us one of all the Articles of our *' Faith found and uncorrupted. That *' Pcrfon does not ajfent to the Creeds of " the Churchy who underftands thofe Creeds *^ in a Senfe different /r^;^ the Church/'** The * Dr. Wat. Importance, O'C- c, 6. p. 2.36. Edit. r. ** Quid referr iiquis hefternus Hdreticus, verba aliter expli- cari polTe contendat ? Symbola certe EcchfiA ex ipfo EccleJtA lenfii, non ex Hereticonim cerebello exponenda fint. Quod poHcrius fi fieret, Dcum immortalem ! quam Giro, ex omnibus Fidci noflia: Articulls, ne onus quidem nobis fatis fanus atque integer rclinqueretnr. Symbola Ecc/e/U non tenet qui alitcr cjuioi E(fU/:a intelligit. ■—£«//, 7//. jf. X30 The Athakasian Creed *^ muft for that very Reafon prefer the ^^ larger/'* And now what I would infer^ as the natural Refultof the whole Matter^ is this, VIZ, that, although the Apojlles and Kicene Creeds do contain the Sum and Subjiafice of the Chrijlian Faith^ yet this is no Reafon for laying ajide \\\t Athana- fian Creed : Bccaufe the feveral Herefies which have arifen, the feveral falfe Inter- pretarions which have been attempted^ render it abfolucely neceffary to retain the lafl mentioned Creed, as a further Expli- cation of the Articles contained in the other Creeds ; which otherwife v/oiild be jcft ill? guarded^ to the Attacks of He- ret'icks. I may obferve further, that, if it be a good Reafon for laying afide the Athanajian Creed, that the A^ojiles and Nicene contain the Sum and Subflance of the Chriftian Religion, all the Articlc3 neceffary to be believed • it may, by Paii- ty of Reafon be pleaded, that we may ex- punge All Creeds whatlbever. For fincc the holy Scriptures are our J\i/le of Faith ^ and contain all Articles neccjfary to be be- liezedy * Remarks upon Dr. Clarke's Expofition of the Churci Catechifm, p. z^. i ^^ Preservative ^^^/>//? Heresies." iji lieved^ what need have we of any other Creeds ? or w^4y fhould we refufe to ad- mit to our Communion, thofe who aflent to the Svriptnres in general^ though they fhould refufe to fubfcribe to our Creeds ? For, if the Scriptures were ever fitfficient to bring Men to Heaven^ why not now ? — It is too plain v/here fuch Principles would tend. To Illuftrate what has been faid (if it wants any farther IJluftration) by a Matter ofTra^ice — We read^ that a certainLaw- yer, that he might find Occafion againfl our blefled Saviour, flood up and tempted him, demanding of him, what he mttfi do to inherit everlafting Life ? Our Lord perceiving his Conceit, referred him to the Law, asking him, what he read there ? The Man readily anfwered out of T>eute» ronomy^ " Thou fhalt love the Lord thy " God with all thy Hearty with all thy " Soul, with all thy Strength, and with *^ all thy Mind ; and thy Neighbour as *' thyfclf '' Jefus told him that he had rightly anfwered, and bad him pcrfort^t S 2 That^ I ■ ■'^■■■i*^™^^— ——I—— i^iii——^— >——■>> 132 The Athanasian Creed That^ and he [Ijonld Itve, Here then was a Precept given, which contained All that "-jL'as vecejjary for him to do, i\\^ Sum and Siibjfance of his Duty : And yet, when the Man, by asking ijuho is my Neighbour ? fecmed not to underftand the full Extent of the Rule, or whom he was to account his Neighbour ; our Lord thought it not unnecejfary or fuferflueus^ to explain that general Precept, by a /^r- ticular Parable of a compaflionate Samari* tan^ A Stranger, and abhorred by the yews J who kindly relieved a diftrefled yeiv^ whom he found between Jerufa^ lem and Jerico^ robbed, ftripp'd, and left almoft dead with Wounds ; whilft aPrieft, and a Levite, both of his own Country, who paffed that Way, uncharitably avoid- ed him, and gave him no Affiftance : Our Saviour by This, teaching, that Mercy was due to y^// Perfons, that we are to do good to every onej and that Neighbours are not confined to Countries^ Relations^ nor i?^- I'tgions. Now, becaufe the Precept given at firft in the Law of Mofes was fujjicient to everlafting Life, and contained all that ^A'(is neftfary to be donc^ when rightly under-- -/f Preservative ^^^i«7? Heresies. 155 ttnderftood ; will any one therefore fay^ when the Lawyer by his Queftion fhew- ed he did not underftand it, that this Explication was unncce(fary? Surely there is none who will prefume to affirm This, when it was thought neceffary by our Lord and Mailer ! The Precept given at firft, did indeed contain the tz'hole "Duty of Man^ all that was requifite for him to do, in order to his Salvation: If he per- formed That J he might live : But it was ftill poflible. that he might mijlake^ or not underftand the full Meaning of it : He might not apprehend the full Extent of the Word Neighbour \ but might confine his Charity within too narrow Bounds, as fome, had they only that bare Rule, might be apt to do now ; and therefore it was neceffary then to give, as it is now to re- tain, \h^ Explication of that Rule, given by our Saviour. Thus ftands the Cafe, with Relation to Matters of Tra&ice. A General Ruk is given, which contains all that is neceffary to be done : But fome may pofiibly not underftand it, or miftake it ^ and others may defignedly pervert and corrupt it j therefore 154 y^^^ Athanasian Creed therefore in fuch Circumflances, it will be highly neccffary to be more particular *^ by which Means fuch Rules may be ex- tended, and enlarged j but yet it will be necell'ary that they fhould be lb, and that fuch Explications fhould be retain'd and remembered by all. This is what the very Nature and Circumftances of Things, na- turally lead to : Such a Method as this is evidently neceffary, in order to preferve the Rule of 'Fra^ice in its full Meaning^ and true Purity : And is not the fame Method as neceflary, and as proper, to preferve the Rule of Faith ? The Reafon is the lame in both ; the fame the Occafion, and the fame the Neccffity ! And if pro- per Care be taken to explain the Rules in fuch a Manner, as that nothing fhall be added, but what is deducible from, or iuftifiable by, the Holy Scriptures, the Care is juft and prudent, and indifpenfibly neceffary. I would ask the Author of the Effay, If he does not think the Laws of our Land contain the Sum and Subjtance of what they either require, or prohibit ? And yet, it ofccn happens, that Men mifunder^ Jiand ^Preservative agawji Heresies. 13^ JfaftJ them ; nay, endeavour to fervert them ; and explain them in fuch a Man- ner, as is beft fuited to ferve their Caufe : And therefore, in fuch Cafes, it is highly neceffary to explain the Law to its true Intent 2.ndi Meanings in Oppofition to fuch Perverters. And now, would any Courc refufe to admit fuch nccefTary Explica- tions ? or look upon it as a good Reafoii to rejed them, becaufe the Law itfelf contains the Snm and Stibjlance of what it requires ? 1 humbly apprehend, that This would be thought very bad Reafon- ing in JVejlminjler-Hall : And I don't fee why it fhould be thought any better, here. No one would plead for aboliiliing fucli Interpretations, but out of a Defire to con- ftrue the Law to their own Senfe. But, if every one had a Liberty of doing That, the Confequence would be Sedition^ Con- fujion^ and Rebellion : And if Men were to interpret the Gofpel, or Creeds, ac- cording to their own Fancies, the Confe- quence would be falfe T^oEirhie^ Herefy^ and Schifm. I would gladly be informed whether this Gentleman, if he was one of that Learned Body, and fhould hear his Antagonift i}5 The Athak ASIAN Creed Antagoniit mifintcrprcting a Ln''ji\ in order to ferve his own Caufe ; whether, I fay, he would not think it his Duty to oppofe him, and lay before the Court the true In- terpretation of it, to prevent the Publick being impofed upon by talfe Glolfcs, and led into Error by fuch Seducers ? And if the Gentleman on the other Side, lliould tell him, that he might fpare his Pains ; and that his Explications were unnccejfary and fiiperfluous^ becaule the luaw itjclf \s'2ls fiifficient \ what Anfwer would he re- turn ? would he not tell him, that, how- ever fufficicnt the Law it/elf was, when rightly tinderftood ; yet, it was too plain, that it might be cither ignorantly or wilful- ly rnifunderjlood ; and that, when Men in open Court prefume to broach Notions that are not Laiz\ or to mifinterpret Sta- tutes^ it was highly neceflary to guard againft fuch Herefas in the Law, by giving a true Explication of it. No doubt but the whole Court would judge fuch an Anfwer juft and proper j and at the fame Time wonder, that Thofe who prefume to give their own falfe Interpret tatwus^ fhould argue againft all other In- terpretations, ^Preservative ^^^7i/(y? Heresies. I37 terpretations, as tmneceffary : Every im- partial Stander-by would moft certainly conclude, that the Defign of fuch Men, could be only to pervert and corrupt the Handing Law, derived down to us from our Anceftors. And if this be true Rea- foning, in Relation to the Law^ I ap- prehend it is fo^ in Relation to the GoJ"^ fel too. Upon the Whole, to apply this, — Let us admit that the Apojlles and Nicene Creeds contain the Sum and Subftance of the Chriftian Faith, and all Articles necep- Jary to be believed^ when rightly tinder^ flood : yet, it is but too plain, that they may be miftaken^ and perverted in fuch a Manner, that the true Faith may, in Confequence, be greatly corrupted : And therefore every true Believer muft think it highly neceffary for the Church to retain a Form wore explicite^ and particular j to guard thofe facred Truths from being fo perverted or corrupted ; that the true Faith in Chrift may be preferved pure and entire, as it Hands in holy Writ ; pro- vided always, that there be nothing in fuch FormSj but what is deducible from, T and 1 38 The Athanasian Creed and jiifiifiable by, the Doclrine delivered down to i/s by Chrift and his Apoflles. — Such a Form as This, is the Creed com. monly called the Creed of St. Athaiiafius ; where the Dodrincs of the ever bleffed Trinity, three cocternal Perfons, one God > an Ivfericrity of Order and Office^ a Cj?- r quality in T)nration and T^'i^ntty ; and of the Incarnatmt of the fecond Per foil in th.at glorious Trinity, are explained in inch a Manner as is agreeable to holy Scripture, jufHlied and confirmed by An- tiquity, and neccflary to guard ngainll fuch Hercfies as may difturb the Church of Chrifl. I mufl remark then, that the Author of the Effay has failed in proving what he endeavours at, by this Second Reafon^ for cxcbayiging the Athanajian Creed. For he was to prove, that an Exchange of Athanafins\ Creed, for the jjpojiles^ or Nicene^ would not be fucr't- ficing the Truths of Chrlfiiamty to the ^Peace of Chrijlians : This, he thinks he has fufficiently done, by fhewing that the Apojiles q( Nicene Cxct^ds, either of them, contains the Sum and Subjlance of the Chrijlian Faith. But by this Time, I believCg ^Preservative ^^^/>/? Heresies. 159 believe the Reader perceives the Lamenefs of his Proof, which, in Confequence, makes the whole Argument Halt, For, though the ylpoJiLs^ and Nicene Creeds do con- tain the Sum and Subjiance of the Chriftian Faith ; yet Thefc are not y^^aV^/ to keep out Herefy, or to preferve Tbemfelves frorri being corrupted ; as is but too plain. — Nor docs it follow, that, becaufe the j^pojlles and Nicene Creeds contain the Sum and Subilance of the Chriftian Faith therefore, that laying afide the Athanafian Creed, would not h^/aerijichig the Truths of Chrtjfianity : For, if without fuch A farther Explication of the Doctrines, the true Faith of Chrift might be, and would be corrupted ; then, to lay afide thofe Guards^ \s facrifcing theTruths of Chrift tianity^ and giving up the Honour of cur Lord and Mailer. If then the Author of the Ejfay would prove the Athanafian Creed ttnneccjfary ; He mult prove, either, that it is fuper^ fuous, or, that it contains Doctrines which are falfe, and not plainly jufiifiable by Scripture, If He would prove it ftiPer" fluQus^ He muft not tell us that the Apojiles T 2 and t^o The Athanasian Creed and Nicene Creeds contain the Sum and Subftauce of the ChrtUian Faith, (for That Argument, however plaufible, appears to have nothing in it ^ ) but he muft Jhew, that it contains fnch Doftiines as never Avere, nor in ail Probability, ever will be oppofcd : But this, I prefume, will hardly be allowed him ; nor this Creed be thought fupey-ftuous^ as long as there are 2Xi-^ Arians^ Sabellians^ SCc. and other Impugners of Cbriji's T)ivmity remaining. If the Gen- tleman would take the other Method, and prove that the Athanafian Creed contains Doftrines which z\^ falfe^ and unjuftifiable by the Holy Scriptures ; He muft then un- dertake to prove (An Hard and Heavy Task ! ) that the Herejies beforementioned were no Herejies^ but the true Scripture *Dc6irine. In ihort, — While there are Men who publ'tckly plead for laying a fide the Atha^ fia/ian Creed^ it will be ablblutely necef- lary to retain it. For it is plain fiich Men dijlike it ; and upon what Ground that can be, but a "Dijlike to its T)o6irines^ and a favouring fomc of the foremen tioned He^ re/ies^ I ovvn, I cannot fee ; For I have ihewn /4PRESBRVATivEi:3rg^/>{/? Heresies. I41 fhewn the Arguments, ift. of Strife and ConteittiGftj 2dly. of the Sufficiency of the jipoflles and Nicene Creeds^ to be weak and invalid : They feeni to be but Tre^ fences ; and calculated only to amiife the unwary. For, \i\.\\^^ Jincerely and honefi^ ly believe the TJoEirines contained in the Athanafian Creed ; to fubmit to i\\Q former Argument, is not Charity^ but Tamenefs ; an IndifFerency, unbecoming, and unjufti* fiable, in fo important and momentous aa Affair ! 'Tis facrificing the Faith to the Peace of Men, and delivering up Jefus again to be perfectited : And the other Argument would be as iveak^ though not fo wicked^ as the former ; as has been fuf- ficiently fhewn. If then, I fay, they fin- cerely believe the Doctrines contained in the Athanajian Creed \ fuch Arguments as are here alJedged for its being laid ajide are unworthy both a Chriilian and a Philo- lofopher : And therefore, the true Reafon for fuch a Requeft, feems to me, I confefi, to be, if not a Disbelief of, yet an Objec- tion to, the Doctrines contained therein : And then, I fay, till they can fhew that fuch their Objections are founded upon good 142 7"/^^ Athanasian Creed good Ground, can clear up thole 'D}f(icul^ ties^ and free themfelvcs from that T>tjlrefs which appears among them, throughout all their Writings j 'till they can defend them- fclves like Men^ without removing their Caufe from Scripture^ to Natural ReafoUy and having Recourfe to Technical Terms .y and Lexical Subtleties^ wherein yet their only Support (if it may be called a Sup- port) lies : 'Till they can do this, I fay; \o long as there arc Men who pnblickly flead tor lay'wg ajide the Athanafian Creeds they furnifh us thereby, with a very fub- fiantial Reafon for retaining it \ \o point out to others the true Fa'tth^ into which they were baptized \ and to preferve them from being miflcd and /polled through ^^hilofophy^ and vain T^eceit^ after the Tradition of Men^ after the Rudiments of the JVorld^ and not after Chriff^'^ And when there are none left who obJe<^ to i\\cT)o^rines contained in the Athanajian Creed \ I dare fay, we fhall hear of no Body who will defire to have it laid aJide, Dr. Clarke, feveral Years ago, in the Firft Edition of his Scripture Doctrine^ had ^ ColoJ/n, 8. [A Preservative agai/i/f Heresies. 145 had objected to the Athaiiafian Creed ; and applied to the Governors of the Churchy to have it laid afide, and to retain only thofe more in d'tfpu table Forms. The Doc- tor fubjoined his Reafons ; which Realbns were fufficiently anfwered, and confuted by Dr. Waterland, in his CriticalHtf- Tory of the Athanafian Creed^ Chap. xi. Some of the Reafons alledged by Dr. Clarke, and anlwered by Dr. Water- land, are the fame with fome of thofe, which the Author of the Ejfay has here alledged. It were therefore to be wifh- ed, that this Gentleman would have read Dr. Waterland's Critical Hijiory^ be- fore he fet up for a Writer upon the Sub- jcd. If he had been fo lucky to have done this, he would have faved himfelf fome Trouble * and would have efcaped the Cenfure of bringing up again old Oh- je^ions^ which had been anfizier'^d and confuted, ten Tears before. ThisCondud argues either great Injincerity^ or great Carele/nefs* If he had read Dr. W ate r- lakd's Anfwers to Dr. Clarke's Ob- jeftions j to advance the very fame Ob- jedions agaiq^ wichou; taking any Notice of 144 ^'^'^ Athanasian Creed of the -^Mj'jjers that had been made to them, is great Infincerity, If he had not read them, 'twas great Carelefnefs^ to fay the leaft of it : He miifl: pardon me, if I tell him, that 'twas a Carelefnefs unbe- coming an Impartial Hand^ as he is pleafcd to ftilc himfelf! a Carelclnefs highly un- juftiliable, in fo important and momentous a Caufe, as he has undertaken ! He ought to have confulted ail that had been writ- ten on the Subject ^ and not have con tented himfelf with reading only one Side of the Qiiellion. It concerned him to have "well- weighed, and confidered the whole Controverfy ; and to have been Matter of the Critical Htjlory oiTbat Creed^ which he pleads to have laid ajide \ before he prefumcd to difparagc this excellent and ancient Form of Faith ; A Form fo ge- Derail y received, and fo generally elteem- cd 1 If he has not duly weighed and con- fidered the whole Affair, (as we have very good Reafons to fuppofc he has not) he is certainly a very improper Perfon to be a Dictator to others : And I would recom- mend it to him, as very advifable, to read more, before he fets up for a Reformer, HQ\y ^ Preservative <^^^/>y? Heresies. 145 How will he anfwer ftich a remifs Con- dud, in an Affair of the highell and greateft Concern ! thus to venture, with- out a due and proper Care and Confidera- tion, to lay Siege to the Bulwark of Chri- ftianity ! precipitately to throw off That which was defigned to guard the Honour and Dignity of his Redeemer, which the Apojlles with infinite Labour endeavoured to maintain ; for which they preached, and glorioufly fought againft Principalities and Powers ; and for which fuch a noble Army of Martyrs fuffered 1 V A N C 146 ] ig'^ A N ANSWER T O T H E DEFENCE of the ESSAY, So far as relates to the Athanasian Creed. ,^j<- HEN the foregoing Papers to the Prefs, there appeared A defence of the Effay^ Kc. i;/ Anfwer to a Letter in the Weekly Mifcel- lany, ^ October i()th laji — By the Author of the Ejfay. And as the Author feems to think ^Prservative ^^^//i/? Heresies. 147 think he has, in this Piece, done great Things ; I fliall therefore give it a full, and particular Anfvver, fo far as relates CO the Athanajian Creed, This Gentleman is very unhappy in the Choice of his Mottos : I have taken Notice of two \ one prefixed to his Effay,^ the other to his Specimen ; which are Refleftions upon his Readers ; as fhewing a very low Opinion of their Underftanding, whom he thought to de- ceive in fuch a Manner. But the Motto he has chofen for the Piece now before me, is a Refledion upon Himfelf : 'Tis a Piece of Advice, which it would have been happier to have takefi^ than have ^Iven, " Softer JVords^ fays he, might *' have done as well, and have never " hurt the Argument^ if it be any. The *^ World will eafily fee the Difference, be- " tween Reafoning and Railing,*''^ I dare fay, they will ! and, to that End, I would defire them to compare the Letter in the Mtjcellany^ with the T)efence of the Ejfay. Reafoning has but a foall Share in the U 2 laft f Mfitto to the "Deftnce »/ the Bffaj, 148 TI:ie Athanasiax Creed lad named Piece ; which, from the Title Vage^ to the Vojifcr'ipt^ is ahiioft one continued Scries of RaiUjiz- Whilft he breaths out liis Wrath in every Page, he has no Time, to condefcend to an Argu- ment : Nor, need we wonder, that all foftWords^ Alas I arc melted away before io much Lightning ! The Author tells us, that the Letter in the Mifcellany, is an angry Letter \ * and that he is therein traduced^ Jlandered^ and abufed^ ^'^ with more to the like Purpofe ; by which he would reprcfcnt the Author of the Letter^ as a very ill Perfon ; and his Letter^ as full of opprobrious Language. Now, 1 muft own, 1 cannot but wonder, how the Gentleman could venture to affirm This ; unlcfs he could hope to buy up the whole Impreffion ; or, that all thofe Pa- pers were utterly deftroyed : For, while there is One of them remaining, He will be convidted upon Record, of the Falfity of fuch Infinuations, and Alfertions. But * Defence of the EiTay, />. j"©. *K Ibid. />.2. ^Preservative ^^^/>//? Heresies. 149 But however, this Gentleman refolves to be as angry, as he reprefents the Letter- Writer to be J and accordingly, unjuftly loads him with an Heap of fuch heavy Reflections, and indecent Language, as is as much unfit for, as it is beneath one Gen^ tleman^ to ufe to another. — In one Place, He accufes him of vilifying the T)ead :^ and tells him, be ought to take Shame to him/elf.*' In another Place, he tells him — So far from receiving Thanks for his Performance^ that he may expeEi to be re- bilked^ and cenfured by his "Dioccfan • ac- cufes him, of defaming the T)ead^ and of offering Indignity to his MetroJ^olitan.'^^ A little further he rifes in his Invectives, accufes him of cafiing a black and crij^i- nal Afperfwn on many "Prelates and emi- nent T>ivines ; *^^ of reflecting on the whole Leg'ifative To'jjer ; on the Memory of many glorions and i?nmortal 'Princes Noble Lords ^ and Right ReverendPrelates • and of not even fearing Majefly itfelf: He * Defence, ^.^. ** ib'id, p. I o. *j(L* Ibid. />. 13. J50 The Athanasian Creed He taxes him with Indecency^ and InhU'- tnamty.^ In the next Page, he ftill pro- cccds in the fame delicate Stile \ tells him, that He rcflcds on the Glorious Revolu- tion^ our Immortal TDeliverer^ and each of his Great Succeffors y reprcfcnts him as faying fomethwg which may be favourable to Vopcry^ and the Tretender \ and in- Ilnuatcs, as if he was 7io true Trotefant^ no hearty Friend to the frefeiit happy Efc;blijJjinent \ And tells him, that he has placed a Fact oi Moment and Importance^ in a fdlfc and fcandalous Light, ^^ Nor, let me forget, that in one Pla^«, the Au- thor of the "Defence lliles the Letter- Writer skilful in the Art cf Defamation* J^ Let the Reader turn over this long Scroll of Invcftives ; and judge, who moil de- lerves the Title of being skilful in the Art of Defamation ! — In fliort, the Gen- tleman feems to be upon the Fret^ through- out his whole Performance ; the chief Bufmefs of which feems to be, to Rail ^gainfl: Railing. But " I would advife " him • Defence, p. 14. *• Ibid. p. %^. *»• IbiJ. p. 10. -^Preservative /?^::?i«/? Heresies, isi ^' him (give me leave to ufe his own Words) *^ to meditate fome Time on the ^•^ little Ufe of infidious Efithets^ in the ^' Courfe of an Arguraent, before he a- " gain appears in Print ^ left he more '* hurts himfelf, than he does his Adver- *' fary, by that low Way of Writing."^ Let me further put this Gentleman in Mind, that, when a "Dlfpttmtt has fo little Command over his Temper, as to be angry, and in a Pafiion ; 'tis ten to one, but he lofes his Caule, by giving his Adverfary too great an Advantage over him. But the plain Truth of the Matter is, when an Argument pinches clofe, fome Men are not able to bear it ; it hurts even their "^Ferfons : And, when their Caufe is in real ^.Dijirefs^ you may know it by their Exclamations ; fo that they do but dif- cover their own Weaknels : For, while they talk a great deal, and fay little to the Purpofc ; while, thinking they are ftriking at their Adverfary^ they give Themfehes fuch Blows in every Page, ethers f Defence, /. 14. 1^2 The Athanasian Creed Others will fmile : And, if they happen to be rebuked in a jnft and decent Man- ner, the bcft Way is to ibnd correded ; for the more No'ife they make, the worfc it will be for themfelves, and their Defeat the more viliblc. He makes an artificial Complaint of iWVfi^ge^ which he is forced to make out by jiraind and remote In^ ferences from innocent Words, as they ap- pear to mc, and as I am peruluaded they will to moft who look into ih.Q Mi fee llafty of O&ober igt/jj and compare it with this Gentleman's defence, — However, he hopes, no doubt, thereby to divert the Reader from the main Poir/ts in Debate, and to turn the Whole into perfonal Con- tell. But tlie only Queftion is, whether his Attempts againft the Athanafian Creedy are fupported by true Fads, and jujl Arguments ; or, whether he has not ^- bufed the Publick with Mi/reports^ and fdlfe Reafoning. — Let us bring him to the Teft ! Dh FENCE, /. 5. — The Author here, would ftill have his Readers remain in the Eiror he before drew them into, concern- ing his Quotation from Dr. Cave, in^. 45, of y^ Preservative againfl Heresies. 153 of the Effay, For here he Jlill remarks^ " that Dr. Cave obicrved, that the T^iff" ^' r/z/Z/Vj in this Creed, which Vvas not re- ^^ ceived in the Church till the Year 1000, ^' did, to many learned and confiderate " Men, feein very great : '* Whereas, it is not Dr. Gave ( as I have obferved before) but Dr. Clarke, who complains of the T)ijjicultles of the Creed, from whom this Gentleman has taken the Pall fage j and by his woiconfult'tng Dr. Cav£, as well as citing him, has {^ignorantly^ I believe,) made '^falfe Report of that learn-^ ed Author. That the Reader may fee how the Cafe ftandsj at one View ; I fiiall here place Dr. Clarke's Words, and the Words of the Author of the Effay^ in oppofice Columns. X Clarke's 154 ^f^^ Athakasian Creed ClaRKE'j Script. Do J. p. 379, Edit. 2. The Difficulties in this Creed (which, as the learned Dr. Cave informs us in his hij}»ria Litermria, p. 146 was never fecn till about the Year 8o», near 400 Years after the Death of Athanasius ; nor vras received in the Church till fo very hte, as about the Year looo) have to many }emrned and confderate Men, fecmed very great. Essay, p. 43. The lenrnei Dr. Cayi in^ fotms U5, that tic Dt^cuities in this Creed ('and which was never fcen till about the Year 800, near 400 Ycari after the Death of Athanasius, nor received in the Ckurch t.ll fo very late, as about the Ycrar 1000) have to many learned and confideratc Men fecmed very great. From this View it is plain, that Dr. Clarke is the Complainant^ not Dr. Cave. It appears from whence this Gen- tleman had his Intelligence, though (per- haps for fbme prudent Reafons ) he has chofen not to own it ; faying not a Word of Dr. Clarke, but yet borrowing from him, in a ftrange blundering Manner, and naming only Dr. Cave for all^ without looking into/. 146, o{ Hijlorta Liter ariuy to which, he nevertheleii refers at the Bottom of the Page : And by this Means, in a very confufed Way, he afcribes to Dr. CaTe, what really belonged to Dr. Clarke ^ befides, adopting the Miftakes of ^^'Preservative ^^^/;//? Heresies, 15-5 of Both : For it was Dr. Clarke's Mlf. take^ to fay, that Cave informs us, that the jithanajian Creed was never feen 'till the Year 800. and if this Gentleman would have looked into Dr. Clarke's Third RAmotk of his Scripure Tio^riney p/'4i5, he would have found, that the Doftor had changed the Expreffion, was never feen^ for, was never cited; as I have remarked above, /. 60. It is Dr.CLARKE, who fays, ai/out the Tear 800, and yet only near 400 Tears after the 'Death of Athanasius ; which Miftake was taken Notice of in the Critical Hijtory."^ And which Miftake alfo, as well as the fore- going one, Dr. Clarke h^s corre£fed in his Third Edition, which, inftead of near 400 Tears, has, above 400 Years ; as it ought to be: For, from the Year 379 (the lateft Year which Athanasius is ever fuppcfed to have lived) to the Year 800, is 417 Years. It was the Miftake of Dr. Cave himfelf, to think, that this Creed had not been quoted, nor mentioned, X 2 before • H'-aterUnd's Crit. Hift, of the Jthanafan Creed, c. I. p. it. Edit, I. 156 The Ath.vnasian Creed before the Year 800. For the Council of AuTUN in France^ under Leodegarius, or St. Lhgek, the Bifhop of the Place in the Vllth Century, held, as is moil pro- bable, and nioft generally fuppofcd, by Learned Men, in the Year 670, enjoyned the Recital of it, by every Presbyter, Dea- con, Subdciicon, ^l\ under Pain of Cen- lure from the Bifliop.^ This Creed is likewife mentioned in fome Articles of Enquiry^ which Reg ino. Abbot of Pr(9w^, in Germa7iy^ an Author of the IXth and Xth Century, has among other Collec- tions ; fuppofcd by Baluzius the Editor, to be as old, or very nearly, as the Age of Boniface Bifhop of Mentz^y who died in the Year 754. This Teftimony the Critical H'lji cry places about 760."^'^ And 794, the Council of Frankfort ^ in Germany^ in their 3 5d. Canon giveOrdcrs, that " The Catholick Faith of the holy *' Trinity^ and Lord's ^Prayer ^ and Creed " be * li\iter land's Ciit. Hiil. of rhe Ath.inafian CreiJ, c. j. p. 29. FJit. 2. An.-i BinghAjn's Origin. Eccier B, to, r, 4. 6c'J. 18. p. 45-4. i'oi Edit. ** fi'ar.LiiiAiiil. c.z. />. 34. Edit, i ^PRESERVATIVE ^^^i?//? HuRESIES. 1$J '^ be fet forth and delivered to all/' And the Author of the Critical Hijiory gives his Realbns, why He mufc be of Opinion, that the Council of Frankfort^ in this Canon, means and intends the Athanafia^i Creed. ^"^ And it further appears, that we have a Comment upon this Creed, of the VIch Century, compofed by Venantius FoRTUNATUs, after his going into France^ and before he was Bidiop of ^Poi&iers. The Date of this Comment^ may be pro- bably iixM about the Year ^570, or per- haps higher ? ** And the Author of the Critical Hijiory well remarks, that This Comment oi Fortunatus, is a great Con- firmation of what is obfervcd, concerning the Council oi Autun recommending, and enjoining the Recital of this Creed. For (fays he) if the Creed was noted enough, to deferve a Comment upon it, fo early as the Year 570, no wonder, if vv^e find it fi.rongly recommended by That Council, in the Year 670, an hundred Years after.^\^" Thus ♦ u\it. Ciir. h;i>. f.i. /^M. -f. ** Ibui. f.5. />.6o. Sec. EJ-t.-L. 158 37j(r Athanasian Creed Thus has the Author of the Effay a- doptcd the Miflakcs of Dr. Clarke, and Dr. Cave, and added others of his owfty by not looking fo far into Things, as he ought to have done. But if thefe Miftakes are of fuch a Kind, as to be incxcufablc in his Firjl Performance ; they are much more fo, in a Second ; when he ought to have confidcr'd the Matter more thorough- ly. But what makes it ftiil worfe, is, that his Miftakcs were hinted to him in the Weekly Mifcellany of OEiober 26 ; and yet, this Gentleman, taking no Notice of that Letter, publifhes again to the World deliberately the very fame Things I DiiFENc:E p. 7. — The Gentleman here, as like wife in p- 43, confefles, that his true Dcfign, is to recommend " the ^' total T>'ifufe of the Athanafian Creed " — though it is very plain, that he had fmoothed over this Dcfign, by propofing, that at leaf!:, its Ufe fhould be confined to Cathedral Churches only ; or left to the Minifler^s T>i/cretionJ^ It was this Con- • EflTay, p. 40. dud, ^Preservative agahiji Het^isi^s. 159 duct, that induced the Letter- Writer to fay ; that, " if his Reafons [for dropping " the Athanafian Creed] be falfc or wrong ; *^ then the dropping the Creed in a fmooth " artful way, is only doing ein 11/ Thing " with the greater Guile^ aud adding " Treachery to Iniquity?' And truly I cannot think the Letter- Writer at all out in his Judgment ; for certainly, This was doing it in a fmooth artful JVay : And if the Gentleman cannot defend and fupport his Reafons, for flighting this Creed at all-^ then, to drop it ;;/ any '-ji'ay "whatever^ is doing an III Thing ; and to leave it at the Miniflers Difcretion, to ule, or not ufe it as he Ihall think fit; or admitting it to be retained in Cathedral Churches, is doing this III Thing with the^r^^^^r Guile \ nor can I fee, what this Gentleman could in- tend by this Method • but that, as the Let- ter-Writer obferves, " provided it [the " Creed] be once fet afloat, he can be con- " tent, that it fliould be fent off decently, ^^ or leifurely, and according to Art/' — I muft own, I cannot otherwife account for this Gentleman's Condud; efpccially, by his continuing the Ufe of this Creed in Cathe- i6o The Athanasiak Creed Cathedral Churches : for the Creed will be the fame, whether it be fay^ or fuvg-^ though, pcrliaps, the Gentleman may think, that the Senfe of it may float away upon the Mufick. But however, the Author of the TDcfcnce is extremely angry with the Letter- Writer, for the forementioned Paflagcs : 'tis for thefc, he complains of being traduced ^ Jlandered^ and abnfed! For thefe, he loads his Adverfary with fo many infid'ious Efithets ! and, Defence, p. 8. — '' If (fays he) the *' injinnatcd Guile and Treachery appear, ^' in the fingular Inftancc of recommending *• the Ulc of the Creed, at the Miuijiers ^' Difcretion j then the fmooth artful " Manner, in which it was intended to be '' dropped ; doing an /// Thing with the ^^ greater Guile •, and adding Treachery to '' Iniquity^ are Epithets that will not '' ftick on me, but on the Commiffioners, '^ in the Year 1689." — But, not fo faft, good Sir! for This is upon the Suppofition, that the Commiflioners in the Year 1689, determined to leave the Ufe of the Atha-^ nafian Creed to the Minijfers T)ifcretion ^ which is a Falfity, that has long been pro- pagated J '^Preservative ^^^//?/? Heresies. i6t pagatcd 5 and which this Author repeats in feveral Places,* but is deteftcd; and I have confuted This in p. 54. where it is Ihewn, that thofe Commiflloners in l6Sp, determined ftill to impofe the Ufe of the Athanafian Creed, and prepared a Rnbrtck accordingly ; fo that the fmooth artful Way in which it is intended to be dropped, do- ing an in Thing with the greater Guile, and adding Treachery to Iniquity, are Epi- thets which will not flick on the Commifl fioners in 1689, but on the Author of the Ejfay, '' His prefent Grace of Can - " terbury'^ (fays the Author of the Ef fay) " declared on a very folemn Occafion, '^ that thefe Commiflioners were a Set of ^^ Men J than "whtch^ This Church "was ne^ ^^ ver at any Tme^ blejfed '•jutth either " "uuifer or better ,, fince it was a Church'' — We are ready to allow them fo ; and give me leave therefore to fay, that This Gentleman has unhappily and unwarily quoted an Authority that turns againft him. He thought, no doubt, that it was a Part Y of * Defence, p. 34.. 39. 40. i6i The Athanasian Creed of their IVifdom and Goodnefs^ to leave the Ufe of the Atbaiiafian Creed to the "Dtjcretion of the Minifter^ but it appears they did not: No; they \iZ\Q, too wile to do it, but continued to impole it. And what then muil this Gentleman think of himfclf, who is for doing That, which the CommilTioncrs, a Set of Men^ than 'which this Church li'as never at any Time bleffed nji'lth either i\:)fer or better j^/ince it was a Chnrchj after a mature Deiiberation, de- termined not right to be done! 'Tis //i?, and not the Letter -Writer therefore, who ought to take oharne to himfelf for thus defaming the Dead lb undefervedly ! It is irkfomc to confute notorious ^Ontrnths^ as often as any Writer will prefume to repeat them. The Author of the Efjay^ and "Defence^ might very cafily have been fet right in thefc Matters, would he but have enquired after proper Books ^ or confulted with Menof Z/^/Z^rj"; as Ke ought to have done, before he had undertaken to give Advice to the Tublick^ in fuch high Mat- ters as our Creeds are. D£F£NCF. ^Preservative <^^^/>//? Heresies. i6^ Defence p. io. ii. — He complains of the Athanajian Creed being abjlrtifi and un'tnteLllgible ; and, that ^tis da?nning thofe who do vM believe it {as far as Man can do,) But thefe Complaints have been confideredj the Former in p. 20 — 52. the Latter in p. 12 — 16. 23, 14. 52 — 56. to which I refer the Reader. He urges, that the Terfon required to fitbfcribe the Atha^ najian Creed, may not believe it y and, that 'tis making Men profefs^ what they do not y or cannot believe, I anfwer, no Man is made to profefs what he does not believe: Every Man is at Liberty,, whether he will fubfcribe the Athanajian Creed^ or not. If Men y^\\\ fubfcribe what they don't believe, 'tis They are to blame, and muft anfwer for fuch Dilhonefty, or Prevarication. I doubt not, but there are Some who fubfcribe to the Nicene Creed, and the reft of our Li- turgy^ and yet do not believe fome Paffa- ges of each, taken in their true Senfe; and therefore^ if this Gentleman's Argument has any Weight, it muft equally prove againft all Subfciptio7i whatever; againft Subfcribing to the Truth of That Creed, which He is yet for retaining. I muft Y 2 there- 164 T^^c Athanasian Creed therefore ask him, whether he thinks it a Reaibn that becaufe there are fome difhoneft Men who will llibfcribc to what they don't believe , therefore the Church ought not to require any Subfcription at all ? If he thinks This, then his Objcclion is not mere- Jy againft the Atbanafian Creed, but All other Creeds^ Articles^ Liturgies &Cc. which will put the Difpute upon another liTue. But the Gentleman urges, that " AnO" '' ther Creed''^ (meaning, I fuppofe, the Afojlles or Nicene^ for he is for retaining Both) '' which contains the Fundamen- *• tals of the Chriftian Faith, can be fub- ^' fcribed and believed, without making '' the Perfon infincere or an Hypocrite '' — Certainly either the ApoJileSy or Nicene Creed may be fubfcribed and believed without making the Subfcriber infincere or an Hypocrite j but then, it is as certain, that a Man may fuhjcribe to cither of Thofe, and yet be tnjiucere and an Hy- pocrite, For Inftancc ; no Arian caa fubfcribe to either of throfc Creeds, with- out being injincere^ an Hypocrite^ and a very dijhouejt Man ; for They mufi: be >4 Preservative ^^^/>7? Heresies. iy? Heresies. 167 EJlablifhment ? But fuch mean Refle^iions are beneath a ferious Enquiry ! If he does not think This good Reafoning in the Cafe of Oaths of Allegiance ; He cannot think it fo, in the other Cafe : For they are parallel, and the fame Anfwer will ferve for Both. Or, to put another G?/? to this Gentle- man. — A Perfon builds a Wall 'round his Gar- den, in order to preferve his Fruit, iji ^lery^ — Whether theWall be of any Service ; fince it will not hinder the worft Sort of Men {from whom alone T) anger is to be exfe^ied) from entering the Garden, by climbing over it ? id ^iery^ Therefore— Whether it is noC the Man's wifeft Way to pull down his Wall, and lay all open to every Paffenger, who has a mind to go m ; becaufe, if he keeps it up, there are fome very great Robbers who will leap over it ? If the Gentleman will be fo kind, as to give me his Opinion upon thefe Qajes^ his Argument will require no other Anfwer. Defence,/, ibid. — " As to any in- " jurious Refledions (fays he) caft by me, ^* on the cftablilhed Confeffions of our '' Faith, i6S 7he Athanasian Creed *' Faith, I entirely deny the Fact ; unlefs '• it be in propofing the abfohite Exchange *' of the Athanajlan Creed, for the Apojlles " or NtceneP That is, as to any inju- rious Reflections caft by him, on the e- Itablifhed Confeflions of our Faith, he in- tirely denies the Fad ; unlefs calling them obfeurCy unintelligible y uncharitable^ SCc. and for fuch Reafons propofing to throw them abfolutely out of the Liturgy ^ as what ought not to be thcre^ be difparaging, and refledling on the eftablifhed Confeflions of our Faith. — Whether it be not, the World muft judge 1 But '' If That (fays '' he) is an injurious Alpcrfion on our eftab- " lifhed Confeflions, it more froperly af-* •' feds Arch-Bifiiop TiLLOTSON, Bifliop " Taylor, Mr. Chillingworth, C^^. " in vvhofe Words my Arguments were " offered for the Exchange, than it can " '' my fclf. But if any fuch Thing is to be *' found in theQ^iotations taken from thofe " great Men, why has the Letter- Writer *' fo filently paflTed over what was pro* *^ duced from them/' The Letter- Writer did not undertake to examine (nor could he do it in fo fiiort a Compafs) all that was produced in the ^lota* A Preservative againji Heresies. 169 Rotations from Thofe great Men. I have done it in the foregoing Papers : and, if it appears, that any of thofe Quotations do reflect upon, or difparage the Athana- Jian Creed^ or our ejiablijhed Forms of Gonfcffion, let the Blame reft where it falls ! only I muft tell this Gentleman, that he is miftaken, if he thinks, what is faid in thofe Quotations, does not as properly afFed him^ as it does thofe from whom he cites them 5 for he makes them his own^ by the Quotation. N^y, the Accufation of difparaging, and calling Refledions up* on this Creed, more properly affeds him^ than it does fome of thofe whom he has cited : Since it appears, that he has wrejied fome Authorities, made Mijre^orts^ and produced fuch Witneffes as will not ftand by him ; in which Cafes the Guilt re- doubled turns upon himfelf. It has been fliewn, that he has m.ade a very unfair and imperfeii^ I may fay a dire£fly falfe Report, of what concerned Mr. Chil- LiNGWORTH, wliom this Author affirms to have ferjified^ in reftijing to fubfcribe the XXXIX Articles of Religion^ and of acceding any Preferments in the Church ; of the Falfity of which Aflertion, this Gen- Z tleman ijo The Ath AN ASIAN Creed tkman is convicted upon Record,* And in the Mifcellany of October 26 ( which, by the way, this Gentleman takes no No- tice of having feen, according to Cuftom, cither really not having fccn it, or pur- pofcly neglecting what he cannot anfwer) in this Mifcellany it was fhewn, in regard to Mr. Chillingworth, that upon a full and due ftating the Account, he could make no juft Advantage of that great Man's Authority. It further appears (and which was like* wife taken Notice of in the forcmentioned Mifcellany ) that he knows little of what relates to Dr. Taylor (another of his Authorities ; ) quoting feveral Paflagcs from him, which cannot be depended on as his real Sentiments, (being written in the Agoniftical Way \ ) in the mean While, lupprcfling fome faving Claufes, which Dr. Taylor had thrown in, byway of Guard or Antidote. With the Learned Dr. Cave he has dealt work ; in relation to whom, his Blunders and Mijiakes have been already noted. *^ It « Sccf>.f4. *• Scie f.6o, 61. ^Prservative /7^/?//{/? Heresies. 171 It has been made appear likewife, that the Quotation from Bifhop Stilling- JFLEET, being in refped only to doubtful Rites and Ceremonies^ and Things ^7-^;//^^ unneceffary by All^ is nothing to his Pur- pofe : And, that the Quotation from his prcfent Grace of Canterbury, anfwers it felf. It has been flicwn alfo, that he has too haftily appealed to Arch Biihop Tillot- SON, as favouring his Scheme, upon very flender Pretences, rather Surmifcs than Proofs.* So then thefe Six Great Men whom he has called upon as Authorities, are at length found to defert him. — The Accufation therefore, of difparaging the Athanafian Creed^ more froferly affeds Him^ than it does tl>ofe great Men. The Author of the Efay had in that Piece found fault with the Athanafian Creedy for attempting to eyifkitn a Myfi- tery^ which, in the Nature of the Thing, muft be inexplicable ^"^ In Anfwer to this, we diftinguifli between explaining a Myf^ T^ 2 t-ery^ • See;. ;8,f9. •♦ Eflay, f.4.1. \ji The Krvik^ksiK^ Creed tery^ and explaining a T)c[irine \ and rc^ ply, that the Creed attempts not to explain any Myjlery ; For it explains the T>oBrine only, not the Modus ^ wherein \hz Myjlery lies : And, as to the Myjlery^ the Creed ll guards it only from rude and infidious Attacks : This likcwifc was urged in the Mtfcellaiiy of October 19. And now the Author of the Defence, /. 17, 18, C^r, endeavours at fomething of a Reply to this ; but in fo loofe and declamatory a Way, that it a- mounts only to fo many Words. It is to be obferved, that the whole Force of his Objcftion lay in the Word Myjfery : For had he faid only, that the Creed had at« tempted to explain the T>oBrine of the Trinity, what Ground could there be for Complaint on that Head ? does not the Tsliecne do fo too ? and yet he is pleafed to let That ftand in his New Liturgy, AH that the Author of the T)e fence offers in Anfwer to this forenamed Diftindion, is mere Ccnfufion, for want of making that very Diftinftion, which he is at the fame Time objecting to. 'Tis for want of this Diflinftion, that in/. 18, becaufe the Mi- fcellany -^Preservative ^^^/>//? Heresies. 173 fcellany had obferved, that "Of the three " Creeds^ the Firft was intended to declare ^^ the Faith, the Second to explain it, and " the Third to guard it '' ^ the T>efence adds, as his own Comment in a Parenthefis ^' (/. ^. The N'ice7ie Creed— does explain <^ the Faith, viz. the Myjiery or "DoHriiie ^^ of the Trinity, which juft now was in- " explicable.) With what Shifts will fomc Men take up, when they are preffed too clofe ! This Gentleman here, makes Faith and Myjiery^ to be Synonimous Terms ; and Myjlery and T>o6irine^ (notwithftand- ing the T>ijtin6iion which he has been in- formed of) to be the Same : And perfift- ing in this Error, he makes, explaining the Faithy to be explaining the Mjjiery ; and explaining the T>o5iri7ie^ to be explaining the Myfiery : From this Jingle of Words, he makes the Mifcellany fay, that the T)o6lrine of the Trinity is inexplicable ; and, that the Nicene Creed (becaufe it is faid to explain the Faith) explains the Myjiery of the Trinity : From whence, ftill plunging on, he urges, that the Atha* fiajian Creed is more explanatory of the Faith (which with him is the Myjiery) than 174 'I'he Athanasian Creed than the Nicene. — By all which, the Whole that the Author of the 'defence has proved 5 is, that — he is a very bad Logician. It was told him in the Mifcellany of O^obar 19, that *^ fome of the co^ijequefi" ^ tint and more remote Articles of this *' Creed, appear mere obfcure than the ^ prime Thfirines th^mfelves;'* aiid, that " in the very Nature of Things^ it muft *^ often be fo " ; as being intended to ob- viate remote Subtleties, and infidious E- -vafions \ which is a manifeft Truth. In Reply to this, the Defence, p. 2c. pretends, that thus the prime Truth is made obfcure by remote Confequences. No 9 the prime Truth re- mains as clear as ever, and is now better guarded than before ; and cleared 100^ from the Artificial Clouds and Darknefs, that Sophiftry had brought upon it ; fo that it is, in fome Senfe, refcued and reftored to its original Luftre, When Atheifts (fup- t)ofe) have endeavoured by Subtleties, to obfcure the plain and eafy Dotlrine of the Exijlence of God ; the obviating fuch Subtleties in a proper Way, is fecuring tha^ ^Preservative ^^c^i;/,/? Heresies. 175' that prime Truths and throwing off the Duft from it : Yet, I prefume, the Gene- rality better underftand this plain Pofition, There is a God ; than they do every con- fequenlial Pofition, which may be found neceffary to fecure it, againft wily Devices of Men that lie in wait to deceive. I can find nothing in this Gentleman's Perfor- mance, that bears the Face of Reaforiiitg^ againft fo plain a Cafe : Nothing, above the Dignity of an Evafion^ or a mere A- mtifement of the Reader ! Defence,/'. 21. — He wants here fome Scripture Texts^ to juftify the making life of fuch Guards, As if all the Texts commanding us to preferve the Faith of Chrift ixjhole and entire^ ^o hi as in us lies, were not fo many Warrants, for the ma- King ufe of all the Expedients^^ which the Nature of the Thing requires, or Human Prudence fuggefts. — *' Nor do we read ** (fays he) of any Guard appointed by •' God himfelf, to fecure the Chriftian ^' Faith, unlefs the *S'a'i/'^/ir^j' themfclves^ ^* and thofe Rewards and Punilhments of " another World, promifed or threatened ^^ to 4uch as believe, or disbelieve the '' Truths 1^6 Tht Athan ASIAN Creed " Truths therein contained/' — So that by this Writer's Argument, wc have nd Occafion for any Guards at all, except the Scriptures ; and we may lay afide, not only the Athanafiau Creed, but the A- fofllcs^ and Nicene^ and all the Articles cf Religion \ and yet the fame Gentleman inconfiftently pleads for retaining the A^ fojllcs and Nicene Creeds. This Gentle- man, I iind, muft be told, that, although the Scriptures^ are /;/ themf elves fufficient Guards of the Chriftian Faith, and fuf- ficiently clear to be rightly underftood, by Men who come rightly difpofcd, and free from Prejudice ; yet, as long as Men are Moral Agents, it will be in their Power to abufe the Favours which God has granted them. '^ In this refped" (as 'tis judicioufly obferved by a late ingenious and learned Writer) '' there can be no fuch Thing as *' Sufficiency ; it is impoflible that God ^' fhould have revealed any thing fo clear- " ly, as to leave no poiTible Room for *' their perverting it, or differing about *^ it, — with regard to the Clearnefs of the *' Chriftian Revelation ; 'tis certain a pri- *' oriy that 'tis fufficiently clear to have *' removed ^Prhsirvative ^^^/V;/? Heresies. 177 ^' removed all material Differences of Opi- " nions in religious Matters ; provided Men *' would ftudy it without Paffion or Pre- " judice, and make ufe of all proper Helps *' totheunderftanding it ; yet our Saviour " foretold, that there mujl be^ what Hif- *' tory and Experience lliew there are, *^ and always have been, Herejies among " Chriftians : * — And — What may be " fufficient to one End, may not be fo to ^^ another ; What may htfiijficient to vin- *^ dicate the Conduct ^/G^^ towards Mo- ^^ ral Agents, may be infufficient to over- *' rule the Prejudices and ^ajjioiis of *^ Men/'** We are not therefore to neg- left making ufe of any proper Additional Guards. The Scripture has been cor- rupted^ zndi perverted by Htreticks '^ and therefore, in fuch Circumftances, the Scrip- ture itf'lfxt^mxts proper Guards^ to pre- ferve it pure and intire ^ by determining its true Senfe, and affixing the right Mean- ing to its feveral Paffages, as have been, or may be in Danger. And, in relation to A a requiring * Mr, Johnfons Letter to Mr Chandler, p, i6» ij. ** I^id. p. If. y.y^ The Athanasian Creed requiring Snbfcript'ious to fiich Guards, al Explanatory Creeds^ or Articles \ I mud obfcrvc, from the Learned Dr. Cony beak, that " very erroneous Dodrines have been *' 77iahitaived and taught •, and tlic Scrip- *' tares thcmfclves alledged to patronize " thefe Errors : In thcfe Circumftances, A ^' Subfcription to the Scriptures at large^ *^ is bv no means a fufficient Teft of A *' Teacher's Oav/W^.v)' : And if fome Per- '' fonswill, by an Abufe of Crlticifm, en-- *^ dcav^our to pervert thefe Writings, fbmc- '' thing lurely ought to be done, to guard *' againft fuch Abufes : And the evident NeceJJity of the Thing is enough to de- fend this Practice. Again ; If a bare Declaration of the Truth of Scripture^ *' without determining in any Inftance the " Senfe and Meaning of it, be judged '^ f^^ffi^^^^^^ 7 '^ ^^^^ follow, that no £r- *' rors whatfoever, relating to the particu- " lar Doctrines of our Religion, ought to ^' exclude a Man from the Work of Teach- *^ ;;/(7 ^ if he have but Weaknefs enough *^ to imagine, that the Sacred Writings are *' on his Side. Thus, not only Liberty *' will be allowed, but Ccttntenance given, *' to ^Preservative ^^^////? Heresies. 179 ^^ to the open Propagation of every pof- '' fible Herefy ; Errors of every Kind, " will fuccedively prevail : The weaker " People will be led by the Confidence ^^ of fome Teachers, and the Subtlety of ^ others, from one Extreme to Another; ^^ whilft the more indifferent Speftators ^' will be tempted to laugh at all Religion ^^ whatfoever/'* For thefeReafons We re- quire Subfcription to the Athanafian Creed, as being explanatory of the Scripture T^oc^ trine of the Trinity ; and being thereby, a proper Tejl of a Teacher^s Orthodoxy ; and admirably fitted, to preferve the Doc- trine pure, and free from the Corruptions of Hereticks. As to Thofe who are ap-ainft all Subfcriptions whatever, and would be informed w^hat Right or ^ower the Church hath, to demand fuch Subfi:riptions ; and how far it is reafonable and expedient to exercifc that Power ; I refer them to the judicious Dr. Conybear's Sermon,** bc- A a 2 forementionedj * 'IhtQzk o{ Subfcription io Xxtkk^ of Religion confivJerecJ. A Sermon by Dr. Conybear, — p. 19. 20. Edit. 5. ** Preached at the Triennial ViHtatkn oFtheBiniop oP Ox- ford, at St. Marfs in Oxford, July 20, 1725-. . Printed tor £. mmot, in Oxford ; and Sold" by Km^ploik, KnApton, ^r. London. i8o Z/i^ Ath AN ASIAN Creed forementioncd, where every unprejudiced Perf^;n may receive Satisfadlion. Dh FENCE, /. 21. — He pleads, that^A'- flicatmi ought to make Things plainer. Very true : And Fencing againft Subtleties^ is to make a Doftrine more Secure^ and to prefer ve it in its Original Tlainncfs ; which is making it plainer than it would be, if fjch Subtleties w^ere not guarded againft : And yet, fuch Guards and Fences, may be in Thcn/felves more obfcure than the ^rime. Truth i as was fhevvn by an Inftance a- bove. To explain a Dodrine, and toy?- cure it from Corruptions, are Both necei^ iary \ inafmuch as it behoves us, as well to preferve the Faith, as co declare what the Faith is, or what it means. Defence, /.2 J. And in other Places, — - He prefers the more General^ more Clear ^ and Intelligible Creed, before the more obJcure^mimite^2,Vi^ unintelligible : Which is juftas wife, as to fay, that he would pre- fer this Single Treeept^ viz>. To love God and cne'^s Neighbour^ before all rninute Expli- cations, Deductions, or Enlargements of the Rule, ferving to dired Men in the full and true Intent of it \ and to prevent theii^ -^Preservative z^^^i;//? Heresies. iSt their holding many Contradid:ory Princi- ciples together with the General Rule, tending to annul, vacate, and fruftrate it, in Theory or Pradice. The fame is the Cafe, whether it be in any flight Sum- mary of Morality, or Faith. The fliorter and more general it is, the more liable is it to be evaded and fruftrated. This Truth was illuftrated in the Mi- fcellany^ by a parallel or fimilar Cafe of "Political Tejts. It might fuffice to fwear, 1 will be faithful^ and bear true Allegi* ance to bis Majefiy King George ; For That^ to a confiderate confcientious Man, implies every Thing* But the Wifdoni of the Legiflature has not thought fuch a General Form, fufficient Security againft the Dulnefs of Some, or the Artifices of Others; but requires, befides, an exprefs Renunciation of the Tofe'^s Supremacy^ and a very minute Abjuration of the Pre- tender ; making ufe of feveral Critical Terms of Law^ and of Art ; to preclude all Doublings, Shufflings, and Subterfuges; the Legiflature wifely confidering both the Infirmities^ and Iniquities of Alcn \ and providing againft them, as far as Human Prudence 1 82 The Athanasian Creed Prudence can do. In Reply to This, the Author of the Defence, /. 24, Thinks it a grievous '* Reflexion on the whole Leg'tjlative " ^oweVj on the Memory of fo many ** Glorious and Immortal ^Pr'tnces^ Noble " Lords^ and Right Reverend ^PrelateSy *' who firft enaded that Law, and have " many Times fince ratified and confirmed ^^ it ; " to fay, that fome Terms of Law or of Art ufed therein, were fcarce intel^ ligihle to every one that takes thefe Tefts. Ex ore tuo — The Accufation rebounds : For what then has This Writer been doing, in boldly charging the Athanajian Creed^ with being unintelligible to All^ or Moft ; though it is authorized by the IVhole Le^ gijlative Tower \ and has been fixed in our Articles and Liturgy, by many more Trinces^ Lords^ and Trelates^ than ever the Abjuration Oath has been. The Truth is, the Legillative Powci is blamelefs in both Articles ; For Human Affairs will not admit of any wifcr or j utter Proceed- ing. Critical Terms of Art, as being moft cxpreffive in fome Cafes, muft be made vit of to obviate fubtle Eyafions of de- figning '^Preservative ^^^if/y? Heresies. 185 figning Men ; and if the Illiterate do not diltindly apprehend, either the Intention, or Force of a few hard Terms, yet they have a confufe, general Perception of the main Thing ; and That fuffices. But be- caufe this Author feems to think, that there are no dark Terms in thefe Tejis • let him, at his Leifiire, examine, whether everyone readily underftands what the Word, See^ means ; what 'Prelate, Jurtfdimon^ Ec^ cle/iajiical. Abjure, Mental Evafion, Re^ Jervatiouj Recognition, imports ^ and when he has confidered the Cafe, as a cool and confiderate Man (hould ; He may perhaps fee the Puerility of his Declamation on this Head. The Gentleman was told by the Writer of the Letter in the Mifcellany, that *' The Queftion is not, whether the A- " foftles Creed comprizes all Fmdamen^ '' tals ? but, whether it takes in all that is ordinarily neceffary, to guard thofe Fundamentals againft Equivocation, and '' vile, or jnfidious Attacks ? It is plain *' that it doth not ; fmce every Arian *' or Socinian, will readily fubfcribe That [' Creed, retaining the fVords, renoun- '5 cing 184 TZ?^ Athanasiak Creed ^^ cing the Faith ''jurapfed up in Them/^ What can be urged againft fo plain and evident a Fad ? A Fad but too well proved by Experience ! which fuf- ficicntly convinces us, that Avians andi^tf cinians will fubfcribe the Apoftles Creed, in their Oisjn^ that is, in a depraved ?^tvik. And is it not then, a very natural Conclu- fion which the Letter- Writer draws from thence ? viz, that ^' Therefore it is tie- ^' cejfary to have fome fuch Creed as the *' Jlthanafian at Hand, to guard againft *' the Attempts of Seducers. And why ^^ not That, confidering its great Name, *^ rather than any other ? ^^ The Author of the defence asks,/. 27. " If any Man ^' would in a ferious folemn Manner, pro- ^^ fefs the Chriftian Faith in the Words *^ of the Apoflles Creed, in which " (fays He ) '' my Author agrees the Faith is *• wrapped up, why lliould that Man be *' judged or condemned for an Arian or ** Socinian ? " I anfwer, V/e do not fay that any Man is to be judged an Arian or Socinian^ who profeffes his Faith in the Words of the Apoflles Creed \ unlefs we have fome Evidence of it : But we fay^ that A Preservative 4f^7////? Heresies^ 185 that a Man may be an Ar'tan or Soctnian^ and yet profefs his Faith in tfle Words of That Creed : And this we are certain of; becaufe there have been Thofe, who have, in a ferious folemn Manner, profefled their Faith in the Words of the Afofiles Creed ; and have neverthelefi plainly Ihewn to the World in their JVrttings^ that they were Avians : And therefore, there is fome- thing more than the Apojtles Creed ftecefi fary. He remarks further, (^.28.) that *^ The Charity of a good Man will never *^ permit him to think, Another renounces '^ in his Heart that True Fatthy which in " fo many Words He declares to be his ^^ Belief P But I reply, that, if the ^/'Z;^^- najian Creed be only explanatory of the ^oCirine^ and true Faith wrapped up in the Apojlles Creed, and dcfigned io guard the Fundamentals therein contained ; then^^ when any Perfon profeffes his Faith in the Words of the Apojiles Creed ; and yet r^« fufes to profels it in the Words of the Athanajian Creed ^ there is fhrewd Sufpi- cion, that That Perfon is playing fome Trick : And the greateft Charity will iiever be able to hinder us from judging B b (wha^. i86 The Athanasian Creed (what Reafon and common Scnfe plainly tells US') that fuch an one renounces in his Hearty what in fo many JVords he de^ clares to be his Belief : To think the Contrary, would not be Goodncfs^ but Blindnefs : To judge otherwiie, would not be Charity^ but Stupdity. Defence, /. 28. — He asks ; " May *' not the fame Man fubfcribc the Atha^ •* najian Creed, retaining the JVords^ re^ ^' renouncing the Faith ijurapped tip in ^' Them?' I anfvver ^ Experience Ihews, that few are h^rdy enough to fubfcribe, againft fuch plain, full, expreflive Words. But let him ask, whether the Renuncia- tion of the Tope^ and Abjuration Oath^ might not very fafely be fpared ; and the Legiflaturc be content with fwearing Al- legiance in general Terms ; and I prefume, the fame Anfwer will ferve in cither Cafe. It is certain that both the latter are wrap- ped up virtually, and confequcntially in the general Oath : And yet, the Wifdom of the Government has found it necelfary, to proceed beyond Generals, It is true, difhoneft hardenM Men, who neither value Reputation, nor Confcicncc, may leap over ^Prservative ^^^i;{/? Heresies. 187 over all : But fiich Profligates are few in Comparifon : And therefore, it is not fu- perfluous to fuper-add thefe more exprejsy and minute Specifications, to the other. The Author of the T)efence may labour, and ftruggle as much as he pleafes, againft this plain Reafoning : But there is no forcing Logick, againft common Senfe, and the undoubted Experience of all Ages and Places. Deeence, f, x8. — He pleads further, (which is by much the moft fenfible Plea he has offered ) that, at the Council of Nice, A,T>. 525, the Niceue Creed was thought fufficienty and the Athanafian was not needed. — ►- It is very true: For Hc- refies were not ^o refined as they have been fince ; And the Wifdom of enlarging Creeds, depends always upon the prefent Circumjiances, Time was, when an /^- juration Oath was not thought necejfary ; but Circumftances at length proved it to be needfiiL That N'lcene Creed, which fcrved in J25, was not thought fufficient in 381. And therefore, it was then en- larged by the Council of Cokstanti- iioPLE : And it is that very ConJIanti-. B b 2 nopolltan i88 The Athanasian Creed nopolitan Creed, which our Author has adopted into his New Liturgy, while he pleads inconfiftently, for the Sufficiency of the Old Nicene, It has been the prudent and confcientious Care of the Governors of the Church of Ch rill, to enlarge Creeds according to the Growth, or the Prevalence of Herefies : And fuch Procedure is juft. But, Defence,/. 39, 30. — He adds, that Athanasius himfelf alferts, that theiV/- cene Creed is " fufficient to overturn all *' the moft wicked Herefies, but efpecially " the Ar'tanP — Yes, if purfued carefully, attentively, confcicntioully, through all that is virtually wrapped up in tt^ which is what he meant. And in like Manner Bifhop BuxL has fomewhere faid, that one fingle Text { Phil. ii. 6. ) is fufficient to overturn all Herefies relating to the Perfoa of Chrift : Neverthelefs, Biftiop Bull would never have thought it fuperflucusj or unneceffary to take in many other Texts, and the Three Creeds too, 10 fecttre the Faith of Chrift among Men. For what is fufficient in one View, is not fo in tvcry View ; and we can never do too mucbi, -^Preservative ^7^^i;/7? Heresies. 189 much, to fecure the Faith of Chrift, a* gainft the Non-Attention, or Weakncfs of feme, or againft the Wiles and Artifices of others. Defence, /. 31, 32. — He pleads, " That Explications or Enlargements of *^ the fundamental or prime Articles, '* fhould not Themfelves be impofed as " Articles of Faiths This is the Sum of what he urges on that Head, And I an- fwer. That fuch Explications are not im- pofed as Articles of Faith, but as Theolo- gical Truths, or Articles of Religion, wrapped up in the mam Articles, and ne- ceflary to guard againft Cofifequential 0^~ pofition. He that believes the two prime Articles of a Trinity, and^ Incarnation, and does- not afterwards deftroy that Faith by Counter- Pofitions, believes all that the Creed requires. Bur, as it has been very pfual for Men to admit the general fVords, and to evade the Force of them by ad- mitting fomething not confiftent with their true Meaning \ therefore, for the prevent- ing fuch fraudulent Pradices, the Athana-^ fian Formulary has excluded them, by its additional Guards, 190 The Athanasian Creed Defence, />. 32. — " There is (fays '^ he) near /^cc.'^ hundred Years difference, " between Him [the Letter-Writer] and " me, as to its [the Athanafian Creed's^ ^' Antiquity, and firft V/e in the Church. *' I leave it to the Reader to believe Dr. '' Cave, a very eminent and learned Di- '' vine, or this Anon imo us Writer ^ it not '' being worth a Dilpute.'' Thele are his Words ; But, whether it be worth a DiC- pute or no, It certainly is very wrong in any Man of Letters (as the Letter- Writer well obferves) to flop fhort at Dr. Cave's Account, given near j^jf)/ Years ago j fince which Time, feveral ufeful T^'tfcoveries concerning this Creed have been made, and nei:i) Light ftruck out j which Dif- coveries, it becomes a Man of Learning to be acquainted with ; efpecially One who fets up for a Writer, But befides \ there happens to be above four hundred Years difference between the Letter-Writer and this Gentleman (above ti^JO hundred Years more than he reckons) in refpcd to the Reception of this Creed in the Church. The Author of the "Defence fets the Re- ception of it (from Dr. Cave) fo late as the -^Preservative 4?5^/;/7? Heresies. 191 the Year 1000 : which the Letter- Writer informed him, was too late by above 400 Years. And if he will pleafe to read Dr. Water land's Critical Hijlory of the Athanafian Creed ; He will find, that this Creed was received by the Galilean Churches, into the public k Offices^ as early as 670, and that it was received by them, as a Rule of Falth^ much fooner, as early as 550 * And it is from this Critical HiJ^ tory^ that the Lett cr-lVr iter takes his Account. And therefore I leave it to the Reader, to believe Dr. Waterland, an eminent and learned Divine \ or this Ano- nimous IVrtter^ who produces Dr. Cave's Account, as an Authority in a Subjed, wherein feveral ufeful Difcoveries have been made, which were not done, when Dr. Cave confidered the Subjed. — This kind of Procedure is much the lame, as if a Man at this Time o'day, fhould pro- duce the Authority of Ptolemeaus, to prove that the Earth is placed in the Center. Defence, * fr4ffr//»». 1579. In Article IX. 15-66. Helvetic Confeffion. In Article Xlth of Jefus Cbrtjl^ true God and Man, 15-77. Palatine Confeffion, extant in the lail Will and Teftanient of Prince Frederic III. 1645. Lithuanian or Polish Confef- fion, printed in 1646.^ * See the Cor^ia et Syntagma ConfeJJior.Hm Fidei. printed at Geneva 16,-4,. which contains all the Gonfefiions at leng-ih in the Latin Lanf^u^ge. It is written with Care and Accuracy, and is the mott Aurhentick Account ot" any. See aifo Harmony of Confejjijm. Q c ^ Our 1^6 The Athan ASIAN Creed Our Author's Doubts and Scruples therefore, concerning the Sentiments of Foreign ^Protejlants^ in Relation to the A- thana/ian Creed^ are for want of confulting their ConfcJJIons^ and informing himfelf better. He may find their Approbation of the Athanajlan Creed^ there exprefs'd (as I obferved before) in like Manner, as in our Vlllth Article* The Litlmanian oiTo- /,ijh Confeffion of 1645. receives the Atha- iiajian Creed^ among others, by Name. But I have fomething further to remark, concerning the Ancient Trotejlant Confef- Jions^ belides their receiving the Athanajlan Formulary. It is worth obferving, How Exprejly and Strongly^ feveral of them con- demn the Herefies of AriuSj §^f. beyond what our Confeffion does. A- D. 1530. AusEURG Confeffion^ *' Condemns exprefly the Herefies of '^ the Manicheesj Valentinians, Arians.^ *' Eunomians^ Mahometans ^ Samofatenianx J' old and ne\y/' A. D. A Preservative ^^^//^7? Heresies. 197 A. D. 1 55 1. Saxon ConfeJJion^ '^ Weconftantly condemn the monftrous ^' Opinions of Heathens^ Jews^ Maho- " metans^ Marc'tonites^ Mankhees^ Samo- ^' fateniansy Arians^ Tneumatomachians.'' A. D. 1561. Belgic ConfeJJion^ *' This Dodrine of the Holy Trinity^ ^' hath been always aflerted and prefer ved " in the True Church, down from the Age " of the Apoftles unto this very Day ; a- " gainft Jew5^ Mahometans^ and fome *' /^«//? Chriftians, Hcrcticks: viz. Mar- '' cion^ Manes, Traxeas, Sabellms, Samo^ " Jatenns^ Arms^ and Others fuch like, *' who were rightly and defervediy con» '^ demned by the Orthodox Fathers.'' A. D. i^Si. Subfcribed in Parliament Scotch Co?jfeJJion, *^ We Condemn the Damnable and Pef- *^ tilent Herefies of ArittSy Marcion, Etity- '' ches^ Nejtorius, and Others, Who either *' have denied his Eternal Deity, or the " Reality of his human N rare, or who f^ confounded or divided them/' A, D. 198 The Athanasian Creed A. D. 1566. Helvetic ConfcJJlon^ ^^ We condemn Jc^j:js^ Mahometans^ and " All that Blafpheme this Holy and Ado- " rable Trinity. We condemn likewife, " all Herefies and Heret'ich^ who teach *' that the Son, and the Holy Spirit are God, '^ in Name and Title only^ and created^ " and ferving or officiating to Another in ^^ the Trinity \ or that there is in It any ^^ Thing ^Onequal^ Greater or Lefs^ Cor- *"' poreal or in Bodily Shape, different in Dilpofition or Will ; or Confounded 01 Solitary : As if the Son and Holy Spirit were Ajfeclions or ^Properties of one " God the Father \ as the Monarcbifts *' thought, Novatians^ Praxeas the Pa- " tripajjlans^ Sabellttts^ Samofatenus^ Ae- *' tius^ Macedonius^ the Anthrofcmor- ^' phitesy Ariusj and the like We " deteft the impious Notions of Arius, !^' and of Al/ his Followers^ againft the Son '' of God As we abominate the NeJIo- '^ rian Tenets, in making two Chrifts in- *^ fteadof one, and diiTolving the Perfonal ^'' Union- fo we detett alfo, the Mad- ^- nefs of Eutjches^ and the Monothe- ^' lites, Kq:\ l\ '/i Preservative ^^^/;//? Heresies. 199 It appears from the foregoing Extracts, how Strongly and Ex^rejly^ Several of the Ancient Confejjlons condemn and manifeft their Deteftation and Abhorrence of the Herefies of Arius, and Others. It feems^ They thought, They could not fecure Themfelves too much ; that no Guards and defences were Superfluous ; that they could not too ftrongly or exprefly condemn thofe peftilent Herefies; that Nothing was to be Omitted^ that might conduce towards pre- ferving the Doclrine of the Holy Trinity^ pure and uncorrupted. Inftcad then, of Laying ajide^ or fFeakning any of thcfe Securities wc already enjoy ; it is much more advifablc, himibly to recommend it to the Governors of our Church, to add a ftill more exprefs Condemnation of the j^rian Herefie, like to what the Church of Scotland has made ufe of We want to have More^ and Stronger Guards of the Chriftian Faith, rather than to part with Any we have. When Men openly attack and are for pulling down thofc FortrefTes which are our prefent Defences, it furely is not the wifeft Way to join with Them, in pulling them down ourfclvcs- But^ on the con- 200 The Athanasian Creed contrary, ^tis then the more proper and fea- fonible to add More^ and Stronger Guards. The nearer the Enemy approaches, the more cautious and circumlpect: it behoves us to be : And every Affault, inftead of indu- cing us to fubmit to it, Ihould excite us on the contrary, to look out for furtlicr Rein* forcements. Therefore this Gentleman's openly and publickly attacking our Chief Vrefervat'rue of the Chriilian Faith, at- tempting to throw out the Athanafuin Creedy inftead of being any Reafon to us, for fo doing ; is, on the contrary, among others, a very good Reafon for us, to be- think Ourfelves of further Securities. Defence /. 54. But notv/ithftanding our Author would fain fcruple the Recep' ticn of the Athanafian Creed among Fo- reign Troteflants \ yet, confcicus, I fup- pofe, that he had little or no Reafon for what he had faid^ he fccms tefolved to ftop at Nothing ; for He thinks it is of little Service, even fuppojing their Sentiments were^ to the greateft "Degree^ in Favour of it. But I am apt to believe the judi- cious Reader will be of a different Opinion. He will not eftecm the Judgment of the Foreign ^ Preservative (^^^/>;y? Heresies. 2cr Poreign Trot€flants;^\\o{^ Confe(Jlons^2iS we have feen, receive the Athanafian Creed^ and who have ftill an high Veneration for it, of no Validity. Surely They are of fome Weight! and the Verdift of the Chriftian World^ will be thought no incon- fiderable Bar, againft this Gentleman's At- tempts to ejed: it ! At leaft, it is fufEcicnt to expofe the Ridiculoufnefs of his Projcd for uniting the Troteftant Churches : Such a Pretence appears to be mere Amufc- , ment ! and if he has fo plumM himfelf up- on his fuppofed Authorities of a few Di- V ines, and not One of them on his Side; fure- ly we may value the concurring Sentiments of Thoufands, or ten Thoufands ! Defence, /. 37 ^c. As to the T>i(fenters at Home, he pojitively denies^ that They approve the Athanafian Creed. But I appeal to the very Words of the Four London Mmijiers, fpeaking for the reft, in 1 7 19. Nor can This Gentleman deny, that They approve it. The only Method there- fore, that He has found, is, to appeal to what the Cafe ^iis formerly ., which is Nothing at all to thePurpofe.The "Difhiters^ we know, had, a long Time, their Scruples againft the D d [Dam- 202 The Athanasian Creed damnatory Clanfes : But the Cafe is not the fame at This Day, provided the Damnatory Claufes are (as They ought to be) modeftly expounded* The Cafe therefore, is not what the Diflentcrs once were \ but what they are at pefeiit. And I dont find, that Any of Them arc for laying afide fo ufeful and neceflary a Form, as the Athanafian Creed* I fpeak of the more Knowing and Moderate Part of the Diflenters. DEFE^'CE, />. 40. — • ^' The Eftablifh- " ed Church of Scotland (fays our Au- '' thor) I am well informed, rejecls this ^' Creed.'' It is This Gentleman-'s Misfortune, either to receive No Informa- tion at all., or elfe a Wrong One. It feems, he had A^^ Ivformation concerning Mr. Chilltkgvvorth's Subfcription^ and His accepting Treferment in the Church. He had No Information of the Rnbrick^ prepared by the CovimiJJioners in 1689 — He had No Information that Dr. Water- land had wrote a Book, called the Criti- cal Hiflory of the Athanafian Creed^ tho' it has had T'jjo Editions, He had No Information^ that there was a Third Edition ot Dr. Clarke's Scripture T)o6irine^ wherein '^Prservative /^^^^i//7? Heresies. 203 wherein the Doctor has correfled the Mif- report he had made of Dr. Cave, as like- "wife, Another Miftake in Computation^, which This Gentleman, for Want of know- ing better, has publiflied to the World A^ gain — He had No Information^ that there was a Second Letter publifhed in the Mif- cellany^ which it concerned Him to have Anfwered — And perhaps He would have Ho htformationo^TYix^ Anfwer to his Two Tieces \ which therefore, I have ordered, to be by his Bookfeller conveyed to his Hands. But to return to the Church of Scotland. As this Gentleman is i^o un- fortunate to receive No Information in ma- ny Things which much concern him : So when he does receive any, it happens un- luckily to be wrong. He fays. He is well informed, that the Church of Scotland rejects the Atbanafian Creed, But I aflure him there is all the Reafon in the World, to think, that he is very /// informed ; and that his Friends deceive him : For the Helvetic ConfeJJion of 1566. receives the Atbanafian Creed \ and That Contel- fion is approved, and fubfcribed by the D d 2 Church 204 ^'^^ Athai^asian Creed Churcli of Scotland, as will appear from the fvvo followin?. Accounts. The Harmcny of ConfeJJlons obfcrves, that '' The Confession of Helvetia *' was written by the Paftors of Zurich, " in the Year 1565, and ArvRov'D, and ^' Subscribed unto, not only of the T'tgu^ ^^ vines themfelves, and their Confederates ^' of Bern^ Sca^hujia^ Sangallta^ Rbcet'iay ^' Myllaine and B'lenna ; but alfo, of all ^' Them of Geneva^ and of Savoy ^ of To- ^^ lonia^ and likewife by the Church*s of ^^ Hungary^ and Scotland/'* The Corpus et fyntagma^ &c. fpeaking of the fame Confession, fays, '' Cui ^^ Tigurini^ Beriienjcs^ Schaffiijlani San- '^ gaUenfes^ Rhoeti^ Myllhtijiani^ Biellen- '^ y^J",** item GenevenfeSy Subscripsc. " RUNT : Eandem et Comprobarunt " Ecclefias Anglia ^^(zoiiiR.^ Gallia^ Belgii " omnes ; ^Polonica quoque, Hiingarka^ at- ^^ que Germaniae Ecclefiae niulta:.''^*'*' It * Harmony of Confcfiions published i^Zd. tranflatcd fiom the Latin, ♦* Lie-fine, orB'td is a fmali City of Switzerland in the Borders cf the CiK'iton of Bern. What the Latin Account expreifcs by Biellenfes, the Engiijh cxprelTes by Bienna. •♦* Corpus ct Syntagma Confefl[ionum Fidei. Printed -^^Preservative ^^^/V//? Heresies. 205 It feenis a little ftrange therefore, that this Gentleman Ihould be "uueU informed^ that the Church of Scotland rejefted That Creedy which itadually Stibfcribedzxidi Approved. Defence, /. 56. The Author declares himfelf really and Jincerely^ A Friend to^ and in the Inter efi of the Chrif- tian Faith j and that He has a jujl and true Value for the Trime Articles of the Trinity^ and Incarnation, But we are not to lay any Strefs upon mere Words : Spec^ femur agendo / let him ftiew it in Efe^. No judicious Friend would 7?r//> the Faith of itsfrongejl Securities, and expo/e it to the Infults, or Wiles of its Adverfaries. We are not to have Regard to fpecious Pretences, and mere outward Profejlions, when they fliew themfelvcs in nothing fur- ther. On the contrary, we are always to be cautious, and provided againft them. I do not take upon me to pronounce our Author an Arian-^ but This 1 know, that the Ancient Arians made ule of the fame Pretence. When TJiey attempted to over- turn the Catholick Faith, and eiiabiifh their osvn Hereiies j They did it, partly by btackntng 2o6 The Athanasian Creed blackning the Character of its Champions and Defenders; and partly, by finoothing their oivn Character ; and pretending T>?a//- ty in Fa'ith^ with the Orthodox.^ Since then, this Gentleman profelfes a Zeal for the Orthodox Faith, and for Unity^ and good Agreement with the Proteftant Churches \ it would be much more agree- able to fuch Profeffions, inftead of weak^ fling our Securities^ at a Time when we moil want them ; to think of the pro* pcreft Ways of enlarging, or jlrenthning them ; by recommending Ibme fuch ex- prefs Condemnation of the Arian Herefie, as the Church of Scotland hath done -, or propofmg, that Subfcriptions fhould be enforced, in fuch a manner as State Oaths ^ with the like additional Claufe; 'viz* And I do make this Subfcriftion^ according to the plain Senje and ^nderjianding of the Words^ and known Intention of the Im- pofers ; without any EqunDocation^ mental Eva/Ion^ or fecret Refervation what' foever. Such Propofals would be much more * Sec Bi»gh(tm\ Origints EccU/iafiicdi. B, vi, c. 3. Stff» x, i. 117. F(?!. Edit. ^Preservative againjl Heresies. 207 more confiftent with one who profefles Himfelf fo true a Friend to the Chriftian Faith as our Author does • and more pro- per and fcafonable than his Projed for laying afide the Athanajian Creed. In the Way that He is taking, He can reafon- ably gratifie none but T^eifts^ Anti-tri^ nitarians^ or Tapijis : Which is not fay- ing, that He is a Deijl^ Anti-trinitarian^ or Tapiji^ as he weakly or v/ilfully mif- interprets the like Expreffion of the Let^ ter^lVriter y But it is faying, what is juft and true, that his Scheme, or his Views, are not reafonable ; nor his Conduct really and efFe(3:ually Confiflent with his Pr(7- fejjions ; that his Friendfhip, if Sincere, is /// directed 'j And that, if he is not an Ad- verfary intentionally^ he is fo in effeft^ and is performing the Office of an E^ nemy. But he feems to plume himfelf much upon his retaining the Nicene Creed, and fome other Parts of our Liturgy, wherein is virtually contained as much as the Atha- 7iafian Creed profeffcs j why then is his Or- thodoxy, or Friendfnip fufpefted? Alas; We arc not, at this Time of the Day^ to be 2o8 The Athanasian Creed be put off with fuch plaufible Pretences^ and fair Speeches! It is not to be expected, that our greatcft Enemies, or Patrons of Herefie, Ihould manage their Scheme no better ! No ; they are wi/er in their G^- neratioiu Should they attempt All at onee, their Views would be feen through, and appear too grofs to fucceed : 'Tis beft to proceed by Degrees. The Athanafian Creed has long Itood in their Way ; -'tis wifelt therefore to get rid of 77?^^ firft ; and then perhaps in due Time, the Nicene jnay follow ; and fo on, 'till the Liturgy has nothing in it left of Chriftianity but the Name ; and the Chriftian Faith is funk into Arianifnij, and Socinianijm. The Obfervation formerly made in Relpeft to the SocinianSj, who were playing the fame Game, and for throwing out Articles^ Creeds^ and ConfeJJlons of Faith, is very applicable to the prefent Times, "viz. •' Some may fay, the Socinians are Men " of more Reafon and Moderation j than '' to defire us prefently to part with all " our Religion to gratify them : They on- '' ly plead for Liberty :, and in order to '^ their joining with us, that we would remove A Pre sIrvAti Ve againfl He re si e s. 26^ ^' remove thofe Ohjiacles of Communion ^' viz, ArctcleSj Creeds j ConfeJJlons of " Faith J fome ufelefs ExfreJJions in our *c Common Prayer, which contain too plain " and uncharitable Acknowledgments of " the Trinity y which hinder many pious, " ufeful, and excellent Perfons from com- ^* ing to our Churches. Why fliould we **^ not ftrip our Faith of all thofe larger ^' and unwarrantable Explications j which " Councils and Fathers have made of it ^ *^ and reduce all to the naked ExpreJJions '* of Scripture? that is, content our-felves " w^ith a few ambiguous Words (which *^ the perverfe and fubtle Interpretations '^ of Mereticks have made fo) and let eve- *' ry Man abound in his Own Senfe. They ^^ believe Chrift to be the Son of God, fo ^' as to be true God likewife : what need ^^ we trouble Our-felves, or Them, with the ^' V^oxAConfubJiantial? Pity it is, that a ^' Word, nay a Letter fhould divide Men " in their Opinions and Affedions ! To " all which, though I have great deal '' that I could anfwer, yet at prefent, all " that I {hall fay, fhall be this: That the " Socinians are wiCe Men, Perfons of a E e ^[ deep '2 10 The Ath AN ASIAN Ctcei ^' deep Reach i But They muft not think '* that all the reft of the World arc Fools. '' It were too much in all Confciencc to '^ defire us to part ^\\h All zx. fir fl : But " They know what Advantage to make of " our ConceJJions : If they can perfuade us " with that foolifh Woman Trov. XIV. i . ^' to pull down our Houfe with our own ^' Hands, it will fave Them the Toil and " Drudgery of fo doing : At leaft, if they " can prevail with us to demolifh our *' Out'lForkSj then they will be able, as " with greater Eafe, fo likewife with grca- " ter Hopes of Succefs, to attack the main *' Fort. In Ihort the Ancient Creeds and '' Confeffionsj and thofe Ancient IVords^ ^' in which the Dodrine of Faith hath ^' been conveyed down to us, are only a ^^ Hedge of Thorns J^ as they have been " truly and pertinently ftiled, with which '' the Chrillian Faith hath been ^^^^^^^^ ^' againft the Defigns of d'tfguifed Here- '' ticks ; and I hope They will prick their ^' Fingers, who fhall attempt the removing '' of i^ Dr. S'-;nhtk\s -4/#/. -^Preservative agahtjl H'ekisies. hi *' of them.*" This is all very juft and true. We muft then be upon our Guard : We muft take Care what Concejjions we make to our Adverfaries, who know what Advantage to take from them. It is the wifeft Way to ftand firm ; to recede, is to give them Encouragement \ Is yeilding to the Enemy. We muft be aware of the Clamours for ^eace and ^ntty^ The ge- neral Plea of our modern Reformers, un- der which Dilguile they recommend their unjuftifiable Innovations! Seeking ofTeace (as a late Writer remarks with Refpect to Seeking the Trtitlo) is now become almoft as common a Phrafe, as Seeking the Lordj was once, among another Set of Refor- mers. The Plea is fmooth and plaufible, and thereby the more fitted to deceive the Ignorant and Unwary. But in Reality, there is little more in it, as here applied, than Fallacy and Pretence. Peace, and U- nity arc valuable Things; but like all o- ther Valuables, they may be purchafed too dear: They are to be procured, but not at E e 2 all * Dr. Ednoard^s Prefervathe agn'wfl Socinianifm, the firji Tan /). 70 printed at Oxon, M.DC.XCIII. 212 The Athanasian Creed all Hazards : They are not to be bought at the Price of Fundamentals, Here a- gain, our modern Reformers copy after the Ancient Arians, They made ule of the fame fpecious Pretence of "Peace and T^;//- ty ; that their Defigns, were only Defigns of T^eace \ to remove unfcriptural Words, and Novel Terms, out of the Way. The crafty and defigning Men of this Party, in the Time of Constantine, pretended, that they were very well fatisfied, as to the Catholick Doftrine of the Trinity it- felf : That they had no Objections to make to That; but were in ^nitj of Fa'ith^ with the Orthodox. All that they were offended at, were the unfcriptural Words and ExprefTions, fuch as the oy^oHGiov^ Con- iiibftantia], ^c. Thefe they looked upon as dividing Terms: Thefe were the only Caufe of all the Clamour and Com- buftion : And all they endeavoured at (as They pretended) was to throw out thefe Terms which gave them fo much OiFence ; to remove thefe Stumbling-Blocks out of the Wayj to break down thele Bars of Strife and Qontentton^ that the ^Pcace and Unity of the Church might be procured. ^. Thefe '^Preservative <^^<^/«/? Heresies. 215 Thefe were their fair Speeches and fmooth Pleas! But the Church was not fo to be deceived. Athanasius, and other Wife Catholicks, eafily faw through their "T^e- Jignsj and to what this fly Stratagem tend- ed. They rejeded the Plea, as falfe and Artful. They were fenfible, that the A- rians levelled their Defign, not at the mere Terms J but the Faith itfelf; and there- fore, with their utmoft Zeal they ftrenu- oufly oppofcd it. " Nor (fays Mr. Bing- *' ham) could the Arians ever gain this " Point upon the Catholicks; till at laft, " in the Council of Ariminum, Ait. 359, *^ by great Importunity and Clamours for ** ^Jnity and Teace^ they were prevailed " upon to fink the Word Confubjlantialj " and draw up a new Creed without it ; " yet, as they thought containing t'le very " fame Doftrine, and in as full I'erms as " could be exprefled \ fave that the Word " Confubjiantial was not in it. But here '* it muft be owned, thefe Catholick Bif- " hops were wanting in their Zeal, as " They Themfelvcs were quickly after con- ^' vinced. For, no fooner was Their Con^ " cejflon made, but the Arians immediate- " ly it ai4 The Ath AN ASIAN Creed *' ly gave out, and boafted over all the " World that the Niceiie Faith was con- " demned, and Ariaiiifm eftablifhcd in a " General Council ; though nothing was *^ lefs intended by the Catholick Bifhops *^ that were prefent at it. But now They ^^ were fenfible They had made a falfe Step, by Suffering themfelves thus to be imfofed upon by defigning MenP^ See here the ill EfFeds of yeilding to Im- portunity, and the Clamours of Teace and ^nityj in Points of the lafl Importance ! Sec here the fatal Confequence of altering Creeds and Confeffions, to take away Of- fence J and pleafc the Enemies of the Faith ! And 'tis a wile Refledion which the Learned Bingham makes upon this Matter, viz, '' By this the Reader will " be able to judge, what kind of Zeal " the Catholick Church required then in " her Clergy j viz. that they Ihould not " only contend for the Faith itfelf; but " aUb for thofc Catholick Forms and Ways " of ExpreJJing it, which had been pru- ** dcntly * Blnghflm^ Origin Ecd. B. vi. c. 3. Se^. x. p. aTiS. FoL Zdi;, L^ Preservative again/} HiKisns. iiy '* dently compofed and fettled in General " Councils, as a Barrier againft Here- " ^i^-fxy the giving up of which to fubtle *' and dangerous Adverfaries^ would al- '^ ways give them Advantage to make '^^ fiercer Attacks upon the /;?/>/^ itfelf^ ** and prove deftruSiive to the Catholick ^^ Caufe ; as thofe Bifhops found by wo- ^^ ful Experience, Who were concerned in ^^ the Conceffion made at Ariminum. " 'Tis Candour indeed, when good Ca- " tholicks arc divided only about Words, to bring them to a right Underftand. ing of one another, which will fet " them at Peace and Unity again: But " 'tis Tamenefs to give the Main Bui- " warks of the Faith to fallacious Ad- " verfaries, and defigning Men, whofe *^ Arts and Aims, however difguifedy are *' always known to ftrike at the Founda^ " tion of Religion/'* We arc to feck for Peace and Unity, by all laudable and juftiliable Methods; but if they cannot be procured, without giv- ing cc ""^^^mghm^Ou^u, Eccl: fi. vi. ,. 3. sta, x; ^ zip. 2i6 The Athanasian Creed ing up the Truths of Chrijiianity:^ Every wife Man will foon fee which is the bcli Method to take. Our Saviour foretold, that there muft be Herejies among Men j and He told his Difciplcs, that he was not come to give Teace on Earth, but rather ^ivifion\^ and yet He tells them, that He that denteth Him before Men^ Jhall be denied before the Angels ofGod.^* There muft be Herejies ; but yet, We are com- manded not to deny our Lord and Matter. There muft be ^Divtfions j but yet, we arc not to give up the Honour of our Re- deemer, to compofe the Difference. The Cafe is well ftated in a few Words, by the Author of the Importance &c. " If " Truth and TPeace can be maintained " together^ That is the moft defirable " Conjunftion which a good Man can wifti " for : But if Human Affairs will not ad- " mic of Both^ then the Rule is, out of '' two Evils to choofe the leaft, or of two *' Advantages to prefer the greateft. Where " T)ivine Truths, and human Cuftoms or " Didates ** Ibid. \iir. 9, ^ Preservative «^^-!?/;/y? Heresies. 217 ^' Dictates clafh, we mull: Obey Godj ra- '' ther than Man,*'"^ But I may obferve too, that this Argument of our Adverfa- rics proceeds upon a wrong Foundation ; fince it fuppoies, that ^Peace and Unity cannot be prelerved, and at the fame Time the Fundamentals of Faith maintained, in their utmolt Striftnefs : Whereas, This is the only Way, in reality to preferve Both. Keeping ftcdfaft in the Faith, and con- tending Zcaloufly for the Neeeflary and Important Points of it, may perhaps in- flame the DiiFerence between the Church and its Adverfaries: But then, it is the only Method to maintain the Peace and Unity of its O'wn True Members, 'Tis the Peace of the Churchy True Chrijlian T^eace Which We are to preferve: And ic would not be Preferving Peace j but Cau^ Jtiig Confnjlon^ if We fliould giv^e up our Chrijiianity to oblige Heretic ks ^ or en- large our Communion by admitting Thofe among us, Who, in a ftricl and proper Senfe, are not Cbriflians. F f Upon ♦ Import met SiC. p. 209, £'/>. i. 21 8 The A THAN ASIAN Creed Upon the whole therefore. This All-prc?- vailirig Argument of Teace and ^uifj)'„ as it is here urged, is an infignificant Plea, and ought to be rejected as mere SophiUry or Pretence. We are to preferve inviolable our Charter of Salvation. There is the Utmoft Neceffity for Us to watch againft All Attempts of Such, Who encouraged by the Grand Enemy of Mankind, Ihall en- deavour to pervert or fruftrate it. It be- hoves Us to be aware, as well of Their Se- cretUnderm'niingSj as their Alore Oj^en and Bolder Attacks, We muft not be foothed with fpecious Pleas, and falfe Pretences ; nor be ever prevailed upon to forfeit our Charter^ by giving up the Important Truths^ the Fundamental Articles of our Faith ^ for the Sake of Teace^ falfly fo called. Once indeed, our Blelfcd Lord came down from Heaven* condefcended to become Man, and to fufFcr, bleed, and dic^ that he might rcftore ^Peace between Earth and Heaven; and reconcile the two greateft: Enemies, G^^^and Man: But our Advcr- faries are too imrcafonable in their De- mands, who cypeft, that we Hiould, not only crucify the Son of Cod afrefb^ make a yfPRSERVATiv^E ^^^^/,^//? Heresies. 219 ^ ig&ai/i g jte^M^a^ aatfe, and, as the yews did, nail his Body to the Crofs; but, to reconcile the T)tfftrences in Religion, facrifice even his "Divinity alfo. I have Nothing to fay againft the Gcr, tleman's General Propolal for Improve- ments^ either in our Tranjlation^ or Li- turgy : But Nothing is fo likely to obftruft and fruftrate fuch good Defigns, as fucli Efays 2iS he has publilTied. No Wile and Good Man would wifh to have the Litur- gy lb mended (fo mangled^ fo curtailed) as this Author advifes. Rather let us keep our Old Tranflations, and Old Liturgy, with all their Imperfedions, than to have new ones brought in^ at the E^pcnce of the Chrijiian Faith, We have no fuch BleiTcd Times at prefent, as to encourage Us to part with Any Securities we enjoy. It will be foon enough to pull down our Fences J when we have no Herejies to en- counter. I am fenfible that This Piece will not be acceptable to All; efpecially to Arians^ So- cinians^and All, vvhofe Quarrel againil the Athanajian Creed:, is, on Account of the Prime Articles therein contained. Nor- F f 2 will 220 The Athak ASIAN Creed will it be more Agreeable to Thole, whofe Minds ■ are lb prejudiced, as to be Blind and Deaf to every Thing which crofles upon Their Principles; who have determined be- forehand, not to be convinced of any Thing, which is contrary to the Notions with which They are prepoffefTed. I hope there are but Few under this Strong T)elu- fion ! However, if Such are offended at This Treatife; Such, Who are fure Nothing can be proved againft Their Notions (I ihould fay their Trcjudtces) my Anfwer is; that. Whoever is refolved not to be Convinced., gives Himfelf a great Deal of needlefs Trouble in reading what Others have to fay; and in particular, that Such Who have fct their Face againft Convic- tion, need not trouble Thcmfelves to read This Piece, which, I can affure Them, was not dcfigned for 'em. What I have here done, is intended for Thofe only, Who may have unwarily imbibed fome Doubts, and Prejudices againft the Athanafian Creed \ cither from the Enemies of our Faith, or fome other Means; but Who would yet be willingly fet right : And to prevent O- thers from being fcduced, and led away in- to -^Preservative . 4. That Dr. JVaterland in his Critical Hijiory^ has xi- lerted from Dr. Cave^ much more in Fa- vour of his Argument, than Dr. Clarke had done: " For Dr. JVaterland (fays He) *' fays from Dr. Cave^ that the Athanajian *' Creed was never heard of in the Worlds *• till above 600 Years after Athanafius ** IV as dead^ and but barely mentioned " Then ; and not urged with any Con^ *' fidence^ till about two hundred Tears ^fter:'^'' And what then? Why, '* Now *^ Dr. JFnterland agrees (continues our *' Author) that Anno lAnnus he fliould ** have faid ] 373 was the lateft Year " that AtkanafiHs was ever fuppo fed •/ ^i to ( 2.^5 ) **^ to have lived. So, that according to Dr. " JVaterland from Dr. Cave^ It was never ^^ heard of till Anno s^yj, which is 173 " Years later than I had made it. Sc. — " This is all True ; 'tis Pity it happens to be Nothing to the Purpofe ! All that appears from this Account, is, that Dr. Cavers Mlftake is wider by 173 Years than it ap- peared to be before. But it feems Dr. IVaterland has alTcrtcd This from Dr. Cave : But does That make what Dr. Cave fays to be True ? or does it Excufe our Gentleman for the Blunders He has been guilty of, in Relation to Dr. Cave and Dr. Clarke? Or, for Hopping Short at Dr. Caves Account? Mere Shuffle 1 Dr. IFa- terland's Book, is a Critical Hiftory of the Athanafian Crecd^ and his Firft Chap- ter contains the Ofintous of the Lcarfjed Moderns concerning That Creed \ and, a- niong many others, He gives the Opunoii of Dr. Cave^ in the Words which This Gentleman has cited: But, why did he not add, what Dr. /Faterland d'ld'^ viz>'^ The " Learned Dr. Cave^ it is plain, took " this Account from VoJJlus^ and had ne- ^' ver fccn Ufher's Treatife, which One G g " may ( 226 ) ^^ may juftly wonder at. Five Years afte/", '' in his Hijioria L'tteraria^ He allows " that this Creed had been Ipoken of by " Theodulfhns^ which was within 456 '' Years of Athanajius'. But not a Word *^ yet, of any Elder Teftimony or Manu- " Icript, though Both had been d'tfcover- '^ ed^ and fublickk taken Notice of^ be- '' fore This Time " — fFat, Crit HijL f. 14. Edu. 2. This fnews Dr. Water- landh Opinion of Dr. Cave\ Account '^ and that he mentioned That Account^ not as a True One, but, becaufe the Nature of a Critical Htfiory required it. As to the Rubric prepared by the Com* niijjloners in 1689. The Gentleman, be- caufe He docs not know what to fay to fuch Glaring Evidence, queftionsthe Exif- fence of It, in ^.5,6. I have only to fay, that the Original Book is in the Hands of the Lord Bishop of London, in which that Kubrick ftands. If the Gen- tleman and his Friends ftill pcrfift toquel- tion This; it would be very cafy to Con- front Them. It ( 2^7 ) It IS bat Juftice, that I fhould add, that^ in Relation to Mr. Chillingworth's Sub^ fcription^ The Gentleman fairly acknow- ledges his Mijlake : But, his not knowing it^ when HepublijJjed his Ejfay^ which is the Excufe He makes, is not fo good a one, as I could wilh for him. Becaufc, He might have known it, if He had confulted proper Books : Dr. Pl^aterland^s Critical Hijlorjt would have informed Him. But befides, this Gentleman did not only not know it, when He fublifljed his Effay^ but when He fublijl^ed His Defence of That Ejfay : So that, though He publlfhed Two Pieces a- gainft the Athanafian Creed^ yet all That Time, He never took the Trouble to look \n\,oi\\QCriticalHiJtory of That very Creed. However, I am glad to hear, that He has found out That Book at laft! I am in Hopes, it will gives him Satisfaction. And, fincc as the Gentleman has been fo fair as to ac- knowledge One Miftake \ I hope, when He has perufed Thefe Papers (which I muft beg of Him to do, with a little more Tem^ per^ than He has done the Mifcellanies) He will likewife acknowledge Several O- thers^ as palpable as That. It is not im* G g 2 pollible ( 228 ) poffible, but I have been guilty of Mif- takcs myfclf ; if I have, I affiire him I fhall be very ready to acknowledge Them, on the Fsrfi Notice. This is all the Gentleman has to fay for Himfelf, in This his laft Performance. M' .-Kiesl5^^*r*-a5a*r-* f^ ;;• '-em