"A standing fence": Waterland on the use of the Athanasian Creed
Firstly, he refutes the implication - favoured by 18th century English critics of orthodox Trinitarian faith - that the Athanasian Creed, because it was a later composition, should be suspect to Protestants. This characteristic use of 'anti-popery' sentiment to further a heterodox agenda is firmly rebutted. Secondly, against the allegation that it is "dry and insipid", he points to the Athanasian Creed as catechesis, as "Instruction", a means "to prevent Mistakes". The purpose of the recitation of this Creed is not to excite or enthuse, but to protect by "an abundant caution". Thirdly, he sees in this Creed "the Structure and Fabrick of the Christian Faith", an approach which perhaps shares some interesting similarities with Lindbeck's understanding of the "regulative" nature of doctrine, rules preventing the Church's discourse about God being disordered and disorienting.
The use of it is to be a standing Fence and Preservative against the Wiles and Equivocations of most kinds of Hereticks. This was well understood by Luther, when He called it, A Bulwark to the Apostles Creed ... And it was this and the like Considerations that have all along made it to be of such high Esteem among all the Reformed Churches, from the Days of their great Leader ...
A plain Argument that the Church, in forming of Creeds, early and late, went upon no such view, but upon quite another principle. The Design of all was, to keep up as strictly as possible the whole Compages [i.e. structure], or Fabrick of the Christian Faith as it stands in Scripture. And if any Part came to be attack'd, They were then to bend all their Cares to succour and relieve That Part, in order still to secure the Whole ...
If it be pleaded, that the Vulgar, knowing little of any of those Heresies, will therefore know as little of what the Creed means; and so to Them it may be at least dry and insipid, if not wholly useless: To This I answer; that there are no kinds of Hereticks but hope to make the Vulgar understand their Tenets respectively, and to draw them aside from the received Faith of the Church: And therefore it behoves the Pastors of the Church to have a standing Form, to guard the People against any such Attempts. The Vulgar will understand, in the general, and as far as is ordinarily to Them necessary, the main Doctrines of a Trinity in unity, and of God incarnate ...
There is no Hurt done to Them by abundant Caution ... It is not pretended that all are capable of seeing through every nicety, or of perceiving the full Intent and Aim of every part of This Form, and what it alludes to. But, as many as are capable of being set wrong in any one Branch, (by the subtlety of Seducers) are as capable of being kept right by This Rule given them ...
Upon the whole, I look upon it as exceeding useful, and even necessary for every Church to have some such Form as This, or something equivalent, open and common to all its Members; that none may be led astray for want of proper Caution, and previous Instruction in what so nearly concerns the Structure and Fabrick of the Christian Faith.
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