In Defense of the Faith

The Two Laws Contrasted By D. M. Canright

In Mr. Canright’s pamphlet on the two laws published in 1886, only three years before the publication of his Seventh-day Adventism Renounced, he clearly sets forth in the following table the distinction between the moral law contained in the Ten Commandments and the ceremonial law pertaining to ordinances and ceremonies of the Old Testament sacrificial system. Concerning this table he makes the following explanatory statement by way of preface: DOF 77.2

“That the reader may appreciate more forcibly the contrast between the two laws, I have drawn up the following table of comparison between what is said of the great moral law of God as summarily contained in the Ten Commandments, but including their various branches, the moral precepts of the Old Testament, as well as of the New, and what is said of the law of types as given through Moses. The moral law we will call Number 1, and the ceremonial law Number 2. DOF 77.3

“Number 1. Existed in Eden before the fall. DOF 78.1

“Number 2. Was given after the fall. DOF 78.2

“No. 1. Was violated in the transgression which caused the fall. Genesis 3:6. DOF 78.3

“No. 2. Was given in consequence of that transgression of No. 1. Galatians 3:19. DOF 78.4

“No. 1. Relates only to moral duties. Exodus 20:1-17, etc. DOF 78.5

“No. 2. Is wholly ceremonial, pointing to the promised Seed. Hebrews 9:10. DOF 78.6

“No. 1. Was spoken by God from heaven. Deuteronomy 4:12. DOF 78.7

“No. 2. Spoken by Moses. Deuteronomy 14:1-6. DOF 78.8

“No. 1. Was written by God. Exodus 31:18. DOF 78.9

“No. 2. Was written by Moses. Deuteronomy 31:9. DOF 78.10

“No. 1. Was engraved upon stone. Deuteronomy 4:13. DOF 78.11

“No. 2. Was written in a book. Deuteronomy 31:24. DOF 78.12

“No. 1. Christ said, ‘Whosoever, therefore, who sha11 break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall he called the least in the kingdom of heaven.’ Matthew 5:19. DOF 78.13

“No. 2. The apostles said, ‘We gave no such commandment that you should keep the law.’ Acts 15:24.... DOF 78.14

“No. 1. Contains the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13. DOF 78.15

“No. 2. ‘Stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances.’ Hebrews 9:10.... DOF 78.16

“No. 1. Was ‘the royal law.’ James 2:8. DOF 78.17

“No. 2. Was the law of Moses. Acts 15:5.... DOF 78.18

“This list might be greatly extended, but the above points of contrast are sufficient to show that all inspired writers have recognized and noted the distinction between the two laws, the moral and ceremonial.’—Ibid., pp. 97-101. DOF 78.19