From the Fifth Century.
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 di-
viding the substance.
For there is one person of the Father, an-
other 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 uncreated, the Son uncreated,
and the Holy Ghost uncreated.
The Father unlimited, the Son unlimited,
and the Holy Ghost unlimited.
The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and
the Holy Ghost eternal.
And yet not three eternal, but one eternal.
As also, not three uncreated, nor three
unlimited; but one uncreated, and one un-
limited.
So likewise the Father is almighty, the
Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost almighty.
And yet not three almighty, but one al-
mighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, and
the Holy Ghost is God.
And yet 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 Chris-
tian verity, to acknowledge each person by
Himself to be God and Lord;
So are we forbidden by the Catholic Reli-
gion to say: There be three Gods, or three
Lords.
The Father is made of none, neither cre-
ated, 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 be-
gotten, 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 there is no before, nor
after; no greater, nor less.
But the whole three persons are co-eternal,
and co-equal.
So that in all things, as already said: 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 we also believe truly the In-
carnation 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, be-
gotten before the worlds; and man, of the
substance of his mother, born in the world;
Perfect God, and perfect man, of a reason-
able soul and human flesh subsisting;
Equal to the Father, according to His
Godhead, and inferior to the Father, accord-
ing to His manhood.
Who although He be God and man, yet
He is not two, but one Christ;
One, not by conversion of the Godhead
into flesh, but by assumption of the manhood
into God;
One altogether, not by confusion of sub-
stance, 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 Hades, rose again the third day from
the dead.
He ascended into heaven. He sitteth at
the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
from thence 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 truly and firmly, he cannot be
saved.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and
ever shall be, world without end. Amen.