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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

understand that a regenerate Man can very hardly be brought to sin at least to habitual ones Or else that a regenerate Man as such or as far as he abideth in God sinneth not But so far as he has a Propension to sin so far he departs from Grace and Regeneration Obj. 3. Eternal Life is promised to none but him that overcometh Re. 3. 5. Now only they can be said to overcome that have absolutely subdued Sin Answ. As we are not rewarded with the Crown of Glory till our Race is run so neither can we poor Mortals expect wholly to overcome Sin Obj. 4. We ought to be perfect as our Father which is in Heaven is perfect says our Saviour Mat. 5. 48. But this could not be if we be sullied with the least Spot of Sin Answ. We must not argue for what we are from what we ought to be neither is there here supposed any Equality of Holiness with God the Father which is absolutely impossible but we are exhorted to some kind of Likeness with God which Sin notwitstanding may be consistent enough with some Duties of Piety Obj. 5. Christ said John 9. 3. That neither the blind Man nor his Parents did Sin Answ. Sin is taken either generally in which Sense all Men sin or else particularly for some horrid and enormous Impiety which is often the Cause of a remarkable Judgment of God upon the Person of the Sinner or upon his Children and Family And in this Sense Christ spoke concerning the blind Man ART XVI Of Sin after Baptism NOT every deadly Sin willingly committed after Baptism is Sin against the Holy Ghost and unpardonable Wherefore the Grant of Repentance is not to be denyed to such as fall into Sin after Baptism After we have received the Holy Ghost we may depart from Grace given and fall into Sin and by the Grace of God we may arise again and amend our Lives And therefore they are to be condemned which say They can no more sin as long as they live here or deny the place of Forgiveness to such as truly repent Obj. 1. Every Sin is a Sin in or against the Holy Ghost and therefore every voluntary Sin after Baptism is such Answ. A blasphemous obstinate and malicious denying of and opposition to a known Truth is called the Sin against the Holy Ghost Not that other Sins may not likewise be committed against the Holy Ghost or that this very Sin is not likewise a Sin against the Father and the Son but that it is committed against the proper and immediate Operation of the Holy Spirit And thus every one sins when the Truth of the Gospel though clearly and sufficiently avowed is denyed is obstinately and by voluntary Malice rejected and violently opposed And when in this denyal of an avowed Truth and hostile Resistence Men obstinately persist to the last Day of their Lives This is the Sin against the Holy Ghost Obj. 2. It is said Heb. 6. 4 5 6. That if Men who have tasted of the Grace of God fall away they cannot be renewed again to Repentance Answ. The Apostle does not here speak of any particular Fall or Lapse but of an universal Defection and Falling of whereby ungodly Men ruin themselves and tread under Foot all the Means of Salvation ART XVII Of Predestination and Election PRedestination to Life is the everlasting Purpose of God whereby before the Foundations of the World were laid he hath constantly decreed by his Council secret to us to deliver from Curse and Damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of Mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting Salvation as Vessels made to Honour Wherefore they which be indued with so excellent a Benefit of God be called according to God's Purpose by his Spirit working in due Season They through Grace obey the Calling They be justified freely They be made Sons of God by Adoption They be made like the Image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk religiously in good Works and at length by God's Mercy they attain to everlasting Felicity As the Godly Consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable Comfort to godly Persons and such as feel in themselves the Working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the Works of the Flesh and their earthly Members and drawing up their Mind to high and heavenly things as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their Faith of eternal Salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it does servently kindle their Love towards God So for curious and carnal Persons lacking the Spirit of Christ to have continually before their Eyes the Sentence of God's Predestination is a most dangerous downfal whereby the Devil does thrust them either into Desperation or into Wretchlesness of most unclean Living no less perillous than Desperation Furthermore we must receive God's Promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture And in our Doings that Will of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the Word of God Obj. Against the foregoing Article it is objected 1. That Men are not predestinated because no other Creatures are said to be predestinated whereas there is the same Reason for all God's Creatures which are ordained to some End by his Providence Answ. There is not the same Reason for all Creatures for irrational Creatures are not capable of this Supernatural End Predestination therefore is wrongfully called an Ordainment to any End whatsoever Obj. 2. He that predestinates Men ought to prae-determine whatsoever relates to their Merits or Demerits But God does not prae-determine any of our Powers for then we should be necessarily forced either to Salvation or Destruction But God thus compels no body Answ. God has not prae-determined Mens Merits or Demerits so as to impose any Necessity upon them but has given to Man before the Fall a most free Will Obj. 3. That it is not agreeable to the Nature of Angels to be predestinated to Life and therefore neither is it to Men The Antecedent is thus proved because Predestination to Life is a Purpose of Compassion but the Angels never were in Misery The Consequence is true because Angels are capable of Happiness as well as Man Answ. Why may we not say of good Angels that they were predestinated to Life Since Pity is not only a Releasement from Misery but every Reward above what is due is such And the Nature of the Mercy is not to be taken from any Prior State but from the present Condition and therefore it is not material whether any one be predestinated from a State of Misery or not Obj. 4. If God should reprobate any one the Man that is reprobated is not to be charged with his own Ruin For no Man must be charged with what he could not avoid But if God should reprobate Man could not help it for no Man can withstand God Answ.

the Acuteness of Punishment and to the Consummation of Torments both of Body and Soul ART V. Of the Holy Ghost THE Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son is of one Substance Majesty and Glory with the Father and the Son very and eternal God Obj. 1. Altho' the Spirit of Truth be said to proceed from the Father John 15. 16. yet it does not seem to proceed from the Son because it is no where said so in Scripture Answ. Although it be not said in the very Words that the Spirit proceeds from the Son yet 't is plainly called the Spirit of the Son Gal. 4. 6. And the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. And then Christ says John 15. 26. that he would send them the Spirit from the Father In which Words he seems to mean that it would proceed from him likewise Though speaking as a Man by way of Respect he attributes it to the Father There is no need to dispute too nicely about this Matter if it be but granted that the Holy Ghost has an eternal Dependance on the Son 't is to no purpose to strive about Words and Terms Obj. 2. The Holy Ghost was not from Eternity John 7. 39. Answ. This Place does not speak concerning the Being or Person but of the Gifts and Operations of the Holy Ghost Obj 3. The Holy Ghost is not every where because he changes place The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee says the Angel to Mary Luke 1. 35. And in the same place the Virtue of the most High shall over-shadow thee therefore neither is he the most High Answ. The Words come upon thee do not signifie any change of Place but a particular Manifestation in some certain Place And then the Holy Ghost is essentially the most High tho' not personally so if by the Name of most High the Father be understood Obj. 4. The Holy Ghost does not know all things because none knows the Father but the Son Mat. 11. 27. therefore he is not God Answ. The Word none excludes only Creatures and not the Holy Ghost who perfectly knows the Father 1 Cor. 2. 10. Obj. 5. All things are made by Christ and so is the Holy Ghost Therefore he is not God Joh. 1. 3. Answ. All things are said to be made by Christ which are made but then only Creatures are made Obj. 6. He that prays to God is not God but the Hooly Ghost supplicates God for us Answ. It is not said what the Holy Ghost acts immediately and of it self but what it stirs up and effects in us Obj. 7. He that is sent is inferiour to him that sends but the Holy Ghost is sent by the Father and then he is not of the same Mijesty and Glory Answ. Mission and Obedience do not always take away an Equality of Power for an Equal may sometimes be sent by his Equal ART VI. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation HOly Scripture contains all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any Man that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament of whose Authority was never any doubt in the Church Of the Names and Number of the Canonical Books Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomium Jeshua Judges Ruth the First Book of Samuel the Second Book of Samuel the First Book of Kings the Second Book of Kings the First Book of Chronicles the Second Book of Chronicles the First Book of Esdras the Second Book of Esdras the Book of Hester the Book of Job the Psalms the Proverbs Ecclesiastes or Preacher Cantica or Songs of Solomon Four Prophets the greater Twelve Prophets the Less And the other Books as Hierom saith the Church doth read for Example of Life and Instruction of Manners But yet does it not apply them to establish any Doctrine such are these following The third Book of Esdras The fourth Book of Esdras The Book of Tobias The Book of Judith The rest of the Book of Hester The Book of Wisdom Jesus the Son of Sirach Baruch the Prophet The Song of the Three Children The Story of Susanna Of Bell and the Dragon The Prayer of Manasses The first Book of Maccabees The second Book of Maccabees All the Books of the New Testament as they are commonly received we do receive and account them Canonical It may be thought that the Scriptures do not contain all things necessary to Salvation for Obj. 1. It is necessary to Salvation that we should know what and how many Books are Canonical Answ. This is not so absolutely necessary for we only enforce it that the Faithful may be Baptized may Believe and Live well Obj. 2. It is likewise necessary to know that these Books came to us uncorrupted Answ. The Goodness of God is such that he would not suffer those Books to be corrupted which contain the business of Salvation There was a Promise made to Esay that his Prophetical Writings should remain for ever Esay 30. 8. and Christ has promised Mat. 5. 18. That not one● Iota or Tittle should pass from the Law Obj. 3. We ought to know how many Articles of Faith are to be believed by every one under the hazard of forfeiting his Salvation but neither ●is revealed in the Sacred Writings Answ. We have a Creed that is collected from the Scriptures but yet it is not necessary to Salvation to have a distinct knowledge of the number of our Mysteries One thing is needful as Christ answered Martha Luke 10. 42. One thing is absolutely necessary namely that in comparison of Christ we should look upon all things as Loss I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him Crucified says St. Paul 1 Cor. 2. 2. Obj. 4. We no where meet with the Means that God made use of to purifie Females from Original Sin or Males that died before the Eighth day or indeed concerning the Gentiles how they were to be saved under the Old Testament Ans. By the circumcision of the Men the Females were consecrated the Married Women belong'd to their Husbands the Unmarried to their Parents The purging of Females from Sin was done chiefly by Faith they and the Children of Jews that died before the Eighth Day were saved by vertue of the Promise made to Abram I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed God was not bound to any external Sacrament even without that he could conferr his Grace So also the Gentiles were justified by Faith Gen. 12. 3. All the Families of the Earth shall be blessed in Abram Obj. 5. If the Scripture be perfect either the single Books of the Canon are perfect or the whole Canon It is granted that the single Books of it are not so And then the whole Canon is

Jewish Commonwealth and these do not bind Christians but there are others which have the nature of common Justice and a natural Law and are the Explications and Determinations of the moral one and the observation of them is likewise injoyned in the New Testament But these do bind every one to observe them Obj. 9. The moral Law is not made for a Righteous Man 1 Tim. 1. 9. Answ. The Law as to its Punishments whereof it threatens a great many is not made for a Righteous Man to Condemnation altho' it be made as to its Rules for Observation A just Man even for the love of Justice conforms himself to that Law and then the threatnings of the Law signifie nothing to him Consequently then this can be nothing to wilful Libertines that the Just are not bound by any Christian Laws ART VIII Of the Three Creeds THE Three Creeds Nice Creed Athanasius's Creed and that which is commonly called the Apostle's Creed ought thoroughly to be received and believed for they may be proved by most certain Warrants of Holy Scripture Obj. 1. This Article seems to be imperfect because it makes no mention of the Ephesian Chalcedonian and Constantinopolitan Creeds which were wont to be approved of by the Church Answ. This Article mentions the chief Creeds not exclusively to others as if they might not be true likewise and it was not necessary to mention All. Obj. 2. The Inventions of Men are not to be obtruded upon the Church nor to be received as necessary to be believed but the foregoing Creeds as such and are proposed to our Faith as if they were the W●d of God Answ. The aforesaid Creeds were indeed composed and methodized by Men but yet they are not the meer Fancies of Men contrary to the Holy Scriptures which the Argument supposes but the Doctrine contained in them is conformable to the Word of God Neither do we receive them with an equal degree of Faith with the Holy Scripture but we give them the next place to That and reverence them as the chief Monuments of Faith Obj. 3. To omit others that Sentence in Athanasius's Creed seems to be too severe where he speaks of the Confession of Faith That except every one do keep it whole and undefiled without doubt he shall perish everlastingly What shall we then say of those that labour under an invincible Ignorance How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard says St. Paul Rom. 10. 14 If then Men want the Means of Knowledge and the Tidings of this Doctrine has in no sort come to them it is plain they are not to be blamed and that they are free from Damnation for God obliges no one to Impossibilities Answ. Athanasius means chiefly those to whom the Catholick Faith has been propounded and explained who have all the means requisite for the knowledge of the Truth As to others who of them will be saved God himself will in an extraordinary manner enlighten their Understandings that they may perceive what things are necessary to Salvation ART IX Of Original Sin ORiginal Sin stands not in the following of Adam as the Pelagians do vainly talk but it is the Fault and Corruption of the Nature of every Man that naturally is ingendered of the Off-spring of Adam whereby Man is very far gone from Original Righteousness and is of his own Nature inclined to Evil so that the Fleth lusteth always contrary to the Spirit And therefore in every Person born into this World it deserves God's Wrath and Damnation And this Infection of Nature does remain yea in them that are Regenerated whereby the Lust of the Flesh called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some do expound the Wisdom some Sensuality some the Affection some the Desire of the Flesh is not subject to the Law of God And altho' there is no Condemnation for them that believe and are Baptized yet the Apostle does confess that Concupiscence and Lust has of it self the nature of Sin Against which it is Objected Obj. 1. That God does not punish the same Sin twice but he has ●ready punished Adam's Sin in Adam and therefore will not punish it in us Ans. Adam's Sin was not Numerically but Specifically One and that inclusive of the whole Species As he sinned so have we likewise sinned in him and we are justly punished in our selves Obj. 2. It is plain there is no such thing as Original Sin because the Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father says the Prophet Ezek. 18. 20. Answ. The Son does not bear the Personal Sins of his Father but the Sin of the first Man was a stain of the whole Nature when therefore any one is punished for the Sin of Adam he is punished for his own Obj. 3. Sin is a voluntary thing but Original Sin is not so in Infants Ans. Original Sin is voluntary in All nay even in Infants too for our Wills were in the Will of Adam as in the Principle of Mankind in him we willed and desired Evil. Obj. 4. An Accident of one Individual is not transferred to the whole Species but the Sin of Adam was only an Accident of one Individual Ans. Adam inasmuch as he was the Principle of Human Nature was to be look'd upon here as an universal Cause Obj. 5. The Children of Holy Men are Holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. therefore they are not born in Sin Ans. The Children of Holy Men are not so Holy as to be free from Original Sin but they are called so in regard of a Communion with the Church by reason of that Covenant Gen. 17. 7. I will be a God to Thee and to thy Seed They are therefore Holy with a relative and not with any inherent Holiness so also they are Innocent in respect to those Sins which are committed against Knowledge Obj. 6. In Baptism we receive a perfect Remission of Sins therefore Original Sin is wholly taken away and so remains not in the Regenerate Ans. Remission of Sin takes away Sin as to its Imputation not as to its Being for Mortification is but imperfect in this Life so in Baptism Sin is taken away but not so much the Sin it self as the Sting of it that it may not hurt us Obj. 7. Things absolutely disagreeing do not meet in the same Subject but Sin and Righteousness are of that sort therefore since there is Righteousness in the Regenerate there can be no Sin there Answ. Sin and Righteousness cannot be in the same Subject in the highest but yet easily in lower degrees Obj. 8. Concupiscence or a proneness to Evil is distinguished from Sin as the Cause is from the Effect Jam. 1. 15. and therefore is not of it self to be accounted Sin Answ. Concupiscence is distinguished from Actual Sin and from an external Act already compleated but in the mean time it has of it self the nature of a Sin because of it self it is not subjected to the Law of God And it is this

before Men as is plain from Verse 18. Shew me thy Faith by thy Works and Ver. 21. Abram was justified by the Work of Offering up his Son i. e. he was declared Righteous whereas before by the righteousness of Faith he had been pronounced Just before God Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. Obj. 4. Evil Works condemn therefore Good Ones justifie for the same reason holds in things that are opposite Answ. These Opposites here are not equal which that Axiom supposes for Evil Works are perfectly Evil but Good Ones are imperfectly Good Obj. 5. We are justified by Faith as appears by the foreg●ing Article but Faith is a Good Work for he that believes does well therefore we are justified by Faith which is a Good Work Answ. The major of that Argument is in one sense true and in another false for Faith properly speaking is not our Righteousness nor is it so imputed to us but it is the object of our Faith that is so to wit the Merit of Christ. ART XIII Of Works before Justification WOrks done before the Grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of Faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make Men meet to receive Grace or as the School Authors say deserve Grace of Congruity Yea rather for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but that they have the nature of Sin It is Objected Obj. 1. That God has rewarded some Works of Unbelievers as for Example the Egyptian Midwives Exod. 1. 21. and therefore they seemed to be acceptable to him Answ. From any Temporal Reward we are not to gather that the Work was in it self pleasing to God Obj. 2. The Gentiles do by Nature the things of the Law Rom. 2. 14. Now with such God is well pleased Answ. The Gentiles do indeed by Nature the things of the Law in some external Duties But not as to all other requisite Circumstances because they do them not in Faith nor to the Glory of the true God Obj. 3. Cornelius was a Gentile But before his Conversion to Christ his Alms-deeds were praised as good and acceptable Acts 10. 1. So that his Good Works seem to have disposed him to Grace or to have deserved as the School-Men say the Grace of Congruity Answ. Cornelius was endued with the extraordinary Grace of God and God rewarded him accordingly And he seems to have had a knowledge of Christ to come for his Prayers had not been heard but by Christ our Mediator and upon that account he is thought to have been Regenerate Obj. 4. If the Works of the Unregenerate have the nature of Sin as the Article expresses t it were better not to do than to do them because by doing them they sin and by not doing them the Sin would not possibly be so great And therefore it were better if such Men neither relieved the Poor nor taught the Ignorant Answ. Unbelievers would sin in omitting what they ought to do and the Sin of Omission is sometimes greater than the Sin of Commission However Works are not to be forbid for any accidental Fault of the Man but the Gentiles and the Unconverted are to be perswaded to do all Good Things which they are even obliged to by Precept The Works of an unregenerate Man have the Nature of Sin only accidentally as to the Manner and the End of Acting and not as to the Substance of the Works ART XIV Of Works of Supererogation VOluntary Works besides over and above God's Commandments which they call Works of Supere●ogation cannot be taught without Arrogancy and Impiety For by them Men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do but that they do more for his Sake than of bounden Duty is required Whereas Christ says plainly When ye have done all that are commanded to you say We are unprofitable Servants Obj. 1. Christ said to a certain young Man Mat. 19. 21. I●●hou wilt be perfect sell all that thou hast and give to the Poor This was Counsel t●at did not indeed oblige all Men but if it were put in practice 't would procure a 〈◊〉 exc●llent deg●●f Glo●y Answ. This was a particular Precept given to this young Man and what is here commanded that every one is obliged to perform if the Necessity of his Brethren require it which also was practised by the Primitive Christians Affirmative Precepts although they always oblige yet not in all Conditions simply considered but on Supposition there be found requisite Circumstances Obj. 2. The Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 7. 25. Concerning Virgins I have no command yet I give my Advice which whosoever follows will do more than is absolutely necessary Answ. We cannot gather from hence that there is any thing more perfect than the Observation of God's Commands or indeed conducing to eternal Life Neither does this Opinion of St. Paul respect all times but only that present Necessity whilst the Church was under Persecution And then be it the Apostle's Council that Virginity is to be preferred to Matrimony this is directed to none but those to whom God has given the Gift in which Case this Counsel becomes a Precept to those who have the peculiar Gift of Continence There are indeed many Counsels concerning indifferent things but we reject such as ascribe a meritorious and greater Power to things purely arbitrary than to the Commands of God Obj. 3. St. Paul 1 Cor. 9 15. boasts of his Works of Supererogation because be had preached the Gospel freely which was not necessary for him to do Answ. St. Paul preached the Gospel freely that he might give no occasion of Reproach to false Apostles as if he took upon him that Office for the sake of Gain The avoiding of Scandal is not then a Work of Supererogation but every ones Duty for woe to him by whom an Offence cometh Mat. 18. 7. ART XV. Of Christ alone without Sin CHRIST in the Truth of our Nature was made like unto us in all things Sin only excepted from which he was clearly void both in his Flesh and in Spirit He came to be a Lamb without Spot who by Sacrifice of himself once made should take away the Sins of the World and Sin as St. John says was not in him But all we the rest although baptized and born again in Christ yet offend in many things and if we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us Obj. 1. It is said That God made Christ to be Sin for us who knew no Sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. Answ. God is said to have made Christ to be Sin for us because he gave him as a Sacrifice for Sin and no otherwise Obj. 2. Every one that abideth in God sinneth not 1 John 3. 6. Therefore the Regenerate ●hat so abid● do not offend in many things Answ. By this we are to