Christianismus primitivus, or, The ancient Christian religion, in its nature, certainty, excellency, and beauty, (internal and external) particularly considered, asserted, and vindicated from the many abuses which have invaded that sacred profession, by humane innovation, or pretended revelation comprehending likewise the general duties of mankind, in their respective relations : and particularly the obedience of all Christians to magistrates, and the necessity of Christian-moderation about things dispensible in matters of religion : with divers cases of conscience discussed and resolved / by Thomas Grantham ...

SECT. I.

IT is supposed by some, that there is scarce any thing a greater obstru∣ction to the conversion of the Jews than this, That they are bound to forsake the Law of Moses, in the Rites and Ceremonies of it, when they become Christians: And not only so, but the same do also question, whe∣ther the Gospel do indeed annul the Law of Ceremonies, with respect to the Jews to whom it was given.

To this we say, Where-ever the Gospel is truly received, the * 1.1 Law, as aforesaid, must needs vanish away. Yea, it is made void de jure, by virtue of the Life, Death, Resurrection, and Glorification of the Son of God. For he came to fulfil the Law, not to destroy it, as a thing not worthy his observation; but to fulfil it, as he fulfilled the Prophecies which went before of him; which from the time of their accomplishment, serve for no farther use, than as the same may be alledged, to shew how they were fulfilled by him. And thus he is the end of the Law for Righteous∣ness to EVERY ONE that believeth, even to the Jew, as well as to the Gentile.

1. This will appear from Rom. 7. 1, to 7. where first the Apostle di∣rects his Speech to such as knew the Law. Secondly, Shews that the Law, which had been given to the Jews, was of the nature of the Law, by

which a Woman is bound to her Husband, so long only as her Husband liveth, during which time she may not be married to another, without being called an Adulteress. * 1.2 But if her Husband be dead, she is free from that Law; so that she is no Adulteress, though she be married to another Man. All which is applyed to the liberty which Men had from the Law by Christ Jesus. Vers. 4. Wherefore my Brethren, ye also are become dead to the Law by the Body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that ye should bring forth Fruit unto God. * 1.3 And vers. 6. But now being delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in newness of Spirit, and not in the old∣ness of the Letter. So that unless a Woman may lawfully have two Hus∣bands at the same time, no converted Jew can observe the Law of Cere∣monies, and worship Christ according to the Gospel at the same time. Now the first being no way lawful, the second cannot be asserted to be lawful, without contradicting the Apostle, or making him to argue unin∣telligibly. For thus (or to this effect) he further reasons; If none can (according to Law) both worship God according to the oldness of the Letter, and in newness of Spirit: then none of you, Brethren (which know the Law) can worship God by keeping the Law of Ceremonies, and in the observation of the Gospel: But none can do the former, there∣fore you cannot do the latter. For, as the death of the Testator gave force or life to his last Will and Testament; even so it remains that all former Testaments, distinct from the last, were made void; among which certainly the Law of Ceremonies at least was included and annulled. Heb. 7. 18, 19. There is verily a disannulling of the Commandment going before, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the Law made no∣thing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did. * 1.4 And again, In that he said, a New Covenant, he hath made the first Old. Now that which de∣cayeth and waxeth Old, is ready to vanish away, Heb. 8. 13. And these things are the more remarkable to the point in hand, because they were written and sent to the Jews for their instruction (purposely) about the abrogation of the Law, and its Sacrifices.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Note, That we have spoken of the Moral Law in the first Part of our first Book. Here therefore we only speak of the Law of Ceremonies.
• * 1.2

  The believing Jew is dead to the Law.
• * 1.3

  The Law is dead to a be∣lieving Jew.
• * 1.4

  The New Co∣venant caus∣eth the Old to vanish.