Ellis on Article XXXV: Of the Homilies
John Ellis, 1700
Commentaries on Article XXXV: 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 35: text, context and Study
Article XXXV. Of the Homilies
The second Book of Homilies, the several titles whereof we have joined under this Article, doth contain a godly and wholesome Doctrine, and necessary for these times, as doth the former Book of Homilies, which were set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth; and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the Ministers, diligently and distinctly, that they may be understanded of the people.
Of the Names of the Homilies
1.Of the right Use of the Church. 2.Against peril of Idolatry. 3.Of repairing and keeping clean of Churches. 4.Of good Works: first of Fasting. 5.Against Gluttony and Drunkenness. 6.Against Excess of Apparel. 7.Of Prayer. 8.Of the Place and Time of Prayer. 9.That Common Prayers and Sacraments ought to be ministered in a known tongue. 10.Of the reverend estimation of God's Word. 11.Of Alms-doing. 12.Of the Nativity of Christ. 13.Of the Passion of Christ. 14.Of the Resurrection of Christ. 15.Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. 16.Of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost. 17.For the Rogation-days. 18.Of the State of Matrimony. 19.Of Repentance. 20.Against Idleness. 21.Against Rebellion.
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. I his Article was intended chiefly for the Beginning of the Reformation, when there was a much greater want of Mcn, that were fic for the Ministry : And then, if even of thele
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Thirty Nine articles. 79
Times we would suppose it ro speak. there are very many Churches ( for. want of sufficient Encouragement, or other Reasons) which are deftirute of a Learned Preacher, and which indeed is to be lamented : And besides; such is the carclesness of some in their Preachings, that it would be more profitable ro hear a Ho- mily, than their Sermons.
Obj. 2. It seems to be an Office unworthy of a Minister of the Gespel to repeat Word for Word, Exhortations from the Copy of another, for a Child can do that.
Answ. Tr would be unworthy of a Minister of the Gospel to do this from the Copy of any private Man; bur ir is not so ro do it from the | Copy and Direction of rhe Church : And ir is not unworthy of a Minister to do some things- thar Children can do; viz. ro read Prayers or Chapters within Book.
Obj. 3. No body can execute the Office of an Advocate, or a Physician, by repeating any pre- seribed Forms : Now a Minister is & Spiritual Advocate and Physician, who ought to appiy his Dottrine, , according. to the different Circum- stances, of Tims and Persons, wich is not to be dome, nor can be done, woilst the prescribed Words of a Homily, composed by other Men, are read to the People.
Answ. If a Physician or an Advocate repear - any thing our of their Books, che hearer may procure Health, and receive wholiome Advice tor himlielf or for orhers : So ir is in Divine Things likewise : Notwithstanding the Mini= stry of those may be more effectual, who know how ro apply the Word of God accor- . ding to the variety of Circumstances: Besides, E 4 those
80 A Defence of the those things that are conrained in the Homi. lies, for the most’part are suited ro all times!
And some things may be so applied to any | ’
time, that there is almost no body bur may easily understand them when they are read, So that Readers may be of great use, whete better instructed Ministers are nor to be had,
ART. XXXVI. Of Censecration of Bi-
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