A N ACCOUNT OF THE FAITH OF THE Two First Centuries, CONCERNING The ever-blessed Trinity, and the Incarnation of our Lord; in the Words of the Sacred and Primitive Writers themselves. ARTICLE I. There is but One, Supreme, Living, Eternal, Infinite, Omnifcient, Omnipotent and Invisible God; the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift The Origin of all Beings, and the Creator of all Creatures. HE Texts and Citations under each Head are not always direct Proofs, but fometimes Illustrations only. Nay, where there are any that may feem to contradict the Propofition B they they are not omitted; that fo all the principal Texts and Teftimonies, neceffary to the forming a well grounded Judgment, may appear together, in their proper Simplicity, free from the Perverfions of the Writers of Controversie. N. B. I intend to place all my Teftimonies, as near as well may be, according to the order of Time; whether the Books be undoubted, or whether there be any fufpicion concerning them. Accordingly I have plac'd the Conftitutions of the Apostles, and the larger Epiftles of Ignatius to the feveral places in the first and fecond Century when they pretend to be written refpectively; and when I believe they were really written; altho' the Genuineness of thofe Books be not yet generally own'd. Thofe who have a mind to fee how the ancient Faith will ftand without their Teftimonies, may easily omit them the first reading, or take them by themfelves afterwards. N. B. I confine my felf in the main to the Books of the New Teftament, and to the most Primitive Records of our Religion, 'till about A. D. 190. excluding Clemens-Alexandrinus and Tertullian, tho' they began to write in the end of the fecond Century, because of their being much later than almost all here alledg'd; because we have none but the more Juvenile and Philofophical Works of Clemens, which he wrote in the Style of an Orator; and want that more authentick and judicicus Work the armies, or Inflitutions, containing, among other things, the ancient Doctrines Vid. Phot. and Traditions deliver'd to him by his old and famous Mafter Pantanus, from the Companions b.b. Cod. of the Apoftles; which we know explain'd_or contradicted the Extravagancies of his former Expreffions in thefe Matters, and agreed with the Myrio more Dr. Allix. P. 8. more ancient Doctrines; as I have elsewhere noted. Second And because Tertullian the Montanist is generally al- Reply to low'd to have reafon'd fo boldly,extravagantly, and contrarily to himself,and is fo difallow'd and difcarded by all in these Controverfies, on one Account or other, that his Authority does not deserve much Confideration as to fuch Matters. N. B. I fhall begin with the Teftimonies of our Saviour himself, out of the Gofpels; and shall defire the Christian Reader to obferve in what Terms, and after what Manner our Lord every where fpeaks of the One and Only Supreme God, his as well as our Father which is in Heaven. Καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ ἐρο XVI. 17 Πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν, ὁ ἐν τοῖς ἐρανοῖς, δώσει ἀγαθὰ τοῖς αἰτῖσιν αυτόν . Ου πᾶς ὁ λέγων μοι κύριε κύριε, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς * βασιλείαν τῶν ἐρανῶν. αλλ' ὁ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα XVIII. 10. 21 Yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Not every one that faith unto me Lord, Lord, fall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that 18 πατρός με, τὸ ἐ doth the will of my Fa Καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεὸν Σαρξ καὶ αἷμα ἐκ απ Οι ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν ἐν κουνοῖς διὰ παντὸς βλέπω σιν τὸ πρόσωπον το πατρός με, τὰ ἐν ἐρανοῖς. ther which is in heaven. One of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. Him will I confefs alfo before my Father which is in heaven. Him will I alfo deny before my Father which is in heaven. For God commanded, faying, &c. And they glorified the God of Ifrael. Flesh and bloud hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. In heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. |