life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only mediator between God and man, being both God and tion of mankind by Jesus Christ. The Old Testament gives us the law, and promises salvation to such as obey it; but since such is the infirmity of human nature, that no man can pay an exact obedience to the law, it follows, that by the law no man is saved. And therefore the Old Testament points out to us Christ, as the only author of our salvation, through the shadowing of ceremonies, and types, and prophecies; whereas the New Testament shews him to us clearly and plainly. Gen. iii. 15." I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." And, Gen. xii. 33. “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." Dan. xii. 2, 3. "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever." Rom. iii. 21. "Now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets." And, Rom. xvi. 25, 26. "The revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations, for the obedience of faith." And, Gal. iii. 24. "The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." d Namely, with respect to intercession, as well as redemption. 1 John ii. 1. "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 1 Tim. ii. 5. "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." • That the patriarchs looked for spiritual and eternal things, appears from Heb. xi. 13, 14, 15, 16. "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the Earth. For they man; wherefore they are not to be heard, which feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the law given from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the civil precepts thereof, ought of necessity to be received into any commonwealth: yet, notthat say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly if they had been mindful of that country, from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city." Ver. 35. "Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection." THE CEREMONIAL LAW NOT BINDING ON CHRISTIANS. That the ceremonies of the Mosaical law were to be abolished, God himself foretels in Jer. xxxi. 31, 32. "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt." Gal. iii. 24, 25. "The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith, but after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." Gal. v. 1. "Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Col. ii. 16, 17. "Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days; which are a shadow of things to come: but the body is of Christ." Acts xv. Heb. vii. 12. 28. “The priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law, (the ceremonial law.) The law maketh men high-priests, which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore." Rom. xiii. 1. "Let every soul be subject unto the higher withstanding, no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral.g powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." 1 Peter ii. 13, 14. "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well." MORAL LAW ESTABLISHED, AND MADE BINDING ON CHRISTIANS. The precepts of the moral law are so excellently adapted to human nature, that if they should be made void, the condition of mankind would be extremely miserable. And therefore Christ himself hath ratified them anew. Matt. v. 18, 19, 20, "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." James ii. 8, 9, 10, 11." If ye fulfil the royal law, according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well. But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." Rom. iii 31. "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law," (the moral law.) 1 Cor. vii. 19. "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God." ARTICLE VIII. Of the Three Creeds.a The three Creeds, Nicene Creed, Athanasius's Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles' Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed, for they may be proved by most certain warrants of holy Scripture. a In Latin the Creeds are called symbola, which also signify watch-words, or signals in war. And thus, as by those signals or watch-words the soldiers of one side are distinguished from those of the other; so by these creeds the orthodox or sound Christians of the Catholic or universal church are distinguished from infidels and heretics. b So called, because the greatest part of it was composed by the fathers who were assembled at the council of Nice. The part of it which relates to the divinity of the Holy Ghost, was added by the council of Constantinople, except these words, "and the Son ;" which were added by the western church. In the Nicene Creed the equality of the three persons is established against the doctrine of the Arians, who make Christ an inferior God, and thought the Holy Ghost a creature of the Father and the Son. Not because it was written by Athanasius, but because it is very agreeable to his sentiments, who was the most celebrated champion for the orthodox faith. d It does not appear that it was written by the apostles themselves, but it contains the substance of apostolical doctrine. These creeds being expressly adopted by the church of England, as many as subscribe to this book of articles, and yet do not believe that these creeds are agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, are guilty of abominable dissembling both to God and man. Jude, ver. 3. "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write to you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you, that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints." D And in Jesus Christ his only Matt. i. 21. 2 John i. 41. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Mark xv. 15. and 43-46. was crucified, dead, and buried, He descended into hell; the third3 day he rose again from the dead,2 Acts ii. 25.-31. Luke xxiv. 5-7. 3John ii. 17. 4Jonas i. 17. Matt. xii. 40. NICENE CREED. I believe in one2 God the Father3 And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Who for us men, and for our salva- And the third3 day he rose again |