I perceive, however, that you would still have a “declaration of conformity to the Liturgy of the Church of England, as it is _now_ by law established.”—By _now_, I presume you are speaking of the Liturgy, as it shall be set forth _hereafter_, when every pebble of offence shall be taken away, and “every cause of uneasiness removed.” But _hic labor_, _hoc opus est_—take for instance the Athanasian Creed, you might be contented with the proposition of 1689 respecting it; but your brother petitioners the _Messrs. Hull_ exclaim, “let Subscription henceforward apply to a Prayer Book which _does not contain_ the Athanasian Creed.” {43a} Now, if this “_erroris expulsio_,” as it has been termed, was considered indispensable to the exclusion of the Arian “wolves,” even _after_ the imposition of the Nicene Creed,—are these wolves exterminated? Or is their nature so changed that they would harmlessly lie down with the lambs of our fold, were it not for those invidious fences that prevent their approach, nor seduce them from the fold, even were it fenceless? But, argue the _Messrs. Hull_, fences are of no use, for a wolf once upon a time got through one, meaning _Bishop Hoadley_. But they forget that like that treacherous one we read of in the nursery legend, the “Little Red Riding Hood,”—he disguised himself to effect his purpose. We have lately read of a chimney sweeper insinuating himself into her Majesty’s private apartments, but we have not heard in consequence of the abolition of the police force. But let it be admitted that our Liturgy, “that admirable book, next to the bible, the treasure and glory and safeguard of our reformed Church,” {43b} is not faultless; still, who when he looks upon the heterogeneous mass of so called improvements that have been already suggested, would not exclaim—“Let us but have our Liturgy continued to us as it is, until the men are born who shall be able to mend it or make it better, and we desire no greater security against either altering this or introducing another.” {43c} But as the subsidence of the _dissidia mutuasque suspiciones_, is a consummation more devoutly to be wished, than, I fear, _in these times_, to be looked for; I will in conclusion make a few observations in defence of the Subscription of the Clergy generally, to those _three points_ which you esteem so “indefensible;” but as my observations have already extended far beyond the limit I had contemplated, I must of necessity, be more brief than I could wish, or than justice to such subjects might seem to require—and first of the _Athanasian Creed_. “Full of information,” as _Hooker_ observes, “concerning that faith which _Arianism_ did so mightily impugn, and which was both in the _east_ and _west_ Churches accepted as a treasure of inestimable price, by as many as had not given up even the very ghost of belief.” {44a}