will not let his temper overcome him; but the victory would be to subdue temper on the present provocation. If, without taking up the burden of the future, we would always make the single effort at the present moment, while there would, at any one time, be very little to do, yet, by this simple process continued, every thing would at last be done.

It seems easier to do right to-morrow than to-day, merely because we forget that when to-morrow comes, then will be now. Thus life passes with many, in resolutions for the future, which the present never fulfils.

It is not thus with those, who, "by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, honor, and immortality." Day by day, minute by minute, they execute the appointed task, to which the requisite measure of time and strength is proportioned; and thus, having worked while it was called day, they at length rest from their labors, and their "works follow them."

Let us then, "whatever our hands find to do, do it with all our might, recollecting that "now is the proper and accepted time."

From the Unitarian Miscellany.na?.

ATHANASIAN CREED.

A CORRESPONDENT has intimated to us, that some account of the Athanasian Creed would be acceptable to many of our readers. He says, that tho it is often referred to in our work, there are numbers who have never seen such a creed, and who know nothing of its contents. We thank him for his suggestion, and will readily give the information desired. We have been so long familiar with this extraordinary production ourselves, that we had not adverted fo the circumstance of its rejection from the prayerbook of the American Episcopal Church, and of its being consequently almost unknown in our country. excepting to professed students. There is not per

haps a single protestant: place of worship, in the United States, in which the Athanasian Creed is read or received. And for this we have reason to be thankful.

We will commence our account of this confession of faith, with a few notices of its history. In the first place, it is pretty evident that it was not composed by the bishop, whose name it bears. The principal reasons on which the learned found this conclusion are these. It is not contained, nor even alluded to, in any of the genuine works of Athanasius. It is not mentioned by any of the writers who immediately succeeded him. It was not appealed to in the controversies between the Eastern and Western Churches, in -the seventh and ninth centuries. It was not cited till about the year 800, nor received into the church till about the year 1000, altho Athanasius died as early as the year 373. The learned Fabricius is of opinion that it was composed in Latin, long after the fifth century, and subsequently translated into Greek. It is probable therefore that it was not in existence till some centuries after the death of Athanasius; and that it received his name, on account of his having been, throughout his life, the staunch champion of the doctrine of the trinity.

The Athanasian Creed is either authorized or allowed by the Greek Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Established Church of England; that is, by a great majority of the Christian world. It is appointed to be "sung or said," in the English Church, thirteen times a year, at morning prayer, instead of the Apostles' Creeds dos dous

The Episcopal Church of America, at a Convention from seven of the States, held in Philadelphia, in the year 1785, had the wisdom to exclude this confession from their prayer book; and notwithstanding the exhortation of the archbishops of Canterbury and York, to receive it again into the service, they persisted in ⚫its exclusion

9We will now.copy, entire, this celebrated creed

from the English Book of Common Prayer; without entertaining the least fear that any of our readers will be converted by it.

THE CREED OF ST. ATHANASIUS.

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 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 equal, the majesty co-eternal. 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 there 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 there are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.

So the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God, and yet there 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 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 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 altho 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,

There! that is the Athanasian Creed ;-a long, antithetical, damnatory chapter of contradictions and absurdities, laid down as an infallible "exposition of the Gospel of peace, pardon, and love.

It has been remarked of it, that, in its primary principles, it consisted of two parts, of doctrines, and of curses; the former of which are not intelligible, and the latter were. "If it were the reverse," says Dr. Jortin, "it would have been more for the credit of the writer." For our own parts, we read these same curses with the excited, and not unpleasant emotions, with which we should read a high flight of imaginative poetry. Not that we invariably peruse them with this feeling; for we are filled with sorrow and indignation, when we revert to those dark times, in which an ecclesiastical curse was no matter of poetry, but a very serious thing; and we thank God, that altho we are not even now in the fall light, yet the palpable darkness of those ages has past away. When unoccupied by such reflections, however, we cannot help being amused with the high-handed and daring confi

dence of what are called the "damnatory clauses" of this composition. Let us just look back to the second clause. "Which Faith," that is, the string of mysticisms which follows, "except every one do keep whole, and undefiled," what will be the consequence? Why, "WITHOUT DOUBT he shall perish everlastingly." We call that, the sublime of theological impudence.

"If it were considered concerning Athanasius' creed," says Jeremy Taylor, in his 'Liberty of Prophesying, "how many people understand it not, how contrary to natural reason it seems, how little the Scripture says of those curiosities of explication, and how tradition was not clear for the article itself, much less for those forms and minutes, it had not been amiss if the final judgement had been left to Jesus Christ; and indeed to me it seems very hard to put uncharitableness into the creed, and so to make it become as an article of faith."

ATTEMPT AT CONVERSION.

While Mr. Murray was a member of Mr. Whitefield's church, a young lady was, as he supposed, deluded by the Universalists, to join their standard; and Mr. M. made one of a committee to visit and reclaim her. The following is his own account of the matter.

"The young lady received us with much kindness and condescension; while, as I glanced my eye upon her fine countenance, beaming with intelligence, mingled pity and contempt grew in my bosom. After the first ceremonies, we sat for some time silent; at length I drew up a heavy sigh, and uttered a pathetic sentiment, relative to the deplorable condition of those, who live, and die in unbelief; and I concluded a violent declamation, by pronouncing, with great earnestness, He that believeth not, shall be damned.

"And pray, Sir," said the young lady, with great sweetness, "Pray, Sir, what is the unbeliever damned for not believing ?"

What is he damned for not believing? Why, he is damned for not believing.