power, and eternitie, the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost. 2. Of the worde or sonne of God which was made very man. The Sonne, which is the worde of the Father, begotten 5 from euerlastyng of the Father, the very and eternall GOD, of one substaunce with the father, toke mans nature in the wombe of the blessed Virgin, of her substaunce: so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and manhood, were ioyned together 10 in one person, neuer to be diuided, whereof is one Christe, very GOD and very man, who truely suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his father to vs, and to be a sacrifice, not onely for originall gylt, but also for all actuall sinnes of men. 3. Of the goyng downe of Christe into hell. As Christe dyed for vs, and was buryed: so also it is to be beleued that he went downe into hell. 4. Of the Resurrection of Christe. 15 Christe dyd truely aryse agayne from death, and toke 20 agayne his body, with flesh, bones, and all thinges apparteyning to the perfection of mans nature, wherewith he ascended into heauen, and there sitteth, vntyll he returne to iudge all men at the last day. 5. Of the holy ghost. The holy ghost, proceedyng from the father and the sonne, is of one substaunce, maiestie, and glorie, with the father and the sonne, very and eternall God. 25 other editions were put forth by those printers with the same date, 1571; but in opposition to what might have been expected, they have 30 retained the disputed clause respecting church-authority in some of their impressions, and omitted it in others. 6. Of the sufficiencie of the holy Scriptures for saluation. Holye Scripture conteyneth all thinges necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein, nor may be proued therby, is not to be required of anye man, that it should be beleued as an article of the fayth, 5 or be thought requisite necessarie to saluation. In the name of holy Scripture, we do vnderstande those Canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament, of whose aucthoritie was neuer any doubt in the Churche. Of the names and number of the Canonicall Bookes. Genesis. The .1. booke of Chroni. Leuiticus. Numerie. The .2. booke of Esdras. And the other bookes (as Hierome sayth) the Church doth reade for example of lyfe and instruction of maners: but yet doth it not applie them to establishe any doc-25 trine. Such are these folowyng. The third boke of Esdras. The boke of V Visdome. Baruch, the Prophet. The song of the 3 children. Of Bel and the Dragon. The .1. boke of Machab. 30 All the bookes of the newe Testament, as they are commonly receaued we do receaue and accompt them for Canonicall. 7. Of the olde Testament. The olde Testament is not contrary to the newe, for 5 both in the olde and newe Testament euerlastyng lyfe is offered to mankynde by Christe, who is the onlye mediatour betweene God and man, being both God and man. Wherefore they are not to be hearde whiche faigne that the olde fathers dyd looke onlye for transitorie promises. 10 Although the lawe geuen from God by Moyses, as touchyng ceremonies and rites, do not bynde Christian men, nor the ciuile preceptes therof, ought of necessitie to be receaued in any common wealth: yet notwithstandyng, no Christian man whatsoeuer, is free from the obedience 15 of the commaundementes, whiche are called morall. 8. Of the three Credes. The three Credes, Nicene Crede, Athanasius Crede, and that which is commonlye called the Apostles Crede, ought throughlye to be receaued and beleued: for they 20 may be proued by moste certayne warrauntes of holye scripture. 9. Of originall or birth sinne. Originall sinne standeth not in the folowing of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainely talke) but it is the fault and 25 corruption of the nature of euery man, that naturally is engendred of the ofspring of Adam, whereby man is very farre gone from originall ryghteousnes, and is of hys owne nature enclined to euyll, so that the fleshe lusteth alwayes contrary to the spirite, and therefore in euery 30 person borne into this worlde, it deserueth Gods wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth re mayne, yea in them that are regenerated, whereby the luste of the fleshe, called in Greke opóνnua σapкós, which some do expounde the wisdome, some sensualitie, some the affection, some the desyre of the fleshe, is not subiect to the lawe of God. And although there is no condem-5 nation for them that beleue and are baptized: yet the Apostle doth confesse that concupiscence and luste hath of it selfe the nature of synne. 10. Of free wyll. The condition of man after the fall of Adam is suche, to that he can not turne and prepare hym selfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes, to fayth and calling vpon God: Wherefore we haue no power to do good workes pleasaunt and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christe preuentyng vs, that we may 15 haue a good wyll, and workyng with vs, when we haue that good wyll. 11. Of the iustification of man. We are accompted righteous before God, only for the merite of our Lord and sauiour Jesus Christ, by faith, 20 and not for our owne workes or deseruynges. Wherefore, that we are iustified by fayth onely, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homilie of iustification. 12. Of good workes. 25 Albeit that good workes, whiche are the fruites of fayth, and folowe after iustification, can not put away our sinnes, and endure the seueritie of Gods iudgement: yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christe, and do spring out necessarily of a true and liuely fayth, 30 in so muche that by them, a lyuely fayth may be as euidently knowen, as a tree discerned by the fruit. 13. Of workes before iustification. Workes done before the grace of Christe, and the inspiration of his spirite, are not pleasaunt to God, forasmuche as they spring not of fayth in Jesu Christ, neither do they make men meete to receaue grace, or (as the 5 schole aucthours saye) deserue grace of congruitie: yea rather for that they are not done as GOD hath wylled and commaunded them to be done, we doubt not but they haue the nature of sinne. 14. Of workes of supererogation. ΤΟ Voluntarie workes, besydes, ouer and aboue Gods commaundementes, which they call workes of supererogation, can not be taught without arrogancie and impietie. For by them men do declare that they do not onely render vnto God as muche as they are bounde to 15 do, but that they do more for his sake then of bounden duetie is required: Whereas Christe sayth playnely, When ye haue done al that are commaunded to you, say, We be vnprofitable seruauntes. 15. Of Christe alone without sinne. 20 Christe in the trueth of our nature, was made like vnto vs in al thinges (sinne only except) from whiche he was clearey voyde, both in his fleshe, and in his spirite. He came to be the lambe without spot, who by sacrifice of hym selfe once made, shoulde take away the sinnes 25 of the worlde: and sinne (as S. John sayeth) was not in him. But al we the rest (although baptized, and borne agayne in Christe) yet offende in many thinges and if we say we haue no sinne, we deceaue our selues, and the trueth is not in vs. 16. Of sinne after Baptisme. Not euery deadly sinne willingly committed after bap 30 |