education, by habits of meditation and study, by the influence of good example, and by a compliance with the customs, and obedience to the Laws under which we live. "Although there be no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin." Whilst man is "the servant of sin," he is "free from righteousness."

This Article is the eighth of those published in 1552. After the word "talk," was inserted "and at this day is affirmed by the Anabaptists;" but these words are omitted in this Article.

ARTICLE X.

OF FREE-WILL.

THE tenth Article treats of Free-Will; that, "such is the condition of man, after the fall of Adam, that he cannot, by his own natural strength," and by good works, turn and prepare himself " to Faith and calling upon God." The Scriptures

y Rom. viii. 1.-vii. 7. Jewel's Def. Apol. pt. 2. c. 11. Div. 3. Prideaux Ibid. c. 3. Q. 5.

tell us, that we have of ourselves no power, no2 will, no inclination, to believe and call upon God, nor "to do works pleasant and acceptable" to him; unless, by his Almighty agency,a by his aid and concurrence with our own natural strength, his Grace assist us.

This doctrine has been the occasion of much controversy and dispute among Christians. But this assistance of Divine Grace is not inconsistent with the will of men. If we cherish in ourselves every good disposition, we may be assured, that, by the communication of his grace, God will help our infirmities and animate our sincere endeavours.

This Article was the ninth of those published in 1552; and it began "We have no power"the former part of the sentence was added in 1562. After this Article, was the tenth, " Of Grace,” in the following words, which was afterwards omitted;" The Grace of Christ, or the Holy Ghost, which is given by him, doth take from man the heart of stone, and giveth him a heart of flesh.

2 John xv. 4, 5, 6. 44. 1 Cor. ii. 14.-xii. 3. 2 Cor. iii. 5. Clemens Alex. Quis dives salv. c. 21.

Hær. 1. 3. c. 22. Ibid. 1. 4. c. 27.
a Phil. ii. 13. Rom. viii. 8.
Hammond's Pract. Cat. 1. 5. § 4.
Pearson, on the Creed, p. 327.

John vi. 44.

Irenæus adv.
Tertull. de Orat. c. 4.
Acts vi. 14. Nowel's Cat. p. 104.
Wall's Infant Baptism, pt. 1. c. 19.
Hall's Roma Irrecon. § 8.

And, though it rendereth us willing to do those good works, which before we were unwilling to do, and unwilling to do those evil works which before we did, yet is no violence offered by it to the will of man; so that no man, when he hath sinned, can excuse himself, as if he had sinned against his will, or upon constraint; and therefore that he ought not to be accused or condemned upon that account."

ARTICLE. XI.

or

OF THE JUSTIFICATION OF MAN.

b

THE Scriptures declare, that we are justified "accounted righteous before God" for the "merit of Jesus Christ, by Faith, and not for our own works;" that faith in the righteousness of Christ is the only ground of our justification; and that our faith must be justified by works, which are the best evidence of our belief.

b 1 John i. 7. Rom. iii. 24, 25, 26.—v. 19. Eph. ii. 8. 9. Ps. cxliii. 2. Gal. v. 6. Clemens Rom. Ep, ad Cor. c. 32. Irenæus adv. Hær. 1. 4. c. 13. Ibid. c. 67. Cyprian. Testim, ad Quirin. 1. 3. Ibid. Ep. 63.

e. 43.

C

"To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." To him, who does not perform any good works, whether of the Law of Nature or of Moses, from an opinion of the merit of either, or who does not perform perfect obedience, which no man can perform, by which he may claim Salvation; but who first relies on the mercy of God, “his faith is counted for righteousness."

66

Being justified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ:" being freely forgiven by his grace and favour, and so accepted or esteemed as righteous, on account of the remission of our sins, and of Christ's righteousness being imputed to us; which is conferred upon us in consideration of the price of that Redemption, which was paid for us by Christ.

It is a "doctrine, very full of comfort."

Luther called this Article of Religion, the distinguishing mark of a standing or falling Church. Witsius tells us, that the whole of Christianity depends upon the doctrine of Justification. It is diffused through the whole body of Theology;

Rom. iv. 5.

e Is. xl. 1, 2.

Cat. p. 98. 129.

Nowel's

d Rom. ii. 24. Rom. v. 1, 2.-x. 10. Matt. xi. 29. Homily of Salvation and Faith. Hammond's

Pract. Cat. 1. 1. § 4. Hooker's Discourse on Justification. Jewel's

Def. Apol. pt. 1. c. 9. Div. 4.

and as it is well or ill founded, the edifice becomes firm and magnificent, or totters to its very base and is in danger disgracefully to fall. It is the substance and perfection of Christianity. When we can do no good works before we are justified, we cannot be justified by good works.

There is no " Homily" with the title "of Justification." The Homily "of the Salvation of all mankind" is supposed to be here meant.

This Article is the eleventh of those of 1552. The whole of it ran thus: "Justification by Faith only in Jesus Christ, in that sense wherein it is set forth in the Homily of Justification, is the most certain and most wholesome doctrine for a Christian Man."