still remains to be noticed. In the Church of Rome, the Apostles' Creed is most improperly considered as a kind of form of prayer; and to this childish error their Doctors themselves have given occasion or encouragement, by calling it "a Catholic Hymn, and a Sacred Thanksgiving."* Let it be observed, that these three well known forms, the Decalogue, the Lord's Prayer, and the Creed are to be thus distinguished from each other. In the Decalogue, or ten Commandments, God speaks to men; in the Lord's Prayer, man speaks to God; in the Creed, man speaks both to God and to men. As the Prayer is distinct from the Law, so the Creed is perfectly distinct from the Prayer. Hymnologia Catholica, et Hierarchica Eucharistia. VOL. I. I 3. DISSERTATION II. ON FUNDAMENTAL ARTICLES. I. SINCE we have more than once affirmed that the Creed is the distinguishing badge of Christianity, it seems not improper to inquire, whether it contains all those articles which are necessary and fundamental; and whether all that it does contain are to be considered in this light. To return a satisfactory answer to these questions, it will be requisite, first of all, to show what we are to understand by necessary and fundamental articles, and to point out their distinguishing marks. This, indeed, is so abstruse a topic, that it has very much embarrassed even the most judicious and acute Theologians who have attempted to explain it; and scarcely any one has given full satisfaction to himself, much less to others. Let us endeavour, however, in common with other writers, and agreeably to their example, to make a few remarks on this point. II. To enable us to understand the subject the more completely, several distinctions must be premised. First, we observe that doctrines may be said to be necessary, to Salvation, or to Religion, or to the Church. A doctrine, without the knowledge and faith of which, God does not save grown-up persons, is ne cessary to Salvation; that, without the profession and practice of which, no one can be considered religious, is necessary to Religion; and that, without which none is admitted to the communion of the visible church, is necessary to the Church. There may be articles without which persons ought not to be admitted to the fellowship of the Church, that should not, for that reason, be straightway regarded as absolutely essential to Religion, or to Salvation. Although we dare not pronounce a sentence of condemnation against a man, we ought not, in defiance of order and discretion, to receive him forthwith into the bosom of our church, whatever sentiments he may hold, and to whatever sect he may belong. And with respect to Religion, what falls within the sphere of duty is manifest; but how far it may please a gracious God, or how far it may be possible. for him, in consistency with his perfections and character, to extend his forbearance to any one, and save his soul, notwithstanding his errors and sins; or, in short, what are the lowest attainments, without which no man is saved,-who can tell? For this distinction I am indebted to the celebrated Hoornbeeck.* III. Secondly, The knowledge of those doctrines which are necessary to salvation, admits of various degrees. It is in different measures of clearness, abundance, and efficacy that divine revelation, the means of grace, and the communications of the Spirit are enjoyed; and a corresponding diversity takes place in the degrees of knowledge which the saints attain. In some, it is clear, distinct, steady, and accompanied with a very firm and decided assent; in others, it is more con * Socin. Confut. Tom. i. p. 209. fused, more implicit, subject to occasional wavering, and attended with an assent that is yielded with difficulty. The command of God, indeed, lays an indispensable obligation upon all men, to make every possible effort to attain a most clear, distinct, and assured knowledge of divine truth. It cannot, however, be questioned that the Deity, in his unbounded goodness, receives many to the abodes of bliss, whose knowledge even of the principal articles is very indistinct, and such as they are hardly capable of expressing in their own words. The smallest measure of the requisite knowledge appears to be this, that, when an article of faith is explained, the mind so far at least apprehends it, as to recognise and embrace it as true. IV. Thirdly, Times also must be distinguished. It admits of no doubt, that under the bright dispensation of the Gospel, a more extensive and more explicit knowledge is necessary to salvation, than was required under the Old Testament economy; for it is reasonable that both knowledge, and the necessity of knowledge, should increase in proportion to the measure of revelation afforded. Under the Old dispensation, nay, during the time of our Saviour's abode on the earth, it was possible for a man to be a true believer and in a state of grace, who was ignorant of the sufferings, the death, and the resurrection of Christ, and who even presumed to object to the testimony of Christ himself respecting those momentous topics, as is clear from the instance of Peter; or who, though he believed in general in the Messiah, yet knew not that Jesus is the Christ, as appears from the history of Cornelius the Centurion. No one, however, I suppose, would now acknowledge • Matth. xvi. 21, 22. Acts x. 2-4. any person as a true believer, who should discover ignorance of these truths respecting the Lord Jesus; and still less a person who should contradict them when represented to him. On this subject, the expressions of Thomas Aquinas deserve to be quoted: "The articles "of faith," says he, "have increased with the lapse of ❝ time, not indeed with respect to the faith itself, but "with respect to explicit and express profession. The "same things which are believed explicitly, and under a greater number of articles, by the saints in latter days, were all believed implicitly, and under a smaller "number, by the fathers in ancient times."* 66 66 v. Having premised these distinctions, let us now, in the first place, inquire, in general, into the marks of fundamental articles; and then examine, more particularly, whether the number of such articles can be determined with certainty. To entitle an article to be considered fundamental, it must be distinguished by the following characters. 1st, It is requisite that it be contained in Scripture; for the Scriptures" are able to make us wise unto salvation." They are the perfect rule of all things necessary to be known, believed, and done, in order to eternal life. This criterion we lay down, in opposition to Papists, and to Enthusiasts. VI. 2dly, It is necessary that it be so clearly contained in the sacred volume, that any person, even the most simple and illiterate, provided he give attention, may easily perceive that it is a doctrine of Scripture. The reason of this criterion is, that salvation is intended not merely for the learned and for those endowed with great perspicacity of mind, but also for children and * Secunda Secundæ, Quæst. i. Art. 7. e 2 Tim. iii. 15. |