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Majesty, most justly provoking his wrath “and indignation against us." The Article teaches the cause of this disobedience : "Original sin standeth not in the following ❝ of Adam, as the Pelagians do vainly talk, "but it is the fault and corruption of the "nature of every man, that naturally is

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engendered of the offspring of Adam, "whereby man is very far gone from ori"ginal righteousness, and is of his own "nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh "lusteth always contrary to the spirit, and "therefore in every person born into this "world, it deserveth God's wrath and “damnation. And this infection of na“ture doth remain, yea, in them that are "regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh "... is not subject to the law of God." We are" by nature born in sin, and the "children of wrath".' So saith the Apostle; we "were by nature children of "wrath" for "in Adam" not only did all die, but all did sine, and "by one

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Church Cate

1 Cor. xv. 22. e Rom. v. 12.

? Communion Office. a Art. IX. Ephes. ii. 3.

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"man's disobedience the many were made "sinners," and "judgment came upon "all men to condemnation," and "the "whole world" became liable to the judgment of Godh. Hence also are our hearts "deceitful above all things, desperately "wicked," and continually prone to evil. "The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and "the spirit against the flesh, and these are "contrary the one to the other, so that we "cannot do the things that we would."

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9. It is declared, that "the condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that "he cannot turn and prepare himself by "his own natural strength and good works "to faith and calling upon God: where"fore we have no power to do good works

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pleasant and acceptable to God, without "the grace of God by Christ preventing us, "and working with us when we have that "good will." To the same effect every child is taught, that he is not able of himself" to walk in the commandments of God,

f Rom. v. 19. g Rom. v. 18. h Rom. iii. 19. Jer. xvii. 9. k Gal. v. 17. Art. X.

"and to serve him without his special "gracem." The same doctrine is expressed in many of our Collects. "As we are "sore let and hindered in running the race "that is set before us," we pray "that "God's bountiful grace and mercy may "speedily help and deliver us"." By "reason of the frailty of our nature we "cannot always stand upright"." " We "have no power of ourselves to help our"selves "." 66 Through the weakness of "our mortal nature we can do no good

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thing without" God. "The frailty of man "without him cannot but fall".” "With❝out him we are not able to pleases him :" and therefore we pray, that "as by his

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special grace preventing us, he doth put "into our hearts good desires, so by his "continual help we may bring the same "to good effect." These expressions of

m Catechism. n Collect for fourth Sunday in Advent. • Collect for fourth Sunday after Epiphany. P Collect for second Sunday in Lent. 9 Collects for first and ninth Sundays after Trinity. r Collect for fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. s Collect for nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. Collect for Easter Day.

deep and unfeigned humility are of heavenly origin, and it is the Apostle's doctrine, that while "we work out our own salvation with "fear and trembling, it is God who work"eth in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure"." "No man can come "unto me," saith our Lord, "except the "Father draw him*;" and "without me

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ye can do nothing"." "We are not suffi"cient of ourselves to think any thing as "of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of "Godz." "The Spirit also helpeth our "infirmities," for "the natural man re"ceiveth not the things of the Spirit of "God; for foolishness is in him: neither "can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned”.”

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10. Thus corrupted, thus assisted, it is declared "of the justification of man, that "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. Where

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y John xv. 5.

Philip. ii. 12, 13. * John vi. 44. z 2 Cor. iii. 5. a Rom. viii. 26. b 1 Cor. ii. 14.

"fore that we are justified by faith only is "a most wholesome doctrine, and very full "of comfort." It is also very agreeable to the Scriptures; "For by grace have we "been saved, through faith: and that not "of ourselves, it is the gift of God... not ❝of works, lest any man should boast"." For all have sinned and come short of "the glory of God, being justified freely "by his grace, through the redemption ❝ that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath "set forth to be a propitiation through "faith in his blood, to declare his right"eousness for the remission of sins that are "past, through the forbearance of God, "to declare his righteousness, that he is just, in justifying him that believeth in " Jesuse."

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11. "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... to deserve grace of

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Art. XI. d Ephes. ii. 8, 9. • Rom. iii. 23-26.

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