the Apostle when he denieth the making void of the Law by Faith Evangelist I shall open it thus unto you 1. By shewing to you what it is to make void the Law which doth note The taking away from the Law all regulating or directive power over mans life and actions when it is held to be uselesse or of no more effect unto Christians then an Almanack The making void the Law what that is out of date or to be a Doctrine inconsistent with or repugnant unto the Doctrine of Free Grace this is the making of it void Now then take it up thus That the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Doctrine of the Law though for matter they are distinct and divers yâ—t they are not so divided and opposite but that they both may be well admitted into the Ministery and taught unto Christians they are so farre from reall contradiction that they hoâ—d a friendly concurrence in point of dutie they are not destructive nor devouring one unto another but sweetly co-ordinate standing more firmly one by the other 2. By declaring whether the Morall Law in no respect is not made void by the Doctrine and grace of Faith And here consider if we look upon the Morall Law in that notion as it was given to Adam in Paradice I mean as it was a Covenant of Works or as the Covenant thereof was Works so that whosoever would receive life and salvation must perform perfect obedience to the same according as it is written He that doth Gal 3. 12. these things shall live in them And again Moses describes the Rom. 10 5 righteousnesse which is of the Law That the man which doth these things shall live by them in this sence as it was given to Adam in Paradice to justifie or save men the Doctrine of Faith doth make void the Morall Law I will not stand disputing whether the Law as given by Moses could have given life and righteousnesse or whether God did primarily intend in publshing this Law by Moses on mount Sinai to send man to fetch his life out of the Law this we know that what ever strength there is in the Law ex se Yet by reason of sin it is weakned and it is impossible that life and salvation should come to man by it as the case now stands it was long since concluded That by the Works of the Law there shall no Rom 3 20. flesh be justified in his sight And Paul confesseth We are become Rom. 7. 4. Gal 2. 19. dead to the Law by the body of Christ And again I through the Law am dead to the Law We constantly teach That every Christian by the Gospel is freed from expecting life by any obedience to the Law Again if we look upon the Morall Law in its execration and as it is enabled with a power to curse men to hell for their sins I say as it is a sentencing killing and death-ministring Letter the Gospel hath made it void unto beleevers it hath no power to fasten the curse of heaven upon the person of any beleever though all their sins are cursed sins even such as deserve the grand curses of the Law yet no curse for sin can come from the Law upon them the curse of the Law seized on Christ to the utmost that the blessing might befall them Further if we shall look upon the Law in its strictnesse and rigour as it hath a power to challenge and exact a punctuall and personall obedience to it self without which it allows no man favour with God or life from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom 8. 4. God then it is also made void by the Doctrine of Faith the right and strictnesse of the Law is fulfilled in us by our surety it s not expected that it should be fulfilled by us in our own persons Besides if we shall consider the Morall Law in its coactive or coercive power as it doth by fears and terrours wrought in the conscience urge and constrain an obedience to it self making men and women servile and slavish in all acts of dutie thus is it made void to beleevers under the Gospel I do not conceive that the Spirit of bondage or the Spirit of fear or the Spirit of unwillingnesse laies so upon a beleever that he must be forced to do required service nay rather he is a Law unto himself willingly performing what is right and required Luke 1. 74. Rom. 8. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 9. 2 Tim. 1. 7. 1 Joh. 5. 3. For this is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous To conclude if we shall consider the Law Morall in its irritation as it hath in it an accidentall or occasionall secret sin-provoking enraging or exasperating power whereby it stirs up in men an earnestnesse to the commission of sin thus is it made void to the beleever Consider that the Morall Law is not sin nor was it ordained to beget sin it is holy and just and good Rom. 7. 12. Yet such is the venemous and malicious quality which is in sin remaining in mans nature that if you for bid man any thing or limit him to do this or that dutie now his lust riseth up the more to desire that which is forbidden and swells over all the banks and baies which should confine it according to the old sayings Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata Gens humana ruit in vetitum nefas Men do many things which they would never have done had not God forbidden the same Our base natures take occasions from an holy Law to do wickedly this stirs them up to be more wicked but now lust hath no more such working in beleevers from the Law the Law cannot provoke a godly man to be more wicked nay rather if he see any commandment of God against him it is a sufficient discouragement to him to for bear that sin with Joseph he saith How can I do this great wickednesse Gen. 39 9. and sin against God 3. By shewing to you in what respects and unto whom the Morall Law is not made void by the Gospel And here we shall consider the Morall Law four wayes First in its Minatory part as it doth menace and threaten The Morall Law not made void four wayes men offending or transgressing the Doctrine of the Gospel doth not disaâ—le the Law from threatning sinners and telling them of the evil of punishment which is due to them for the evil of sinning We read how Paul once and again doth turn the flaming sword of the â—aw against his hearers in one place telling them That if they live after the flesh they should die Rom. 8. 13. And in another place he faith Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade mer 2 Cor. 5. 11. I conceive that the threats of the Law are of much good use to the sons and daughters of men They do awaken and rouze them out of their securitie and
of God as well Rev. 12. 17 as to have the testimony of Jesus Christ Reas 10 Tenthly The Morall Law shall be a rule for Gods judging of men at the last day hence saith the Apostle So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the Law of liberty Jam. 2. 12. In which Scripture we maâ— observe that in the day of judgement God will call men to account for words and actions and that the rule upon or by which he will proceed with men is his Law its clear by the Scripture that the Law shall at the last day be condemning and judging unto impenitent and unbeleeving sinners Hence saith Christ Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust John 5. 45. And again the Apostle saith As many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law Rom. 2. 12. Where it is plain that the wilfull breach of the Morall Law shall be imputed to every childe of Adam unto just condemnation such as have the Law written in their hearts shall be condemned because they did not obey the Law as it was revealed to them such as have the Law more clearly written in the Scriptures and do violate it that shall condemn them not but that men shall be judged in that day according to the Gospel Rom. 2. 16. Now then if God shall make the Law Morall his rule by which he will proceed to judgement at the last day I conclude it is not made void by the Doctrine of Faith it was to me strange Divinity which one of the new lights vented in publike saying That the Morall Law shall be a rule for God to condemn an unbeleever by but it is no rule for him to walk by I wonld ask of this man how men do draw their inditements against tiplers and quarrellers in the countrey Is there not a Law broken which should have been observed and because it s not observed doth not the penaltie come upon a man doth not that strengthen the Law to judge and condemn man Doth not all judging and condemning by the Law both strengthen and inforce the obedience which is principally intended by the Law I think that the Law neither could have cursed or judged man at all if his disobedience had not â—ade way thereunto Nomist I shall desire you to shew me how the Doctrine of the Gospel which is called The Law of Faith doth establish and confirm the authority and obligation of the Morall Law Evangelist Sir I hope that you can tell how to distinguish between the making of the Morall Law to be a Law and the maintaining or strengthning of it being so made we teach that there is no efficiency or causalitie in the Grace or Doctrine of Faith to make the Morall Law it had no other Authour then God the great Law-giver and Law-maker Nomist I yeeld to this and do look upon the Doctrine of Faith as maintaining or making strong the Law to be a rule for life and would fain be satisfied in the wayes how this is done Evangelist I do conceive that the Morall Law receiveth strength and confirmation by the Doctrine of Faith these 12. wayes The Gospel doth stablish the Law 12 wayes First as it holds no contrarietie or disagreement but rather an harmony or consent with it in the main matters of dutie and obedience in this sence I may say as doth the Apostle Is the Law against the promises of God God forbid What Gal 3 21. doth the Law say one thing and the Gospel say another I speak to the matter in hand and do averre that the Gospel and the word of Free Grace directs men to no other obedience then that of which the Law is formally or virtually the rule Vice in the Law is Vice in the Gospel and Vertue in the Law is Vertue in the Gospel as it is the same water which runs thorow severall Pipes so it is the same obedience which is conteined in the Law and in the Gospel they have but one minde of God in them and do speak the same things the work of duty in both is co-ordinate and sub-ordinate not contrary or repugnant Nomist Do they agree in all things for dutie Evangelist You may note these two things 1. That though they do both declare and require duties shewing what is to be done and forborn yet the Doctrine of Faith hath more helps or more obliging vertue and abilitie then the Law hath or can afford the Doctrine of the Law is onâ—ly deâ—larative that of the Gospel is also effective and operative 2. That the Doctrine of Faith doth require the exercise of some duties and graces in a more speciall and determining way then the Doctrine of the Law doth I shall instance in this one point That man should beleeve what ever God would have him to beleeve is a duty of the Morall Law but that mans Faith should determine itself in the Son of God apprehending and applying his righteousnesse for justification in Gods sight This is a dutie of the Gospel I conceive that justifying Faith is formally reqâ—ired in the Gospel at the most but virtually commanded in the Law of Moses Nomist Proceed I pray you Evangelist Secondly As it sets up God in supreame authority and soveraigntie setling upon him power to make and give Lawes in an obliging way unto the sons of men the Gospel teacheth that There is one Law-giver who is able to save Jam. 4 12. and destroy Thirdly As it doth maintain the Law to be a Copie of Gods will every way holy and usefull unto the sons of men I am 2. 8. the Morall Law is called The Royall Law because it is the minde of the great King of heaven It is the great Kings Law according to which every of his Subjects ought to walk and Miâ— 6 8. to order their lives and conversations he hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord thy God requireth of thee c. Fourthly As it doth set men necessarily into a way and course of obedience the Gospel makes not obedience to Gods will an indifferent or arbitrary but a necessary thing it is not all one in the Gospel sense whether God be obeyed or not obeyed whether man repent or not repent believe or not believe but man is tied and bound by the Doctrine thereof simply and univâ—rsally to obedience it doth teach that it is better to obey then to stand disputing against duty and that though the command be repugnant to some self respects yet there neither is or can be given any sufficient reason why a man should deny obedience to the Will of God and not do duty Fifthly As it doth cry down sin and licentiousnesse The Gospel doth not onely shew That sin is the transgression of Gods Law and that which God is so displeased with that he will most severely punish but it
or making void the Law as can be imagined there are who do reject the whole Old Testament shewing themselves therein adversaries to the Law and the Prophets I mean among our new lights which I thus evidence by their own sayings one of them teacheth That no other Word must be pressed upon men or preached unto men but the Gospel and the promises thereof Another saith That to preach onely the Gospel and to cast away Moses is the true way of preaching with which few of our Preachers have acquaintance Another teacheth He that makâ—th the Law a Rule of his life whatever he be in heart he is a Papist in practice And the same man was bold to vent That the Law was not of force to a believer no not as a Rule And as if he had not spoken enough his learned brother comes up the next day saying I deny that the Law is a Rule for believers nay let me tell you That it is no Rule for the unbelievers to walk by it shall be a Rule for God to condemne him by but it is no Rule for him to walk by Another of them saith That after a man is justified by Christ he is no more subject to the Commandments of the Morall Law he must do nothing in conscience of that Law he must not take himself to be bound to or by it Nay let me tell you beside this and the like stuff vented by them this they hold a Rule That you may not regard any thing that can be said against these or any other of their Tenets which shal be brought out of the Old Testament if you urge them with the Doctrine or examples thereof as against their way they presently give you this answer What do you tell us of these things they concerned Christians before Christs time and were done and spoken by men under another Covenâ—nt and adminstration of grace and life then we are shew me these and these things out of the New Testament and then I will hearken to you I pray tell me Is not this to make void the Law and to be a direct Antinomian 2. Another practicall This you shall observe That a Lawlesse 2. Practicall head a lawlesse heart and a lawlesse life seldome are divided Ministers that preach against the Law do practise against the Law though they carry the matter smoothly and covertly and people who are the followers and admiâ—eâ—s of such lawlesse Preachers do shew themselves to be sons of Belial whose wills are their Laws for they do professe That no Law of Moses shall binde them they trample Gods Commands under their feet saying Lâ—t us break their bands asunder and Psal 2. 3. cast away their cords from us It may be justly said of them as it was of Ephraim I have written to them the great things of Hos 1. 12. my Law but they were counted as a strange thing Mark well the place in the Law there was Honorabilia eximia but the people accounted them aliâ—na vilia I finde a fivefold evill among these men 1. That they break from the Morall Five evills in Antinomians Law by falling into forbidden courses and yet they can cry They sin not To be drunk to whore to lye to steal c. with such persons is no sin in them What saith an impudent creature of their way prostituting her self to unclennesse you do think you should sin if you should lie with me What Law doth forbid it unto us O horrible practise blush you Antinomians who are taught and do believe That being in Christ you cannot sin or if you do God cannot see it and Whether yon râ—pent or not repent it is all one for they are remitted unto you in an indifferent way 2. That they despise in their hearts and scorn in their speeches all such Christians who will not run wilde with them in their loose Opinions and wayes these they reproach under the names of Duty-mongers Duty-doers and followers of Legal Preachers they sit in the seat of the scornful deriding in a publike way that word of the Law and Gospel which doth detect and reprove the Doctrines and courses of licentiousnesse their Principles lead them into most shamefull and rude behaviour whilst they are in hearing of Grave Learned and godly Ministers who are not of their loose cut 3. That they â—all into a dislike of the duties of holinesse and the wayes of godlinesse the madnesse of their mindes is such that they cry out What have we to do with the dungie dirtie duties of sanctification We thank God through Jesus Christ that we have nothing to do with them We have a new Gospel that takes us off from Confession of Sins asking Pardon at Gods hands for Sins Mourning and repenting for Sin Fastings and Humblings these are works for Horn-book Christians Nay they do not stick to tell us That beleevers are to do duties onely in respect of men for God looks for none at their hands 4. That they leave off the Scripture in Sanctification as litigious to evidence their estate in grace they are drawn up to the old way of the Enthusiasts telling us That they are assured by Lights and Revelations one of them reports Delusions That since she came under these Preachers of Free-grace Jâ—sus Christ came and took her by the hand asked her Why she was so sad bid her to leave off her mourning for her sin and to be cheerfull for she did greatly dishonour the Gospel in being troubled for her sins And another of them reports That as she was sitting by the fire Christ came to her and bade her to pray that such a one who was of her acquaintance might have full assurance which she did and presently the partie received by a light from heaven full assurance 5. That they make such head against the Morall Law that they do exceed Papists and Prelates and do equall the fiercest Persecuters that ever the Church of God had the Papists blot out the second Commandment onely and the Prelates the fourth Commandment onely but these uno ictu destroy the whole Law imitating Manasses and Ammon who having drawn the people into Idolatry to hold them the better under it sought to suppresse the book of the Law you hold it to be a bold part in Jâ—hoiakim to cut the Roul in Pieces and to throw it into the fire You will say that the practice of Antio hus and Dioclâ—sian was abominable for they did cut in pieces all the books of the Law which they could come by making a wicked Edict forbidding the same threatning death to all those with whom this Book was found I pray tell me in what is the Practice of the Antinomians inferiour to theirs save in this That they have not the power of Tyrannie in their hands Nomist If this be their Doctrine and their doings that they cast off the binding power of Moses Law as it is a Rule for Service and Obedience I shall
desire to blesse my self from them and to keep me close to those faithfull Ministers of the Gospel who do make the Morall Law a Rule for life and I hope neighbour you will do so too Antinomian No verily not I for I am not of Master Evangelists minde nor do I intend ever to be once I confesse I was of his minde and did walk by the Law as a Rule but I must tell you that I was then kept in such bondage and fear and held so close to Dutie and Obedience that all my Christian Libertie purchased for me was denied unto me I could not do many things which now I do Evangelist I pray you Sir be intreated to open you self that we may understand one another aright ere we part it may please God that satisfaction may be given Antinomian My meaning is this That you and such as you are by Preaching and pressing the use of the Morall Law laid a heavie yoke upon my self and others kept us in a state of fear and bondage all our dayes drew us into a way of Popery and led us about the wood making the way and work long and tedious unto us But now blessed be God for Jesus Christ and for the New Light that is revealed to us We hear the Gospel understand the Free Grace of God and have a more easie and short cut to heaven then you allow of Evangelist Surely my friend I conceive that the yoke of Christ is easie and his Commandments are not grievous Nay the Law as it is an ordained Rule for life is the sweet yoke of Jesus Christ unto which every good Christian doth yeeld a willing and cheerfull obedience I mean the obedience of children not of slaves this I finde that it is a trouble to Christians that they are not more obedient to the Law but it never troubled them that they have been obedient to it they in their inner man do delight in the Law of God and it is meat and drink unto them to do the will of their Father yea it is their daily prayer that they may do it Besides the Law preached and pressed as a rule for life leads no man directly into Popery to set it up as a covenant of Works so it may lead men into Popery 't is not the right doing of dutie out of obedience in Faith and humility but the trusting in dutie done which doth make men Justiciaries and Papists And further I must tell you That the Royall Law is a straight Law and we hold in the Mathematicks that the straitest Line is the shortest Line and therefore you do not go about the wood when you walk by this Line It is an observation of one That the Morall Law is like to the Ecliptick Line wherein the Sun keeps his course and men and women are like to the Planets which are on this or that side of the Line if any of them chance to fall into the Ecliptick Line they are neerer the Sun then any other the Planets I may apply it thus When Christians walk in Holinesse and Righteousnesse they are neerest to God and Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse On the contrary to cast off the Law and care of holy walking and to fall into courses of sin and wickednesse is the going from God and Christ and I shall ask you this one question and let your conscience answer me Have not you heard the openings of the Gospel and the Free grace of God in Jesus Christ by those who are both known and setled Ministers in this City Antinomist But you do not Preach it purely you seem to lift up Jesus Christ but on a sudden you cast him down we have such a deal of Law Preached to us as if we were unbeleevers and there is such pressing of men to duty as if that Christ had not satisfied Gods justice for them Evangelist Sir I am glad to hear this come our of your mouth it seems that the Law may be Preached to unbeleevers I see you are not run up so high as to deny legall humiliation to be a way to bring men to Christ you onely conceive that the Gospel would be more purely Preached by us if that we did not presse the Law for dutie Is the teaching of dutie among you held to be no Gospel way of teaching Are you not in the relation of sons and seruants to God Is not Christ as well a King and Lord as a Priest Surely Sir nor you nor your Teachers can by the Scriptures prove what you say against the Law it is a Doctrine to be taught and a rule for Christians to walk by Antinomist Yea Sir we have such Scripture grounds for our truth that you and all the world can never disproove Evangelist Will you be pleased to propound them to us in a methodicall way and if you can convince us by the Scriptures we shall yeeld to you Antinomist Object 1 Yea that I will and first against your Preaching of the Law or making it a Doctrine to be taught I shall bring you these Scriptures That of Christ in Luke 16. 16. The Law and the Prophets were till John That of Paul Wherefore then Gal 3. 19. serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the promise was made And he saith in the same Chapter But after that Faith is come we are Vers 23. no longer undr a School-master Out of these Scriptures I thus argue If the Law was till John till the seed should come and it is no longer a School-master unto us then it s uselesse under the Gospel and no Doctrine to be taught unto Christians But thus these Scriptures say Ergo. What answer can be made to this argument Evangelist Sol. 1 Sir I shall desire you to give me leave to open these Scriptures unto you by which you will be able to answer your self for that place of Luke it makes nothing to the matter in hand Luk. 16. 16. expounded For 1. Christ doth not positively deny the use of the Law and the Prophets after the time of John he saith they were till John he doth not say that they shall be no longer after John 12. We know that after Johns Nativity Preaching or Martyrdom the Law and the Prophets were in use there were many Prophets after Johns dayes and the Law continued and was Preached by Christ and his Apostles after his dayes Wherefore 3 We must learn to distinguish of the Law and the Prophets There were typicall Lawes and there were prefiguring Prophets such as did foreshew the coming of Christ in the flesh Now this kinde of Law and these kinde of Prophets were till John who lived to see and point at the substance of them all as appeareth in that saying of his Behold that Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the Ioh. 1. 20. world And this way our ancient and modern Interpreters do understand this Text not that Christ did
Antinomianisme ANATOMIZED OR A GLASSE FOR The Lawlesse Who deny the Ruling use of the Morall LAW unto Christians under the GOSPEL By John Sedgwick B. D. and Pastor of the Church of God at Alphagâ— neer Cripple-gate London It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made void thy Law Psal 119. 126. LONDON Printed for Samuel Gellibrand and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Brazen Serpent 1643. To the Reader Loving the Law of our God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ Faith and Obedience Beloved WHen I looked upon the old odious Heresie of the Antinomians condemned by the Art 7. Doctrine of our Church taking the advantage of the times Distractions newly to revive it self and to appear with its wonted face that cannot blush I thought at first following Saint Augustine to have said Non Cont. Petil. lib. 2. in venio quomodo te refellerem nisi ut aut jocantem irriderem aut insanientem dolerem And so to have passed them over in silence But finding the Fomenters to prevail and the Gangrene to spread especially among the weaker more ignorant and rude sort and that whilst some did seem to teach they did but infect using this cunning to utter some Truths to make way for their damnable Doctrines v. g. by crying up Free Grace Christs Righteousnesse and Gospel Libertie Doctrines of singular consequence and great use if rightly and purely opened and such as no man would suspect should be held out as Baits and Snares to intangle or draw men aside from the power of Faith to cast down Obedience and keep Christians from their dutie to God which stands in a care of keeping up their communion with him observing of his Minde and Will laid down in his Law Repenting and Mourning for Sin together with a speciall watchfulnesse against all sinfull courses I could do no lesse then shew my self in the Field against them not in respect of their * Magis misericordià digni quam invidià Persons but their Positions and Practises desirous to imitate those two worthy Lights Hierome and Augustine the one saying That Feci ut hostes Ecclesiae mei quoque bostes fierent Hier. Incomparabiliter pulcâ—rior est veritas Christianorum quam Helena Graecorum Aug. Ep. 9. he made the enemies of the Church and Truth his enemies And the other That he made the Truths of God more precious to him then Helene of the Grecians I am already resolved to bear with patience by the strength of Christ the hatred and the railings of the Fathers and Fautors of this Heresie not passing much their judgement Well I know with Hierome The Trueth may be blamed but not shamed Veritas laborare potest vinci non potest And that all their approbrious words the fruits of their Licentious Doctrine are like to the cry of an enemy afar off and as Hail-stones which do fall down about our ears without any harm I wish them soundnesse of head heart speech and Life As for you who know and feel the power of Holy Truthes and do desire to walk in Jesus Christ according to the Rule of Faith and Love laid down in the Law and Gospel Come and see Try all things 1 Thes 5. 21. Beleeve not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the world 1 John 4. 1. Be not of the fools minde to beleeve every thing Be not of the sick mans minde to be given to changes Neither be of their mindes who love to be picking and scraping in the dirt when heaps of corn are before them So root and ground your selves in the Trueth that you be not carried away like children with every winde of Doctrine and endeavour so to behave your selves That in Agesilaus changes you be not changed I hope that this ensuing Dialogue shall have as good successe as the Sermons themselves The Antinomians about the Citie were startled some of them were convinced confessing that they had been misâ—led other of them began to be ashamed of their own Doctrines affirming That they never taught against the Law it was onely their hearers mistake wherein they have made Sententias ejus prodidisse superasse est good that saying of Hierome It is a sufficient confutation of Heresie to lay it open I hope to hear that those few Ministers whose Parts and Lives are looked upon and into will be made wise and in stead of floods of words and shews of Truth which carry reality of poison to addresse themselves to soundnesse of Doctrine and to a form of wholsome words wherein they may expresse themselves and benefit those poor souls who yet are seduced and hardned by them if they shall continue in this Law-destroying and Dutie-casting-down course still infecting and infesting the people of God do you my brethren beware of them and withdraw your selves from them as enemies to the soveraigntie of God over Christians though they hatch and vent errours yet be not you intangled by them Let no man beguile you with entising words Col. 2. 4. For hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandments 1 John 2. 3. This course of Obedience which is the grace of your Faith the credit of the Gospel the Will of God in Jesus Christ and the main drift of the ensuing Treatise keep up in Sincerity and Constancie hereby you shall rejoyce the soul of Your souls Servant John Sedgwick Perlegi Tractatum hunc cui Tirulus The Anatomie of the Antinomian quem quia singulari usui futurum Ecclesiis judico praelo mandandum censeo Julii 27. 1643. Ja. Cranford This Book intituled The Anatomie of the Antinomian I judge very fit to be Printed and very necessary for these times Edm. Calamy Errata In Pag. 12. l. 7. for command r. declare In p. 23. l. 29. for dot r. doth In p. 24. l. 2. for unfft r. unsit In p. 24. l. 3. for vave r. have In p. 30. l. 7. for adminstration r. administration In p. 35. l. 13. for 12. r. 2. In p. 46. l. 2. for and r. which The ANATOMIE of the ANTINOMIAN The Nomist MY loving friend and old acquaintance you seem by your countenance to be somewhat vexed in minde The Antinomist I have been at your end of the Town hearing one of your Legall Preachers who hath Preached such Stuffe as hath made me almost mad I could have found in my heart to have pluckt him out of the Pulpit Nomist Who are those whom you do stile Legall Preachers Antinomist To speak my minde freely unto you Set aside some six or The Antinomians modest language seven rare Phoenixes sprung out of the ashes of one Mr. Trask Eaton Shaw and others of that stamp I hold all the Ministers in London yea and of the whole Kingdom to be but Legall Preachers for as yet the Light is not revealed to them and they
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
for Justification and the words are as if he should have said When a man shall put himself under the Law for Justification shall promise to himself an estate of eternall life for his obedience sake place his righteousnesse in graces received or duties performed this man puts himself under the curse Now tell me How doth this Scripture overthrow the binding power of the Law to duty May not a man believe in Christ and obey too Obedience hath the blessing not the curse annexed to it As for that place in Timothy I think it maketh nothing at all for you for the Apostle speaks of the right managing of the Law saying That the Law is good if a man use it lawfully 1 Tim. 1 9. opened Vers â— Now how is the Law used lawfully Is it not when it is rightly applyed to the punishing of offenders God nor man ever intended that any Law should be made to punish good men or that such should suffer under the colour of Law this were a great abuse of the Law and in it no small injury is done to an honest man that the Law which should be his protection should become his punishment nay he leads them on to such persons for whom the Law was ordained by way of punishment namely The lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and profane c. This being the proper sense of the place How doth it take away the Law as a rule of obedience unto Christians Nay out of this Scripture I do inferre a Christians obedience to the â—aw he is one that walks so regularly unto it that it cannot be justly used against him as a rod to punish him Besides this I answer That the Morall Law is not yet put or given against a righteous man as a Bill of Inditement to accuse him as a Judge to condemn him to punishment or as a rod or whip to compell and force him to obedience he is carried with such an ingenious spirit to obey the Law of God that saepe legem praevenit transcendit as Chrysostome saith i he doth prevent the Law and is potius in illa quam sub illa rather in the Law or a Law to himself then under the Law as Augustine saith I hope Sir you see your mistake and are convinced that the Scriptures will not own your opinion Have you any thing else to say for your self Antinomian Object 3 Yea Sir I must tell you That our Preachers who have brought my self and others into this way teach and tell us Rom. 7 6. Vers 8. 14 That we are led by the Spirit and must serve God in newnesse of spirit and not in the oldnesse of the lâ—tter That we are to perform all acts of obedience dictamine charitatis i. e. by the instructing power and force of love and not by any Command of the Word much lesse of the Morall Law they resemble Christians unto trees which grow not by arguments and commands Evangelist Sol. 3 Unto what you tell me I shall give you these answers 1. That though the Spirit of grace be the supreme guide yet the Scriptures whereof the Morall Law is a part are a subordinate guide or rule for Christians obedience Our Divines Perkins in Gal. 23. call the one the inward and the other the out ward rule and this I finde That the Spirit and the Word are in such conjunction in this work that he doth guide and leade men into acts of obedience in and by the Law which he himself writes in their hearts God saith This is my Covenant with them My Isa 59 21. Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and forever Besides David saith Thy Word Psal 11â— 105. is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths 2. That the serving God in newnesse of spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter doth onely mean That Christians should yeeld spirituall and soul-obedience to Gods commands and not content themselves with an externall formall and ceremoniall serving of him according to that of Christ The hour cometh Jo. 4. 23. and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in trueth for the Father seeketh such to worship him 3. For that force and power of love which you make the rule and motive to obedience and dutie give me leave to ask you Whether that love you speak of be not a dutie laid down and required in the word of command Do you love God and Christ without or upon a command I conceive you will say you do it by vertue of a command Again I must tell you that as love springs from the command which enjoyns man to love so it doth manifest its life and soundnesse by looking to the command by way of dutifull Jo. 14 15. observance according to that of Christ If ye love me keep my Commandments And that of the beloved Disciple 1 Jo. 5. 3. This is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous 4. For that comparison of theirs I will not say it is sencelesse I am sure it is strained or misapplied what though the principle of bearing good fruit lay in that sap which is inclosed in the root doth not the tree need outward influence and helps from the Sun the Ayr the Soyl c. This cannot be denyed the case is the same here Christ is the root and inward principle without whom a true Believer can do nothing yet you must know that the means of his own appointing are needfull and necessary he hath ordained Ministers and left the Word for the gathering edifying and growth of the body besides to make Christ an inward principle of obedience is to set up a Law and Commandment unto men unlesse you will say there is an obedience without a Law Antinomist Ere I passe from you I will open my heart unto you when we cannot draw men to our opinion against the Law we do use our wits in devising strange expressions which can hardly be understood or we have our distinctious and evasions that when men shall tell us that we are Antinomians we may stoutly deny the same v. g. We tell them that the Morall Law is Evangelized in the hearts of believers by the Spirit of our Lord Jesus nay we take the boldnesse to say That we onely deny the use of the Law as it was in the hand of Moses not as it is in the hand of Christ our Mediatour Evangelist It hath been the manner of Heretikes to draw a cloud over their Tenets by using odde and unusuall expressions and fearing a discovery to speak doubtfully that to they may have a back door to get out at whereas truth seeks no corners and doth