I. All things were made by God, and that exceeding good (Gen. 1-2).

We believe that God the Father, by the Son, together with the Holy Ghost, in the space of six days, created of nothing all things visible and invisible, which the Holy Spirit in the Holy Scriptures comprehendeth under the name of heaven and earth (Col. 1:16); and the same all exceeding good. And appointed the same, for man's use and for His own glory, so that we acknowledge as well the Son and Holy Ghost for creator of the world, as the Father, since they are all one and the selfsame God. (Prov. 16:4; Heb. 1:10; Luke 1:35).

II. That heaven is distinguished from earth, and the saints' heaven doth differ from the other heavens.

Neither do we mingle heaven with earth, or confound the heavens among themselves, but with the Holy Scriptures we distinguish them, even as we see the elements and all the kinds of living creatures, and of other things to be distinguished. And therefore we confess this heaven likewise, wherein the souls of the blessed do live with Christ, and where all the bodies of the faithful shall be (2 Cor. 12:2; Matt. 6:10), and which Christ calleth His Father's house (John 14:2) and paradise (Luke 23:43), and the apostle calleth a city having a foundation, the maker and builder whereof is God (Heb. 11:10); to differ from the other heavens, but much more from earth and the deeps. Whereunto also Paul alludeth, where he sayeth, he was taken up into the third heaven (2 Cor. 12:2)--namely, above the heaven which we see, and above all the visible and movable spheres.

III. The angels were all created good, though some of them continued not in the truth.

We believe also that all the angels were created good and righteous, spiritual and immortal substances, indewed [endowed] with an intelligence and free will, although all of them did not abide in that goodness and righteousness, and (as the Lord Jesus speaketh), in the truth. But we are taught by the Scriptures that many of them, of their own will even from the beginning, sinned, being made enemies to God and all goodness--yea, and of mankind especially of the Church of God; liars and speaking lies of their own, men killers, devils, and evil spirits, and for this cause were thrust down from heaven into hell, and delivered to the chains of darkness, and reserved to condemnation.

IV. Causes why many of those celestial spirits were suffered to sin and to become evil.

And that this also was not suffered of the divine wisdom without cause, we learn by the Scriptures. For besides that He meant in this to set forth His judgments and His wrath against sin in all kinds of creatures, He decreed also to use their labor to tempt and exercise us in faith, in spiritual sight, in patience, and so to help forward our salvation. And lastly, He would have them the executors and ministers of His judgments against men's offenses (Eph. 6:12), that they which will not embrace the love of truth (2 Thes. 2:12), whereby they might be saved, might follow the doctrines of devils, and might believe in their lies, and so perish.

V. The good angels were saved by the favor of God, that they might be God's ministers and ours.

Again we believe that innumerable many of those celestial spirits were saved by the favor of God for Christ; that they should not sin with the rest, but should abide in the truth and in obedience, and that these are made the messengers and ministers of God (Dan. 7:10), which do their service for help of the elect and do defend them against the devil, and set forward the kingdom of Christ (Heb. 1:7; Ps. 103:20); who do so love us and await upon us, that they greatly rejoice at our well-doing (Luke 15:7). Yet will they not be worshipped of us, but do instruct us that God alone is to be worshipped (Rev. 22:9), and call themselves our fellow servants with whom also we shall live an eternal and blessed life in heaven (Matt. 22:30).

VI. Man was created after the image of God (Gen. 1-2).

We believe that after all other things were created, man also at the last was created to the image and likeness of God, his body being fashioned of earth, and his soul, being a spiritual and immortal substance, made of nothing and inspired into that body; and that shortly after woman was given him, made (concerning the bodily parts) of his bones, and formed to the same image of God.

VII. That image of God, in what things it especially consisteth.

But we believe that this image of God especially consisted herein, both in that as God is the absolute Lord over all things (Gen. 1:18), so unto man were all things subject--the fowls of the air, the fishes of the sea, and beasts of the earth, so as he should be king of the whole world (Ps. 8:7-9). And most especially, that as God is most holy and most just, so man also was created righteous, in justice and true holiness, as the apostle interpreteth (Eph. 4:24).

VIII. Adam was merely free before his fall.

Hereupon we believe that man in that first estate was not only endowed with such a liberty that he could not will anything without consent of his will (which liberty ever was and is remaining in man), but also was furnished with such strength that he might, if he would not have sinned and not have died, but have continued in righteousness, and eschewed death; so that deservedly it is to be imputed to himself and no other, that he lost both (Eccl. 7:29 ??) [Author had 7:30, but no v. 30]

IX. Errors.

We condemn therefore the Valentinians, Marcionits, Maniches, and whosoever either taught or left anything in writing against this article of faith, feigning either that all things were made of some other god than the Father of Christ, or that good things were made of one god which was good, and evil things of another which was evil--since none can be God but He which is chiefly good, and [the] only maker of all things. We condemn likewise all those which either teach that the soul of man is of the substance of God, or which deny the immortality and perpetual action of the same, or which refer the image of God in man only to His power and rule over creatures--or lastly which do deny that man was created merely free.