deliuered by Moses Heare ô Israel Deut. 6.4 the Lord our God is one God thou shalt loue the Lord with all thy heart c. Againe Deut. 10.12 Now ô Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but that thou feare the Lord thy God and honour him c. This is that Law whereof the same Moses saieth Deut. 30.19 Behold I set before you blessing and cursing Life and good death and euill c. Blessing and life if thou chuse this viz. If thou loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. Deut. 28. If thou chuse this saith he Blessed shalt thou be at home and blessed abrode c. But contrariwise saith he If thou wilt not be obedient to the voice of the Lord thy God to keepe and doe the Commandements of this Law cursed shalt thou bee at home and cursed abroad c. Behold B. the Law the most high and perfect publishing whereof when the Prophet foresaw thus said The Law shall goe foorth of Sion and the word of the Lord out of Ierusalem He speaketh not of the Law of the Decalogue which was come out most perfectly 700. yeeres before but this Law of life viz. The word of truth viz. The Gospell Behold the Law of which the Prophet Ieremy speaketh I will write my Law in their hearts Not that of the tenne commandements which is to bee trembled at He that doth these things shall line by them but this Law of life and the promise I will bee their God and they shall be my people and I will remember their sinnes no more saith the Lord. Behold the law wherof the true speaking King and Prophet Dauid saith The Law of the Lord is perfect euery way conuerting soules c. Hee meanes not B. that Law of the Decalogue which although it be the Law of God and a Law euery way perfect yet doth not conuert soules neither can it giue life nor restore a sinner But he meanes this Law of grace viz. The promise and righteousnesse of God by the faith of the Messias which is giuen to the beleeuer Behold B. the law wherein faith is commanded for none can loue God with all his heart and his neighbour as himselfe but he that first is sanctified by faith viz. none but he that is washed before by vertue of the holy ghost shal beleeue that al his sins are forgiuen him Hoe saith B. what newes bring you here for that which you cal the Law of grace we say it is the same with the law of the Decalogue What exposition is this will you thus inwrap the Israel of God with your exposition Dare you say this is the same Law with that when God himselfe saith it is another from it Ier. 31.31 For behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Iacob Heb. 8.9 not such as I made with your Fathers c. Hitherto leades the Testimony of Moses and that so cleare as if it were written with the beames of the Sunne which yet this Oule sees not Who when hee had deliuered this Law of life to Israel and had added Ceremonies which were as a shadowing out of a Redeemer at length breathing out saith Deut 29.1 These are the words of the couenant which the Lord commanded Moses that he should make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab besides that couenant which hee made in the mount Horeb. And that the law of the Decalogue and the righteousnesse of it which is of workes is not onely another from but also opposit to the law of grace and righteousnesse of God which is manifested by faith the Apostle is a most plentifull witnesse who calleth the law of the Decalogue A weake Law the Law of sinne the Law of death the ministry of condemnation But the law of grace hee cals the power of God vnto saluation The righteousnesse of God the ministrie of the spirit the ministrie of life But hoe will some say Paul is a meere Maniche and a manifest Marcionite that thus detracts from the maiesty of the Law and so odiously inueies against the holy Law of God Saiest thou so dog is the Apostle an Hereticke because thou art blind Thou conceiuest not the truth of his words for hee hath not brought in this combat of the law either in respect of God or the lawes themselues for both are of and from the same God both perfect holy and iust but in respect of vs and our sinne for what so repugnant and hostile as to condemne a sinner and to absolue the same Therefore as we are wont to call a day deadly or fatall not in respect of the day it selfe but of them which must vndergoe some danger And the Iulian law of Treason we call a deadly law in respect of them that are accused of Treasō So the Apostle cals the law of the Deca a weake law because it cannot giue life to the sinner The law of wrath because it causeth wrath against sin The law of sin because it accuseth vs of sin The law of death because it iudgeth vs being bound ouer to death The Ministry of condemnatiō because it cōdemneth euery transgression In which phrase of speech hee calleth also the Gospel it selfe sometimes the sauour of death vnto death namely in respect of those that perish But B. opinion gasping at last doth yet throw one dart more if saith he the righteousnes of the law be so cōtrary to the righteousnesse of God which is of faith how doth faith establish it This I say B. Christ and his righteousnes is giuen to vs who are iustified by faith now the righteousnesse of Christ is the righteousnes of works viz. the ful perfect performance of the Decalogue To vs then that are in Christ Iesus viz. to vs that beleeue in him who hath performed the righteousnesse of the law for vs it is as much to vs as if we our selues had fulfilled it For the end of the law is to iustifie the keeper of it but he that beleeueth in him who hath perfectly performed it this faith shall bee imputed to him for righteousnes no lesse thē if he had perfectly performed the same But let vs proceed and pursue this breathlesse opinion euen to the sepulchre which in a manner dying cannot cast darts doth yet cast out words To what end then saith he serueth the law or what vse is there of it now I say much euery way first it is set downe for the sinner both that hee may not deny the punishment denounced against him for sinne and also that it may take vengeance against him iustly for the same it is also set for a holy and regenerate man that as often as he looke vpon it and alwaies hee ought to looke vpon it hee may so often bewaile his wickednesse and quake at it and likewise as often as he cals to minde which night and day hee
ought to call to minde so often hee may thinke of the riches mercy and loue of God by giuing him thanks by Christ Iesus his Lord and intercessor who so mercifully hath set him free from the wrath of this iust and holy law Nothing that I know is now omitted Let vs therefore take breath awhile especially seeing we haue gone so far and come as it were to the sepulchre of this dead and spiritlesse opinion which whiles it is cast into obliuion as into the fire and while the buriall is attended I will turne me to B. and by a certaine comparison as much as I can I will comfort him lest he without comfort lament the death of his opinion as of a daughter dearely beloued and if any sense be left in him I will labour to make him sound minded A certaine king hath many debters indebted vnto him for much money by writing whereby it is prouided that except they faithfully pay all the mony at the day appointed their goods should be confiscate and themselues cast into prison the King in the meane time foreseeing that they wil not be able to pay the debt being moued with pitty he maketh a new edict that if any of the debters wil desire to be released before the day of paiment hee will freely forgiue them You see B. the bill is iust and sure for he requires nothing but his owne you see also that the Edict is good and firme for by it hee succours the poore miserable soules that otherwise should perish in prison you see the Bill is contrary to the Edict for that adiudgeth the not paier to perpetuall bondage contrariwise the Edict frees him that paieth not so he pray to bee pardoned further you see the Bond established by the edict for all that will reioice for the benefit thereof doe no lesse satisfie the King then if they had fully paid all the debt due by the Bill for the King requires his fummes either by the vsurers seuerity or by his great equity shewed towards those that craue release the first by law the latter by fauour if thou dost either thou doest sufficient Lastly B. you see what you would not namely that the Bill doth not command any asking of pardon no it admits no such matter it cals either for paiment or punishment nothing else for the free benefit of asking pardon pertaines onlie to the Edict Goe to then let the Decalogue be the Bill let the law of promise be the Edict or Proclamation of free pardon namely the grace of the Messias let faith be the asking of pardon I will not mince it smaller a word is enough to a wise man Behold now B. the fruit of your outcrying the seeds whereof this twenty yeeres you haue dispersed with such roughnesse of words and impotency of minde that you ought to beare it more patiently if the truth now take some punishment of you For beleeue me B. euery error shall suffer punishment shall suffer I say at the hands of truth either sooner or later neither is there a more certaine houre of sinning then of suffering Call to minde with me that day wherein applauding your selfe in your subtilties you challenged one in the Vniuersities to whom when as it was not lawfull to answere or reply sufficiently vnto you making the Challenge either for the authority of your part or for the obscurity of your Sophistrie and snares of your subtilties good God how you crowed ouer him Neither did you thinke it sufficient onely this your poore lecture to bee published in triumph of this so base victory that it might bring darkenesse to the light except also the sixt yeere after daūcing in the funerals of the truth you caused to bee published a new Commentary of the excellency and dignity of the law an eternall Monument of your ignorance blindnesse for it is almost incredible how in that worke you mingle heauen and earth together and make squared things straight how often in that little booke you put foedus for foedere The law for the law faith for faith viz. a lie for a testimonie and that which is a signe of a minde smally ingenious how oft doe you make monsters to your selfe which you might easily make away I accuse you not the matter it selfe speaketh you shall be iudgeed of your owne papers This one thing I would haue you vnderstand whereof B. you shall be an example to posterity while this worke shall liue and it shall liue foreuer That the booke of God is a booke indeed full of eies within and without and written on both sides but withall sealed so that there are many hard things in it which you Barowists doe not vnderstand But if you desire to open your closets to enter into the inwards of it you had need of a key I meane not that which Rome reioiceth in which openeth the bottomlesse pit and bringeth out monstrous lies and blasphemies neither doe I meane that key B. which laieth vp for thee a great heape of siluer which bringeth great increase to the dropsie of thy couetousnesse neither doe I meane that key which openeth the smokes of Sophistry and the meere froth of words and of Diuine Plato and the Sophisters or such like builders of darkenesse and made wisdome But I meane B. the key of Dauid that searcheth out the most secret things of the truth and the hidden things of Gods wisdome and so openeth them that none can shut and so shutteth them that none can open Which key by your writing I am sure you are without as any thing that you want And thus much of faith the holinesse whereof you haue defiled Thus much also of the law the maiestie whereof you haue violared And if any thing seeme lesse spoken then ought to be either for your deserts or as so weighty a matter requireth let him thinke it is reserued vntill anoother time when God blessing our enterprises wee shal haue more strict examination of you vpon that booke which you haue scribled of the excellency and dignity of the law Jn the meane time I bid you in Christ Iesus to repent and Farewell FINIS
then it signifieth either the doctrine of the Gospell it selfe or the faithfull discharge of their office that preach the same or else some speciall gift which the holy ghost vouchsafeth vnto vs Now of those gifts of the holy ghost there are but three onely which are intituled by the name of faith For sometimes the knowledge of that great mysterie which the holy ghost reuealeth and the certaine vnderstanding of the truth of GOD is called faith which may fitly be named either historicall Faith or the faith of knowledge Now for this Faith although al the Saints haue it in some measure yet is it not peculiar to them alone for vsually many wicked and filthy doe excell in this yea euen Satan himselfe doth goe farre beyond all others in this kind of Faith For hee beleeueth that God is the creatour of the world that hee is Lord ouer all and acknowledgeth himselfe vnder his dominion And that God made all things by his word as it is written Gen. 1.3 Psal 33.9 He spake the word and they were made he beleeueth this word to be that which is both called the Son of God and is so indeed by whom and for whom all things were made begotten before all time the immortall and wise God alwaies blessed for euer and euer Who after diuers maners appeared to the fathers and spake by the Prophets Hee beleeueth that the same Word in fulnesse of time came downe into the Virgin by the power of the holy ghost was made flesh and of her was born that annointed Sauiour thence-forth called Iesus Christ that the same wrought great miracles preached that hidden mystery of the will of GOD which beeing at that time almost buried in obliuion was long before foretold by the Prophets and hee likewise sealed and confirmed it by his Apostles Hee beleeueth furthermore that the same Word or sonne of GOD Christ Iesus after all this was nailed to the crosse dead and buried according to the Scriptures the third day rose to life againe and was taken vp into heauen sitteth there at the right hand of the Father which hath put all things vnder bis feete Because hee alone is worthy Hee is also most vndoubtedly perswaded that the Lord Iesus Christ did for supplying his own place send down from heau en the powerfull efficacie of his holy spirit to guide and gouerne his Church which past question is nothing else but the company and societie of his holy ones in all places here and there scattered ouer the whole world And hee beleeueth that this companie of Gods owne people is sanctified by the lauer of repentance and the word of faith to bee an holy nation for euer to the Lord himselfe Hee beleeueth moreouer that the same Lord Iesus shall at the last day come in the clouds with greatest power and shall then take vp the Saints to receiue reward of eternall life and to enioy the promises of heauen But as for the vngodly and wicked his comming shall bee to condemne them vnto euerlasting fire yet both sorts shall in that day receiue their fleshly bodies with restauration whereof they shall from the first death returne againe And with thus much faith the very skirmigers of Satan Bribers promoters hypocrites witches heretickes reprobates couetous persons whoremongers and filthy fellows of which kinde of beleeuers at this day the whole world is full betwixt whom and Infidels this is all the difference the one by not beleeuing like wretches as they are doe come vnto perdition the other by beleeuing in such wofull manner as they doe bring themselues to most damnable destruction This kinde of faith if any one would define he may well expresse his minde in saying that it is nothing else but a sure knowledge and a setled assent of the minde by which any man most vndoubtedly beleeueth such things to bee reuealed for the saluation of mankind Secondly that gift of the holy ghost by which any one causeth great admiration to be amongst the people at his great signes and wonders is very often in holy writ called by the name of faith which not vnfitly wee may call miraculous faith But this faith neither haue all the sanctified nor they onely For Iohn wrought no miracles although on the contrarie Iudas did excel therin And with this faith are sometimes notably indued and made famous those witches deceiuers and Iuglers which Rome that head of abominations both calleth Saints and worshippeth them also with altar praiers and Images of whom our Sauiour hath foretold saying And they shall doe great wonders Math. 24. works of great power so that they would deceiue if it were possible the very elect And this kinde of faith may one sitly define in this manner namely that it is a certaine vndoubted confidence whereby one beleeueth that God will by him doe this or that miracle Thirdly that the gift of the holy ghost which any one receiues to eternall life is called by the name of Faith and that most often of all the rest which very same the scripture calleth the Faith of God The faith of the son of God The faith of Abraham The faith of Iesus The faith of Christ and the faith of Iesus Christ The professors of diuinitie haue significantly named it Iustifying Faith Now for this kinde of Faith both all the Saints and they onely haue it for this kinde of faith cannot befall any but such as are sanctified This faith if wee will wee may fitly define in this manner Namely that it is a certaine full and firme confidence engrauen by the power of the holy Ghost in the heart of such a one as is penitent whereby hee assuredly beleeueth that all his sinnes are remitted and that hee is reconciled and made one with God in an euerlasting loue through Christ Iesus See now B. this is the Faith which sanctifieth him that hath it and of one miserable maketh him Blessed as it is written Psal 32.1 Belssed is the man whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose God is the Lord Iehouah Behold B. this is the Faith which Iustifieth the wicked and by which the Iustified liueth as it is written The iust shall liue by Faith Abac. 2.4 This is that faith which ouercommeth which excelleth and which the diuine writer to the Heb. setteth forth with such ornament and inuironeth on euery side with such a multitude of praises this is the faith vvhose worth and fairenesse so cleerely shineth throughout the scripture that as it is to bee wondred how euer it could be so grossely darkned by the vnskilfulnesse of some wise diuines of this our age so much more maruellous is it that the ignorance of such a great benefit especially in this cleare light of all things should not hitherto by Gods most righteous iudgement be seuerely punished And this is that faith concerning which is all the controuersie this day betwixt me and B. which also the Apostle commendeth to the Romans in these words