6 5 4 We are justified, that is, we are accounted righteous before God, and have remission of sins, not for nor by our own works or deservings, but freely by his grace, only for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ's sake, his whole obedience and satisfaction being by God imputed unto us, and Christ with his righteousness, being apprehended and rested on by faith only. The doctrine 8 Man. We 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. 1 Rom. xiii. 8; Heb. xi. 6. 2 Ezek. xi, 19, 20; xxxvi. 26, 27; Jer. xxxi. 32, 33, with Heb. x. 11; Phil. ii, 12, 13; John vi. 45; Eph. i. 19, 20; 1 Cor. iv. 7. 3 Heb. xiii. 21; Phil. viii. 1,6; Heb. xii. 22; 1 Pet v. 10; 1 Thess. v. 23, 24; 1 Kings viii. 57, 58. 4 Rom. iv. 5-7; Psalm xxxii. 1, 2. 5 Rom. iii. 20; Gal. ii. 16; iii. 10, 11; Phil. iii. 9. 6 Rom. iii, 24; Tit. iii. 7. 7 Rom. iii. 24, 25; v. 1; 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. 8 Rom. v. 9, 17-19; iii. 25, 26; iv. 6, 24; 2 Cor. v. 21. Rom. iii. 22, 25, 26,28; Gal. ii, 16; Isa. xxviii. 16, with Rom. ix. 33, and 1 Pet. ii. 6; Phil, íii, 9. E Articles revised. of justification by faith only, is a wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort, notwithstanding God doth not forgive them that are impenitent, and go on still in their trespasses.2 Articles of the Church of England. ARTICLE XII. Of Good Works. 3 Good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification,* cannot put away our sins,5 and endure the severity of God's judgment; yet are they, notwithstanding their imperfections, in the sight of God pleasing and acceptable unto him in and for Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be evidently known, as a tree discerned by the fruits.9 8 ARTICLE XII. Of Good Works. Albeit that good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's judgment, yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit. 1 2 Tim. i. 13; Rom. v. 1, 2, 8, 11; xv. 13; 1 Pet. i. 8. Psalm lxviii. 20, 21; Exod. xxxiv. 6,7; Luke xiii. 3, 5. 3 Gal. v. 6; James ii. 17, 18, 22. 4 Tit. ii. 14; iii. 7, 8; Eph. ii. 8, 9, 18. 5 Rom. iii. 20, 21; iv. 4-9; Dan. ix. 18, 19. 6 Neh, xiii. 22; Psalm cxliii. 2; Job ix. 14, 15, 19, 20. Exod. xxviii. 38; Rev. viii. 3, 4. 71 Pet, ii, 5; Heb. xiii. 16, 20, 21; Col. i. 10; Phil, iv. 18. James ii. 16; 1 John i. 4. 4,5; 1 John ii, 3, 5; Matt. xii, 33. 9 James ii. 18, 19, John xv. Works done before justification by Christ, and regeneration by his Spirit, are not pleasing unto God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ: neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the school authors say) deserve grace of congruity; yea, rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, they are sinful.3 cation. Works done before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration 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 school authors say) deserve grace of congruity; yea, rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin. Tit. i. 15, 16; Matt. vii. 18; Rom. viii. 8; Prov. xv. 8, 26; xxi. 27; Rom. iii. 12. Heb. xi. 5, 6; Gal v. 6. 8 2 Tim. i. John i. 13. Rom. viii. 7, 8; Hag. ii. 14; Isa. lviii, 1-5; Ixvi, 2, 3. 9j Matt. v. 48; Mark xii. 30, 31; Phil. iv. 8, 9. 5 Job ix, 2, 3, 20, 21; Psalm cxliii. 2; Prov. xx. 9; Phil, iii. 8-15. Articles revised. 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 those things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was our duty to do.” Articles of the Church of For by them men do de- ARTICLE XV. Of Christ alone without 4 2 Christ in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things, sin only excepted, from which he was clearly void both in his flesh and in his spirit ;3 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 St. John saith) was not in him. But all we the rest, although baptized and regenerate, yet offend 6 1 Luke xvii. 10, with ver. 7-9. Luke i. 35, with Acts iii. 14; 41 Pet. i. 19. 5 Eph. v. 2. 8 1 John iii. 5. ARTICLE XV. Of Christ alone without Christ in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things (sin only excepted), 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 St. John saith) was not in him. But all we the rest (although baptized, and born again in Christ) yet 2 Isa. liii. 3-5; Heb. ii. John xiv. 30; 2 Cor. v. 21; Heb. ix. 26, 28; x. 10, 12. 17, with v. 15. Heb. vii, 26; 7 John i. 29. N. B. The assembly proceeded no farther in the revisal. ARTICLE XVI. OF SIN AFTER BAPTISM. 1 NOT every deadly sin willingly committed after baptism, is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after baptism. 2 After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of God we may rise again, and amend our lives. And, therefore, they are to 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. 4 11 John v. 17; i. 9; 2 Cor. ii, 6, 7, 8. 2 Matt. xvi, 16, 17; xxvi. 35, 69–74. 8 Matt, xxvi. 74, 75. 4 Gal, vi. I |