ceffary to be believed: Hope in the Lord's Prayer, and the nine facred Evangelical Beatitudes. We find the faid Book to be fet in the Footsteps of the Church of Chrift, and to be agreeable to the holy Canons; from which it differeth not in any Part: But not having read the Latin Tranflation thereof, which is in the oppofite Pages, we do only confirm that, which is written in our own Language. We do therefore, with an unanimous and Synodical Sentence; decree, and ordain, that every pious and orthodox Chriftian, who is a Member of the Eaftern and Apoftolical Church, do attentively, and fedulously, read and receive the faid Book. S.. In perpetual Faith and Affurance whereof, we have confirmed these Presents with our Subfcriptions, this XI Day of March, in the Year CCXLIII. Subscribed by the Hand of the most holy Patriarch, thus: Parthenius, By the Mercy of God, Archbishop of Conftantinople, New Rome, and univerfal Patriarch. : Joannicius, By the Mercy of God, Papas, and Patriarch of the Great City of Alexandria, and Fudge of the Univerfe. Macarius, By the Mercy of God, Patriarch of the Great City of Antioch. Paifius, By the Mercy of God, Patriarch of the holy City of Jerufalem. Laurence, Laurence, of Ancyra. Gabriel, of Lacedæmon. Lafcaris, Great Logothetes of the great Chriftodulus, Great Oeconomus of the great Michael, Great Rhetor of the great Church. Theologus, Priest, Great Chaplain of the great Church. George, Leffer Chaplain of the great The great Char- of the great Church. Thomas Blaftus, Protectic of the great Church. Philip, Protonotary of the great Church. Conftantine, Protapoftolary of the great Church Nicolaus, Logothetes of the great Church. Conftantine, Comentarienfis of the great Church Michael, Dicaophylax of the great Church. Chryfofculus, Logothetes of the public Treasury of the great Church. Thefe Copies are to be given, and prefented gratis, to all pious Chriftians, for the Benefit of the Soul of the moft illuftrious and eloquent Lord, the Lord PANAGIOTA. THE THE ORTHODOX CONFESSION O F FAIT H OF THE CATHOLIC and APOSTOLIC EASTERN-CHURCH. WHAT QUESTION I. HAT doth it behove a Catholic and Orthodox Christian Man to believe and do, that he may have eternal Life? ANSWER. Right Faith and good Works; for whosoever holdeth these two, the fame is a good Christian, and hath certain Hope of eternal Salvation, as faith the Scripture, (James ii. 24.) You Jee then bow that by good Works a Man is justified, and not by Faith only; and a little after (ver, 6.) For as the Body without the Spirit is dead; fo Faith without Works is dead also. The fame affirmeth St. Paul (to Timothy, chap. i. 19.) Holding Faith and a good Confcience, which fome kaving put away concerning Faith, have made C thip Shipwreck. And again (1 Tim. iii. 9.) Holding the Mystery of the Faith in a pure Confcience. QUEST. II. Wherefore doth it behove a Christian first to believe, and then to do good Works? ANSWER. Because without Faith none can please God, as faith St. Paul (Heb. xi. 6.) Without Faith it is impoffible to pleafe: For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is; and that he is a Rewarder of them who diligently feek him. That a Christian therefore be acceptable to God, and his Works pleafing before him, it is neceffary that, Fir, he have Faith in God; and, Secondly, that he guide his Life by that Faith. QUEST. III. In what do these two confift? ANSWER. In these three Theological Virtues, FAITH, HOPE, and CHARITY; into which three Parts it is our Intent to divide this CONFESSION; namely, in the First Part we shall treat concerning Faith: In the Second, of Hope, and the Lord's-prayer, and the Evangelical Beatitudes: And, laftly, in the Third Part, of the divine Law, in which the Love of God, and of our Neighbour, is contained. THE FAITH (according to the bleffed Paul, (Heb. xi. 1.) is the Subftance of Things hoped for, the Evidence of Things not feen; for by it the Elders have obtained a good Report; or, the Orthodox, Catholic, and Apoftolic Faith, is to believe with the Heart, and confefs with the Mouth, one God in three Perfons. As the fame Apostle teacheth us (Rom. X. 10.) With the Heart is believed unto Righteoufnefs, and with the Mouth Confefhon is made unto Salvation. Farther, every orthodox Chriftian ought firmly, and without doubting, to believe all the Articles of Faith that the catholic and orthodox Church believeth; which were delivered unto the Church from our Lord JESUS CHRIST by the Apostles: And which have been expounded, and approved by General Councils (Synod. 6. Canon 82.) These alfo are he, to believe with a real and fincere |