PART II.

ARTICLES WHICH CONCERN THE OFFICE AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST, OR OUR REDEMPTION.

ARTICLE I.–THE CHIEF ARTICLE.

That Jesus Christ, our God and our Lord, died for our sins, and was raised again for our justification, Rom. 4, 25.

And he alone is the Lamb of God, who bears the sins of the world, John 1, 29. And God has laid upon him the sins of us all, Isa. 53, 6.

Again, all have sinned, and are justified without works or merits, of their own, by his grace, through the redemption of Jesus Christ in his blood, &c., Rom. 3, 23, 24.

Inasmuch, then, as this must be believed, and since it cannot be obtained or embraced by works, law, or merit, it is clear and certain, that such faith alone justifies us, as Paul, Rom. 3, 28, says: "Therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law." Again, verse 26, "That he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."

Whatever may happen, though heaven and earth should fall, nothing in this article can be yielded or rescinded. "For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved," says Peter, Acts 4, 12. "And with his stripes we are healed," Isa. 53, 5. Upon this article depends all that we teach and do against the Pope, the devil, and all the world. We must, therefore, be entirely certain of this, and not doubt it, otherwise all will be lost, and the Pope and the devil, and our opponents, will prevail and obtain the victory.