thou do it not thou shalt die the death In which Covenant there was first contained 〈◊〉 precept Do this Secondly a promise joyned unto it If thou do it thou shalt live Thirdly a like threatning If thou do it not thou shalt die the death Imagine saith Musculus that God had said to Adam Lo to the intent that thou maist live I have given thee liberty to eat and have given thee abundantly to eat let all the fruits of Paradise be in thy power one tree except which see thou touch not for that I keep it to mine own authority the same is the tree of knowledge of good and evill If thou touch it the meat thereof shall not be life but death Nom. But Sir you said that the Law of the Ten Commandements or Morall Law may be said to be the matter of the Law of works and you have also said that the Law of works is as much to say as the Covenant of works whereby it seems to me you hold that the Law of the Ten Commandements was the matter of the Covenant of works which God made with all mankind in Adam before his fall Evan. That 's a truth agreed upon by all Authors and Interpreters that I know And indeed the Law of works as a learned Author saith signifies the Morall law and the Morall law strictly and properly taken signifies the Covenant of works Nom. But Sir what is the reason you call it but the matter of the covenant of works Evan. The reason why I rather chuse to call the Law of the Ten Commandements the matter of the Covenant of works then the Covenant it self is because I conceive that the matter of it cannot properly be called the covenant of works except the form be put upon it that is to say except the Lord require and man undertake to yield perfect obedience thereunto upon condition of eternall life and death And therefore till then it was not a covenant of works betwixt God and all mankinde in Adam As for example you know that although a servant have an ability to do a masters work and though a master have wages to bestow upon him for it yet is there not a covenant betwixt them till they have thereupon agreed Even so though man at the first had power to yield perfect and perpetuall obedience to all the Ten Commandements and God had an eternall life to bestow upon him yet was there not a covenant betwixt them till they were thereupon agreed Nom. But Sir you know there is no mention made in the book of Genesis of this covenant of works which you say was made with man at first Evan. Though we read not the word Covenant betwixt God and man yet have we there recorded what may amount to as much for God provided and promised to Adam eternall happinesse and called for perfect obedience which appears from Gods threatning Gen. 2.17 For if man must die if he disobeyed it implies strongly that Gods covenant was with him for life if he obeyed Nom. But Sir you know the word Covenant signifies a mutuall promise bargain and obligation betwixt two parties Now though it is implied that God promised man to give him life if he obeyed yet we read not that man promised to be obedient Evan. I pray take notice that God doth not alwayes tie man to verball expressions but doth often contract the Covenant in reall impressions in the heart and frame of the creature And this was the manner of covenanting with man at the first for God had furnished his soule with an understanding mind whereby he might discern good from evill and right from wrong and not only so but also in his will was most great uprightnesse and his instrumentall parts were orderly framed to obedience the truth is God did ingrave in mans soule wisdom and knowledge of his will and works and integrity in the whole soule and such a fitnesse in all the powers thereof that neither the mind did conceive nor the heart desire nor the body put in execution any thing but that which was acceptable to God so that man endowed with these qualities was able to serve God perfectly Nom. But Sir how could the Law of the Ten Commandements be the matter of this Covenant of works when they were not written as you know till the time of Moses Evan. Though they were not written in tables of stone untill the time of Moses yet were they written in the tables of mans heart in the time of Adam for we read that man was created in the image or likenesse of God Gen. 1.27 And the ten Commandements are a doctrine agreeing with the eternall wisdome and justice that is in God wherein he hath so painted out his own nature that it doth in a manner expresse the very image of God And doth not the Apostle say that the image of God consists in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse and is not knowledge righteousnes true holines the perfections of both the tables of the law And indeed saith M. Rollock it could not wel stand with the justice of God to make a Covenant with man under the condition of holy good works perfect obedience to his Law except he had first created man holy pure and ingraven his law in his hart whence those good works should proceed Nom. But yet I cannot but marvell that God in making the covenant with man did make mention of no other commandement then that of the forbidden fruit Evan. Do not marvell at it for by that one species of sin the whole genus or kind is shewn as the same Law being more clearly unfolded Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 doth expresse And indeed in that one Commandement the whole worship of God did consist as obedience honour love confidence and religious feare together with the outward abstinence from sin and reverent respect to the voice of God Yea herein also consisted his love and so his whole duty to his neighbour so that as a learned writer saith Adam heard as much in the garden as Israel did at Sinai but only in fewer words and without thunder Nom. But sir ought not man to have yielded perfect obedience to God though this Covenant had not been made betwixt them Evan. Yea indeed perfect and perpetuall obedience was due from man unto God though God had made no promise to man for when God created man at first he put forth an excellencie from himself into him and therefore it was the bond and tie that lay upon man to return that again unto God so that man being Gods creature by the law of creation he owed all obedience and subjection to God his creator Nom. Why then was it needfull that the Lord should make a covenant with him by promising him life and threatning him with death Evan. For answer hereunto in the first place I pray you understand that man was a reasonable creature
Church and under the externall Covenant are called the chosen of God and the people of God But though they had been all of them believers yet as the Lord delivered it to them it would have done them no more hurt than it did them that were Nom. But Sir was the same covenant of works made with them that was made with Adam Evan. For the generall substance of the duty the Law delivered on mount Sinai and formerly engraven in mans heart was one and the same so that at mount Sinai the Lord delivered no new thing only it came more gently to Adam before his fall but after his fall came thunder with it Nom. I but Sir as your self said the ten Commandements as they were written in Adams heart were but the matter of the covenant of works and not the covenant it self till the form was annexed to them that is to say till God and man were thereupon agreed now we do not find that God and these people did agree upon any such terms at mount Sinai Evan. No say you so do you not remember that the people consented Exod. 19.8 saying All that the Lord hath spoken we will do And do you not remember that the Lord consented Levit. 18.5 saying Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgements which if a man do he shall live in them And in Deut. 27.26 saying Cursed is he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them And doth not the Apostle Paul give evidenee than these words were the form of the covenant of works when he saith Rom. 10.5 Moses describeth the righteousnesse which is of the law that the man that doth these things shall live in them when he saith Gal. 3.10 For it is writen Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them And in Deut. 4.13 Moses doth in expresse tearmes call it a Covenant saying And he declared unto you his Covenant which he commanded you to perform even ten Commandamennts and hee wrote them upon tables of stone Now this was not the Covenant of grace for Moses afterwards Deut. 5.3 speaking of this Covenant saith God made not this Covenant with your Fathers but with you And by Fathers all the Patriarkes unto Adam may be meant saith Mr. Aynsworth who had the promise of the Covenant of Christ therefore if it had been the Covenant of grace he would have said God did make this covenant with them rather then that he did not Nom. And do any of our godly and moderne witers agree with you in this point Evan. Yea indeed Polanus saith the Covenant of workes is that in which God promiseth everlasting life unto a man that in all respects performeth perfect obedience to the Law of workes adding thereunto threatnings of eternall death if hee shall not performe perfect obedience thereunto God made this Covenant in the beginning with the first man Adam whilst hee was in the first estate of integrity the same Covenant God did repeat and make againe by Moses with the people of Israel And Dr. Preston saith the Covenant of workes runs in these termes Do this and thou shalt live and I will be thy God This was the Covenant which was made with Adam and the Covenant that is expressed by Mâ—ses in the Morall law And Mr. Walker saith that the first part of the covenant which God made with Israel at Horeb was nothing else but a renewing of the old covenant of works which God made with Adam in paradise And it is generally laid down by our Divines that we are by Christ delivered from the Law as it is a Covenant Nom. But Sir were the children of Israel at this time better able to perform the condition of the covenant of works than either Adam or any of the old Patriarks that God renewed it now with them rather then before Evan. No indeed God did not renew it with them now and not before because they were better able to keep it but because they had more need to be made acquainted what the covenant of works is then those before for though 't is true the Ten Commandements which were at first perfectly written in Adams heart were much obliterated by his fall yet some impressions and reliques thereof still remained and Adam himself was very sensible of his fall and the rest of the fathers were holpen by traditions And saith Cameron God did speak to the Patriarchs from heaven yea and he spake unto them by his Angels But now by this time sin had almost obliterated and defaced the impressions of the Law written in their hearts and by their being so long in Egypt they were so corrupted that the instructions and ordinances of their fathers were almost all worne out of mind and their fall in Adam was almost forgotten as the Apostle testifieth saying Before the time of the Law sin was in the world yet did they not impute it to themselves because there was no Law Nay in that long course of time betwixt Adam and Moses men had forgotten what was sin so that although God had made a promise of blessing to Abraham and to all his seed that would plead interest in it yet these people at this time were proud and secure and heedlesse of their estate and though sin was in them and death raigned over them yet they being without a law to evidence this sin and death unto their consciences they did not impute it unto themselves they would not own it nor charge themselves with it and so by consequence found no need of pleading the promise made to Abraham Therefore the Law entred that Adams offence and their own actuall transgression might abound So that now the Lord saw it needfull that there should be a new edition and publication of the covenant of works the sooner to compell the elect unbeleevers to come to Christ the promised seed that the grace of God in Christ to the elect beleevers might appeare the more exceeding gracious so that you see the Lords intention therein was that they by looking upon this Covenant might be put in mind what was their dutie of old when they were in Adams loines yea and what was their dutie still if they would stand to that covenant and so go the old and naturall way to work yea and hereby they were also to see what was their present infirmitie in not doing their duty that so they seeing an impossibilitie of obtaining life by that way of workes first appointed in Paradise they might be humbled and more heedfully minde the promise made to their father Abraham and hasten to lay hold on the Messiah or promised seed Nom. Then Sir it seemeth that the Lord did not renew the Covenant of workes with them to the intent that they should obtaine eternall life by their yeelding obedience to it Evan. No indeed God never made the
I may say as Jacob did of his venison Gen. 27.20 The Lord hath brought it unto me let me speak it without vain glory I have endeavoured herein to imitate the laborious Bee who out of divers flowers gathers honey and wax and thereof makes one combe if any soule feels any sweetnesse in it let them praise God and pray for me who am weak in faith and cold in love E. F. TO THE READER IF thou wilt please to peruse this little Book thou shalt finde great worth in it There is a line of a gracious Spirit drawne through it which hath fastned many precious truths together and presented them to thy view according to the variety of mens spirits the various ways of presenting known truths are profitable The grace of God hath helped this Author in his worke if it in like manner helps thee in reading thou shalt have cause to blesse God for these truths thus brought to thee and for the labours of this good man whose ends I believe are very syncere for God and thy good Jer. Burroughes OCcasionally lighting upon this Dialogue under the Approbation of a learned and judicious Divine I was thereby induced to read it and afterwards upon serious consideration of the usefulnesse of it to commend it to the people in my publike Ministry Two things in it especially tooke with me first the matter the main substance being distinctly to discover the nature of the two Covenants upon which all the mysteries both of Law and Gospel depend To see the first Adam to be primus foederatus in the one and the second Adam in the other to distinguish rightly betwixt the law standing alone as a Covenant and standing in subordination to the Gospel as a servant this I assure my selfe to be the key which opens the hiden treasures of the Gospel As soone as God had given Luther but a glimpse hereof hee professeth that hee seemed to bee brought into Paradise again and the whole face of the Scripture to bee changed to him and he looked upon every truth with another eye Secondly the manner because it is an Irenicum and tends to an accommodation and a right understanding Times of Reformation have always been times of division Satan will cast out a floud after the woman as knowing that more die by the disagreement of the humours of their own bodies than by the sword and that if men be once engaged they will contend if not for truth yet for victory Now if the difference be in things of lesser consequence the best way to quench it were silence this was Luthers counsell given in an Epistle written to the Divines assembled in a Synod at Norimberge Meum consilium fuerit cum nullum sit Ecclesiae periculum ut hanc causam sinatis vel ad tempus sopitam utinam extinctam jacere donec tutiore meliore tempore animis in pace firmatis charitate aduatis eam disputetis I think it were good counsell concerning many of the Disputes of our times But if the difference be of greater concernment as this is then the way to decide it is to bring in more light which this Authour hath done with much evidence of Scripture backt with the authority of most moderne Divines so that whosoever desires to have his judgement cleered in the maine controversie betweene us and the Antinomians with a small expence either of money or time hee may here receive ample satisfaction this I testifie upon request professing my selfe a friend both to truth and peace Novem. 12. W. Strong THis book at first well accommodated with so valuable a testimony as M. Caryls besides its better-approving it self to the choicer spirits every where to the speedy distribution of the whole impression it might seeme a needlesse or superfluous thing to adde any more to the praise thereof yet meeting with detracting language from some few by reason of some phrases by them either not duly pondered or not rightly understood it is thought meete this second impression to relieve that worthy testimony which still stands to it with fresh supplies not for any need the truth therein contained hath thereof but because either the prejudice or darknesse of some mens judgements doth require it I therefore having throughly perused it cannot but testifie that if I have any the least judgment or rellish of truth hee that findes this book findes a good thing and not unworthy of its title and may account the Saints to have obtained favour with the Lord in the ministration of it as that which with great plainenesse and evidence of truth comprises the chiefe if not all the differences that have been lately ingendred about the Law it hath I must confesse not onely fortified my judgement but also warmed my heart in the reading of it as indeed inculcating throughout the whole Dialogue the cleer and familiar notion of those things by which we live as Hezekias speaks in another case and it appeareth to me to be written from much experimentall knowledge of Christ and teaching of the Spirit Let all men that taste the fruit of it confesse to the glory of God he is no respecter of persons and endeavour to know no man henceforth after the flesh nor envie the compiler thereof the honour to be accounted as God hath made him in this point a healer of breaches and a restorer of the over-grown paths of the Gospel as for mine own part I am so satisfied in this testimony I lend that I reckon what ever credit is thus pawned will be a glory to the name that stands by and avows this truth so long as the book shall endure to record it Ihshua Sprigge Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus My loving friend in Christ I Have according to your desire read over your Booke and finde it full of Evangelicall light and life and I doubt not but the oftner I read it the more true comfort I shall finde in the knowledge of Christ thereby the matter â—s pure the method is Apostolicall wherein the works of love in the right place after the life of faith bee effectually required God hath endewed his Fisher with the Net of a trying understanding and discerning iudgement and discretion whereby out of the Christaline streams of the well of life you have taken a messe of the sweetest and wholsomest fish that the whole world can afford which if I could daily have enough of I should no more care for the flesh or the works thereof Samuell Prittie A CATALOGUE of those Writers names out of whom I have collected much of the matter contained in this ensuing Dialogue A Doctor Ames M. Aynsworth B M. Beza M. Bulenger M. Bradford M. Bastingius Bishop Babington M. Ball M. Robert Boulton M. Samuel Boulton C M. Calvin M. Culverwell M. Carelesse M. Cornwall D Du Plesse B. Dâ—wname Doctor Diâ—daâ—e M. Dixon M. Dyke E M. Elton F M. Fox M. Frith M. Forbs G M. Greenham M. Gibbens M. Thomas Goodwin
and so out of judgement discretion and election able to make choice of his way and therefore it was meet there should be such a covenant made with him that he might according to Gods appointment serve him after a reasonable manner Secondly it was meet there should be such a covenant made with him to shew that he was not such a Prince on earth but that he had a Soveraigne Lord therefore God set a punishment upon the breach of his commandement that man might know his inferiority and that things betwixt him and God were not as betwixt equals Thirdly it was meet there should be such a covenant made with him to shew that he had nothing by personall immediate and underived right but all by gift and gentlenesse so that you see it was an equall covenant which God out of his prerogative royall made with mankind in Adam before his fall Nom. Well Sir I do perceive that Adam and all mankind in him were created most holy Evan. Yea and most happy too for God placed him in paradise in the middest of all delightfull pleasures and contents wherein he did enjoy most near and sweet communion with his Creator in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand is pleasures for evermore So that if Adam had received of the tree of life by taking and eating of it while he stood in the state of Innonencie before his fall he had certainly been established in a happy estate for ever and could not have been seduced and supplanted by Sathan as some learned men do think and as Gods own words seem to imply Gen. 3.22 Nom. But it seemeth that Adam did not continue in that holy and happy estate Evan. No indeed for he disobeyed Gods expresse command in eating the forbidden fruit and so became guilty of the breach of the Covenant Nom. But Sir how could Adam who had his understanding so sound and his will so free to choose good be so disobedient to Gods expresse command Evan Though he and his will were both good yet were they mutably good so that he might either stand or fall at his own election or choice Nom. But why then did not the Lord create him immutable or why did he not so over-rule him in that action that he might not have eaten the forbidden fruit Evan. The reason why the Lord did not create him immutable was because hee would be obeyed out of judgement and free choice and not by fatall necessity and absolute determination and withall let me tell you it was not reasonable to restraine God to this point to make man such a one as would not or could not sin at all for it was at his choice to create him how he pleased but why he did not uphold him with strength of stedfast continuance that resteth hidden in Gods secret Counsell howbeit this we may certainly conclude that Adams state was such as served to take away from him all excuse for he received so much that of his own will he wrought his own destruction because that act of his was a wilfull transgression of a Law under the precepts whereof he was most justly created and unto the malediction whereof hee was as necessarily and righteously subject if he transgressed for as by being Gods creature he was to be subject to his will so by being Gods prisoner he was as justly subject to his wrath and that so much the more by how much the precept was most just the obedience more easie the transgression more unreasonable and the punishment more certaine Nom. And was Adams sinne and punishment imputed unto his whole off-spring Evan. Yea indeed for saith the Apostle Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned or in whom all have sinned that is in Adam the very truth is Adam by his fall threw down our whole nature headlong into the same destruction and drowned his whole off-spring in the same gulfe of misery and the reason is because by Gods appointment he was not to stand or fall as a single person only but as a common publike person representing all mankind to come of him therefore as all that happinesse all those gifts and endowments which were bestowed upon him were not bestowed upon him alone but also upon the whole nature of man and as that Covenant which was made with him was made with whole mankinde even so he by breaking Covenant lost all as well for us as for himselfe as he received all for himselfe and us so he lost all both for himselfe and us Nom. Then Sir it seemeth that by Adams breach of Covenant all man-kinde was brought into a miserable condition Evan. All mankind by the fall of Adam received a twofold damage first a deprivation of all originall goodnesse Secondly an habituall naturall pronenesse to all kind of wickednesse for the image of God after which they were created was forthwith blotted out and in place of wisdome righteousnesse and true holinesse came blindnesse uncleanesse falshood and injustice the very truth is our whole nature was thereby corrupted defiled deformed depraved infected made infirme fraile malignant full of venome contrary to God yea enemies and rebels unto him so that saith Luther this is the title we have received from Adam in this one thing we may glory and in nothing else at all namely that every Infant that is born into this world is wholly in the power of sinne death Sathan hell and everlasting damnation nay saith Musculus the whirlpoole of mans sinne in paradise is bottomlesse and unsearchable Nom. But Sir me thinks it is a strange thing that so small an offence as the eating of the forbidden fruit seemes to be should plunge whole mankind into such a gulfe of misery Evan. Though at the first glance it seem to be a small offence yet if you look more wishly upon the matter it will appeare to be an exceeding great offence for thereby intolerable injury was done unto God as first his dominion and authority in his holy command was violated Secondly his justice truth and power in his most righteous threatnings were despised Thirdly his most pure and perfect image wherein man was created in righteousnesse and true holinesse was utterly defaced Fourthly his glory which by an active service the creature should have brought to him was lost and despoiled nay how could there be a greater sin committed then that when Adam at â—hat one clap brake all the ten Commandements Nom. Did he break all the ten Commanâ—ements say you Sir I beseech you shew â—e wherein Evan. 1. He chose himself another God when he followed the Devil 2. He idolized and defiled his own belly â—s the Apostles phrase is He made his belly â—is god 3. He took the name of God in vain when â—e believed him not 4. He kept not the rest and estate whereâ—â— God had set him 5. He
dishonoured his Father which was heaven and therefore his dayes were not prolonged in that land which the Lord his God had given him 6. He massacred himselfe and all his posterity 7. From Eve he was a virgin but in eyes and minde he committed spirituall fornication 8. He stole like Achan that which God had set aside not to be medled with and this his stealth is that which troubles all Israel the whole world 9. He bare witnesse against God when he believed the witnesse of the Devill above him 10. He coveted an evill covetousnesse like Amnon which cost him his life and alâ— his progeny Now whosoever considerâ— what a nest of evils here were committed aâ— one blow must needs with Musculus seâ— our case to be such that we be compelled every way to commend the justice of God and to condemn the sin of our first parents saying concerning all mankinde as the Prophet Hosea doth concerning Israel O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Nom. But Sir had it not been possiblâ— for Adam both to have holpen himself and his posterity out of this misery by renewing the same covenant with God and keeping it for afterwards Eva. O no he covenant of works was a covenant no way capable of renovation when he had once broke it he was gone for ever because it was a covenant between two friends buâ— fâ—llen man was become an enemy And besides it was an impossible thing for Adam to have performed the conditions which now the justice of God did necessarily require at his hands for he was now become liable to the payment of a double debt to wit the debt of satisfaction for his sin committed in time past and the debt of perfect and perpetuall obedience for the time to come and he was utterly unable to pay either of them Nom. Why was he unable to pay the debt of satisfaction for his sin committed in time past Evan. Because his sin in eating the forbidden fruit for that is the sin I mean was committed against an infinite and eternall good and therefore merited an infinite satisfaction which was to be either some temporall punishment equivalent to eternall damnation or eternall damnation it self Now Adam was a finite creature therefore between finite and infinite there could be no proportion so that it was impossible for Adam to have made satisfaction by any temporall punishment and if he had undertaken to have satisfied by an eternall punishment he should alwayes have been satisfying and never have satisfied as is the 〈◊〉 of the damned in hell Nom. And why was he unable to pay the debt of perfect and perpetuall obedience for the time to come Evan. Because his precedent power 〈◊〉 obey was by his fall utterly impaired foâ— thereby his understanding was both feebleâ— and drowned in darknesse and his will was made perverse and utterly deprived of all power to will well and his affections were quite set out of order and all things belonging to the blessed life of the soule were extinguished both in him and us so that he waâ— become impotent yea dead and thereforâ— not able to stand in the lowest terms to perâ—form the meanest condition the very truth is our father Adam falling from God diâ— by his fall so dash himself and us in peeces that there was no whole part left either 〈◊〉 him or us fit to ground such a Covenanâ— upon And this the Apostle witnesseth both when he saith We are of no strength And The Law was made weak because of thâ— flesh Nom. But Sir might not the Lord have pardoned Adams sinne without satisfaction Evan. O no for Justice is essentiall in 〈◊〉 and it is a righteous thing with God 〈◊〉 every transgression receive a just recomâ—â—nce and if recompence be just it is unâ—â—st to pardon sin without satisfaction and â—â—ough the Lord had pardoned and forgiven 〈◊〉 former transgression and so set him in 〈◊〉 former condition of amity and friendâ—â—ip yet having no power to keep the Law â—erfectly he could not have continued â—â—erein Nomista And is it also impossible for 〈◊〉 of his posterity to keep the Law perâ—â—ctly Evan. Yea indeed it is impossible for any â—eer man in the time of this life to keep it â—erfectly yea though he be a regenerate â—an for the Law requireth of man that he â—â—ve the Lord with all his heart soule and â—â—ight and there is not the holiest man that 〈◊〉 but he is flesh as wel as spirit in all parts â—nd faculties of his soule and therefore canâ—ot love the Lord perfectly yea and the â—aw forbiddeth all habituall concupiscence â—ot only saying thou shalt not consent to lust â—ut thou shalt not lust It doth not only â—ommand the binding of lust but forbids â—â—so the beeing of lust And who in this case â—an say my heart is clean Antin Then friend Nomista take notice I pray that as it was altogether impossible for Adam to return unto that holy and happy estate wherein he was created by the same way he went from it so is it for any of his posterity and therefore I remember one saith very wittily the Law was Adams lease when God made him tenant of Eden the conditions of which bond when he kept not he forfeited himself and all us God read a lecture of the Law to him before he fell to be a hedge to him to keep him in Paradise but when Adam would not keep within compasse this Law is now become as the flaming sword at Eden gate to keep him and his posterity out Nom. But Sir you know that when a Covenant is broken the parties that were bound are freed and released from their ingagements and therefore me thinks both Adam and his posterity should have been released from the covenant of works when it was broken especially considering they have no strength to perform the condition of it Evan. Indeed it is true in every Covenant if either party fail in his duty and perform not his condition the other party iâ— thereby freed from his part but the party failing is not freed tiâ—l the other release him and therefore though the Lord be freed from performing his condition that is from giving to man eternall life yet so is not man from his part no though strength to obey be lost yet man having lost it by his own default the obligation to obedience remains still so that Adam and his off-spring are no more discharged of their duties because they have no strength to do them than a debtor is quitted of his bond because he wants money to pay it And thus neighbour Nomista I have according to your desire endeavoured to help you to the true knowledge of the Law of Works Ant. I beseech you Sir proceed to help us to the true knowledge of the Law of Faith Evan. The Law of faith is as much to say as the Covenant of grace or the Gospel which signifieth good merry glad and joyfull
Covenant of workes with any man since the fall either with expectation that he should fulfill it or to give him life by it for God never appoints any thing to an end to the which it is utterly unsuitable and improper Now the Law as it is the covenant of works is become weak and unprofitable to the purpose of salvation and therefore God never appointed it to man since the fall to that end And besides it is manifest that the purpose of God in the covenant made with Abraham was to give life and salvation by grace and promise and therefore his purpose in renewing the covenant of works was not neither could be to give life and salvation by working for then there would have been contradictions in the covenants and instability in him that made them Wherefore let no man imagine that God published the covenant of works on mount Sinai as though he had been mutable and so changed his determination in that covenant made with Abraham neither yet let any man suppose that God now in processe of time had found out a better way for mans salvation then he knew before for as the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham had been needlesse if the Covenant of Works made with Adam would have given him and his believing seed life so after the covenant of grace was once made it was needlesse to renue the covenant of works to the end that righteousnesse and life should be had by the observation of it the which will yet more evidently appeare if we consider that the Apostle speaking of the covenant of works as it was given on mount Sinai saith It was added because of transgression It was not set up as a solid rule of righteousnesse as it was given to Adam in paradise but was added or put to It was not set up as a thing in grosse by it self Nom. Then Sir it should seem that the covenant of works was added to the covenant of grace to make it more compleat Evan. O no you are not so to understand the Apostle as though it were added by way of ingrediency as a part of the covenant of grace as if that covenant had been incompleat without the covenant of works for then the same covenant should have consisted of contradictory materials and so it should have overthrown it self for saith the Apostle If it be by grace then is it no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of works then is it no more of grace otherwise work is no more work But it was added by way of subserviencie and attendance the better so advance and make effectuall the covenant of grace so that although the same covenant that was made with Adam was renewed on mount Sinai yet I say still it was not for the same purpose for this was it God aimed in making the covenant of works with man in innocencie to have that which was his due from man But God made it with the Israelites for no other end than that man being thereby convinced of his weaknesse might flie to Christ so that it was renued only to help forward and introduce another and a better covenant and so to be a manuduction unto Christ viz. to discover sin to waken the conscience and convince them of their own impotencie and so to drive them out of themselves to Christ. Know it then I beseech you that all this while there was no other way of life given either in whole or in part then the covenant of grace all this while God did but pursue the designe of his own grace And therefore was there no inconstancie either in Gods will or acts only such was his mercy that he subordinated the covenant of works and made it subservient to the covenant of grace and so to tend to evangelicall purposes Nom. But yet Sir me thinks it is somewhat strange that the Lord should put them upon doing the Law and also promise them life for doing and yet never intend it Evan. Though he did so yet did he neither require of them that which was unjust nor yet dissemble with them in the promise for the Lord may justly require perfect obedience at all mens hands by vertue of that Covenant which was made with them in Adam and if any man could yeeld perfect obedience to the law both in doing and suffering he should have eternall life for wee may not deny saith Calvin but that the reward of eternall salvation belongeth to the upright obedience of the law but God knew well enough that the Israelites were never able to yeeld such an obedience and yet hee saw it meet to propound eternall life to them upon those termes that so hee might speake to them in their owne humor as indeed it was meet for they swelled with mad affiance in themselves saying All that the Lord commandeth we will doe and be obedient Well said the Lord If you will needs be doing why here is a law to be kept and if you can fully observe the righteousnesse of it you shall be saved sending them of purpose to the law to awaken and convince them to sentence and humble them and to make them see their own folly in seeking for life by that way in short to make them see the termes under which they stood that so they might bee brought out of themselves and expect nothing from the Law in relation to life but all from Christ for how should a man see his need of life by Christ if he do not first see that he is fallen from the way of life And how should hee understand how farre hee hath strayed from the way of life unlesse he doe first finde what is that way of life Therefore it was needfull that the Lord should deale with them after such a manner to drive them out of themselves and from all confidence in the worke of the Law that so by faith in Christ they might obtaine righteousnesse and life And just so did our Saviour also deale with that young expounder of the Law Matth. 19.16 who as it seemeth was sick of the same disease Good Master saith he What shall I doe that I may inherit eternall life He doth not saith Calvin simply ask which way or by what meanes hee should come to eternall life but what good he should doe to get it whereby it appsares that he was a proude Iustitiarie one that swelled in fleshly opinion that he could keep the Law and be saved by it therefore hee is worthily sent to the Law to worke himself weary and so see need to come to Christ for rest And thus you see that the Lord to the former promises made to the Fathers added a fierie Law which he gave from mount Sinai in thunder and lightning and with a terrible voice to the stubborne and stiff-necked Israel whereby to break and tame them and to make
now heare of his performance of it Evan. Touching this point the Scripture testifieth that God according to his purpose before time and his promise in time Did in the fulnesse of time send forth his Sonne made of a woman made under the Law to redeeme them that were under the Law c. That is to say looke how mankinde by nature are under the Law as it is the Covenant of works so was Christ as mans suretie contented to bee so that now according to that Eternall and mutuall agreement that was betwixt God the Father and him he put himself in the roome and place of all the Faithfull and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all Then came the Law as it is the Covenant of Workes and said I finde him a sinner yea such a one as hath taken upon him the sinnes of all men therefore let him die upon the Crosse. Then said Christ Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not but a bodie hast thou prepared mee In burnt offerings and sacrifice for sinne thou hast no pleasure Then said I loe I come to doe thy will O God And so the law proceeding in full scope against him set upon him and killed him and by this meanes was the justice of God fully satisfied his wrath appeased and all true beleevers acquitted from all their sinnes both past present and to come so that the Law as it is the Covenant of workes hath not any thing to say to any true beleever for indeed they are dead to it and it is dead to them Nom. But Sir How could the sufferings of Christ which in respect of time were but finite make full satisfaction to the Justice of God which is infinite Eva. Though the sufferings of Christ in respect of time were but finite yet in respect of the person that suffered his sufferings came to be of infinite value for Christ was God and Man in one person and therefore his sufferings were a sufficient and full ransome for mans soule being of more value then the death and destruction of all creatures Nom. But Sir you know that the Covenant of workes requires mans owne obedience or punishment when it saith Hee that doth these things shall live in them and cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them how then could beleevers be acquitted from their sins by the death of Christ Evan. For answer hereunto I pray you consider that though the covenant of workes requires mans owne obedience or punishment yet it no where disalloweth or excludeth that which is done or suffered by another in his behalfe neither is it repugnant to the Justice of God for so there bee a satisfaction performed by man through a sufficient punishment for the disobedience of man the Law is satisfied and the justice of God permitteth that the offending partie be received into favour and acknowledge God after such satisfaction made as a just man and no transgressor of the Law and though the satisfaction be made by a surety yet when it is done the principall is by the Law acquitted But yet for the further proofe and confirmation of this poynt wee are to consider that as JESUS CHRIST the second Adam entered into the same Covenant that the first Adam did so by him was done whatsoever the first Adam had undone so then the case stands thus that like as whatsoever the first Adam did or befell him was reckoned as done by all mankinde and to have befallen them even so whatsoever CHRIST did or befell him is to bee reckoned as to have been done by all believers and to have befallen them so that as sinne commeth from Adam alone to all mankinde as he in whom all have sinned so from Jesus Christ alone commeth righteousnesse unto all that are in him as hee in whom they all have satisfied the justice of God for as by being in Adam and one with him all did in him and with him transgresse the Commandement of God even so in respect of faith whereby believers are ingrafted into Christ and spiritually made one with him they did all in him and with him satisfie the justice of God in his death and sufferings and whosoever reckons thus reckons according to Scripture for in Rom. 5.12 all are sayd to have sinned in Adams sinne In whom all have sinned sayth the Text namely in Adam as in a publike person all mens acts were included in his because their persons were included in his so likewise in the same Chapter it is sayd that death passed upon all men namely for this that Adams sinne was reckoned as theirs even so Rom. 6. the Apostle speaking of Christ sayth In that he dyed he dyed unto sinne once but in that hee liveth hee liveth unto God so likewise sayth he in the next verse Reckon ye your selves to be dead unto sinne but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And so as touching the resurrection of Christ the Apostle argues that all believers must and shall arise because Christ is risen and is become the first fruitâ— of them that sleepe CHRIST as the first fruits ariseth and that in the name and stead of all believers and so they rise in him and with him for CHRIST did not rise as a private person but hee arose as the publike head of his Church so that in his arising all believers did virtually arise and as CHRIST at his resurrection was justified and acquitted from all the sinnes of all believers by God his Father as having now fully satisfied for them wherefore the obedience of Christ being imputed unto believers by God for their righteousnesse it doth put them into the same estate and case touching righteousnesse unto life before God wherein they should have been if they had perfectly performed the perfect obedience of the covenant of works Doe this and thou shalt live Nom. But Sir are all believers dead to the Law and the Law dead to them Evan. Believe it man as the Law is the Covenant of works all true believers are dead unto it and it is dead to them for they being incorporated into Christ what the Law or Covenant of works did to him it did the same to them so that when CHRIST hanged on the Crosse believers after a sort hanged there with him and therefore the Apostle Paul having sayd I through the Law am dead to the Law addes in the next verse I am crucified with CHRIST which words the Apostle brings as an argument to prove that hee was dead to the Law for the Law had crucified him with CHRIST upon which Text Luther sayth I likewise am crucified and dead to the Law Forasmuch as I am crucified and dead with CHRIST and againe I believing in CHRIST am also crucified with CHRIST In like manner the Apostle sayth to the believing Romanes So yee my brethren are dead also to the Law
of the Law be an error yet it seemeth that by Luthers own confession it is but an error on the right hand Evan. But yet I tell you it is such an error that by the Apostle Pauls own confession so far forth as any man is guilty of it He makes his services his Saviours and rejects the grace of God and makes the death of Christ of none effect ond perverteth the Lords intention both in giving the Law and in giving the Gospel and keeps himselfe under the curse of the Law and maketh himself the sonne of a bond-woman a servant yea and a slave and hinders himselfe in the course of well doing and in short he goeth about an impossible thing and so loseth all his labour Nom. Why then Sir it should seeme that all my seeking to please God by my good works all my strict walking according to the Law and all my honest course of life hath rather done mee hurt then good Evan. The Apostle sayth that without faith it is impossible to please God that is sayth Calvin Whatsoever a man thinketh purposeth or doeth before hee be reconciled to God by faith in Christ is accursed and not onely of no value to righteousnesse but of certain deserving to damnation so that sayth Luther Whosoever goeth about to please God with works going before faith goeth about to please God with sin which is nothing else but to heap sin upon sin to mock God and to provoke him to wrath nay sayth the same Luther in another place If thou beest without Christ thy wisdome is double foolishnesse thy righteousnesse is double sin and iniquity and therefore though you have walked very strictly according to the Law and led an honest life yet if you have rested and put confidence therein and so come short of Christ then hath it indeed rather done you hurt then good For sayth a godly writer vertuous life according to the light of nature turneth a man farther off from God if he add not thereto the effectuall working of his Spirit and sayth Luther they which have respect onely to an honest life it were better for them to be adulterers and adulteresses and to wallow in the mire And surely for this cause it is that our Saviour tels the strict Scribes and Pharisees who sought justification by works and rejected Christ that Publicans and harlots should enter into the Kingdome of God before them And for this cause it was that I sayd for ought I know my neighbour Neophytus might bee in Christ before you Nom. But how can that be when as you know he hath confessed that he is ignorant and full of corruption and comes far short of me in gifts and graces Evan. Because as the Pharisee had more to doe before he could come at Christ then the Publican had so I conceive you have more to doe then he hath Nom. Why Sir I pray you what have I to doe or what would you advise me to doe for truly I would be contented to bee ruled by you Evan. Why that which you have to doe before you can come at Christ is to undoe all that ever you have done already that is to say whereas you have endeavoured to travail towards heaven by the way of the Covenant of works and so have gone a wrong way you must goe quite back again all the way you have gone before you can tread one step in the right way And whereas you have attempted to build up the ruines of old Adam and that upon your selfe and so like a foolish builder to build a tottering house upon the sands you must throw down and utterly demolish all that building and not leave a stone upon a stone before you can begin to build anew and whereas you have conceived that there is a sufficiencie in your selfe to justifie and save your selfe you must conclude that in that case there is not onely in you an insufficiencie but also a non-sufficiencie yea and that sufficiencie that seemed to be in you to bee your losse in plain termes you must deny your selfe as our Saviour sayth Matthew 16.24 That is You must utterly renounce all that ever you are and all that ever you have done All your knowledge and gifts all your hearing reading praying fasting weeping and mourning all your wandring in the way of works and strict walking must fall to the ground in a moment briefly whatsoever you have counted gain to you in the case of Justification you must now with the Apostle Paul count losse for CHRIST and judge it to be dung that you may win CHRIST and bee found in Him not having your own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Neo. O but Sir What would you advise me to doe Evan. Why man what ayleth you Neo. Why Sir as you have been pleased to heare them two to declare their condition unto you so I beseech you to give me leave to doe the same and then you will perceive how it is with me Sir not long since it pleased the Lord to visit mee with a great fit of sicknesse so that indeed both in mine own judgement and in the judgement of all that came to visite mee I was sick unto death whereupon I began to consider whither my soule was to goe after its departure out of my body and I thought with my selfe that there was but two places heaven and hell and therefore it must needs goe to one of them then my wicked and sinfull life which indeed I had lived came into my minde which caused me to conclude that hell was the place provided for it which caused me to bee very fearfull and to bee very sorry that I had so lived and desired of the Lord to let me live a little longer and I would not faile to reforme my life and amend my ways and the Lord was pleased to grant mee my desire since which time though indeed t is true I have not lived so wickedly as formerly I had done yet alas I have come far short of that godly and religious life which I see other men live and especially this my neighbour Nomista and yet you seem to conceive that he is not in a good condition and therefore surely I must needs be in a miserable condition alas Sir what doe you thinke will become of me Evan. I doe perceive that although wee have by the Lords assistance our comming together opened and cleered the new and living way to eternall life yet the Lord hath not been pleased to open your eyes to see it so that you would still be going thither the old and naturall way and therefore as a further means to discover it to you I pray you consider that although in the making of the covenant of works at the first God was one party and man another yet in making it the second time God was on both sides
God out of Christ deliver the ten commandements as the law of Christ. Evan. O no! for God out of Christ stands in relation to man according to the tenour of the law as it is the covenant of works and therefore can speak to man upon no other terms then the terms of that covenant Nom. But Sir why may not believers amongst the Gentiles receive the ten commandements as a rule of life at the hands of Moses as well as the believers amongst the Jews did Evan. For answere hereunto I pray you consider that the ten commandements were the substance of the law of nature ingraven in the heart of man in innocency and the expresse Idaea or representation of Gods own Image even a beam of his own holinesse and so they were to have bin a rule of life to him and his posterity not being then the covenant of works and then after they were become the covenant of works and broken by the first Adam and kept by the second Adam then as they were not the covenant of works and were made knowne to Adam and the rest of the believing Fathers by Visions and Revelations they became a rule of life to them untill the time of Moses and as they were delivered by Moses unto the believing Jews from the Arke and so as from Christ they were a rule of life to them untill the time of Christs comming in the flesh and since Christs comming in the flesh they have been and are to be a rule of life both to believing Jews and believing Gentiles not as they are delivered by Moses but as they are delivered by Christ for when Christ the Son comes speaks himselfe then Moses the servaÌ„t must keep silence according as Moses himselfe foretold saying A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall you heare in all things which he shall say unto you and therefore when the Disciples seemed to desire to heare Moses and Elias to speak on the Mountain Tabor they were presently taken away and a voyce came out of the cloud saying This is my beloved Soune in whom I am well pleased heare him as if the Lord had said you are not now to heare either Moses or Elias but my well beloved Sonne and therefore I say unto you heare him And is it not said Heb. 1.1 That in these last dayes God hath spoken to us by his Sonne And doth not the Apostle say Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly and whatsoever you doe in word or deed doe all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ the wife must bee subject unto the husband as unto CHRIST the childe must yield obedience to his parents as unto Christ and the believing servant must doe his Masters businesse as Christs businesse for saith the Apostle ye serve the Lord Christ yea saith hee to the Galathians beare yee one anothers burden and so fulfill the Law of Christ. Ant. Sir I like it very well that you say Christ should be a Christians teacher and not Moses but yet I question whether the ten commandements may be called the Law of Christ for where can you finde them repeated either by our Sauiour or his Apostles in the whole New Testament Evan. Though we finde not that they are repeated in such a method as they are set down in Exodus and Deuteronomie yet so long as we finde that Christ and his Apostles did require command those things that are therein commanded and reprove and condemne those things that are therein forbidden and that both by their lives and doctrines it is sufficient to prove them to be the Law of Christ. Ant. I think indeed they have done so touching some of the commandements but not touching all Evan. Because you say so I intreat you to consider First whether the true knowledge of God required John 3.19 and the want of it condemned 2 Thes. 1.8 and the true love of God required Matth. 22.37 and the want of it reproved John 5.42 and the true feare of God required 1 Pet. 2.17 Heb. 12.28 and the want of it condemned Rom. 3.18 And the true trusting in God required and the trusting in the creature forbidden 2 Cor. 1.9 1 Tim. 6.17 be not the substance of the first commandement And consider secondly whether the hearing and reading of Gods word commended John 5.47 Revel 1.3 and prayer required Rom. 12.12 1 Thes. 5.17 and singing of Psalmes required Col. 3.16 James 5.13 and whether Idolatry forbidden 1 Cor. 10.14 1 John 5.21 be not the substance of the second commandement And consider thirdly whether worshipping of God in vain condemned Matth. 15.9 and using vain repetitions in prayer forbidden Matth. 6.7 and hearing of the word onely and not doing forbidden James 1.22 and whether worshipping God in spirit and truth commanded John 4.24 and praying with the spirit and with understanding also and singing with the spirit and with understanding also commended 1 Cor. 14.15 and taking heed what wee heare commanded Mark 4 24. be not the substance of the third commandement Consider fourthly whether Christs rising â—rom the dead the first day of the week Mar. 6.2.9 the Disciples assembling and Christs â—ppearing unto them two severall first days of â—he week John 20.19 26. And the Disciples â—omming together and breaking bread and â—reaching afterwards on that day Acts 20.7 â— Cor. 16.2 and Johns being in the spirit on â—he Lords day I say consider whether these â—hings do not prove that the first day of the weeke is to be kept as the Christians Sabâ—ath Consider fifthly whether the Apostles saying Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right Honour thy Father â—nd thy Mother which is the first commanâ—ement with the promise Ephes. 6.12 And â—ll those other exhortations given by him â—nd the Apostle Peter both to inferiours and â—uperiours to doe their duties either to other Ephes. 5.22 25. Ephes. 6.4 5 9. Col. 3.18.19 â—0 21 22 Titus 3.1 1 Pet. 3.1 1 Pet. 2.18 â— say consider whether all these places doe not prove that the duties of the fifth commandement are required in the new Testament Here you see are five of the ten commandements and as for the other five the Apostle reckons them up all together saying Thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steal thou shalt not beare false witnesse thou shalt not covet now judge you whether the ten commandements be not repeated in the new Testamenr and so consequently whether they be not the law of Christ and whether a believer be not under the law to Christ or in the law through Christ as the Apostles phrase is 1 Cor. 9.21 Ant. But yet Sir as I remember both Luther and Calvin doe speake as though a believer were so quite freed from the law by Christ as that hee need not make any conscience at all of yielding obedience to it Evan. I know
justified by faith it is a very needless thing for him to endevour to keep the law and to do good works Evan. I remember Luther sayth that in his time there were some that did reason after the like manner if faith say they do accomplish all things and if faith be onely and alone sufficient unto righteousnesse to what end then are wee commanded to doe good deeds we may go play us then and work no working at all to whom hee makes an answer saying not so ye ungodly not so And there were others that said If the law do not justifie then is it in vaine and of none effect yet is it not therefore true saith he for like as this consequence is nothing worth money doth not justifie or make a man righteous therefore it is unprofitable the eyes doe not justifie therefore they must be plucked out the hands make not a man righteous therefore they must be cut off so is this nought also the law doth not justifie therefore it is unprofitable we do not therefore destroy and condemne the law because wee say it doth not justifie but we say with Paul the law is good if a man do rightly use it and that this is a faithfull saying That they which have believed in God might be carefull to mayntaine good works these things are good and profitable unto men Neo. Truly Sir for mine own part I do much marvell that this my friend Antinomista should be so confident of his faith in Christ and yet so little regard holinesse of life and keeping of Christs commandements as it seemes hee doth for I give the Lord thanks I doe now in some small measure believe that I am by Christ freely and fully justified and acquitted from all my sins and therefore have no need eyther to eschew evill or do good for feare of punishment or hope of reward and yet me thinks I finde my heart more willing and desirous to doe what the Lord commands and to avoid what hee forbids then ever it was before I did thus believe surely Sir I doe perceive that faith in Christ is no hinderance to holinesse of life as I once thought it was Evan. Neighbour Neophytus if our friend Antinomista do content himself with a meere Gospell knowledge in a notionary way and have run out to fetch in notions from Christ and yet is not fetcht in by the power of Christ let us pitty him pray for him and in the mean time I pray you know that true faith in Christ is so far from being a hinderance from holinesse of life and good works that it is the onely furtherance for onely by faith in Christ a man is enabled to exercise all Christian graces a-right and to performe all Christian duties a-right which before he could not As for example before a man believe Gods love to him in Christ though he may have a kind of love to God as he is his creatour and preserver and gives him many good things for this present life yet if God do but open his eyes to see what condition his soul is in that is if he do but let him see that relation that is betwixt God and him according to the tenour of the conant of works then he conceives of him as an angry Judge armed with justice against him and must be pacified by the works of the law whereunto he finds his nature opposite and contrary and therefore hee hates both God and his law and doth secretly wish and desire there were neyther God nor law and though God should now give unto him never so many temporall blessings yet could hee not love him for what malefactour could love that Judge or his law from whom he expects the sentence of condemnation though he should feast him at his table with never so many dainties But after that the kindnesse and love of God his Saviour hath appeared not by works of righteousnesse that he hath done but according to his mercy hee saved him that is when as by the eye of faith he sees himselfe to stand in relation to God according to the tenour of the covenant of grace then he conceives of God as a most mercifull and loving Father to him in Christ that hath freely pardoned â—nd forgiven him all his sins and quite released him from the covenant of works and by this means the love of God is shed abroad in his hart through the Holy Ghost which is given to him and then he loves God because he first loved him for as a man seeth and feeleth by faith the love and favour of God towards him in Christ his Son so doth he love again both God and his law and indeed it is impossible for any man to love God till by faith hee know himself loved of God Secondly though a man before he believe Gods love to him in Christ may have a great measure of legall humiliation compunction sorrow and griefe and be brought down as it were to the very gate of hell and feele the very flashings of hell fire in his conscience for his sins yet is it not because hee hath thereby offended God but rather because he hath thereby offended himself that is because hee hath thereby brought himselfe into the danger of eternal death and condemnation but when once he believes the love of God to him in Christ in pardoning his iniquity and passing by his transgression then he sorrows grieves for the offence of God by the sin reasoning thus with himselfe and is it so indeed hath the Lord given his own Sonne to death for me who hath been such a vile sinfull wretch and hath Christ borne all my sins and was hee wounded for my transgressions ô then the working of his bowels the stirring of his affections the melting and relenting of his repenting heart then he remembers his own evill ways and his doings that were not good and loaths himselfe in his own eyes for all his abominations and looking upon Christ whom he hath pierced he mournes bitterly for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne thus when faith hath bathed a mans heart in the bloud of Christ it is so mollified that it quickly dissolues into the teares of godly sorrow so that if Christ doe but turn and look upon him ô then with Peter hee goes out and weeps bitterly and this is true gospel mourning and this is right evangelicall repenting Thirdly Though before a man doe truly believe in Christ he may so reforme his life and amend his ways that as touching the righteousnesse which is of the Law he may be with the Apostle blamelesse yet being under the covenant of works all the obedience that he yields to the Law all his leaving of sin and performance of duties all his avoyding of what the law forbids and all his doing of what the law commands is begotten by the law of works of Hagar the bond-woman by the force of self-love
a God as this such a Christ as this ô this will melt your heart and cause your eyes to drop down the tears of godly sorrow yea this will constrain in you to goe unto your Father and humbly to confesse your sins with the prodigall and beseech him to shew mercie for the Lords sake with Daniel and yet not out of a conceit that till your sin be pardoned you are lyable to be condemned for it for that is the penalty of the law of works which you are not now under but rather out of a true perswasion that till it be pardoned your Father is displeased with you for it yea and will whip and scourge you for it for that is the penalty of the Law of Christ which you are now under yea and this will also constrain you to loath your selfe in your owne sight for your iniquities yea not onely to loath your selfe for them but also to leave them saying with Ephraim what have I to doe any more with Idols and to cast them away as a menstrous cloth saying unto them get yee hence and thus will the goodnesse of God being apprehended by faith lead you to repentance Thirdly If after you have thus sinned either through weaknesse of faith or want of exercising it yee either doe not thus at all or not so effectually as you should and so your loving and wise Father see cause to give you some unpleasant potion to bring your sins to remembrance as he did Josephs brethrens Gen 42.21 and as was the saying of the widow of Zarephath 1 King 17.18 and to purge it and take it away as is the phrase of the Holy Ghost Isai. 27.9 and to make you partaker of his holinesse as the Apostles phrase is Heb. 12.10 Then I beseech you beware you conceit not that your afflictions are penall proceeding from hatred or vindictive justice and so as payments and satisfaction for sins for that is the penalty of the Covenant of works the which you are now delivered from But rather be perswaded as the truth is that they proceed from Gods fatherly love and so as medicinall to heale and cure you of your sins and so to make you more obedient and subject to the Law of Christ under which you now are for afflictions through Gods blessing are made speciall means to purge out that sinfull corruption which is still in the nature of believers and therefore are they in Scripture most aptly compared to medicines for so they are indeed to all Gods children most soveraign medicines to cure all their spirituall diseases and indeed we have all of us great need hereof for sayth Luther we are not yet perfectly righteous for whilst we remain in this life sin dwelleth still in the flesh and this remnant of sinne God purgeth wherefore when GOD hath remitted sinnes and received a man into the bosome of grace then doth hee lay on him all kinde of afflictions and doth scoure and renew him from day to day and to this purpose Tindall truly sayth If wee looke on the flesh and into the law there is no man so perfect that is not found a sinner nor no man so pure that hath not need to be purged Now if you thus conceive of your afflictions you will accept of them and you will with Ephraim say unto the Lord Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullocke unaccustomed to the yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned thou art the Lord my God surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did beare the reproch of my youth yea and then will you also say with David Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest ô Lord and teachest him out of the Law and thus you see I have endevoured to give you a satisfying answer to your question Neo. And truly Sir you have done it very fully the Lord enable me to practise according to your direction Nom. Sir in this your answer to his question you have also answerd me and given me full satisfaction in divers points about which my friend Antinomista and I have had many a wrangling fit for if I used to affirme with tooth and nayle as men use to say that believers are under the Law and not delivered from it and that they doe sin and that God sees it and is angry with them and doth afflict them for it and that therefore they ought to humble themselves and mourn for their sins and confesse them and crave pardon for them and yet truly I must confesse I did not understand what I sayd nor whereof I affirmed and the reason was because I did not know the difference betwixt the law as it is the law of works and as it is the law of Christ. Ant. And believe me Sir I used to affirme as earnestly as hee that believers are delivered from the law and therefore do not sin and therefore God can see no sin in them and therefore is neyther angry with them nor doth afflict them for sin and therefore they have no need eyther to humble themselves or mourn or confesse their sins or beg pardon for them the which I believing to be true could not conceive how the contrary could be true also but now I plainly see that by meanes of your distinguishing betwixt the law as it is the law of works and as it is the law of Christ there is a truth in both therefore friend Nomista whensoever eyther you or any man else shall hereafter affirme that believers are under the law do sin God sees it and is angry with them and doth chastise them for it and that they ought to humble themselves mourn weep and confesse their sins and beg pardon for them if you mean onely as they are under the law of Christ I will agree with you and never contradict you again Nom. And truly friend Antinomista if eyther you or any man else shall hereafter affirme that believers are delivered from the law and do not sin and God sees no sin in them nor is angry with them nor afflicts them for their sins and that they have no need eyther to humble themselves mourne confesse or crave pardon for their sins if you mean it onely as they are not under the law of works I will agree with you and never contradict you again Evan. I rejoyce to heare you speak these words each to other and truly now I am in hope that you two will come back from both your extreams and meet my neighbour Neophytus in the golden Meane having as the Apostle sayth the same love being of one accord and of own minde Nom. Sir For my part I thanke the Lord I do now plainly see that I have erred exceedingly in seeking to be justified as it were by the works of the law and yet could I never
by the body of CHRIST Now by the body of CHRIST is ment the passion of CHRIST upon the Crosse or which is all one the suffering of CHRIST in his humane nature and therefore certainely wee may conclude with godly Tindall that all such are dead concerning the Law as are by faith crucified with Christ. Nom. But I pray you Sir how doe you prove that the Law is dead to a believer Evan. Why as I conceive the Apostle affirmes it Romams 7.1 6. Nom. Surely Sir you doe mistake for I remember the words of the first verse are how that tbe Law hath dominion over a man as long as hee liveth and the words of the sixth verse are But now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein wee were holden c. Evan. I know right well that in our last Translation the words are so rendred but godly and learned Tindall renders it thus Remember yee not brethren that the Law hath dominion over a man as long as it endureth and B. Hall paraphraseth upon it thus Know yee not brethren that the Mosaicall Law hath dominion over a man that is subject unto it so long as the said Law is in force So likewise Origen Ambrose and Erasmus doe all agree that by these words while Hee or it liveth wee are to understand as long as the Law remayneth And Peter Martyr is of opinion that these wordes while Hee or it liveth or indifferently referred eyther to the law are to the man for sayth hee The man is said to bee dead Verse the fourth and the law is said to bee dead Verse the sixth even so because the word He or it mentioned Verse the first doth signifie both sexes in the Greek Chrysostome thinketh that the death both of the law and the man is insinuated And Theophylact Erasmus Bucer and Calvin doe all understand the sixth Verse of the law being dead And as the death of a believer to the law was accomplished by the death of Christ even so also was the laws death to him Even as M. Fox in his Sermon of Christ crucified testifieth saying Here have wee upon one Crosse two Crucifixes two the most excellent Potentates that ever were the Sonne of God and the Law of God wrastling together about mans salvation both cast downe and both slaine upon one Crosse howbeit not after a like sort first the Sonne of God was cast downe and took the fall not for any weaknesse in himselfe but was content to take it for our victory by this fall the law of God in casting him downe was caught in his one trip and so was fast nayled hand and foot to the Crosse according as we read in S. Pauls words 1 Col. 2.14 And so Luther speaking to the same point sayth this was a wonderfull combate where the law being a creature giveth such an assault to his Creatour in practizing his whole tyranny upon the Sonne of God now therefore because the law did so horribly and cursedly sinne against his God it is cursed and arraigned and as a thiefe and cursed murderer of the Son of God looseth all his right and deserveth to be condemned the law therefore is bound dead and crucified to mee it is not only overcome condemned and slaine unto Christ but also to mee believing in him unto whom hee hath freely given this victory now then although according to the Apostles intimation Romans the seventh at the beginning though the Covenant of workes and man by nature bee mutually engaged each to other so long as they both live yet if when the wife bee dead the husband bee free then much more when he is dead also Nom. But I pray Sir what are wee to understand by this double death or wherein doth this freedome from the law consist Evan. Death is nothing else but a dissolution or an untying of a compound or a separation between matter and forme and therefore when the soule and body of man is separated wee say hee is dead so that by this double death wee are to understand nothing else but that the bargaine or covenant which was made betweene GOD and man at first is dissolved or untyed or that the matter and forme of the Covenant of works is separated to a believer so that the Law of the ten Commandements doth neyther promise eternall life nor threaten eternall death to a believer upon condition of his obedience or disobedience to it neyther doth a believer as hee is a believer eyther hope for eternall life or feare eternall death upon any such termes no wee may assure our selves that whatsoever the Law sayth on any such tearmes it sayth to them who are under the Law But believers are not under the Law but under Grace and so have escaped eternall death and obtained eternall life onely by faith in Jesus Christ For by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses For God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And this is that Covenant of Grace which as I told you was made with the Fathers by way of promise and so but darkly but now the fulnesse of time being come it was more fully opened and promulgated Ant. Well Sir now I doe perceive there was little difference betwixt the Jews Covenant of Grace and ours Evan. Truly the opposition betwixt the Jews Covenant of Grace and ours was chiefly of their owne making they should have been driven to Christ by the Law but they expected life in obedience to it and this was their great errour and mistake Ant. And truly Sir it is no great marvell though they in this point did so much erre and mistake who had the Covenant of Grace made known to them so darkly when many amongst us who have it more cleerly manifest do the like Evan. And truly it is no marvell though all men naturally do so for man naturally doth apprehend God to be the great master of heaven and himselfe to be his servant and that therefore he must do his work before hee can have his wages and the more work he doth the better wages he shall have And hence it it was that when Aristotle came to speak of blessednes to pitch upon the next means to that end he said it was operation working with whom also agreeth Pythagoras when he saith It is mans felicity to be like unto God as how by becoming righteous and holy and let us not marvell that these men did so erre who never heard of Christ nor of the Covenant of grace when those to whom it was made known by the Apostles of Christ did the like witnesse those to whom the Apostle Paul wrote his Epistles and especially the Galathians for although hee had by his preaching when he was present with them made
the Citie and wee shall die there and if we sit still here we die also nâ—w therefore come and let us fall into the hands of the Assyrians if they save us we shall live and if they kill us we shall but die even so say I in mine heart if I goe back to the covenant of works to seek justification thereby I shall die there and if I sit still and seek it no way I shall die also now therefore though I be somewhat fearfull yet am I resolved to go unto Christ and if I perish I perish Evan. Why now I tell you truly the match is made Christ is yours and you are his this day is salvation come to your house your soul I mean for what though you have not that power to come so fast unto Christ and to lay such firme hold on him as you desire yet comming with such a resolution to Christ to take him you need take no care for doing it you may be sure that Christ will enable you to do it for is it not said John 1.12 But as many as received him to them hee gave power to become the sonnes of God even to them that believe on his name O then I beseech you stand no longer disputing but be peremptory and resolute in your faith and in casting your selfe upon God in Christ for mercy and let the issue be what it will yet let me tell you to your comfort that such a resolution shall never go to hell nay I will say more if any soule have a roome in Heaven such a soul shall for God cannot finde in his heart to damne such a one I might then with as much true confidence say unto you as John Careless said unto John Bradford Hearken ô ye Heavens and thou ô earth give eare and beare me witnesse at the great day that I do here faithfully and truly the Lords message unto his deare servant and singularly beloved John Bradford saying John Bradford thou man so specially beloved of God I doe pronounce and testifie unto thee in the word and name of the Lord Jehovah that all thy sins whatsoever they be though never so many grievous or great be fully and freely pardoned released and forgiven thee by the mercy of God in Jesus Christ thy onely Lord and sweet Saviour in whom thou dost undoubtedly believe as truly as the Lord liveth he will not have thee die the death but hath verily purposed determined and decreed that thou shalt live with him for ever Neo. O Sir If I have as good warrant to apply this saying to my self as Mr. Bradford had to apply it to himself I am a happy man Evan. I tell you from Christ and under the hand of his spirit that your person is accepted your sins are done away and you shall be saved and if an Angell from Heaven should tell you otherwise let him be accursed therefore you may without doubt conclude that you are a happy man For by means of this your matching with Christ you are become one with him and one in him you dwell in him and he in you Hee is your welbeloved and you are his so that the mariage union betwixt Christ and you is more then a bare notion or apprehension of your mind for it is a spirituall reall union it is an union betwixt the nature of Christ God and man and you it is a knitting and closing not onely of your apprehension with a Saviour but also of your soule with a Saviour whence it must needs follow that you cannot be damned except Christ be damned with you neyther can Christ be saved except you be saved with him And as by means of corporall marriage all things become common betwixt man and wife even so by means of this spirituall marriage all things become common betwixt Christ and you for when Christ hath married his spouse unto himselfe hee passeth over all his estate unto her so that whatsoever Christ is or hath you may boldly challenge as your own He is made unto you of God wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and surely by vertue of this neer union it is that as Christ is called the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 23.6 so is the Church called the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 35.16 You may by vertue of this union confidently take unto your selfe as your own Christ watching abstinence travails prayers persecution slanders his tears his sweat his bloud and all that ever he did and suffered in three and thirty years with his Passion Death Resurrection and Ascention for they are all yours and as Christ passeth over all his estate unto his spouse so doth he require that shee should passe over all unto him wherefore you being now married unto Christ you must give all that you have of your own unto him and truly you have nothing of your own but sin and therefore you must give him that say thou unto Christ without fear I give to thee my dear husband my unbelief my mistrust my pride my arrogancie my ambition my wrath my anger my envie my covetousnesse my evill thoughts affections and desires I make a bundle of these and all my other offences and give them unto thee thus was Christ made sin for us which knew no sin that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him now then saith Luther let us compare these things together and we shall finde inestimable treasure Christ is full of all grace life and saving health and the soule is fraught full of all sin death and damnation but let faith come betwixt these two and it shall come to passe that Christ shall bee loaden with sin death and hell and unto the soule shall be imputed grace life and salvation who then saith he is able to value the royalty of this marriage accordingly who is able to comprehend the glorious riches of this grace where this rich and righteous husband Christ doth take unto wife this poore and wicked harlot redeeming her from all evils and garnishing her with all his own jewels so that you as the same Luther saith through the assurednesse of your faith in Christ your husband are delivered from all sins made safe from death guarded from hell and endowed with the everlasting righteousnesse life and saving health of your husband Christ and therefore you are now under the covenant of grace and freed from the Law as it is the covenant of works for as M. ball truly saith at one and the same time a man cannot be under the covenant of works and the covenant of grace Neo. Sir I doe not yet well know how to conceive of this freedome from the Law as it is the covenant of works and therefore I pray you make it as plain to me as you can Evan. For the true and cleer understanding of this point you are to consider that when Jesus Christ the second Adam had in the
behalfe of all his chosen perfectly fulfilled the Law as it is the covenant of works divine justice delivered that bond in to Christ who utterly cancelled that hand-writing so that none of his chosen were to have any more to doe with it nor it with them and now you by your believing in Christ having manifested that you are one that was chosen in him before the foundation of the world his fulfilling of that covenant and cancelling of it is imputed to you and so you are acquitted and absolved from all your transgressions against that covenant either past present or to come and so you are justified as the Apostle saith Freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. Ant. I pray you Sir give mee leave to speake a word by the way was not he justified before this time Evan. If he did not believe in Christ before this time as I conceive hee did not then certainly he was not justified before this time Ant. But Sir you know as the Apostle saith It is God that justifieth and God is eternall and as you have shewed Christ may be said to have fulfilled the covenant of works from all eternity and if he bee Christs now then was he Christs from all eternity and therefore as I conceive hee was justified from all eternity Evan. Indeed God is from all eternity and in respect of Gods accepting of Christs undertaking to fulfill the covenant of works he fulfilled it from all eternity and in respect of Gods electing of him he was Christs from all eternity and therefore it is true in respect of Gods decree hee was justified from all eternity and hee was justified meritoriously in the death and resurrection of Christ but yet he was not justified actually till he did actually believe in Christ for saith the Apostle By him all that believe are justified so that in the act of justifying faith and Christ must have a mutuall relation and must always concur and meet together faith as the action which apprehendeth and Christ as the object which is apprehended for neither doth Christ justifie without faith neither doth faith except it bee in Christ. Ant. Truly Sir you have indifferently well satisfied me in this point and surely I like it marvellous well that you conclude no faith justifieth but that whose object is Christ. Eva. The very truth is thuogh a man believe that God is mercifull and true of his promise and that he hath his elect number from the beginning and that he himselfe is one of that number yet if this faith doe not eye Christ if it be not in God as he is in Christ it will not serve turn for God cannot be comfortably thought upon out of Christ our mediator for if we finde not God in Christ saith Calvin salvation cannot bee known wherefore neighbour Neophytus I will say unto you as sweet Master Bradford said unto a gentlewoman in your case Thus then if you would be quiet and certain in conscience then let your faith burst forth through all things not onely that you have within you but also whatsoever is in heaven earth and hell and never rest untill it come to Christ crucified and the eternall sweete mercie and goodnesse of God in â—hrist Neo. But Sir I am not yet satisfied concerning the point you touched before and therefore I pray you proceed to shew me how far forth I am delivered from the Law as it is the covenant of works Evan. Truly as it is the covenant of works you are wholy and altogether delivered and set free from it you are dead to it and it is dead to you and if it be dead to you then it can doe you neither good nor hurt and if you be dead to it you can expect neither good nor hurt from it consider man I pray you that as I said before you are now under another covenant to wit the covenant of grace and you cannot bee under two covenants at once neither wholy nor partly and therefore as before you believed you were wholy under the covenant of works as Adam left both you and all his posterity after his fall so now since you have believed you are wholy under the covenant of grace Assure your selfe then that no Minister or Preacher of Gods Word hath any warrant to say unto you hereafter either doe this and this dutie contained in the law and avoid this and this sin forbidden in the Law and God will justifie thee and save thy soule or doe it not and Hee will condemne thee and damne thee no no you are now set free both from the commanding and condemning power of the covenant of works so that I will say unto you as the Apostle saith unto the believing Hebrews You are not come to Mount Sinai that might not be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blacknesse and darknesse and tempests but you are come unto Mount Sion the City of the living God and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant so that to speak with holy reverence God cannot by vertue of the covenant of wotks either require of you any obedience or punish you for any disobedience no he cannot by vertue of that covenant so much as threaten you or give you an angry word or shew you an angry look for indeed he can see no sin in you as a transgression of that covenant for saith the Apostle Where there is no Law there is no transgression And therfore though hereafter you doe through frailty transgresse any or all the ten Commandements yet doe you not thereby transgresse the covenant of works there is no such covenant now betwixt God and you and therefore though you shall hereafter heare such a voice as this if thou wilt be saved keep the commandements or cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are writen in the book of the Law to doe them nay though you heare the voice of thunder and a fearfull noyse nay though you see blacknesse and darknesse and feel a great tempest that is to say though you heare us that are Preachers according to our commission Lift up our voice like a trumpet in threatning hell and damnation to sinners and transgressors of the Law though these be the words of God yet are you not to thinke that they are spoken to you no no the Apostle assures you â—hat there is no condemnation to them that â—â—re in Christ Jesus believe it man God never threatens eternall death after he hath once given to a man eternall life nay the truth is God never speaks to a believer out of Christ and in Christ hee speaks not a word in the terms of the covenant of works and if the Law of it selfe should presume to â—ome into your conscience and say herein and herein thou hast transgressed and broken â—â—e and therefore thou owest so much and â—o much to divine Justice which must be