ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

tains an excellent epitome of the doctrines which ney taught expressed, as nearly as possible, in their own words: And though some of its articles were added in latter times, the greater part of it is probably derived from the usage of the Apostles.

That Creeds, not unlike that now under consideration, were used by the Apostles, we have the fullest reason to believe. Irenæus, the scholar of Polycarp, the disciple of St. John, repeats a Creed similar to ours, and assures us that "the Church, dispersed throughout the whole world, had received this faith from the Apostles and their disciples." And Tertullian gives us a Creed of similar import, declaring that it had been current "as a rule of faith in the Church, from the beginning of the Gospel." We do find, indeed, some diversity in the forms of the ancient Creeds, but their substance is so completely the same, as to afford proof that from the very first promulgation of Christianity, a compendious system of faith was established by its founders. Originally, the Creed was only used at the administration of the sacrament of Baptism, and in private devotions. It made no part of any public Liturgy, till near the close of the fourth century, when it was first introduced by the Bishop of Antioch. About a century after, it was ordered to be recited before the Lord's Prayer, in the Churches throughout Spain; and it was not established as a part of the Romish daily service, till more than four centuries after this period. At the Reformation, the Church of England thought fit to continue it in her order of daily service, because we cannot be too often reminded of the fundamental articles of that faith once delivered to the saints, and on which we build all our offices of public worship.

The place which the Creed holds in our morning and evening Prayer, is the most proper that could have been chosen; whether considered in reference to what goes before it, or in regard to what follows it It is preceded by the lessons taken out of the Holy Scriptures.

"Faith cometh by hearing; and after we have listened to the word of God, it is very fitting that we should make a public profession of our belief in what it contains. The word preached did not profit the Jews, for want of faith in them that heard it. That this may not be the case with us, we call our faith into a more vigorous exercise by a public declaration of it.-After the Creed, follow the Collects and Prayers. Our belief is the basis of our applications. "Faith is the fountain of Prayer," ways St. Austin; and "how shall they call on him

From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

in whom they have not believed ?" asks an inspired Apostle. That we may call upon God properly and effectually, we first declare our belief, by reciting the Creed. With admirable fitness then, have the compilers of our liturgy directed us to repeat the Creed, after we have heard God's "holy word," and before we proceed to "ask those things which are requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul."

The Rubric directs that the Creed be said "by the minister and the people." It is the confession of the whole congregation, and every person present ought personally to pronounce it with the minister. As "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness," so "with the mouth confession is made unto salvation:" And though in scripture we are instructed to pray for one another, yet every one must believe for himself, and ought to make the profession of his belief with his own mouth.

The Rubric farther directs that the Creed shall be said standing. This was the attidude in which the Catechumens in the ancient Church always repeated it. The Creed is not so immediately and specially addressed to God, as our prayers are. It is rather a declaration made by every individual, to the whole congregation in the presence of God. Standing is therefore, the attitude which propriety would suggest. The attitude further imports that we are determined to defend and maintain the faith which we profess: And some of the more warlike nations of Europe, were anciently accustomed to repeat it with their drawn swords in their hands; to intimate that they were determined to support the doctrines which it contains, at the hazard of their lives.

It was also an ancient custom, which still prevails in some places, to turn towards the East during the recital of the Creed. Most of the places of public worship were so constructed that the congregations should face towards the East; and under the East window was placed the Chancel and holy table. The Jews were accustomed to worship with their faces turned towards the Mercy seat and the Cherubim where the Ark of God was placed; And this arrangement of Churches was designed to indicate that Christians should worship with their thoughts directed to the Sun of Righteousness, and that they should look for his most gracious presence at his holy table.

There is a general practice in our Church, founded also on ancient usage, of bowing at the name of Jesus, in the Creed. This practice, though common, and proper in itself, is not enjoined by the Church in this country. In the early ages of the

I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy Ca tholic Church; The communion of saints;

Church the practice was universal, and it is prescribed by the eighteenth Canon of the English Church, as a testimonial of "inward humility, and a due acknowledgment, that the Lord Jesus Christ, the true eternal Son of God, is the only Saviour of the world; in whom alone all the mercies, graces, and promises of God to mankind, for this life, and the life to come, are fully and wholly comprised."

In considering the Creed itself, we shall find it to be a compendious system of the Doctrines of the Gospel. It begins with the fundamental article of all true religion, the unity of the Godhead ;-" I believe in God the Father, almighty, maker of heaven and earth."-The faith here professed, imports something more than a mere speculative belief of the existence of a Creator. It imports a deep and constant impression of the omnipresence, and ceaseless inspection, of the God " in whom we live, and move, and have our being." We must regard him as our Father by creation, and adoption, and in a peculiar manner, as the "God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ:"-as the fountain of all power and might, and as the Creator of all things, visible and invisible. After acknowledging our belief in "God the Father," we proceed to profess our faith in the second person in the Godhead ;-" In Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord."

He is called Jesus, by the direction of the Angel before his birth, and on account of his being the Saviour of the world; and Christ, from his being anointed, or appointed of the Father, to bear the several offices of Prophet, Priest, and King, to which men had been consecrated by being anointed with oil. He" was anointed with the Holy Ghost, and with power." He is called the only Son of God, because he is of the same nature with the Father, being "God himself, blessed forever ;" and on account of his miraculous conception by the Holy Ghost. So that whether we consider him with respect to his divine or human nature, he is, In either sense, strictly and properly, the Son of God. And he is called our Lord, because he is so, in a peculiar sense, by redemption; having bought us with a price, and purchased us to himself with his own blood. "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord, both of the dead and the living."

As he was born of the Virgin Mary, he became a perfect man, as well as perfect God ;-taking our nature upon him, and being "made in all things like unto us," only "without sin." And "being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself” still further, and "became obedient unto death, even the death upon the Cross." "He suffered

| The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection o the body, And the life everlasting. Amen.

under Pontius Pilate," the Roman Governor :was crucified, dead, and buried." Thus was he "made to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him :"-He who was perfectly holy, and free from sin himself, was made a sin-offering for us, being substituted in the place of sinners, to suffer the punishment of sin, and satisfy the divine justice; that we, through his merits, might be accounted righteous before God, and obtain the reward of righteousness, purchased for us by the precious blood of his dear Son.

After mentioning our Lord's death and burial, the Creed goes on to say, "He descended into Hell." By this expression we are to understand that his soul, immediately on its separation from the body, went into the invisible place of departed spirits, and there remained till it was reunited to it at his resurrection. The Rubric, in our American book, provides that " any Churches may omit the words, He descended into Hell, or may, instead of them use the words, He went into the place of departed spirits, which are considered as words of the same meaning in the Creed." The expression is used on the authority of the passage in the Psalms, (xvi. 10.) "Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell." The word which is here translated hell, as well as that in the Acts of the Apostles, where the passage is quoted, signifies the invisible state, or the state of souls when parted from the body; and not the place of final punishment, which the word is now more commonly used to denote. This interpretation seems further to be justified by the expression of the Saviour to the penitent thief on the Cross;-" To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise" An expression which implies that our Lord himself was that day to be in the happy state here called paradise, and where the "dead, which die in the Lord, rest from their labours." We are next taught to profess our faith in the Saviour's resurrection ;- "The third day he rose again from the dead." By this great act of omnipotence, he was "declared to be the Son of God with power;" the sufficiency of his atonement was demonstrated, and our ground of justification was opened to us. For as "he was delivered for our offences," so he was "raised again for our justin cation."

Having finished the great work of our redemption; having, by his resurrection from the dead, given us an assurance of his divine character, and a pledge of our own resurrection; and having instructed his disciples "in the things pertaining to his kingdom," "He ascended into heaven; and

atteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty."-There he is invested with all power and dominion, both in heaven and earth, reigning in his mediatorial character, as God incarnate, "till he hath put all his enemies under his feet." "From thence he shall come to judge the quick and dead." The next article in the Creed relates to the third person in the ever blessed Trinity: "I believe in the Holy Ghost." Christians are called the temple of God, because the spirit of God dwelleth in them; and Annanias was charged with lying unto God, when he lied to the Holy Ghost. The peculiar office of the Holy Spirit, in the work of our salvation, is to renew and cleanse us from our original pollution at our baptism, and to sanctify, support, and guide us in the performance of our duty, by his divine influences.

Here ends the principal part of the Creed: And having thus expressed our faith in the Holy Trinity, in whose name we are baptized, we should make a momentary pause before we proceed to the remaining articles. They embrace, indeed, some of the most important doctrines of our religion, and we are required firmly to believe them, because they are revealed to us in the word of God. Thus we believe there is a "holy Catholic Church;" a general society of Christian people dispersed throughout the world; not confined to any particular age or nation, but Catholic, or Universal.— This is that Body of which Christ is the head; the Bride, of which he is the Husband; the Branches, of him who is the true Vine. Thus, too, we believe in "the communion of saints:" That there is a fellowship subsisting between the several members of this Church; "who being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another;" All being servants of the same God, redeemed by the same atoning blood, sanctified by the same Spirit, governed by the same laws, partakers of the same sacraments, and heirs of the same promises. And having thus acknowledged the goodness of God in purchasing to himself an universal Church, by the blood of Christ, and uniting the members of it in one body under Him, we are ready to profess our faith in the great privileges conferred on us in the new Covenant; "the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting."

"Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith," was the injunction of an Apostle. It will not be our repetition of the Creed, nor of any other form of sound words, that will justify us in the divine presence, and save our souls, if our hearts remain unaffected, and our lives unreformed. "Faith without works is dead."-But have we not reason to fear that there are many who rehearse the Creed, and yet mean nothing by the words

which they repeat? Let us beware of thoughtlessness, or mockery, in so solemn an act. It can only aggravate our condemnation, for we are not "liars unto men, but unto God." Let us carefully examine ourselves, therefore, whether we be in the faith.

When we profess our faith in "God the Father," let us see that we realize his omnipresence and constant inspection, reverence his almighty power, and submit ourselves to his paternal authority. When we acknowledge "his only Son our Lord," let us gladly and cordially embrace the way of salvation by his blood. Let us renounce all idea of personal merits, on account of our confessions, our prayers, or our charities, and rely on him alone, as "the Lord our righteousness." And when we profess our faith in "the Holy Ghost," let us submit our souls to his heavenly influences. Let us be careful not to "resist" or "quench" them, and let us be earnest in our supplications to the throne of grace, that they may "guide us into all truth," and assist us in every "time of need."

Nothing can be more salutary to us, than the frequent repetition of the Creed, if it be done with sincerity, and taken as the ground-work of our practice. It tends firmly to fix in our minds the great truths of the Gospel. It is a renewed pledge to Almighty God of our allegiance to him: And it is calculated to foster in us sentiments of brotherly love, and universal charity. Let us be grateful to the Supreme Being, for the revelation of himself to us, and for all the doctrines of his holy Gospel: Let us give our particular consideration, and positive assent to every article of faith which we repeat: And let us make our faith the ground-work of our prayers, and the great rule of our lives. The main design of the Gospel, and the chief end for which the Church has selected from it the great truths contained in the Creed, and commanded us to profess our faith in them, is that we should thereby learn to cultivate more pious affections, and greater holiness of living. Let us constantly devote ourselves to these great objects. Let us deep ly ponder how those should live who believe that God the Father is their Creator, God the Son their Redeemer, God the Holy Ghost their sanctifier; who believe that they are members of that Holy Catholic Church, in which there is a communion ot saints, and remission of sins, and where there shall be a resurrection of the body, and a life everlasting. And let us be careful so to frame our hearts and lives, that we may find in God, a reconciled Father; in Jesus Christ, a friend and Saviour; and in the Holy Spirit, a guide and sanctifier; Then will our day of grace terminate in an eternity of Glory-Which may God of his infinite mercy grant, for Christ's sake!

T. C. B.

The following is the Paraphrase of the Apostles' Creed, by Dr. Nicholls.

"I make this confession of my faith, relating to those truths, which upon the testimony of God himself are revealed unto me. 1st. I believe, that there is only one God, Deut. iv. 35; 1 Cor. viii. 6; that He is Father to all men by creation, Mal. ii. 10; by redemption, Deut. xxxii. 6; adoption, 1 Joho iii. 1; but in a peculiar manner the Father of our blessed Lord by eternal generations, Heb. i. 1, 2; John vi. 57. I believe farther, that this one God is "Almighty," and is vested with an infinite power of doing all things, Is. xlv. 12; Rev. xix. 6; and governing all things at his pleasure, 1 Chron. xxix. 11; Jer. xvi. 21; that he was the Maker of heaven and earth," that is, the whole world and every thing contained therein, Exod. xx. 11; John i. 10; Col. 1. 16.

II. I believe likewise "in Jesus Christ," being verily persuaded, that he is what his name, "Jesus" signifies, the Saviour of the world, Luke i. 31; Matt. i. 21; Acts xiii. 23. That he is "Christ" or the Messiah, which was so long before his coming promised under the Old Testament, Gen. xxi. 12, and xlix. 10; Mal. iii. 1. That he is the 66 only Son" of God, begotten from all eternity, partly as being said to come down from heaven, John vi. 38; partly, because he is recorded in Scripture to have made the worlds, Heb. i. 2; Col. i. 16; partly by reason he is frequently called God, John i. 1; Phil. ii. 6, 7; 1 Tim. iii. 16; Rom. ix. 5: but chiefly, because of the divine essence being communicated to him, John xvi. 15, and v. 26; 2 Cor. iv. 4; and that, in a manner different from all created beings, Heb. 1. 13. Who is likewise "our Lord" by being the true Jehovah or Lord, Hos. i. 7; Matt. iii. 3; by having all things put under his dominion, Ps. cx. 5; by redeeming us from the power of the devil, who before had got the mastery over us, Heb. ii. 14; Col. ii. 15; by purchasing us by his blood, Acts xx. 28; Eph. i. 7; by our voluntarily becoming his servants and scholars by baptism, Rom. vi. 6, 13. I believe further, that though Christ was true man, Heb. iv. 15, yet he was not produced after the ordinary manner of human conception, but by the overshadowing "of the Holy Ghost," Luke i. 35; was "born of Mary," a poor maid of the lineage of David, who continued a virgin" notwithstanding that miraculous birth, Luke i. 27; that he suffered an ignominious death as was foretold, Is. liii. 9; Mark ix. 12: and this at the time when "Pontius Pilate" was governor under the Romans in Judea, Matt. xxvii. 2: was nailed to a cross, a terrible and scandalous punishment, by which the Romans used to put their wicked slaves to death: that under this grievous torture he became really "dead," Luke xxiii. 46; Mark xv. 37 :

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and after that by a kind disciple was "buried," John xix. 38: and "descended into hell,” or hades. the repository or place of separate souls, Is. v. 14; Ps. xvi. 10: on "the third day" after his crucifixion he "rose again," Matt. xvi. 21; Mark ix. 31: as he had before foretold, Matt. xxvii. 63: after that in the sight of a great many credible witnesses, he in a most glorious manner "ascended up into heaven," Luke xxiv. 50, 51; Acts i. 9, 10: as the prophets had long before predicted, Ps. lxviii. 18; Micah ii. 13: and was shortly after advanced to a most especial honour, which was never vouchsafed to any person before, Heb. i. 13; to "sit on the right hand of God," Luke xxii. 69; 1 Pet. iii. 22: which is a place of the greatest dignity in heaven, 1 Kings ii. 19; Heb. viii. 1: where he has begun his spiritual kingdom, and treads upon the necks of the great enemies of his jurisdiction; sin, Rom. vi. 14; satan, Heb. ii. 14; and death, 1 Cor. xv. 26: who, at the end of the world, shall come in a triumphant and glorious procession attended with the angels, 2 Thess. i. 7; Matt. xxv. 31; and shall have all power committed to him, John v. 22, 27; Acts xvii. 31; to judge those who shall then be alive, 1 Thess. iv. 15; 1 Cor. xv. 51; and those who shall be raised up from their graves, Matt.

XXV. 32.

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III. I believe "the Holy Ghost" to be very God, and the third Person of the blessed Trinity; that he is not a virtue or grace, as some fondly imagine, but a person, Eph. iv. 30; Rom. viii. 26; Acts x. 19: who is called frequently "the Comforter," John xiv. 26; xv. 26; xvi. 7: and is expressly named God, Acts v. 3, 4. I further believe, that there is a number of men, sequestered from the rest of the world by faith in Christ, and governed by his laws; who have continued throughout all ages from the apostles' time, and shall do so to the coming of Christ, which I call the Catholic Church," which is "holy," 2 Tim. ii. 19; by reason of the holy profession, which they are called to; though all the particular members are not so, Matt. xiii. 24, 47. It is likewise "Catholic" or universal, because of its diffusiveness throughout the world, Matt. xxviii. 19; Luke xxiv. 47. I believe that there is a "communion of saints" and elect people of God, 1 Cor. vi. 11; Eph. i. 13; with God the Father, 1 John i. 3; with God the Son, John xvii. 21; 1 Cor. i. 9; with the Holy Ghost, Phil. ii. 1; Rom. viii. 9; and with all the saints in all the Churches now upon earth, 1 John i. 7; as also with all the saints departed, Heb. xii. 22, 23. I believe further, that whereas by our sins we are become debtors to God's justice, 1 John ini. 4; Matt. v. 22; so through the blood of Christ, who has made satisfaction for them, Matt. xx. 28; 2 Cor. v. 18; Rom. v. 10; Col. i. 20; we may obtain

Or this. (29.)

I BELIEVE in one 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 for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried; And the third

forgiveness," of them, not only in baptism, Acts 138; Acts xxii. 16; Eph. v. 26; but afterwards, if we truly repent of them, 1 John iv. 10; 1 John ii. 1. I believe likewise "the resurrection of the body," not only as a thing possible to be done by an almighty agent, Luke i. 37; Acts xxvi. 8; Matt. I. 28; but as a thing generally expected by the Jews, Job xix. 25; Dan. xii. 2: that this is clearly promised under the Gospel, Rom. xiv. 9; viii. 11; 1 Cor. xv. 21: and moreover that the self-same body shall rise again, 1 Cor. xv. 23; Rom. viii. 11; 2 Cor. v. 10: and lastly, that the resurrection shall extend to bad as well as good men, 1 Cor. xv. 22; John v. 28. Finally, I believe the "everlasting" duration of all bad men in misery, Matt. xxv. 41, 46; x. 28; Luke iii. 17; Rev. xx. 10; and of all good men in a state of glory, which doth arise from a vacancy from all sorrow, Rev. xxi. iv; from the vision of God, 1 Cor. xiii. 12; 1 John iii. 2; as also from the unspeakable pleasures, which they shall then partake of, 1 Cor. ii. 9. Amen."

Dr. Nicholls.

In closing this Commentary and Paraphrase of the Creed, it may be proper to notice, that on the revision of the Liturgy subsequent to the Revolution, considerable discussion took place concerning the propriety of retaining the phrase “He descended into Hell." For an account of this matter, and also some very judicious remarks upon it, see Bishop White's Memoirs of the Church, p. 189. The difference of sentiment was happily compromised by leaving it discretionary with the Minister to omit, or retain it, or to use a different form of words with a similar import, according to the provision of the Rubrick.

T. C. B.

(29.) In the English Book, the Nicene Creed is used only in the Communion Service. There seems no good reason why it should not be used in the daily Service, as well as that termed the Apostes' Creed; and the revisers of the Liturgy have accordingly left it optional with the minister to

day he rose again, according to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of 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 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.

use either the one or the other.-The Athanasian Creed, which by the English Rubrick is directed to be used on certain days instead of the Apostles' Creed, is excluded from our Liturgy altogether.. It appears that one of the Bishops, and a few of the Clergy, were desirous of retaining it as a safeguard from the errors against which it was framed; but these seem to be sufficiently guarded against by the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, and other parts of the Liturgy, and it perhaps contains sufficient reasons in itself to warrant its rejection.-For a particular Commentary on the Nicene Creed, see the Evening Service. The following paraphrase by Dr. Nicholls, is subjoined in this place.

T. C. B.

I sincerely believe, that there is one and but one God, though differenced by three Persons, the first whereof is the Almighty Father, the Creator of the whole World, not only of those gross Bodies, which are the Object of our Sight, but of invisible Angels and Spirits.

I also steadfastly believe in the second Person of the Trinity, who is not the adopted, but the true natural and only begotten Son of God, who was begotten by his eternal Father before all time, God the Son of God, in as true a Manner as one Mar is the Son of another, though after a spiritual Manner, and purely propagated as one Light is generated of another, without Diminution of Substance, generated from the eternal Essence, and not made as Creatures are; being of the same Essence with the eternal Father, who made the World; who for the Deliverance of the Souls of us Men, which were forfeited, and made forever subject to the eternal Wrath, left his Throne of Glory in Heaven, and came to take upon him our Nature here upon Earth, and, by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, was born of the Body of Mary, a pure Virgin, and became a true Man, and suffered the Death of the Cross, under the Presidentship, and by the unjust Sentence of Pontius Pilate, then