THE CONFESSION OF FAITH, OF THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD cyril, Patriarch of Constantinople.  
Written at Constantinople, 1629.  
CYRILLVS the Patriarch of Constantinople, to those who desire to understand the Religion of the eastern Church, which is the greek Church,( that is to say, what wee believe, & what wee think of the Articles of true & right belief) in the name of all Christians by common consent setteth out this short Confession, that it may be as a witness before God and the whole Church, without dissimulation, but with a good conscience.  
CONFESSIO FIDEI, REVERENDISSIMI DOMINI CYRILLI, 1629.  
Patriarchae Constantinopolitani, scripta Constantinopoli.  
LONDON, Printed for Nicolas Bourne, dwelling at the South entrance of the royal Exchange. 1629.   

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE son, AND OF THE HOLY GHOST.  
WE believe one God almighty and Infinite, three in persons, the Father, son and Holy Ghost, the Father vnbegotten, the son begotten of the Father before the World, consubstantial with the Father: the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father by the son, having the same essence with the Father and the son: we call these three persons in one essence the Holy Trinity, ever to be blessed, glorified and to be worshipped of every creature.  
We believe the Holy Scripture to be given by God, to haue no other Author but the Holy Ghost, which we ought undoubtedly to believe: for it is written, We haue a more sure word of prophesy, to the which ye do well to take heed as to a light shining in a dark place. Besides, we believe the authority thereof to be above the authority of the Church. It is a far different thing for the Holy Ghost to speak and the tongue of man, for the tongue of man may through ignorance err, deceive, and be deceived: but the Word of God neither deceiveth, nor is deceived, nor can err, but is always infallible and sure.  
We believe that the best and greatest God hath predestinated his Elect unto glory before the beginning of the World, without any respect unto their works, and that there was no other impulsive cause to this election, but onely the good will and mercy of God. In like manner before the world was made, he hath rejected whom he would: of which act of reprobation, if you consider the absolute dealing of God his will is the cause: but if you look vpon Gods orderly proceeding, his iustice is the cause, for God is merciful and just.  
We believe that one God in Trinity, the Father, son, and Holy Ghost, to be the Creator of all things visible and invisible: invisible things we call the Angels, visible things the Heauens and all things under them. And because the Creator is good by nature, he hath created all things good, and cannot do any evil: and if there be any evil, it proceds from the devill and man: for it ought to bee a certain rule to us, that God is not the Author of evil, neither can sin by any just reason be imputed to him.  
We believe that all things are governed by Gods providence, which we ought rather to adore then search into, sith it is beyond our capacity, neither can we truly understand the reason of it from the things themselves; in which matter we suppose it better to embrace silence in humility, then to speak many things which do not edify.  
We believe that the first man created by God, fell in Paradise, because neglecting the Commandement of God, he yielded to the deceitful counsel of the Serpent: from thence sprung up original sin to his posterity, so that no man is born according to the flesh, who doth not bear this burden, and feel the fruits of it in his life.  
We believe that Iesus Christ our Lord hath made himself of no account, that is, hath assumed mans nature into his own Subsistence: that he was conceived by the holy Ghost, that he was made man in the womb of Mary always a Virgin, was born and suffered death, was buried and glorified by his resurrection, that he brought salvation and glory to all believers, whom we look for to come to judge both quick and dead.  
We believe, that our Lord Iesus Christ fitteth on the right hand of his Father, and there maketh intercession for us, executing alone the office of a true and lawful Priest and Mediator: and from thence he hath a care of his people, and governeth his Church, adorning and enriching her with many blessings.  
We believe that without Faith, no man can be saved; but that we call Faith, which in Christ Iesus justifieth, which the life and death of our Lord Iesus Christ procured, the gospel published, and without which no man can please God.  
We believe that the Church( which is called catholic) containeth all true believers in Christ, which being departed, are in their Country in heaven, or living on earth, are yet travailing in the way: the Head of which Church,( because a mortal man by no means can be) Iesus Christ is the head alone, and he holdeth the stern of the government of the Church in his own head: but because on earth there be particular Visible Churches, and in order every one of them hath one chief, which chief is not properly to be called a head of that particular Church, but improperly, because he is the principal member thereof.  
We believe that the Members of the catholic Church be the Saints, chosen unto eternal life, from the number and fellowship of whom, Hypocrites are excluded, though in particular visible Churches Tares may be found amongst the wheat.  
We believe that the Church on earth is sanctified and instructed by the Holy Ghost, for he is the true comforter, whom Christ sendeth from the Father, to teach the truth, and to expel darkness from the understanding of the faithful. For it is very certain that the Church on earth may err, taking falsehood for truth, from which error the light and doctrine of the holy Spirit alone freeth us, not of mortal man, although by Mediation of the labours of the Churches Ministers this may be done.  
We believe that a man is justified by Faith, and not by works; but when we say, by Faith, we understand the correlative or object of faith, which is the righteousness of Christ, which Faith apprehends and applieth unto us for our salvation. This may very well be, and yet without any prejudice to good works: for truth itself teacheth us, that works must not be neglected, that they be necessary means, and testimonies of our faith, for confirmation of our calling; but for works to be sufficient for our salvation, and to make a man so to appear before the tribunal of Christ, that of condignity or merit they confer salvation, human fraylety witnesseth to be false; but the righteousness of Christ being applied to the penitent, doth onely justify and save the faithful.  
We believe that free will is dead in the unregenerate, because they can do no good thing, and whatsoever they do is sin; but in the regenerate by the grace of the holy Spirit the will is excited & in dead worketh but not without the assistance of grace; to effect that therefore which is good, grace goeth before the will, which will in the regenerate is wounded, as he by the theeues that came from jerusalem, so that of himself without the help of grace, he hath no power to do any thing.  
We believe that there be evangelical Sacraments in the Church, which the Lord hath instituted in the gospel, and they bee two: wee haue no larger number of Sacraments, because the Ordayner thereof delivered no more. Furthermore wee believe that they consist of the Word and the Element, that they be seals of the promises of God, and we doubt not but do confer grace. But that the Sacrament be entire and whole, it is requisite that an earthly substance & an external action do concur with the use of that element ordained by Christ our Lord, and joined with a true faith, because the defect of faith doth prejudice the integrity of the Sacraments.  
We believe that baptism is a Sacrament instituted by the Lord, which unless a man hath received, he hath not communion with Christ, from whose death, burial and glorious Resurrection, the whole virtue and efficacy of baptism, doth proceed; therefore in the same form wherein our Lord hath commanded in the Gospel, we are certain, that to those who bee Baptized both original and actual sins are pardonned: so that whosoever haue been washed in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost, are regenerate, cleansed and justified. But concerning the repetition of it, we haue no command to be rebaptized, therefore we must abstain from this inconvenience.  
We believe that the other Sacrament was ordained of the Lord, which we call the Eucharist. For in the Night wherein he was betrayed, taking bread and blessing it, he said to his Apostles, Take ye, eat, this is my body: and when he had taken the cup, he gave thankes and said, drink ye all of this, this is my blood which was  shed for many: this do in remembrance of me. And Paul addeth, for as often as ye shall eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, ye do show the Lords death: this is the pure and lawful institution of this wonderful Sacrament, in administration whereof we confess and profess a true and real presence of Christ our Lord, but yet such a one, as faith offereth to us, not such as devised transubstantiation teacheth. For we believe, the faithful do eat the body of Christ in the Supper of the Lord, not by breaking it with the teeth of the body, but by perceiving it with the sense and feeling of the soul, sith the body of Christ is not that which is Visible in the Sacrament, but that which Faith spiritually apprehendeth, and offereth to us: from whence it is true that if we believe, we do eat and partake, if we do not believe, we are destitute of all the fruit of it. We believe consequently, that to drink the cup in the Sacrament, is to be partaker of the true blood of our Lord Iesus Christ, in the same manner as we affirmed of the body: for as the Author of it commanded concerning his body, so he did concerning his blood: which commandement ought neither to be dismembered nor maimed, according to the fancy of mans arbitrement: yea rather the institution ought to be kept as it was delivered to us: when therefore we haue been partakers of the body and blood of Christ worthily, and haue communicated entirely, we aclowledge ourselves to be reconciled, united to our Head of the same body, with certain hope to be coheirs in the kingdom to come.  
Wee believe that the souls of the dead are either in blessedness, or in damnation, according as every one hath done: for as soon as they remove out of the body they pass either to Christ or into hell: for as a man is found at his death, so he is judged, and after this life there is neither power nor opportunity to repent: in this life there is a time of Grace, they therefore who be justified here shall suffer no punishment hereafter: but they who being not justified, do die are appoynted for everlasting punishments. By which it is evident that the fiction of Purgatory is not to be admitted but in the truth it is determined, that every one ought to repent in this life, and to obtain remission of his sins by our Lord Iesus Christ, if he will be saved. And let this be the end.  
This compendious and brief Confession of us we conjecture will be a contradiction to them, who are pleased to slander maliciously accuse us and unjustly persecute us: But wee trust in our Lord Iesus Christ, and hope that he will not relinquish the cause of his faithful ones, nor let the rod of wickedness lie vpon the let of the righteeous.  
Dated in Constantinople, in the month of March, 1629. cyril, Patriarch of Constantinople.   

CONFESSIO FIDEI.  
In nomine Patris, & filii, & Spiritus Sancti.  
CYRILLUS Patriarcha Constantinopolitanus, sciscitantibus intelligere de Religione Ecclesiae Orientalis, id est Graca, quid credamus videlicet, quidque sentiamus de Articulis Orthodoxa fidei, nomine omnium Christianorum communiter, exponit breuem istam confessionem, vt sit in testimonium coram Deo & tota Ecclesia, sine simulatione, said bona conscientia.  
CREDIMVS vnum verum Deum Omnipotentem & Infinitum, Trinum in personis, Patrem, Filium, & Spiritum Sanctum. Patrem ingenitum, Filium genitum à Patre ante secula, Patri consubstantialem, Spiritum Sanctum à Patre per Filium procedentem, eandem habentem essentiam, quam Pater & Filius: istas trees Personas in vna essentia appellamus Sacresanctam Trinitatem, semper benedicendam, glorificandam atque ab omni creatura adorandam.  
Credimus Scripturam Sacram esse 〈◇〉, haberéque authorem Spiritum Sanctum non alium, cvi ●… bear debemus fidem indubitatam. Scriptum enim est, habemus firmiorem propheticum sermonem, cvi been facitis attendere, quasi lucernae splédenti in caliginoso loco. Praeterea eius autoritatem esse superiorem Ecclesiae autoritate, nimis enim differens est, loqui Spiritum Sanctum, & linguam humanam, cum ista posset per ignorantiam errare, fallere & falli, Scriptura vero Diuina nec fallitur, nec errare potest, said est infallibilis semper & certa.  
Credimus Deum Opt. Max. ante mundi originem suos electos ad gloriam praedestinasse sine respectu ad illorum opera, nullámque causam impulsiuam ad istam electionem aliam esse, nisi beneplacitum & divinam misericordiam, similiter ante constitutionem huius seculi, reprobasse quos reprobauit, cuius reprobationis, si respexeris absolutum Ius Dei, voluntatem Dei esse causam, si autem Ius ordinatum respexeris, justitiam Dei esse causam: misericors enim est Dominus, & justus.  
Credimus Deum Trinum, Patrem, Filium & Spiritum Sanctum esse Creatorem visibilium & inuisibilium: Inuisibilia vocamus Angelos, visibilia Coelum, & quae sub Coelo, & quia bonus est Creator naturo, omnia creavit bona, nec unquam malum potest facere, & siquid malum est, illud esse diaboli & hoins. Debet enim esse nobis certa regula, quod Deus author non est mali, nec culpa iusta ratione potest ei imputari.  
Credimus omnia gubernari per Dei prouidentiam, quam adorare & non inuestigare debemus, cum sit supra captum nostrum, neque rationes ipsius possimus certè à nobismetipsis intelligere: in qua materia sentimus silentium, in humilitate potius amplexandum, quam plura loqui quae non aedificant.  
Credimus primum hominem à Deo creatum cecidisse in Paradiso, quia neglecto divino praecepto, serpentis fraudulento obtemperauit consilio, indéque Originale pullulasse pecatum posteritati, ita vt nemo secundum carnem nascatur, qui non portet hoc pondus, fructusque suos in hac vita non sentiat.  
Credimus Filium Dei Dominum nostrum jesum Christum se exinanisse, hoc est in sua hypostasi humanam assumpsisse naturam, Spiritu Sancto conceptum, factúmque hominem in ventre semper Virginis Mariae, natúmque, passum, sepultum, & resurrectione glorificatum, salutem & gloriam omnibus fidelibus peperisse, quem expectamus venturum vivos & mortuos indicare.  
Credimus Dominum nostrum jesum Christum sedere in dextra Patris, ibique pro nobis interpellare & intercedere, solum officio fungentem veri & legitimi Pontificis & Mediatoris, indéque solum curam gerere svorum & praeesse Ecclesiae, ipsam varijs benedictionibus ornando, foecundando.  
Credimus, sine Fide neminem posse salvari: Fidem autem eam vocamus, quae est in Iesu Christo iustificans, quam vita & mors Christi Domini peperit, evangelium praedicat, & sine qua nemo potest placere Deo.  
Credimus Ecclesiam quae vocatur Catholica Fideles in Christo continere vniuersaliter, qui vel defuncti in Patria sunt, vel adhuc in via peregrinantur, cuius Ecclesiae Caput, quia homo mortalis esse nulla ratione potest, ipse Dominus noster Iesus Christus solus caput est, ipséque clauum totius regiminis Ecclesiae in manu tenet, said quoniam in via particulares Ecclesiae visibiles sunt, & in ordine vnaquaeque habet vnum primum, ipsum non esse propriè vocandum Caput particularis illius Ecclesiae, said impropriè & hoc, quia in ipsa membrum est principal.  
Credimus membra Ecclesiae Catholicae esse Sanctos ad vitam aeternam electos à quorum consortio excludi hypocritas, quamuis in particularibus Ecclesijs mistae cum tritico paleae inueniantur.  
Credimus Spiritu sancto sanctificari & doceri Ecclesiam in via, ipse enim est verus Paracletus, quem mittit Christus à Patre, vt doceat veritatem, tenebrasque excutiat à mentibus fidelium. Certum enim est quod Ecclesia in via errare potest, falsum pro vero eligendo, à quo error solius Spiritus sancti lumen & doctrina nos liberat, non mortalis hoins, quamuis mediant opera ministrantium Ecclesiae hoc posset fieri.  
Credimus hominem justificari perfidem, non ex operibus. Cum autem dicimus per fidem, intelligimus fidei correlatiuum, quod est Iustitia Christi, quam fides apprehendit, nobisque applicat ad salutem, hoc autem optime, sinéque operum praeiudicio stare cognoscimus, nam & opera non esse negligenda, esseque media necessaria & fidei nostrae testimonia, ad vocationis nostrae confirmationem, veritas ipsa nos docet. Ipsa vero per se esse sufficientia hominem saluare, in Tribunalique Christi comparere posse, vt excondigno salutem retribuant, hoc esse falsum testatur humana fragilitas, at Christi Iustitia applicata resipiscentibus, sola justificat atque saluat Fidelem.  
Credimus liberum arbitrium in non renatis esse mortuum, quia nile boni possunt facere, & quidquid faciunt esse peccatum, in renatis vero esse per gratiam Spiritus sancti arbitrium excitatum, & operatur quidem, said non sine gratiae auxilio. Ergo vt homo faciat bonum, praeuenit gratia arbitrium, quod sine gratia invenitur esse vulneratum, vt à latronibus ille qui descendebat ab jerusalem, ita vt nihil ex se vel posset, vel faciat.  
Credimus evangelica Sacramenta esse in Ecclesia quae Dominus instituit in evangelio, & ipsa esse dvo, ampliorem numerum Sacramentorum non habemus, quia institutor non plura tradidit. Porrò constare verbo & elemento, esséque signacula promissionum Dei, & confer gratiam non dubitamus, vt autem Sacramentum sit integrum, opus esse vt concurrat res terrena, & actio externa, cum vsu rei terrenae à Christo Domino instituto, atque cum vera side coniuncto, quia fidei defectus praeiudicat integritati Sacramenti.  
Credimus Baptismum esse Sacramentum à Domino institutum, quem nisi quis susceperit communionem non habet cum Christo, cuius ex morte sepultura & gloriosa resurrectione promanat tota virtus & efficacia baptismi, ideo ea forma qua Dominus praecepit in evangelio Baptizatis, certi sumus quod remittantur peccata tum originalia tum actualia, ita vt quiqui abluti fuerint in nomine Patris & Filis & Spiritus sancti regenerati, mundati, atque justificati sint. De iteratione autem non habemus mandatum, vt it eretur baptismus, ideo abstinendum esse ab hoc inconuenienti.  
Credimus alterum Sacramentum à Domino institutum esse illud quod vocamus Encharistiam. Nocte enim qua tradebat semetipsum, accipiens panem & benedicens dicebat apostles, accipite, & manducate, ho est Corpus meum, & accepto Calice gratias agens dicebat, bibite ex hoc omnes, hic est sanguis meus, qui pro multis effunditur, hoc facite in meam commemorationem, & addit Paulus, quotiescunque enim comederitis panem hunc, & calicem hunc biberitis, mortem Domini annunciabitis, ista est simplex vera & legitima huius mirabilis Sacramenti institutio, in cuius administratione praesentiam veram realem Christi Domini confitemur & profitemur. At illam quam Fides nobis offered, non autem quam excogitaa, docer transubstantiatio. Credimus enim fideles Corpus Christi manducare in Coena Domini, non dent materiali terendo, said ainae sensu percipiendo, cum Corpus Christi, non sit illud quod oculis in Sacramento seize offered, said illud quod Spiritualiter Fides apprehendit, nobisque praebet, vnde verum est, si credimus, manducamus & participamus, si non credimus, omni fructu destituimur, consequenter calicem bibere in Sacramento, esse Sanguinem verum Domini nostri Iesu Christi communicare, eo modo sicut & de corpore asseruimus, institutor enim sicut de suo corpore, ita de suo sanguine mandavit, quod mandatum nec lacerarinec mutilari debet pro ●… bito humani arbitrij, imo seru●… debet institutio prout nobrs tradit● est, ubi ergo participauerimus dignè, & communicauerimus 〈…〉 corpus & sanguinem Christi in Sacramento, fatemu●… esse iam nos reconcilia tos, capiti nostro vnitos, & 〈◇〉, cum certa spe & cohaeredes futuros in Regno.  
Oredimus defunctorum animas esse vel in beatitudine vel in damnatione, prout quisque gesserit, migrartes enim ex corporibus illico vel ad Christum, vel in infernum migrare, quia qualis unusquisque in morte invenitur, talis judicatur, post hanc vitam nulla est facultas resipiscentiae, in hae vita tempus est gratiae, ideo qui hic iustificantur nullam amplius posthac subibunt poenam, qui autem non justificati moriuntur, in poenas destinantur aeternas. Ex quo patet commentum de Purgaterio non esse admittendum, said in veritate statuendùm, vnumquemque debére in hoc seculo rescipiscere, remissionémque peccatorum per Dominum nostrum jesum Christum impetrare, si saluus esse volverit. Et hic finis sit.  
Compendiosam istam confessionem nostram futura coniecturamus in signum contradictionis apud illos, quibus placet nos calumniari & iniusté perfequi. At nos confidimus in Domino nostro Iesu Christo, & speramus quòd causam svorum fidelium non relinquet, neque virgam malignorum supper sortem servorum.  
Data in Constantinopoli in Patriachatu, me●… e Martij, 1629. CYRILLUS, Patriach●… Constantinopolitan●s.