Book of Common Prayer (1892)/The Creed of St Athanasius

1462477Book of Common Prayer (1892) — The Creed of St Athanasius
Vpon these Feasts; Christmas day, the Epiphany, Saint Matthias, Easter day, Ascension day, Whitsunday, Saint John Baptist, Saint James, Saint Bartholomew, Saint Matthew, Saint Simon, and Saint Jude, Saint Andrew, and vpon Trinity Sunday shall be sung, or said at morning Prayer, instead of the Apostles Creed, this Confession of our christian Faith, commonly called the Creed of Saint Athanasius, by the Minister and people standing.

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Quicumque vult Whosoever will be saved : before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith.

Which Faith, except every one do keepe whole and vndefiled : without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.

And the Catholick Faith is this : that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in vnity.

Neither confounding the persons : nor dividing the Substance.

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 equall, the Majesty coeternall.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son : and such is the holy Ghost.

The Father vncreate, the Son vncreate : and the holy Ghost vncreate.

The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible : and the holy Ghost incomprehensible.

The Father eternall, the Son eternall : and the holy Ghost eternall.

And yet they are not three eternals : but one eternall.

As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three vncreated, : but one vncreated, and one incomprehensible.

So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty : and the holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almightyes : 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 himselfe to be God and Lord.

So are we forbidden by the Catholick religion : to say there be 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 lesse then another.

But the whole three persons are coeternall together : and coequall.

So that in all things, as is aforesaid : the Vnity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Vnity is to be worshipped.

He therefore that will be saved : must thus thinke 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 confesse : that our Lord Iesus 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, borne in the world.

Perfect God, and perfect man : of a reasonable soule, and humane flesh subsisting.

Equall to the Father, as touching his Godhead : and inferiour to the Father, as touching his manhood.

Who although he be God and man : yet he is not twoe, but one Christ.

One, not by Conversion of the Godhead into Flesh : but by takeing of the manhood into God.

One altogether, not by Confusion of Substance : but by Vnity of person.

For as the reasonable soule and Flesh is one man : So God and man is one Christ.

Who suffered for our Salvation : descended into hell; rose againe 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 iudge the quicke and the dead.

At whose coming all men shall rise againe 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 evill into everlasting fire.

This is the Catholick Faith : which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved.


Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.