JAug. (cttR..I19 detemp. Caffi:m. LcS.dein. cu,dom, c aforenamed. Now the in the A. Forrhe.generall Crcede. ofrhe Apo!\les, (aold and new tefl:ament religithervnmerfo~U Crcedcs mrhis C;\fenot exceponwasabridged,isrhar rhevnderlhndingof red) though it bee of leffe anthoritic then .the fimple, as alfo their memories might bee Scripture;yet hath it more autholitie then the hereby helped, & they better inabted ro iudg particular and pri~ate writiogs of Churches of the truth, and rodifcerne the f•me from and men. Forithath bcenereceiuedand apfaHhoQd. And for this endthe Apoftles Croed " prooued by vniuer~ll confenrofthe C1!hobeeing a fummarie collection of doings to bee. like Church inal a~.& fowerc n<uer thefe: belceued, was gathered briefly out of the in it the meaning and doctrine cannot bee wordofGOD(d)for helping of the memo- .changed by thcauthoritic of the whole Ca. ry and vnderilanding ofmen. I adde that this tholike Church: and ifeither the orderofthe Creede is concerning God and the Church. doctrine, or the words wherby it is cx;>rcfled For in thefe two poynts confill:eth the whole fl_loul<l vpon fame occafion be chang~d, a par~ fumme thercof.LafHy,I fay,thatit is gathered tlcular Church of any countrcy can not doe forth ofthe Scripture, to make adifference it, without·Catholike conknt of the.whole betwcene it and orherwrltings,& to fhewthe Church: yet particular writings and confefriauthoritie of it; which I will further declare B ons made by tOme fpcciall Churches, may be on this manner. altered inthe words,and in thepoints of doThere be two kindes of writings inwhich ctrine by the fame Churches, withoutotfeoce the doctrine of the Church is handled, and to the Catholike Church. Lallly, it isrccciued they are either DiHill<or Ecci•Ji•Jii<d.Diuine, as a rule offaith among all Churches, to trie are the bookes ofthe old and new Teilament, doctrines and interpretations of Scriptures penned either by Prophets or Apo!tles. And by,not becanfe it isa rule of it fe!f,for thatthe thefe are not ondy the pure 'Word •! God, bnt Scripture is alone; but becaufe it borroweth a,lfothe[criptuuofG•d: becaufi: not onely the hisanthoritie from Scripture wirh which itamatter of them; but the whole difpofition greerh. Andthishonour no other writings of thereof, with the ilyle and the phrafo was mencanhaue. fet downe by thdmmediatc infpiration ofthe Here fome may demand the number of holy Gholl.And the authoritie ofthefebooks Creedes. Anf. I fay butone creede, as there is4iHine,that is,abfolute and foueraigne : and is butone faith: and ifit be alleadged, that we they are offuflicient credit in and by themhaue many Creedes, as befidesthis of the Afelnes,needingnotthetellimonyof anycrea-. pofiles, theNicene Crecde, and A•h•,•Ji~<~ ture;not fubiectto thecenfure either of men C creede, &c. Ianfwer, the feuerall Creeds or Angels ; binding the confciencts ofall men and confe!Sions ofChurches, containe not feat.all times, and being the onely foundation uerall faith ond religions, but one and the ofour faith, and the rule and canon of all fame : and this called the Apo(lles Creede,is truth. moll: ancienr, and-principal!: all rherdl:arc no Eccl~ft".ftict~/1 writinas are all oth~rordin:tnew Creeds in !itbfiance, but in fome points rie writings of the Church confenting witil penned more largely for the expofition ofit Scriptures. Thefemay bee called the word or that men might better auoid the herefies ol· troth •{God, fo farre forth as their matter or their times. fubll:ance is confentingwiththe written word Further, it may bee demaunded , in what ofGod :but they cannot be called the Scrip. forme this Crecde was penned? An{. In the ture of God, becaufe the ll:yle and phrafe of forme ofan anfiver'to aque!lion. The roafon them was fer downeaccording to thepleafure is this.In the Primitiue Church,when any ma • Cyrill. of man, and therefore they areinfuchfort was turned from Gentilifme to the faith of Caroc. the word of.God, as that alfo they are the Chriil, and wasto be baptized, this (•)que- , Myword ofmen. Andtheirauthoritie indefining (!:ion was asked him. What bcleoaell: thou? lhg.Tert oftruth and falfhood in matters ofreligion is, D then he aufivered according to the forme of ~;~~~r;;. not foueraigne, but fttbordinate to the forthe Creede,lbeletHe in God,&c.And this mangen,ho:n mer: and it dothnotll:and in the aurhoritie ner of quell:ioning was vfed euen from the f· ;, and pleafure ofmen and Councels, but in the time ofthe Apomes. When the Eunuch was N"m• confent which they haue withrhe Scriptures. conuerted by 'Phihp, he faid, Whar doth let Alt.S. 37 f:cclefiajli.-11 writings arc either general!, me to be baptized? Philip faid, lftboo dm1 particular,orproper.qeneraD,arethe Creedes beleeue with~J!Jthint heart, thQrl tn4itjl. !hen he and confefsions ofthe Church difperfed ouer anfivercd, Ibtleeue th•t lefsu Chrijl u th• SoN the whole world, and among the reil the •/God. Bythisitappearos, that alrhoughall CreeieoftheAp,p/es,m;tdeeitherbytheApomen, forthemoil: part amongfl: vs can fay files thcmfelues, or by thdr hearers and difci· this Creed, yet not one ofa thoufand can reil pies, Apoilolicall men, deliuered to the theancientandfirilvfeof it: fo; co':"monly Church, and conueied from hand tohand to anhis day of the fimpler fort 1t IS (ud for a ourtimes.P4rticr,/.:~rwritings,are the confefsi. prayer,being indeedno prayer: andwhen it is ons ofparticnlar Churches:proper writings,are vfcd fo,mcn make it no better then acb~rme. the bookes and confefsions of priuate men. I Before wee come tq handle the part!Qllar Now between thefe wemull: make difference. points ofthe creed,it isvery rcqnifite that we Omuld I I I.
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