Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Hitherto the Creed of the Apostles sufficed, and had been sufficient to the church of Christ even in the time of Constantine. For all men confess that all the churches used no other Creed than that of the Apostles (which we have made mention of and expounded in the first Decade,) wherewith they were content throughout the whole world. But for because in the days of Constantine the great, that wicked blasphemer Arius sprang up, corrupting the pureness of Christian faith, and perverting the simple trueth of doctrine taught by the Apostles, the Ministers of the churches were compelled of very necessity, to set themselves against that deceiver, and in publishing a Creed, to show forth and declare out of the Canonical Scriptures, the true and ancient confession of faith, condemning those novelties brought in of Arius. For in the Creeds set forth by the other three general counsels presently following, neither was any thing changed in the doctrine of the Apostles, neither was there any new thing added, which the churches of Christ had not before taken and believed out of the holy Scripture: but the ancient truth being wisely made manifest by confessions made of faith, was profitably and godly set against the new corruptions of heretics. Yet were the writings of the Prophets & Apostles the Spring, the Guide, the Rule, and Judge in all these counsels, neither did the fathers suffer any thing to be done there according to their own minds. And yet I speak not of every Constitution and Canon, but namely of those ancient Confessions alone, to which we do attribute so much as ⟨image 5⟩is permitted by the Canonical Scripture, which we confess to be the only rule how to judge, to speak, and do.

Hitherto the Creede of the Apostles sufficed, and had bene sufficient to the church of Christe euen in the time of Constantine. For all men cōfesse that all the churches vsed no other Creede than that of the Apostles (which we haue made mention of and expounded in the firste Decade,) wherewith they were content throughout the whole world. But for because in the dayes of Constantine the great, that wicked blasphemer Arius sprange vp, corrupting the purenesse of Christian faith, and peruerting the simple trueth of doctrine taught by the Apostles, the Ministers of the churches were compelled of very necessitie, to set themselues againste that deceiuer, and in publishinge a Creede, to shewe forth and declare out of the Canonical Scriptures, the true and auncient confession of faith, condemning those nouelties brought in of Arius. For in the Creedes set forth by the other three general counsels presently folowing, neither was any thinge chaunged in the doctrine of the Apostles, neither was there any new thinge added, which the churches of Christe had not before taken and beleeued out of the holy Scripture: but the auncient truth beeing wisely made manifest by cōfessions made of faith, was profitably and godly set against the new corruptions of heretiques. Yet were the writings of the Prophets & Apostles the Springe, the Guide, the Rule, and Iudge in all these counsels, neither did the fathers suffer any thing to be done there according to their owne minds. And yet I speake not of euery Constitution and Canon, but namely of those auncient Confessions alone, to which we doe attribute so much as