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1. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity
2. Of Christ the Son of
God
3. Of his going down into Hell
4. Of his
Resurrection
5. Of the Holy Ghost
6. Of the Sufficiency
of the Scripture
7. Of the Old Testament
8. Of the Three
Creeds
9. Of Original or Birth-sin
10. Of Free-Will
11. Of Justification
12. Of Good Works
13. Of Works before
Justification
14. Of Works of Supererogation
15. Of Christ
alone without Sin
16. Of Sin after Baptism
17. Of
Predestination and Election
18. Of obtaining Salvation by
Christ
19. Of the Church
20. Of the Authority of the
Church
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21. Of the Authority of General Councils
22. Of Purgatory
23. Of Ministering in the Congregation
24. Of speaking in the
Congregation
25. Of the Sacraments
26. Of the Unworthiness
of Ministers
27. Of Baptism
28. Of the Lord's Supper
29. Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ
30. Of
both kinds
31. Of Christ's one Oblation
32. Of the
Marriage of Priests
33. Of Excommunicate Persons
34. Of
the Traditions of the Church
35. Of the Homilies
36. Of
Consecrating of Ministers
37. Of Civil Magistrates
38. Of
Christian men's Goods
39. Of a Christian man's Oath.
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The Ratification (see below)
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1. Of faith in the Holy Trinity
There is but one living and
true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infinite
power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things both
visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there be three
Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost.
2. Of the Word, or Son of God, which was made very man
The
Son, which is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlasting of the
Father, the very and eternal God, and of one substance with the Father,
took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, of her substance:
so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and
manhood, were joined together in one person, never to be divided,
whereof is one Christ, very God and very man, who truly suffered, was
crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile His Father to us, and to be a
sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of
men.
3. Of the going down of Christ into Hell
As Christ died for
us, and was buried, so also is it to be believed that He went down into
Hell.
4. Of the Resurrection of Christ
Christ did truly rise
again from death, and took again His body, with flesh, bones, and all
things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherefore He
ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until He return to judge all men
at the last day.
5. Of the Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the
Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory with the
Father and the Son, very and eternal God.
6. Of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation
Holy Scriptures containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that
whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be
required of any man, that it should be believed as an of the faith, or
be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of Holy
Scripture, we do understand those Canonical books of the Old and New
testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.
Of the names and number of the Canonical Books
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Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
First Book of Samuel
Second Book
of Samuel
First Book of Kings
Second Book of Kings
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First Book of Chronicles
Second Book of Chronicles
First Book of Esdras
Second Book of Esdras
Book of Esther
Book of Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes, or the
Preacher
Cantica, or Songs of Solomon
Four Prophets the
Greater
Twelve Prophets the Less
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And the other books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for
example of life and instruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply
them to establish any doctrine; such are these following:
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Third Book of Esdras
Fourth Book of Esdras
Book of
Tobias
Book of Judith
The rest of the Book of Esther
Book of Wisdom
Jesus the Son of Sirach
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Baruch the Prophet
The Song of the Three Children
The
Story of Susanna
Of Bel and the Dragon
The Prayer of
Manasses
First Book of Maccabees
Second Book of Maccabees
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All the books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we
do receive, and account them canonical.
7. Of the Old Testament
The Old Testament is not contrary
to the New; for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is
offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and
man, being both God and man. Wherefore there are not to be heard which
feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises.
Although the law given from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies and
rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the civil precepts thereof ought
of necessity to be received in any commonwealth; yet, notwithstanding,
no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the
commandments which are called moral.
8. Of the Three Creeds
The three Creeds, Nicene Creed,
Athanasius' Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles'
Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed; for they may be
proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture.
9. Of Original or Birth Sin
Original sin standeth not in
the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the
fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is
engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from
original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so
that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in
every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and
damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that
are regenerated, whereby the lust of the flesh, called in Greek phronema
sarkos (which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the
affection, some the desire of the flesh), is not subject to the law of
God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are
baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess that concupiscence and lust hath
itself the nature of sin.
10. Of Free Will
The condition of man after the fall of
Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own
natural strength and good works, to faith and calling upon God.
Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to
God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us that we may have a
good will, and working with us when we have that good will.
11. Of the Justification of Man
We are accounted righteous
before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by
faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore that we are
justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of
comfort; as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification.
12. Of Good Works
Albeit that good works, which are the
fruits of faith and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins
and endure the severity of God's judgement, yet are they pleasing and
acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and
lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently
known as a tree discerned by the fruit.
13. Of Works before Justification
Works done before the
grace of Christ and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, are not pleasant
to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ, neither
do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the School authors say)
deserve grace of congruity: yea, rather for that they are not done as
God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they
have the nature of sin.
14. Of Works of Supererogation
Voluntary works besides,
over and above, God's commandments which they call Works of
Supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety. For by
them men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as
they are bound to do, but that they do more for His sake than of bounden
duty is required: Whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all
that are commanded to do, say, We be unprofitable servants.
15. Of Christ alone without Sin
Christ in the truth of our
nature was made like unto us in all things, sin only except, from which
He was clearly void, both in His flesh and in His spirit. He came to be
the lamb without spot, Who by sacrifice of Himself once made, should
take away the sins of the world: and sin, as S. John saith, was not in
Him. But all we the rest, although baptized and born again in Christ,
yet offend in many things: and if we say we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
16. Of Sin after Baptism
Not every deadly sin willingly
committed after Baptism is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable.
Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall
into sin after Baptism. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may
depart from grace given and fall into sin, and by the grace of God we
may arise again and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be
condemned, which say they can no more sin as long as they live here, or
deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.
17. Of Predestination and Election
Predestinations to life
is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby, before the foundations of
the world were laid, He hath constantly decreed by His counsel secret to
us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom He hath chosen in
Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting
salvation as vessels made to honour. Wherefore they which be endued with
so excellent a benefit of God be called according to God's purpose by
His Spirit working in due season; they through grace obey the calling;
they be justified freely; they be made sons of God by adoption; they be
made like the image of His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ; they walk
religiously in good works; and at length by God's mercy they attain to
everlasting felicity.
As the godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in
Christ is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly
persons and such as feeling in themselves the working of the Spirit of
Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members and
drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it
doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation to
be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their
love towards God: so for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit
of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's
Predestination is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the devil doth
thrust them either into desperation or into wretchlessness of most
unclean living no less perilous than desperation.
Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise as they be
generally set forth in Holy Scripture; and in our doings that will of
God is to be followed which we have expressly declared unto us in the
word of God.
18. Of obtaining eternal salvation only by the name of Christ
They also are to be had accursed that presume to say that every man
shall be saved by the law or sect which he professeth, so that he be
diligent to frame his life according to that law and the light of
nature. For Holy Scripture doth set out to us only the name of Jesus
Christ, whereby men must be saved.
19. Of the Church
The visible Church of Christ is a
congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure word of God is
preached and the sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's
ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the
same. As the Church of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch have erred: so
also the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner
of ceremonies, but also in matters of faith.
20. Of the Authority of the Church
The Church hath power to
decree rites or ceremonies and authority in controversies of faith; and
yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain anything contrary to God's
word written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it
be repugnant to another. Wherefore, although the Church be a witness and
a keeper of Holy Writ: yet, as it ought not to decree anything against
the same, so besides the same ought it not to enforce anything to be
believed for necessity of salvation.
21. Of the authority of General Councils
General Councils
may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of
princes. And when they be gathered together, forasmuch as they be an
assembly of men, whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and word of
God, they may err and sometime have erred, even in things pertaining to
God. Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have
neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be
taken out of Holy Scripture.
22. Of Purgatory
The Romish doctrine concerning Purgatory,
Pardons, worshipping and adoration as well of Images as of Relics, and
also Invocation of Saint, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded
upon no warranty of Scripture; but rather repugnant to the word of God.
23. Of Ministering in the Congregation
It is not lawful for
any man to take upon him the office of public preaching or ministering
the sacraments in the congregation, before he be lawfully called and
sent to execute the same. And those we ought to judge lawfully called
and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men who have public
authority given unto them in the congregation to call and send ministers
into the Lord's vineyard.
24. Of speaking in the Congregation in such a tongue as the people
understandeth
It is a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God
and the custom of the primitive Church, to have public prayer in the
Church, or to minister the sacraments in a tongue not understanded of
the people.
25. Of the Sacraments
Sacraments ordained of Christ be not
only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they be
certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace and God's good will
towards us, by the which He doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only
quicken, but also strengthen and confirm, our faith in Him.
There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel,
that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.
Those five commonly called Sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation,
Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction, are not to be counted
for Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown partly of the
corrupt following of the Apostles, partly are states of life allowed in
the Scriptures; but yet have not the like nature of Sacraments with
Baptism and the Lord's Supper, for that they have not any visible sign
or ceremony ordained of God.
The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon or to be
carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as
worthily receive the same, have they a wholesome effect or operation:
but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves damnation,
as Saint Paul saith.
26. Of the unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the
effect of the Sacraments
Although in the visible Church the evil
be ever mingled with the good, and sometime the evil have chief
authority in the ministration of the word and sacraments; yet forasmuch
as they do not the same in their own name, but in Christ's, and do
minister by His commission and authority, we may use their ministry both
in hearing the word of God and in the receiving of the sacraments.
Neither is the effect of Christ's ordinance taken away by their
wickedness, nor the grace of God's gifts diminished from such as by
faith and rightly do receive the sacraments ministered unto them, which
be effectual because of Christ's institution and promise, although they
be ministered by evil men.
Nevertheless it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church that
inquiry be made of evil ministers, and that they be accused by those
that have knowledge of their offences; and finally, being found guilty
by just judgement, be deposed.
27. Of Baptism
Baptism is not only a sign of profession and
mark of difference whereby Christian men are discerned from other that
be not christened, but is also a sign of regeneration or new birth,
whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive baptism rightly are
grafted into the Church; the promises of the forgiveness of sin, and of
our adoption to be the sons of God, by the Holy Ghost are visibly signed
and sealed; faith is confirmed, and grace increased by virtue of prayer
unto God. The baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained in
the Church as most agreeable with the institution of Christ.
28. Of the Lord's Supper
The Supper of the Lord is not only
a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves, one
to another, but rather it is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ's
death: insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith
receive the same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of
Christ, and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of
Christ.
Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of bread and wine)
in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ, but is
repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a
Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions.
The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only
after an heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the body of
Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith.
The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance
reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.
29. Of the wicked which do not eat the body of Christ, in the use
of the Lord's Supper
The wicked and such as be void of a lively
faith, although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth (as
S. Augustine saith) the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, yet
in no wise are they partakers of Christ, but rather to their
condemnation do eat and drink the sign or sacrament of so great a thing.
30. Of Both Kinds
The Cup of the Lord is not to be denied
to the lay people; for both parts of the Lord's sacrament, by Christ's
ordinance and commandment, ought to be ministered to all Christian men
alike.
31. Of the one oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross
The offering of Christ once made is the perfect redemption,
propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both
original and actual, and there is none other satisfaction for sin but
that alone. Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses, in the which it was
commonly said that the priests did offer Christ for the quick and the
dead to have remission of pain or guilt, were blasphemous fables and
dangerous deceits.
32. Of the Marriage of Priests
Bishops, Priests, and
Deacons are not commanded by God's laws either to vow the estate of
single life or to abstain from marriage. Therefore it is lawful also for
them, as for all other Christian men, to marry at their own discretion,
as they shall judge the same to serve better to godliness.
33. Of Excommunicated Persons, how they are to be avoided
That persons which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off
from the unity of the Church and excommunicated, ought to be taken of
the whole multitude of the faithful as an heathen and publican, until he
be openly reconciled by penance and received into the Church by a judge
that hath authority thereto.
34. Of the Traditions of the Church
It is not necessary
that traditions and ceremonies be in all places one or utterly alike;
for at all times they have been diverse, and may be changed according to
the diversity of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be
ordained against God's word. Whosoever through his private judgement
willingly and purposely doth openly break the traditions and ceremonies
of the Church which be not repugnant to the word of God, and be ordained
and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly that other
may fear to do the like, as he that offendeth against common order of
the Church, and hurteth the authority of the magistrate, and woundeth
the conscience of the weak brethren.
Every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain, change,
and abolish ceremonies or rites of the Church ordained only by man's
authority, so that all things be done to edifying.
35. Of Homilies
HE second Book of Homilies, the several
titles whereof we have joined under this Article, doth contain a godly
and wholesome doctrine and necessary for these times, as doth the former
Book of Homilies which were set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth:
and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the ministers
diligently and distinctly, that they may be understanded of the people.
Of the Names of the Homilies
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Of the right Use of the Church
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Against peril of Idolatry
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Of the repairing and keeping clean of Churches
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Of good Works: first of Fasting
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Against Gluttony and Drunkenness
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Against Excess of Apparel
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Of Prayer
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Of the Place and Time of Prayer
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That Common Prayers and Sacraments ought to be ministered in a known
tongue
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Of the reverend estimation of God's Word
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Of Alms-doing
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Of the Nativity of Christ
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Of the Passion of Christ
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Of the Resurrection of Christ
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Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of
Christ
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Of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost
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For the Rogation-days
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Of the state of Matrimony
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Of Repentance
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Against Idleness
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Against Rebellion
36. Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers
The Book of
Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and ordering of Priests and
Deacons, lately set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth and confirmed
at the same time by authority of Parliament, doth contain all things
necessary to such consecration and ordering; neither hath it anything
that of itself is superstitious or ungodly. And therefore whosoever are
consecrate or ordered according to the rites of that book, since the
second year of King Edward unto this time, or hereafter shall be
consecrated or ordered according to the same rites, we decree all such
to be rightly, orderly, and lawfully consecrated or ordered.
37. Of the Civil Magistrates
The Queen's Majesty hath the
chief power in this realm of England and other her dominions, unto whom
the chief government of all estates of this realm, whether they be
ecclesiastical or civil, in all causes doth appertain, and is not nor
ought to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction.
Where we attribute to the Queen's Majesty the chief government, by
which titles we understand the minds of some slanderous folks to be
offended, we give not to our princes the ministering either of God's
word or of sacraments, the which thing the Injunctions also lately set
forth by Elizabeth our Queen doth most plainly testify: but that only
prerogative which we see to have been given always to all godly princes
in Holy Scriptures by God himself, that is, that they should rule all
estates and degrees committed to their charge by God, whether they be
ecclesiastical or temporal, and restrain with the civil sword the
stubborn and evil-doers. The Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this
realm of England.
The Laws of the Realm may punish Christian men with death for heinous
and grievous offences.
It is lawful for Christian men at the commandment of the Magistrate
to wear weapons and serve in the wars.
38. Of Christian men's goods which are not common
The
riches and goods of Christians are not common, as touching the right,
title, and possession of the same, as certain Anabaptists do falsely
boast; notwithstanding every man ought of such things as he possesseth
liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability.
39. Of a Christian man's Oath
As we confess that vain and
rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ, so we
judge that Christian religion doth not prohibit but that a man may swear
when the magistrate requireth in a cause of faith and charity, so it be
done according to the Prophet's teaching in justice, judgement, and
truth.
The Ratification
This Book of Articles before rehearsed, is again approved, and
allowed to be holden and executed within the Realm, by the assent and
consent of our Sovereign Lady ELIZABETH, by the grace of God, of
England, France, and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, &c. Which
Articles were deliberately read, and confirmed again by the subscription
of the hands of the Archbishop and Bishops of the Upper-house, and by
the subscription of the whole Clergy of the Nether-house in their
Convocation, in the Year of our Lord 1571.
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