THE CONSTITUTION

OF

THE CHURCH OF IRELAND.

PREAMBLE AND DECLARATION.

IN the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen: Whereas it hath been determined by the Legislature that on and after the first day of January, 1871, the Church of Ireland shall cease to be established by law; and that the Ecclesiastical Law of Ireland shall cease to exist as Law save as provided in the Irish Church Act, 1869,' and it hath thus become necessary that the Church of Ireland should provide for its own regulation:

We, the Archbishops and Bishops of this the Ancient Catholic and Apostolic Church of Ireland, together with the Representatives of the Clergy and Laity of the same, in General Convention assembled in Dublin in the Year of our Lord God one thousand eight hundred and seventy, before entering on this work, do solemnly declare as follows:

I.

1. The Church of Ireland doth, as heretofore, accept and unfeignedly believe all the Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, as given by inspiration of God, and containing all things necessary to salvation; and doth continue to profess the faith of Christ as professed by the Primitive Church.

2. The Church of Ireland will continue to minister the Doctrine, and Sacraments, and the Discipline of Christ, as the Lord hath commanded; and will maintain inviolate the Three Orders of Bishops, Priests or Presbyters, and Deacons in the Sacred Ministry.

3. The Church of Ireland, as a reformed and Protestant Church, doth hereby re-affirm its constant witness against all those innovations in doctrine and worship, whereby the Primitive Faith hath been from time to time defaced or overlaid, and which at the Reformation this Church did disown and reject.