the administration of the facraments of Baptifin and the Lord's Supper; but, as these churches had been lately erected, and, as their members had covenanted at their admiffion unto fpecial privileges, he did not expect a renovation of them at this time.Nevertheless, it met with divine approbation. It was done ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD. THE WILL OF GOD is the reafon of duty,-a valid reafon unto every confcientious perfon: THE WILL OF GOD is the rule and meafure of duty, even his revealed will in his word. Little, if any, of the New Teftament had been written when this duty was performed: The canon of it, at least, was by no means fettled. they had abundant notice of his will, as to this duty, in the Old Teftament: And they never dreamed but gofpel churches were built upon the foundation of the PROPHETS, as well as that of the APOSTLES.

But

2. I HAVE another reafon for concluding that the engagements of Chriftians in the Apoftolic Churches were, on proper occafions, renewed; and that is, The Teftimony of Martyrs. Every martyr is, upon the matter, a covenanter. When perfous were brought to martyrdom, they gave not only an explicit teftimony, for which they fuffered, but their adherence was frequently repeated, and publicly avowed.

DISSER

ON THE

FOEDERAL TRANSACTIONS

WHICH OBTAINED IN THE

THREE FIRST CENTURIES

O F THE

CHRISTIAN CHURCH,

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE APOSTOLIC AGE.

IN

N the foregoing Differtations I have been able to authenticate the facts I have narrated by inspired hiftory. In the following, I must content myself with fuch evidence as can be produced from the monuments of uninfpired antiquity, taken in connection with Scripture prophecy, relating to the times to which thefe memoirs do refer. The period under confideration has fewer monuments of the hiftorical kind than others which might be mentioned, Cece indeed;

*

indeed; but those which exift are genuine, and lefs enveloped in fable, than thofe of the following centuries, which were forged in the dark reign of monkish fuperftition and falfehoods; having apoftolic men, for fome time, as living members; fo they had a more facred regard for apoftolic inftitutions, and kept nigher the pattern fhewed in the mount. We have not related any of their deeds, as of equal authority with the example of inspired perfons; or as of any authority at all, farther than they exemplify divine inftitutions. But in fo far as they acted up, in any measure, unto the facred standard, their example is worthy of our imitation. It becomes us to tread in the foot

fteps of the flock. The plan we design to purfue is,-I. To furvey the Creeds, Confeffions, and Covenants which took place during the time we have specified.-II. The Circumftances of the Church, which rendered the fe fit and feafonable.-III. The Natural and Actual tendency of fuch Tranfactions.

FIRST, I muft furvey the CREEDS, CONFESSIONS, and COVENANTS which obtained in the three first centuries of the Chriftian Church, immediately after the apoftolic age. This province has been cultivated by many; but few have attended to it with that diligence and industry which the importance of the fubject demands. Their labours, however, have been ferviceable in this inatter. I noticed al

ready

ready, that the paftors of particular churches formed creeds unto fuch as fubmitted unto their ministry: Hence, we need not greatly wonder, if we find fome verbal difference among them, while they were materially and substantially the fame. It is our purpose to infert as literal a tranflation as poffible of fuch creeds as have come to hand, fubjoining the original in the notes; fo that the intelligent reader may judge for himself as to the justice and propriety of it *.

IRENA US gives us the first compofition, which bears the name of a creed, to the following purpose: "For, although the Church be diffufed over all the world, yet fhe received from the Apostles, and their disciples, the Faith in one God the Father, Almighty, the maker

* Prior to Irenæus, we have a fummary of faith which fome style a Creed, others not, given by Ignatius. Tho' it does not bear the form of one, yet I have thought proper here to infert Bishop Wake's tranflation of it; as it is the fame in fubftance with fome others acknowleged to be creeds: "Stop your ears therefore, as often as any one shall speak contrary to Jefus Chrift; who was of the race of David, of the Virgin Mary. Who was truly born, and did eat and drink; was truly perfecuted under Pontius Pilate; was truly crncified and dead; both thofe in heaven and on earth, and under the earth, being spectators of it: Who was alfo truly raised from the dead by his Father, after the fame manner as he will alfo raise up us who believe in him, by Christ Jefus ; without whom we have no true life." IGNATIUS's Epiftle to the Trallians, chap. ix. Edit. 4. by Bishop Wake, London, 1737.

of heaven and earth, and fea, and all things in them: And in one Chrift Jefus, the Son of God, incarnate for our falvation: And in one Holy Spirit, who announced by the Prophets the difpenfations of Jefus Chrift, the Beloved, our Lord, and his coming, and his being born of a virgin, and his paffion and refurrection from the dead, and his afcenfion in the flefl into heaven; and his coming from heaven in the glory of the Father, to gather all things together into one, and to raife up the bodies of all men; that, according to the will of the invisible Father, every knee fhould bow of things in heaven and things on earth, to Chriß Jefus our Lord and God and Saviour and King; and that every tongue fhould confefs to him: and that he may exercife juft judgment upon all, and fend fpriritual wickedneffes, and tranfgreffing and apoftate angels, and all ungod ly, unrighteous, and lawłefs and blafpheming men into eternal fire; but conferring life on the righteous and holy, who keep his commandments, and continue in his love, whether from the beginning, or from the time of their confeffion; and that he may give unto them immortality, and put them into poffeffion of eternal glory*." The fame author exhibits an

* « Η μὲν γὰρ ἐκκλησία καί περ καθ' ὅλης τῆς οικεμένης ἕως πρώτ των τῆς γῆς ἔδιεσπαρμένη, παρὰ δὲ τῶν ἀποςόλων καὶ τῶν ἐκείνων μαθη τῶν παραλαβέσα τὴν, εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν πατέρα παντοκράτορα, τὸν πεποιηκότα τὸν ἔρανον καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὰς θαλάσσας, καὶ πάλα τὰ ἐν αὐτ τοῖς, πίςιν καὶ εἰς ἕνα Χρισὸν Ἰησεν υἱὸν τέ Θεὸ τὸν (αρκωθέντα dase tãs huilipas rainpias," &c. Lib. I. cap. i. p. 35, 36.

other