ARTICLES OF RELIGION.

Faith; insomuch that by them a| unpardonable. Wherefore the grant lively Faith may be as evidently of repentance is not to be denied known as a tree discerned by the to such as fall into sin after fruit. Baptism. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into i tosin, and by the grace of God we grace arise again, and amend our

XIII. Of Works before Justifi­cation. done

Wof Christ, and the Inspira- may find therefore they are to tion 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 School­authors say) deserve grace of con­gruity yea rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed

and commanded them to be done, PREDESTINATION to Life is

we nature of sin.

not but they

the everlasting purpose of God, whereby( before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath con­stantly decreed by his counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse

XIV. Of Works of Supererogation.

hath chosen in Christ out of man­damnation whom he kind, 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 accord­

due

ing to God's purpose by his Spirit working in 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.

over and above, God's Com­mandments, 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.

XV. Of Christ alone without Sin.

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.

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.

XVI. Of Sin after Baptism. NOT OT every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptism is sin against the Holy Ghost, and

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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

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