2. The three Creeds, viz. the Ni., Athan., and of the Apostles, may be proved by the holy scripture. Proposition I. The Nicene, Athanasian, and Apostolical Creeds, ought This proposition the churches of God, both anciently and Conf. Helv. in these days, do acknowledge for truc. The adversarics unto this truth. as 11. c. 11. 76. Therefore much out of the way of godliness are they, Bar. dis. p. which term the Apostles' creed, a forged patchery; Barrow doth: and Athanasius', Sathanasius' creed; so did Genebr. Lib. Gregorius Paulus in Polonia, and the new Arians and Surius, Chr. Nestorians in Lithuania. Myself, some twenty-eight years ago, heard a great learned man, whose name upon another occasion afore is expressed (to whose acquaintance I was artificially brought), which in private conference between him and myself termed worthy Zanchius a fool, and an ass, for his book De Tribus Elohim, which refuteth the new Arians; against whose founders the creeds of Athanasius and Nicene were devised. Ilim attentively I heard, but could never since abide for those words; and indeed I never saw him since. [ Quæcunque de incarnationis Domini nostri Jesu Christi mysterio, definita sunt ex scripturis sanctis, et comprehensa symbolis ac sententiis quatuor primarum et præstantissimarum synodorum, celebratarum Niceæ, Constantinopoli, Ephesi et Chalcedone, una cum beati Athanasii Symbolo,...credimus corde syncero, &c.— Harm. Conf. vi. p. 103. Conf. Helv. Post. c. xi. Quamobrem etiam tria illa symbola, nempe Apostolicum, Nicænum et Athanasianum, idcirco approbamus, quod sint illi verbo Dei scripto consentanea.-Ibid. 1. p. 11. Conf. Gall. Art. v. Itaque libenter tria illa symbola hic recipimus, nempe Apostolorum, Nicenum et Athanasii.—Ibid. 11. p. 38. Conf. Belg. Art. 1x. Et hæc ipsa symbola (sc. Apost. Nic. et Athan.), et corum nativam sententiam sine corruptelis semper constanter amplexi sumus, et Deo juvante, perpetuo amplectemur.-Ibid. 1. p. 14. Conf. Saxon. 1.] [ Barrow's Discovery of the False Church. 1590. p. 76.] [ In Polonia...Gregorius Paulus...tres esse Deos, symbolum Athanasii esse Sathanasii, &c.-Genebrard. Chronograph. Lugd. 1609. Lib. 1v. p. 746.] [In Lituania sunt multi Arriani et Nestoriani...qui vocant...symbolum non Athanasianum, sed Sathanasianum, &c.-Surius, Comment. Brev. Rer. Gest. &c. Colon 1574. p. 251.] IV. p. 1158. pag. 329. Deut. vi. 4. Eph. iv. 5, 6. Proposition II. The three Creeds, viz., the Nicene, Athanasian, and of the The proof from God's word. Than this assertion nothing is more true: for the creeds, I mean these three creeds, speak first, Of one and the same God, who we are to believe is for essence but one, in persons three, viz. the Father, the 1 Cor. viii. 4. Creator; the Son, the Redeemer; the Holy Ghost, the SancNext of the people of God, which we must think and Matt. . 17. Gal. iv. 6. tifier. 1 John v. 7 believe is, Ps. cxxxiv. 3. Esa. liii. 4. Rom. v. 18. Gal. iii. 13. Eph. ii. 16. 1 John ii. 2. 2 Cor. i. 21, 22. 1 Pet. i. 2. Eph. i. 3, 4, The holy and catholic Church. The communion of saints, Pardoned of all their sins, And appointed to arise from death, and to enjoy eternal life, both in body and soul. Acts i. 8, &c. Eph. ii. 14. Rev. v. 9. 1 Cor. x. 16. Heb. x. 25. 1 Joh. i. 7. 1 Pet. i. 4. Adversaries unto this truth. Therefore we are enemics to all adversaries of this doctrine, or any whit of the same in them comprised, whether they be Atheists, Jews, Sadducees, Ebionites, Tritheites, Anti-Trinitarians, Apollinarians, Arians, Manichees, Nestorians, Origenians, Turks, Papists, Familists, Anabaptists, or who soever. ARTICLE IX. Of Original, or Birth-sin. (1) Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk ;) but (2) it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is ingendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is inclined to ['whom, 1607.] [ So 1607 and 1633. And is of his own nature inclined &c., 1675.] evil, so that the flesh lusteth3 against the spirit; and therefore in every person born into the world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation. (3) And this infection of nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated, whereby the lust of the flesh, called in Greek pрóvηuа σарpko's, which some do expound the wisdom, some the sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the apostle doth confess that (4) concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin. The propositions. 1. There is original sin. 2. Original sin is the fault, and corruption of the nature of every man, &c. 3. Original sin remaineth in God his dear children. 4. Concupiscence, even in the regenerate, is sin. Proposition I. There is original sin. The proof from God's word. 1 Cor. xv. 21. In the holy Scripture we find of original sin, the cause, the subject, and the effects: the cause thereof is Adam's fall, Rom. v. 15. partly by the subtle suggestions of the devil, partly through Gen. 4. his own freewill; and the propagation of Adam his corrupted nature unto his seed and posterity. 2 Cor. xi. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom Joh. iii. 3. of God, saith our Saviour Christ. As by one man sin entered Rom. v. 12. into the world, and death by sin, and so death went over all men forasmuch as all men have sinned, saith St Paul. As 1 Pet. ii. 2. new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby, saith St Peter. And St James, Of his James 1. 18. own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be as the first-fruits of his creatures. And the forementioned Apostle Paul again, You that were dead in trespasses and Eph. ii. 1, 3, sins, &c., and were by nature the children of wrath, as well as others. But God, which is rich in mercy, through his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead by sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, &c. [ Lusteth always against &c., 1675.] 4. Rom viii. 7. The subject thereof is the old man, with all his powers, mind, will, and heart. For in the mind there is darkness, Matt. xii. 34. and ignorance of God, and his will: and in the will, and heart 14, of man there is concupiscence, and rebellious affections against the law of God. 1 Cor. John iii. & v. 19, 20. Matt. v. 19. Acts vii. 39, & xv. 9. Rom. i. 21. James 1. 13, 14. And the effects of this birth, or original sin, are first actual sins; and they both inward, as ungodly affections; and Matt. xv. 19. outward, as wicked looks, profane speech, and devilish actions; Rom. i. 18. next, an evil conscience, which bringeth the wrath of God, John viii. 24. death, and eternal damnation. 1 John iii. 21. Col. iii. 5, 6. Rom. v. 12. James i. 15. Rom. v. 18. All churches of God believe this, and some in their public Conf. Helv. 1. confessions' testify so much. Art. VIII. & II. c. 8. Bohem. c. 4. Gal. Art. IX. Belg. Art. ['Atque hæc lues, quam originalem vocant, genus totum sic pervasit, ut nulla ope iræ filius inimicusque Dei nisi divina per Christum curari potuerit.—Harm. Conf. Sect. IV. p. 72. Conf. Helv. Prior. Art. vIII. Fuit homo ab initio a Deo conditus ad imaginem Dei, &c. ... sed instinctu serpentis et sua culpa a bonitate et rectitudine deficiens, peccato morti variisque calamitatibus factus est obnoxius. Et qualis factus est lapsu, tales sunt omnes qui ex ipso prognati sunt: peccato, inquam, morti, variisque obnoxii calamitatibus.-Ibid. p. 67. Conf. Helv. Post. cap. vIII. Confitemur hominem ab initio secundum Dei imaginem ... integre factum. Est autem sua sponte lapsus in peccatum: per quem lapsum totum humanum genus corruptum et damnationi obnoxium factum est.-Ibid. p. 72. Conf. Basil. Art. 11. Homo... mandatum Dei transgressus est in eo, quod diabolo et mendacibus verbis hujus obtemperavit &c. ... atque ita tam se quam genus suum in peccatum et mortem, omnisque generis in hoc vita miserias, et poenas insuper æternas præcipitavit.—Ibid. p. 74. Conf. Bohem. cap. IV. Credimus hominem, creatum purum et integrum et imagini Dei conformem, sua ipsius culpa excidisse a gratia quam acceperat ..... adeo ut ipsius natura sit prorsus corrupta, et..... omnem illam integritatem, sine ulla prorsus exceptione, amiserit.-Ibid. p. 77. Conf. Gal. Art. 1x. Credimus hoc vitium esse vere peccatum, quod omnes et singulos homines, ne parvulis quidem exceptis adhuc in utero matrum delitescentibus, æternæ mortis reos coram Deo peragat.Ibid. Art. xI. Credimus Adami inobedientia peccatum quod vocant originis, in totum genus humanum sparsum, et effusum fuisse. Est autem peccatum originis corruptio totius naturæ et vitium hereditarium, quo et ipsi infantes in matris utero polluti sunt, &c.-Ibid. p. 79. Conf. Belg. Art. xv. Item docent quod post lapsum Adæ, omnes homines naturali modo propagati nascentes habeant peccatum originis Intelligimus autem peccatum originis ... reatum, quo nascentes propter Adæ lapsum rei sunt iræ Dei et mortis æternæ : et ipsam corruptionem humanæ naturæ propagatam ab Adam.-Ibid. p. 80. Conf. Aug. 1540. Art. 11. Item docent, quod post lapsum Adæ omnes homines secundum naturam propagati nascantur cum peccato, hoc est sine metu Dei, sine fiducia erga Deum, et cum concupiscentia.--Ibid. Conf. 1531. Dicimus omnes homines post lapsum primorum parentum, qui nascuntur ex commissione maris et feminæ, nascentes secum afferre peccatum originis, &c.... Hos defectus et hanc totam depravationem dicimus esse peccatum, non tantum pœnam peccati, &c.-1bid. p. 85. Conf. Sax. Art. 1.] The errors and adversaries unto this truth. Thus armed with authority, and forces from the word of God, and assisted with the neighbour churches, we offer battle, 1. To the Jews, Carpocratians, and Family of Love3, Frier Laur. who flatly deny there is any original sin. 2. To the Papists, which say, that 3. of sin. centia de c. 13. Original sin is of all the least sin, and less than any Strom. Lib. Original sin is only the debt of punishment for the sin 111. Display in Original sin is not properly sin. All this hath Ruardus Tapp. Tract. de l'ec. Orig. Such as are infected only with original sin are free Th. Aquin. from all sensible punishment". Lib. IV. dist. 16, q. 1. Art. To Florinus, and Blastus", who make God the author Conf. Helv. II. c. 8, ex Iren. Book, p. 15. 4. To the Sabbatarians among us, who teach, that the sab. Doct. 1. life of God in Adam before his fall could not continue without a sabbath". The sabbath was ordained before the fall of Adams, and Ibid. that not only to preserve him from falling, but also that [These references the editor has been unable to verify.] The passage meant is perhaps this: They hold that they ought not to say David's Psalms as prayers; for they are righteous and without sin.-Displaying of the Fam. &c. Lond. 1579. II. 8. b.] [ Ideo docet idem beatus Thomas... Quod peccatum originale quamvis maximum sit malun, quia totius naturæ corruptio, minimum tamen est peccatum, et minus minimo peccato veniali.-Tapp. Opp. Colon. 1582. Tom. 1. Art. 1. p. 40. b. Quidam putant originale peccatum esse reatum pœnæ pro peccato primi hominis, id cat, debitum vel obnoxietatem qua addicti sumus pœnæ temporali et æternæ pro primi hominis actuali peccato, &c.-Ibid. p. 37. b. Nec proprie peccatum erat in primo parente gratiæ et justitiæ originalis privatio, &c.-1bid. p. 42. a.] [ Peccatum originale non contrahitur per aliquam delectationem ejus qui ipsam contrahit. Ergo videtur quod non sit ejus curatio per aliquam pœnam, &c.-Thom. Aquin. in Quat. Libr. Sentent. Venet. 1586. In Lib. iv. Dist. xvi. Quæst. 1. Art. 11. p. 98.] [ Damnamus præterea Florinum et Blastum. et omnes qui Deum faciunt authorem peccati.-Coll. Conf. Lips. 1840. p. 478. Conf. Helv. Post. vII.] [The life of God, which was in him (Adam), could not continue without those holy and spiritual means appointed for that purpose, and therefore he was commanded to keep holy the seventh day.-Nich. Bownde's Doct. of the Sabbath. Lond. 1595. Bk. 1. p. 15.] ["Now if Adam because he might fall, did stand in need of this day, to preserve him from falling, how much more we, &c. ... if it was needful for Adam (I say) being now most perfect, to have a day allotted out unto him, by true sanctifying of which he might still abide in his perfection, &c.-Ibid.] [ROGERS.] 7 |