By which transgression, commonly called Original Sin, was the image of God utterly defaced in man; and he and his posterity of nature became enemies to God, slaves to Satan, and servants to sin; insomuch that death everlasting has had, and shall have, power and dominion over all that have not been, are not, or shall not be regenerate from above: which regeneration is wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost, working in the hearts of the elect of God an assured faith in the promise of God, revealed to us in His word; by which faith they apprehend Christ Jesus, with the graces and benefits promised in Him.
Of the Revelation of the Promise.—Cap. IV.
For this we constantly believe, that God, after the fearful and horrible defection of man from His obedience, did seek Adam again, call upon him, rebuke his sin, convict him of the same, and in the end made unto him a most joyful promise, to wit, that the seed of the woman should break down the serpent's head; that is, he should destroy the works of the Devil. Which promise, as it was repeated and made more clear from time to time, was embraced with joy, and most constantly retained by all the faithful, from Adam to Noah, from Noah to Abraham, from Abraham to David, and so forth to the incarnation of Christ Jesus: who all, we mean the faithful fathers under the law, did see the joyful days of Christ Jesus, and did rejoice.
The Continuance, Increase, and Preservation of the Kirk.—Cap. V.
We most constantly believe, that God preserved, instructed, multiplied, honoured, decorated, and from death called to life His Kirk in all ages, from Adam until the coming of Christ Jesus in the flesh: Abraham He called from his father's country, him He instructed, his seed He multiplied, the same He marvellously preserved and more marvellously delivered from the bondage [and tyranny] of Pharaoh; to them He gave His laws, constitutions, and ceremonies; them He possessed in the land of Canaan; to them, after judges, and after Saul, He gave David to be King, to whom He made promise, that of the fruit of his loins should one sit for ever upon his regal seat. To this same people, from time to time, He sent prophets to lead them back to the right way of their God, from the which oftentimes they declined by idolatry, and albeit, for their stubborn contempt of justice, He was compelled to give them into the hands of their enemies, as before was threatened by the mouth of Moses, insomuch that the holy city was destroyed, the temple burned with fire, and the whole land left desolate the space of seventy years; yet of mercy did He lead them back again to Jerusalem, where the city and temple were rebuilt, and they, against all temptations and assaults of Satan, did abide until the Messias came, according to the promise.
Of the Incarnation of Christ Jesus.—Cap. VI.
When the fulness of time came, God sent His Son, His Eternal Wisdom, the substance of His own glory, into this world, who took the nature of Manhood of the substance of a woman, to wit, of a virgin, and that by the operation of the Holy Ghost: And so was born the just seed of David, the Angel of the great counsel of God; the very Messias promised, whom we acknowledge and confess Emmanuel; very God and very man, two perfect natures united and joined in one person. By this our Confession we condemn the damnable and pestilent heresies of Arius, Marcion, Eutyches, Nestorius, and such others as either deny the eternity of His Godhead or the verity of His human nature, confound them, or divide them.
Why it behoved the Mediator to be very God and very Man.—Cap. VII.
We acknowledge and confess that this most wondrous conjunction betwixt the Godhead and the Manhood in Christ Jesus did proceed from the eternal and immutable decree of God, whence also our salvation springs and depends.