The Athanasius
Creed
(c. A.D. 500)
- Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold
the Catholic Faith.
- Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he
shall perish everlastingly.
- And the Catholic Faith is this:
That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity,
- Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance [nature].
- For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of
the Holy Ghost.
- But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all
one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.
- Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.
- The Father uncreate [uncreated], the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost
uncreate.
- The Father incomprehensible [unlimited], the Son incomprehensible
[unlimited], and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.
- The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal.
- And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.
- As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but
one uncreated, and one incomprehensible [infinite].
- So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost
Almighty.
- And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.
- So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God.
- And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.
- So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord.
- And yet not three Lords, but one Lord.
- For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity: to acknowledge every
Person by himself to be both God and Lord,
- So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion, to say, There be [are] three
Gods, or three Lords.
- The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten.
- The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten.
- The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son, neither made, nor created,
nor begotten, but proceeding.
- So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one
Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.
- And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other; none is greater, or
less than another; But the whole three Persons are
co-eternal together and co-equal.
- So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the
Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped.
-
He therefore that will be saved must [let him] thus think
of the Trinity.
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