2 ARTICLE XVII. OF PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION. 1 Predestination to life is 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 and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. 3 Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called according to God's purpose, by his Spirit working in due season: 'They through grace obey the calling: 5 They be justified freely: 6 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. 8 10 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, 12 mortifying the works of the flesh, 13 and their earthly members, 14 and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, 15 as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation, to be enjoyed through Christ, 16 as because it doth fervently 12 Tim. i. 9. 2 Eph. i. 4, 5; Acts ix. 15; Rom. ix. 23; 2 Thess. ii. 13; 1 Pet. ii.9. 3 Rom. viii. 30; 2 Tim. i 9; Eph. i. 18; Heb. iii. 1. 4 Psalm xc. 3; Acts, xiii. 48; Rom. vi. 17. 5 Rom. iii. 24; viii. 30 6 Gal. iv. 5, 6, 7. Rom. viii. 29; 1 Cor. xv. 49; Col. iii. 10. 8 Eph. ii. 10. 9 Matt. XXV. 34; Rom. viii. 30; 1 Pet. i. 3, 4, 5. 10 Rom. v. 11; 1 Pet. i. 8. iii. 20. 12 Rom. iii. 13; Gal. v. 24. 13 Col. iii, 5. 14 Phil iii. 20; Col 15 Rom, viii, 33, 34, 35, 38, 39; 2 Tim. i, 12, 16 1 John iv. 19. iii. 1, 2. 11 Eph. 3 kindle their love towards God: So, for curious and carnal persons, 2 lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation. 5 *Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture. And in our doings, that will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the Word of God. 1 NAME OF CHRIST. They also are to be had accursed, 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 law, and the light of nature. 2 For holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved. 1 Rom. ii. 9, 23. 2 Acts iv. 12; John xiv. 6; 1 John v. 11, 12. 3 ARTICLE XIX. OF THE CHURCH. The visible church of Christ is a congregation of faithful 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 Hierusalem, 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. 11 Cor. i. 2; Col. i. 2. 2 Rom. x. 17. Acts viii. 12; ii. 42; 1 Cor. xi. 26, 2 ARTICLE XX. OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH. it 1 The church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies, and authority in controversies of faith: 3 And yet it is not lawful for the church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's Word written, neither may 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. 11 Cor. xiv. 40; Tit. i. 5. 2 Acts xv. 5, 6, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 20. iv. 11; Rom, xii, 6. 4 Gal. i. 8; Deut. xii. 32. $1 Pet. ARTICLE XXI. OF THE AUTHORITY OF GENERAL COUNCILS. 1 General councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of princes: 2 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. 3 Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation, have neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scrip ture. 1 Rom, xiii. 1; 2 Chron. xxix. 4; xxiv. 9. 2 Acts v. 40, 41. viii. 20. See Art VI. Note 2; and Art. XX. Note 4. 3 Isaiah ARTICLE XXII. OF PURGATORY. 1 2 The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, pardons, worshipping, and adoration, as well of images as of reliques, 5 and also invocation of saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God. Luke xxiii. 43; Heb. x. Psalm xlix. 7. 3 Exod xx. xiv. 13-15; Rev, xix. 10. 14; 1 John i. 7; Rev. xiv. 13. 5 ? Dan. ix. 9; Acts x. 25, 26; ARTICLE XXIII. OF MINISTERING IN THE CONGREGATION. 1 1 It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of public preaching, or ministering the sacraments in the congregation, before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same. 2 And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them in the congregation, to call and send ministers into the Lord's vineyard. 1 Jer. xxiii. 21; Heb. v. 4; Lev. viii. 2 Acts xiii. 2, 8; 1 Tim. iv. 14; 2 Tim. ii. 2; Tit, i. 5. ARTICLE XXIV. OF SPEAKING IN THE CONGREGATION IN SUCH A TONGUE AS THE PEOPLE UNDERSTANDETH. 'It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the primitive church, to have public prayer in the church, or to minister the sacraments, in a tongue not understanded of the people. 11 Cor. xiv. 5, 9, 11, 23. |