Confession of Faith, According to the Holy Word of God.

On this subject read the prophet Jeremiah: “The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom.” Jer. 10:11,12; Is. 44:24; Ps. 96:5.

“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” Ps. 33:6; Heb. 3:4; Acts 4:24.

“All things were made by him (Christ); and without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3 and 5:19.

Concerning this perfect unity read: “My Father, which gave them me (says Christ) is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” John 10:29,30.

Christ said to Philip: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?” John 14:9,10; 12:45; 17:21.

How the Holy Ghost is also called God. Read what Peter said to Ananias: “Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?” And a little further on: “Thou has not lied unto men, but unto God.” Acts 5:3,4.

“Them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.” 1 Pet. 1:12.

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” 2 Cor. 13:14.

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one.” 1 John 5:7; Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29; 1 Cor. 8:6; Gal. 3:20.

ARTICLE VI.

Of the creation of all things visible and invisible, and of the creation of man we confess: That the only, almighty, and wonderworking God, who is the origin of all good, and for whose sake all things are created, and have their being, created, among other invisible things, also a multitude of many thousand angels, whom he has put as ministering and immortal spirits in his worshipful glory, to minister unto their Creator, and to offer him praise, honor, and thanks; and who are sent forth by God, as messengers, to minister in manifold ways for men who shall be heirs of salvation; and with which angels of God, Christ Jesus shall appear in the clouds of heaven, to hold judgment over all men. And he shall glorify all that believe and please God, and make them like the glorious, immortal angels, and crown them with all holy angels in everlasting glory.

But as some of these angels became unfaithful and apostate to God, their Creator, they were, through their own voluntary sin or pride, rejected by the holy and righteous God, who is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and were cast down from the glorious estate of heaven to hell, bound with chains of darkness and reserved until the great day of judgment, to be sentenced with all unbelievers to eternal damnation.

These impure spirits or devils are called: the prince of darkness and spirit of wickedness, who rules in the air and works in the children of disobedience; with whom all unbelievers, who are governed and seduced by Satan, are in fellowship. And as all believers are in the society or brotherhood of the holy angels, and shall enjoy eternal salvation with them; so, on the other hand, shall all unbelievers have to endure everlasting damnation with all impure or apostate angels, with whom unbelievers are in fellowship.

Likewise, God Almighty, in the beginning, from nothing, in a most wonderful manner, and above all human reason and comprehension, created heaven, the earth, and the sea, with all their glorious adornment, he, the Blessed, only saying: “Let heaven and earth be made; and his word was a perfect work.” He also adorned the heavens with many glorious lights; two great lights, one to rule and illume the day, and the other to rule the night; together with many glorious stars, which he ordained to the honor of their Creator, and the service of men.

Thus also, the Lord Almighty endowed the earth with many glorious fountains and running rivers, and adorned it with manifold trees and animals, and with all that lives and moves thereon. And he created the sea with great whales and various kinds of fish, for the wants of man, together with all that lives and moves therein. And he established the earth out of the water and in the water, by his almighty and everlasting word. They shall be preserved until the last great day of judgment.

After God, the Lord, in five days had most wisely and excellently created heaven, and earth, and the sea, together with all visible things, he, on the sixth day, formed man from the earth, and breathed into him the breath of life; and from his rib made Eve, a woman, and gave her to him as a helpmeet. Moreover, he loved them above all other creatures, and clothed them like himself with divine virtues, which are righteousness and true holiness; endowing them with wisdom, speech, and reason, that they might know, fear, and love their Creator, and serve him in voluntary obedience. He placed them 364 as lords over all creatures, endowing them with immortality, that they might be and live before him, and rule and reign over all creatures which God the Lord created.