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faith, and not for our own works, or defervings. Wherefore that we are justified by faith only, is a moft wholsome doctrine, and very full of comfort,. as more largely is expreff ed in the homily of juftification.

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XII. Of Good Works.

Lbeit that good Works, which are the Fruits of Faith, and follow after juftification, cannot put away our fins, and endure the Severity 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 difcerned by the Fruit.

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XIII. Of Works before Jufification

WORKS done before the Grace of Chrift, and the Infpiration of his Spirit, are not pleafing to God, forafinuch as they fpring not of Faith in Jefu Chrift, neither do they make Men meet to receive Grace, or (as the Schoolauthors fay) deferve 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.

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Oluntary Works befides, over and above Gods Commandments, which they call works of Supererogation, cannot be taught without Arrogancy and Impiety, For by tham 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 Chrift faith plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded to you, fay, We are unprofitable Servants.

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XV. Of Christ alone without Sin.

Hrift 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 Flefh, and in his Spirit. He came to be a Lamb without Spot, who by Sacrifice of himself once made, fhould take away the Sins of the World: And Sin, 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

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XVI. Of Sin after Baptism.

OT every deadly Sin, willingly committed after Baptifm, is Sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the Grant of Repentance is not to be denied to fuch as fall into Sin after Baptifm. After we have received the Holy Ghoft, 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 fay, they can no more fin as long as they live here, or deny the Place of Forgiveness to fuch as truly repent.

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XVII. Of Predeftination and Election

Redeftination 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 thofe, whom he hath chofen in Chrift out of Mankind, and to bring them by Chrift to everlasting Salvation, 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 Seafon: 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 onlybegotten Son Jefus Chrift: They walk religioufly in good Works, and at length by Gods Mercy they attain to everlating Felicity.

As the godly Confideration of Predeftination, and our Election in Chrift, is full of fweet, pleafant and unfpeakable Comfort to godly Perfons, and fuch as feel in themfelves the working of the Spirit of Chrift, mortifying the Works of the Flefh, 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 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 yes the Sentence of Gods Pred ftination, is a most dangerous Downfall, whereby the Devil doth thruft them either into Defperation or into

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Wretchleffness of moft unclean Living, no lefs perilous than
Delperation.

Furthermore, we must receive Gods 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 exprefly declared unto us in the Word of God.

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

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HEY alfo are to be had accurfed that prefume to fay, that every Man fhall be faved by the Law or Sect 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 Jesus Christ, whereby Men must be faved.

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XIX. Of the Church.

HE 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 ministered 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; so alfo the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of Ceremonies, but also in matters of Faith.

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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 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 Salvation. XXI of 4 K

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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 Salvation, have neither Strength nor Authority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture.

XXII of Purgatory.

HE Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as weli 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.

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XXIII. Of miniftering in the Congregation.

T is not lawful for any Man to take upon him the Office of publick Preaching, or miniftering the Sacraments in the Congregation, before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the fame. And thofe we ought to judge lawfully called and fent, which be chofer and called to this Work by Men who have publick Authority given unto them in the Congregation to call and fend Minifters into the Lords Vineyard.

XXIV. Of Speaking 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 Cuftom of the Primitive Church, to have Publick Prayer in the Church, or to minifter the Sacraments in a Tongue not undertanded of the People.

XXV. Of the Sacraments.

Acraments ordained of Chrift be not only Badges or Tokens of Chritian Mens Profeffion, but rather they be certain fure Witneffes, and effectual Signs of Grace, and Gods good Will towards us; by the which he doth work invifibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but alfo ftrengthen and confirm our Faith in him.

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There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gofpel; that is to fay, Baptifin, 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 Gofpel; being fuch as are 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 Baptifm, and the Lords Supper, for that they have not any vifible 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 should duly use them. And in fuch only as worthily receive the fame, they have a wholesome Effect or Operation: But they that receive them unworthily purchase to themfelves Damnation, as Saint Paul faith.

XXVI. Of the unworthiness of the Minifters, which hinders not the Effect of the Sacraments.

Lthough in the Visible Church the Evil be ever mingled with the Good, and fometimes the Evil have chief Authority in the Minifteration of the Word and Sacraments: Yet, forafmuch as they do not the fame in their own Name, but in Chrifts, and do minifter by his Commiffion and Authority, we may ufe their Miniftery, both in hearing the Word of God, and in the receiving of the Sacraments. Neither is the Effect of Christs Ordinance taken away by their Wickednefs, nor the Grace of Gods Gifts diminished from fuch, as by Faith, and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministered unto them, which be effectual, becaufe of Chrifts Inftitution and Promife, although they be ministered by evil Men.

Nevertheless, it appertaineth to the Dicipline of the Church, that Enquiry be made of evil Minitters, and that they be accused by thofe that have Knowledge of their Offences; and finally, being found guilty, by juft Judgment be depofed.

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