(1) Whoever
desires to be saved must above all things hold to the catholic faith.
(2) Unless a man keeps it in its entirety inviolate, he will
assuredly perish eternally.
(3) Now
this is the catholic faith, that we worship one God in trinity and
trinity in unity, (4) without either confusing the persons,
or dividing the substance. (5) For the Father's person
is one, the Son's another, the Holy Spirit's another; (6) but
the Godhead of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one, their
glory is equal, their majesty is co-eternal.
(7) Such
as the Father is, such is the Son, such is also the Holy Spirit.
(8) The Father is uncreate, the Son uncreate, the Holy Spirit
uncreate. (9) The Father is infinite, the Son infinite,
the Holy Spirit infinite. (10) The Father is eternal,
the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal. (11) Yet there
are not three eternals, but one eternal; (12) just as
there are not three uncreates or three infinites, but one uncreate
and one infinite. (13) In the same way the Father is almighty,
the Son almighty, the Holy Spirit almighty; (14) yet there
are not three almighties, but one almighty.
(15) Thus
the Father is God, the Son God, the Holy Spirit God; (16) and
yet there are not three Gods, but there is one God. (17) Thus
the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, the Holy Spirit Lord; (18) and
yet there are not three Lords, but there is one Lord. (19) Because
just as we are compelled by Christian truth to acknowledge each person
separately to be both God and Lord, (20) so we are forbidden
by the catholic religion to speak of three Gods or Lords.
(21) The
Father is from none, not made nor created nor begotten. (22) The
Son is from the Father alone, not made nor created but begotten.
(23) The Holy Spirit is from the Father and the Son, not made
nor created nor begotten but proceeding. (24) So there
is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy
Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. (25) And in this trinity
there is nothing before or after, nothing greater or less, (26) but
all three persons are co-eternal with each other and co-equal.
(27) Thus in all things, as has been stated above, both trinity
and unity and unity in trinity must be worshipped. (28) So
he who desires to be saved should think thus of the Trinity.
(29) It
is necessary, however, to eternal salvation that he should also believe
in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. (30) Now
the right faith is that we should believe and confess that our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is equally both God and man.
(31) He
is God from the Father's substance, begotten before time; and He is
man from His mother's substance, born in time. (32) Perfect
God, perfect man composed of a human soul and human flesh, (33) equal
to the Father in respect of His divinity, less than the Father in
respect of His humanity.
(34) Who,
although He is God and man, is nevertheless not two, but one Christ.
(35) He is one, however, not by the transformation of His
divinity into flesh, but by the taking up of His humanity into God;
(36) one certainly not by confusion of substance, but by oneness
of person. (37) For just as soul and flesh are one man,
so God and man are one Christ.
(38) Who
suffered for our salvation, descended to hell, rose from the dead,
(39) ascended to heaven, sat down at the Father's right hand,
from where He will come to judge the living and the dead; (40) at
whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies, and will render
an account of their deeds; (41) and those who have done
good will go to eternal life, those who have done evil to eternal
fire.
(42) This
is the catholic faith. Unless a man believes it faithfully and steadfastly,
he cannot be saved. Amen.
Back
to Creeds and Confessions
