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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	person_n	scripture_n	trinity_n	3,376	5	9.9610	5	false

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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

is an Union between Two absolute Things there ind●ed there is a Composition But in God his Essence is absolute and the Person relative And Persons do not differ from one another really and essentially but really and personally i. e. by relative Personalities Obj. 8. Where there are One and Three Beings there there are Four Buut in God there are One and Three Beings the Father Son and Holy Ghost are Three and yet Essence it self is none of these Answ. * We are not to imagine here that the Author meant to favour the Sabellian Heresie For though to say that Three Persons are Three Modes of Subsistence be Sabelliani● yet as an Answer to the foregoing Objection the fa●rest Interpretation is That though there be Three distinct Persons in the Godhead or Divine Nature the Divine Nature is not to be reckoned as a thing distinct and separate from them And this will give likewise an Orthodox Sense to the Comparison of Light There is one only Essence in God and Three Persons are only the Three Modes of his Subsistence Now Modes do not number a thing but they are numbered and included in it so that it cannot be said to be different from them So for Example if there be Three Degrees of Light the Morning Noon and Evening Light Light it self will not be any fourth thing in respect of these Degrees which are to be reckoned up and included under Light singly and simply considered Obj. 9. If there be Three Persons in the Divine Essence then there will be first and second before and after and so it will not be perfectly simple Answ. Before and after do not relate to the Essence but to the Modes of subsisting And though they generally suppose a priority of Time and Essence yet there is a priority of Order that does not exclude a Co-aeternity And Eternity has relation to the Essence of God Obj. 10. The Doctrine of the Trinity is contrary to Reason because it asserts the same numerical Essence to be wholly in One and wholy in Three which seems impossible Answ. The Divine Essence is One and Infinite and so is wholly in One Person and wholly in Three This cannot be said to be impossible since the Essence of a reasonable Soul is totally in the whole and wholly in every Part. Now the true Image of this thing is this That many Men are One Man only by a Participation of the Species or Humane Nature Obj. 11. This Doctrine introduces Three Infinites when it is impossible thsre should be any more than One. Answ. There is One Infinite viz. the Divine Essence however that Infinity is not a personal Property but an essential one There are not indeed Three infinite Gods but Three Persons make up One infinite Nature Obj. 12. The Father is said to be the only true God Joh. 17. 3. Answ. Hereby are excluded all fictitious Deities or Creatures but not the Son or the Holy Ghost Even the Father alone is God who has an Omnipotent Son Obj. 13. The Scripture does not make use of these Words and Phrases Trinity Person and to proceed Answ. Although these Terms are not to be met with in the Scriptures yet the Sense and Meaning of them are plainly to be fetched from thence ART II. Of the Word or Son of God which was made very Man THE Son which is the Word of the Father begotten from everlasting of the Father the very and eternal God of one Substance with the Father took Man's Nature in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin of her Substance So that Two whole and perfect Natures that is to say the Godhead and Manhood were joyned together in One Person never to be divided whereof is One Christ very God and very Man who truly suff●red was cru●fied dead and buried to reconc●le his Father to us and to be a Sa●fice not only for O●nal Guilt but also for the Actual Sins of Men. Obj. 1. That it does by no means agree to a Spiritual N●e to ●eget therefore Christ is not 〈◊〉 of God Answ. This is true Physically speaking in the manner that corporeal Substances be et their Likeness and Substance but it very well agrees in a Me a physical Sense as an Angelical or Human Mind begets Reason which is the proper Fruit of the Mind and in the most Spiritual Sense of all we may suppose one Person to beget another from and in himself as the Father begat the Son Obj. 2. That Christ has not all the Divine Perfections because he wants Paternity which is a Perfection of the Father therefore he is not God Answ. Christ has all the absolute Perfections that are common to the Three Persons which is sufficient although he has not the Chracteristical Ones which are proper only to One. Obj. 3. That if the Father and the Son are of the same Essence then if the Son be incarnate and made Flesh the Father is so too Answ. The whole Divine Essence is incarnate not absolutely but relatively inasmuch as it is wholly in the Son the whole Divinity originally undertook the Work of Incarnation This may be illustrated by a Similitude Three Sisters weave one Garment and the second wears it Obj. 4. If the eternal Son of God be incarnated it follows that he had a Being and was a Person before he was incarnate If this be so What is that which was conceived in the Virgin 's Womb and bo●n Not a Person for then there would be Two Persons and Two Sons of God If the Person is not born of the Virgin how does that deserve to be called a Man which is born of her since no body can be called a Man that is not a Humane Person For a Man is distinguished to be such by his Person and nothing else Answ. There is one sort of Individual which subsists of it self and is rightly called Person and another which does not subsist of it self but in another as the Hand in the Body But because it does not subsist of it self is therefore not to be called a Person So the Humane Nature of Christ never did subsist by it self but always in the Divine Logos and for that Reason was never of it self a Person Obj. 5. God sent his Son not in true Flesh but as the Apostle says Rom. 8. 3. in the Similitude of sinful Flesh And so Christ was not a true Man Answ. The true Flesh of Christ is called the Similitude of Flesh not simply so but as obnoxious to the Sin of the Flesh not that Christ did assume the Likeness of Flesh and as it were the Image of a Body and not a real one but only the Similitude of sinning Flesh This could not be for Christ was not a Sinner though he was like to Sinners Obj. 6. Christ and Melchisedeck are compared together because both of them were without Father and without Mother Heb. 7. 3. And therefore Christ was not born of a Virgin Answ. Christ is said to be without Father

Obj. 1. No body can give what he has not But wicked Ministers have not Grace and Forgiveness of Sins and therefore they can●t effectually administer the Sacraments whereby they are obtained Answ. A minister does not give Heav●y Gifts effectually as the principal efficient Cause but as the instrumental one Now the Effect ought not to be like the Instrument but the first Cause Besides he does not properly give the same Gifts but only the external Signs of them Hence God is said t● circumcise t●e Heart Deut. 3. 6. And Christ b●ptized with the Holy G●st but Jo●n with Water Mat. 3. 11. Obj. 2. God said to ●e Wicked or Ungodly M●n What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy Mouth seeing th●n hatest Instruction and cas●est my Words behind thee Psal. 50 16 17 And since God would not have wicked M●n administer Holy Things methinks 〈◊〉 Ministry s●uld be unprofitable Answ. This 50th Psalm does not speak peculiarly of Ministers but of the People of the Jews whom God chastised because they had his Law always in their Mouths and were very frequent in their Sacrifices and yet lead wicked Lives and this sort of Worship it is that is there spoken against But if the Place be applied to Ministers it may be said that the Ministry of one that leads a wicked Life is not acceptable to God in respect to the Person that administers but yet it may be efficacious and profitable in respect to the Hearers Obj. 3. A Man that is overtaken in a Fault is to be res●ored by the Spirit of Meekness Gal. 6. 1. Much more then ought a Minister in respect to his Person therefore he ought not to be chastised and deposed Answ. Wicked Ministers are to be often warned but if they will not at all obey these Admonitions they may and ought then to be deposed ART XXVII Of Baptism BAptism is not only a Sign of Profession and Mark of Difference whereby Christian Men are discerned from others that be not Christened but it is also a Sign of Regeneration or New Birth whereby as by an Instrument they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church The Promises o● the Forgiveness of Sin and of our Adoption to be the Sons of God by the Holy Ghost are visibly signed and sealed● Faith is confirmed and Grace encreased by Vertue of Prayer unto God The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the Institution of Christ. Obj. 1. God confers Grace whereby Men are grafted into the Church and there were some that were Members of the Church before their Baptism namely The Treasurer to Queen Candace Acts 8. Cornelins the Centurien Acts 10. 〈◊〉 even by their good Works shewed that t●ey were regenerate and for this Reason Baptism is not the only Sign of Regeneration nor is it o●ing solely to that that Men are grafted into the Church Answ. Although God be the principal Cause of Salvation yet this does not hinder but that Baptism may be the Means that God may make use of in bestowing Salvation And then Baptism in Infants is their first Entrance into the Church though it be not so in Persons grown up as in the Examples that are alledged But ye● Baptism is not without its Benefit even in Persons grown up inasmuch as it confirms their Faith It is true Good Works did testifie that there were many Believers but they did not so 〈◊〉 do it as publick Baptism in the Church Obj. 2. The Promises of God are most sure in themselves and do not need any Confirmation by the Sacraments Answ. The Promises of God are indeed most sure in themselves but in respect to us they do want Confirmation Obj. 3. It is the Holy Ghost that fixes in our Minds the Certainty of the Divine Promises Answ. The Holy Ghost gives us Assurance but it is by the Mediation of the Word and Sacraments Obj 4. The Faith of the Gospel which is preached to us does exclude all manner of doubtting and therefore does not need any Confirmation by the Sacraments Answ. The Faith which we preach does exclude all doubt in respect of the Object but not in respect of the Subject We know that Christ is Omnipotent and Faithful although we our selves be weak We know that a weak Faith may be true but yet that which is less liable to doubting is more perfect And then we cannot doubt that Men by Baptism and other Means may still obtain a greater measure of Faith Obj. 5. Infants are not to be baptized because Christ commands us first to teach and then baptize Mat. 28. 19. But Infants cannot be taught Ans. That place is to be understood of such Persons as are grown up that are capable of Learning and no● of Infants Besides the Word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not properly signifie to teach but to make Disciples and this may be spoken of Infants The Children of the Jews were without any appointment circumcised and the same Reason holds for baptizing Christian Infants Obj 6. T●se who believe not are to be with-held from Baptism but Infants do not believe because they have no Knowledge of Good or Evil Deut. 1. 39. Answ. All these places relate to Persons grown up And then besides the Faith of Parents is though● sufficient for their Children why may not the Faith of another as well be sufficient to them as the Sin of another be imputed to them ART XXVIII Of the Lord's Supper THE Supper of the Lord is not only a Sign of the Love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another But rather it is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christ's Death Insomuch that to such as rightly worthily and wi●h Faith receive the same the Bread which we break is a partaking of the Body of Christ And likewise the Cup of Blessing is a partak● of the Blood of Christ. Transubstantiation ●r ●he Change of the Substance of Bread and W●e in the Supper of the Lord cannot b● proved by Holy Writ but it is r●pugnant to the plain Words of Scripture ●verthroweth the Nature of a Sacrament and has given occasion to many Superstitions The Body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the Supper only after a Heavenly and Spiritual manner And the Mean whereby the Body of Christ i● received and eaten in the Supper is Faith The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's Ordinance reserved carryed about li●ted up or worshipped Obj. 1. Transubstantiation is f●unded on the very Wo●ds of the Institution Mat. 26. 26. and these must signifie a true c●ange of the Bread and Wine Answ. In the Holy Supper there is not a Substantial but a Sacramental Change Obj. 2. The same thing which was exhibited by Christ to his Disciples to be eaten and drank was given and s●ed for us for the Remissi●n of our Sins But i● was

not so to do it from the Copy and Direction of the Church And it is not unworthy of a Minister to do some things that Children can do viz. to read Prayers or Chapters within Book Obj. 3. No body can execute the Office of an Advocate or a Physician by repeating any prescribed Forms Now a Minister is a Spiritual Advocate and Physician who ought to apply his Doctrine according to the different Circumstances of Time and Persons which is not to be done nor can be done 〈◊〉 the prescribed Words of a Homily composed by other Men are read to the People Answ. If a Physician or an Advocate repeat any thing out of their Books the hearer may procure Health and receive whol●ome Advice for himself or for others So it is in Divine Things likewise Notwithstanding the Ministry of those may be more effectual who know how to apply the Word of God according to the variety of Circumstances Besides those things that are contained in the Homilies for the most part are suited to all times And some things may be so applied to any time that there is almost no body but may easily understand them when they are read So that Readers may be of great use where better instructed Ministers are not to be had ART XXXVI Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers THE Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and ordering of Priests and Deacons lately set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth and confirmed at the same time by Authority of Parliament doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and Ordering Neither hath it any thing that of it self is Superstitious and Ungodly And therefore whosoever are consecrated and ordered according to the Rites of that Book since the the second Year of the asorenamed King Edward unto this time or hereafter shall be consecrated and ordered according to the same Rites we decree all such to be rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered Obj. 1 We do not any where in Scripture read of 〈◊〉 Answ. An Archbishop is no other than the highest of the Bishops who is as a Head set over other Bishops And although we do not meet with this Word in the Scriptures yet it agrees thereunto for the preserving of Order in the Church that 't is prudent and useful to constitute Degrees in the Church of different Dignity and Authority In the Old Testament there was a High Priest and Priests of a second and Inferiour Order In the New there were Apostles Prophets Evangelis●s Pastors and Teachers And it is not contrary to the Word of God that One should be above Another in the Church for Government 's sake Obj. 2. It is an impious thing that the Bishop should say to every one of those that are Ordained Receive the Holy Ghost as if he had the Power of conferring the Holy Ghost which is peculiar to Christ himself and was the miralous Token of his Divine Power But no mortal Man can assume this to himself or ought to imitate it Answ. The Bishop does not mean when he says Receive the Holy Ghost as if he could bestow upon them the inward Gifts of the Holy Ghost in an extraordinary manner but he says it because he confers upon them the external and ordinary Ministry whereof the Holy Ghost is the Author In which Sense also he says Receive thou Authority to preach the Gospel c. Obj. 3. Those first Bishops and Ministers after the Reformation were not rightly ordained because they were not Ordained by such other Bishops who had a continued Succession from preceding Bishops lawfully called and because in the Solemnity of Consecration and Ordination the accustomed Rites and Ceremonies were wanting Answ. Our first Bishops were Ordained by Romish Priests who although they had not amongst them a Purity of Doctrine yet they lost not the Power of Ordination It is agreed that those who are baptized by Hereticks are truly baptized And there is the same Reason for those who are Ordained by them The Pharisees sat in 〈◊〉 's Chair and Judas executed his Apostolick Office And why not since a wholsome and good Effect does not depend upon the Sincerity of him that administers but upon the Authority of the Institution The Ceremonies and Rites were likewise agreeable to the Holy Scriptures as may be easily made to appear from the Records and Writings of our own Countrymen If any one should now say that the R●mish Priests were not lawfully called and therefore Ours could not be rightly Ordained by them we have this to say That their Vo●ion as o●he very Being and Essence of it was Legi●mate because even they were call'd to teach the Truth although the Accidents were Illegitimate Neither could they deprive our Bishops of their Vocation though they did not teach according to the Taste and Reli● of the Church of Rome We ought to obey God rather than Men. There are some too that make answer That a Magistrate and a faithful People may constitute and choose Bishops and Pastors especially in a Case of necessity Moreover a Succession from the Apostles is indeed required but this ought to be rather a Doctrinal than a Personal Succession ART XXXVII Of the Civil Magistrates THE Queen's Majesty hath the chief Power in this Realm of England and other her Dominions unto whom the chief Government of all Estates of this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in all Causes doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any Foreign Jurisdiction Where we attribute to the Queen's Majesty the chief Government By which Titles we understand the Minds of some slanderous Folks to be offended we give Pr●nces to our Princes the Ministring either of God's Word or of the Sacraments The which hing the Injunctions also la●ely set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testifie but that only Prerogative which we see to have been given always to all Godly Princes in Holy Scripture by God himself that is that they should rule all Estates and Degrees committed to their Charge by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and restrain with the Civil Sword the Stubborn and Evil-doers The Bishop of Rome has no Jurisdiction in this Realm of England The Laws of the Realm may punish Christian Men with Death for heinous and grievous Offences It is lawful for Christian Men at the Commandment of the Magistrate to wear Weapons and serve in the Wars Obj. 1. King 〈◊〉 ingenuously conf●ed that the Priests and not he ●ad the chief Power in the Church 2 Chron. 19. 11. A●arian the C●ef Priest is over you in all Matters of the Lord. Answ. In interpreting and administring of Divine Things the High-Priest was chief and principal but as to the Temporal Government he was subject to the King Obj. 2. The Holy Scriptures inform us that the Government of the Church is in the Hands of the Bishops and Priests Act. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Heb. 13. 17. Answ. The Government