satisfied it for us for this is testified by keeping the commandements Ioh. 14. 23. If any man love me hee will keepe my commandements What love then in these men that will keepe no commandements Object Our love makes us keep his commandements but what is that to the commandements of the Law Answ. As if Christ did not command the same love and duties in the Morall Law See Matth. 22. 37 38. where Christ enjoyneth the young man all the duties of both tables 1 Ioh. 3. 23. This is his commandement that wee should beleeve and love one another Is this his commandement of any other love than that which is the summe of the second table and what were the commandements of the Apostles but evangelicall commandements commandements of Christ and yet they commanded duties of the Law 1 Thess. 4. 2. Ye know what commandements we gave you by the Lord Iesus What were they Such as concerned fornication v. 3. and oppression fraud v. 6. and were not these the same duties of the Law The 3 error floweth from ignorance of the nature of faith which is so farre from renouncing obedience that it is never severed from obedience and it is not true faith that worketh not by love for what is it to beleeve it is not onely to assent to what the scripture saith but to adhere and cleave unto it and to the Lord in the obedience of it as Henoch by faith walked with God Abraham by faith left his Country abode in the land of Canaan as a stranger offered his son Isaac c. And whence is it that obedience is called a fruit of faith for every act of grace must rise from the roote of that grace as every fruit from his owne roote so as workes of charity are rooted in charity which is a distinct grace from faith yet are they called fruits of faith because the doctrine of faith enjoynes them and the grace of faith inclines the soule unto them and because faith receives the spirit of Christ for sanctification as well as the merit of Christ for justification But why doe they exclaime against us for preaching and embracing a dead faith while they obtrude on their proselites a faith which must not work by love which if they will beleeve S. Iames is a dead faith 2 ERROR That godly life hath nothing to doe with keeping commandements Answ. The Scripture saith that godly life is nothing else but the fulfilling of the commandement and will of God revealed 1 Ioh. 2. 17. He that fulfilleth the commandement abideth for ever which is to be meant of evangelicall fulfilling not legall See chap. 3. arg 5. One thing it is to exercise good workes in way of obedience another to rely on them in way of righteousnesse 2. Our charge is in every thing to prove and try what is the good and acceptable will of God and have we nothing to doe with commandements the rule of tryall certainly we can neither doe any just thing without the rule of justice nor prosecute it justly 3. The life of Christ was most godly yet was said of him Heb. 10. 7. In the volume of the booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will and hereunto must every member be framed that must be in conformimity with the head 4. Not any duty of godly life can be acceptable or comfortable but that which is warranted by a commandement and we must know it so to be there can be no right worship or worshipper but hee that doth the will of God Ioh. 9. 31. If any be a worshipper of God and doth his will him hee heareth So doest thou expresse love shew mercy execute justice or practise any vertue and not by vertue of any commandement he that will not heare the Lord saying What I command thee that doe onely shall heare Who required these things at your hands 3 ERROR That blessednesse is meerly passive and therefore it is in vaine to put men upon actions for that end Answ. It is so to us in respect of merit and price but in respect of fruition it is obtained instrumentally by faith which is an action and is said to be ours yea our owne for the just lives by his owne faith not because we are authours or causes of it but subjects in whom God worketh it and because by it things beleeved become our owne 2. We are meere patients in the causes of blessednesse but in respect of conditions we are not so for as we said of faith wee may also say of good works God enableth to them but man worketh them and walketh in the way of them to blessednes not that our works are causes but conditions without which blessednesse is not attained See Matth. 25. 35. 3. This assertion bewrayeth great ignorance of the proper and present use of sanctification and the duties of it which they conceive as legally urged to helpe the beleever in his title and right to the blessed inheritante purchased in heaven whereas onely Christs righteousnes and merits give right and title unto heaven but yet the grace of sanctification gives us an aptitude and fitnesse unto it for without holinesse none shall see God Heb. 12. 14. and no uncleane thing shall enter into the gates of that City Yea it is proceeding in sanctification to the measure and stature of Christ that fits us to the vision and fruition of the glorious presence of God and for the full possession of that heavenly inheritance 4 ERROR That the justified person is free from all spot of sinne and perfectly righteous for justice requires that a man should be as perfect as by creation before acceptation Answ. 1. Iustice requireth that Gods wrath should be pacified and a righteousnes procured whereby the sinner may be accepted to mercy but not a plenary and personall perfection 2. They shew grosse ignorance in the nature of justification which frees the beleever from the condemnation of sin but not from the inhabitation or molestation for sinne is in the godly after justification 1 Ioh. 1. 8. If wee that is wee that walke in the light and have communion one with another say we have no sinne we deceive our selves 3. Faith it selfe in the justified is sincere but not perfect for as we know things beleeved but in part so we beleeve but in part our eye is not more dimme to see than our hand is weake to receive yea even in the best faith is imperfect and mingled with doubting Mosesâ—aith â—aith quailed at the Rocke Elias in a passion would be dead yea even Abraham himselfe who was strong in faith though he doubted not of infidelity yet he doubted of infirmity Gen. 15. 3. By long delay his faith was sore shaken when he said that Eliezer of Damascus must be his heire Now would I know how that which is it selfe imperfect and not free from spot of sinne can make another altogether spotlesse See more hereof
in the second ground of this opposition CHAP. 5. Containing foure more pernicious and erronious opinions 5 ERROR That no action of the beleever after justification is sinne for unto faith there is no sinne for all sinne past present and to come is taken away by the blood of Christ and no sinne remaineth in the kingdome where faith reigneth and sitteth judge it is out of the Lawes element to judge of this blessed condition Neither can God allow any worke that is defective in the beleever Answ. Here is the ghost of H. N. in this peece of new Gospell which tels us a dream of an absolute reigne of faith where is still remaining sinne True it is that faith deposeth the reigne of sinne that it rule not but so as that it selfe never reigneth in this life without the presence and assault of sin for such as say they have no sinne with their faith deceive themselves 2. It is enough for the state of this life that faith frame the heart to willing and sincere obedience though not to perfect and absolute 3. It argues their grosse ignorance in the Scriptures which affirme that both persons and duties of beleevers though imperfect defective are yet pleasing 1. For their persons God looketh upon them in Christ pronounceth of them that though they be blacke yet they are comely Prov. 12. 22. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that feare him Psal. 147. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in his people Acts 10. 35. In every Nation he that feareth him is accepted of him 2. For their duties though they be imperfect yet they please him because their persons doe Mal. 3. 4. Then shall the offerings of Iudah and Ierusalem be pleasing unto thee Phil. 4. 18. An odour of sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing unto God speaking of the almes and charity of that Church Col. 3. 20. Children obey your parents for this is wel-pleasing to the Lord. And our comfort and happines is that he pleaseth to accept from us that which is sincere though weake and imperfect 6 ERROR That our Preachers teach Popery in persuading good works to further mens owne salvation Answ. Our doctrine and practise herein agreeth with the doctrine of the Scriptures and with the practise of Christ and his Apostles and because the Sectaries cast this imputation upon godly Ministers to weaken their authority among their people it will not be amisse in few words to cleare it and that in these positions 1. Wee teach according to Scripture That every good worke must rise from a good worker for the tree must first be good and men gather not figges of thistles So as a good worke is proper to a justified person and the use of it cannot be to justifie because he is justified already 2. We teach the necessity of the duties of the Law to salvatioÌ„ not as causes or merits of our salvation or justification which were to dethrone Christ and preach Popery but as a way and meanes appointed by God to walke into heaven and so the Apostle preached them necessary Tit 3. 14. Let ours also learne to maintaine good workes for necessary uses and every simple man knoweth that the holding of the way must needes further the journey and conduce to the place intended 3. Wee carefully alwayes distinguish betweene the justice of workes which conduceth nothing to salvation and the presence of workes without which there is no expectation of salvation for without their presence all faith is dead and all religion vaine 4. Wee distinguish in this doctrine the principall efficient cause of righteousnesse and salvation from the instrumentall Is it a good reason that because Christ is the principall efficient and the onely meritorious cause of our salvation that therefore all the instrumentall and adjuvant causes and means of salvation must be cut off and cast away True it is that God alone decreeth our salvation Christ alone meriteth it the spirit alone sealeth it but yet the Gospell revealeth it and that saveth faith apprehendeth it and that saveth the Ministers they preach it and they save namely ministerially 1 Tim 4. 16. Thou shalt save thy selfe and them that heare thee Did the Apostle write popery or derogate froÌ„ Christ in saying that Timothy did save himselfe and others or is it such a peece of popery to say that the use of the meanes doth further the end 5. What will you say of St. Paul who commands us to worke out our salvation with feare and trembling It seemeth he thought that men must doe something toward their owne salvation as that Father did who saith that though God made us without our selves yet hee saveth us not without our selves And Phil 4. 17. when he calleth duties of beneficence and charity a fruit furthering our reckoning that is as a meanes not as a merit I would know how they should further our reckoning and not further our salvation True it is that mercy accepteth that for a furthering of our reckoning which in strict justice would not goe for payment but yet seeing the same mercy takes us into the worke we may perâ—wade also with the Apostle that Christians would be still thus furthering their owne reckoning The same Apostle speaking of the same duties 2 Cor 9. 6. calleth them a sowing and saith He that soweth liberally shall reape liberally Whether doe not these men thinke that sowing is a furtherance to the harvest Surely S. Paul thought so yet minded not to strengthen popery for neither is he that soweth any thing neither he that reapeth any thing but God that giveth the promise and increase The same Apostle speaking of the duties of Christian suffering saith not onely that they turne to the salvation of the Saints Phil 1. 9. but also that our light and momentany afflictions cause unto us an eternall weight of glory do they not then further our salvation and what doth the Apostle Peter say lesse when he saith that by addition and exercise of graces an entrance is ministred abundantly into the kingdome of Christ. And why doth the Apostle excite Christians every day to further themselves in the way of salvation as runners by speed and strength get nearer the goale if we may not urge the doctrine of good workes and Christian duties in pretence of the Lawes abolition which certainly was as much abolished in the Apostles dayes as now 7 ERROR That not as much as any outward worship of God required in the Law is to be performed by true beleevers since the comming of Christ because all the worship of the new Testament is inward and spirituall Ioh 4. 23. The houre commeth c. and to receive the doctrine of the Gospel by faith is to worship the Father Neither hath any other good worke done in obedience to the Morall Law any reward because all is the free gift of God Answ. 1. Here is a bundle of errours
tyed together all for the upholding of atheisticall liberty whereby they would trample under foote all Gods sacred ordinances at once and loose themselves from all care and conscionable use of the meanes of salvation these wild conceits come in as the ill favoured lean kine in Pharaohs dreame that eate up all the fat kine For how wilde and loose a consequent is it that because God will bee worshipped in all places therefore hee must not be worshipped outwardly or because he will be worshipped spiritually therefore hee will not be worshipped externally 2. How madly and confusedly is all worship inward and outward resolved into a fantasticall faith neither required in the Law nor evidenced by workes as the faith of the Gospel nor distinguished from the faith of Divels who by assent receive the doctrine of the Gospell and beleeve it This is mechanicall divinity beseeming a shop for never came it out of the schooles That there is no worship since Christ but inward nor that that inward worship is nothing but faith nor that that faith is nothing but to receive the doctrine of the Gospel 3. As simple is that they say that no workes have reward because all is free gift as if free gift and reward cannot stand together the reward being freely promised by God and God not unjust to forget either his owne promise or our labour of love 4. Are they such strangers in the Scriptures that they have not read neither of recompence nor reward not indeed merited by the worker nor deserved by the worke but reckoned not to the worke but to the worker being in Christ and bestowed of free grace for the faithfulnesse of the promiser not for the desert of the worke or worker In which sense let them runne and reade these places Prov. 19. 17. Blessed is he that hath mercy on the poore the Lord will recompence him that which he hath given Matth 10. 42. A cup of colde water shall not lose his reward Mat 10. 25. Come ye blessed c. for ye gave mee meate Rev 22. 12. Beholde I come shortly and my reward is with me to give to every man according as his worke shall be And Psal 19. In keeping the commandements there is great reward 8 ERROR That God seeth no sinne in the justified for hee seeth no iniquity in Iacob Numb 23. 21. Answ. Vnhappy was his schisme and unworthy was his suffering that wilfully disturbed the peace of the Church and ruined his owne peace only for a strife of words and mistaking a phrase of Scripture which hee would not understand The phrase is a borrowed speach as all may see ascribing eyes unto God and taken from the custome of men who turne away their eyes from that they would not see Gods eye is his knowledge and this knowledge is twofold 1. A simple eye anâ—â—â—owledge wherby he cannot but see all things and actions that ever were or shall be Heb 4. 13. All things are naked to him with whom 〈◊〉 have to doe Ier 23. 24. Can any man hide himselfe in secret places that I should not see him Thus he seeth all the sinnes of all good and bad Psal 69. 5. O Lord thou knowest my foolishnes and my faults are not hid from thee 2. A respective eye or knowledge joyned with purpose and affection and thus what hee cannot but see with the eye of his simple knowledge he sees not with this judiciary eye so he sees not the sins of the elect with the eye of severity hee discernes the sinne but not with purpose of revenge When God is pleased thus to behold sinne hee is said in Scripture not to see it 1. Because he sees it not to punish it 2. not to impute it or lay it to the charge of the sinner 3. when he seeth it to pardon it and to cover it yea and to cure it And this phrase of not seeing sin is the same with those other of casting sinnes behinde his backe Isay 38. 17. and casting them into the bottome of the Micah 7. 10. of putting them away as a mist Isay 44. 22. all improper and metaphoricall speeches but such as deceivers wrappe themselves in to hide and colour their ignorant and witlesse schisme taking that in the simple and literall sense which is to be understood in the metaphoricall and respective and willingly shuffling and confounding those things the distinguishing whereof would helpe them backe into the way of truth and sobriety This is also St. Augustines exposition of the phrase What is it for God to see sinne but to punish sinne But for a man to say that God can no way see the sinnes of beleevers is to open a wide gate to all libertinisme epicurisme atheisme and whatsoever else is an enemy to the feare of God and the awefull regard of his all-seeing eye and the expression was as foolish as the conceit it selfe is novell and false The sinnes of beleevers are covered as close from Gods sight as this salt-celler is now covered with my hat Can you now saith he see this salt-celler no more can God see the covered sinnes of beleevers The man did not consider that God could see under the hat though his disciple could not Somewhat would be said against this ignorant conceit to instruct and stay such ingorants as are teachable and willing to see the truth And therfore thus I reason 1. He that must bring every worke into judgement must see every worke but God will bring every worke into judgement whether it be good or evill therefore hee must see every worke as well those that hee bringeth into the judgement of absolution as those which hee bringeth into the judgement of condemnation 2. What God seeth once by his simple and absolute knowledge he ever seeth by one eternall and simple act which is not capable of change or forgetfulnesse not now seeing and now not seeing he never seeth any new thing but seeth and knoweth all things at once with one and the same sight for the knowledge of God is the essence of God according to that ancient and approved saying Nothing is in God but God 3. What God directeth and ordereth to a certaine end he must needes see and know but hee directeth and ordereth all the sinnes of beleevers though past and pardoned to a certaine end namely to his owne glory to the praise oâ— his mercie and to their humiliation repentance and salvation therfore hee must needes see that which he so wisely and powerfully ordereth 4. One Attribute of God destroyes not another his mercy must not destroy his wisedome he must see the sinnes that hee pardoneth and in which he magnifieth the riches of his mercy and if God knew not all evills of whomsoever his knowledge were imperfect and he should want some good knowledge for the knowledge of evill is good 5. What God makes them see in themselves himself must necessarily see but hee makes the beleever
the best 1. It makes them relish and prize the promises of much the more and sticke faster to them hold in the way unto them 2. The hearing of threatnings kindleth a flame of love to God for delivering from them 3. Incieth our charity and compassion to our brethren to helpe them from under them and provoketh the Saints themselves to worke out their own salvation with feare and trembling Phil 2. 11. 5. Are we lewd Preachers for urging the Law upon men then why were not Christ his Apostles so in pressing on beleevers the obedience of the law Yea to the law more strictly expounded than by the Scribes and Pharises and in urging on them a righteousnes exceeding the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises which was not an imputed righteousnesse of faith for justification before God but a righteousnesse of sanctification in their persons performed through grace by themselves So when our Lord affirmeth that in the kingdome of heaven that is the Church of the new Testament Hee that doth the commandements and teacheth men so to doe shall be called great that is shall be highly esteemed was hee a lewd and false teacher leading men away from himself and the grace of the Gospell or if he were not why are wee so for teaching the same doctrine 6. No man can teach obedience of faith but therein he must teach the obedience of the Law also for the same workes are both the works of the Law and the workes of faith which are distinguished not divided For example Love or charity which containeth all the duties of the second table is called a worke of the Law Luk. 10. 27. What is written in the Law how readest thou and he answered Thou shalt love the Lord thy God c. Thus it is a worke of the Law in respect of canon rule direction But it is called also a fruit or worke of faith Iames 2. 17 18. Shew me thy faith by thy workes and faith worketh by love Thus it is a worke of faith in respect of the cause and adhaesion being an inseperable issue of it How can a man persuade love as a worke of faith and not the same a worke of the Law 7. How false and absurd is it to say that Preachers teaching obedience to the Law of God teach men thereby to hang upon their owne righteousnesse or to seeke their justification by their owne performances Far are we from teaching that Iudaicall righteousnesse performed in way of justification all which is a filthy ragge in the sight of God and his strict justice But we persuade a Christian righteousnesse of sanctification wrought by the spirit of holinesse of which holy obedience are many other uses which they are loath to see besides the justifying of their persons in the sight of God As 1. It is called for in way of Christian conversation that our light may shine before men 2. In way of imitation of Christ our head and of conformity of his members to his righteousnesse which derogateth nothing from his righteousnesse 3. In way of testification of our righteousnesse before God for Hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous 1 Ioh 3. 7. Thus having set downe these twelve Articles of libertine and famelisticall faith I will content my selfe therewith although I could have easily set downe twelve more so fruitfull and generative errour is but that I intended in this onely to give a proofe of their grosse ignorance in principles of religion which was that I undertooke I could easily have refelled that mysticall and spirituall but fantasticall union of theirs with Christ before faith their sanctification before justification their elevating the sin of infidelity which strongly savours also of liberty as that it is no sinne or at least of the morall Law wherein I will not strive though I am sure the Scripture maketh it a sinne of sinnes and Christ calleth it the great condemnation and perhaps they shall holde a more sound tenent that shall holde it both against the Law and Gospell For 1. It may be not unprofitably enquired whether the first commandement doe not binde to all commandements both ordinary and eztraordinary both d◠praesenti and de futuro whether the Law doe not binde us to beleeve all that God shall utter as well as what hee hath uttered 2. Whether the second commandement doth not enjoyne whatsoever is a meanes of salvation and an inward religious worship for then the contrary must needes be sinne 3. Whether it be not a sinne against the second cōmandemēt not to beleeve that branch of the same commandement that God will shew mercy to thousands of them that love him and keepe his commandements And if it be then infidelity is a sin against that Law But I forbeare many things and perhaps some will thinke I might have spared some paines in refuting the former which at the first sight are so distastefull to the judicious as the reciting of them might seeme a sufficient confutation but my desire of helping the weake who are easily overreached drew mee thus farre beyond mine owne purpose and my endeavour was to contract many things into as narrow a roome as I could CHAP. 7. Shewing the second ground of this opposition which is horrible pride especially discovered in their ridiculous conceit of perfection THe undivided companion of ignorance is pride for no man that ever aright knew God or himselfe but the nearer he approached to God with Abraham the more did he humble himselfe in dust and ashes But here is a generation of men swelled up with pride and blowne up with a presumption that they are gotten into the highest forme of perfection they can scorne and disdaine the directions of the Law as being far beyond it for they have attained a full perfection not of justification onely but of sanctificatiō also already they are free not onely from the power of sinne but from the presence also Christ himselfe is not purer or more free from sinne than they are nay being borne of God they cannot sin if they would if they doe acts of sinne in high nature yet where is no Law is no transgression God cannot see them in that glasse Hence they can loose themselves from most ministeries but some teachers of their owne sect and deride the holy labours of godly Preachers who with zeale and piety persuade men to walke according to rules Oh what an height of pride are those private peremptory persons come unto who complaine that their heads have aked to heare some godly and worthy Preachers and have professed that for the gift of two pence they would never more heare sundry such as I know to be of long continuance as shining and burning lights as they may well be in the first ranke of Gods worthies that have beene of best desert in our Church And where is the humility of that teacher that makes his bragge Your teachers understand not
some of the principall objections of the Libertines 1 OBIECT Is this our text Rom 6. 19. Ye are not under the Law but under grace Whence thus they reason To them that are not under the Law but under grace to those the Law doth not belong but it is to them abolished and void But beleevers are not under the Law c. Therefore Answ. 1. There is a twofold being under the Law First a being vnder the curse burden malediction condemnation and coaction of the Law thus no beleever is under it Secondly there is a being under the obedience rule counsell and direction of the Law and thus beleevers are under it much more than before as Christ himselfe also was For they are now by the free spirit of Christ framed to a free and voluntary obedience of it So saith August The Law made us guilty by cōmanding but not assisting but grace assisteth every beleever to be a keeper of the Law 2 This objection will be also fully satisfied by applying the former distinction of the Law Considering it 1. in the matter and substance of it And thus beleevers are still under it both for performance of all holy duties of it and forbearance of all the evills prohibited by it 2. in the manner of obedience and in the consequences and appendices of it and thus are they not vnder the rigor coaction or strict exaction of it and much lesse under the curse malediction or condemnation of it But this objection hath beene before abundantly satisfied in the 2. 3. Chapters And therefore I passe it now more breifly 2 OBIECT Gal. 3. 10. So many as are under the workes of the Law are under the curse Therefore Either the Law is utterly void to Christians or they are still under the curse of it Answ. The Apostle saith not that those to whom the Law appertaineth are under the curse but those that are under the workes of the Law 2. The workes of the Law are twofold Either workes of obedience done in humility by way of duty in testimony of thankfulnesse and of our conformity with Christ. Or 2. workes of the Law done in pride to seeke justification by the Law and the workes of it and so to promise to themselves eternall life by the observation of the law And those onely that are thus under the workes of the Law are under the curse and the meaning of the holy Apostle is no other whose scope in his whole discourse is to beate downe such as sought to set up justification by the workes of the Law and not by faith onely as appeares plainly in the next verse 11. for that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident for the just shall live by faith But though no beleever can in the second respect bee under the workes of the Law for justification but he must be under the curse of it yet it follows not that hee is not under the workes of the Law for obedience and yet not under the curse of it This place is indeed an hammer and hatchet against popery who by seeking iustification by the workes of the Law thrust themselves under the curse of God for if the curse attacheth him that seeketh righteousnesse before God by Moses Law how much more accursed are they that by observation of humane Laws and traditions by humane satisfactions and impositions seeke to demerrit God obtaine without Christ what onely Christ can procure The greater is their sinne and danger who after the knowledge and profession of the truth for some politick and worldly ends runne back into recusancy and popery which is the way of perdition apparently renouncing the blessing of justification by free grace and chuse the curse of the Law which shall runne into their bowells as water of such apostacy may be said as of Iudas it had beene good for them they had never beene borne OBIECT 3. To whom the Law is not given to those it belongs not at all But the Law is not given to the righteous 1 Tim. 1. 9. Therefore it belongs not to beleevers being justified Answ. 1. The scope and intention of the Apostle is not to abolish the Law who in the words immediately going before saith that the Law is good if it be used lawfully which words clearely import and imply that among beleevers there is a good vse of the Law which true use hee shewes in the fifth verse namely to be a guide and direction to the duties of love and charity which is now the effect of faith as the words plainly show for the end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained Note that the Apostle maketh that love which is the end of the commandement a fruite and effect of faith and therefore a beleever is not loosed from the love and obedience of the Law by faith but tyed unto it 2. The sence of the Apostle is not that a righteous man can be under no lawes for Adam in innocencie was a most righteous man and yet was under the Law both in generall under the whole Morall Law and in speciall under the Law concerning the forbidden tree and this Law was given to the most righteous man in the world Innocency and righteousnesse in perfection exempts no creature from the Law of his Creatour But the Apostles meaning is that the Law is not given against a righteous man that frameth his course according to the Law it dealeth not with him as an enemy that assenteth unto it that is delighteth in it in the inner man that is ruled and ordered by it it can pronounce no sentence of damnation against him it neither can justifie him who is already justified by faith nor yet can condemne him And that this is the true meaning of the Apostle appeareth by 2 arguments in the text 1. In the originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implieth an action or plea of God against a man and that the Law is not Gods action or plea against a righteous man to bring him under judgement or subdue him under the sentence of it for Christ hath freed such a one from the curse by his merit and obedience as also by his spirit made him a lover of the Law And this is the same in sence with that of the Apostle Gal 5. 23. Against such namely as expresse those recited fruites of the spirit there is no Law for the Law is so farre from condemning such as it is a witnesse rather of their conformity to it selfe and consequently of their love and obedience unto God and of their similitude with Iesus Christ. 2 Argument in the text is in that the lawlesse and disobedient are said to be wrapped up in the full damnatory power of the Law against all whom it is Gods plea and action yea the bill of inditement to their condemnation 3. Neither is the Law given to the just to
renewed obedience of it in earth and fulfill it perfectly in heaven Whence issueth a cleane contrary conclusion If Christ be the end of the Law wee are therefore faster tyed to the obedience of it than before Very false therefore is that position That the Law is at such an end as it can nore command a man in Christ than a dead man can command his wife or a Master his servant when hee is made free To which traditionary doctrine carried from woman to woman I answer 1. That the Apostle saith indeede Rom 7. 4. that by Christs death wee are dead to the Law namely in regard of the curse and of those rebellious motions excited in us by occasion of it and in regard of the terrour and rigour of it as a woman is from the threats and rigour of a dead husband but the Apostle saith not that the Law is dead either in respect of the direction of it or our obedience to those directions 2. As the Apostle saith we are dead to the Law so he sheweth the end of our freedome from so hard an husband namely that wee might be married to another i. to Christ raised from the dead the effect of which marriage is not a barren life but to bring forth fruit unto God the blessing of the marriage betweene Christ and the faithfull soule is fruitfulnesse before God so as this death of ours to the Law bringeth in a new subjection unto it which is indeed the height of our Christian liberty here and proceedeth from the spirit of freedome 3. His shift is too short to shuffle from the first covenant to the second and as false is it to say that the Law is the rule in one covenant and not in another as if the matter of the first covenant and second were not one and the same the righteousnesse and obedience of both were not one in substance differing in manner of apprehension and application Shall any live by vertue of the second covenant that doth not these things or that brings not the righteousnes of the Law in himselfe or his surety CHAP. 10. Resolving sundry other objections alledged to prove the abolition of the Law OBIECT 6. To whom all the commanding power of the Law under paine of the curse and the enjoyning of good workes for justification as also to whom the condemning power of the Law is abolished and ceased to them the Law is altogether made void and abrogated But to beleevers both such commanding power and condemning power is ceased And therefore c. And thus they further explaine it Suppose a justified man commit adultery or murther or be drunke the Law of God can take no hold of him nor the just God can punish him by the Law being utterly abrogated to such a person Answ. The former proposicion is apparently false for the Law both for maâ—ter and forme stands in force to justified persons and retaineth on them a commanding power and enjoineth on them good works although the manner of commanding in the rigor of it is to them abated for how ordâ—â—â—rily did Christ and his Apostles command the workes of the Law to beleevers and that under strait penalties read Math. 5. and 6. Chap. and telleth his followers that when they have done so farre as they can all the things of the Law they have done what was their duty and that they were bound unto Luke 17. 10. 2. These confused men distinguish not betweene the condemning power of the Law and the Law it selfe yet this distinction cutteth the siâ—ewes of this obiection for can it prove the Law itselfe abolished because the condemning power of it is to some removed by Christ or if certaine uses of the Law bee abolished as in way of righteousnesse life and salvation or in way of terrifying accusing or condemning the iustified by faith must therfore the Law it selfe and all other uses of it be abolished 3. What beleever conceives himselfe under the commanding power of the Law to bee iustified by it or to expect to stand righteous before God by their obedience as these men vainely dreame no they have other ends of their obedience to the commandements of the Law As 1. To testifie their indeavor in obeying the righteous Law and will of God and their conformity to his image in the same 2. Not for the justification of their persons for that is onely by Christs compleat obedience made theirs by faith but for the testification of their iustifying faith according to the direction of the Apostle Iam. 2. 20. Shew me thy faith by thy works 3. Not for the attaining of salvation itâ— Pet. 1. 10. Give all dilligence to make your election sure How may we for if wee doe these things c. 4 Not to merrit any thing but to encourage themselves in the way of obedience by casting eye on the blessed remuneration freely promised and performed to duties of love to God and man begun and perfected by faith in Christ. Heb. 11 26. Moses had respect to the recompence of reward Yea our Lord himselfe for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame Heb. 12. 2. All these are other ends which beleevers propouÌ„d to themselves in their obedience then to be justified by it 4. I answer it is utterly false and wicked that Gods Law taketh no hold of a justified person committing hatefull sinnes as of murder adultery and the like For although Christ have freed him from the curse and vengeance and the eternall damnation of his sinne Rom. 8. 1. Yet may the Law take hold on him for a stinging correction and a sharp punishment according to the scandall of his sin Did not the Law take hold on David when with so many other evills Gods sword was upon his house for ever for his scandalous sins Did not Gods Law lay hold on Moses Aaron then whom none was more faithfull in Gods house when for sinne they lay under sharpe rebukes and chastisement and were barred the land of Canaan Object But these were examples in the old testament before Christs death Answ. And are not beleevers in the new testament subject to the same law and penall statues of correction Were not examples of the old Testament examples to us that wee should not sinne as they sinned How could we sin as they did if we were not under the same Law Or what else but the law taketh hold on beleevers in the new testament when for the unworthy use of the Lords ordinances they are judged of the Lord even for this cause saith the Apostle Object Some say they were hypocrites that were judged Answ. As if they be hypocrites that must not be condemned with the world 5. But of all their assertions thaâ— is aâ— blinde as boâ—de That if God call a beleever to account for the breach of his Law hee may say God hath nothing to doe to call him to account hee may refuse to be
from inhabitation Imperfect faith cannot make perfect Persons of beleevers imperfect yet pleasing to God And duties also Godly Ministers preach not popery in calling for good workes to further mens salvation Non praecedit iustificandum sed sequitur iustificatum Aug. Non necessitate efficientiae sed necessitate praesentiae Via regni non causa regnandi Distinguish betweene the iustice of works and the presence of them Iam 2. 26. Iam 1. 26. The meritorious cause of salvation excludeth not instrumentall Qui fecit te sinc te non salvat te sine te 2 Pet. 1. 11. How God sees no sin in his children 1. Simplex rerum notitia 2. Scientia coniuncta cum Dei voluntate Si Deus texit peccata noluit advertere si noluit advertere noluit animadvertere si noluit animadvertere noâ—luit 〈◊〉 maluit agnoscere maluit ignoscere Quid est enim Deum videre peccata nisi punire peccata In Psal. 32. Hee that must bring every action good and bad into iudgmeÌ„t must see every action Nunquam vartatur Dei aspectus nihil novi unquaÌ„ vidit nulla mutatio 〈◊〉 in Dei scientiam cum ipsa scientia Dei est ipsa Dei essentia in Deo nil nisi Deus Cognitio mali bona est Nihil in nobis 〈…〉 quae est a Deo vel 〈◊〉 quoâ— est a 〈◊〉 vel gratiae qua datur in Christo quin Deo notum est totum adprime cognitum He that recordeth sins past and pardoned many ages before must needes see them Many examples hereof in the new Testament Ira Dei est vel 1. Paterna et castigans quam vibrat in filios 2. Hostilis exterminans in contumaces Heb 12. 8. Christ hath borne all our punishment of malediction but not of correction Beleevers in the new Testament corrected for finne Difference of the iudgement of the godly and wicked wherein Maximuâ— homicida latro et haereticorum hâ—reticâ—ssimus Luther Beleevers must continue their repentance Assidue peccantibus assidua poenitentia est necessaria â—ugust Beleevers must pray for pardon of sin pardoned Modestiae tantum causa non ex humana fragilitatis conscientia Ierom. We must pray for pardon of sinne in the court of our owne consciences as well as in the court of heaven And for a more comfortable measure of assurance And in the full and finall fruits and effects of pardon Holiest of men have neede of threatnings Quanto reatus â—er legem factus â—st gravioâ— tanto immensitas gratâ—â—e facta est illustrior Par The same works are both the workes of the Law of faith how Lex fidei aeque atque lex factoruÌ„ ait ne concupiscas sed quod operum lex minando imperat fidei lex credendo impetrat August Isay 64 6. Wee call for obedience not for iustification but for sundry other ends Vnbeliefe an high sin against the Law and Gospell â— Iohn 3. The Law commands not expresly faith in Christ but implieth it when Christ is revealed Adam was not bound in innocency to beleeve in Christ for as hee was not revealed so Adam needed him not but yet he was bound by the Law to beleeve every word of God whensoever it shold be revealed The Law commands faith as a work done the gospel as it is an instrument apprehending Christ Perk. on Math. page 70. Solo auditu horrorem incutere debent Calvin So Quintinus the Libertine tolde Calvin to his face that he disliked his course because hee understood it not Instruct advers Liber cap 7. Si non vis intelligi non debes legi The windy conceit of perfection refuted Magnum illud electionis vas perfectum abruit profectum fatetur Bern. in Canâ— ser. 49. Cunctorun in carne iustorum imperfectae perfectio est Hieron lib. 1. advers Pelag Three degrees of sanctification and the highest imperfect Why God would not free his servants from all sinne in life as well as in death The lowly speeches of Saints The haughty and lofty speeches of Libertines Tu audes Novatiane mundum te dicere qui etsi operibus mundus esses hoc ipso verbo immundus â—â—eres Ambr de poenit l. 1. c. 6. Pone Acâ—siscalam qua solus coelum ascende Col. 2. 18. 2 Pet 2 19 Many too charitable not seeing the depth and danger of this errour Iam I 26. The confused lump of Libertinisme in 9 poysonfull positions Lex Donatistarum Quod vos lumus sanctum est August The extream danger of Libertines A raiâ—ing Râ—bsakey whose papers I have in my hands revileth our Ministers denounceth them ipso facto to stand accursed by the holy ghost excommunicate by S. Paul for going about to establish and set up the golden calfe of their own sanctification They be his own words The Lord rebuke thee Satan Rom. 1. 7. Rom. 8. 29. The sacred office of Christs Priesthood violated How they come to be blinded against so cleare a light Rom. 6. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Ioh. 4. 14. 1 Pet 2 2. Sitis duplex vel Indigentiae totasâ—s Coposioris fruitionis Our libertie here is not from the rule of the Law but from the rule of sinne Lex reos faciebat â—ubendo et non adiuvando gratia adiu vat ut quisque sit legis factor Beleevers under the workes of the Law for obedience not for iustification The Law is given unto a righteous man but not against him Non dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non est â—ata lex sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non est posita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law not given to the iust man for servile but free obedience Christian liberty frees us not from the obedience of the Law but the disobedience of it Wherein Christian liberty consisteth Law and Prophets how farre abolished Legis â—t ProphetaruÌ„ ordo exinde cessavit peradimpletionem non per destructionem l. 4. cont Marc. c. 33. Finis perficâ—ens snon interfictens Aug. in Ioh tâ—act 5 5. Christ the end of the Law 5 wayes 2 Cor 1. 20 How wee are dead to the Law and the Law not dead to us Legem autem Decalogi nec posse nec debes re dici nobis mortuam quam vis dicantur Legi mortui in quibus non invenit vim peâ—catricem regnanâ—em c. Beza ad defens contra Castel in Rom 7. 6. Et postea Legem nusquam invenio dici mortuam sive de impiis sive de pijs agatur Non est â—ecesse nos ab obedientia Legis liberaâ—â— quin Legis aliquod munus abrogâ—tur Whitak â—â—â—tra Dur. pag 714. 1 Cor 10. 6. 1 Cor. 11. Lâ—xâ—uâ—ere no rit gratia iâ—varâ— Epist 95 ad Innocent Teta Lex est consentanea cum doctrina Evangelij de vi tijs vitandis et virtutibus parsequendis page 443. Errant qui putant Legem repugnare Christo One of this learned sect said Wee are of Luther and was before the Apostles Luther preface to Comment on the Gale Non sunt suâ— lege quoad iustificationem accusationem condemnationem coactionem c. Est igitur sententia vera et forma sanorum verborum esse aliquem legis usum in renatis is triplex est c. De Lege Dei cap 10. circiter fiâ—em cap. 11. De dignitate doctrinae Legis contra Antinomos Sanctissimo suo merito tabulas Legis abscondit non ut Leginullam aâ—pluâ— debeamus obedientiam sed ne maledictione fâ—râ—at â—os qui sint in Christo. Abrogata Lex non quoad obedientiam sed quoad maledictionem Tametsi digito Dei Legem scriptaâ— in cordibus habent bifariam tamen adhuc in Lege proficiunt est enim illis optimum organum c. Vt frequentie ius meditatione excitetur ad obsequium in eo roboretur a delinquendi lubrico retrahatur Facessat longe ex animis nostris profana istaes opinio Sed una est perfecta et inflexibilis vivendi regula De morali adhuc loquor Non quod illis amplius non iubeat quod rectum est sed duÌ„taxat ne sit illis quod antea erat hoc est ne eorum conscient as perterrendo c. Non ad institutionem pertinet sed ad constringendae conscientiae vigorem Vt fidelium conscientiae sese supra Legem erigant totamque Legis iustitiam obliviscuntur Neque hinc recte quis colligat Legem fidelibus supervacaneam esse quos noâ— ideo docere et exhortari c. Manet igitâ—â— per Christum 〈…〉 Legis 〈…〉 quae 〈◊〉 do cendo admâ—neâ—do obâ—urgando coâ—rigendo ad omne opus bâ—num formet ac comparet Absit â—t ego tibi assentiar qui dâ—cis legem ijs esse mortuam quibus maxime vivit id est quos hâ—bet maxime of sequentes Veque enim rex 〈◊〉 Neque enim Evangelio Lex 〈…〉 est praecipit sed c. Vt Lexiam sua vis sit nobis secundum interiorem hominem Magister Per Lutheri latera Apostolo vulnus infligunt Lex pertinet ad Christianos nec id unquam negavit Lutherus nam illa tustitia Legi◠〈…〉 Lib. 8. de paradox p. 703 Cum Chirographum legis abrâ—gatum et deletum sit quoad vim damnatoriam colligimus illud adhuc habere vim diâ—rectoriam non igitur c. Quasi abrogata et quoad â—im iustificandi et quoâ—â— vim condemnandi c. Valet tameÌ„ ac viget quoad vim dirigendi et aliquam etiam vim retinet condemnandi quia peccatum arguit et condemnatâ—m ipsis fidelibus quamvis c. Observatioâ— Legis est neâ—essaria Christiano homini neque a fide seperari potest 1 Sam 2. 12. I have one of your franticke papers that have accursed foure most worthy Preachers by name and all the rest whom you are not at leisure to name that are on their opinion and practise Prov. 28 4 Psal 119 15 Mal. 2. 9 Psal. 119. 89. Psal. 119. 24 Psal 119 105. quoadâ—ustificationem â—ustificationem damnationem coactionem significatinem sed quoad doctrinam obedientiam Par. in locum