“Original sin――is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man――whereby man is very far gone from original 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.” ARTICLE X. _Of Free-Will._ “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. Wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will.” ARTICLE XI. _Of the Justification of Man._ “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. 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.” I believe this article relates to the _meritorious cause_ of justification, rather than to the _condition_ of it. On this therefore I do not build any thing concerning it, but on those that follow. ARTICLE XII. _Of Good Works._ “Albeit that good works which are the fruits of faith and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins――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 may be known by the fruit.” We are taught here, 1. That _good works_ in general, _follow after_ justification. 2. That they _spring out of_ a true and lively _faith_, that faith whereby we are justified: 3. That true, justifying faith may be as evidently known by them, as a tree discerned by the fruit. Does it not follow, that the supposing any _good work_ to _go before_ justification, is full as absurd as the supposing an apple or any other fruit to grow before the tree? But let us hear the church, speaking yet more plainly. ARTICLE XIII. _Of Works done before Justification._ “Works done before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of his Spirit, (_i. e._ before justification, as the title expresses it) are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesu Christ――Yea rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not they have the nature of sin.” Now, if all works done before justification, have the nature of sin, (both because they spring not of faith in Christ, and because they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done) what becomes of sanctification previous to justification? It is utterly excluded: seeing whatever is previous to justification, is not good or holy, but evil and sinful.