[800] The Confession, which was subscribed at Halyrudhouse the 25 of February, 1587-8, by the King, Lennox, Huntlye, the Chancelour, and about 95 other Persons, hath here added, Agreeing to the word. Sir John Maxwel of Pollock hath the original Parchement.
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.
[1. The Latin text of the Elizabethan Articles, adopted in 1562, is a reprint of the editio princeps of Reginald Wolfe, royal printer, London, 1563, issued by express authority of the Queen, and reproduced by Charles Hardwick, in his History of the Articles of Religion, new edition, Cambridge, 1859, pp. 277 sqq. (Hardwick gives also, in four parallel columns, the English edition of 1571, and the Forty-two Articles of 1553, Latin and English, with the textual variations of the Parker MS. of 1571, and other printed editions.)
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. 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. 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.'
Editio Latina Princeps, English Edition, American Revision, 1563 [1562]. 1571. 1801.
Articuli, de quibus in Synodo Londinensi anno Domini, iuxta ecclesiæ Anglicanæ computationem, M.D.LXII. ad tollendam opinionum, dissensionem, et firmandum in uera Religione consensum, inter Archiepiscopos Episcoposque utriusque Prouinciæ, nec non etiam uniuersum Clerum convenit.
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.
Articles of Religion; as established by the Bishops, the Clergy, and 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. I. I. I. De Fide in Sacrosanctam Trinitatem. Of fayth in the holy Trinitie. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity. Vnus est viuus et uerus Deus æternus, incorporeus, impartibilis, impassibilis, immensæ potentiæ, sapientiæ ac bonitatis: creator et conseruator omnium tum uisibilium tum inuisibilium. Et in Vnitate huius diuinæ naturæ tres sunt Personæ, 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 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 God-head there be
eiusdem essentiæ, potentiæ, ac æternitatis, Pater, Filius, et Spiritus sanctus. there be three persons, of one substaunce, power, and eternitie, the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost. three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. II. II. II. Verbum Dei uerum hominem esse factum. Of the worde or sonne of God which was made very man. Of the Word or Son of God, which was made very Man. Filius, qui est uerbum Patris ab æterno à Patre genitus uerus et æternus Deus, ac Patri consubstantialis, in utero Beatæ uirginis ex illlus substantia naturam humanam assumpsit: ita ut duæ naturæ, diuina et humana integrè atque perfectè in unitate personæ, fuerint inseparabiliter coniunctæ: ex quibus est vnus CHRISTVS, verus Deus et verus Homo: qui uerè passus est, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus, ut Patrem nobis reconciliaret, essetque [hostia] non tantùm pro culpa originis, uerum etiam pro omnibus actualibus hominum peccatis. 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 [801] actuall sinnes of men. 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. III. III. III. De Descensu Christi ad Inferos. Of the goyng downe of Christe into hell. Of the going down of Christ into Hell. Qvemmadmodum Christus pro nobis mortuus est et sepultus, ita est etiam credendus ad Inferos descendisse. As Christe dyed for vs, and was buryed: so also it is to be beleued that he went downe into hell. As Christ died for us, and was buried, so also is it to be believed that he went down into Hell.
IV. IV. IV. Resurrectio Christi. Of the Resurrection of Christe. Of the Resurrection of Christ. Christus vere a mortuis resurrexit, suumque corpus cum carne, ossibus, omnibusque ad integritatem humanæ naturæ pertinentibus, recepit, cum quibus in coelum ascendit, ibique residet, quoad extremo die ad iudicandos [omnes] homines reuersurus sit. 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. 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. V. V. V. De Spiritu sancto. Of the holy ghost. Of the Holy Ghost. Spiritus sanctus, à patre et filio procedens, eiusdem est cum patre et filio essentiæ, maiestatis, et gloriæ, uerus, ac æternus Deus. 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. 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. VI. VI. VI. Divinæ Scripturæ doctrina sufficit ad salutem. Of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for saluation. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Saltation. Scriptura sacra continet omnia quæ sunt ad salutem necessaria, ita ut quicquid in ea nec legitur, neque inde probari potest, non sit à quoquam exigendum, ut tanquam Articulus fidei credatur, aut ad necessitatem salutis requiri putetur. 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. 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. Sacræ Scripturæ nomine eos Canonicos libros Veteris et Novi testamenti intelligimus, In the name of holy Scripture, we do vnderstande those Canonicall In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical Books of