is also a freedom from the bondage of sinne and of the law though in other respects then those that haue beene mentioned in the liberty of iustification For in iustification we are freed from the guilt of sinne in sanctification frō the corruption of sinne But here we are to consider how farre forth we are set free therefrom For the Hypocritall Papists teach that when a man is regenerated or as they also speake iustified originall sinne is so abolished as that it doth not only not raigne but not so much as remaine or liue in the partie sanctified By which doctrine they teach men to bee desperate hypocrites either searing their conscience that they may haue no sense of sinne and may please themselues with this conceit that they haue no sinne in which respect the saying of Peter is verified of them that whiles they promise liberty to themselues and others they are indeed seruants of corruption or if they haue any sense of sinne dwelling in them they must perswade themselues they are not sanctified nor iustified and therefore not to be saued such miserable comforters they are of poore sinners as to perswade them that they haue not remission of sinne vntill sinne be quite abolished in them But this doctrine they teach contrary to the euident testimonies of Scripture contrary to the perpetuall experience of the faithfull contrary to the light of their owne conscience that they might thereby vphold their Antichristian doctrine of iustification by inherent righteousnesse and of the merit of good workes which otherwise would fall to the ground For if in respect of originall sinne remaining and dwelling in vs we be in our selues sinners how can we be iustified by inherent righteousnesse If our best actions be stained with the flesh and our righteousnesse be like polluted clouts how should they merit eternall life We are therfore to hold that in regeneration we are freed from the corruption of sinne not wholly and at once but in part and by degrees that sinne though mortified in part and we freed from the tyrannie of it that it raigne no more with full swinge and authority in vs still remaineth and dwelleth in vs hindering vs from good provoking vs vnto euill defiling and cotaminating our best actions neuer suffering vs with the full consent of will to performe or desire that which is good As the Apostle plainely sheweth by his owne example Rom. 7. where the concupiscence remaining in him is not only plainly called a sinne but described as a sinne as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a repugnancie to the law of God the sense whereof though the Papists haue no sense of it made the holy Apostle crie out Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Accursed therefore was the counsell of Trent which confessing that the Apostle calleth it a sinne notwithstanding pronounceth them accursed that shall say it is a sinne But if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues saith S. Iohn and there is no truth in vs. The freedome therefore which we haue in our sanctification which as Augustine saith is but begun in this life is not from the being of sinne in vs altogether and at once though we be freed from it in part and by degrees but from the dominion of it that wee should no more bee servants of sin but being freed from sinne might become servants of righteousnes Rom. 6. 6. 18. which Augustine did well obserue out of the words of the Apostle dehorting vs that sinne should not remaine in our mortall bodies Hee doth not say let it not be but let it not raigne for whiles thou liuest it cannot be avoided but that sinne will bee in thy members neverthelesse let dominion bee taken from it c. Of this liberty the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ hath made mee free from the law of sinne and of death That is the power of the quickning Spirit which being in Christ our head and from him communicated vnto vs doth rule in vs as a law doth free vs from the power of sin which worketh death that it no more haue dominion as it were a law in vs. And Rom. 6. hauing proued that sin neither doth nor can any more raigne in the faithfull because after the similitude of Christs death and resurrection they are dead to sin and risen againe and therefore as death can no more haue dominion over Christ being 〈◊〉 from death no more can sin haue dominion over the faithfull being once risen from the graue of sin afterwards vers 14. hee assureth the faithfull that sin shall not haue dominion over them because they bee not vnder the Law but vnder grace Likewise Saint Iohn saith He that is borne of God doth not commit sin namely as a servant of sin yea he addeth that he cannot sin namely with full swinge and consent of will as those which bee servants of sin because the seed of God remaineth in him whereby he is partly spirit and not only flesh And therefore as he cannot perfectly will that which is good because of the reluctation of the flesh so can he not will with full consent that which is evill because of the reluctation of the spirit Secondly wee are in our sanctification freed from the Law But we are here also to consider quatenus now farre forth For the Papists charge vs that we place Christian liberty in this that we are subiect to no law in our conscience and before God and that wee are free from all necessity of doing good workes which is a most divelish slander For although they absurdly confound iustification and fanctification yet they know we doe not neither are they ignorant but that wee put a great difference betweene them in this respect For though we teach that the obedience of the Law is not required in vs to iustification but that wee are freed from the exaction of the Law in that behalfe yet we deny not but that vnto sanctification the obedience of the law is required and wee by necessity of duty bound to the observation thereof Wee confesse that to be free from obedience is to be the servants of sin and the willing and cheerefull worship of God in holines and righteousnes without feare to bee true liberty Wee acknowledge that the morall law of God is perpetuall and immutable and that this is an everlasting truth that the creature is bound to worship and obey his Creator and so much the more bound as hee hath received greater benefits Indeede wee say with Luther that in our iustification wee are restored to a state of iustice from which Adam fell but yet as wee teach that wee are no more bound to obedience that thereby we might be iustified then Adam who was already iust so we professe that in allegiance and thankfulnesse we are more
bound to obey then he yea wee professe that God doth therefore free vs from the curse and the bondage of the law that wee might be inabled with freedome of spirit to obey it and that being freed from sinne wee are made the servants of righteousnesse We teach that God hauing sworne that to those whom he iustifieth he will giue grace to worship him in holines and righteousnes no man can be assured of his iustification without obedience that sanctification being the end of our election calling redemption and regeneration it is a necessary consequent of sauing grace We teach and professe that howsoever good workes doe not concurre with faith vnto the act of iustificaâ—â—on as a cause thereof yet they conâ—â—â—re in the party iustified as necessary fruits of faith and testimonies of iustification And as wee teach with Paul that faith alone doth iustifie so with Iames that the â—aith which is alone doth not iustifie Wee teach that the blood of Christ as it acquitteth vs from the guilt of sin so doth it also purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God that he bare in his body vpon the crosse our sinnes that we being deliuered from sinne should liue in righteousnesse that whom Christ doth iustifie by faith them hee doth sanctify by his Spirit that whosoever is in Christ hee is a new creature crucifying the flesh with the lusts thereof and walking not after the flesh but after the spirit Wee professe that good workes are necessary to saluation though not necessitate efficientiae as causing it as the Papists teach yet necessitate praesentiae as necessary fruits of our faith whereby wee are to glorifie God and to testifie our thankfulnesse to doe good to our brethren and to make sure our election calling and iustification vnto our selues as necessary forerunners of salvation being the vndoubted badges of them that shall bee saued being the way wherein wee are to walke to everlasting life being the evidence according to which God will iudge vs at the last day And lastly that as by iustification God doth entitle vs vnto his kingdome so by sanctification he doth sit and prepare vs thereto We do not therefore by the doctrine of iustification through faith abolish the Law but rather as the Apostle saith stablish it For the more a man is assured of his free iustification the better he is enabled and the more hee is bound to obey it But although we bee bound to obey the Law as the subiects of God and servants of 〈◊〉 and although the Law 〈…〉 in those that are iustiâ—â—â—d as being a rule of direction for our obedience in the perâ—ormance of the duties or piety towards God of iustice towards our neighbour of sobriety towards ourselues and a glasse of detection to manifest the imperfections of our obedience to keepe vs from Phariâ—â—â—sme and lastly a rodde of correction in respect of flesh or the old man yet remaining in vs that by precepts by exhortations and comminations it more and more may be mortified in vs and wee kept from the spirit of slumber and security yet notwithstanding wee are not vnder the law as the Apostle saith but vnder grace Wee are therefore in our sanctification freed though not from the obedience yet from the servitude and bondage of the law and that in three respects First in respect of the irritation of it In which regard especially the law is called the strength of sinne not that the law causeth or prouoketh sinne properly for the law is holy iust and good but only by accident and occasionally For such is the corruptioÌ„ of our vntamed nature vntill we be renewed by the spirit of God that when the law which is holy and good forbiddeth sinne seeking to stoppe the course of our concupiscences and to bridle our sinfull affections thereby our vntamed corruption rebelleth so much the more and that it might appeare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceedingly sinfull by occasion of the law worketh in vs all manner of concupiscence Euen as a deepe riuer when nothing hindreth his course hath a still and as it were a dead motion but if you seeke to restraine or stoppe his course he will sinell and ouerflow all now disdaining as it were a bridge so our corruption when it freely taketh his owne course seemeth to be quiet and as it were dead but when the commandement commeth â—aith the Apostle as it were to dam it vp sin reuiueth riseth against it swelling and ouerflowing as it were his wonted bankes In this respect the law saith the Master of the Sentences is called a killing letter because forbidding sinne it increaseth concupiscence and addeth transgression vntill grace doe free vs. But we are regenerated by the spirit of sanctification and by the bond of the same spirit coupled vnto Christ we are freed from this bondage euen as the wife is freed from the dominion of her husband by his death For euen as whilest we were in the flesh altogether vnregenerate the law as it were our husbands occasionally and by accident begot in our soules wholly corrupted with sinne euill motions and concupiscences as the fruites and issue of our flesh tending vnto death so we being regenerated and after a sort dead vnto this corruption and consequently being mortified to the law in respect of the irritation thereof and the law in that regard dead vnto vs the spirit of Christ who hath vnited vs vnto him as our second husband begetteth good motions in vs as the fruites of the spirit acceptable vnto â—od This is that which the Apost teacheth Rom. 7. for hauing said chap. 6. 14. that sinne shall not haue dominion ouer vs because we are not vnder the law but vnder grace after he had answered an obiection preuented the abuse of this Doctrine which carnall men would make thereof as though they might sin freely because they are not vnder the law in the beginning of the seauenth chapter he proueth that we are not vnder the Law but vnder grace by that similitude which euen now I mentioned because being regenerated and dead vnto sinne we are mortified to the law and the law to vs in respect of the irritation thereof caused by our corruption and consequently are deliuered from the power of it as a wife is freed from the dominion of her husband when he is dead Secondly in our sanctification we are freed from the coaction and terror of the law breeding servile feare in men vnregenerate whereby as bon-servants or gally-slaues by the whip they are enforced to the performance of some outward duties which otherwise they are vnwilling to doe For those who are vnder the Law as all men are by nature are like bond-slaues who for avoiding of punishment are by terror drawne to doe some forced service which is so much the more vnwilling because they looke for no reward This
wicked because the Apostle Peter saith that they who vnder pretence of Christian liberty deny obedience to the Magistrate in lawfull things doe vse their liberty for a cloake to couer their wickednesse Againe the inward liberty is either a carnall or spirituall libertie The carnall libertie is that whereby the soule of man is free from righteousnesse which indeed is a voluntary seruice of sin For when men be free from righteousnesse they are seruants of sinne and contrariwise as the Apostle sheweth But our Sauiour speaketh of a liberty which as it freeth men from the seruitude of sinne and all the spirituall yokes of bondage which accompany the same so it maketh them the seruants of righteousnesse For whē we are made free from sinne wee are made the seruants of righteousnes Wherefore as in respect of the former we say with the Apostle Hee that is called being a seruant is the freeman of Christ so in respect of this latter he that is called being free is the seruant of Christ. Diuellish therefore is the Doctrine of the Libertines who vnder pretence of Christian liberty discharge Christians from all obedience to the law of God setting them free to do whatsoeuer themselues thinke good And such is the slander of the Papists laying that doctrine to our charge who notwithstāding are further from it then themselues For by the Popes indulgences and pardons and the Priests absolutions setting men free from sinne for small and oft times for ridiculous penances what doe they else but teach men to make but a sport of sinne Of such Libertines the Apostle Peter speaketh that whilest they promise liberty to others themselues are the seruants of corruption It remaineth therefore that Christian liberty is a spirituall liberty freeing the true Christian from the seruitude of sinne and from all other yokes of spirituall bondage wherewith sinne had intangled vs. Neither is Christian liberty onely priuatiue as being a freedome and immunity from bondage as though this were all that by it we are not seruants but as appeareth by this Scripture it is also positiue as being a liberty power right and interest to the priuileges of Gods children who are also heires of God and coheires with Christ. For when hee had said that seruants abide not in the house for euer but that such as bee sonnes abide in the house of God for euer hee inferreth If therefore the sonne shall make you free you shall bee free indeed Giuing vs to vnderstand that those whom hee freeth hee doth not onely make them not seruants viz. of sinne but also sonnes and heires of God and citizens of heauen Euen as they who are made freemen of London or any other terrestriall Citie are not only exempted from being seruants or apprentises but also are indowed with the liberties and priuileges of free Burgesses and Citizens So saith the Apostle Gal. 4. 5. that Christ hath redeemed those who were vnder the law that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes c. Christian liberty therefore is a spirituall liberty which as the Apostlo speaketh the faithfull haue in Christ Iesus That is the definition The essentiall parts wherof generally it consisteth are two For partly it is priuatiue as being an immunity from all spirituall bondage in which respect it is called in the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is redemption and is sometimes expressed by the verbes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying deliuerance and partly it is positiue as being a right title and interest to the priuiledges and prerogatiues of Gods adopted children in Christ the citiziens of the Celestiall Ierusalem and in this respect it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ioh. 1. 12. to those that receiue Christ by faith hee hath giuen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 libertie right or power to bee the sons of God 1. Cor. 8. 9. Take heed lest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your liberty right or power bee not an offence to the weake Thus you see what this libertie is and wherein generally it doth consist The author of this libertie is Christ the Sonne of God as it is heere said If the Sonne therefore shall make you free c. so the Apostle calleth it the libertie with wee haue in and by Christ and againe the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free For hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Deliuerer which should come out of Sion who deliuereth vs from the wrath of God from the tyrannie of Satan dissoluing the works of the diuell binding the strong man and casting him out spoiling principalities and powers and leading captiuitie captiue from the bondage of sinne for hee is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world whose blood doth cleanse vs both from the guilt of sinne and also from the corruption for therefore hee gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and might purge vs to bee a peculiar people to himself Zealous of good workes And he is that perfect Sauiour out of whose side did issue both blood and water the blood of redemption to free vs from the guilt of sinne and the water of ablution to cleanse vs from the corruption From the law for therefore was he borne of a woman and made vnder the law that hee might redeeme them that were vnder the law From death and damnation for therfore hee became a curse that wee might bee freed from the curse therefore hee died that through death hee might vanquish him who had the power of death that is the diuell and that hee might deliuer them who through feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage But this needeth no proofe for in that wee professe him to bee our redeemer by whom wee haue redemption wee all acknowledge him to bee the author of our libertie Let vs rather consider how hee procureth this libertie vnto vs. This he doth two waies both meritoriously and effectually By his merit in giuing himselfe to bee a price of ransome for vs. For as Peter saith we are redeemed not with any corruptible things as siluer and gold but with the precious blood of Christ by which blood hee is entred once into the holy place hauing procured an eternall redemption for vs. Secondly by the efficacie of his spirit for wee are not to imagine that Christ hath only merited and purchased this libertie for vs but that also hee doth confer applie and bestow it vpon vs which he doth by giuing vnto vs his Spirit For as in the naturall bodie the animall spirit which causeth sense and motion is from the head sent into all the members of the bodie so in the mysticall bodie of Christ the Spirit of libertie is communicated to all his members by which spirit hee
dost not only not commit the things forbidden but also doe the duties commaunded vnlesse thou dost all and vnlesse thou continuest in doing all neuer failing in any one particular and finally vnlesse thou continuest in doing all and euery thing commaunded in that perfect manner and measure which the law prescribeth Alas then how wilt thou escape the dreadfull curse who in stead of doing the duties commaunded hast done the vices forbidden who in stead of keeping all the commaundements hast broken them all and in stead of continuing in a totall perpetuall and perfect obedience of the lawe hast continued in the disobedience thereof Hence we may conclude with the Apostle that all men in themselues euen those who seeke to be iustified by the law be concluded vnder sinne and consequently vnder the curse and therefore haue extreame neede to seeke vnto Christ that by him they may be set free from this two-fold bondage which is to be vnder the curse of the law if we breake it when we can doe nothing else but breake it and to be excluded from iustification if we doe not continue in the perfect performance of the law when we are not able so much as to thinke a good thought or once to will that which is spiritually good But by Christ we are freed from both Frst from the curse as the Apostle in expresse tearmes teacheth Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs. He hath freed vs from the punishment of sinne by vndergoing the punishment for vs he hath acvs quitted frō our debts by discharging them for vs. For as Esay saith He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace that is which was to procure vs peace and reconsiliation with God was laide vpon him and by his stripes we are healed And againe The Lord hath laide vpon him the iniquitie of vs all that is the punishment of all our sinnes And My righteous seruant by his knowledge that is by the knowledge of him or faith in him shall iustifie many for he shall beare their iniquities Now by the curse of the law from which Christ doth free vs we are to vnderstand all euill of punishment as well temporall as eternall for it is absurd to imagine with the Papists that Christ hauing freed vs from the eternall punishment hath not freed vs from the temporall By temporall we meane the euils both of this life whether corporall or spirituall which are innumerable and also in the end of this life viz. an euill death Against both these it will be obiected and first against the former that notwithstanding their iustification the faithfull are as subiect to afflictions and calamities of this life as others and therefore to punishment But I deny that consequence if you speake of punishments properly which be the curses of the law afflicted vpon men by way of vengeance to satisfie the iustice of God * For the Lord hath imposed the punishment of all our sinnes vpon Christ who hath fully satisfied the justice of his Father for them And therefore as there is no condermnation so no punishment properly vnderstood to them that are in Christ Iesus Neither can it stand with the iustice of God who is not only mercifull but also iust in iustifying of vs to exact a punishment of the faithfull for the satisfying of his iustice for whom Christ hath already fully satisfied his iustice by bearing the punishment this were to punish the same sinnes twice once in Christ and againe in vs. Indeed the faithfull are subiect to crosses and afflictions but all the afflictions of the godly are either trials for their good or such iudgements as are simply fatherly chastisements proceeding from loue and meerely respecting the good of the party chastised whereof the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 11. 32. When we are iudged we are chastised of of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world or else they be also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the erymoligie of the word which by some is giuen when God besides the chastisment of the party hath also care to his owne honour which would beimpeached if he should seeme to winke at the scandalous offences of his children as though he would maintaine them in their sinnes In which regard iudgement as Peter saith begineth at the house of God For the Lord many times correcteth those sinnes in the Godly both for his owne honour and their good which he seemeth to passe by in the wicked Of this kinde we haue an example in Dauid to whom the Lord vpon his submission forgaue his greeuous sinnes of murther and adulterie notwithstanding both for Dauids chastisement and for the example of others but chiefly for the maintenance of his owne glory which by the scandalous offences of Gods children is by the wicked blasphemed as though such sins were the fruits of the religion and seruice of God he would not suffer the child begotten in adulterie to liue Why because by that sinne Dauid had caused the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme The vse which we are to make hereof is not with the Papists to teach men to make satisfaction to God for their sinnes as though Christ had not fully satisfied for them already but to teach men both to beware that they doe not commit sinne especially scandalous sinnes because thereby they displease and dishonor God their mercifull Father prouoking him to powre his iudgements vpon them for their amendment that they be not condemned with the world and for the maintenance of his owne honor and also that hauing sinned we doe meete the Lord in his iudgements by humbling our selues before him confessing our fault and crauing pardon that iudging our selues we may not be iudged of the Lord. Against the second it is also obiected that notwithstanding their iustification the godly die as well as the wicked I answere that as of all afflictions so also of death the nature is changed in respect of the faithfull to whom death it selfe though brought in by the malice of the diuell is not a curse or punishment properly I doe not denie but that many times in respect of the time and manner of death the godly iudged and chastised the Lord in mercy killing their bodies that hee many saue their soules but from the evill of death they are wholly freed for to them it is the end of sinne and is therefore inflicted vpon vs that sinne might dy with vs as Methodius saith and being the end of sinne vnto vs it is also the end of misery the hauen of rest a happy passage out of this vaile of misery vnto the kingdome of glory and so not onely no curse but also a blessing no losse but an advantage as after wee shall shew For yet we speake but of the immunities of iustification the
For there is greater mercie in not imputing vnto vs the imperfections of our workes greater in accepting of them as if they were perfect but greatest of all in rewarding them The consideration whereof ought to animate and stirre vs vp with willing and cheerefull mindes to obey God to serue him to call vpoÌ„ him to performe such duties as he requireth of vs because we are to be assured that he doth not impute vnto vs our wants but accept our imperfect obedience and not only fauorably accept it but also graciously reward it Hitherto we haue spoken of the common liberty of Christians which being as we haue heard conferred vpon vs in our vocation iustification and sanctification we are to be exhorted to giue all diligence both that we may be called iustified and sanctified and that our caling iustification â—and sanctification may be made sure vnto vs by leading a godly life For if we be not sanctified nor iustified nor called then are we whatsoeuer we are rich or poore noble or base learned or vnlearned the most miserable bond-slaues of sinne and Satan and being seruants howsoeuer for a time we retaine a place in the house of God yet we shall not abide for euer but when the time of seperation commeth we shall be cast out whereas contrariwise being made free by our calling iustification sanification as the sons of God we shall haue the priuiledge of sons which is to abide in the house of God for euer Now followeth the Christian liberty which is peculiar to the faithfull vnder the Gospell For the faithfull vnder the old Testament though they were sonnes and heires and therefore enioyed the former liberties by Christ in whom they beleeued notwitstanding vntill the fulnesse of time came which was the full age of the Church they were vnder yeeres and therefore as sonnes during their minority were subiect to schoolemasters and Tutors whereby are meant the peadagogy and gouernment of the typicall Church of the Iewes contained in the ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes of Moses in which regard they though sonnes seemed little to differ from seruants Both these lawes were appendices of the law morall the ceremoniall of the first table determining the particulars of that peculiar worship which hee prescribed to the typicall Church vntill the comming of Christ. The iudiciall of the second determining the particulars of the peculiar pollicy which he prescribed to the Common wealth of the Iewes So that the ceremoniall were the Ecclesiasticall lawes of that Church the iudiciall the ciuill lawes of that Common wealth Both were yokes of bondage as the Apostle speaketh in respect of the Iewes on whose consciences these lawes were imposed binding them to the strict obseruation thereof in regard whereof they are called an vnsupportable yoke vnder which notwithstanding the faithfull were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 held in bondage And as touching the Gentiles they were as a wall of seperation betweene theÌ„ the Iewes as the dore of Noahs Arke excluding all froÌ„ saluation that were not of that Church either as borne Iewes or as proselytes For the rest were without Christ aliants from the Common-wealth of Israell strangers from the couenants of promise hauing no hope liuing without God in the world This wall of partition our Sauiour Christ by his death hath dissolued taking away all difference betweene Iewes and Gentiles freeing and exempting both the one and the other from the obedience both of the iudiciall and ceremoniall law which were giuen to put a difference betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles vntill the fulnesse of time Gal. 4. 4. the time of reformation that is vntill the comming of the Messias by whose death they were to be abrogated For howsoeuer the faithfull before the Church came to full age were in bondage vnder the ceremoniall and iudiciall law as vnder schoolemasters and Tutors yetâ— when the fulnesse of time came God sent his Sonne borne of a woman and borne vnder the law that he might redeeme them that were under the law meaning that we are redeemed not only from the morall law in the respects before named but also from the ceremoniall and iudiciall euen in respect of obedience For as touching the ceremoniall law as it was an hand-writing of ordinances which was though vnderhand against vs Christ hath cancelled it and nailed it to his crosse As it was a shadow and figure of things to come Christ hath abollished it by performing that indeed which it did but shadow and prefigure for the law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth by Christ. For as grace is opposed to the curse so truth to figures the ceremonies therefore of the law gaue place as shadowes to the body and as figures to the truth The ciuill or iudiciall law being the positiue lawes of that people Christ abrogated when according to the prophesie of Daniel he destroying the Common-wealth of the Iewes their city and temple did withall abollish their pollicy and lawes For the very city temple and whole state of the Iewes being types and shadowes of Christ and his Church were when Christ was exhibited and his vniversall Church by preaching the Gospell to all nations planted to giue place and with them their lawes which were to hold but till the fulnesse of time For as the Apostle saith the Priesthood namely of Aaron being translated the law namely of Moses is also translated Howbeit there is some difference between the abrogating of the Ceremoniall of the iudiciall law the ceremonial rites because they were principally ordained to prefigure Christ are so abollished that it is not lawfull for Christians to obserue them for that were to deny that Christ is come Ea non obseruant Christiani saith Augustine per quae Christus promittebatur nec adhuc promittuntur quiaiam impleta sunt Christians doe not obserue those things by which Christ was promised neither are they still promised because they are already fulfilled The judiciall ordinances because they principally tended to the obseruation of iustice and equity may be vsed so they be not imposed or obserued by vertue of the iudiciall law for that were though indirectly to deny that the Messias is already come Both lawes were dead with Christ though they were not buried but as it were kept aboue grouÌ„d euen by Christians among the Iewes vntill the dissolution of the temple and city of Ierusalem After which time the ceremoniall precepts were not only dead as one saith but also deadly to the obseruers of them but the judicials not so Now this Christian liberty as it is an immunity is a freedome from from all bond of conscience in respect of outward things which are neither commanded nor forbidden in the eternall law of God Of which there are two sorts the ordinances of men concerning things indifferent and the creatures of God For as touching the former seeing there is
are lawfull that all authority is from God and that hee which resisteth lawfull authority resisteth God that they which resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement and that thou must obey not only for feare but also for conscience sake Remember what S. Peter saith Be subiect to all humane ordinance whether the soveraigne or subordinate governours But how As free and not as hauing the liberty for a cloake of naughtinesse but as the servants of God Can it not be vsed without the offence of thy weake brother Take heed saith the Apostle lest thy liberty be an offence to the weake For hee that scandalizeth his brother sinneth against Christ. Wherefore if meate offend my brother I will not eate flesh whiles the world standeth rather then I will offend him Lastly can it not be vsed in some particular vnlesse thou shalt passe the bounds of sobriety temperance humility modesty frugality c. Remember what the Apostle saith Brethren you are called to liberty only vse not your liberty as an occasion to the flesh But here ariseth a doubtfull question the explication whereof is needfull for these times For sometimes there seemeth to be a conflict betweene the law of loyalty and the law of charity as when that which the Magistrate commandeth cannot as wee thinke be observed without the offence or scandall of the weake In which case of Antinomy which some say is our case divers know not which way to turne them and others erroneously chuse to disobey the Magistrate rather then seeme to offend their weake brethren Consider therefore vprightly what I shall say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding mindes and tractable hearts to see and embrace the truth First therefore vnderstand that wee are neuer cast into such an exigent betweene two sinnes not yet committed but there is an issue from them both without a third Suppose therefore that in this case there were an Antimony or such an opposition betweene the two lawes of loyalty and charity as that the one could not be observed without the neglect of the other In such cases of Antimony we are to know that if wee obey the superiour law vnto which we are more bound as hauing higher and more principall ends the inferiour which giueth place vnto it is not broken Now the supreme end is the glory of God then the common salvation of the Church then every mans owne salvation then the salvation of his neighbour then the common outward good of the Church or Common-wealth then our owne then our neighbours So that publike and common goods are to bee preferred before private and spirituall before corporall and the glory of God before all Well then thou saist thou maist not yeeld to the ceremonies as namely the Surplice the Crosse and kneeling at communion because these things cannot bee done without scandalizing of thy brother Suppose it were so and remember that I doe but suppose it But on the other side thou refusing the vse of indifferent things whereunto thy Christian liberty extendeth being enioyned by lawfull authority with such conditions as these are enioyned I say vnto thee without supposition that besides thy disobeying the lawfull authority of a Christian Church and of a Christian Magistrate whom thou oughtest to obey even for conscience sake thou dost scandalize first thy weake brethren being affected as thy selfe who by thine example for which thou perhaps thinkest thou hast good ground are animated or as the Apostle speaketh edified without ground to contemne the authority of the Magistrate and of the Church and from that contempt doe many of them proceed to mislike of the State from mislike either to separation or to some degree of disloyall discontentment Besides those of thine owne disposition thou doest offend them who are more loyally affected who if they bee not the better grounded in our most holy faith doe stumble at your practise and begin to stagger in the profession and practise of religion when they see men seeming most zealous in our religion professing as they pretend the cause of sincerity vpon no iust cause to abandon their ministry to oppose themselues against authority to maintaine a faction in the Church and wilfully for any thing that they can see to persist in a bad course And hereupon many take occasion to rest in outward civility without grace and to mislike all forwardnesse in religion for your sakes c. Now here seemeth to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a scādall falling two ways indeed a single supposed offence opposed to a double scandal ioyned with disobedience If no more could be said who could doubt on which side rather to encline But to these I adde other respects that ought to be regarded more then a supposed scādall The question is not as many would seeme to vnderstād it whether it being a thing arbitrary meerely left vnto our owne choice either to vse these ceremonies or to forbeare them as it was in the Apostles question of eating flesh whether I say we ought to abstaine if we vnderstood that a brother would bee offended at the vse of them or not for then there were no question but that for avoiding of scandall we ought to abstaine But these things are not arbitrary in our choice but imposed by lawfull authority and that with such condition as that the obseruation of these things being indifferent in themselues becommeth respectiuely necessary First in respect of authority which not only for feare but also for conscience sake wee are bound to obey in all lawfull things This one necessity of obedience is sufficient to excuse me from scandall especially if I doe my endeauour to preuent it as after shall be shewed Secondly in respect of the conditions wherewith they are imposed as not to receiue the cōmunion vnlesse we kneele not to goe on in our ministery vnlesse we conforme For care of avoyding scandall respecteth arbitrary matters and not necessary duties appertaining to Gods glory and our salvation which we must performe though all the world would be offended thereat The care of thine owne saluation must be preferred to the supposed danger of another mans fall the care of the Churches saluation much more the glory of God most of all Well then maist thou not receiue the Communion being a duty appertaining to thine owne saluatiō to the edificatiō of the Church communion of Saints to the glory of God vnlesse thou wilt receiue it vpō thy knees it being a gesture not only lawful but most cōuenient to be vsed in such a part of Gods worship as is performed with inuocation on the name of God especially seeing the gesture vsed at meales is not to be vrged vnlesse the Sacrament were with our meales as at the first institution with Christ last supper and in the primitiue Church with their loue feasts receiued for the cause of the gesture being worthily taken away the reason of retaining it ceasseth for
as the strong God sheweth that God is not onely strong and strength it selfe but that it is hee that giueth all strength to his creatures By this name Shaddai which is omnipotent God stileth himselfe vsually to the Patriarches calling himselfe El Shaddai the strong God Almighty this name belongs only to God and to none other Creature Adonai my Lord is found one hundred thirty foure times in the old Testament by this name wee challenge God to bee our God and with Thomas say thou art my Lord and my God Helion which signifieth most high was giuen vnto God by Gabriell telling the Virgin Mary that the child that should bee borne of her should be the Sonne of the most high Abba a Syriacke name signifying Father by it remember what you receiue from God proceedeth from a Fatherly loue and that you owe him againe Filiall obedience All these sacred names of God are as pledges and remembrances of Gods omnipotency and loue towards you and of your dutie towards him As the true knowledge of God is the onely inducement to the exercise of your dutie towards him so the religious practise of that dutie is the onely rule whereby you may liue reposedly and die cheerefully In this exercise I doe commend foure things vnto you Heare pray meditate and doe SECT III. of Hearing and reading the Scriptures THis hearing whereof I speake consisteth in the reading of Gods sacred word contained in the Books of the old and new Testament and hearing it from preachers For the whole Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be made perfect in all good works The Scriptures are diuided into the old and new Testament the first is called the the old because it was reuealed in the former time the other New because it was reuealed in the latter time The difference betweene the old and new Testament is onely in certaine accidents Ceremonies and dispensation of things in externall forme and difference of time but in substance all one and tending to one effect in vertue and efficacy In the old the new is figured and shadowed in the new is the declaration and manifestation of the old By Moses was the old Testament reuealed and the law giuen being holy iust and good seruing rather to bring vs to knowledge of our owne insufficiency to fulfill the same then for laying vpon the corrupted sonnes of Adam that which they were not able to vndergoe The new Testament was reuealed by Christ when hee was manifested in the flesh in whom did appeare the righteousnesse of God or the goodnesse that comes from God to vs witnessed by the Law and Prophers In the Euangelicall dispensation of the Gospell is the deliuerance of Gods people not from an earthly but from a spirituall bondage of sinne and Sathan Here is a triumph ouer the suppressed enemy not Pharaoh but Sathan himselfe Here is an introduction to possesse not earthly Canaan but heauenly Ierusalem Here is a Law giuen not in Sinai but in Sion not by Angelicall ministery but by the presence of the Lord himselfe not after a fearefull sort but with wonderfull lenity and gentlenesse not grauen in stony tables but effectually printed in the hearts of the elect In the old testament was bondage feare in the new liberty glad tidings the ministry not of death but of life not a rigorous exacter but a mercifull Sauiour not the Sacraments of circumcision and the passeouer the administration whereof was blood but baptisme and the Lords supper both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnbloudy In the new testament is a preisthood not Aaronicall not externall not tyed to any one nation Family or tribe but spirituall and common to all the faithfull throughout the world In it is a sacrifice and that bloudy but not of beasts but the sweet smelling sacrifice of the pretious bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus not iterated but finished once for all vpon the Crosse. In the new testament are ceremonies few and easie to wit the word Sacraments and prayers In one word in the old testament were figures shadowes and promises in the new the fulfilling and accomplishment of all this new couenant of grace shall continue to the worlds end and shall giue place to no other but to the eternall fruition of the Kingdome of heauen Hereby the excellency of the new testament is manifest and that both the old and new differing in accidents and circumstances are in substance and truth all one and that the one is contained in the other making vp an absolute body containing perfect sufficiency to saluation and whereto wee must neither adde nor diminish neither seeke for Christ and saluation else where for this cause wee are commanded to search the Scriptures Therfore wouldest thou know what sinne is and the punishment thereof by the law The â—iue bookes of Moses shall teach thee the historicall parts of these the bookes of the Prophets Prouerbs of Salomon and Ecclesiastes will let you see the reward of the godly and punishment of the wicked and furnish you with a rich store-house of goulden sentences and diuine morall precepts The kingly Psalmes of Dauid shall plentifully admiâ—ister vnto you heauenly phisicke for all spirituall diseases The foure Euangelists shall teach you the life and doctrine and death of our Sauiour The Acts of the Apostles shall acquaint you with the practise of Christs doctrine in the Primitiue Church The Epistles of the Apostles shall traine you vp particularly in Christ his Schoole Make vse of the rest of the books called Apocrypha so far as they agree with the Scripture and no farther Read the â—cripâ—ures with a sanctified chast heart for vnlesse they be read by the inspiration of Gods spirit by the which they were written with humility desire to know they remaine as a dead letter in the efficacy thereof as I did aduise you before Admire reuerently such obscure places as by your weake capacity you cannot vnderstand neuer going farther in the curious search of diuine misteries then either by conferring some other place of Scripture or by conference with some learned Diuine you may bee informed so haue they that easinesse and plainenesse that the simple may be comforted taught They are that admirable Riuers both shallow and deepe wherein as the Lambe may wade the Elephant may swimme and it is only the dulnesse of our capacity that makes them hard to vs and the vaile of our hearts that cannot bee remoued except by him that hath the Key of Dauid that opens where no man shuts and shuts where no man opens Delight most in such places of Scriptures as serue best for your instructions in your owne calling for many men are too busie in others callings and neglâ—câ—ers of their
What will become of him that robs God of his owne SECT VII Sloth the mother of euill SLoth is the mother of many euils and the chiefe corrupter of Christian duty banish it by diligence in all these former exercise neither deferring repentance for thy by-past neglects neither amendment of thy former life Who knoweth but death may shut vp thy breath at an vnprouided time Repentance and amendment being the free gifts of God the tree of Faith watered by Gods Grace onely produceth not common in euery mans garden this tree must be planted in the spring of thy youth not in the frosty winter when the day shall come wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them It must be daily laboured hedged and preserued from the anoyances Catterpillers and choaking weeds of the world by this meanes it shall produce plentifull store of fruit in thy life and at thy death prepare thee with old Simeon in the peace of a good conscience to say Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace for mine Eyes haue seene thy Saluation I haue briefâ—ly pointed at Gods wonderfull works of Power mercy and iustice at those names whereby hee hath chiefely reuealed himselfe in his word and at the duties that are required in his seruice Now I will touch something concerning Christian Liberty the fredome of Christians from the bondage and tiranny of the law A point which all would gladly appropriate to themselues though the most parte faile in the true vnderstanding of the words of S. Paul That Christ was made a curse for vs that he might redeeme vs from the Curse of the Law and stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and bee not entangled againe with the yoake of bondage THE NECESSITY OF HANDLING THE QVESTION Concerning Christian Libertie THE declaration whereof hee must not omit whose purpose is to coÌ„prehend in an abridgmeÌ„t the summe of the doctrine of the Gospell For it is a thing principally necessary and without the knowledge whereof consciences dare in a manner enterprise nothing without doubting they stumble start backe in many things they alway staggerâ— and tremble but especially it is an appendant of iustification and auaileth not a little to the vnderstanding of the strength thereof Yea they that earnestly feare God shall hereby receiue an incomparable fruit of that doctrine which the wicked and Lucinianicall men doe pleasantly taunt with their scoffes because in the spirituall darkenes wherewith they bee taken euery wanton rayling is lawfull for them Wherfore it shall now come forth in fit season and it is profitable to deferre to this place the plainer discoursing of it for some haue already in diuers places lightly touched it because so soone as mention is brought in of Christian liberty then either filthy lusts doe boile or mad motions do rise vnlesse the wanton witts be timely met withall which doe otherwise most naughtily corrupt the best things For some men by pretence of this liberty shake off all obedience of God and breake forth into an vnbridled licentiousnesse and some men disdaine it thinking that by it all moderation order and choise of things is taken away What should wee here doe being compassed in such narrow straights Shall wee bid Christian liberty farewell and so cut off all fit occasion for such perills But as wee haue said vnlesse that bee fast holden neither Christ nor the truth of the Gospell nor the inward peace of the soule is rightly knowne Rather we must endeauour that so necessary a part of doctrine be not suppressed and yet that in the meane time those found obiections may be met withall which are wont to rise thereupon Christian liberty consisteth in 3. parts The first that the consciences of the faithfull when the affiance of their iustification before God is to be sought may raise and aduance themselues aboue the law and forger the whole righteousnesse of the Law For since the law as we haue already in another place declared leaueth no man righteous either we are excluded from all hope of iustification or wee must bee loosed from the law and so that there bee no regard at all had of works For who so thinketh that hee must bring somewhat bee it neuer so little of good works to obtaine righteousnesse hee cannot appoint any end or measure of them but maketh himselfe debter to the law Therefore taking away all mention of the Law and laying aside all thinking vpon works we must embrace the only mercy of God when we entreat of iustification and turâ—â—ing away our sight from our selues we must behold Christ alone For there the question is not how wee bee righteous but how although wee be vnrighteous and vnworthy wee bee taken for worthy Of which thing if Conscience will attaine any certainety they must giue no place to the law Neither can any man hereby gather that the Law is superfluous to the faithfull whom it doth not therefore cease to teach and exhort prick forward to goodnes although before the iudgement-seat of God it hath no place in their consciences For these two things as they are most diuers so must they bee well and diligently distinguished of vs. The whole life of Christians ought to bee a certaine meditation of godlines because they are called into sanctification herein standeth the office of the Law that by putting them in minde of their duty it should stirre them vp to the endeauour of holinesse and innocency But when consciences are carefull how they may haue God mercifull what they shall answere and vpon what affiance they shall stand if they bee called to his iudgement there is not to bee reckoned what the law requireth but onely Christ must be set forth for righteousnesse which passeth all perfection of the law Vpon this point hangeth almost all the argument of the Epistle to the Galathians For that they be found expositors which teach that Paul there contendeth onely for the liberty of Ceremonies may bee proued by the places of the arguments Of which sort these That Christ was made a curse for vs that he might redeeme vs from the curse of the law Againe stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and bee not againe entangled with the yoake of bondage Behold I Paul say if yee be circumcized Christ shall nothing profit you And he which is circumcisized is debtor of the whole law Christ is made idle to you whosoeuer ye be that are iustified by the law ye are fallen away from grace Wherein truly is contained some higher thing theÌ„ the liberty of Ceremonyes I grant indeed that Paul there intreateth of Ceremonyes because hee contendeth with the false Apostles which went about to bring againe into the Christian Church the old shadowes of the law which were abolished by the comming of Christ. But for the discussing of this question there werehigher places to be disputed in which the whole