him as dear children, in humble dependence on his Grace, and in chearful obedience to his commands. Amen.

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ART. X. Of Free-Will.

HE condition of man, after the fall of Adam,

is fuch, that he cannot turn and prepare himfelf by his own natural ftrength 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 Chrift preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.

"When God created man in his own image, he made him perfect and upright, endued him with all knowledge, free"dom of will, and various affections, able to ftand, but liable to fall." J. W.

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The condition of Man fince.] "God created man perfect, with "a Will free to chufe the good and refufe the evil; but he fell, and loft that liberty. When he committed fin, he broke that power which he had of election or choice: he ceafed to be free "with relation to Good, and became the fervant of fin: from

whence proceedeth all that Blindness of understanding, that "Perverseness of the will, and fuch Impetuoufnefs of his paf"fions and appetites, that when left to himself he is not able to difcern, or to chufe thofe things that are good, but contrary"wife he chufeth the things that be evil." Therefore (as faith the Apostle) "They that be in the flesh cannot pleafe God." Rom.

viii. 8. Archdeacon Welchman:

Hath no power.] For "when man fell from God (fays that good bishop Beveridge), great was his fall; for he fell from "the Creator to the creature; he fell from heaven to earth: "from the height of happiness to the depth of mifery; for he "fell from holiness into fin. And ever fince man fell from holiness into fin, he hath thereby been difabled from raifing

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up himself from fin to holiness," &c. without God's grace, through Jefus Chrift, who fays, "I am the way, the truth,

• and

and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by me," John xiv. 6. vi. 44. I Cor. ii. 14. And "That we are

not fufficient of ourselves to think a good thought, 2 Cor. iii. 5. "much less to do a good action, fo great is our helpleffness."

But by Chrift working with us, &c.] "All the spiritual be"nefits which God the Father ever conferred upon man, he

did it by, and for the fake of Chrift alone. And therefore, "as many as did please God, under the first covenant (as shewn "Heb. xi.) did it not by the ftrength of their own free will, "For we can neither believe, will, or do any thing, but by "the affiftance of God's free Grace, conferred through Chrift, "whofe merits ex endeth through all generations. Who is there"fore called, the Lamb flain from the foundation of the world

(for his people). Rev. xiii. 8. This article is alfo levelled "against the Pelagians, who affert that man is fufficient of him"felf to do good works, &c." Archdeacon Welchman. (It is great pity we have fo many Pelagians among us at this day). All the Primitive Fathers, and Reformed Churches, agree to this article. See more in Bp. Beveridge's Notes.

ART. XI. The Juftification of Man.

WE

E are accounted righteous before God, only for the Merits of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift by Faith, and not for our own works or defervings. Wherefore, that we are justified by Faith only, is a moft wholfom doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expreffed in the Homily of Juftification.

The juftification of a finner by Faith alone in the merits of Chrift, is the grand foundation, and great bulwark of the christian religion, faith Luther.

Juftification, in the scripture fenfe, fignifies pardon, the knowledge of remiffion of fins;

God; through Jefus Chrift.

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peace and reconciliation towards Rom. v. 1, 2, 10. Eph. ii. 18.

2 Cor. v. 18. Heb. ii. 18. For if we neglect the article "of Juftification, fays Martin Luther (in his epifle to the Gala"tions), we lofe altogether."

Accounted

Accounted righteous before God only for the merits of Chrift by Faith, &c.] "Since the very best works of the very beft men "living are imperfect; fo that if God was to enter into judgement "with his fervants, no man living would be justified." Pfalm cxliii. 2. It follows then, as many as are juftified before God, are justified only because of the merits of Christ by Faith, i e. a lively faith. Read Rom. iii. 24, 25, 26. Gal. v. 6. Eph. ii. 8, 9. Irenæus and St. Cyprian fay, " That it is "Faith alone that profits us; the Faith alone which is towards "the moft high God, juftifieth man."

By Faith only.] "Note,-That we are juftified by Faith, not because of Faith, for there is not more merit in our "faith, than in our works, both are imperfect in us; Faith, "therefore, is not the cause but the condition of our justifi"cation. It is the gift of God, through Jefus Chrift." Eph. i. 8. 'Tis faid, that Abraham "believed God, and it was imputed or accounted to him for Righteousness." Gen. xv. 6. Rom. iv. ii. Therefore whoever believeth God, and liveth by Abraham's Faith, a Faith accompanied with obedience, will also be found righteous before God. The just shall live by Faith. Heb. ii. 5. All that believe in Chrift, are justified freely from all things. Rom. iii 24, 26. Mark v. 36.

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This is a avholsome doctrine, and very full of comfort.] Because being juftified by Faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Rom. v. 1, 2. Eph. ii. 18. A&s x. 43, See Homily on Salvation by Faith. St. Bafil, St. Chryfoftom, Claudius, and St. Ambrofe, fpeak of this Faith of Abraham, and all the Fathers agree thereunto.-Lord, increase our Faith.

A

ART. XII. Of good Works.

LBEIT that good Works, which are the fruits of Faith, and follow after Juftification, cannot put away our fins, and endure the feverity of God's judgement; yet are they pleafing and acceptable to God in Chrift, and-do ipring neceffarily out of a true and lively Faith; info

much

much that by them a lively Faith may be as evidently known, as a tree difcerned by the fruit.

Good works the fruits of Faith.] Although good works are not meritorious, neither can they put away fin, yet they are pleafing unto God, and accepted through his beloved Son, who gave himself for us, that he might purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Eph. ii. 10. Now the tree being made good, being ingrafted into Chrift through juftification, confequently the Fruit will be good, and therefore pleafing and acceptable to God in Chrift; being made new creatures, by Faith in him. Who has appointed them rewards both in this life, and in that which is to come. See Matt. v. 5, 8.—Mark xi. 29, 30, and 1 Tim. iv. 8.

I

Fruits of true Faith.] That there is a falfe Faith as well as a true Faith, God's word teacheth plainly. Shew me thy Faith without thy Works, fays St. James, and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works: For Faith without Works is dead, is a dead Faith. Jam. ii. 17, 18. They that are in the Flesh cannot pleafe God; becaufe fuch have not Faith. Rom. viii. 8. and, without Faith it is impoffible to please God. Gal. v. 6. Unto the pure, all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled, and unbelieving, is nothing pure; their mind and confcience is defiled. Tit. i. 15. Rom. xiv. 20. True Faith worked by love. Faith is our Guide, and love is the way which leadeth unto

"God," faith Ignatius.

A true Faith bath always Love joined unto it,] And confequently is neither inactive, nor unfruitful. If ye love me, says Christ, keep my Commandments. Love one another, as I have loved you; Love is the fulfilling of the whole law. Rom. xiii. 10. And now the God of Peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jefus Chrift, that great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is pleofing in his fight through Jefus Chrift, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen. Heb. xiii. 20, 21. To this article agree Clemens Romanus, Irenæus, Jufiin, St. Hilary, Theophilus, Origen, Polycarp, St. Chryfoftom, &c. See Bp. Beveridge's Comment, which is more largely explained in this article.

ART.

ART. XIII. Of Works done before Justification.

WORKS done before the grace of Chrift,

WORK

and the inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant to God, forafmuch as they spring not of Faith in Jefus Chrift, neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the School-Authors fay) 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 fin.

st

"In Man's firft ftate, as he came out of the hands of his "Creature, he had a power to continue in the state of integri"ty; yet being liable to fall; he fell, by tranfgreffion" See Article 10. And therefore until Man is again restored to God's favour by the operation of the Spirit, he can do nothing pleafing to God," Before a man is regenerate and born again of Spirit, he cannot fo much as fee the kingdom of God." John iii. 3. He is both blind and ignorant of all heavenly things, For the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit, and therefore he cannot worship God aright, for God being a fpirit, is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth. John iv. 24. Works done. All that a man doth, all that he can do, while unregenerate, and out of Chrift, is fin, nothing but fin. For, the plowing of the wicked is fin. Prov. xxi. 4, 27 in the flesh, cannot pleafe Ged. The carnal mind, God. Rom. viii. 7, 8. See Matt. vii. 16, 23

They that are enmity against -xii. 33, 34,

is

Not being within God's covenant, we are not God's Chil dren, but Children of surath. Eph. ii. 2. Rom. v. 8. Not being within Chrift's Sheepfold, we are not his Sheep, but filthy Goats. Matt. xxv. 33. And while in this ftate all our works, our best works as we may fuppofe them, as going to Church, Sacrament, Fafting, Praying, or giving Alms, &c. and yet after all, be nothing but a dry ftick, or a fplendid hypocrite, abominable in the fight of God. See Ifa. i. 13. Prov. i. 28. Matt. vii, 22, 23. Rom. xiv. 23. Tit. i. 15. Eph. ii. 3.-iv. 17.