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
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
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
remarkable for the time to come as euer it was vpon the Iewes and euen in the same words This is a rebellious people lying children and that euen for the same reason Because you stand so much against the Law of the Lord. But to proceed yet a little further for your better conuiction and satisfaction in this point If I shall shew you out of the Epistles of the Apostles not only * The Apostle S. Iohn proueth hatred of our Brethren to be a sin because it is a breach of the Morall Law viz. Murther offending against the sixt Commandement and so doth not only proue it but reproue it also 1 Ioh. 3.14 15. as deseruing death and depriuing vs of eternal life So doth Paul also rebuke and threaten Couetousnesse because it is Idolatry a breach of the first Commandement sharpe rebukes as you haue heard some already but some bitter and ironicall taunts many serious and seuere Commandements for auoiding of the sinnes and performing of the duties of the Morall Law many terrible threatnings of dreadfull judgements and curses and that not only by way of allusion but by plaine allegation of the Morall Law If I say I shall shew you all these out of the Epistles will you then honestly and ingenuously confesse your error hauing so boldly affirmed the contrary and so rest satisfied with the truth in this particular Vpon this subject a man might gather enough to fill a Volume and might spend more daies then I can spare houres for this businesse A touch of some and a taste of others shall serue the turne When the Apostle k 1 Cor. 4.8 Paul saw the Corinthians swolne and puffed vp with a vaine and insolent conceit of their owne excellency as now boasting of their gifts and that being now full by their elegant and eloquent Teachers they began as it were to loath the hony combe of the Word in Pauls preaching he wisely labours to let out this winde of vanity with an ironicall and bitter rebuke as sharpe and piercing as the point of a speare or sword Now saith he yee are full now yee are rich now yee haue reigned as Kings without vs we are fooles for Christs sake but yee are wise in Christ l 1 Cor. 4.10 we are weake but yee are strong yee are honourable but we are despised Some m Quintil. Instit Orat. lib. 6. cap. 3. lib. 9. cap. 2. learned men doe hold that this and such like ironicall n Lyra in 1 Cor. 4.8 Ironicè loquitur ut ostendat praesumptionem corum derisibilem derisions are the sharpest and seuerest reprehensions Like vnto that of our Sauiour Christ Mar. 7. where sharply reprouing the ceremonious and superstitious Pharisies for preferring their humane Ordinances before Gods Commandements Full o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rajn Censur praâ—ect 169. See Beza advers Sycoph p. 136. ut Amos. 4 4 â—…e Bethel peccate well saith p Mar. 7.9 10. he doe yee reject the Commandements of God that yee may keepe your owne Traditions For Moses said Honour thy Father and Mother and yee say It is Corban c. Or like vnto that bitter mocke of q 1 King 18.27 Elijah against the worshippers of Baal 1 King 18.27 Cry aloud for he is a God either he is talking or he is pursuing or he is in a journey or peraduenture he sleepeth and must be awaked The same Apostle Paul also warning the Philippians of false Teachers of wicked liuers and of them of the Circumcision that were amongst them doth he not rate such persons as Dogs and scoffingly tearme their Circumcision Concision saying Beware of r Phil. 3.2.3 Dogs beware of euill workers beware of the Concision and doth not the same Apostle giue direction vnto Å¿ Tit. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titus to muzzell and stop the mouthes of such Dogs and branding the Cretians with reprochfull names by a Verse alleged out of Epimenides one of their owne Poets t Tit. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cretians all are liars still bellies slow and beasts ill u Tit. 1.13 He alloweth of this testimony as true and thereupon chargeth Titus to rebuke them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly or sharply that they may be sound in the faith As if he would haue Titus to vse these sharpe reproofes and reproches as Chirurgions sometimes doe their keene rasors to cut away all brutish and base sinnes as either dead or proud flesh that so they might be cured of their errors and made sound in the knowledge and profession of the Gospell of Christ Iesus By all which bitter taunts sharpe reproches and cutting rebukes any that hath either sight or sense may plainly see and perceiue that all Pauls Epistles are not tempered with such mildnesse as you haue ignorantly and rashly affirmed as if there were not so much as any taste of tartnesse or sharpnesse in them at all But that Paul retaining his x 2 Cor. 13.10 1 Cor. 4.21 Apostolicall liberty sometimes to smite with his rod of rebuke and censure as well as to speake in the spirit of meeknesse did not only himselfe inflamed with holy and heauenly zeale rebuke sharply reproch bitterly and reproue grieuously but did also charge y Tit. 1.13 2 Tim. 4.2 others of Gods Ministers seuerely as occasion should require so to doe And all this he did with a wise heart and mercifull hand to humble the people of God not to discourage them for z 2 Cor. 10.8 13.10 edification not vnto destruction to make them sound in judgement and holy in affection and conuersation Now whereas * Antinomus you say further That there is no forme of Commandement in the Epistles no penalty no vrging of the Morall Law nay not so much as any allusion vnto Moses Law or the Ten Commandements I say no more Answer but let vs search the records and the very sight of the Euidence will I hope conuince your conscience of too much blindnesse and boldnesse in these also Turne me therefore I pray you vnto 1 Tim 6. I a 1 Tim. 6.13 14. giue thee charge in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Iesus Christ who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keepe this Commandement without spot vnrebukeable vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ And vnto 2 Tim. 4.1 I b 2 Tim. 4.1 charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his kingdome Preach the word be instant in season and out of season reproue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine See also 2 Tim. 2.14 c 2 Tim. 2.14 Of these things put them in remembrance charging them before the Lord that they striue not about words to no purpose but to the subuerting of the hearers Consider now these places and tell me I pray you if the Apostle doe not in these
Morall Law is now wholly abolished because you cannot finde that saluation was euer promised to the keeping of it But tell me in good earnest could you neuer finde that euer saluation was promised to the keeping of the Law Haue you not read q Leuit. 18.5 what is written in the Law You shall keepe my Statutes and my judgements which if a man doe he shall liue in them Or doe you thinke as some r Basilidiani Pepusiani Adamit Danaeus in Augu. Haeres Heretikes haue done that this and the like promises made vnto the Iewes concerne only the comforts of this temporall and not the blessing of eternall life Thinke you what you list it greatly skils not so long as we know that the most judicious and religious Å¿ Calu. Harmo in 4. lib. Mos pag. 445. 450. August contr Faust lib. 4. cap. 2. Diuines euen such as are pillars in the house of God doe thinke otherwise the Scripture bearing witnesse to their opinion herein when it tels vs That in the keeping of the Law there is a t Psal 19.11 Eccles 1.2 2.11 Psal 119.1 2. great reward a reward of greater weight and worth than any or all earthly things being but vanity and vexation of spirit can afford this being the best end of all and the whole man both for his duty and felicity to feare God and to keepe his Commandements For Blessed are they that are vndefiled in the way who walke in the Law of the Lord and blessed are they that keepe his Testimonies and seeke him with their whole heart Came this blessednesse then may you say vpon any or could euer any attaine vnto it by the workes of the Law I answer Neuer any either did or could attaine vnto this blessednesse of eternall life by their keeping u August lib. 4. cont duas Epist Pelagian ad Bonif. cap. 5. of the Law by reason of their wants and weaknesses defectiue and imperfect obedience vnto the same but all that euer were are or shall be so blessed must attaine thereunto only by the righteousnesse of x Phil. 3.9 faith in the absolute and perfect obedience of Christ Iesus And yet notwithstanding that which you say you could neuer finde we haue now not only found out for you but brought it to your hand viz. that saluation hath beene promised to him which should keepe the Law whosoeuer he were that could fulfill it in all things accordingly A further proofe whereof you may yet take if you please from the answere of our y Luk. 10.28 Matt. 19.16 c. Sauiour to the Scribe or Lawyer demanding of him what he should doe to inherit eternall life What is written in the z Leuit. 18.5 Ezek. 10.11 Law saith he how readest thou And when the Lawyer had answered out of the Law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength and with all thy minde and thy neighbour as thy selfe Christ replied vnto him Thou hast answered right this doe and thou shalt liue In which words our Sauiour Christ doth both expound the promise made in the Law to the keeping of the Law viz. doe this and liue not of this temporall but of a Luk. 10.25 28. Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 eternall life and also maketh himselfe a promise of Saluation to him that would keepe the Law if so be he could doe it accordingly Certainly it is strange to me that you could neuer finde out thus much before seeing both Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles haue laid it downe so plainly before your face that had your eies beene in your head as a wise mans are nay had they beene but in your heeles you might haue runne and read seene and found the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rajn Censuâ—… Praelect 183. col 862. promise of saluation made vnto him that should keepe the Law both in the old and new Testament The b Mark 8.24 blinde man in the Gospell that had but a little glimmering light and sight saw men walking as trees and you that would be loth to be reckoned amongst the blinde or * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.9 Gen. 21.15 19. purblinde cannot see wood for trees but like Agar cry out you can finde no water and yet the well lieth open before your eies But it may be though the well were open yet your eies were shut as hers also were that she could not see till the Lord had opened them which I pray the Lord may doe for you also and then shall you see more plainly both this and other points of Gods truth which though you haue sought yet haue you not seene and though you haue groped after them yet haue you not found them because the Lord hath hid them from your eies I come now vnto your last Argument Of such Arguments as these your dozen are Quintilian speaketh thus Si non possunt valere quia magna non sunt valebunt forsan quia multa sunt Orat. Instit lib. 5. cap. 12. which makes vp the full dozen Repentance you say is a part of the Gospell Rom. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.9 It is And what doe you collect or conclude hence Ergo the Morall Law is vtterly abolished Of what force this your Argument is you may see by the like The Prodigals returning to his Father was a part of his reconciliation with him Ergo his humiliation vpon the sense and sight of his sinne was of no vse at all for that purpose Remission of sinne from God is a part of justification Ergo confession of sinne to God is now of no vse at all The promises of grace are a part of the Gospell Ergo the precepts of the Law of God are no rules of obedience in the daies of the Gospell If these Arguments be firme and sound then such is this of yours also but if they be so feeble and weake that they haue no strength either to beare or bring forth a good conclusion then must I take yours in this cause for the like vntill you can shew me some difference or dislike betwixt them for what though repentance a See Lactan. li. 6. de vero cultu cap. 24. de vocab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 377. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being taken for our 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.2 effectuall renouation 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.5 regeneration 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.13 conuersion 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.4 newnesse of life turning from our sinnes to embrace and obey the Gospell be indeed a part of the Gospell because none can come vnto this but they that haue the b Act. 2.18 spirit of grace powred vpon them and the word of grace c Iam. 1.18 21. ingraffed in them and the d Ephes 2.8 Phil. 1.29 gift of grace to beleeue
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
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
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