means which God hath ordained for the salvation of soul and body as likewise those which contend that all things come to passe by such an absolute necessitie that they take away all contingency and leave man no libertie at all and lastly those which will have God so to work all in all that they stick not to commit blasphemie in making God to be the author of sin and to have a part in it CHAP. VII Concerning the Fall of man and originall sin and the fruits of it DOCTRINE I. That Adam voluntarily and of his own accord sinned against God by his disobedience WE believe That Adam the first man considering that he was a Gen. 1.27 created after the Image of God and b Eccl. 7.29 made just and upright and endued with free-will in such sort that if he would he might have not sinned and so never died considering this I say we believe that he c Gen 3.1 c. at the devils perswasion God not hindring him but leaving him d Eccl. 15.14 to follow his own counsel of his own accord with true freedome of will sinned against God by his disobedience so that he can neither translate the fault upon God nor his own nature as he received it from God nor any other creature but ought and must attribute it onely unto himself because he would so DOCT. II. What the nature and qualitie of Adams sin was WE understand That Adams sin was his voluntarie a Gen. 3.6 transgressing the b Gen. 2.17 commandment of God in eating the forbidden fruit as Moses sets it down and as the Apostle speaketh his c Rom. 5.19 disobedience which consisted not so much in the outward act as in his voluntarie purpose of mind in that he would not obey God DOCT. III. What and how manifold death followed upon Adams sin SO we confesse That man being destitute of the grace of God by his own fault lost that life by which he did live holily unto God having his understanding blinded his will depraved and the integritie of his whole nature perished as concerning things belonging unto God and a life well-pleasing unto God That he became a Ioh 8.34 the servant of sin and the slave of Satan and truly b Eph. 2.1 dead unto God That c Rom. 5.12 he incurred death both that of the body which is common to all men together with all bodily calamities and also and that especially that of the whole man which is eternall that is to say most miserable most grievous most unhappy to live with the devil in everlasting torments a life beyond all comparison worse then any death from which he could never have been d 1 Cor. 15.22 delivered but by Christ DOCT. IV. That in Adam all men sinned NOw for as much as all mankind which by naturall generation was to be propagated from Adam was in the loynes of Adam whereupon the commandment joyned also with a commination belonged not to Adams person onely but to all mankind Therefore we believe with the Apostle and confesse that a Rom. 5.19 in Adam sinning all men sinned so that the disobedience was not so much proper to him as common to all mankind because his guilt descended upon all his posteritie whether born already or yet to be born as the Apostle plainly teacheth and most firmely proveth by opposing b ibid. the disobedience of Adam and the obedience of Christ the one to the other For if the obedience of Christ be as well ours by imputation as it was Christ's own by his proper action because we are born again of his incorruptible seed and of his spirit then likewise it followes that the disobedience of Adam is imputed unto us and his guilt becomes ours because according to our carnall generation we are born of his seed who is the Father of all men DOCT. V. That presently upon Adams disobedience there followed the corruption of his whole nature in all men ANd as upon Adam's actuall disobedience there followed presently in the just judgement of God the corruption of his whole nature which is by the Apostle called a Rom. 7.7 August Tom. 7. contra Iul. Pelag lib. 5. cap. 3. lust or concupiscence which is both a punishment for sin foregoing and a sinne it self and the cause of other sins So also all men which by naturall propagation are descended from him are infected with the same contagion and corruption of nature This we believe as we have been taught out of Holy Scripture and and this we confesse with the whole Church For in Adam all men sinned and the guilt of his disobedience came upon all DOCT. VI. What we properly call Originall sin WHerefore we say that this hereditary stain and corruption of nature is so in all men a sinne and therefore commonly called Originall sinne that yet notwithstanding we in no wise separate it from the guilt and imputation of that first disobedience As on the contrarie we doubt not to affirme that the righteousness of Christians consists not so much in the regeneration of nature which is the work of Christs Spirit and commonly called by the name of Inherent righteousness as in the imputation of the perfect obedience and righteousness of Christ whose members we are DOCT. VII That the contagion of our nature is truely a sinne ANd although this contagion did overspread Adam and all his posteritie and was inflicted as a just punishment for that first transgression of Gods commandment Yet thus much we know as certainly as can be out of holy Scripture that it is not onely a punishment for sin but also the cause of all other sinnes and likewise a sinne it self and such a one as is alone sufficient to condemne us DOCT. VIII That concupiscence even in the regenerate is of it 's own nature a sinne ANd we have learned that concupiscence of it's own nature is so farre forth a sinne and so repugnant to the Law of God making all men subject to eternall damnation unless they be redeemed by Christ that yet we make no manner of doubt but in the very regenerate themselves although it be not imputed unto them any more for as much as the guilt thereof is taken away by faith in Christ it is truely and of it self a sinne and such a one as deserves eternall death seeing that it is as the Apostle also teacheth 1 Iohn 3.4 the transgression of the Law and is condemned by the Law of God DOCT. IX That from our naturall and imbred concupiscence as from a fountain there flow forth continually streams of actuall sins and transgressions WE believe further that this our naturall pravitie is such a fountain of all evil and so inexhaustible that from thence there spring forth continually the most filthy waters of evil passions wicked cogitations and ungodly desires which unlesse they be restrained and kept in by the Spirit of Christ will breake forth outwardly into wicked and
which Christ was to come being gathered together and wonderfully increased and being after a miraculous manner delivered out of the bondage of Egypt that God might have a certain and visible Church separated from all gentiles and gathered together in one place in which the promise made unto the Fathers concerning Christ might be kept and God might be worshipped after such a manner as was best pleasing unto him even unto the coming of the true Redeemer promised Between these two I say the promise and the fulfilling thereof the Law which was delivered by Moses came between and contained in it three kinds of precepts Morall for the right ordering of a private life in the course of pietie Cermoniall according to the prescript rule whereof the Church was to be governed and Iudiciall concerning the government of the whole commonwealth in civil matters and concerning the ordering of private families in household government That by this meanes the people of God of whom Christ was to come might be kept from idolatrie and from following the profane customes and manners of the wicked gentiles That they might be kept within the compasse of their duty and service to God and obedience to Gods will and to conclude That they might be supported and upheld through saith and hope in the promise concerning true Redemption to be wrought by Christ which was to be fulfilled and that so they might be prepared every day more and more for the receiving and entertaining of Christ and all to this end That God might be glorified in his people DOCT. II. That whatsoever is necessarie unto salvation is contained in the Law of God BUt as for the two latter parts of the whole Law which belong nothing unto us to say nothing of them but onely of the former We believe that in this Law as it is delivered unto us in the books of Moses he Prophets and Apostels a 2 Tim. 3.16 all things necessarie unto our salvation are so perfectly and completely set down unto us and the will of God which he would have us to do here in this world is so farre forth revealed that b Deut. 4.2 b 12.32 nothing can be added thereto or diminished from it DOCT. III. That the Law of the Decalogue or ten Commandments is the exposition of the Law of Nature and the Map of Gods image FOr we believe That this Law is is the exposition of the Law of Nature which was perfectly wrote in the hearts of our first patents but in others imperfectly and but in part and therefore by this is condemned whatsoever is repugnant to that image of God after which man was at the first created and contrarily That is commanded whatsoever is agreeable unto it For it was Gods will by this Law to declare both what man was in his first estate and what he was made in his second and what he ought to be and further What he should be in the third in part and in the fourth perfectly by Christ That the Law of God is nothing else but the true lively expresse draught or Map of Gods image by which we are put in mind what we were what we are what we should be and what we shall be if we believe on Christ DOCT. IV. That the summe of the Law is reduced to these two heads the love of God and our neighbour WE believe and confesse according to the Doctrine of Christ That the summe or substance of the whole Law is contained in these two Commandments a Matt. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and b 39. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self The first of which is the summe of the former table and the other is the summe of the latter DOCT. V. That if God alone is to be loved with all the heart He alone also is to be worshipped NOw if the summe of the first table which containeth in it the whole worship which is due unto God consisteth in the perfect love of God alone from hence beside the expresse Commandments of God in other places expounding this Commandment we gather thus much and believe That God alone is to be adored invocated and worshipped with religious worship and that we are to swear onely by his name because these things are contained in the Commandment concerning the loving of God with all the heart To omit this that the image of God whereof the Law it self is a draught or map taught Adam the very same DOCT. VI. That concupiscence it self and the corruption of nature is a sinne ANd if by the Law of God that is condemned for a sinne whatsoever is not agreeable unto the first image of God that is in righteousnesse holinesse and uprightnesse wherein man was created we gather from hence that not onely the actions done with consent of will contrary to the will of God but also the very inward motions of concupiscence and therefore concupiscence it self and every corruption of nature is a sinne and so condemned by the Law of God because it is repugnant to the rectitude or uprightnesse and righteousnesse in which man was created and in which he might have continned and stood if he would DOCT. VII That the Law although it cannot be perfectly kept and fulfilled was not yet given in vain or to no end BUt although the Law of God is so perfect that a Rom. 7.15 no mortall man hath been able or is able to keep it wholly alwayes and in such a manner as it ought to be kept Yet we believe that it was not given in vain or to no end or purpose for as much God doth nothing in vain but all in infinite wisedome for his own glorie and for our profit and salvation DOCT. VIII That there is a threefold use and profit arising from the Law of God FOr First of all by the perfect Revelation of Gods will by this Law men might in former times and may now come the better unto the knowledge of God and what is pleasing unto him what is good and what bad what to be done and what to be avoided better I say then by the mere reliques of the Law of Nature which was left in mans mind and so all pretense of ignorance being quite taken away the Iews were made more unexcusable then other nations for not keeping the Law of God because from thence men are given to understand that the judgements of God against us are most just Secondly by the curses which are added against the transgressours of the Law men are better bridled as it were and kept in that they run not into sin and again by the blessings promised unto the observers of the Law men are incited and spurred on as it were to run in the way of Gods Commandments and keep his Law though not wholly and perfectly yet at least in part as concerning outward works and so they were the better kept
to beget the Sonne is so proper to the Father that it can neither be attributed to the Sonne nor to the holy Ghost And again to be begotten cannot be attributed but to the Son onely and so likewise in the rest So also to be most simple eternall infinite every where present simply omniscient simply omnipotent simply good and the rest of like sort are so proper unto God that they cannot really or truely be communicated to any creature in such matter that it can be for instance sake good by an infinite goodnes or omnipotent by an infinite power c. As God is DOCT. IV. That the Essentiall Properties in God do not really differ from his Essence FOr we acknowledge that in God by reason of his simplicitie his Essentiall Properties do not really differ from his Essence and therefore that they cannot without this be communicated to any creature And therefore that no creature is or can be truely said to be simply for 〈…〉 sake omnipotent good just 〈…〉 As also our Lord Iesus speaking of one attribute taught us concerning all Matth. â—â— 17 saying There is none good that is simply but one that is God DOCT. V. That nothing is or can be simply such as God is unlesse it can be simply God also WHerefore whosoever hold that any created substance could ever be made or can now or hereafter be made partaker of the divine attributes or properties by which it may become such as God is as for example simply omnipotent c. They must also necessariny confesse that the same is or may be coessentiall with God For as much as even the Sonne himself is not simply Almightie but as he is coessentiall with the Father and so likewise the holy Ghost DOCT. VI. The confirmation of the foregoing doctrine FRom whence also we understand how it comes to passe that whereas the Sonne is no lesse Almightie then the Father and so in like manner the holy Ghost yet we say not that there are three Almighties Symbol Athan. but confesse with Athanasius and the whole Church that there is onely one Almightie because they have all one and the same essence Seeing then that no thing created hath one and the same essence with God but another and that farre diverse How can any created thing be made Almightie Or if any thing by the communication of Gods Almightie power could be made Almightie it must needs follow that there are more Almighties then one which we count it blasphemie once to affirme DOCT. VII Heresies and Errours condemned THerefore we condemne and detest all heresies which have rose up against this article of our Faith and being fetcht back from hell have been condemned by the Holy Fathers in lawfull Councills viz. The Heresie of Cerinthus Ebion Valentius Marcion Manichaeus Arius Eunomius Sabellius Prax Fotinus and such like as Servitus and the Tritheites which hold that there be three Gods as likewise the blasphemies of the Iewes and Turks and also all Heresies which have been broched by the divel either against the Unitie of the Godhead or against the Trinitie of Persons and further such as either deny the Sonne to be true and eternall God and so the holy Ghost also or else confound the Persons and say that they are but one and the same but yet for divers respects called by divers names viz. Father Sonne and holy Ghost And to conclude we condemne also the errours of those who separate the essentiall Properties of God from his divine essence which they seem to us to do whosoever do teach that they may be communicated to any creature without the communication of essence or indeed rather which teach that they are communicated already CHAP. III. Concerning Gods foreknowledge and Praedestination DOCTRINE I. That God foreknew and foresaw all things from Eternitie WE believe that God Acts 15.18 from the beginning of the world yea even from Eternitie according to his infinite wisdome foreknew all things to come both the good which he would do and the evil which he would permit to be done so farre forth that nothing did or could lye hid from him And we doubt not but all things Hebr â— 13 whatsoever have been are shall or may be although they never come to passe are and have been alwayes naked and open in his sight DOCT. II. That God in his eternall counsel praedetermined all things and praeordained them to the best ends NEither do we believe onely That God foresaw all things and hath them ever present in his sight but also that in his most wise and eternall counsel he hath before determined all things Acts 4.28 whatsoever did or do concerne the creation and goverment of the world as also the gathering together of his Church out of the sinfull ofspring of Adam and likewise their redemption and salvation and further that of his infinite goodnes he hath before ordained all the evil which in his wisdome he purposed to suffer and permit to the best ends insomuch that there shall not an hair perish Luk. 21.18 Matt. 10.30 or fall from our head without the will of our heavenly Father DOCT. III. That God hath predestinated some men unto life and others unto death WHerefore we make no doubt of this That God out of men to speak nothing of the Angells whom at the creation he made all righteous in Adam but foresaw that they would all sin likewise in him Ephes â— 3.4 hath in Christ chosen some that they should be holy and without blame before him in love and hath also predestinated them unto eternall life of his meere grate and according to the good pleasure of his will Rom 9.22 but in his just judgement hath not vouchsafed to give his grace unto others as being the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction That in those his infinite mercie but in these his justice might be made known unto the world to his owne glorie DOCT. IV. That the Election of the Saints is of Gods mere Grace FOr as our Vocation unto Christ T it 3.7 Eph. 2.9 and our Iustification in Christ is merely of Gods grace and not of our works So also we hold that the predestination of the Saints is merely of grace because it was made in Christ That no flesh should glorie in his presence Ephes 1.3 1 Cor 1.29.31 but that he that gloryeth should glorie in the Lord. DOCT. V. That we are predestinated not onely to the end but also to the meanes WHereupon we believe also Eph. 1.3.4 that seeing God in Christ hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love We are predestinated not onely to the end which is eternall life and glorie but also to the Meanes tending to that End and especiall Faith whereby we are ingrafted into Christ and Regeneration also and true Repentance by which we are made in Christ a new creature
ungodly actions some more grievous then other so farre forth that there is not any one godly man living which carries not about with him this sink of sinne and feels not from thence filthy vapours and exhalations alwayes ascending and is not contaminated and defiled with the pollutions thereof a Iam. 1.14 Every man saith St. Iames is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed b 15. Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death DOCT. X. That God is not the Authour of sinne BY all which we are confirmed in this faith that we believe that God is in no wise the Authour of sin seeing that he neither created Adam evil nor with an inclination to evil but just and upright so that he sinned of his own free-will and accord not moved much lesse forced by God a 1 Iohn 2.16 Neither was this pravitie any corruption of his nature as he was created by God but by Gods just permission followed as a punishment upon his disobedience having willfully lost his Originall righteousness DOCT. XI Errours condemned THerefore with Ireneus and all the Church we condemne all those which make God the Authour of sinne and likewise all Pelagians both old and new which either deny that all men sinned in Adam and so are guilty of Originall sin or else dispute that this imbred lust or concupiscence is onely the punishment of sin but not truely sin indeed or else in the regenerate at least will not have it to be called by the name of sinne We condemne also those which have taught or do teach that Originall sinne is a substance because this opinion either makes God to be the Authour of sin or else denyes him to be the maker of every substance and because it serves also to confirm the Doctrine of the Manichees concerning two causes or Originalls of all things to wit one chief and prime good and another chief and prime evil so that all things which are good have proceeded from the beginning unto this present and still do proceed from the good and all evil from the evil one We condemne also all stoicks and those that are like unto them which teach that all sinnes are equall and not one greater then another And last of all those which contend that there may be some one found in this world which is altogether void of sinne CHAP. VIII What free-will was left unto Man after his Fall DOCTRINE I. What we understand by the name of free will SEeing that all men since the Fall and by reason of the Fall of Adam are a Psalm â—1 5 conceived insinne and are b Eph. 2. â— by nature the children of wrath having no inclination at all to that which is good but c Gen. 6. â— â— 21 altogether prone to that which is evil This is our belief and confession concerning the free-will of a man not regenerate By the name of free-will we understand the will of man so to be free that from it we do not separate the facultie of understanding by which we judge what is good and what bad what to be chosen and what to be refused DOCT. II. That the question concerning free-will is two-fold either concerning the nature or else concerning the power thereof IN the question concerning free-will we distinguish between the power and strength of free-will and the nature of mans will The nature we call the naturall and essentiall propertie thereof created in it by God that whatsoever it willeth whether it be good or bad it willeth freely voluntarily willingly and free-from all manner of coaction By the name of power we understand a power or facultie either innate that is by nature or else conferred that is of grace by which we are enabled by our understanding to know what is good and what evil and by our will to choose the good and refuse the evil DOCT. III. That free-will is alwayes free from coaction AS therefore the substance of free-will perished not by reason of sinne for the understanding and will and the whole substance of the soul remained so neither do we believe that the nature thereof perished that whatsoever it willeth as well evil as good it willeth it freely and without all manner of coaction That it is true which Augustine saith That free-will is alwayes free that is from coaction but yet that it is not alwayes good DOCT. IV. That there are three ranks or sorts of things and actions about which the power of free-will is exercised COncerning our power in choosing of good and refusing evil we are of this opinion We distinguish good and evil into three kinds those which pertain to the Animall or naturall life the rationall or humane life the divine or Christian life Of the first kind are those which are common to us almost with beasts and belong to the soul by which we live and increase and have sense and motion Of the second kind are those which are proper to man and belong to mans understanding as Arts as well Mechanicall as liberall virtues morall and politicall and last of all sciences of all sorts and all Philosophie The third kind contains onely those things which are good and good actions which are ordained for the kingdome of God and a Christian life As the true knowledge of God faith and the effects thereof regeneration obedience charitie and others of the like kind DOCT. V. That the power and strength of a man unregenerate is very weak even in things belonging to this life TO say nothing then of the power strength of man since the Fall in knowing and desiring such things as make for the preservation of this present life and living here happily as also in making choise of them and pursuing after them if they be offered unto him and in eschewing and avoiding the contrary To say nothing I say of this because it nothing belongs to religion and manners although as concerning even this dayly experience teacheth us how great a depravation of judgement and appetite is in man following as a punishment upon the Fall We believe that although by the mercy of God there is yet left some light in mans understanding partly in discerning between right wrong good and bad in humane affaires and partly in acquiring the knowledge of many things arts sciences and divers other virtues Yet the light that is in the understanding is so little and the will so depraved that unlesse the one be enlightened from above and the other be inclined by Gods speciall grace to choose the good propounded and to refuse the bad he cannot acquire the knowledge of Arts and sciences and other virtues which may be in men even unregenerate And not without cause saith St. Augustine a August Tom. 7. cont Iul. Pel. lib. 4. cap. 3. That all the Arts sciences and other virtues or rather shadowes and resemblances of virtues which were in