is of good and great vse for preseruing of true Christian doctrine for iudging of all kinde of life and lawes of men and for triall of spirits And all this we willingly grant assent vnto And how I pray you doth this point agree with yours That the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished Nay doth it not rather pull yours in peeces and wholly deuoure your whole Law and your wholly too As p Exod. 7.12 Aarons rod deuoured the rods of the Inchanters of Aegypt Luthers rod hath this truth written vpon it The Law of Moses is of great and good vse therfore it deuoures yours which beares engrauen vpon it this error The whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished But take you good leaue to make your owne Argument your selfe and let vs see of what strength and consequence it will be Luther say you * Antinom affirmeth that the Law of Moses is of good and great vse for preseruing of true Christian doctrine for iudging of all kinde of life and lawes of men and for triall of spirits Therefore you conclude that he agreeth with you in this point That the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished * Answere As much agreement there may be betwixt fire and water light and darknesse truth and error as betwixt his Antecedent and your consequent Will you see what life and light sinewes and ioynts it hath by another like vnto it The Ancient Canons of the 4. first generall q 1. Concil Nicen. 2. Constantinop 3. Ephesin 4. Chalcedon Vide Euseb de vita Constant lib. 3. cap. 7. Theodoret. Eccles Hist lib. 5. cap. 6. 9. Euagr. Histor Eccles lib. 2. cap. 4. Counsells are of great and good vse for preseruing of true doctrine for iudging all kinde of life lawes and opinions of men and for triall of spirits Ergo All the Canons of the first 4. generall Counsels are wholly abolished and abrogated What connexion is here betwixt the Antecedent and the consequent Would not the cleane contrarie be more necessarily concluded Ergo All the Canons of the 4. first generall Councels are yet in force and neither wholly nor in part abolished nor abrogated Non r Cicero lib 4. Acad quast ovum ovo similius quà m Servilius Servilio One egge is not more like another then this Argument is like to yours And what thinke you of this Luther himselfe on Gal. 3. the same chapter which you alledge for you doth most euidently fight against you Å¿ Luth. on Gal. 3. fol. 131 152. There is saith he a double vse of the Law the first vse is to bridle the wicked and to restraine sinne as men vse to restraine Lions and Beares with bonds and chaines that they teare and diuoure not euery thing they meet And this he calleth a ciuill vse of the Law Another vse of the Law is diuine and spirituall which is as Paul saith to increase transgression i. o reueale vnto man his sinne his blindnes his miserie his impietie his ignorance hatred and contempt of God death hell iudgement and the deserued wrath of God Of this vse the Apostle intreateth notably in the 7. to the Romans Luther you see doth otherwise iudge of colours then you doe certainly either your eyes were not matches or your spectacles not of the same nor so true a sight as his were You say the whole Law is wholly abolished he saith and not onely faith it but proueth it by Scripture too That it is not wholly abolished but hath yet his double vse both ciuill and spirituall t Quint. Orat. Instit lib. 5. cap. 12. Ascâ—nius Paedi in Cic. Orat. pro M. Scauro Valerius Max lib. 3. cap. 7. Q. Varus Hispanus Marcum Scaurum Principem Senatus socios in arma ait concitasse Marcus Scaurus princeps Senatus negat vtri vos Quirites convenit credere You I know not who say that Luther a Captaine of the Lords hoast hath both stirred vp others and taken armes himselfe for the abolishing of the whole Morall Law Luther a leader of the Lords armies doth vtterly denie it whether of you two should now be better credited let the Christian reader iudge But it may be you take hold of this that Luther mentioneth the u Luth. on Gal. 4.27 fol. 222. abolishing of the Law saying it is necessary to know and vnderstand well the doctrine of the abolishment of the Law c. Gal. 4.27 Men that are in danger of falling or drowning will catch at any thing which may seeme to helpe them although it be vtterly vnable to doe them any good So said x Hieron advers Ruffin Apol. lib. 2. Ierome of Ruffinus Tantum me diligit ut raptus turbine in profundum dimersus meum potissimum invadat pedem ut mecum aut liberetur aut pereat You catch at this word Abolishment of the Law and yet it will neither stay you nor stand you in any stead for Luther speakes only of the abolishing of certaine vses of the Law as for righteousnesse iustification life and saluation for terrifying accusing condemning those that are iustified by faith in Christ Iesus so farre he acknowledgeth and we with him that the * Calu. de usu legis Harmon in 4. Libros Mosis p. 442 August de Spiritu litera cap. 4. 5. 10. Morall Law for these offices and vses is abolished The very light and euidence of the opposition which in the same sentence he maketh betwixt Moses and Christ workes and faith seruitude by the Law and libertie by the Gospell iustification and condemnation terrors and conflicts of conscience and sound and certaine consolation of the same might haue manifested and made knowne thus much vnto you had you been as carefull to seeke the truth of his doctrine and to taste his true meaning in it as you were willing to feed your owne fancie only with the bare letters and leaues of it y Tertul. Scorpiâ—…c advers Gnostic cap. 7. Tertullian saith Verba non sono solo sapiunt sed sensu nec auribus tantùm audienda sunt sed mentibus As z Hieron in Gal. 1. Non in verbis sed in sensu non in superficie sed in medulla non in sermonum folijs sed in radice rationis pag. 162. Ierome said of the sense of the Scripture it is not in cortice orationis sed in radice rationis so may we say of mens writings we must seeke for the meaning by the matter as well as by the letter and lend our eares to listen and obserue what they desire to speake and not make them speake only what we desire to heare vnlesse we will be like little children who hauing some fancie running in their heads imagine the bells to ring and sing as they thinke and speake Let me in loue aduise you when you alledge an Author to giue euidence for any point bring not in testem sine testimonio a man that hath nothing to
say for you much more take heed you call not in such to speake in your cause as are opposites and aduersaries vnto it and cannot but speake what they haue heard and seene and set both heart and hand against you Let Luther your first witnesse second my aduice and if you will suffer him to speake he will discouer your strange dealing in bringing him to giue euidence against his conscience and to speake to your minde that which he neuer meant a Luth. on Gal. 4.27 p. 223. In the very next page to the words which you alledge as his opinion that the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished he thus cleereth himselfe We say that the Morall Law or the law of the ten Commandements hath no power to accuse and terrifie the conscience in which Christ Iesus raigneth by his grace for he hath abolished the power thereof Marke well his words What hath Christ abolished The power of the Morall Law not the Law it selfe nor the whole Law wholly but the power of it and what power not all power but the power of accusing terrifying and condemning and in whom hath it lost this power not in the wicked vnregenerate and reprobate but in that conscience in which Christ raigneth by his grace And in the page following b Luth. on Gal. 4.27 p. 223. b. he hath these words to the same purpose When our sinne is pardoned through Christ who is Lord of the Law the Law being a seruant hath no more power to accuse and condemne vs for sinne and wee are now made free forasmuch as the Sonne hath deliuered vs from bondage And in this sense both he and we doe acknowledge that the Law is wholly abolished to them that beleeue in Christ Iesus notwithstanding c Prosectò illam Dei legem non solum illi tunc populo verùm etiam nunc Nobis ad instituendam rectè vitam necessariam nemo dubitaverit Aug. Lib. 3. contra duas Epistol Pel. ad Bonifac. cap. 4. lib. 4. cap. 5. it remaineth still in force for some speciall offices and vses both against the wicked and for the godly and that not only to driue them vnto Christ vpon sight and sense of their miserie to seeke for releefe in his obedience but to direct them also how to walke aright in the waies of God when they are once come vnto him Yea and further also because in many things we sinne all and there is no man that sinneth not the best of Gods children euen after their effectuall calling and conuersion stand in need of some of the d Hieron Augustino Tom. 2. p. 341. offices of the Law as 1. to know the e Rom. 7.7 nature and qualitie manner and measure of their sinne by the f Iam. 1.23.25 glasse of the law for as Paul knew that concupiscence euen without consent was sinne because the Law that is the tenth Commandement saith Thou shalt not couet so he that will finde out his sinne must discouer it by the light and measure it by the line of Gods law for sinne saith g 1 Iohn 3.4 Iohn is transgression of the Law 1 Ioh. 3.4 and Paul affirmeth that where no Law is there is no transgression Rom. 4.15.2 It serueth also to h Ad hoc lex data est ut superbo suam infirmitatem nota faceret c. vide plura apud Aug. de poenit medicina c. 1. conuince the conscience to afflict the heart to breake the spirits subdue the pride euen of godly and gratious men and all this only to humble them not to discourage them to make them to remember and consider whence and whither they are i Reu. 2.5 fallen that they may repent doe their first workes and recouer their first loue and that in the sense of their miserie when the Lord shall powre the k Zach. 12.10 spirit of Grace and supplications vpon them they may looke vpon him whom they haue pierced and mourning ouer him may seeke and sue for mercy and refreshing from him alone that hath promised to heale the l Isay 61.1 broken hearted to ease the burdened and to m Math. 11.28 refresh them that are tired with the labour or wearied in the waies of sinne Thus did the n Luk. 15.18 19. Prodigall I will goe vnto my father Thus did Adulterous o Hos 2.7 Israel I will returne vnto my first husband for then was it better with me then now Hos 2.7 And hereunto p Luth. on Gal. 3.19 fol. 154. b. Luther giueth further testimonie Gal. 3.19 The Law is as a glasse that sheweth vnto a man himselfe that he is a sinner guiltie of death and worthy of Gods euerlasting wrath and indignation To what end serueth this humbling this bruising and beating downe by this hammer the Law I meane To this end that we may haue an enterance vnto grace So then the q So also saith Aug. epist 89. ad Hilarium Iubet ideo ut facere jussa conati in nostra infirmitate sub lege fatigati adjutorium gratiae poscere noverimus vide etiā August Tract 17. in Joh. Law is a Minister that prepareth the way to Grace for God is the God of the humble the miserable the afflicted c. Can there be any more plaine pregnant euidence to conuince you of error in this your opinion That the whole Law is wholly abolished then this which is given in against you by your owne witnesse that it is not only yet continued but also for so necessarie vses offices and seruices for euer established euen so long as there shall be any need for a sinner to be humbled and of a r Veniat Medicus sanet aegrotes Medicus quis est Dominus noster Jesus Christus August in Eua. Ioh. Tract 3. Sauiour to be sought vnto And yet if all this be too little hearken to his admonition and obserue his protestation touching this particular and you shall yet haue a more ample and effectuall satisfaction and conuiction in the same ſ Luth. on Gal. 3.19 fol. 153. b. Luther on Gal. 3.19 Here I admonish saith he all such as feare God and especially such as shall become teachers of others hereafter that they diligently learne out of Paul to vnderstand the true and proper vse of the Law which I feare after our time will be trodden vnder foot and vtterly abolished by the enemies of the truth Hearken I pray you to this admonition and trie the truth of your opinion by these foure points contained in it 1. That yet there is a true and proper vse of the Law 2. That Paul the Apostle doth teach what the true and proper vse of the Law is 3. That all that feare God especially Ministers ought to learne it as he doth teach it 4. That they are enemies of the truth that goe about to tread it vnder foot and to abolish it And now obserue his protestation t Luth.
malediction or curse Rom. 8.1 Thirdly in respect of rigour for in them which are in Christ God accepts the endeuour to obey for obedience it selfe Neuerthelesse the Law as it is the rule of good life is vnchangeable and admits no abrogation and Christ by his death did in this regard establish it Rom. 3.31 What say you now to these words of Mr. Perkins Doth he determine the question with you and for you that the Morall Law is wholly abolished or doth he not plainly resolue to the contrary that as it is the rule of good life it is vnchangeable and for euer by the death of Christ established Antinomus Your next Testimony is out of Paraeus in Argumentum Epist ad Galatas and in other places vpon that Epistle Answer I haue not that Booke by me but vnlesse Paraeus be much contrary to himselfe which I cannot so easily conceiue of so judicious a Diuine you shall see I haue reason to thinke that vpon the Galatians he speaketh nothing for your opinion seeing vpon the Hebrewes Cap. 8. pag. 400. 401. g Paraeus in Heb. 8. p. 400. 401. he purposely and aduisedly writeth so much against it Lex Moralis saith he est aeterna justiciae norma and then he sheweth how farre the Old Testament is abrogated 1. Quantum ad doctrinae spiritualis gratiae circumstantiam de futuro 2. Deinde quantum ad conditionem impossibilem perfectae obedientiae 3. Quantum ad onus legalium rituum sacerdotij Levitici Denique quantum ad jugum politie Mosaicae populi Iudaici cervicibus impositum Whereupon he inferreth thus Vnde Manichaeonum fanaticorum refutatur error qui abrogationem veteris Testamenti non folum ad tria illa sed ad legem etiam moralem malè trahebant and a little after he addeth De Lege Morali de Mosis atque Prophetarum libris doctrina aeternitatem agnoscimus de ritibus politia minimè By this you may euidently perceiue that Paraeus is of opinion that howsoeuer the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Lawes of Moses be abrogated yet the Morall Law is perpetuall and eternall and that they are men tainted with heresie or frensie that would draw the Morall Law into the same estate of abrogation with them And if you will looke backe a little to the seuenth Chapter and sixteenth verse of the same Epistle you may see as much as this and somewhat more h Paraeus in Heb. cap. 7. ver 16.18 Obiter hic annotemus discrimen legis Moralis Ceremonialis Illa perpetua spiritualis est ista caeduca carnalis fuit And againe vpon verse 18. Probat nunc legis abrogationem inde pendentem Et est taecita occupatio Quicquid sacerdotio fiat lex Dei est immutabilis Id inquit non nego de lege Morali nunc verò loquor de praecepto carnali lege Ceremoniali See more in Paraeus in Ep. Rom. cap. 3.8.31 cap. 7.7 Nam Valentiâ—…ani c. And this may sustice to cleare Paraeus that what you haue taken you haue mistaken from him as approuing your opinion vpon the Galatians which you see he disproueth on the Epistle to the Hebrewes Let vs now proceed to that which followeth There is a word * Antinomus you say Galat. 3 19. mistranslated in most vulgar translations which drawes many men away Serueth Wherefore then Serueth the Law Neither the Greeke you say nor any Latine translation hath it If neither the Greeke nor any Latine translation haue it Answer then it may peraduenture be added amisse but mistranslated as you say it cannot be And why doth not this word Serueth serue your turne Because forsooth it is in the Present Tense Serueth and not in the Preterimperfect Tense Serued Wherefore then serued the Law And why would you haue it serued and not serueth Because I guesse you would haue all men to know that the Law was of some force and vse in times past but now is of neither for the time present and so serued in the time past serueth your purpose very well for the present businesse But be it as you would haue it serued is serued either in the Greeke or any Latine translation or doth not the Law now in the daies of the Gospell serue to the reuealing conuincing and condemning of transgressions as before it serued to the same end and vse in the daies of the Law or suppose it serued more then to that end than now it serueth serueth it now therefore to no other vse at all But you say Many haue beene drawen awry by this word serueth Surely you are the first that euer I heard either make any exception against it or stand in any danger or feare of it And k Beza in Gal. 3.19 Beza whom you alledge may be vnderstood to take it rather in the Present than in the Preterim-perfect Tense Quorsum igitur lata lex est and Quum lex posita sit hominibus redarguendis Implying thereby not only whereunto the Law serued when it was first ordained but that it l Vide Beza in 1. Ep. Tim. cap. 1. v. 9. Finis legis est charitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. cap. 1. v. 9. serueth yet to the same vse in some respect though in diuers things the vse be changed Not vnlike vnto this you say is in Rom. 3.20 Commeth or is By the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne which being read came or was of the time past maketh you say the sense good Not vnlike vnto that is this indeed i. of as little either weight or worth And why may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be thus translated For by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne but must needs be rendred thus For by the Law came or was the knowledge of sinne You haue your reason I hope in readinesse for if the former stand in the present time then your opinion must needs fall presently for then there is a present vse of the Law to discouer sinne But if that fall and the latter come in his stead then you conceiue hope that your opinion for the abolishing of the Law being now in danger of falling shall hence haue a prop to stay it vp withall and what a one I pray you why surely a sorry one either this or none By the Law came or was the knowledge of sinne Ergo the Law is now abolished and by the Law commeth not now any knowledge of sinne This is indeed as you said truly not vnlike the other the Law serued for restraining or condemning transgressions ergo now it serueth neither for these nor for any other vse at all But doth not the Apostle proue by the Law whether written in Tables of stone or in m Rom. 2.15 Tables of the heart that both Iewes and Gentiles are n Rom. 3.19 20. all vnder sin not only that they had beene but that euen then at that present they were And was not this in the time of the
of Christ to come and all this but more darkly p Rom. 16.25 26. and obscurely few taking any great notice thereof vntill the daies of Iohn yet now Christ being come in Iohns daies Iohn beareth better witnesse of his comming not only seeing him with his owne eies but shewing him and q Ioh. 1.29 pointing him out as it were with the finger vnto others yea r Ioh. 1.32 33 34 c. See Calu. Instit lib. 2. cap. â— 16 cap. 11. sect 5. preaching him to be the true Messiah promised before now exhibited figured in Ceremonies before more darkly now manifested in his owne person more clearely seene and sought after but of a few before but now so followed and flockt vnto that since the time of Iohns preaching of the kingdome of God The Å¿ Luk. 16.16 Matt. 11.12 kingdome of God suffereth violence and euery man presseth into it This Scripture then may proue that vpon Iohns preaching of Christ Behold the t Ioh. 1.29 36. lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world all Ceremonies and Prophecies concerning Christ to come were now accomplished and the Morall Law by him and in him alone to be fulfilled which we willingly grant but not that the u Tertull. expounding this place Luk. 16.16 saith Legis Prophetarum ordo exindè cessavit per adimpletionem non per destructionem lib. 4. câ—nt Mar. cap. 33. whole Morall Law is wholly abolished which is that which you willingly would but yet cannot proue For euidence and assurance of this which I say I need seeke no further than your owne witnesses Luther Erasmus Caluine Perkins Paraeus who all in the very places you alledge speaking of the continuance of Moses Law only â—ntill Christs death doe plainly auouch this only of the Iewish Paedagogy the Ceremoniall Law in types and shadowes the letter of the Law the rigour and terror of the Law the burden and seruility of the Law c. but not one of all speakes one word of the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law together therewithall Luther saith Christ is the end of the Law Rom. 10. Luth. on Gal. 3.24 25. p. 173. And how not that he hath abolished the old Law and giuen a new but he is the end of the Law to all that beleeue that is to say euery one that beleeueth in him is righteous and the Law shall neuer accuse him Luth. in Gal. 3.24 And albeit he speake of the abolishing of the Law by Christs death pag. 6. yet let his owne words cleare his owne meaning in the page following Luth. on Gal. 3. v. 25. p. 174. As touching the conscience we are fully deliuered from the Law and therefore that Schoolemaster must not rule in it that is he must not afflict it with his terrors threatnings and captiuity for Christ hath remoued all these offices of the Law out of the conscience putting out the hand-writing that was against vs Col. 2. Erasmus in Rom. 7.1 speaketh only of the Ceremoniall Law Antinomus At Mosis lex quoniam typis Câ—…remonijs Christum adumbrabat ad tempus aliquod tantùm data est donec exoriente luce cederent umbrae Answer apparentibus veris facesserent simulachra verorum Erasmus in Gal. 3.19 25. in Gal. 4.1 To the like purpose he hath the like words in Gal. 3.19 25. 4.1 but neither word nor syllable for the absolute abrogation of the Morall Law either at or after Christs death Caluine writing vpon Gal. 3.23 saith The Apostle compares the Law to a prison when he saith before faith came we were kept vnder the Law shut vp vnto the faith which should afterwards be reuealed and a little after he sheweth what is meant by faith and what Law that is whereof the Apostle speaketh saying Fides hic propriè significat plenam revelationem eorum quae tunc latebant sub obscuritate umbrarum legis Calu. in Gal. 3. v. 23. Faith in this place doth signifie a full reuelation of those things which then did lie hid vnder the darknesse of the shadowes of the Law And writing upon verse 25. Calu. in Gal. 3. v. 25. Vide Zanch. in Hosea cap. 2. p. 45. col 1. he directly proposeth and answereth the question in hand Quaeritur an lex ita sit abrogata vt nihil ad nos pertineat Respondeo Legem quatenus regula est benè vivendi fraenum quo in timore Domini retinemur stimulus ad corrigendam pigritiam carnis nostra denique quatenus utilis est ad docendum corrigendum c. hodiè non minùs valere quam olim manereque intactam Now surely I doe wonder how you could euer with any honesty produce Mr. Caluine and cite this very verse for abolishing the Morall Law at Christs death as his opinion seeing he doth so directly resolue and determine for the establishing of the right vse of the same Morall Law euen before your owne eies and that vnto the worlds end What should I say either your blindnesse is palpable or your boldnesse most intolerable in this strange dealing Perkins on Gal. 3.19 abused Vide Calu. de usu Legis Harmon in 4. lib. Mos p. 442.443 After the same manner doe you deale with Mr. Perkins who writing vpon Gal. 3.19 moueth this question Whether the Law serue to reueale sinne after the comming of Christ for Paul saith it was added for transgressions till Christ and answereth The Law serueth to reueale sinne euen to the end of the world yet in respect of the Legall or Mosaicall manner of reuealing sinne it is added but till Christ Mr. Perkins doth acknowledge there is vse of the Morall Law euen vnto the end of the world and you will needs haue him to be on your side and to say as you say That it did continue but till Christs death at the most Paraeus in Rom. 10. p. 1043. in Rom. 3.20 Lastly Paraeus findes no more fauour nor receiues any better measure at your hands as he that hath list and leasure may see in Rom. 10. pag. 1043. 1002. in Rom. 5.20 Thus are you well and worthily beaten with your owne rod though not in that seuerity which your injurious dealing with so worthy men doth deserue for I hold it much better to conuince and instruct in the spirit of meeknesse than to reproue and rebuke with too much acrimony and sharpnesse vnlesse a man be forced ad urendum secandum when no other milder meanes will serue the turne as sometimes euen the best and gentlest Chirurgions are constrained to doe Your seuenth Argument followeth Argument 7 feeble and faint as it is Quia velut carne spoliatos artus ostendit as a Quintil. Instit Orat. lib. 5. cap. 12. Quintilian saith of such an Argument Instit Orat. lib. 5. It was instituted to be a Schoolemaster to the people of God till the comming of Christ Galath 3.24 Ergo The Morall Law is now
euill knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5. All their perswasions and exhortations then you may see are not in all their Epistles grounded as you say vpon mercy but some vpon justice not all vpon loue but some vpon feare not all vpon the promises of the Gospell but some vpon the threatnings of the Law against all disobedience both to Law and Gospell According to that of the Apostle u Iud. Ep. v. 14 15. Iude Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement vpon all and to conuince all that are vngodly among them of all their vngodly deeds which they haue vngodly committed and of all their hard speeches which vngodly sinners haue spoke against him And that also of the Apostle x 2 Cor. 10.5 6. See Tertull. on this place 2 Thess 1.8 9. lib. 5. adver Marc. cap. 16. Vide etiam Zanch. in 2 Thess 1.8 9. Paul We haue in readinesse to take vengeance of all disobedience 2 Cor. 10.5 which the Lord Iesus shall accomplish when he shall be reuealed from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shal be punisâ—ed with euerlasting destruction from the presence of thâ—â—ord and from the glory of his power 2 Thess 1.7 8â—… Had you aduisedly considered these and other such like passages in the Epistles of the Apostles you would either neuer haue thought what you haue said before or neuer for very shame haue written that which followeth after viz. And though sometimes Antinomus yea often they vse the Imperatiue mood and some words of Commandement yet they are so tempered with mildnesse you say and without penalty as that there is no forme of Commandements much lesse any allusion to Moses Law or the Ten Commandements So tempered with mildnesse Answer and without penalty Now surely I wonder in what temper you were when these things ranne in your head or fell from your hand Had you forgotten that the Apostle did as well sharply threaten the y 1 Cor. 4.21 Corinthians with a rod as mildly offer to come vnto them in loue and in the spirit of meeknesse Or did you not consider that the same Apostle doth not alwaies as it were stroake their heads and commend them in tearmes of loue but as occasion requireth sometimes strikes their naked consciences with some sharpe rebukes and threats some bitter taunts and terrors as with the twigs and ierks of his rod also He that saith 1 Cor. 11. z 1 Cor. 11.2 Now I praise you Brethren that yee remember me in all things and keepe the ordinances as I deliuered them to you taketh them vp more sharply for the abuse of the Sacrament euen in the a 1 Cor. 11.22 same Chapter verse 22. What haue yee not houses to eat and to drinke in Or despise yee the Church of God and shame them that haue not What shall I say vnto you shall I praise you in this I praise you not And he that in another b 1 Cor 4.14 place saith I write not these things to shame you but as my beloued sonnes I admonish you 1 Cor. 4. doth he not afterwards vpon just occasion more sharply rebuke them I speake to your c 1 Cor 6.5 1 Cor. 15.34 shame Is it so that there is not a wise man amongst you no not one that shall be able to judge betweene his brethren And againe Some haue not the knowledge of God I speake this to your shame 1 Cor. 15.34 Are not these words as sharpe and tart as the former are milde and gentle Is there not a burning fire of zeale in the latter as well as a warming fire of loue in the former Fire I acknowledge in both and holy fire too but yet of a different degree and temper the one milder and the other sharper and both of speciall vse in their time and place In distilling of flowers and hearbes a soft fire will serue the turne which in melting of mettles will doe no good at all And although according to the common Prouerbe A soft fire will make sweet Malt yet must it be a hot fire to make good d Hos 7.6 7 8. bread or good e Exod. 1.14 bricke This wisdome God hath giuen the f Isa 28.26 27 28. Husbandman to beat out Fitches with a staffe and Cummin with a rod but to thresh with a threshing Instrument and to turne the Cart wheele ouer the stronger graine that the bread Corne may be bruised and fitted for present vse And this wisdome God hath giuen his g Isa 28.26 1 Cor. 3.9 2 Pet. 3.15 Apostles as his chiefe Husbandmen that in dealing with his people which are Gods husbandry they should vse both mildnesse and sharpnesse lenity and seuerity a staffe or a threshing instrument as the nature or quality of the seed soyle or season shall require But who would not thinke to heare and take your words that all the Epistles were so full of milde speeches and sweet exhortations that there were not any sharpe rebukes much lesse any ironicall taunts and least of all any terrible threats at all to be found in all or any one of them For * Antinomus you will haue All to be mildnesse without any sharpnesse all but commanding words without any forme of Commandements all mercies and promises without any penalty or punishment no vrging of any precept of the Law no not so much as an allusion to Moses Law or the Ten Commandements And all this you vrge to this end to proue That now in the daies of the Gospell the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished Answer When the people would teach the Prophets to speake and forbid the Seers to see saying Prophecy not vnto vs right things but speake vnto vs smooth things prophecy deceits The Prophet h Isa 30.8 9 10. The Apostles doe reproue sins and threaten sinners out of the Morall Law See 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ran. Ceasu Praelect 183. p. col 861. 862. 863. Isay was charged to write it in a Table and to note it in a Booke that it might be for the time to come euen for euer and euer That this is a rebellious people lying children that will not heare the Law of the Lord. If you goe about to teach the Apostles to speake and forbid these Seers to see saying They neither command seuerely nor rebuke sharply nor threaten terribly i. They Prophecy no right things vnto vs but speake all smooth things vnto vs all mildnesse no sharpnesse all mercy no judgement all promises no penalties all words of commanding but no forme of Commandements all loue and fauour but no rigour nor terror take heed lest your sinne be not written as with a i Ier. 17.1 pen of a Diamond before the Lord and the censure thereof also for you your leaders and followers made as
remarkable for the time to come as euer it was vpon the Iewes and euen in the same words This is a rebellious people lying children and that euen for the same reason Because you stand so much against the Law of the Lord. But to proceed yet a little further for your better conuiction and satisfaction in this point If I shall shew you out of the Epistles of the Apostles not only * The Apostle S. Iohn proueth hatred of our Brethren to be a sin because it is a breach of the Morall Law viz. Murther offending against the sixt Commandement and so doth not only proue it but reproue it also 1 Ioh. 3.14 15. as deseruing death and depriuing vs of eternal life So doth Paul also rebuke and threaten Couetousnesse because it is Idolatry a breach of the first Commandement sharpe rebukes as you haue heard some already but some bitter and ironicall taunts many serious and seuere Commandements for auoiding of the sinnes and performing of the duties of the Morall Law many terrible threatnings of dreadfull judgements and curses and that not only by way of allusion but by plaine allegation of the Morall Law If I say I shall shew you all these out of the Epistles will you then honestly and ingenuously confesse your error hauing so boldly affirmed the contrary and so rest satisfied with the truth in this particular Vpon this subject a man might gather enough to fill a Volume and might spend more daies then I can spare houres for this businesse A touch of some and a taste of others shall serue the turne When the Apostle k 1 Cor. 4.8 Paul saw the Corinthians swolne and puffed vp with a vaine and insolent conceit of their owne excellency as now boasting of their gifts and that being now full by their elegant and eloquent Teachers they began as it were to loath the hony combe of the Word in Pauls preaching he wisely labours to let out this winde of vanity with an ironicall and bitter rebuke as sharpe and piercing as the point of a speare or sword Now saith he yee are full now yee are rich now yee haue reigned as Kings without vs we are fooles for Christs sake but yee are wise in Christ l 1 Cor. 4.10 we are weake but yee are strong yee are honourable but we are despised Some m Quintil. Instit Orat. lib. 6. cap. 3. lib. 9. cap. 2. learned men doe hold that this and such like ironicall n Lyra in 1 Cor. 4.8 Ironicè loquitur ut ostendat praesumptionem corum derisibilem derisions are the sharpest and seuerest reprehensions Like vnto that of our Sauiour Christ Mar. 7. where sharply reprouing the ceremonious and superstitious Pharisies for preferring their humane Ordinances before Gods Commandements Full o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rajn Censur praâ—ect 169. See Beza advers Sycoph p. 136. ut Amos. 4 4 â—…e Bethel peccate well saith p Mar. 7.9 10. he doe yee reject the Commandements of God that yee may keepe your owne Traditions For Moses said Honour thy Father and Mother and yee say It is Corban c. Or like vnto that bitter mocke of q 1 King 18.27 Elijah against the worshippers of Baal 1 King 18.27 Cry aloud for he is a God either he is talking or he is pursuing or he is in a journey or peraduenture he sleepeth and must be awaked The same Apostle Paul also warning the Philippians of false Teachers of wicked liuers and of them of the Circumcision that were amongst them doth he not rate such persons as Dogs and scoffingly tearme their Circumcision Concision saying Beware of r Phil. 3.2.3 Dogs beware of euill workers beware of the Concision and doth not the same Apostle giue direction vnto Å¿ Tit. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titus to muzzell and stop the mouthes of such Dogs and branding the Cretians with reprochfull names by a Verse alleged out of Epimenides one of their owne Poets t Tit. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cretians all are liars still bellies slow and beasts ill u Tit. 1.13 He alloweth of this testimony as true and thereupon chargeth Titus to rebuke them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly or sharply that they may be sound in the faith As if he would haue Titus to vse these sharpe reproofes and reproches as Chirurgions sometimes doe their keene rasors to cut away all brutish and base sinnes as either dead or proud flesh that so they might be cured of their errors and made sound in the knowledge and profession of the Gospell of Christ Iesus By all which bitter taunts sharpe reproches and cutting rebukes any that hath either sight or sense may plainly see and perceiue that all Pauls Epistles are not tempered with such mildnesse as you haue ignorantly and rashly affirmed as if there were not so much as any taste of tartnesse or sharpnesse in them at all But that Paul retaining his x 2 Cor. 13.10 1 Cor. 4.21 Apostolicall liberty sometimes to smite with his rod of rebuke and censure as well as to speake in the spirit of meeknesse did not only himselfe inflamed with holy and heauenly zeale rebuke sharply reproch bitterly and reproue grieuously but did also charge y Tit. 1.13 2 Tim. 4.2 others of Gods Ministers seuerely as occasion should require so to doe And all this he did with a wise heart and mercifull hand to humble the people of God not to discourage them for z 2 Cor. 10.8 13.10 edification not vnto destruction to make them sound in judgement and holy in affection and conuersation Now whereas * Antinomus you say further That there is no forme of Commandement in the Epistles no penalty no vrging of the Morall Law nay not so much as any allusion vnto Moses Law or the Ten Commandements I say no more Answer but let vs search the records and the very sight of the Euidence will I hope conuince your conscience of too much blindnesse and boldnesse in these also Turne me therefore I pray you vnto 1 Tim 6. I a 1 Tim. 6.13 14. giue thee charge in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Iesus Christ who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keepe this Commandement without spot vnrebukeable vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ And vnto 2 Tim. 4.1 I b 2 Tim. 4.1 charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his kingdome Preach the word be instant in season and out of season reproue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine See also 2 Tim. 2.14 c 2 Tim. 2.14 Of these things put them in remembrance charging them before the Lord that they striue not about words to no purpose but to the subuerting of the hearers Consider now these places and tell me I pray you if the Apostle doe not in these
b Rom. 3.20 By the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3. c Rom. 4.31 Doe we then abrogate the Law by faith God forbid nay rather we establish the Law Rom. 4.31 d Rom. 7.7 12 22 23. See Tertull. vpon these and other places of the Epistle to the Rom. 7. Quia lex peccatum Absit Erubesce Marcion Absit Abhominatur Apostolus criminationem legis ô summum praeconium legis Tertull. aduers Marcion lib. 5. cap. 13. I had not knowne sinne but by the Law for I had not knowne lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not couet wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandement i. the tenth Commandement is holy just and good I delight in the Law of God after the inner man So then in my minde I serue the Law of God but with the flesh the law of sinne Rom. 7.7 12 22 25. Are not these plaine allegations of the Law more than bare allusions And doe not these pregnant Testimonies graciously establish the nature and vse of the Morall Law which you most wickedly goe about to abolish Will you yet see more euident for better satisfaction and assurance Owe nothing to any man saith the Apostle but to loue one another Loue is a Christian duty you will not deny 1 Cor. 13. By what argument or reason doth he presse them hereunto Euen by a sound Argument drawen from Gods Law For he that loueth another hath fulfilled the Law he meaneth partibus non gradibus and what Law he sheweth by reckning vp the seuerall Commandements of the second Table For this saith e Rom. 13.8 9. See Paraeus in Rom. 13.8 9. Aug. de spirit lit cap. 14.21 he Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not couet and if there be any other Commandement it is brieflie comprehended in this saying namely Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Loue worketh no ill to his neighbour therefore loue is the fulfilling of the Law May you not now f Erubesce Marc. Abhominatur Apostolus criminationem legis blush at your bold ignorance to say and that with such confidence That in all the Epistles there is not so much as any allusion to the Morall Law or Ten Commandements seeing there is here so expresse mention of the same And what will you say to that exhortation of the Apostle to the Ephesians Children g Ephes 6.1 2. obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right And how doth he enforce this duty and proue the equity of the same Doth he not plainly alledge the first Commandement of the second Table and the promise annexed thereto for this end and purpose saying Honor thy father and mother which is the first Commandement with promise that it may be well with thee and thou maist liue long on the earth The euidence of this one place is such and so sufficient to conuince you of grosse blindnesse in this particular that I will not seeke any further for more lights but only leaue this in your hand and pray that the scales may fall from your eies that you may see the truth by it I come now to the reason which you render of all this Antinomus For it is the goodnesse of God say you that leadeth to repentance Rom. 2.4 c. 2 Pet. 3.9 and not the thundering of the Law To this I answer Answer That the goodnesse of God indeed doth lead vs to repentance according to that which you alledge out of Rom. 2.4 But where you absolutely exclude the thundering of the Law as of no vse nor force in this businesse tell me I pray you what you thinke of the very next verse h Rom. 2.4 5. But thou after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render to euery man according to his deeds Whether are these any thunderings of the Law or no Euery word hath his weight Wrath of God day of wrath righteous judgement of God just recompence according to the worke so shall the wages be If the goodnesse of God leade vnto repentance doe not these threatnings driue vnto it If the mercies of God moue vs to obedience doe not the terrors of God remoue vs and withdraw vs from impenitency and profanenesse Nay doth not the Apostle in the same place for this very end ioine them both together i Rom. 2.7 8 9 10. Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule of man that doth euill of the Iew first and also of the Gentile but glory honour and peace to euery man that worketh good to the Iew first and also to the Gentile As for that which * Antinomus you alledge also out of 2 Pet. 3.9 The long suffering of the Lord to vs ward 2 Pet. 3.9 not willing that any should perish but that all shall come to repentance I acknowledge it as a point of the mercy and truth of God Answer But whereas you would haue this long suffering to be the only meanes without all threatnings or terrors to bring vs to this repentance looke backe I pray you to the k 2 Pet. 3.5 6 7. 5 6 7. verses of the same Chapter and be not willingly ignorant of the judgements of God there mentioned by the ouerflowing of waters whereby the Old world perished and by the burning and flaming fire whereunto this world is reserued against the day of judgement and perdition of vngodly men And looke forwards also to the very next words following viz. l 2 Pet. 3.10 But the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night in which the heauens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with feruent heat the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp And tell me whether these threatnings of the Day of the Lord be not as terrible as the lightnings and thunderings at the giuing of the Law the seeing and hearing whereof made m Exod. 19. Heb. 12.18 19 21. Moses to say I exceedingly feare and tremble And if you thinke these be not vrged to leade vs or draw vs to repentance then consider I beseech you what vse and application the Apostle makes hereof euen vnto all the faithfull in the words following n 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolued what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conuersation and godlinesse Now for conclusion of this point Let vs heare how the Author to the Hebrewes doth vrge vs To prouoke one another to loue and to good workes This he doth not only by the boldnesse or liberty which we haue to enter into the Holiest by the o Heb. 10.19 bloud of Iesus but also by the p Heb. 10.27 looking for of judgement and fiery indignation
3.20 both together as Rom. 3. and Gal. 2. 3. q Rom. 3.28 By the workes of the Law whether Morall or Ceremoniall r Gal. 3.16 no flesh shall be justified Å¿ Gal. 3.19 The Law was giuen because of transgressions t Gal. 3.24 The Law was our Schoolemaster vnto Christ Take then whether of these you like best If in handling the full and finall abrogation of the Law you say there is no exception of the Morall and thereupon inferre that the whole Morall Law is wholly abrogated why may not I as well conclude the cleane contrary In handling the full and finall abrogation of the Law there is no mention made of the Morall therefore the whole Morall Law is not wholly abrogated but rather established and confirmed And if you say that in handling the abrogation of the Law touching some circumstances only or some particular ends or vses there is no exception of Morall and therefore the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished then I say that your Antecedent is too weake to inferre this Consequent and fitter a great deale to serue my turne against you if it be of any force at all in this conclusion ergo The Morall Law in some circumstances and for some ends and vses only is abrogated and so you faile of your proofe and purpose labouring thereby to proue that the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished Argument 5 Let vs now see if your fift Argument be of any better proofe or power for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Antinomus Moses Law was giuen only to the Iewes Exod. 19.3 4. c. and 20.2 12. Deut. 4.1 and 5.1 with diuers other Testimonies to the same purpose ergo The whole Morall Law is wholly now abolished Answer I answer first If by Moses Law you meane the whole body and bulke of the Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall Law and also that both for circumstance and substance tearme and time end and vse persons and things it was thus giuen to the Iewes only then is this your Antecedent false for howsoeuer these were first and principally charged and imposed vpon the Iewes as his u Exod. 19.5 peculiar people the * Zanch. in Hos cap. 2.44.45 Ceremonials for Gods worship the Iudicials for ciuill gouernment and the Morall Law for some speciall circumstances and vses more binding that people vnto God in the forme of a Couenant than any other people in the world besides Yet were not all a Exod. 12.38 Vide August Ep. 49. quaest 2. Cum enim nonnulli commemorantur c. other people or persons so excluded or debarred but that if they did renounce their Idolatry and would become Proselytes entertaining the b Exod. 12.44 48 49. See Beza in Mart. 23.15 of Proselytes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rajn Thes 4. pag. 113. Iewish Religion they were receiued into the fellowship of the Couenant and that by Gods speciall Commandement and made partakers of the Seales and benefits thereof together with the Iewes accordingly So were the mixt multitude that came out of Egypt with the Israelites the seruant bought with money and the stranger and sojourner were admitted to the Passeouer if they would first be circumcised and then they were accepted into the Church as if they had beene borne in the land c Exod. 12.49 One Law shall be to him that is home borne and to the stranger that sojourneth amongst you and that not only for the Ceremoniall but euen for the Morall also as is expresly set downe in the fourth Commandement where both Magistrate in Assembly and Master of a family stand charged to looke that the d Exod. 20.10 stranger within the gates doe keepe holy the Sabbath day Secondly If by the Law of Moses you meane the Doctrine of Moses which as a holy Prophet he hath written and set downe vpon record in his fiue Bookes and which Christ himselfe alledgeth by the name of the Law of e Luk. 24.44 Moses as testifying of himselfe and his sufferings Luke 24.44 I say the Law of Moses in this sense was giuen as well vnto vs of the Gentiles as to them of the Iewes seeing Whatsoeuer is f Rom. 15.4 written is written for our instruction and edification And Paul himselfe made this vse of the g Act. 28.23 28 30 31. Law when being at Rome vnto such as came vnto his lodging He expounded and testified the kingdome of God perswading them concerning Iesus both out of the h Puerilis error est saith Flaâ— Illyric libros legales nihil continere quod ad Euangâ—lium spectat suspicari Clau. Scrip. par 2. p. 30. Law of Moses and out of the Prophets and this he did not only to the Iewes but to the Gentiles also Acts 28.30 31. Thirdly If by the Law of Moses you meane the Ceremoniall obseruations which Moses by Commandement from the Lord prescribed to the Iewes as the manner and forme of his solemne Worship and as Figures and Types of good things to come in Christ as the Euangelists and Apostles doe vsually when they * Act. 15.5 13.38 Luk. 2.22 speake of the Law of Moses then I say The Law of Moses in this sense was giuen vnto the Iewes only not only as a partition wall betwixt them and the Gentiles but as a yoke to restraine them a i Col. 2.13 14 15. hand-writing to conuince and condemne them and as a sharpe and seuere k Gal. 3.24 Schoolemaster to driue them to seeke for helpe and l Mal. 4.2 healing vnder his wings who was and is the m Ioh. 1.17 truth of those types and n Col. 2.17 substance of those o Heb. 10.1 shadowes Christ Iesus But the Law of Moses in this sense will doe you but little seruice to the drawing in of your conclusion for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Fourthly If by the Law of Moses you vnderstand the Morall Law or Ten Commandements as needs you must if you will dispute ad idem or speake to any purpose then why might you not as well haue set it so downe and dealt plainly as wrap vp your meaning in such ambiguity and obscurity and that not only in this Argument but in fiue or six of those also which follow after We will then take your Argument as we thinke you intend it Antinomus to be this The Morall Law was giuen only to the Iewes ergo The Morall Law in the Church of Christ since the death of Christ is wholly abolished If the Antecedent were sound Answer the consequent would doe well enough to serue your turne But how doe you proue that the Morall Law was giuen only to the Iewes I must guesse at your proofes by your places which you quote as I conceiue for this purpose for you put me to fish for your meaning out of Exod. 19.3 4 and Exod. 20.2 12. Antinomus Deut. 4.1 and 5.1 and 7.6 and 14.2 and 26.16 and 33.4
and obey the Gospell bestowed vpon them yet neuerthelesse this maketh nothing against the speciall offices and vses of the Morall Law either for the e Act. 2.37 conuiction of sinners or direction of Saints to prepare them for repentance by e Act. 2.37 pricking of their f Psal 19.7 8 9 10. 2 King 22.19 hearts or to bring forth fruits worthy of g Mat. 3.2 8 10 12. repentance for the well ordering of their liues The Law hath his vse to worke h Mat. 27.3 Vide Bez. in Mat. 3.2 in Act. 5.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poenitentiam The Gospell his force to worke i 2 Tim. 2.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resipiscentiam and both are needfull for Christians euen at this present as formerly they haue euer beene k Calu. in Act. 2.36 Caluine speaking of the last clause of Peters Sermon wherein he chargeth the Iewes that they had crucified Christ Iesus saith he did this Vt majori conscientiae dolore tacti ad remedium aspirarent and so layeth open the hainousnesse of that sinne in these words Cujus caedes non crudelitatis modo sceleris plena erat sed etiam immanis adversus Deum perfidiae sacrilegij îngratitudinis denique apostasiae testimonium and then he giues in the next words this reason of this course Verum ita vulnerari oportuit ne ad quaerendam medicinam tardi essent Here I doe demand whence had the Iewes this sight and sense of so many sinnes in that one of crucifying the Lord Iesus as of cruelty wickednesse perfidiousnesse sacrilege ingratitude against God and apostasie from God Whence had they that l Act. 2.37 pricke in their hearts and wound in their conscience for these sinnes Had they no light by the Law to conuince them no stroke by the Law to wound them If sinne be a m 1 Ioh. 3.4 transgression of the Law and by the Law comes the n Rom. 3.20 knowledge of sinne and if sinne be not o 5.13 7.7 imputed nor pressed but by the Law how can it be but the Law had some hand in wounding and afflicting their hearts for these sinnes and in opening their eies to see and discerne the same I deny not for I doubt not but the p Ioh. 16.8 Spirit as the finger of God had his especiall and principall worke in their humiliation and conuersion that is not the question The Spirit may worke by the q 2 King 12.19 Law to make vs sensible of sinne and to cast vs downe vnder the weight of Gods wrath for it as well as it may worke by the r Isai 61.1 Act. 10.43 44. Gospell to make vs looke vp vnto Christ and to raise vs vp to some hope and assurance of the mercy of God for pardon and forgiuenesse of the same It is sufficient for me both against your position and allegation if in the worke of their repentance containing both their Å¿ Act. 26.18 Act. 3.19 1 Thess 1.9 Auersion from sinne and their Conuersion vnto God the Morall Law had any either u Lex facit ut non modò intelligam sed cum morsu conscientia sentiam experiar in me esse peccatum Muscul loc com de legib p. 135. force or vse which I am well assured any judicious and indifferent Reader by this which hath beene said will judge that it had When Dionysius as x Apollod de Orig. deorum lib. 3. p. 57. Apollodorus reporteth had cast Lycurgus into a fury or frensie he in that distemper taking a hatchet in his hand whiles he thought he had smitten downe the branch of a Vine with the same hand and hatchet slew his owne sonne What Dionysius he was that cast you first into this fit or frensie error or heresie I know not but it seemes whiles you haue lift vp your hand and your hatchet your skill and pen to cut downe the Morall Law a branch of Gods Vine the dint and danger of the stroke hath light vnawares vpon your owne soule as his did vpon his owne sonne though not absolutely to kill it yet to wound it vnto death vnlesse the Lord recouer it by giuing you repentance and effectually cure it by powring in the balme of his mercy and truth which I pray he may doe in the offerings and sufferings of Christ Iesus y 2 Tim. 2.24 25 26. Antinomus Answer Your many other Arguments which for breuity sake as you say or rather for leuity sake as I conceiue you omit for vanity sake I see you must needs call vpon and that by name as if you had in readinesse a fresh supply of armed men in case of danger to renew the fight and win the field Terent. Eun. Act. 4. Scen. 16. Simalio Dorax Syrisce sequimini Câ—…do alios ubi centurio est Sanga manipulus furum Eccum adest Vbi alij Thus doe you well resemble bragging Thraso behauing himselfe proudly and brauing his aduersary vainly both with that he hath and also with that he hath not For hauing brought out your best appointed forces into the field you call on still Vbi alij as though there were yet so many and so many and many more behinde whereas poore man you haue not a man more neither tag nor rag to follow you seeing solus Sanio seruat domum Take so much of this to your selfe and your former Arguments as may best fit you and reserue the rest for the other which yet sit at home with Sanio to keepe the house Your reference to Musculus Common-places giues no better satisfaction now we haue taken the paines to view all the quarters and corners of those speciall places which you haue beene pleased to send vs vnto for that purpose For if either you will stand vnto Musculus or Musculus will not stand against himselfe you may and shall euen there and thence receiue resolution to satisfie you that there we finde no such satisfaction as you haue dreamed may be found in those places He that seriously readeth and aduisedly considereth what Musculus hath written in the place De abrogatione Legis Mosaicae may easily perceiue both by the title and the text that he principally aimeth at the abrogation of the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall and the Morall Law only so farre as it was Lex litera Muscul loc com de abrogatione Legis Magisterium Mosis Ministerium Mosis virtus peccati litera occîdens iram maledictionem mortem operans And all this neither hurteth vs nor helpeth you for the vtter abrogating of the whole Morall Law For albeit for these offices it may be said to be abolished to them that are true beleeuers in Christ Iesus in which respect they are said not to be vnder the Law but vnder grace yet for other vses and offices the Morall Law is in force still as to be a rule of obedience to discouer corruptions and transgressions to be a bridle
of restraint vnto sinne and sinners Muscul loc de vi effica Legis Loc. de abrog Legis Dei enim similis quisque factus ipse Legem facilè implet nec erit sub illa sed cum illa August lib. Exposit quarundam propos ex Epist ad Rom. Cal. instit lib. 2. cap. 7. sect 13 14. as Musculus in the same place and elsewhere doth acknowledge alleging that out of the Romans Shall we sinne because we are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace God forbid and giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that such as are in the state of grace euen the sonnes of God are seruants vnto the Law for obedience vnto righteousnesse though they be freed from the law of sinne and death They are not indeed vnder the Law as a rigorous exactor and terrible auenger but they are vnder it as a righteous commander and holy conducter to leade them in the waies of righteousnesse and holinesse Agreeable hereunto is that which Musculus inferreth hereupon Qui Christianus est saith he etiamsi non sit sub Magisterio Mosis propterea tamen non est liber ad faciendum ea quae sunt impia injusta adeoque factu illicita Now I would gladly know seeing nothing can be impious and vnjust but that which is illicitum vnlawfull and nothing is sinne or vnlawfull but that which is knowne and acknowledged to be so by the light and line of the Morall Law how shall a Christian once imagine that the Morall Law is to him wholly abolished seeing he continually stands in need of it as of a lanthorne vnto his feet Psal 119.105 Psal 19.7 8-11 and a light vnto his paths and must haue daily recourse vnto it Iam. 1.25 to see what is right and what is wrong what he ought to doe and what he ought to leaue vndone And if here you reply Tit. 2.12 that the Gospell teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue godly righteously and soberly in this present world I answer It is most true that such as haue their eies enlightned with the light of the Gospell and their hearts seasoned with the grace of it Iam. 1.25 Rom. 7. Act. 26.9.20 Gal. 5.6 Gal. 5.22 looking into the glasse of the Morall Law doe see more clearely into the beauty and glory of it judge more wisely of things that differ in it worke more effectually by loue in all the duties of it renounce and resist more powerfully all the affections and actions of sinne that rise against it and make all the Commandements thereof more easie Matt. 11.28 c. Ephes 6.1 2 c. Iam. 2.8 9 10 11 12. 2 Cor. 3.17 1 Ioh. 5.3 and the burden more light than otherwise it could be vnto them All this the Gospell teacheth and worketh in vs and for vs but it teacheth all this by the lines and lessons precepts and prohibitions of the Morall Law and worketh all this vpon the Morall grounds of loue in the Law and walketh in obedience by the spirit of adoption and liberty not in the spirit of feare and slauery And therefore by all this it may easily appeare that so long as the Gospell is established the Morall Law can neuer be wholly abolished This conclusion receiueth further strength from another made by Musculus himselfe in the same place Muscul loc com de abrogatione Legis to the same end Quare Christianus faciens contra ea quae praecepta sunt in Decalogo enormius peccat quà m si sub lege constitutus faceret tam abest ut liber sit ab ijs quae illic praecipiuntur etenim tamet si liber est à Mose hand tamen liber est ab obedientia Christi ac vera justitiae In which sentence we may obserue these seuerall propositions all seruing to maintaine the vse of the Morall Law amongst Christians First that the Decalogue i. the Morall Law or Ten Commandements being a part of the written word and reuealed will of God doth yet for the substance of it continue and concerne all Christians Secondly that the precepts and prohibitions of the Decalogue doe binde all Christians to allegeance and obedience Thirdly that a Christian doing any thing against the Decalogue or Morall Law sinneth more grieuously vnder the Gospell than any Iew committing the same sinnes vnder the Law Fourthly that Christians doe not entertaine nor maintaine the Morall Law as Moses disciples receiuing it and obeying it vpon the same conditions and to the same ends as Moses did deliuer it and impose it vpon the Iewes but as the disciples of Christ Iesus who is the Lord of his house and the only Lawgiuer for the well ordering of it Now forasmuch as Christ testifieth of himselfe that he came not to destroy but to fulfill the Law Matt 5.17 18. clearing the beauty and renewing the spirituall vigor and vertue of it Rom. 6.14 15. Rom. 7.12 Matt. 5.19 Heb. 8.10 Iam. 2.8 taking away the terror and abating the burden and rigor but not changing the nature nor abolishing one iot of the substance of it yea further not only commending and commanding it to all his disciples and in them to all true Christians Accedente gratia idipsum quod lex onerosè jusserat jam sine ouere libertissimè implemus August 83. quaest quaest 66. but putting it into our mindes and writing it by the finger of his spirit in our hearts and making it vnto vs a royall Law of liberty not a yoke of bondage and feare therefore doe we now willingly receiue and obey the Commandements thereof and doe not now account them grieuous but in Christ gracious holy just and good the duties whereof we desire and endeuour to performe with delight knowing that our infirmities are couered our wants supplied our sinnes pardoned and our seruices accepted in the absolute and perfect obedience of him that did absolutely fulfill the Law for vs that is of Christ Iesus Rom. 7.22 According vnto these grounds we may say with Musculus That although a Christian be free from Moses yet is he not free from the obedience of Christ nor of true righteousnesse and if he be not free from the obedience of Christ that is such as both by precept and patterne he taught and required according to the precepts of the Morall Law then is a Christian bound in the daies of the Gospell to the obedience of the Morall Law And if a Christian be not freed from the obedience of true righteousnesse and the rule of true righteousnesse be the Morall Law as all Diuines doe agree and as Christ and his Apostles haue taught the Churches then is a Christian bound in the daies of the Gospell to yeeld obedience vnto the Morall Law Now if you be pleased to lay all these together the reckoning will arise to another and a greater summe than you imagined or expected at this time and place and that not to feed your fancy
Neither did he distinguish betweene the true beleeuers and others but writ to them that professed Christ calling them all brethren 10. times in that Epistle and shewes them all that they are now no more vnder the Law cap. 4. First by the Simile of the Heire and after by an allegory of the Freewoman and the Bond and ca. 5. exhorts them to stand fast in that liberty yet not as an occasion to the flesh but by loue to serue one another which is as much as if they had fulfilled the Law 2. The whole Epistle to the Hebrews is to the same purpose In the very first verse he opposeth the speaking of Christ to all that were afore him he being Heire of all things whom the Angels must worship and the heauens and earth must vanish Cal. in Ier. Heb. Vatablus in Ier. Tremelius in Ier. Musculus lo. com Zanchius in Hos 2.21 and on Eph. 2. Hyperius in Hebr. Sarcerius lo. com Eras paraph. on Luke 24. Coruinus postil 2 Cor. 3. Peter Martyr lo. coÌ„ Tho. Aquin. in Heb. Goranus in Hebr. Haymo in Hebr. Gagneius in Heb. Zegedinus in Ier. Arminius in Thess Bucanus lo. com Iunius in Paral. Piscator in Hebr. Sanchius in Ier. Pareus in Hebr. Cor de lapide in Hebr. but hee remaine and cap. 3. Moses was his seruant and cap. 8. hee is the Mediator of a better Testament which being the new Testament hee abrogateth the old confirming it by Ier. 31.31 c. where by the old Couenant is meant that which was written in the Tables of stone as Deut. 4.13 5.2 And Augustin saith lib. de spiritu litera cap. 20. that Paul wrote that of 2 Cor. 3.6.7 from this place of Ieremy See the Geneua note on Ier. 31.31 and all other expositions that yet I could see as in the Margin The tablâ—s of the Testament which were the 10. Commandements Deut. 10.4 were remoued together with the Candlesticke Shewbread and other like adiuncts of the earthly Tabernacle which gaue place to the better Tabernacle Heb. 9.4 and drawing towards a conclusion of the Epistle cap. 12. comming to exhortation after his manner he presseth it not by the Law giuen in Sinai vers 18. but by the Gospell giuen in Mount Sion as Isay 2.3 vers 22. which out of Aggai 2.7 shaketh both heauen and earth and remoueth such things as are shaken which are plaine to bee the Law that the Gospell not shaken may remaine 3. The practise of the Apostles in all their Epistles vseth brotherly exhortations still calling them brethren and groundeth their exhortations neither vpon Moses Law nor any other Commandement but on the mercies of God in Christ as may be seene in all their Epistles And though sometimes yea often they vse the Imperatiue moode and some words of commanding yet they are so tempered with mildnesse and without penalty as that there is no forme of Commandements much lesse any allusion to Moses Law or the 10. Commandements for it is the goodnesse of God that leadeth to repentance Rom. 2.4 and 2. of Peter 3.9 and not the thundring Law 4. Wheresoeuer the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law there is neuer any exception of Morall 5. Moses Law was giuen only to the Iewes Exod. 19.3 4. c. and 20.2.12 Deut. 4.1 c. and 5.1 c. and 7.6 c. and 14.2 and 26.16 c. and 33.4 Psal 147.19 20. Psal 103.7 and Psal 81.4.5.8 Matth. 10.6 and 15.24.26 Act. 14.16 Rom. 7.14 and 3.19 and 9.4 Heb. 1.1.2 See also Tho. Aquin. 1.2 q. 98. art 40. Calvin in his Epistle that Christ is the end of the Law and in Rom. 3.19 Augustin in Gal. 3. Dom. Soto lib. 2. de just jure q. 5. art 4. Sarcerius in postil pag. 535. Eras parap in Gal. 3.24 in Rom. 2.14.28 5.13 7.1 c. Zanchij fides ca. 13. q. 7. Bucanus lo. Com. lo. 22. § 18. Calu. instit 2.7.1 2.11.11 And Eras Paraph. Piscator Pareus in Rom. 3.19 Doct. Whitaker de pontific Romano pag. 860. Perkins on Gal. 3.23 6. Moses Law was giuen to continue till Christs death at the most Luke 16 16. Rom. 7.1 c. Luther in Gal. 3.25 pag. 173. B. 174. B. 157. A. in the English Eras parap on Rom 7. and on Gal. 3.19.25 4.1.21 Cal. in Gal. 3.23 4.1 and in 2 Cor. 3.6 Perk. in Gal. 3.19 Pareus in Gal. 4. col 275. D. Eras parap on Rom. 6.14.15 and Heb. 7.19 and in 1 Tim. 1.8 9. 7. It was instituted to be a schoolemaster to the people of God till the Comming of Christ Gal. 3.24 August de Doct. Christ lib. 3. ca. 6. Gualtherus in Gal. 3.19.20 Beza in Gal. 3.23 4.1 Perkins in Gal. 3.23 Zanch. in Ephes 2. 8. It was giuen in Mount Sinai the Bondwoman Gal. 4.24.25 See Erasm parap thereon to be cast out vers 30. being in the wildernesse where was no abode See further Erasmus parap on Act. 2.1 9. It is no part of the new Testament 2 Cor. 3. being remoued in and with the Tabernacle Heb. 9. and to giue place to a better Testament than it selfe Heb. 8.7.6.13 9.11 c. compare Heb. 9.19 with Exod. 24.6 7 8. 10. It was giuen with manifest tokens of Gods wrath against the wickednesse of the Israelites which moued the Lord to giue it Exod. 16.2.3 17 23. 20.20 See Eras parap on Gal. 3.21.24 It is called a fiery Law Deut. 33.2 It was giuen with great terror to the people Exod. 19.12 c. and 20.18 Heb. 12.21 and Beza on Rom. 8.15 and Gal. 3.19 11. I cannot finde that saluation was euer promised to him that should keepe the Law But I suppose that God from all eternity decreed the meanes of saluation to bee faith in Christ Ephes 1.4 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 1.2 and not the fulfilling of the Law for it was added 430. yeares after the promise to remaine till Christ Gal. 3. Besides the reward of him that keepes the Law is by debt but the inheritance of euerlasting life is onely by grace Rom. 4. See the Geneua note thereon 12. Repentance is a part of the Gospell Rom. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.9 See Caluin on Acts 5.31 For the Gospell is contained in Repentance and Remission Calvin Harm on Matth. 3.2 and on Acts 2.38 Many other arguments might be drawne from the insufficiency of the Law and the all-sufficiencie of the Gospel the true difference betweene them the worthinesse of Christ before Moses from the doctrine of Christian liberty which for breuity sake I omit they will follow vpon the due consideration of these things which I haue set down yet for your further satisfaction I refer you to Musculus Common places in many places therof but more specially in the place of the Law and most specially Of the abrogation of the Law of Moses Of the Couenant of the difference of the Old and New Testament And afore Of the
the old Law and giuen a New or that he is a Iudge that must be pacified by workes as the Papists haue taught but he is the end of the Law to all those that beleeue that is to say euery one that beleeueth in him is righteous and the Law shall neuer accuse him The Law then is good holy and iust so that a man vse it as he should doe By which euidence we may iustly giue sentence both against your opinion for the whole abolishing of the whole Morall Law and against your allegation also out of Luther vpon whom you would father the base and bastard fruit of your owne braine to make it either more plausible or more probable by this meanes Seuen Obseruations out of Luthers allegation for may we not hence most euidently conclude that Luthers iudgement concerning the Morall Law is this first that it is not abolished secondly that it is of good vse thirdly that it serueth to bring vs to the knowledge and sense of sinne fourthly that it driueth vs out of our selues and our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law to seeke for righteousnesse by faith in Christ only fiftly Jrenaeus is of the same iudgement for establishing the Morall Law In lege in Euangelio primum maximum praeceptum est Diligere Dominum Deum ex toto corde Irenaeus advers Hares lib. 3. cap. 25 26 that Christ hath not abolished the old Law sixtly that the Law may be said to be at an end in Christ because as it cannot iustifie so can it not iustly accuse or terrifie any that are righteous by faith in him lastly that the Gospell doth not abolish the nature and right vse of the Law for according to the Apostle the Law is holy iust and good but only taketh out of the hearts of true beleeuers the accusing and accursing power of it Which points being so apparantly contrarie to your position I haue the more fully and distinctly set downe for your better satisfaction that you may either let fall your opinion seeing you haue Luthers both heart and hand against it or else neuer run againe vnder his wing to seeke for any succour or shelter for the same I now come vnto your reason which you seeme to alledge for your so great confidence in this cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely Because the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell doth breed many errors which you say you haue already discerned and the true knowledge of this difference keepeth all Christian doctrine in its proper vse Answer In which words what doe you else but establish that which you goe about to abolish For whiles you say you discerne many errors to arise out of the ignorance and much good to come in by the knowledge of the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell doe you not see your owne error and ignorance herein also that laying it downe in your position for sound and true doctrine that the whole law of Moses is wholly abolished you notwithstanding doe acknowledge not only that the m Ergo Lex Creatoris etiam ab Adversario probata est nec dispeadium sed compendium ab eo consecuta est Tertul. advers Marcion lib. 5. cap. 4. Law is but also that it is of good and great vse pulling downe with the one hand that which you haue built or would build with the other for if the whole Law of Moses be abolished then the ignorance of it will breed no error nor the knowledge of it can build no truth for young Logicians can tell vs that Non entis non est actio nee scientia Againe if the whole Law be wholly abolished it is not possible it should be distinguished by any difference from the Gospell for as Non entis non est scientia so Non entis non est differentia What difference can be designed betwixt that which is not and that which is that which is wholly abolished and that which is established If you say as before that the difference of the Law from the Gospell may be knowne and acknowledged and be of good and great vse then I say you are too bold in your assertion to maintaine that the whole Law is wholly abolished for if this were true you leaue the Law neither breath nor being neither nature nor vse neither substance nor circumstance neither difference nor n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. Laert. lib. 9. p. 694. Accidence neither place in the booke of God nor so much as a nights lodging vnder the roofe of the Church of God Which to affirme because it were both absurd and impious I hope vpon better aduice you will see and acknowledge that your point was cut out too long and too large when you thus set it downe The point is this That the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished the rather because you haue now cut it shorter narrower with your owne hands telling vs that it is not abolished for it is nor wholly abolished for it is of good vse it hath essence and difference and may be knowne and not onely knowne in it selfe but distinguished from the Gospell and the distinct knowledge hereof so profitable and needfull that the ignorance hereof is a mother of many errors dangerous and hurtful If I acknowledge this with you for a truth then must you acknowledge with me your position for an error and if you will haue your position That the whole Law is wholly abolished to be true then is all this that you haue spoken of the profitable and necessary knowledge of the difference of the Law and the Gospell false You seeme to boast that you faint not in the cause and that you are confirmed in the truth of it but consider I pray you whether you faile not in your o Hieron adversus Ruffin p. 218. course seeing you doe not onely trip and interfere but stumble and fall at your first setting forth * Statim de portu egrediens navem impegit So said Ierome to Ruffin I vnto you Cic. Tuscul lib. 1. Is the truth diuided or doth the truth differ from it selfe * Statim de portu egrediens navem impegit So said Ierome to Ruffin I vnto you Cic. Tuscul lib. 1. I see a man may take a fall though he doe not faint and thinke himselfe confirmed in the truth when he is vnsetled in vncertainties and diuided from it Pugnantia te loqui non vides ubi est acumen tuum But to recouer your selfe againe you say Luther agreeth with you in this point How should Luther agree with him that cannot agree with himselfe But how or wherein doth he agree with you Antinom That the point is of great consequence and very necessary to be knowne of all that truly seeke Christ Iesus Answer What point his or yours His point is That the knowledge of the difference of the offices of the Law and Gospell
on Gal. cap. 3.19 fo 154. a. Forasmuch as we teach those things both diligently and faithfully we doe therefore plainly testifie that we reiect not the Law and workes as our Aduersaries doe falsly accuse vs but we doe altogether establish the Law and require the workes thereof and we say that the Law is good and profitable Put your position in the ballance and scale with this protestation and it will be found lighter then vanitie it selfe For first whereas you say the law is abrogated as if it were now of no vse at all Luther saith it is good and profitable Secondly where you say the whole Law is wholly abolished as if you would place it in the same condition with Rahels children for which she mourned because they were not Luther saith We doe altogether establish the Law and require the workes of it Thirdly whereas you charge Luther to be one that goeth about to abolish or reiect the Law he takes you for no friend but for an Aduersary in so doing and reckons no other of your allegation out of him but as a false accusation laid against him Antinom But if Luther will not serue your turne you can make a fresh supplie by Tossanus and Gualter whom you haue set to stand in subsidiis paulo post principium And what helpe can you haue from them that speake nothing more in your cause nay much lesse if lesse can be then Luther did for where u Tossan in 2. Cor. cap. 3. Tossanus saith Licet unus sit Deus una semper fuerit Ecclesia idemque substantiâ foedus varia tamen hujus dispensatio fuit ut aliter agitur cum homine in infantia aliter in adolescentia aliter in matura aetate and you would hereupon conclude that the whole law of Moses is therefore wholly abolished Answer doe you not see how feeble and weake this collection and conclusion is The words themselues besides the light which the Simile addeth thereunto might haue shewne you so much at the first view if you had with any heed and diligence looked vpon them for when he granteth that the x So doth Aug. contra Adversa Leg. lib. 1. cap. 17. Couenant both before and since the comming of Christ for substance is the same differing only in the manner of dispensation Novum Testam in veteri est figuratum Vetus in Novo est reuelatuÌ„ Vide Hyper. in Heb. cap. 3. p. 158. or administration doth he not plainly confirme the contrarie to your conclusion viz. Therefore the whole Law of Moses since the death of Christ is wholly abolished For how can that which for substance is the same be said to be wholly abolished And how can that be wholly abolished which only in some circumstance is altered changed An vtter abolition argues a destruction of the substance A diuers dispensation intimates only an alteration of that which for substance remaineth the same still And this the Simile which he annexeth may teach you vnlesse you will denie that Samuel y 1 Sam 3.1 standing before Eli is not the same Samuel which his mother Hannah z 1 Sam. 1.23 nursed because he is now of riper age weareth a linnen Ephod and eateth of the Priests portion whereas then he was a Babe in a childes coat and had no other meat but milke which he sucked from his mothers brests After this manner saith Tossanus may we iudge of the Couenant Idem Deus eadem semper Ecclesia idémque substantiâ foedus But God our Father dealeth with his Church as with his childe In her a Ezek. 16. infancie hee feedeth her with b 1 Cor. 3.2 milke in her riper age with c Heb. 5.14 strong meat or as a father nourtureth his sonne in his minority He keepes him vnder d Gal. 4.1 Tutors though he be Lord of all but when the time appointed of the Father is come he sets him at libertie and puts him in possession of the inheritance prouided for him The Iewes were as the Lords childe e Exod. 4.22 Israel is my first borne heires of the same promises and hauing interest in the same f 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. Couenant of grace with vs but they were but in their g Gal. 4.3 infancie and minoritie in comparison of the Church vnder the Gospell fed with carnall and with earthly things and vnder the regiment of Moses Lawes and Ceremonies as vnder so many seuere Tutors and sharpe h Gal. 3.24 Schoolemasters taught as it were the principles of Religion by i Heb. 10.1 Types and figures kept k Gal. 4.9 in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world pressed and oppressed with an intolerable l Acts 15.10 Vide Iustin M. Dialog cum Tryphone Iudeo burden of Legall and Leuiticall rites and ordinances and all this to breake the spirits of a m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustin Mart. Dial. cum Tryphon Jud. p. 205. stiffnecked people to conuince them of all vnrighteousnesse to humble them by the rigour of the Law and the terror of the Curse and either to lead or driue them to seeke for life and libertie righteousnesse and happinesse in Christ alone as he was darkly shadowed vnto them in their ceremonies and sacrifices and in the fulnesse of time should be exhibited in great power and vertue beautie and glorie To this very purpose doth the same Tossanus alledge out of 1 Cor. 2. and 2 Cor. 3. That the Gospell hath his proper and peculiar glorie and that aboue the Law Cùm non sit literale solum Ministerium aliquod jubens sed conjunctam habeat efficaciam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritus sancti Which we willingly yeeld and assent vnto seeing the law contained in the 10. Commandements did exact absolute obedience but gaue neither promise nor power of grace to performe it But the Gospell in the n Heb. 8.10 Couenant of grace requiring vs to o Marc. 1.15 repent and beleeue the Gospell promiseth and powreth out vpon vs the spirit p Ezek. 36.26 27. Zach. 12.10 of grace to worke this repentance and faith in vs and to cause vs to walke in his Statutes and to keepe vs that we doe not depart from him any more And in this sense the Apostle saith of the q Rom. 6.14 Romans and all true beleeuers You are not vnder the r Lex jâ—bere novit Gratia juvare Aug. ad Innocent Epist 95. Law but vnder grace As it he had said neither doth the Lord now vrge nor doe you now accept of the Law vpon the former condition Doe this and liue as if we were to seeke iustification and saluation by the workes of it but the Lord hath left it and we receiue it as Å¿ Psal 119.105 A light vnto our feet and a lanthorne to oâ—r steps that being his t Ephes 2.10 workemanship in our new birth created vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we
should walke in them we might haue some good helpe by the law u Rom. 12.2 Rom. 13.9 10. to proue what is the good and acceptable will of God and so viewing our faces in this x Iam 1.23 25. Glasse and in that also of the y Tit. 2.11 grace of God which hath appeared vnto vs we might learne to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue religiously soberly and righteously in this present world Thus may you see that the testimonie which Tossanus is brought in to giue on your behalfe will not stand you in any stead to procure any credit or to adde any strength vnto your cause and as little either comfort or helpe doth that afford you which * Antinom Gualt in Gal 3. ver 20. you alledge out of Gualter to the same that is as I conceiue to as little or no purpose for in the place you cite on Gal. 3.19 20. speaking of the Law Quae duravit ad tempus quamdiu ejus usus fuit he meaneth the old Testament or Mosaicall gouernment which consisteth in the substance of the Ceremoniall and in some circumstances of the Morall Law and this we grant was but to endure for z See Tertullian â—dvers Iudaeos cap. 3.4.5 6. a time viz. vntill the comming of Christ Which to be the true sense and meaning of the words appeareth most euidently by three opposite clauses which follow in the very words which you alledge 1. At a Gualt in Gal 3.19 20. nunc novi Testamenti tempus est therefore he speaketh in the former words of the old Testament b Haec Occonomia abrogatur Bez. in Gal. 3.24 in Gal. 4.1 2. Quando lex Prophetae Euangelio cedunt therefore he speaketh of the Mosaicall gouernment the Ceremonies and Circumstances whereof were all abolished and all the Prophecies thereof accomplished at the comming of him that was the c Heb. 10.1 Ioh. 1.17 truth of those Types the substance of those d Col. 2.17 shadowes yea the aime and e Rom 10.4 end of the Law and the Prophets Christ Iesus 3. Vt tam gentibus quà m Iudaeorum reliquijs in regnum Dei vim facientibus locum dent therefore he meaneth not as you would haue him that the Morall Law is wholly abolished but only so much of Moses Law as made any difference betwixt * Ephes 2.14 15. Col. 2.14.17 Iewes and Gentiles or might proue any hinderance to their happie enterance into the kingdome of God so much only is vanished away as a cloud or mist at the rising of the f Malac. 4.2 Sunne of righteousnesse in the g Rom. 13.12 13. day of the Gospell But it may be you reckon of these whom hitherto you haue set forth as if they were but milites levis armaturae scouts or light horsemen to try the coast and to make a flourish Now you begin to plant your great Ordnance to muster your men range your Armie and to charge the enemy with a sharpe assault for the vtter abolishing of the whole Morall Law For the effecting whereof * Antinomus you are bold to say 1. That the * Fortunam Priami cantabo nobile bellum Quid dignum tanto feret hic promisser hiatu Horat. de Arte Poetica whole Epistle to the Galatians importeth so much 2. That the whole Epistle to the Hebrewes is to the same purpose 3. That the practise of the Apostles in all their Epistles confirmeth the same seeing they neuer ground any exhortation vpon Moses Law nor vse any forme of commandements much lesse make any allusion to Moses Law or the ten commandements and so you goe on with fourth and fift c. vntill you haue made vp a full dozen The mother of h Iudg. 5.28 Sisera trusting too much in her sonnes valour his chariots and his men of warre fed her fancy with a conceit nay with an assurance of a ioyous and glorious victory Why is his chariot so long a comming Why tarry the wheeles of his chariot Her i Iudg. 5.29 30. wise Ladies answered her yea she returned answer to her selfe Haue they not sped haue they not diuided the prey to euery man a Damosell or two to Sisera a prey of diuers colours But yet for all this Sisera being cut short of his life by k Iudg. 5.24 Iael the wife of Heber the mother of Sisera also came short of her hope and the successe of that warre was nothing answerable to the confidence and conceit which she had and held of it I feare me the conceit of your great preparation together with the confidence in your men and munition hath bred in you not much vnlike both spirits and speeches in this conflict and it may be some of your wise friends as her wise Ladies haue beene ready enough to soothe you vp with some answer answerable to your present humour Yea rather then faile you will returne answer to your owne words Great helps breed great hopes What Shall we not speed shall we not diuide the prey shall not this conflict end in a conquest and shall we not obtaine honours and fauours as a prey of diuers colours If your conceit be such and so high take heed both you and it doe not take a fall l Iudg. 5.26 27. A hammer and a naile in the hand of a weake woman if the Lord will giue wisdome and strength to handle them aright may quickly dispatch Sisera dash his mothers hopes and turne all his and her ioyes into sorrowes and their glory into shame And is not my word saith the Lord as an hammer m Ierem. 23.29 and are not the words of the wise that is such as speake according to this word as n Eccles 12.11 nailes fastened by the Masters of the assemblies What though there be want of wisdome in the head and of strength in the hand of him that shall vse them yet he that standeth in Gods o 2 Chron. 20.15 cause and fetcheth his p Ier. 23.22 Ephes 6.11.13 weapons out of the Lords Armory and commeth in the q 1 Sam. 17.45 name of the Lord against his aduersary may rest assured that the Lord will manifest his wisdome in foolishnesse and perfect his r 2 Cor. 12.9.10 strength in weaknesse and that he will so teach his Å¿ Psal 144.1 hands to fight and his fingers to warre that as the t 2 Chro. 20.15.17.20 battle is so shall the victory be the Lords also In this confidence alone I haue entred this encounter and am come forth into the field against you The mounting of your great ordnance with so great words The whole Epistle to the Galathians c. The * Parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus Horat. de Art poetica whole Epistle to the Heb. the practise of all the Apostles in all their Epistles c. doth not so much amate me as amaze me I doe not
so much feare the danger as wonder at the manner of your dealing The peeces which you mention I acknowledge and reuerence as some of the Lords great ordnance but all the powder and shot that you haue giuen them can make them neither speake nor do any thing against the truth but for the truth You haue mounted them too high and haue ouercharged them too much so that whiles you would discharge them against one of the bulwarks of Sion you ouer-shoot your marke and cause them with greater force to recoile vpon your little Babel which you haue built to make you a name in the earth inter filios terrae among the sonnes of the earth * Antinomus You say The whole Epistle to the Gal. importeth so much for say you It is the generall Argument of the same Doth the whole Epistle to the Galath import that in the Church of Christ since his death The whole law of Moses is wholly abolished and abrogated Or is this the generall Argument of the same Answer What if that Epistle neither in whole nor in part doe import so much What if that which you say of the whole abolishing of the whole law of Moses be neither the generall Argument of the whole Epistle nor any speciall or particular Argument of any part or parcell of the same The Argument of the Epistle to the Galatians It is very likely that what you affirme herein you haue rather taken vpon trust than vpon triall for had you but searched into the Epistle it selfe for the subject and speciall scope of it and well considered the estate of that Church at that time when the Apostle writ vnto it you might haue easily vnderstood that the purpose of the Apostle was not to proue that the whole law of Moses was wholly abolished but that only in the matter of iustification by faith in Christ the law of Moses neither Ceremoniall nor Morall could stand them in any stead For wheras at that time u Hieron in Ep. ad Galat. cap. 1. August pâ—aefat in Epist ad Gal. certaine false teachers had laboured to withdraw the minde and hearts of the Galatians from that sincerity of the Gospell touching the righteousnesse of faith in Christ alone which Paul had taught them by inducing and perswading them to entertaine the Ceremonies of the law of Moses as necessary to justification and saluation and so to ioine the worke of the law with faith in Christ Paul being much troubled at their backsliding and desiring to recouer and recall them to their former standing directeth this Epistle vnto them wherein as he justifieth both his calling to be an Apostle and the Doctrine of faith in Christ alone for justification and saluation to be of God and not of men so he euidently proueth that by the workes of the law no flesh can be justified that x Tertullian also justifieth this that not the abrogation of the morall but of the ceremoniall law is the Argument of the Epistle to the Galat. Sed quae velit intelligi elementa primas scilicet literas legis ipse declarat diâ—s observatis annos sabbata opinor coeâ—as puâ—as jâ—jâ—nia dâ—…s magnos cessare enim ab bis sicut à circumcisione oportebat vide Tertul. advers Marcion lib. 5. cap. 4. See also Justin Mart. Dial. um Tryph. Iudaeo Circumcision new Moones Iewish Sabbaths and all other ceremonies types and figures of Moses law leading as a Schoole-master vnto Christ were now abolished and that if either Iew or Gentile did either entertaine or maintaine them as necessary to saluation mingling Law and Gospell faith and workes types and truth Moses and CHRIST together for our acceptation and reconciliation with God they did not only abase themselues in returning vnto beggerly rudiments and putting themselues vnder their former yoake of bondage but they did further as farre as lay in them make void the death of Christ and fall from Grace whereupon he exhorteth them to stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free and so to vse their liberty that it be not any aduantage to the flesh but that they may serue one another by loue Galat. Chapters 2. 3. 4. 5. That this is the scope and drift of the Apostle and the speciall Argument and subiect of the Epistle to the Galat. if the Text it selfe which I haue cited doe not make it euident or the Testimony which I haue giuen thereof seeme to you to be insufficient Hieron praefat in Epist ad Galat. I pray you admit of the euidence that two or three more eminent and more ancient witnesses will giue in vnto this point Hierom. in Prooem in Epist ad Gal. Sciatis eandem esse materiam Epistolae Pauli ad Galatas See Tertul. againe more plainly determining of the Argument of the Epistle to the Gal. Principalem adversus Iudaismum epistolâ—m nos quoque confitemur quae Galataâ— docet ubi Apostolus in Christo post Iohannem revelato vetera infirmat nova vero confirmat Tertull. lib. 5. adver Marc. cap. 2. quae ad Romanos scripta est Nullus quidem Apostoli sermo est vel per epistolam vel praesentis in quo non laboret docere antiquae legis onera deposita omnia illa quae in typis imaginibus praecesserunt i. otium sabbati circumcisionis injuriam calendarum trium per annum solemnitatum recursus scrupulositatem ciborum per dies singulos lavacra iterum sordidanda gratiâ Euangelij subrepente cessasse quam non sanguis victimarum sed sides animae credentis impleret Et paulò post scribit Apostolus ad eos qui ex gentibus fidem Euangelij receperant rursum retrò lapsi quorundam fuerant authoritate deterriti asserentium Petrum quoque Iacobum totas Iudaeae Ecclesias Euangelium Christi cum lege veterimiscuisse ipsum etiam Paulum aliud in Iudea facere aliud nationibus praedicare frustra eos in crucifâ—rum credere si id negligendum putarent quod Apostolorum principes observarent By this you may perceiue that Saint Hierom taketh the Argument of the Epistle to the Galatians to be the same with the Argument of the Epistle to the Romans wherein the Apostle proueth that by the workes of the law whether Ceremoniall or Morall no flesh can be justified before God vsing the same words in both Rom. 3.20.28 and Gal. 2.16 And this he vrgeth as the principall scope of the Epistle to the Galat. That Paul laboureth to reproue them for their declining from the simplicity of the Gospell vnto Iewish Ceremonies teaching them that Circumcision their new Moones solemne Feasts and all other their Legall Seruices and Sacrifices were vtterly abolished and in no sort to be mingled with the Gospell I say therefore in a word with Saint Ierome Onera a See Aug. lib. 4. cont duas Epist Pelag. ad Bonif. c. 5. legis Ceremonialis
of the Morall Law Nay is there not much to the contrary For doth he that saith we are freed from the rigour yoke and bondage of the Law affirme in so saying that the Morall Law is wholly abolished or are we therefore discharged of all obedience to the Law altogether because by faith in Christs obedience we stand not charged with the exact and rigorous obseruation of the same Doth not o Caluin Instit lib. 3. cap. 19 sect 4. Caluin himselfe in this very section which you alledge giue instance in one precept of the Morall Law as now in force and of great vse for beleeuers to frame their hearts and liues in obedience thereunto Doth he not say plainly Legis praeceptum est ut diligamus Deum He doth not say as it seemes you would haue him Legis praeceptum fuit as implying the Law was once but now is not as p Virg. Aeneid li. 2. fuit Ilium ingens gloria Teucrorum sed jam seges est ubi Troia fuit or as Tullie also could say q Cicer. Tuscul quaest lib. 1. Triste vocabulum fui subest enim haec vis habuit non habet but he saith legis praeceptum est as being yet still in force ut diligamus Deum as binding himselfe and all the faithfull to a filiall and cheerefull not to a rigorous and seruile obedience in the duties of it But seeing you haue done Caluin so great wrong as contrary to his minde and meaning yea to his words and writing to charge him with that he neuer wrote spoke nor thought will you doe him that fauour as to let him speake for himselfe and deliuer his owne opinion in his owne words whether he be of your minde or no touching the vtter abolishing of the whole Morall Law Neque hinc rectè quis colligat saith r Caluin Instit lib. 3. cap. 19. sect 2. he hauing proued that the Law hath no place nor power in the justification of a sinner before God legem fidelibus supervacaneam esse quos non idâ—o docere hortari stimulare ad bonum definit tamet si apud Dei tribunal in eorum conscientijs locum non habet and he addeth a little afterward In hoc fitum est legis officium ut eos officij sui admonendo ad sanctitatis innocentiae studium excitet Me thinkes Caluin seemeth to frame his speech of purpose as if he meant to answer one in your coat and to meet with your opinion though he were neuer acquainted with your person For you will haue the whole Morall Law to be wholly abolished he blames the very conceit of such as thinke it needlesse or superfluous indeed he acknowledgeth that it is of no force for our justification but confesseth withall that it is of great vse for edification and sanctification You will haue it not only ceased but abrogated as hauing neither any office nor vse he saith it is so farre from being abrogated that yet it doth not cease to teach to exhort and to pricke the faithfull vnder the Gospell forward vnto that which is good and testifieth that it is a speciall office of the Law by admonishing them of their duty to stirre them vp vnto holinesse of life You say The whole Epistle to the Galatians and the generall Argument of it importeth that the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished and he to the cleane contrary addeth these to his former words Å¿ Caluin Instit lib. 3. cap. 19. sect 3. In hoc cardine totum fere argumentum Epistolae ad Galatas vertitur giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that by the Argument of the Epistle to the Galatians the Morall Law is not abolished but in speciall office and vse euen now and for euer in the daies of the Gospell to be continued The words I haue cited out of Caluin I haue not fetcht very farre being so neere neighbours to the place whence you tooke yours Yours out of the fourth section Caluin Instit lib. 3. cap. 19. sect 4. sect 2. 3. where yet you haue nothing which makes for you and mine out of the second third section where you may see almost euery line is drawen to my hand cleane ouerthwart and crosse vnto your opinion What may a man that would willingly thinke well of you thinke of your dealing in this allegation Did you reade the fourth and not the second nor third sections That had beene great negligence especially there being so necessary dependance one vpon another Did you reade them and not vnderstand them taking that to be for you which was altogether against you That had beene too grosse ignorance Did you reade and vnderstand that Caluin in those sections had nothing to confirme but much to confute your opinion And would you notwithstanding beare vs in hand that he stood as firme on your side as you had set him faire in your margent This were wilfully to shut your eies against the light and to endanger the comfort of a good conscience Which of these faults you are fallen into I leaue to your second thoughts to consider and to amend what you finde amisse Thus we leaue Caluin who doth neither proue nor approue your opinion but plainly reproues it rather Let vs now examine Beza * Antinomus your next witnesse and see if his testimony will stand you in any stead for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Answer In the place which you alledge in Galat. 3.22 he speaketh something of the abrogation of the Ceremoniall but not a word of the abolition of the Morall Law his words will witnesse what I say and conuince you of no small fault in this allegation also t Beza in Gal. 3.22 Antea docuerat saith he legem ceremonialem abrogatam esse tum quatenus nos arguebat peccati ac mortis per transgressiones tum quatenus fuerat ipsius damnationis externum Chirographum Nunc autem eandem ceremonialem legem considerans ut promissionum Euangelicarum suo tempore exhibendarum umbram figuram docet illam quoque hoc respectu cessasse c. What could be said more distinctly or more effectually for expounding that very verse of the abrogation of the Ceremoniall which you say he expounds of the abolishing of the Morall Law Beza u Beza in Gal. 3.23 saith That the Apostle vnderstands the Ceremoniall Law in this 23. verse and that being but a shadow and figure of the promises of the Gospell it ceased when Christ was exhibited and you say how truly let others judge that the same Beza saith that the same verse is to be vnderstood of the Morall Law and that he proueth thereby that the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished There may be as much agreement betwixt light and darknesse fire and water truth and errour as betwixt Beza his Assertion and your Allegation in this point But will you with patience heare his opinion direct and downe-right not for the abolishing but for
the establishing of the Morall Law Quid igitur saith x Beza in 2 Cor. 3.11 he writing vpon 2. Corinth 3.11 Num lex abolita sanè quod ad ceremonias attinet cessavit At enim dices num hac in parte abolitum est Mosis ministerium minimè verò semper enim sunt homines ad Euangelium praedicatione legis praeparandi You may here see if you will but turne your eie aside vnto this place that he is so farre from thinking the Morall Law to be abolished that he answereth that obiection and so dasheth out the braines of your opinion with a minimè verò and further affirmeth that the y Vide Bez. Theol. Epist Epist 10. p. 104. Law is to be preached as frequently and necessarily as men are to be prepared for the receiuing of the Gospell Consider also what the same z Beza in 1 Epist Joh cap. 2.7 Lex posita est regendae sanctorum vitae c. Est igitur damnanda Antinomorum Libertinorum detestanda â—…esis Bez. in 1. Tim. cap 1. v. 9. Beza saith writing vpon 1. Iohn 2.7 A New Commandement I write vnto you there he putting a difference betwixt the Morall Law and the Gospell saith Lex quid sit faciendum Euangelium quid sit credendum docet sciendum est igitur sic esse haec duo distincta ut tamen unum alteri subserviat Nec enim Euangelio lex aboletur quatenus quod rectum est praecipit sed duntaxat quatenus mortem omnibus ipsam perfectè non praestantibus minatur Lex mortis terrore nos monet ut de vita in Euangelio quaerenda cogitemus lex jam nobis suavis est seccundùm interiorem hominem magister sicut copiosè docet Apostolus Rom. 6.7.8 capitibus Hinc illud toties à Christo iteratum de Deo proximo diligendo mandatum I pray you consider these particulars out of this testimony and tell me then whether Beza be with you or ouer-against you 1. That the Law and Gospell are distinguished but neither of them both abolished 2. The Law and the Gospell doe mutually serue one another in their seuerall offices and vses 3. The Law is not abolished by the Gospell but established by the same 4. The Law to them that are in Christ See Bez. Epist Theolog. Ep. 20. of the vse of the Morall Law euen for Christians at large is a sweet Master or Teacher in whose lessons and instructions they delight in the inner man 5. That all these offices and vses of the Morall Law are warranted and confirmed by the authenticall Authority of Christ himselfe and his Apostle Paul All these points being set downe by Beza so sound and sufficient for establishing the Law are as so many strong Arguments to conuince you of errour that goe about to abolish it and as so many rebukes also of your vnaduised and injurious dealing with so worthy a Diuine whom you will needs draw in to speake to your minde though neuer so contrary to his owne true meaning Let vs now come to heare your third witnesse Mr. Perkins whether he can speake any more to the matter than Caluine and Beza haue already done * Antinomus You cite him on the Galatians Answer 3.11.23 And tell me I pray you what you haue found here for the whole abolishing of the Morall Law Vpon these words verse 11. No man is justified by the Law a Perkins in Gal. 3.11 he saith that by the Law is meant not onely the Ceremoniall but also the Iudiciall and the Morall Law and that Paul enlargeth his disputation from one part to the whole Law And he giueth a good reason why he would abrogate the vse of the Morall Law as well as of the Ceremoniall in the matter of justification for they saith he which thought Ceremonies necessary to justification would much more thinke Morall duties necessary All this we willingly acknowledge with Mr. Perkins What would you conclude hence Is this your Argument from this place No man can be justified by the workes neither of the Ceremoniall nor of the Morall Law ergo the whole Morall Law is abrogated wholly as well as the Ceremoniall Law We grant the Antecedent and deny the Consequence or Argument For how doth this follow The Morall Law doth not justifie ergo it doth not instruct nor edifie vnlesse it had no other neither office nor vse but that alone Will you see the fallacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by another of the like stampe b 1 Sam. 8.7 Samuel hath ceased to rule correct condemne the people as a Iudge ergo c 1 Sam. 12.23 24. Samuel hath ceased to pray for the people and to teach and shew them the good and right way as a Prophet Or to vse the Apostles comparison A d Gal. 4.1 Gal. 3.24 Schoolemaster ceaseth to nurture and keepe his scholer vnder the rod and in the rudiments of Grammar as a childe ergo he hath no sufficiencie nor ability to teach him greater or better things being now of riper age But to leaue this Argument weake and feeble as it is shall I be bold to aske you a question Doe you reade and alledge your Authors for satisfaction or contention for colouring and countenancing of an error or for searching and lifting out the truth I would gladly if I might safely conceiue the best but it seemes strange vnto me that seeing e Perk. on Gal. 3.12 Mr. Perkins in the very next leafe vpon the 12. that is the very next verse hath so plaine and euident sentences to confute you that euer you durst alledge any thing out of him as standing with you or for you His words be these I say that the law written in our hearts is still the law of Moses And againe Since mans fall the Lord repeates the Law for weighty causes 1. To teach vs that the Law is of a constant and vnchangeable nature 2. To aduertise vs of our weaknesse and shew vs what we cannot doe 3. To put vs in minde that we must still humble our selues vnder the hand of God after we haue begunne by grace to obey the Law because euen then we come farre short in doing the things which the Law requireth at our hands Who would once imagine that a man fearing God and bearing an honest minde to learne and seeke out the truth would not haue sought and seene a little farther into Mr. Perkins before he would or durst haue produced him for a witnesse against himselfe and against the truth also If all this be not yet sufficient will you for your full satisfaction heare his finall determination of the question He proposeth it thus f Perk. on Gal. 3.23 p. 251. How farre forth is the Law abrogated and answereth this The Morall Law is abrogated in respect of the Church and them that beleeue three waies First in regard of justification and this Paul proues at large in this Epistle Secondly in respect of the
Gospell and doth he not conuince them all of sinne by the present vse of the Law Obserue what he saith verse 19. Now we know that whatsoeuer the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it speaketh to them that are vnder the Law Doth he not vse the present time for the manifesting of the present vse of the Law three times together in this verse and concludeth in the next That therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified in his sight because by the Law commeth or is the knowledge of sinne So o Beza in Rom. 3.19 20. Beza on this place doth expound it and p Paraeus in Rom. 3. v. 20. Paraeus rendreth the words thus Per legem habetur agnitiâ— peccati whence he concludeth ergo non justitia and q Caluin in Rom. 3.20 alibi Quid enim quaeso ist sibi volunt tegem propter transgressiones positam esse Gal. 3.19 per legem esse cognitionem peccati Rom. 3.20 legem peccatum efficere See Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 5. sect 6. See Aug. lib. de Spiritu litera cap. 13. Caluin giues the sense of these words Per legem agnitio peccati to be this Lex convincit nos peccati damnationis You see then these learned men take these words otherwise than you doe That by the Law commeth not came or is not was the acknowledgement of sinne As for that which you alledge out of Galath 4.1 I must confesse I neither know how it maketh any thing at all for your point or purpose nor can I conceiue what you meane to goe about to make so large proofe of that which no man doth deny What here you write hath neither dependance nor consequence neither ioints nor sinewes much like vnto a shadow which hauing some proportion of a mans body hath yet neither life nor substance in it For what if we yeeld you all this that the Apostle by the Heire in his minority meaneth the Church of the Iewes before Christ and by the same in his riper age the Church of Christ since his death What is there here I say not of any power but of any colour to proue the abolishing of the Morall Law Is the Morall Law therefore wholly abolished because the Mosaicall regiment in Rites and Ceremonies in Types and Figures in Legall burdens and Leuiticall seruices together with the rigour and terror of the Law is now ceased and abrogated You might as well say the Heire when he was a childe was kept in vnder sharpe and seuere Tutors and Gouernors but being now come to age he may now liue as he list Or the Church in her infancie was in bondage to the Ceremoniall Law therefore in her riper age she is not bound to obey either God or man by the duties of the Morall Law I could wish you would aduisedly consider what our SAVIOVR CHRIST himselfe saith I came not to r Est igitur damnanda Antinomorum libertinorum detestanda haeresis saith Bez. in 1 Tim. 1.9 and so say I. destroy the Law but to Å¿ Mat. 5.17 18 19. fulfill it and whosoeuer he be that shall breake one of the least of these Commandements and shall teach others so to doe he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen but whosoeuer shall doe and teach them he shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen And remember againe what S. Paul hath once told you already t Rom. 3.31 Doe we make void the Law by faith God forbid nay rather we establish the Law Christians indeed are freed from the bondage and burdens of the Law of Moses but yet must they take vpon them u Mat. 11.23 29 30. Christ his yoke and burden for his yoke is easie and his burden light Yea they are charged to beare one anothers burdens and so to fulfill the x Gal. 6.2 Law of Christ that their faith may y Gal. 5.6.13 worke by loue and they by loue serue one another and so shew that they delight in the z Rom. 7.22 Law of God concerning the inner man a Luc. 1.74 75. seruing the Lord in righteousnesse and holinesse all the daies of their liues that is according to both the Tables of the Morall Law Touching your quotation out of Socrat. Eccl. Hist lib. 5. cap. 21. I haue seene what he saith but can see nothing for the abolishing of the Morall Law He blameth them that contend so much for Iewish Ceremonies keeping of Easter obseruing Daies and Moneths as neuer hauing well considered that Quando religio Iudaica erat in Christianam commutata accurat is illas Mosaicae legis observationes rerum futurarum figuras penitus evannisse and so vrgeth that out of Galath 4.21 against them But what will you say if out of the same Chapter I bring you some euidence that Socrates doth not abolish but establish the Morall Law b Socrates Eccles Hist lib. 5. c. p. 21. Apostolis propositum fuit non ut leges de festis diebus celebrandis sancirent sed ut rectè vivendi rationis pietatis nobis authores essent The Apostles saith Socrates neuer purposed to make lawes for holydaies but to teach vs both by words and writing the way of godlinesse and good liuing And did not the Apostles this especially by vrging and applying the duties of the Morall Law in both Tables vnto Christians both for their persons and callings Reade and consider Rom. 1.2.6.7 12.13 Cap. 1 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 3. Ephes 5.6 Chapters Moreouer Socrates in the same Chapter complaineth of the Churches of the Gentiles for the breaking of the Morall Law and violating the c Acts 15.20 Apostles Commandement Acts 15. Caeterum nonnulli his neglectis omnem scortationem rem quidem indifferentem arbitrantur sed tamen de diâ—bus sestis tanquam de vita decertant Dei d Vide Iunium de polit Mosis cap. 8. col 1552. praecepta evertunt ipsis sibi leges sanciunt In which words doth he not blame such as professing themselues to be Christians did yet account fornication which is a breach of the seuenth Commandement in the Morall Law to be a thing indifferent and so following their owne lust did ouerthrow Gods Law You haue gained nothing then by your allegation out of Socrates but lost more than you lookt for at his hands And as little haue you got by that which you take from Mr. Perkins againe out of Galat. 4.3 Antinomus who as you say setteth it out very fully What is that which he setteth out so fully The abrogation of the Morall Law If you meane that Answer as that you must meane if you meane to speake to the purpose then you offer him too too hard measure againe to charge him with that he neuer spake and to gather that he neuer scattered Or is it that the Church vnder the Law was but as the Heire in his minority but the Church vnder the
Gospell as the Heire come to age If this be your meaning we acknowledge he handleth this point of difference betwixt them very fully and as many other Diuines also doe very soundly too But what of all this Mr. e Perk. on Gal. 4.3 Perkins saith The Fathers of the Old Testament were children in respect of vs two waies First in regard of the Mosaicall gouernment because they were kept in subjection to more Lawes than we Secondly in regard of reuelation because God hath reuealed more to vs than to them And this he saith truly and well Is there any thing here to be found for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law If there be why doe you not shew it If there be not why make you such a vaine flourish for it Haue you yet any more to say out of the Epistle to the Galatians * Antinomus Yes it seemes you yet looke for some helpe from Luther vpon Galat. 4.1 where you say He acknowledgeth an end of the Law at the comming of Christ Answer but doth not fully handle it so Me thinkes you haue no great confidence in this allegation Luther I doubt hath not so fully handled the matter as to fulfill your minde in it You know right well that f Luth on Gal. 4.1 See Muscul in Mat. 5.17 Luther speaking of the ending of the Law two waies First at the comming of Christ in the flesh at the time appointed of his Father Galat. 4.4 Secondly at the comming of Christ vnto vs daily by his Spirit doth only meane such an end of the Law As that when Christ is come into our hearts by faith the Law hath not that dominion ouer vs to accuse to terrifie to kill to condemne vs spiritually and before God as formerly it had And all this we acknowledge may well be and yet the Morall Law be of good and great vse still * Antinomus But though Luther did not fully handle it so yet it is plaine you say that the Apostles meaning was so Answer And I say that if the Apostles meaning were so plaine as you will haue it to wit that the Morall Law is vtterly at an end then might this our labour be plainly at an end also But because some others it may be cannot see this so plainly as you can we desire it may be made a little more plaine vnto vs For the reasons which * Antinomus you render That the Apostle writeth not particularly to true beleeuers alone amongst the Galatians as you say he did to the Romans Ephesians Philippians and Colossians but without distinction of true beleeuers from others to them that professed Christ calling them brethren and that as you affirme he sheweth them all that they are now no more vnder the Law Cap. 4.1 by the Simile of an Heire and after by an Allegory of the free woman and the bond and that Cap. 5. he exhorteth them to stand fast in that liberty These reasons I say Answer doe not make it plaine that the Apostles meaning was in or by the Epistle to the Galatians to put an absolute end to the Morall Law for the vtter abolishing of the same as you would haue it but that the g Gal. 2.16 Cap. 3.11 12 13. workes of the Law whether Morall or Ceremoniall in the matter of our justification before God and saluation by faith in Christ are vtterly to be excluded and abandoned and that by h Gal. 3.26 Cap. 5.1 faith in Christ alone the Galatians and all other true Christians are freed and set at i Iren. aduers Haer. lib. 4. cap. 5. liberty as from the burden and bondage of the Ceremoniall Law so from the rigour and terror dominion and malediction of the Morall also k Gal. 5.1 And this is the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free and wherein the Apostle exhorteth them to stand fast and not to be againe intangled in the yoke of bondage That this is the true sense and meaning of the Apostle it is most manifest and plaine by that his earnest and zealous protestation which immediately he annexeth Behold I l Gal. 5.2 3 4 5. See Tertullian advers Marcion lib. 4. cap. 33. lib. 5. cap. 2.3.4 that the Law is fulfilled in Christ not abolished by Christ Paul say vnto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing For I testifie againe to euery man that is circumcised that he is a debter to the whole Law Christ is become of no effect vnto you whosoeuer of you are justified by the Law yee are fallen from grace For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousnesse by faith c. Thus farre we haue followed your steps in the Epistle to the Galatians where we haue not left you so much as the breadth of a foot to ground or settle your opinion vpon Now you flie to the Epistle to the Hebrewes where you looke for succour and shelter as in a City of refuge for you say The whole m See Zanch. judgement of the Argument of the Hebr. Zanch. in Hos cap. 2. p. 45. Epistle is for your purpose But we will pursue you with the sword of the Lord and of n Iudg. 7.18 Gideon i. The word of God and the writings of the Lord his o In Epist ad Heb. principalis propositio est Ceremonias veteris legis esse abrogatas Chemloc de lege Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 11. sect 7. Worthies and doubt not but we shall either draw or driue you thence also Is the whole Epistle to the Hebrewes to the same purpose viz. For the vtter abolishing of the whole Morall Law for hauing any being or well being any office or vse in the Church of Christ It seemes indeed you haue taken possession of the gates the middle and the vtmost parts thereof as if all the forts and fences the turrets and towers were your owne already But shall we make an assault and try what right or reason you haue so to doe * Antinomus Your first reason of so bold a speech is this In the very first verse he opposeth the speaking of Christ to all that were afore him he being Heire of all things whom the Angels must worship and the heauens and earth must vanish Answer but he must remaine And what makes this for your purpose Is the Morall Law therefore abolished because Christ is opposed to all that went or were before him Or is this an opposition of contrariety or of disparity Doth the speaking of God by Christ argue an abolishing and not rather an accomplishing of all that was spoken before him Or can any man with any shew or shadow of reason inferre that because in former times God spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Prophets in visions and dreames by ceremonies and sacrifices by reuelations and prophesies by thunderings and lightnings and the like and by all these more darkly and obscurely
not so effectually spiritually and comfortably as in the latter daies he hath done by his Sonne Can any man I say inferre hereupon that the Morall Law is wholly abolished Nay hath not p Haec omnia non dissolventis erant legem sed adimplentis dilatantis in nobis Iren. advers Haeres li. 4. cap. 27. Christ from his blessed mouth charged vs not once to thinke that he came to destroy the Law He came not to destroy it but to fulfill it And doth not he renew the beauty and vigor of the Law when he doth cleare it and deliuer it from the foolish and false glosses of the Pharisies and commends the duties thereof to the practise of his owne followers and Disciples Besides all this seeing Christ in this first verse is as you alledge opposed to the Prophets you may by as good reason conclude that all the sacred Records of the Prophets are now cancelled and cast out of the Church by the comming of Christ in whom they were accomplished as that the Morall Law first written by the finger of God is now vtterly abolished because by Christ himselfe it was fulfilled and if by that which followeth the heauens and earth must vanish but he remaine you meane that the Morall Law must needs vtterly perish if Christ remaine remember then I pray that Christ himselfe hath said the like of the Morall Law which the Apostles said of him Heauen and earth shall passe but one iot or tittle of the Law shall not passe till all be fulfilled Vpon which words q Bulling in Mat. 5.18 Bullinger saith Per collationem rerum maximè stabilium immotarum significavit perpetuam legis constantiam r Calu. in Mat. 5.18 Caluine ſ Bez. Muscul Vitus Theod. Perk. on the same Beza Musculus Vitus Theodorus Perkins are all of the same minde writing vpon the same place Of these I will only mention Mr. Perkins his words The meaning of this verse saith he is That the Law of God is vnchangeable not only in the whole but for euery part thereof and the fulfilling thereof shall neuer haue an end But you goe forward and out of cap. 3. * Antinomus you say Moses was his seruant It is true Answer and so were all the holy men of God that penned the rest of the holy Scriptures too What then must it needs follow that because Christ is come as Lord in and ouer his owne house which is his t Heb. 3.6 Church that he hath disallowed and disanulled whatsoeuer Moses or others of his seruants haue done before him This were enough to shake the very foundation of the wals of Sion and to lay leuell with the ground the stately palaces of Ierusalem What they haue done either in or for the building of Gods house touching the substance and essentiall parts thereof whether u Ephes 2.20 Heb. 6.1 2. foundation of faith or x Phil. 3.16 Gal. 6.16 rule of life that Christ himselfe tels you againe he came not to destroy though they were but his seruants in the house and he Lord ouer it yet thinke not saith he that I am come to destroy either the Law which is the y Iam. 2.8.12 rule of life or the z 2 Pet. 1.19 20. Prophets which are a part of the foundation of faith He came not to abolish but to * Bez. Epist Theologic 20. pag. 104. establish these things But why did you alledge only the former part of the verse Moses was a Seruant and not the latter for a testimony of those things which should be spoken after to shew what seruice the Apostle speakes of in this place Why there was a reason in it for the latter words speaking of Moses seruice in the matters of the Ceremoniall Law as Paraeus and other worthy Diuines doe giue the meaning of them the alledging of these would haue quite maid your Market in that for which you brought in the former namely to the ouerthrow and abolishing of the Morall Law As for that you adde Antinomus out of Hebrewes Cap. 8. He is the Mediator of a better Testament which being the New he abrogateth the Old Ierem. 31.31 And that by the Old is meant as you say that which was written in the Tables of Stone Answer Deut. 4.13 I answer with reuerend * Bez. in Heb. 8.6 Tertul. advers Iudaeos cap. 3.4.5.6 advers Marcion lib. 5. c. 4. Beza That Christ is said to be the Mediator of a better Couenant hauing better promises Nempe quoniam figurabant ritus Levitici quod ipsi non praestabant cum credentium animos ad Christum venturum sive ad novum pactum remitterent He opposeth the Euangelicall Couenant to the Leuiticall as the better to the worse the New vnto the Old entring into the comparison of the Old and transitory Testament being but for a time whereof the Leuiticall Priests were Mediators with the New the euerlasting Mediator whereof is Christ to shew that this was not only better than that in all respects but also that that was abrogated by this This proueth not then the absolute abrogation of the Morall Law as you intend it but only the abolishing of the Leuiticall Priesthood with all their Mosaicall Sacrifices and Ceremonies as by the words going before ver 4 5 6 7. Heb. 8.4 5 6 7. you may plainly see the Apostle meant it Antinomus And because you appeale to the Geneua Note vpon Ierem. 31.31 as approuing your exposition of that which out of Hebrewes 8. you alledge for the abrogating of the Morall Law Answer we are content to turne aside with you thither also not refusing the censure or sentence which as vmpire it shall giue in this matter Tertull. expoundeth this place Ier. 31. v. 31. of the abolishing of the Ceremoniall and not of the Morall Law Lib. advers Judaos c. 3. Vpon these words I will make a New Couenant Ier. 31.31 the Geneua Note is this Though the Couenant of Redemption made to the Fathers and this which was giuen after seeme diuers yet they are all one and grounded on Iesus Christ saue that this is called New because of the manifestation of Christ and the abundant graces of the Holy Ghost giuen vnto the Church vnder the Gospell May not this Note giue you notice of thus much That the Diuines of Geneua making but one Couenant both in the daies of the Law and in the daies of the Gospell doe only acknowledge an alteration thereof in some circumstances of manner measure persons places times and types meanes and ministers and the like and that partly in the Morall but especially in the whole a In Epistol Theol. 8. Bez. Epist 20. Vide Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 11. sect 7. in hunc locum ex Ierem. 31.31 Ceremoniall Law but doe not so much as intimate any vtter abolition of any part of the substance of it whether concerning the foundation of
Chron. 36.7.10.18.19 Zedekiah when the City was sackt the Temple spoiled and both by the Chaldaeans burnt with fire Besides all this it is most certaine that as the Arke of the Couenant and the parts of it the Cherubins and the Propitiatorie Couering or Mercy Seat were all Ceremonies and Types of CHRIST and shadowes of good things to come in the daies of the Gospell so was both the writing of the Law in Tables of Stone and the putting of those Tables being the 1 Deut. 9.9 11. Tables of the Legall Couenant in the 2 Deut. 10.5 Arke which was therefore called the 3 Deut. 10.8 Arke of the Couenant these also I say were Typicall and Ceremoniall but the Law it selfe both before and then and now and for euer was and is and shall be Morall still To make this a little more plaine The Arke was a figure of Christ and a pledge of Gods gracious a Numb 7.89 presence where he promised to speake with his people and whereunto he called them to speake with him This did signifie that there could be no intercourse of mercies and duties betwixt God and vs but in and by b Matt. 3.17 Christ alone The c Exod. 25.21 Deut. 10.8 Tables of the Couenant were put in this Arke and kept in it to signifie not only that all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge were hid in d Col. 2.3 Christ but that the Law of God is fulfilled and the justice of God satisfied and the wrath of God appeased in and by e 2 Cor. 5.18 21. Act. 4.12 Christ alone These Tables were of Stone f Exod. 34.1 4. hauing the Law of God written by the g Deut. 9.10 finger of God in them to signifie that in the New Couenant he would change our hearts of stone into h Ezek. 36.26 27. hearts of flesh and write his lawes by the i 2 Cor. 3. â—… finger of his spirit in the fleshy Tables of our hearts and both cause vs to walke in his Statutes and also accept of our obedience in Christ Iesus The Arke when the Tables of the Law were put in it had a k Exo. 25.17 21. Propitiatory Couering put vpon it Exodus 25. This did signifie another part of the Couenant That in Christ alone the Lord will couer l Heb. 8.10 12. Rom. 3.25 and be mercifull to our sinnes and remember our iniquities no more Hebr. 8.10 11. Rom. 3.1 Ioh. 2. Vpon the Propitiatory or Mercy Seat were the two m Exod. 25.20 Cherubins looking downe into the Arke this did signifie That as the holy n Heb. 1.14 Angels were appointed to be ministring Spirits for the good of them that are Heires of saluation so doe they desire and delight to o 1 Pet. 1.12 looke into Christ and his Church and the mysterie of the Gospell reuealed in the same Now these things considered this I say That so farre as these Tables of the Couenant had any thing Ceremoniall in them or any thing concerning other circumstances of persons time place terror rigour and the like being peculiar to the Church of the Iewes in that estate of the Mosaicall Pedagogie so farre I say they are p Temporalli horum administratio fuit Iren. advers Haeres lib. 4. cap. 8. remoued together with the Arke and Altar Tabernacle and Temple and other Leuiticall Sacrifices and Ceremonies Iudaicall types and rites whatsoeuer But the Morall Law contained in the Ten Commandements could not be Ceremoniall no more than a substance can be a shadow for then should Morall and Ceremoniall haue beene confounded whereas euen by their writing in Tables of Stone and that by the finger of God they were distinguished neither was there then any thing for the substance of it nor is now as now it stands vpon record in the Booke of God but it doth concerne vs as well as them according to that of the Apostle We know that the Law is good if a man vse it lawfully and therefore though the Tables of Stone be remoued the q Age Marcion omnésque jam commiserones coodibiles ejus Haeretici quid audebitis dicere Resciditnè Christus priora praecepta Non occidendi non adulterandi non furandi c. An illa servavit quod deerat adjecit vide Tertull. adver Marcion li. 4. ca. 36. Morall Law is yet continued and hath exceptis excipiendis his proper vse and force still That which you draw from Mount Sinai hath not strength enough to withdraw all vse of the Morall Law from Mount Sion The r Heb. 12.12 13. Apostle enforceth his exhortation vnto Christian obedience and patience vnder the Metaphors of lifting vp their hands that hang downe and their feeble knees the better to enable them to resist and hold out in running the race that is set before them by Arguments drawen from the comfortable and admirable priuiledge of the Gospell and kingdome of Grace farre aboue those which the Hebrewes themselues had vnder the regiment of Moses in the estate of the Law This you say truly and we doe acknowledge That greater mercies require greater duties But when you say He doth not presse his exhortation by the Law giuen in Mount Sinai you are conuinced of a grosse vntruth by the two last Å¿ Heb. 12.28 29. verses of the same Chapter where the Apostle presseth this exhortation Let vs haue grace to serue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare by an Argument drawen from the Law Deut. 4.24 viz. Antinomus For our God is a consuming fire That which the t Heb. 12.26 27. Apostle allegeth out of u Agg. 2.6 Aggai and you vrge out of both concerning things that are shaken may indeed shake in peeces all the Iewish Ceremonies and Sacrifices as most Diuines doe agree But the Gospell is so farre from shaking the Morall Law in that manner that it doth rather ioine and shake x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Iustin Mart. Quaest Resp ad Orthod p. 354. hands with it as if that which is spoken in another place were also verified in them Mercy and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace doe kisse each other So farre therefore as the Lord hath ioined them together let no man be so bold as to seeke or sue out a Bill of * Bez. Theol. Ep. Ep. 20. p. 103. diuorce to put them asunder Thus haue you seene and felt too if you be not darkned in your minde by prejudice and selfe-conceit and so strangely hardened which God forbid against all touch of truth what sorry successe you haue had in discharging your many Arguments out of the whole Epistle to the Galatians and out of the whole Epistle to the Hebrewes notwithstanding all the powder and shot which you haue borrowed from so many men or rather by fraud and force haue taken from them We come now vnto your third great Argument namely the practise of the
Apostels in all their Epistles which you seeme to me to haue both mounted higher and charged deeper as a principall peece of Ordnance for this speciall seruice of battery and beating downe to the ground not only the wals and windowes but the stateliest and strongest towers and bulwarkes of the Morall Law * Antinomus You say The practise of the Apostles in all their Epistles vseth brotherly exhortations still calling them brethren This English I vnderstand not but I conceiue you would say Answer That It is the practise of the Apostles in all their Epistles to vse brotherly exhortations still calling them to whom they write Brethren And what of that I pray you Is the practise of the Apostles therefore against the Morall Law because in their Epistles they vse brotherly exhortations and call them to whom they write Brethren Why then belike Moses himselfe both spake and wrote against the Morall Law when endeuouring to keepe men in obedience to the sixt Commandement he vsed brotherly exhortations and called them brethren y Act. 7.26 Exod. 2.13 Sirs you are brethren why doe you wrong one to another Act. 7.26 And tels vs not only that they two were brethren but hath left it vpon record that they were also his brethren z Exod. 2.12 Exod. 2. And Lot also like enough practised somewhat against the Morall Law when labouring to preuent the villany of the Sodomites in the breach of the seuenth Commandement he vsed brotherly exhortations calling them brethren saying a Gen. 19.7 I pray you Brethren doe not so wickedly I had thought that neither the name of Brethren nor brotherly exhortations had beene so peculiarly appropriate to the Gospell but that both might be vsed for the furtherance of the duties and restraint of the breaches of the Morall Law Neither are rebukes or threats in my opinion so proper to the Law that they may not haue their place and vse in the Gospell also Ahab was neuer a whit the better because he could say in foolish pitie of King Benhadad Is he yet aliue he is my b 1 King 20.32 Brother For there is * August ad Macedon Ep. 64. Sicuti est aliquando misericordia puniens ita crudelitas parcens crudelitas parcens Nor was Paul euer the worse because he wrote so sharply to the c 1 Cor. 5.3 4 5 13. Corinthians and dealt so seuerely with the incestuous person as to deliuer him vp to Satan for there is misericordia puniens The Apostles in their Epistles haue not only oile to supple but wine to search imitating that good d Luc. 10.34 Samaritane that vsed both in the cure of the wounded man Neither doe they alwaies apply milde lenities but sometimes sharpe corrasiues to their ill affected or afflicted patients Could you obserue that the Apostle calleth the Galathians ten times Brethren in that Epistle and could you take no notice of the sharpe and bitter rebukes and reproofes which he vseth against them e Gal. 3.1 3. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you Are yee so foolish I am f Gal. 4.11 20. afraid of you I stand in doubt of you g Gal. 4.9 How turne you againe to beggerly rudiments Behold I h Gal. 5.2 3 4. Paul say vnto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Christ is become of none effect vnto you whosoeuer of you are justified by the Law you are fallen from grace I i Gal. 5.12 would they were euen cut off which trouble you yea if he were an k Gal. 1.8 9. Angell from heauen let him be accursed Haue not these ten rebukes almost ten times as much acrimony and tartnesse as the naming of them ten times brethren hath lenity and mildnesse Paul a Preacher of the Gospell knew there was vse of both and at this present saw that euen the Galathians his l Gal. 4.12 19. brethren and his little children had need of both although a people that had receiued and did professe the Gospell If then your reason be good The practise of the Apostles stands against the Morall Law because they vse in their Epistles brotherly exhortations to them to whom they write and call them brethren then the practise of the Apostles stands against the Gospell also because in the same Epistles they oftentimes rebuke them as wicked and threaten them sometimes as accursed creatures But * Antinomus you say They ground their exhortations neither vpon Moses Law nor vpon any other Commandement but on the mercies of God in Christ as may be seene in all their Epistles Now certainly Answer this is one of the strangest and boldest speeches that euer I heard from any man bearing the name of a true Christian and making some shew of reading and learning as you doe Are you such a stranger in the Epistles of the Apostles that you could yet neuer finde any of their exhortations grounded on the Commandements and terrors of the Law And dare you be so bold as to say They are all grounded only on the mercies of God in Christ And that this may be seene also in all their Epistles Haue you read Rom. 12.1 m Rom. 12.1 I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a liuing sacrifice c. And haue you not read in the same Apostle 2 Tim. 4.1 n 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearing preach the Word c. o Rom. 11.22 He that bids vs behold the goodnesse of the Lord bids vs behold his seuerity also vnto the Iewes that fell seuerity but towards vs goodnesse if we continue in his goodnesse otherwise we are threatned to be cut off also And Some as p Ep. Iud. v. 23. Iude speaketh we must deale withall in compassion and by the looking for of the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life and others we must saue by feare plucking them as brands halfe burnt out of the fire He that exhorteth vs to q Col. 3.13 Forbeare and forgiue one another if any haue a quarell against any and that vpon this ground of Gods mercy in Christ euen as Christ for gaue vs Col. 3.13 doth likewise exhort vs Not to r Rom. 12.19 auenge our selues but rather to giue place vnto wrath vpon another ground of Gods justice and that taken out of the Law Deut. 32.35 for it is written vengeance is mine and I will repay it saith the Lord. He that saith of the Ministers of the Gospell as of Å¿ 2 Cor. 5.20 Ambassadors of peace We beseech you in Christs stead to be reconciled vnto God saith also being himselfe one of the same as an Herauld of Armes t 2 Cor. 5.10 11. We must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ to giue an account of whatsoeuer we haue done in our bodies be it good or
words as seuerely and seriously charge Timothy to keepe the Commandement which he had giuen him for the duties of his person and calling as euer did Moses the people of Israel for obseruing of the Commandement of the Law when d Deut. 30.11 15 18 19. he said This Commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee c. Behold I call heauen and earth to record this day against you that I haue set before you life and death blessing and cursing For whereas Moses calleth heauen and earth only to record against Israel Paul conuents Timothy as it were before the Lord of heauen and earth and doth not only command him with all authority but charge him with all seuerity That as euer he would haue any benefit by Christ as his e 1 Tim. 6.13 14. Redeemer witnessing a good confession before Pontius Pilate or would euer render vp his account vnto him as a f 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Iudge with joy at his appearing he should be carefull and faithfull in keeping his Commandements Looke also vpon 1 Cor. 7.10 g 1 Cor. 7.10 And vnto the maried I command yet not I but the Lord Let not the wife depart from her husband And vpon Ephes 4.17 This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that yee henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in the vanity of their minde And 2 Thessalon 3.6.10.12 h 2 Thess 3.6 10 12. Now we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you withdraw your selues from euery Brother that walketh disorderly And that also 1 Tim. 6. i 1 Tim. 6.25 I charge thee before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ and before the elect Angels that thou obserue these things Consider I pray you these places aduisedly and tell me whether you haue not erred too too grossely in saying so confidently That although in the Epistles of the Apostles there were some words of commanding yet was there not so much as a forme of Commandement in them seeing you haue here many and worthy Commandements both for matter and forme in full measure But you say Antinomus They are without penalty Answer For answer vnto that Tell me I beseech you whether you doe not reckon the threatnings of k Rom. 6.21 23. Death l Rom. 14.23 Damnation the m Ephes 5.6 Wrath of God the n 2 Thess 1.8 Vengeance of God o 1 Cor. 3.17 Destruction p 1 Cor. 11.32 34. Condemnation q 1 Tim. 6.9 Perdition flaming fire r Iud. v. 7 8. Eternall fire and such like against ignorant disobedient vngodly and vnbeleeuing persons such as know not God and obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ to be penalties and not only penalties but dreadfull judgements yea the very terrors of God that fight against such sinnes and sinners If you say they be as you must needs if you will say the truth then were you deluded with a lying vanity and which is worse would delude others also therewithall when you said and set it downe That the Commandements of the Apostles in their Epistles were without penalty Å¿ Aug. contra Adamant Manich. ca. 3. Sacrae Scripturae non temerarios superbos accusatores sed pios diligentes lectores desiderant August I maruell whether euer you read that terrible sentence 1 Cor. 16. If any man t 1 Cor. 16.22 loue not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema maranatha If you did doe but tell me by what Argument the Apostle doth here vrge and enforce the loue of Christ Iesus whether by promise of mercy or threatning of penalty Or whether here be not as dreadfull a curse threatned against those that doe not loue the Lord Iesus Christ as there is Ephes 6.24 a gratious promise made to all that doe viz. u Ephes 6.24 Grace be with all them that loue the Lord Iesus Christ in sincerity It were absurd and impious to deny that here is a promise of a blessing to them that loue him and as impious and absurd it is to say that the other denounceth no terrible penalty to them that loue him not For the very words themselues Anathema maranatha doe import an execrable curse such as the Lord when he commeth in x Ecce autem quòd in clausula tribunal Christi comminatur utique Iudicis vltoris in Rom. 14.10 Tertull. advers Maâ—…i lib. 5. ca. 14. judgement shall inflict vpon all wicked reprobates being separated from Christs presence and cast into vtter darknesse So Paul vseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.3 Gal. 1.8 as Accursed and 1 Cor. 12.3 for Execrable And the other y Cornel. Pertram praefat in Gram. Heb. Syriac Maranatha consists of two Syriack words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth Dominus noster and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venit The Lord commeth Which words being the beginning of Enochs Prophecy cited by Iude as containing the dreadfull judgement of God at the last day against all the wicked and vngodly were vsually taken vp by the Iewes as they are here by Paul to expresse the z Bez. in 1 Cor. 16.22 Aug. Ep. 78. great Curse which is hopelesse helplesse and endlesse as their portion and just recompence which doe not loue the Lord Iesus In the next place you proceed from euill to worse when you say There is not so much as any allusion vnto Moses Law or the Ten Commandements in all the Epistles When Peter liking well of the ease and peace beauty and glory of Mount Tabor made a a Luc. 9.31 32 33. motion for building of Tabernacles that they that were there might dwell there saying Master it is good for vs to be here The Holy Ghost hath obserued That he was heauy with sleepe and wist not what he said Surely me thinkes in such a like minde and mood were you when falling into a dreame of Mount Sion and liking well of the fancies that ranne in your head of grace and peace mercy and mildnesse promises and gentle exhortations all tending to life and glory you haue laboured to build this your Tabernacle for a place of rest and said in your heart It is good to be here vnwilling altogether to heare any mention of Mount Sinai or of any allusion to the Morall Law But we will beare with your weaknesse and plead your excuse The spirit of sleepe or slumber was vpon you and you wist not what you either did or said For had you beene well awakened and your eies well opened you might haue seene in the most if not in all the Epistles not only some allusions but many allegations out of the Ten * See Iam. 2.8 9 10 11 12. 4.10 11. Commandements or * See Iam. 2.8 9 10 11 12. 4.10 11. Morall Law Doth not the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans make often mention of the Morall Law
which shall deuoure the aduersaries And this he enforceth further not only by an allusion but by a manifest allegation of Moses Law q Heb. 10.28 29. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden vnder foot the Sonne of God c. For we know him that hath said r Heb. 10.30.31 Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompence saith the Lord and againe The Lord shall judge his people It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God And this shall suffice for answer to your third generall Argument drawen from the practise of the Apostles in all their Epistles Your fourth Argument is this Argument 4 Antinomus Wheresoeuer the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law there is neuer any exception of the Morall This is vtterly vntrue Answer for where the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law it is either first The abrogation of the Law handled diuers waies First in the matter of Saluation Secondly in the matter of justification in the matter of Saluation as Acts 15.1 10. and there in the same Chapter the Morall Law is excepted because abstaining from Idolatries and Fornication being breaches of the first and second Table of the Morall Law is there inioined as from things of necessity to be refrained Acts 15.28 Or secondly in the matter of justification as Rom. 3.28 We conclude saith the Apostle that a man is justified by faith without the workes of the Law and yet there also vnto that obiection Doe we then make void the Law through faith he answereth as it were with detestation God forbid yea we establish the Law Rom. 3.31 So in the like Argument in the Epistle to the Galathians where he doth vtterly abolish the Law for righteousnesse in the Å¿ Gal. 2.16 Rom. 3.28 31. act of justification he doth yet establish the vse of the Morall Law for leading a godly and Christian life when he telleth vs that Faith t Gal. 5.6 worketh by loue and by loue we are bound to u Gal. 5.13 serue one another and the rule of loue is the Morall Law which he there vrgeth as a bond euen now in full force and vertue binding all Christians to obedience when he addeth this reason For all the x Gal. 3.14 Law is fulfilled in one word euen in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Leuit. 19.18 Matt. 22.39 And is not this an euident exception of the Morall Law made by the Holy Ghost and that euen in the same Epistle nay in the same Chapter where he handleth the abrogation of the Law also Thirdly the abrogation of the Law is handled as it was a wall of partition Or thirdly the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law as it was a wall of a Ephes 2.13 14 15. partition betwixt Iewes and Gentiles as Ephes 2.13 14 15. and yet in the same Epistle he requireth and vrgeth the duties of the Morall Law as b Ephes 4.24 25 26 28. Cast off lying and speake the truth Be angry and sinne not Labour with your hands and steale not c Ephes 5.2 3 4 5 6. Walke in loue and hate not flie fornication and all vncleannesse and name it not And all this to be done vpon promise and penalty as euer they will haue any inheritance in the kingdome of God or auoid the danger of the wrath of God Nay further to cut off all occasion of cauill as if one should obiect That these duties are not vrged for obedience to the Morall Law but to the Gospell the Apostle by a special direction of the Holy Ghost doth in expresse words exhorting children to obey their Parents make mention of the d Ephes 6.1 2. first Commandement with promise and setteth downe both precept and promise out of the Morall Law as yet of speciall force to draw them thereunto And yet we doe not say that these duties are either so vrged vpon vs or performed by vs as duties of the Law for righteousnesse to liue by them Rom. 10.5 but as fruits of the righteousnesse of faith in the Gospell discerned and measured by the Law yet not by the rigour but by the e Rom. 12.2 13.8 9. tenor of it offered also and accepted only in the obedience of Christ Iesus who according to his Couenant hath put his f Heb. 8.10 10.16 Lawes in our mindes and written them by the finger of his Spirit not in Tables of stone but in the g 2 Cor. 3.3 fleshy Tables of our hearts That as the Apostle speaketh the righteousnesse of the Law might be h Rom. 8.1 4. fulfilled in vs who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Or fourthly Fourthly the abrogation of the Law is handled touching Iewish obseruation the abrogation of the Law is handled as touching i Col. 2.16 17. Iewish and superstitious obseruations Col. 2.16 17. and typicall signification shadowing k Heb. 10.1 forth good things to come as Hebr. 10.1 And yet in both these Epistles where the law of carnall Commandements i. the Ceremoniall Law is cancelled and abolished the Commandements of the Law which is spirituall namely the Morall Law are confirmed and established as euidently appeareth by the plentifull and powerfull exhortations and injunctions for the performance of both generall and speciall duties of the Morall Law As for example Col. 3.14 l Col. 3.12 14. Aboue all things put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse Heb. 10.24 m Heb. 10.24 Let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto lsue and good workes And n Rom. 13.8 9. loue you haue already heard is the fulfilling of the Law and when o Gal. 5.6 faith worketh by loue faith worketh by the rule of the Law and he that walketh in loue p Gal. 6.16 walketh by the line of the Law Which may yet be further seene by those speciall duties of Superiours and inferiours appertaining to the fift Commandement as of husbands and wiues parents and children gouernours and seruants Col. 3. 4. and Heb. 13. mentioned and vrged out of the Morall Law in both places By this time you may perceiue that euen in the same places where the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law there is contrary to your assertion some exception of the Morall Law Nay I say more that wheresoeuer the Holy Ghost handleth the full and finall abrogation of the Law for all exercise in Gods worship or vse in the Church of Christ there he euer giueth instance in the Ceremoniall Law and neuer either mentioneth or meaneth the Morall Law And againe where he handleth the abrogation of the Law only in some circumstances or for some particular ends or vses he sometimes ioineth the Morall and the Ceremoniall * Aug. in Epist ad Galat. cap. 3. Calu. in Rom.
Psal 147.19 20. Psal 103.7 Psa 81.4 5 8. All which places I haue searcht and seene and will now tell you what I haue found by fishing in them That of Exod. 19.2 3 Exod. 19.1 2 3 4 5. c. you seeme to vrge on this manner Moses had charge from God to speake to the house of Iacob and to the children of Israel If yee will obey my voice and keepe my Couenant then yee shall be a peculiar treasure vnto me aboue all people and yee shall be vnto me a kingdome of priests and an holy nation and hereupon you would inferre that the Morall Law was giuen vnto the Iewes only Answer That the Morall Law for the manner of deliuery promulgation and diuers circumstances of persons times places and forme of Legall Couenant was peculiar to the Iewish Nation we doe now againe as often before most willingly acknowledge Moses was to the Iewes a p Deut. 18.18 Prophet to teach them a q Ioh. 1.17 Lawgiuer to gouerne them a messenger and r Gal. 3.10 19. Mediator to deale betwixt God and them r Gal. 3.10 19. a rigorous exactor of absolute obedience a Å¿ Heb. 2.2 10. seuere auenger of all disobedience 28 29. yea he was a minister of u 2 Cor. 3.7 9 14. condemnation to all them that could not see through the veile that was vpon his face into the end of the Law Christ Iesus and thus the Iewes euen vntill this day the veile remaining yet vpon their hearts in the reading of the Old Testament will needs be x Ioh. 9.28 Moses disciples still But as thus the Law was giuen vnto them by Moses so was y Iob. 1.17 grace and truth with the true end and vse of the Law brought vnto vs by Christ Iesus who being our z Act. 3 22 23. Prophet a Iam. 4.12 Lawgiuer b Act. 5.31 Prince and c Heb. 8.1 Priest d Malac. 3.1 Messenger and e Heb. 8.6 Mediator of a better Couenant our f Heb. 7.22 surety and g Matt. 1.21 Sauiour from all our sinnes hath redeemed vs from this Iewish Paedagogie and bondage h Gal. 4.4 of the Law and yet hath according to his Couenant i Heb. 8.10 put his lawes into our mindes and written them in our hearts by the finger k 2 Cor. 3.3 of his spirit and reckoneth and accounteth vs as much as euer he did the Iewes to be now his l 1 Pet. 2.9 10. peculiar people a chosen generation a royall priesthood or a kingdome of priests a holy nation his m 2 Cor. 6.18 sonnes and daughters children of Abraham according to the n Rom. 9.7 8. faith though not according to the flesh o Heb. 8.8 the house of Iacob the house of Iudah and p Gal. 6.16 the Israel of God By which titles dignities and priuiledges the Apostles Peter and Paul and others doe call vs of the Gentiles to obey the Commandements of the Morall Law euen now in the daies of the Gospell as Moses did the Iewes in the place which you alledge Exod. 19.2 3 4 5. by the same meanes at the giuing of the Law For example because we are a q 1 Pet. 2.9 12. compare with Exod. 19.2 3 4 5. and Tit. 2.14 with Deut. 7.7 and Ezek. 36.26 27. with Iam. 2.8 10 12. chosen generation a royall priesthood c. therefore we must be of honest conuersation 1 Pet. 2.9 12. because we are his peculiar people therefore we must be zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 because we are the Israel of God we must therefore walke according to this rule because he hath put his lawes and his spirit in our hearts therefore we must so speake and so doe as they that shall be judged by the Law of liberty Of all these we may say as S. Iohn r 1 Ioh. 2.7 saith of the Commandement of loue which is the summe of the Law Brethren we write no new Commandement vnto you but the old Commandements which yee had from the beginning These are no new Commandements of the Gospell but the old Commandements of the Morall Law renewed in the Gospell In which respect we may say againe with S. Iohn Å¿ 1 Ioh. 2.8 A new Commandement or these are new Commandements which we write vnto you And as Christ t Ioh. 13.34 himselfe said in the same sense A new Commandement giue I vnto you that yee loue one another which yet was an old Commandement enioined by u Leuit. 19.18 Moses in the Morall Law and now only renewed and reenforced by Christ in the Gospell who came not as you imagine x Matt. 5.17 to destroy the Morall Law but to fulfill it to repaire the breaches and renew the beauty of it These things thus considered we say plainly That whatsoeuer appertained vnto Moses his literall carnall legall personall and terrible ministration or promulgation of the Morall Law that together with all the circumstances thereof was peculiar to the Iewes only and we now make no claime to any part or parcell of it But whatsoeuer was then in the Decalogue or y Deut. 1.13 Ten words of God substantiall morall spirituall just and good teaching and prescribing all duties of z Matt. 22.37 38 39 40. loue to God and man that we say for ought yet we see is a Matt. 5.18 perpetuall and remaineth still b Rom. 13.8 9 10. in force and vse for c Iam. 2.12 vs as the Morall Law of God recorded by Moses as a d Ioh. 5.46 47. pen-man of the Holy Ghost expounded by the e Matt. 22.40 Prophets f Matt. 3.15 5.17 fulfilled g Matt. 5.19 22 28 34 39 44. renewed and h Ioh. 13.34 established by i Matt. 5.19 Christ himselfe k Act. 28.23 preached and l Rom. 7. 13. Iam. 2.10 pressed by the holy Apostles vpon m 11 12. all that beare the name of Christ and professe the Gospell and so further to be published and vrged by the n Matt. 28.20 See Bez. Epist Theol. Ep. 20.104 Ministers of the Gospell as occasion shall require euen vnto the n Matt. 28.20 See Bez. Epist Theol. Ep. 20.104 end of the world Neither doe we now receiue the Morall Law as Moses disciples to the same end and vpon the same tearmes as did the Iewes but as the disciples of Christ who is our o Iam. 4.12 Law-giuer who hath taken away the p 2 Cor. 3.14 veile from Moses his face and hath so reuealed by his spirit both the image of God and the good and acceptable q Rom. 12.2 will of God in the Morall Law through the r Eph. 5.8 9 10. light of the Gospell that now we all as with open Å¿ 2 Cor. 3.17 18. face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory
hath appeared and teacheth vs that denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world which is the summe * Armin. disput de peccato actua thes 8. sect 4. and substance of the whole Morall Law As for that promise of long life and prosperity Exod. 20.12 annexed to the fifth Commandement Exod. 20.12 which * Antinomus you vrge as if it were appropriated only to the Land of Canaan that you might binde fast the Morall Law vnto the Iewes onely The Apostle Paul Answer Ephes 6.2 shall giue you vpon the same ground of generall equity an effectuall and full answer thereunto For pressing and perswading there diuers duties of the Morall Law he requireth and allureth children to honour and obey their Parents both by precept and by promise of the first Commandement of the second Table Children saith he Ephes 6.1 2. obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right Honor thy father and mother which is the first Commandement with promise that it may be well with thee and thou maiest liue long on the earth The precept he setteth downe in the same words as it is written in the Law Exod. 20.12 The promise he a little changeth not in the substance and quality of it but in the circumstance of persons and place and that according to the rule of generall equity and conueniency for the better vnderstanding and enioying of the same The substance and quality of the promise to such children as honour and obey their Parents is one and the same be they Iewes or Gentiles viz. long life and a prosperous estate in this world and this is perpetuall as the precept it selfe is The circumstances of persons and place are different in both places For in the giuing of the Law Exod. 20.12 Exod. 20.12 the promise was at that time directed to the people of the Iewes to be made good in the Land of Canaan running in this tenor That thy daies may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee But in the renewing and applying of the Law in and since the dayes of Christ the promise is directed to all beleeuers both Iewes and Gentiles as the Apostle doth here deliuer it to the Ephesians in these tearmes That it may be well with thee and that thou maist liue long not only in Canaan or in Ephesus but on the earth i. whatsoeuer thy estate or wheresoeuer thy abiding be How opposite and contrary to the Apostles judgement and dealing is your position and opinion You will needs wholly abolish the whole Morall Law the Apostle doth establish it you will needs haue it to be giuen to the Iewes only the Apostle saith it belongeth to the Gentiles also you will needs abolish the precept because of some circumstance wanting now in the promise the Apostle passing by or letting fall the circumstance as temporall preserueth and maintaineth the substance and equity of them both as perpetuall you will needs restraine and confine the blessing of long and happy daies vnto Canaan the Apostle doth extend and enlarge it to euery City and Countrey to euery corner and quarter of the earth euen ouer the vniuersall world Let this suffice for answer to the scriptures which you haue brought out of the 19. and 20. Chapters of Exodus Antinomus as for the rest which you heape vp out of Deuteronomy and the Psalmes to the number of a dozen more being all one in substance with the former and diuers of them the very same in the same words Me thinks you deale as wisely herein Answer as if hauing offered to pay a shilling in two sixpences you should to shew your store of siluer draw out twelue single pence also to discharge the summe as reckoning the payment to be better in many peeces than in few because the shew and flourish is not so great in few as in many But seeing it is so ordinary with you to deliuer in your Scriptures and Testimonies by number rather than by measure and so to carry out or couer an error with some colour and shew of truth I will follow you no further in this maze but either put you ouer for answer vnto that which I haue answered to the former of like nature or else giue you ouer to runne round in your owne circle vntill you waxe giddy with your owne conceit and course as many others of like temper haue done before you Those which you alledge out of the New Testament some of them are flat against you and not one of them will proue your point That the Morall Law was giuen to the Iewes only That of Matthew 10.6 I send and 15.24 Matt. 10.6 Matt. 15.24 See Calu Instit li. 2. cap. 11. sect 12. I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel would serue with greater shew of probability to proue that the Gospell was not sent vnto the Gentiles than that the Law was giuen only to the Iewes Howbeit the meaning of Christ is not to binde himselfe or the Gospell only to the Iewes and to exclude the Gentiles but that for his personall ministration he was first and so they a Act. 13.46 principally to offer the bread of life to the Iewes being Gods children and so to seeke the lost sheepe of the house of Israel And albeit he commanded his Apostles for a season that they should not go into the way of the Gentiles but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel yet after his resurrection when he renewed their commission he gaue them in charge to goe and teach b Matt. 28.19 20. all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost The Apostles were first indeed to offer the food of the Gospell vnto the Iewes but when they as wanton or wicked children turned away their food from them they waxed bold and said Loe c Act. 13.46 we turne vnto the Gentiles that the Prophecy of Isaiah might so be fulfilled in all this Out of d Isa 2.3 Sion shall goe forth a Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Isaiah 2.3 As for that of Acts 14.16 How doth this follow Antinomus The Lord in times past suffered all Nations to walke in their owne waies Ergo the Morall Law was giuen to the Iewes only for the time past and not vnto vs of the Gentiles for the time present Answer For although the Gentiles had not the Law e Rom. 2.15 written in Tables of stone to teach them to walke in the waies of God so euidently as the Iewes had yet had they the effect of the Law written in their hearts in times past but now since the daies of the Gospell the beleeuers of the Gentiles haue the same Morall Law written in the fleshy f 2 Cor. 3.3 Tables of their heart by the finger of Gods Spirit with much clearer light g
Act. 2.17 18. of knowledge in their mindes and much greater power of grace in their hearts h Heb. 8.10 11. and liues than euer the Iewes that first had it written in Tables of stone had For proofe whereof if other Scriptures were silent yet those which you produce for your selfe will speake enough to serue my turne Rom. 7.14 and 3.19 and 9.4 5 6 7 8. Hebr. 1.2 2. For if the Morall Law be i Rom. 7.14 spirituall if it k Rom. 3.19 conuince the whole world as guilty before God if it belong vnto the true l Rom. 9.4 5 6 7 8. Israel the children of Abraham Rom. 9.6 7. compared with Hebr. 8.10 and if God hath in these last daies spoken m Heb. 1.1 2. more plainly and opened his will more effectually by his Sonne as the Scriptures you alledge beare witnesse with me then haue we that are beleeuers of the Gentiles the Morall Law of God both in a clearer light of n 1 Ioh. 2.27 knowledge in our mindes and in a greater o Phil. 1.9 10 11. power of grace in our hearts and liues than euer the body of the people of the p See Muscul loc com de leg cap. de lege spiritus Vrsin de lege diuina p. 278 279. Iewes had which if it be true then haue you spunne a faire threed who drawing out a line and twisting a cord to binde the Morall Law vpon the Iewes only haue before you were aware made them both of that length and strength that they reach vnto and binde it vpon the Gentiles also I come now vnto the Testimonies of learned men whose names and writings you pretend for your cause and peruert to your owne purpose as being of the same minde and wrapt in the same error with you That the Morall Law was giuen to the Iewes only But take heed whilst you beare men in hand that you haue witnesse from them lest vpon due search you your selfe be found to beare false witnesse against them Let vs make triall of your dealing with some of the most judicious and religious of them And first for Caluine I haue read the Epistle q Calu. Epist 58. That Christ is the end of the Law but as you cite no sentence so can I finde no syllable to proue that the Morall Law was giuen to the Iewes only he that must finde out what you set him to seeke especially in so large a field had need to plow with your heifer and to haue some more particular markes of your meaning to lead him thereunto But although I found not what I sought yet in seeking I found what I there sought not viz. That Caluine speaking of the Ceremonies and Sacrifices of the Law hath these words Lex nihil adduxit ad pèrfectionem tantum instar r Gal. 3.24 paedagogi dirigebat deducebat ad Christum qui legis ipsius finis Å¿ Rom. 10.4 est complementum vt tradit Apostolus Now it may be that you finding these words in Caluine that Christ is the end of the Law did imagine that Christ had made an vtter end of the Morall as well as of the Ceremoniall Law either not knowing or not obseruing that there is an * Christus finis perficiens non interficiens Aug. in Ioh. Tract 55. end of accomplishment as well as an end of abolishment Christ hath both accomplished and abolished the Ceremoniall Law the Morall Law he hath accomplished but not abolished That which t See Calu. Ep. 58. was imperfect in both touching the Legall Couenant for righteousnesse by the workes of both is abolished in both and only perfected in him who for righteousnesse is the end of both CHRIST IESVS to all that beleeue in his name Rom. 10.4 Vpon which place u Paraeus in Rom. 10.14 Paraeus hath these words Consensâ—… legis Christi hinc apparet errant qui putant legem repugnare Christo Christum abolâ—… legem Hence appeareth saith he the consent of the Law and Christ and they are deceiued that thinke the Law is contrary vnto Christ or that Christ doth abolish the Law Antinomus Your next quotation of Caluine Rom. 3.19 telleth vs That whereas the Iewes would needs put off all those rebukes and threats of the Law from themselues vnto the Gentiles the Apostle doth there apply the Law to them particularly x Calu. in Rom. 3.19 Ne ad solas Gentes restringant quae in ipsos promiscuè competunt Lest they should restraine vnto the Gentiles only those things which did belong vnto them both together Answer Now as there the Iewes were blamed for restraining the Law vnto the Gentiles so are you here to be rebuked for restraining the Law vnto the Iewes only especially out of this place where the Law is said to y Rom. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stop euery mouth i. to conuince both Iewes and Gentiles of sinne in such a manner as that they can haue nothing to plead for their clearing or just defence and not only so but to hold fast the whole world as liable to Gods curse for the breach of it If you haue aduisedly read the other z Calu. Instit lib. 2. cap. 1. sect 1. li. 2. cap. 11. sect 11. places and Chapters of Caluine Instit lib. 2. cap. 1. lib. 2. nay if you haue but read the very contents of the Chapters and 13.14.16 and 17. sections you cannot but sinne against knowledge and conscience too in citing these places as making for you which stand in open force and fight against you For albeit Caluine doth acknowledge that both the Morall and Ceremoniall Law were giuen vnto the Iewes which no man doth deny yet doth he not say that the Morall Law was giuen vnto the Iewes only which is that which you affirme And although he grant as we doe that the Ceremoniall Law is now by Christ abolished yet doth he manifestly proue that the Morall Law doth yet continue and retaine some speciall force a See Bez. Theol. Ep. Ep. 20. p. 103.104 and vse still which is that which you deny I referre you to the same Booke of his b Calu. Instit lib. 2. cap. 7. sect 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Institutions which you alledge and section 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. of the seuenth Chapter c Ad Sacramenta pertinent Circumcisio carnis Sabbatum temporale neomenia Ad mores autem non occides non machaberis Augustine in Galat. 3. hath nothing that I can finde to proue that the Morall Law was giuen to the Iewes only something he hath to the cleane contrary For distinguishing the workes of the Law into Ceremoniall and Morall d Nunquid ergo potest Apostolus non curare c. Aug. in Gal. 3. he demandeth whether the Apostle could as little care whether a Christian were a murtherer an adulterer whether he were chaste and innocent as he careth
all this to the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Such things as were but accidentall or * Zanch. in Hos cap. 2. p. 45. col 1. accessory to the Couenant made with Abraham or to the promulgation or administration of the Legall Couenant amongst the Iewes are all abolished But the Morall Law which for substance was euer the same rule of righteousnesse before the fall before the t Muscul loc de foedere Dei p. 144. Law giuen by Moses and before the publishing of the Gospell by Christ Iesus was then and is yet still of good and great u Vrsin de lege divina p. 278. vse in the Church of God For as the x Aug. Ep. 49. ad Deogâ—at Couenant of Grace made betwixt God and man in Christ Iesus was euer since the fall one and the same in the daies of Adam Abraham Moses and of Christ and his Apostles though the administration thereof was diuers according to the different ages and estates of God Church and children so the Morall Law of God was euer the rule of obedience in all those times for all duties of loue to God and man and shall so continue together with the Gospell euen vnto the end of the world although it was not alwaies either deliuered vnto or vrged after the same manner vpon Gods people Abraham y Vide Zanch. in Hos c. 2. p. 44. col 2. Paraeus in Rom. 2. v. 25. Gen. 17.1 before the Law written hauing a portion of this Couenant was charged to walke before God and to be vpright I demand by what rule must Abraham thus walke Doubtlesse by the rule of the Morall Law written in his heart and by the word and will of God reuealed by his Spirit Moses Dauid Samuel Daniel and all other holy Prophets and holy men in the daies of the Law were in the same z Hyper. in Heb. cap. 3.1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. Aug. cont duas Ep. pelag lib. 3. ad Bonis cap. 4. Couenant of Grace by faith in Christ Iesus and yet as during the time of the Iewish Paedagogy they conformed themselues in the outward worship of God to the Ceremoniall Law looking by faith vnto Christ the a Col. 2.17 substance of those b Heb. 10.1 shadowes so did they frame their affections and actions for a sober righteous and holy life according to the Morall Law which yet they did not follow for righteousnesse to be justified and saued by the workes of it as the greatest number of the c Rom. 10.3 4 5. Iewes did but because they knew that the Law of God was a d Psal 119.105 light vnto their feet and a lampe vnto their paths and God did call them to the Law and to the e Isai 8.16 20. Testimony and charged the Prophet to binde vp the Testimony and to seale vp the Law amongst his disciples Isa 8.16.20 So likewise hath our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles the f 2 Pet. 1.19 night of darke Ceremonies being dispelled by the bright day of the Gospell continued and g Matt. 5. cap. 22. cap. v. 36 37 38 39 40. Gal. 5.14 Iam. 2.8 9. established the Morall Law of God being now a part of his written word and reuealed will to be for euer vnto all Christians the rule of life and the line of loue by which we must measure out all our duties and seruices of piety towards God and charity towards men before him and his for euer In which regard loue which is the summe of the Law is said by the Apostle h 1 Ioh. 2.7 8. Iohn and by i Ioh. 13.34 Ioh. 14.15 Ioh. 15.10 11 13. Christ himselfe to be both an Old Commandement and a New an Old Commandement because the duties of loue were euer enioyned and required from the beginning and a New because the same Law of loue was vpon new grounds of loue both renewed and reenforced by Christ himselfe the Lawgiuer Argument 10 Now whereas in your tenth Argument you seeme to conclude That because the Morall Law was giuen with manifest tokens of Gods wrath Antinomus in great terror and is called a fiery Law Deut. 33.2 therefore it was giuen to the Iewes only and so consequently is now vtterly abolished Answer and belongs not now vnto vs Might you not as well and wisely i. indeed as absurdly conclude also that because the Day of the Promulgation of the Gospell is called by the Prophet Ioel and by k Ioel 2.28 Peter The great and terrible day of the Lord a day wherein the Lord will shew l Act. 2.16 17. wonders in heauen aboue and signes in the earth beneath bloud and fire and vapor of smoke when the Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into bloud therefore the Gospell sure being giuen and the Holy Ghost being sent with such manifest tokens of Gods wrath as also by a m Act. 2.2 3 c. rushing and mighty winde and fiery tongues which did make many amazed and as it were at their wits end doe both belong vnto them that were then present whether Iewes or Proselytes but neither of them vnto vs Christians to whom no such fiery feares and bloudy terrors doe belong at all For shall not the like causes in the like case produce and bring forth the like effects Or shall fires and feares proue the abolishing of the Law when the like meanes are vsed by the wisdome of God for the publishing and establishing of the Gospell Argument 11 But let vs now heare your eleuenth Argument if it can speake any thing more directly to the point and purpose Antinomus than his fellowes haue done I cannot finde say you that saluation was euer promised to him that should keepe the Law Answer And what then I pray you will you needs inferre hereupon that the Morall Law is vtterly now abolished What true Christian doth now seeke for saluation by the keeping of the Law Or who is he that maintaineth the vse of the Morall Law for this purpose How often haue we told you That we looke for saluation and justification by the n Rom. 3.24 25 28. righteousnesse of faith in Christ Iesus and not by the keeping or fulfilling of the o Phil. 3.9 Morall Law If the Morall Law indeed had no other vse but this you speake of then had your Argument spoken something to the purpose but seeing it is vrged and vsed by vs as a chrystall glasse of Gods will to discouer vnto vs the spirituall blemishes and beauties of our hearts and liues and as a guide to teach vs to walke in his waies telling vs what to doe and what to leaue vndone and seeing it hath many other speciall p Vide Calu. de usu Legis in Harmo in 4. lib. Mos p. 442 443. offices as formerly you haue heard both for Gods glory and our good we can neuer yeeld this vnto you for a sound Argument That therefore the
eo quod unà cum reliquis antiquioribus concorditer magis quà m in eo quod ab alijs à seipso diversum scripsit How is it meet I pray you that the authority of one Musculus alone and he not agreeing with himselfe should be preferred before all other men Againe if Musculus his authority like you so well why doth it not please you in that which he hath written agreeably and iointly with others more ancient for the establishing of the Morall Law rather than in that wherein he differs from others and from himselfe also for the vtter abolishing of the same Now where you put vs ouer also vnto Zanchius vpon Ephes 2. v. 14 15. de Legis Mosaicae abrogatione Where you say he disputeth the point very fully Antinomus yet he doth not plainly say you expound the places that seeme to contradict it Answer We must needs say that Zanchius is little beholding vnto you for your allegation wherein you commend and discommend approue and reproue what he hath written with one breath Erasmus Vno spiritu efflas calidum frigidum Like the Husbandman that returning from his worke in a cold winters day to his dinner did with one and the same breath both warme his hands which he felt were too cold and coole his pottage which he feared were too hot which when the poore Satyr saw he feared to dwell with him Senec. lib. 2. de Benefic Plant. in Aul. Altera manu fort lapidem panem ostentat altera Gregor Theol. ad Euseb Caesar citat ab Erasm and fled from him Seneca calleth such a benefit panem lapidosum and somewhere else I haue read the like fact reproued in words not much vnlike Manus altera panem altera fert lapidem and in another Language yet to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if a man should claw a mans head with one hand and smite him on the cheeke with the other And doe not you deale with Zanchius after the same manner you seeme to claw his head with this approbation he disputeth the point very fully and presently you smite him on the cheeke with this rebuke he doth not plainly expound the places that seeme to contradict it You say he disputeth the point very fully but tell me doth he determine the point for you Doth he wholly abrogate the whole Morall Law as you would haue vs to thinke of him Or doth he only abrogate it in regard of some circumstances preseruing the substance thereof intire still Zanch. in Eph. 2. loc de abrog Legis Nay doth he not first distinguish the whole Law of Moses and diuide the Commandements thereof into mandata principalia and mandata accessoria The principall comprised in the Morall Law the accessory in the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall the principall continued the accessory abolished and then determine That because in the Morall Law as it was giuen by Moses to the Israelites there were some things of circumstance and some of substance some essentiall some accidentall some temporall some eternall All such things as were matters of circumstance accidentall and temporall in the Morall Law as it was giuen by Moses are vtterly abolished but all such as were matters of substance essentiall and eternall are so farre from being abolished that they are for euer being confirmed by Christ himselfe Matth. 5. and Matth. 22. and by his Apostles Tit. 2.11 to be continued Such are all and euery one of the Ten Commandements of the Morall Law containing the expresse forme of Gods eternall will and the summe and substance of all duties of piety to God in the first Table and of charity towards men in the second Vide etiam Thes Geneu thes 28. All which saith Zanchius God required from the beginning of the world before Moses in the time of the Law by Moses after Moses by the Prophets Et nunc tandem in finem usque mundi per Christum perque ejus Apostolos requisivit requirit à nobis And now at length euen vnto the end of the world by Christ and his Apostles he hath required and doth require of vs. And so a little after he setteth downe his conclusion in flat opposition vnto your opinion Constat hoc sensu legem simpliciter non esse abrogatam It is euident saith he that in this sense the Morall Law is not simply or wholly abrogated Antinomus But why doe you censure him for not expounding the places of Matth. 5. and Rom. 3. plainly The plaine truth is Answer because his exposition is a buckler of defence against your weapons of opposition which you haue taken vp against the Morall Law you would thrust it thorow with your speare or sword vtterly to destroy it and he opposeth a brestplate and a shield of faith taken out of the Lords armory to saue the life of it And is this the matter for which you blame him Is this the fault whereof you accuse him Cic. Orat. pro Sexto Rosc Amerino So I haue heard and read that one C. Fimbria an audacious fellow hauing at the funerall of C. Marius caused Qu. Scaevola a noble citizen of Rome to be wounded and finding afterwards that the wound was not so mortall but that he might happily recouer of it did presently call Scaevola into question by course of Law and when it was demanded of him what he had against or whereof he could accuse such a man whom no man else could sufficiently commend he answered in a furious passion Quod non totum telum corpore recepisset That receiuing a wound in his body he had not receiued the whole weapon also euen vp vnto the hists Antinomus But to amend what Zanchius hath done amisse you say you will giue vs a taste out of Matt. 5.17 I am not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it Which place you say cannot be vnderstood of the forme of Moses Law but of the matter of it or of the Law of Nature Why tell me Answer I pray you what you vnderstand by the forme of Moses Law Doe you meane the inward or outward the essentiall or accidentall the temporary or eternall forme of the Morall Law I hope you meane not the inward essentiall and eternall forme of it which can neuer be seuered from the matter of it and the matter you say is perpetuall If you meane then the outward forme in the manner of deliuery by Moses to the Israelites together with all the circumstances of persons time place and other accessories of the same as what else you should meane I cannot imagine then let me taste your meaning I pray you a little better by one or two demands touching this point and place First did not Christ come to destroy this outward forme of the Morall Law Secondly did Zanchius euer say otherwise Zanch. in Ephes 2. de abrogat Legis viz. that Christ came not to destroy the outward forme i. the
circumstances and accessories of the Morall Law Thirdly doth not Zanchius auouch euidently the cleane contrary Fourthly why then doe you blame his exposition as establishing the forme as well as the matter of the Morall Law Fiftly how doe you that haue so long stood out against the Morall Law for the absolute abrogating of it euen the whole Law and wholly too now so come in vnto Zanchius and others that haue stood for it that you yeeld them and vs the whole substance and matter of the Morall Law to be in force still and content your selfe only to carry away the shadowes accessories and circumstances of the same to feed your fancy with an idle and adle conceit of a glorious victory Egregiam verò laudem spolia ampla tulisti Virgil. Exhortat ad Confiliarios Regis Galliae It is recorded of Paulus Vergerius a man very gracious with Pope Paul the third that when he attempted to write against Luther he was so ouercome with the force of Luthers Arguments that he changed his opinion and became a conuert of Luthers religion I wish it were so well and no otherwise with you that the Lord would giue you such a teachable and tractable heart and spirit that whereas you haue read Zanchius Luther Caluine and other Orthodoxall Writers with a minde and purpose to draw them to your error and so to call them in both as witnesses and counsellors against the Morall Law you may so be conuinced your selfe by the euidence of the truth which they deliuer and the force of the reasons which they render for the continuance and maintenance of the Morall Law that if hitherto you haue not yet henceforth you may renounce your error and embrace the truth with them But I see you haue made your selfe a bolting hole that by way of distinction you might haue an euasion For say you it cannot be denied Antinomus but the matter of the Decalogue being the Law of Nature is in force as it is the Law of Nature and vnderstood Philosophically but how it can be in force Theologically vnderstood for that say you is our question in hand being we haue no warrant in Scripture for it but the contrary Answer you say you cannot see And I say if the mist of Philosophy had not blinded the eies of your Theology you might haue seene as much as this comes vnto and more too For I demand First may it not now be denied that the whole Morall Law is wholly abrogated as you affirme seeing it cannot be denied but the matter of the Morall Law is yet of force as you now confesse Secondly if the matter of the Morall Law be of force at this present as the Law of Nature commanding is not the forme also in force by our conformity thereunto in obeying And thirdly if both matter and forme the essentiall parts of the Morall Law be yet continued as it is the Law of Nature that is a naturall rule of righteousnesse and holinesse to such as are in the state of nature is it therefore so depriued of all spirituall force and vse that it cannot be also a spirituall rule of righteousnesse and holinesse to such as are called to the estate of grace Fourthly shall Plato and Aristotle confine vs for teaching or learning of Naturall or Morall duties to their Physicks or Ethicks their Naturall or Morall Philosophy Or would you restraine Christians from hearkning to Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles for their better instruction and direction in the same Surely if true beleeuers haue now no other benefit nor vse of the Morall Law but as it is the Law of Nature and Philosophically vnderstood then is the Law written so distinctly by Moses a penman of the Holy Ghost not written Rom. 15.4 2 Tim. 3.16 as other Scriptures are for our learning Then was Abrahams direction for reformation to no purpose Luk. 16.29 They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them Then may infidels and heathens see as farre into the nature and danger of sinne as true Christians can Then may naturall reason be a light vnto our steps and a lanthorne vnto our feet without the Law written And when all this proues true then shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and your Naturall and Morall Philosophy true Diuinity Caluine writing de usu Legis saith Calu. in Deuter. Append. de usu Legis Meritò vocatur bene justè vivendi regula atque hic finis Legis omnibus fere notus est Naturaliter quidem insculpta est boni mali notitia hominibus quò reddantur inexcusabiles This last he speaketh of the Law of Nature as common to all men and seruing only to leaue them without excuse and presently after he speaketh of the Morall Law written by Moses and giuen by God by a singular priuiledge to the Israelites and so to vs as the Doctrine of good-liuing Rom. 4.15 which albeit as Paul saith it be in it selfe holy and the Commandement just and good yet Asperum est saith he quod alibi dicit legem iram operari propter transgressiones esse positam Gal. 3.10 19. And marke I pray you to whom this is asperum so sharpe and bitter nempe hominibus profanis qui tantum Philosophicè judicant Consider and obserue by this that in Caluins judgement they that will judge of the Morall Law Philosophically they are such as are offended with it grieuously and liue profanely Consider also that seeing the Doctrine of the Morall Law deliuered expresly and distinctly in writing to the Israelites was for that time a singular priuiledge and pledge of their adoption aboue and before all other people if you will absolutely cancell this writing and depriue vs of all lawfull vse of this Law being so holy and heauenly a Doctrine and rule of good-liuing consider I say lest you make vs Christians in worse estate than the Iewes and in as bad as the Gentiles our priuiledge lesse than the Israelites according to the flesh and our portion no better than theirs who are strangers from the life of God Antinomus according to the faith But you say how the Morall Law can be in force Theologically vnderstood being no warrant in Scripture for it you cannot see Answer If you wanted light only some helpe might be had but if you want sight too we haue no faculty nor faith of miracles to make a blinde man see only we will lay the matter so plainly in open view that he that can and will see shall and may see that which you say you cannot see To this end it is very requisite that we sift out your meaning what it is to vnderstand the Morall Law Theologically By the opposition which you make of vnderstanding it Philosophically and Theologically it should seeme that as they vnderstand it Philosophically which vnderstand it naturally by the light of naturall reason only Rom. 2.15 without
the written Word or reuealed will of God without any ordinary meanes of illumination or instruction and so beholding the matter of the Morall Law but very darkly and confusedly and feeling the worke in their hearts by their conscience witnessing and their thoughts accusing or excusing one another and their wils grudging and rebelling against the tenor of it So doe they vnderstand the Morall Law Theologically which besides the naturall light and sight of the Law written by nature in their hearts doe consider it and receiue it as the written Word of God as an expresse forme of a principall part of the reuealed will of God a right rule of direction for religion and religious conuersation a portion of the Couenant of Grace as it is written in our hearts by the finger of Gods Spirit a part of Gods image which in the new man is created after God in righteousnesse and true holinesse the knowledge whereof they attaine vnto by the word of Grace and the sense and feeling of the worke thereof by the spirit of Grace so beholding the beauty thereof more cleerely and distinctly and feeling the power thereof more effectually and obeying the precepts thereof more willingly and looking for the acceptance of their imperfect obedience in and by the only perfect and absolute obedience of Christ Iesus only They that thus I say doe vnderstand the Morall Law to be in force in the daies of the Gospell as for ought I know the best Diuines and best Christians doe doe vnderstand it Theologically which as yet you say you cannot see that you can doe Iunius de Theolog. vera cap. 2. thes 5. cap. 3.6 ca. 4. thes 7. cap. 7. cap. 8. Iunius that great Scholler and worthy Diuine in his Booke de Theologia will helpe you to light your candle if that will doe you any good in this your darknesse He giues this definition of Theology Theologia est rerum divinarum sapientia and this diuision Theologia est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nimirum Dei ipsius sapientia aut est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à Deo informata And leauing the former rather to be adored than curiously inquired into he afterwards subdiuides the latter to be Theologia visionis or Revelationis and then he tels vs that this Theologia revelationis is either naturalis or supernaturalis and in handling these two he worthily setteth forth the weake sight and light of humane vnderstanding and reason according to the principles and conclusions of the Law of Nature and noteth the error obscurity and insufficiency of this naturall wisdome therewithall And then a little after he defines the absolute supernaturall Theology which doth especially concerne the present businesse after this manner Iunius de Theolog. vera ca. 12. thes 23. Theologia absolutè dicta est sapientia rerum divinarum secundum veritatem divinam à Deo inspirata per enuntiativum sermonem in Christo commissa servis ejus atque in Testamento Vetere Novo per Prophetas Apostolos Euangelistas consignata quantum ejus hic nobis expedit revelari ad gloriam ipsius Electorum bonum According to the tenor of this definition of Theology I will now proue vnto you if I can that the Morall Law of God is now in force being vnderstood Theologically Whatsoeuer in it selfe is now diuine the knowledge whereof is diuine wisdome inspired of God according to diuine truth and by word in Christ committed to his seruants and in the Old and New Testament ratified by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists as much of it as here is meet to be reuealed vnto vs to Gods glory and our good That same is and may be according to the definition of Theology Theologically vnderstood and is now in force so vnderstood But the Morall Law of God is diuine and the knowledge thereof is diuine wisdome inspired of God according to diuine truth and by the Enunciatiue word in Christ committed to his seruants and in the Old and New Testament ratified by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists as much of it as here is meet to be reuealed vnto vs to Gods glory and our good Ergo The Morall Law is and may be according to the definition of Theology Theologically vnderstood and is now in force so vnderstood The Major of this Syllogisme is euident by the definition of Theology The Minor is made good by the Scriptures and by the practise of Christ and his Apostles and the judgement of the most judicious and Orthodox Diuines as in euery branch thereof may be proued by the Scriptures alledged and by the testimonies before and after mentioned and produced The Morall Law is diuine because it is holy Rom. 7.22 24. spirituall just and good Rom. 7.22 24. The knowledge thereof is diuine wisdome because it maketh the simple wise Psal 19. illighteneth the eies Psal 119. and maketh Dauid wiser than his teachers because it teaches the feare of God which is the beginning of wisdome yea the end of all and whole man feare God and keepe his Commandements Psalm 111.10 Psal 112.1 Eccles 12.13 It is inspired of God according to diuine truth because God hath put it in our mindes and written it in our hearts by the finger of his spirit Heb. 8.10 2 Cor. 3.3 17 18. Nehe. 9.13 14. And the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God which searcheth and reuealeth the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 11. And by the Enunciatiue word in Christ committed to his seruants because it was giuen by audible voice by word and writing vnto Moses and by him to the Israelites and so by and in Christ a Prophet like vnto him giuen also by word and writing vnto vs Act. 7.38 Hebr. 11. Matth. 5.17 18 c. And in the Old and New Testament ratified by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists by Dauid Psalm 19.7 8 9. Psalm 119. throughout by Esay Isa 8.16.20 Seale vp the Law among my disciples to the Law and to the Testimonie by Matthew Marke Luke Paul Peter Iames and Iohn Matt. 22.37 38 39 40. Mark 12.29 30 31. Luk. 10.26 27. Act. 28.23 Rom. Chapters 2.3.4.7.13 2 Pet. 2.15.21 Iam. 2.10 11. 1 Ioh. 2.7 8. 3.23 and infinite other texts of Scripture which might be heaped vp to this purpose And is not the end of the Law for Gods glory and our good justified out of the Scripture also seeing by the light of the Law shining in the works of the Law God is glorified here Matth. 5. Phil. 1.11 Luk. 1.75 and we when our faith worketh by loue gather and get assurance that we shall be glorified hereafter Gal. 5.6 2 Pet. 1 10 11. Psal 119.1 Iam. 1.25 And thus may you see if you can see any thing at all that the Major of this Syllogisme being granted and euery branch of the Minor now proued the conclusion against you must needs follow as necessarily inferred That the Morall Law according to the definition of Theology is
and may be Theologically vnderstood and is now in force so vnderstood If yet you desire to heare what our Diuines speake also for this point albeit I thinke you can finde none to speake a word against it yet to doe you a pleasure I will call in one or two sufficient witnesses to giue testimony thereunto Caluine hauing rebuked them that judge Philosophicè of the Morall Law Calu. in Deut. in Append. de usu Legis pa. 441 443. addeth these words to shew there is now a Theologicall vse of it Ille verò legis usus Theologicus est quia nihil aliud potest quà m detegendo nostram injustitiam mortem duntaxat afferre And as he sheweth this is one Theologicall vse of the Law by discouering vnrighteousnesse to bring vs in danger of death so doth he afterwards in the same place finde out another Theologicall vse of it Vbi autem intus cordibus legem suam insculpsit simul prodest exterior doctrina legis sic enim filios suos gubernat spiritu regenerationis ut simul tamen velit ad vocem quoque suam esse attentos dociles That so soone as the Lord hath written his Law in our hearts then doth the doctrine of the Law doe vs good making his children by his spirit more teachable and tractable to heare and obey his will Iunius also in his learned Booke de vera Theologia brings in the Morall Law jus Morale as opposite to the Law of Nature which he calleth jus Naturae and there very plainly auerreth that the Morall Law is a principall or speciall part of the subject of true and sacred Theology Fran. Iun. lib. de vera Theolog. cap. 13. thes 24. His words be these Hoc vero jus morum quo homines ad Deum oportet accedere sacrae voluntati ejus quà m maximè fieri potest conformari sacra Theologia exponit perfectissimè Now if sacred Theology doe most perfectly expound the Morall Law then is the Morall Law Theologically vnderstood yet in force which you haue not yet the eies to see and not in force only as it is the Law of Nature as you haue had the face and forehead to affirme Now because you say There is no warrant in the Scripture for this that the Morall Law Theologically vnderstood is yet in force I pray you answer me directly to this one question which I hope will cleare the point in question Did Saint Paul when he said I had not knowne concupiscence to be sinne Rom. 7.7 except the Law had said Thou shalt not couet Did he vnderstand the Morall Law Philosophicè or Theologicè You cannot say Philosophicè for then he might haue knowne so much by the Law of Nature before his conuersion hauing as he had a double helpe the light of naturall reason and the benefit of Gamaliels Doctrine and yet he acknowledgeth that without the Law sinne was dead i. vntill he had a spirituall insight into the tenth Commandement he had no manner of sense and feeling of concupiscence to be sinne against it Besides neither Plato nor Aristotle nor the wisest Moralists that euer wrote could euer search into this depth and finde out this truth of God hid from the eie of Nature in the tenth Commandement that inclinations to sinne or motions and imaginations of sinne without consent or delight were to be accounted a breach of the Law and worthy of death If he then did not vnderstand the Law when he so said Philosophicè I conclude he must needs vnderstand it Theologicè and so without question he did speaking of it so diuinely graciously and religiously and disputing of the nature and vse fruits and effects thereof both in the estate of nature and in the estate of grace so spiritually so feelingly and effectually For the other place Rom. 3.31 which you except against as not plainly expounded by Zanchius Antinomus Because you say it may be vnderstood of the whole Law as well Ceremoniall as any other Answer and that for the time past Doe you not offer Zanchius some hard measure in charging him to expound it of the Morall Law only which he doth not and the Apostle also saying he speaketh of the time past whereas the words which the Apostle vseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are both of the time present And doe you not see how in yeelding this place to be meant of the Morall Law though not of it only you doe conuince your selfe of an error in going about to abolish the Morall Law which by confessing the truth with the Apostle you doe now establish As for Erasmus Antinomus we haue seene enough of his minde already and returned you more by way of recompence and satisfaction from his writings than you will be willing to receiue either from his or our hands Answer And here you fall into a great commendation of Erasmus an impertinent and needlesse peece of seruice and worthy no other answer than was once giuen in a like case Plut. apoth Lacon in Antalcida Quis quaso vituperat But you say with some indignation His Paraphrase though commanded to be had in Churches is too much neglected That is a fault And books you say of farre meaner quality are much esteemed That I feare me is a scornfull flout If you aime at the Defence of the Apology of the Church of England Iewels Defence of the Apology and his Reply now commanded to be had in the Churches consider I pray you there is roome enough for both and though the Apology be admitted yet the Paraphrase is not excluded Can you not thinke well and speake well of Erasmus his gold but you must cast out some words of disgrace against our Iewel Let the Ring and the Diamond haue either of them their due place and praise If herein I misse of your meaning beare with my mistaking and hereafter either speake more plainly or not so dangerously Antinomus As for that which followeth you bring me such confused stuffe such shreds and peeces gathered here and there out of Luther on Galath Bez. 2 Cor. 3.11 August de spirit lit as is wonderfull One Simile runnes after your fift section gone many a mile before another looks hard after the generall point and then you conclude with an exhortation and then hauing made an end before you had done you come in with a word or two to illustrate your second section I cannot but conceiue that now your head grew mazy Answer or else hauing cut your garment too short or put forth your arme further than your sleeue would reach you runne and seeke about for peeces and patches shreds and snips to see if you can make vp that which you haue marred neuer regarding how they sute with your stuffe for matter or colour so they may patch vp your coat and serue your turne in your owne imagination Luther on the Galathians hath not so much by much as you say
not whether he be circumcised or vncircumcised in the flesh By which his demand it may euidently appeare that howsoeuer he thought the workes of the Ceremoniall Law were now ceased yet he thought also that the workes of the Morall Law were now to be practised and so the Morall Law it selfe not to be giuen to the Iewes only but still to be continued amongst Christians also See Aug. contr Advers leg proph lib. 2. cap. 7. Erasmus in his Paraph. in Gal. 3.14 speaketh of the Ceremoniall Law which he faith was giuen vnto the Iewes as a Schoolemaster to a rude people Vt paulatim proficientes ad Christum perducerentur à quo solo veram expectarent justitiam pristinis diffisi ceremonijs And how will this proue that the Morall Law was giuen vnto the Iewes only But doth he e Erasm on Rom. 2.14 15. not say in his Paraphrase on Romans 2. that the Gentiles were à lege Mosaica alienae Yes he doth and he tels you what he meaneth when he addeth Nullo Mosaicae legis praescripto monebantur but only had rem legis non tabulis sed mentibus inscriptam Antinomus They were not admonished what to doe and what to leaue vndone by any prescript of Moses but only had the substance or effect of the Law engrauen not in Tables but in their hearts And what of all this Answer Is this a good Argument The Gentiles that were strangers from the life of God were strangers from the written Law of God Ergo The Morall Law was giuen vnto the Iewes only and not vnto vs Christians of the Gentiles no more than vnto those that were without God and without Christ before vs f Ad Graecas Calendas When you proue this Argument to be good I will acknowledge your skill to be greater and your cause to be better than it doth yet proue to be The like answer and offer I make to the quotations out of Erasmus in Rom. 5.13 and 7.1 Antinomus That which you bring out of g Zanch. de fide cap. 13. sect 7. Zanch. de fide cap. 13. sect 7. is spoken of Moses Law opposed to the Gospell as may appeare by the differences which there he setteth downe betwixt them and so he saith it was giuen to the Iewes only Answer But you doe him wrong to cite him for a witnesse to your bill put vp against the Morall Law as belonging to the Iewes only whereas in the very h Zanch. de fide cap. 13. sect 8. next section which it seemes you tooke not paines to reade he testifieth to all the world That in as much as the Doctrine of the Gospell requireth repentance and holinesse of life and that we should liue soberly Vide Caluin Har. in 4. lib. Mosis p. 443. righteously and godly in this present world Eatenus etiam non tollit legem de moribus so farre forth it doth not take away the Morall Law and he giueth a good reason hereof Tota enim consentanea est cum doctrina Euangelij de vitijs vitandis virtutibus persequendis For the Morall Law is wholly agreeable to the Doctrine of the Gospell concerning the eschewing of vices and ensuing of vertues Antinomus i Bucan loc 22. quaest 18. Bucanus 22. loc 18. q. saith That the old Couenant did properly belong vnto Abraham and his posterity the Israelites but the New vnto all Nations And what will you inferre hereupon That the Morall Law was giuen only to the Iewes and doth not now at all belong vnto vs If this be your Argument I say Answer as you haue not changed your Bowe so you haue chosen an arrow of the same flight and feather with those which you haue shot before as much able to hurt the sides of the Morall Law as a rush is able to pierce a rocke A strange man you are and as strange a course you hold there are few Diuines that doe so fully and distinctly set downe the differences betwixt the Law and the Gospell and the seuerall vses of the Morall Law euen now amongst Christians as k Bucan loc 22. loc 19. 20. 21. Bucanus doth and yet dare you be so bold as to piddle and picke out something out of his writings and those the very same which testifie against you as though he had giuen you his hand or lent you his sword to strike one stroake at least in your behalfe Reade ouer Bucan loc 22. againe and loc 19. and 20. and 21. and tell me at your leasure whether then you thinke him to be a man of your minde for the vtter abolishing of the whole Morall Law In the meane time take I pray you one note out of the same l Bucan loc 19. quaest 28. Bucan loc 19. for your admonition It is the error of the * Let Antinomus view his face in this glasse Antinomians and Libertines saith he to thinke that Christians haue now no vse of the Morall Law of God nor that the Decalogue is to be preached in the Christian Church because the faithfull are regenerate by the spirit I know not whether you be of this number but I feare me you are much of their temper * Hiero. August Tom. 2. pag. 341. Manichaeus Marcion destruebant Legem quam sanctam spiritualem juxta Apostolum novimus saith Hierome Paraeus in Rom. 3.19 you haue mistaken there is nothing in that place to serue your turne and Perkins in Gal. 3.23 hath beene cleared before I only adde that if you will be pleased to reade and receiue that which Mr. Perkins hath written vpon that Chapter nay vpon that verse touching the nature and vse of the Morall Law I am of opinion you will neuer looke hereafter that Mr. Perkins will euer be brought to open his mouth in this businesse any more But Moses Law you say in your sixt Argument was giuen to continue till Christs death at the most Antinomus Argument 6 Luk. 16.16 Rom. 7.1 Ergo the whole Morall Law is now wholly abrogated and abolished Answer And I say for answer That if by Moses Law you meane the Morall Law as in the former Argument I haue shewen that you must and ought then is your Antecedent false if by Moses Law August contr duas Epist Pelag. ad Bonif. lib. 3. cap. 4. you vnderstand the whole body of the Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall Law as it was giuen to the Iewes in that their estate of minority and legall seruility then I grant your Antecedent and deny your Consequent The Scripture which you alledge out of Luk. 16.16 The m Luc. 16.16 Law and the Prophets were vntill Iohn may as well proue that the Prophets are now of no force ☞ as that the Morall Law is now of no vse The meaning thereof is this That whereas the n Ioh. 5.16 Law and the o Act. 3.24 Prophets did testifie promise signifie and prophecie