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Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles – Article XVII (Part 2)
Section II. — Scriptural Proof. IN investigating the Scriptural doctrine of Election, it is of the utmost consequence to keep close to Scripture itself, and to keep clear of philosophy. The subject of God’s foreknowledge and predestination must be full of difficulty, and our question can only be, what is revealed to us, not what…
Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles – Article XVII (Part 1)
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…
Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles – Article XVI (Part 2)
Section II. — Scriptural Proof. THE first thing we have to show from holy Scripture is, that “every deadly sin committed after baptism is not unpardonable,” and that “the place of forgiveness is not to be denied to such as truly repent.” To prove this proposition, it will be desirable (1) to show that sins…
Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles – Article XVI (Part 1)
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…
Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles – Article XV
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,…
Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles – Article XIV
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…
Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles – Article XIII
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,…
Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles – Article XII
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 judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith; insomuch that…
Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles – Article XI (Part 2)
Section II. — Scriptural Proof. I. SENSE of the word Justification. The word which we render just or righteous (namely, δίκαιος, or in the Hebrew צַדִּיק) has two principal significations: the one popular, the other accurate. In its popular signification, it is nearly equivalent to good, holy, pious, (ἄγαθος, εὐσεβὴς, חָסִיד); and is used commonly…
Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles – Article XI (Part 1)
Article XI. 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…