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from the Liturg y * and great division of opinion has ever existed respecting it ; but we shall regret the day when the long-threatened storm of innovation commences with the expunging of this Creed . The Athanasian Creed
will never fall alone t New doctrines will creep in , and many well-tried institutions will perish in that convulsive change of opinion , which must agitate the nation before this and
other changes could be accomplished . The Athanasian Creed , though not the corner-stone of the-arch , is , as it were , a row of bricks in the outer wall of our house ; its removal is attended with danirer to the whole fabric !"
I shall & \ y nothing of the clearness of a Creed , in which no rational idea can attach to the words of which it is composed , nor of the condition of a minister of th € gospel , who is obliged to read publicly what in private is the
object of his reprobation , nor of the structure of a fabric , where the striking off an incumbering row of bricks in the outer wall , fails not to insure its destruction . I will , by way of contrast , introduce a paragraph from the works of the amiable and
conscientious Dr . John Jebb : the reader shall be left to form his own judgment . ¦ :- >> * ' Come forward , Athanasius , let us peruse thy impious and abominable Creed 1 Jet us expose to the
indignation of all mankind , that intolerant spirit which induced thee to indite it , ( if indeed thou didst indite it , ) and if we cannot prevail with our country * men to rise as one man , with a determined resolution for ever to abolish
such a reproach to human nature , at least we will indulge ourselves in the miserable consolation of lamenting , that a summary of faith so monstrously absurd , so contradictory to reason and to itself , so destructive of charity and peace , so dishonourable
to our ideas of the Almighty , so opposite to-the doctrine and example of the meek and lowly Jesus , could ever find a place in a Christian form of worship , could ever be countenanced by a Protestant prelate , could ever be established by an English Act of
Parliament , and thus , be permitted to transmit its pestilential virus into the maxims and morals of each succeeding generation . ' *\ The learned and pious Lardner , speaking of the Athaaoasiau Creed i »
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practical point of view , has these memorable expressions : €€ This and other like Creeds are inserted in almost all the Established Articles and Liturgies in Christendom . But is not this teaching unctiaritableness by au * thority ? And if any join in such
offices of religion , whilst they believe not the Creeds which they recite , or are supposed to recite , they are made to pass sentence of condemnation upon themselves . How great then is the
privilege to be at liberty to choose our religidn , and that way , of worship which , upon a serious consideration * and after careful and impartial examination , we think to be reasonable * scriptural and edifying I "
And Doddridge , with iris usual good sense and liberality , has these reflections on the subject : ——** How early did the spirit of bigo * try and imposition begin to work in the Christian Church , that fatal humour of imposing a yoke on the neck of Christ ' s disciples , by making
indifferent things necessary ! An unmanly and antichrisltau disposition , which has altnost ever since been rending the Church to pieces , and clamourousfy throwing the blame on those who have been desirous , on principles truly evangelical , to stand fast in the liberty with which their divine Master hath made 1 hem free . How foolish
and how mischievous the error of making terms of communion which Christ has never made ; and how pre » sumptuous the arrogance of invading his throne , to pronounce from thence damnatory sentences on those who will ndt , who dare not submit to our
uncommissioned and usurped authority ! Prudent undoubtedly was the part which the Antiochian Christians acted in sending messengers ( Acts xv . 1—11 ) , to the apostles for their determination . And it will be our prudence , now we can no longer in person consult those ambassadors of
Christie make their writings the man of our counse ) , and the standard both of our faith and worship ; appealing to the tribunal of Christ , our Master and Jud ^ e , from those uncharitable
insures , which we may sometimes incur even from his faithful , though mistaken servants , for retaining the simplicity of that religion vhieh thes * authorized interpreters' of his will taught . " JOitN EVAN&
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Mr . Evans on the Athanasian Creed . 58 $
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1818, page 539, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2480/page/3/
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