the Greek liturgy, is particularly used for a book containing the epistles of St Paul, printed in the order in which they are to be read in churches through the course of the year. Another book of the like kind, containing the Gospels, is called Ἐκκλησίας Γospel. The Apostle, of late days, has also contained the other canonical epistles, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Revelation. Hence it is also called Acts of the Apostles, Ἐκκλησίας; that being the first book in it.

Apostle is also thought by many to have been the original name for bishops, before the denomination bishop was appropriated to their order. Thus Theodore says expressly, the same persons were anciently called promiscuously both bishops and presbyters, while those who are now called bishops were called apostles.

Apostles' Creed, a formula or summary of the Christian faith, drawn up, according to Ruffinus, by the apostles themselves, as a rule of faith, and as a record of distinction, by which they were to know friends from foes. Baronius and some other authors conjecture that they did not compose it till the second year of the reign of Claudius, a little before their dispersion. As to their manner of composing it, some fancy that each apostle pronounced his article, which is the reason of its being called symbolum apostolicum; it being made up of sentences jointly contributed, after the manner of persons paying each their club (symbolum) or share of a reckoning.

But there are reasons which may induce us to question whether the apostles composed any such creed as this. For, first, neither St Luke in the Acts, nor any other ecclesiastical writer before the 5th century, makes any mention of an assembly of the apostles in order to the composing of a creed. Secondly, The fathers of the first three centuries, in disputing against the heretics, endeavoured to prove that the doctrine contained in this creed was the same which the apostles taught; but they never pretend that the apostles composed it. Thirdly, If the apostles had made this creed, it would have been the same in all churches and in all ages; and all authors would have cited it after the same manner. But the case is quite otherwise. In the second and third ages of the church there were as many creeds as authors, and one and the same author sets down the creed after a different manner in several places of his works, which is an evidence that there was not at that time any creed which was reputed the production of the apostles. In the fourth century Ruffinus compares together the three ancient creeds of the churches of Aquileia, Rome, and the East, which differ very considerably in the terms. Besides, these creeds differed not only in the terms and expressions, but even in the articles, some of which were omitted in one or other of them, such as those of the descent into hell, the communion of the saints, and the life everlasting. From these reasons it may be gathered, that though this creed may be said to be that of the apostles in regard to the doctrines contained therein, yet it is not to be referred to them as the authors and first composers of it. Who was the true author of it, it is not easy to determine, though its great antiquity may be inferred from this, that the whole form, as it now stands in the English liturgy, is to be found in the works of St Ambrose and Ruffinus, both of whom flourished in the fourth century.

APOSTOLIC, in the primitive church, was an appellation given to all such churches as were founded by the apostles; and even to the bishops of those churches, as being the reputed successors of the apostles. These were confined to four, viz. Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. In after-times other churches assumed the same quality, on account, principally, of the conformity of their doctrine with that of the churches which were apostolical by foundation, and because all bishops held themselves successors of the apostles, or acted in their dioceses with the authority of apostles.

APOSTOLICAL Fathers is an appellation usually given to the writers of the first century who employed their pens in the cause of Christianity. Of these writers, Coteletus, and after him Leclerc, have published a collection in two volumes, accompanied both with their own annotations and the remarks of other learned men.