Rom. iii. 31. Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid: Yea, we establish the Law. I Cor, vii. 19. Circumcifion is nothing, nor Uncircumcifion is nothing, but keeping the Commandments of GOD, James ii. 8, 9, 10, 11. If ye fulfil the royal Law, according to the Scriptures, thou fhalt love thy Neighbour as thyself, ye do well. But if ye have Respect to Perfons, ye commit Sin, and are convinced of the Law as Tranfgreffors. For whosoever fhall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one Point, he is guilty of all. For he that faid, do not commit Adultery; faid alfo, do not kill. Now, if thou commit no Adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art bẹcome a Tranfgreffor of the Law. T ARTICLE VIII. Df the Three Creeds. HE three Creeds, Nicene Creed, Athanafius's Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed, for they may be proved by most certain Warrants of holy Scripture. The Scriptures which have been, or fhall be made Ufe of in this Comment, to prove the Agreement of the Articles of Faith, as taught in the Church of England, with the unerring Dictates of holy Writ, are applicable equally to the three Creeds, as they and the Doctrines in the Thirty-nine Articles entirely accord with each other. For a fatisfactory Account of the three Creeds, fee Hooker's Eccl. Pol. Book V. Sect. 42. Ό ARTICLE IX. Df Driginal, oz Birth Stn. 2 3 RIGINAL Sin ftandeth not in the follow. ing 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, fo that the Flefh lufteth always contrary to the Spirit; and therefore, in every Perfon born into this World, it deferveth God's Wrath and Damnation. And this 5 Infection of Nature doth remain, yea, in them, that are regenerated, whereby the Luft of the Flesh, called in Greek póvnya Zapnès, which fome do expound the Wisdom, fome Senfuality, fome the Affection, fome the Defire of the Flesh, is not fubject to the Law of GoD. And although 7 there is no Condemnation to them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confefs, that Concupifcence and Luft hath of itself the Nature of Sin. 8 Rom. v. 14. Death reigned from Adam to Mofes, even over them that had not finned after the Similitude of Adam's Tranfgreffion. Job xxv. 4. How can he be clean that is born of a Woman? Job xiv. 4. Who can bring a clean Thing out of an Unclean? not one. P. li. 5. Behold, I was fhapen in Wickedness, and in Sin did my Mother conceive me. Rom. v. 12. By one Man Sin entered into the World, and Death by Sin, and fo Death paffed upon all Men, for that (ip', in whom, Marg.) all, have finned. Ver. 15. Through the Offence of one many are dead. 16. The Judgment was by one to Condemnation. 17. By By by one Man's Offence, Death reigned by one. 18. By the Offence of one, Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation. 19. By one Man's Difobedience many were made Sinners. I Cor. xv. 22. In Adam all die. John iii. 5. Verily verily I fay unto thee, except a Man be born again of Water and of the Spirit, he can→ not enter into the Kingdom of GOD. Ver. 8. That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Rem. vii. 18. I know that in me, that is in my Flefh, dwelleth no good Thing. 3 Gen. v. 3. Adam begat a Son in his own Likeness, after his Image.-Gen. vi. 5. GOD faw that the Wickednefs of Man was great in the Earth, and that every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart was only Evil continually. Gen. viii. 21. The Imagination of Man's Heart is Evil from his Youth. Jer. xvii. 9. The Heart is deceitful above all Things, and defperately wicked: Who can know it? Matt. xv. 18, 19. Thofe Things which proceed out of the Mouth come forth from the Heart, and they defile the Man, For out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts, Murders, Adulteries, Fornications, Thefts, falfe Witnefs, Blafphemies. Pf. xiv. 2, 3, The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of Men, to fee if there were any that did understand and seek GOD.. They are all gone afide, they are all together become filthy, there is none that doeth Good, no, not one. Pf. liii. 2, &c, and Rom. iii. 10, &c. There is none righteous, no, not one. Ver. 19. We know that what Things foever the Law faith, it faith to them who are under the Law, that every Mouth may be ftopped, and all the World become guilty before GOD. Vid. • The Flesh lufteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh, and thefe are contrary the one to the other: So that ye cannot do the Things that ye would, Gal. v. 17. 5 Rom. vi. 23. The Wages of Sin is Death, Eph. ii.' We are by Nature the Children of Wrath. 3. Rom. vii. 14, &c. For we know that the Law is spiritual: But I am carnal, fold under Sin. For that which I do, I allow not; for what I would, that I do not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I confent unto the Law that it is good. Now then, it it is no more I that do it, but Sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me, that is, in my Flesh, dwelleth no good Thing: For to will is prefent with me; but how to perform that which is Good, I find not. For the Good that I would, I do not; but the Evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but Sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a Law, that when I would do Good, Evil is present with me. For I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man. But I fee another Law in my Members, warring against the Law of my Mind, and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of Sin, which is in my Members. 7 Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth and is baptized, fhall be faved. Rom. viii. 1. There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus. John v. 24. Verily verily I fay unto you, He that heareth my Word, and believeth on Him that fent me, hath everlafting Life, and shall not come into Condemnation; but is paffed from Death unto Life. Rom. vii. 7. I had not known Sin but by the Law; for I had not known Luft, except the Law had faid, thou fhalt not covet. ARTICLE X. DE Free Will. HE Condition of Man after the Fall of 1 Adam, is fuch, 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, pleafant 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. Rom. viii. 8. They that are in the Flesh cannot pleafe GOD. 2 Cor. iii. 5. We are not fufficient of ourselves to think any thing, as of ourfelves, but our Sufficiency is of GOD. John xv. 5. Without me ye can do nothing. Rom. v. 6. When we were yet without Strength, în due Time Chrift died for the Ungodly. 2 Epb. ii. 1. You hath he quickened who were dead in Trefpaffes and Sins. Pf. cxliv. 1. Bleffed be the Lord my Strength, which teacheth my Hands to war, and my Fingers to fight. John vi. 44. No Man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. Cant. i. 4. Draw me, we will run after thee. 1 Cor. ii. 14. The natural Man receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God, for they are Foolifhnefs unto him, neither can he know them, because they are fpiritually difcerned. Phil. ii. 13. It is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure. ARTICLE XI. Of the Jullification of Man. . WE E are accounted righteous before God only for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift by Faith, and not for our own Works, or Defervings. Wherefore, that we are juftified by Faith only is a moft wholsome Doc trine, and very full of Comfort; as more largely is expreft in the Homily of Juftification. Rom. iii: 20, &c. Therefore by the Deeds of the Law there fhall no Flesh be juftified in his Sight: For by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin. But now the Righteoufnefs of GOD without the Law is manifefted, being witneffed by the Law and the Prophets, even the Righteoufnefs of GOD which is by Faith of Jefus Chrift, unto all, and upon all them that believe, for there is no Difference; for all have finned, and come fhort of the Glory of Gop; being juftified freely by his Grace, through the Redemp |