The three Questions OF Free Iustification Christian Liberty The use of the Law Explicated in a briefe Comment on St. PAVL to the Galatians from the 16. ver of the second Chapter to the 26. of the third By SAM TORSHELL Pastor of Bunbury in Cheshire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil hom 29. adv Ca um S. Trin. LONDON Printed by I.B. for H. Overton and are to be sold at his shop in Popes-head-Alley at the entring into Lumbardstreet 1632. The right Worshipful the MASTER the WARDENS and the rest of the Company of HABERDASHERS in London T Is not custome but a right that challenges the Dedication They are Sermons which were preached in that Interim while I was yours though at London and to that people whom I still equally both love and honour and who at that time owned my Preac ings yet after your choyce had separated mee from them to a remoter Countrey and greater task Their desire first cald it to the Presse but 't is a trodden Complement to pleade Importunity nor doe I love it but must freely confesse That it is not onely by enforcement that I am abroad Every one that vouchsafes to bestow his eye so meanely may reade and with welcome Nor would I beg acceptance from Censure let men verdict as they please It were Pride and Selfe-seeking to crouch unto opinion My intendments are but to doe service to my great Master and them that are his The Humble and therefore from him onely are my expectations If God might have honour and Gods people benefit harshest Censure shold not discourage mee from publishing this or more I affect not their Nicenesse that will bee their owne Closets and Cabinet up their owne labours If wee have but one Talent it must bee put unto the Banke God endures not the Napkin Let God the Church have our Studies if we be conscionable wee cannot lose by our sweat The Subiect of this discourse cannot be unusefull the frame is but rude I intended not ornament much ornament becomes not a Sermon That Trumpet of the Gospell the learned Paul determins to know nothing among his Corinths save Iesus Christ and him crucified But what ere it is I have made it you-s as a testimony of those respects I beare you and how iustly I owe them upon Bonds not few nor ordinary The Lord adde unto what he hath bestowed upon you and make you answerable to your wonted goodnesse It is the prayer of Your servant in the businesse of God SAM TORSHEL Bunbary 1631. OF JVSTIFICATION BY FAITH THE Questions of Free Iustification of our Christian Liberty and of the use of the Law are agitated of late not without much heat while one side carefull the other side fearful of good works doe both strive for Christ and mistake each others grounds They are untoward names wherewith Christians brand one the other while one is called a Legalist another pointed at for an Antinomist and this man repayes the former with the hateful name of Iusticiary peevish expressions of weake minds Can we not dispute unlesse we contend It were a presumption to endevour a reconcilement unfit for my few years and not much fit for this place I shall onely say so much as may best suit for popular Sermons for an audieÌ„ce not nicely curious If we begin an analyse at this chapter there are two parts Gal. 2. I. The continuation of the Apostles narration where hee relates two passed Acts 1. That at Ierusalem with the Apostles from the first to the eleventh verse 2. That at Antioch with Peter In which 1. The sum of the whole businesse vers 11. 2. The particulars of the severall passages they these 1. What Peter did v. 12. 2. The consequent of that error vers 13. 3. Pauls following reprehension In which wee have 1. The manner of it by way of an interrogation to presse it therby more closely 2. The matter of it That is double 1. Hee prooves the Hypothesis that those present Gentiles ought not in that to have Iudaized which he proves from Peters owne contrary fact vers 14. 2. He proves the Thesis That the Gentiles ought not at all to seeke righteousnesse from the law This 1. Hee proves from the common fact of all the Apostles vers 15. Wee who are Iewes by nature c. If any might looke for righteousnesse from the law then we might by the best reason doe it having privilege above all other people for we are borne Iewes born to the righteousnesse of the Law wee have the Fathers the Covenant the Promises and are not sinners of the Gentiles alieni faederis strangers from the Covenant as they are yet we know that a man cannot be justified by the Law 2. He confirms it from the general doctrine of Iustification vers 16. II. The second part is the Returne of the Apostles speech to the Galatians wherein 1. Hee layes downe the doctrine of free Iustification the maine Argument o his Epistle vers 16. For this verse is both the close of the former and beginning of this part by an artfull and almost unperceiued transition passing from one to the other 2. He proves it by severall arguments which take up the rest of this Chapter and eighteene verses of the next 3. He makes use of it by deduction of some consequents from the 19. verse of the third Chapter and so following I shall goe on in an easie method and follow Paul in his therfore I lay downe for the ground of my following discourse this generall Doctrine That a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the Faith of Iesus Christ This truth I shall first explicate secondly confirme thirdly apply which being done we shall somewhat comprehend those controverted tenents The explication is in this 16. verse Knowing that is 1 Explicat Wee doe know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that we may take the explication more full we will observe those particulars which the verse affords us they are these 1. What Iustification is 2 The exclusion of false causes of it 3. The true meritorious cause 4. The meanes of application Concerning the first that we may take the whole nature of it we will see 1. What Iustice is 2. What is Iustification 1. Concerning Iustice Thus Iustice or righteousnesse is a perfect conformity or agreement with the Divine Law which admits a double name 1. Legall which is that righteousnes or conformity to Gods Law which is inherent in our selves a iustice of workes and it is either 1. A iustice of obedience in doing all in leaving undone nothing Or 2. A iustice of satisfaction in enduring the penalty for default of obedience 2. Evangelicall which is that rigâ—teousnesse or conformity to Divine law not inherent in our selves but being in another is reckoned ours A iustice of faith 2. Concerning Iustification therein 1. Of the Name 2. Of the Thing For one gives light to the other 1. Of
bad yet we ill interpret that name On the contrary some Actions commonly accompanied with good circumstances as to be studious sound wel and are conceived to tend to good though a mans study may as well be evill and corrupt 3. Indifferents cease to be Indifferents when by Authority they are commanded or forbidden Nothing ought to bee commanded but onely good nor any thing but evil prohibited What is indifferent in the nature cannot simply absolutely and perpetually be forbidden or commanded but commanded as it comes nearer to good and as nearer to evill forbidden From these grounds wee may draw Rules for our freedome from or obedience to for changed Indifferences and the Constitutions of men 2. Wee have the nature of our freedome described now the Ends both of it and of the doctrine of it are 1. To pacifie the conscience that that great Director may not be left floting but may know what ground it hath and how it may proceed 2. To remove away superstition that the minde may know it is not tyed to a throng of needlesse observances and discouraging feares 3. To direct us in our worke in the comfort and readinesse of our set working 3. There remaines the third proposed The Consequents from the former 1. The freedome is spirituall therefore 1. Not Civill Then are the Anabaptists mad who would reject all law and make the whole world levell denying obedience to Lawes and lawfull Magistrates a disease begun in the distempered heads of Iohn of Leiden and the mad men of Munster opposed among others chiefly by the holy zeale of Luther whose doctrine of Reformation was dangerously mistaken by those fanatickes which I â—he rather note because some halfe issues of that monstrous Birth call that blessed Apostle of our later times to patronize their conceits and errours about the morall Law 2. Not Carnall whence then are our ordinary excesses in the use of good things our surfetting tables and variety of delicates doe sufficiently witnesse our carnall licenciousnesse that I need not instance the pride of our fashions the immoderatenesse of our pleasures But these are Indifferents True if they bee used indifferently but Excesses are not What may bee lawfully used by an inordinate desire to it and delight in it is made uncleane Such Inordinates are defiled and by the witnesse of the Apostle Titus 1.15 To them that are defiled nothing is pure Our Saviour hath shewed a difference Luke 6.2 Woe unto you that are rich for yee have received your Consolation Woe unto you that are full 'T is lawfull to enioy an estate Why then is the Woe against them They are immoderate when being Rich they receive their Consolation and are Full It argues they have made their state their Happinesse This is the peoples sinne Amos 6.1.6 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion that drink wine in Bowles and annoynt themselves with chiefe oyntments When wee come to be at ease in our enioyments we abuse our Liberty But these things are then truly Indifferent when wee are come to Pauls Resolve Philip. 4.11 12. I have learned to be content I know how to bee abased and how to abound to be full and to be hungry 2. Though Spirituall it is an immunity Then if wee have a Charter from heaven how dare any deny it or with-hold it Those miserable men that are under the Popish yoake have many heavy loads laid on their Consciences the Pontificials dealing with the Abused as Pharaohs Taskemasters with the afflicted Israelites they load them hard and then beat them when they are loaden 3. The ends are 1. To quiet the Conscience therefore not to afflict the Consciences of others They abuse their Liberty that use it unseasonably to the hindering of the weake Some young Christians of Corinth would eate Idolothyts meats offered to Idols to that end onely to shew their Liberty but they are answered by the Apostle Licent quae expediunt 1 Cor. 10.24 Theod. reads with Interrogative Omnia mibi licent Sed non expediunt Chrysost Ambros read without All things are lawfull for mee but all things are not expedient And in another place hee applyes it more directly Brethren yee have beene called unto liberty onely use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another Gal. 5.13 Christ hath loosed the yoake not that wee should bee more wanton but more chearefull as S. Chrysostome hath well followed the minde of the Apostle who Non monet ut illegitima fiat vitae ratio sed ut legem transcendat Philosophia soluta enim sunt legit vincula non ut dejiciamur sed ut erigamur ad altiora Etenimtam is quiscortatur quam is qui in Virginitate persevâ—rat legis terminos excessit verum non eodem mâ—do sed hic quidem in deteriora prolapsus ille â—ero ad meliora provectus sic ut alter praetergrâ— sus sit legem alter super-gressus Hoc itaque dic Paulus Christus Iugum vobis relaxavit noÌ„ ut exilati aut calcitretis sed ut absque jugo compositè incedatis Chr. in loc Qui per charitatem servit libere seruit Aug. 1 Cor. 8.11 strongly argues against this abuse from the great danger of it to the perverting of a weake brothers soule If thou hast knowledge and eatest Idolothyts another shall be encouraged to doe it ignorantly and therfore sinfully Through thy knowledge shall thy weake brother perish for whom Christ dyed Wilt thou suffer thy brother to perish for so small a cause he taking occasion to doc as a Tuo actu illum occidis quando a te fieri videt quod ille aliter inteligit tu eris occasio mortis fratri quem Christus ut redimeret crucisigi se permissit Amb. in 1. Cor. cap. 8. Ambrose speakes what he understands not or as b Christus pro fratre mori non recusavit tu autem ne in anima quidem inducis â—adâ—â—â—tis â—â—becillitaâ— te deâ—tas â—mmoâ— Chrys Chrysostome Christ dyed for him and wilt not thou deny thy selft for him But the danger is not more to the weak brother then to the wilfull offender for it followes in the next verse c 〈◊〉 â—â—hrys Aug de verb. Dom. Serm. 16. But when yee sinne so against the brethren ye sinne against Christ 2. A second end is to remove superstition therefore it doth plainely condemne such as use their liberty to superstition They dare venture upon any observations unwarranted by any thing but blinde Custome plead All is lawfull 3. A third end is to direct us in our walke wee therefore have liberty and are made acquainted with our liberty that we might know how unconstrainedly to frame our obedience making use of the Law but not in servitude unto it which therefore condemnes such as quite cast away the Law as if of no use and prove themselves of lawlesse and ungoverned humours true Libertines Give me leave to make a double application
teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and no lâ—e 1 Ioh. 2.27 That is not for them the Apostle there entends but to plead for the Apostolike Doctrine that they needed no other Doctrine but what God had delivered unto them He gives himselfe explained in the former verse that hee would arme them against seducement Iran l 4. cap 43. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you The Apostolike Church it selfe had the Spirit the Holy Ghost came downe upon them yet they had Preaching likewise witnesse their Sermons frequently recorded in the Acts. But how dare they so much dishonour the wisedome of Christ seeing he pleased to Institute them to call the Sacraments needelesse Would that onely wise God institute things to no purpose But though wee have the Spirit already yet wee may use the Sacraments Christ had the Spirit and yet hee was baptized Mat. 3.15 Non ratio ne sui sed spectantiuÌ„ Quâ—a vita mea moruÌ„ disciplina Glos Ord. Hee then received the Spirit in the form of a Dove for our sakes not his owne Cornelius had the Spirit before he was baptized Wee must examine whether we be in the Faith and so wee must eate And what though no other thing bee in the Seale than in the Promise yet though I trust a man well I have more ground for my trust when I have his Bond so the Sacraments are intended for the strengthening of our Faith I 'le not longer pursue these Io. Sleid. Hist lib 10. Lamb. Hortensi lib. Tumult Anab Henr. Dorpius Edit 1536. they have beene strange Pitches to which many of these Enthusiasts have beene lifted They called David Georg their singular prophet and himselfe was blasphemously bold to call himselfe The Christ the Messiah 'T is enough to name such horrible blasphemies now let others enter to their part and acting 4. Against Anti vetera testamentaries 4. Against such as receive not the Testimony of the old Testament They say the face of Moses is vailed we neither can nor may see him They urge that of the Apostle to the Hebrewes In that he saith A new Covenant hee hath made the first old Heb. 8.13 But while they destroy the old they destroy the new together with the old That very quotation of their owne is urged by the Apostle from the old Testament Christ made use of it when hee Preached upon the Booke of the Prophet Esaiah Luk. 4.17 And after his resurrection beginning at Moses and all the Prophets hee expounded unto them the Scriptures Luk 24.27 And Peters Sermon Act. 2. hath much from that Tesâ—ament But if they say This was for the Iewes sake wee have to oppose that example of Philip to the Eunuch a Gentile an Aethiopian at that time a Christian to him Philip expounded Esaiah And how often are such Scriptures urged by Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles But Moses is vailed What will they inferre Most of the Antients understood it onely of his darke way of delivery Longe aliter nos Evangelâ—um promulga mus quam Moses veterem legem â—llo p lam ac apertè loqui non â—usus est ed velo faciem obduxit nos vero nihil patimur esse opertum aut ocâ—uâ—tum Chry in loc Tert. lib de Resur c. 55 Idâ—m lib. 5. Aâ—vers Mar ca 1 Israelâ—tae rudes non potuerunt videre quod finem hahe ret lex quodque abroganda forâ—t Thâ—ophil Cyril in Io. lib. 3. cap 34. Orig. hom 12. in exod He gave things obscurely by the Gospell they are more Theophilact indeed speakes a little to what they seeme to meane The rude Israelites could not see that the Law should have an end and should bee abrogated But hee speakes soundly enough in that and not to their purpose But the Apostle hath best interpreted the mystery We use great plainnesse of speech and not as Moses which put a veile over his face that the children of Isâ—ael could not stedfastly looke to the end of those things but their mindes were blinded for unto this day remaineth the same veile untaken away in the reading of the old Testament which veile is done away in Christ But even unto this day when Moses is read the veile is upon their heart 2 Cor. 3.12 13 14 15. 'T is Anselms note There is a double veyle one of Obscurity in those Typicall things another of want of faith in our hearts neither of these will be plea for them to deny acquaâ—ntance with old Scriptures I shall deale but with one other adversary but a dangerous 5. Against Pure Sinlesse Anabaptists 5. Against pure Anabaptists such as were the Novatians and Catharists of old They say They are pure without sinne the glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing Eph 5.27 Yea that they cannot sinne Hee that committeth sinne is of the Divell Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne and he cannot sinne because he is born of God 1 Ioh 3.8 9. But we may answer Saint Iohn by Saint Iohn If wee say we have no sinne wee deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 Ioh. 18 Wee must therefore Reconcile him to an answer Interpreters are not agreed 1 Ambrose Aug. l 4 ad Boniâ— c. 7. as Augustin relates his opinion Aug de nat et grat c. 14 understands it of the state of future glory But he speakes of this life 2. Others as the same Augustine relates not de facto that they doe not sinne but de iure that they ought not Electos adverâ—t quasi nunquam pecâ—asse quoniam et si qua deliqâ—isset in tempore vid ntur non apparent in aeternitate quia charitas patris ipsorum operet multitudinem peccatoruÌ„ Beâ—n serm â—â— in Cant. Bern serm 1. Septuag But thus they are not differenced from unregenerate for they also ought not to sinne 3. Bernard yet more straines it to that covering love in Gods praedestination But 't is not meant of imputation for that phrase he cannot sin it cannot bee meant God cannot impute sinne 4. Augustine in one place seemes to understand it of the different condition of man that the Regenerate in this liâ—â— Renatos in hac 〈◊〉 partim esse filios Dei ratione generationis et inchoatae renovationis partim filios huius seculi respectu vetustatis in caernâ— vel huc reliquae quod ergo dicuntur non peccare id de illis dici quatenus sunt Dei fisii quod verò iuben tur fateri se adhuc habere peccatum id â—â—illâ— dici quaetenus sunt filii huius seculi Aug. lib. 2. De pecs mer et Remis cap 8. Aug. Tract 5. in Io. Hier. lâ—b 1. adven Pelag Idem lib 2. adven Iovin Gernard Dâ—sp 1. cont Fanat Thesibus 53 59. ad 70. are partly the sonnes of God in regard of generation and inchoate renovation partly the children of this