Ellis on Article XXV: Of the Sacraments
John Ellis, 1700
Commentaries on Article XXV: Rogers (1607)Ellis (1660)Burnet (1699)Beveridge (d. 1708)Welchman (1713)Practical Exposition (1716)Veneer (1725)Madan (1772)Hey (1796)Tomline (1799)Wilson (1821)Jones (1849)Trollope (1850)Browne (1850)Forbes (1867)Boultbee (1871)Maclear & Williams (1895)Green (1896)Gibson (1896)Jackson (1900)Bicknell (1919) · Article 25: text, context and Study
Article XXV. Of the Sacraments
Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace, and God's good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our Faith in him.
There are two Sacraments ordained 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 Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles, partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures; but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism, 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 wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint Paul saith.
Text: Book of Common Prayer (1662)
Cleaned OCR; [...] marks passages cut for illegibility. See the scan. Text: A Defense of the Thirty Nine Articles of the Church of England, written in Latin by J. Ellis, S.T.D. (Articulorum XXXIX Ecclesiae Anglicanae Defensio, first published 1660), now done into English (London, 1700). Cleaned OCR from the Internet Archive scan of the Early English Books copy; passages too garbled to recover are marked [...]. Public domain.
Answ. Although we do nor find the Word LSacrament} 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 trhele Two Sacraments ; neither in the Sacred Wrij- tings ( the Word {S4crament] being strictly ra- ken). can we find any more. Some have thought that rhele Two were fignitied by the Warer and Blood which came our of Christ’s Side, Fohy, 19. |
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Answ. That Confirmation { there {poken of) by Impdfition of Hands, was extraordinary and peculiar to the Apostles.
Obj. 4. The Fud:cial $‘gn of Repentance, is, Abtolution, John 20. 23.
Answ. There is np outward Sign there pre- scribed, nor so much as the Matter or Form of a Sacrament, becauie there 1s nothing that is distinct from the Word spoken. Christ him- {elf made use of no other ourward Sign besides Breathing on them,
ODj. 5. The Ceremony of Extreme Union is
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Thirty Nine Articles. F9 to be met with Jam. 5. 14. Pegether with 4 Promise annext to it.
Arsn. The Command concerning Extreme Unction, took place only, whilst there was miraculous Gifts in the Church ; and relate on- ly ro the miraculous curing of sick People.
bj. 6. The outward Sign of Orders, is Im- position of Hands, 1 Tim. 4. 14.
Answ, Tmpofirion of Hands is nor css:ntial to Holy Orders, becaule it was nor always practised. Matrhiazs was chosen into the Place of Judis Without it, Atts 1, The Apostles were cholen and con.ecrated withour ir, Mat. 10. Mark 3. And it is strange that rhe Ro- manists should make Impotition of Hands a Sa- craimental Rire, as well in Orders as Confii- mation ; Whereas we no Where find 11 Scrte
ture, that one ard the {aine S.gn should be in ok difterent Sacraments.
Obj. 7. Concerning Mitrimony wo ave told, Eph. 5. 32. Trat it is a Mystery or Sacrament.
Ansv. The Apostle does nor mean char Ma- trimony is properly a Sacrament, bur only a: , Mystery ; wherect there ave many that are nor Sacraments.
ART. XXVI. Of the Unworthiness of
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