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be given, not only to protest infidels, but also to many wild thoughtless persons, who would fain believe that Religion, like every thing else, needs to be radically reformed."
"But, Richard," I said, "you are not, I suppose, so vain as to imagine that our Church Reformers will be willing to keep the Prayer Book just as it is, merely because you and I and a few more admire some of the clauses in this Creed."
"Sir," said he, "you may be sure I never imagined such a thing. I was not presuming to give an opinion, whether or not the Prayer Book is likely to be improved by any alterations which may be made in it. I was only excusing myself for being lothe to part with the Athanasian Creed."
"But," said I, "will you now tell me what conclusion you came to in your enquiry into the intention of the Church in appointing this and the other two Creeds to be used.
"I remembered," he said, "that I had heard you, Sir, or some one whose opinion I could take on these subjects, make an observation, that the three Creeds were not written all at the same time, but at three different periods. That the Apostles' Creed was made first, either in the time of the Apostles, or very soon after. That the Nicene Creed came next, after an interval of two hundred years or more. And that then again, after another considerable space, I think I understood more than a century, followed the Creed of St. Athanasius, as it was called.
"So it came into my thoughts that the Church seemed to act like a tender mother very anxious for her children, from the very first; but growing still more and more anxious as they grow older, are more exposed to dangers, and yet less and less willing to yield themselves to her control.
"Thus it may seem, that in the most ancient, the Apostles' Creed, a plain simple rule of faith is given.
"In the next, the Nicene Creed, the same rule is laid down, but more at length, and in a tone of anxiety and caution as if the enemy were at hand.
"But in the last, the Athanasian Creed, where still the very same rule of faith is laid down, the alarm is loudly sounded, there is throughout an expression of urgent warning, as needful for per-
