inhabit respectively. (Rom. ii. 14; I Cor. xv. 40-1; Rev. xxi. 1.)

7. Idle curiosity about such things was sharply rebuked by Christ. The spirit will in every case return to God, Whose mercy is over all His works ; and the Judge of all the earth will be sure to do right in dealing with it. (S. Luke xiii. 2, 23; S. John xxi. 22; 1 Cor. v. 13; 1 Tim. i. 13; Gen. xviii. 25; Eccles. xii. 7; Trin. Coll. 11.)

THE ATHANASIAN

CREED.

But

"Before all things, NeceSSARY.”

And to

1. Before Baptism, Faith is necessary. what Faith? Faith in what or whom? what extent? (Heb. xi. 6; Acts xiii. 37; xvi. 31-3.)

2. Man not being irrational, or a mere machine, has perfect freedom of will, and liberty of action; so that having it in his own power to choose or refuse Good or Evil, False or True, when presented to him, he is without excuse if he takes the wrong course; and cannot justly complain if he suffers by doing so. (Deut. xxx. 19; Josh. xxiv. 15; 1 Kings xviii. 21; Acts xiii. 46; Ps. vii. 12; 1 Cor. i. 18; Phil. ii. 13; Heb. ii. 3.) 3. Analogy of a Society or Club. No one is compelled to join. But whosoever "wills" (i.e., wishes, resolves, determines) to become a member and share its offered privileges, must, before all other things, ascertain what are his responsibilities; the conditions of membership, laws by which it is governed, &c.; and then, must honourably fulfil his obligations.

4. Analogy of a Race.

No one is obliged to enter. But whoever wishes

to do so, must first of all learn the conditions upon which it is to be run; the terms of Entrance, the length, direction, &c., of the Course; and must then be careful to run accordingly. He who has these terms offered to him, and from whatever cause wilfully rejects them, will obviously lose. all chance of the Prize for which he refuses to enter.

Winning the Prize " 'Entrance," howThe Runner must towards the mark

5. It is equally obvious, that does not depend upon the mere ever essential as a preliminary. not only start well, but press with continuous perseverance, keep his eye fixed on the goal, and keep on steadily to the end. (1 Cor. ix. 24-7; Heb. xii. 1; S. Matt. x. 22.)

6. Christ is the "Author and Finisher of the faith." He is the Alpha and Omega of the Divine Life in the soul of MAN. It is He Who "Authorizes" or inaugurates the Race, offers the Prize, and states the Conditions. In His Name, the Candidates enter for it at Baptism. And He it is, Who, after watching the struggle throughout with. tender anxiety, and renewing their energies from time to time with "strengthening and refreshing' in the Holy Eucharist, stands conspicuous at the "Finish" for them to look unto, with crowns for the successful competitors. (Heb. xii. 2; Acts xx. 24; 2 Tim. iv. 8; Rev. i. 8; Col. iii. 3; Ps. ciii. 5.)

7. This Metaphor of the Apostle explains clearly the difference between three things which are often mixed up, viz., REGENERATION, RENOVATION, and CONVERSION. "Regeneration," like Birth, is simply the Starting point in the race, and a singleevent. "Renovation" is the Renewal of strength on the Course by refreshment, which is a continuous

process.

"Conversion" is the Turning back out of the wrong path, and getting set right again, which of course may happen more than once. The two former are Divine, the third is Human, being purely a matter of intellect and will, as indicated by the use of the Active Verb ЄπισтрЄÓW in S. Matt. xiii. 15; S. Luke xxii. 32; Acts iii. 19; ix. 35; xiv. 15; xxvi. 18, 20; &c., where however it is translated Passive by the Calvinistic bias of the time.

The same S. John who says, "Whoso is born of God does not commit sin," says also, "If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves," &c.; and again, "He that committeth sin is the Devil.” Hence it is evident, that S. John is not speaking of ordinary sin and sinfulness to which we are all liable, as "of Adam," but of wilful, deliberate, habitual sin, as "of the Devil"; he is speaking, not of the slips, stumbles, deviations, &c., to which all runners are exposed, but of wrong-doing and foul play, wrought willingly and intentionally, at the suggestion of Antichrist. (1 S. John i. 8; iii. 8, 9.)

8. "Which Faith . . . . perish everlastingly." Esau had "exceeding great and precious promises" as his Birthright; and was thus well started in the Race. But he did not "hold" or "keep" them faithfully; because he either profanely despised them as not worth a struggle, or else did not believe that God could or would make an effort to keep him in life, until the time should come for their fulfilment. In either case, he lost them; and as Heir, went into nothingness, or perished everlastingly, for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. (Gen. XXV. 32~4; Heb. vi. 4-6; x. 23; xii. 16, 7;

S. Luke ix. 52; Rev. ii. 10; iii. 11; S. Matt. xxii. 8; xxv. 28; Rom. xi. 20.)

9. "Salvation" and "Saint" (like “Faithful") have a meaning now, very different from the ancient one. Formerly, they both referred to the commencement of the Christian course. Now, they are both used almost exclusively of its termination. In the same way, Christ's "Passion" and "Atonement are now widely regarded as being concerned with the Crucifixion only: whereas they both began with the Nativity, and were continued through the thirty-three years of His sojourn among the squalid miseries of this sinful world, when His righteous soul could not fail to be vexed from day to day with the filthy conversation of the wicked and their unlawful deeds. (2 S. Peter ii. 8.)

66

10. Thus the Apostles always address their converts as "Saved," "Saints," "Elect," "Faithful," "Holy Brethren," &c.; because they had gladly received the Word when "called" to Baptism, wherein they were Added to the Faith," "Sanctified by the Holy Ghost," and thus rendered "Holy" as Members of Christ, so as to be in a "State of Salvation." (Acts ix. 13, 32, 41; Rom. i. 7; 1 Cor. i. 2, 18; &c.) II. (a) Hence S. Peter speaks in the ordinary vein when he says, Nos nunc salvos facit Baptisma"; i.e., Baptismal Water now has the same saving power that the Flood possessed in the time of Noah; and by it, Christians are placed in a state of safety similar to that of the Ark, which kept its occupants from harm so long as they stayed within, and fulfilled the conditions of their tenancy. (1 S. Pet. iii. 21.)

(b) The same usage occurs in the Offices of Private and Public Baptism; where the phrase, "Residue of Thy Saints," in the former, corresponds with "Residue of Thy Holy Church" in the latter. (Vid. Thanksgiving for Regeneration.)

12. QUICUNQUE VULT. General observations. (a) Date; about 5th century.

Author; probably S. Hilary, Bishop of Arles. Subject Matter; Apostles' Creed expanded by argument and illustration.

Design; to embody such explanations, &c., as were traditionally used by S. Athanasius and other champions of the Faith, against Arius and other heretics at the Council of Nicæa, A.D., 325.

(b) Not a Baptismal Creed; but rather a Confession or Profession of Faith, to be sung by Advanced Christians in public worship; for which purpose it is "Pointed" like the Psalms; and, like them, has the "Gloria ” appended. So that in ancient Office Books it is entitled the "Psalm QUICUNQUE."

(c) Ought thoroughly to be received and believed; for it may be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture." (Art. viii.) (d) "Received and Believed,"-like the Apostles" Creed, not on the authority of the reputed Author or Authors, but of the Church Catholic which has been its "Witness and Keeper," as of Holy Writ. (Art. xx.)