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XV. Of Christ alone without Sin. CHRIST in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things, fin only except, from which he was clearly void, both in his fleth, and in his Spirit. He came to be the 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 ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

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 fuch as truly repent.

XVII. Of Predeflination and Election.

PREDESTINATION to life is the everlafting purpofe of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath conftantly decreed by his counsel, fes cret to us, to deliver from curfe and damnation those whom he hath chofen in Chrift out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting falvation, as veffels made to honour. 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 feafon : they through grace obey the calling: they be juftified freely: they be made fons of God by adoption: they be made like the image of his only begotten Son Jefus Chrift they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.

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As the godly confideration of Predeftination, and our Election in Chrift, is full of fweet, pleafant, and unfpeak able comfort to godly perfons, and fuch as feel in themfelves 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

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of eternal falvation, to be enjoyed through Chrift, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God: fo, for curious and carnal perfons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the fentence of God's Predeftination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into defperation, or into wretchleffness of moft unclean living, no lefs perilous than desperation.

Furthermore, we must receive God's promifes in fuch wife, as they be generally fet forth to us in holy Scripture and in our doings, that will of God is to be followed, which we have exprefsly declared unto us in the Word of God.

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

HEY alfo are to be had accurfed, that prefume to say, that every man fhall be faved by the law or fect which he profeffeth, 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 saved.

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HE vifible 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 Chrift's ordinance, in all thofe things that of ne-.. ceffity are requifite to the fame.

As the Church of Jerufalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred; fo alfo 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 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 witness 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 neceflity of falvation.

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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 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.

THE

XXII. Of Purgatory.

THE Romifh doctrine concerning purgatory, pardons, worthipping, and adoration, as well of images, as of reliques, and alfo 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 miniftering in the Congregation,

T is not lawful for any man to take upon him the

ments in the congregation, before he be lawfully called and fent, to execute the fame. And those we ought to judge lawfully called and fent, which be chosen 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.

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

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T 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 minifter the Sacraments, in a tongue not understanded of the people.

XXV. Of the Sacraments.

ACRAMENTS ordained of Chrift be not only badges SACRAMES OF S Christian men's profeffion.; 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 ftrengthen and confirm our faith in him.

There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gofpel, that is to fay, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.

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commonly faid, that the Prieft did offer Chrift for the quick and the dead, to have remiffion of pain or guilt, were blafphemous fables, and dangerous deceits.

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XXXII. Of the Marriage of Priefis.

ISHOPS, Priefts, and Deacons, are not commanded by God's Law, either to vow the eftate of fingle life, or to abstain from marriage: therefore it is lawful for them, as for all other Chriftian men, to marry at their own difcretion, as they fhall judge the fame to ferve better to godlinefs.

XXXIII. Of excommunicate Perfons, bow they are to be avoided.

THAT perfon, which, by open denunciation of the Church, is rightly cut off from the unity of the Church, and excommunicated, ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithful, as an Heathen and Publican, until he be openly reconciled by penance, and received into the Church by a judge that hath authority thereunto.

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XXXIV. Of the Traditions of the Church.

Tis not neceffary that traditions and ceremonies be in all places one, or utterly like; for at all times they have been diverfe, and may be changed according to the diverfity of countries, times, and men's manners, fo that nothing be ordained against God's Word. Whoscever, through his private judgment, willingly and purpofely 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 other may fear to do the like,) as he that offendeth against the common order of the Church, and hurteth the authority of the Magiftrate, and woundeth the confciences 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, fo that all things be done to edifying.

XXXV. Of the Homilies.

THE HE fecond Book of Homilies, the feveral titles whereof we have joined under this Article, doth contain a godly and wholefome doctrine, and neceffary

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for thefe times, as doth the former Book of Homilies, which were fet forth in the time of Edward the Sixth; and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the Minifters, diligently and diftinctly, that they may be understanded of the people.

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Of the Names of the Homilies.

1. Of the Right Ufe of the Church.

2. Against Peril of Idolatry.

3. Of repairing and keeping clean of Churches,

4. Of good Works; first, of Fafling.

5. Against Gluttony and Drunkenness. 6. Against Excess of Apparel.

7. Of Prayer.

8. Of the Place and Time of Prayer.

9. That Common Prayers and Sacraments ought to be miniftered in a known tongue.

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10. Of the reverend Eftimation of God's Word.

11. Of Alms-doing.

12. Of the Nativity of Chrift.

13. Of the Paffion of Christ.

14. Of the Refurrection of Christ.

15. Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body

and Blood of Christ.

16. Of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost.

17. For the Rogation-days.

18. Of the State of Matrimony.

19. Of Repentance.

20. Against Idleness.

21. Against Rebellion.

XXXVI. Of Confecration of Bishops and Minifters. THE

HE Book of Confecration of Archbishops and Bifhops, and Ordering of Priefts and Deacons, lately fet forth in the time of Edward the Sixth, and confirmed at the fame time by authority of Parliament, doth contain all things neceffary to fuch confecration and ordering: neither hath it any thing that of itself is fuperftitious and ungodly. And therefore whofoever are confecrated or ordered according to the rites of that book, fince the fe→ cond year of the forenamed King Edward, unto this time, or hereafter fhall be confecrated or ordered according to the fame rites, we decree all fuch to be rightly, orderly, and lawfully confecrated and ordered.

XXXVII.

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