ARTICLES OF RELIGION · 1571 AD · ANGLICAN

The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of the Church of England

WRITTEN

1571 AD

TRADITION

Anglican

SECTIONS

44

This document states its doctrine rather than quoting verses; its references are shown in the Berean Standard Bible.

CONTENTS

Preamble

ARTICULI XXXIX. ECCLESIÆ ANGLICANÆ. A.D. 1562. The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of the Church of England published a.d. 1571, Together with the Revision of the Same, as set forth by the PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, A.D. 1801.

2.

ARTICLE 2

The English text is reprinted, with the old spelling, from the authorized London edition of John Cawood, 1571, as found in Hardwick, l. c. The question of the comparative authority of the Latin and English texts is answered by Burnet, Waterland, and Hardwick, to the effect that both are equally authentic, but that in doubtful cases the Latin must determine the sense. The Articles were passed, recorded, and ratified to the year 1562 (1563), in Latin only; but these Latin Articles were revised and translated by the Convocation of 1571, and both the Latin and English texts, adjusted as nearly as possible, were published in the same year by the royal authority. Subscription was hereafter required to the English Articles, called the Articles of 1562, by the famous Act of the XIII. of Elizabeth. See Hardwick, l. c. p. 159.

3.

ARTICLE 3

The American Revision of the Articles, as adopted by the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, held in Trenton, New Jersey, Sept. 12, 1801, is taken from the standard American edition of The Book of Common Prayer (published by the Harpers, New York, 1844, and by the New York Bible and Common Prayer-Book Society, 1873, pp. 512 sqq.). It has been compared with the Journal of the Convention, edited by Dr. W. Stevens Perry, in Journals of the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, 1785–1835 (Claremont, N. H. 1874), Vol. I. pp.279 sqq.

4.

ARTICLE 4

To facilitate the comparison, the words in which the English and American editions differ are printed in italics. The chief differences are the omission of the Athanasian Creed, in Art. VIII; the omission of Art. XXI, on the Authority of General Councils; and the entire reconstruction of Art. XXXVII, on the Power of the Civil Magistrate.] ———————— The English editions of the Articles are usually preceded by the following Royal Declaration, which is the work of Archbishop Laud (1628): 'Being by God's Ordinance, according to Our just Title, Defender of the Faith, and Supreme Governour of the Church, within these Our Dominions, We hold it most agreeable to this Our Kingly Office, and Our own religious Zeal, to conserve and maintain the Church committed to Our Charge, in the Unity of true Religion, and in the Bond of Peace; and not to suffer unnecessary Disputations, Altercations, or Questions to be raised, which may nourish Faction both in the Church and Commonwealth. We have therefore, upon mature Deliberation, and with the Advice of so many of Our Bishops as might conveniently be called together, thought fit to make this Declaration following: 'That the Articles of the Church of England (which have been allowed and authorized heretofore, and which Our Clergy generally have subscribed unto) do contain the true Doctrine of the Church of England agreeable to God's Word, which We do therefore ratify and confirm, requiring all Our loving Subjects to continue in the uniform Proffession thereof, and prohibiting the least difference from the said Articles; which to that End We command to be new printed, and this Our Declaration to be published therewith. 'That We are Supreme Governour of the Church of England: And that if any Difference arise about the external Policy, concerning the Injunctions, Canons, and other Constitutions whatsoever thereto belonging, the Clergy in their Convocation is to order and settle them, having first obtained leave under Our Broad Seal so to do: and We approving their said Ordinances and Constitutions, providing that none be made contrary to the Laws and Customs of the Land. 'That out of Our Princely Care that the Churchmen may do the Work which is proper unto them, the Bishops and Clergy, from time to time in Convocation, upon their humble Desire, shall have Licence under Our Broad Seal to deliberate of, and to do all such Things, as, being made plain by them, and assented unto by iis, shall concern the settled Continuance of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England now established; from which We will not endure any varying or departing in the least Degree. 'That for the present, though some differences have been ill raised, yet We take comfort in this, that all Clergymen within Our Realm have always most willingly subscribed to the Articles established; which is an argument to Us, that they all agree in the true, usual, literal meaning of the said Articles; and that even in those curious points, in which the present differences lie, men of all sorts take the Articles of the Church of England to be for them; which is an argument again, that none of them intend any desertion of the Articles established. 'That, therefore, in these both curious and unhappy differences, which have for so many hundred years, in different times and places, exercised the Church of Christ, We will, that all further curious search be laid aside, and these disputes shut up in God's promises, as they be generally set forth to us in the holy Scriptures, and the general meaning of the Articles of the Church of England according to them. And that no man hereafter shall either print or preach to draw the Article aside any way, but shall submit to it in the plain and full meaning thereof: and shall not put his own sense or comment to be the meaning of the Article, but shall take it in the literal and grammatical sense. 'That if any publick Reader in either of Our Universities, or any Head or Master of a College, or any other person respectively in either of them, shall affix any new sense to any Article, or shall publickly read, determine, or hold any publick Disputation, or suffer any such to be held either way, in either the Universities or Colleges respectively; or if any Divine in the Universities shall preach or print any thing either way, other than is already established in Convocation with our Royal Assent, he, or they the Offenders, shall be liable to our displeasure, and the Church's censure in Our Commission Ecclesiastical, as well as any other: And we will see there shall be due Execution upon them.' English Edition, 1571. Articles whereupon it was agreed by the Archbishoppes and Bishoppes of both prouinces and the whole cleargie, in the Conuocation holden at London in the yere of our Lorde God, 1562. according to the computation of the Churche of Englande, for the auoiding of the diuersities of opinions, and for the stablishyng of consent touching true Religion.

I.

ARTICLE I

Of fayth in the holy Trinitie. There is but one lyuyng and true God, euerlastyng, without body, partes, or passions, of infinite power, wysdome, and goodnesse, the maker and preseruer of al things both visible and inuisible. And in vnitie of this Godhead there be three persons, of one substaunce, power, and eternitie, the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost.

II.

ARTICLE II

Of the worde or sonne of God which was made very man. The Sonne, which is the worde of the Father, begotten from euerlastyng of the Father, the very and eternall GOD, of one substaunce with the Father, toke man's nature in the wombe of the blessed Virgin, of her substaunce: so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and manhood, were ioyned together in one person, neuer to be diuided, whereof is one Christe, very GOD and very man, who truely suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his father to vs, and to be a sacrifice, not only for originall gylt, but also for all actuall sinnes of men.

III.

ARTICLE III

Of the goyng downe of Christe into hell. As Christe dyed for vs, and was buryed: so also it is to be beleued that he went downe into hell.

IV.

ARTICLE IV

Of the Resurrection of Christe. Christe dyd truly aryse agayne from death, and toke agayne his body, with flesh, bones, and all thinges apperteyning to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith he ascended into heauen, and there sitteth, vntyll he returne to iudge all men at the last day.

V.

ARTICLE V

Of the holy ghost. The holy ghost, proceedyng from the Father and the Sonne, is of one substaunce, maiestie, and glorie, with the Father, and the Sonne, very and eternall God.

VI.

ARTICLE VI

Of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for saluation. Holy Scripture conteyneth all thinges necessarie to saluation: so that whatsoeuer is not read therein, nor may be proued therby, is not to be required of anye man, that it shoulde be beleued as an article of the fayth, or be thought requisite [as] necessarie to saluation. In the name of holy Scripture, we do vnderstande those Canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament, of whose aucthoritie was neuer any doubt in the Churche. Of the names and number of the Canonicall Bookes. Genesis. Exodus. Leuiticus. Numerie. Deuteronomium. Iosue. Iudges. Ruth. The.1. boke of Samuel The.2. boke of Samuel. The.1. booke of Kinges. The.2. booke of Kinges. The.1. booke of Chroni. The.2. booke of Chroni. The.1. booke of Esdras. The.3. booke of Esdras. The booke of Hester. The booke of Iob. The Psalmes. The Prouerbes. Ecclesia, or preacher. Cantica, or songes of Sa.

12. Prophetes the lesse.

ARTICLE 12

And the other bookes, (as Hierome sayth) the Churche doth reade for example of lyfe and instruction of manners: but yet doth it not applie them to establishe any doctrene. Such are these followyng. The third boke of Esdras. The fourth boke of Esdras. The booke of Tobias. The booke of Iudith. The reste of the booke of Hester. The booke of Wisdome. Iesus the sonne of Sirach. Baruch the prophet. Song of the.3. Children. The storie of Susanna. Of Bel and the Dragon. The prayer of Manasses. The.1. boke of Machab. The.2. Booke of Macha. All the bookes of the newe Testament, as they are commonly receaued, we do receaue and accompt them for Canonicall.

VII.

ARTICLE VII

Of the Olde Testament. The olde Testament is not contrary to the newe, for both in the olde and newe Testament euerlastyng lyfe is offered to mankynde by Christe, who is the onlye mediatour betweene God and man. Wherefore they are not to be hearde whiche faigne that the olde fathers dyd looke only for transitorie promises. Although the lawe geuen from God by Moses, as touchyng ceremonies and rites, do not bynde Christian men, nor the ciuile preceptes thereof, ought of necessitie to be receaued in any common wealth: yet notwithstandyng, no Christian man whatsoeuer, is free from the obedience of the commaundementes, which are called morall.

VIII.

ARTICLE VIII

Of the three Credes. The three Credes, Nicene Crede, Athanasian Crede, and that whiche is commonlye called the Apostles' Crede, ought throughlye to be receaued and beleued: for they may be proued by moste certayne warrauntes of holye scripture.

IX.

ARTICLE IX

Of originall or birth sinne. Originall sinne standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vaynely talke) but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of euery man, that naturally is engendered of the ofspring of Adam, whereby man is very farre gone from originall ryghteousness, and is of his owne nature enclined to euyll, so that the fleshe lusteth alwayes contrary to the spirite, and therefore in euery person borne into this worlde, it deserueth Gods wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remayne, yea in them that are regenerated, whereby the luste of the fleshe, called in Greke φρόνημα σαρκὸς, which some do expounde the wisdome, some sensualitie, some the affection, some the desyre of the fleshe, is not subiect to the lawe of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that beleue and are baptized: yet the Apostle doth confesse that concupiscence and luste hath of it selfe the nature of synne.

X.

ARTICLE X

Of free wyll. The condition of man after the fall of Adam is suche, that he can not turne and prepare hym selfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes, to fayth and calling vpon God: Wherefore we haue no power to do good workes pleasaunt and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christe preuentyng us, that we may haue a good wyll, and workyng with vs, when we haue that good wyll.

XI.

ARTICLE XI

Of the iustification of man. We are accompted righteous before God, only for the merite of our Lord and sauiour Jesus Christe, by faith, and not for our owne workes or deseruynges. Wherefore, that we are iustified by fayth onely, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homilie of iustiflcation.

XII.

ARTICLE XII

Of good workes. Albeit that good workes which are the fruites of fayth, and folowe after iustification, can not put away our sinnes, and endure the seueritie of Gods iudgement: yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christe, and do spring out necessarily of a true and liuely fayth, in so muche that by them, a lyuely fayth may be as euidently knowen, as a tree discerned by the fruit.

XIII.

ARTICLE XIII

Of workes before iustification. Workes done before the grace of Christe, and the inspiration of his spirite, are not pleasaunt to God forasmuche as they spring not of fayth in Jesu Christ, neither do they make men meete to receaue grace, or (as the schole aucthours saye) deserue grace of congruitie: yea rather for that they are not done as GOD hath wylled and commaunded them to be done, we doubt not but they haue the nature of synne.

XIV.

ARTICLE XIV

Of workes of supererogation. Voluntarie workes besydes, ouer and aboue Gods commaundementes, which they call workes of supererogation, can not be taught without arrogancie and impietie. For by them men do declare that they do not onely render vnto God as muche as they are bounde to do, but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duetie is required: Whereas Christe sayth playnly, When ye have done al that are commaunded to you, say, We be vnprofltable seruantes.

XV.

ARTICLE XV

Of Christe alone without sinne. Christe in the trueth of oure nature, was made lyke vnto vs in al thinges (sinne only except) from which he was clearley voyde, both in his fleshe, and in his spirite. He came to be the lambe without spot, who by the sacrifice of hym self once made, shoulde take away the sinnes of the worlde: and sinne, (as S. John sayeth) was not in hym. But al we the rest, (although baptized, and borne agayne in Christ) yet offende in many thinges, and if we say we haue no sinne, we deceaue our selues, and the trueth is not in vs.

XVI.

ARTICLE XVI

Of sinne after Baptisme. Not euery deadly sinne willingly committed after baptisme, is sinne agaynst the holy ghost, and vnpardonable. Wherefore the graunt of repentaunce is not to be denyed to such as fall into sinne after baptisme. After we have receaued the holy ghost, we may depart from grace geuen, and fall into sinne, and by the grace of God (we may) aryse agayne, and amend our lyues. And therefore, they are to be condemned, whiche say they can no more sinne as long as they lyue here, or denie the place of forgeuenesse to such as truely repent.

XVII.

ARTICLE XVII

Of predestination and election. Predestination to lyfe, is the euerlastyng purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were layd) he hath constantly decreed by his councell secrete to vs, to deliuer from curse and damnation, those whom he hath chosen in Christe out of rnankynd, and to bryng them by Christe to euerlastyng saluation, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore they which be indued with so excellent a benefite of God, be called accordyng to Gods purpose by his spirite workyng in due season: they through grace obey the callyng: they be iustified freely: they be made sonnes of God by adoption: they be made lyke the image of his onelye begotten sonne Jesus Christe: they walke religiously in good workes, and at length by Gods mercy, they attaine to euerlastyng felicitie. As the godly consyderation of predestination, and our election in Christe, is full of sweete, pleasaunt, and vnspeakeable comfort to godly persons, and such as feele in themselues the working of the spirite of Christe, mortifying the workes of the fleshe, and their earthlye members, and drawing vp their mynde to hygh and heauenly thinges, as well because it doth greatly establyshe and confirme their fayth of eternal saluation to be enjoyed through Christe, as because it doth feruently kindle their loue towardes God. So, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the spirite of Christe, to haue continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods predestination, is a most daungerous downefall, whereby the deuyll doth thrust them either into desperation, or into rechelesnesse of most vncleane liuing, no lesse perilous then desperation. Furthermore, we must receaue Gods promises in such wyse, as they be generally set foorth to vs in holy scripture: and in our doynges, that wyl of God is to be folowed, which we haue expreslye declared vnto vs in the worde of God.

XVIII.

ARTICLE XVIII

Of obtaynyng eternall saluation, only by the name of Christe. They also are to be had accursed, that presume to say, that euery man shal be saued by the lawe or sect which he professeth, so that he be diligent to frame his life accordyng to that lawe, and the light of nature. For holy scripture doth set out vnto vs onely the name of Jesus Christe, whereby men must be saved.

XIX.

ARTICLE XIX

Of the Church. The visible Church of Christe, is a congregation of faythfull men in the which the pure worde of God is preached, and the Sacramentes be duely ministred, accordyng to Christes ordinaunce in all those thynges that of necessitie are requisite to the same. As the Church of Hierusalem, Alexandria, and Antioche haue erred: so also the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their liuing and maner of ceremonies, but also in matters of fayth.

XX.

ARTICLE XX

Of the aucthoritie of the Church. The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and aucthoritie in controuersies of fayth: And yet it is not lawfull for the Church to ordayne any thyng that is contrarie to Gods worde written, neyther may it so expounde one place of scripture, that it be repugnaunt to another. Wherefore, although the Churche be a witnesse and a keper of holy writ: yet, as it ought not to decree any thing agaynst the same, so besides the same, ought it not to enforce any thing to be beleued for necessitie of saluation.

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