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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

not because many Books are lost as the Writings of Nathan and Gad with others 1 Chron. 29. 29. as also the Epistle of St. Paul to the Laodiceans Col. 4. 16. Answ. The single Books have an essential Perfection because they have the Matter and Form of the Word of God the whole Canon has a proportionate one The one has the perfection of the part the other of the whole But we have all the Books that are Canonical those Books that are lost were Historical Narrations and some others too that were not Canonical Obj. 6. All that Christ said and did are not comprehended in the Scriptures Answ. All that Christ did and said necessary for our Salvation are in the Scriptures Obj. 7. St. Paul bids us 2 Thess. 2 15. to hold or keep the Traditions Answ. Either the Apostle there speaks of those free and indifferent Constitutions that concern the Government of the Church or concerning the Doctrine which he himself in Person had preached to them and then even that was contained in his Writings and other Canonical Books for Tradition is wont to be taken in that Sense Now he had delivered nothing contrary to the Scriptures as some others had done Obj. 8. But besides Those Books which we call Apocrypha should seem to be truly Canonical because not only many Councils but many Fathers have called and accounted them Canonical Answ. We are to give credit to Councils as far as they follow the guidance of Scripture and no further and if at any time General Councils call these Books Canonical this is only in a comprehensive Sense and has no other meaning but that they were wont to be read in the Church for the ed●fication of the People not that they had the same assurance of them as of those that are truly Canonical because these were never received into the Hebrew Canon and from hence they were called Deutero-Canonici or Canonical in a second Form And then as to some of the Fathers that they called them Canonical that will not prove them such Neither is it very likely that the more Ingenuous of them would call them so unless in the foregoing Sense Obj. 9. The Church is wont to cite many things from thence Answ. The Apostles cited some things from the Writings of the Heathens but we must not gather from thence that their Writings are Canonical Obj. 10. There are many things in the Books of the Apocrypha which mig●ly encourage Faith and Piety There you have ●ittle Morals Oec●mics and P●liticks in short a Compendium of Scripture Answ. All the Books that contain good Precepts are not Canonical ART VII Of the Old Testament THE Old Testament is not contrary to the New for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting Life is offered to Mankind by Christ who is the only Mediator between God and Man being both God and Man Wherefore they are not to be heard which feign that the Old Fathers did look only for transitory Promises Altho' the Law given from God by Moses as touching Ceremonies and Rites do not bind Christian Men nor the Civil Precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any Commonwealth yet notwithstanding no Christian Man whatsoever is free from the Obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral Against the aforesaid Article it is Objected Obj. 1. That in the Old Testament things were obscure but in the New they are clear In the Old Christ was shadowed out under Ceremonies in the New himself is present from whence may be inferred an Opposition between the Two Testaments Answ. There may be inferred some difference between the Old and the New Testament in respect to the manner of Administration to the clearness and circumstances of Things but no contrariety in respect to the Substance Obj. 2. Christ as a Man had not yet suffered and for that reason Grace thro' him was not yet offered Answ. Grace was effectually offered thro' Christ that was to come Obj 3. The Mystery of the Incarnation was unknown to the Sons of Men Eph. 3. 5. Answ. It was unknown to the Gentiles before their Conversion Or This Mystery was unknown to the Fathers i. e. It was not so plainly and distinctly known as now it is as you have it in that Text. Obj. 4. The ancient Church was in its Infancy and its Knowledge was accordingly Gal. 4. 3 So in bodily things it could not discern Spiritual ones Answ. The ancient Church is called childish not because it knew nothing of Christ but because its Knowledge was very weak in respect of the Church of the New Testament which saw those things brought to pass which were before prophesied of Obj. 5. Christ was the Mediator of a better Covenant because it was established by better Promises Heb. 8. 6. Answ. Christ is the Mediator of a better Covenant than that of Moses for that promised only Blessing upon condition they kept the Law But the ancient Covenant that was freely made with the Patriarchs has the same Promises with the New Testament in which Life is promised by Faith Obj. 6. Circumcision is called an everlasting Covenant Gen. 17. 13. The Passover is called an everlasting Worship and the whole Levitical Service is called an eternal Precept a perpetual Ordinance and therefore it does bind all Christians Exod. 12. 14. Answ. The Levitical Ordinances are called everlasting i. e. so long as the Old Law should last so that such a duration is spoken of as the nature of the thing will bear And the Word Olam in the Original signifies an Age or long time but does not always denote an absolute Eternity Obj. 7. The Law of not cating Blood does bind Christians Acts 15. 29. Answ. The eating of Blood was forbidden to the Gentiles not for ever but for a time to avoid giving Offence to the weak Jews who were not yet fully confirmed in the Faith of Christ and did still believe that this Ordinance was not quite abolished But then you 'll say that abstaining from Blood and Fornication are both joyned together in the Apostle's Edict Acts 15. 29. therefore by the same necessity that Christians are obliged to abstain from Fornication by the same likewise are they bound as to the eating of Blood I answer that the eating of Blood and Fornication were joyned together by the Apostles not that they really were but only were accounted equal For by most Heathens Fornication was accounted no Sin and Christians began to be wondred at by the Gentiles that they were so much in love with Chastity Neither is it any new thing in the Law of Moses to have moral judicial and ceremonial Precepts mix'd together Obj. 8. None can make wiser Laws than God Now the civil Precepts of the Law Of not defrauding the Hirelings of care for the Poor and several others do highly oblige every Christian. Answ. 'T is true no body makes Laws wiser than God but among the Laws which He has made some are only proper for the

A DEFENCE OF THE Thirty Nine Articles OF THE Church of England Written in Latin by J. Ellis S. T. D. 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 London Printed for H. Bonwicke T. Goodwin M. Wotton S. Manship and B. Tooke 1700. Advertisement to the READER THE Credit and favourable Reception that this Book of Dr. Ellis's has met with amongst Men of Letters is a sufficient Apology for giving it a new Birth and making its Use of a larger Extent It was Published in Latin in the Year 1660. Reprinted in 1694. And because both Impressions are now quite sold off it became necessary either to give it a new Edition or a new Language The latter as being of more general Use was chosen And therefore I have endeavoured to make the Author speak as good English as a Sententious and Argumentative Stile would easily bear without too much wresting and wandring from the Sense It is something wonderful to observe how ignorant many People are of the very Articles of that Religion which they have all along professed themselves to be Members of As if it were enough to be of the Church of England without having any tolerable System of its Doctrine much less knowing how to defend them against the Cavils of ou● Enemies Whereas we are not afraid to encourage Men to have re●urse to those Articles of our Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we own we must stand or fall The bold and during Attempts of Men of res●ss Spirits in this Age make it highly necessary for every Christian to consider well and examine what it is he believes and what Foundation his Faith stands upon that he may be ready always to give an Answer to them that ask him a Reason of the Hope that is in him and may be able by sound Doctrine to convince the Gainsayers To which purpose this short Defence of the Articles of the Church of England is presented in an English Dress for the greater Advantage and more general use of all Readers Wherein may be found though short and succinct yet very clear and strong Arguments and such I am perswaded as will not fail to work upon all well-disposed and ingenuous Minds I have not thought fit to interpose except in One or Two Places where the Obscurity of the Subject or the Author's Sense seemed to require it and there too I have set a distinguishing Mark. And now if the Whole shall in any Measure contribute to remove Mens Doubts or instruct their Minds to confirm their Faith or reform their Manners here is a glorious End and there needs no further Apology to be made Sutton-Court Nov. 11. 1699. J. L. A DEFENCE OF THE Thirty Nine Articles OF THE Church of England ARTIC I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity THERE is but One Living and True God everlasting without Body Parts or Passions Of infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness the Maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible And in the Unity of this Godhead there are Three Persons of One Substance Power and Eternity The Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Obj. 1. Against which it is objected 1. That there are Gods many aceording to the Apostie 1 Cor. 8. 5. Ans● 1. The Apostle says not that there are many Gods with respect to their Essence but either with Relation to the Error of some that say the Planets are Gods or else according to some certain Similitude as Magistrates are sometimes called so Obj. 2. The Phrases of Time past and Time to come are spoken of God and therefore he is not Eternal Answ. Such Words are spoken of God not as tho' he had any Variation thro' them but because his Eternity does comprehend all Times Obj. 3. The Scriptures testifie that God has Hands and Eyes c. and therefore he is not Incorporcal Answ. Such Parts are not attributed to God as really such but by way of Similitude and upon the account of his Actings as the Action of the Eye is to see from whence it is that the Eye when 't is spoken of God means his Power of Seeing not after a sensible but intellectual manner and the like is to be said of all other Parts of the Body Obj. 4. It is said Gen. 6. 6. that God repented and elsewhere that he was subject to ●other Passions Answ. Repentance is indeed attributed to God as if he were affected as Men are because he acts sometimes after the manner of one that repents but this is spoken not as to any Affection in God but as to the Effect of the thing And the like is to be said of other Passions Obj. 5. The Angels are not reckoned up by Moses among the Works of the Creation Answ. We do not read in Genesis the very Words of the Creation of Angels yet this is to be understood there both Chap. 1. ver 1. and Chap. 2. ver 1. They are the heavenly Host and the Apostle to the Colossians Chap. 1. 16 17. expresly affirms That God is the Creator of all things Visible and Invisible Obj. 6. 〈◊〉 It is objected That the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not true but rather contradicts it self because there is but One God therefore not Three but there would be Three Gods if the Father was God the Son God and the Holy Ghost God Now when we speak of a Person we mean these Two things the Essence and the manner of Subsisting Answ. From a Trinity of Persons in created Beings is rightly inferred a threefold Essence but not so in Divine Beings If we name a Person of the Holy Trinity we mean a Nature or Essence that is common to more Persons than One But created things because they are finite their Substances or Persons must be separate So Socrates Plato and Aristotle although by a common Nature and Reason they are called Men yet are not One but Three Men And because in Divine Persons the Being or Essence is infinite therefore Three Persons subsisting in it although they they be truly Three yet are but One God Obj. 7. The Doctrine of a Trinity of Persons does infer a Composition in God Where there is Essence and Person there is a Composition either from a general or a particular Nature And where there are these Two there there is a Compos●n But in God there is both because his Essence is one thing and his Person another Answ. There is not in God a Conjunction of an universal and particular Nature since God is the most simple Essence Nature and Suppositum tho' two things do not make a Composition in God as it does in created Beings in which Nature is one absolute thing and the Suppositum another whereas in God the Suppositum has a relative Nature and a Relation does not compound but distinguish more especially in God where the Relation does not really differ from its Foundation Where there

was then in the Hands of the Bishops and Priests because at that time the Church had no other Watchmen and Conducters of Souls but the Word of God does not exclude other Supporters of the Gospel such as pious Princes are whom the Church has sometimes accounted Guides to promote Piety Obj. 3. We find that the Apostles governed the Church Acts 20. 28. Passed Sentence concerning Religious Controversies Acts 15. 6. and inflicted j●st Punishments upon Offenders Acts 5. 3. And therefore the Government of the Church in this Kingdom of England does of Right belong to the Ministers and not to the King's Majesty Answ. The Apostles were Ministers extraordinary And that ancient State of the Church wherein there were no Christian Princes must not be made use of for a constant and standing Rule Obj. 4. To Christ was given all Power both in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18. By which is signified 〈◊〉 Spiritual and an E●rthly Kingdom But C●ist gave the Keys of both to Peter Mat. 16. 19. Now Peter has given his Authority to the Bishop of Rome And therefore to this Bishop as in others so also in this Kingdom of England d●s this 〈◊〉 belong Answ. Some understand the 〈◊〉 Place of a Spiritual Power As if Christ had said As in Heaven I am the King of Angels and blessed Spirits so by Faith I reign in the Hearts of Men. Others interpret this exalted Power to be given to Christ the Mediator over all Creatures which could not be communicated to mere Man But now in neither of these Senses did Christ give an absolute Power to Peter he only gave him a Share in the Ecclesiastical Ministry and in the same Sense the Keys were given to the rest of the Apostles Mat. 18. 18. Besides could you suppose that Peter had such a Power given him above the rest of the Apostles it could not yet be proved that the Pope as being his Successor is possessed of the same Authority Obj. 5 King John made this Country tributary to the Pope Answ. King John unwillingly and out of Fear made England tributary to the Pope and because it was to the Prejudice of the Kingdom and his Successors Henry his Son with the chief Estates of the Realm protested against this Donation nay and threatned that they would defend themselves by Arms against the Temporal Jurisdiction of the Pope as appears by our English Annals Obj. 6. Against the latter part of this Article 't is objected that Theft is a grievous Crime and yet the hanging of Thieves is against the Law of God which thinks it sufficient to punish it with a Four or a Five-fold Restitution Ex. 22. 1 2. Answ. Some answer to this that That Law of not inflicting a Capital Punishment upon Thieves was parely Political and did belong only to the Jews Neither was it ever repeated or confirmed under the New Testament And then they say that when Faults were multiplied the Punishment was to be more severe and prove from P●v 6. 31. That the Punishment of Theft was heightned to a Seven-fold Restitution and then t●ey all●dge 2 Sam. 12. 5. that of a Thief that was condemned to Death by King David They say besides that the Law of Moses does not at all hinder but that Thieves may suffer Death especially supposing that Capital Punishments for such Cr●mes be 〈◊〉 by a publick Law and a general Consent of All For Laws of this sort in things not contrary to Piety do approach very near the Nature of Divine Laws Rom. 13. 1 2. And again supposing that the Thieves are not weak and sickly Men unsit for working or not taken care of by the Overseers of the Poor for there is a regard to be had to such as are compelled by extreme Want to steal Besides too supposing Thefts cannot be corrected by gentler and l●ghter Punishments Or lastly supposing that which is taken away by stealth be a considerable Injury and Loss to the Owner Obj. 7. Capital Punishment of ●einous Offences seems to be contrary to the Law of Charity so peculiar to the Gospel for the New Testament as 't is a gracious 〈◊〉 does not admit of Revenge or Punishments too severe Answ. Under the Old Testament heinous Offences were punished with Death notwithstanding the Law of Charity which was as much in force then as it is now But Grace in the New Testament as to the Matter of Salvation is opposed to a slavish Fear and rigorous Observance of the Law of Moses but nor to any Capital Punishments inflicted by the 〈◊〉 upon Offenders Obj. 8. To the last part of the Article 't is objected That 't is the express Command of God that Man's Blood be not shed Gen. 9. 6. But Wars cannot be waged without shedding of Blood Answ. It is a private and not a publick Slaughter that is there forbidden Obj. 9. It is the Command of Christ that we resist not Evil but whosoever shall smite thee on thy Right Cheek turn to him the other also Mat. 5. 39. Answ. Christ here teaches us the utmost Patience that we should not repell Injuries in any violent manner but rather to bear them patiently than to strive with self-will'd Men or study any private Revenge especially when the Love of our Neighbour the Conversion of Insidels or the Glory of God require this Submission from us This Duty seems chiesly to belong to Christians in the time of a publick Persecution such as was almost continual in the Primitive Church Yet we are not hereby forbid to avoid an Injury by such Rules of Defence as are unblameable Neither are Magistrates forbidden to execute publick Revenge otherwise the Malice of wicked Men would be sharpened and the Common-wealth would never be in quietness Obj. 〈◊〉 It is said Mat. 26. 52. All they that take the Sword shall perith with the Sword Answ. Our Saviour here speak● of him that shall take up the Sword by a 〈◊〉 Authority and not of a Magistrate 〈◊〉 God's Minister that bearet● not t● 〈◊〉 in ●ain Rom 13. 1 2. Obj. 〈◊〉 The Arm●●ians are not Carnal but Spiritual saith St. Paul 2 Cor. 10. 4. Answ. The Means which the Apostles were wont to make use of in planting and promoting the Gospel is there spoken of Such they were not says he as Men of Carnal Minds are wont to use to gain Authority to their Doctrine such as Humane Skill Flattery and outward Force But they were the inward Truth and Efficacy of the Doctrine it self Now it cannot be gathered from all this that it is not lawful to wage War upon just Reasons ART XXXVIII Of Christian Mens Goods which are not common THE Riches and Goods of Christians are not common as touching the Right Title and Possession of the same as certain Anabaptists do falsly boast Notwithstanding every Man ought of such things as he possesseth liberally to give Alms to the Poor according to his Ability Obj. 1. The more common any Good is the better it is and therefore