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ARTICLE V.

Men are responsible and immortal. Thelaw of God is perfect, and his government just and good. The present world is a state of probation, and the eternal world is a state of retribution.

Every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Rom. 14. 12. Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Mat. 12. 36. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Gen. 2. 16, 17.

I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Mat. 22. 32. The spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Eccles. 12. 7. And fear not them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Mat. 10. 28. The law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Rom. 7. 12. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. Ps. 19. 7, 9.

And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou king of saints. Rev. 15. 3. We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every man may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. II Cor. 5. 10.

ARTICLE VI.

Adam, our progenitor, was created in the moral image of God, and constituted the representative of his posterity.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image; in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Gen. 1. 26, 27. Put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Col. 3. 10. Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Eph. 4.24. Lo, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. Eccles. 7. 29. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall rany be made righteous. Rom. 5. 12, 19.

ARTICLE VII.

In consequence of the apostasy of Adam, his natural descendants in their succeeding generations are destitute of holiness; and, unless they are renewed by the Holy Spirit, possess the carnal mind which is enmity against God.

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the_thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth. Gen. 6.5-7. For the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. Gen. 8. 21. The heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live. Eccles. 9. 3. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt; they have done abominable works; there is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Ps. 14. 1-3. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jer. 17. 9. All have sinned. Rom. 5. 12. Among whom we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of our flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Eph. 2. 3. What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes. Rom. 3. 9-18. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace; because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh can not please God. Rom.8. 6-8.

ARTICLE VIII.

The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, assumed the nature of man and by his mediation and death on the cross made atonement for the sins of the world.

In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of

he world. John 1. 1, 14, 29. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2.6-8. Forasmuch then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Heb. 2. 14, 16. And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. I Tim. 3. 16. Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. I John 4. 3. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations. Luke 24. 46, 47. For this my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Mat. 26. 28. Without shedding of blood is no remission. Heb. 9. 22. Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: For this he did once when he offered up himself. Heb. 7. 27. And if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. I John 2. 2. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world. I Pet. 1. 18-20. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Rom. 5. 8. Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. Rev. 5. 9.

ARTICLE IX.

Pardon is offered to sinners on condition of repentance and faith; but they reject the gospel of grace and refuse to come to Christ.

Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Rev. 22. 17. Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth. Isai. 45. 22. Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Ezek. 18. 30, 31. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die? Ezek. 33. 11. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16. 15, 16. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. John 6. 37. Ye will

not come to me that ye might have life. John 5. 40. Come, for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. Luke 14. 17.

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ARTICLE X.

In eternal and sovereign love God purposed to reclaim and save multitudes of our sinful race, who were given to Christ as his peculiar people and redeemed by his blood, and who from age to age are effectually called by the Holy Spirit out of every kindred and people and nation: While all others persist in sin and become vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace. Eph. 1.3-5. But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. II Thess. 2. 13. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. John 6. 44. And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Acts 13. 48. For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election night stand, not of works but of him that calleth,-Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor? Rom. 9.11, 18, 21. A great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb. Rev. 7. 9, 10. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you. Ezek. 36. 26, 32.

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I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Ye are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them; and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life. John 10. 11, 27. FathI will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am ; that they may behold my glory. John 17. 24. When he is come, he will reprove the world of sin. John 16. 8. Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost. Acts 7. 51. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. Ps. 110. 3.

For God hath not appointed us to wrath. I Thess. 5. 9. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? II Cor. 13. 5. What if God willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction? Rom. 9. 22.

ARTICLE XI.

They, in whom a work of grace is begun, are kept from final apostasy, and made to persevere in holy obedience to the end of life.

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Phil. 1. 6. The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Prov. 4. 18. The righteous shall hold on his way; and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. Job. 17. 9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. I Thess. 5. 9. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. I Pet. 1. 2, 5. Unto him that

is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy-Jude 24. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have received the atonement. Rom. 5. 9-11. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth: Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8. 28–39.

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