Anglicanism and the Roman Catholic Church: The Case of Protestant Historicism

The reader is most certainly accustomed to hearing discussions of the Roman Catholic Church in their parish church, perhaps by learned priests or vestrymen. The author was privy to a discussion once of a parish church that was sadly dissolving, due to inadequate funding and attendance. After divine service, the author overheard discussions from various members of the congregation as to what they planned to do, in regards to the nurturing of their piety, and one of the most common responses was to join the Roman Church. Yet, these discussions were not the first instance of equating the English Church, and her daughter Churches, with the Church of Rome, it is an often heard thing. This eventually leads to a discussion on the nature of the Roman Catholic Church and its relation to the Anglican communion.

First, we must compare the teachings of each respective Church, using our own Formularies as a base for our own teaching and what they say of Romanism.

In relation to our salvation, the Articles could not be clearer. The total depravity of man is affirmed in Art. IX, his lack of free will in Art. X, his justification by faith alone in Art. XI, the denial of good works as having any relation to our salvation in Art. XII, and subsequently the condemnation of the doctrine of the "School authors" of the nature of good works before justification and the (so-called) works of supererogation.

Art. IX declares, "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."

A host of Roman doctrines are condemned in Art. XXII, "THE Romish doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, worshipping and adoration as well of Images as of Relics, and also Invocation of Saint, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture; but rather repugnant to the word of God."

"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. XXIV)

The five rites, "commonly called sacraments" are not to be counted as sacraments, " 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 the like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lord's Supper, for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God." (Art. XXV)

"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." (Art. XXVIII)

The doctrine of the Sacrifice of the Mass is condemned in Art. XXXI, "THE offering of Christ once made is the 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 priests did offer Christ for the quick and the dead to have remission of pain or guilt, were blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits."

The denial of the cup to the laity is condemned in Art. XXX as well as clerical celibacy in Art. XXXII.

"The Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this realm of England." Art. XXXVII

This goes to show the anti-Romanist teaching of our Formularies (with little mention of the Homilies, which add further fuel to the fire in condemning Romanism). We can quite clearly see that the teaching of Romanism is condemned by our Formularies. The question remains, is that the only manner in which our Reformers condemned Romanism?

It is often said that the Reformation was about finding Christ and subsequently Antichrist. The rediscovery of the true gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone was a sweet discovery after over a thousand years of corrupted teaching. The teaching of Scripture about salvation was directly contradictory to the teaching of Rome. The Reformers noted this and headed back to their Bibles. They saw their own work being foretold of in the chapters of the Bible dealing with prophecy and also of the Roman Church. Let's see what our Reformers had to say about the matter:

"I know how the Antichrist hath obscured the glory of God, and the true knowledge of His Word, overcasting the same with mists and clouds of error and ignorance through false glosses and interpretation...The Antichrist of Rome... hath extolled himself above his fellow bishops, as God's vicar, yea, rather as God Himself; and taketh upon him authority over kings and emperors, and sitteth in the temple of God, that is, in the consciences of men, and causeth his decrees to be more regarded than God's laws; yea, and for money he dispenseth with God's laws, and all other, giving men license to break them." 

"Whereof it followeth Rome to be the seat of the Antichrist, and the Pope to be the very Antichrist himself. I could prove the same by many other scriptures, old writers and strong reasons."Thomas Cranmer

Many of the Reformers were burnt at the stake for their condemnation of Romanism, for example, John Bradford was condemned "for not acknowledging the Antichrist of Rome to be Christ's vicar - general and supreme head of the Catholic and universal church" and in admitting that, ""undoubtedly that great Antichrist, of whom the apostles do so much admonish us." John Hooper was condemned because he would not accept the "wicked papistical religion of the bishop of Rome."

The overtness of the Formularies is striking. All of these references come from the Books of Homilies (1547 and 1571), which are equally binding for us Anglicans as theological and liturgical formularies, which can be ascertained from Article 35.

"The Bishop of Rome teaches, that they that are under him are free from all burdens and charges of the commonwealth, and obedience towards their prince; most clearly against Christ's doctrine and St. Peter's. He ought therefore rather to be called Antichrist, and the successor of the scribes and pharisees, than Christ's vicar, or St. Peter's successor; seeing that, not only on this point, but also in other weighty matters of Christian religion, in matters of remission and forgiveness of sins, and of salvation, he teacheth so directly against both St. Peter, and against our Saviour Christ" (Homily on Obedience, Part III). 

"The scriptures have for a warning hereof shewed, that the Kingdom of Antichrist shall be mighty in miracles and wonders to the strong illusion of all the reprobates" (Homily against the Peril of Idolatry, Part III). 

"Such sumptuous decking of images with gold, silver, and precious stones, be a token of Antichrist's kingdom, who, as the prophet foreshows, shall worship God with such gorgeous things" (Ibid.). 

"After this ambition, [to be head of all the church, and lord of all kingdoms,] the Bishop of Rome became at once the spoiler and destroyer both of the Church, which is the kingdom of our Saviour Christ, and of the Christian empire, and all Christian kingdoms, as an universal tyrant over all" (Sermon Against Willful Rebellion, Part V).  

"In king John's time, the Bishop of Rome, understanding the brute blindness, ignorance of God's word, and superstition of Englishmen, and how much they were inclined to worship the Babylonian Beast of Rome, and to fear all his threatenings and causeless cursings, he abused them thus, and by their rebellion brought this noble realm of England under his most cruel tyranny" (Ibid.).

This identification of Rome even made its way into other confessional documents, for instance, the Irish Articles of Religion of 1615 say:

79. The power which the Bishop of Rome now challengeth to be supreme head of the universal Church of Christ, and to be above all emperors, kings, and princes, is a usurped power, contrary to the Scriptures and Word of God, and contrary to the example of the Primitive Church; and therefore is for most just causes taken away and abolished within the King's Majesty's realms and dominions.
80. The Bishop of Rome is so far from being the supreme head of the universal Church of Christ, that his works and doctrine do plainly discover him to be that man of sin, foretold in the holy Scriptures, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and abolish with the brightness of his coming.

Other Reformers note the same teaching. For instance, Nicholas Ridley notes that, "the head, under satan, of all mischief is the Antichrist and his brood." and subsequently notes where this is to be found, "the seat of satan; and the bishop of the same, that maintaineth the abominations thereof, is the Antichrist himself indeed." Nicholas Ridley

"We desire of our heavenly Father, that the Antichrist with his kingdom, which hath seduced, and daily doth seduce... may shortly be slain and brought unto confusion'with the breath of the Lord's mouth'...that 'that sinful man, the son of perdition, which is an adversary, and is exalted above all that is called God, or that is worshipped' may no longer 'sit in the temple of god, boasting himself to be God'." Thomas Becon

The primary thought which should be gathered from these assertions is the idea that the Christian faith is an eschatological one and the Reformation was not any different. The identification of the Pope as Antichrist is part of a system of prophetic interpretation known as historicism, which sees fulfillment of prophecy occurring through out the Church's history. It has a long history in the Church, notably attributed to Joachim of Fiore. It is also associated with the Protestant Reformation and subsequent Protestant eschatology until the publication of the Schofield Reference Bible, which popularized Rev. Darby's fanciful system of dispensationalism. Historicism is contrasted with preterism, which sees most of the Bible's prophecies as being fulfilled around 70 AD and futurism, which sees most of the prophecies of Revelation (and elsewhere) as future events. 

What follows is a brief discussion of the places in the Bible which deal with this subject.

The word "antichrist" is actually not used regularly in the Bible, only by the Apostle John in his letters. He notes that at the time of writing antichrist was still to come, yet there had already been many antichrists (1 Jn 2:18; 4:3, 2 Thess 2:7). The antichrist is to rise up from within the Christian community (19). Paul also references the antichrist, under the terminology, "man of sin". There will be a falling away and the rise of the antichrist (2 Thess 2:3), this must happen before the return of Christ, "The Lord will not come till 'the swerving from faith cometh': which thing is already done and past...The Antichrist is known throughout all the world" (Hugh Latimer). He will sit in the "temple of God" (2 Thess 2:4), which is identified as the Church (1 Cor 3:16). The man of sin will not be revealed until the "restraint" is removed, which is identified as the Roman Empire, "Paul saith, the Antichrist shall not come yet; for the emperor letteth him: the emperor shall be removed; and then shall the Antichrist come." "He meaneth not, therefore, that the Antichrist shall be any one man only, but one estate or kingdom of men, and a continuance of some one power and tyranny in the church" (John Jewel).

Daniel 7:3-8 speaks of four beasts which are to rise up. These have variously been identified with the four great empires of the ancient world: Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. The last beast has ten horns, which have been identified as the ten kingdoms which derive from the fall of Rome. The fourth beast also had a "little horn" which had "eyes like the eyes of man" and a "mouth speaking great things" (verse 8). Later in the chapter, a "beast" is identified with a kingdom (v 18, 23). The little horn will arise from the fourth beast and its ten horns but it will be "different from the former ones" and it shall put away "three kings" (v 24). Lastly, Daniel reveals that the little horn will make war with the "saints of the Most High" and prevail against them for a time (later identified as 1,260 years). 

The two beasts of Revelation 13, one of the sea, and one of the earth, which are described in this chapter, are variously identified with papal Rome (or pagan Rome with the beast of the sea and papal Rome with the beast of the earth) by various interpreters.

[Other characteristics of historicism include the "year-day" principle (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6) which states that each prophetic "day" is equal to a "regular" year. This is useful in understanding some nuances of an historicist interpretation of prophecy, such as the 1,260 days (=years), which are usually interpreted as the elevation of the Papacy by Emperor Justinian in 538 AD to the end of the Papal States in 1798 AD by the attack of Napoleon. Most historicists see the material in Revelation 9 as referring to the Islamic conquest of the 7th and 8th centuries. It is also to be noted that historicism was the only and definitive system of prophetic interpretation in Protestantism until the publication of the Schofield Reference Bible which popularized John Nelson Darby's system of dispensationalism.]

The point of this is not to provide a systematic, historicist interpretation of the Book of Daniel or Revelation, neither to convince you to become historicists (nor even to convince you that historicism was the "norm"). Rather, the point I wish to make is to point out the attitude towards Rome as found in our Formularies and in the works of the Reformers, in contrast with the attitude towards Rome, as found in modern documents, such as ARCIC. Sure the disparity between these documents should cause a "red flag" to appear in the mind of the reader. Our Reformers noted the bad theology associated with the Roman Church and rightfully rejected it. That theology has not changed since that time and we must examine the Scriptures to condemn them in our own age.

Doctrinal and Liturgical Uniformity in Classical Anglicanism

This subject is one which could take up several volumes in discussion, however, in this brief article, I hope to establish the principle of uniformity as central to classical Anglicanism. Moreover, I hope to establish the disastrous effect of the so-called local option in modern expressions of Anglicanism which have served not to its benefit, but, rather, to its demise.

If one looks at the legislation accompanying the publication of the Prayer Book (both the 1559 and 1662 forms), it is accompanied by an Act of Uniformity, requiring its use by all clergymen (yes, men) in the Realm. It was illegal to depart from the authorized services in the Prayer Book of 1662 in England because this set of services, known to us as the Book of Common Prayer, contained the approved services which express liturgically the doctrine of the Church of England. Occasionally supplemental services were published, such as orders for the consecration of churches, the state services, among other supplemental services used for special occasions. However, these are used in conjunction, not replacing, the orders of service provided in the Prayer Book. This means that there is only one order of Morning Prayer, one order for Holy Communion, albeit with some choices within that order, such as the Scriptural sentences or canticles at daily Morning Prayer or the choice of offertory sentences at Communion. However, the use of these services was required by law. 

Even as the various Provinces of the Anglican Communion (as we now know it) were being formed, they drew up their own respective Prayer Books. For instance, if we consider two examples, of Ireland, and of the United States. The Irish Church was disestablished in 1871 and developed its own book by 1878. In this context, Irish churchmen were required to use the 1878 Prayer Book and not allowed to develop their own liturgies or alternative forms of service. The same occurred in the United States when the Protestant Episcopal Church was formed in the 1780's and 90's. The first official prayer book was authorized for use in 1789. American churchmen were required to use this text in worship and none other. 

The principle of uniformity established commonality between all of the parishes, cathedrals, and collegiate chapels of England as well as in other parts of the world. The liturgy, as approved by Parliament, or later on in Conventions and Synods, were regarded of as representing the Church's doctrine faithfully, and for that reason were authorized for use. To deviate from the standard liturgy was to deviate from the standard doctrine or waver into puritanism or church papism, both aberrations from Anglican doctrine, discipline, and worship. 

Likewise, there was uniformity in doctrine as established by the Articles of Religion, which were drawn up explicitly for that purpose, for the avoiding of "diversities of opinions," as is proclaimed in the title of them. This is why English clergy were required to subscribe to them to agree that they were the doctrine of the English Church. Likewise, American clergy were required to uphold their teaching in the oath of conformity to uphold the "doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church." The principle of uniformity establishes that all Anglican clergymen will be of one single profession and not wavering into unscriptural doctrine.

Now, anyone with common sense will realize that this is not the case presently. There is certainly no uniformity of doctrine or worship in any Anglican church in the world at this point. Sadly, the loss of uniformity has brought about chaos in the Anglican Communion. The loss of uniformity happened in two stages, first, the loss of uniformity of doctrine and secondly in the loss of uniformity in worship. 

The loss of doctrinal uniformity has taken some time and was principally brought about by the Oxford Movement (although there was some precedence in the Calvinist-Arminian controversy of the 1630's and 40's and the Latitudinarian movement which gained substantially around 1689 and has never really lost sway since), which sought to reintroduce unreformed doctrine to the Church of England (the subsequent Ritualist movement introduced unreformed worship into the English Church). This was brought about first by reinterpretation of the formularies in a non-naturalistic manner and against their purposes. Subsequently, the formularies were denied altogether. This has eventually led to the rejection of core Christian doctrines by Western Provinces, such as The Episcopal Church. 

The loss of liturgical uniformity occurred first in the 1950's and thereabouts when Provinces began to "experiment" with liturgical revision. In this experimentation, the idea was proposed that trial services be issued and "test" congregations use the liturgy before authorization and publication of the final work. This resulted in the proliferation of liturgical texts, such as the "Green book" "Zebra book" and many, many more. The resulting product was the modern liturgy as we have all known it and experienced it. Based upon Dix's Shape of the Liturgy, the modern liturgy (which is found in nearly every "Prayer Book" or liturgy from Common Worship to the 1979 Prayer Book) is based upon the notion that "common prayer" really means "common structure". What needs to be uniform in the modern liturgy is the "shape of the liturgy" not the words themselves. The problem with the proliferation of liturgical options is the lost of the guarantee of doctrinal orthodoxy with one authorized text. 

The local option fever has nearly destroyed Anglicanism. I believe there is going to be a major Anglican meltdown in the next 10-30 years, depending on the pace of certain movements. The current foundations of all Anglican entities are built on sand and heading for implosion. The only way to begin to prepare for this and counter it is to uphold the principle of uniformity.

THE ACT OF UNIFORMITY OF 1662

WHEREAS in the first year of the late Queen Elizabeth there was one Uniform Order of Common Service and Prayer, and of the Administration of Sacraments, Rites and Ceremonies in the Church of England (agreeable to the Word of God, and usage of the Primitive Church) compiled by the Reverend Bishops and Clergy, set forth in one Book, Entituled, The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies in the Church of England, and enjoyned to be used by Act of Parliament, holden in the said first year of the said late Queen, Entituled, An Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayer, and Service in the Church, and Administration of the Sacraments, very comfortable to all good people desirous to live in Christian conversation, and most profitable to the Estate of this Realm, upon the which the Mercy, Favour and Blessing of Almight God is in no wise so readily and plentifully poured, as by Common Prayers, due using of the Sacraments, and often Preaching of the Gospel, with devotion of the hearers: And yet this notwithstanding, a great number of people in divers parts of this Realm, following their own sensuality, and living without knowledge and due fear of God, do willfully and Schismatically abstain, and refuse to come to their Parish Churches and other Publick places where Common Prayer, Administration of the Sacraments, and Preaching of the Word of God is used upon the Sundays and other days ordained and appointed to be kept and observed as Holy days: And whereas by the great and scandalous neglect of Ministers in using the said Order, or Liturgy so set forth and enjoyned as aforesaid, great mischiefs and inconveniences, during the times of the late unhappy troubles, have arisen and grown; and many people have been led into Factions and Schisms, to the great decay and scandal of the Reformed Religion of the Church of England, and to the hazard of many souls: for prevention whereof in time to come, for settling the Peace of the Church, and for allaying the present distempers, which the indisposition of the time hath contracted, The Kings Majesty (according to His Declaration of the Five and twentieth of October, One thousand six hundred and sixty) granted His Commission under the great Seal of England to several Bishops and other Divines to review the Book of Common Prayer, and to prepare such Alterations and Additions, as they thought fit to offer; And afterwards the Convocations of both the Provinces ofCanterbury and York, being by his Majesty called and assembled (and now sitting) His Majesty hath been pleased to Authorize and require the Presidents of the said Convocations, and other Bishops and Clergy of the same, to review the said Book of Common Prayer, and the Book of the Form and manner of the Making and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests and Deacons; And that after mature consideration, they should make such Additions and Alterations in the said Books respectively, as to them should seem meet and convenient; And should exhibit and present the same to His Majesty in writing, for his further allowance or confirmation; since which time, upon full and mature deliberation, they the said Presidents, Bishops, and Clergy of both Provinces have accordingly reviewed the said Books, and have made some Alterations which they think fit to be inserted to the same; and some Additional Prayers to the said Book of Common-Prayer, to be used upon proper and emergent occasions; and have exhibited and presented the same unto his Majesty in writing, in one Book, Entituled, The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Scaraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, according to the use of the Church of England, together with the Psalter, or Psalms of David, Pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches; and the Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons: All which His Majesty having duely considered hath fully approved and allowed the same, and recommended to this present Parliament, that the said Book of Common Prayer, and of the Form of Ordination and Concecration of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with the Alterations and Additions, which have been so made and presented to His Majesty by the said Convocations, be the Book, which shall be appointed to be used by all that Officiate in all Cathedral and Collegiate Churches and Chappels, and in all Chappels of Colleges and Halls in both the Universities, and the Colledges of Eaton and Winchester, and in all Parish-Churches and Chappels within the Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, and by all that Make, or Consecrate Bishops, Priests or Deacons in any of the said Places, under such Sanctions and Penalties as the Houses of Parliament shall think fit: Now in regard that nothing conduceth more to the feeling of the Peace of this Nation (which is desired of all good men) nor to the honour of our Religion, and the propagation thereof, than an Universal agreement in the Publick Worship of Almighty God; and to the intent that every person within this Realm, may certainly know the rule, to which be is to conform in Publick Worship, and Administration of Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, and the manner how, and by whom Bishops Priests and Deacons are, and ought to be Made, Ordained and Consecrated;
    Be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty, by the advice, and with the consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and of the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That all and singular Ministers, in any Cathedral, Collegiate, or Parish-Church or Chappel, or other Place of Publick Worship within this Realm of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, shall be bound to say and use the Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Celebration and Administration of both the Sacraments, and all other the Publick, and Common Prayer, in such order and form as is mentioned in the said Book, annexed and joined to this present Act, and Entituled, The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, according to the use of the Church of England: together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, Pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches; and the form or manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests and Deacons; and That the Morning and Evening Prayers, therein contained, shall upon every Lords day, and upon all other days and occasions, and at the times therein appointed, be openly and solemnly read by all and every Minister or Curate in every Church, Chappel, or other place of Publick Worship within this Realm ofEngland, and places aforesaid.
    And to the end that Uniformity in the Publick Worship of God (which is so much desired) may be speedily effected, Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that every Parson, Vicar, or other Minister whatsoever, who now hath, and enjoyeth any Ecclesiastical Benefice, or Promotion, within this Realm of England, or places aforesaid, shall in the Church, Chappel, or place of Publick Worship belonging to his said Benefice or Promotion, upon some Lords day before the Feast of Saint Bartholomew, which shall be in the year of our Lord God, One thousand six hundred sixty and two, openly; publickly, and solemnly read the Morning and Evening Prayer appointed to be read by, and according to the said Book of Common Prayer at the times thereby appointed, and after such reading thereof shall openly and publickly, before the Congregation there assembled, declare his unfeigned assent, and consent to the use of all things in the said Book contained and prescribed, in these words, and no other;

A. B. Do here declare my unfeigned assent, and consent to all, and every thing contained, and prescribed in, and by the Book intituled, The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments, and other Rites, and Ceremonies of the Church, according to the use of the Church of England; together with the Psalter, or Psalms of David, Pointed as they are to be sung, or said in Churches, and the form, or manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons;

    And, That all and every such person, who shall (without some lawful Impediment, to be allowed and approved of by the Ordinary of the place) neglect or refuse to do the same within the time aforesaid, or (in case of such Impediment) within one Moneth after such Impediment removed, shall ipso facto be deprived of all his Spiritual Promotions; And that from thenceforth it shall be lawful to, and for all Patrons, and Donors of all and singular the said Spiritual Promotions, or of any of them, according to their respective Rights, and Titles, to present, or collate to the same; as though the person, or persons, so offending or neglected were dead.
    And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every person, who shall hereafter be presented, or collated, or put into any Ecclesiastical Benefice, or Promotion within this Realm ofEngland and places aforesaid, shall in the Church, Chappel, or Place of Publick Worship, belonging to his said Benefice or Promotion, within two Moneths next after that he shall be in the actual possession of the said Eccelsiastical Benefice or Promotion, upon some Lords day openly, publickly, and solemnly Read the Morning and Evening Prayers, appointed to be Read by, and according to the said Book of Common Prayer, at the times thereby appointed, and after such reading thereof, shall openly, and publickly before the Congregation there assembled, declare his unfeigned assent, and consent to the use of all things therein contained and prescribed, according to the form before appointed: and That all and every such person, who shall (without some lawful Impediment, to be allowed and approved by the Ordinary of the place) neglect or refuse to do the same within the time aforesaid, or (in case of such Impediment) within one month after such Impediment removed shall ipso factobe deprived of all his said Ecclesiastical Benefices and Promotions; and That from thenceforth, it shall and may be lawful to, and for all Patrons, and Donors of all and singular the said Ecclesiastical Benfices and Promotions, or any of them (according to their respective Rights and Titles) to present, or collate to the same, as though the person or persons so offending, or neglecting, were dead.
    And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That in all places, where the proper Incumbent of any Parsonage, or Vicarage, or Benefice with Cure doth reside on his Living, and keep a Curate, the Incumbent himself in person (not having some lawful impediment, to be allowed by the Ordinary of the place) shall once (at the least) in every month openly and publickly Read the Common prayers and Service, in, and by the said Book prescribed, and (if there be occasion) Administer each of the Sacraments and other Rites of the Church, in the Parish Church or Chappel, of, or belonging to the same Parsonage, Vicarage, or Benefice, in such order, manner and form, as in, and by the said Book is appointed, upon pain to forfeit the sum of Five poiunds to the use of the poor of the Parish for every offence, upon conviction by confession, or proof of two credible Witnesses upon Oath, before two Justices of the Peace of the County, City, or Town-Corporate where the offence shall be committed, (which Oath the said Justices are hereby Impowred to Administer) and in default of payment within ten days, to be levied by distress, and sale of the goods and chattels of the Offender, by the Warrant of the said Justices, by the Churchwardens, or Over-seers of the Poor of the said Parish, rendring the surplusage to the party.
    And be it further Eacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every Dean, Canon, and Prebendary of every Cathedral, or Collegiate Church, and all Masters, and other Heads, Fellows, Chaplains, and Tutors of, or in any Colledge, Hall, House of Learning, or Hospital, and every Publick Professor, and Reader in either of the Universities, and in every Colledge elsewhere, and every Parson, Vicar, Curate, Lecturer, and every other person in holy Orders, and every School-master keeping any publick, or private School, and every person Instructing, or Teaching any Youth in any House or private Family as a Tutor, or School-master, who upon the first day of May, which shall be in the year of our Lord God, One thousand six hundred sixty two, or at any time thereafter shall be Incumbent, or have possession of any Deanry, Canonry, Prebend, Mastership, Headship, Fellow-ship, Professors-place, or Readers place, Parsonage, Vicarage, or any other Ecclesiastical Dignity or Promotion, or of any Curates place, Lecture, or School; or shall instruct or teach any Youth as Tutor, or School-master, shall before the Feast-day of Saint Bartholomew, which shall be in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty two, or at or before his, or their respective admission to be Incumbent, or have possession aforesaid, subscribe the Declaration or Acknowledgement following, Scilicet,

A. B. Do declare that it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms agains the King; and that I do abhor that Traiterous Position of taking Arms by His Authority against His Person, or against those that are Commissionated by him; and that I will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England, as it is now by Law established. And I do declare that I do hold, there lies no Obligation upon me, or on any other person from the Oath, commonly called the Solemn League and Covenant, to endeavor any change, or alteration of Government, either in Church, or State; and that the same was in itself an unlawful Oath, and imposed upon the Subjects of this Realm against the known Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom.

    Which said Declaration and Acknowledgement shall be subscribed by every of the said Masters and other Heads, Fellows, Chaplains, and Tutors of, or in any Colledge, Hall, or House of Learning, and by every publick Professor and Reader in either of the Universities, before the Vice-Chancellor of the respective Universities for the time being, or his Deputy; And the said Declaration or Acknowledgement shall be subscribed before the respective Arch-bishop, Bishop or Ordinary of the Diocess, by every other person hereby injoyned to subscribe the same, upon pain, that all and every of the persons aforesaid, failing in such subscription, shall lose and forfeit such respective Deanry, Canonry, Prebend, Mastership, Headship, Fellowship, Professors place, Readers place, Parsonage, Vicarage, Ecclesiastical Dignity, or Promotion, Curates place, Lecture, and School and shall be utterly disabled, and ipso facto deprived of the same; and that every such respective Deanry, Canonry, Prebend, Mastership, Headship, Fellowship, Professors place, Readers place, Parsonage, Vicarage, Ecclesiastical Dignity, or Promotion, Curates place, Lecture and School shall be void, as if such person so failing were naturally dead.
    And if any Schoolmaster or other person, Instructing or teaching Youth in any private House or Family, as a Tutor or Schoolmaster, shall Instruct or Teach any Youth as a Tutor or Schoolmaster, before License obtained from his respective Archbiship, Bishop, or Ordinary of the Diocess, according to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, (for which he shall pay twelve-pence onely) and before such subscription and acknowledgement made as aforesaid; Then every such School-master and other, Instructing and Teaching as aforesaid, shall for the first offence suffer three months Imprisonment without bail or mainprize; and for every second and other such offense shall suffer three months Imprisonment without bail or mainprize, and also forfeit to His Majesty the sum of five pounds.
    And after such subscription made, every such Parson, Vicar, Curate, and Lecturer shall procure a certificate under the Hand and Seal of the respective Archbishop, Bishop, or Ordinary of the Diocess, (who are hereby enjoyned and required upon demand to make and deliver the same) and shall publickly and openly Read the same, together with the Declaration, or Acknowledgement aforesaid, upon some Lords day within three months next following, in his Parish Church where he is to officiate, in the presence of the Congregation there assembled, in the time of Divine Service; upon pain that every person failing therein shall lose such Parsonage, Vicarage, or Benefice, Curates place, or Lecturers place respectively, and shall be utterly disabled, and ipso facto deprived of the same; And that the said Parsonage, Vicarage, or Benefice, Curates place, or Lecturers place shall be void, as if he was naturally dead.
    Provided always that from and after the Twenty fifth day of March, which shall be in the year of our Lord God, One thousand six hundred eighty two, there shall be omitted in the said Declaration, or Acknowledgement so to be Subscribed and Read, these words following, Scilicet,

ND I do declare that I do hold, there lies no obligation on me, or on any other person from the Oath, commonly called the Solemn League and Covenant, to endeavor any change, or alteration of Government either in Church, or State; And that the same was in itself an unlawful Oath, and imposed upon the Subjects of this Realm against the known Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom;

    So as none of the persons aforesaid shall from thenceforth be at all obliged to Subscribe or Read that part of the said Declaration or Acknowledgement.
    Provided always, and be it Enacted, That from and after the Feast of Saint Bartholomew, which shall be in the year of our Lord, One thousand six hundred sixty and two, no person, who now is Incumbent, and in possession of any Parsonage, Vicarage, or Benefice, and who is not already in holy Orders by Episcopal Ordination, or shall not before the said Feast-day of Saint Bartholomew be Ordained Priest, or Deacon, according to the form of Episcopal Ordination, shall have, hold, or enjoy the said Parsonage, Vicarage Benefice with Cure or other Ecclesiastical Promotion within this Kingdom of England, or the Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick upon Tweed; But shall be utterly disabled, and ipso facto deprived of the same; And all his Ecclesiastical Promotions shall be void, as if he was naturally dead.
    And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no person whatsoever shall thenceforth be capable to be admitted to any Parsonage, Vicarage, Benefice, or other Ecclesiastical Promotion or Dignity whatsoever, nor shall presume to Consecrate and Administer the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper, before such time as he shall be Ordained Priest, according to the form, and manner in, and by the said Book prescribed, unless he have formerly been made Priest by Episcopal Ordination, upon pain to forfeit for every offence the sum of One hundred pounds; (one moiety thereof to the Kings Majesty, the other moiety thereof to be equally divided between the poor of the Parish where the offence shall be committed, and such person, or personas as shall sue for the same by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information in any of his Majesties Courts of Record, wherein no Essoign, Protection, or Wager of Law shall be allowed) And to be disabled from taking, or being admitted into the Order of Priest, by the space of one whole year next following.
    Provided that the Penalties of this Act shall not extend to the Foreigners or Aliens of the Forein Reformed Churches allowed, or to be allowed by the Kings Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, inEngland.
    Provided always, That no title to confer, or present by lapse shall accrue by any avoidance, or deprivation ipso facto by vertue of this Statute, but after six months after notice of such voidance, or deprivation given by the Ordinary to the Patron, or such sentence of deprivation openly and publickly read in the Parish Church of the Benefice, Parsonage, or Vicarage becoming void, or whereof the Incumbent shall be deprived by vertue of this Act.
    And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Form, or Order of Common Prayers, Administration of Sacraments, Rites or Ceremonies, shall be openly used in any Church, Chappel, or other Publick place of [Worship] or in any Colledge, or Hall in either of the Universities, the Colledges of Westminster, Winchester, or Eaton, or any of them, other than what is prescribed and appointed to be used in and by the said Book; and That the present Governour, or Head of every Colledge and Hall in the said Universities, and of the said Colleges of Westminster, Winchester, andEaton, within one month after the Feast of Saint Bartholomew, which shall be in the year of our Lord, One thousand six hundred sixty and two: And every Governour or Head of any of the said Colledges, or Halls, hereafter to be elected, or appointed, within one month next after his Election, or Collation, and Admission into the same Government, or Headship, shall openly and publickly in the Church, Chappel, or other Publick place of the same Colledge, or Hall, and in the presence of the Fellows and Scholars of the same, or the greater part of them then resident, Subscribe unto the Nine and thirty Articles of Religion, mentioned in the Statute made in the thirteenth year of the Reign of the late Queen Elizabeth, and unto the said Book, and declare his unfeigned assent and consent unto, and approbation of the said Articles, and of the same Book, and to the use of all the Prayers, Rites, and Ceremonies, Forms, and Orders in the said Book prescribed, and contained according to the form aforesaid; and that all such Governours, or Heads of the said Colledges and Halls, or any of them as are, or shall be in holy Orders, shall once at least in every Quarter of the year (not having a lawful Impediment) openly and publickly Read the Morning Prayer, and Service in and by the said Book appointed to be Read in the Church, Chappel, or other Publick place of the same Colledge or Hall, upon pain to lose, and be suspended of, and from all the Benefits and Profits belonging to the same Government or Headship, by the space of Six months, by the Visitor or Visitors of the same Colledge or Hall; And if any Governour or Head of any Colledge or Hall, Suspended for not Subscribing unto the said Articles and Book, or for not Reading of the Morning Prayer and Service as aforesaid, shall not at, or before the end of Six months next after such suspension, Subscribe unto the said Articles and Book, and declare his consent thereunto as aforesaid, or Read the Morning Prayer and Service as aforesaid, then such Government or Headship shall be ipso facto void.
    Provided always, That it shall and may be lawful to use the Morning and Evening Prayer, and all other Prayers and Service prescribed in and by the said Book, in the Chappels and other Publick places of the respective Colledges and Halls in both the Universities, in the Colledges of Westminster, Winchester, and Eaton, and in the Convocations of the Clergies of either Province in Latine; Any thing in this Act contained to the contrary notwithstanding.
    And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no person shall be, or be received as a Lecturer, or permitted, suffered, or allowed to Preach as a Lecturer, or to Preach, or Read any Sermon or Lecture in any Church, Chappel, or other place of Publick worship, within this Realm of England, or the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, unless he be first approved and thereunto Licensed by the Archbishop of the Province, or Bishop of the Diocess, or (in case the See be void) by the Guardian of the Spiritualities, under his Seal, and shall in the presence of the same Archbishop, or Bishop, or Guardian Read the Nine and thirty Articles of Religion, mentioned in the Statute of the Thirteenth year of the late Queen Elizabeth, with Declaration of his unfeigned assent to the same; and That every person, and persons who now is, or hereafter shall be Licensed, Assigned, Appointed, or Received as a Lecturer, to preach upon any day of the week in any Church, Chappel, or place of Publick worship within this Realm of England, or places aforesaid, the first time he Preacheth (before his Sermon) shall openly, publickly, and solemnly Read the Common Prayers and Service in and by the said Book appointed to be Read for that time of the day, and then and there publickly and openly declare his assent unto, and approbation of the said Book, and to the use of all the Prayers, Rites and Ceremonies, Forms and Orders therein contained and prescribed, according to the Form before appointed in this Act; And also shall upon the first Lecture-day of every month afterwards, so long as he continues Lecturer, or Preacher there, at the place appointed for his said Lecture or Sermon, before his said Lecture or Sermon, openly, publickly, and solemnly Read the Common Prayers and Service in and by the said Book appointed to be read for that time of the day, at which the said Lecture or Sermon is to be Preached, and after such Reading thereof, shall openly and publickly, before the Congregation there assembled, declare his unfeigned assent and consent unto, and approbation of the said Book, and to the use of all the Prayers, Rites and Ceremonies, Forms and Orders therein contained and prescribed, according to the form aforesaid; and, That all and every such person and persons who shall neglect or refuse to do the same, shall from thenceforth be disabled to Preach the sad, or any other Lecture or Sermon in the said, or any other Church, Chappel, or place of Publick worship, until such time as he and they shall openly, publickly, and solemnly Read the Common-Prayers and Service appointed by the said Book, and Conform in all points to the things therein appointed and prescribed, according to the purport, tru intent, and meaning of this Act.
    Provided always, that if the said Sermon or Lecture be to be Preached or Read in any Cathedral, or Collegiate Church or Chappel, it shall be sufficient for the said Lecturer openly at the time aforesaid, to declare his assent and consent to all things contained in the said Book, according to the form aforesaid.
    And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any person who is by this Act disabled to Preach any Lecture or Sermon, shall during the time that he shall continue and remain so disabled, Preach any Sermon or Lecture; That then for every such offence the person and persons so offending shall suffer Three months Imprisonment in the Common Gaol without Bail or mainprise, and that any two Justices of the Peace of any County of this Kingdom and places aforesaid, and the Mayor or other chief Magistrate of any City, or Town-Corporate, within the same, upon Certificate from the Ordinary of the place made to him or them of the offence committed, shall, and are hereby required to commit the person or persons so offending to the Gaol of the Same County, City, or Town Corporate accordingly.
    Provided always, and be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That at all and every time and times, when any Sermon or Lecture is to be Preached, the Common Prayers and Service in and by the said Book appointed to be Read for that time of the day, shall be openly, publickly, and solemnly Read by some Priest, or Deacon, in the Church, Chappel, or place of Publick worship, where the said Sermon or Lecture be Preached, before such Sermon or Lecture is to be Preached; And that the Lecturer then to Preach shall be present at the Reading thereof.
    Provided nevertheless, That this Act shall not extend to the University-Churches in the Universities of this Realm, or either of them, when or at such times as any Sermon or Lecture is Preached or Read in the same Churches, or any of them, for, or as the publick University-Sermon or Lectures but that the same Sermons and Lectures may be Preached or Read in such sort and manner as the same have been heretofore Preached or Read; This Act, or any thing herein contained to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.
    And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the several good Laws, and Statutes of this Realm, which have been formerly made, and are now in force for the Uniformity of Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments, within this Realm of England, and places aforesaid, shall stand in full force and strength to all intents and purposes whatsoever, for the establishing and confirming of the said Book; Entituled, The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, according to the use of the Church of England; together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, Pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches; and the form or manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests and Deacons; herein before mentioned to be joined and annexed to this Act; and shall be applied, practiced, and put in use for the punishing of all offences contrary to the said Laws, with relation to the Book aforesaid, and no other.
    Provided alwaies, and be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That in all those Prayers, Litanies, and Collects, which do any way relate to the King, Queen, or Royal Progeny, the Names be altered and changed from time to time, and fitted to the present occasion, according to the direction of lawful Authority.
    Provided also, and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That a true Printed Copy of the said Book, Entituled, The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, according to the use of the Church of England; together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, Pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches; and the form or manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests and Deacons, shall at the costs and charges of the Parishoners of every Parish-Church, and Chappelry, Cathedral Church, Colledge, and Hall, be attained and gotten before the Feast-day of Saint Bartholomew, in the year of our Lord, One thousand six hundred sixty and two, upon pain of forfeiture of Three pounds by the months for so long time as they shall then after be unprovided thereof, by every Parish, or Chappelry, Cathedral Church, Colledge, and Hall, making default therein.
    Provided alwaies, and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Bishops of Hereford, Saint Davids, Asaph, Bangor, and Landaff, and their Successors shall take such order among themselves, for the souls health of the Flocks committed to their Charge within Wales, That the Book hereunto annexed be truly and exactly Translated into the Brittish or Welsh Tongue, and that the same so Translated and being by them, or any three of them at the least viewed, perused, and allowed, be Imprinted to such number at least, so that one of the said Books so Translated and Imprinted may be had for every Cathedral, Collegiate, and Parish-Church; and Chappel of Ease in the said respective Diocesses, and places in Wales, where the Welsh is commonly spoken or used before the First day of May, One thousand six hundred sixty five; and, That from and after the Imprinting and publishingof the said Book so Translated, the whole Divine Service shall be used and said by the Ministers and Curates thoughout all Wales within the said Diocesses where the Welsh Tongue is commonly used, in the Brittish, or Welsh Tongue, in such manner and form as is prescribed according to the Book hereunto annexed to be used in the English Tongue, differing nothing in any Order or Form from the said English Book; for which Book, so Translated and Imprinted, the Church-wardens of every of the said Parishes shall pay out of the Parish-money in their hands for the use of the respective Churches, and be allowed the same on their Accompt; and, That the said Bishops and their Successors, or any Three of them, at the least, shall set and appoint the price, for which the said Book shall be sold; And one other Book of Common Prayer in the English Tongue shall be bought and had in every Church throughout Wales, in which the Book of Common Prayer in Welsh is to be had, by force of this Act, before the First day of May, One thousand six hundred sixty and four, and the same Book to remain in such convenient places, within the said Churches, that such as understand them may resort at all convenient times to read and peruse the same, and also such as do not understand the said Language, may by conferring both Tongues together, the sooner attain to the knowledge of the English Tongue; Any thing in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding; And until Printed Copies of the said Book so to be Translated may be had and provided, the Form of Common Prayer, established by Parliament before the making of this Act, shall be used as formerly in such parts of Wales, where the English Tongue is not commonly understood.
    And to the end that the true and perfect Copies of this Act, and the said Book hereunto annexed may be safely kept, and perpetually preserved, and for the avoiding of all disputes for the time to come; Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the respective Deans and Chapters of every Cathedral, or Collegiate Church, within England and Wales shall at their proper costs and charges, before the twenty fifth day of December, One thousand six hundred sixty and two, obtain under the Great Seal of England a true and perfect Printed Copy of this Act, and of the said Book annexed hereunto, to be by the said Deans and Chapters, and their Successors kept and preserved in safety for ever, and to be also produced, and shewed forth in any Court of Record, as often as they shall be thereunto lawfully required; And also there shall be delivered true and perfect Copies of this Act, and of the same Book into the respective Courts at Westminster, and into the Tower ofLondon, to be kept and preserved for ever among the Records of the said Courts, and the Records of the Tower, to be also produced and shewed forth in any Court as need shall require; which said Books so to be exemplified under the Great Seal of England, shall be examined by such persons as the Kings Majesty shall appoint under the Great Seal of England for that purpose, and shall be compared with the Original Book hereunto annexed, and shall have power to correct, and amend in writing any Error committed by the Printer in the printing of the same Book, or of any thing therein contained, and shall certifie in writing under their Hands and Seals, or the Hands and Seals of any Three of them at the end of the same Book, that they have examined and compared the same Book, and find it to be a true and perfect Copy; which said Books, and every one of them so exemplified under the Great Seal of England, as aforesaid, shall be deemed, taken, and adjudged, and expounded to be good, and available in the Law to all intents and purposes whatsoever, and shall be accounted as good Records as this Book it self hereunto annexed; Any Law or Custom to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.
    Provided also, That this Act or any thing therein contained shall not be prejudicial or hurtful unto the Kings Professor of the Law within the University of Oxford, for, or concerning the Prebend ofShipton, within the Cathedral Church of Sarum, united and annexed unto the place of the same Kings Professor for the time being, by the late King James of blessed memory.
    Provided always, That whereas the Six and thirtieth Article of the Nine and thirty Articles agreed upon by the Arch-bishops, and Bishops of both Provinces, and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London, in the year of our Lord, One thousand five hundred sixty two, for the avoiding of diversities of Opinions, and for establishing of consent, touching true Religion, is in these words following, viz.
    That the Book of Consecration of Archbishops, and Bishops, and Ordaining of Priests and Deacons, lately set forth in the time of King Edward the Sixth, and confirmed at the saem time by Authority of Parliament, doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and Ordaining, neither hath it any thing that of it self is superstitious, and ungodly; And therefore whosoever are Consecrated or Ordered according to the Rites of that Book, since the second year of the aforenamed King Edward unto this time, or hereafter shall be Consecrated or Ordered according to the same Rites; We decree all such to be rightly, orderly, and lawfully Consecrated and Ordered;
    It be Enacted, and be it therefore Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Subscriptions hereafter to be had or made unto the said Articles, by any Deacon, Priest, or Ecclesiastical person, or other person whatsoever, who by this Act or any other Law now in force is required to Subscribe unto the said Articles, shall be construed and taken to extend, and shall be applied (for and touching the said Six and thirtieth Article) unto the Book containing the form and manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons in this Act mentioned, in such sort and manner as the same did heretofore extend unto the Books set forth in the time of King Edward the Sixth, mentioned in the said Six and thirtieth Article; Any thing in the said Article, or in any Statute, Act, or Canon heretofore had or made, to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.
    Provided also, That the Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of this Church of England, together with the form and manner of Ordaining, and Consecrating Bishops, Priests, and Deacons heretofore in use, and respectively established by Act of Parliament in the First and Eighth years of Queen Elizabeth, shall be still used and observed in the Church of England, untilt he Feast of Saint Bartholomew, which shall be in the year of our Lord God, One thousand six hundred sixty and two.

HIS MAJESTY'S DECLARATION (PREFIXED TO THE ARTICLES OF RELIGION)

Being by God's ordinance, according to our just title, Defender of the Faith, and Supreme Governor 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 profession 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 Governor of the Church of England; and that if any difference arise about the external policy, concerning injunctions, canons or 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 us, 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 public reader in either 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 publicly read, determine, or hold any public 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. 

Article 21: Ecumenical Councils and Classical Anglicanism

Article 21 is perhaps the most important teaching in the Articles of Religion (besides certain fundamental Christian truths, such as the supremacy of Scripture or our justification by faith alone). It singlehandedly denies papism, conciliarism, and even congregationalism in one blow. It doesn't stop there, either, it continues to re-inforce the fallibility of general (or ecumenical) councils right after that and binds the authority of Councils to the teaching of Scripture (i.e. sola scriptura). The contents of its teaching should be thoroughly studied by all Anglicans to properly understand the authority of the Bible in the life of the Church as well as the limitations to the authority of bishops in our Church.

One thing must be mentioned before diving into the actual study of the text, the 1801 version of the Articles of Religion of the Protestant Episcopal Church includes this article in some extent but nullifies its content. I must say this was one of the most unwise decisions of our Church in the last two hundred years (including certain bishops of the past ten years). The deletion of this article first numbed the teaching of the supreme authority of the Scriptures as found in other Articles. Secondly, it provides a loophole for church papism in that it takes out the "checks and balances" for episcopal power contained therein. I believe this is the reason why the American Church was infected so completely by the Oxford Movement and unable to curb its influence.

Now, on to the text of the Article itself:

Article XXI 

"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."

 The Article can be grouped into several sub-sections: 1) How councils are to be called. 2) The fallibility of councils. 3) How wrong decisions of councils are to be received.

How Councils are to be Called

The Article is rather plain in this regard. The Prince is to assemble the Council. This was a radical statement for the Reformers to make, even though it has much patristic support. The Bishop of Rome had usurped spiritual and temporal authority for himself in the Dark Ages and claimed that only he could assemble a general council. However, there is ample evidence that the ecumenical councils of the early churches were gathered together by the Roman emperors, such as Constantine at the first Council of Nicea.

I turn to some Anglican commentators to gather the full meaning of this clause:

The first clause on the legality of assembling General Councils would seem to us to represent a mere matter of fact.  A Council must be held in the territory of some State, and must consist of the subjects of some States.  It must, therefore, be dependent on the civil laws permitting such meetings and the movements of individual subjects.  The clause, however, was really directed against the claim of the Pope to have the power of summoning and dismissing Councils. (Boultbee)

And Beveridge states:

But if it [a controversy of faith] spread like a leprosy over the body of the universal church in all or most places, then it was always thought necessary that an universal, oecumenical, or general council, viz. a council gathered together from all or most places of the world where the church of Christ is settled, should put a period to it.  And it is these general councils which this article speaks of, determining that they may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of princes.  So that it is not lawful for particular churches to meet together in a general council without the consent and command of the particular kings and princes, which the most high God hath been pleased to set over them.

And indeed I cannot see in reason how general councils should be gathered together without the command of princes, seeing princes only have the command over all those who are to be gathered together in those councils.  * “The emperor,” saith Tertullian, “is greater than all, and less than none but the true God.”  And if he be over all, all must be under him; and if all be under him, certainly none can meet in any public place about any public business (as the works of general councils is) without his command and will.

And Griffiths Thomas:

The statement that General Councils cannot be gathered together “without the commandment and will of Princes,” has led to the enquiry why this feature was thought to be necessary.  It has been said by some that as the secular law did not allow Bishops to leave their own country and to go into other Dominions without the permission of their own Princes, the result was that without such permission no General Councils were possible.  But this is not the true explanation.  There seems to be no doubt that the requirement is due to the necessity of guaranteeing universality and a full representation, especially of the lay power.  Not only so, but it is clearly directed against any summoning of Councils by the Pope.  The Western Councils were invariably called by the Pope alone, and the Council of Trent consisted only of Bishops in union with Rome. [Collier, Eccl. Hist., VI, p. 332, represents Queen Elizabeth as replying to solicitations to send representatives to Trent: “It was not the Pope’s, but the Emperor’s privilege to call a Council.”]The requirement is also doubtless made because, as a matter of historical fact, this was the method adopted in the earliest General Councils.  They originated with Constantine, and Emperors alone summoned them.  The Popes had no power over the Councils in early ages, and even later they petitioned Emperors to gather them together.  Nor did the Popes preside at any of the earliest.  The letter of Pope Leo read at the Council of Chalcedon had deserved weight, but in no sense did it settle the doctrine.  The Pope’s power rested on false Decretals of the ninth century, which were not denied because the forgery was not discovered until the fifteenth century during the Revival of Learning.  There were other Decretals forged in the same way, and they were all included in Gratian’s Decretum.  In the thirteenth century a catena was presented to Pope Urban IV, and was accepted by Thomas Aquinas.

This establishes the antiquity of the practice and the establishment of the role of the Prince in the assembling of the Church.

Now, the implications of what this assertion mean are much more limiting in the scope of the power of the Pope and bishops. Firstly, this Article gives us the rationale why we do not accept the Lateran Councils, for example, where transubstantiation was declared to be the doctrine of the Church. These councils were not gathered under the authority of any Prince but only under the "authority" of the Pope, which he gathered for himself over the ages. Because of the theology of this article, councils gathered together without the will of Princes are not to be accepted (such as the medieval, Roman councils). Secondly, the article denies the bishops authority to assemble together independently to make doctrine. As the article condemns papism, it equally condemns conciliarism, a popular concept amongst some these days. The bishops have no inherent authority to change the teaching of the Church as it is based upon Holy Scripture.

2. The Fallibility of Ecumenical Councils

The next important question dealt with in this Article is the nature of the authority of councils that are lawfully called and assembled. The Romans and Easterns believe that ecumenical councils are infallible. However, this is not Anglican teaching. The Article clearly states that councils are fallible (as does the preceding article). An assembly of men, even if they be bishops, can never be infallible. The only infallible document available to us is the Holy Scriptures, because they are God-breathed. Councils, even of bishops, do not possess that kind of authority. The decisions of councils can only be counted as truthful when they agree with the teaching of Scripture.

Boultbee continues in discussion of the acceptance of the decisions of some councils:

A question of considerable importance remains.  Although the inherent authority of the councils has been thus rejected by the Church of England, it may be asked whether she has not acknowledged the validity of some of their decisions.  In other words, whether she has not exercised her independent and coordinate authority [Arts. xx and xxxiv.] and decided that the dogmatic decrees of certain Councils are in accordance with the word of God and therefore binding upon herself.  To this it must be replied that there is no ecclesiastical formula of the Church of England, now in force, containing such a decision.  The first Article of Henry VIII (1536) recognized the judgments of the first four Councils against heresies.  But that document, as it is well known, has no authority and is in many respects in direct opposition to the Thirty- nine Articles.  The Reformers of Edward’s reign spoke with great respect of the four great Councils.  The “Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum” declares that we reverently accept the four great Ecumenical Synods; but this document also has no authority.  All this, then, and more which might be quoted, falls short of recognition by our Church.  There was, however, in addition to this, a recognition to a certain extent of the four Councils in the Act of Parliament [1 Eliz. cap. i. 36.] which restored the supremacy over the Church to the Crown.  Authority having been given to the Crown by that Act to exercise its supremacy by means of commissioners appointed by letters patent under the general seal of England, the proviso was added that such commissioners should “not in any wise have authority or power to order, determine, or adjudge any mater or cause to be heresy, but only such as heretofore have been determined, ordered, or adjudged to be heresy by the authority of the Canonical Scriptures, or by the first four General Councils, or any of them, or by any other General Council wherein the same was declared heresy by the express and plain words of the said Canonical Scriptures, or such as shall be ordered, adjudged, or determined to be heresy by the High Court of Parliament of this realm with the assent of the clergy in their convocation.”

This relates to the teaching that only those decisions of Councils which agree with the teaching of Scripture are to be accepted in the Church. To this end, the Church of England has generally accepted the teaching of the first six ecumenical councils, the first four in particular, and the teaching regarding the Trinity of the next two. The seventh council, the second of Nicea, is repudiated by our Church (see A Homily against the Peril of Idolatry and the Superfluous decking of Churches) as being idolatrous and contrary to God's Word.

3. How Wrong Decisions are Handled 

 The last question dealt with is the response we should to erroneous conciliar decisions. What should we do in response to erroneous decrees? As the Article says, we should regard these decisions as having "neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture." This is why the Church of England utterly rejected the seventh council as promoting idolatry in the worshipping of false idols instead of the living God. This applies to current days as well, when some of the Churches of the Communion are propagating false doctrines. The Christian must reject them and subsequently ignore them as having no strength, since they contradict the teaching of God's Word written.