believed before the Reformation. 1 It was this creed appear strange that many of the articles of the creed I had collected every word of a General Council which Council of Trent and the Vatican Council. It may which might reasonably seem to call for explanation variety of reasons. Firstly, I have not been able to faith. The explanations which I have here added to ground of the reasonableness of faith ; and, thirdly, if left without explanation are those which may be con- January 6, 1870. The same creed, slightly changed believers has been approached from the fundamental would not have contained them. For the explanation Council recited in the second session of the Council, 1 The Council of Trent held its first session just two month* This creed may, then, be taken as a fairly full and EXPLANATIONS OF THE CREEDS 19 find official explanations of every article and every the different articles are drawn from the Acts of the bore upon the articles and their terms this little book term in an article ; secondly, the articles which are which Pope Pius IX. and the fathers of the Vatican sidered common to believers, and the position of un- adequate definition of the chief heads of the Catholic before Luther died. are here left without any comment. This is due to a fession of faith represents what all the Western Church since the Vatican Council, is in use to-day.