judgment unto all mankind, either of absolu tion or condemnation, according to their works and actions, which in this life they freely and voluntarily acted and committed.

CHAP. VI.

I believe in the Holy Ghost. Why the word believe is again repeated. This article was always part of the creed. Why so little is said of the Holy Ghost, when so much is said of the Father and of the Son. His divinity intended by the creed's requiring us to believe in him; whereas, we are only simply required to believe the ensuing articles as in particular the holy Catholic church, which is next of all considered. In the Greek, wherein they are followed by the modern French and Dutch, the word believe is again repeated before the article of the church; which, for different ends, was variously placed in the primitive creeds. Its usual order after the Holy Ghost. This article first mentioned by Tertullian. The most ancient creeds read only the holy church. The term Catholic being added by the Greeks to be an explication or determination thereof. By the church, is to be understood the universal one, which is affirmed to be one, holy and Catholic. That the unity of the church was here intended, appears from that the

Greek creeds read in one holy Catholic church. The church universal is to be cons sidered as one, either as to faith or charity; in which sense it was for several reasons which are mentioned inserted in the creed in opposition to heretics and scismatics. The church termed holy from the purity and holiness of her doctrine, which is assented to thereby. The affection Catholic, which signifies universal, not always in the creed; first introduced by the Greeks, to prevent too nar row and limited conceptions of the church. A brief repetition of what is assented to, when we repeat this article, the holy Catholic church. Whereunto is added as an ap pendir, the commiunion of saints; which was introduced about St. Austin's time, in opposition to the Donatists. By saints, are to be understood particular churches and the members thereof. For what reason they were called saints. By communion, is signified the mutual society and fellowship of particular church and their members. Va rious methods used by the ancients to maintain their communion. The Donatists refused communion with other churches; and for that schism, were justly condemned and rejected by them. In opposition unto whom, this article may be considered either as a mark to know a true particular church by, that she is one that is acknowledged so to be by other churches, or rather as the qual ity, property and practice of such an one to hold communion with other particular churches: in which sense it is also added as

an explanation of the holy Catholic church, and was intended to declare, that there ought to be a due communion and fellowship between the particular churches and members of the Catholic and universal one.

HE faith of an orthodox Christian, res

THE

pecting the father and the son, having been already declared, "that our belief," as Augustin writes, "might be perfected concerning God; the creed proceeds to add, that we must also believe in the Holy Ghost:" where the word believe is again repeated to relieve our memories, after that so many partic ulars concerning the son had intervened.

This article hath been always part of the creed, and is coeval with Christianity and the administration of baptism, as appears from the very form of baptism, the ground and foundation of the creed, which is not only to be solemnized in the name of the father and of the son, but also of the Holy Ghost, where the Holy Ghost is joined with the father and the son: from whence Didymus thus argues, "who will not from hence conclude the equality of the sacred trinity, seeing there is but one faith in the father, son, and Holy Ghost and baptism is given in the names of all three. I do not think that any one will be

50

foolish or mad, as to imagine that baptisni

to be perfect, which is given in the name of the father and of the son, without the addition of the Holy Ghost." Consonant unto, which, is that observation of St. Jerom, tha those persons mentioned in the nineteenth of the "Acts, who were baptized with John's baptism, and believed in God the father and Christ Jesus, because they knew not the Ho ly Ghost, were again baptized, yea then received the true baptism; for, without the Ho ly Ghost, the mystery of the trinity is imper fect."

It may perhaps seem strange to some, that when there is so much declared in the creed relating to the father and the son, so little should be said concerning the Holy Ghost. But, for this there is a sufficient and manifest reason, which is, that there was not so good a controversy in the primitive church concerning the divinity and person of the Holy Ghost; for, though the Gnostics and some others blasphemed him, yet their assaults were more furious and violent against the father and the son, which obliged the church to use her greatest care for the preservation of that parti which was most exposed and attacked.

This observation was made long ago against the Macedonians, or Pneumatomachists, the

first heretics, who owning the divinity of the son, directly attacked that of the Holy Ghost alone; of whom Epiphanius writes, "that they boasted of their entire adherence to the Nicene creed," which saith the same with the apostles creed, concerning the Holy Ghost, “ affirming, that his divinity was not therein asserted;" unto which the said father replies, "that whatsoever they might imagine, that creed did not condemn their heresy; for, although there was no great mention made of the Holy Ghost therein, because there was no controversy then about him; and that Synod principally insisted upon the articles of faith relating to the deity of the son, (which at that time were impugned and denied by Arius and his followers;) yet nevertheless, there was sufficient said of him to declare him to be God, in that as we are directed by that creed, not only simply to believe the father and the son, but in the father and in the son, terminating our faith upon them; so also, we are obliged in the like manner to believe in the Holy Ghost."

Which criticism and distinction between be, lieving and believing in, is not to be despised, seeing the primitive writers lay great stress thereon; and do from thence conclude and prove the divinity of the Holy Ghost, and in