ARTICLES
OF RELIGION
AS ESTABLISHED BY THE BISHOPS, THE CLERGY,
AND THE LAITY OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA, IN CONVENTION, ON THE TWELFTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, IN THE YEAR OF OUR
LORD, 1801.
.
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 the unity of this Godhead there be three
Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost.
ART.
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 actual sins of men.
ART
III.
Of the going down of Christ into Hell.
AS
Christ died for us, and was buried; so also it is to be believed, that he went
down into Hell.
ART.
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; wherewith he
ascended into Heaven, and there sitteth, until he return to judge all Men at
the last day.
ART.
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.
ART.
VI.
Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures
for Salvation.
HOLY
Scripture 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
the 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,
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,
The Book of Esther ,
The Book of Job,
The Psalms,
The Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes or Preacher,
Cantica, or Songs of Solomon,
Four Prophets the greater,
Twelve Prophets the less.
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,
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.
All the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do
receive, and account them Canonical.
ART.
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 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 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.
ART.
VIII.
Of the Creeds.
THE
Nicene 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.
ART.
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, φρονημα σαρκος, (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.
ART.
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.
ART.
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.
ART.
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 judgment; 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.
ART.
XIII.
Of Works before Justification.
WORKS
done before the grace of Christ, and the Inspiration of the 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.
ART.
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,
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.
ART.
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.
ART.
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.
ART.
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 ever-lasting 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 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
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 wrethchlessness 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 to us 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.
ART.
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 unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ, whereby men
must be saved.
ART.
XIX.
Of the Church.
THE
visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in 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.
ART.
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 that is
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 any thing against
the same, so besides the same ought not to enforce any thing to be believed for
necessity of Salvation.
ART.
XXI.
Of the Authority of General Councils.
[The Twenty-first of the former Articles
is omitted; because it is partly of a local and civil nature, and is provided
for, as to the remaining parts of it, in other Articles.]
ART.
XXII.
Of Purgatory.
THE
Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping 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.
ART.
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.
ART.
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.
ART.
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 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 are 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, they have a wholesome effect or operation: but they that
receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint Paul saith.
ART.
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 sometimes 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 receiving 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 judgment
be deposed.
ART.
XXVII.
Of Baptism.
BAPTISM
is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christian men
are discerned from others that be not christened, but it 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.
ART.
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 worshipped.
ART.
XXIX.
Of the Wicked, which eat not 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.
ART.
XXX.
Of both Kinds.
THE
Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people: for both the parts of
the Lord’s Sacrament, by Christ’s ordinance and commandment, ought to be
ministered to all Christian men alike.
ART.
XXXI.
Of the one Oblation of Christ finished
upon the Cross.
THE
Offering of Christ once made in that 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 Priest did
offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt,
were blasphemous fables, and dangerous deceits.
ART.
XXXII.
Of the Marriage of Priests.
BISHOPS,
Priests, and Deacons, are not commanded by God’s Law, either to vow the estate
of single life, or to abstain from marriage: therefore it is lawful 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.
ART.
XXXIII.
Of excommunicate Persons, how they are to be avoided.
THAT
person 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 the
authority thereunto.
ART.
XXXIV.
Of the Traditions of the Church.
IT
is not necessary that the Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one, or
utterly like; for at all times they have been divers, 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
judgment, 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
others may fear to do the like,) as he that offendeth
against the common order of the Church, and hurteth
the authority of the Magistrate, and woundeth the
consciences 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.
ART.
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
1 Of the right Use of the Church.
2 Against Peril of Idolatry.
3 Of repairing and keeping clean of Churches.
4 Of good Works: first of Fasting.
5 Against Gluttony and Drunkenness.
6 Against Excess of Apparel
7 Of Prayer.
8 Of the Place and Time of Prayer.
9 That Common Prayers and Sacraments ought to
be ministered in a known tongue.
10 Of the reverend Estimation of God’s Word.
11 Of Alms-doing.
12 Of the Nativity of Christ.
13 Of the Passion of Christ.
14 Of the Resurrection of Christ.
15 Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of
the Body and Blood of Christ.
16 Of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost.
17 For the Rogation-days.
18 Of the State of Matrimony.
19 Of Repentance.
20 Against Idleness.
21 Against Rebellion.
[This Article is received in this Church,
so far as it declares the Book of Homilies to be an explication of Christian
doctrine, and instructive in piety and morals. But all references to the
constitution and laws of England are considered as inapplicable to the
circum-stances of this Church; which also suspends the order for the reading of
said Homilies in churches, until a revision of them may be conveniently made,
for the clearing of them, as well from obsolete words and phrases, as from the
local references.]
ART.
XXXVI.
Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers.
THE
Book of Consecration of Bishops, and Ordering of Priests and Deacons, as set
forth by the General Convention of this Church in 1792, doth contain all things
necessary to such Consecration and Ordering; neither hath it any thing that, of
itself, is superstitious and ungodly. And, therefore, whosoever are consecrated
or ordered according to said Form, we decree all such to be rightly, orderly,
and lawfully consecrated and ordered.
ART.
XXXVII.
Of the Power of the Civil Magistrates.
THE
Power of the Civil Magistrate extendeth to all men,
as well Clergy as Laity, in all things temporal; but hath no authority in
things purely spiritual. And we hold it to be the duty of all men who are
professors of the Gospel, to pay respectful obedience to the Civil Authority,
regularly and legitimately constituted.
ART.
XXXVIII.
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.
ART.
XXXIX.
Of a Christian Man’s Oath.
AS
we confess that vain and rash Swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord
Jesus Christ, and James his Apostle, 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, judgment, and truth.
_____
Lee Chapel, Order of Centurions, Formatted
based on an 1869 BCP