Evidence, but probable only, and such as will be much confirm'd by other Evidences to be mention'd hereafter.

760

794

Regino, Abbot of Prom in Germany, an Author of the 9th and 1cth Century, has, among other Collections, fome Articles of Inquiry, suppofed by Baluzius the Editor to be as old, or very nearly, as the Age of Boniface Bishop of Mentz, who died in the Year 754. In those Articles, there is one to this purpose: "Whe"ther the Clergy have by Heart Athanafius's "Tract upon The Faith of the Trinity, beginning with whofoever will be faved &c. This Teftimony I may venture to place about 760, a little after the Death of Boniface.

THE Council of Frankfort, in Germany, in their 33d Canon give orders, that "The Catho«lick Faith of the holy Trinity, and Lord's Prayer, " and Creed be fet forth and delivered to "all.b

с

Voffius understands the Canon of the Two Creeds Nicene and Apoftolical. But I know not why the Apoftolical, or Roman, Creed fhould be emphatically called Symbolum Fidei, The

a Si Sermonem Athanafii Epifcopi de Fide Sancte Trinitatis, cujus initium eft, Quicunque vult Salvus effe, memoriter teneat. Regin. de Difcipl. Ecclef. 1. 1.

b Ut Fides Catholica Santa Trinitatis, & Oratio Dominica, atque Symbolum Fidei omnibus prædicetur, & tradatür. Concil. Francf. Can. 33.

c Voffius de tribus Symb. Differt. 3. c. 52. p. 528.

Creed,

1

Creed, in oppofition to the Nicene; nor why the Nicene fhould not be called a Creed, as well as the other, after the ufual Way. Befides, that Fides Catholica, &c. has been more peculiarly the Title of the Athanafian Creed: And it was no uncommon Thing, either before or after This Time, to recommend it in this manner together with the Lord's Prayer, and Apostle's Creed, just as we find here. And nothing could be at that Time of greater service against the Herefy of Felix and Elipandus (which occafion'd the calling of the Council) than the Athanafian Creed. For which Reasons, till I see better Reasons to the contrary, I must be of Opinion that the Council of Frankfort in their 33d Canon intended the Athanafian Creed, which Charles the Great had a particular Refpect for, and had presented in Form to Pope Adrian I. above 20 Years before; as we shall fee in another Chapter.

Theodulphus, Bishop of Orleans in France, has 809 a Treatife of the Holy-Ghoft, with a Preface to Charles the Great, written at a Time when the Dispute about the Proceffion began to make Disturbance. He brings feveral Teftimonies in favor of the Proceflion from the Son, out of Athanafius; and, among others, a pretty large part of the Athanafian Creed, from the Words, The Father is made of none, &c. to, He there

fore that will be faved must thus think of the Trinity, inclufive.

809

2

AN Anonymous Writer of the fame Time, and in the fame Caufe, and directing himself to the fame Prince, makes the like use of the Athanafian Creed, in the following Words; "St. Athanafius, in the Expofition of the Catho"lick Faith, which That great Mafter wrote "Himself, and which the Univerfal Church profeffes, declares the Proceflion of the Holy-Ghoft from the Father and Son, thus faying; The Father is made of none &c." This I cite upon the credit of Sirmondus in his Notes to Theodulphus.

809 IT was in the fame Year that the Latin Monks of Mount Olivet wrote their Apologe tical Letter to Pope Leo III, juftifying their Doctrine of the Proceffion from the Son, against one John of Jerufalem, a Monk too, of another Monaftery, and of an Oppofite Perfwafion. Among other Authorities, They appeal to The Faith of Athanafius, that is, to The Creed, as we now call it. This I have

a Item idem

Pater a nullo eft factus &c. ufque ad Qui vult ergo Salvus effe &c. Theodulph. apud Sirmondum Oper. Tom. 2. p. 978.

b Incertus Autor quem diximus, hoc ipfo utens teftimonio, Beatus, inquit, Athanafius, in Expofitione Catholice Fidei, quam ipfe egregius Doctor confcripfit, & quam univerfalis confitetur Ecclefia, Proceffionem Spiritus Sancti a Patre Filio declarat, ita dicens: Pater a nullo eft factus &c. Sirmond. Op. Tom. 2. p. 978. Conf. p. 967.

from

from Le Quien, the learned Editor of Damafcen, who had the Copy of that Letter from Baluzius, as He there fignifies. 2

a

Nor long after, Hatto otherwife called Hetto, 820 and Abyto, Bishop of Bafil in France, compofed his Capitular, or Book of Conftitutions, for the regulation of the Clergy of his Diocefs. Amongst other good Rules, This makes the 4th; "That They fhould have the Faith of Athanafius by Heart, and recite it at the Prime (that is, at 7 a Clock in the Morning) every Lord's Day. b

Agobardus of the fame Time, Archbishop 820 of Lyons, wrote against Felix Orgelitanus; where He occafionally cites part of the Athanafian Creed. His words are: "St. Athanafius fays, that except a Man doth keep the "Catholick Faith whole and undefiled, without " doubt He shall perish everlastingly.c

re

tr

IN the fame Age, flourished the famous $52

a In Regula Sancti Benedicti quam nobis dedit Filius vefter Dominus Karolus, quæ habet Fidem fcriptam de Sancta & inseparabili Trinitate; Credo Spiritum Sanctum Deum verum ex Patre procedentem Filio: Et in Dialogo quem nobis veftra Sanctitas dare dignata eft fimiliter dicit. Et in Fide S. Athanafii codem modo dicit. Monachi de Monte Oliv, apud Le Quien Differt. Damasc. p. 7.

b IVto. Ut Fides Sancti Athanafii a Sacerdotibus difcatur, & ex · corde, Die Dominico ad Primam recitetur. Bafil. Capitul. apud Harduin. Tom. IV. p. 1241.

c Beatus Athanafius ait; Fidem Catholicam nifi quis integram, inviolatamque fervaverit, abfque dubio in aternum peribit. Agobard. adv. Felic, c. 3. ed. Baluz.

C 3

Hing

Hincmar, Arch-Bishop of Rheims; who so often cites, or refers to the Creed we are speaking of, as a standing Rule of Faith, that it may be needless to produce the particular Paffages. I fhall content my felf with one only, more confiderable than the reft for the Ufe that is to be made of it hereafter. He directs his

Presbyters, " to learn Athanafius's Treatife of "Faith (beginning with whosoever will be

<6

faved) to commit it to memory, to under"fland its meaning, and to be able to give "it in common words; that is, I suppose, in the vulgar Tongue. He at the fame Time recommends the Lord's Prayer, and (Apostle's) Creed, as I take it, without mentioning the Nicene: Which I particularly remark for a reafon to be feen above. It is farther obfervable, that tho' Hincmar here gives the Athanafian Formulary the name of a Treatife of Faith; yet He elsewhere fcruples not to call it (Symbolum) a Creed: And He is, probably, as

c

a Unufquifque Presbyterorum Expofitionem Symboli atque Orationis Dominica, juxta Traditionem Orthodoxorum Patrum plenius difcat Pfalmorum etiam verba, & Diftinctiones regulariter, & ex corde, cum Canticis confuetudinariis pronuntiare fciat. Necnon & Sermonem Athanafii de Fide, cujus initium eft, Quicunque vult Salvus effe, memoriæ quifque commendet, fenfum illius intelligat, & verbis communibus enuntiare queat. Hincm. Capit. 1. Tom. 1. p. 710. ed. Sirmond.

b Vid. Hincm. Opufc. ad Hincmar. Laudunenfem. Tom 2.

P. 473.

C Athanafius in Symbolo dicens &c. de Pradeftin. Tom. 1. ·P. 399.

Sirmon