The Thirty-Nine Articles · Earlier and related versions

Eleven Articles (1559/61)

Interim declaration that every incumbent read publicly under Archbishop Parker, pending a full confession. Text from the 1579 printing; titles are editorial (the original has numbers only). Hardwick prints it as a stage between 1553 and 1563.

Source: A declaration of certaine principall articles of religion (London: Christopher Barker, 1579 ed.), STC 10034.7; EEBO-TCP transcription A00044 (CC0). Public domain.

Preamble

FOrasmuch as it appertaineth to all Christian men, but especially to the ministers and the pastours of the Church, being teachers & instructers of others, to be ready to giue a reason of their faith when they shalbe thereunto required: I for my part nowe appointed your Parson, Vicar, or Curate, hauing before mine eyes the feare of God, & the testimonie of my conscience, do acknowledge for my selfe, and require you to assent to the same.

I. Of one God in Trinity

Fyrst that there is but one liuing and true God, of infinite power, wisedome, & goodnesse, the maker and preseruer of all things, and that in vnitie of this Godhead, there be three persons of one substance, of equall power and eternitie, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost.

Compare: Article I

II. Of Scripture and the Creeds

I beleeue also whatsoeuer is conteined in the holy Canonicall Scriptures, in the which Scriptures are conteined all things necessarie to saluation, by the which also al errours & heresies may sufficiently be reproued and conuicted, and all doctrine and Articles necessarie to saluation establyshed. I do also most firmely beleeue and confesse all the Articles conteined in the three Creedes: the Nicene Creede, Athanasius Creede, and our common Creede, called the Apostles Creede: for these do briefly conteine the principall Articles of our faith, which are ar large set forth in the holy Scriptures.

Compare: Article VI, Article VIII

III. Of the Church

I acknowledge also that Church to be the spouse of Christ, wherein the word of God is truly taught, the Sacraments orderly ministred according to Christes institution, and the authoritie of the keys duely vsed. And that euery such particular Church hath authoritie to institute, to change, & cleane to put away Ceremonies and other Ecclesiasticall rites, as they be superfluous, or be abused, and to constitute other, making more to seemelynesse, to order, or edification.

Compare: Article XIX, Article XX

IV. Of lawful calling to the ministry

Moreouer I confesse that it is not lawfull for any man to take vpon him any office or ministery, eyther Ecclesiastical or secular, but such onely as are lawfully thereunto called by their high authorities, according to the ordinances of this Realme.

Compare: Article XXIII

V. Of the Queen's supremacy

Furthermore I do acknowledge the Queenes Maiesties prerogatiue, and superioritie of gouernement of all estates & in all causes, aswel Ecclesiasticall as Temporal, within this Realme, & other her dominions & countreys, to be agreeable to Gods word, & of right to appertaine to her highnesse, in such sort as is in ye late Act of Parliament expressed, & sithens by her Maiesties Iniūctions declared & expounded.

Compare: Article XXXVII

VI. Of the Bishop of Rome

Moreouer, touching the Byshop of Rome, I do acknowledge and confesse, that by the Scriptures and word of God, he hath no more authoritie then other Byshops haue in their prouinces and diocesses: And therefore ye power which he now challengeth, that is, to be ye supreme head of the vniuersall Church of Christ, and so to be aboue all Emperours, Kinges, and Princes, is an vsurped power, contrary to the Scriptures and worde of God, and contrary to the example of the primitiue Church. And therefore is for most iust causes taken away, and abolyshed within this Realme.

Compare: Article XXXVII

VII. Of the Book of Common Prayer

Furthermore I do graunt and confesse, that the booke of common prayer & administration of the holy Sacraments, set forth by authoritie of parliament, is agreeable to the Scriptures, & that it is Catholike, Apostolike, & most for the aduauncing of Gods glory, and the edifying of Gods people, both for that it is in a tongue that may be vnderstanded of the people, and also for the doctrine and fourme of ministration contained in the same.

Compare: Article XXIV, Article XXXIV, Article XXXVI

VIII. Of ceremonies in Baptism

And although in the administration of Baptisme, there is neyther exorcisme, oyle, salt, spittle, or halowing of the water nowe vsed. And for that they were of late yeeres abused, and esteemed necessarie, where they perteine not to the substance and necessitie of the Sacrament, they be reasonably abolyshed: and yet the Sacrament ful and perfectly ministred to all intents and purposes agreeable to the institution of our Sauiour Christ.

Compare: Article XXVII, Article XXXIV

IX. Of private masses

Moreouer I do not onely acknowledge, that priuate masses were neuer vsed amongst the fathers of the primitiue Church, I meane publike ministration & receiuing of the Sacrament by the priest alone, without a iust number of communicants, according to Christes saying, Take ye, and eate ye, &c. but also that the doctrine, which maintaineth the masse to be a propitiatorie sacrifice for the quicke and the dead, and a meane to deliuer soules out of purgatorie, is neyther agreeable to Christs ordinance, nor grounded vpon doctrine Apostolike, but contrarywise most vngodly & most iniurious to the precious redemption of our Sauiour Christ, and his onely sufficient sacrifice offered once for euer vpon the altar of the crosse.

Compare: Article XXXI

X. Of Communion in both kinds

I am of that minde also, that the holy Communion or Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ, for the due obedience to Christes institution, and to expresse the vertue of the same, ought to be ministred vnto the people vnder both kindes, & that it is auouched by certaine fathers of the Church, to be a plaine sacriledge to robbe them of the mysticall cup, for whom Christ hath shed his most precious bloud: Seing he him selfe hath said, Drinke ye all of this. Considering also that in the time of the auncient doctours of the Church, as Ciprian, Ierome, Augustine, Gelasius & others, vi.C. yeeres after Christ and more, both the partes of the Sacrament were ministred to the people.

Compare: Article XXX

XI. Of images, relics and purgatory

Last of all, as I do vtterly disalowe the extolling of Images, Relickes, and fayned myracles, and also all kindes of expressing God inuisible, in the fourme of an olde man, or the holy Ghost, in fourme of a Doue, and all other vaine worshipping of God, deuised by mans fantasie, besides or contrary to ye Scriptures: (as wandring on pilgrimages, setting vp of candles, praying vpon beades, & such like superstition,) which kinde of workes haue no promise of reward in scripture, but contrarywise threatnings and maledictions: So I do exhort all men to the obedience of Gods lawe, and to the woorkes of faith, as charitie, mercie, pitie, almes, deuout and feruent prayer with thaffection of the heart, & notwith the mouth onely, godly abstinence & fasting, chastitie, obedience to the rulers & superiour powers, with such like works and godlynes of life, commaunded by God in his word: which as Saint Paul saith, hath promises both of this life, and of the life to come, and are workes onely acceptable in Gods sight.

Compare: Article XXII