ARTICLES OF RELIGION.

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 re­ligiously 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 downfal, 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 n such wise as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scripture: and, in our doings, that Will of tou is to be followed, which we have express­ly declared unto us in the Word of God.

XVIII. of obtaining eternal Sal­vation only by the Name of

Christ.

HEY also are to be had ac­THEY cursed that 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

For set out

Faw, and the light of Nature. anto us only the Name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be

saved.

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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 requisite 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.

XX. Of the Authority of the Church.

XIX. Of the Church. THE visible Church of Christ

is a congregation of faithful

THE Church hath power to

decree Rites or Ceremonies, and authority 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.

GENERAL Councils may not

be gathered together with. out the commandment and will of Princes. And 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 not authority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture.

XXI. Of Purgatory.

THE o mnish Doctrine con­cerningurgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well of Images as of Reliques, and also invocation. of Saints, is a fond thing vainiy invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather rougnant

to the Word of God.