It will make a greater noise that you can contemne such conquered adversaries for what are your London Ministers to them Much rather doe I wish you would in time consider how dangerous your way now is while you rise up against the most impregnable and unconquerable Law of God how the Scripture brandeth them for wicked men that forsake the Law and depart from the Law and much more that disclaime and revile it And if those that be partiall in the Law that is take some and leave some be made despised of God and vile before all people how much more shall those that reject it all and in every part bee justly branded as you are for a vile generation of men CHAP. 12. Containing the conclnsion and a short direction how the people of God should carry themselves towards the Law of God THese premises being all duely considered it remaineth that such as desire to learne Christ aright should take his directions how to demeane themselves towards his Law which is so holy just and good To which purpose it shall not be amisse to lay these grounds in our consciences and order our selves by them First That in the Liberty from the Law consists the chiefe stay and comfort of a Christian because being now freed from the guilt of sinne from the curse of sinne and from exaction of an inherent and personall righteousnesse to justification hee may now without respect of his owne obedience and without regard of any righteousnesse of his owne relie upon the mercies of God and merits of Christ and challenge his righteousnesse before God with the the Apostle Phil 3 9. Secondly That upon this liberty of justification wherein is no respect at all of our personall obedience issueth another liberty of sanctification which is a freedome from the bondage and staine of sinne not wholly and at once as is our justification but in part and degrees and here although the obedience of the Law be quite shut out of our justification yet it is required unto sanctification and we necessarily bound unto it but not to bee thereby justified seeing wee must necessarily be justified before we can be obedient Thirdly that the Law is an eternall doctrine and abides for ever yea David saith it endures for ever in heaven that is not onely his decree appeares stable by the government and perpetuall Law which hee hath set in the heavens and cannot be broken but as Saint Basil expoundeth it it abideth inviolably observed by heavenly inhabitants even the holy Angels themselves so as though it may be contradicted controverted and resisted by Libertines on earth yet it is not abrogable for ever but abideth stable in heauen Doe the Angels in heaven observe it as a rule of holinesse and doe not the Saints in heaven doe they live by divers charters And if the Saints in heaven who have attained full perfection and perfect sanctification are bound to the Law are the Saints in earth so perfect as they are loose from it Hath not Christ done as much for them as for these Fourthly That the Law of God is the rule of godly life in which regard holy David calleth it a counseller and a directer unto good duties and therefore wee must acknowledge the necessity of this part of the word The Sunne is not more necessary for the day nor the Moone to governe the night nor a lanterne or candle for a darke house than this part of the word so long as wee are in the night of the world for without this light we grope in the darke nothing can be seene no action can be well done nothing wanting can be found no crooked thing can be straightened no streight thing tried nay all our way in which this light of God shineth not is darknesse and tendeth to utter darknesse The pillar of the cloud and of fire was not more necessary to Israel in the wildernesse for their station or motion towards Canaan than is this shining pillar of Gods Law to guide us unto heaven and as it was their happinesse that their pillar lasted them till they entred Canaan and it had not beene for their ease to have rejected it in their way so ought we to esteeme our selves happy in the fruition of this holy doctrine and direction and on the contrary these Libertines to be unhappy men who being in as darke as heavie and dangerous a way and wildernesse put out their light and breake to peeces and cast away their lanthorne Fifthly Being the rule of godly life we must square all our duties thereby even as a workman applieth his rule to every part of his worke and declines not to the right hand or to the left and holy wisdome requireth no lesse but that that should be the square of all which must bee the judge of all things done in the flesh be it good or evill And hence is it that the LORD writeth his Law by his spirit in the spirits of the elect and imprinteth it in the fleshly tables of their hearts that all their motions actions and affections should be conformable unto it But how doe these lawlesse men affirming the Law to be wholly abolished denie it to bee written in their owne hearts and consequently that they want the spirit promised to be sent into the hearts of the elect for this purpose And that either themselves are none of the elect or that the spirit is wanting in his office which were an high blasphemy Sixthly That as the Law is a reveiler of duty so it is a reveiler of sinne too and discovers the sinfull defects of our best obedience And because by the Law is the knowledge of sin therefore by the obedience and works of the Law can no flesh be justified That same Law that discovereth and condemneth a traytor cannot acquit him and it were madnes for him to expect life from that Law which hath sentenced him with death Shall franticke Papists ever finde life and righteousnesse by the works of that Law which condemns that very fact And are not they next to frâ—nzy that after all this so open disclaiming it would fasten upon us that because wee teach the Law wee therefore teach justification by the Law Nay we are so farre from consenting to any such poysoned assertion That when the Gospell promiseth salvation and eternall life to repentance and good works wee deny them promised to these as performances of the Law but only as they are fruits of lively faith by which the promises of eternal life are apprehended Seventhly that the Law being a constant reveiler of sinne wee must by the Law be still drawne neerer unto Christ not onely by the Law to see our sinne and in our sinne our need of Christ but we must see the Law fulfilled for us in Christ else can we never looke comfortably towards the Law And because it revelleth sinne not onely before we come to Christ to bring us first unto him but it
punishment of sinne and you can bring no such place out of the new Testament Answ. Hath Christ done lesse for beleevers in the old Testament than in the new did they beare more wrath for their sin than we or did not Christ carry as much wrath from theÌ„ as from us was not his death as vertuous to the first ages of the world as to the last or did the vertue of it begin at the time of his passion or is not the faith of Messiah to come alike precioâ—s as the faith of him come already 2. But have we no place in the new Testament to shew beleevers corrected for sinne What is that 1 Cor. 11. For this cause many are weake and are sicke and many die It is too rash to say as one that these were carnall and hypocrites unlesse they be carnall and hypocrites that must not be condemned with the world 1 Pet. 4. 17. Iudgement must begin at Gods house Heb. 12. 6. He scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiveth Why because they are sonnes or because they have sinnes Object Ioh. 9. 3. Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents therfore afflictions are not for sinne and Iobs afflictions were all for tryall not for sinne Answ. 1. In generall The difference of the judgements of the godly and the wicked is not either 1. in the meriting cause for both are merited by sinne 2. Nor in their matter being materially both one the same sword the same plague the same famine the same blindnesse sicknesse and death 3. Nor in the ground of them for both are threatned and inflicted by the same Law 4. Nor in their sence and feeling for there is no difference between the smart of sonnes and slaves But the difference is in 1. the person inflicting 2. in the persons bearing and suffering 3. in the end of God which is not the same 4. in the fruit and issue which are much different in different persons the serious consideration of these grounds would let them see wherein their errour lurketh if they will not be willingly ignorant 2. For the instances First of the blinde man I answer that the position of one cause is not the remotion of another where many concurre neither doth the affirming of the principall cause deny the lesse principall God in this judgement principally intended his owne glory in the honouring of his Sonne and not principally the sinne either of the parents or sonne 2. Christ speaketh not of the meritorious cause of this judgement but of the finall cause and so the objection is not to the purpose Secondly The like we may say of Iob the principall end of his affliction was for tryall and not for correction but this excludeth not the meritorious cause nor proves that there was no correction in it at least might not be Object But Christ was extremely punished but not for sinne and therefore there are afflictions without sinne Answ. This is as impertinent a cavill as the case is singular Christ had no sinne in him but had sinne on him he had none inherent but had enough imputed he had none of his owne but the infinite burden of all the sinnes of all his members lay upon him for which he was plagued of God because he stood before God as the greatest malefactour that ever was not because he had proper sinne but appropriated not because he did any sinne but was made a sinne for us â—hat we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Gods justice could not have punished him if he had not stood before him as a sinner So the objection turneth quite against themselves Object But Christ by his Kingly power reigneth to maintaine in the conscience the peace procured both against the Law and sinne and the Divell and the world and worldly reason Answ. Peace without disturbance neither within nor without the Apostle knew not Rom. 7. nor yet Christ himselfe who so left his legacy of peace of his Disciples as that notwithstanding in the world they must have affliction 2. It is enough that Christ reigneth to maintain our peace by weakening and subduing the power of sinne daily although he totally and wholly abolish it not here below and fatherly and loving correction rather furthers and strengtheneth his reigne than hinder or weaken it in us 10 ERROR That justified persons have no more to doe with repentance and to repent of every particular sinne is to beleeve that a man is not perfectly justified or at once but by peece-meale as sinne is committed yea it is to undervalue the sufferings of Christ as not haâ—ing sufficiently satisfied for all sinnes past present and to come Answ. A desperate principle as much abolishing the Gospell as any of the former doth the Law and indeed no enemy to the Law can be a friend to the Gospell But we must know 1. That never can man be free from repentance till he be free from sinne to be repented of which can never be shaken off in this world The whole life is but one day of repentance and repentance is the work of that whole day and who but a profane libertine would not have his Master find him so doing We sweepe our houses every day and wash our hands every day because one contracteth dust and the other soyle every day much more have we need to cleanse daily the houses of our hearts See my treatise inâ—ituled The practise of Repentance Cap. 10. and therein many reasons for conâ—inuance of repeâ—tance 2. They forget that David and Peter repented after saith That the Church of Pergamus that kept the name of Christ and had not denied the faith must yet repent her selfe else Christ will come against her Rev. 2. 12. and 16. And how much cause have the best men to repent of their daily sinnes that must repent daily of their best duties which they must confesse are as a filthy clout 3. Although the spirit by faith assureth the beleever that all his sinnes are satisfied by the death of Christ yet the spirit also perswadeth the heart that in this way of humiliation and repentance we shall receive assurance of remission of daily sinnes and particular infirmities for else the spirit should faile in his office which is to bring even the house of David and the inhabitants of Ierusalem that is true beleevers to the fountaine of grace and stir up in them deepe sorrow and earnest lamentation in seeking pardon for daily sinnes and speciall provocations against the Lord whom by their sins they have pierced 4. Prayer for forgivenesse of daily sinnes is an act of repentance enjoyned by Christ on him that hath formerly repented is justified and calleth God Father as in that petition of his most holy prayer Forgive us our trespasses 5. They that overflow with love and outboast all others in their pretence of love which is so strong and active as they need no other mover forget that increase of love to God must
reverses sinne when we are come to Christ wee must by it be brought to Christ still And it is false that they say that the Law is indeede a scoolemaster to bring us once unto Christ but then wee have done with it and it with us for it must ever bring us to Christ so long as by sinne wee estrange our selves from him or him from us That place in Galat. 3. 24 25. nothing contrarieth our doctrine After faith came we were no longer under a schoolmaster that is such a schoolemaster as it was The place is notably opened by learned Pareus to whom for brevity sake I remit the Reader Eighthly Wee must conceiue the Law in the substance of it the image of God written in the heart of Adam in innocency and by the finger of the same spirit written in the hearts of all the elect and consequently must feare tremble to sin against this Law which floweth from the righteous nature of God and the impugning of which is the violating of his owne image and nature so farre as wee can reach it A man may breake the Princes Law and not violate his Person but not Gods for God and his image in his Law are so straitly united as one cannot wrong the one and not the other Ninthly Wee must frame our selves to love this righteous Law for this image of God ingraven upon it yea and the more that wicked men hate and resist it the more that sonnes of Belial rise up against it wee must love it the more obey it so much the more maintain and defend the power and honour of it with so much the more zeale and earn estnesse so did holy David Ps. 119. 126. Wicked men have destroyed the Law therefore I love it above fine gold where the Prophet concludeth them enemies to God that are enemies to the Law And 2. that then is the time to pleade for God and his Law when wicked men most oppose and oppresse it Now then is the time when the godly must awaken themselves not onely to observe but also to preserve it FINIS Contra Legis adversarios Adversus furiosam sectam Libertinorum Nemo miretur aut consternetur cum tam insolitos ab omni ratione alienos errores cernas Calv. 2 Thes 2. Quod hostis machinatur in perniciem convertit Deus in adiutorium Aug Epist ad Sextum 105. Deus ecce furentibus obstat Optimus portus poenitentiae mutatio consilii Cic Philip Etiam loquendum cum Ecclesia recte sentiente Cyprian Sublime et tumidum dicendi genus pere grino quodam idiomate loquuntur ut qui ipsos audiunt prima facie stupefiant Calv advers Libert c 2. Quemadmodum circulatores aliique errones c peculiari sermonis genere utunturâ— Vide cap 7 eiusdem libri 2 Cor 4. 2 Non est humano aut seculi sensu in Dei rebus loquenduÌ„ Hilar. lib. 8 de Trinit Sequamur loquendi regulam quam tradit Scriptura neque extra illos fines evagemur Calv. cap 7. 1 Cor 14. 9 It is the priviledge of beleevers not to be under the Law 4 Reasons Gal. 3. 10. The danger of being under the Law in 4 things How a man may get from under this dangerous state Habak 2. 4. Sixe notes of tryall to know one gotten froÌ„ under the danger of the Law Ephes. 2. 10 The substance of the Law in 5 things Psal. 119. 89. The beleever is under the whole substance of the Law Seven appendices of the Law in none of which the beleever is under the Law Rom. 8. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which regard it Iâ— called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod non licâ—t acrius urit Gens humana ruit in vetâ—tum â—eâ—as Regenerat are not without a Law 1 Tim. 1. 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor under the Law in 5 respects But under that is within the compasse of the Law Psal. 2. 2 3 Iudg. 16. 9 1 Reason All the same sins are forbidden after faith as before Rom. 7. 7. 1 Ioh. 3. 4. The Saints are perfect not perfectists Psal. 119. 120. Rom. 7. 15. 19. 23. Hypocratis magis fomentis quam monitis nostris indigent Non dicit non peccat sed non dat operam peccato Beza Qui ambulant in viis Domini non operantur peccatum et tamen non sunt sine peccato August in Psa. 118 conc 2. Non peccare Dei iustitia est hominis iustitia indulgentia Dei Bern. ser. 23 in Cantic Nunc bene vivitur si sine crimine sine peccato autem qui se vivere existimat noÌ„ id agit ut peccatum non habeat sed ut veniam non accipiat Aug. Enchirid. Haec est regeneratorum perfectio si se imperfectos esse agnoscant August 2 Reas. The same duties are required after faith as before Quod accuratius Christus exposuit magis pertinere ad Christianos creditur 1 Cor. 4. 21 2 Cor. 5. 11 3 Reas Christ cam not to abolish the Law and therefore it is not abolished Christ cam not to destroy the Law why But to fulfil it how Rom. 8. 2. 4 Reas. Nor the Apostles abolished the Law Lex et fides mutuo se iuvant mutuo sibi dant manus P. Mart. But confirme the authority of it 1 Ioh. 1. 9. Dicatur mihi in decem praeceptis quid non fit a Christiano observandum Cant. Faust. lib. 3. Fides impetrat gratiam quâ— Lex impletur Quia quae in Lege dicta sunt facienda per fidem ostenduntur facta Ambros. 5 Res Every beleever is bound to strive to conformity with the Law 1. In his inner man Iustificati amici Legis efficiuntur Ambr. in Rom. 8. Qui dicit se diligere Legem mentitur tam enim amamus Legem quam homicida carcâ—rem 2. In his outward man 3. In his whole man Nisi dum Scriptuâ—ae bonâ—e intelliguntur oÌ„â— bene quod in ijs non benâ— intelligitur etiam temere audacter asseritur Aug. expos in Ioh. trac 18. Habent â—cripâ—urasâ— aâ— spâ—ciem non aâ— salutem Deâ— Baptis contra Donat. lib. 4 The first maine ground of this schism Ignorance Hi quidem homâ—nes indocti sunt ac idiotae qui non usque adeo evolvendis chartis sunt exercitati ut exijs deâ—â—ria sua addiscâ—re potuerint Instruct. advers Libert cap. 1. Alter cubicularius alter hostiarius libenter fieri sustinuerâ—t Cap 4. câ—usdem libri Iune 12. Ignorance of the end of Christs comming 2. Of the nature of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 5. 3. Of the nature of faith Godly life is nothing but keeping commandements Hab. 2. 4. Wee are meere patients in the causes of blessednesse but not in the conditions of it Christs righteousnesse onely gives right to heaven but our sanctification gives a fitnesse and aptitude to it Rev 21. 27 Iustification freeth the beleever from the condemnation of sinne but not
â—â—uth 2. To allow him to carry and order the heart will and affections with cheerfulnesse and constancy in all good duties whence hee is called a free spirit not onely because he worketh in himselfe freely and as the wind bloweth where he will but from his powerfull effect in the Saints who by his strong and mighty gales are caried strongly in their motions of grace and obedience This finde and challendge thy freedome from under the Law But if the spirit that rules in the world guide the course or Satan carrie a man into the foule lusts of uncleannesse worldlinesse voluptuousnesse malice or the like as the swine into the lake this man is under the whole curse and raigne of the Law because he is under the power and reigne of his sinne 6. There is joy and thankfulnesse for others freedome as for a mans owne he that is truly converted is unfeignedly glad for the worke of Gods grace in others Rom. 6. 17. God be thanked that yee have beene the servants of sinne but now ye have obeyed the forme of doctrine c. Eph. 1. 5. Phil. 1. 5. A godly Pastour with Paul wisheth all as himselfe except his bonds A godly parent will rejoyce to see his children to walk in the truth A father or husband cannot content himselfe with his owne safety from a deadly danger and see his wife and children left in it still A godly Master as Ioshua will have all his house serve the Lord with himselfe and will not endure in his family a wicked servant a vassall and slave to the Divell and sinne but will pull him out of the fire or water or turne him out of doores yea every sinner converted himselfe wil strengthen the brethren as Peter and David Psal 51. 13. By these notes may a man try and discerne whether he be yet under the Law or not CHAP. 2. Explaining the Apostle and shewing how farre the beleever is from under the Law HAving shewed that it is the priviledge of justified persons not to be under the Law we are now in the next place to limit this proposition of the Apostle within his own bounds which ancient bounds while our Libertines remove or break downe they open a sluce or floodgate unto all loosnes and licentiousnes both of opinion and practise For the right understanding of our Apostles meaning we must consider the Law two wayes First in the substance of it or secondly in the circumstances or appendices belonging unto it The substance of the Law standeth in five things 1. The Law in the substance of it is an eternall doctrine shewing what is good what is evill never changed never abolished never abrogated no not by Christ but is as a beame from an eternall Sunne and the Sunne being eternall how can the beame but be so also and thus beleevers are still under the teaching of it without which no man can know what God is nor what is his worship nor what is the manner of his worshipp nor what duties wee are to performe nor how to performe them either to himselfe or to our brethren 2. The law in the substance of it is a revealer of sinne Rom. 3. 19. By the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne and every sinner yea even beleevers are still under the rebuke of it so long as in many things they offend all and stand in need of the Law both to worke them to humility and repentance after new sinnes committed to worke them to a feare and reverent awe of God and to drive them out of themselves unto Christ for recovery out of their daily infirmities for were there no law there were no transgression nor discovery of it Rom. 4. 15. 3. The Law in the substance of it is a rule of good life and as the Gospell teacheth how to beleeve so the Law teacheth how to live the Law is as the touchstone to try what is gold in us and what is drosse it is as the line and plummet to shew what is straight and what is crooked and thus is under the direction of it both for matter and manner of all actions which please or displease God For as the Law civill is the rule of civill life so Gods Law is the rule of godly life and as a good workman that is Master of his trade will have his rule ever at his back or in his hand to measure every peece of his worke that it may stand levell and square so even the beleever hath as continuall need of the rule of the Law which the Apostle saith is profitable for doctrine correction reproofe and institution even of the man of God 2 Tim. 3. 17. 4. The Law in the substance is the expresse idea or representation of the Law of nature written in our hearts in the time and state of innocency and the naturall principles of it cannot be quite extinct or shaken out of the heart of the worst man for the very Heathens had it written in their hearts Rom. 2. 15. and much lesse can it be shaken out of the beleever in whom it is renewed and rewritten in their spirits by the finger of Gods spirit Ier. 31. 33. Nay the beleever cannot chuse but be framed to a cheerefull and spirituall obedience of it so long as the spirit performeth that office in them 5. The Law in the substance of it promiseth a righteousnesse and eternall life to all the performers of it and no beleever expecteth another righteousnes nor another life nor on any other condition than the same in the Law onely in another manner and meanes the same life must be attained by our ful performaÌ„ce of the law though not in our selves but in our surety and by the same righteousnes not inherent in us but imputed unto us So as by this former consideration we see that the beleever is still under the whole substance of the Law And now in the second place seeing the justified person is so many wayes under the Law how saith the Apostle that the beleevers are not under it To resolve which point we must now consider the circumstances and appendices of the Law which make it an heavie yoak an intollerable and insupportable burden in regard whereof the beleever is not under it These appendices of the Law are seaven First one consequent of the Law is that it yoaketh every man to a personall performance of it for himselfe must doe all things that are written in the Law to live in them And this is now an impossible obedience because of our flesh But Christ having perfectly fulfilled the Law for the beleever and becomming the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth in this regard they are not under this rigour of the Law which knoweth no surety no Mediatour no imputed obedience but in every mans owne person and yet the Gospell remitteth no part of the substance of the Law which requireth perfect obedience only it tendreth it in
doe have rather commended the Pharises for weakning it by their glosses than have vindicated it and restored to the full strength and power of it 2. Our Lord not onely confirmes it in it selfe by his doctrine and life but also in the conscience of every Christian. Matth. 5. 19. He that breaketh the least of these commandements and teacheth men so to doe shall be least in the kingdome of heaven but he that shall teach and observe them shall be called great in the kingdome of heaven that is shall be honoured and counted a worthy member in the Church of God No saith the Libertine we must not teach the Law in the Church and those that doe are legall Preachers that lead men into a dead faith we must doe nothing because God commands us nay we not onely reverse the least of them but all at once and teach others so to doe See now if fire be more contrary to water or Christ to Belial than Christ to these sonnes of Belial that will be under no yoke of the Law no rule no obedience 3. The Apostles after Christ bring converted Christians every where to the rule of the Law and frequently alledge the Law to urge the duties of it and therefore the Law ceaseth not to be the rule in the new Testament for if it had they would not have pressed exhortations by the Law Rom. 12. 19. Dearely beloved avenge not your selves Why For it is written Vengeance is mine Rom. 13. 8 9. pressing the duty of love the onely debt beseeming a Christian he urgeth it by this argument because love is the fulfilling of the Law and repeateth all the commandements of the second Table not to repeale or reverse any of them but to confirme them as the rule still and comprehendeth them all in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe Ephes 6. 1. Children obey your parents and presseth the duty from the Law for this is the first commandement with promise Heb. 12. 28. Let us have grace to serve God acceptably with reverence and feare Why For our God is even a consuming fire Did not now the Apostles come as well with a rod as with the spirit of meeknesse did not they perswade men as knowing the terrour of the Lord did not they call mens eyes not onely to behold the goodnesse of God but also to behold his severity Rom. 11. 22. Dare now an audacious Libertine step out and tell the Apostles as they tell us that they were legall Preachers that they taught men popery and justification by workes and that they made men onely morall Christians because they held the Law before them as the rule of all duties both of piety and charity If Christ came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it then the Law is not abolished for either Christ abolished it or none and either by his comming or not at all But Christ chargeth us not to thinke that hee came to abolish it Matth. 5. 17. For what is it to destroy the Law but to take from it that vertue and power whereby it is a Law and to make it of none effect And that Christ came not to destroy the Law is manifest because 1. It is his owne Law which must endure for ever in heaven Psal. 119. 2. Because it is holy just and spirituall Rom. 7. 13. Which words imply 1. That there is in it a supernaturall divine and unperishing vertue resembling God himselfe who shall as easily be destroyed as his Law 2. That it serveth to be a divine direction of all men in all holy just and spirituall duties 3. That it is an holy instrument of the spirit by which he leadeth out the faithfull into the practise of those duties 4. That whosoever have the spirit sent to dwell and rule and to write the Law in their hearts they cannot detract from the Law but the more spirituall themselves are the more doe they discerne the spirituall power of it and frame to the spirituall observance of it so did the Apostle in this place so David Psal. 19. 7 8. and 119. 39. Nay Christ came to fulfill it in himselfe and in his members 1. By preaching illustrating and inforcing the Law by vindicating it from false glosses and restoring to the full and first strength of it by all which he sheweth it to bee immutable and eternall 2. By plenary and full satisfaction of it and by his perfect and personall obedience both active and passive so as he fulfilled all the righteousnesse of it and left not one iota of it unfulfilled 3. By donation of his spirit writing the Law in the hearts of the elect and inciting them to new and cheerfull obedience of it for to this end the Saints receive the law of the spirit of life that they may not walke after the flesh any more but after the spirit If the Apostles after Christ did not abrogate the Law but establish it then it is not abolished to beleevers in the new Testament But they by the doctrine of faith did not Rom. 3. 31. Doe we abrogate the Law by faith God forbid nay wee establish it Where the Apostle cryes downe that grosse conceit of the contrariety of the Law and Gospell so as one of them must needs devoure the other as Moses rod did the rods of the inchanters True it is they are a distinct and divers doctrine but in God and his word is no contrariety And true it is the Law and Gospell will never stand together in the justification of a sinner before God yet they friendly concur and agree in Christian conversation wherein they are inseperable as also they are in Christian institution yea here they helpe one another as one hand doth another Whēce the holy Apostles who knew that the Gospell was not properly and substantially the Law yet usually in the publication of the Gospell confirme the authority of the Law See some instances Rom. 1. 18. The Gospel is the power of God to salvation and by it not onely the righteousnes of God is revealed from faith to faith but the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlines not that the Gospell is a ministery of wrath but a witnesse that wrath hangs over the heads of wicked men rejecting the Gospell Rom. 2. 16. Christ shall judge the secrets of men according to my Gospell that is according to the witnesse of the Gospell preached by me 1 Iohn 2. 1. Brethren I write these things to you that you sinne not and what did he write else but the sweet tidings of the Gospell that is any confesse his sinnes God is faithfull and just to forgive them and that if any sinne wee have an advocate with the Father c For as no man can teach any duty of the Law but therin calls to faith for call to the love of God the substance of the first Table must not he be first beleeved and then
loved or to prayer how can they call on him on whom they have not beleeved and so in the rest so neither can a man preach faith without some reference to the Law for can a man beleeve a remedy without knowledge search of the wound nay it is the Law that fits us to prize Christ a physitian or else would we never meddle with him no more than he would seeke out for a garment that hath no sence of his shame or nakednesse What if the Law know not nor command one to die or satisfie for another yet it doth not denie or exclude or hinder the mercy of God revealed in the Gospell but maketh way unto it The Apostles therefore did not abrogate the Law by faith nay saith our Apostle we establish it From whence the argument will rise stronger If the Apostles did stablish the Law by the doctrine of faith then is not the Law abolished to beleevers in the new Testament But they did establish the Law by faith Quest. How doth faith stablish the Law Answ. 1. In shewing that all the menaces and curses of it are not in vaine but all fulfilled in Christ who was laid under them all to free us from them 2. It fulfils the Law because it bringeth before God the perfect fulfilling of the Law for justification though not in our selves yet in our surety in whom wee have perfectly fulfilled it and shall live by it the Law must be absolutely fulfilled by us in our surety or we cannot live 3. It stablisheth the Law because faith worketh by love which love is the fulfilling of the Law so as by faith being justified as we are in a stronger obligation to the duties of it so we begin a new obedience to all the commandements and there is no duty which a Christian is not firmely obliged unto Tell me saith Augustine what there is in all the ten commandements what it is that a Christian is not bound unto 4. Because by faith we can pray and by the prayer of faith obtaine the spirit of God by whom we are supplied with needfull strength to obey the Law so August faith obtaines grace by which the Law is fulfilled and Ambrose saith that faith stablisheth the Law because faith shewes those duties to be done which the Law commandeth to be done And thus have we strengthened our fourth argument which hath proved that the Apostles of Christ abolished not the Law but established it and therefore it is not without use and force in the new Testament In whomsoever must be a constant endeavour of conformity to the Law to those the Law is not abolished This is plaine because where any thing is to be regulated there the rule is necessary But every beleever after conversion must strive to a conformity with the Law 1. in his inner man 2. in his outward man 3. in his whole man 1. In his inner man he must delight in the Law of God Rom. 7. 22. both in his minde he must serve the Law of God verse 25. and in his affections hee must love the Law Psal. 119. 97. Oh how love I thy Law Psal. 1. 1. The blessed man delighteth in the Law of the Lord not onely in the knowledge of it which an hypocrite may but in the conformity of their hearts and affections with it they carry friendly affections to the Law Our Antinomists outboast all men in point of their justification But St Ambrose his rule denieth them to be justified because they are not friends with the Law And Mr. Luther whom they challendge as their friend and favourer rangeth them among unjustified and unregenerate men of whom he saith that they love the Law as well as a murderer loveth the prison and so well love these the Law and therefore by his censure rejected among the unregenerate 2. In his outward man and action the justified man must testifie that the Law of God is written in his heart so the Apostle 1 Ioh. 2. 17. He that fulfilleth the commandement abideth for ever What is this commandement and what is it to fulfill it The commandement is the same which he had delivered in the former part of the chapter consisting of two branches 1. To beleeve in the Sonne of God as our onely satisfaction our onely advocate and the reconciliati on for the sinnes of the world v. 1 2. That we embrace him as our unerring patterne of our lives and walke as he walked v. 6. Quest. How did hee walke Answ. 1. In the generall observation of the whole Law 2. In speciall In the perfect love of the brethren v. 9. and in the contempt of the world Now must Christ walk in the obedience of the commandements and must not the Christian Yes saith the Apostle Every Christian must fulfill the commandement Object What will you teach justification by workes Answ. No we call not men to legall fulfilling of the commandement but evangelicall as 1. when the minde delighteth in the Law of God as holy just and good 2. When the heart hides it to conforme unto it 3. When the affection desireth to fulfill it rejoyceth when he can attaine to any obedience and sorroweth when he faileth in it 4. When in his actions he beginneth that obedience which shall end in perfect fulfilling this the Gospell accepteth and accompteth a fulfilling of the commandement Thus the Apostle Rom 8. 4. The righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in us which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit that is Christ by his meritorious obedience to the death hath not onely freed us beleevers from the condemning power of sinne but from the commanding power of it and so renewed our nature as that the Law of God shall be fulfilled in us and that two wayes 1. By application of his owne perfect fulfilling of it unto us with whom we by faith being united unto him whatsoever is his being the head is ours also being members 2. By our sanctification it is fulfilled in us inchoately that is by obedience begun here which at last shall be perfected so as not the least motion or desire contrary to the Law shall be left in our nature Thus is the righteousnesse of the Law fulfilled not by us but in us even here below and is our rule both in earth and in heaven 3. In his whole man the beleever must grow up to the image of Christ and to the conformity of his holinesse which is no other but the perfect image of God expressed in the Law This growth in grace and sanctification is called the rising up to full holinesse as the Sunne riseth up higher till perfect day Prov. 4. 18. The way of the just is as the light which shineth more and more till perfect day But this cannot be done without the helpe of the Law the onely rule by which and the scope unto which it must be directed For 1. how should a beleever free from
vaine both in respect of his Sacrifice and of his Intercession his Sacrifice because for this Cause he sanctified himselfe that beleevers should be sanctified through the truth Ioh. 17. 19 His intercession and prayer is that the elect may be sanctified verse 17. Father sanctifie them Shall Christ as a Priest sacrifice himselfe and make such earnest prayers for sanctification of beleevers and is there no such thing or if there be may not we preach it and vrge it or can any libertine disavow and scorne it but hee must also renounce reiect the priesthood of Christ I hope no man will coÌ„ceive these to be slight things which entrench upon the foundation 5. But how comes it to passe that they reading the scriptures and in them so many and so expresse and vnavoidable places calling the saints not only to the study and practise of holinesse but also to growth and encrease in holinesse that yet they should persist in this delusion yea and defend it against so cleare a light Surely because they will not submitt to Gods authority but have pulled them selves from under his rule he hath in justice put them out of his favour and given them up to themselves and to Satan to blinde them who are so willing to bee blinded and hee is cunning enough under a pretence of Christian liberty to hold theÌ„ in perpetuall chaines of spirituall bondage else could they not seeke to elude so cleare places As 1. cal us to holinesse 1 Thes. 4. 16. 4. This is the will of God even your saÌ„ctificatioÌ„ 1 Pet. 1. 15. be ye holy in all maner of conversatioÌ„ for it it is written Be ye holy as I am holy 2 Which call Gods people to increase in holinesse 1 Thes. 4. 1. We exhort you to increase more and more and this is a commandement given us by our Lord Iesus Christ. verse 2. 2. Pet. 3. last But grow in grace and in the knowledge c. 1 Cor 15. 58. Be abundant in the work of the Lord. Rev. 22. 11 Let him that is righteous be righteous still and let him that is holy be holy still Is now the spirit of God idle in all these and the like precepts or doth hee call men now to the justification of the Law or is he idle in his exhortations to sanctification or are wee so while wee urge men in the words of the same spirit The objections are light and windy as the opinion it selfe is 1 Object That beleevers are carried by an inward principle of new creation a good tree cannot chuse but bring forth good fruite without all these outward motives Answ. The principle of good fruit is within the sappe in the roote but there be externall helpes without which it will never be produced as the Sun the soyle the ayre the shewers the gales of winde So a beleever a tree of righteousnesse hath an inward principle flowing from his root which is Christ without whom he can doe nothing but it is fruitfull by meanes not to be neglected because they are of his owne appointing and wherin he wil make us fruitfull 1 Cor 15. 10. By the grace of God I am that I am and his grace was not in mee in vaine but I laboured though not I but grace in me 2 Object God spirit is all in all and doth all in us and we have nothing to doe Answ. God leadeth beleevers by his spirit into good workes and produceth holy acts in them but not without use of meanes For 1. he puts the Law into their hearts 2. transformes them by obedience into the image of the word 3. He still prompteth and suggesteth according to the word in the things of Gods glory and worship the spirit incites to the use of the meanes of grace of the holy ordinances to the pleasures and delights of Gods house and such things as uphold our spirituall being 3 Object But Christ is our righteousnesse and sanctification what use of any righteousnesse or holinesse of our own Answ. Christ is not the righteousnesse of justification to any person that is not washed and sanctified 1 Cor 6. 11. 2. None can be righteous by a righteousnesse infused from Christ but thence floweth an inherent righteousnesse renewing our nature for he gives us a godly nature and purifieth our soules by the spirit and thence issueth an externall righteousnesse of life which is an evidence of our justification by faith for he that doth righteousnesse is righteous 4 Object But what can be added to perfection If we be not compleat in Christ there is defect in his merit and they that drinke of his waters thirst no more and wee can desire no more than wee have in Christ. Answ. But that perfection here to which nothing can be added is the dreame of waking men contrary to the Scriptures contrary to the practise of Saints whose studie was and is to increase more and more Contrary to their experience the best of whom complaine that they have not yet attained nor never shal till that perfect come Contrary to their prayers and vehement desires after further grace Contrary to the nature of true grace which is still desirous of more For it is not possible but that they which have tasted how good the Lord is should desire the sincere milke of the word to growe by it 2 The Saints have not so drunke as yet that there remaineth no thirst after Christ for there is a twofold thirst The former is of totall indigency or a whole want of Christ and this is satisfied in the beleever that hee shall never so miserably thirst againe The latter is a thirst after a more plentifull fruition of Christ and his spirit and graces and this is never fully satisfied in this life but the privation of the former thirst is the generation and position of this latter Revel â—2 17. Let him that is athirst come 5. Object But we are called to the liberty of the Gospell and are free from all compulsion of Lawes and from all other rules than the motions of the Spirit for where the spirit of God is there is libertie 2 Cor. 3. 17. Answ. What kinde of liberty this is we have seene already which is not from the rules and direction of the Law for the Apostle saith not that wee are called to libertinisme or a freedome from obedience to doe what we list as being without the reach of the Law but a freedome from the rule and command of sin and a sweete peace and ease in in the soule not grounded on rejecting the commandements but rather upon a free and sincere regard and love of them Thus David professeth that hee will walke at libertie not because hee will cast off the precepts but because hee did seeke the precepts But we have stayed long in discovering 1. the ignorance 2. the pride 3. the profane licentiousnesse of this schisme wee must proceede to that which followeth CHAP. 9. Answering
wring obedience from them by terrours or threatnings or expectation either of threatnings or rewards the just are not under the Law in this servile manner of obedience as are the lawlesse and disobedient for by a free spirit of grace they doe the works of the Law so farre as they are regenerate and the Law to them is not a compelling commander but a sweet and faithfull counsellour and rule of life But although the Law be not given to the just to fasten any crime or curse upon them nor to exact personall and perfect obedience for righteousnesse before God nor to force compell or rigorously exact obedience from them will it follow that it is no way else given unto them or not as a rule of direction for obedience and a line and square of good works and christian life And these answers will fully satisfie all those other places of like sound and sence as Gal. 5. 18. If yee be led by the spirit yee are not under the Law Rom. 7. 6. Now ye are delivered from the Law being dead unto it that is yee are freed from the Law as it is the strength of sinne as it irritateth and provoketh to sinne as it did while wee were in the state of nature as it wrapps the transgressor in the curse and as it forceth it selfe by terror and constraint for now the beleever serveth in newnesse of spirit not in the oldnesse of the letter that is freely from a renewed spirit obeyeth the Law as the rule of holy life OBIECT 4. Gal 5. 1. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not intangled againe with the yoake of bondage that is say they the Law Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath freed us from the curse of the Law Answ. It is not said that Christ hath freed us from the obedience or command of the Law but from the curse of it which we question not 2. Christian liberty is not a freedome from the obedience of it but rather from the disobedience of it Rom. 6. 18. Being free from sinne ye are made the servants of righteousnesse We are called to liberty but we must not use our liberty as an occasion to the flesh but to frame to the commandement By love to serve one another Gal 5. 13. Where the Apostle plainely proveth that Christian liberty looseth us not from the observation of the Law but straitly enioyneth it for the whole Law is fulfilled in one woâ—d which is love v. 14. 3. â—s they 〈◊〉 the same stone so iâ— must returne upon themselves we must therefore againe tell them what are those parts of â—â—ristian liberty which the Apostle aymeth at and if they thinke that the Apostle best knew his owne meaning they shal take them from himselfe The first of them is freedome from the burden of legall ceremonies sacrifices circumcision and beggarly rudiments which were heavy yoakes which being abolished by Christ Christians must never entangle themselves with them any more and that the Apostle directly speaketh of these in the place alledged see v. 2 3. If yee be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing therefore stand fast in your liberty The 2 branch of our liberty is from the curse of the Law in that Christ was made a curse for us with which most ponderous and pressing yoke we must never entangle our selves any more by seeking justification by the workes of the Law and to settle us firme in this our liberty is our Apostles ayme and argument Gal. 3. 10. 13. The third branch of our liberty is freedome from perfect impletion and personall performance of the whole Law for justification for thus we are no more debters to the Law Gal. 5. 3. Nor must ever returne to that bondage to seeke righteousnes and justification by the Law in whole or in part For Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you will be justified by the Law yee are fallen from grace verse 4. The 4. branch of our purchased liberty by Christ is a freedome from the threats and terrors of the Law compelling and forcing obedience and now not feare but love must chiefly constâ—aine us to duty not compulsion or carnall respects must caâ—â— uâ— as slaues to the commandement but now discerning the holinesse excellency and righteousnesse of the Law the heart is moved freely to runne the ways of God Gal. 5. 25. If wee live in the spirit we must walke in the spirit OBIECT 5. The Law of Moses was given onely to the Iewes and was to endure but vnto Christ Luke 16. 16. The Law and the Prophets were till Iohn And Christ is the end of the Law to every beleever Rom. 10. 24. Answ. 1. The Law for writing and some Circumstances was given to the Iewes by the hand of Moses but in respect of the substance and matter obedience belongs unto all men of all ages and nations Because 1. It must stoppe every mouth both of Iew and Gentile Rom 3. 19. 2. It must judge every man according to his work both Iew and Gentile 2. It seemes the Prophets are abolished as well as the Law But I hope they will not say that all the doctrine of the Prophets is abolished It is true that the whole Propheticall doctrine which did signifie or prophecy or promise good things to come when Christ was actually come received accomplishment but not abolishment which is Tertullians distinction But much other positive doctrine of the Prophets is as usefull and proper to us for whom it is by speciall divine providence reserved as it was to the ages to which it was first directed And even so the Law which in respect of shadowes was to continue till Iohn in the substance of it is a permanent and everlasting doctrine directory and deriveable to all the ages of the world 3. Christ is the end of the Law but as Augustine wittily distinguisheth the perfectiâ—g end not the destroying end For 1. He was the end or scope unto whom the Law especially the paedagogie of Moses was directed 2. Hee was the end also of the Morall Law because hee fully and perfectly obeyed the law and so the Law in him attained his proper end as it had not else done among all the sonnes of men 3. He is the end of the Law on whom all the male diction of the â—aw fell fully and perfectly and had on him full accomplishment 4. He is the end of the Law in whom all the blessings and promises of the Law attaine their end for they are all in Christ yea and amen all of them in him for his obedience are exhibited compleat 5. He is the end of the Law to every beleever for righteousnesse in that he doth bestow and impute unto us that full righteousnesse which the Law requireth of us and in that by the donation of his spirit hee kindleth in beleevers a new obedience framed unto the Law so as they begin a