QUICUNQUE VULT, Commonly called the Creed of Saint
Athanasius
Whosoever will be saved: before all things it is necessary that he
hold the Catholick Faith.
Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled: without
doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the Catholick Faith is this: That we worship one God in
Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
Neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the substance.
For there is one Person of the Father, another 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 uncreate, the Son uncreate: and the Holy Ghost
uncreate.
The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible: and the Holy
Ghost incomprehensible.
The Father eternal, the Son eternal: and the Holy Ghost
eternal.
And yet they are not three eternals: but one eternal.
As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated:
but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.
So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty: and the Holy
Ghost Almighty.
And yet they are not three Almighties: but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God: and the Holy Ghost is
God.
And yet they are 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 Christian verity: to
acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord;
So are we forbidden by the Catholick religion: to say there be
three Gods, or three Lords.
The Father is made of none: neither created 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 begotten, but proceeding.
So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons;
one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.
And in the Trinity none is afore, or after another: none is
greater, or less than another;
But the whole three persons are co-eternal together: and
co-equal.
So that in all things, as is aforesaid: 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 he also
believe rightly the Incarnation 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, begotten before the worlds:
and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world.
Perfect God, and Perfect Man: of a reasonable soul and human flesh
subsisting;
Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead: and inferior to the
Father, as touching 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 the taking
of the Manhood into God.
One altogether, not by confusion of Substance: 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 hell, rose again the
third day from the dead.
He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the
Father, God Almighty: from whence 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 Catholick Faith: which except a man believe faithfully,
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.
