Witness of God has a lot on this Synod.
Skipped part before the HIT.
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HIT:
● [Creed of Antioch 341] Agreeably to the Evangelical and Apostolical tradition, we believe in one God
(1 Cor. viii. 6) the Father (1 Cor. viii 6; xv. 6) Almighty (Rev. ii.8), the Creator, Maker, and Governor of
the Universe (Heb. xi. 10), of whom are all things (1 Cor. viii. 6); and in one Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor.
viii 6), his Son, the only begotten of God (John iii 16; i 14; 1 John iv 9), by whom are all things (1 Cor.
viii 6), begotten of the Father before the worlds (1 John i 1; John xvii 5), God of God (John i.1, 14), all
from all (Col. ii 9), the only one from the only one (Tim. vi 15; Jude 4), the perfect from the perfect (Heb.
ii 10), King from King (Rev. xvii 14), Lord from Lord (Col. ii 24), the living [PAGE 58] Word (1 John i 1),
the living wisdom (1 Cor. i 24, 30), the true light (John i 9), the way (John xiv 6), the truth (John xiv 6),
the resurrection (John xi 25), the shepherd (John x 11), the door (John x i), the unchangeable and
invariable image of the Father's God head, essence, and will, and power, and glory (Heb. i 3, xiii 8;
James i 17); born before all creation (Col. i 15); who was declared in the Gospel "and the Word was
God" (John i 1); by whom all things were made (1 Cor. viii 6; John i 2); and by whom all things consist
(Col. 1 17); who, in these last days (Heb. i 2), came down from above (John vi 38), and was born of a
Virgin, according to the Scriptures (Matt. i 22, 23); and was made man (John i 14); the Mediator
between God and Men (1 Tim. ii 5); the Apostle of our faith (Heb. iii 1), the Prince of Life (Acts ii 15), as
he says "I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me"; who
suffered for us (1 Peter ii 21), and rose again on the third day (1 Cor. xv 4), and ascended into heaven
(Eph. iv 8, 9, 10), and sitteth on the right hand of the Father (Col. iii 1), and shall come again with glory
and power (Matt. viii 38; Luke x 26), to judge the living and the dead (1 Peter iv 5). And [we believe] in
the Holy Ghost, who is given to believers for consolation, and sanctification, and perfection (Acts iv 31;
Rom. xv 16; 1 Cor. vi 11; Eph. iv 12), according to our Lord Jesus Christ's direction to his disciples,
saying, "Go ye unto all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost (Matt. xxviii 19), the Father being truly a Father, and the Son truly a Son, and the Holy
Ghost truly a Holy Ghost - the names being given not vainly and unmeaningly, but accurately
expressing the respective subsistence, order, and glory of each of the Persons named (Heb. v 5; Matt.
iii 17; John xv 26); SO THAT THEY ARE THREE IN SUBSTANCE AND ONE IN CONSENT (1 John v
7). Having therefore this faith, and holding it before God and Christ from the beginning to the end, we
anathematize all heretical heterodoxy. And if anyone, contrary to the sound and right faith of the
Scripture, shall teach that there ever was a time, or period, or age, before the Son was begotten, let
him be anathema; and if anyone shall say that the Son is a creature, or one of the creation, or a
production as one of the productions [of nature], or a work as one of the works [of nature]; and [shall
teach] otherwise than as the Holy Scriptures have delivered each of the aforesaid [doctrines] from each
[of its respective Scriptures], or shall teach any other thing than what we have received, let him be
anathema. For all things out of the Holy Scriptures, which have been delivered to us by the Prophets
and Apostles, we believe and follow. (Translated by [Editor], The Christian Examiner, and Church of
Ireland Magazine, vol 2, 1826, p. 57-58)
o Greek: 23.2 Πιστεύομεν ἀκολούθως τῇ εὐαγγελικῇ καὶ ἀποστολικῇ παραδόσει εἰς ἕνα θεὸν
πατέρα παντοκράτορα, τὸν τῶν ὅλων δημιουργόν τε καὶ ποιητὴν καὶ προνοητήν, ἐξ οὗ τὰ 23.3
πάντα· καὶ εἰς ἕνα κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, τὸν μονογενῆ θεόν, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα,
τὸν γεννηθέντα πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐκ τοῦ πατρός, θεὸν ἐκ θεοῦ, ὅλον ἐξ ὅλου, μόνον ἐκ μόνου,
τέλειον ἐκ τελείου, βασιλέα ἐκ βασιλέως, κύριον ἀπὸ κυρίου, λόγον ζῶντα, σοφίαν ζῶσαν, φῶς
ἀληθινόν, ὁδόν, ἀλήθειαν, ἀνάστασιν, ποιμένα, θύραν, ἄτρεπτόν τε καὶ ἀναλλοίωτον, τῆς
θεότητος οὐσίας τε καὶ βουλῆς καὶ δυνάμεως καὶ δόξης τοῦ πατρὸς ἀπαράλλακτον εἰκόνα, τὸν
πρωτότοκον πάσης κτίσεως, τὸν ὄντα ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν, 23.4 λόγον θεὸν κατὰ τὸ
εἰρημένον ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ· «καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος», δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐν ᾧ τὰ πάντα
συνέστηκε, τὸν ἐπ' ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν κατελθόντα ἄνωθεν καὶ γεννηθέντα ἐκ παρθένου κατὰ
τὰς γραφὰς καὶ ἄνθρωπον γενόμενον, μεσίτην θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων ἀπόστολόν τε τῆς πίστεως
ἡμῶν καὶ ἀρχηγὸν τῆς ζωῆς, ὥς φησιν ὅτι «καταβέβηκα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, οὐχ ἵνα ποιῶ τὸ
θέλημα τὸ ἐμόν, ἀλλὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με», τὸν παθόντα ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ
τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἀνελθόντα εἰς οὐρανούς, καὶ καθεσθέντα ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ πάλιν
ἐρχόμενον μετὰ δόξης καὶ δυνά 23.5 μεως κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς. καὶ εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ
ἅγιον, τὸ εἰς παράκλησιν καὶ ἁγιασμὸν καὶ τελείωσιν τοῖς πιστεύουσι διδόμενον, καθὼς καὶ ὁ
κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς διετάξατο τοῖς μαθηταῖς λέγων «πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε πάντα
τὰ ἔθνη βαπτί 23.6 ζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου
πνεύματος», δηλονότι πατρός, ἀληθῶς πατρὸς ὄντος, υἱοῦ δὲ ἀληθῶς υἱοῦ ὄντος, τοῦ δὲ ἁγίου
πνεύματος ἀληθῶς ἁγίου πνεύματος ὄντος, τῶν ὀνομάτων οὐχ ἁπλῶς οὐδὲ ἀργῶς κειμένων,
ἀλλὰ σημαινόν των ἀκριβῶς τὴν οἰκείαν ἑκάστου τῶν ὀνομαζομένων ὑπόστασίν τε καὶ τάξιν καὶ
δόξαν, 23.7 ὡς εἶναι τῇ μὲν ὑποστάσει τρία, τῇ δὲ συμφωνίᾳ ἕν. ταύτην οὖν ἔχοντες τὴν
πίστιν καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ μέχρι τέλους ἔχοντες ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πᾶσαν αἱρετικὴν
23.8 κακοδοξίαν ἀναθεματίζομεν. καὶ εἴ τις παρὰ τὴν ὑγιῆ τῶν γραφῶν ὀρθὴν πίστιν διδάσκει
λέγων ἢ χρόνον ἢ καιρὸν ἢ αἰῶνα ἢ εἶναι ἢ γεγονέναι πρὸ τοῦ γεννηθῆναι τὸν 23.9 υἱόν,
ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. καὶ εἴ τις λέγει τὸν υἱὸν κτίσμα ὡς ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων ἢ γέννημα ὡς ἓν τῶν
γεννημάτων ἢ ποίημα ὡς ἓν τῶν ποιημάτων καὶ μὴ ὡς αἱ θεῖαι γραφαὶ παραδέ δωκαν τῶν
προειρημένων ἕκαστον ἀφ' ἑκάστου, ἢ εἴ τι ἄλλο διδάσκει ἢ εὐαγγελίζεται, 23.10 παρ' ὃ
παρελάβομεν, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. ἡμεῖς γὰρ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκ τῶν θείων γραφῶν παραδεδομένοις ὑπό
τε προφητῶν καὶ ἀποστόλων ἀληθινῶς τε καὶ ἐμφόβως καὶ πιστεύομεν καὶ ἀκολουθοῦμεν.
(Creed of Antioch 341; Migne Graeca, PG 26.723-724)
Comments:
[Editor of The Christian Examiner affirms Burgess' assertion] Early in the fourth century (A.D.
341) the Symbolum Antiochenum was drawn up at a Council held at Antioch, consisting of 97 bishops,
or whom nearly half were Arians. ...We strongly recommend those who are able, to read over the
original, referring to the Greek Testament for the passages quoted in the translation, and they will be
struck by the strict conformity to the expressions and very words of scripture. And it is very remarkable
how careful the composers of the Creed have heen to declare this. Thus, at the commencement we
find those words "Agreeably to the Evangelical and Apostolical tradition, we believe" (Greek:
Πιστεύομεν ἀκολούθως τῇ εὐαγγελικῇ καὶ ἀποστολικῇ παραδόσει) and at the end "For all things out of
the Holy Scriptures, which have been delivered to us by the Prophets and Apostles, we believe and
follow" (Greek: ἡμεῖς γὰρ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκ τῶν θείων γραφῶν παραδεδομένοις ὑπό τε προφητῶν καὶ
ἀποστόλων ἀληθινῶς τε καὶ ἐμφόβως καὶ πιστεύομεν καὶ ἀκολουθοῦμεν) which we do not remember to
have seen in any other Creed. Though we believe the Apostolic and Nicene Creeds to be founded on
"most certain warrants of Holy Scripture," as our Articles express it, yet they have no such declaration
[PAGE 59] of close adherence to the written word. What, then, are we to conclude from this, but
that the passage "So that they are three in person, and one in consent" (Greek: ὡς εἶναι τῇ μὲν
ὑποστάσει τρία, τῇ δὲ συμφωνίᾳ ἕν) "So that the three are one," must be an express quotation
from St. John. For after this remarkable adherence not only to Scripture doctrine, but to
Scripture phrases, we can suppose that in an assembly where so many Arians were present,
they would draw this, "so that the three are one," only as a necessary conclusion from what had
gone before, if it were not found in express terms in the Word of God. Though they are not indeed
precisely the same as the words of St. John, "these three are one" (Greek: οὗτοι οἱ τρεῖς ἓν εἰσι), yet
they may be a quotation from it; for in the quotations in the New Testament from the Old, there are
often greater variations, as may be seen in Dr. Randolph's and Dr. Owen's collections. If in this Creed it
had been said, "one in substance" (Greek: τῇ μεν οὐσία ἑν) though agreeing with the general doctrine
of the Church it would not have been so peculiarly applicable to the passage of St. John, as "one in
agreement" (Greek: τῇ μεν συμφωνίᾳ ἕν), because this is a meaning of the word "one" (Greek: ἕν)
directly resulting from St. John's argument from a concurrence of testimony. The expression seems to
have been adopted by the Council as being both founded on Scripture, and at the same time not so
offensive to the many Arians who were present. The evidence afforded by Creeds is of the strongest
kind ; for while it may be argued that the Fathers, in their writings, are delivering their own opinions, and
these, perhaps, loosely, it must be confessed that symbols expressing the faith of the whole Church,
are drawn up with no common care.
([Editor], Review of "A Letter to the Clergy of the Diocese of St. David's, on a Passage of the Second Symbolum Antiochenum of the Fourth Century, as an evidence of the authenticity of 1 John v. vii. By T. Burgess, 1825" in The Christian Examiner, and Church of Ireland Magazine, vol 2, 1826, p. 58-59)
Burgess & Porson
[The Quarterly Review] We now state the Bishop's [Burgess] argument from the Symbolum
Antiochenum. ...In justice to the cause which the bishop defends, we think it right to state that his
lordship having communicated the substance. of his work to several of his right reverend brethren, the
preceding argument appears to have had great weight with them. In letters from which we are favoured
with extracts, the Bishops of Winchester, Durham and Hereford, together with other prelates, whose
names are not mentioned, have expressed themselves [PAGE 102] either as almost, or as entirely,
persuaded that the verse is genuine. ([Editor], Review of "A letter to the clergy of the diocese of St. David’s
on a passage of the second Symbolum Antiochenum of the fourth century as an evidence of the authenticity of
1 John v. 7 by Thomas Burgess, 1825" in The Quarterly Review, vol 33, no. 65, 1826, p. 101-102)
Harford, The Life of Thomas Burgess (1840)
Objection III. Mr. Porson has asserted that if the text of the heavenly witnesses had been known from the
[PAGE 419] beginning of Christianity, the ancients would have inserted it in their Symbola or creeds.
Reply III. Direct quotations are unsuited to the epitomising quality of creeds ; but an ingenious argument in
favour of the probable existence of the text in Greek originals of the fourth century, is derived by the Bishop
from a passage in the Second Symbolum Antiochenum, in the following clause, ὡς ειναι τῃ μεν ὑποστασει
Τρια, τῃ δε συμφωνιᾳ Ἑν, "so that they are three in personality, but One in agreement." Now the only place in
the New Testament, in which a unity of testimony is ascribed in direct terms to the three persons of the Trinity
is 1 John, v. 7. This passage made such an impression upon the late Bishop Tomline, that he thus expresses
himself in a letter to Bishop Burgess: "The passage you quote from the Symbolum Antiochenum is certainly a
very striking one, and adds materially to that species of evidence in favour of 1 John, v. 7. Your other
quotations and observations have also considerable weight, and I willingly own that, upon the whole, you have
shaken my former opinion." (Harford, The Life of Thomas Burgess. Late Lord Bishop of Salisbury, 1840, p.
418-419)
[Burgess] I had communicated to the Bishop of Winchester the substance of the preceding Letter, on the
passage of the Symbolum Antiochenum , &c. to which his Lordship replied: "The passage you quote from the
Symbolum Antiochenum is certainly a very striking one, and adds materially to that species of evidence in
favour of 1 John v. 7. Your other quotations and observations also have considerable weight; and I willingly
own, that upon the whole you have shaken my former opinion.” To these candid concessions of the Bishop of
Winchester, I could add the [PAGE 83] opinions of other learned Prelates, that "the evidences which I have laid
before you in the preceding Letter, are sufficient to satisfy any reasonable man that the verse ought not to be
thrown out of the text;" and that "they have increased the probabilities, that the verse was written by St. John."
But I cannot refuse myself the pleasure of naming two learned Prelates, - my venerated and ever honoured
Friend, the Bishop of Durham, who says, "When Porson was in controversy with Travis, I thought
differently of the verse, but you have convinced me of its authenticity:" and the Bishop of Hereford,
whose decided decisive judgement on such a subject, I am sure, is not influenced by the friendship of more
than half a century. "An accumulation," says my learned and excellent Friend: "...of [PAGE 84] presumptive
[reasoning], is sometimes more convincing than paucity of direct evidence. Such are your citations, appeals,
and reasonings, that I no more doubt the authenticity of 1 St. John v. 7, than I do the authenticity of St. John's
Gospel, chapter 1 verse 1 which ever Griesbach could neither remove nor surmount, although I believe he
would have done both, had it been possible consistently with common honesty. Whatever may have been the
causes which occasioned the omission of the verse in so many MSS. the very ample abundance of collateral
circumstances proves, that the verse must have existed in the original text." (Burgess, A letter to the clergy of
the diocese of St. David's on a passage of the second Symbolum Antiochenum of the fourth century as an
evidence of the authenticity of 1 John v. 7, 1825, p. 82)
[Thomas Turton] I will not be so unjust to Bishop Burgess as not to mention some eminent living
divines who have ranged themselves on his side. The Bishop of Winchester thus addresses the
learned prelate. “The passage you quote from the Symbolum Antiochenum is certainly a very striking
one, and adds materially to that species of evidence in favour of 1 John v. 7. Your other quotations and
observations also have considerable weight; and I willingly own that upon the whole you have shaken
my former opinion. An argument of less validity than that from the Symbolum Antiochenum cannot
easily be imagined.” ...Our respect for a man of talent induces us to wish that the opinion of the Bishop of
Winchester had not been shaken by the evidence he mentions.—Thus also writes the Bishop of Hereford:
“An accumulation of presumptive [reasoning], is sometimes more convincing than paucity of direct evidence.
Such are your citations, appeals, and reasonings, that I no more doubt the authenticity of 1 John v. 7. than I do
John i. 1. (which even Griesbach could neither remove nor surmount, although I believe he [Griesbach] would
have done both, had it been possible, consistently with common honesty). There can be no objection to Bishop
Huntingford's confiding in 1 John v. 7. as strongly as in John i. 1. if he has it in his power to do so; but there will
not, I trust, be a single reader of this work who will fail to condemn his unwarrantable reflection upon
Griesbach's designs.—Bishop Burgess has given extracts of Letters from other prelates, containing similar
sentiments of the verse. They are moreover written with a candour and moderation which it is pleasing to
observe. ('Crito Cantabrigiensis' [Thomas Turton], Thomas Burgess, Richard Porson. A Vindication of the
Literary Character of the Late Professor Porson, 1827, p. 341-342, fn. *)
