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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39279	A defence of the Thirty nine articles of the Church of England written in Latin by J. Ellis ... now done into English ; to which are added the Lambeth Articles ; together with the judgment of Bishop Andrews, Dr. Overall, and other eminent and learned men upon them.; Articulorum XXXIX Ecclesiae Anglicanae defensio. English	Ellis, John, 1599?-1665.; Andrewes, Lancelot, 1555-1626.; Overall, John, 1560-1619.; Church of England. Thirty-nine Articles.	1700 (1700)	Wing E587; ESTC R1641	74,086	146

Nature of Election supposes that there is some Difference betwixt him that is elected and him that is rejected So Occum●nias has it from the Opinion of the Greek Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 E●tion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●om one Pag. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for no body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 ●pt th● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 di●rence b●n 〈◊〉 So likewise St. A●ia 〈◊〉 Simpl. 1. 2 E●on does no● pr●de Justification namely foreseen but 〈◊〉 ●des Election For no body is elected unless he be already at some distance from him that is 〈◊〉 whence is that Saying That God hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the Foundation of the World But I do not see how that can be said but by a Fore-knowledge And thus also the School-men Predestination saith Tho. A●u pre-s●pposes Election and El●ction Love Namely Thom. 〈◊〉 Q. 23. Art 4. first God made them sit to be chosen and then he chose them he loved them that he might give and he loved what he gave And this likewise seems to be the Opinion of the most Reverend Archbishop of York whose Words are these What was it that God loved in Jacob from all Eternity when he had as yet done no Good without doubt it was something of his own that he wa● about to give him It is plain the Apostle does not sear to joyn together in this Business his own Purpose and 2 Tim 1. 9. Grace given and that from all Eternity whereas that Grace given could not be but in Fore-knowledge that is with the Eternal Purpose of God who foresaw that very Grace which he would give before the beginning of the World Nor do I think there is any Inconvenience sollows from hence That God should so choose to bestow his Gifts in us as to crown us with what he gives Namely What by first loving us he gave with the same after it was so given he did elect us So that Love which is an Act of Grace whereby God makes a difference as well as Election which is an Act of Judgment whereby he chooses those that are so distinguished are both 〈◊〉 And thus Election will remain For that Order which the M●derns make use of perfectly takes away all Election whereby God is made to de●l with Men considered under no 〈◊〉 nor any way distinguished by his Gifts but by a first and absolute Act at one and the same time to predestinate some to Salvation and others to everlasting Destruction After such a Decree as this I do not understand what room there can be for Election or how that Decree it self can be called Election But this whole Question as I have said is rather concerning the Order in which God proceeds according to our Capacity who know only in part than of the Cause of it as to the Act it self which is one and that most simple in God Or if it be about the Cause it must not be understood of the Cause of a first and absolute Act but of the Cause in respect to its entire Effect as they speak in Predestination It is ask'd again Whether this be an integral Act according to our Conception consisting of various Actions or whether it be that one single Act only And if there be many and various ones What is the Order and Series of them Predestination which must be joyned with Foreknowledge supposes likewise good Works St. Austin of Predestination of the Saints chap 10. The Elect before the Foundation of the World are under that Pred●stination whereby God fore-knows his own Facts that ar● to come chap. 17. Again Dare any one say that God do● not fore-know 〈◊〉 to whom he will grant Faith to 〈◊〉 Of Perseverance 14. Again 〈◊〉 on 〈◊〉 Go● 〈◊〉 ●is Gif● without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●t he should bestow th●m and in hi●●e-knowledge 〈◊〉 accordingly chap. 17. and fol. 23. If there be no such 〈◊〉 as we d●fend M●n are not fore-known by God but they are foreknown c. These Gifts therefore which the Church does and always did ask of God thos● God fore-know that he should give to those that are c●lled as in Predestination it self he had already given them To the Third concerning a certain Number They are St. Austin's very Words Chapter 8. de Cor. Gra. The Number of those who are predestinated is so certain that none can be added to or taken away from them And so saith St Ambrose De Voc. lib. 2. cap. ult The Fore-knowledge of God which cannot be deceived has lost nothing of the fulness of the Members of the Body of Christ neither by any Loss can the great Things fore-known and preelected from all Eternity in Christ be diminished For there is nothing so certain as that the Knowledge of God is most sure and cannot be deceived for the Lord knoweth those that are his To the Fourth He that is not found written in the Book of Life i. e. Predestinated shall be cast into the Lake of Fire says St. John Rev. 20. Verse the last i. e. shall be damned And that he will be damned for his Sins no body will deny and that necessarily if you will give me leave to say so not by an absolute but a conditional Necessity That is as the Article it self explains it because of their Sins It is because they have sinned and not because they are not predestinated Though at the same time I think we ought to avoid making use of the Terms Necessity and Necessarily which the Fathers and Schoolmen have carefully done and to substitute in their room Certainly or without doubt for we must avoid as much as may be all new Terms and Phrases To the Fifth Concerning the losing of Faith and the Spirit I suppose no body ever said That Faith may finally fail in those that are elected for that to be sure it does not But that it does not fail is not I think from its own but from the Nature of its Subject from the Privilege of the Person and not of the Thing And this by reason of Apostates who ought not to be blamed for falling from that Faith which was never true and lively But now whether the Holy Ghost may not for a time be taken away I think it is not yet decided and I confess I am in some doubt my self Concerning Faith the Apostle says Thou standest by Faith 〈◊〉 not h●h-minded but fear otherwise thou also shalt be cut off Would not this be an ironical Precept if he could not fall off Therefore consider these following Texts 1. Beware ●rst ye also being led away with the Error of the 〈◊〉 f●ll from yo●r o●n 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3. 17. 2. Take heed that ye sail not of the Grace of God ●or you that are under the Law are fallen from Grace Gal. 5. 4. 3. Ta●e not thy Holy Spirit from me Psal. ●1 13. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Would not all these be Ironical Precepts and Speeches if we could in no sort fall off from the stedfastness of Faith or from Grace if the

the Latin Versions Prayer is our Conference with God and this ought to spring from our own Sen●e And therefore as far as we are able we ought to know those things we speak whilst we are praying Obj. 3. It is 〈◊〉 that Piety is much diminished ever 〈◊〉 t●e Mother Tongue began to be in Use in the Church Answ. True Piety is not diminished instead of a senseless Superstition which did formerly prevail there is now 〈◊〉 many sincere Piety altho' the Church was never without many prosane Per●ons And if Piety was diminished in many this would be only accidentally so by the default of some wicked Men As the Gospel when it is preached is to very many a savour of Death unto Death But Prayers in a known Tongue cannot be the cause of this Impiety Obj. 4. The 〈◊〉 of the Lesser Asia m●de use of the Greek Tongue in their Worship But all the People did not understand it 〈◊〉 when the Lame Man was ●ealed they spoke in the Lycaonian Language Acts 14. 11. And so again Acts 2. there are reckoned up various Tongues that were t●n in Asia and which the Apostles made use of Answ. The Lycaonian Tongue was a Dialect of the Greek as well as many others were and the Apostles preached in Greek to these People so that without doubt they understood them Obj. 5. If there was one Tongue used in all Churches it would much tend to the Vnity of the Church Answ. The Unity of the Church does not depend upon the Un●y of Tongues but upon the Unity of Doctrine Obj. 6. The end 〈◊〉 Divine Service is not the Instruc●n of the People but the Worship of God Now God 〈◊〉 our Prayers w●en they are utte●ed in an un●own Tongue and it is enough that the People 〈◊〉 d●nt Minds Answ. The principal ●d of Divine Service is the Wor●ip of God but in Subordination to this the Edification of the People is to be considered likewise Now the People can●ot be 〈◊〉 unless they understa● 1 C● 14. And then the End of a Publi●k Meeting is not that God may understand 〈◊〉 that he may approve of the whole Assembly Neither is it enough for the People to understand that something is done to the Praise of God and to have a devout Mind in general but they ought likewise distinctly to understand what it is that is done to the Praise of God ART XXV Of the Sacraments SAcraments ordained of Christ be not only Badges or Tokens of Christian Mens Profession but rather they be certain sure Witnesses and effectual Signs of Grace and God's good Will towards us by the which he does work invisibly in us and does not only quicken but also strengthen and confirm our Faith in him There are Two Sacraments ordain'd 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 Un●ion are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel being such as are grown partly of the corrup following of the Apostles partly are States of L●fe allowed by the Scriptures But yet have not like Nature of Sacraments with Baptisin and the Lord's Supper for that they have not any visible Sign or Ceremony ordained of God The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon or to be carried about but that we should duly use them And in such only as worthily receive the same they have a wholsom Effect or Operation but they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves Damnation as St. Paul says Obj. 1. The Sacraments are often made use ●s by Hypocrites and therefore they are not certain Signs of Grace Answ. Out of a charitable Opinion the Sacraments are distributed to All but they are certain Signs of Grace only to them that beheve and receive them worthily Obj. 2. Neither this Word Sacrament nor the number of only Two Sacraments is to be met with in Scripture Answ. Although we do not find the Word Sacrament in Scripture yet the thing that is meant by that Word is to be found there And the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. reckons up only these Two Sacraments neither in the Sacred Writings the Word Sacrament being strictly taken can we find any more Some have thought that these Two were signified by the Water and Blood which came out of Christ's Side John 19. Obj. 3. The external Sign of Confirmation is Imposition of Hands Acts 8. 17. Answ. T●at Confirmation there spoken of by Imposition of Hands was extraordinary and peculiar to the Apostles Obj. 4. The Judicial Sign of Repentance is Absolution John 20. 23. Answ. There is no outward Sign there prescribed not so much as the Matter or Form of a Sacrament because there is nothing that is distinct from the Word spoken Christ himself made use of no other outward Sign besides Breathing on them Obj. 5. The Ceremony of Extreme Unction is to be met with Jam. 5. 14. together with a Promise annext to it Answ. The Command concerning Extreme Unction took place only whilst there was miraculous Gifts in the Church and relate only to the miraculous curing of sick People Obj. 6. The outward Sign of Orders is Imposition of Hands 1 Tim. 4. 14. Answ. Imposition of Hands is not essential to Holy Orders because it was not always practised Matthias was chosen into the Place of Judas without it Acts 1. The Apostles were chosen and con●ecrated without it Mat. 10. Mark 3. And it is strange that the Romanists should make Imposition of Hands a Sacramental Ri●e as well in Orders as Confirmation whereas we no where find in S●ripture that one and the same Sign should be in Two different Sacraments Obj. 7. Concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are told Eph. 5. 32. That it is a Mystery or Sacrament Answ. The Apostle does not mean that Matrimony is properly a Sacrament but only a Mystery whereof there are many that are not Sacraments ART XXVI Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers which hinder not the Effects of the Sacraments Although in the visible Church the Evil be ever mingled with the Good and ●ometimes the Evil have chief Authority in the Ministration of the Word and Sacraments yet sorasmuch as they do not the same in their own Name but in Christ's and do minister by his Commission and Authority we may use th●ir Ministry both in hearing the Word of God and in receiving of the Sacraments Neither is the Effect of Christ's Ordinance taken away by their Wickedness nor the Grace of God's Gifts diminished from such as by Faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministred unto them which be effectual because of Christ's Institution and Promise altho they be ministred by Evil Men. Nevertheless it appertaineth to the Discipline of the Church that Enquiry be made of Evil Ministers and that they be accused by those that have Knowledge of their Offences And finally being found guilty by just Judgment be deposed

Vertue nor the Common-wealth The thing at last ended thus That the Archbishop should beg Pardon for what had been done so unadvisedly and ●ould promise to write to Cambridge to hinder these 〈◊〉 Ar● fro● being any further published or sprea●●road which also he did But a long while after as it seems there was a Copy found a●ongst W●itaker's Papers whereby at length this Work was made publick against the consent of the Authors After these Articles were made Baron continued both in his Professorship and in his Opinion but Whitaker died a few days after the Assembly at Lambeth At length Baron his Three Years being out for by the way according to the ancient Insti●ution the Professors were to continue in that Lecture but Three Years quitted his Office and retired to his private Studies After these two between whom the Contention arose Dr. Jo● Ove● a most I earned Man was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He sollow●d that way of ●aking which determ●nes That sufficient Grac● is offered to every Man and that Christ died 〈◊〉 All. In every good th●g Grace does opera●e first and then in the next ●lace Free-Will informed and a●tuated by Grace Grace that Grace does operate in an 〈◊〉 manner and that not by binding up Men after a natural way to particular Actions 〈◊〉 Tha● justisying Grace is not consistent with deadly Sins before actual Repent● As to that ob●ure Controversie about Predestination he behaved himself so as to condemn neither the former nor the latter Opinion of St. Austin as thinking there was no great matter of difference between them especially since St. Austin himself has said after the Dispute arose betwixt him and Pel●ins that he had the same Thoughts then as he formerly had when he opposed the Manici●s and that now he had not so much changed his O●ion as his way of Speaking What happen'd afterwards under the Reign of King J●mes the First First 〈◊〉 1603. may be seen in Dr. 〈◊〉 Book 〈◊〉 about that Matter For there Dr. Reynolds with the rest that opposed the Bishops amongst other things which they thought did mightily tend to the puri●y of the Church of England they requested this also that the Lambeth Articles might be put into the Confession But King James would not grant their Request thinking that such sort of Desinitions did not tend to the Peace of the Church The Articles of Predestination and the Heads adjoyning proposed at Lambeth by Dr. Whitaker I. GOD has from all Eternity predestinated s●e to Life and reprobated some to De●h II. The effi●ient Cause of Predestination is not a Fore●ght of Faith or Perseverance or good Works or of an other thing that is in ●he Person predestinated but it is the sole absolute and simple Will of God III. Of those that are Predestinated there is a determinate and certain Number which can neither be increased nor 〈◊〉 IV. Those who are not predestinated to Salvation shall of necessity be condemned for their Sins V. A true lively and justifying Faith and the sanctifying Spirit of God is neither extinguished nor lost nor does it depart from those that have been once partakers of it either totally or finally VI. A truly faithful Man that is one that is indued with justifying Faith is certain with a certainty of Faith of the forgiveness of his Sins and of his eternal Salvation by Christ. VII Grace sufficient to Salvation is not afforded communicated or granted to ail Men whereby they may be saved if they will VIII No Man can come to Christ unless it be given him and unless the Father draw him and all Men are not so drawn by the Father that they may come to the Son IX It is not put in the Will or Power of every Man to be saved All these Propositions are either plainly inserted in the Book of Articles and were always approved of in our Church or else they may by a necessary Consequence be drawn and collected from the Articles The Articles proposed at Lambeth as they were drawn up by the Reverend Dr. Whitaker in his own Hand writing and presented to the Bishops and other Divines at Lambeth The Articles proposed at Lambeth as they were drawn up by the Bishops and other Divines and of the sense wherein they were admitted and approved of I. GOD has from all Eternity predestinated some to Life and reprobated some to Death I. THis Article was admitted in the same words for if by the first some be meant Believers and by the second some Unbelievers Here is no occasion of Contention but it is a very true Article II. The efficient Cause of Predestination is not a foresight of 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 or good Works or of any other thing that is in the Persons predestinated But it is the sole absolute and simple Will of God II. The moving or ef● Cause of Pred●tion to Life is not a foresight of F●h or 〈◊〉 or Good Works or of any other thing that is in the Persons Predestinated but it is the sole Will of God that is well pleased In this second Article there was added by the Lambeth Divines 1. moving 2. to Life 3. The sole absolute and simple Will of God is changed into The sole Will of God that is well-pleased and that not without good reason For the moving Cause of Predestination to Life is not Faith but the Merit of Christ since God designed Salvation for those that are to be saved not for their Faith but for the sake of Christ. The word moving agrees properly to Merit and Merit is in the Obedience of Christ and not in our Faith These words to Life are added because altho a foresight of Infidelity and Impenitency be the Cause of Predestination to Death and so likewise of any thing else which is in the Persons predestinated to Death yet there is no Cause of Predestination to Life but the sole Good-Will and Pleasure of God according to that of St. Austin The Cause of Predestination is sought for and not found but the Cause of Reprobation is sought for and sound too The absolute and simple Will of God signifies something more than the sole Will of God that is well-pleased For the Will of God well-pleased is Conditional God would have us to do well if we would not be wanting to his Grace and it has pleased God to sa● all Men if they would believe III. Of those that are Predestinated there is a determinate and certain number which can neither be increased nor 〈◊〉 III. In this Article there is nothing changed for it is most 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be understood 〈◊〉 Fore-knowledge 〈◊〉 which is never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for neither 〈◊〉 nor sewer can be sav● than those whom G● did foreknow IV. Those who are not predestinated to Salvation shall of necessity be condemned for their Sins In this Article there is nothing changed for it is most true God having determined not to forgive Sins but to such as believe But if you would so interpret this and the former Article