Doctrine of Good and Evil of Good and so the Rule of an holy life of Evil and so the revealer of Sin and Transgression This was the substance of that which we call the Moral Law The Circumstance of it was That it was made the condition of a Covenant for Life and Salvation and so required of all them that were under the Covenant and expected life and salvation by it of them I say it required complete and perfect obedience otherwise no hope to obtain their expectation Nay more it exacted this obedience under a Curse so that in case of disobedience not only shall they fail of Life but come under the condemnation of Death and this was that that proved the ruine of man In the constitution of the Church of Israel the Ceremonial Law was added This set down that Form of Worship and Service of God in the right observation whereof they might finde both Expiation of their Offences and Acceptation of their Obedience This consisted in many Rites and Ceremonies Sacrifices and Ordinances all limited to the observation of Times when of Places where and of Persons by whom these were to be performed ex gr. No Sacrifice might be offered but upon one Altar Nor by any person but by one of the Family of Aaron No Circumcision but upon the Eighth day Nor Passover eaten but on the Fourteenth of the first or second Moneth and this no where but at Jerusalem Three times a year must every Male appear before the Lord and every Woman at her Purification make a journey thither so that this became a yoke of Bondage to the Church of Israel especially in the latter Age thereof when they of that Nation were scattered among the Heathen and lived in places far remote from the Temple of Jerusalem This then is the yoke of Moses Law No hope to escape the Curse of the Moral Law but by those expiations prescribed in the Ceremonial Law No hope of acceptance in what they endeavored in the way of Obedience except they attend upon and seek it in those services appointed No nor those services accepted but in a most exact observation of all the circumstances which the Law set down From this yoke it is which Christ by his death hath freed the Christian And in this liberty it is that St. Paul would have have them stand fast that they be not entangled again in that former yoke of Bondage So then the Ceremonies of Moses Law are quite taken away by Christ the Sacrifice of whose Death is become the only expiation for all Transgressions and the only way and mean of Acceptation in the performance of all duties whatsoever Yea the Moral part of Moses Law is taken away in respect of the circumstance thereof it is no more the condition of the Covenant for Life and Death Not of life and so Justification may be had without it Not of death and so no fear of Condemnation by it provided alway that by Faith men lay hold upon Christ keep close to him and walk according to those Rules of Holiness that he hath prescribed for in so doing we obtain what the Law promised Life and Salvation By him we escape what the Law threatned Death and Condemnation So then though the Law be taken away in respect of this Circumstantial use thereof as a condition yet not in respect of that Substantial consideration viz. as the Doctrine and Direction of Good and Evil Nay in this respect it is reassumed and re-established by Christ In the former consideration of it it is that the Apostle saith Romans 10. 4. That Christ is the end of the Law i. e. he hath done that for man which the Law would but could not The Law would bring man to life and salvation This is the primary end and intention of it but the Law could not in respect of mans weakness Rom. 8. 3. This Christ hath done and so is become the end of the Law for Righteousness and Justification to every one that believeth In the same circumstantial consideration of the Law it is that the Apostle saith Rom. 6. 14. Ye are not under the Law and Rom. 7. 4. We are dead to the Law and so delivered from it viz. as it was the condition of the Covenant And that this is the meaning of it is plain by this That it is set down as a reason to prove that sin shall not have dominion over us viz. to binde us to condemnation in case of defectiveness and failings Because saith he ye are not under the Law but under Grace not under that condition of full and perfect Obedience in which if any defects were found sin did presently dominier and threaten death But under a condition in which not only sincerity of obedience is accepted though it be imperfect but also help and assistance in doing the Duties is afforded So that with much cheerfulness may we strive against the raign of Sin and that over-masterful sway which heretofore it had in us and over us Yet this doth not prove but that still we are under the Doctrine and Direction of the Law for Duties of Holiness Yea those duties which by the grace of Christs Spirit we are enabled to perform for this must be acknowledged That though the Law requireth many Duties of Holiness and Sanctification yet is it only the Spirit of Christ which enableth us to perform them these I say are justly termed the Works of the Law because done in relation to the Law though not in the capacity of a condition as in the Covenant of Works yet in the capacity of a Rule and Square of Direction and a Duty of Holiness Object They Reply That St. Paul saith Gal. 3. 10. They that are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse So that either the Law is abrogated even in respect of the Works thereof or else neither is the Curse abrogated if Christians be tyed to the Works they are not freed from the Curse True if they will be of the Works of the Law they shall be under the Curse But what is it to be of the Works of the Law Is it to take directions from the Law for our ways and walkings Is it to yield obedience to the Law No It is to seek Justification and Salvation by the merit of Works done in obedience to the Law This is plain to him that readeth the former Verses to be of Faith is to seek Salvation by the Gospel i. e. by believing in Christ and so To be of the Works of the Law is to seek salvation by them Now then such who will seek salvation by the Works of the Law are under the Curse saith St. Paul Good reason because they cannot satisfie the perfection of the Law And he that will challenge any thing in the way of Iustice must be content to suffer the penalty if he come short of the perfection which the Rule requireth Object Nay but say they The Law is not made for a Righteous
Scripture of the Old Testament and New by the Law and Testimony And by it they know that they are not misguided because if any of them that peep and matter that pretend Visions and Revelations speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them These men though they do not plainly speak out their meaning yet would have us to understand them that the Spirit did by Enthusiasms and Revelations move them and guide them so infallibly that they need not the Scripture nor the instruction of the Ministry which what is it else but to revive and call up again that abomination of the Familists long since condemned to Hell the place of its just desert Just I say for take away the written Word of God and then every fancy of a dreaming Elder and doting Sister shall be the Rule of mens godly conversations Object A Law may be acknowledged and a written Law and yet not the Law of Moses not the Moral Law What then why the Law of Christ not the old but the new Commandment the precepts taught by Christ and his Apostles Well but the question is Whether that the subject matter of this new Commandment and of the old be not in both the same viz. Teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts to live righteously godly and soberly in this present world If so Then why should it not be indifferent to alleage the precepts of Moses and the Prophets to prove and press a duty of holiness as the precept of Christ and his Apostles ex gr. If we be agreed that it is the duty of a justified person to honor his Father and Mother what need we jangle about words and quarel about quotations whether we press it out of Exod. 20. or from Eph. 6. since both Texts do preach and press the same duty Is it not the same God who spake to the Fathers by the Prophets and to their Children by Christ and his Apostles Nay more do we not see it that those Precepts of holiness which by our blessed Saviour and his Apostles are taught in the New Testament are taken out of Moses and the Prophets yea and pressed upon the Conscience by this reason Because it is the Law and the Prophets What can be more plain then that Text of our Savior Mat. 7. 12. Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye so unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets So Saint Peter Be ye holy in all maner of conversation for it is written Be ye holy for I am holy 1 Pet. 1. 16. mark that Because it is written By it you see that the Apostle presseth a duty by a Text of Scripture fetcht from the Law So Saint Paul Eph. 6. 1 2. presseth the duty of obedience upon Children and proveth it to be right by citing the 5. Commandment of the Moral Law What will these men say to that Text of Saint James Jam. 2. 8. If ye fulfil the Royal Law ye shall do well But if ye have respect of persons ye commit sin and are convinced of the Law as Transgressors What convinced as Transgressors and yet not bound to obedience Is there any Transgression where no obligation to obedience And is the Moral Law notwithstanding all this abolished Hath it none Office in the time of the Gospel Are we false Teachers who in imitation of Christ and his Apostles do call men to the practise of these holy duties which we finde contained in the Law No we teach the truth of God and in the right way of God Except it be that Christ and his Apostles were ignorant of the way or except these men have received a new Gospel and another dispensation of the grace of God hitherto unknown and unrevealed CHAP. II. Touching the Motives of the Law whether these also be abolished So that to propose the expectation of reward as an invitation to good works and to deter men from sin by the fear of punishment be altogether inconsistent with the Doctrine of Grace NOt only the precepts of the Law are bequarrelled by those men but also the Arguments of perswasion In doing good-works and living a godly and holy life we must not at all look to any Reward from God But must do good works meerly in reference to Gods Glory and the good of others Otherwise our service will be meerly mercenary Grant indeed that we must do good works for these ends Grant also That in the obtaining of these ends there is a full Satisfaction to a Godly and a Gracious Heart And yet why may we not encourage our selves to cheerfulness in our Obedience by having an eye to the Recompence of Reward which God hath gromised Doth not the Scripture propound a Reward for our encouragement And why doth the Scripture propound it but that we should believe it and by believing be put forward to work cheerfully Is it not set down as an act of Moses Faith and a point of his praise That he had an eye to the Recompence of Reward Heb. 11. 25. Doth not the same Apostle shew this That our blessed Saviour by the Joy that was set before Him did stir up himself to go on cheerfully to the end of his undertakings Heb. 12. 2. Nay is not this in part acknowledged by Dr. Crisp he having set down this for a Doctrine That the laying of sin upon Christ is the Lords own Act giveth this reason for it Because none else could give to Christ a proportionable reward And Christ had an eye to some good consideration and for the proof of this he citeth Heb. 12. 2. And God saith he to put him on propoundeth rewards unto him c. Now then if thus it was with Christ why may it not be lawful for the Christian to help his weakness by having an eye to the recompence of reward Will they say that this sevice is mercenary So they do indeed but without any just reason mercenary service is commonly measured by carthly profits and preferments when a man so looketh at them that where there is no hope of such a reward he doth let fall the duty to which he is called Self-seeking is then unlawful and sinful when Self is the ultimate end of our desire But he that in feeking the good of his body and soul serveth Christ i. e. so desireth his own good that he may serve Christ is acceptable to God and approved of man This being so Why are we blamed for pressing men to holiness and encouraging them in it by putting them in minde of that reward which is provided These men flye out upon such exhortations This is not to preach Free-grace this is to bring in Popery and to teach men to hang their Salvation upon their merits to expect their reward for their Works sake No such matter it is not Popery to preach the expectation of a reward upon the conscionable performance of duties enjoyned If it be surely Christ and his
AN EXAMINATION Of the chief Points of ANTINOMIANISM Collected out of some LECTVRES lately Preached in the Church of Antholines Parish LONDON And now drawn together into a Body and published for the Benefit of all that love the holy Truth of God By Thomas Bedford B. D. Vnto which is annexed An Examination of a Pamphlet lately published Intituled The Compassionate Samaritan Handling the Power of the Magistrate in the compulsion of Conscience By the same Author 2 TIM. 1. 9. The Law is for the lawless 2 PET. 2. 1. There shall be false Teachers who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies And many shall follow their lascivious ways by reason of whom the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of LONDON Printed by John Field for Philemon Stephens and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the gilded Lyon in Pauls Church-yard 1647. To the Worshipful and much Honored Mr. John Turner of Hamme in the County of SURREY Esq A Sincere Lover of the Truth and an earnest Contender for the Faith which was once delivered to the SAINTS T. B. In testimony of Love and Thankfulness Dedicates the life of this his weak and unworthy Labor Together with the Apprecation of much Health and Happiness ERRATA PAge 13. line 21. for And read Answ p. 16. l. 6. for eternal r. external p. 31. l. 5. for Yea though it be r. And if it be p. 31. l. 19. for as thereof r. as there of p. 40. l. 10. for or is the meaning r. or rather is not the meaning p. 41. l. 32. for casually r. causally p. 42. l. 23. for is that it r. it is that p. 60. l. 13. for so may our r. So may not our p. 60. l. 15. for having set r. having set down Oâ—â—ober â—â— 1646. I Have to my full satisfaction perused this excellent Dissertation and Discussion of the chief Antinomian Tenents and finde it to be so solid and judicious pious profitable and seasonable in our distracted Times and finally so adorned and sweetned with modesty gaullass sobriely and Christian charity that I alow it and approve it well worthy the Printing and Publishing not doubting but that it will be very effectual to stablish all in the Truth who have already embraced it and to convince if not perswade all those who in simplicity and through meer error of their judgement are contrary minded JOHN DOWNAMâ— THE TABLE THe Introduction Page 1. Chap. 1. Touching the Law of Moses Whether altogether abolished so that it is of no use to the Believer now in the time of the Gospel Also whether it do not binde Believers to the Duties of Holiness as well now as it did in the time of the Old Testament 9. Chap. 2. Touching the Motives of the Law Whether these also be abolished So that to propose the expectation of reward as an invitation to good Works and to deter men from sin by the fear of punishment be altogether inconsistent with the Doctrine of Grace 18. Chap. 3. A brief Answer to the Arguments of N. D. by him brought to prove Iustification before Faith i. e. before the act of Believing 25. Chap. 4. That justification is not transacted all at once nor any pre-remission of sin before it be committed 33. Chap. 5. The way of seeking resolution touching our Adoption and Iustification by signs and marks viz. The fruits of Sanctification whether it be altogether unsatisfactory 41. Chap. 6. Touching sin in the Conscience of the Believer The Doctrine of the Antinomians in this Point examined and found insufficient to satisfie the Conscience The right way of satisfying the Conscience and of taking away the scruple of sin set down 58. The Arguments of the Compassionate Samaritan touching the Power of the Magistrate in the compulsion of Conscience Examined 73. The Introduction Isaiah 53. 11. By his knowledge shall my Righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities A Farther Explication of what was said v. 10. The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand in the hand of Christ shall the pleasure of the Lord Understand this touching the Bruising of the Serpents head mentioned Gen. 3. 15. consequently that Salvation of mankinde This pleasure of the Lord doth prosper in the hand of Christ which is seen in this That by his knowledge he shall justifie many This is that fruit of the Travel of his Soul in seeing whereof He i. e. Christ not God the Father as some very fondly and foolishly do apply the Text Christ I say shall be satisfied i. e. shall account himself well satisfied for all his labor and pains bestowed The Passion of Christ and the Benefit thereof these two are the subject matter of this Chapter The Benefit thereof is partly to others and partly to himself To himself that is set down ver. 12. To others in some verses foregoing The Description whereof taketh its rise from the middle of the 9. Verse Because he had done no violence c. That word Because is a trouble to Interpreters how to depend the latter clause of that Verse upon the former Vatablus saw and cuts the knot rather then unties it I conceive we shall not wrong the Text I am sure not the Truth if we joyn the former part of the verse to the 8. and begin a new period in the word Because thus v. 9. Because he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him He hath put him to grief 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin Or When his soul shall make an offering for sin he shall see his Seed c. q. d. Inasmuch as notwithstanding he was altogether innocent yet he did patiently submit himself to bear whatsoever the Lord would lay upon him for the Expiation of mans sin that therefore upon his Death he should receive full satisfaction both in respect of himself and those persons whose cause he had undertaken Thus I but let the learned judge In the words of ver. 11. we have a Proposition and its Confirmation In the Proposition besides the Agent who is by God here term'd a Servant a Righteous Servant we have three things not to be so lightly passed over 1. Act in the word Shall justifie 2. Object Many 3. The Medium By his knowledge Of which somewhat more largely and yet only in reference to what just hints the words may give to the Examination of some positions of the Antinomians a Sect and a sort of men lately start up whom Satan doth make use of to be his Proctors of Prophaneness and the Abbettors of Atheism and licentious Libertinism But to the Text By his knowledge The Medium stands first in the Text and if you will let us first begin with it By his knowledg And what is that To make way for Answer I lay down this That the pronoun His must be passive like that in Psal. 90. 11. Thy fear i. e. The fear of
man 1 Tim. 1. 9. consequently belongs not to the Believer who is justified by Faith in Christ And the Believer indeed is justified but not a righteous man not in that sense of the word in which St. Paul doth use it in that Text The Righteous man is there opposed to the lawless and disobedient and so must be understood of one that seeketh to conform himself and all his actions to the Rule of the Law for such a man the Law is not made The Law what is that The Rule of the Law No but the threatning of the Law the Curse and Condemnation This is not made for the Righteous and so ought not to be applied against him but against the lawless and disobedient against them that will walk without Law and boldly bear themselves in the disobedience of the Law Against these is the Law made and against them are the threatnings and curses of the Law to be applyed This is the right use of the Law The which saith St. Paul is good if a man use it lawfully i. e. if he do not abuse it by mis-application Now then though St. Paul saith The Law is not made for a Righteous man yet saith he not It is not made for a justified person Nor doth he say The Law is of no use for a Righteous man It is not a Iudge to curse and condemn him but is it not a Teacher to instruct him a Counsellor to direct him Is it not a Guide to conduct him a Goad to quicken him and put him on if he slacken his pace in the path of Holiness Doubtless it is Was it not useful yea needful for Adam in Paradise though a righteous man So then I hold it a manifest truth That though the Believer by his Justification and Adoption be freed from the Curse of the Law yet not from the Counsel and Command of that Law Object It is Replyed That to Justifie and Condemn are as proper to the Law as to Counsel or Command If the Law may not command sub paenâ nor condemn proculpâ then doth it cease to be a Law nor hath it any binding power at all I answer That to justifie and condemn are indeed as proper to the Law as to counsel and command while the Law standeth as a condition of life and salvation but in that sense we confess it abrogated yet is not the binding power of it ceased still are we bound to walk in obedience to it because it is enjoyned as the Commandment of him who hath redeemed us from the Curse thereof Nay I adde this further That we are bound to walk by the direction of the Law not only ex debito gratitudinis in the way of thankfulness but also ex obligatione peccati to decline the guilt of sin Sinful it is in the justified person to neglect the counsel and command of the Law I would gladly ask these men Whether the justified person be exempt from sinning yea or not I finde it charged upon them That no action of a Believer after his Iustification is sin and I perceive that they do shift and shuffle in the business The Question is not Whether the sin of the justified person shall be charged upon him to endanger his salvation but Whether the act be sin in him or not Whether his Iustification do bring with it such a charter of priviledge and prerogative as doth exempt him from committing sin I confess the Text of St. John saith He that is born of God sinneth not 1 Joh. 3. 9. And yet they know that the same Apostle saith If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves 1 Joh. 1. 8. And St. James saith In many things we offend all Iam. 3. 2. If all then the justified also which is yet more plain by that of our Savior who prescribing a Form of Prayer for the Adopted Sons of God such who with confidence may call God Father teacheth them to pray for the pardon of sin and preservation from sin Doth he teach them to dissemble to pray for the pardon of a sin and yet there is no sin committed to pray for the preservation of their souls from Satans tentation and yet there is no danger of being drawn into sin May we not rather hereupon conclude in the words of St. John If we say that we have not sinned we make him Christ in that Form of Prayer a lyar and his word is not in us So that upon necessity that other Text which seemeth to cross the current of the Scripture and saith of the Regenerate That he sinneth not must be understood as some do understand that of Balaam He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob Numb. 23. 21. not of any at all but of some particular sin The Text of Balaam say some hath particular relation to the sin of Idolatry from which Israel at that time was free though not long after entangled by the counsel of Balaam And the Text of St. John hath an eye to presumptuous sin or rather to the sin of total and final Apostacy the sin unto death from which the Regenerate is preserved by that seed of God which remaineth in him from this sin I grant he is preserved and in this respect he sinneth not Not so in respect of other sins witness not only the Adultery of David which displeased the Lord or the act of Peter denying his Lord and Master in which his Faith was next door to failing and called for the Prayer of Christ to preserve him These you will say were before the Passion of Christ but witness that faultering of Peter and dissimulation of Barnabas for which St. Paul did openly reprehend them Gal. 2. 11. Well then if it be granted That the justified person may sin yea and doth sin there must then be a Law of Holiness which shall binde him to carefulness in such and such particulars for where there is no Law there is no Transgression nor can any man be concluded a sinner in case of negligence where there is no bond of duty Neither may we rest in this which they will not stick to grant The Law of the Spirit The Law written in the heart This is not enough there must be also another Law written in Tables and to be read by the eye to be heard by the ear Else how shall it be known to the rest of the Congregation whether this man doth not swerve from the Law written in the heart yea or not Nay how shall the believer himself be sure that he doth not swerve from the right way wherein he ought to walk Even in Paradice God appointed an Eternal precept of obedience for tryal beside that Law and Light of Nature which was written in Adams heart Much more needful is it now The Spirit I grant is the Justified mans Guide and Teacher That Vnction which they have received doth teach them all things But he teacheth them by the Word by the Word the written Word of Prophecy by the
and so wrong the Wisdom of our Saviour as if he could not make choice of such words phrases as might plainly and understandingly express his meaning And if these words Forgive us do signifie Make us to know that thou hast long since forgiven us then why shall not the next words As we forgive receive the same interpretation Nay why not so also in the other Petitions Lead us not into Tentation Give us our daily Bread i. e. in the Antinomian sense Make us to know that thou hast not lead us that thou hast given us our daily Bread Will not this be found a sensless gloss nay an utter perverting of our Saviours intention And why then should it hold only in the fifth Petition and in none of the other 2. Adde this That one end of our daily address to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is to obtain the Remission of our sins by the application of Christs blood The words of our Saviour touching the Wine are these This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you and for many for the Remission of sins That in it as we have often need by reason of our daily Transgressions so we may often look upon that Brasen serpent for the cure of our often bitings Thus what we ask of God in prayer the same in the Sacrament doth God bestow upon us viz. The daily pardon of our daily sins Were it not in this respect needful to provide for our wants was the pardon of all actual sins at once sealed in this Sacrament as is the pardon of our Original guilt sealed in Baptism what necessity to receive this Sacrament any oftner then we do the other sc. once for all 3. And above all it is a ground of Religion that nothing is to be received and believed but what is Revealed to us for a truth by the Word of God Now there is no ground in the Word of God for any particular person to believe that his sins are remitted already before he do repent and believe in Christ The Word of God sets down what counsel hath been given to men that they might obtain Remission Act. 2. 38. and 3. 19. But no where doth the Scripture say to this or that man Thy sins be forgiven And for any man to perswade himself of Remission before it be yea before he hath a word for it is presumption and not saith The Antinomian Doctors say That the Spirit of God doth reveal it in the heart of a man and the Voice of the Spirit is the Testimony of truth In very deed we may not refuse the Testimony of the Spirit nor question the truth of it But in as much as we know that Satan doth somtimes transform himself into an Angel of Light and that there be many false Spirits in which respect the Apostles bids us to try the Spirits nor doth Satan seduce only by the Doctrines of men but also by false suggestions whispering to the sinner comfort upon false grounds How shall we discern the Testimony of the Spirit from the suggestion of Satan They Answer Hereby it is discerned Because it speaketh things consonant to the Scripture Let this be manifested and the question is at an end But where doth the Scripture countenance that Voice of the Spirit speaking to the sinner and saying Thou art justified in the sight of God and thy sin pardoned and that long ago in the day of Christs Passion How I say is this proved to be according to the Scriptures They say The Scripture holdeth forth the Free Grace of God in Christ viz. That Christ is given a Saviour for sinners for Enemies for the Rebellious That God doth justifie the Wicked and the ungodly even when and while they are such That he calleth for no works of mans Righteousness nor any previous dispositions to qualifie men that may come to Christ So that neither Impiety nor Enmity can cast in any bar to hinder him that will lay hold upon Christ This we do not much question but withall we adde That the Scripture doth also call upon sinners to Repent and turn to the Lord that so they may be pardoned and their sins bloted out and in as much as we know that one Text of Scripture is no less truth then another nor may we so cleave to the one as to neglect the other for they are not contradictory if rightly understood we conclude that Christ is held forth a Saviour to sinners but so that they repent and forsake their sins not else no sin not the greatness of any sin no nor the multitude of great Transgressions can bar the humble Penitent Saint Iohn saith If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us 1 Iob. 1. 7. Note that If q. d. If not then there is no ground to hope for it Again we say That God doth justifie the ungodly as Christ doth save sinners in sensu diviso i. e. Not while they are ungodly not while they are sinners but when they have forsaken their wicked ways have turned to the Lord by true and sound repentance That text of Rom. 4. 5. speaking of him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly must not be understood simply of such a one that doth nothing at all but respectively of such a one as doth not rest upon his works nor rely upon his Righteousness but renouncing his own works doth cast himself upon the Free Grace of God nor doth it use that word ungodly in the common sense sâ— for one that hath no goodness in him at all but in a limited sense viz for one that wanteth such a perfection of goodness as on which he may build the hopes of his justification And the reason of this explication is because the proposition is drawn from the instance of Abraham a man certainly not altogether void of works and Righteousness though not so complete and perfect in them as that he durst rest upon them but renouncing his works he did cast himself upon the Free grace of God and so was justified by his Faith Consequently that voice of Revelation in man which teacheth him to comfort himself in the assurance of his justification without any respect to the work of Repentance wrought in him this is not the voice of Gods spirit but the delusion of Satan There is no word of God on which to ground such an assurance and therefore it may not be received nor believed for truth it being a ground of our Religion That nothing is to be received but what is revealed by the word of God I might adde this also Nothing is to be received as a truth which is cross and contrary to the Text of Scripture Now that sins should be actually pre-remitted before-hand and the person actually justified before that by Faith he be United to Christ how doth it not cross that Text of Saint Paul Rom. 3. 25. where speaking of the Remission of sin
by the blood of Christ he mentioneth not sin indifinitely but Sins that are past for the Remission of sins that are past I know that some do by this phrase Sins that are past understand the Transgressions of them who lived in the time before Christ the Transgressions against the first Covenant Heb. 9. 15. But whether this be not an over-great straitning of the Text I leave it to the judgement of the Learned That of Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God alleaged by some to prove No Iustification before Faith is by H. D. turned off as not to the purpose Why so To please God saith he is to do things pleasing to God which cannot be done without Faith But he cannot so easily turn of those Texts Joh. 3. 18. and Eph. 2. In the former saith our blessed Saviour He that believeth not is condemned already How so Is the sentence of condemnation judicially past upon him or is the meaning of it that he is in the state of condemnation or in the words of John Baptist Verse 26. The wrath of God abideth upon him viz. till by Faith he lay hold upon Christ By nature we are the children of wrath saith Saint Paul we as well as others Jews and Gentiles one common estate of all till by Grace by a Quickning grace there be put a difference and this Grace is effectual through Faith Verse 8. Consequently no actual Remission of sin before the work of Grace which is yet more apparent from Verse 12. where speaking of those that then were quickned and justified he saith That before that work of Grace calling them and quickning to a communion with Christ they were without Christ without hope It is an overbase and unworthy conceit of the Scripture which is implied in the Answer that he maketh viz. This were something if we were so in Gods account as well as in our own esteem Unworthy of the Scripture is this conceit for whose Word is the Text of Scripture From whose dictating is it penned Doth Saint Paul in those words set down the judgement of men touching the state of Nature or rather the minde of God If so Howsoever in the purpose of God they were appointed to the effects and fruits of Love yet for the present they were not fitted for it till quickned by Grace Consequently not justified from their sins before their calling much less acquitted of their debts before they had run out into any sinful arrerages No Pre-remission of sin before it be committed CHAP. V. The way of seeking vesolution touching our Adoption and Justification by signs and marks viz. The fruits of Sanctification whether it be altogether unsatisfactory THere be who teach That no fruit of Sanctification if it speak as the Lord giveth it to speak can speak peace to the soul And that inherent Qualifications are but doubtful Evidences for Heaven consequently that the way of seeking resolution by them is altogether unsatisfactory This conclusion I grant must needs follow upon those premises but how are they proved The reason alleaged is builded upon Gal. 3. 10. The Law is not of Faith but the voice of the Law is this Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them Are there not failings in all Can that that is full of failings speak peace How then can it secure a man that he hath Interest in Christ But now by this text alleaged to prove their position and by the Argument framed upon it it is evident that either they do not rightly understand what it is that we teach or will not rightly propound it For did we indeed hold forth these Qualifications to be immediate evidences in the way of a legal Righteousness then did they speak to the point Not so now when as we do only account them mediate Evidences and that in a way of Evangelical Righteousness We do not say That he that is Holy and Righteous is adopted for his Holiness or justified for his Righteousness or saved for his good works and duties performed No But this we say He that is Holy and Righteous is discerned to be Adopted Rom. 8. 14. They who are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God And whoso is adopted is justified and shal be saved Sanctification is an Evidence of Adoption and Justification not ex Antecedente but ex Consequente Not that either of these doth casually depend upon that but because there is an inseparable Connexion of all these in the person Adopted Saint Pauls Argument runneth thus Ye shall live because ye are children and known to be children because led by the spirit For the further clearing of this truth and discovering of Errors that darken the light and lustre of it I shall propound and prosecute these two propositions 1. That this is the way which the Saints of God have gone in seeking for and setting forth the evidence of their Salvation 2. That the new way of Evidencing only by the spirit and Faith cannot lay the Ground of a setled Peace except the work of the sanctifying spirit be also sought to give in Testimony The first Proposition This is the way which the Saints of God have gone in seeking for and setting forth the evidence of their Salvation I manifest this by three Texts which I make choice of to examine what Doctor Crisp hath objected against the instance of these three Graces Vniversal Obedience Sincerity of Heart and the Love of the Brethren which he refuseth as insufficient evidence of justification 1. Text. Psal. 119. 6. Saith David Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments where note 1. His expectation Not be ashamed or confounded viz. when I am questioned either by God or Man 2. The ground of this When I have respect to all thy Commandments Do we not see That David doth comfortably assure himself that his Universal Obedience should give him boldness and confidence Whereupon is that it in ver. 5. His earnest desire was Oh that my ways were so directed that I might keep thy Commandments Now then was it so with David I might adde Job also whence that Confidence of his expressed Job 13. 15. and 27. 16. Is it not from his integrity see Chap. 23. 10. 13. and Chap. 31. was it so with them and may it not be so with us Had sanctification a greater influence upon their Spiritual estate then it hath upon ours Doubtless the Conscionable care of Universal Obedience is an Evidence and comfortable Ground of our assurance Object But how can this be an Evidence which Paul rejecteth as dross and dung Phil. 3. He was blameless as touching the Righteousness of the Law yet rejecteth it and will not rest upon it Sol. True indeed He was in his own opinion and in others also But this was only a Pharisaical blamelesness such as that that is mentioned Luke 16. 15. and 18.
so yet so intricate is this way of Examination that a Christian shall finde himself much puzzled in it Why so Because hard it is to know both what it is to love and who is a Brother And till these be known how can we try our selves by the Sign Sol. Grant it to be hard yet if not impossible we know that difficulty doth not take off but stirreth up diligence What it is to love we may learn from 1 Cor. 13. 5. and 1 Job 3. 16 17. And who is a brother from Gal. 6. 10. Quest But who can truly say I love the Brethren if those be acts effects and properties of love Who can approve himself to have loved in all those particulars Ans. Even he that hath received the Spirit of God for Love is one of the fruits of the Spirit And though peradventure he hath not attaind to that perfection of love which another hath himself desires yet is he not therfore excluded from the truth therof Quest But who can know that this or that man is a Brother Doth not this Brotherhood confist in being united unto Christ Doth any man know this but God alone Ans. Is not this in effect to tell the Apostle he speaks absurdly and sets down a mark of knowing which cannot be known For when the Apostle saith We know Because we love Doth he not pre-suppose that it may be known We love the Brethren both in respect of the Act and Object i. e. both what it is to love and who are the brethren But admit that I cannot infallibly discern who is and who is not a Brother yet may I discern the ground of my love to him viz. because I conceive him to be a Brother I love him under that notion Object So do Papists and Sectaries these love their own and under the notion of Brethren Sol. It may be so but what then Is this therefore no sign or mark of our spiritual condition which St. John hath set down But indeed neither Papists nor Sectaries do love under this notion in St. Johns meaning if their love be confined to Papists and Sectaries He loveth a man under the right notion of a Brother who doth love him eo nomine because there is Aliquid Christi in him because he is of the Houshold of Faith a believer in Christ But if in case of a Brothers necessity yet there be no fruit of love to be seen except also there be in him Aliquid nostri viz. That he be of our Sect and Opinion If all Christianity be confined within the narrow compass of this or that Opinion surely this is not to love the Brethren Let all Sectaries look to it and the Antinomians by name who pretend to be the only Brethren because they only sit down by the free grace of God and rest themselves upon the promises of the Gospel though they see themselves full of sin Let them I say look to it for if their Charity will not extend it self to relieve the necessities and bear with the infirmities of those other whom they accuse to run after Moses and the Law for their peace and satisfaction of Spirit in as much as they cannot but know that if we do erre it is through mis-understanding of the Scripture according to which we desire to frame all our faith and practises certainly they cannot approve themselves to love the Brethren you will say this may easily be retorted Nor will I deny the justness thereof should I suffer the difference of Opinion so far to draw off mine affection from any that professeth Christ as in the case of his necessity to neglect him to reckon him no better then a Turk I should doubt whether the Spirit of Christ dwelled in me or not Is he a man that would not succor a man though a Heathen or Turk against a Lyon or a Bear And is he a Christian that will not succor a Christian though perhaps a Papist or a Sectary against a Turk Is not the Text of St Paul plain Do good to all but especially to the Houshold of Faith And why to them especially But because they embrace the Gospel and so profess themselves the subjects and servants of Christ Truth it is that among them there is some difference also by a different measure of the Spirit And as each is before other in it so the especially falls upon him We say that God himself is the first and chief Beloved other things are loved for Gods sake viz. All the Creatures but especially Man because there is in him more of God then in the rest All men but especially Christians Because they profess subjection to Christ All Christians but especially them in whom the work of the Spirit is most eminent This it is to love the Brethren But now if beyond all this there must be Aliquid nostri in them some special Relation to us or else no love extended to them This is not to love the Brethren Of such St. Iohn addeth He that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death The second Proposition That the new way of evidencing our Adoption and Iustification only by the Spirit and Faith cannot lay the Ground of a firm setled Peace except the work of the Sanctifying Spirit also do come in to give Testimony For the manifestation of which I shall shew 1. What is delivered touching each 2. Wherein I conceive it to fail of the Truth First Touching the Spirit It is termed The Revealing evidence which speaks to a mans own Spirit saying Be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven Christ administred this Comfort only in general But the Spirit cometh home to every man in particular Whence he is called The Comforter because he so speaks to the Soul that the Judge is also satisfied And when men do fear My sin is not pardoned The Spirit speaks to the Soul and saith They are pardoned Till this be revealed all the World shall never satisfie the Soul all signs and marks are meer riddles The Spirit of Adoption teacheth as to cry Abba Father The Spirit it self i. e. the immediate voice of the Spirit without any instrument what God hath determined of this or that man is not set down in the scripture But it is revealed by the Spirit Hence the Spirit is the seal and the earnest To this effect the Antinomian Doctor And hereupon he expostulateth Why do men scorn and cry out of them that teach and profess this as of Enthusiasts men that have Revelations Is not saith he the Spirit of God the Spirit of Revelation Is he not given to reveal these things And to confess the truth In all this I see not what can be denyed or much doubted of though all his proofs are not convincing that one Text of Rom. 8. 16. doth speak home to the point That the Spirit of God is the Revealing evidence The voice of the Spirit is the chief though not the only Testimony of our Adoption But all the
Christ Nor is there any other end of our Faith save onely to manifest what is done long ago by God and Christ 3. That we may save all our care and fear for the work is done to our hand yea to think that we must take pains to get pardon is a deceitful Imagination 4. That our Righteousness may hinder our closing with Christ so may our sinfulness c. Not much unlike is the dealing of another of the same Society Who having set these two truths 1. That Christ hath taken away sin out of the sight of God by a sacrifice the effect whereof is Atonement and Peace 2. That he hath taken sin also out of the Conscience that so we might have the answer of a good Conscience and this is the effect of our Faith Act. 15. 9. Hence he draweth this conclusion That it is in effect the Doctrine of Antichrist the Man of sin whose design is to set up again what Christ hath destroyed To perswade any that sin is not taken away out of Gods sight or out of the Conscience till the work of Baptism and of Repentance To say That Baptism taketh away sin out of the Conscience Or that Repentance washeth away sin That no forgiveness of sin with God before Repentance Nay he closeth up the discourse with this speech Doth any declare Repentance to be a mean to obtain Remission It is a footstep of Antichrist These inserences being so dissonant from the truth give us cause to suspect the grounds on which they are builded and upon Examination we finde that the Explication of the Points delivered is not sound Touching the first man Who from that text God hath laid on him grounded those Points aforementioned viz. That God hath laid upon Christ all the sins of the Elect and that therefore men do needlesly trouble themselves by putting them again into the Conscience And that they should rest upon this assured ground that all their sins are so done away that there is no need of Repentance and Humiliation for them This man I say either did not throughly look into the text to finde out the true meaning of that phrase or else did willingly neglect it as not fit for his purpose For I desire it may be seriously considered whether that phrase The Lord hath laid upon him doth intend any more then what St. Paul hath expressed in that verb {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 3. 25. God hath set him forth or pre-ordained him to be a propitiation in which respect it is that he is called The Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World i. e. The Lamb the sacrifice of Expiation which God hath appointed for that end And so the words of the Prophet do give us this as the intention of God that though we every one of us have gone astray and so incurred the just wrath and displeasure of God yet doth not God lay the punishment of our transgression upon our own persons but hath appointed him the Lord Christ to bear the punishment and satisfie the Iustice of God so that we do make the fault and he doth bear the blame But now as touching the mean and maner how the fruit of this sacrifice shall redound to us whether absolutely without any intervenient act of man or conditionally in and upon mans recourse to Christ this is not determined in that text but to be fought elswhere Consequently to that which he urgeth That it is Gods own act to lay iniquity upon Christ and that it is done long since We may Reply This is little to the point the Pre-ordination of Christ in this office is Gods own act man hath no hand in it No nor in the purchase of pardon that is Christs own act Both these are done long since yet this hinders not but that in the Application of it to man which cannot be till man have a being it hinders not I say but that man may have his Act as indeed he hath The which is evident by that Analogy which holdeth betwixt the Type and the Truth the sins of the people were not laid upon the Sacrifice but by the hand of Man God indeed appointed the Sacrifices for Expiation and in that sence may be said to lay the iniquity of the sinner upon the sacrifice but beside this the man that brought the sacrifice was to lay his hand upon it And yet more evident is this in that Doctrinal Ceremony of the Scape-goat in Lev. 16. 22. Till the Priest by Confession of the iniquities and transgressions of the people had laid them on him the Scape-Goat did not bear them away So that Man also hath his act in laying iniquity upon Christ no less then God not in the preparation of the price but in the way of Application Adde this that the words Vs all which he applyeth to sinners contending against the necessity of inherent Qualifications in any to dispose them and make them fit to receive the benefit of redemption purchased these words I say are not Universal but only in relation to the Church of God So that till a man be of the Church and in the Number of Believers he may not include himself in the list of them to whom it doth belong For why If it belong to sinners as sinners then to all sinners And so he will lay the Ground for an Universal Redemption which I believe he doth not intend If this Redemption belong not to all as sinners and yet the terms of the promise run in the Universal then some act of Man sanctified by the spirit of God must come in between by which he may be included before he conclude for himself Truth it is That no sin may keep off the penitent soul from closing with Christ And if in saying that this grace is appliable by forgiveness of sin to persons before the least measure of sanctification if he intend no more but this that such is the vertue and value of Christs Sacrifice that no sin how great soever can hinder the hope of Pardon in case he come in and apply himself to Christ I know no man that will not subscribe No sin may may keep off the Penitent but till man be Penitent no man may close with Christ nor conclude to himself the Remission of sin The reason hereof is because mens names are not set down in the Book of God They must know that the conclusion of Comfort is by the way of a practical Syllogism in which alway the Assumption is the Testimony of the Conscience touching that work of Grace in the heart to which the promise is made ex gr. He that believeth in the name of the Son of God shall not perish If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Here is the Promise made to the Penitent believer now saith the Conscience I do believe I do confess my sins this is the Testimony of the sanctified Conscience speaking
but because there is truth in God to perform his Promises And we repent because we believe Remission Here note That to believe Remission may be considered either in the Promise or in the Performance The Promise of Remission is made for the Penitent and Repentance required as a mean to fit men for it Is not this evident by the Preaching of Christ and his Apostles Mar. 1. 15. Act. 2. 38. and 3. 19. The performance of this promised Remission doth presuppose Penitency in the sinner yea and doth put him more upon it So that as of Faith there is one act that doth go before Remission and another act that doth follow after So also of Repentance there is somthing of it doth go before Faith and something also doth follow after Indeed saith this Author Judas Repentance may go before Faith i. e. before the knowledge of Remission But Godly Repentance doth follow after I might reply That is improperly said to go before this Faith when as this Faith doth never follow after Doubtless if Faith be the knowledge of Remission it doth never follow upon Judas Repentance But this I rather reply That it was not a Judas Repentance that went before Remission in the Old Testament nor is it a Judas Repentance which the Apostle doth call for to this end that their sin might be blotted out Act. 3. 19. Nor can it with reason be denyed but that he who saith Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out doth leave them to conclude that unless they do repent their sins shall not be blotted out And again that if they do repent their sin shall be blotted out Consequently there is a Repentance which is required as a mean to obtain Remission and that by the warrant of Scripture-Text And therefore it is no Doctrine of Antichrist not footstep of the Man of Sin to declare Repentance as a mean of Remission But now to return to the Question propounded viz. Whence is it that sin doth trouble and terrifie the Conscience I should rather give this answer The reason is Because sin is not yet taken away out of the Conscience by the Application of the blood of Christ To say that there is no sin at all in the Conscience when we feel the sting and terror thereof is it not in effect to say No mote in the eye no thorn in the flesh when we feel the pain and pricking of it How doth it vex if it be not there Doubtless while it vexeth it is not quite taken forth nor is the rankling of it quite healed The Indisposition of the Body may adde to the distemper of the minde till it be removed and cured by Physick But when the body is in good order and yet the Conscience in spiritual distress doth it not appear that sin lyeth at the Door and must be removed out of the Conscience by the Application of the Blood of Christ Application of the Plaister is no less necessary then the preparation of it The Brazen-serpent set up cured none that would not look up to it Nor doth Christ cure any that will not believe him And how do we believe in him if we do not apply our selves to him for remedy This application of the blood of Christ is wrought by the Minstery of the Word and Sacraments hence it is called The Ministery of Reconciliation In which and by which God dispenseth his favors and comforts to them of his Houshold And by those Ordinances doth he bring home the blood of Christ to the Soul and Conscience of the worthy receiver And as in the Old Testament the guilt of sin was not removed out of the Conscience till the sacrifice appointed for this or that sin was offered which is not improbably aleaged as a reason why the sin of David lay so heavy upon him even because he made no hast to confess his sin and to bring his sacrifice without which no Remission so in the New Testament sin is not removed out of the Conscience till by the Ministery of Reconciliation the blood of Christ be applyed to the Conscience for the cure thereof God hath appointed the Ministery for this end and he will have his Ordinances honored and workings of his spirit in them acknowledged It is not for this cause that many who seek for Comfort with much importunity of prayer and supplication yet are held off for a long time Even because they do not address themselves to God in his Ordinances And here is that necessity and usefulness of Baptism to take away sin out of the Conscience which so much displeased the Antinomian Doctor nor of Baptism only but of the Lords Supper also yea of the whole Ministery of the Gospel Not as if the Word and Sacraments or the Ministery that dispenseth them had any power and efficacy in themselves But as hath been said because these are the Instruments of the spirit in applying the blood of Christ which alone is the remedy of our spiritual malady Note This Ministerial Application is only to the worthy Receiver And none such doth the Text of Scripture acknowledge but him who being truly humbled and grieved for his sin for this and that sin in particular doth judge himself And then by Faith looking up to Christ on the Cross as did Israel look up to the brazen serpent and resting upon the passion of Christ as the only satisfaction of Gods justice desireth to be purged in his Blood And in testimony of his Faith in the blood of Christ doth draw near to the Ordinance of Application that therein he may be made partaker of the blood of Christ to purge his Conscience and quiet his minde And here is the necessity of Repentance without which no Remission the second point of Antichristianism in the Antinomians account Not as if Repentance hath any efficacy of a meritorious yea or of an efficient cause but because Faith neither ought nor indeed can close with Christ and draw vertue from him for the purging of the Conscience but when it self is lodged in a penitent soul The Reason is Because so must the promise of pardon by Christ be receiv'd by man as it is tendred to him And this is not to the sinner as a sinner but to the sinner as humble and penitent as before was shewed So then the Answer of the Question returns to this Sin doth yet terrifie the Conscience notwithstanding that Christ on the Cross hath satisfied for it and so obtained reconciliation for the sinner Because otherwhiles men are not careful to seek for the Application of Christs blood to themselves in the Ordinances appointed What wonder if Israel dye of the serpent bitings if they will not look up to the Brazen serpent so here if men neglect the means of remedy what wonder is it if they lie and languish Object But even they that have often sought to God in these Ordinances yea and with much care have prepared themselves for the worthy receiving of
all How then shall any one know whether his part and portion be in that Many or not Ans. Surely say we by the work of Grace in the heart by the Spirit of Sanctification which doth always go along with the Spirit of Adoption and the work of Justification This hath passed for a Truth without any opposition till of late The Antinomians cannot away with inherent Qualifications No certainty can be gathered from the say these men Against whom see the Ancient Truth maintained and the New way convinced of insufficiency Chap. 5. For he shall bear their iniquities This is the Confirmation of the Proposition He shall justifie because He shall bea By bearing iniquities we understand Suffering the punishment due to their sin as a Sacrifice to make an Atonement to satisfie the Justice of God and so to take away the sin of man Hence then we see that Justification is transacted by Christ and he is said to justifie many Not by the way of Instruction as say the Socinians viz. Propounding the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace in which is contained the way and maner of Justification In this sense the Apostles to say nothing of Moses and the Prophets might be said to justifie many inasmuch as they had an eminent service in publishing the Gospel to the world but doubtless Christ had no partners in the Justification of these many So then not by the Instruction is it but by the way of Acquittance and Absolution This is plain but that is farther to be enquired How cometh sin to trouble and vex the conscience if it be taken away Hath Christ born yea born away for so we understand the word bear he doth not only ferre but auferre so bear them as to bear them away Hath Christ born them away and are they brought back again Here again we must Conflict with these Antinomians Old Truths do not please them they have a New way for this also the unsufficiency whereof together with the right way of satisfying the Conscience and taking away the scruple of sin see fully explicated Chap. 6. According to this Method have I finished my Meditations upon this Text of Scripture chosen of purpose to examine the Truth or Falshood of some Points of Antinomianism An Enterprise to which I confess I had bound my self by Vow and Promise made to God in the day of some distress which had befaln me To the performance of which Vow I was engaged by obtaining at the hand of God the gracious grant of my desire which with all thankfulness I do acknowledge and by mine experience can witness That an holy and religious Vow is a ready mean to obtain of God the gracious grant of our just desires Holy and Religious I account that which is framed according to the Rules of Religion One special Rule of Religion is That each Christian in his place and calling do set himself with the best of his abilities to that work which the present times may shew to be most necessary for the advancement of Gods glory I in my place of the Ministery what could I do rather or more tending to this end then to set my self to oppose the present Errors which darken the Truth of God and defile the Purity of our holy Profession This Error of Antinomianism I chese to deal in because I conceived it one of the most dangerous Doctrines that are broached in these days Satan doth never more harm then when he is transformed into an Angel of Light Nor is any Error more dangerous then that by which Christian Liberty is used as an occasion to the Flesh by which the care and conscience of the Law the Rule of Holiness is weakned and worn away by which the Soul and Conscience is steeled and stiffned against the sense and remorse of sin and sinfulness In this I have done what I could If not with strength enough to convince or cleerness enough to perswade yet with a sincere heart and a desire to do good God is my witness And I bless God both for his Assistance enabling me to do what I have done and also for those blessed opportunities which his Providence hath afforded me to do mine endeavor in the course of my Ministery to set forth the Truth of God and to seek the glory of his Name AN EXAMINATION Of the chief Points of ANTINOMIANISM CHAP. I. Touching the Law of Moses Whether altogether abolished so that it is of no use to the Believer now in the time of the Gospel Also whether it do not binde Believers to the Duties of Holiness as well now as it did in the time of the Old Testament THere is a Generation of men risen up again in this last Age of the Church who would gladly banish the Preaching of the Law and all legal Duties out of the Church of Christ The Law say they is abolished the Conscience of the Christian is not bound to the Law they are false Teachers who call men to the practise of the Law and the Duties therein contained This Doctrine of theirs is a word that will eat as doth a Canker till it hath fretted out all care of Holiness and good Works if not prevented Let it not then be thought impertinent this being the time of their infection if by examining their Grounds and discovering the weakness and unsoundness of them I seek what lyeth in me to prevent the further spreading of this evil The Antixomian this name is given him for that he opposeth the Preaching and pressing of the Law he I say buildeth upon these and the like Texts Rom. 6. 14. 7. 4. 10. 4. Gal. 3. 10. 5. 1. whence they argue to this effect If Believers be not under the Law nay if dead to the Law by the body of Christ and so delivered from the Law whereupon Christ is termed the end of the Law Then to call them back again to the Law and the dominion thereof is to draw them from Christ and from that Liberty which Christ hath purchased for them whereas the Apostle doth charge the Galatians to stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free and not to suffer themselves to be again entangled in the yoke of Bondage Thus they as I finde by that Book of Ro Town Intituled The Assertion of Grace or A ' Defence of the Doctrine of free Justification For clearing of this our Divines distinguish The Law of Moses delivered to the Church of Israel was partly Moral partly Ceremonial Moral so called because it was the Rule of good maners toward God and toward man And it is to be considered either in respect of the Substance or the Circumstance In respect of the Substance it is the comprehension of those Duties of Holiness which God had either imprinted in the heart or revealed to the ear of Adam and his Posterity in that Age of the Church which lived before the writing of the Law And so it is the