ARTICLES of RELIGION. T I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity. Here is but One living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or paffion; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker, and preferver of all things both vifible and invifible. And in unity of this Godhead there be three Perfons of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost. II. Of the Word or Son of God, which was made very man. HE Son, which is the Word THE of the Father,begotten from everlasting of the Father, the very and eternal God of one fubftance with the Father, took mans nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, of her fubftance: fo that two whole and perfect natures, that is to fay, the Godhead and Manhood, were joined together in one Perfon, never to be divided, whereof is one Chrift, very God, and very Man, who truly fuffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a facrifice, not only for original guilt, but alfo for actual fins of men. III. Of the going down of Chrift into Hell. AS S Chrift died for us, and was buried fo alfo is it to be believed, that he went down into Hell. IV. Of the Refurrection of Christ. Hrift did truly rise again from death, and took again his body, with fiefh, bones, and all things appertaining to the Perfection of mans Nature, wherewith he afcended into Heaven, and there fitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day. V. Of the Holy Ghost. HE Holy Ghoft, proceed Ting from the Father and the Son, is of one Subftance, Majesty, and Glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God. VI. Of the fufficiency of the holy Scriptures for Salvation. Holy Scripture containeth all things neceffary to Salvation: fo that whatfover is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it fhould be believed as an Article of the Faith, or be thought requifite or neceffary to Salvation. In the name of the holy Scripture we do understand thofe Canonical Books of the Old and New Teftament, of whofe Authority was never any doubt in the Church. Of the Names and Number of the IV. Prophets the greater, Ecclefiaftes, or And the other Books (as Hierame faith) the Church doth read for example of life and inftruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to eftablish any Doctrine: Such are these following, The III. Book of Baruch the ProEfdras, phet, of the Commandments which are called Moral. VIII. Of the three Greeds. Creed, Athanafius's Creed, THE three Creeds, Nice and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed, ought throughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of holy Scripture. IX. Of Original or Birth-Sin. The IV. Book of The Song of the Riginal Sin ftandeth not in Efdras, The Book of Tobias, three Children, The Story of Sufanna, The Book of Ju- Of Bel and the dith, Dragon, The rest of the The Prayer of Book of Hefter, Manaffes, The Book of Wif- The I. Book of dom, Maccabees, Jefus the Son of The II. Book of Sirach, 1.Maccabees. All the Books of the New Teftament, as they are commonly received, we do receive and account them Canonical. VII. Of the Old Testament. HE Old Teftament is not TH contrary to the New: for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Chrift, who is the only Mediator between God and Man, being both God and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard, which feign that the Old Fathers did look only for tranfitory Promifes. Although the Law given from God by Mofes, as touching Ceremonies and Rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the Civil Precepts thereof ought of neceflity to be received in any Common-wealth: yet notwithfranding, no Chriftian man whatfoever is free from the obedience 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 ingendred of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteoufne's, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, fo that the flesh lufteth always contrary to the Spirit; and therefore in every perfon born into this world, it deferveth Gods 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, Ogivan oxenes, which fome do expound the wifdom, fome fenfuality, 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. TH X. Of free-will. HE condition of man after the fall of Adam, is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himfelf by his own natural ftrength and good works to faith, and calling upon God: Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleafant 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. XI. Of the juftification of Man. E accounted righteous not 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 W before God, only for the Chrift faith plainly, When ye 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 moft wholfome Doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expreffed in the Homily of Juftification. XII. Of good works. Lbeit that good Works, A which are the fruits of Faith, and follow after Juftification, cannot put away our fins, and endure the severity of Gods 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 difcerned by the fruit. have done all that are commanded XV. Of Chrift alone without fin. ture, was made like unto us in all things (fin only except). from which he was clearly void, both in his flesh, and in his fpirit. 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. XVI. Of fin after baptifm. от XIII. Of works before juflification. Ning every deadly fin, willWorks committed after Bapgrand unpardonable. Wherfore the tifm, is fin against the Holy Ghoft, Orks done before the grace of or ration of his Spirit, are not plea- 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 for XIV. Of works of Supererogation.giveness to fuch as truly repent. 7Oluntary Works, befides over and above Gods Com XVII. Of Predeftination and Election. Redeftination to life is the Predrafting mandments, which they call everlasting purpofe of God, Works of Supereroagation, can where? whereby (before the foundati-holy Scripture: And in our d he ons of the world were laid hath conftantly decreed, by his Counsel, fecret to us, to deliver from curfe and damnation, thofe whom he hath chofen in Chrift out of mankind, and to bring them by Chrift to everlasting falvation, as veffels made to honour. Wherefore they, which be endued with fo excellent a benefit of God, be called according to Gods purpofe by his Spirit working in due feafon: they through grace obey the calling: they be juftified freely: they be made fons of God by Adeption: they be made like the image of his only begotten Son Jefus Chrift: they walk religioufly in good works, and at length by Gods mercy they attain to everlasting felicity. As godly confideration of ings, that will of God is to followed, which we haxpe ly declared unto us in ne wo of God. XVIII. Of obtaininės eterna Salvation only by the name Chrift. that curfed, that prefume to fay Hey alfo are to be had ac every man thall be faved by the Law or Sect which he profel feth, fo 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. XIX. Of the Church. vifible Church Chrift Predeftination, and our Election Tisa Congregation of fabri in Chrift is full of fweet, pleafant, and unspeakable comfort to godly perfons, and fuch as feel in themfelves the working of the Spirit of Chrift. mortifying the works of the fleth, and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it doth greatly eftablish 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 Gods Predestination, is a moft dangerous downfall, whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into defperation, or into wretchlefnefs of moft unclean living, no lefs perilous than desperation. Furthermore, we must receive Gods Promifes in fuch wife as they be generally fet forth to us in faithful men, in the which the pure Wo: of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly miniftered according to Chrifts Ordinance, in all thofe things that of neceffity are requifite to the fame. As the Church of Hierufalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred; fo alio the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of Ceremonies, but alfo in matters of Faith. XX.Of the Authority of the Church. decree Rites or Cerem HE Church hath power nies, and Authority in Controv fies of Faith: And yet it is no lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Gods Word written, neither may it fo expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore although the Church be a Witness and a Keeper of Holy Writ, yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the fame, | to be les the fame ought it not to nfo. any thing to be believed for neceffity of falvation. XXI. Of the Authority of General Cour Is. GE Eneral Councils may not be gathered together without the Commandment and Will of Princes. And when they be gathered together (forafmuch as they be an affembly of men, whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and Word of God) they may err, and fometimes have erred, even in things pertaining unto God. Wherefore things ordained by them as neceffary to falvation, have neither ftrength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out of 'holy Scripture. XXII. Of Purgatory. HE Romish doctrine con Teri Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well of Images, as of Reliques, and alfo Invocation of Saints, is fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God. XXIII. Of Ministering in the Congregation. T is not lawful for any man to take upon him the Office of blick Preaching, or Miniftering The Sacraments in the Congrega='tion, before he be lawfully called, and fent to execute the fame. And those we ought to judge lawfully called and fent, which be chofen and called to this Work by men who have publick Authotity given unto them in the Congregation, = to call and fend Minifters into the Lords Vineyard. 3 Custom of the Primitive Church, of XXV. Of the Sacraments. Acraments ordained of Chrift Chriftian mens profeffion: but be not only badges or tokens rather they be certain fure witneffes, and effectual figns of grace, and Gods good will towards us, by the which he doth work invifibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him. There are two Sacraments ordained of Chrift our Lord in the Gospel, that is to fay, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord." Sacraments, that is to fay, Con Those five commonly called firmation, 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 Apoftles, partly are states of life allowed by the Scriptures: but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lords 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 ufe them. And in fuch only as worthily receive the fame, they have a wholfome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchafe to themselves damnation, as St. Paul faith. B b XXVI. Of |