Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	adam_n	infant_n	sin_n	4,766	5	6.2598	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A74986	An antidote against heresy: or a preservative for Protestants against the poyson of Papists, Anabaptists, Arrians, Arminians, &c. and their pestilent errours. Shewing the authors of those errours, their grounds and reasons, the time when and occasion how they did arise; with general answers to their arguments taken out of holy scripture and the ancient fathers. Written to stay the wandering and stablish the weak in these dangerous times of Apostasy. / By Richard Allen, M.A. sometime Fellow of Penbrooke [sic] Colledge in Oxford.	Allen, Richard, b. 1604 or 5.	1648 (1648)	Wing A1045A; Thomason E1168_2; ESTC R208803	57,457	159

him he affected also to be equal unto God in Majesty Gen. 3.5 Ye shall be as Gods 2. Unthankfulness for that variety and plenty of all other creatures freely given for their use 3. Foul Apostasy from God to the devil Gods enemy 4. Unbelief the ground of all the rest in despising the Promise and Commandment of God giving credit to the devil who charged God with untruth malice and envy of their good v. 4.5 And therefore this sin is not to be weighed by an apple or measured by the excess of natural appetite 2. Original sin is so called because it takes beginning from our very beginning birth and conception so that we are sinners so soon as we are or begin to be according to that confession of holy David Psal 51.7 I was shapen in wickednes and in sin hath my mother conceived me This Original or birth-sin is propagated over all mankind and that two ways according to the two parts of it sc the guilt of Adams transgression and the corruption of nature the first is propagated by imputation Rom. 5.19 By one mans disobedience many were made sinners And v. 18. By the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation And v. 15. By the offence of one many be dead For being all in Adams loins we sinned in him even as Levi being in Abrahams loins payed tythes c. Heb. 7.9 The second comes by generation whereon the first by imputation also is grounded For Adam was the common stock root of al mankind and could not derive unto us who are the branches any better sap or quality then he had himself the streams cannot be sweet if the spring be bitter or pure if that be unclean Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean truly no man This Original corruption consists 1. In a disability and aversness to all that is good 2. In a proneness to all manner of evil Rom. 7.14 et seq The parts affected with it are indeed all the parts and powers of body and soul the understanding darkned 1 Cor. 2.14 the conscience benummed Ephes 4.19 the will enthralled Rom. 7.23 affections disordered James 4.1 2. all the members of the body made Instruments of sin Rom. 3.13 14 15. 6.19 And so it is said of Adam though himself were created in the Image of God yet after his fall that he begat a son in his own likeness i. corrupt like himself the Image of God being defaced Gen. 5.3 It is clear then that there is original sin i. an haereditary guilt and corruption that comes to us from our parents by natural generation both by plain testimonies of Scripture and also by experience in Infants For although they have not sinned after the likeness of Adams transgression Rom. 5.14 i. actually yet seeing death which is the punishment of sin hath passed upon infants as well as men it is evident that they are born in sin for where there is no sin there can be no punishment due Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death Ephes 2.1 3. We are dead in sin and by nature children of wrath John 3.3 6. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God For that which is born of the flesh is flesh If we were not corrupted with sin in the first birth there would not be such necessity of a second a man in his natural birth is nothing but flesh and that this natural corruption remains stil in the regenerate and is properly sin see Rom 7.14 et seq Gal. 5.17 CHAP. VI. Of Freewill Truth SInce this lamentable fall of our first parents and by means of the same the nature of man is so wholy corrupted and the whole race of mankind brought into that miserable bondage under sin that no man is able by any natural power in himself to beleeve in God or turn unto him to will or think much less do any thing that is good and acceptable in the sight of God Errours Adversaries to this doctrine were of old certain Philosophers out of whose schools crept the doctrine of Freewill taught first by Pelagius and now followed by the Anabaptists Arminians Socinians Papists c. who say That natural men have a power and freedom of will to choose do those things that God commands and to omit or refuse those things that he forbids for otherwise say they God gave his Law in vain in vain also are all counsels exhortations precepts promises and threatenings rewards and punishments neither can a man be justly punisht for not doing those duties that are impossible for him or he not able to perform That our Freewil was not lost in the fall but only weakened that we are but half dead and have some life and power still left in us to stir up our selves that grace is only an help to weak nature and the like Although by the fal of our first parents Antidote the Image of God was defaced and our nature corrupted yet man remains still a creature reasonable and capable of grace having the same parts and faculties that he had before and in them some reliques of Gods image in the understanding some light and knowledg of God and some notions of good and evil in the will a liberty in natural and civil actions and in all things a freedom from compulsion But there is a fourfold estate or condition of man 1. Of Creation 2. Of Corruption 3. Of Renovation 4. Of Glorification All the question is about the second what power a man in this condition hath to convert himself or to do good and it is resolved according to the Scriptures that man by nature hath no power at all to do good or turn himself to God For 2 Cor. 3.5 We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Eph. 2.1 We are by nature dead in sin as unable to turn our selves unto God as a dead man to raise himself to life Joh. 15.5 Saith our Saviour Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 6.44 No man can come unto me except the Father draw him Joh. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye beleeve c. Mat. 16.17 Flesh and blood cannot reveal Christ unto us c. Concil Arausic cap. 19. If man could not retain without the grace of God what he had received how shall he recover without the same what he hath lost Ambros lib. 1. de vocat gent. Never let a man trust his own strength now it is broken that could not support him when it was sound and fresh about him Bern. de gra lib. arb It were better we had never b●en then to be at the disposing of our own will It is our own will that makes us the devils slaves

of second causes wherewith they have tyed Gods hands as it were and not left him the liberty to change alter or order things at his own will and pleasure 3. Familists hold That all things are ruled and ordered by nature 4. Some place many things in our own power and freewill which they say are not subject to Providence 5. Worldlings ascribe all the good that befalls them to their own wisdom and endeavours 6. Divers imagine that Gods Providence doth not reach unto every small and trifting matter conceiving it not agreeable to his Majesty and greatness even as it is too low and base for a Prince to look into the affairs of his Kitchin Antidote That there is a Divine Providence over-seeing and over-ruling the whole world and all things therein is clear because there is a God infinite in wisdom and power which were not so if any thing came to pass by chance or fortune or could be done without him or beside his will and pleasure The whole Scriptures bear witness unto this truth and in particular Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place Psal 113.6 He abaseth himself to behold things done in heaven and earth Psal 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth c. For Isai 43.13 If he work who shall hinder it 1. First God doth order and dispose all things freely according to his own good will and pleasure without the least compulsion or restraint and it pleaseth God to do many things contrary to the course of nature as when he caused the Sun to stand still at Joshua's command and go back at Hezekiah's request to shew that the order or course of nature is nothing else but a Law or Statute of his own making that he can repeal alter and change when he please and that all second causes are but several links of Divine Providence that depend one upon another and all upon God 2. Secondly Gods Providence extends to all creatures even the most base and vile Psal 104.27 All creatures wait upon him Psal 147.9 The poor Ravens as well as the stately Lions the peasant as well as the Prince Psal 82.1 God stands in the Congregation of Princes Psal 113.6 He takes the simple out of the dust and poor out of the mire Psal 146. He relieveth the oppressed and looseth the prisoner Psal 33.13 The Lord beholds all the children of men and considers all that dwell upon the earth 3. Thirdly To the most casual actions Prov. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is from the Lord and what more casual then lots 4. Fourthly To the most trivial things Mat. 10.29 An hair doth not fall from our heads without his Providence and what more trivial 5. Fifthly Even wicked and sinful actions are subject to Divine Providence so that sin it self is not committed without or beside his will his most wise Providence ordering and turning it beyond the purpose or intent of the sinner to his own glory and good of his people Acts 4.28 His hand and Counsel fore-determined whatsoever was done against Christ So that God was an actor in the business as well as Judas and yet God was just and righteous Judas wicked and sinful because in all one thing which they both did there was not all one cause or end for which they did it August Epist 48. ad Vincent Object But if God have such a hand and stroke in sinful actions then he is the Authour of sin Sol. God forbid God doth not infuse any evil or malice into us but in him we live and move and such as we are such we are moved by him unless he please to alter and change our nature The earth gives sap to all trees but that some bring forth evil fruit the fault is not in the earth but in the evil quality or disposition of the trees God is an actour in ●inful actions and yet is not the Authour of sin for all that God hates sin whereof if he were the Author how then shall he be the Judg How shall he take vengeance Rom. 3.5 6. All things then that are or are done ●n the world are subject to Gods Providence both Angels and men bruit creatures and devils themselves all degrees of men high and low their persons life liberty and estates all their actions both natural and voluntary good and bad nothing so small that is hid from his sight nothing so casual but he directs it nothing so trivial but he takes notice and disposeth of it Great are the works of the Lord insomuch that after a marvellous unspeakable manner that is not done beside his wil that yet is done against his will because it should not be done if he did not suffer it neither doth he suffer it against his will but with his will neither would he being good suffer evil to be done unless being also Almighty he were able to bring good out of evil August Enchirid cap. 100. CHAP. V. Of the fall of man and of Original sin OUR first Parents Adam and Eve Truth were created in a perfect and blessed estate both holy and happy but through their own voluntary disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit contrary to Gods command they fell from the same plunging themselves and all their posterity into the contrary estate of sin and death so that by and ever since that unhappy fall the Image of God is defaced in all mankind every mothers son is conceived in sin and born a child of wrath Some endeavouring to extenuate the sin of Adam and make it less say That it was only the intemperance of the Appetite Pelagius and his followers deny Original sin affirming That Adam sinned only to his own hurt and nothing at al hurt his posterity thereby so that no man shall ever perish in hell for Adams sin That sin is derived from the first man by imitation or example only not by generation or natural discent That Infants derive no sin from their Parents and therefore need not to be baptized in their steps tread the Anabaptists The Papists do not deny Original sin but yet extreamly lessen it and make nothing almost of it and they say that concupiscence or sin remaining after Baptism is not truly sin nor so called because it is properly sin but because it cometh of and enclineth unto sin or is the matter whereof sin is more easily bred so they have decreed it quite against the Scriptures accursing all that dare say the contrary Concil Trid. Sess 5. c. 1. Antidote These are the divels subtilties by covering and hiding the disease to make it incurable but that Adams sin was no small offence being an act of horrid rebellion against God will appear if we do but open and dissect the same and see how many foul sins that one contains within it As 1. Intolerable pride and ambition for not content with the Image of God stampt upon

Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel doth not acknowledg us Eccles 9.5 The dead know not any thing Job 5.1 Call now if there be any that will answer and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn If Paul were a Mediatour then the rest of his fellow Apostles were so too and if there be many Mediatours then S. Paul's saying 1 Tim. 2.5 doth not hold good that there is but one Mediatour c. August lib. 2. Cont. Epist Parmen cap. 8. Christ is Mediatour according to both natures according to his humane he suffered and dyed by the power of his divine he overcame death and rose again without his humane nature he could not suffer without his Divine to give price and value to his sufferings he had not satisfied therefore it is said God purchased his Church with his own blood Acts 20.28 Both natures did work in this Office of Mediatourship each of them doing his own proper work and yet both together producing but one common effect CHAP. IX The Death of Christ. Truth THe Office of Christ as Mediatour consists of three parts whereof his Priesthood is principal and of his Priesthood that oblation he made of himself upon the Cross whereby as the only Sacrifice for sin he pacified the wrath of God and redeeming our souls from eternal death purchased for us the favou● of God and life everlasting Errours Adversaries to this truth are 1. Arrians and Socinians who affirm Th● Christ by his death did not satisfie for our sins 2. Papists who say That Christ by his death indeed satisfied for our sins and for the eternal punishment due unto us for them but for the temporal punishment we must satisfie out selves either in this life or else hereafter in purgatory 3. Arminians affirm That Christ dyed for all men as well those that perish as those that are saved for Cain and Judas as well as Abell and Peter From whence 4. Another riseth That a man whom Christ dyed for may perish The death of Christ being the consummation and total sum as it were Antidote of all his sufferings from his cradle to his grave is therefore commonly taken for the whole satisfaction that he made unto God for our sins To the Adversaries we say First That Christ by his death did satisfie for our sins Isai 53.5 8 10. His soul was made an offering for sin c. Mat. 20.28 A ransom for many 1 Cor. 5.7 A Sacrifice for us Rom. 4.25 He was delivered to death for our sins And 5.10 We were reconciled by his death 1 Pet. 2.24 He bare our sins in his own body on the tree Object But Micah 7.18 God forgives iniquity because he delights in mercy If Christ satisfie for sin how is it mercy Sol. Christs merits and Gods mercy stand and agree together very wel Christ hath satisfied and yet we are freely forgiven because God exacts nothing of us but of Christ It is free to us we payed nothing and though Christ made satisfaction yet still our sins are freely forgiven us because Christ himself for whose sake our sins are forgiven us was freely given us Secondly Christ satisfied not only for eternal but temporal punishment aso For otherwise 1. It could not stand with Christs all-sufficient Sacrifice who trod the wine-press of his Fathers wrath alone and none helped him Isai 63.3 if we must satisfie for some part our selves 2. It cannot stand with Gods mercy who forgives us freely for Christs sake 3. It cannot stand with his Justice when the fault is forgiven in exact any punishment but they confess Christ hath satisfied for the fault fully therefore in Justice there can be no punishment left for us to undergo Thirdly Christ dyed not for all but only for the elect Mat 1.21 He shall save his people John 10.15 I lay down my life for the sheep And 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world c. Fourthly A man that Christ hath dyed for can never perish John 10.15 And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish c. 1 Pet. 1.5 They are kept the Power of God unto salvation and what is able to controll that power Object But Christ is a ransom for all 1 Tim. 2.6 Dyed for every man Heb. 2.9 For the whole world 1 John 2.2 Sol. By world is meant the world of Gods Elect so it is taken John 6.33 and John 17.9 for the reprobate only By all understand all sorts and degrees of men all Countries and Nations not the whole multitude of mankind but the amplitude of grace only August Tract 45. in Joan. He spared not his own Son but delivered him for us all Rom. 8.32 For all whom for the elect as it follows v. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect ●ld Cont. Donat. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself and the son of man came not to judg the world but to save it but the world is not reconciled unto God nor saved unless by world ye understand the Church which is both reconciled and saved Id. Epist. 48. Tom. 2. The whole world lyeth in wickedness i. the tares that grow all the world over And again Christ is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world i. for the wheat that likewise grows all world over CHAP. X. Resurrection of Christ Truth CHRIST did truly rise again from death and took his body flesh and bones and all things appertaining to the perfection of mans nature wherewith he ascended into Heaven and there fitteth at Gods right hand until he return again to judgment at the end of the world Errours David George the Father of the Family affirmed That Christs body was dissolved into ashes and so rose no more as of old Apelles said It was resolved into the four Elements whereof it was at first compounded 2. The Swenkfeldians affirm That it is quite layed aside 3. The Vbiquitaries That it is every where even as his Godhead is every where 4. There be at this day who affirm That it is in the Sun an old heresie of the Manichees and Seleucians who affirmed That Christ in his ascension left his body in the Sun taking their ground for it from Psal 19.5 He set his tabernacle in the Sun as they read It is no great matter to beleeve that Christ dyed this the Jews Heathen Antidote and all wicked men beleeve but the faith of Christians is the Resurrection of Christ August in Psal 120. This one point is the very lock and key of all Christian Religion For 1 Cor. 15.14 If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain our faith is also vain we are still in our sins But Mark 16.6 He is not here he is risen 1 Cor. 15.4 He was seen of Cephas then of the twelve then of five hundred brethren at once Acts 2.31 Neither did his flesh see corruption Mark 16.19 He was received into Heaven and sate at

the right hand of God Acts 3.21 Whom the heavens must receive until the time of restoring all things 1 Cor. 11.25 The Communion is a remembrance of his death till his coming again Object Our Saviour himself says Behold I am with you always even to the end of the world Sol. That is according to his Godhead grace and Spirit for according to his manhood he is altogether absent from us and locally in heaven So our Saviour says again Me ye have not always Mat. 26.11 CHAP. XI Of Predestination Truth SEeing the benefits of Christs death reach not to all but to a certain chosen number now follows the Decree of Gods Predestination chusing some to life eternal and rejecting others leaving them in their sins to be damned for the same Adversaries to this truth are 1. Errours Pelagians both old and new that scoff at this doctrine denying the same as there are at this day that say it is not sutable to God nor agreeable to his nature to pick and choose thus among men to chuse some and refuse others is partial and unjust 2. Libertines abuse this doctrine as of old the Predestinates did to all looseness thinking that now they are predestinated it is no matter how they live because nothing can help or hinder their salvation 3. Socinians and Arminians say That Predestination signifieth nothing else in holy Scripture but Gods decree and purpose to save those that shall beleeve and obey and dam● those that shall not denying the Independency of it 4. Denying the eternity of Predestination affirm That God doth elect none until they do beleeve 5. And deny the certainty and stability of it affirming that it is changeable so that the elect may become reprobates and the reprobates elect 6. The Papists in this point are contrary to themselves affirming both that God hath chosen freely of his meer grace and yet hath not chosen us but upon foresight of our good works Bellarm. l. 2. de Gra. et lib. arb c. 16. But the general opinion among them is That the Kingdom of Heaven is prepared for them that are worthy of it and deserve it by their well doing and that a man doth make himself eligible to life eternal by his good works Antidote There is a Predestination i. an election of some to eternal life and a reprobation of others to eternal destruction Rom. 9.22 23. There are vessels of wrath fitted for destruction vessels of mercy prepared for glory Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life beleeved Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea the wicked for the day of evil Jude 4. Before of old ordained to this condemnation August De civit dei l. 15. c. 1. There are two Cities or Societies of men one predestinated to raign for ever with God the other to suffer eternal punishment with the Divel Secondly Predestination both election and reprobation is eternal Rom. 9.11 Before we are born or have done good or evil Ephes 1.4 Before the foundation of the world 2 Tim. 1.4 Before the world began Thirdly It is free and independent there is no moving cause of election to life in the persons predestinate either foresight of faith or good works but only the will and good pleasure of God And although sin be the cause of damnation being an act of Gods Justice yet of reprobation being an act of his absolute power there is no cause but the good pleasure of God Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Ephes 1.5 We are chosen according to the good plesure of his will Verse 7. According to the riches of his grace Verse 11. After the Councel of his own will 2 Tim. 1.9 Not according to works but according to his own purpose There can be no other cause beside the Wil of God because there is nothing before the Will of God which is it self the cause of all things that are August Faith and obedience are the effect of election and cannot be the cause because they follow after and do not go before it Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained unto eternal life beleeved 1 John 4.19 We love God because he loved us first Rom. 8.29.30 From Gods Purpose proceeds Predestination from Predestination Calling from Calling Justification Faith Obedience c. To say then we are predestinate in respect of our faith or works is not only to invert the words of the Apostle and falsifie his doctrine but even to alter the very course of nature by setting the effect before the cause Rom. 9.12 Before they had done either good or evil it is said Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Was it the foresight of their good or evil works to come that moved God hereunto That the Apostle denies in these words That the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth August lib. de Predest c. 7. Fourthly It is immutable and unchangeable the elect can never perish nor the reprobates be saved 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God remaineth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth who are his Luke 10.20 Their names are written in the book of life John 10.3 He calleth his sheep by name 1 Pet. 1.5 They are kept by the power of God unto salvation They can never fall away and perish for whom he did predestinate them he also called c. Affording them in due time all those means that shall infallibly bring them unto glory If any man making a fair shew of holiness fall away it is no Argument that the elect may fall away but that those which fall away are not elect 1 John 2.19 They went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us they would have continued with us We see it plain now that God hath made a difference between men chusing some and refusing others Latet discretionis ratio non latet ipsa discretio Ambros de Vocat Gent. We see the effect we cannot perceive the cause the thing it self is manifest the reason of it is hidden and secret to us and yet though it be unknown we know it cannot be unjust because it is the good pleasure of his will who is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Doth any man yet complain Hear the Apostle Rom. 9.20 21. O man who art thou that repliest against God! Hath not the Potter power over the clay Do not dispute but fear and admire with the same Apostle Rom. 11. O the depth of the riches of the wisdom of God how unsearchable searchable are his Judgments But we are all by nature one mass of corruption one is chosen another is left God sheweth mercy upon one and not upon another how can any man complain now when all were alike corrupt and culpable and no desert in any Will every man dispose freely of his own and shall not God If any man

There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not as is evident by the confessions and examples of holy men of God Noah Gen. 9.21 Abraham Gen. 20.2 Lot Gen. 19.33 David 2 Sam. 11. Paul Rom. 7. and Peter denyed his Master Christ Mat. 26. The Perfectists themselves have enough in themselves to convince them of their folly as pride envy malice c. being subject to sickness death c. which are the wages of sin and therefore they are not without sin Object Our Saviour exhorts us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5 Sol. There is a pattern proposed unto us to imitate and follow not to match equal or overtake which cannot be As noteth the quality not equality Object 1 John 3. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not Sol. The same Apostle says If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves We sin then i. sins of infirmity and we do not sin i. we do not fall back into the service and dominion of sin finally or totally There is a perfection 1. Of degrees and stands opposed to imperfection 2. Of parts and stands opposed to hypocrisy This latter we may have i. be sincere and upright not the former i. be free from all sin defect or imperfection Many men in Scripture are called righteous just perfect not because they were without all vice but because they had many vertues Hieronym For otherwise Noah was drunk David committed Adultery c. Thirdly The righteousness whereby we are justified is inherent in Christ for us that whereby we are sanctified is inherent in our selves from Christ that is in us only by imputation this also by infusion and real Communication by that we are freed from the guilt by this from the pollution of sin that is done al at once this by degrees 2 Cor. 4.16 The inward man is renewed day by day 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the grace that is in thee 2 Pet. 1.6 Add to your faith vertue c. For if these things be in you c. the Righteousness then of Sanctification is subjectively in us Fourthly Our Sanctification is an evidence of our Justification Rom. 8.1 1 John 3.10 14. Gal. 5.24 2 Cor. 5.17 Lastly God doth see sin in his dearest Saints as in the example of David who also confesseth the same was punisht and prayed for pardon 2 Sam. 12.10 Psalm 51. If God did not see sin in him how did he send Nathan to reprove him for it why did he punish him for it Our Saviour teaches us to pray for pardon of sins Mat. 6.12 The Apostle 1 John 1. to confess our sins And Mat. 28. Peter wept bitterly for his sin We ought to sorrow for sin and renew our souls dayly by repentance CHAP. XV. Of the Moral Law Truth CHrist hath delivered us from the rigour and curse of the Law not from all obedience unto it but that it still remains a rule of life unto us Errours Antinomians or Adversaries to this truth because it is said We are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 And that the Law is not made for the righteous 1 Tim. 1.9 hold That the Moral Law ought to be cast quite out of the Church that we be no more troubled or our Consciences terrified with the preaching thereof but that we be gently exhorted by the preaching of the Grace of Christ That the Law and Christ are two contrary things whereof one cannot abide the other That it is of no use to a Beleever no rule for him to walk or examine his life by Antidote Christ is the end of the Law finis perficiens not interficiens August A consummating not consuming end not destroying but fulfilling the same So our Saviour himself says Mat. 5.17 19. I came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but fulfil Whosoever therefore shall break the least of these Commandments and teach men so c. Rom. 3.31 Do we then make voyd the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing nor uncircumcision but the keeping the Commandments of God We are not under the Law but under Grace not under the Law as a Tyrant but now as a Father being freed from the curse and rigour of it not obedience unto it which we yeeld now not of compulsion or fear but love with all cheerfulness and willingness our hearts being enclined and disposed thereunto by the work of Gods Spirit 1 Joh. 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous and so the Law unto the Regenerate becomes as it were Gospel even a Law of liberty The Use of the Law is two-fold 1. Civil to punish and restrain sin 2. Spiritual to reveal it Luther in Galat. In the first regard it is not given to the righteous because good men are a Law unto themselves Rom. 2.14 The most proper and principal Use of the Law is to reveal sin and so the Law is light not to discover grace and life this is the office of the Gospel but to discover sin and death therein as in a glass we may see our own blindness c. For our natures are so corrupt that we should not know they were corrupt but by the Law Rom. 7.7 The Law then serves to humble us and drive us unto Christ to make us know sin and so know our selves and so renounce our selves and fly unto Christ And so the Law is our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ Gal. 3. And Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that beleeves Rom. 10. because the end of the Law is perfect Righteousness which we cannot attain of our selves but by Christ who hath fulfilled the same for us And when the Law hath brought us unto Christ it goeth no farther the coactive power of it ceaseth but not the directive it is still a guide and rule of life unto us which we follow not to seek Righteousness to our selves but to testify our thankfulness unto God we endeavour to keep the Law not to justify our selves but to glorify God and edify our neighbour by our good example And therefore we are still exhorted to do the works of the Law though we shall not be justified by the same CHAP. XVI Of good works ALthough we are justified freely by the Grace of God through the redemptio● that is in Jesus Christ. Rom. 3. Truth yet we ought still to maintain good works 1. Out of thankfulness unto God for so great a benefit and to glorify his name 2. To assure our selves of the truth of our faith by the fruits thereof 3. To edify win and provoke others also by our good example Adversaries are 1. The Papists Errours who think good works are meritorious and so overvalue them 2 The Libertines that undervalve them and think they are repugnant and contrary unto faith that understand our liberty that