Page images
PDF
EPUB

Q. What are the benefits whereof we may be made partakers thereby?

A. The strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the Body and Blood of Christ, as our bodies are by the bread and wine.

Q. What is required of them who come to the Lord's Supper?

A. To examine themselves, whether they repent them truly of their former sins, stedfastly purposing to lead a new life; have a humble and lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, with a thankful remembrance of his death; and be in charity with all men.

ARTICLES OF RELIGION.

Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.

THE

HERE is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there be three Per

sons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Of the Word or Son of God, who was made very man.

THE

HE Son, which is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlasting of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took Man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, of her substance: so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and Manhood, were joined together in one Person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God, and very Man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men.

CHR

Of the Resurrection of Christ.

HRIST did truly rise again from death, and took again his body, with flesh, bones, and all things appertaining to the Perfection of Man's Nature, wherewith he

ascended into Heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day.

THE

Of the Holy Ghost.

HE Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one Substance, Majesty, and Glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.

Of the sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for Salvation.

HOL

TOLY Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation: so that what soever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an Article of the faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation. In the name of the holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose Authority was never any doubt in the Church.

Of the Names and Number of the Can

onical Books.

Genesis,

Exodus,

Leviticus,

Numbers,

Deuteronomy,

Joshua,

Judges,
Ruth,

The First Book of Samuel,
The Second Book of Sam-
uel,

The First Book of Kings,
The Second Book of Kings,
The First Book of Chro-
nicles,

The Second Book of
Chronicles,

The Book of Ezra,
The Book of Nehemiah,
The Book of Esther,
The Book of Job,
The Psalms,
The Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, or the
Preacher,
Cantica, or Songs of
Solomon,

Four Prophets the greater
Twelve Prophets the less.

And all the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive and account them Canonical.

THE

Of the Old Testament.

HE Old Testament is not contrary to the New for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to

mankind by Christ, who is the only mediator between God and Man, being both God and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard, which feign that the Old Fathers did look only for transitory Promises. Although the law given from God by Moses, as touching Ceremonies and Rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the Civil Precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any Common-wealth: yet notwithstanding no Christian man whatsoever is free from the Obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral.

Of Original or Birth Sin.

ORIGINAL Sin standeth not in the fol

lowing of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is ingendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth

« PreviousContinue »