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ARTICLES OF condemned, which say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny such as truly

repent.

XVII. Of Predestination and Election.

PREDESTINATION to Life is the everlasting purpose of God,

( before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath 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. which with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in 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 reiigiously 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 downfall, 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.

RELIGION.

XIX. Of the Church. THE visible Church of Christ is a con­

gregation

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 re­

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

quisite 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.

also are to accursed 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.

XX. Of the Authority of the Church. THE Church hath power to decree

or

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 not be ga­

And

thered together without the com­mandment and will of Princes. when they be gathered 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.

XXTI Of Purgatory

THE Romish Doctrine concerning Pur. THE gatory, 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.

IT

is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of publick preach­

the Congregation, before 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 publick anthority given unto them in the Congregation, to call and send Mi­nisters into the Lord's vineyard.