quity, and are perfuaded that Christ had a true Church on the earth before these times.

In that part, which, after the demonstration of each truth, teacheth the neceffity of the believing it, and the peculiar efficacy which it hath upon the life of a Christian, I have not thought fit to expatiate or enlarge myself, but only to mention fuch effects as flow naturally and immediately from the doctrine; especially fuch as are delivered in the Scriptures; which I have endeavoured to fet forth with all poffible plainnefs and perfpicuity. And indeed in the whole work, as I have laid the foundation upon the written word of God, fo I have with much diligence collected fuch places of Scripture as are pertinent to each doctrine, and with great faithfulness delivered them as they lie in the writings of those holy Penmen; not referring the Reader to places named in the margin (which too often I find in many books multiplied to little purpose), but producing and interweaving the fentences of Scripture into the body of my Expofition, fo that the Reader may understand the strength of all my reason, without any farther enquiry or confultation, For if those words which I have produced, prove not what I have intended, I defire not any to think there is more in the places named to maintain it.

At the conclufion of every diftinct and seve

ral

ral notion, I have re-collected briefly and plainly the fum of what hath been delivered in the explication of it, and put it, as it were, into the mouth of every Chriftian, thereby to exprefs more fully his faith, and to declare his profeffion. So that if the Reader please to put those collections together, he may at once fee and perceive what he is in the whole obliged to believe, and what he is by the Church of God understood to profefs, when he maketh this publick, ancient, and orthodox Confeffion of Faith.

I have nothing more to add; but only to pray, that the Lord would give you and me a good understanding in all things.

THE

C REE D.

I Believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth: And in Jefus Chrift his only Son our Lord: Which was conceived by the Holy Ghoft, born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried: He defcended into Hell, the third day be rofe again from the dead: He afcended into Heaven, and fitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead: I believe in the Holy Ghoft: The Holy Catholick Church, the Communion of Saints: The Forgiveness of fins: The Refurrection of the body: And the Life everlasting.

AN

AN

EXPOSITION

OF THE

CREE D.

ARTICLE I.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth.

S the firft word Credo, I believe, giveth a denomination to the whole Confeffion of Faith, from thence commonly called the CREED; fo is the fame word to be imagined not to ftand only where it is expreffed, but to be carried through the whole body of the Confeffion. For although it be but twice actually rehearsed, yet muft we conceive it virtually prefixed to the head of every Article: that as we fay, I believe in God the Father Almighty, fo we are alfo understood to fay, I believe in fefus Chrift his only Son, our Lord; as I believe in the Holy Ghoft, fo alfo I believe the Catholick Church. Neither is it to be joined with every complete Article only; but where any Article is not a fingle verity, but comprehenfive, there it is to be looked upon as affixed to every part, or fingle truth contained in VOL. I.

B

that

that Article: as for example, in the first, I believe in God, I believe that God to be the Father, I believe that Father to be Almighty, I believe that Father Almighty to be the Maker of Heaven and Earth. So that this Credo, I believe, rightly confidered, multiplieth itself to no less than a double number of the Articles, and will be found at least twenty-four times contained in the CREED. Wherefore being a word fo pregnant and diffufive, fo neceffary and effential to every part of our Confeffion of Faith, that without it we can neither have CREED nor Confeffion, it will require a more exact confideration, and more ample explication, and that in fuch a notion as is properly applicable to fo many and fo various truths.

Now by this previous expreffion, I believe, thus confidered, every particular Chriftian is first taught, and then imagined, to make confeffion of his Faith: and confequently this word, so used, admits a threefold confideration: firft, as it fuppofeth Belief, or Faith, which is confeffed fecondly, as it is a Confeffion, or external expreffion of that Faith fo supposed thirdly, as both the Faith and Confeflion are of neceffary and particular obligation. When therefore we fhall have clearly delivered, firft, what is the true nature and notion of Belief; fecondly, what the duty of confeffing of our Faith; thirdly, what obligation lies upon every particular perfon to believe and confefs; then may we be conceived to have fufficiently explicated the first word of the CREED, then may every one underftand what it is he fays, and upon what ground he proceeds, when he profeffeth, I believe.

For the right underftanding of the true nature of Chriftian Faith, it will be no less than neceffary to begin with the general notion of Belief; which being firft truly ftated and defined, then by degrees deduced into its feveral kinds, will at last make the nature of Chriftian Faith intelligible: a

defign,