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.

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 Man∣kind 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 Cere∣monies and Rites, do not bind Christian Men, nor the Civil Precepts thereof ought of ne∣cessity to be received in any Commonwealth; yet notwithstanding no Christian Man what∣soever is free from the Obedience of the Com∣mandments, 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 Ce∣remonies; 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 suf∣fered; 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, be∣fore 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 In∣fancy, 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 re∣spect 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 pro∣mised 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 Leviti∣cal Service is called an eternal Precept, a per∣petual 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 Ordi∣nance was not quite abolished: But then you'll say, that abstaining from Blood and Fornica∣tion, are both joyned together in the Apostle's Edict, Acts 15. 29. therefore by the same ne∣cessity that Christians are obliged to abstain from Fornication, by the same likewise are they bound as to the eating of Blood; I an∣swer, that the eating of Blood and Fornicati∣on were joyned together by the Apostles, not that they really were, but only were accoun∣ted equal. For by most Heathens, Fornicati∣on was accounted no Sin, and Christians be∣gan 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 ceremo∣nial 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. 'Tis true, no body makes Laws wiser than God; but among the Laws which He has made, some are only proper for the 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 Determi∣nations of the moral one, and the observation of them is likewise injoyned in the New Te∣stament: But these do bind every one to ob∣serve 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 Obser∣vation. A just Man, even for the love of Ju∣stice, 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.