Article I.
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.
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Article II.
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.
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Article III.
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.
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Article IV.
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.
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Article V.
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.
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Article VI.
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
article 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.
-
Genesis
-
Exodus
-
Leviticus
-
Numbers
-
Deuteronomy
-
Joshua
-
Judges
-
Ruth
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- The
First Book of Samuel
- The
Second Book of Samuel
- The
First Book of Kings
- The
Second Book of Kings
- The
First Book of Chronicles
- The
Second Book of Chronicles
- The
First Book of Esdras
-
The
Second Book of Esdras
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- The
Book of Esther
- The
Book of Job
- The
Psalms
- The
Proverbs
-
Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher
-
Cantica, or Songs of Solomon
- Four
Prophets the Greater
-
Twelve
Prophets the Less
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All the books of the New
Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive,
and account them canonical.
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:
- The
Third Book of Esdras
- The
Fourth Book of Esdras
- The Book
of Tobias
- The Book
of Judith
- The rest
of the Book of Esther
- The 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
- The
First Book of Maccabees
- The
Second Book of Maccabees
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Article VII.
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.
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Article VIII.
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.
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Article IX.
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.
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Article X.
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.
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Article XI.
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.
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Article XII.
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.
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Article XIII.
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.
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Article XIV.
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.
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Article XV.
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 Saint 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.
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Article XVI.
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.
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Article XVII.
Of Predestination and Election
Predestination 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.
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Article XVIII.
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.
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Article XIX.
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.
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Article XX.
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.
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Article XXI.
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.
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Article XXII.
Of Purgatory
The Romish doctrine
concerning Purgatory, Pardons, worshiping and adoration
as well of Images as of Relics, and also Invocation of
Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded
upon no warranty of Scripture; but rather repugnant to
the word of God.
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Article XXIII.
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.
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Article XXIV.
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.
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Article XXV.
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.
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Article XXVI.
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.
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Article XXVII.
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.
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Article XXVIII.
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 worshiped.
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Article XXIX.
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 Saint 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.
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Article XXX.
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.
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Article XXXI.
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.
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Article XXXII.
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.
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Article XXXIII.
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.
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Article XXXIV.
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.
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Article XXXV.
Of the Homilies
The 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
(Note:
Footstool Publications
offers free PDF files of the homilies)
-
1. Of the right Use of
the Church
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2. Against peril of
Idolatry
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3. Of the repairing
and keeping clean of Churches
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4. Of good Works:
first of Fasting
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5. Against Gluttony
and Drunkenness
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6. Against Excess of
Apparel
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7. Of Prayer
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8. Of the Place and
Time of Prayer
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9. That Common Prayers
and Sacraments ought to be ministered in a known
tongue.
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10. Of the reverend
estimation of God's Word
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11. Of Alms-doing
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12. Of the Nativity of
Christ
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13. Of the Passion of
Christ
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14. Of the Resurrection
of Christ
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15. Of the worthy
receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of
Christ
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16. Of the Gifts of the
Holy Ghost
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17. For the
Rogation-days
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18. Of the state of
Matrimony
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19. Of Repentance
-
20. Against Idleness
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21. Against Rebellion
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Article XXXVI.
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.
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Article XXXVII.
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 only that
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
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.
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Article XXXVIII.
Of Christian men's good 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.
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Article XXXIX.
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.
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