ng us that God
has a Son, and equally incapable of assuring us that He has not a Son.
The Revelation assures us that He has a Son: and Reason cannot, in the
{91} nature of things, contradict that assurance. Reasoning can tell
us, and does tell us, that the Epistles (say) of St Paul to the
Galatians, Romans, and Corinthians were written, as they claim, by St
Paul; that the Gospels and other New Testament books are compositions
of the first century; that Christianity was accepted as true by
multitudes of the people of that century, and so on. But the
acceptance of the Faith was then, and still is, left to your choice--a
choice whether you will listen to God's Call to be His faithful son, or
reject it.

The Apostles' Creed.

The Apostles' Creed is a summary of those things which the Bible tells
us of God's Being. There can be no higher act of the soul of man than
to dwell Upon the Being and Attributes of God. It is a great step
upwards, to purify one's _life_ from evil. But plainly it is a further
and higher step, to purify the _soul_: for the man who refuses to _do_
evil is not so far on as the man who refuses to _feel_ and _think_
evil. It is however possible for him to reject evil only because it is
bad for himself. A life of selfishness may be wonderfully free from
the doing of evil. The Revelation in Jesus Christ is the Revelation of
God as the highest Aim, and of the Unselfish Life as the path to God.

A summary of what God has told us of His Being is most perfect for use
in Worship, when it is most free from discussion. A courtier is most
courtly when he is freest from doubts and suspicions of his king. {92}
The presence of discussion in a creed implies that there has been a
doubt.

The Apostles' Creed has no discussion in its clauses, and has been
called "The loving outburst of a loyal heart." (Harvey Goodwin.) It is
therefore the Creed of Worship and Praise.

The Nicene Creed is the Creed of Self-Examination. Discussion is
implied in some of its clauses.

The Athanasian Creed is a Guide to Thought concerning the nature of
God. It appeared on the scene at the close of many controversies--when
the Church had debated the various explanations of Revelation which had
been proposed, and was prepared to declare what God's children may
reverently say and think of their Father in Heaven. [See Chapter on
the Athanasian Creed.]

"I will worship toward thy holy temple and praise thy Name because of
t