Ellis on Article VII: Of the Old Testament

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 « present ; from whence may be inferred, an Opposition between - tbe Two Testament<s.

Ansv.There may be inferred somesdifference berween the’ Old and the New Testament, in respect to the manner of Administration, to the clearness and circumstances of Things ; bur no centratiery 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 effeCctually offered thro’ Christ, that was ro come. |

Obj. 3. The Mystery of the Incarnation was unknown to the Sons of Men, Eph. 3. 5.

’ nsw. It was unknown ro the Gentiles, be- fore their Conversion : Or, This Mystery was unknown ro the Fathers, z.e. Ir was nor so plainly and diftindtly known as now it 1s ; as you bave it in that FTexr.

Obj. 4. The ancient Church war in its In-

Fancy, and its Knowledge was accordingly, Gal.

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Thirty Nine Articles. 21 4. 3, So in bodily things, it could not discern Spiritual ones,

Answ. The ancient Church is called childith, not because it knew nothing of Christ, bur because its Knowledge was very weak in re- spect of the Church of rhe New Testament, which saw those things broughr’td 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 kepr the Law : Burt the ancient Covenant, thar was freely made with the Patriarchs, has the same Promises with the New Testament, .in which Life is promised.by Faith.

Obj. 6. Circumci/ion x5 called an everlasting Covenant, Gen. 17. 13. The Passover s called an everlasting Worship ; and the whole Levits- cal Service u« called an eternal Precepr, a per- petual Ordinance, and therefore st does bind all Christians, Exod. 12. 14. | |

Answ. The Levitical Ordinances are-called everlasting, 7.e. so long as the Old Law should last ; to that such a duration is spoken of, as the nature of the thing will bear. And the Word;[0/am} in the Original signifies an Age or long time, bur does nor always denore an absolute Eternity. | |

Obj. 7. The Law of not cating Blood, does: bind Christians, Acts 15. 29.

Answ, The eating of Blood was forbidden ro the Gentiles; not for ever, bur for a time, to avoid giving Offence to the weak Fews, - who

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22 A Defence of the |

who were not yer fully confirmed in the Faith :

of Christ, and did Rtill believe, thar this Ordi- | nance was not quite abolithed : Bur then you’ll |

say, that abstaining from Blood and Fornica- |

tion, are borh joyned rogether in rhe Apostle’s Edict, As 15. 29. therefore by the same ne- cefliry that Ohristians are obliged ro abstain from Fornication, by the same likewise are they bound as to the eating of Blood ; I an- {wer, thar the eating of Blood and Fornicati- on were joyned together by the Apostles, not that they really were, but only were accoun- red equal. For by most Heathens, Fornicati- on was accounted no Sin, and Christians be- gan ro be wondred at by the Genzz/es, that they were so much in love with Chattity : Neither is it any new thing in the Law of

Moses, to have moral, judicial, and ceremo- *

nial Precepts mix’d rogether.

‘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 Jewith Commonwealth, and these do not bind Christians ; bur there are others which have the nature of common Justice, and a natural Law, and are the Explications and Derermi- nations of the moral one, and the observarion of them is likewise injoyned in the New Te- stamenr : Bur these do bind every one to ob- serve them. |

Obj. 9. The moral Law i not made for a Righteous Man, 1 Tum, 1. 9. Answ.

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Thirty Nine Articles. 23

Ansv. The Law as to its Punishments (whereof it threatens a great many) 1s not made for a Righteous Man to Condemnation, alcho* it be made (as to its Rules) for Obser- vation. . A just Man, even for the love of Ju- stice, conforins himself ro that Law, and then the threatnings of the Law (ignifie nothing to him. Consequently then, this can be nothing ro wilful Libertines, thar-the Just are not bound by any Christian Laws.

ART. VIII. Of the Three Creeds.