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. I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity. | T God, everlasting, without body, HERE is but one living and true 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; Holy Ghost, proceeding the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God. VI. Of the Sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for salvation. the Father, the Son, and the Holy HOLY Scripture containeth all Ghost. HE Son, which is the Word of Tthe 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 actual sins of 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 the holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New And the other Books (as Hierome | received and believed: for they may saith) the Church doth read for ex- be proved by most certain warrants of ample of life and instruction of man- holy Scripture. ners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine; such are these following: The Third Book of Esdras, The rest of the Book of Esther, The Song of the Three Children, All the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account them Canonical. VII. Of the Old Testament. THE HE 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 they 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 Christiau 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. IX. Of Original or Birth-sin. ORIGINAL Sin standeth not in And 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 ingendered 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. this infection of nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in the 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 of itself the nature of sin. X. Of Free-Will. HE condition of Man after the Tfall 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. XI. Of the Justification of Man. E are accounted righteous be Wfore 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 whole some Doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification. XII. Of Good Works. 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, ALBEIT that Good Works, which and born again in Christ, yet offend 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 of a true and lively Faith; insomuch XIII. Of Works before Justification. in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. XVI. Of Sin after Baptism. committed after Baptism is sin NOT every deadly sin willingly 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. XVII. Of Predestination and Election. REDESTINATION to Life is XIV. Of Works of Supererogation.P the everlasting purpose of God, VOLUNTARY Works besides, whereby (before the foundations of 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 you, say, We are unprofitable servants. XV. Of Christ alone without Sin. truth of na 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 inade like of only-begotten CHRIST in the like unto us in Son Jesus Christ: they walk religiously all things, sin only except, from which he was clearly void, both in his flesh, and in his spirit. He came to be the 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 feel 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 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. XX. Of the Authority of the Church. HE Church hath power to decree TRites of Ceremonies, and au to be enjoyed through Christ, as be- thority in Controversies of Faith: And cause it doth fervently kindle their yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to love towards God: So, for curious God's Word written, neither may it so and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit expound one place of Scripture, that of Christ, to have continually before it be repugnant to another. Wheretheir eyes the sentence of God's fore, although the Church be a witPredestination, is a most dangerousness and a keeper of holy Writ, yet, downfal, whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no less perilous than despe ration. as it ought not to decree any thing against the same, so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Sal vation. Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise, as they be XXI. Of the Authority of General generally set forth to us in holy Scripture: and, in our doings, that Will of Councils. God is to be followed, which we have GENERAL Councils may not be expressly declared unto us in the Word of God. THER XVIII. Of obtaining eternal Salva- XIX. Of the Church. HE visible Church of Christ is a THE 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. 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 sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining unto God. Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have neither strength nor authority, unless may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture. it XXII. Of Purgatory. THE Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well of Images as of Reliques, 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. |