established by God; but we never speak of their deity. In like manner, we speak of the divinity of Christ, according to the explanation just given; but never, so long as we abide by the declarations of the Bible, can we speak of the deity of Christ. The Bible constantly observes the distinction between the terms, in its views of our Savior. While it represents him as commissioned, instructed, and sanctified by God, at the same time, it represents him as a different being from God, dependent upon him for his wisdom, authority, and power; and inferior to him, as the being sent is inferior to him who sends; as the son is inferior to the Father; the creature to the Creator.

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You perceive that the doctrine, which we have now presented, is not exposed to the charge of destroying the grounds of Christian hope. We do not "deny the Lord that bought us;" for we believe "that he was sanctified by the Father, and sent into the world." We do not deprive the sinner of his Savior; for we believe that, by the commission of his heavenly father, Jesus is "able to save, to the uttermost, all that come to God by him." We do not make light of the great work of redemption; for we believe that "the Father sent the Son, to seek and save them who were lost;""not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might have life." With these views of the mission and character of Jesus Christ, we have a broad foundation for Christian hope. We enjoy the spiritual consolation which the soul needs. We repose with perfect confidence in the promises of our Savior. It is the language of our hearts; "Lord, to whom shall we go but unto thee; thou only hast the words of eternal life;" believing in thee, "we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory."-George Ripley.

APPENDIX D.-p. 52.

When we wish to ascertain the opinions held by a particular church, at any given period, we naturally inquire in the first instance, whether such church had a written creed or formula of faith, and if so, we then refer to such creed as the best authority for what that church did believe.

Now it is in our power to give to the reader the several creeds which were adopted by the church during the first five centuries; and this will enable him to form his own opinion on the subject matter of our inquiry.

In the first century we meet with no other creed than the simple one contained in the scriptures, namely, that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah or Christ of God. This creed was the rock on which our Savior assured Peter that he would build his church, and that the gates of hell should never prevail over it.-Matt. xvi. 16-18. It was this creed, which the apostle Peter taught to the assembled Jews on the day of Pentecost.-Acts ii. 36. The apostle John wrote his Gospel for the special purpose of inculcating this simple creed.-John xx. 31. And when the apostle Paul was miraculously converted to a knowledge of the truth, the great burden of his preaching was, to convince his hearers that Jesus was indeed the Christ.-Acts ix. 22.

When converts were made from among the heathens, another article was necessarily added, expressive of the belief in one God, even the Father. These two articles constituted the two first in what is commonly called the apostles' creed, and are probably all in that creed which are of apostolical origin.

From the beginning of the second century to the year 325, the creed generally known as the Apostles' Creed, was the rule of faith in the church. This creed reads thus: "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into Hell; The third day he rose from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy Catholic Church; The communion of Saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting."

We do not give this creed as having been composed by one or more of the apostles; we believe it to be for the most part, the work of a subsequent time. Neither do we give it as having been composed at once, in the form in which it has come down to us; for we believe that several of the articles which it contains were added at different periods,

for the purpose of excluding from the communion of the church those who held opinions which were deemed by the majority to be erroneous. But we consider this creed

of importance in the inquiry in which we are engaged, as it shows us what were the opinions held in the church with respect to God and to Jesus Christ during the second and third centuries. There are several other creeds which may be found in the writings of the Fathers, particularly in those of Irenæus and Tertullian; but most, if not all of them are evidently mere glosses or amplifications of the apostles' creed.

In the year 325 was held the famous council of Nice, at which the Nicene creed was framed. This creed is as follows:

"We believe in one God, Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible: and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the begotten of the Father, the only begotten, that is, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father; by whom all things both in heaven and earth were made, who for us men, and our salvation, came down from Heaven, and was incarnate, and made man, and suffered, and rose again the third day, and ascended into Heaven, and shall come again to judge. the quick and the dead; and in the Holy Ghost. And the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes those who say, that there was a time when the Son of God was not; or that he was made out of nothing, or of another substance or essence, or that he was created, or mutable.”

The fourth and last creed which we shall give is that generally known by the name of the Athanasian. Not that this creed was composed by Athanasius, but because the unknown author, who composed it, in the fifth century, thought proper to give it as the work of that saint, for the purpose of giving it currency. It reads thus:

"Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic faith.

Which faith, except every one 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 sub

stance.

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 coeternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.

The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate.

The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, 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. 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 God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the Catholic religion to say, there be three Gods, or three Lords.

The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begot

ten.

The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten.

The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; nei ther 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 thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation, that he also believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For the right faith is, that we believe and confess, That our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man; God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man of the substance of his mother, born in the world;

Perfect God, and perfect man, of a reasonable soul, and human flesh subsisting;

Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father, as touching his manhood,

Who although he be God and man, yet he is not two, but one Christ;

One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of the manhood into God;

One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person.

For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ;

Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead;

He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty; from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their own works.

And they that have done good, shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the Catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved."

Here, then, we have the creeds of the Church during the first five centuries. The first thing which will strike eve ry one who peruses them with attention, is the great, the marked difference, which there is in their contents, showing that the belief of the church was essentially different at these different periods. He will also perceive the gradual transition which there was from one sentiment to another; and, as the first creed is avowedly the one held by Unitarians, and the last the one held by Trinitarians, the inference is irresistible that the church which was Unitarian in the