A Golden Chain

Again it is called the creed of the Apostles, not because they were the pen ners of it, conferring to it besides the matter^a the very style & frame of words as we have them now set down. Reason. I. there are in this creed certain words & ⟨p. 186⟩phrases which are not to be found in the writings of the Apostles, and namely these: He descended into hell; the Catholic Church. The latter whereof no doubt^a first began to be in use, when after the Apostles days the Church was dispersed into all quarters of the earth. Secondly if both matter and words h•d been from the Apostles, why is not the creed Canonical Scripture, as well as any other of their writings? III. The Apostles had a summary collection of the points of Christian religion which they taught, and also delivered to others to teach by; consisting of two heads, faith and love: as may appear by Pauls exhortation to Timothy, wishing him to keep the pattern of wholesome words: which he had heard of him in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. ³Now the Creed consists not of two heads but of one, namely of faith only & not of love also. Wherefore I rather think, that it is called the Apostles Creed because it doth summarily contain the chief and principal points of religion, handled and propounded in the doctrine of the Apostles: and because the points of the Creed are conformable and agreeable to their doctrine and writings.

Againe it is called the creed of the Apostles, not because they were the pē ners of it, conferring to it besides the matter^a the very style & frame of words as we haue thē now set down. Reason. I. there are in this creed certen words & ⟨p. 186⟩phrases which are not to be found in the writings of the Apostles, and namely these: He descended into hell; the Catholike Church. The latter whereof no doubt