Book of Common Prayer, 1928

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Articles of Religion
God we may again, and amend our lives. And therefore they 3rc to be
condemned, wbleb say, they can no more sin as long as they live here or
deny the place of forgiveness to such :l.S truly repenc.
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XVII. Of PredestilIation alld Electioll.
co Life is tbe everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the
foundations of the wor,ld were laid) he hath consrandy decreed by his counsci
to u,s, to deliver from curse and d:l.mnation those whom he h:1(h
chose,n 10 Chnst OUt of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to cvcrbsting
salv:mon, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore, they which be endued with
so a benefit of God, be called according to God's purpose by bis Spirit
workmg In due season: they through Grace obey the calling: they be justified
freeJ'y: they be made sons of God by adoption: they be made like the im:lge
of hiS only-begotten Son Jesus Christ: walk religiously in good works,
:lnd at length, by Go?'s they atum to everhsting felicity.
, As the godly consideration of Predestin:ltion, and our Elcction in Christ,
IS full C!f sweet, ple:lsant, and
comfort to godly persons, and such
as feel tn
the worktng of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works
of the flesh, ,and their e:lrthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and
thlOgs, as w,ell because !t doth gre:ltly establish and confirm their
f:uth of S:lv:ltlon to be enjoyed through Christ, as bcc:luse jt doth ferklO?',e
their towards God: So, for curious and c:lrnal persons, l:lck-
109 t,he Sptrlt?f to h:lve continually before their eyes the sentence of
God s Predest,lOano.n, IS a most dangerous downfall, whereby the Devil doth
them mto desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclcan
I!vmg, no less perilous than desperation.
Fun:hermore, we receive ,God's promi.ses in such wise, as they be genset
forth to us I,n Holy Scrtpture: and, JO our doings, that Will of God
followed, which we have expressly declared untO us in the Word of
XVIII. Of obtahli71g eternal Salvatioll only by tbe NIfIJZe of Christ.
THEY also are to be had accursed, tbat presume to say, That every man shall
be by the or SeCt whIch he professeth, so that he be diligent to
frame hIS life accord 109 to th:lt Law, and the light of Nature. For Holy Scri _
ture doth set OUt UntO us only the Name of Jesus Christ, whereby men
be saved.
XIX. Of tbe Chureb.
THE visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men in the \ hich
the Word God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly :ninister:d acc,ordmg
to Chnst s ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requi-
Site to the same.
As the Church of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred; so also
the S:hurcb of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of Ceremontes,
but also in matters of Faith,
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Articles of Religion
xx. Of tbe Alit/miry of tbe Cbllreb.
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 a keeper of Holy Writ, :'et, 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.
XXI. Of tbe Atahcriry of Ge1leral Co,mcils.
[The Twenty-helt of the former Articles i, omittedj because it is partly of a local and
civil nature, and is provided for. as to the remaining parts of it, in other Articles.]
XXII. Of Purgatory.
THE Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration,
as well of lmages 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.
XXIII. Of Millisterillg ill the COllgregatioll.
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 Speakillg ill tbe Congregation in Stleb a TO'llglle as tbe people
1I1lderstlflldetb.
IT is a tbing 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.
XXV. Of the Sacrlflfle1lts.
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 rhe which he doth work invisibly
in us, and doth not only quicken, bur 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 tbe Gospel, being such as have grown partly of the cormpt following
of the Apostles. partly arc states of life allowed in the Scriptures; but
yet have nor like nature ofSacramenrs with Baptism,
rhe Lord's Supper,
for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony orda\Ocd of God.
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