ARTICLES AGREED ON IN THE NATIONALL SYNODE of the Reformed Churches of FRANCE Held at Charenton neere Paris in the Moneth of September 1623. Which the same ordaineth to be inuiolaby kept in all the CHVRCHES and VNIVERSITIES of that REALME AT OXFORD Printed by IOHN LICHFIELD and IAMES SHORT Printers to the famous VNIVERSITIE 1623. CHAP. I. Of Predestination Election and Reprobation The I. Article FOrasmuch as all men sinned in Adam and made themselues culpable of Malediction and euerlasting death God had done no wrong to any man though he should haue left all mankinde in Sinne and Malediction and condemned them for the said Sinne according to the wordes of the Apostle Rom. 3.19.22 The whole world is culpable before God All haue sinned and are wholly destitute of the glory of God And Rom. 6.23 The wages of Sinne is death II. But herein is the loue of God manifested that hee hath sent his onely Sonne into the world to the end that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 1. Iohn 4.9 and Iohn 3.16 III. Now to bring men to Faith God graciously sendeth foorth messengers of these glad tidings to whom he will and when hee will by whose ministrie men are called to Repentance and Faith in Iesus Christ crucified For how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they Preach except they be sent Rom. 10 14.15 IIII. They which beleeue not this Gospel the wrath of God abides on them but they which receiue it and embrace the Sauiour Iesus with a true and liuely Faith are deliuered by him from the wrath of God and from perdition and are made partakers of life euerlasting V. The cause and blame of this incredulitie as likewise of all other sinnes is not any wise in God but in man but Faith in Iesus Christ and saluation thereby is the free gift of God as it is written Ephes 2.8 You are saued by Grace through Faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Againe Phil. 1.29 It hath beene freely giuen vnto you to beleeue in Christ VI. And whereas God in his appointed time giues Faith to some and giues it not vnto others that proceedes from his eternall Decree For vnto God are his wayes knowen from euerlasting Acts 15.18 And hee doth all things according to the counsell of his owne will Ephes 1.11 According to which Decree he softeneth by Grace the hearts of the Elect how hard soeuer they be and bowes them to beleeue but in iust iudgement leaues them which are not Elected in their malice and hardnesse And herein especially is discouered the profound mercifull and alike iust distinction betwixt men that were equally lost or the Decree of Election and Reprobation reueiled in the word of God which as the peruerse impure and presumptuous wrest vnto their owne perdition so it yeeldeth vnspeakeable comfort to holy and religious soules VII Election is the vnchangeble purpose of God whereby according to the most free good pleasure of his will amongst all mankinde fallen by its owne fault from its first integritie into sinne and perdition hee hath of meere grace chosen in Christ Iesus to saluation before the beginning of the world a certaine number of men not better nor more worthy then others but such as together with them lay weltring in one and the selfe same miserie The which Iesus Christ God hath also from all eternitie made the Mediatour and head of all the Elect and the ground as it were and foundation of their saluation And accordingly hath decreed to giue them to Christ for to saue them and to call them and draw them effectually by his word and spirit to the communion of him or hath decreed to giue them true faith in him to iustifie to sanctifie and hauing mightily kept them in the communion of his Sonne finally to glorifie them for the demonstration of his mercy and for the praise of the riches of the glory of his grace as it is written Ephes 1.4.5 God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world to the end we should be holy and vnblameable before him in loue hauing Predestinated vs for to adopt vs to himselfe by Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace by which he hath made vs acceptable in his welbeloued And Rom. 8.29 Whom he hath Predestinated those he hath also called and whom he hath called those he hath also iustified and whom he hath iustified those he hath also glorified VIII This Election is not of diuers sorts but one onely and the fame of all that shall be saued in the old and new Testament forasmuch as the Scripture mentioneth but one good pleasure purpose and counsell of the will of God whereby hee hath Elected vs from all Eternitie as vnto Grace so vnto Glorie as to Saluation so to the way of Saluation which he hath prepared to the intent we should walke in it IX Neither was this Election made in respect of Faith foreseene or the obedience of Faith holinesse or any other good qualitie or disposition as a cause or condition required beforehand in the man that should bee Elected but rather it was to giue Faith and the obedience of Faith holinesse c. And therefore Election is the fountaine of all sauing good whence flow Faith holinesse and the rest of sauing graces in a word life euerlasting it selfe as the fruites and effects thereof according to the words of the Apostle Ephesians 1.4 He hath chosen vs not because we were â—ut to the end we should be holy and vnblameable before him in loue X. The cause of this free Election is onely the good pleasure of God which consisteth not in this that he hath chosen for the condition of saluation certaine qualities or actions of men among all those which are possible but in this that hee hath taken to himselfe for a peculiar heritage some certaine persons out of the common multitude of sinners as it is written Rom. 9.11.12.13 Before the children were yet borne and or ere they had done either good or euill c. it was said vnto her to weete Rebecca The elder shall serue the younger as it is written I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau And Actes 13.48 All they which were ordained to eternall life beleeued XI And as God himselfe is most wise vnchangeable knowing all things and almightie so the Election which hee hath once made cannot be either interrupted or changed or reuoked or annulled nor the Elect either reiected or their number diminished XII The Elect are in their due times ascertained of this their eternall and vnchangeable election to saluation albeit by degrees and in a different measure and that not by any curious sounding of the secrets and depths of God but by obseruing in themselues with a spirituall ioy and an holy kinde of gladnesse
the waies of the Lord which are therefore prepar'd that walking therein they may retaine the certainty of their perseverance for feare least abusing his fatherly kindnes Gods favourable countenance the contemplation whereof is sweeter to the faithful then life and the privation more bitter then death turne not againe from them and so they fall into more grievous afflictions of minde XIIII And as it hath pleased God to beginne in vs by his Grace this his work by the preaching of the Gospel even so he preserues continues and accomplishes it by the hearing reading exhortations threatnings and promises of the same Gospell as also by the vse of the Sacraments XV. This doctrine of the perseverance of the truely faithfull holy of the certainty thereof which God hath most abundantly revealed in his word to the glory of his owne name and to the consolation of godly soules and which he imprints in the hearts of the faithful is such That the flesh truely comprehends it not Satan hates it the world laughes at it the ignorant and hypocrits abuse it and the erroneous fight against it But yet so it is That the Spouse of lesus Christ hath alway most ardently loved it and mainetained it constantly as a treasure of inestimable value which God also will see that it shall continue to doe against whom no counsell nor force can prevaile To which God alone the Father Sonne and holy Ghost be honour and glory forever and ever Amen A reiection of Errours The true doctrine being thus expounded the Synode rejecteth the errours of those I. VVHo teach that the persenerance of the truly faithful is not an effect of electioÌ„ or a gift of God purchased by the death of Iesus Christ But that it is a condition of the new covenant which man before his election and peremptory Iustification as they call it ought to accomplish by his owne free will For the holy scripture testifieth That it commeth from election and that it is given the Elect by vertue of the death resurrection and intercession of Iesus Christ Rom. 11.7 The Election hath obtained it and the rest are hardened Againe Rom. 8.31.32.33.34 He which spared not his own Son but delivered him vp for vs all how shall he not giue vs also all things with him Who will bring in any accusation against the elect of God It is God that â—â—stifies who shall condemne It is Christ that is dead and that more is which is raised againe who also is at the right hand of God and who himselfe maketh request for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall oppression or anguish or persecution or famine 〈◊〉 nakednesse or perill or sword Nay in al these things we are more then conquerours by him that hath loved vs c. II. Who teach that God indeed provides the faithful maÌ„ of sufficient strength to persevere and that he is ready to preserue it in him if he doth his duety Neverthelesse that all things being put which are necessary for perseverance in faith and the which God will imploy for the preservation of it It stil dependeth on the freedome of mans will to persevere or not to persevere For this sentence containes in it manifest Pelagianisme and whiles it goes about to make men free it makes them sacrilegious contrary to the perpetuall consent of the doctrine of the Gospel which taketh away from man all matter of boasting and attributes the praise of this benefit to the divine grace alone And contrary to the Apostle testifying 1. Cor. 1.8 That God also will establish vs even vntill the end that we may bee vnblameable in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ III. Who teach that the truly faithful regenerat not only may fall wholly finally from iustifying faith from grace salvation but that oftentimes they doe indeed fall perish everlastingly For this opinion annulleth not only the grace of justification and regeneration but also the perpetuall preservation of Iesus Christ Contrary to the expresse words of the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 5.9.10 If Christ dyed for vs then when we were but sinners much rather then being now iustified in his blood shall we be saved from the wrath by him And contrary to the Apostle S. Iohn 1. Ioh. 3.9 Whosoever is borne of God doth no sin For the seed of Him remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is borne of God Also contrary to the words of Iesus Christ Ioh. 10.28.29 And I giue them eternal life they shall never perish Also none shall snatch them out of my hand my Father who hath given them vnto me is greater then all no man is able to snatch them out of the hands of my Father IIII. Who teach That the truely faithfull and regenerate may sin the sin vnto death that is to say the sin against the holy Ghost Forasmuch as the Apostle S. Iohn chap. 5. of his first after he had in the 16. and 17. verses made mention of those who sin vnto death and forbidden to pray for them presently addes in the 18. verse We know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not to wit this kinde of sin But he that is borne of God keepeth himselfe and the Evill one toucheth him not V. Who teach that in this life one can haue no certainty of perseverance for the time to come without speciall revelation For by this doctrine the faithfull are depriu'd of the most solide consolatioÌ„ which they can haue during this life the doubtfulnesse and wavering opinions of the Romane Church are brought in againe But the holy Scripture draweth every where this certainety not from any speciall and extraordinary revelation but from the proper markes of the children of God and from his most sure promises aboue all the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 8.38 No creature shall be able to separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God which hee hath shewed vs in Iesus Christ our Lord 1. Ioh. 3.24 He which keepeth his commandements abideth in him and He in him hereby know we that he abideth in vs to weet by the spirit which he hath given vnto vs. VI. Who teach that the doctrine touching the certainety of perseverance salvation is naturally of it selfe a coushion of the flesh and hurtfull to piety good manners prayers and other holy exercises but on the coÌ„trary that it is a laudable thing to doubt For such men declare that they are ignorant of the efficacie of divine grace and of the operation of the holy Spirit dwelling in the Elect and contradict the Apostle S. Iohn who in expresse words saith the quite contrary 1. Ioh. 3. ver 2 dearely beloved we are now the children of God but what wee shall bee doth not yet appeare but we know that after that he shall haue appear'd we shall be like vnto him for we shall see him as he is Further more they are convinced by the examples of the Saints as wel in the Old as New Testament who albeit they were assured of their perseverance salvation did notwithstanding continue the dayly vse of praiers and other exercises of pietie VII Who teach that there is no difference betweene a temporall faith and that which iustifieth and saveth saue onely in continuance For Iesus Christ himselfe Mat. 13.20 Luk. 8.13 and in the verses following doth manifestly oâ—serue three other differences betweene those that belieue for a time and those that are truely faithfull when he saith that those forâ—â—â—ceiue the seed into stonie ground these into good ground or into a good heart that those haue no root these haue a firme root that those beare no fruit these bring forth their fruit in diverse and sundry measures constantly and continuingly VIII Who teach That it is no absurdity that the first regeneration being extinct a man should be borne againe the second yea often times For by this doctrine they denie the incorruptibility of the seed of God whereby we are borne againe contrary to the testimony of the Apostle S. Peter 1 Pet. 1.23 being borne a new not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible IX Who teach that Iesus Christ prayed no where for the infallible perseverance of the faithfull in faith For they contradict Iesus Christ himselfe who saith Luk. 22.32 I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith faile not And the Gospel of S. Iohn which witnesseth Ioh. 17.11 That Iesus Christ pray'd not onely for the Apostles but also for all those that should belieue through their word Holy Father keepe them in thy name and verse 15 I pray not that thou wouldest take them out of the world but that thou wouldest keepe them from evill FINIS
in our power to make satisfaction of our selues nor to deliuer our selues from the wrath of God God through his vnmeasurable mercy gaue vs his only Sonne for a pledge who was made Sinne and a Curse vpon the Crosse for vs or in our steede that so he might satisfie for vs. III. This death of the Sonne of God is the only and most perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for sinnes of an infinite price value which aboundantly sufficeth to expiate the sinnes of the whole world IV. And this death is therefore of so great worth and value both because the person that suffered it is not onely true man and perfectly holy but also the only Sonne of God of the same eternall and infinite essence with the Father and the Holy Ghost such as our Saviour ought to be And secondly because his death was ioyned with the sense and feeling of the wrath and curse of God which we by our sinnes had deserved V. Furthermore the promise of the Gospell is that whosoever belieueth in Iesus Christ crucified should not perish but haue everlasting life which promise ought to be propounded and declared indifferently to all Nations and persons vnto whom God according to his good pleasure sends the Gospell and that with commandement of Repentance and Faith VI. And whereas many that are called by the Gospell repent not neither beleeue in Iesus Christ but perish in Infidelitie This comes not to passe through any defect or insufficiencie of the sacrifice of Iesus Christ offered vpon the Crosse but through their owne fault VII But for as much as some there are who truely beleeue and are delivered and saved from sinne and perdition by the death of Iesus Christ this benefit proceedes from the meere Grace of God which he oweth not to any and which was given them from all eternitie in Iesus Christ VIII For such was the most free counsell and most favourable will and Intention of God the Father that the wholesome quickning efficacie of the most precious death of his Sonne should be extended to all the Elect for to giue them alone Iustifying faith and thereby to bring them infallibly to Salvation That is it was Gods will that Iesus Christ by the bloud of the Crosse whereby he confirmed the new Covenant should redeeme effectually all those and no other from among every people nation and language who from all eternitie were elected to Salvation and were given vnto him of his Father that he should giue them Faith which as all other gifts also of the Holy Ghost he purchased for them by his death that hee should purge them by his blond from all sinnes Originall and Actuall committed either before or after Faith receiued that hee should keepe them faithfully to the ende and finally that he should make them appeare before him glorious without spot or blemish IX This counsell proceeding from the eternall loue of God towards the Elect hath mightily beene accomplished ever since the beginning of the world to this present time the gates of Hell having opposed it all in vaine and shall be accomplished also in the times to come yea in such sort as the Elect in their due time shal be gathered into one and there shall bee still a Church of beleevers founded on the bloud of Iesus Christ the which shal constantly loue this her Saviour who as a Bridegroome for his Spouse laid downe his life on the Crosse for her the which also shall persevere in serving him and shall celebrate and magnifie him both here and euer hereafter A Reiection of Errours The true doctrine being Expounded the Synod rejecteth the errours of those I. VVHo teach that God the Father destined his Sonne to the death of the Crosse without any certaine and definite purpose to saue any one by name so as the necessity profite and dignitie or worth of the Impetration made by the death of Iesus Christ might bee safe and perfit in all parts compleat ful and entire albeit the redemption thereby obtained had never been actually applyed to any one particular For this doctrine is iniurious to the wisdome of God the Father and to the merite of Iesus Christ and contrary to the Scripture For see what our Sauiour saith Ioh. 10.15.27 I lay downe my life for my sheepe and I know them And the Prophet Esay saith of the Saviour Esay 53.10 After that he shall haue laid downe his life for an oblation for sinne he shall see those of his posteritie he shall prolong his daies and the good pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand Brieflie it cleane overthrowes also that Article of our Creede whereby we beleeue the Church II. Who teach that the scope or end of Iesus Christ his death was not effectuallie to ratifie the new covenant of grace by his bloud but onely to purchase to his father a naked right whereby he might againe cōtract with men some covenant whatsoever it should be whether of grace or of workes Which is repugnant to the Scripture which teacheth Heb. 7.22 That Iesus Christ was made the pledge mediatour of a more excellent to wit the new Testament Againe Heb. 9.15.17 A testament is then only of force when the parties are dead III. Who teach that Iesus Christ by his satisfaction hath not assuredly merited for any one Saluation it selfe and faith wherby that satisfaction of Iesus Christ might be applyed effectually to saluation but that he hath only purchased to the Father a power or plenary will to treate anew with men and to prescribe them new conditions such as he would the fulfilling whereof was to depend on mans free-will and therefore that it might haue come to passe that either all men or none at all should fulfill them For these thinke too basely of the death of Iesus Christ not at all acknowledging the principall fruit or benefite purchased thereby and setch from hell againe the errour of Pelagius IIII. Who teach that this new covenant of Grace which God the Father hath cōtracted with men by the interventiō of the death of Iesus Christ consisteth not in this that we are iustified before God and saved by faith in as much as it apprehendeth the merite of Iesus Christ but in this that the exaction of the perfect obedience of the Law being abolished God accounteth faith it selfe and the imperfect obedience of faith for a perfect obedience of the law and of meere grace esteemeth it worthy to be rewarded with eternal life For these contradict the Scripture Rom. 3.23.24 Being iustified freely by his grace by the redemption which is in Iesus Christ whom from all eternity God ordained for a propitiation by faith in his bloud And with prophane Socinus they bring in a new and strange iustification of man before God contrary to the common consent and iudgment of the whole Church V. Who teach that all men are admitted into the state of reconciliation to the grace of the couenant so as not any one is
subiect to condemnation or shall bee condemned for originall sinne but that all are generally exempted from the guilt of the said sin For this opinion is repugnant to the Scripture which affirmeth Ephes 2.3 that we are by nature children of wrath VI. Who vse the distinction of Impetration Application therby to instill into the simple and ignorant this opinion that God for his part would equally bestow vpon all men the benefits purchased by the death of Iesus Christ And whereas some rather then others are made partakers of remission of sinnes and life everlasting that this difference dependeth on their owne freewill applying it selfe to that grace which is offered indifferently but that it dependeth not vpon any singular gift of mercy that works effectually in them rather then in others for to apply themselues therevnto For seeming to propose this Distinction in a good sense they go about to drench the people with the pernicious poyson of Pelagianisme VII Who teach that Iesus Christ neither could neither ought neither did die for them whom God loued before most tenderly and had elected to eternall life in as much as such had no need of the death of Iesus Christ For they contradict the Apostle who saith Gal. 2.20 Christ loued mee and gaue himselfe for mee Rom. 8.33 Who shall bring in any accusation against the elect of God It is God which iustifieth Who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead to weet for them also they contradict our Saviour who saith Ioh. 10.15 I lay downe my life for my sheepe Againe Ioh. 15.12.13 This is my commandement that yee loue one another as I haue loued you None hath greater loue then this to weet when one layeth down his life for his friends CHAP. III. Of the Corruption of man his Conversion to God and the manner thereof The first Article MAn in the beginning was created after the image of God and adorned in his vnderstanding with the true and saving knowledge of his creatour of spirituall things with righteousnesse in his heart and will with puritie in all his affections yea hee was perfectly and entirely holy but turning himselfe from God through the instigation of the Divell and by his owne free will he deprived himselfe of these excellent gifts and contrarywise insteede thereof drew on himselfe blindnesse horrible darknesse vanity and perversitie of iudgement in his vnderstanding malice rebellion hardnesse in his heart and will and therewithall impuritie in all his affections II. Now such as man was after the fall such children begate he to wit himselfe corrupted children corrupted corruption by the iust iudgement of God being derived from Adam vnto all his posterity excepting Iesus Christ alone and that not by imitation as heretofore the Pelagians would haue it but by propagation of a corrupted nature III. Whence it commeth to passe that all men are conceived in Sinne and borne children of wrath vnprofitable to all saving good enclined to evill dead in sinne and servants of sin And without the Grace of the regenerating spirit they neither will nor can returne to God nor correct their depraved nature nor dispose themselues towards the amendment of it IIII. True it is that after the fall there remained in man some light of nature by meane whereof hee still retaineth some knowledge of God and of naturall things hee discerneth betwixt honestie and dishonestie and seemeth to haue a little regard and care of vertue and outward discipline But so farre is it that by this light of nature he can come to the saving knowledge of God and convert himselfe to Him that even in things naturall and civill he vseth it not aright but rather as little as it is abuseth and defileth it diverse waies withholds it in vnrighteousnesse and so becommeth inexcusable before God V. Looke how it is with the light of Nature just so it fareth with the Decalogue which God gaue particularly to the Iewes For it discovereth indeede the grievousnesse of sinne and more and more convinceth man but forasmuch as it affordeth no remedie nor giveth any ability to get out of that miserie so being weak through the flesh leaveth the transgressour in the Curse it is impossible that by it man shoulde obtaine saving grace VI. Wherfore what neither the Light of Nature nor the Law could doe that God effecteth by the power of the Holy Spirit by meanes of the Word or the ministerie of Reconciliation that is by the Gospell of the Messias whereby it pleased God to saue beleevers aswell vnder the Old as the New Testament VII God manifested this secret of his Will to fewer persons vnder the Old Testament but since vnder the New Testament the difference of Nations is taken away he now manifesteth it vnto more The reason of which dispensation wee ought not to attribute to the dignity or worth of one Nation aboue another or because it maketh better vse of the Light of Nature but to the good pleasure of God which is most free to his vndeserved loue And therefore they on whom so great Grace hath beene shewed aboue and contrarie to all desert ought to recognize it in humility of heart with thanksgiving And the rest vnto whom this Grace hath not yet been shewed they ought to adore with the Apostle the severity iustice of Gods iudgments but not curiously to sound them VIII Furthermore as many as are called by the Gospell are called in good earnest For God shewes in good earnest and most truely and sincerely by his word what is pleasing vnto him namely that they which are called should come vnto him also he promiseth in good earnest to all that come and belieue in him rest vnto their soules and life everlasting IX And whereas many that are called by the ministrie of the Gospel come not nor are converted the fault is not in the Gospell nor in Iesus Christ offered by the Gospell nor in God who by the Gospell calleth them and withall bestowes many gifts vpon them but in those themselues which are called whereof some through their owne carelesnesse receiue not the word of life others receiue it indeede but not within their hearts and therefore after some light ioy of a temporall faith they fall backe againe others through the thornes of cares through the pleasures of this world choake the seede of the word and bring forth no fruit according as our Saviour teacheth in the parable of the seede Mat. 13. X. But whereas others being called by the ministerie of the Gospell doe come and are converted that is not to be attributed vnto the man as if hee by his owne free will made himselfe differ from others which are also furnished with like or at least with sufficient grace to belieue and bee converted as the prowde heresie of Pelagius mainetaineth But vnto God who as he hath elected his from all eternity in Christ so hee cals them effectually in their due times giues them faith and repentaunce