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
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
for the abolishment of all Lawes by Christ For in the first place pag. 176. Luth. on Gal. pag. 176. a. b. he speaketh of the abolishing of the Iewish Ceremonies where once one hath put on Christ Iesus Where Christ is put on saith he there is neither Iew nor Circumcision nor Ceremony of the Law any more For Christ hath abolished all the Lawes of Moses that euer were he meaneth all such as might accuse or terrifie a beleeuing conscience and stand in opposition vnto CHRIST as the words following doe manifestly declare And in the next place pag. 177. Luth. on Gal. pag. 177. he speaketh of the abolishment of all Lawes indeed but only in the matter of justification before God deseruing of grace and eternall life Will you heare him deliuer his minde in his owne words God hath indeed saith he many Ordinances Lawes Decrees and kindes of life but all these helpe nothing to deserue grace and to obtaine eternall life So many as are justified therefore are justified not by the obseruation of mans Law nor Gods Law but by Christ alone who hath abolished all Lawes These be Luthers owne words Now if you will needs conclude hereupon that Luther is of opinion that the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished should you not deale injuriously with him and deceitfully with vs You haue beene already told of the fallacie A dicto secundùm quid ad dictum simpliciter you haue here occasion to remember it againe Your last place of Luther pag. 223. Luth. Galat. p. 223. hath beene answered before and so hath that of Beza in 2 Cor. 3.11 and that also which you repeat againe of the perpetuity of the Decalogue in Nature and the perpetuity of it in Diuinity vnto all which I say now no more but if I cannot stay you but you will needs Cramben bis coctam ponere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you shall not draw me to taste any more thereof nec Actum agere Juvenal Sat. 7. Nam quaecunque sedeus modo legerat haec eadem stans Proferet atque eadem cantabit versibus ijsdem Occidit miseros crambe repetita Magistros One thing there is in the last clause touching the perpetuity of the Decalogue in Nature where you haue interlaced as an exception against the perpetuity of the fourth Commandement Antinomus The Morall Law or Decalogue say you is perpetuall in nature sauing the fourth Commandement Answer And why I pray you is not the fourth Commandement perpetuall in nature as well as the rest if it be Morall as well as the rest why is it only mortall and the rest perpetuall Deut. 4.12 13. August de spirit lit cap. 14. If it be Ceremoniall absolutely then how comes it to passe that it was deliuered by the voice of God and written by the finger of God in Tables of Stone being one amongst the rest of the Ten Commandements of the Morall Law which are all perpetuall in nature seeing nothing absolutely Ceremoniall amongst all the Ordinances of Moses was euer so deliuered or so written Againe how can that be a Ceremony which was giuen of God vnto man in the estate of innocency Gen. 2.2 3. when yet there was no sinne and so no need of a Sauiour and therefore no vse for any Ceremony Exod. 16.29 Cap. 35.3 Ier. 17.21 Act. 1.12 Exod. 35.2 3. to signifie or set forth either one or other That there was something Ceremoniall in the fourth Commandement as it was specially giuen by Moses to the Iewes in their Legall worship as that Seuenth day which they did celebrate their strict rest from all bodily labour their Sabbath daies journey their kindling of fire c. we doe not deny but that therefore the fourth Commandement is not morall nor perpetuall in Nature this doth not nor you cannot proue As for that which you alledge out of Augustine August de spirit lit cap. 14. de spirit lit cap. 14. In decem praceptis excepta Sabbati observatione dicatur mihi quid non sit observandum à Christiano I cannot but wonder and wonder againe that you going about to batter downe the fourth Commandement and borrowing an Engin out of Augustine for that purpose haue in your simplicity brought with you such a one as doth not demolish but vnderprop and establish all the rest of the Commandements of the Morall Law to be now of force and vse amongst all Christians For I may say out of Augustine also as you doe August lib. 3. cont Faustum Dicatur mihi in decem praeceptis quid non sit à Christiano observandum Let any man shew me what there is in the Ten Commandements of the Morall Law which is not now to be obserued of all Christians August tractat 20. in Iohan. As for the Sabbath which Augustine seemeth to except he meaneth the Iewish and Legall Sabbath taking it in the letter for corporall rest and that figuratiuely as signifying both a rest from sin which he takes to be that servile opus August ad Inquisit Ian. lib. 2. cap. 12. from which the Iewes must rest and the heauenly rest also of which he thinks the Sabbath was a type And vnto this I say Whatsoeuer Augustine can proue by the euidence of the Scripture to be Ceremoniall and Iewish in the fourth Commandement we will not challenge that to be morall nor perpetuall But if he only say the fourth Commandement is figuratiuely to be vnderstood and that no corporall rest from labour but a spirituall rest from sinne is there signified and commanded and that corporale ocium Sabbati is not to be obserued of a Christian because that figure is fulfilled in Christ and yet doe not proue what he saies out of the Word of God we will take that good leaue and liberty which elsewhere he hath giuen not to beleeue it August ad Hieron Epist 19. August adver Cresconium lib. 2. ca. 31. because he hath said it but because he hath brought some probable reason or euidence of the Scripture to perswade vs of the truth of it and vntill then to stand perswaded as we doe that euen the fourth Commandement as well as the rest of the Morall Law excepting some Iewish Ceremonies annexed thereunto is yet in force not only as the Law of Nature and Philosophically considered but Theologically and in true Diuinity truly vnderstood And here we pray you not to mistake vs in this point concerning Augustines judgement he doth not absolutely abolish the fourth Commandement in abrogating the Legall and Iewish Sabbath but that he teacheth and maintaineth that though the day be changed August Epist 119. ad Ianuar. cap. 12. Epist 86. ad Casulanâ—…m which was the seuenth obserued from and for the Creation yet the first day of the weeke succeeded it in regard of Christs resurrection called dies Dominicus by S. Iohn celebrated in holy duties by the Apostles Iunius in Gen. c. 2. and
abrogation of the Lawish Sabbath on the fourth Commandement And to Zanchius in loco quinto theologico ex cap. 2. ad Ephes vers 14 15 de legis Mosaicae abrogatione where he disputeth the point very fully yet he doth not plainly expound the places that seeme to contradict it of which I will giue you a taste That of Matth. 5. cannot bee vnderstood of the forme of Moses Law but of the matter of it or of the Law of Nature for it cannot be denied but that 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 is our question in hand being we haue no warrant in Scripture for it but the contrary I cannot see For the other place Rom. 3. by the context it may be and is to be vnderstood of the whole Law as well Ceremoniall as any other and the same for the time past but how the Morall law alone can be there vnderstood I maruell what should moue any man to thinke so See Eras Parap on it In Erasmus Paraphrasts on the new Testament you may finde much vpon this point The booke though commanded to be had in Churches is too much neglected bookes of farre meaner qualitie are much esteemed Luther on the Galatians hath much for he saith in two places at the least that all Lawes are abolished by Christ page 176. b. 177. a. 223. a. Yea the 10. Commandements themselues and the like saith Beza on 2. Cor. 3.11 Others are inforced to acknowledge it though their iudgements be against it for it so stands in their way that they cannot auoid it All that any man can say against this doctrine is that the Morall law or the Decalogue is perpetuall in nature sauing the fourth Commandement no man denies it but where the perpetuitie of it in diuinitie is to be found in Scripture would I faine see For the holy Ghost in the new Testament doth not exact naturall precepts such as the Decalogue is Aug. de spirit liter cap. 14. In decem praeceptis excepta Sabbati observatione dicatur mihi quid non sit observandum à Christiano for that is fulfilled in one word Loue Gal. 5.14 But the exhortation is to the workes of the Spirit none of which are properly commanded in the Decalogue I forgot to illustrate the conclusion of my fifth section afore with a familiar Simile which here I will adde Suppose the lawes of Venice to be the same for the most part with the lawes of England And yet if in England the bookes of the Venetian lawes should be brought out and read either to condemne or acquit a man accused or to giue direction for order and gouernment here with vs I thinke few men in England would hold themselues bound by vertue of those lawes or booke in any such manner One other Simile to illustrate the generall point 2 Pet. 1.19 The Apostle likeneth the Prophets to lights shining in darke places meaning as I suppose the Moone Stars or candles in the night till a greater light appeare And Malachi 4.2 Christ is termed the Sunne of righteousnesse so when this Sunne is risen neither Moone nor Starres are seene and candles are of no vse And Oecolampadius in Isai 2.5 saith Stultitia erit in meridie lucernis esse addictos quibus Sol si non ignavi essemus lucerer To conclude I wish that all men especially Diuines would take paines rightly to vnderstand the Doctrine of Christian libertie the difference of the Law and the Gospell and of the old and new Testament and of the Couenants of both And so the â—ight abrogation of Moses Law The studie of all which is too much neglected by ignorance whereof they run into strange questions as men in darknesse stumbling at one thing and catching hold of another thing that auailes them nothing I might a little illustrate my second section with a word or two If a man make two Testaments or Wills it is knowne to euery man that the latter and that whereupon he died is only in force and the former is not The Lord giue vs all the true knowledge of his truth THE OFFICE AND VSE OF THE MORALL LAW OF GOD IN THE DAIES OF THE GOSPELL The Preface THE counsell of the Apostle 1 1 Thess 5.21 Paul is well worth the hearing yea and the following also for all that are willing to seeke and embrace the truth Try all things and hold fast that which is good for as all is not a Interdum orichalcum magis exprimit colorem auri quam auruÌ„ ipsum Ludou Viu de Causis corruptarum Artium lib. 3. pag. 127. gold that is gilt ouer nor euery metall good siluer that giueth a good sound so neither is euery plausible opinion true doctrine nor euery colourable conceit a currant truth no though it seeme to be gilt ouer with Scripture as with pure gold or to sound as shrill as siluer by the voices and testimonies of religious and learned men This did the Spirit by which he wrote both see and foresee that as there were many then so there would be euen in our daies not a few who neither contenting themselues with nor consenting vnto 2 1 Tim. 6.3 wholsome words euen the words of our LORD IESVS CHRIST and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse would teach otherwise and other things euen 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act 20.30 distorted and peruerse things not only besides but euen contrary to the doctrine which was deliuered vnto them and therefore not without iust cause doth the Apostle 4 1. Iohn 4.1 Iohn also speaking by the same Spirit admonish vs of the same thing to try the spirits whether they be of God or no. And both of them to this end that bringing the doctrines and opinions of men to be tried and examined by the Scriptures as the Gold-smith brings counterfeit coyne or suspected metals to his touchstone for so much the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both 5 1 Thess 5.21 1 Iohn 4.1 See also 1 Pet. 1.7 places doth import we might vpon due triall better 6 Phil. 1.9 10. discerne of things that differ and iudge aright betwixt truth and error and so not only entertaine the truth when we finde it but 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 5.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4.14 Reu. 3.11 hold it fast as it were with all our strength and 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iud. Epist 3. maintaine it when once we are in possession of it Which course and counsell of the Apostles for triall of the truth and maintaining of it was not only in their daies of great vse and good successe to establish the Churches and children of God in the sound profession of the truth against the damnable errors which men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth
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
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