ARTICLES OF RELIGION.

And the other Books( as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for ex­ample of life and instruction of man­ners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine; such are these following:

The Third Book of Esdras, The Fourth Book of Esdras, The Book of Tobias, The Book of Judith,

The rest of the Book of Esther, The Book of Wisdom, Jesus the Son of Sirach, Baruch the Prophet,

The Song of the Three Children, The Story of Susanna, Of Bel and the Dragon, The Prayer of Manasses, The First Book of Maccabees, The Second Book of Maccabees.

All the Books of the New Testa­ment, as they are commonly receiv­ed, we do receive, and account them Canonical.

THE

VII. Of the Old Testament. THE Old Testament is not con­trary to the New: for both in the Old and New Testament ever­lasting life is offered to Mankind by Christ, who is the only mediator be­tween God and Man, being both

God

and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard, which feign that the old Fathers did look only for tran­sitory promises. Although the Law given from God by Moses, as touch­ing Ceremonies and Rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the Civil precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any common- wealth; yet notwithstanding, no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obe­dience of the Commandments which are called Moral.

VIII. Of the Three Creeds.

THE Three Creeds, Nicene Creed,

Athanasius's Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apo­stles' Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of holy Scripture.

401

ORIG

from

IX. Of Original or Birth- sin. RIGINAL Sin standeth not in the following of Adam,( as the Pelagians do vainly talk;) but it is the fault and corruption of the Na­ture of every man, that naturally is ingendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it de­serveth God's wrath and damna­tion. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in Greek, pórnua σαρκὸς, which some do expound the affection, some the desire, of the wisdom, some sensuality, some the flesh, is not subject to the Law of God. And although there is no con­demnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin.

X. Of Free- Will.

THE condition of Man after the

fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, and calling upon God: Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and ac­ceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and work­ing with us, when we have that good will.

XI. Of the Justification of Man.

WE

E are accounted righteous be­fore God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith, and not for our own works or deservings: Wherefore, that we are justified by Faith only is a most wholesome Doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification."