of abusing holy Doctrines ariseth First from Satan who bearing extream malice unto all holy Truthes doth not onely sowe tares but blemisheth as much as he can the good grain from the beginning he hath been a disturber corrupter and perverter of all holy and wholsome Doctrines Secondly from mans ignorance of the nature end and use of all holy Doctrines Learning hath no greater enemy then Ignorance Light hath not any contrary but darknesse and wholsome Doctrines no greater depraver or mistaker then ignorance They speak evil of those things they know not Jude v. 10. Thirdly from that horrible pride which is crept into mens mindes and hearts Pride hath been and is the seed of all the Heresies in the world none ever perverted Doctrine more then Hereticks and none have been more proud then those this I have observed That its the nature of Pride to be singular in opinion as well as in action it will be hatching of new opinions and upstart principles then it bends the entire force of all its parts to under-prop and swathe all the wilde and loose births of its own fancie next with a stately insolencie it brings abroad the Brat vents it in publique to the view applause and acceptation of the foolish and ignorant then it begins to wry and wrâ—st all truths to it self which if it cannot do it doth declaim against and trample under-foot the same scorning Articles of Churches Determinations of Councels Suffrages of Fathers and which is more the Testimony of the Scripture it self Fourthly from mans love of licentiousnesse lawlesse libertie cannot stand within the compasse of sound Doctrine now that men may have a liberty to themselves in sinning they raise Objections against and study the diversions of holy Truths the Whore blows out the candle that she may not be espied the fish Polypus muds the water that she may not be taken and men of loose spirits do cry down and pervert holy Truths that they may the more freely sin and be wicked But I pray you what is the other thing you took notice of Nomist. Doct. 2 2. The second is this The right temper of a gracious and well informed spirit which is to make all unsound and licentious Inferences from holy Doctrines hatefull and displeasing to it self I see the tendernesse of Pauls spirit rejecting with Apostolicall indignation the lawlesse Inference of vain men Evangelist You have spoken the truth and each Christian should learn from the Apostle 1. In his judgement to disallow 2. With his heart to abominate 3. By his speech to declaim against 4. By all endeavours to suppresse and silence all false deductions from holy Doctrines Truth should be precious and lovely to us but errour vile and abominable we are enemies to Truth so far as we are friends with errour Oh that men would know That it is a great sin to be taken with odde and new Opinions and to forsake old Truths for new errours I wish that you and all my friends would try before you trust winter and summer new men and their new doctrines Bring them to the Law and the Testimony Nomist I thank you for this help and now I shall desire you to open to me the tearms of the Text which being truely done will give much satisfaction to such who seek the truth in love I pray tell me what doth the Apostle mean by faith which is the thing that doth not make void the Law Evangelist There can be but one of these two meanings in the word either we take it for habituall and actuall faith which is called A double Faith 1. Habituall fides qua namely That grace wrought by the Spirit in the soul inclining it to the application of Jesus Christ and his righteousnesse which grace is the condition of the Covenant of grace and the appointed Instrument to apprehend justifying righteousnesse as along in this Scripture the Apostle sheweth Or we must take it for Doctrinall Faith which is called 2 Doctrinall fides quae namely That Gospel or Covenant Doctrine which propounded free grace sets up Jesus Christ in all his Offices Merits and Vertues to poor believing sinners Now take the Apostle either way and he holds That neither the grace of Faith nor the doctrine of Faith doth make void the Law of God Nomist. Tell me what is that Law which this Faith doth not make void Evangelist You must know that there were three sorts of Laws delivered A threefold Law by God to Moses 1. Ceremoniall which were temporary Ordinances and Rites really pointing to Christ of whom they were figures and shadows and by whose presence and death they were all fulfilled terminated and abrogated Christ was finis inter ficiens legis Ceremonialis so that the law of Ceremonies was made void by the Doctrine of faith and therefore this law cannot be here meant 2. Judiciall which were peculiar Ordinances given by God to Moses for the well ordering of the Common-wealth of Israel This Law concerned the Jews not simply as men but as Jews the Nationall personall or particular binding right of this Law rested so in them that it died with the decay of their Common-wealth onely the common equity or right hereof remaineth i as far as it was grounded on the Law of Nature served directly to confirm any of the Ten Commandments or to uphold the good of Family Church or Common-wealth it is still in force and of good use but of this Law the Apostle in this Scripture makes no mention Now if he speak not of the Law Ceremoniall nor of the Law Judiciall it followeth that we must understand him speaking of the Law 3. Morrall and that not as it is a rule of Justification but a rule of Service and Obedience the whole compasse of mans duty respectively to be manifested is principally contained in the Law Morrall which is no other then the revealed Copy of The Morall Law what Gods will touching mans dutie laid down in the ten Commandments if we do cast our eyes upon the scope of the Apostle it will be very evident that he speaketh of this Law for he deals against such who sought to be justified and saved by the works of the Law and not by faith in Jesus Christ they went about to set up the Law of Works and to destroy the Law of Faith Now Paul sheweth that no mans conformity to the Morall Law could be matter of life and justification unto him in Gods sight The Law by sin is become weak and unprofitable to the purpose of righteousnesse it could not be a covenant of life unto man now having excluded it from being a covenant of life to sinners there were those who would have it to be disannulled from being a rule of life unto men which the Apostle will not admit of so that its plain that the vindication is of the Morall Law that as a rule of life is not made void unto Christians Nomist How shall I understand
sinfulnesse I am of his opinion who would Chrysostoâ—â— have hell preached daily unto men being perswaded it would prove an excellent means to keep many out of hell When I look upon that body of sin which remaineth in the best I cannot see but the threats of the Law may be of good use unto them not that I fancie Christians should be carried into and along duty by a spirit of fear as slaves that they must have the rod shaking over them or else they cannot or will not do dutie I know that they are led by a more free and ingenuous Spirit into acts of dutie namely by the Law of Love yet let me tell you That the carnall and unregenerate part of the godly needs this whip and harsh voice of the Law and I see no reason but a Christian may make that motive to himself which God makes motive unto him Secondly in its Promissory part as it doth propound many and great rewards unto the sons of men I finde that the Law doth not onely threaten thereby to terrifie men from sinning but it doth also propound and promise unto the sons of men certain rewards thereby to allure and draw them in to dutie we reade of shewing mercy to thousands of them that love him and keep his commandments And again the fifth Commandment is called The first Commandment with promise Ephes 6. 2. Surely the Doctrine of Faith doth not make void these promises in the Law nay it gives the Law a power to promise and alloweth that men may set the joy before them and have an eye to the recompence of reward though not chiâ—fly and principally or in a way of merit Thirdly in its Mandatory part and so it hath a power 1. Of Declaration to reveal and make known the will of God touching duties to teach tell and acquaint men with the same hence it is called a Lamp and a Light the Gospel doth continue it to be an eternall Doctrine teaching men what to do and how to live 2. Of Obligation it doth not onely command things honest and to be done but it doth tie men to yeeld obedience to it self for the Law-givers sake hence it is called Lex a Ligando for if you destroy the Obligation of the Law you make void the Law Now the Gospel will have it to be a ruling commanding and binding Law unto Christians it doth set up the authority of the Law Morall making it to be a Law indeed Fourthly in its Preparatory part and Office you must know that the Morall Law is a John the Baptist to make way for Christ a manuduction to Christ and Faith Paul saith Wherefore the Law was our School-master to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by Faith Gal. 3. 24. I do not say that the Law formally doth beget Faith in Christ it doth it onely by way of Preparation and manuduction and that partly as it doth convince men of sin laying open to them that exceeding wickednesse which lieth upon the soul By the Law cometh the knowledge of sin Rom. 3. 20. And I had not known that lust had been sin unlesse the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Rom. 7. 7. Hence is it compared to a glasse whose propertie is to represent those objects that present themselves before it in all their colours thus the holy Law doth yeeld up unto men by way of reflection the true and certain face and nature of their sinfulnesse it layes sin out and open in its true proportion and countenance the light doth not more demonstrate visible objects then the Law which is the candle of the Lord doth make known sins and that by the help of spirit and the use of conscience partly as it doth deject and humble men for sin the Law doth so open the debt and death of sin to the soul that it sees it self inclosed with the curse that belongs to sin and that Divine wrath is ready to pour it self oâ— him and how to avoid the same he knows not he is as a man shut up in a close room having his mortall enemy standing at the door with a drawn sword in his hand entring upon him thus the Law falls upon the conscience of a sinner whipping and tormenting him loading and burdening him laying him as it were upon the mouth of hell passing the doom of damnation upon him from which it can of it self no way deliver it self it leaves him a sinner without a Saviour without all hope of salvation Onely it is brought to this wishing O that there were any possiibility of mercy that I might be saved from this condition of insufferable misery Again we may consider the The Law is not made void 1. To unbelievers subjects in respect of whom the Law is not made void and they are of two sorts 1. Unbeleevers who are yet in the state of nature and to such the Law is enlightning a wakening judging and terrifying through the application of the curse and wrath The 1 Tim 1. 9 Law is made for the lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners c. It is their whip and rod to scourge them 2. Beleevers who are under Grace and Love and to such 2. To believers it is a glasse discovering their many hidden corruptions by which they may daily try and examine themselves it is their bridle to cohibite and restrain them from sinning it is their hedge and mound to keep them in order and due compasse in a word it is their rule by which they are to guide and moderate the inward and the outward conversation of soul and life And thus far it is not made void by the Doctrine of the Gospel Nomist Will you be pleased to demonstrate this a little farther unto me and my friend Evangelist I shall proove unto you that the Doctrine of Faith doth not make void the doctrine and duty of the Morall Law by these ten instances Reas 1 1. The Law Morall was given to Adam in the state of innocencie I say that Adam in the state of integrity was not without a Law nay nor without this Law for the substance of it though he was a righâ—eous man and in his height of dignity yet he was commanded by the will of God and his work was to be ruled by the precept of God in all things as you may read Gen. 3 16. The Law Morall and the Law given to Adam was the same Law for the matter of duty as I look upon the Law given to Adam for a covenant of life and salvation God intending to give and tying him to expect life upon and for his obedience and withall do consider that God in justice might have hâ—ld his posterity to the same condition and covenant of works here I conceive that the Law given to Adam and the Law received by Moses are not one and the same for I think that God never intended that the Law given by Moses should become a
Now if they were not bound to keep the Morall Precepts they did not and could not offend such must hold that beleevers cannot and do not sin who make void the Law unto beleevers the Apostle sheweth that the Morall Law concludes all under sin now that Law which concludes all men to have sinned concludes that all men have broken that Law if it conclude that Jews and Gentiles have sinned and broken it then it extends it self to them 3. If the Commandments of the Morall Law do not equally and universally binde men to their observance then the curse threatned upon the breach of that Law doth not appertain equally and universally to them for we read Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Gal. 3. 10. Here I would ask a proud Antinomist Doth the curse of the Law belong to all men yea or no If it doth then the Law concerns us Christians if he shall say It doth not then I affirm That he denieth his part in Christ it being written Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Gal. 3. 13. curse for us Reas 6 Sixthly The spirit of God doth write this Law in the hearts of all God children according to the promise I will put my Law Jer. 31. 33. into their inward parts and write it in their hearts If any shall scruple at the expression and think that by this Law is not meant the Morall Law I would desire them to consider what the Prophet Ezâ—kiel saith I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them Ezek. 36. 27. I pray note 1. That the Spirit The Spirit writing the Law what makes it his work to convey the minde of God in the Law into the minde of every Christian he doth by an enlightning act sufficiently instruct them in Gods authority over them and his will concerning them 2. That the Spirit doth by an act of efficacy engrave and write the Law in their hearts which is no other thing then the fastening of the power and authority of the Law together with a disposition to obedience upon the heart so that the heart shall be no more contrary to it but sweetly concurring with it I mean there shall be found these four things in a Christian 1. Obedientiall apprehension which is the basis and ground of all duty to God for without a clear and distinct knowledge and a spirituall discerning of the inward meaning and binding power of Gods Commandments a man shall never submit to the Law of God as the onely rule of life and obedience 2. Obedientiall disposition the frame of the heart shall be fitted unto acts of obedience and the disposition sweetly inclined to take up the yoke of all Divine injunctions so that with David they shall say I am ready to do thy will O my God Iâ—â—l â— 40. 8. yea thy Law is within my heart 3. Obedientiall desire such have wrought in them solid desires that the goings and steps of their hearts and lives may be answerably suited and matched with the righteous and pure Laws of God and all swerving from the same are grievous to them as being contrary to their minde and will they wish with David O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutâ—s Isâ—â— 19 5 and it is with them as it was with Paul Who did consent to the Rom 7 19. Law in his soul though he did swerve from the same in many particular actions the Spirit works this temper in the godly that there shall be an equall latitude between Gods Precepts and his desires i though there be much dutie which a Christian cannot do yet there is no dutie but he would do he saith I would keep good Laws but alwayes I do not keep them or alwayes I do not yet alwayes I would obey 4. Obedientiall expression the life of obedience is the obedience of the life and therefore the Spirit draws them out not onely into an outward profession but a sincere and reall practise of obedience that as the will so the deed as the heart so the hand shall be theirs they shall be made to put out their strength imploy their endeavours and to overcome themselves that they may obey the commands of heaven Now is this the work of the Spirit on the godly and shall we imagine that the Law is made void Reas 7 Seventhly Christ himself hath established and ratified the Morall Law for a Doctrine of obedience he doth professe that he Mat. 5. 17. came not to destroy or to put a period to it but to fulfill it now the fulfilling of it is not the destroying of it and if it be not destroyed by Christ then it remains the Law still and if a Law it bindes us to obedience Nay Christ made it his 4 Actions of Christ about the Law work in his Preaching to vindicate and assert the genuine and proper sence of the Law from the Pharisees corrupt and imposed glosses and interpretations further he became himself a patern and an example of obedience to the rule of the Morall Law in no one point swerving from the direction thereof and in a word he did frequently enjoyn men the right observation of the Law according as Moses had done before him Reas 8 Eighthly The Apostles of Jesus Christ have maintained the Doctrine of the Law in the oâ—ligation thereof unto dutie besides the Text now opening to you Consider how often doth he say Love is the fulfilling of the Law What frequent Rom. 13. recitals are there of the Commandments of God in the Epistles The Apostle presseth on children the dutie of reverence unto their Parents from the fifth Commandment saying Honour Eph. 6. 2. thy father and thy mother which is the first Commandment with promise S. James doth second S. Paul saying If ye fulfill Iam. 2. 8. the royall Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self ye do well and the Apostle John in his Epistle doeth set on this Doctrine as you may easily observe Reas 9 Ninthly Beleevers before and after Christs time have reckoned themselves to be under the dutie and obligation of this Law David Hezekiah Josiah with many others stand upon record for their respect to Gods commandments and walking in the way of his will Zachary and Elizabeth kept them close to the Morall Law Luke 1. 6. And Paul did not onely consent Rom 7 16 22 to the Law that it was good And delight in it after the inner man but he professeth that with his minde he himself did serve the 25 Law of God Mark the phrase he did serve the Law which expresly notes his obligation by it and obedience to it nay the whole seed of the woman with whom the Dragon makes war are said to keep the Commandments
doth shew it self every way opposite to all even the appearances of wickednesse this teacheth men to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and calls upon T it 2. 11. 2 Cor. 7 1. them to cleanse themselves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit Sixthly As it doth make known a remaining vertue in all the curses and menaces of the Law under the Gospel the believing soul doth flee from the dreadfull sentence of the Law to Jesus Christ even as the man slayer did to the Cities of Refuge seeking to repeal all the actions of the Law against it self surely if the Gospel did not make it to be of force it would not be thus with believers Seventhly As it doth look at the satisfaction of the Law ere it alloweth the justification of a sinner The Gospel will have men justified per modum justitiae in a way of satisfaction unto justice which cannor be done untill that right be done to the Law the right of the Law must be fulfilled in us as satisfaction was made unto it in our names by our Surety and Rom 8. 4. Saviour till when no man is by the Gospel admitted to love and life Eighthly As it dot give license and liberty to poor sinners to come in and plead the satisfaction of Christ to the Law for their discharge from that guilt contracted in and through their breaking of the Law When the Law hath found men to be sinners by its sentence condemned them for the same and left them under many miserable wounds and horrours the Gospel will now admit and give way to them to come in to God and deal with him for grace and mercy in and for the active and passive obedience of Jesus Christ which is his righteousnesse Ninthly As it doth presse to humility and self-denyall An humble self-denying heart is never above duty all the while the heart is proud and selfish its disobedient and unfft for duty where self raigneth there carnall reasonings vave mastery and base ends do over-bear the heart carrying it from duty Now the Gospel calls upon men to deny themselves and to be lowly minded and humble hearted it would have men to loose their wills in Gods as the wife doth lose her name in her husbands Tenthly As it doth spring up love to God and man Love is not the rule but spring of sound obedience to Gods Law no affection disputes lesse and doth more then love Christ puts all obedience on love and Paul puts all love upon Faith if men love they cannot but obey if they believe they cannot but love as love is a part of duty so it is a provoker to duty The love of Christ doth mightily constrain 2 Cor 5. 14 Eleventhly As it doâ—h excite men to look up to their helps for performance of obedience The Gospel sheweth to men their work and the way how to accomplish their work it sets before them all encouragements to be doing and where all their springs of ability for doing lie especially it sets Christ before men not onely as an example of obedience to his Fathers Will whom they are to follow but as the spring of all-obeying vertue it teacheth that all power to do and obey is treasured up in Jesus Christ and from him it floweth even as the service of the naturall members ariseth from the influence which passeth from the head in one place it saith Without me you can do nothing and in another place I am Ioh. 15 4. able to do all things through Christ that strengthneth me Phil. 4. 13. It woes and wins men to come to Jesus Christ seeking obeying vertue from him Lastly As it keeps men upon a oourse of obedience We reade of the obedience of Faith and the work of Faith the Gospel cannot endure idlenesse it s for working in one place it saith Work out your salvation with fear and trembling In Phil. 2. 12. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Iâ—â— 2 another place Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure In a third place Shâ—w me thy saith by thy works Thus it is in the Gospel works do not justifie persons in Gods â—ight yet they justifie faith to a mans own conscience and all the world We are not to be ignorant that as Faith hath an immediate and primary act called Application which is the taking hold of speciall and saving objects so it hath a mediate derived or resulting act called Suâ—jection which is the delivery up of the person to be ruled and governed by the Lord in all things the grace of Faith in life will make men and women to apply themselves to keep Gods Commandments with chearfulnesse as the Gospel doth shew that God is gracious so it teacheth that man must be dutifull he that said I am God all-suffiâ—ient said also Walk before me that covenant which makes God to be a loving Father doth stile Christians obedient children Nomist If it might not be troublesome unto you I would gladly hear the uses you made of these Doctrines Evangelist It is meat and drink to me to do my Masters will and your Spirituali profit is my souls pleasure I gladly yeeld to your motion and do acquaint you that this Scripture thus opened Vse 1 In the first place doth wipe off that divelish slander and unjust imputation of the Romanists against the Protestant Divines Bellarmine in his fourth Book De justificationâ— and fifth Bellar. de justifi â— 4. c. 5. Chapter useth these words â—gitur adversarii ut supra diximus in co ponunt Christianam libertatem ut nulli legi subjecti sint in conscientia coram deo Christum habeant pro redemptore non pro legis-latore Moses autem cum suo Decalogo nihil ad eos pertineat i The Adversaries to us do place Christian Libertie in this that they are altogether freed from the obedience and subjection of the Law so that Moses and his Commandments do no way belong to them We reject this charge as false and unjust and do from our hearts abhor any such opinions we onely teach a freedom from the Law as men would make it a covenant of Works and seek justification thereby we constantly and earnestly maintain That the Morall Law is a binding rule for dutie and ties all sorts of persons to the observation of it self and such who teach otherwise we do oppose as Antinomians We do not abolish the Law but rather as the Apostle saith We establish it to be an immutable and perpetuall Doctrine and rule of life and holy walking binding not by a naturall but a Divine obligation I shall conclude this with the saying of a learned Divine Vnanimi consensu docemus omnes Christianos Andrâ—as Rivet in 〈◊〉 Decâ—lâ—gi p. 17 fid lâ—s lâ—gis moralis regulae directioni imperio obligationi subjectos esse omnium mandatorum divinorum quibus â—liquod officium nobis imponitur quae libertas non destruit legis obligatiâ—nâ—m obediâ—ntiam sed