is of good and great vse for preseruing of true Christian doctrine for iudging of all kinde of life and lawes of men and for triall of spirits And all this we willingly grant assent vnto And how I pray you doth this point agree with yours That the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished Nay doth it not rather pull yours in peeces and wholly deuoure your whole Law and your wholly too As p Exod. 7.12 Aarons rod deuoured the rods of the Inchanters of Aegypt Luthers rod hath this truth written vpon it The Law of Moses is of great and good vse therfore it deuoures yours which beares engrauen vpon it this error The whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished But take you good leaue to make your owne Argument your selfe and let vs see of what strength and consequence it will be Luther say you * Antinom affirmeth that the Law of Moses is of good and great vse for preseruing of true Christian doctrine for iudging of all kinde of life and lawes of men and for triall of spirits Therefore you conclude that he agreeth with you in this point That the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished * Answere As much agreement there may be betwixt fire and water light and darknesse truth and error as betwixt his Antecedent and your consequent Will you see what life and light sinewes and ioynts it hath by another like vnto it The Ancient Canons of the 4. first generall q 1. Concil Nicen. 2. Constantinop 3. Ephesin 4. Chalcedon Vide Euseb de vita Constant lib. 3. cap. 7. Theodoret. Eccles Hist lib. 5. cap. 6. 9. Euagr. Histor Eccles lib. 2. cap. 4. Counsells are of great and good vse for preseruing of true doctrine for iudging all kinde of life lawes and opinions of men and for triall of spirits Ergo All the Canons of the first 4. generall Counsels are wholly abolished and abrogated What connexion is here betwixt the Antecedent and the consequent Would not the cleane contrarie be more necessarily concluded Ergo All the Canons of the 4. first generall Councels are yet in force and neither wholly nor in part abolished nor abrogated Non r Cicero lib 4. Acad quast ovum ovo similius quà m Servilius Servilio One egge is not more like another then this Argument is like to yours And what thinke you of this Luther himselfe on Gal. 3. the same chapter which you alledge for you doth most euidently fight against you Å¿ Luth. on Gal. 3. fol. 131 152. There is saith he a double vse of the Law the first vse is to bridle the wicked and to restraine sinne as men vse to restraine Lions and Beares with bonds and chaines that they teare and diuoure not euery thing they meet And this he calleth a ciuill vse of the Law Another vse of the Law is diuine and spirituall which is as Paul saith to increase transgression i. o reueale vnto man his sinne his blindnes his miserie his impietie his ignorance hatred and contempt of God death hell iudgement and the deserued wrath of God Of this vse the Apostle intreateth notably in the 7. to the Romans Luther you see doth otherwise iudge of colours then you doe certainly either your eyes were not matches or your spectacles not of the same nor so true a sight as his were You say the whole Law is wholly abolished he saith and not onely faith it but proueth it by Scripture too That it is not wholly abolished but hath yet his double vse both ciuill and spirituall t Quint. Orat. Instit lib. 5. cap. 12. Ascâ—nius Paedi in Cic. Orat. pro M. Scauro Valerius Max lib. 3. cap. 7. Q. Varus Hispanus Marcum Scaurum Principem Senatus socios in arma ait concitasse Marcus Scaurus princeps Senatus negat vtri vos Quirites convenit credere You I know not who say that Luther a Captaine of the Lords hoast hath both stirred vp others and taken armes himselfe for the abolishing of the whole Morall Law Luther a leader of the Lords armies doth vtterly denie it whether of you two should now be better credited let the Christian reader iudge But it may be you take hold of this that Luther mentioneth the u Luth. on Gal. 4.27 fol. 222. abolishing of the Law saying it is necessary to know and vnderstand well the doctrine of the abolishment of the Law c. Gal. 4.27 Men that are in danger of falling or drowning will catch at any thing which may seeme to helpe them although it be vtterly vnable to doe them any good So said x Hieron advers Ruffin Apol. lib. 2. Ierome of Ruffinus Tantum me diligit ut raptus turbine in profundum dimersus meum potissimum invadat pedem ut mecum aut liberetur aut pereat You catch at this word Abolishment of the Law and yet it will neither stay you nor stand you in any stead for Luther speakes only of the abolishing of certaine vses of the Law as for righteousnesse iustification life and saluation for terrifying accusing condemning those that are iustified by faith in Christ Iesus so farre he acknowledgeth and we with him that the * Calu. de usu legis Harmon in 4. Libros Mosis p. 442 August de Spiritu litera cap. 4. 5. 10. Morall Law for these offices and vses is abolished The very light and euidence of the opposition which in the same sentence he maketh betwixt Moses and Christ workes and faith seruitude by the Law and libertie by the Gospell iustification and condemnation terrors and conflicts of conscience and sound and certaine consolation of the same might haue manifested and made knowne thus much vnto you had you been as carefull to seeke the truth of his doctrine and to taste his true meaning in it as you were willing to feed your owne fancie only with the bare letters and leaues of it y Tertul. Scorpiâ—…c advers Gnostic cap. 7. Tertullian saith Verba non sono solo sapiunt sed sensu nec auribus tantùm audienda sunt sed mentibus As z Hieron in Gal. 1. Non in verbis sed in sensu non in superficie sed in medulla non in sermonum folijs sed in radice rationis pag. 162. Ierome said of the sense of the Scripture it is not in cortice orationis sed in radice rationis so may we say of mens writings we must seeke for the meaning by the matter as well as by the letter and lend our eares to listen and obserue what they desire to speake and not make them speake only what we desire to heare vnlesse we will be like little children who hauing some fancie running in their heads imagine the bells to ring and sing as they thinke and speake Let me in loue aduise you when you alledge an Author to giue euidence for any point bring not in testem sine testimonio a man that hath nothing to
THE OFFICE AND VSE OF the Morall Law of God in the dayes of the GOSPELL Iustified and explained at large by Scriptures Fathers and other Orthodoxe Diuines SO FARRE AS OCCASION was giuen by a scandalous Pamphlet sent abroad of late into the hands of diuers good Christians pretending great reason and reading for the vtter abrogating and abolishing of the whole Law of MOSES since the death of CHRIST By WILLIAM HINDE sometimes Fellow of Queenes Colledge in Oxford and now Preacher of Gods Word at BVNBVRY in CHESHIRE HOS 8.12 I haue written vnto him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing MATTH 5.19 Whosoeuer shall breake one of these least Commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen LONDON Printed by Iohn Haviland for Thomas Pavier and are to be sold at his shop in Ivy Lane 1622. Antinomus Anonymus OR A SCANDALOVS Pamphlet of a namelesse Aduersary of the Morall Law of God intending thereby to proue if he could that In the Church of Christ since his death the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished SIR This pamphlet was directed and sent unto a religious and gracious Gentleman Mr. Iohn Foxe late Steward to the right Honorable the Earle of Darby of his L. of Berry and Pilkinton in Lancashire you may well thinke mee slacke in performance of my promise and not vnlike but you in respect thereof thinke that I faint in the cause but it is farre otherwise with me for the more that I consider of it the more I am confirmed in the truth of it and the more I discerne the many errors that rise out of the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell Luther on Gal. 3.21 saith The knowledge of this difference keepeth all Christian doctrine in its true and proper vse Also it maketh a faithfull man iudge ouer all kinde of life ouer the Lawes and decrees of all men and ouer all doctrine whatsoeuer and it giueth them power to trie all manner of Spirits And on Gal. 4.27 he also saith As it is the most principall and speciall article of Christian doctrine To know that we are iustified and saued by Christ so is it also very necessary to know and vnderstand well the doctrine concerning the abolishment of the Law for it helpeth very much to confirme our doctrine as touching faith and to attaine to sound and certaine consolation of conscience when we are assured that the Law is abolished and especially in great terrors and serious conflicts Thus far Luther who as you see agreeth with mee that the point is of great consequence and very necessary to be knowne of all that truly seeke Christ Iesus I will set you downe as briefly as I can what I conceiue and some testimonies for the same that are briefe and point you to some others that are more large The point is this In the Church of Christ since his death the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished or abrogated For as saith Tossanus in 2 Cor. 3. Licet unus sit Deus una semper fuerit Ecclesia idemque substantia foedus varia tamen hujus dispensatio fuit ut aliter agitur cum homine in infantia aliter in adolescentia aliter maturajam aetate Quo nomine Paulus ad Galatas 4o. Iudaeorum populum puero inter tutores educato comparat Lex fuit quidem à Deo data per virum Dei Mosen promulgata nec sine peculiari gloria sed Euangelium suam habet propriam gloriam quod non est literale solum ministerium aliquod jubens sed habet conjunctam efficaciam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus sancti 1 Cor. 2. Gal. 3. And Gualther on Gal. 3.19 20. Quia homines non semper stant conditionibus quas Deus ipsis praescribit aliter atque aliter cum ipsis agendum est Ideo tunc queque propter causas legem addi oportuit quae ad tempus duravit quam diu ejus usus fuit At nunc novi Testamenti tempus est quando lex Prophetae Euangelio cedunt ut tam Gentibus quà m Iudaeorum reliquijs in Regnum Dei vim facientibus locum dent 1. The whole Epistle to the Galatians importeth so much for it is the generall argument of that Epistle And that there is meant the Morall law as well as any other in Gal. 3.19.23 See also Calu. Iust 3.19.4 Beza in Gal 3.22 Perkins on Gal. 3.11.23 Pareus in argumento in Gal. 3. and in Columna 153. D. 229. A. 232. C. 246. C.D. 274. D. who though they speake but only vpon one or two places yet it will appeare that the like must be vnderstood in the whole Epistle One word in chap. 3.19 mis-translated in most vulgar translations drawes many men awry Serueth Neither the Greeke nor any Latine translation hath it But grant the word must needs come in to make vp the sense I cannot see how it can be sensibly in the present tense but rather in the preterimperfect tense seeing it is a question and the answer to it is in the preterimperfect tense plainly as both Bezaes note and others expound it Not vnlike to this is in Rom. 3.20 commeth or is which being read came or was of the time past maketh the sense good otherwise I cannot vnderstand the words for the time it is aduerse to Now that followeth immediatly after and therefore cannot be the same Another thing in this Epistle is worth noting that the Apostle cap. 4.1 by the Heire in minoritie meaneth the Synagogue or Church of the Iewes afore Christ or the Iewes themselues and by full age he meaneth the Church of Christ since his death or Christians themselues See Socrates lib. 5. ca 21. Tho. Aquin. 1. 2. q. 91. a. 5. 2. 2. q. 1. 7. 2. Calv. in Gal. 3.24 4.1 Gualther in eundem Beza in eundem Piscator in eundem Pareus in Gal. 4.3 col 265. B. 274. A. 276. A. 290. D. Perkins in Gal. 4.3 setteth it out very fully and withall sheweth most plainly that the words We or Vs are to be vnderstood of Paul himselfe and others that were Iewes And so doth Pareus expound them on Gal. 3.24 Luther not well vnderstanding this exposition but generally taking the nonage of the heire to be the state of the vnregenerate and the full age to be the comming of Christ in spirit to any man concludes the end of the Law to be at the comming of Christ into any mans heart though on the same Gal. 4.1 he acknowledgeth an end of the Law at the comming of Christ but doth not fully handle it so Whereas it is plaine that the Apostles meaning was so For he writ to the Churches of Galatia which were in a sort fallen from Christ Calv. in Gal. 1.2 and not particularly to them alone that were true beleeuers as he did to the Romans Ephesians Philippians and Colossians
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
tongue and pen and that much after the same manner also as Augustine did Et u August lib. 1. cont Adversarium legis cap. 1. quoniam quoquo modo Christianum se videri cupit unde ex Euangelio ex Apostolo ponit aliqua testimonia etiam Scripturis ad Novum testamentum pertinentibus refellendus est That seeing he would seeme to be a kinde of Christian and so sets downe diuers testimonies of the new Testament and of the learned expositors of the same hee shall in like manner be encountred and confuted by them both yet I say not to the same end ut x August ibid. ostendatur in reprehensione veterum inconfideratias quam versutius insanire but that being contrarie minded he may be instructed in the spirit 20 2 Tim. 2.25 26. of meeknesse to see if God peraduenture will giue him repentance to the forsaking of his error and acknowledging of that truth which I hope he shall see is not abolished but established in and by our Sauiour 1 Mat. ◠17 Christ Iesus And so I come to looke this Aduersarie of the morall law of God in the face and to trie both the worth of his treasure whereof he 2 Reuel 3.17 boasteth not a little and the force of his armour wherein he 3 1 Sam. 17.45 trusteth too much Yet not in any confidence of my owne either power or policie but in the name of the Lord and in the power of his might whose counsell and strength I craue for this warre and who doth not only furnish his souldiers with spirituall weapons 4 2 Cor. 10.4 5. mightie through GOD to cast downe strong holds but teacheth also their 5 Psal 144.1 hands to fight and their fingers to warre and their armes to breake euen a bow of steele Thus came 6 1 Sam. 17.45 50. Dauid furnished and encouraged against Goliah thus came the poore simple 7 Ruffin Eccles Histo lib. 1. cap. 3. Confessor against the proud and wittie Philosopher and both of them preuailed against their aduersaries Dauid against his for his confusion the Confessor against his for his conuersion Aduersary of the Morall Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SIr you may well thinke me slacke in performance of my promise and not vnlike but you in respect thereof thinke that I faint in the cause but it is farre otherwise with me for the more that I consider of it the more I am confirmed in the truth of it and the more I discerne the many errors that rise out of the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell Answer Sir how slacke you haue beene in performance of your promise I know not but it seemes you haue made some recompence of your slacknesse by your surenesse as you thinke that you might iustifie and make good the common prouerbe Though I be slow yet am I sure And I wish you had beene as prouident to bestow your studies well as you are confident that your cause is good or that your confidence be not greater then either your cause or your handling of it can wel afford for what is there in this your cause viz. In the Church of Christ since his death the whole law of Moses is wholly abolished and abrogated that can assure you of any warrant for the truth of it and what is there in your manner of dealing in it that can bring you any comfort or breed so great confidence in the so resolute defence of the same Had you drawne your pen and sharpened your stile either against the a August Quaest Veter Nov. Testam quaest 69. Ceremoniall Law that it is wholly vanished as a shadow because the Body is exhibited and abolished as a type because the truth is come Christ Iesus or against the b Et cont Adamant cap. 16. Iudiciall that it is abrogated also so farre as it was peculiar to the Mosaicall and Iewish policy you might peraduenture haue found some sorry c See Dana in August de Haeresib Centur. 2◠Aduersarie else-where both of former and of latter times but the most iudicious Diuines both ancient and moderne you should haue found your surest friends Nay further had you beene of opinion that euen the Morall law as it was giuen by God to Moses and by Moses to the Church of the Iewes is now in some circumstances of time place persons tables Testament manner measure terror rigor and the like * Vide Cal. Harmo in 4. Lib. Mosis p. 442 443 444. See these Fathers Iren. aduers Haeres Lib. 4. cap. 21. c. Numquid haec decologi praecepta cessasse dicenda sunt Absit inquit Augustin Quaest Vet. Nov. Test cap. 69. in Gal. cap. 3. altered and changed in the Church of Christ since his death you would not I thinke haue found many if any at all much differing and dissenting from you But seeing you haue drawne out your sword such as it is against the whole Law of Moses not against the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall only but euen against the Morall also and that not to alter or change it in some circumstance but to abrogate and abolish the very substance of it and that not in part but wholly too I know not the man that will stand with you strike one stroake for you or bid you so much as God speed in this cause or course 1 Numb 12. When Aaron and Miriam rose against Moses in great bitternesse both of spirit and speech the Lord tooke them vp sharply with this rebuke My seruant Moses is faithfull in all my house how then were yee not afraid to speake against my seruant Moses I make no doubt but euen at this day the Lord doth reckon of the Morall Law as of his seruant yea and doth esteeme it in his vse a faithfull seruant in his Church also how then were not you afraid to speake to write to fight with all the wit and power you haue against the whole body of the Morall Law and that not onely to weaken the credit and power of it but vtterly to abolish the very substance and being of it therewithall Seemeth it a small matter in your eies absolutely to abolish both Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Law d Lex Christianis est thesaurus abscōditus c. vide Irenae advers Haer. lib. 4. cap. 43. which yet retaine a e Bulling advers Anabap. lib. 2. cap. 15. lib. 4. cap. 4. spirituall and morall equity and as they are part of Gods Word shall endure for euer but you must needs deale in like sort with the Morall Law also You are farre I hope from 2 Ester 3.5 6. Hamans minde though in this your courses be not much vnlike he thought scorne to lay hands on Mordecai alone therefore he sought to destroy the whole people of the Iewes in one day and you thinke scorne to abolish the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall law alone and therefore
you seeke to destroy the whole Morall Law of God also If 3 Ierem. 11.19 Ieremie held them to bee of a cruell disposition that deuised deuices against him saying Let vs destroy the tree with the fruit thereof and let vs cut him off from the land of the liuing that his name be no more remembred of what disposition then shall wee take you to be that would cut downe this tree of Gods Law together with the fruit thereof first f Manu formatoris nostri in ipsis cordibus nostris veritas scripsit Quod tibi non vis fieri ne feceris alteri Vide August in Psal 57. vers 1. planted in Paradise in the heart of Adam some roots whereof doe yet remaine in the naturall man which being g Lex Dei in cordibus scribitur non quia per naturam praeventa sit gratia sed quia per gratiam reparata est natura Vide August de vera Innocent cap. 258. transplanted by grace into the heart of the regenerate and spirituall and there rooted by faith watered by the word and warmed by the spirit doe yeeld sweet fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse to the praise and glory of God by Christ Iesus But seeing we cannot stay your hand let vs see if we can take away the dint of your stroake and abate the edge of your axe wherewith you strike to destroy the whole Morall Law Wherein howsoeuer we may faile yet are we well assured that rather shall the head fly from the helue and both fall into the bottomlesse pit and you cry out and confesse as once one of the sonnes of the 4 2 Kings 6.5 Prophets did in such a case Alas master it was but borrowed than euer this tree of the Morall law of God shall be hewen downe by your hands And first I cannot but admire againe your high conceit of your selfe great confidence in your cause and setled resolution to h Elati sibi placentes Hypocritae quaestus gratiâ inanis gloriae operantes Omnes hi decidunt à veritate alienum ignem afferentes ad altare Dei i. alienas doctrinas Vide Iren. aduersus Haeres lib. 4. cap. 43. stand stoutly to the defence of it for whereas your friend to whom you write might thinke that by reason of your slacknesse you did faint in the cause as you obiect for him you answer for your selfe in these words But it is farre otherwise with me for the more that I consider of it the more I am confirmed in the truth of it and the more I discerne of the many errors that arise out of the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell Bigge words messengers of a braue heart Your cause concerning the whole abolishing of the whole Morall Law is now no longer a bare assertion but a setled perswasion for you are confirmed in the truth of it neither came you vnto this by any light opinion but by mature deliberation for you haue more and more considered of it and this consideration hath brought you with it a greater measure of illumination for by the light of this truth you are able to discerne many errors which by reason of their blinde ignorance none else can see but such as you thinke good to lend your spectacles vnto to discouer them And from all these ariseth your courage and resolution that it is so farre from you to faint in the cause that being more and more confirmed in the truth of it you are now fully resolued to set your best wits and your friends aworke stoutly to maintaine and defend it But what said the 5 1 King 20.11 King of Israel to the King of Syria Let not him that girdeth on his harnesse boast himselfe as he that putteth it off Be not so confident that your building will stand vnlesse the foundation be sure and the frame sound and good If the 6 Luc. 6.48 49. foundation be â—and and the frame 7 1 Cor. 3.11 12 13 14 15. hay and stubble it will neuer abide the touch much lesse the force either of water or of fire Many there are that build Castles in the aire and thinke them to be turrets of truth and forts of defence But when the Lord shall awaken them out of their dreame and anoint their eies with the 8 Reu. 3.18 eie-salues of grace and 9 1 Ioh. 2.27 truth they shall then see that what they built was but vpon the sand of fancie not vpon the rocke of Faith and their whole frame more like the 10 Gen. 11.4 9. Tower of Babel then the fort of 11 Cant. 4.4 Sion For as 12 Prou. 18.11 the Rich mans riches are his strong tower but only in his owne imagination so are the poore mans fancies his fortresses of faith and truth but alas only in his owne 13 Rom. 1.21 2 Cor. 10.5 vaine conceit and opinion But to make way vnto your matter you seeme to giue some reason of this your great confidence and resolution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because say you the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell doth breed many errors which you haue discerned and the true knowledge of this difference keepeth all Christian doctrine in its proper vse And for this you cite Luther on Galat. 3 21. Answer Your ignorance of this difference hath bred this your error touching the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law as i Irena advers Haeres lib. 3. cap. 12. Et ea quae est sec Mosen Lex Gratia Noui Test utraque apta temporibus ad utilitatem humani generis ab uno eodem praestita Deo Irenaeus advers Here 's lib. 3. cap. 12. Ierenaeus obserued of the Marcionists Omnes qui sunt malae sententiae Mosis legem diffimilem contrariam Euangelij doctrina arbitrantes jam non sunt conversi ut differentiae utrinsque Testamenti inquirerent causas You shall anon haue a particular answer to your owne reason But first of all seeing you haue appealed vnto Luther vnto Luther shall you goe That which you alledge out of him on Gal. 3.21 we doe willingly acknowledge as good and wholsome doctrine which how little it will stand you in stead nay how much rather it stands against your opinion you shall heare by and by if first wee may heare Luther plainly deliuer his iudgement touching the abolishing or continuing of the morall Law Writing vpon the same Epistle and chapter which you cite and vers 24. he hath as you may reade these words The k Luth. in Gal. 3. vers 24. true vse of the Law is to teach me that I am brought to the knowledge of my sinne and humbled that so I may come vnto Christ and be iustified by faith But faith is neither Law nor worke but an assured confidence which apprehendeth Christ who is the end of the Law Rom. 10. And how not that he hath abolished
the old Law and giuen a New or that he is a Iudge that must be pacified by workes as the Papists haue taught but he is the end of the Law to all those that beleeue that is to say euery one that beleeueth in him is righteous and the Law shall neuer accuse him The Law then is good holy and iust so that a man vse it as he should doe By which euidence we may iustly giue sentence both against your opinion for the whole abolishing of the whole Morall Law and against your allegation also out of Luther vpon whom you would father the base and bastard fruit of your owne braine to make it either more plausible or more probable by this meanes Seuen Obseruations out of Luthers allegation for may we not hence most euidently conclude that Luthers iudgement concerning the Morall Law is this first that it is not abolished secondly that it is of good vse thirdly that it serueth to bring vs to the knowledge and sense of sinne fourthly that it driueth vs out of our selues and our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law to seeke for righteousnesse by faith in Christ only fiftly Jrenaeus is of the same iudgement for establishing the Morall Law In lege in Euangelio primum maximum praeceptum est Diligere Dominum Deum ex toto corde Irenaeus advers Hares lib. 3. cap. 25 26 that Christ hath not abolished the old Law sixtly that the Law may be said to be at an end in Christ because as it cannot iustifie so can it not iustly accuse or terrifie any that are righteous by faith in him lastly that the Gospell doth not abolish the nature and right vse of the Law for according to the Apostle the Law is holy iust and good but only taketh out of the hearts of true beleeuers the accusing and accursing power of it Which points being so apparantly contrarie to your position I haue the more fully and distinctly set downe for your better satisfaction that you may either let fall your opinion seeing you haue Luthers both heart and hand against it or else neuer run againe vnder his wing to seeke for any succour or shelter for the same I now come vnto your reason which you seeme to alledge for your so great confidence in this cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely Because the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell doth breed many errors which you say you haue already discerned and the true knowledge of this difference keepeth all Christian doctrine in its proper vse Answer In which words what doe you else but establish that which you goe about to abolish For whiles you say you discerne many errors to arise out of the ignorance and much good to come in by the knowledge of the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell doe you not see your owne error and ignorance herein also that laying it downe in your position for sound and true doctrine that the whole law of Moses is wholly abolished you notwithstanding doe acknowledge not only that the m Ergo Lex Creatoris etiam ab Adversario probata est nec dispeadium sed compendium ab eo consecuta est Tertul. advers Marcion lib. 5. cap. 4. Law is but also that it is of good and great vse pulling downe with the one hand that which you haue built or would build with the other for if the whole Law of Moses be abolished then the ignorance of it will breed no error nor the knowledge of it can build no truth for young Logicians can tell vs that Non entis non est actio nee scientia Againe if the whole Law be wholly abolished it is not possible it should be distinguished by any difference from the Gospell for as Non entis non est scientia so Non entis non est differentia What difference can be designed betwixt that which is not and that which is that which is wholly abolished and that which is established If you say as before that the difference of the Law from the Gospell may be knowne and acknowledged and be of good and great vse then I say you are too bold in your assertion to maintaine that the whole Law is wholly abolished for if this were true you leaue the Law neither breath nor being neither nature nor vse neither substance nor circumstance neither difference nor n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. Laert. lib. 9. p. 694. Accidence neither place in the booke of God nor so much as a nights lodging vnder the roofe of the Church of God Which to affirme because it were both absurd and impious I hope vpon better aduice you will see and acknowledge that your point was cut out too long and too large when you thus set it downe The point is this That the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished the rather because you haue now cut it shorter narrower with your owne hands telling vs that it is not abolished for it is nor wholly abolished for it is of good vse it hath essence and difference and may be knowne and not onely knowne in it selfe but distinguished from the Gospell and the distinct knowledge hereof so profitable and needfull that the ignorance hereof is a mother of many errors dangerous and hurtful If I acknowledge this with you for a truth then must you acknowledge with me your position for an error and if you will haue your position That the whole Law is wholly abolished to be true then is all this that you haue spoken of the profitable and necessary knowledge of the difference of the Law and the Gospell false You seeme to boast that you faint not in the cause and that you are confirmed in the truth of it but consider I pray you whether you faile not in your o Hieron adversus Ruffin p. 218. course seeing you doe not onely trip and interfere but stumble and fall at your first setting forth * Statim de portu egrediens navem impegit So said Ierome to Ruffin I vnto you Cic. Tuscul lib. 1. Is the truth diuided or doth the truth differ from it selfe * Statim de portu egrediens navem impegit So said Ierome to Ruffin I vnto you Cic. Tuscul lib. 1. I see a man may take a fall though he doe not faint and thinke himselfe confirmed in the truth when he is vnsetled in vncertainties and diuided from it Pugnantia te loqui non vides ubi est acumen tuum But to recouer your selfe againe you say Luther agreeth with you in this point How should Luther agree with him that cannot agree with himselfe But how or wherein doth he agree with you Antinom That the point is of great consequence and very necessary to be knowne of all that truly seeke Christ Iesus Answer What point his or yours His point is That the knowledge of the difference of the offices of the Law and Gospell
say for you much more take heed you call not in such to speake in your cause as are opposites and aduersaries vnto it and cannot but speake what they haue heard and seene and set both heart and hand against you Let Luther your first witnesse second my aduice and if you will suffer him to speake he will discouer your strange dealing in bringing him to giue euidence against his conscience and to speake to your minde that which he neuer meant a Luth. on Gal. 4.27 p. 223. In the very next page to the words which you alledge as his opinion that the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished he thus cleereth himselfe We say that the Morall Law or the law of the ten Commandements hath no power to accuse and terrifie the conscience in which Christ Iesus raigneth by his grace for he hath abolished the power thereof Marke well his words What hath Christ abolished The power of the Morall Law not the Law it selfe nor the whole Law wholly but the power of it and what power not all power but the power of accusing terrifying and condemning and in whom hath it lost this power not in the wicked vnregenerate and reprobate but in that conscience in which Christ raigneth by his grace And in the page following b Luth. on Gal. 4.27 p. 223. b. he hath these words to the same purpose When our sinne is pardoned through Christ who is Lord of the Law the Law being a seruant hath no more power to accuse and condemne vs for sinne and wee are now made free forasmuch as the Sonne hath deliuered vs from bondage And in this sense both he and we doe acknowledge that the Law is wholly abolished to them that beleeue in Christ Iesus notwithstanding c Prosectò illam Dei legem non solum illi tunc populo verùm etiam nunc Nobis ad instituendam rectè vitam necessariam nemo dubitaverit Aug. Lib. 3. contra duas Epistol Pel. ad Bonifac. cap. 4. lib. 4. cap. 5. it remaineth still in force for some speciall offices and vses both against the wicked and for the godly and that not only to driue them vnto Christ vpon sight and sense of their miserie to seeke for releefe in his obedience but to direct them also how to walke aright in the waies of God when they are once come vnto him Yea and further also because in many things we sinne all and there is no man that sinneth not the best of Gods children euen after their effectuall calling and conuersion stand in need of some of the d Hieron Augustino Tom. 2. p. 341. offices of the Law as 1. to know the e Rom. 7.7 nature and qualitie manner and measure of their sinne by the f Iam. 1.23.25 glasse of the law for as Paul knew that concupiscence euen without consent was sinne because the Law that is the tenth Commandement saith Thou shalt not couet so he that will finde out his sinne must discouer it by the light and measure it by the line of Gods law for sinne saith g 1 Iohn 3.4 Iohn is transgression of the Law 1 Ioh. 3.4 and Paul affirmeth that where no Law is there is no transgression Rom. 4.15.2 It serueth also to h Ad hoc lex data est ut superbo suam infirmitatem nota faceret c. vide plura apud Aug. de poenit medicina c. 1. conuince the conscience to afflict the heart to breake the spirits subdue the pride euen of godly and gratious men and all this only to humble them not to discourage them to make them to remember and consider whence and whither they are i Reu. 2.5 fallen that they may repent doe their first workes and recouer their first loue and that in the sense of their miserie when the Lord shall powre the k Zach. 12.10 spirit of Grace and supplications vpon them they may looke vpon him whom they haue pierced and mourning ouer him may seeke and sue for mercy and refreshing from him alone that hath promised to heale the l Isay 61.1 broken hearted to ease the burdened and to m Math. 11.28 refresh them that are tired with the labour or wearied in the waies of sinne Thus did the n Luk. 15.18 19. Prodigall I will goe vnto my father Thus did Adulterous o Hos 2.7 Israel I will returne vnto my first husband for then was it better with me then now Hos 2.7 And hereunto p Luth. on Gal. 3.19 fol. 154. b. Luther giueth further testimonie Gal. 3.19 The Law is as a glasse that sheweth vnto a man himselfe that he is a sinner guiltie of death and worthy of Gods euerlasting wrath and indignation To what end serueth this humbling this bruising and beating downe by this hammer the Law I meane To this end that we may haue an enterance vnto grace So then the q So also saith Aug. epist 89. ad Hilarium Iubet ideo ut facere jussa conati in nostra infirmitate sub lege fatigati adjutorium gratiae poscere noverimus vide etiā August Tract 17. in Joh. Law is a Minister that prepareth the way to Grace for God is the God of the humble the miserable the afflicted c. Can there be any more plaine pregnant euidence to conuince you of error in this your opinion That the whole Law is wholly abolished then this which is given in against you by your owne witnesse that it is not only yet continued but also for so necessarie vses offices and seruices for euer established euen so long as there shall be any need for a sinner to be humbled and of a r Veniat Medicus sanet aegrotes Medicus quis est Dominus noster Jesus Christus August in Eua. Ioh. Tract 3. Sauiour to be sought vnto And yet if all this be too little hearken to his admonition and obserue his protestation touching this particular and you shall yet haue a more ample and effectuall satisfaction and conuiction in the same ſ Luth. on Gal. 3.19 fol. 153. b. Luther on Gal. 3.19 Here I admonish saith he all such as feare God and especially such as shall become teachers of others hereafter that they diligently learne out of Paul to vnderstand the true and proper vse of the Law which I feare after our time will be trodden vnder foot and vtterly abolished by the enemies of the truth Hearken I pray you to this admonition and trie the truth of your opinion by these foure points contained in it 1. That yet there is a true and proper vse of the Law 2. That Paul the Apostle doth teach what the true and proper vse of the Law is 3. That all that feare God especially Ministers ought to learne it as he doth teach it 4. That they are enemies of the truth that goe about to tread it vnder foot and to abolish it And now obserue his protestation t Luth.
should walke in them we might haue some good helpe by the law u Rom. 12.2 Rom. 13.9 10. to proue what is the good and acceptable will of God and so viewing our faces in this x Iam 1.23 25. Glasse and in that also of the y Tit. 2.11 grace of God which hath appeared vnto vs we might learne to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue religiously soberly and righteously in this present world Thus may you see that the testimonie which Tossanus is brought in to giue on your behalfe will not stand you in any stead to procure any credit or to adde any strength vnto your cause and as little either comfort or helpe doth that afford you which * Antinom Gualt in Gal 3. ver 20. you alledge out of Gualter to the same that is as I conceiue to as little or no purpose for in the place you cite on Gal. 3.19 20. speaking of the Law Quae duravit ad tempus quamdiu ejus usus fuit he meaneth the old Testament or Mosaicall gouernment which consisteth in the substance of the Ceremoniall and in some circumstances of the Morall Law and this we grant was but to endure for z See Tertullian â—dvers Iudaeos cap. 3.4.5 6. a time viz. vntill the comming of Christ Which to be the true sense and meaning of the words appeareth most euidently by three opposite clauses which follow in the very words which you alledge 1. At a Gualt in Gal 3.19 20. nunc novi Testamenti tempus est therefore he speaketh in the former words of the old Testament b Haec Occonomia abrogatur Bez. in Gal. 3.24 in Gal. 4.1 2. Quando lex Prophetae Euangelio cedunt therefore he speaketh of the Mosaicall gouernment the Ceremonies and Circumstances whereof were all abolished and all the Prophecies thereof accomplished at the comming of him that was the c Heb. 10.1 Ioh. 1.17 truth of those Types the substance of those d Col. 2.17 shadowes yea the aime and e Rom 10.4 end of the Law and the Prophets Christ Iesus 3. Vt tam gentibus quà m Iudaeorum reliquijs in regnum Dei vim facientibus locum dent therefore he meaneth not as you would haue him that the Morall Law is wholly abolished but only so much of Moses Law as made any difference betwixt * Ephes 2.14 15. Col. 2.14.17 Iewes and Gentiles or might proue any hinderance to their happie enterance into the kingdome of God so much only is vanished away as a cloud or mist at the rising of the f Malac. 4.2 Sunne of righteousnesse in the g Rom. 13.12 13. day of the Gospell But it may be you reckon of these whom hitherto you haue set forth as if they were but milites levis armaturae scouts or light horsemen to try the coast and to make a flourish Now you begin to plant your great Ordnance to muster your men range your Armie and to charge the enemy with a sharpe assault for the vtter abolishing of the whole Morall Law For the effecting whereof * Antinomus you are bold to say 1. That the * Fortunam Priami cantabo nobile bellum Quid dignum tanto feret hic promisser hiatu Horat. de Arte Poetica whole Epistle to the Galatians importeth so much 2. That the whole Epistle to the Hebrewes is to the same purpose 3. That the practise of the Apostles in all their Epistles confirmeth the same seeing they neuer ground any exhortation vpon Moses Law nor vse any forme of commandements much lesse make any allusion to Moses Law or the ten commandements and so you goe on with fourth and fift c. vntill you haue made vp a full dozen The mother of h Iudg. 5.28 Sisera trusting too much in her sonnes valour his chariots and his men of warre fed her fancy with a conceit nay with an assurance of a ioyous and glorious victory Why is his chariot so long a comming Why tarry the wheeles of his chariot Her i Iudg. 5.29 30. wise Ladies answered her yea she returned answer to her selfe Haue they not sped haue they not diuided the prey to euery man a Damosell or two to Sisera a prey of diuers colours But yet for all this Sisera being cut short of his life by k Iudg. 5.24 Iael the wife of Heber the mother of Sisera also came short of her hope and the successe of that warre was nothing answerable to the confidence and conceit which she had and held of it I feare me the conceit of your great preparation together with the confidence in your men and munition hath bred in you not much vnlike both spirits and speeches in this conflict and it may be some of your wise friends as her wise Ladies haue beene ready enough to soothe you vp with some answer answerable to your present humour Yea rather then faile you will returne answer to your owne words Great helps breed great hopes What Shall we not speed shall we not diuide the prey shall not this conflict end in a conquest and shall we not obtaine honours and fauours as a prey of diuers colours If your conceit be such and so high take heed both you and it doe not take a fall l Iudg. 5.26 27. A hammer and a naile in the hand of a weake woman if the Lord will giue wisdome and strength to handle them aright may quickly dispatch Sisera dash his mothers hopes and turne all his and her ioyes into sorrowes and their glory into shame And is not my word saith the Lord as an hammer m Ierem. 23.29 and are not the words of the wise that is such as speake according to this word as n Eccles 12.11 nailes fastened by the Masters of the assemblies What though there be want of wisdome in the head and of strength in the hand of him that shall vse them yet he that standeth in Gods o 2 Chron. 20.15 cause and fetcheth his p Ier. 23.22 Ephes 6.11.13 weapons out of the Lords Armory and commeth in the q 1 Sam. 17.45 name of the Lord against his aduersary may rest assured that the Lord will manifest his wisdome in foolishnesse and perfect his r 2 Cor. 12.9.10 strength in weaknesse and that he will so teach his Å¿ Psal 144.1 hands to fight and his fingers to warre that as the t 2 Chro. 20.15.17.20 battle is so shall the victory be the Lords also In this confidence alone I haue entred this encounter and am come forth into the field against you The mounting of your great ordnance with so great words The whole Epistle to the Galathians c. The * Parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus Horat. de Art poetica whole Epistle to the Heb. the practise of all the Apostles in all their Epistles c. doth not so much amate me as amaze me I doe not
the establishing of the Morall Law Quid igitur saith x Beza in 2 Cor. 3.11 he writing vpon 2. Corinth 3.11 Num lex abolita sanè quod ad ceremonias attinet cessavit At enim dices num hac in parte abolitum est Mosis ministerium minimè verò semper enim sunt homines ad Euangelium praedicatione legis praeparandi You may here see if you will but turne your eie aside vnto this place that he is so farre from thinking the Morall Law to be abolished that he answereth that obiection and so dasheth out the braines of your opinion with a minimè verò and further affirmeth that the y Vide Bez. Theol. Epist Epist 10. p. 104. Law is to be preached as frequently and necessarily as men are to be prepared for the receiuing of the Gospell Consider also what the same z Beza in 1 Epist Joh cap. 2.7 Lex posita est regendae sanctorum vitae c. Est igitur damnanda Antinomorum Libertinorum detestanda â—…esis Bez. in 1. Tim. cap 1. v. 9. Beza saith writing vpon 1. Iohn 2.7 A New Commandement I write vnto you there he putting a difference betwixt the Morall Law and the Gospell saith Lex quid sit faciendum Euangelium quid sit credendum docet sciendum est igitur sic esse haec duo distincta ut tamen unum alteri subserviat Nec enim Euangelio lex aboletur quatenus quod rectum est praecipit sed duntaxat quatenus mortem omnibus ipsam perfectè non praestantibus minatur Lex mortis terrore nos monet ut de vita in Euangelio quaerenda cogitemus lex jam nobis suavis est seccundùm interiorem hominem magister sicut copiosè docet Apostolus Rom. 6.7.8 capitibus Hinc illud toties à Christo iteratum de Deo proximo diligendo mandatum I pray you consider these particulars out of this testimony and tell me then whether Beza be with you or ouer-against you 1. That the Law and Gospell are distinguished but neither of them both abolished 2. The Law and the Gospell doe mutually serue one another in their seuerall offices and vses 3. The Law is not abolished by the Gospell but established by the same 4. The Law to them that are in Christ See Bez. Epist Theolog. Ep. 20. of the vse of the Morall Law euen for Christians at large is a sweet Master or Teacher in whose lessons and instructions they delight in the inner man 5. That all these offices and vses of the Morall Law are warranted and confirmed by the authenticall Authority of Christ himselfe and his Apostle Paul All these points being set downe by Beza so sound and sufficient for establishing the Law are as so many strong Arguments to conuince you of errour that goe about to abolish it and as so many rebukes also of your vnaduised and injurious dealing with so worthy a Diuine whom you will needs draw in to speake to your minde though neuer so contrary to his owne true meaning Let vs now come to heare your third witnesse Mr. Perkins whether he can speake any more to the matter than Caluine and Beza haue already done * Antinomus You cite him on the Galatians Answer 3.11.23 And tell me I pray you what you haue found here for the whole abolishing of the Morall Law Vpon these words verse 11. No man is justified by the Law a Perkins in Gal. 3.11 he saith that by the Law is meant not onely the Ceremoniall but also the Iudiciall and the Morall Law and that Paul enlargeth his disputation from one part to the whole Law And he giueth a good reason why he would abrogate the vse of the Morall Law as well as of the Ceremoniall in the matter of justification for they saith he which thought Ceremonies necessary to justification would much more thinke Morall duties necessary All this we willingly acknowledge with Mr. Perkins What would you conclude hence Is this your Argument from this place No man can be justified by the workes neither of the Ceremoniall nor of the Morall Law ergo the whole Morall Law is abrogated wholly as well as the Ceremoniall Law We grant the Antecedent and deny the Consequence or Argument For how doth this follow The Morall Law doth not justifie ergo it doth not instruct nor edifie vnlesse it had no other neither office nor vse but that alone Will you see the fallacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by another of the like stampe b 1 Sam. 8.7 Samuel hath ceased to rule correct condemne the people as a Iudge ergo c 1 Sam. 12.23 24. Samuel hath ceased to pray for the people and to teach and shew them the good and right way as a Prophet Or to vse the Apostles comparison A d Gal. 4.1 Gal. 3.24 Schoolemaster ceaseth to nurture and keepe his scholer vnder the rod and in the rudiments of Grammar as a childe ergo he hath no sufficiencie nor ability to teach him greater or better things being now of riper age But to leaue this Argument weake and feeble as it is shall I be bold to aske you a question Doe you reade and alledge your Authors for satisfaction or contention for colouring and countenancing of an error or for searching and lifting out the truth I would gladly if I might safely conceiue the best but it seemes strange vnto me that seeing e Perk. on Gal. 3.12 Mr. Perkins in the very next leafe vpon the 12. that is the very next verse hath so plaine and euident sentences to confute you that euer you durst alledge any thing out of him as standing with you or for you His words be these I say that the law written in our hearts is still the law of Moses And againe Since mans fall the Lord repeates the Law for weighty causes 1. To teach vs that the Law is of a constant and vnchangeable nature 2. To aduertise vs of our weaknesse and shew vs what we cannot doe 3. To put vs in minde that we must still humble our selues vnder the hand of God after we haue begunne by grace to obey the Law because euen then we come farre short in doing the things which the Law requireth at our hands Who would once imagine that a man fearing God and bearing an honest minde to learne and seeke out the truth would not haue sought and seene a little farther into Mr. Perkins before he would or durst haue produced him for a witnesse against himselfe and against the truth also If all this be not yet sufficient will you for your full satisfaction heare his finall determination of the question He proposeth it thus f Perk. on Gal. 3.23 p. 251. How farre forth is the Law abrogated and answereth this The Morall Law is abrogated in respect of the Church and them that beleeue three waies First in regard of justification and this Paul proues at large in this Epistle Secondly in respect of the
b Rom. 3.20 By the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3. c Rom. 4.31 Doe we then abrogate the Law by faith God forbid nay rather we establish the Law Rom. 4.31 d Rom. 7.7 12 22 23. See Tertull. vpon these and other places of the Epistle to the Rom. 7. Quia lex peccatum Absit Erubesce Marcion Absit Abhominatur Apostolus criminationem legis ô summum praeconium legis Tertull. aduers Marcion lib. 5. cap. 13. I had not knowne sinne but by the Law for I had not knowne lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not couet wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandement i. the tenth Commandement is holy just and good I delight in the Law of God after the inner man So then in my minde I serue the Law of God but with the flesh the law of sinne Rom. 7.7 12 22 25. Are not these plaine allegations of the Law more than bare allusions And doe not these pregnant Testimonies graciously establish the nature and vse of the Morall Law which you most wickedly goe about to abolish Will you yet see more euident for better satisfaction and assurance Owe nothing to any man saith the Apostle but to loue one another Loue is a Christian duty you will not deny 1 Cor. 13. By what argument or reason doth he presse them hereunto Euen by a sound Argument drawen from Gods Law For he that loueth another hath fulfilled the Law he meaneth partibus non gradibus and what Law he sheweth by reckning vp the seuerall Commandements of the second Table For this saith e Rom. 13.8 9. See Paraeus in Rom. 13.8 9. Aug. de spirit lit cap. 14.21 he Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not couet and if there be any other Commandement it is brieflie comprehended in this saying namely Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Loue worketh no ill to his neighbour therefore loue is the fulfilling of the Law May you not now f Erubesce Marc. Abhominatur Apostolus criminationem legis blush at your bold ignorance to say and that with such confidence That in all the Epistles there is not so much as any allusion to the Morall Law or Ten Commandements seeing there is here so expresse mention of the same And what will you say to that exhortation of the Apostle to the Ephesians Children g Ephes 6.1 2. obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right And how doth he enforce this duty and proue the equity of the same Doth he not plainly alledge the first Commandement of the second Table and the promise annexed thereto for this end and purpose saying Honor thy father and mother which is the first Commandement with promise that it may be well with thee and thou maist liue long on the earth The euidence of this one place is such and so sufficient to conuince you of grosse blindnesse in this particular that I will not seeke any further for more lights but only leaue this in your hand and pray that the scales may fall from your eies that you may see the truth by it I come now to the reason which you render of all this Antinomus For it is the goodnesse of God say you that leadeth to repentance Rom. 2.4 c. 2 Pet. 3.9 and not the thundering of the Law To this I answer Answer That the goodnesse of God indeed doth lead vs to repentance according to that which you alledge out of Rom. 2.4 But where you absolutely exclude the thundering of the Law as of no vse nor force in this businesse tell me I pray you what you thinke of the very next verse h Rom. 2.4 5. But thou after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render to euery man according to his deeds Whether are these any thunderings of the Law or no Euery word hath his weight Wrath of God day of wrath righteous judgement of God just recompence according to the worke so shall the wages be If the goodnesse of God leade vnto repentance doe not these threatnings driue vnto it If the mercies of God moue vs to obedience doe not the terrors of God remoue vs and withdraw vs from impenitency and profanenesse Nay doth not the Apostle in the same place for this very end ioine them both together i Rom. 2.7 8 9 10. Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule of man that doth euill of the Iew first and also of the Gentile but glory honour and peace to euery man that worketh good to the Iew first and also to the Gentile As for that which * Antinomus you alledge also out of 2 Pet. 3.9 The long suffering of the Lord to vs ward 2 Pet. 3.9 not willing that any should perish but that all shall come to repentance I acknowledge it as a point of the mercy and truth of God Answer But whereas you would haue this long suffering to be the only meanes without all threatnings or terrors to bring vs to this repentance looke backe I pray you to the k 2 Pet. 3.5 6 7. 5 6 7. verses of the same Chapter and be not willingly ignorant of the judgements of God there mentioned by the ouerflowing of waters whereby the Old world perished and by the burning and flaming fire whereunto this world is reserued against the day of judgement and perdition of vngodly men And looke forwards also to the very next words following viz. l 2 Pet. 3.10 But the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night in which the heauens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with feruent heat the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp And tell me whether these threatnings of the Day of the Lord be not as terrible as the lightnings and thunderings at the giuing of the Law the seeing and hearing whereof made m Exod. 19. Heb. 12.18 19 21. Moses to say I exceedingly feare and tremble And if you thinke these be not vrged to leade vs or draw vs to repentance then consider I beseech you what vse and application the Apostle makes hereof euen vnto all the faithfull in the words following n 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolued what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conuersation and godlinesse Now for conclusion of this point Let vs heare how the Author to the Hebrewes doth vrge vs To prouoke one another to loue and to good workes This he doth not only by the boldnesse or liberty which we haue to enter into the Holiest by the o Heb. 10.19 bloud of Iesus but also by the p Heb. 10.27 looking for of judgement and fiery indignation
3.20 both together as Rom. 3. and Gal. 2. 3. q Rom. 3.28 By the workes of the Law whether Morall or Ceremoniall r Gal. 3.16 no flesh shall be justified Å¿ Gal. 3.19 The Law was giuen because of transgressions t Gal. 3.24 The Law was our Schoolemaster vnto Christ Take then whether of these you like best If in handling the full and finall abrogation of the Law you say there is no exception of the Morall and thereupon inferre that the whole Morall Law is wholly abrogated why may not I as well conclude the cleane contrary In handling the full and finall abrogation of the Law there is no mention made of the Morall therefore the whole Morall Law is not wholly abrogated but rather established and confirmed And if you say that in handling the abrogation of the Law touching some circumstances only or some particular ends or vses there is no exception of Morall and therefore the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished then I say that your Antecedent is too weake to inferre this Consequent and fitter a great deale to serue my turne against you if it be of any force at all in this conclusion ergo The Morall Law in some circumstances and for some ends and vses only is abrogated and so you faile of your proofe and purpose labouring thereby to proue that the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished Argument 5 Let vs now see if your fift Argument be of any better proofe or power for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Antinomus Moses Law was giuen only to the Iewes Exod. 19.3 4. c. and 20.2 12. Deut. 4.1 and 5.1 with diuers other Testimonies to the same purpose ergo The whole Morall Law is wholly now abolished Answer I answer first If by Moses Law you meane the whole body and bulke of the Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall Law and also that both for circumstance and substance tearme and time end and vse persons and things it was thus giuen to the Iewes only then is this your Antecedent false for howsoeuer these were first and principally charged and imposed vpon the Iewes as his u Exod. 19.5 peculiar people the * Zanch. in Hos cap. 2.44.45 Ceremonials for Gods worship the Iudicials for ciuill gouernment and the Morall Law for some speciall circumstances and vses more binding that people vnto God in the forme of a Couenant than any other people in the world besides Yet were not all a Exod. 12.38 Vide August Ep. 49. quaest 2. Cum enim nonnulli commemorantur c. other people or persons so excluded or debarred but that if they did renounce their Idolatry and would become Proselytes entertaining the b Exod. 12.44 48 49. See Beza in Mart. 23.15 of Proselytes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rajn Thes 4. pag. 113. Iewish Religion they were receiued into the fellowship of the Couenant and that by Gods speciall Commandement and made partakers of the Seales and benefits thereof together with the Iewes accordingly So were the mixt multitude that came out of Egypt with the Israelites the seruant bought with money and the stranger and sojourner were admitted to the Passeouer if they would first be circumcised and then they were accepted into the Church as if they had beene borne in the land c Exod. 12.49 One Law shall be to him that is home borne and to the stranger that sojourneth amongst you and that not only for the Ceremoniall but euen for the Morall also as is expresly set downe in the fourth Commandement where both Magistrate in Assembly and Master of a family stand charged to looke that the d Exod. 20.10 stranger within the gates doe keepe holy the Sabbath day Secondly If by the Law of Moses you meane the Doctrine of Moses which as a holy Prophet he hath written and set downe vpon record in his fiue Bookes and which Christ himselfe alledgeth by the name of the Law of e Luk. 24.44 Moses as testifying of himselfe and his sufferings Luke 24.44 I say the Law of Moses in this sense was giuen as well vnto vs of the Gentiles as to them of the Iewes seeing Whatsoeuer is f Rom. 15.4 written is written for our instruction and edification And Paul himselfe made this vse of the g Act. 28.23 28 30 31. Law when being at Rome vnto such as came vnto his lodging He expounded and testified the kingdome of God perswading them concerning Iesus both out of the h Puerilis error est saith Flaâ— Illyric libros legales nihil continere quod ad Euangâ—lium spectat suspicari Clau. Scrip. par 2. p. 30. Law of Moses and out of the Prophets and this he did not only to the Iewes but to the Gentiles also Acts 28.30 31. Thirdly If by the Law of Moses you meane the Ceremoniall obseruations which Moses by Commandement from the Lord prescribed to the Iewes as the manner and forme of his solemne Worship and as Figures and Types of good things to come in Christ as the Euangelists and Apostles doe vsually when they * Act. 15.5 13.38 Luk. 2.22 speake of the Law of Moses then I say The Law of Moses in this sense was giuen vnto the Iewes only not only as a partition wall betwixt them and the Gentiles but as a yoke to restraine them a i Col. 2.13 14 15. hand-writing to conuince and condemne them and as a sharpe and seuere k Gal. 3.24 Schoolemaster to driue them to seeke for helpe and l Mal. 4.2 healing vnder his wings who was and is the m Ioh. 1.17 truth of those types and n Col. 2.17 substance of those o Heb. 10.1 shadowes Christ Iesus But the Law of Moses in this sense will doe you but little seruice to the drawing in of your conclusion for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Fourthly If by the Law of Moses you vnderstand the Morall Law or Ten Commandements as needs you must if you will dispute ad idem or speake to any purpose then why might you not as well haue set it so downe and dealt plainly as wrap vp your meaning in such ambiguity and obscurity and that not only in this Argument but in fiue or six of those also which follow after We will then take your Argument as we thinke you intend it Antinomus to be this The Morall Law was giuen only to the Iewes ergo The Morall Law in the Church of Christ since the death of Christ is wholly abolished If the Antecedent were sound Answer the consequent would doe well enough to serue your turne But how doe you proue that the Morall Law was giuen only to the Iewes I must guesse at your proofes by your places which you quote as I conceiue for this purpose for you put me to fish for your meaning out of Exod. 19.3 4 and Exod. 20.2 12. Antinomus Deut. 4.1 and 5.1 and 7.6 and 14.2 and 26.16 and 33.4
Psal 147.19 20. Psal 103.7 Psa 81.4 5 8. All which places I haue searcht and seene and will now tell you what I haue found by fishing in them That of Exod. 19.2 3 Exod. 19.1 2 3 4 5. c. you seeme to vrge on this manner Moses had charge from God to speake to the house of Iacob and to the children of Israel If yee will obey my voice and keepe my Couenant then yee shall be a peculiar treasure vnto me aboue all people and yee shall be vnto me a kingdome of priests and an holy nation and hereupon you would inferre that the Morall Law was giuen vnto the Iewes only Answer That the Morall Law for the manner of deliuery promulgation and diuers circumstances of persons times places and forme of Legall Couenant was peculiar to the Iewish Nation we doe now againe as often before most willingly acknowledge Moses was to the Iewes a p Deut. 18.18 Prophet to teach them a q Ioh. 1.17 Lawgiuer to gouerne them a messenger and r Gal. 3.10 19. Mediator to deale betwixt God and them r Gal. 3.10 19. a rigorous exactor of absolute obedience a Å¿ Heb. 2.2 10. seuere auenger of all disobedience 28 29. yea he was a minister of u 2 Cor. 3.7 9 14. condemnation to all them that could not see through the veile that was vpon his face into the end of the Law Christ Iesus and thus the Iewes euen vntill this day the veile remaining yet vpon their hearts in the reading of the Old Testament will needs be x Ioh. 9.28 Moses disciples still But as thus the Law was giuen vnto them by Moses so was y Iob. 1.17 grace and truth with the true end and vse of the Law brought vnto vs by Christ Iesus who being our z Act. 3 22 23. Prophet a Iam. 4.12 Lawgiuer b Act. 5.31 Prince and c Heb. 8.1 Priest d Malac. 3.1 Messenger and e Heb. 8.6 Mediator of a better Couenant our f Heb. 7.22 surety and g Matt. 1.21 Sauiour from all our sinnes hath redeemed vs from this Iewish Paedagogie and bondage h Gal. 4.4 of the Law and yet hath according to his Couenant i Heb. 8.10 put his lawes into our mindes and written them in our hearts by the finger k 2 Cor. 3.3 of his spirit and reckoneth and accounteth vs as much as euer he did the Iewes to be now his l 1 Pet. 2.9 10. peculiar people a chosen generation a royall priesthood or a kingdome of priests a holy nation his m 2 Cor. 6.18 sonnes and daughters children of Abraham according to the n Rom. 9.7 8. faith though not according to the flesh o Heb. 8.8 the house of Iacob the house of Iudah and p Gal. 6.16 the Israel of God By which titles dignities and priuiledges the Apostles Peter and Paul and others doe call vs of the Gentiles to obey the Commandements of the Morall Law euen now in the daies of the Gospell as Moses did the Iewes in the place which you alledge Exod. 19.2 3 4 5. by the same meanes at the giuing of the Law For example because we are a q 1 Pet. 2.9 12. compare with Exod. 19.2 3 4 5. and Tit. 2.14 with Deut. 7.7 and Ezek. 36.26 27. with Iam. 2.8 10 12. chosen generation a royall priesthood c. therefore we must be of honest conuersation 1 Pet. 2.9 12. because we are his peculiar people therefore we must be zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 because we are the Israel of God we must therefore walke according to this rule because he hath put his lawes and his spirit in our hearts therefore we must so speake and so doe as they that shall be judged by the Law of liberty Of all these we may say as S. Iohn r 1 Ioh. 2.7 saith of the Commandement of loue which is the summe of the Law Brethren we write no new Commandement vnto you but the old Commandements which yee had from the beginning These are no new Commandements of the Gospell but the old Commandements of the Morall Law renewed in the Gospell In which respect we may say againe with S. Iohn Å¿ 1 Ioh. 2.8 A new Commandement or these are new Commandements which we write vnto you And as Christ t Ioh. 13.34 himselfe said in the same sense A new Commandement giue I vnto you that yee loue one another which yet was an old Commandement enioined by u Leuit. 19.18 Moses in the Morall Law and now only renewed and reenforced by Christ in the Gospell who came not as you imagine x Matt. 5.17 to destroy the Morall Law but to fulfill it to repaire the breaches and renew the beauty of it These things thus considered we say plainly That whatsoeuer appertained vnto Moses his literall carnall legall personall and terrible ministration or promulgation of the Morall Law that together with all the circumstances thereof was peculiar to the Iewes only and we now make no claime to any part or parcell of it But whatsoeuer was then in the Decalogue or y Deut. 1.13 Ten words of God substantiall morall spirituall just and good teaching and prescribing all duties of z Matt. 22.37 38 39 40. loue to God and man that we say for ought yet we see is a Matt. 5.18 perpetuall and remaineth still b Rom. 13.8 9 10. in force and vse for c Iam. 2.12 vs as the Morall Law of God recorded by Moses as a d Ioh. 5.46 47. pen-man of the Holy Ghost expounded by the e Matt. 22.40 Prophets f Matt. 3.15 5.17 fulfilled g Matt. 5.19 22 28 34 39 44. renewed and h Ioh. 13.34 established by i Matt. 5.19 Christ himselfe k Act. 28.23 preached and l Rom. 7. 13. Iam. 2.10 pressed by the holy Apostles vpon m 11 12. all that beare the name of Christ and professe the Gospell and so further to be published and vrged by the n Matt. 28.20 See Bez. Epist Theol. Ep. 20.104 Ministers of the Gospell as occasion shall require euen vnto the n Matt. 28.20 See Bez. Epist Theol. Ep. 20.104 end of the world Neither doe we now receiue the Morall Law as Moses disciples to the same end and vpon the same tearmes as did the Iewes but as the disciples of Christ who is our o Iam. 4.12 Law-giuer who hath taken away the p 2 Cor. 3.14 veile from Moses his face and hath so reuealed by his spirit both the image of God and the good and acceptable q Rom. 12.2 will of God in the Morall Law through the r Eph. 5.8 9 10. light of the Gospell that now we all as with open Å¿ 2 Cor. 3.17 18. face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory
and serue your humour for the vtter abrogation of the whole Morall Law but to confirme the contrary truth for ratifying and establishing thereof amongst Christians in the daies of the Gospell Shall I trouble you yet with one other conclusion out of Musculus for your further satisfaction that he is not for certaine of your minde for the vtter abrogation of the Morall Law Muscul loc com de abrogatione Legis Quare tam abest saith he ut damnemus usum Decalogi ut admodum etiam laudemus eorum studium diligentiam qui primi illum ad catechizandum neophytos vsurpandum esse judicarunt We are so farre from condemning the vse of the Decalogue or Morall Law that we doe much commend their care and diligence which first did judge it fit to be vsed for catechizing nouices or the ruder sort in religion By this you may see how farre Musculus is gone from you though you labour neuer so much to draw him to stand by your side and to speake in your behalfe He is farre from condemning the vse of the Morall Law you are eager and hot in pursuing of it euen vnto death and vtter destruction He will allow and commend the vse of it and them that vse it too for catechizing children or nouices in religion there is neither man woman nor childe younger nor elder that can intreat you to giue them leaue or liberty to haue any thing at all to doe with it And here by the way I pray you be aduertised that howsoeuer this allegation be sufficient to confute your opinion yet doe not I so alledge it as altogether to approue it nor can I so either thinke or speake of the Decalogue or Morall Law as here your Musculus doth write of it for whereas he will not allow it any other place in the Church but in the Catechisme nor the explication thereof to be needfull for any but for nouices and children I am of opinion that the ministry and industry of the most judicious religious and best experienced Diuines may well and worthily profitably and comfortably be employed in seeking and searching out the infinite and admirable wisdome together with other the deepe things of God which are hid in the Morall Law and that not only for their owne priuate instruction but for the edification of the ripest and chiefest of Gods children And whosoeuer he be that thinks so little and so light knowledge of the Morall Law will serue the turne that it is to be held only as milke for babes and not as strong meat for men of riper age I am afraid that as he doth depresse and abase the Law of God more than is meet so doth he aduance himselfe too high aboue his pitch being rashly puft vp in his fleshly minde and knowing little or nothing in this particular as he ought to know For howsoeuer it be true that in the Morall Law there be some generall things so easie and shallow that euen a little lambe may wade in them Psal 19.7 Psal 119.18 yet considering the infinite variety of matter contained in the specials and particulars of the same there are many things to be found of greater depth and difficulty wherein a huge Elephant may swimme also Otherwise I can hardly thinke that euer the holy Prophets being all interpreters of the Morall Law and Christ himselfe the Lawgiuer Matt. 5. Iam. 4.12 best worthy and best able to expound and explaine the true meaning of it and Christs Apostles who were taught by his spirit the true sense thereof would euer either all or any of them haue taken all or halfe that paines in opening and applying extending and enlarging Execrandi igitur sâ—…t Libertini Antinoâ—…i cateri Legem Moralem repudiantes Thes Geneu thes 28. clearing and explaining vrging and enforcing of the Morall Law and that both by word and writing preaching and exhorting as we know by their publike records they haue all done and that amongst the Priests and Prophets Doctors and Expounders of the Law Scribes and Pharisies and Rabbines such as professed the greatest skill and vnderstanding of the Law if either all or any of them had beene of his minde That it is sufficient for such as are more ripe in faith to know this summe of the Law Loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thy selfe but for the ruder sort and nouices it is meet that they be instructed in the Decalogue being a more plaine forme of liuing and fit for such persons only Antinomus The other places of Musculus which you point your finger at Answer namely of the Couenant of the difference of the Old and New Testament of the abrogation of the Legall Sabbath I haue read and perused and finde nothing in all or any of them being rightly vnderstood which I doe not willingly assent vnto If you vpon a more setled and serious reuiew of those places shall yet imagine there is any thing in them which may seeme to sauour of your opinion and beare any either colour or countenance for the vtter abolishing of the whole Morall Law when you shall be pleased to note out and send vnto me the expresse words which you conceiue doe make for your purpose you shall God willing haue a returne of a more particular and expresse answer vnto the same Meane-while I pray you now for your further satisfaction to admit of this my reference also to Musculus his Common-places for establishing of the Morall Law and the right vse thereof seeing your reference for the vtter abolishing thereof doth neither serue your turne nor satisfie me at all In that place de Legibus Muscul loc com de Legib. and those sections de usu Legis Mosaicae de vi efficacia Legis he hath sufficiently expressed himselfe that howsoeuer his writing in other places might be taken or mistaken by others yet he is of opinion Muscul de usu effica Legis That the Morall Law is now in the daies of the Gospell of speciall vse and efficacy euen for himselfe and others for the godly and for the wicked as men stand in the estate of nature or in the state of grace Now if it so fall out Muscul loc com in divisione Decalogi that Musculus may seeme vnto you in those places which you haue mentioned and the like to crosse himselfe and to be of another minde concerning the continuance office and vse of the Morall Law amongst Christians in the daies of the Gospell what answer can be fitter both for him and you in this case than the very same which he himselfe giues vnto Augustine when he found him inconstant and differing from himselfe in the diuision of the Decalogue Quaso quomodo aequum esse poterit ut unius idque sibi ipsi non constantis authoritas omnibus alijs praeferetur Deinde si placuit authoritas Augustini quare non placuit in
eo quod unà cum reliquis antiquioribus concorditer magis quà m in eo quod ab alijs à seipso diversum scripsit How is it meet I pray you that the authority of one Musculus alone and he not agreeing with himselfe should be preferred before all other men Againe if Musculus his authority like you so well why doth it not please you in that which he hath written agreeably and iointly with others more ancient for the establishing of the Morall Law rather than in that wherein he differs from others and from himselfe also for the vtter abolishing of the same Now where you put vs ouer also vnto Zanchius vpon Ephes 2. v. 14 15. de Legis Mosaicae abrogatione Where you say he disputeth the point very fully Antinomus yet he doth not plainly say you expound the places that seeme to contradict it Answer We must needs say that Zanchius is little beholding vnto you for your allegation wherein you commend and discommend approue and reproue what he hath written with one breath Erasmus Vno spiritu efflas calidum frigidum Like the Husbandman that returning from his worke in a cold winters day to his dinner did with one and the same breath both warme his hands which he felt were too cold and coole his pottage which he feared were too hot which when the poore Satyr saw he feared to dwell with him Senec. lib. 2. de Benefic Plant. in Aul. Altera manu fort lapidem panem ostentat altera Gregor Theol. ad Euseb Caesar citat ab Erasm and fled from him Seneca calleth such a benefit panem lapidosum and somewhere else I haue read the like fact reproued in words not much vnlike Manus altera panem altera fert lapidem and in another Language yet to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if a man should claw a mans head with one hand and smite him on the cheeke with the other And doe not you deale with Zanchius after the same manner you seeme to claw his head with this approbation he disputeth the point very fully and presently you smite him on the cheeke with this rebuke he doth not plainly expound the places that seeme to contradict it You say he disputeth the point very fully but tell me doth he determine the point for you Doth he wholly abrogate the whole Morall Law as you would haue vs to thinke of him Or doth he only abrogate it in regard of some circumstances preseruing the substance thereof intire still Zanch. in Eph. 2. loc de abrog Legis Nay doth he not first distinguish the whole Law of Moses and diuide the Commandements thereof into mandata principalia and mandata accessoria The principall comprised in the Morall Law the accessory in the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall the principall continued the accessory abolished and then determine That because in the Morall Law as it was giuen by Moses to the Israelites there were some things of circumstance and some of substance some essentiall some accidentall some temporall some eternall All such things as were matters of circumstance accidentall and temporall in the Morall Law as it was giuen by Moses are vtterly abolished but all such as were matters of substance essentiall and eternall are so farre from being abolished that they are for euer being confirmed by Christ himselfe Matth. 5. and Matth. 22. and by his Apostles Tit. 2.11 to be continued Such are all and euery one of the Ten Commandements of the Morall Law containing the expresse forme of Gods eternall will and the summe and substance of all duties of piety to God in the first Table and of charity towards men in the second Vide etiam Thes Geneu thes 28. All which saith Zanchius God required from the beginning of the world before Moses in the time of the Law by Moses after Moses by the Prophets Et nunc tandem in finem usque mundi per Christum perque ejus Apostolos requisivit requirit à nobis And now at length euen vnto the end of the world by Christ and his Apostles he hath required and doth require of vs. And so a little after he setteth downe his conclusion in flat opposition vnto your opinion Constat hoc sensu legem simpliciter non esse abrogatam It is euident saith he that in this sense the Morall Law is not simply or wholly abrogated Antinomus But why doe you censure him for not expounding the places of Matth. 5. and Rom. 3. plainly The plaine truth is Answer because his exposition is a buckler of defence against your weapons of opposition which you haue taken vp against the Morall Law you would thrust it thorow with your speare or sword vtterly to destroy it and he opposeth a brestplate and a shield of faith taken out of the Lords armory to saue the life of it And is this the matter for which you blame him Is this the fault whereof you accuse him Cic. Orat. pro Sexto Rosc Amerino So I haue heard and read that one C. Fimbria an audacious fellow hauing at the funerall of C. Marius caused Qu. Scaevola a noble citizen of Rome to be wounded and finding afterwards that the wound was not so mortall but that he might happily recouer of it did presently call Scaevola into question by course of Law and when it was demanded of him what he had against or whereof he could accuse such a man whom no man else could sufficiently commend he answered in a furious passion Quod non totum telum corpore recepisset That receiuing a wound in his body he had not receiued the whole weapon also euen vp vnto the hists Antinomus But to amend what Zanchius hath done amisse you say you will giue vs a taste out of Matt. 5.17 I am not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it Which place you say cannot be vnderstood of the forme of Moses Law but of the matter of it or of the Law of Nature Why tell me Answer I pray you what you vnderstand by the forme of Moses Law Doe you meane the inward or outward the essentiall or accidentall the temporary or eternall forme of the Morall Law I hope you meane not the inward essentiall and eternall forme of it which can neuer be seuered from the matter of it and the matter you say is perpetuall If you meane then the outward forme in the manner of deliuery by Moses to the Israelites together with all the circumstances of persons time place and other accessories of the same as what else you should meane I cannot imagine then let me taste your meaning I pray you a little better by one or two demands touching this point and place First did not Christ come to destroy this outward forme of the Morall Law Secondly did Zanchius euer say otherwise Zanch. in Ephes 2. de abrogat Legis viz. that Christ came not to destroy the outward forme i. the
circumstances and accessories of the Morall Law Thirdly doth not Zanchius auouch euidently the cleane contrary Fourthly why then doe you blame his exposition as establishing the forme as well as the matter of the Morall Law Fiftly how doe you that haue so long stood out against the Morall Law for the absolute abrogating of it euen the whole Law and wholly too now so come in vnto Zanchius and others that haue stood for it that you yeeld them and vs the whole substance and matter of the Morall Law to be in force still and content your selfe only to carry away the shadowes accessories and circumstances of the same to feed your fancy with an idle and adle conceit of a glorious victory Egregiam verò laudem spolia ampla tulisti Virgil. Exhortat ad Confiliarios Regis Galliae It is recorded of Paulus Vergerius a man very gracious with Pope Paul the third that when he attempted to write against Luther he was so ouercome with the force of Luthers Arguments that he changed his opinion and became a conuert of Luthers religion I wish it were so well and no otherwise with you that the Lord would giue you such a teachable and tractable heart and spirit that whereas you haue read Zanchius Luther Caluine and other Orthodoxall Writers with a minde and purpose to draw them to your error and so to call them in both as witnesses and counsellors against the Morall Law you may so be conuinced your selfe by the euidence of the truth which they deliuer and the force of the reasons which they render for the continuance and maintenance of the Morall Law that if hitherto you haue not yet henceforth you may renounce your error and embrace the truth with them But I see you haue made your selfe a bolting hole that by way of distinction you might haue an euasion For say you it cannot be denied Antinomus but the matter of the Decalogue being the Law of Nature is in force as it is the Law of Nature and vnderstood Philosophically but how it can be in force Theologically vnderstood for that say you is our question in hand being we haue no warrant in Scripture for it but the contrary Answer you say you cannot see And I say if the mist of Philosophy had not blinded the eies of your Theology you might haue seene as much as this comes vnto and more too For I demand First may it not now be denied that the whole Morall Law is wholly abrogated as you affirme seeing it cannot be denied but the matter of the Morall Law is yet of force as you now confesse Secondly if the matter of the Morall Law be of force at this present as the Law of Nature commanding is not the forme also in force by our conformity thereunto in obeying And thirdly if both matter and forme the essentiall parts of the Morall Law be yet continued as it is the Law of Nature that is a naturall rule of righteousnesse and holinesse to such as are in the state of nature is it therefore so depriued of all spirituall force and vse that it cannot be also a spirituall rule of righteousnesse and holinesse to such as are called to the estate of grace Fourthly shall Plato and Aristotle confine vs for teaching or learning of Naturall or Morall duties to their Physicks or Ethicks their Naturall or Morall Philosophy Or would you restraine Christians from hearkning to Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles for their better instruction and direction in the same Surely if true beleeuers haue now no other benefit nor vse of the Morall Law but as it is the Law of Nature and Philosophically vnderstood then is the Law written so distinctly by Moses a penman of the Holy Ghost not written Rom. 15.4 2 Tim. 3.16 as other Scriptures are for our learning Then was Abrahams direction for reformation to no purpose Luk. 16.29 They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them Then may infidels and heathens see as farre into the nature and danger of sinne as true Christians can Then may naturall reason be a light vnto our steps and a lanthorne vnto our feet without the Law written And when all this proues true then shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and your Naturall and Morall Philosophy true Diuinity Caluine writing de usu Legis saith Calu. in Deuter. Append. de usu Legis Meritò vocatur bene justè vivendi regula atque hic finis Legis omnibus fere notus est Naturaliter quidem insculpta est boni mali notitia hominibus quò reddantur inexcusabiles This last he speaketh of the Law of Nature as common to all men and seruing only to leaue them without excuse and presently after he speaketh of the Morall Law written by Moses and giuen by God by a singular priuiledge to the Israelites and so to vs as the Doctrine of good-liuing Rom. 4.15 which albeit as Paul saith it be in it selfe holy and the Commandement just and good yet Asperum est saith he quod alibi dicit legem iram operari propter transgressiones esse positam Gal. 3.10 19. And marke I pray you to whom this is asperum so sharpe and bitter nempe hominibus profanis qui tantum Philosophicè judicant Consider and obserue by this that in Caluins judgement they that will judge of the Morall Law Philosophically they are such as are offended with it grieuously and liue profanely Consider also that seeing the Doctrine of the Morall Law deliuered expresly and distinctly in writing to the Israelites was for that time a singular priuiledge and pledge of their adoption aboue and before all other people if you will absolutely cancell this writing and depriue vs of all lawfull vse of this Law being so holy and heauenly a Doctrine and rule of good-liuing consider I say lest you make vs Christians in worse estate than the Iewes and in as bad as the Gentiles our priuiledge lesse than the Israelites according to the flesh and our portion no better than theirs who are strangers from the life of God Antinomus according to the faith But you say how the Morall Law can be in force Theologically vnderstood being no warrant in Scripture for it you cannot see Answer If you wanted light only some helpe might be had but if you want sight too we haue no faculty nor faith of miracles to make a blinde man see only we will lay the matter so plainly in open view that he that can and will see shall and may see that which you say you cannot see To this end it is very requisite that we sift out your meaning what it is to vnderstand the Morall Law Theologically By the opposition which you make of vnderstanding it Philosophically and Theologically it should seeme that as they vnderstand it Philosophically which vnderstand it naturally by the light of naturall reason only Rom. 2.15 without
the written Word or reuealed will of God without any ordinary meanes of illumination or instruction and so beholding the matter of the Morall Law but very darkly and confusedly and feeling the worke in their hearts by their conscience witnessing and their thoughts accusing or excusing one another and their wils grudging and rebelling against the tenor of it So doe they vnderstand the Morall Law Theologically which besides the naturall light and sight of the Law written by nature in their hearts doe consider it and receiue it as the written Word of God as an expresse forme of a principall part of the reuealed will of God a right rule of direction for religion and religious conuersation a portion of the Couenant of Grace as it is written in our hearts by the finger of Gods Spirit a part of Gods image which in the new man is created after God in righteousnesse and true holinesse the knowledge whereof they attaine vnto by the word of Grace and the sense and feeling of the worke thereof by the spirit of Grace so beholding the beauty thereof more cleerely and distinctly and feeling the power thereof more effectually and obeying the precepts thereof more willingly and looking for the acceptance of their imperfect obedience in and by the only perfect and absolute obedience of Christ Iesus only They that thus I say doe vnderstand the Morall Law to be in force in the daies of the Gospell as for ought I know the best Diuines and best Christians doe doe vnderstand it Theologically which as yet you say you cannot see that you can doe Iunius de Theolog. vera cap. 2. thes 5. cap. 3.6 ca. 4. thes 7. cap. 7. cap. 8. Iunius that great Scholler and worthy Diuine in his Booke de Theologia will helpe you to light your candle if that will doe you any good in this your darknesse He giues this definition of Theology Theologia est rerum divinarum sapientia and this diuision Theologia est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nimirum Dei ipsius sapientia aut est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à Deo informata And leauing the former rather to be adored than curiously inquired into he afterwards subdiuides the latter to be Theologia visionis or Revelationis and then he tels vs that this Theologia revelationis is either naturalis or supernaturalis and in handling these two he worthily setteth forth the weake sight and light of humane vnderstanding and reason according to the principles and conclusions of the Law of Nature and noteth the error obscurity and insufficiency of this naturall wisdome therewithall And then a little after he defines the absolute supernaturall Theology which doth especially concerne the present businesse after this manner Iunius de Theolog. vera ca. 12. thes 23. Theologia absolutè dicta est sapientia rerum divinarum secundum veritatem divinam à Deo inspirata per enuntiativum sermonem in Christo commissa servis ejus atque in Testamento Vetere Novo per Prophetas Apostolos Euangelistas consignata quantum ejus hic nobis expedit revelari ad gloriam ipsius Electorum bonum According to the tenor of this definition of Theology I will now proue vnto you if I can that the Morall Law of God is now in force being vnderstood Theologically Whatsoeuer in it selfe is now diuine the knowledge whereof is diuine wisdome inspired of God according to diuine truth and by word in Christ committed to his seruants and in the Old and New Testament ratified by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists as much of it as here is meet to be reuealed vnto vs to Gods glory and our good That same is and may be according to the definition of Theology Theologically vnderstood and is now in force so vnderstood But the Morall Law of God is diuine and the knowledge thereof is diuine wisdome inspired of God according to diuine truth and by the Enunciatiue word in Christ committed to his seruants and in the Old and New Testament ratified by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists as much of it as here is meet to be reuealed vnto vs to Gods glory and our good Ergo The Morall Law is and may be according to the definition of Theology Theologically vnderstood and is now in force so vnderstood The Major of this Syllogisme is euident by the definition of Theology The Minor is made good by the Scriptures and by the practise of Christ and his Apostles and the judgement of the most judicious and Orthodox Diuines as in euery branch thereof may be proued by the Scriptures alledged and by the testimonies before and after mentioned and produced The Morall Law is diuine because it is holy Rom. 7.22 24. spirituall just and good Rom. 7.22 24. The knowledge thereof is diuine wisdome because it maketh the simple wise Psal 19. illighteneth the eies Psal 119. and maketh Dauid wiser than his teachers because it teaches the feare of God which is the beginning of wisdome yea the end of all and whole man feare God and keepe his Commandements Psalm 111.10 Psal 112.1 Eccles 12.13 It is inspired of God according to diuine truth because God hath put it in our mindes and written it in our hearts by the finger of his spirit Heb. 8.10 2 Cor. 3.3 17 18. Nehe. 9.13 14. And the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God which searcheth and reuealeth the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 11. And by the Enunciatiue word in Christ committed to his seruants because it was giuen by audible voice by word and writing vnto Moses and by him to the Israelites and so by and in Christ a Prophet like vnto him giuen also by word and writing vnto vs Act. 7.38 Hebr. 11. Matth. 5.17 18 c. And in the Old and New Testament ratified by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists by Dauid Psalm 19.7 8 9. Psalm 119. throughout by Esay Isa 8.16.20 Seale vp the Law among my disciples to the Law and to the Testimonie by Matthew Marke Luke Paul Peter Iames and Iohn Matt. 22.37 38 39 40. Mark 12.29 30 31. Luk. 10.26 27. Act. 28.23 Rom. Chapters 2.3.4.7.13 2 Pet. 2.15.21 Iam. 2.10 11. 1 Ioh. 2.7 8. 3.23 and infinite other texts of Scripture which might be heaped vp to this purpose And is not the end of the Law for Gods glory and our good justified out of the Scripture also seeing by the light of the Law shining in the works of the Law God is glorified here Matth. 5. Phil. 1.11 Luk. 1.75 and we when our faith worketh by loue gather and get assurance that we shall be glorified hereafter Gal. 5.6 2 Pet. 1 10 11. Psal 119.1 Iam. 1.25 And thus may you see if you can see any thing at all that the Major of this Syllogisme being granted and euery branch of the Minor now proued the conclusion against you must needs follow as necessarily inferred That the Morall Law according to the definition of Theology is
and may be Theologically vnderstood and is now in force so vnderstood If yet you desire to heare what our Diuines speake also for this point albeit I thinke you can finde none to speake a word against it yet to doe you a pleasure I will call in one or two sufficient witnesses to giue testimony thereunto Caluine hauing rebuked them that judge Philosophicè of the Morall Law Calu. in Deut. in Append. de usu Legis pa. 441 443. addeth these words to shew there is now a Theologicall vse of it Ille verò legis usus Theologicus est quia nihil aliud potest quà m detegendo nostram injustitiam mortem duntaxat afferre And as he sheweth this is one Theologicall vse of the Law by discouering vnrighteousnesse to bring vs in danger of death so doth he afterwards in the same place finde out another Theologicall vse of it Vbi autem intus cordibus legem suam insculpsit simul prodest exterior doctrina legis sic enim filios suos gubernat spiritu regenerationis ut simul tamen velit ad vocem quoque suam esse attentos dociles That so soone as the Lord hath written his Law in our hearts then doth the doctrine of the Law doe vs good making his children by his spirit more teachable and tractable to heare and obey his will Iunius also in his learned Booke de vera Theologia brings in the Morall Law jus Morale as opposite to the Law of Nature which he calleth jus Naturae and there very plainly auerreth that the Morall Law is a principall or speciall part of the subject of true and sacred Theology Fran. Iun. lib. de vera Theolog. cap. 13. thes 24. His words be these Hoc vero jus morum quo homines ad Deum oportet accedere sacrae voluntati ejus quà m maximè fieri potest conformari sacra Theologia exponit perfectissimè Now if sacred Theology doe most perfectly expound the Morall Law then is the Morall Law Theologically vnderstood yet in force which you haue not yet the eies to see and not in force only as it is the Law of Nature as you haue had the face and forehead to affirme Now because you say There is no warrant in the Scripture for this that the Morall Law Theologically vnderstood is yet in force I pray you answer me directly to this one question which I hope will cleare the point in question Did Saint Paul when he said I had not knowne concupiscence to be sinne Rom. 7.7 except the Law had said Thou shalt not couet Did he vnderstand the Morall Law Philosophicè or Theologicè You cannot say Philosophicè for then he might haue knowne so much by the Law of Nature before his conuersion hauing as he had a double helpe the light of naturall reason and the benefit of Gamaliels Doctrine and yet he acknowledgeth that without the Law sinne was dead i. vntill he had a spirituall insight into the tenth Commandement he had no manner of sense and feeling of concupiscence to be sinne against it Besides neither Plato nor Aristotle nor the wisest Moralists that euer wrote could euer search into this depth and finde out this truth of God hid from the eie of Nature in the tenth Commandement that inclinations to sinne or motions and imaginations of sinne without consent or delight were to be accounted a breach of the Law and worthy of death If he then did not vnderstand the Law when he so said Philosophicè I conclude he must needs vnderstand it Theologicè and so without question he did speaking of it so diuinely graciously and religiously and disputing of the nature and vse fruits and effects thereof both in the estate of nature and in the estate of grace so spiritually so feelingly and effectually For the other place Rom. 3.31 which you except against as not plainly expounded by Zanchius Antinomus Because you say it may be vnderstood of the whole Law as well Ceremoniall as any other Answer and that for the time past Doe you not offer Zanchius some hard measure in charging him to expound it of the Morall Law only which he doth not and the Apostle also saying he speaketh of the time past whereas the words which the Apostle vseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are both of the time present And doe you not see how in yeelding this place to be meant of the Morall Law though not of it only you doe conuince your selfe of an error in going about to abolish the Morall Law which by confessing the truth with the Apostle you doe now establish As for Erasmus Antinomus we haue seene enough of his minde already and returned you more by way of recompence and satisfaction from his writings than you will be willing to receiue either from his or our hands Answer And here you fall into a great commendation of Erasmus an impertinent and needlesse peece of seruice and worthy no other answer than was once giuen in a like case Plut. apoth Lacon in Antalcida Quis quaso vituperat But you say with some indignation His Paraphrase though commanded to be had in Churches is too much neglected That is a fault And books you say of farre meaner quality are much esteemed That I feare me is a scornfull flout If you aime at the Defence of the Apology of the Church of England Iewels Defence of the Apology and his Reply now commanded to be had in the Churches consider I pray you there is roome enough for both and though the Apology be admitted yet the Paraphrase is not excluded Can you not thinke well and speake well of Erasmus his gold but you must cast out some words of disgrace against our Iewel Let the Ring and the Diamond haue either of them their due place and praise If herein I misse of your meaning beare with my mistaking and hereafter either speake more plainly or not so dangerously Antinomus As for that which followeth you bring me such confused stuffe such shreds and peeces gathered here and there out of Luther on Galath Bez. 2 Cor. 3.11 August de spirit lit as is wonderfull One Simile runnes after your fift section gone many a mile before another looks hard after the generall point and then you conclude with an exhortation and then hauing made an end before you had done you come in with a word or two to illustrate your second section I cannot but conceiue that now your head grew mazy Answer or else hauing cut your garment too short or put forth your arme further than your sleeue would reach you runne and seeke about for peeces and patches shreds and snips to see if you can make vp that which you haue marred neuer regarding how they sute with your stuffe for matter or colour so they may patch vp your coat and serue your turne in your owne imagination Luther on the Galathians hath not so much by much as you say
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
that as Iunius saith non humana traditione sed Christi ipsius observatione atque instituto and so commended to the Churches and receiued by them as Augustine himselfe confesseth and declareth more at large elsewhere Antinomus Now whereas you say That the Holy Ghost in the New Testament doth not exact naturall precepts such as the Decalogue is for that is fulfilled in one word Loue Answer Gal. 5.14 I answer hereunto That if you haue as great felicity as I see you haue facility to contradict your selfe and to marre with one hand what you haue made with the other you are worthy more pitty than blame and haue more need at this present of a Physitian to purge you than of a Diuine to answer you Notwithstanding we will yet make triall whether you can be sensible of your error and see what you haue said or done amisse herein by asking a question or two and crauing your direct answer to the same I demand then Is not the Epistle to the Galathians a part of the New Testament Gal. 1.1 Yes it is And did not the Apostle Paul pen that Epistle by the instinct of the Holy Ghost Gal. 5.13 No doubt he did And did not the Holy Ghost by Paul require and exact of the Galathians Gal. 5.6 the duty of loue Yes he did for he commands them verse 13. Rom. 13.8 9 10. To serue one another by loue And is not this loue both a fruit of faith and a duty of the Morall Law Yes indeed it is both for in this very Chapter Gal. 5.6.14 the Holy Ghost testifieth that a true faith worketh by loue verse 6. and in the 14. verse erewhile alledged telleth vs also that this worke or duty of loue must be measured by the Morall Law For saith he the whole Law is fulfilled in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Why now you haue dealt honestly you haue answered directly and truly Gather vp your seuerall answers now and binde them vp in one proposition and you will finde that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sed sero sapiunt Phryges your second thoughts are often wiser than the first so your latter position is better and truer than your former opposition Your former opposition was That the Holy Ghost in the New Testament doth not exact naturall precepts such as the Decalogue or Morall Law is for that is fulfilled in one word Loue Gal. 5.14 and now your latter and truer position is this That the Holy Ghost in the New Testament euen in the Epistle to the Galathians doth require loue not as a naturall but as a spirituall and morall duty being both a fruit of faith and the summe and substance of the whole Morall Law Gal. 5.6 and 13.14 Gal. 5.6 13.14 Certainly if your left hand be not better able to defend your selfe than your right hand hath beene to offend your aduersary you will feele the smart of your owne weapon thus beaten downe vpon your owne head more sensibly hereafter in a better mood than yet you can doe for the present in your hot bloud As for that peece which you patch and adde to the same sentence Antinomus That none of the works of the spirit are properly commanded in the Decalogue What Answer None of the works of the spirit commanded in the Decalogue properly This is a proper lie with a witnesse Tell me I pray you are not the works of the spirit there commanded where the works of the flesh are forbidden Are not adultery fornication idolatry witchcraft Gal. 5.19 20 21. hatred heresies murther drunkennesse and the rest mentioned Gal. 5.19 20 21. Are not all these forbidden in the Law and the contrary vertues or duties as chastity purity piety charity c. commanded in the same also Take the Law as Paul takes it not as it stands in opposition to the Gospell but as it stands in communion and conjunction with it and the same spirit of truth speaketh in both and requires spirituall duties in both Phil. 1.11 as the fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse to the praise and glory of God by Christ Iesus Rom. 7.12 14. Besides such as the Law it selfe is namely spirituall Iam. 2.8 9 10 11 12. holy just and good such must also the works of the Law needs be Lastly S. Iames beares witnesse hereunto very plainly and effectually saying If you fulfill the royall Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe yee doe well This the spirit speaketh vnto the Churches by Iames vpon the same ground of the Morall Law and that not only in that generall summe of the second Table Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe but in mentioning some of the speciall Commandements as Doe not commit adultery Doe not kill prouing also that the Christians to whom he writes among the twelue Tribes now dispersed stand now bound to obey the whole Morall Law First because if they faile in one point they are guilty of all as if they commit no adultery yet if they kill they are become transgressors of the Law Secondly because they are charged not only to shunne that which is euill but to follow that which is good and that according to this rule of the Morall Law Iam. 2.12 as in the very next verse the spirit speaketh and commandeth So speake yee and so doe as they that shall be judged by the Law of liberty I would you would take the paines to reade Augustines Epistle vnto Hierome August Epist 29. ad Hiero. touching the exposition of this place of Saint Iames you shall there I doubt not finde him of an other minde than your selfe for the continuing of the office and vse of the Morall Law in binding all Christians to all duties of loue euen in the daies of the Gospell required in the same The like you may also see in his first Booke de doctrina Christiana August de Doct. Christ lib. 1. cap. 30. in his Bookes de litera spiritu contra adversarium Legis Prophetarum And now hauing deliuered your selfe of your maine businesse Antinomus and rid your hands of that confused stuffe which stucke in your fingers you are at leasure to bring vs in a Simile to illustrate as you say the conclusion of your fift section and another to illustrate the generall point If your section and your point haue no greater light than your Similies bring them Answer they may both stumble and fall in the darke for all the helpe that they shall haue by their meanes I haue heard that nullum Simile currit quatuor pedibus no Simile runs vpon foure feet but how shall that run or goe or stand which being maimed and starke lame hath neuer a sound neither legge nor foot at all If Venice and England in your supposition were vnder one and the same King and Gouernour vnder the same Law and Lawgiuer yet
with some difference of circumstance considering the diuersity of place people and condition for a season vntill the Kings sonne and heire take the gouernment more eminently and conspicuously vpon him at which time he shall renew the former Lawes remouing all difference of circumstance and establishing the same Lawes in substance by writing them in fairer Tables and confirming them by better both seales and witnesses vnto them both as to one people I would then know of you out of the depth of your English or Venetian policy whether now the Venetian Lawes being brought and read either to condemne or acquit a man accused or to giue direction for order and gouernment here with vs we in England might not hold our selues bound by vertue of those Lawes to yeeld obedience thereunto accordingly and yet not as vnto the Venetian Lawes as formerly they were in diuers circumstances imposed and exacted but now as vnto the royall Law of one and the same King who by one and the same Law will rule and gouerne both Venice and England as one and the same people If you be pleased to take the light of this comparison in your hand it will shew you if your sight be any thing like both the vanity and weaknesse of your conclusion in your fift section and the darknesse and obscurity of your sorry Simile which you haue brought to set a fairer glosse vpon the same Your other Simile which you bring to illustrate the generall point hath I acknowledge much more light in it if by the generall point you meane the Law giuen by Moses as it stands in opposition against the Gospell according to that of Iohn Ioh. 1.17 The Law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth by Christ Iesus For whether you vnderstand the Ceremoniall or Morall Law or the Prophets either as interpreters of the same or foretellers of the good things to come imported by any of them 2 Pet. 1.19 it is most true as you alledge out of 2 Pet. 1.19 That the Doctrine of the Gospell doth as farre exceed for beauty brightnesse and glory the Doctrine of Moses and the Prophets as the Sunne-light doth Starre-light Mal. 4. Col. 2.17 2 Cor. 3. Ioh. 12.46 and as the body doth the shadow and the face of Christ the veile of Moses In which respect Christ himselfe said of himselfe That he was the true light that was come into the world and that his disciples were happy and blessed that saw those things which they saw Luk. 10.23 24. and heard the things which they did heare whereas many Kings and Prophets had not seene them though they had desired to see them And in regard hereof he is termed by the Prophet Malachy The Sunne of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 Isa 9.1 2. Ioh. 1.17 So then we say They that sate in darknesse haue seene a great light and vnto them that sate in the shadow of death hath the light shined Whatsoeuer was darknesse in Ceremony it is dispelled Act. 3.24 whatsoeuer was a farre off in Prophecy it is fulfilled Luk. 24.44 and whatsoeuer was a handwriting against vs in the Law of Moses it is cancelled Col. 2.14 15. But what light doth this your Simile giue to the vtter abolishing of the whole Morall Law which by the comming of Christ is not obscured but more beautified Rom. 3.31 and not abolished but more established and confirmed In the next but not in the last place as me thinks in good manners according to due order it should haue done comes in your conclusion by way of exhortation and Doctor-like direction to all Christians Antinomus especially Diuines to take paines rightly to vnderstand the Doctrine of Christian liberty c. Answer As if none but your selfe alone were either so industrious or judicious so studious or religious as to haue taken any paines or to haue gotten any knowledge like your selfe in all or any of these things Knowledge puffeth vp 1 Cor. 8.1 but loue edifieth and if any man thinketh he knoweth any thing he knowes nothing as he ought to know and againe Gal. 6.3 If any man thinke himselfe to be something when he is nothing he deceiueth himselfe It had in my opinion sauoured of more humility and modesty if you had after you had set downe your judgement and reasons for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law in meeknesse of wisdome submitted your selfe and your writings to the judgement of the religious and judicious both Ministers and people in our Churches 1 Cor. 14.32 for euen the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets and not to haue cast such odious aspersions of ignorance and negligence as you doe vpon them For suppose some amongst many deserue so sharpe a censure and rebuke yet I doubt not but euen they seeing your grosse ignorance great negligence and I feare me some things euen against knowledge and conscience too in these your owne writings will quit you with this or the like answer Et si nos quidem digni sumus hac contumelia Maenius absertem Neuium cum carpeâ—…t heus tu Quidam ait ignoras te Horat. Ser. lib. 1. sat 3. tu omnium indignus qui faceres tamen Although we haue deserued such a contumely or reproofe as this yet you of all others might worst doe it For Quis tulerit Graccos de seditione loquentes Who can endure the turbulent and seditious Gracchi to speake against sedition Or traiterous Athalia to cry out treason treason Or a man that for want of light or diligent looking to his waies doth himselfe stumble and tumble and fall dangerously oftentimes to reproch others and some it may be more vigilant and diligent than himselfe with such ignorance and negligence Antinomus that they runne into strange questions as men in darknesse stumbling at one thing and catching hold of another thing that auailes them nothing If these be not swelling words of vanity Answer I mistake both your spirit and speech if they be I desire you may see what is amisse and amend it and learne to conceiue more humbly of your selfe and more charitably of your brethren As for the speciall points which you commend vnto our study and industry viz. The Doctrine of Christian liberty the difference of the Law and the Gospell and of the Old and New Testament and of the Couenants of both and so the right abrogation of Moses Law I suppose there is not one of all those but hath in handling of this businesse beene already touched and so hath giuen some light both to discouer your error or heresie if you hold it wilfully in going about to abolish the whole Law of Moses and that wholly too and to cleare this truth also that the Morall Law of God giuen by Moses to the Iewes is not since the death of Christ in the Churches of Christ wholly abolished and abrogated but is yet in force still for many holy offices and
spirituall vses confirmed by Christ and continued by his Apostles for the good of Christs Church euen vnto the worlds end Now if you thinke that all that hath beene said and done be not nor cannot be of any such force with you as to conuince you of error or to confirme this truth it may be herein the fault will proue rather yours than mine For as Non est Oratoris persuadere sed dicere quae ad persuadendum sunt idonea It is not required of an Orator to perswade but to deliuer such things as in themselues may be fit and auailable for perswading So neither can it be required of an Answerer to satisfie a wrangling Disputer but to giue what may serue for a sufficient satisfaction to his insufficient objection Ezeckiel is commanded to speake Ezek. 3.4.7 euen though Israel will not heare And Paul doth charge Titus Tit. 1.9.10 to endeuour by some doctrine and exhortation to be able to conuince the gainsayers and to stop the mouthes of such as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnruly vaine-talkers and deceiuers subuerting whole houses and teaching things they ought not for filthy lucre sake Vpon like occasion and in a matter not much vnlike I held my selfe charged after the same manner to endeuour according to my ability to conuince you of this your error and to stop your mouth if it may be which you haue opened so wide against the truth with the witnesses and with the word of Truth And this was I after a sort enforced to attempt because I knew you had laboured by speaking and writing if not for filthy lucre yet for foolish humour sake things which you ought not not only to corrupt the mindes of the simple by words of deceit but to subuert the hearts and houses of some of my neerest and dearest friends with a great and pompous shew of reading and learning which had they not formerly beene better instructed and established in the true knowledge of Gods Word both Law and Gospell might easily haue bred some distraction in their mindes and trouble in their hearts Pudet haec opprobria nobis dici potuisse non potuisse refellâ—… I may truly say I held it both sinne and shame that so opprobrious things should be objected against the holy Law of God and put into the bosomes of good and gracious people as a parcell of Gods truth and a pledge of your loue and not to be resisted by some encounter August Bonis Epist 23. and refuted by some answer to the same Respondi sicut existimo quaestionibus tuis saith S. Augustine to Bonifacius quantum attinet ad minus capaces ad contentiosos non satis quantum autem ad pacatos intelligentes plus fortè quà m sat est Let me speake vnto you in almost the same words I haue answered as I thinke your positions and oppositions against the Morall Law of God for such as are lesse capable and such as are contentious not sufficiently enough neither for length nor strength but for such as are tractable and teachable peraduenture more than enough for both And here if the length of my answer procure me any blame either with you or other of my friends seeing your Pamphlet was but short which drew the same from me I must plead my just defence as Augustine did his to the same Bonifacius requiring a briefe answer to some hard questions proposed vnto him His literis saith he lectis relectis recordatus sum Nebridium amicum meum qui valdè oderat de quaestione magna responsionem brevem In like manner hauing read ouer and ouer againe your short Pamphlet and seeing the question was great and quotations many and large though your paper was not much nor long I could not abide to frame a short answer nay I must needs frame a long August Epist 23. ad Bonif. to so large and great a question and that for the same reason which moued Nebridius so to desire an answer at length in such a case Because in matters obscure ad pietatis doctrinam maximè pertinentibus especially appertaining to the Doctrine of piety as this of the Morall Law especially doth he that would diligently search and see into them had need to enlarge himselfe and hold that course Concerning your last Will and Testament and the light that it bringeth to your second section Zanch. in Hos I referre you to Zanchius in Hoseam where you shall finde the like Simile and withall a paire of snuffers to top your light that it may burne more clearly And if that will not serue you may haue Torchlight from Caluine which I will now put into your hands before I leaue you you may see how loth I am to leaue you in the darke whereby you may once more be admonished of your error and the danger of it and haue light enough to lead you vnto the truth and prouoke you also to the entertaining and embracing of it Speaking of the sweetnesse and lightsomnesse of the Morall Law vnto all that can doe as Dauid did i. finde and apprehend Christ the Mediator in the same He addeth these words Quod discernere dum imperiti quidam nesciunt Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 7. sect 12.13 totum Mosen animosè explodunt duasque legis tabulas valere jubent quia scilicet Christianis alienum esse arbitrantur adhaerere doctrinae quae mortis administrationem continet Which different office and vse of the Law saith Caluine whiles some ignorant persons know not how to discerne they doe boldly and couragiously hisse out all Moses Law and bid farewell to the two Tables of the Morall Law because forsooth they thinke it strange for Christians to cleaue vnto that Doctrine which containeth the administration of death or damnation in it Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur You may view your face in this glasse and take euery word home with you to your owne house and withall take I pray along with you what he addeth in detestation of this your opinion Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 7. sect 13. Facessat longe ex animis nostris profana istac opinio Let this profane opinion be farre remoued from our mindes And consider seriously I beseech you of that which he speaketh so resolutely for the establishing of the Morall Law as well as in the commendation of the vse of it Quod si absolutum saith he in ea justitiae exemplar eminere nemo inficietur aut nullam esse nobis rectè justeque vivendi regulam oportet aut ab ea nefas est discedere But if saith Caluine no man can deny but that in the Morall Law there is manifestly to be seene a most absolute patterne of righteousnesse either we must haue no rule at all of right and just liuing or it is great wickednesse to depart from the Morall Law Certainly me thinks to a reasonable and ingenuous man this might be sufficient satisfaction for embracing the truth and relinquishing of so vnsound and vnsauoury an opinion I could compasse you about with a cloud of witnesses to this purpose But it must be euen this Law of God written in your heart by the finger of Gods Spirit which through the power and grace of Christ shall helpe to illighten your eies to see the beauty and conuert your soule to feele the vertue euen of this Morall Law of God which you now so oppose and oppugne which I doubt not but in due time the Lord will doe if as I hope you doe you belong vnto him Meanewhile we will pray for you and wait in patience to see if peraduenture the Lord may giue you repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 2 Tim. 2.25 26. that when you shall haue recouered your selfe out of this snare of Satan and we shall heare or see that he which persecuted the Law in times past doth now publish and professe obedience thereunto we with other of Gods children that wish you well in Christ may be prouoked by your light which may shine in the workes of loue the summe of the Law Gal. 1.23.24 to reioice in your recouery and to glorifie God in youre behalfe FINIS
of the Morall Law Nay is there not much to the contrary For doth he that saith we are freed from the rigour yoke and bondage of the Law affirme in so saying that the Morall Law is wholly abolished or are we therefore discharged of all obedience to the Law altogether because by faith in Christs obedience we stand not charged with the exact and rigorous obseruation of the same Doth not o Caluin Instit lib. 3. cap. 19 sect 4. Caluin himselfe in this very section which you alledge giue instance in one precept of the Morall Law as now in force and of great vse for beleeuers to frame their hearts and liues in obedience thereunto Doth he not say plainly Legis praeceptum est ut diligamus Deum He doth not say as it seemes you would haue him Legis praeceptum fuit as implying the Law was once but now is not as p Virg. Aeneid li. 2. fuit Ilium ingens gloria Teucrorum sed jam seges est ubi Troia fuit or as Tullie also could say q Cicer. Tuscul quaest lib. 1. Triste vocabulum fui subest enim haec vis habuit non habet but he saith legis praeceptum est as being yet still in force ut diligamus Deum as binding himselfe and all the faithfull to a filiall and cheerefull not to a rigorous and seruile obedience in the duties of it But seeing you haue done Caluin so great wrong as contrary to his minde and meaning yea to his words and writing to charge him with that he neuer wrote spoke nor thought will you doe him that fauour as to let him speake for himselfe and deliuer his owne opinion in his owne words whether he be of your minde or no touching the vtter abolishing of the whole Morall Law Neque hinc rectè quis colligat saith r Caluin Instit lib. 3. cap. 19. sect 2. he hauing proued that the Law hath no place nor power in the justification of a sinner before God legem fidelibus supervacaneam esse quos non idâ—o docere hortari stimulare ad bonum definit tamet si apud Dei tribunal in eorum conscientijs locum non habet and he addeth a little afterward In hoc fitum est legis officium ut eos officij sui admonendo ad sanctitatis innocentiae studium excitet Me thinkes Caluin seemeth to frame his speech of purpose as if he meant to answer one in your coat and to meet with your opinion though he were neuer acquainted with your person For you will haue the whole Morall Law to be wholly abolished he blames the very conceit of such as thinke it needlesse or superfluous indeed he acknowledgeth that it is of no force for our justification but confesseth withall that it is of great vse for edification and sanctification You will haue it not only ceased but abrogated as hauing neither any office nor vse he saith it is so farre from being abrogated that yet it doth not cease to teach to exhort and to pricke the faithfull vnder the Gospell forward vnto that which is good and testifieth that it is a speciall office of the Law by admonishing them of their duty to stirre them vp vnto holinesse of life You say The whole Epistle to the Galatians and the generall Argument of it importeth that the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished and he to the cleane contrary addeth these to his former words Å¿ Caluin Instit lib. 3. cap. 19. sect 3. In hoc cardine totum fere argumentum Epistolae ad Galatas vertitur giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that by the Argument of the Epistle to the Galatians the Morall Law is not abolished but in speciall office and vse euen now and for euer in the daies of the Gospell to be continued The words I haue cited out of Caluin I haue not fetcht very farre being so neere neighbours to the place whence you tooke yours Yours out of the fourth section Caluin Instit lib. 3. cap. 19. sect 4. sect 2. 3. where yet you haue nothing which makes for you and mine out of the second third section where you may see almost euery line is drawen to my hand cleane ouerthwart and crosse vnto your opinion What may a man that would willingly thinke well of you thinke of your dealing in this allegation Did you reade the fourth and not the second nor third sections That had beene great negligence especially there being so necessary dependance one vpon another Did you reade them and not vnderstand them taking that to be for you which was altogether against you That had beene too grosse ignorance Did you reade and vnderstand that Caluin in those sections had nothing to confirme but much to confute your opinion And would you notwithstanding beare vs in hand that he stood as firme on your side as you had set him faire in your margent This were wilfully to shut your eies against the light and to endanger the comfort of a good conscience Which of these faults you are fallen into I leaue to your second thoughts to consider and to amend what you finde amisse Thus we leaue Caluin who doth neither proue nor approue your opinion but plainly reproues it rather Let vs now examine Beza * Antinomus your next witnesse and see if his testimony will stand you in any stead for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Answer In the place which you alledge in Galat. 3.22 he speaketh something of the abrogation of the Ceremoniall but not a word of the abolition of the Morall Law his words will witnesse what I say and conuince you of no small fault in this allegation also t Beza in Gal. 3.22 Antea docuerat saith he legem ceremonialem abrogatam esse tum quatenus nos arguebat peccati ac mortis per transgressiones tum quatenus fuerat ipsius damnationis externum Chirographum Nunc autem eandem ceremonialem legem considerans ut promissionum Euangelicarum suo tempore exhibendarum umbram figuram docet illam quoque hoc respectu cessasse c. What could be said more distinctly or more effectually for expounding that very verse of the abrogation of the Ceremoniall which you say he expounds of the abolishing of the Morall Law Beza u Beza in Gal. 3.23 saith That the Apostle vnderstands the Ceremoniall Law in this 23. verse and that being but a shadow and figure of the promises of the Gospell it ceased when Christ was exhibited and you say how truly let others judge that the same Beza saith that the same verse is to be vnderstood of the Morall Law and that he proueth thereby that the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished There may be as much agreement betwixt light and darknesse fire and water truth and errour as betwixt Beza his Assertion and your Allegation in this point But will you with patience heare his opinion direct and downe-right not for the abolishing but for