withstanding, no Chriftian man what foever is free from the obedience of the Commandments which are called moral.

ART. VIII. Of the Creeds.

The Nicene Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles' Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of holy Scripture.

ART. IX. Of Original or Birth-Sin.

Original Sin ftandeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk); but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lufteth always contrary to the Spirit; and therefore in every perfon born into this world, it deferveth God's wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated; whereby the luft of the flesh, called in Greek górna oagnòs, which fome do expound the Wisdom, fome Senfuality, fome the Affection, fome the Defire of the flesh, is not fubject to the Law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized; yet the Apoftle doth confefs, that concupifcence and luft hath of itself the nature of fin.

ART. X. Of Free-will.

The condition of man, after the fall of Adam, is fuch, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural ftrength and good works, to faith, and calling upon God: wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Chrift preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.

ART. XI. Of the Juftification of Man. •

We are accounted righteous before God, only for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, by Faith; and not for our own Works or Defervings. Wherefore, that we are juftified by Faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very

full

full of comfort, as more largely is expreffed in the Homily of Juftification.

ART. XII. Of good Works.

'Albeit that good Works, which are the fruits of Faith, and follow after juftification, cannot put away our fins, and endure the feverity of God's Judgment; yet are they pleafing and acceptable to God in Chrift, and do fpring out neceffarily of a true and lively Faith; infomuch that by them a lively Faith may be as evidently known, as a tree discern, ed by the fruit.

ART. XIII. Of Works before Juftification.

Works done before the grace of Chrift, and the infpiration of his Spirit, are not pleafant to God, forafmuch as they spring not of faith in Jefus Chrift, neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the School-Authors fay) deserve grace of congruity: yea rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of fin.

ART. XIV. Of Works of Supererogation.

Voluntary Works besides over and above God's Commandments, which they call works of Supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety. For by them men do declare, that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his fake, than of bounden duty is required: Whereas Christ faith plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded to you, fay, We are unprofitable fervants.

ART. XV, of Chrift alone without Sin,

Chrift in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things, (Sin only except) from which he was clearly void, both in his flesh, and in his spirit. He came to be a lamb without fpot, who by facrifice of himfelf once made, fhould take away, the fins of the world; and fin (as St. John faith) was not in him. But all we the reft (although baptized and born again in Chrift) yet offend in many things; and if we fay we have no fin, we deceive ourfelves and the truth is not in us,

ART,

ART. XVI. Of Sin after Baptifm.

Not every deadly fin, willingly committed after Baptifm, is fin against the Holy Ghoft, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to fuch as fall into fin after Baptifm. After we have received the Holy Ghoft we may depart from grace given, and fall into fin, and by the grace of God (we may) arife again, and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned, which fay, they can no more fin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

ART. XVII. Of Predeftination and Election.

Predestination to life is the everlafting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath conftantly decreed, by his counsel, fecret to us, to deliver from curfe and damnation, those whom he hath chosen in Chrift out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting falvation, as veffels made to honor. Wherefore

they, which be endued with fo excellent a benefit of God, be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due feason they through grace obey the calling; they be juftified freely they be made Sons of God by adoption : they be made like the image of his only begotten Son Jefus Chrift: they walk religioutly in good works, and at length by God's mercy they attain to everlasting felicity.

As the godly confideration of Predeftination, and our Election in Chrift is full of fweet, pleafant, and unspeakable comfort to godly perfons, and fuch as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Chrift, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal falvation, to be enjoyed through Chrift, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God: So, for curious and carnal perfons lacking the Spirit of Chrift, to have continually before their eyes the Sentence of God's Predeftination, is a moft dangerous downfall, whereby the Devil doft thruft them either into defperation, or into wretchleffnefs of moft unclean living, no lefs perilous than defperation.

Furthermore, we must receive God's Promifes in fuch wife as they be generally fet forth to us in holy Scripture: And

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in our doings, that will of God is to be followed, which we have expreffly declared unto us in the word of God.

ART. XVIII. Of obtaining Eternal Salvation only by the Name of Chrift.

They also are to be had accursed, that prefume to say, that every man fhall be faved by the Law or Sect which he profeffeth, so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law, and the Light of Nature. For holy Scripture doth.fet out unto us only the Name of Jefus Chrift, whereby men must be faved.

ART. XIX. Of the Church.

The visible Church of Chrift is a Congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly miniftered according to Christ's Ordinance, in all thofe things that of neceffity are requifite to the fame.

As the church of Hierufalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred; fo alfo the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of Ceremonies, but alfo in matters of Faith.

ART. XX. Of the Authority of the Church.

The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and Authority in Controverfies of Faith: And yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's Word written; neither may it fo expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore, although the Church be a Witnefs and a Keeper of Holy Writ, yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the fame, fo befides the fame ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for neceffity of falvation.

ART. XXI. Of the Authority of General Councils.*

ART. XXII. Of Purgatory.

The Romish doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well of Images, as of Reliques, and alfo Invocation of Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented,

*The 21st of the former articles is omitted, because it is partly of a local and civil nature, and is provided for, as to the remaining parts of it, in other articles.

and

and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the word of God.

ART. XXIII. Of Miniftering in the Congregation.

It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the Office of Public Preaching, or Miniftering the Sacraments in the Congregation, before he be lawfully called, and fent to execute the fame. And thofe we ought to judge lawfully called and fent, which be chofen and called to this Work by men who have public Authority given unto them in the Congregation, to call and fend Minifters into the Lord's Vineyard.

ART. XXIV. Of fpeaking in the Congregation in fuch a Tongue_ as the People understandeth.

It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the Custom of the Primitive Church, to have Public Prayer in the Church, or to Minister the Sacraments in a Tongue not understanded of the People.

ART. XXV. Of the Sacraments.

Sacraments ordained of Chrift be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's Profession: but rather they be certain fure witneffes, and effectual figns of grace, and God's good will towards us, by the which he doth work invifibly in us and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirin our faith in him.

There are two Sacraments ordained of Chrift our Lord in the Gospel, that is to fay, Baptifm, and the Supper of the Lord.

Those five commonly called Sacraments, that is to fay, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being fuch as have grown, partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles, partly are ftates of life allowed by the Scriptures; but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lord's Supper, for that they have not any visible Sign or Ceremony ordained of God.

The Sacraments were not ordained of Chrift to be gazed upon, or to be carried about, but that we fhould duly use them. And in fuch only as worthily receive the fame, they