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to be found in works afcribed to the fame author; but, as there are fome doubts whether they be really his or not, I fhall not ftay to confider it, but proceed to that of Gregory Thaumauturgus: "There is one God, the Father of the living Word, the fubfifting wisdom and power, and character of the eternals, who is the perfect begotten of a perfect, a Father of an only begotten Son, and one Lord, one of one, God of God, the exprefs image and character of the Godhead, the word of power, the wifdom that comprehends the whole fyftem of the univerfe, the power that made every creature, the true Son of the true Father, invifible' of invifible, incorruptible of incorruptible, immortal of immortal, eternal of eternal: And

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diebus, ficut per Prophetas fuos ante promiferat, mifit Dominum noftrum Jefum Chriftum, primo quidem vocaturum Ifrael, fecundo vero etiam gentes poft perfidiam populi Ifrael. Hic Deus juftus et bonus pater domini noftri Jefu Chrifti, Legem et Prophetas et Evangelia ipfe dedit, qui et Apoftolorum Deus eft, et veteris et novi Teftamenti: Tum deinde quia Jefus Chriftus ipfe qui venit, ante omnem creaturam natus ex patre eft: Qui cum in omnium conditione patri miniftraflet (per ipfum enim omnia facta funt) noviffimis temporibus feipfum exinaniens homo factus eft, incarnatus eft cum Deus effet, et homo manfit quod Deus erat. Corpus affumpfit corpori noftro fimile, eo folo differens, quod natum ex Virgine et Spiritu Sancto eft, et quoniam hic Jefus Chriftus natus et paffus eft in veritate, et non per imaginem, communem hanc mortem vere mortuus eft; vere enim a morte refurrexit, et poft refurrectionem converfatus cum Difcipulis fuis affumptus eft.-Tum deinde honore ac dignitate

one Holy Ghoft, having his fubfiftence from God, who was manifefted unto men by the Son, being the perfect image of the perfect Son, the living caufe of all living, the fountain of holiness, effential fanctity, author of holinefs in all others; in whom God the Father is manifefted, who is above all, and in all; and God the Son, who is through all: A perfect Trinity, whofe glory is undivided, eternity and dominion unfeparated. In this Trinity, therefore, there is nothing created, or fervile, -nothing adventitious, or extraneous, that did not exist before, but came afterwards into it: The Father never exifted without the Son, nor the Son without the Spirit; but the Trinity abides the fame unchangeable and invari

dignitate Patri ac Filio fociatum tradiderunt Spiritum Sanctum, in hoc non jam manifefte difcernitur, utrum natus aut innatus. Sed inquirenda jam ifta pro viribus funt de Sacra Scriptura, et fagaci perquifitione inveftiganda, fane quod ifte Spiritus Sanctus unumquemque Sanctorum vel Prophetarum, vel Apoftolorum infpiravit, et non alius Spritus in veteribus, alius vero in his, qui in adventu Chrifti infpirati funt, manifeftiffime in Ecclefiis pra dicatur. Poft hæc jam, quod anima substantiam, vitamque habens propriam, cum ex hoc mundo difcefferit, et pro fuis meritis difpenfabit, five vitæ æternæ ac beatitudinis hæreditate potitura, fi hoc ei fua gefta præftiterint; five igne æterno ac fuppliciis nancipanda, fi in hoc eam fcelerum culpa detorferit. Sed et quia erit tempus refurrectionis mortuorum, cum corpus hoc quod in corruptione feminatur, furget in incorruptione, et quod feminatur in ignominia; furget in gloria." ORICEN, in Proam. lib. De principiis.

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able for ever *."

This author was one of Ori

gen's pupils, in the Alexandrine feminary; and this doctrine was probably instilled into him by it: It is expreffed in terms lefs fimple, and more philofophic than any former fummary.— As there were Creeds compofed by particular paftors, whofe writings have been preferved to our time; fo it is highly probable, that, after churches were planted, the fame Creeds were continued, and new members received, by teftifying their approbation of them. A few inftances might be adduced to this purpofe: The Church of Jerufalem had a Creed, which bore its name, as well as thofe of Cæfarea and Alexandria. The first, extracted from the commentaries of Cyril of Jerufalem, runs nearly in the following terms : "I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and all things vifible and invifible: And in one Lord Jefus Chrift, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, the true God, by whom all things were made;

* « Εις θεω πατήρ λόγες τέλος, σοφίας ὑφισώσης, καὶ δυναμεως, καὶ χαρακτῆραν ἀιδία τέλειον, τελεία γεννήτωρ πατὴρ υἱδ μονογενές. εἷς κύρια, μόνῳ ἐκ μόνον, θεὸς ἐκ θεοῦ. ὁ χαρακτὴρ καὶ εἰκὼν τῆς θεό τητος, λόγος ἔνεργος, σοφία τῆς τῶν ὅλων συσάσεως περιεκτική, καὶ δύναμις τῆς ὅλης κτίσεως ποιητική, υίος ἀληθινὸς ἀληθινοῦ πατρι, αόρατος άκρατου, καὶ άφθαρτος ἀφθάρου, καὶ ἀθάνατο αθανατου, καὶ άιδιο αιδίου. Καὶ ἐν πνεῦμα ἄγον, ἐκ θεοῦ τὴν ὕπαρξιν έχον, καὶ δὲ ὑιοῦ πεφηνῶς. [δηλαδή πεις ανθρώποι [] εἰκὼν τοῦ υιοῦ Τελείου, Τελεία, ζωή ζώνου αιτία, πηγή ἁγία, ἁγιό της ἁγιασμοῦ χορηγός, &G. Tom. II. p. 978, 979.

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who was incarnate, and made man; who was crucified and buried, and the third day he a rose again from the dead, and afcended into heaven, and fitteth on the right hand of the Father, and shall come to judge the quick and the dead; of whofe kingdom there fhall be no end: And in the Holy Ghoft, the comforter, who fpake by the prophets: In one Baptifin of repentance, in the remiffion of fms; in one Catholic Church: In the refurrection of the flesh, and life everlafting*." But when churches became peftered with corrupters of the faith, there were alfo Creeds formed by Councils, whether Provincial or General. That of Antioch, which was a Provincial Synod, met anno 272, and not only condemned Paul Samofatenus; but alfo gave out a Confeflion of their Faith, in direct oppofition to his errors. That of Nice is too well known to be here inferted; it is alfo beyond our time :-It was formed by what is called a General Council. But, as there were various forms of found words unto which the primitive Chriftians declared their affent, in order to membership; fo there were various special folemnities by which their affent was exprefled. The learned VITRINGA avers, That they required an explicit covenant, ratified with the folemnity of an oath: His words are, "The primitive Church received none into

* Vide USSER. de Symbolis.

+ Vide FORBESSII Inftructiones Theol. p. 10.

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her bofom, but fuch as were well inftructed, and fully perfuaded of the truth which they profeffed; then they not only encouraged them unto conftancy by exhortations, but alfo bound them with OATHS, intermixed with various rites*." And the truth of this affertion may receive as ample proof as the nature of the thing can admit of: It being attefted by cotemporary heathen authors, as well as the fuffrage of Chriftians themfelves. The perfons admitted were either adults, who being converted from heathenifin, and having undergone various preparatory trials, were, at last, admitted into the Church by folemn covenanting: Or, they were fuch as had been baptized in infancy, in the Chriftian Church, and made a like folemn profeffion prior to their participation of the Lord's Supper. This covenant confifted of three parts, A folemn profeffion of faith, either in the terms of the Creed of that church into which they entered, or by refponfes unto particular queries put to them by the paftors. A folemn renunciation of Sin, Satan, and the World:-And, A folemn dedication of their perfons and fervices to our Lord Jefus Chrift. This dedication had in it the nature of a vow, and was accompanied with an oath; having a folemn appeal unto the party with whom they covenanted: The truth is, ancient writers un

VITRINGA, Obf. Sac. Lib. II. cap. vi.

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