respectes which are to bee had A. In the one place where he saith The lawe is not giuen for a iust man the sense is this that it is not giuen against him which consenteth with it In the other place wee are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace is to be restrayned vnto this that we are not vnder the law as it is the strength of sin b. 1. Cor 15.56 And so the Apostle coupleth them together sin shal not haue dominion ouer yee for yee are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace Q. How is that to bee vnderstood A. Saint Paul compareth the law to the husband our corrupt nature to the wife the affections of sinnes which are brought foorth betweene them vnto the children c. Rom. 7. Q. Doe yee not charge and accuse the law and blame it when ye make it to be the strength of sinne and to bring foorth sinne A. The Apostle sheweth that there is no blam at al to be laied vpō the law for the law saith he is holy the commandement is good but our corrupt nature taketh occasion by the law to bring foorth euill d. Rom. 7.8 For the law shewing manifesting sin giuing no power to rid vs from it is called the dead letter which killeth e. 2. Cor. 3.6 and the heat of sin being kindled by it to become more sinnefull it is called the strength of sinne But when a man is vnder grace that is to say regenerate led by the spirite then doth he consent vnto the law his nature doth not take occasion any longer by the law to bring foorth sinne Q. If we be not freed from the law but in such sort then doe those wickedly whiche woulde not haue the law opened A. Doubtles they doe it of a very wicked mind euen because they loue to walk at libertie to fufill the lusts of the flesh which the law sharply rebuketh Their doctrine is libertie to the flesh when as they onely speake of redemption in Christ let sinne abound so they holde that Q. Ye say we cannot be iustified by the law because wee are of a corrupt nature and cannot fulfill it to what purpose then should it be preached seeing it doth but curse and condemne vs A. There is great cause why the lawe should bee seuerely sharply preached euen to that ende that men may see them selues to bee accursed and condemned in thēselues and so bee forced and driuen to seeke helpe els where for looke howe a man careth not for the Phisition so long as hee feareth no daungerous disease euen so no man feeleth the sweetnesse of Christe and his Gospell vntill hee feele himselfe by the knowledge of the law to be vtterly lost and condemned This is the cause why Christe saide The hole neede not the Phisition but the sick I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance f. Mat. 9.13.14 Mark 2.17 Luk. 5.31.32 Likewise hee calleth none vnto him but such as trauell and be heauie laden g. Mat. 11.28 Those which vnderstande not the law thinke themselues iolly fellowes and in good health and care little to knowe the Gospel Q. This vse of the lawe is chieflye before a man be in Christe but to what purpose is it when we know and beleeue the gospel A. When a man doth knowe and beleeue the gospel then is he called by repentance vnto true holines godlinesse of life euen so farre that he ought to striue hard for perfection to indeuour himself to come as nigh it as he can h. Phil. 3.13.13 And therfore now hee is deepely to search into the law which doth conteine the perfect doctrine of obedience Q. Yee haue shewed the vse of the lawe vnto those whom God doth conuert but is it for any purpose to the reprobate A. It is to this purpose in them that it maketh them void of all excuse for whereas they cannot performe any part of it they are hardened and sinne doth more abound in them i. Rom. 1.20 5.20 7.9 Q. Yee confesse that those whome God leaueth vnto themselues haue no power at all to performe any part of the law The law being spirituall they carnall altogether sold vnder sin k. Rom. 7.14 How cā they thē be iustly condēned vnto eternal fier Shal they be cast away for breaking those lawes which they were not able to keepe If the prince should commaund a subiect vnder paine of death to doe a thing vnpossible as to remoue a mountaine and then put him to execution for not doing the same who would not say this were extreeme tyrannie it is as possible for a man to remoue a moūtaine as to keepe the law And yet God doth damne him both bodie and soule for breaking it A. The answere vnto this is easie God doth iustly require at mans hand the perfect obedience vnto his law because in his first creatiō he made him perfect gaue him power to fulfil it We must not consider what we haue now but what was giuen vs in our first parents Q. Our first parents in whō we were created with whose flesh we are cloathed did loose all we cannot doe with it We be vncleane before we are borne are cast into a necessitie of sinning and so it may seeme still great rigour to condemne where there is a necessitie of trāsgression A. The necessitie doth not excuse because mā cast himself into the bands thereof And because men do willingly with a glad consent cōmit sin before they be regenerate if it did greeue him if he did hate vncleannesse struggle against it there were som pitie to be had But whē he doth ioy take delite in it greedily swallow it vp euē as a sweete poyson what cōpassiō is to bee shewed Q. Let vs proceed vnto the words of the law how do ye deuide it A. The whole law of the ten precepts was deliuered vnto Moses written in two tables of stone l. Exod. 31.18 the one table in 4. cōmandements containing al duties which are required towards god himselfe And the other in 6. commandements all things towards mē Q. Do yee affirme that God neuer required any duty of mā saue that which he requireth in the ten cōmandements A. God hath neuer required more of any man then to walke in those duties which are conteined in these commandements Q. How say ye then vnto those precepts which were giuen vnto certain persons as to Abrahā to slay his son m. Gen. 22.2.3 To the Israelites to rob the Aegyptiās n Exod. 3.22 to the yoūg man which came vnto Christ to sell away al that he had to giue to the poore o. Mat. 19 2◠21.22 A. There was no more commanded vnto anye of these but that which the lawe did binde them to shew their obedience in Q. The lawe is giuen generallie vnto all men and therefore if the law did
in them A. We are by fayth made members of Christe euen fleshe of his flesh and bones of his bones a. Ephes 5.30 And for the same cause the Church is called Christe b. 1. Co. 12.12 it is also Christe crucified whose fleshe we eate and which dwelleth in vs. And therefore those whiche are in Christe are newe creatures theyr carnall lustes and sinnefull affections are mortified by the vertue and power of the crucified fleshe of Christe And also they are raysed by him vnto true holynesse Q. Doe yee then denye the true faith in Christ vnto those in whom sinne liueth and beareth sway A. They spoyle the passion of our Lorde of al power and glory which say they beleeue in him and eate his flesh and yet are abhominable sinners For what doe they leaue vnto him if he doe not by his flesh crucified slay sinne where he commeth Q. Doe not menne remaine sinners still when they haue eaten the flesh of Christe and drunke his bloud A. The Scripture saith that he which committeth sinne hath not seene him nor knowne him c. 1. Iohn 3.6 but yet it is one thing to commit sinne and to liue vnto sinne and an other to haue the remnaunts of sinne abyding in vs which those that be in Christ haue d. Rom. 7. Q. How shal a man know then seeing sin remaineth still in him whether it be aliue or dead A. Hee may easily know that by his heare For if sinne stincke and be loathsom vnto him and hee is displeased and mislyketh and condemneth him selfe for it And if it were possible hee would vomit it vppe as a thing that doth annoy the stomacke of his soule Hee dooth abhorre it wheresoeuer it doth appeare eitheir in him selfe or in others Then is the bodye of sinne as a rotten caryon in him which hath from christ crucified receiued a deadly wounde But if hee take ioy and delight still in sinne and thinke it sweete and pleasaunt then is sinne aliue in him stil he is dead because Christ doth not liue in him Q. There is no man liuing but taketh delight in some sinne or other A. I graunt that the moste godlye are sometime deceiued and take pleasure in doing or speaking that which they consider not to bee sinne whiche they are greatlye grieued for when they perceaue they did offende Also in the heate of tentation the corruption of fleshe dooth sometime preuaile and take some delight in one sinne or other which he knoweth to be sinne But yet afterwarde it bringeth more griefe of hearte then it hadde pleasure in it And so there is great difference betweene the faithful and the infidel in the manner of sinning Q. What say yee then to the common saying wee be all sinners and shall be to our lyues end we must repente so nigh as God will giue vs grace But yet wee cannot leaue those thinges whiche we haue bin accustomed vnto are these worthy receiuers A. These are not woorthy receiuers howsoeuer they flatter themselues because they neuer fealt the power of godlines nor knowe not true repentaunce They are greatly bewitched with those general speeches which in some sorte be true They doe not perceiue what work God worketh in his children to draw them out of the filthines of the worlde that they be not spotted with it Q. What is the practise then of the godly in which they excell those other A. The godly man at all times but especially whē he prepareth him self to come to the holy table of the lord doth go through al the Commaundements of the lawe to search and spy out what sin there is in him against any of them But most of all hee doth make narow search for those sinnes with haue a deepe secret roote in our nature as pride vaine glory couetousnes And when he findeth himself faulty then he crieth vnto God to haue his spirit to mortifie the flesh He is humbled at the sight of his corrupt nature he doth euen vow to God solemnly with a ful setled purpose of hart not for a day or two but al his life long to trauel in al holy exercise of prayer hearing meditating in the word carefull practising the same so to waight paciently attend when God wil succour him Q. This diligēce is required at our hands But that it may be the better known shew the negligence of the other A. The other sorte of men doe not rightly consider the worthines and dignitie of the flesh and bloud of Christ but come rashly vnreuerently in the filthy ragges of their sinnes They do not purpose in theyr hart to turne from wickednes but to liue as they haue done euen in those things which they know to be vngodly And as for other foule sinnes which swarme in them that they vnderstand not to be sinnes they are so farre from the desire to finde them out by the true knowledge of the law that they couet labour to defend them to be no sins And therfore they are wonderful glad when they cā get any colour of matter to proue that to be lawful which their flesh lusteth after findeth sweetnes in And for this cause they do not cal vpon God to haue power to ouercōe their sinnes Q. They confesse when they heare of that which is euill that they should leaue it and they say God graunt we may leaue it A. They cannot but confesse that men ought to forsake wickednesse they haue also a desire that they coulde so doe but in this they fayle that they neuer labour about it They haue the witte to say that if a man be fallen into a ditch hee may cry long enough Lorde helpe me if hee do not striue to come out and take hold of such things as he may clamber vp by And yet they are not so wise as to consider the meanes by which GOD dooth reache foorth his mightie arme vnto them to drawe them out of the puddle and mire of sinne For God doth reach downe his arme to drawe men vp to heauen and to saue them by the preaching of the Gospel e. 1. Cor. 1.21 which is the power of God to saluation vnto euery one which doth beleeue f. Rom. 1.16 1. Cor. 1.18 But who beleeue this preaching or to whome is the arme of GOD reuealed g. Esai 53.1 They doe not seeke to lay holde of it But contrariwise they caste them selues headlonge into the snares of tēptation by ioyning in felowship with the workers of iniquitie Q. Is that so great a hinderaunce vnto true repentaunce when men accompanie them selues with such as liue and walke in sinnefull wayes There bee some which say I thanke God I haue such a strong faith in Christe that I can keepe company with the worst and yet they cannot hurt me I hope to do them good A. Such men are euen as wise and haue as good a fayth as that man whiche shoulde skippe downe from the
claime life at Gods hande for his owne desartes the Lord needeth not to lay to his charge his adulteries theftes murders and suche like but he may finde sinne enough in his prayers and almes deedes and other his best workes to cast him into hell Doth not this imperfection as it ouerthroweth all merite so also ouerthrowe all rewarde A. It doth not ouerthrowe reward for God hath promised and bounde himselfe of his free grace to couer the imperfection of the good workes of his seruauntes and to rewarde with eternall glory that whiche is good in them Heb. 6.10 Q. Let vs see then to what vse good workes are A. God is glorified by the good works of his seruants k. Phil. 1.9.10 11. The Gospel is adorned by them l. Titus 2.10 They bee profitable vnto men m. Tit. 3.8 Men receiue commoditie by good deedes done vnto them both for this bodily life and also they which are ignorant of the truth are drawen to loue the gospell when they see the pure and holy conuersation of those which professe it n. 1. Pe. 3.1 By the fruites of the spirite man doth also knowe that hee is called and chosen of God o. 1. Ioh. 4.1 Gal. 5.22.23 Finally there is no good worke which a man doth but it shal be crowned with eternall glory Q. Which is the rule of good works whiche wee are to walke after to shewe our repentance and fruites of faith in true obedience A. The ten preceptes of the lawe are a ful and perfect rule for in them is commanded euery good worke which God doth require of man to be performed either towards his maiestie or towardes men and there is no euill but it is by the same condemned Q. How doe yee proue that there is suche full perfection in the lawe when as it is expressed in so fewe wordes A. Although the Lord hath compact it of fewe wordes yet the same doe containe all righteousnesse Which is manifest both by the summe of the lawe which is thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy hearte with all thy minde with all thy strength and thy neighbour as thy selfe p. Mat. 22.37 â—9 For there can bee no sinne where this is And also because the lawe doth promise life vnto those which performe it which cannot bee without perfection for no vnperfect thing or that hath sinne in it can enter into life Q. Doth the law conteine in it suche perfection of righteousnes that if a man could fulfill it he should be as righteous as God A. It is an abhominable heresie to think so for the holinesse of God is infinite which caÌ„not be in any creature The righteousnes of the lawe whiche is the full perfection of that which God requireth of man is but a little streame deriued from the maine fountaine the blessed Angels in heauen are perfect in that holines which is required of theÌ„ but if they be compared with God it shal be found which the scripture saith hee hath put folly in his angels q. Iob. 4.18 The angels are not able to comprehend nor behold the vnsearchable holinesse maiestie of our great God therefore they be brought in of the Prophete couering their faces r. Esay 6.2 Q. Haue we any thing to doe with the law being vnder the Gospel A. I hold him accursed which doth separate the lawe and the Gospel or that sayth wee haue nothing to doe with the lawe or that the lawe is not to bee opened and preached Q. S. Paul seemeth not only to separate them but also to make them quite contrary the one to the other wholy to set vs free from the law A. Whatsoeuer Saint Paul seemeth to do this is most certain that if he be rightly vnderstood it doth agree with this that hee saith Doe we make the law of none effect therefore through faith God forbid nay we establish the lawe s. Rom. 3.31 Q. Wherein is that contrarietie theÌ„ betweene the law and the Gospell that they cannot stand together A. There is no contrarietie at all in themselues for they come both from the selfe same God which is vnchangeable t. Mal. 3.6 Iam. 1.17 The righteousnesse whiche they offer if wee consider it in it selfe is the same For the righteousnes of our Lord Iesus Christe is the perfect obedience vnto the lawe whiche was in him But nowe the contrarietie is when it commeth vnto vs in this wise to fixe righteousnesse in our selues by our own deedes in the lawe for the righteousnesse of the lawe saith do this and thou shalt liue and to fetche righteousnesse out of an other by faith being destitute of it in our selues for the Gospell saith Beleeue and thou shalt be saued v. Rom. 10.9 Ioh. 3.15.16 These then be the contraries to bee righteous and iust in our selues by our owne deedes and to bee made righteous by the merites of Christe which wee obteine by faith yee see these are so contrary they cannot stande together Q. If there bee no contrarietie at all betweene the law and the Gospell how doeth the Scripture teache that the olde Testamente is abolished of which the lawe of the commaundements is a part A. Wee must wisely vnderstande the minde of the holy ghoste when he doth teach that the olde Testament ceaseth For many by mistaking it doe fall into very wicked errours The olde Testament in substance of matter is all one with the newe for the fathers in the time of the lawe had Christe the Sacramentes of Christe w. 1. Cor. 10.1 And wee see that the doctrine of the olde Testament is alleadged for to confirme the new Those therefore are foolishe which say that is in the olde Testament but shew it in the new for if they will ouerthrow the one they ouerthrowe the other But herein is the matter wherein the olde testament is abolished for the forme maner of dispensation they had the promises of the Gospell x. Heb. 11. We haue them perfourmed they had figures and ceremonies which did shadow out Christe we haue him manifested in the fleshe and those shadowes cease y. Col. 2.16.17 Heb. 10.1 Q. But the Apostle speaketh not of ceremonies when he saith Wee are not vnder that law but vnder grace z. Rom. 6.14 And that the law is not giuen to a righteous man For he speaketh of the ten commandements which are the morall law a. 1. Tim. 1.9 A. It is very true that the Apostle speaketh of the morall lawe when hee saith Wee are not vnder the lawe And that the lawe is not giuen to a righteous man But this is not to be taken simplie but for some respectes For wee are bounde still to this which the lawe requireth that we loue the Lorde our God with all our heart and our neighbour as our selfe and therfore we may not commit idolatrie abuse Gods name nor murder or such like Q. Which then are those