Articles IX to XVIII: Personal Religion
English: IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII.
Latin: IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII.
Of Original or Birth Sin
Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians
do vainly talk), but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of
every man that naturally is engendered 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 remain, yea, in them that are regenerated, whereby the
lust of the flesh, called in Greek phronema sarkos (which some
do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the
desire of the flesh), is not subject to the law of God. And although
there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet
the Apostle doth confess that concupiscence and lust hath itself the
nature of sin.
Peccatum originis non est (ut fabulantur Pelagiani) in imitatione
Adami situm, sed est vitium et depravatio naturae eiuslibet
hominis ex Adamo naturaliter propagati, qua fit ut ab originali
iustitia quam longissime distet, ad malum sua natura propendeat,
et caro semper adversus spiritum concupiscat; unde in unoquoque
nascentium iram Dei atque damnationem meretur. Manet etiam in
renatis haec naturae depravatio, qua fit ut affectus carnis,
Graece phronema sarcos (quod alii sapientiam, alii sensum,
alii affectum, alii studium carnis interpretantur), legi Dei non
subiiciatur. Et quanquam renatis et credentibus, nulla propter
Christum est condemnatio, peccati tamen in sese rationem habere
concupiscentiam fatetur Apostolus.
Provenance
Composed in 1552/3 by the English reformers.
Of Free Will
The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot
turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength 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
Christ preventing us that we may have a good will, and working with us
when we have that good will.
Ea est hominis post lapsum Adae conditio, ut sese, naturalibus
suis viribus et bonis operibus, ad fidem et invocationem Dei
convertere ac praeparare non possit. Quare absque gratia Dei,
quae per Christum est, nos praeveniente ut velimus, et cooperante
dum volumus, ad pietatis opera facienda, quae Deo grata sint et
accepta, nihil valemus.
Provenance
Originates from the Confession of Würtemberg.
Of the Justification of 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.
Tantum propter meritum Domini ac Servatoris nostri Jesu Christi,
per fidem, non propter opera et merita nostra, iusti coram Deo
reputamur. Quare sola fide nos iustificari, doctrina est saluberrima,
ac consolationis plenissima; ut in Homilia de Iustificatione hominis
Fusius explicatur.
Provenance
Based on the Confession of Würtemberg.
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 judgement, 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.
Bona opera, quae sunt fructus fidei et iustificatos sequuntur,
quanquam peccata nostra expiare et divini iudicii severitatem ferre
non possunt, Deo tamen grata sunt et accepta in Christo, atque ex
vera et viva fide necessario profluunt, ut plane ex illis aeque fides
viva cognosci possit atque arbor ex fructu iudicari.
Provenance
Composed in 1563, the first clause being based on the Confession of Würtemberg.
Article XIII
Of Works before Justification
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.
Opera quae fiunt ante gratiam Christi et Spiritus eius afflatum,
eum ex fide Iesu Christi non prodeant, minime Deo grata sunt, neque
gratiam (ut multi vocant) de congruo merentur: imo cum non sint facta
ut Deus illa fieri voluit et praecepit, peccati rationem habere non
dubitamus.
Provenance
Composed in 1552/3 by the English reformers.
Article XIV
Of Works of Supererogation
Voluntary works besides, over and above, God's commandments which
they call Works of Supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy
and impiety. 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 that are commanded to you, say, We be
unprofitable servants.
Opera quae Supererogationis appellant non possunt sine arrogantia
et impietate praedicari. Nam illis declarant homines non tantum se
Deo reddere quae tenentur, sed plus in eius gratiam facere quam
deberent: eum aperte Christus dicat: Cum feceritis omnia quaecunque
praecepta sunt vobis, dicte, Servi inutiles sumus.
Provenance
Composed in 1552/3 by the English reformers and unchanged since.
Article XV
Of Christ alone without Sin
Christ in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things,
sin only except, 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 S. John saith, was not in Him. But all we the rest, although
baptized and born again in Christ, yet offend in many things: and if
we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in
us.
Christus in nostrae naturae veritate per omnia similis factus est
nobis, excepto peccato, a quo prorsus est immunis, tum in carne tum
in spiritu. Venit ut agnus absque macula esset, qui mundi peccata
per immolationem sui semel factam tolleret: et peccatum, ut inquit
Iohannes, in eo non erat. Sed nos reliqui, etiam baptizati et in
Christo regenerati, in multis tamen offendimus omnes: et, si
dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos seducimus, et
veritas in nobis non est.
Provenance
Composed in 1552/3 by the English reformers and unchanged since.
Article XVI
Of Sin after Baptism
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. 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 arise 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.
Non omne peccatum mortale post Baptismum voluntarie perpetratum,
est peccatum in Spiritum Sanctum, et irremissibile. Proinde lapsis
a Baptismo in peccata locus penetentiae non est negandus. Post
acceptum Spiritum Sanctum possumus a gratia data recedere atque
peccare, denuoque per gratiam Dei resurgere ac resipiscere. Ideoque
illi damnandi sunt qui se quamdiu hic vivant, amplius non posse
peccare affirmant, aut vere resipiscentibus veniae locum denegant.
Provenance
Composed in 1552/3 by the English reformers, but slightly changed since.
Article XVII
Of Predestination and Election
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. 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; they be justified freely;
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.
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, mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members
and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because
it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation
to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their
love towards God: so for curious and carnal persons, 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.
Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise as they be
generally set forth 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.
Praedestinatio ad vitam est aeternum Dei propositum, quo,
ante iacta mundi fundamenta, suo consilio, nobis quidem occulto,
constanter decrevit eos, quos in Christo elegit ex hominum genere,
a maledicto et exitio liberare, atque ut vasa in honorem efficta per
Christum ad aeternam salutem adducere. Unde qui tam praeclaro Dei
beneficio sunt donati, illi, Spiritu eius opportuno tempore operante,
secundum propositum eius vocantur; iustificatur gratis; adoptantur
in filios Dei; unigeniti eius Iesu Christi imagini efficiuntur
conformes; in bonis operibus sancti ambulant; et demum ex Dei
misericordia pertingunt ad sempiternam felicitatem.
Quemadmodum Praedestinationis et Electionis nostrae in Christo
pia consideratio dulcis, suavis, et ineffabilis consolationis plena
est vere piis et his qui sentiunt in se vim Spiritus Christi, facta
carnis et membra quae adhuc sunt super terram mortificantem, animumque
ad coelestia et superna rapientem, tum quia fidem nostram de aeterna
salute consequenda per Christum plurimum stabilit atque confirmat,
tum quia amorem nostrum in Deum vehementer accendit: ita hominibus,
curiosis carnalibus et Spiritu Christi destitutis, ob oculos perpetuo
versari Praedestinationis Dei sententiam perniciosissimum est
praecipitium, unde illos diabolus protrudit vel in desperationem vel
in aeque pernitiosam impurissimae vitae securitatem.
Deinde promissiones divinas sic amplecti oportet, ut nobis in sacris
literis generaliter propositae sunt; et Dei voluntas in nostris
actionibus ea sequenda est quam in verbo Dei habemus deserte
revelatam.
Provenance
Composed in 1552/3, but altered since.
Article XVIII
Of obtaining eternal salvation only by the 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. For Holy Scripture doth set out to us only the name of
Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved.
Sunt et illi anathematizandi qui dicere audent unumquemque in
lege aut secta quam profitetur esse servandum, modo iuxta illam et
lumen naturae accurate vixerit: eum sacrae literae tantum Iesu Christi
nomen praedicent in quo salvos fieri homines oporteat.
Provenance
Composed in 1552/3 by the English reformers and unchanged since.
Please mail your comments and corrections to Gavin Koh at <gavvie@bigfoot.com>