indeed been argued from Ussher's sermon before the House of Commons, that subscription* to the English Articles was required in Ireland. Ussher certainly says, 'we all agree that the Scriptures of God are the perfect rule of our faith, we all consent in the main grounds of religion drawn from thence: we all subscribe to the Articles of doctrine agreed upon in the Synod of the year 1562 for the avoiding of diversities of opinions and the establishing of consent concerning true religion' but it does not appear to me, that these words are decisive, he might have used them in a general sense as merely expressive of assent, and indeed must have done so, for many of the persons he addressed had never subscribed the Articles. But whether the Thirty-nine Articles of the English Church were in force or not, every dictate of prudence would have suggested the propriety of assimilating the two Churches."+ The following is a copy of the Articles in question, which have been published by Dr. Elrington (Life of Ussher, App. xxiii.-xxix.) :— * A circumstance mentioned incidentally by Wood would seem to prove subscription was not required. He says, "John Ball (about the year 1608) made shift to be ordained a minister in London, without subscription, by an Irish bishop." 2 Wood, Athen. Oxon. 671. Elrington's Life of Ussher, 42, 43. This book would seem to refute the assertion of Ames, (2 Typ. Ant. 749.), that no production of the press of Humfrey Powel later than 1551 is known. § These Articles, in the form in which they appeared in England in 1559, will be found in 4 Wilkins, Concilia, 195. A BREFE Declaration of certein Principall articles of Religion: fet out by order and aucthoritie af well of the right Honorable fir Henry Sidney Knyght of the most noble order. Lord presidet of the Coucel in the Principallitie of wales & Marches of the same, & general deputie of this Realme of Irelande, as by Tharchebyshops, & Byshopes & other her majesties Hygh Commissioners for causes Ecclesiasticall in the same Realme. I Imprynted at Dublin by Humfrey THE BOOKE. A BREFE Declaration of certeine pryncipall Articles of Relygion set out by order and aucthoritie as wel of the Ryght Honorable Sir Henry Sidneye, Knyght of the most noble order, Lorde President of the Coucil in the Principalitie of Wales, and Marches of the same, and generall Deputic of this Realme of Irelande-as by Tharchebyshopes and Byshopes with the rest of her Maiesties Highe Comissioneres for causes Ecclesiasticall in her Realme of Irelande, for the unitie of Doctrine to be holden and taught of all Persons, Vicars, and Curates, as well intestification of their cōmon consente and full agrement in the said Doctryne, as also nessessarye for the instructio of their people in their severall Cures, to be read by the said Persons, Vicars and Curates at their possescio takynge or fyrste entrie into their Cures, and also after that yerelye at two several tymes by the Yere, that is to saye: the Sudays next folowynge Easterday and Sainct Myghell Tharchangell, and this upō payne of Sequestration, depriation, or other cohercion, as shalbe imposed upon suche as shall herein make default. ON ARTICLES. Forasmuche as it appertayneth to all Chrysten men, but especially to the Ministers and the Pastours of the Churche, beyinge teachers and instructours of others, to be readye to geve a reason of their fayth when they shalbe thereunto required I for my parte now appoynted your Parson, Vicar, or Curate, hauynge before my eyes the feare of God and the testimonye of my conscience, doo acknowledge for my selfe, and require you to assent to the same. The fyrste Article. Fyrste, that there is but one leuynge and true God, of infinit power, wysdome, and goodnesse; the maker and preseruer of al thynges; and that in unitie of this Godhead ther be thre persons of one substance, of equal power and eternitie, the Father, the Sonne, and the holye Ghost. The second Article. I belcue also what soeuer is conteined in the holye canōical Scriptures, in the which Scripturs are cōteined all thynges necessary to saluation, by the which also al errours and heresies may sufficientlye be reproued and conuicted, and al doctrine and Articles necessarye to saluation established. I doo most firmlye beleue and confesse all the Articles conteined in the three Credes -the Nicene Crede, Athanasius Crede, and our cōmon Creede, called the Apostels Creede, for these doo brefly conteine the principal Articles of our faith, which are at large set foorth in the holye Scriptures. I acknowledge also the Church to be the Spouse of Christ, wherein the word of God is truely taught, the Sacramētes orderly ministred accoryng to Christes institution, and the aucthoritie of the keiys duely used. And that And that every such perticuler Churche hath aucthoritie to institute, to chaūg, cleane to put away ceremonies and other ecclesiasticall Rites, as they be superfluōs, or be abused: and to constitute other, makyng more to semelynesse, to order or edification. ¶ The fourth Article. Moreover, I confesse that it is not lawefull for any man to take upon hym anye office or ministerye, eyther ecclesiasticall or seculer, but such onely as are lawefully thereunto called by theyr hyghe aucthorities accordynge to the ordynaunces of this Realme. The feyft Article. Furthermore, I doo acknowledge the Queene's Maiesties prerogative and superioritie of governemet of al estates and in all causes, as wel ecclesiasticall as temporal, within this Realme, and other her Dominions and Countreyes, to be agreable to Godes wourde, and of right to appertayne to her hyghnes, in such sort as is in the late Act of Parliamēt expressed and sithens by her Maiesties iniunctions declared and expounded. The syxt Article. Moreover, touchynge the Byshope of Rome, I do acknowledg and confesse, that by the Scriptures and worde of God, he hath no more aucthoritie then other Byshopes have in their Provinces and Diosseces; ad therefore the power which he now chalengeth, that is, to be the supreme head of the universal Churche of Christ, and so to be above all Emperours, Kings, and Princes, is an usurped power, contrary to the Scriptures and worde of God, and contrary to the example of the primative Church and therfore is for most just causes taken awaye and abolished within this |