Articles of Religion
The 39 Articles of Religion
of the Anglican Church of Canada fromthe Book of Common
Prayer, 1959 p698-714.
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 are three
persons, of one substance, power and eterntity; the Father,
the Son and the Holy Ghost.
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 the actual sins of men.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 [Ezra]
The Second Book of Esdras [Nehemiah]
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 not apply them to establish any doctrine; such
are these following:
The Third Book of Esdras [I Esdras]
The Fourth Book of Esdras [II 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 [or Ecclesiasticus]
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 of the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly
received, we do receive, and account them Canonical.
VII Of the Old Testament.
The Old Testament is not contrary to the New: for in both
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 govern 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.
VIII Of the Three Creeds.
The Three Creeds, the Nicene Creed, Athanasius's 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 warrents of holy Scripture.
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 in 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 the Greek, [untranslatable
to html] 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, yet the Apostle doth confess, that
concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin.
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.
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.
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.
XIII Of Works before Justification.
Works done before the grace of Christ, and the Inspiration
of his 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 commaned them to be done,
we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.
XIV Of Works of Supererogation.
Voluntary Works besides, over and above, God's Commandments,
which the 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.
Christ in the truth of our nature was made like unto us
in all things, sin only except, form 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.
XVI Of Sin after Baptism.
Not every deadly sin willingly commited 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.
XVII Of Predestination and
Election.
Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God,
whereby (before 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 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 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 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
XVIII Of obtaining eternal
Salvation only by the Name of Christ.
They ask 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.
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.
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 any thing 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 keeper of holy Writ, yet, 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 the necessity of Salvation.
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 sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining
unto 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.
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 warrenty of Scripture, but rather repugnant
to the Word of God.
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.
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 by the people.
XXV Of the Sacraments.
Sacraments ordained by 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 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 they
have a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive
them unworthily purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint
Paul saith.
XXVI Of the Unworthiness of
the Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacrament.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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 Chrsit; 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,
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 of the Lord is Faith.
The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's
ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.
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.
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.
About
Us |
Help
Us | Tell
it |
Free
ThreeQ Email | Free
Webpage | News |
Tracts |
Web-Evangelism |
Bible
FAQ | Online
Counseling 
