way. But, rather, let no interpretations be tacked on to either part of the scriptures: but let all, as we do, simply confess, that there is but One God; and yet, that there are in that One Godhead more than one Person; for both these things the scriptures teach.— But let what has been thus said upon the subject suffice for the present occasion.

THE NICENE CREED.

WE will now add to the end of these Three Creeds the Nicene Creed: which also, like that of Athanasius, is composed against Arius, and is sung in the service of each Sabbath-day. It is thus,

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in One Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God: begotten of his Father before all worlds: God of God: light of light: very God of very God: begotten not made: being of one substance with the Father: by whom all things were made: who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven: and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary: and was made Man: and was crucified also under Pontius Pilate: He suffered and was buried: and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures: and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father: and he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: whose kingdom shall have no

end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life: who proceedeth from the Father and the Son: who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified: who spake by the prophets.

And I believe in one catholic and apostolic church: I acknowledge one baptism for the remission

of sins: and I look for the resurrection of the dead : and the life of the world to come. Amen!

I shall here bring nothing forward out of the New Testament for therein are found all-clear and allcertain testimonies concerning the Holy Trinity: which in the Old Testament is not so plainly and conspicuously set forth, though it is there demonstrated also with a sufficient force of evidence.

FINIS.

AN

EXPLANATION

OF

THE APOSTLES CREED.

THERE are in the APOSTLES' CREED Three Heads: even as, the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity are therein enumerated. The First Head refers to the Father, the Second to the Son, and the Third to the Holy Ghost. And, the article concerning the Holy Trinity is the most important of all the articles of the Christian faith; upon which all the other articles depend.

Moreover, we are first of all, and before all things, to be reminded, that there are two ways of believing. The one, when I believe that God is, and know that those things are true which are spoken of him. In the same manner as I know that those things are true which are said of the Turk, of the devil, or of hell. But this kind of faith should be called a certain indefinite knowledge, or opinion, rather than faith.

The other way of believing is when I believe in God: that is, when I not only believe that those things which are said of him are true, but when I place all my trust and hope in him, and so stay my upon him as to have no doubt of his gracious good-will toward me; and when I moreover believe, that he will

mind

perform all those things in me which are gloriously said and proclaimed of him. This is a far different kind of believing from the former. This is the faith which alone, in every peril of life, and in the very hour of death, still firmly persuades the man, that all those things are true which the sacred scriptures say of God. This is the faith that makes a man a Christian: and, whatever such an one asks of God he has. It is impossible that this faith should be in the heart of any impure man or hypocrite. And this is the faith that is commanded in the First Precept, when it is said, "I am the Lord thy God, Thou shalt have none other gods but me."

Therefore the particle in here is not an unmeaning word or sound. It is this that we are especially to look to. For it is one thing to say I believe God the Father, or, I believe concerning God the Father, and quite another thing to say I believe in God the Father, in Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. We should therefore by no means lightly regard this particle in.

And, as this faith or trust of heart can be set in no one but in God, and yet, as this same faith and trust of heart are set in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost also, it is a conclusive proof, that Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, are of the one same Divinity as God the Father. For as the same faith is set equally in all Three Persons, they are therefore all of equal Divinity.

THE FIRST

ARTICLE OF THE CREED

CONCERNING

THE CREATION.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.-That is,

I renounce all evil spirits, idolatries, magic arts, and every thing that arises out of unbelief.-I set my hope

and trust in no man; nor even in myself, my power, my learning, my wisdom, my righteousness, my fortune, nor any thing that belongs to me. I trust in no creature either in heaven or in earth.-I commit myself unto, and I believe in, the One invisible God only, the maker of heaven and earth, and the Lord of all creatures. And I do not fear the arts and deceptions of all the evil spirits together: for my God is greater than them all, and they are all under his command. And though all men should forsake and even persecute me; nevertheless, I have all my hope and confidence set in God.

Nor shall my poverty, nor my ignorance, nor any want of righteousness, nor even the contempt of all, hinder me from believing. Nor shall my sins turn aside my faith. For my faith is far above all these things. It rises above sins, worthiness, and unworthiness, and all such things, and nakedly hangs on God alone: as the first precept demands of me that it should do.

Nor will I ask any signs of God, nor at all tempt him by so doing. I trust steadily in him, however long it may be before he fulfils all my desires. Nor will I set him any limits, measure, or time. I leave all to his divine will and pleasure as being full of mercy: being firmly persuaded that he will fill me with all blessings.

Almighty.

Since therefore he is Almighty, what is there that I can long want, when all things are in his hand and

power.

Maker of heaven and earth.

As he is the Creator and Lord of heaven, earth, and all things, who can hurt me or take any thing from me? Nay, when I am in his favour whom all things obey, all creatures cannot but promote and work my good. And moreover, as he is God, he knows how, and is able, to deal with me in that way which shall be best and the most to my profit. And, as he is Father, his will is that my good should always be considered by him nor is there any work that he so willingly under

takes, as to help men.-And farther, as I doubt not at all concerning all these things, and as I rest all my hope and trust in him, I am persuaded, that I am his son and his servant, and that the inheritance shall come unto me, And in a word, as I believe so is it done unto me.

THE SECOND ARTICLE CONCERNING
JUSTIFICATION.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord.That is,

I not only believe that Jesus Christ is the true and only Son of God, who, as he was begotten from all eternity, is of the same eternal and divine nature and substance with God the Father. But I believe this also, that the Father hath given all things into his power; and that, with respect to his Humanity also, he is Lord of all those things which he created together with the Father in his Divinity.

I believe, that there is no way of access whatever unto the Father, nor any believing in him, neither by learning, nor by works, nor by human reason, nor by any creature either in heaven or in earth; but that Jesus Christ only is the "way" by which we come unto the Father; and that, that way is found by believing in the name of Christ, and in the kingdom which he holds.

Who was conceived of the Holy Ghost.

I firmly believe, that he, for my sake, was conceived by the Holy Ghost, without any seed of man; that he might purify my impure, sinful, and damnable conception, and that of all who believe in him; and that he might, through the mercy of himself and the Father, beget us again entirely anew.

Born of the Virgin Mary.

I believe also that, for my sake, he was born of the