Trollope on Article VII: Of the Old Testament

This Article was directed a^inst the Antinomian doc- trine, which denied the obligation of the Moral Law upon Christians, and maintained that the Gospel terms of salva- tion by faith were essentially at variance with leg^ obe- dieneet.

2. When did the Antinomian controversy arise ; who set the principle on foot ; and what is the con- trary opinion of the Church of England ?

It was not till the middle of the 17th century that the Antinomian controversy arose ; but the principle of Antino- mianism originated with John Ag^icoht) a disciple of Luther,

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who perverted the reformer’s teaching, to the effect that the Law is not to be received as a rule of Ufe, and that good works have no influence in the furtherance of man’s salva- tion. In opposition to these notions, the Church of England asserts, that, although written at different times, by difler- ent persons, and at different places, the Old and New Testament deliver but one and the same doctrine, and that salvation by Christ is the sum and substance of them both.

3. Whence does it appear that the Old Testa- ment is not contrary to the New, and that the main object of both is the same 1

So far is the Old Testament from being contrary to the New, that the authority of the former is acknowledf^ed in the latter, and the one great end and aim of both is the salvation of mankind, by the death and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The redemption, announced and typified in the one, is fulfilled and realized in the other.

4. In what manner is the scheme of redemption proposed in the Old Testament ; and on what terms is its authority acknowledged by our Lord ?

In the Old Testament a Law is proposed, which offers salvation as the reward of obedience ; but as the weakness of man’s fidlen nature is incapable of rendering the obedi- ence which it requires, God, in his mercy, pointed out Christ as the only means of justification, to those who looked forward by faith to his all-sufiicient atonement, as shadowed forth m the sacrifices, ceremonies, types, and

froj^eoies of the Patriarchal and Jewish dispensations, mmediately after the Fall, God declared to our first parents, that * the seed of the woman should bruise the ser- *pent’s head’ (Gen. iii. 16.); ‘the Scriptures, foreseeing ‘that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached ’ before the Gospel unto AbriJiam, saying, In thee shall aU ’ the nations of the earth be blessed’ (jGral. iii. 8.) ; and our Lord thus exhorts the Jews, ’ Search the Scriptures ; for in ’ them ye think ye have eternal life ; and they are they * which testify or me. Had ye believed Moses, ye would ’ have believed me, for he wrote of me’ (John v. 89. 46.).

6. How did the Old Covenant serve as an intro- duction to the Go8|iel ?

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• The Lav was a shadow of good things to oome ’ (Heb. z. 1.)) and acted as ’ a schoolmaster to bring us nnto Christ’ (Gal. iii. 24.), who is the Mediator of the New Covenant. For ’ there is but one God, and one Mediator between God ’ and man, the man Christ Jesus’ (1 Tim. ii. 5.), in whom also * dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead’ (Col. ii. 9.).

6. Shew that good men under the Patriarchal and Jewish Dispensations did not rely on transitory promises ?

Although the Jews were not favoured with such plain and direct assurances of eternal life as those which ac- company the glad tidings of the Gospel, it is yet abundantly clear from many pass^es in the Old Testament, that the old Fathers did look wt something more than transitory promises. * Though worms destroy this body,’ exclaimed Job (xix. 25.), *yet in my ffesh shall I see God.’ The translations of Enoch and Elijah must have led to the ex- pectation of a future resurrection; and Daniel (xii. 2.) explicitly declares that ’ many of them that sleep in the ’ dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and ’ some to shame and everlasting contempt.’^ It is enough to refer to the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in proof of the hope entertained by God’s true servants on this point, though it shone only ’ as-a light in a dark place ’ (2 Pet. i. 19.), till ‘life and immortality’ were most fully revealed in the GhMspel.

7» By what reasons does it appear that the cere- monial and political Law of the Jews is necessarily abolished ?

The ritual and political Laws of Moses would not only be uselessly burdensome to a Christian oommunit}r. but their adoption is, in many instances, rendered impossible, by the destruction of the Jewish temple and polity. They were, in fact, designed for a peculiar people, whereas Christiani^ is intended for all mankind ; and the fi*eedom of Christians from the distinction of meats and drinks, and other ceremo- nial observances of the Levitieal Law, is not only sanctioned by the Council of Jerusalem (Acts xv.), and asserted by the Apostle (Col. ii. 16.,) but was expressly foretold by the pro-

Snet Jeremiah (xxxi. 31, 32.). Compare also Gal. iii. 24, 5. V. 1 . Heb. vii. 12. 28. With respect to the civil pre- cepts of the Mosaic Law, St. Paul would scarcely nave

’ appealed to Caesar’s judgment-seat’ (Acts xxv. 10.)» if he’ bad deemed it necessary to stand by the decision of a Jewish tribunal.

8. Is there any force in the objection of the Jews that their Law was to be established for ever ?

No valid objection can be urged against the abrogation of the ritual haw, ^m the fact tnat some of its statutes are said to be estahluikedfor ever ; for this expression is merely applied to certain ordinances which were to be constantlv observed by the Israelites, as distinguished &om those whicn were only to remain in force during their sojourn in the

wilderness.

9. Explain the import of our Saviour’s declara- tion that not one jot or tittle should pass from the Law till all wasfrUfilled,

The Law, so far as it was a shadow of good things to come, was frUfiUed when it had answered l£e purpose for which it was designed : and thus * no tittle passed from the ’ Law, till all was fulfilled’ fMatt. v. 18.). The moral Law, however, will never be fulfilled till the end of time, being from its Yery nature binding upon all mankind in all ages ; not because it is a part of the Mosaic Economy, but because it is based upon the immutable principles of right and wrong. See Kom. iii. 31. 1 Cor. vii. 19. James iL 8. sqq.

10. Adduce passages from the early Christian writers, which maintain the perfect coincidence of design in the Old and New Testaments.

With respect to the affreement between the Old and New Testaments, the writer of the Qttastiones ad Orthodoscos, at- tributed to Justin Martyr, observes (Queest. 106.), that the Apostles have taught us as they learnt themselves, first, the precepts qf the Imw, and then the Gospel : for wnat is the Law but the Gospel foretold ; and what the Gospel, but the Law fulfilled ? And Justin himself says (Apol. I. c. 31.), that t» the books qf the Praohets wejynd Jesus Christ fore- tpld as bom qf a Virgin, nedling diseases, crucyied, dead, rising again, and amending into heaven. So Ignatius ad Phil. c. 5. The prophets preaehed the Gospel, hoping in Christ, and waiting for him. Origen. Philocal. c. 6, All

Scripture is a perfect and fveH-iuned irutrument qf Qod, which gives forth, to those who are desirous to attend one harmonious and salutary voice, though composed qf djfferefit sounds. Augustin. c. Faust. Manich. xv. 2. The Old Tes- tament is a prophecy qfthe New Testament, so that the holy Patriarchs ana Prophets had the hope qf eternal salvation therein. Of the abronttion of the Ceremonial Law, Ireneeus declares (Hser. iv. 8!, that the Law began in the time (f Moses, and ended with John, when Christ came to fulfil it. Orlgen. c. Gels. vii. 26. The same Providence which here- tqfore gave the Law, and now the Gomel, not being willing to retain the rites and ceremonies qf the Jems, aestroyea their city and Temple, See also lapat. ad Magn. c. 10. Just. M. Dial. Tryph. c. 11. And of the eternal obligation of the moral Law Irenseus affirms (Hser. iv. 13.), that all these things contain no contradiction or dissolution qf the antient moral Laws, but their Julfilment and extension : as Christ himself says. Unless your righteousness, 4. (Matt. V. 20.).