severity of God's judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out, necessarily, of a true and lively Faith; insomuch that by them a lively Faith may be as evidently known, as a tree discerned by the fruit.

XIII. Of Works before Justification.

WORKS done before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of his

spirit, are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ, neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the school-authors say) 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 sin.

XIV. Of Works of Supererogation.

VOLUNTARY Works besides, over and above God's Command

Vents, 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 sake, than of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

CHR

XV. Of Christ alone without Sin.

NHRIST 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 the Lamb without spot, who, by sacrifice of himself once made, should take away the sins of the world; and sin, as Saint John saith, was not in him. But all we the rest, although baptized, and born again in Christ, yet offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

XVI. Of Sin after Baptism.

OT every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptism is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after Baptism. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin; and, by the grace of God, we may arise again, and amend our lives. And, therefore, they are to be condemned, which say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

XVII. Of Predestination and Election.

REDESTINATION to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, constantly decreed by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore, they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called, according to God's purpose, by his spirit working in

PREDESTINATIO the foundations of

Voluntary works besides, over and above God's commandments, which they call works of supererogation, &c.]-Query-" Voluntary works, besides, or, over and above, God's commandments, &c.?"

due season: they, through grace, obey the calling; they be justified freely; they be made sons of God by adoption; they be made like the image of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ; they walk religiously in good works; and, at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.

As the godly consideration of Predestination, and our Election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable, comfort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of the spirit of Christ, 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 salvation, to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God; so, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's Predestination, is a most dangerous downfal, whereby the devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation.

Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scripture: and, in our doings, that Will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the Word of God.

XVIII. Of obtaining eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ.

HEY, also, are to be had accursed that presume to say, That every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth, so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law, and the light of nature. For holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved.

XIX. Of the Church.

THE visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.

As the Church of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred; so, also, the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of ceremonies, but, also, in matters of Faith.

THE

XX. Of the Authority of the Church.

HE Church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies, and authority in controversies 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 so 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 same, so, besides the same, ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation.

XXI. Of the Authority of General Councils.

ENERAL Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes. And when they be gathered

And the light of nature.]-In other words, by a fair and proper exercise of the ability, judgment, and opportunities, with which it has pleased nature, or rather, nature's God, to endow him.

together, (forasmuch as they be an assembly of men, whereof all be not governed with the spirit and Word of God,) they may err, and sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining unto God. Wherefore, things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture.

T

XXII. Of Purgatory.

HE Romish doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well of Images as of Reliques, and also Invocation of Saints, is a 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.

I preaching
T is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of public

Congregation,

he be lawfully called, and sent to execute the same. And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority, given unto them in the Congregation, to call and send Ministers into the Lord's vineyard. XXIV. Of speaking in the Congregation in such a tongue as the people understandeth.

T is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom to minister the Sacraments, in a tongue not understanded of the people. XXV. Of the Sacraments.

ACRAMENTS ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather, they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs, of grace, and God's good will towards us; by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm, our Faith in him.

There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.

Those five commonly called Sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles, partly are states of life allowed in 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 Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same they have a wholesome effect or operation : but they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint Paul saith.

XXVI. Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacrament.

ALTHOUGH in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with

the good, and sometimes the evil have chief authority in the minis

Of Purgatory.]-Supposed, by the Roman Catholics, to be an intermediate state between heaven and hell; in which souls are purged by fire from less heinous sins, in order to prepare them for heaven.

But yet have not like nature of Sacraments.]-Possessing neither matter, form, nor institution.

tration of the Word and Sacraments, yet, forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name, but in Christ's, and do minister by his commission and authority, we may use their Ministry, both in hearing the Word of God, and in receiving of the Sacraments. Neither is the effect of Christ's ordinance taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace of God's gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministered unto them; which be effectual, because of Christ's institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil

men.

Nevertheless, it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church, that enquiry be made of evil Ministers, and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences; and, finally, being found guilty, by just judgment be deposed.

XXVII. Of Baptism.

BAPTISM is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference,

whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of Regeneration or new Birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the promises of forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; Faith is confirmed, and Grace increased, by virtue of prayer unto God. The Baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained in the Church, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ.

TH

XXVIII. Of the Lord's Supper.

HE Supper of the Lord, is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another; but rather is a Sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death: insomuch, that to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith, receive the same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and, likewise, the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.

Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of bread and wine) in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by holy writ; but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions.

The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten, in the Supper, only after a heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper, is Faith.

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.

XXIX. Of the Wicked, which eat not the Body of Christ in the use of the Lord's Supper

as

HE Wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith, although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth (as Saint Augustine saith) the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, yet, in no wise, are they partakers of Christ: but rather, to their condemnation, do eat and drink the sign, or Sacrament, of so great a thing.

The Baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained in the Church.]-As the children of the Jews were admitted into the Jewish church by circumcision, so the children of Christians are admitted into the Christian church by baptism.

THE

XXX. Of both kinds.

Tthe cup of Toran Sacrament, by Christ's of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people; for both

mandment, ought to be ministered to all Christian men alike.

XXXI. Of the one Oblation of Christ, finished upon the Cross.

TH

HE offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction, for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that alone. Wherefore, the sacrifices of Masses, in the which it was commonly said, that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, were blasphemous fables, and dangerous deceits.

XXXII. Of the Marriage of Priests.

ISHOPS, Priests, and Deacons, are not commanded by God's Law,

therefore, it is lawful for them, as for all other Christian men, to marry at their own discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve better to godliness.

XXXIII. Of excommunicate Persons, how they are to be avoided.

THAT by of the Church, and excommunicated, ought HAT person which by open denunciation of the Church, is rightly

to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithful, as a Heathen and Publican, until he be openly reconciled by penance, and received into the Church by a Judge that hath authority thereunto.

XXXIV. Of the Traditions of the Church.

Ions, T is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places may be changed according to the diversities of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's Word. Whosoever through his private judgment, willingly and purposely, doth openly break the traditions and ceremonies of the Church, which be not repugnant to the Word of God, and be ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, (that others may fear to do the like,) as he that offendeth against the common order of the Church, and hurteth the authority of the Magistrate, and woundeth the consciences of the weak brethren.

Every particular, or national, Church, hath authority to ordain, change, and abolish, ceremonies or rites of the Church ordained only by man's authority, so that all things be done to edifying.

TH

XXXV. Of the Homilies.

HE second Book of Homilies, the several titles whereof we have joined under this Article, doth contain a godly and wholesome doctrine, and necessary for these times; as doth the former Book of Homilies, which were set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth; and, therefore, we judge them to be read in Churches by the Ministers, diligently and distinctly, that they may be understanded of the people.

Lay-people.]-All those persons who are not ministers in the Church.