f God
by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with
us, when we have that good will.

"ART. XI. _Of the Justification of Man._--We are accounted righteous before
God, only for the merit of our Lord and Savior 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 largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification.

"ART. 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 by them a lively faith may be as evidently
known, as a tree discerned by the fruit.

"ART. 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, for that they are not done as God hath
willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the
nature of sin.

"ART. 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 for His sake than of bounden duty is required; whereas Christ
saith plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded to you, say, We
are unprofitable servants.

"ART. 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 a
Lamb without spot, who, by sacrifice of Himself once made, should take
away the sins of the world; and sin (as Saint John saith) was not in Him.
But all we the rest (although baptized and born again in Christ) yet
offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us.

"ART. XVI. _Of Sin after Baptism._--Not every deadly sin willingly
committed after baptism, is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable.