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
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.
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
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
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