which shall deuoure the aduersaries And this he enforceth further not only by an allusion but by a manifest allegation of Moses Law q Heb. 10.28 29. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden vnder foot the Sonne of God c. For we know him that hath said r Heb. 10.30.31 Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompence saith the Lord and againe The Lord shall judge his people It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God And this shall suffice for answer to your third generall Argument drawen from the practise of the Apostles in all their Epistles Your fourth Argument is this Argument 4 Antinomus Wheresoeuer the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law there is neuer any exception of the Morall This is vtterly vntrue Answer for where the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law it is either first The abrogation of the Law handled diuers waies First in the matter of Saluation Secondly in the matter of justification in the matter of Saluation as Acts 15.1 10. and there in the same Chapter the Morall Law is excepted because abstaining from Idolatries and Fornication being breaches of the first and second Table of the Morall Law is there inioined as from things of necessity to be refrained Acts 15.28 Or secondly in the matter of justification as Rom. 3.28 We conclude saith the Apostle that a man is justified by faith without the workes of the Law and yet there also vnto that obiection Doe we then make void the Law through faith he answereth as it were with detestation God forbid yea we establish the Law Rom. 3.31 So in the like Argument in the Epistle to the Galathians where he doth vtterly abolish the Law for righteousnesse in the Å¿ Gal. 2.16 Rom. 3.28 31. act of justification he doth yet establish the vse of the Morall Law for leading a godly and Christian life when he telleth vs that Faith t Gal. 5.6 worketh by loue and by loue we are bound to u Gal. 5.13 serue one another and the rule of loue is the Morall Law which he there vrgeth as a bond euen now in full force and vertue binding all Christians to obedience when he addeth this reason For all the x Gal. 3.14 Law is fulfilled in one word euen in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Leuit. 19.18 Matt. 22.39 And is not this an euident exception of the Morall Law made by the Holy Ghost and that euen in the same Epistle nay in the same Chapter where he handleth the abrogation of the Law also Thirdly the abrogation of the Law is handled as it was a wall of partition Or thirdly the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law as it was a wall of a Ephes 2.13 14 15. partition betwixt Iewes and Gentiles as Ephes 2.13 14 15. and yet in the same Epistle he requireth and vrgeth the duties of the Morall Law as b Ephes 4.24 25 26 28. Cast off lying and speake the truth Be angry and sinne not Labour with your hands and steale not c Ephes 5.2 3 4 5 6. Walke in loue and hate not flie fornication and all vncleannesse and name it not And all this to be done vpon promise and penalty as euer they will haue any inheritance in the kingdome of God or auoid the danger of the wrath of God Nay further to cut off all occasion of cauill as if one should obiect That these duties are not vrged for obedience to the Morall Law but to the Gospell the Apostle by a special direction of the Holy Ghost doth in expresse words exhorting children to obey their Parents make mention of the d Ephes 6.1 2. first Commandement with promise and setteth downe both precept and promise out of the Morall Law as yet of speciall force to draw them thereunto And yet we doe not say that these duties are either so vrged vpon vs or performed by vs as duties of the Law for righteousnesse to liue by them Rom. 10.5 but as fruits of the righteousnesse of faith in the Gospell discerned and measured by the Law yet not by the rigour but by the e Rom. 12.2 13.8 9. tenor of it offered also and accepted only in the obedience of Christ Iesus who according to his Couenant hath put his f Heb. 8.10 10.16 Lawes in our mindes and written them by the finger of his Spirit not in Tables of stone but in the g 2 Cor. 3.3 fleshy Tables of our hearts That as the Apostle speaketh the righteousnesse of the Law might be h Rom. 8.1 4. fulfilled in vs who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Or fourthly Fourthly the abrogation of the Law is handled touching Iewish obseruation the abrogation of the Law is handled as touching i Col. 2.16 17. Iewish and superstitious obseruations Col. 2.16 17. and typicall signification shadowing k Heb. 10.1 forth good things to come as Hebr. 10.1 And yet in both these Epistles where the law of carnall Commandements i. the Ceremoniall Law is cancelled and abolished the Commandements of the Law which is spirituall namely the Morall Law are confirmed and established as euidently appeareth by the plentifull and powerfull exhortations and injunctions for the performance of both generall and speciall duties of the Morall Law As for example Col. 3.14 l Col. 3.12 14. Aboue all things put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse Heb. 10.24 m Heb. 10.24 Let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto lsue and good workes And n Rom. 13.8 9. loue you haue already heard is the fulfilling of the Law and when o Gal. 5.6 faith worketh by loue faith worketh by the rule of the Law and he that walketh in loue p Gal. 6.16 walketh by the line of the Law Which may yet be further seene by those speciall duties of Superiours and inferiours appertaining to the fift Commandement as of husbands and wiues parents and children gouernours and seruants Col. 3. 4. and Heb. 13. mentioned and vrged out of the Morall Law in both places By this time you may perceiue that euen in the same places where the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law there is contrary to your assertion some exception of the Morall Law Nay I say more that wheresoeuer the Holy Ghost handleth the full and finall abrogation of the Law for all exercise in Gods worship or vse in the Church of Christ there he euer giueth instance in the Ceremoniall Law and neuer either mentioneth or meaneth the Morall Law And againe where he handleth the abrogation of the Law only in some circumstances or for some particular ends or vses he sometimes ioineth the Morall and the Ceremoniall * Aug. in Epist ad Galat. cap. 3. Calu. in Rom.
all this to the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Such things as were but accidentall or * Zanch. in Hos cap. 2. p. 45. col 1. accessory to the Couenant made with Abraham or to the promulgation or administration of the Legall Couenant amongst the Iewes are all abolished But the Morall Law which for substance was euer the same rule of righteousnesse before the fall before the t Muscul loc de foedere Dei p. 144. Law giuen by Moses and before the publishing of the Gospell by Christ Iesus was then and is yet still of good and great u Vrsin de lege divina p. 278. vse in the Church of God For as the x Aug. Ep. 49. ad Deogâ—at Couenant of Grace made betwixt God and man in Christ Iesus was euer since the fall one and the same in the daies of Adam Abraham Moses and of Christ and his Apostles though the administration thereof was diuers according to the different ages and estates of God Church and children so the Morall Law of God was euer the rule of obedience in all those times for all duties of loue to God and man and shall so continue together with the Gospell euen vnto the end of the world although it was not alwaies either deliuered vnto or vrged after the same manner vpon Gods people Abraham y Vide Zanch. in Hos c. 2. p. 44. col 2. Paraeus in Rom. 2. v. 25. Gen. 17.1 before the Law written hauing a portion of this Couenant was charged to walke before God and to be vpright I demand by what rule must Abraham thus walke Doubtlesse by the rule of the Morall Law written in his heart and by the word and will of God reuealed by his Spirit Moses Dauid Samuel Daniel and all other holy Prophets and holy men in the daies of the Law were in the same z Hyper. in Heb. cap. 3.1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. Aug. cont duas Ep. pelag lib. 3. ad Bonis cap. 4. Couenant of Grace by faith in Christ Iesus and yet as during the time of the Iewish Paedagogy they conformed themselues in the outward worship of God to the Ceremoniall Law looking by faith vnto Christ the a Col. 2.17 substance of those b Heb. 10.1 shadowes so did they frame their affections and actions for a sober righteous and holy life according to the Morall Law which yet they did not follow for righteousnesse to be justified and saued by the workes of it as the greatest number of the c Rom. 10.3 4 5. Iewes did but because they knew that the Law of God was a d Psal 119.105 light vnto their feet and a lampe vnto their paths and God did call them to the Law and to the e Isai 8.16 20. Testimony and charged the Prophet to binde vp the Testimony and to seale vp the Law amongst his disciples Isa 8.16.20 So likewise hath our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles the f 2 Pet. 1.19 night of darke Ceremonies being dispelled by the bright day of the Gospell continued and g Matt. 5. cap. 22. cap. v. 36 37 38 39 40. Gal. 5.14 Iam. 2.8 9. established the Morall Law of God being now a part of his written word and reuealed will to be for euer vnto all Christians the rule of life and the line of loue by which we must measure out all our duties and seruices of piety towards God and charity towards men before him and his for euer In which regard loue which is the summe of the Law is said by the Apostle h 1 Ioh. 2.7 8. Iohn and by i Ioh. 13.34 Ioh. 14.15 Ioh. 15.10 11 13. Christ himselfe to be both an Old Commandement and a New an Old Commandement because the duties of loue were euer enioyned and required from the beginning and a New because the same Law of loue was vpon new grounds of loue both renewed and reenforced by Christ himselfe the Lawgiuer Argument 10 Now whereas in your tenth Argument you seeme to conclude That because the Morall Law was giuen with manifest tokens of Gods wrath Antinomus in great terror and is called a fiery Law Deut. 33.2 therefore it was giuen to the Iewes only and so consequently is now vtterly abolished Answer and belongs not now vnto vs Might you not as well and wisely i. indeed as absurdly conclude also that because the Day of the Promulgation of the Gospell is called by the Prophet Ioel and by k Ioel 2.28 Peter The great and terrible day of the Lord a day wherein the Lord will shew l Act. 2.16 17. wonders in heauen aboue and signes in the earth beneath bloud and fire and vapor of smoke when the Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into bloud therefore the Gospell sure being giuen and the Holy Ghost being sent with such manifest tokens of Gods wrath as also by a m Act. 2.2 3 c. rushing and mighty winde and fiery tongues which did make many amazed and as it were at their wits end doe both belong vnto them that were then present whether Iewes or Proselytes but neither of them vnto vs Christians to whom no such fiery feares and bloudy terrors doe belong at all For shall not the like causes in the like case produce and bring forth the like effects Or shall fires and feares proue the abolishing of the Law when the like meanes are vsed by the wisdome of God for the publishing and establishing of the Gospell Argument 11 But let vs now heare your eleuenth Argument if it can speake any thing more directly to the point and purpose Antinomus than his fellowes haue done I cannot finde say you that saluation was euer promised to him that should keepe the Law Answer And what then I pray you will you needs inferre hereupon that the Morall Law is vtterly now abolished What true Christian doth now seeke for saluation by the keeping of the Law Or who is he that maintaineth the vse of the Morall Law for this purpose How often haue we told you That we looke for saluation and justification by the n Rom. 3.24 25 28. righteousnesse of faith in Christ Iesus and not by the keeping or fulfilling of the o Phil. 3.9 Morall Law If the Morall Law indeed had no other vse but this you speake of then had your Argument spoken something to the purpose but seeing it is vrged and vsed by vs as a chrystall glasse of Gods will to discouer vnto vs the spirituall blemishes and beauties of our hearts and liues and as a guide to teach vs to walke in his waies telling vs what to doe and what to leaue vndone and seeing it hath many other speciall p Vide Calu. de usu Legis in Harmo in 4. lib. Mos p. 442 443. offices as formerly you haue heard both for Gods glory and our good we can neuer yeeld this vnto you for a sound Argument That therefore the
you seeke to destroy the whole Morall Law of God also If 3 Ierem. 11.19 Ieremie held them to bee of a cruell disposition that deuised deuices against him saying Let vs destroy the tree with the fruit thereof and let vs cut him off from the land of the liuing that his name be no more remembred of what disposition then shall wee take you to be that would cut downe this tree of Gods Law together with the fruit thereof first f Manu formatoris nostri in ipsis cordibus nostris veritas scripsit Quod tibi non vis fieri ne feceris alteri Vide August in Psal 57. vers 1. planted in Paradise in the heart of Adam some roots whereof doe yet remaine in the naturall man which being g Lex Dei in cordibus scribitur non quia per naturam praeventa sit gratia sed quia per gratiam reparata est natura Vide August de vera Innocent cap. 258. transplanted by grace into the heart of the regenerate and spirituall and there rooted by faith watered by the word and warmed by the spirit doe yeeld sweet fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse to the praise and glory of God by Christ Iesus But seeing we cannot stay your hand let vs see if we can take away the dint of your stroake and abate the edge of your axe wherewith you strike to destroy the whole Morall Law Wherein howsoeuer we may faile yet are we well assured that rather shall the head fly from the helue and both fall into the bottomlesse pit and you cry out and confesse as once one of the sonnes of the 4 2 Kings 6.5 Prophets did in such a case Alas master it was but borrowed than euer this tree of the Morall law of God shall be hewen downe by your hands And first I cannot but admire againe your high conceit of your selfe great confidence in your cause and setled resolution to h Elati sibi placentes Hypocritae quaestus gratiâ inanis gloriae operantes Omnes hi decidunt à veritate alienum ignem afferentes ad altare Dei i. alienas doctrinas Vide Iren. aduersus Haeres lib. 4. cap. 43. stand stoutly to the defence of it for whereas your friend to whom you write might thinke that by reason of your slacknesse you did faint in the cause as you obiect for him you answer for your selfe in these words But it is farre otherwise with me for the more that I consider of it the more I am confirmed in the truth of it and the more I discerne of the many errors that arise out of the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell Bigge words messengers of a braue heart Your cause concerning the whole abolishing of the whole Morall Law is now no longer a bare assertion but a setled perswasion for you are confirmed in the truth of it neither came you vnto this by any light opinion but by mature deliberation for you haue more and more considered of it and this consideration hath brought you with it a greater measure of illumination for by the light of this truth you are able to discerne many errors which by reason of their blinde ignorance none else can see but such as you thinke good to lend your spectacles vnto to discouer them And from all these ariseth your courage and resolution that it is so farre from you to faint in the cause that being more and more confirmed in the truth of it you are now fully resolued to set your best wits and your friends aworke stoutly to maintaine and defend it But what said the 5 1 King 20.11 King of Israel to the King of Syria Let not him that girdeth on his harnesse boast himselfe as he that putteth it off Be not so confident that your building will stand vnlesse the foundation be sure and the frame sound and good If the 6 Luc. 6.48 49. foundation be â—and and the frame 7 1 Cor. 3.11 12 13 14 15. hay and stubble it will neuer abide the touch much lesse the force either of water or of fire Many there are that build Castles in the aire and thinke them to be turrets of truth and forts of defence But when the Lord shall awaken them out of their dreame and anoint their eies with the 8 Reu. 3.18 eie-salues of grace and 9 1 Ioh. 2.27 truth they shall then see that what they built was but vpon the sand of fancie not vpon the rocke of Faith and their whole frame more like the 10 Gen. 11.4 9. Tower of Babel then the fort of 11 Cant. 4.4 Sion For as 12 Prou. 18.11 the Rich mans riches are his strong tower but only in his owne imagination so are the poore mans fancies his fortresses of faith and truth but alas only in his owne 13 Rom. 1.21 2 Cor. 10.5 vaine conceit and opinion But to make way vnto your matter you seeme to giue some reason of this your great confidence and resolution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because say you the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell doth breed many errors which you haue discerned and the true knowledge of this difference keepeth all Christian doctrine in its proper vse And for this you cite Luther on Galat. 3 21. Answer Your ignorance of this difference hath bred this your error touching the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law as i Irena advers Haeres lib. 3. cap. 12. Et ea quae est sec Mosen Lex Gratia Noui Test utraque apta temporibus ad utilitatem humani generis ab uno eodem praestita Deo Irenaeus advers Here 's lib. 3. cap. 12. Ierenaeus obserued of the Marcionists Omnes qui sunt malae sententiae Mosis legem diffimilem contrariam Euangelij doctrina arbitrantes jam non sunt conversi ut differentiae utrinsque Testamenti inquirerent causas You shall anon haue a particular answer to your owne reason But first of all seeing you haue appealed vnto Luther vnto Luther shall you goe That which you alledge out of him on Gal. 3.21 we doe willingly acknowledge as good and wholsome doctrine which how little it will stand you in stead nay how much rather it stands against your opinion you shall heare by and by if first wee may heare Luther plainly deliuer his iudgement touching the abolishing or continuing of the morall Law Writing vpon the same Epistle and chapter which you cite and vers 24. he hath as you may reade these words The k Luth. in Gal. 3. vers 24. true vse of the Law is to teach me that I am brought to the knowledge of my sinne and humbled that so I may come vnto Christ and be iustified by faith But faith is neither Law nor worke but an assured confidence which apprehendeth Christ who is the end of the Law Rom. 10. And how not that he hath abolished
the old Law and giuen a New or that he is a Iudge that must be pacified by workes as the Papists haue taught but he is the end of the Law to all those that beleeue that is to say euery one that beleeueth in him is righteous and the Law shall neuer accuse him The Law then is good holy and iust so that a man vse it as he should doe By which euidence we may iustly giue sentence both against your opinion for the whole abolishing of the whole Morall Law and against your allegation also out of Luther vpon whom you would father the base and bastard fruit of your owne braine to make it either more plausible or more probable by this meanes Seuen Obseruations out of Luthers allegation for may we not hence most euidently conclude that Luthers iudgement concerning the Morall Law is this first that it is not abolished secondly that it is of good vse thirdly that it serueth to bring vs to the knowledge and sense of sinne fourthly that it driueth vs out of our selues and our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law to seeke for righteousnesse by faith in Christ only fiftly Jrenaeus is of the same iudgement for establishing the Morall Law In lege in Euangelio primum maximum praeceptum est Diligere Dominum Deum ex toto corde Irenaeus advers Hares lib. 3. cap. 25 26 that Christ hath not abolished the old Law sixtly that the Law may be said to be at an end in Christ because as it cannot iustifie so can it not iustly accuse or terrifie any that are righteous by faith in him lastly that the Gospell doth not abolish the nature and right vse of the Law for according to the Apostle the Law is holy iust and good but only taketh out of the hearts of true beleeuers the accusing and accursing power of it Which points being so apparantly contrarie to your position I haue the more fully and distinctly set downe for your better satisfaction that you may either let fall your opinion seeing you haue Luthers both heart and hand against it or else neuer run againe vnder his wing to seeke for any succour or shelter for the same I now come vnto your reason which you seeme to alledge for your so great confidence in this cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely Because the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell doth breed many errors which you say you haue already discerned and the true knowledge of this difference keepeth all Christian doctrine in its proper vse Answer In which words what doe you else but establish that which you goe about to abolish For whiles you say you discerne many errors to arise out of the ignorance and much good to come in by the knowledge of the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell doe you not see your owne error and ignorance herein also that laying it downe in your position for sound and true doctrine that the whole law of Moses is wholly abolished you notwithstanding doe acknowledge not only that the m Ergo Lex Creatoris etiam ab Adversario probata est nec dispeadium sed compendium ab eo consecuta est Tertul. advers Marcion lib. 5. cap. 4. Law is but also that it is of good and great vse pulling downe with the one hand that which you haue built or would build with the other for if the whole Law of Moses be abolished then the ignorance of it will breed no error nor the knowledge of it can build no truth for young Logicians can tell vs that Non entis non est actio nee scientia Againe if the whole Law be wholly abolished it is not possible it should be distinguished by any difference from the Gospell for as Non entis non est scientia so Non entis non est differentia What difference can be designed betwixt that which is not and that which is that which is wholly abolished and that which is established If you say as before that the difference of the Law from the Gospell may be knowne and acknowledged and be of good and great vse then I say you are too bold in your assertion to maintaine that the whole Law is wholly abolished for if this were true you leaue the Law neither breath nor being neither nature nor vse neither substance nor circumstance neither difference nor n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. Laert. lib. 9. p. 694. Accidence neither place in the booke of God nor so much as a nights lodging vnder the roofe of the Church of God Which to affirme because it were both absurd and impious I hope vpon better aduice you will see and acknowledge that your point was cut out too long and too large when you thus set it downe The point is this That the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished the rather because you haue now cut it shorter narrower with your owne hands telling vs that it is not abolished for it is nor wholly abolished for it is of good vse it hath essence and difference and may be knowne and not onely knowne in it selfe but distinguished from the Gospell and the distinct knowledge hereof so profitable and needfull that the ignorance hereof is a mother of many errors dangerous and hurtful If I acknowledge this with you for a truth then must you acknowledge with me your position for an error and if you will haue your position That the whole Law is wholly abolished to be true then is all this that you haue spoken of the profitable and necessary knowledge of the difference of the Law and the Gospell false You seeme to boast that you faint not in the cause and that you are confirmed in the truth of it but consider I pray you whether you faile not in your o Hieron adversus Ruffin p. 218. course seeing you doe not onely trip and interfere but stumble and fall at your first setting forth * Statim de portu egrediens navem impegit So said Ierome to Ruffin I vnto you Cic. Tuscul lib. 1. Is the truth diuided or doth the truth differ from it selfe * Statim de portu egrediens navem impegit So said Ierome to Ruffin I vnto you Cic. Tuscul lib. 1. I see a man may take a fall though he doe not faint and thinke himselfe confirmed in the truth when he is vnsetled in vncertainties and diuided from it Pugnantia te loqui non vides ubi est acumen tuum But to recouer your selfe againe you say Luther agreeth with you in this point How should Luther agree with him that cannot agree with himselfe But how or wherein doth he agree with you Antinom That the point is of great consequence and very necessary to be knowne of all that truly seeke Christ Iesus Answer What point his or yours His point is That the knowledge of the difference of the offices of the Law and Gospell
is of good and great vse for preseruing of true Christian doctrine for iudging of all kinde of life and lawes of men and for triall of spirits And all this we willingly grant assent vnto And how I pray you doth this point agree with yours That the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished Nay doth it not rather pull yours in peeces and wholly deuoure your whole Law and your wholly too As p Exod. 7.12 Aarons rod deuoured the rods of the Inchanters of Aegypt Luthers rod hath this truth written vpon it The Law of Moses is of great and good vse therfore it deuoures yours which beares engrauen vpon it this error The whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished But take you good leaue to make your owne Argument your selfe and let vs see of what strength and consequence it will be Luther say you * Antinom affirmeth that the Law of Moses is of good and great vse for preseruing of true Christian doctrine for iudging of all kinde of life and lawes of men and for triall of spirits Therefore you conclude that he agreeth with you in this point That the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished * Answere As much agreement there may be betwixt fire and water light and darknesse truth and error as betwixt his Antecedent and your consequent Will you see what life and light sinewes and ioynts it hath by another like vnto it The Ancient Canons of the 4. first generall q 1. Concil Nicen. 2. Constantinop 3. Ephesin 4. Chalcedon Vide Euseb de vita Constant lib. 3. cap. 7. Theodoret. Eccles Hist lib. 5. cap. 6. 9. Euagr. Histor Eccles lib. 2. cap. 4. Counsells are of great and good vse for preseruing of true doctrine for iudging all kinde of life lawes and opinions of men and for triall of spirits Ergo All the Canons of the first 4. generall Counsels are wholly abolished and abrogated What connexion is here betwixt the Antecedent and the consequent Would not the cleane contrarie be more necessarily concluded Ergo All the Canons of the 4. first generall Councels are yet in force and neither wholly nor in part abolished nor abrogated Non r Cicero lib 4. Acad quast ovum ovo similius quà m Servilius Servilio One egge is not more like another then this Argument is like to yours And what thinke you of this Luther himselfe on Gal. 3. the same chapter which you alledge for you doth most euidently fight against you Å¿ Luth. on Gal. 3. fol. 131 152. There is saith he a double vse of the Law the first vse is to bridle the wicked and to restraine sinne as men vse to restraine Lions and Beares with bonds and chaines that they teare and diuoure not euery thing they meet And this he calleth a ciuill vse of the Law Another vse of the Law is diuine and spirituall which is as Paul saith to increase transgression i. o reueale vnto man his sinne his blindnes his miserie his impietie his ignorance hatred and contempt of God death hell iudgement and the deserued wrath of God Of this vse the Apostle intreateth notably in the 7. to the Romans Luther you see doth otherwise iudge of colours then you doe certainly either your eyes were not matches or your spectacles not of the same nor so true a sight as his were You say the whole Law is wholly abolished he saith and not onely faith it but proueth it by Scripture too That it is not wholly abolished but hath yet his double vse both ciuill and spirituall t Quint. Orat. Instit lib. 5. cap. 12. Ascâ—nius Paedi in Cic. Orat. pro M. Scauro Valerius Max lib. 3. cap. 7. Q. Varus Hispanus Marcum Scaurum Principem Senatus socios in arma ait concitasse Marcus Scaurus princeps Senatus negat vtri vos Quirites convenit credere You I know not who say that Luther a Captaine of the Lords hoast hath both stirred vp others and taken armes himselfe for the abolishing of the whole Morall Law Luther a leader of the Lords armies doth vtterly denie it whether of you two should now be better credited let the Christian reader iudge But it may be you take hold of this that Luther mentioneth the u Luth. on Gal. 4.27 fol. 222. abolishing of the Law saying it is necessary to know and vnderstand well the doctrine of the abolishment of the Law c. Gal. 4.27 Men that are in danger of falling or drowning will catch at any thing which may seeme to helpe them although it be vtterly vnable to doe them any good So said x Hieron advers Ruffin Apol. lib. 2. Ierome of Ruffinus Tantum me diligit ut raptus turbine in profundum dimersus meum potissimum invadat pedem ut mecum aut liberetur aut pereat You catch at this word Abolishment of the Law and yet it will neither stay you nor stand you in any stead for Luther speakes only of the abolishing of certaine vses of the Law as for righteousnesse iustification life and saluation for terrifying accusing condemning those that are iustified by faith in Christ Iesus so farre he acknowledgeth and we with him that the * Calu. de usu legis Harmon in 4. Libros Mosis p. 442 August de Spiritu litera cap. 4. 5. 10. Morall Law for these offices and vses is abolished The very light and euidence of the opposition which in the same sentence he maketh betwixt Moses and Christ workes and faith seruitude by the Law and libertie by the Gospell iustification and condemnation terrors and conflicts of conscience and sound and certaine consolation of the same might haue manifested and made knowne thus much vnto you had you been as carefull to seeke the truth of his doctrine and to taste his true meaning in it as you were willing to feed your owne fancie only with the bare letters and leaues of it y Tertul. Scorpiâ—…c advers Gnostic cap. 7. Tertullian saith Verba non sono solo sapiunt sed sensu nec auribus tantùm audienda sunt sed mentibus As z Hieron in Gal. 1. Non in verbis sed in sensu non in superficie sed in medulla non in sermonum folijs sed in radice rationis pag. 162. Ierome said of the sense of the Scripture it is not in cortice orationis sed in radice rationis so may we say of mens writings we must seeke for the meaning by the matter as well as by the letter and lend our eares to listen and obserue what they desire to speake and not make them speake only what we desire to heare vnlesse we will be like little children who hauing some fancie running in their heads imagine the bells to ring and sing as they thinke and speake Let me in loue aduise you when you alledge an Author to giue euidence for any point bring not in testem sine testimonio a man that hath nothing to
on Gal. cap. 3.19 fo 154. a. Forasmuch as we teach those things both diligently and faithfully we doe therefore plainly testifie that we reiect not the Law and workes as our Aduersaries doe falsly accuse vs but we doe altogether establish the Law and require the workes thereof and we say that the Law is good and profitable Put your position in the ballance and scale with this protestation and it will be found lighter then vanitie it selfe For first whereas you say the law is abrogated as if it were now of no vse at all Luther saith it is good and profitable Secondly where you say the whole Law is wholly abolished as if you would place it in the same condition with Rahels children for which she mourned because they were not Luther saith We doe altogether establish the Law and require the workes of it Thirdly whereas you charge Luther to be one that goeth about to abolish or reiect the Law he takes you for no friend but for an Aduersary in so doing and reckons no other of your allegation out of him but as a false accusation laid against him Antinom But if Luther will not serue your turne you can make a fresh supplie by Tossanus and Gualter whom you haue set to stand in subsidiis paulo post principium And what helpe can you haue from them that speake nothing more in your cause nay much lesse if lesse can be then Luther did for where u Tossan in 2. Cor. cap. 3. Tossanus saith Licet unus sit Deus una semper fuerit Ecclesia idemque substantiâ foedus varia tamen hujus dispensatio fuit ut aliter agitur cum homine in infantia aliter in adolescentia aliter in matura aetate and you would hereupon conclude that the whole law of Moses is therefore wholly abolished Answer doe you not see how feeble and weake this collection and conclusion is The words themselues besides the light which the Simile addeth thereunto might haue shewne you so much at the first view if you had with any heed and diligence looked vpon them for when he granteth that the x So doth Aug. contra Adversa Leg. lib. 1. cap. 17. Couenant both before and since the comming of Christ for substance is the same differing only in the manner of dispensation Novum Testam in veteri est figuratum Vetus in Novo est reuelatuÌ„ Vide Hyper. in Heb. cap. 3. p. 158. or administration doth he not plainly confirme the contrarie to your conclusion viz. Therefore the whole Law of Moses since the death of Christ is wholly abolished For how can that which for substance is the same be said to be wholly abolished And how can that be wholly abolished which only in some circumstance is altered changed An vtter abolition argues a destruction of the substance A diuers dispensation intimates only an alteration of that which for substance remaineth the same still And this the Simile which he annexeth may teach you vnlesse you will denie that Samuel y 1 Sam 3.1 standing before Eli is not the same Samuel which his mother Hannah z 1 Sam. 1.23 nursed because he is now of riper age weareth a linnen Ephod and eateth of the Priests portion whereas then he was a Babe in a childes coat and had no other meat but milke which he sucked from his mothers brests After this manner saith Tossanus may we iudge of the Couenant Idem Deus eadem semper Ecclesia idémque substantiâ foedus But God our Father dealeth with his Church as with his childe In her a Ezek. 16. infancie hee feedeth her with b 1 Cor. 3.2 milke in her riper age with c Heb. 5.14 strong meat or as a father nourtureth his sonne in his minority He keepes him vnder d Gal. 4.1 Tutors though he be Lord of all but when the time appointed of the Father is come he sets him at libertie and puts him in possession of the inheritance prouided for him The Iewes were as the Lords childe e Exod. 4.22 Israel is my first borne heires of the same promises and hauing interest in the same f 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. Couenant of grace with vs but they were but in their g Gal. 4.3 infancie and minoritie in comparison of the Church vnder the Gospell fed with carnall and with earthly things and vnder the regiment of Moses Lawes and Ceremonies as vnder so many seuere Tutors and sharpe h Gal. 3.24 Schoolemasters taught as it were the principles of Religion by i Heb. 10.1 Types and figures kept k Gal. 4.9 in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world pressed and oppressed with an intolerable l Acts 15.10 Vide Iustin M. Dialog cum Tryphone Iudeo burden of Legall and Leuiticall rites and ordinances and all this to breake the spirits of a m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustin Mart. Dial. cum Tryphon Jud. p. 205. stiffnecked people to conuince them of all vnrighteousnesse to humble them by the rigour of the Law and the terror of the Curse and either to lead or driue them to seeke for life and libertie righteousnesse and happinesse in Christ alone as he was darkly shadowed vnto them in their ceremonies and sacrifices and in the fulnesse of time should be exhibited in great power and vertue beautie and glorie To this very purpose doth the same Tossanus alledge out of 1 Cor. 2. and 2 Cor. 3. That the Gospell hath his proper and peculiar glorie and that aboue the Law Cùm non sit literale solum Ministerium aliquod jubens sed conjunctam habeat efficaciam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritus sancti Which we willingly yeeld and assent vnto seeing the law contained in the 10. Commandements did exact absolute obedience but gaue neither promise nor power of grace to performe it But the Gospell in the n Heb. 8.10 Couenant of grace requiring vs to o Marc. 1.15 repent and beleeue the Gospell promiseth and powreth out vpon vs the spirit p Ezek. 36.26 27. Zach. 12.10 of grace to worke this repentance and faith in vs and to cause vs to walke in his Statutes and to keepe vs that we doe not depart from him any more And in this sense the Apostle saith of the q Rom. 6.14 Romans and all true beleeuers You are not vnder the r Lex jâ—bere novit Gratia juvare Aug. ad Innocent Epist 95. Law but vnder grace As it he had said neither doth the Lord now vrge nor doe you now accept of the Law vpon the former condition Doe this and liue as if we were to seeke iustification and saluation by the workes of it but the Lord hath left it and we receiue it as Å¿ Psal 119.105 A light vnto our feet and a lanthorne to oâ—r steps that being his t Ephes 2.10 workemanship in our new birth created vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we
the establishing of the Morall Law Quid igitur saith x Beza in 2 Cor. 3.11 he writing vpon 2. Corinth 3.11 Num lex abolita sanè quod ad ceremonias attinet cessavit At enim dices num hac in parte abolitum est Mosis ministerium minimè verò semper enim sunt homines ad Euangelium praedicatione legis praeparandi You may here see if you will but turne your eie aside vnto this place that he is so farre from thinking the Morall Law to be abolished that he answereth that obiection and so dasheth out the braines of your opinion with a minimè verò and further affirmeth that the y Vide Bez. Theol. Epist Epist 10. p. 104. Law is to be preached as frequently and necessarily as men are to be prepared for the receiuing of the Gospell Consider also what the same z Beza in 1 Epist Joh cap. 2.7 Lex posita est regendae sanctorum vitae c. Est igitur damnanda Antinomorum Libertinorum detestanda â—…esis Bez. in 1. Tim. cap 1. v. 9. Beza saith writing vpon 1. Iohn 2.7 A New Commandement I write vnto you there he putting a difference betwixt the Morall Law and the Gospell saith Lex quid sit faciendum Euangelium quid sit credendum docet sciendum est igitur sic esse haec duo distincta ut tamen unum alteri subserviat Nec enim Euangelio lex aboletur quatenus quod rectum est praecipit sed duntaxat quatenus mortem omnibus ipsam perfectè non praestantibus minatur Lex mortis terrore nos monet ut de vita in Euangelio quaerenda cogitemus lex jam nobis suavis est seccundùm interiorem hominem magister sicut copiosè docet Apostolus Rom. 6.7.8 capitibus Hinc illud toties à Christo iteratum de Deo proximo diligendo mandatum I pray you consider these particulars out of this testimony and tell me then whether Beza be with you or ouer-against you 1. That the Law and Gospell are distinguished but neither of them both abolished 2. The Law and the Gospell doe mutually serue one another in their seuerall offices and vses 3. The Law is not abolished by the Gospell but established by the same 4. The Law to them that are in Christ See Bez. Epist Theolog. Ep. 20. of the vse of the Morall Law euen for Christians at large is a sweet Master or Teacher in whose lessons and instructions they delight in the inner man 5. That all these offices and vses of the Morall Law are warranted and confirmed by the authenticall Authority of Christ himselfe and his Apostle Paul All these points being set downe by Beza so sound and sufficient for establishing the Law are as so many strong Arguments to conuince you of errour that goe about to abolish it and as so many rebukes also of your vnaduised and injurious dealing with so worthy a Diuine whom you will needs draw in to speake to your minde though neuer so contrary to his owne true meaning Let vs now come to heare your third witnesse Mr. Perkins whether he can speake any more to the matter than Caluine and Beza haue already done * Antinomus You cite him on the Galatians Answer 3.11.23 And tell me I pray you what you haue found here for the whole abolishing of the Morall Law Vpon these words verse 11. No man is justified by the Law a Perkins in Gal. 3.11 he saith that by the Law is meant not onely the Ceremoniall but also the Iudiciall and the Morall Law and that Paul enlargeth his disputation from one part to the whole Law And he giueth a good reason why he would abrogate the vse of the Morall Law as well as of the Ceremoniall in the matter of justification for they saith he which thought Ceremonies necessary to justification would much more thinke Morall duties necessary All this we willingly acknowledge with Mr. Perkins What would you conclude hence Is this your Argument from this place No man can be justified by the workes neither of the Ceremoniall nor of the Morall Law ergo the whole Morall Law is abrogated wholly as well as the Ceremoniall Law We grant the Antecedent and deny the Consequence or Argument For how doth this follow The Morall Law doth not justifie ergo it doth not instruct nor edifie vnlesse it had no other neither office nor vse but that alone Will you see the fallacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by another of the like stampe b 1 Sam. 8.7 Samuel hath ceased to rule correct condemne the people as a Iudge ergo c 1 Sam. 12.23 24. Samuel hath ceased to pray for the people and to teach and shew them the good and right way as a Prophet Or to vse the Apostles comparison A d Gal. 4.1 Gal. 3.24 Schoolemaster ceaseth to nurture and keepe his scholer vnder the rod and in the rudiments of Grammar as a childe ergo he hath no sufficiencie nor ability to teach him greater or better things being now of riper age But to leaue this Argument weake and feeble as it is shall I be bold to aske you a question Doe you reade and alledge your Authors for satisfaction or contention for colouring and countenancing of an error or for searching and lifting out the truth I would gladly if I might safely conceiue the best but it seemes strange vnto me that seeing e Perk. on Gal. 3.12 Mr. Perkins in the very next leafe vpon the 12. that is the very next verse hath so plaine and euident sentences to confute you that euer you durst alledge any thing out of him as standing with you or for you His words be these I say that the law written in our hearts is still the law of Moses And againe Since mans fall the Lord repeates the Law for weighty causes 1. To teach vs that the Law is of a constant and vnchangeable nature 2. To aduertise vs of our weaknesse and shew vs what we cannot doe 3. To put vs in minde that we must still humble our selues vnder the hand of God after we haue begunne by grace to obey the Law because euen then we come farre short in doing the things which the Law requireth at our hands Who would once imagine that a man fearing God and bearing an honest minde to learne and seeke out the truth would not haue sought and seene a little farther into Mr. Perkins before he would or durst haue produced him for a witnesse against himselfe and against the truth also If all this be not yet sufficient will you for your full satisfaction heare his finall determination of the question He proposeth it thus f Perk. on Gal. 3.23 p. 251. How farre forth is the Law abrogated and answereth this The Morall Law is abrogated in respect of the Church and them that beleeue three waies First in regard of justification and this Paul proues at large in this Epistle Secondly in respect of the
Gospell and doth he not conuince them all of sinne by the present vse of the Law Obserue what he saith verse 19. Now we know that whatsoeuer the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it speaketh to them that are vnder the Law Doth he not vse the present time for the manifesting of the present vse of the Law three times together in this verse and concludeth in the next That therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified in his sight because by the Law commeth or is the knowledge of sinne So o Beza in Rom. 3.19 20. Beza on this place doth expound it and p Paraeus in Rom. 3. v. 20. Paraeus rendreth the words thus Per legem habetur agnitiâ— peccati whence he concludeth ergo non justitia and q Caluin in Rom. 3.20 alibi Quid enim quaeso ist sibi volunt tegem propter transgressiones positam esse Gal. 3.19 per legem esse cognitionem peccati Rom. 3.20 legem peccatum efficere See Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 5. sect 6. See Aug. lib. de Spiritu litera cap. 13. Caluin giues the sense of these words Per legem agnitio peccati to be this Lex convincit nos peccati damnationis You see then these learned men take these words otherwise than you doe That by the Law commeth not came or is not was the acknowledgement of sinne As for that which you alledge out of Galath 4.1 I must confesse I neither know how it maketh any thing at all for your point or purpose nor can I conceiue what you meane to goe about to make so large proofe of that which no man doth deny What here you write hath neither dependance nor consequence neither ioints nor sinewes much like vnto a shadow which hauing some proportion of a mans body hath yet neither life nor substance in it For what if we yeeld you all this that the Apostle by the Heire in his minority meaneth the Church of the Iewes before Christ and by the same in his riper age the Church of Christ since his death What is there here I say not of any power but of any colour to proue the abolishing of the Morall Law Is the Morall Law therefore wholly abolished because the Mosaicall regiment in Rites and Ceremonies in Types and Figures in Legall burdens and Leuiticall seruices together with the rigour and terror of the Law is now ceased and abrogated You might as well say the Heire when he was a childe was kept in vnder sharpe and seuere Tutors and Gouernors but being now come to age he may now liue as he list Or the Church in her infancie was in bondage to the Ceremoniall Law therefore in her riper age she is not bound to obey either God or man by the duties of the Morall Law I could wish you would aduisedly consider what our SAVIOVR CHRIST himselfe saith I came not to r Est igitur damnanda Antinomorum libertinorum detestanda haeresis saith Bez. in 1 Tim. 1.9 and so say I. destroy the Law but to Å¿ Mat. 5.17 18 19. fulfill it and whosoeuer he be that shall breake one of the least of these Commandements and shall teach others so to doe he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen but whosoeuer shall doe and teach them he shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen And remember againe what S. Paul hath once told you already t Rom. 3.31 Doe we make void the Law by faith God forbid nay rather we establish the Law Christians indeed are freed from the bondage and burdens of the Law of Moses but yet must they take vpon them u Mat. 11.23 29 30. Christ his yoke and burden for his yoke is easie and his burden light Yea they are charged to beare one anothers burdens and so to fulfill the x Gal. 6.2 Law of Christ that their faith may y Gal. 5.6.13 worke by loue and they by loue serue one another and so shew that they delight in the z Rom. 7.22 Law of God concerning the inner man a Luc. 1.74 75. seruing the Lord in righteousnesse and holinesse all the daies of their liues that is according to both the Tables of the Morall Law Touching your quotation out of Socrat. Eccl. Hist lib. 5. cap. 21. I haue seene what he saith but can see nothing for the abolishing of the Morall Law He blameth them that contend so much for Iewish Ceremonies keeping of Easter obseruing Daies and Moneths as neuer hauing well considered that Quando religio Iudaica erat in Christianam commutata accurat is illas Mosaicae legis observationes rerum futurarum figuras penitus evannisse and so vrgeth that out of Galath 4.21 against them But what will you say if out of the same Chapter I bring you some euidence that Socrates doth not abolish but establish the Morall Law b Socrates Eccles Hist lib. 5. c. p. 21. Apostolis propositum fuit non ut leges de festis diebus celebrandis sancirent sed ut rectè vivendi rationis pietatis nobis authores essent The Apostles saith Socrates neuer purposed to make lawes for holydaies but to teach vs both by words and writing the way of godlinesse and good liuing And did not the Apostles this especially by vrging and applying the duties of the Morall Law in both Tables vnto Christians both for their persons and callings Reade and consider Rom. 1.2.6.7 12.13 Cap. 1 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 3. Ephes 5.6 Chapters Moreouer Socrates in the same Chapter complaineth of the Churches of the Gentiles for the breaking of the Morall Law and violating the c Acts 15.20 Apostles Commandement Acts 15. Caeterum nonnulli his neglectis omnem scortationem rem quidem indifferentem arbitrantur sed tamen de diâ—bus sestis tanquam de vita decertant Dei d Vide Iunium de polit Mosis cap. 8. col 1552. praecepta evertunt ipsis sibi leges sanciunt In which words doth he not blame such as professing themselues to be Christians did yet account fornication which is a breach of the seuenth Commandement in the Morall Law to be a thing indifferent and so following their owne lust did ouerthrow Gods Law You haue gained nothing then by your allegation out of Socrates but lost more than you lookt for at his hands And as little haue you got by that which you take from Mr. Perkins againe out of Galat. 4.3 Antinomus who as you say setteth it out very fully What is that which he setteth out so fully The abrogation of the Morall Law If you meane that Answer as that you must meane if you meane to speake to the purpose then you offer him too too hard measure againe to charge him with that he neuer spake and to gather that he neuer scattered Or is it that the Church vnder the Law was but as the Heire in his minority but the Church vnder the
Morall Law is now wholly abolished because you cannot finde that saluation was euer promised to the keeping of it But tell me in good earnest could you neuer finde that euer saluation was promised to the keeping of the Law Haue you not read q Leuit. 18.5 what is written in the Law You shall keepe my Statutes and my judgements which if a man doe he shall liue in them Or doe you thinke as some r Basilidiani Pepusiani Adamit Danaeus in Augu. Haeres Heretikes haue done that this and the like promises made vnto the Iewes concerne only the comforts of this temporall and not the blessing of eternall life Thinke you what you list it greatly skils not so long as we know that the most judicious and religious Å¿ Calu. Harmo in 4. lib. Mos pag. 445. 450. August contr Faust lib. 4. cap. 2. Diuines euen such as are pillars in the house of God doe thinke otherwise the Scripture bearing witnesse to their opinion herein when it tels vs That in the keeping of the Law there is a t Psal 19.11 Eccles 1.2 2.11 Psal 119.1 2. great reward a reward of greater weight and worth than any or all earthly things being but vanity and vexation of spirit can afford this being the best end of all and the whole man both for his duty and felicity to feare God and to keepe his Commandements For Blessed are they that are vndefiled in the way who walke in the Law of the Lord and blessed are they that keepe his Testimonies and seeke him with their whole heart Came this blessednesse then may you say vpon any or could euer any attaine vnto it by the workes of the Law I answer Neuer any either did or could attaine vnto this blessednesse of eternall life by their keeping u August lib. 4. cont duas Epist Pelagian ad Bonif. cap. 5. of the Law by reason of their wants and weaknesses defectiue and imperfect obedience vnto the same but all that euer were are or shall be so blessed must attaine thereunto only by the righteousnesse of x Phil. 3.9 faith in the absolute and perfect obedience of Christ Iesus And yet notwithstanding that which you say you could neuer finde we haue now not only found out for you but brought it to your hand viz. that saluation hath beene promised to him which should keepe the Law whosoeuer he were that could fulfill it in all things accordingly A further proofe whereof you may yet take if you please from the answere of our y Luk. 10.28 Matt. 19.16 c. Sauiour to the Scribe or Lawyer demanding of him what he should doe to inherit eternall life What is written in the z Leuit. 18.5 Ezek. 10.11 Law saith he how readest thou And when the Lawyer had answered out of the Law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength and with all thy minde and thy neighbour as thy selfe Christ replied vnto him Thou hast answered right this doe and thou shalt liue In which words our Sauiour Christ doth both expound the promise made in the Law to the keeping of the Law viz. doe this and liue not of this temporall but of a Luk. 10.25 28. Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 eternall life and also maketh himselfe a promise of Saluation to him that would keepe the Law if so be he could doe it accordingly Certainly it is strange to me that you could neuer finde out thus much before seeing both Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles haue laid it downe so plainly before your face that had your eies beene in your head as a wise mans are nay had they beene but in your heeles you might haue runne and read seene and found the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rajn Censuâ—… Praelect 183. col 862. promise of saluation made vnto him that should keepe the Law both in the old and new Testament The b Mark 8.24 blinde man in the Gospell that had but a little glimmering light and sight saw men walking as trees and you that would be loth to be reckoned amongst the blinde or * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.9 Gen. 21.15 19. purblinde cannot see wood for trees but like Agar cry out you can finde no water and yet the well lieth open before your eies But it may be though the well were open yet your eies were shut as hers also were that she could not see till the Lord had opened them which I pray the Lord may doe for you also and then shall you see more plainly both this and other points of Gods truth which though you haue sought yet haue you not seene and though you haue groped after them yet haue you not found them because the Lord hath hid them from your eies I come now vnto your last Argument Of such Arguments as these your dozen are Quintilian speaketh thus Si non possunt valere quia magna non sunt valebunt forsan quia multa sunt Orat. Instit lib. 5. cap. 12. which makes vp the full dozen Repentance you say is a part of the Gospell Rom. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.9 It is And what doe you collect or conclude hence Ergo the Morall Law is vtterly abolished Of what force this your Argument is you may see by the like The Prodigals returning to his Father was a part of his reconciliation with him Ergo his humiliation vpon the sense and sight of his sinne was of no vse at all for that purpose Remission of sinne from God is a part of justification Ergo confession of sinne to God is now of no vse at all The promises of grace are a part of the Gospell Ergo the precepts of the Law of God are no rules of obedience in the daies of the Gospell If these Arguments be firme and sound then such is this of yours also but if they be so feeble and weake that they haue no strength either to beare or bring forth a good conclusion then must I take yours in this cause for the like vntill you can shew me some difference or dislike betwixt them for what though repentance a See Lactan. li. 6. de vero cultu cap. 24. de vocab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 377. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being taken for our 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.2 effectuall renouation 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.5 regeneration 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.13 conuersion 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.4 newnesse of life turning from our sinnes to embrace and obey the Gospell be indeed a part of the Gospell because none can come vnto this but they that haue the b Act. 2.18 spirit of grace powred vpon them and the word of grace c Iam. 1.18 21. ingraffed in them and the d Ephes 2.8 Phil. 1.29 gift of grace to beleeue
the written Word or reuealed will of God without any ordinary meanes of illumination or instruction and so beholding the matter of the Morall Law but very darkly and confusedly and feeling the worke in their hearts by their conscience witnessing and their thoughts accusing or excusing one another and their wils grudging and rebelling against the tenor of it So doe they vnderstand the Morall Law Theologically which besides the naturall light and sight of the Law written by nature in their hearts doe consider it and receiue it as the written Word of God as an expresse forme of a principall part of the reuealed will of God a right rule of direction for religion and religious conuersation a portion of the Couenant of Grace as it is written in our hearts by the finger of Gods Spirit a part of Gods image which in the new man is created after God in righteousnesse and true holinesse the knowledge whereof they attaine vnto by the word of Grace and the sense and feeling of the worke thereof by the spirit of Grace so beholding the beauty thereof more cleerely and distinctly and feeling the power thereof more effectually and obeying the precepts thereof more willingly and looking for the acceptance of their imperfect obedience in and by the only perfect and absolute obedience of Christ Iesus only They that thus I say doe vnderstand the Morall Law to be in force in the daies of the Gospell as for ought I know the best Diuines and best Christians doe doe vnderstand it Theologically which as yet you say you cannot see that you can doe Iunius de Theolog. vera cap. 2. thes 5. cap. 3.6 ca. 4. thes 7. cap. 7. cap. 8. Iunius that great Scholler and worthy Diuine in his Booke de Theologia will helpe you to light your candle if that will doe you any good in this your darknesse He giues this definition of Theology Theologia est rerum divinarum sapientia and this diuision Theologia est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nimirum Dei ipsius sapientia aut est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à Deo informata And leauing the former rather to be adored than curiously inquired into he afterwards subdiuides the latter to be Theologia visionis or Revelationis and then he tels vs that this Theologia revelationis is either naturalis or supernaturalis and in handling these two he worthily setteth forth the weake sight and light of humane vnderstanding and reason according to the principles and conclusions of the Law of Nature and noteth the error obscurity and insufficiency of this naturall wisdome therewithall And then a little after he defines the absolute supernaturall Theology which doth especially concerne the present businesse after this manner Iunius de Theolog. vera ca. 12. thes 23. Theologia absolutè dicta est sapientia rerum divinarum secundum veritatem divinam à Deo inspirata per enuntiativum sermonem in Christo commissa servis ejus atque in Testamento Vetere Novo per Prophetas Apostolos Euangelistas consignata quantum ejus hic nobis expedit revelari ad gloriam ipsius Electorum bonum According to the tenor of this definition of Theology I will now proue vnto you if I can that the Morall Law of God is now in force being vnderstood Theologically Whatsoeuer in it selfe is now diuine the knowledge whereof is diuine wisdome inspired of God according to diuine truth and by word in Christ committed to his seruants and in the Old and New Testament ratified by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists as much of it as here is meet to be reuealed vnto vs to Gods glory and our good That same is and may be according to the definition of Theology Theologically vnderstood and is now in force so vnderstood But the Morall Law of God is diuine and the knowledge thereof is diuine wisdome inspired of God according to diuine truth and by the Enunciatiue word in Christ committed to his seruants and in the Old and New Testament ratified by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists as much of it as here is meet to be reuealed vnto vs to Gods glory and our good Ergo The Morall Law is and may be according to the definition of Theology Theologically vnderstood and is now in force so vnderstood The Major of this Syllogisme is euident by the definition of Theology The Minor is made good by the Scriptures and by the practise of Christ and his Apostles and the judgement of the most judicious and Orthodox Diuines as in euery branch thereof may be proued by the Scriptures alledged and by the testimonies before and after mentioned and produced The Morall Law is diuine because it is holy Rom. 7.22 24. spirituall just and good Rom. 7.22 24. The knowledge thereof is diuine wisdome because it maketh the simple wise Psal 19. illighteneth the eies Psal 119. and maketh Dauid wiser than his teachers because it teaches the feare of God which is the beginning of wisdome yea the end of all and whole man feare God and keepe his Commandements Psalm 111.10 Psal 112.1 Eccles 12.13 It is inspired of God according to diuine truth because God hath put it in our mindes and written it in our hearts by the finger of his spirit Heb. 8.10 2 Cor. 3.3 17 18. Nehe. 9.13 14. And the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God which searcheth and reuealeth the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 11. And by the Enunciatiue word in Christ committed to his seruants because it was giuen by audible voice by word and writing vnto Moses and by him to the Israelites and so by and in Christ a Prophet like vnto him giuen also by word and writing vnto vs Act. 7.38 Hebr. 11. Matth. 5.17 18 c. And in the Old and New Testament ratified by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists by Dauid Psalm 19.7 8 9. Psalm 119. throughout by Esay Isa 8.16.20 Seale vp the Law among my disciples to the Law and to the Testimonie by Matthew Marke Luke Paul Peter Iames and Iohn Matt. 22.37 38 39 40. Mark 12.29 30 31. Luk. 10.26 27. Act. 28.23 Rom. Chapters 2.3.4.7.13 2 Pet. 2.15.21 Iam. 2.10 11. 1 Ioh. 2.7 8. 3.23 and infinite other texts of Scripture which might be heaped vp to this purpose And is not the end of the Law for Gods glory and our good justified out of the Scripture also seeing by the light of the Law shining in the works of the Law God is glorified here Matth. 5. Phil. 1.11 Luk. 1.75 and we when our faith worketh by loue gather and get assurance that we shall be glorified hereafter Gal. 5.6 2 Pet. 1 10 11. Psal 119.1 Iam. 1.25 And thus may you see if you can see any thing at all that the Major of this Syllogisme being granted and euery branch of the Minor now proued the conclusion against you must needs follow as necessarily inferred That the Morall Law according to the definition of Theology is
for the abolishment of all Lawes by Christ For in the first place pag. 176. Luth. on Gal. pag. 176. a. b. he speaketh of the abolishing of the Iewish Ceremonies where once one hath put on Christ Iesus Where Christ is put on saith he there is neither Iew nor Circumcision nor Ceremony of the Law any more For Christ hath abolished all the Lawes of Moses that euer were he meaneth all such as might accuse or terrifie a beleeuing conscience and stand in opposition vnto CHRIST as the words following doe manifestly declare And in the next place pag. 177. Luth. on Gal. pag. 177. he speaketh of the abolishment of all Lawes indeed but only in the matter of justification before God deseruing of grace and eternall life Will you heare him deliuer his minde in his owne words God hath indeed saith he many Ordinances Lawes Decrees and kindes of life but all these helpe nothing to deserue grace and to obtaine eternall life So many as are justified therefore are justified not by the obseruation of mans Law nor Gods Law but by Christ alone who hath abolished all Lawes These be Luthers owne words Now if you will needs conclude hereupon that Luther is of opinion that the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished should you not deale injuriously with him and deceitfully with vs You haue beene already told of the fallacie A dicto secundùm quid ad dictum simpliciter you haue here occasion to remember it againe Your last place of Luther pag. 223. Luth. Galat. p. 223. hath beene answered before and so hath that of Beza in 2 Cor. 3.11 and that also which you repeat againe of the perpetuity of the Decalogue in Nature and the perpetuity of it in Diuinity vnto all which I say now no more but if I cannot stay you but you will needs Cramben bis coctam ponere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you shall not draw me to taste any more thereof nec Actum agere Juvenal Sat. 7. Nam quaecunque sedeus modo legerat haec eadem stans Proferet atque eadem cantabit versibus ijsdem Occidit miseros crambe repetita Magistros One thing there is in the last clause touching the perpetuity of the Decalogue in Nature where you haue interlaced as an exception against the perpetuity of the fourth Commandement Antinomus The Morall Law or Decalogue say you is perpetuall in nature sauing the fourth Commandement Answer And why I pray you is not the fourth Commandement perpetuall in nature as well as the rest if it be Morall as well as the rest why is it only mortall and the rest perpetuall Deut. 4.12 13. August de spirit lit cap. 14. If it be Ceremoniall absolutely then how comes it to passe that it was deliuered by the voice of God and written by the finger of God in Tables of Stone being one amongst the rest of the Ten Commandements of the Morall Law which are all perpetuall in nature seeing nothing absolutely Ceremoniall amongst all the Ordinances of Moses was euer so deliuered or so written Againe how can that be a Ceremony which was giuen of God vnto man in the estate of innocency Gen. 2.2 3. when yet there was no sinne and so no need of a Sauiour and therefore no vse for any Ceremony Exod. 16.29 Cap. 35.3 Ier. 17.21 Act. 1.12 Exod. 35.2 3. to signifie or set forth either one or other That there was something Ceremoniall in the fourth Commandement as it was specially giuen by Moses to the Iewes in their Legall worship as that Seuenth day which they did celebrate their strict rest from all bodily labour their Sabbath daies journey their kindling of fire c. we doe not deny but that therefore the fourth Commandement is not morall nor perpetuall in Nature this doth not nor you cannot proue As for that which you alledge out of Augustine August de spirit lit cap. 14. de spirit lit cap. 14. In decem praceptis excepta Sabbati observatione dicatur mihi quid non sit observandum à Christiano I cannot but wonder and wonder againe that you going about to batter downe the fourth Commandement and borrowing an Engin out of Augustine for that purpose haue in your simplicity brought with you such a one as doth not demolish but vnderprop and establish all the rest of the Commandements of the Morall Law to be now of force and vse amongst all Christians For I may say out of Augustine also as you doe August lib. 3. cont Faustum Dicatur mihi in decem praeceptis quid non sit à Christiano observandum Let any man shew me what there is in the Ten Commandements of the Morall Law which is not now to be obserued of all Christians August tractat 20. in Iohan. As for the Sabbath which Augustine seemeth to except he meaneth the Iewish and Legall Sabbath taking it in the letter for corporall rest and that figuratiuely as signifying both a rest from sin which he takes to be that servile opus August ad Inquisit Ian. lib. 2. cap. 12. from which the Iewes must rest and the heauenly rest also of which he thinks the Sabbath was a type And vnto this I say Whatsoeuer Augustine can proue by the euidence of the Scripture to be Ceremoniall and Iewish in the fourth Commandement we will not challenge that to be morall nor perpetuall But if he only say the fourth Commandement is figuratiuely to be vnderstood and that no corporall rest from labour but a spirituall rest from sinne is there signified and commanded and that corporale ocium Sabbati is not to be obserued of a Christian because that figure is fulfilled in Christ and yet doe not proue what he saies out of the Word of God we will take that good leaue and liberty which elsewhere he hath giuen not to beleeue it August ad Hieron Epist 19. August adver Cresconium lib. 2. ca. 31. because he hath said it but because he hath brought some probable reason or euidence of the Scripture to perswade vs of the truth of it and vntill then to stand perswaded as we doe that euen the fourth Commandement as well as the rest of the Morall Law excepting some Iewish Ceremonies annexed thereunto is yet in force not only as the Law of Nature and Philosophically considered but Theologically and in true Diuinity truly vnderstood And here we pray you not to mistake vs in this point concerning Augustines judgement he doth not absolutely abolish the fourth Commandement in abrogating the Legall and Iewish Sabbath but that he teacheth and maintaineth that though the day be changed August Epist 119. ad Ianuar. cap. 12. Epist 86. ad Casulanâ—…m which was the seuenth obserued from and for the Creation yet the first day of the weeke succeeded it in regard of Christs resurrection called dies Dominicus by S. Iohn celebrated in holy duties by the Apostles Iunius in Gen. c. 2. and
THE OFFICE AND VSE OF the Morall Law of God in the dayes of the GOSPELL Iustified and explained at large by Scriptures Fathers and other Orthodoxe Diuines SO FARRE AS OCCASION was giuen by a scandalous Pamphlet sent abroad of late into the hands of diuers good Christians pretending great reason and reading for the vtter abrogating and abolishing of the whole Law of MOSES since the death of CHRIST By WILLIAM HINDE sometimes Fellow of Queenes Colledge in Oxford and now Preacher of Gods Word at BVNBVRY in CHESHIRE HOS 8.12 I haue written vnto him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing MATTH 5.19 Whosoeuer shall breake one of these least Commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen LONDON Printed by Iohn Haviland for Thomas Pavier and are to be sold at his shop in Ivy Lane 1622. Antinomus Anonymus OR A SCANDALOVS Pamphlet of a namelesse Aduersary of the Morall Law of God intending thereby to proue if he could that In the Church of Christ since his death the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished SIR This pamphlet was directed and sent unto a religious and gracious Gentleman Mr. Iohn Foxe late Steward to the right Honorable the Earle of Darby of his L. of Berry and Pilkinton in Lancashire you may well thinke mee slacke in performance of my promise and not vnlike but you in respect thereof thinke that I faint in the cause but it is farre otherwise with me for the more that I consider of it the more I am confirmed in the truth of it and the more I discerne the many errors that rise out of the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell Luther on Gal. 3.21 saith The knowledge of this difference keepeth all Christian doctrine in its true and proper vse Also it maketh a faithfull man iudge ouer all kinde of life ouer the Lawes and decrees of all men and ouer all doctrine whatsoeuer and it giueth them power to trie all manner of Spirits And on Gal. 4.27 he also saith As it is the most principall and speciall article of Christian doctrine To know that we are iustified and saued by Christ so is it also very necessary to know and vnderstand well the doctrine concerning the abolishment of the Law for it helpeth very much to confirme our doctrine as touching faith and to attaine to sound and certaine consolation of conscience when we are assured that the Law is abolished and especially in great terrors and serious conflicts Thus far Luther who as you see agreeth with mee that the point is of great consequence and very necessary to be knowne of all that truly seeke Christ Iesus I will set you downe as briefly as I can what I conceiue and some testimonies for the same that are briefe and point you to some others that are more large The point is this In the Church of Christ since his death the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished or abrogated For as saith Tossanus in 2 Cor. 3. Licet unus sit Deus una semper fuerit Ecclesia idemque substantia foedus varia tamen hujus dispensatio fuit ut aliter agitur cum homine in infantia aliter in adolescentia aliter maturajam aetate Quo nomine Paulus ad Galatas 4o. Iudaeorum populum puero inter tutores educato comparat Lex fuit quidem à Deo data per virum Dei Mosen promulgata nec sine peculiari gloria sed Euangelium suam habet propriam gloriam quod non est literale solum ministerium aliquod jubens sed habet conjunctam efficaciam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus sancti 1 Cor. 2. Gal. 3. And Gualther on Gal. 3.19 20. Quia homines non semper stant conditionibus quas Deus ipsis praescribit aliter atque aliter cum ipsis agendum est Ideo tunc queque propter causas legem addi oportuit quae ad tempus duravit quam diu ejus usus fuit At nunc novi Testamenti tempus est quando lex Prophetae Euangelio cedunt ut tam Gentibus quà m Iudaeorum reliquijs in Regnum Dei vim facientibus locum dent 1. The whole Epistle to the Galatians importeth so much for it is the generall argument of that Epistle And that there is meant the Morall law as well as any other in Gal. 3.19.23 See also Calu. Iust 3.19.4 Beza in Gal 3.22 Perkins on Gal. 3.11.23 Pareus in argumento in Gal. 3. and in Columna 153. D. 229. A. 232. C. 246. C.D. 274. D. who though they speake but only vpon one or two places yet it will appeare that the like must be vnderstood in the whole Epistle One word in chap. 3.19 mis-translated in most vulgar translations drawes many men awry Serueth Neither the Greeke nor any Latine translation hath it But grant the word must needs come in to make vp the sense I cannot see how it can be sensibly in the present tense but rather in the preterimperfect tense seeing it is a question and the answer to it is in the preterimperfect tense plainly as both Bezaes note and others expound it Not vnlike to this is in Rom. 3.20 commeth or is which being read came or was of the time past maketh the sense good otherwise I cannot vnderstand the words for the time it is aduerse to Now that followeth immediatly after and therefore cannot be the same Another thing in this Epistle is worth noting that the Apostle cap. 4.1 by the Heire in minoritie meaneth the Synagogue or Church of the Iewes afore Christ or the Iewes themselues and by full age he meaneth the Church of Christ since his death or Christians themselues See Socrates lib. 5. ca 21. Tho. Aquin. 1. 2. q. 91. a. 5. 2. 2. q. 1. 7. 2. Calv. in Gal. 3.24 4.1 Gualther in eundem Beza in eundem Piscator in eundem Pareus in Gal. 4.3 col 265. B. 274. A. 276. A. 290. D. Perkins in Gal. 4.3 setteth it out very fully and withall sheweth most plainly that the words We or Vs are to be vnderstood of Paul himselfe and others that were Iewes And so doth Pareus expound them on Gal. 3.24 Luther not well vnderstanding this exposition but generally taking the nonage of the heire to be the state of the vnregenerate and the full age to be the comming of Christ in spirit to any man concludes the end of the Law to be at the comming of Christ into any mans heart though on the same Gal. 4.1 he acknowledgeth an end of the Law at the comming of Christ but doth not fully handle it so Whereas it is plaine that the Apostles meaning was so For he writ to the Churches of Galatia which were in a sort fallen from Christ Calv. in Gal. 1.2 and not particularly to them alone that were true beleeuers as he did to the Romans Ephesians Philippians and Colossians
abrogation of the Lawish Sabbath on the fourth Commandement And to Zanchius in loco quinto theologico ex cap. 2. ad Ephes vers 14 15 de legis Mosaicae abrogatione where he disputeth the point very fully yet he doth not plainly expound the places that seeme to contradict it of which I will giue you a taste That of Matth. 5. cannot bee vnderstood of the forme of Moses Law but of the matter of it or of the Law of Nature for it cannot be denied but that the matter of the Decalogue being the Law of nature is in force as it is the Law of nature and vnderstood philosophically but how it can be in force theologically vnderstood for that is our question in hand being we haue no warrant in Scripture for it but the contrary I cannot see For the other place Rom. 3. by the context it may be and is to be vnderstood of the whole Law as well Ceremoniall as any other and the same for the time past but how the Morall law alone can be there vnderstood I maruell what should moue any man to thinke so See Eras Parap on it In Erasmus Paraphrasts on the new Testament you may finde much vpon this point The booke though commanded to be had in Churches is too much neglected bookes of farre meaner qualitie are much esteemed Luther on the Galatians hath much for he saith in two places at the least that all Lawes are abolished by Christ page 176. b. 177. a. 223. a. Yea the 10. Commandements themselues and the like saith Beza on 2. Cor. 3.11 Others are inforced to acknowledge it though their iudgements be against it for it so stands in their way that they cannot auoid it All that any man can say against this doctrine is that the Morall law or the Decalogue is perpetuall in nature sauing the fourth Commandement no man denies it but where the perpetuitie of it in diuinitie is to be found in Scripture would I faine see For the holy Ghost in the new Testament doth not exact naturall precepts such as the Decalogue is Aug. de spirit liter cap. 14. In decem praeceptis excepta Sabbati observatione dicatur mihi quid non sit observandum à Christiano for that is fulfilled in one word Loue Gal. 5.14 But the exhortation is to the workes of the Spirit none of which are properly commanded in the Decalogue I forgot to illustrate the conclusion of my fifth section afore with a familiar Simile which here I will adde Suppose the lawes of Venice to be the same for the most part with the lawes of England And yet if in England the bookes of the Venetian lawes should be brought out and read either to condemne or acquit a man accused or to giue direction for order and gouernment here with vs I thinke few men in England would hold themselues bound by vertue of those lawes or booke in any such manner One other Simile to illustrate the generall point 2 Pet. 1.19 The Apostle likeneth the Prophets to lights shining in darke places meaning as I suppose the Moone Stars or candles in the night till a greater light appeare And Malachi 4.2 Christ is termed the Sunne of righteousnesse so when this Sunne is risen neither Moone nor Starres are seene and candles are of no vse And Oecolampadius in Isai 2.5 saith Stultitia erit in meridie lucernis esse addictos quibus Sol si non ignavi essemus lucerer To conclude I wish that all men especially Diuines would take paines rightly to vnderstand the Doctrine of Christian libertie the difference of the Law and the Gospell and of the old and new Testament and of the Couenants of both And so the â—ight abrogation of Moses Law The studie of all which is too much neglected by ignorance whereof they run into strange questions as men in darknesse stumbling at one thing and catching hold of another thing that auailes them nothing I might a little illustrate my second section with a word or two If a man make two Testaments or Wills it is knowne to euery man that the latter and that whereupon he died is only in force and the former is not The Lord giue vs all the true knowledge of his truth THE OFFICE AND VSE OF THE MORALL LAW OF GOD IN THE DAIES OF THE GOSPELL The Preface THE counsell of the Apostle 1 1 Thess 5.21 Paul is well worth the hearing yea and the following also for all that are willing to seeke and embrace the truth Try all things and hold fast that which is good for as all is not a Interdum orichalcum magis exprimit colorem auri quam auruÌ„ ipsum Ludou Viu de Causis corruptarum Artium lib. 3. pag. 127. gold that is gilt ouer nor euery metall good siluer that giueth a good sound so neither is euery plausible opinion true doctrine nor euery colourable conceit a currant truth no though it seeme to be gilt ouer with Scripture as with pure gold or to sound as shrill as siluer by the voices and testimonies of religious and learned men This did the Spirit by which he wrote both see and foresee that as there were many then so there would be euen in our daies not a few who neither contenting themselues with nor consenting vnto 2 1 Tim. 6.3 wholsome words euen the words of our LORD IESVS CHRIST and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse would teach otherwise and other things euen 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act 20.30 distorted and peruerse things not only besides but euen contrary to the doctrine which was deliuered vnto them and therefore not without iust cause doth the Apostle 4 1. Iohn 4.1 Iohn also speaking by the same Spirit admonish vs of the same thing to try the spirits whether they be of God or no. And both of them to this end that bringing the doctrines and opinions of men to be tried and examined by the Scriptures as the Gold-smith brings counterfeit coyne or suspected metals to his touchstone for so much the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both 5 1 Thess 5.21 1 Iohn 4.1 See also 1 Pet. 1.7 places doth import we might vpon due triall better 6 Phil. 1.9 10. discerne of things that differ and iudge aright betwixt truth and error and so not only entertaine the truth when we finde it but 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 5.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4.14 Reu. 3.11 hold it fast as it were with all our strength and 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iud. Epist 3. maintaine it when once we are in possession of it Which course and counsell of the Apostles for triall of the truth and maintaining of it was not only in their daies of great vse and good successe to establish the Churches and children of God in the sound profession of the truth against the damnable errors which men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth
so much feare the danger as wonder at the manner of your dealing The peeces which you mention I acknowledge and reuerence as some of the Lords great ordnance but all the powder and shot that you haue giuen them can make them neither speake nor do any thing against the truth but for the truth You haue mounted them too high and haue ouercharged them too much so that whiles you would discharge them against one of the bulwarks of Sion you ouer-shoot your marke and cause them with greater force to recoile vpon your little Babel which you haue built to make you a name in the earth inter filios terrae among the sonnes of the earth * Antinomus You say The whole Epistle to the Gal. importeth so much for say you It is the generall Argument of the same Doth the whole Epistle to the Galath import that in the Church of Christ since his death The whole law of Moses is wholly abolished and abrogated Or is this the generall Argument of the same Answer What if that Epistle neither in whole nor in part doe import so much What if that which you say of the whole abolishing of the whole law of Moses be neither the generall Argument of the whole Epistle nor any speciall or particular Argument of any part or parcell of the same The Argument of the Epistle to the Galatians It is very likely that what you affirme herein you haue rather taken vpon trust than vpon triall for had you but searched into the Epistle it selfe for the subject and speciall scope of it and well considered the estate of that Church at that time when the Apostle writ vnto it you might haue easily vnderstood that the purpose of the Apostle was not to proue that the whole law of Moses was wholly abolished but that only in the matter of iustification by faith in Christ the law of Moses neither Ceremoniall nor Morall could stand them in any stead For wheras at that time u Hieron in Ep. ad Galat. cap. 1. August pâ—aefat in Epist ad Gal. certaine false teachers had laboured to withdraw the minde and hearts of the Galatians from that sincerity of the Gospell touching the righteousnesse of faith in Christ alone which Paul had taught them by inducing and perswading them to entertaine the Ceremonies of the law of Moses as necessary to justification and saluation and so to ioine the worke of the law with faith in Christ Paul being much troubled at their backsliding and desiring to recouer and recall them to their former standing directeth this Epistle vnto them wherein as he justifieth both his calling to be an Apostle and the Doctrine of faith in Christ alone for justification and saluation to be of God and not of men so he euidently proueth that by the workes of the law no flesh can be justified that x Tertullian also justifieth this that not the abrogation of the morall but of the ceremoniall law is the Argument of the Epistle to the Galat. Sed quae velit intelligi elementa primas scilicet literas legis ipse declarat diâ—s observatis annos sabbata opinor coeâ—as puâ—as jâ—jâ—nia dâ—…s magnos cessare enim ab bis sicut à circumcisione oportebat vide Tertul. advers Marcion lib. 5. cap. 4. See also Justin Mart. Dial. um Tryph. Iudaeo Circumcision new Moones Iewish Sabbaths and all other ceremonies types and figures of Moses law leading as a Schoole-master vnto Christ were now abolished and that if either Iew or Gentile did either entertaine or maintaine them as necessary to saluation mingling Law and Gospell faith and workes types and truth Moses and CHRIST together for our acceptation and reconciliation with God they did not only abase themselues in returning vnto beggerly rudiments and putting themselues vnder their former yoake of bondage but they did further as farre as lay in them make void the death of Christ and fall from Grace whereupon he exhorteth them to stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free and so to vse their liberty that it be not any aduantage to the flesh but that they may serue one another by loue Galat. Chapters 2. 3. 4. 5. That this is the scope and drift of the Apostle and the speciall Argument and subiect of the Epistle to the Galat. if the Text it selfe which I haue cited doe not make it euident or the Testimony which I haue giuen thereof seeme to you to be insufficient Hieron praefat in Epist ad Galat. I pray you admit of the euidence that two or three more eminent and more ancient witnesses will giue in vnto this point Hierom. in Prooem in Epist ad Gal. Sciatis eandem esse materiam Epistolae Pauli ad Galatas See Tertul. againe more plainly determining of the Argument of the Epistle to the Gal. Principalem adversus Iudaismum epistolâ—m nos quoque confitemur quae Galataâ— docet ubi Apostolus in Christo post Iohannem revelato vetera infirmat nova vero confirmat Tertull. lib. 5. adver Marc. cap. 2. quae ad Romanos scripta est Nullus quidem Apostoli sermo est vel per epistolam vel praesentis in quo non laboret docere antiquae legis onera deposita omnia illa quae in typis imaginibus praecesserunt i. otium sabbati circumcisionis injuriam calendarum trium per annum solemnitatum recursus scrupulositatem ciborum per dies singulos lavacra iterum sordidanda gratiâ Euangelij subrepente cessasse quam non sanguis victimarum sed sides animae credentis impleret Et paulò post scribit Apostolus ad eos qui ex gentibus fidem Euangelij receperant rursum retrò lapsi quorundam fuerant authoritate deterriti asserentium Petrum quoque Iacobum totas Iudaeae Ecclesias Euangelium Christi cum lege veterimiscuisse ipsum etiam Paulum aliud in Iudea facere aliud nationibus praedicare frustra eos in crucifâ—rum credere si id negligendum putarent quod Apostolorum principes observarent By this you may perceiue that Saint Hierom taketh the Argument of the Epistle to the Galatians to be the same with the Argument of the Epistle to the Romans wherein the Apostle proueth that by the workes of the law whether Ceremoniall or Morall no flesh can be justified before God vsing the same words in both Rom. 3.20.28 and Gal. 2.16 And this he vrgeth as the principall scope of the Epistle to the Galat. That Paul laboureth to reproue them for their declining from the simplicity of the Gospell vnto Iewish Ceremonies teaching them that Circumcision their new Moones solemne Feasts and all other their Legall Seruices and Sacrifices were vtterly abolished and in no sort to be mingled with the Gospell I say therefore in a word with Saint Ierome Onera a See Aug. lib. 4. cont duas Epist Pelag. ad Bonif. c. 5. legis Ceremonialis
esse deposita opera legis Moralis in justificatione peccatoris esse perpetuò deponenda And if you shall obiect as you doe Doe you not then make void and abolish the Law through faith I answer with b Rom. 3.31 Paul one greater than Ierom God forbid yea we establish the Law And if S. Paul establish the Law how dare you goe about to abolish it c Chrysost in Epist ad Gal. cap. 1. Chrysostome also gathereth the Argument of the Epistle to the Galatians out of Gal. 5.2.4 I Paul say vnto you That if yee be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing and againe Whosoeuer of you are justified by the Law yee are fallen from grace Whereupon he inquireth Quid igitur tandem hoc erat and immediately answereth Qui ex Iudaeis crediderant partim occupati persuasione d August is of the same minde in praefâ—t in Epist ad Galat. Iudaismi partim inanis gloriae fiti temulenti dum sibi doctorum cupiunt parare dignitatem authoritatemque profecti ad Galatas docuerunt illis opus esse circumcisione servanda sabbata novilunta nec tolerandum esse Paulum qui harum rerum tolleret observationem Nam Petrus Iacobus ac Iohannes haec ut aiebant non prohibebant c. And a little after he addeth Proinde cùm cerneret totum Galatorum gentem inflammatam ac periculosum incendium adversus illorum Ecclesiam excitatum esse scribit Epistolam ad universos ad ista respondens c. Compare your Assertion with Chrysostomes opinion and you shall finde that the Argument of the Epistle to the Galatians is not as you would haue it that the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished but that the Ceremoniall Law is ceased and may not in any sort be ioyned with the Gospell and that the workes of the Law both Ceremoniall and Morall are for euer in the matter of justification and saluation disinabled and discarded e Theodor in Arg. Epist ad Galat. Theodoret is of the same minde with Chrysostome and setteth downe the Argument of the Epistle to the Galatians in almost the same words f Oecumenius in Arg. Epist ad Gal. Oecumenius also to the very same purpose saith Quum benè decti ab Apostolo Galatae fuissent sincereque in Christum credidissent peregrè profecto Apostolo sic à nonnullis surrepti sunt ut circumciderentur Apostolus scribit ad eos redarguit cos quod stultè egerint immutati fuâ—…nt â—isserit de lege de ea quae secunduÌ„ Abraham est side argumentaturque tum ex lege ipsa tum exuxoribus ipfius Abrahae allegoricè sumptis quod umbra circumcisio ipsa ad tempus usque data fuit Christi adventu supervaâ—aea facta By the judgement of Oecumenius therefore touching the Argument of the Epistle to the Galatians your judgement being put in the scale with it will be found to be too light there being no dispute in his opinion for the whole abolishing of the whole Law of Moses Morall as well as Ceremoniall as you would haue it but only for the abrogation of the Ceremoniall now that Christ is come in the flesh as he doth deliuer it and we willingly assent vnto it Agreeable hereunto is the judgement of g Au ust lib. contr Faustum Augustine h Ambros in Epi. ad Galat. cap. 1. Ambrose i Hâ—…r in Psal 118. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hilary k Beda in Arg. Epist ad Gal. Beda l Iustin Mart. in Dial. cum Tryphon Iustin Martyr whose testimonies I haue not leasure to set downe at large the places I haue quoted you may search if you desire to see Only I pray you consider what m Erasm in Arg. Epist ad Gal. Erasmus whom you alledge so often and commend so much hath himselfe set downe concerning the Argument of the Epistle to the Galatians Agit in hac Epistola quod nusquam non agit ut à legis Mosaeicae servitute invitet ad Euangelij gratiam and afterwards Demonstrat legem Mosaicam ad tempus modò fuisse datam ad unum Christum illum spectasse omnia and lest you should mistake his meaning as if he comprised the Morall Law herein together with the Ceremoniall he sheweth euidently by the words following that he meanes only the Ceremoniall and not the Morall Law And therefore he addeth In illa Mosaica lege fuisse carnem in Euangelio spiritum in illa umbras in Euangelio lucem in illa imagines in Euangelio veritatem in illa ser vitutem in Euangelio libertatem Could you see thus much in Erasmus and that vpon the Argument of the Epistle to the Galatians so directly crossing that which you affirme and not rest satisfied therewithall to the altering of your opinion touching the Argument of the same Epistle Or were you so vnaduised that you would not your selfe aduise with one of your best friends what his opinion were of this Argument and yet commend him vnto others to seeke and take aduice and satisfaction from him in this point But we will leaue you to aduise better with Erasmus if yet you will take paines to looke vpon him and come now to consider what counsell or comfort you haue from Caluin Beza Perkins Parraeus whom I guesse by your quotations you haue consulted withall These * Antinomus you alledge to proue that the Morall Law is wholly abolished as well as the Ceremoniall as if they had interpreted that place of Gal. 3.19.22.23 to that purpose * Answer Let vs examine your witnesses and see if the euidence they bring in will serue your turne You cite Caluin Instit lib. 3.19.4 Caluin hath not one word for the whole abolishing of the Morall Law in that place he only sheweth that the faithfull are now freed by Christ from the yoake and rigour of the Law that now they obey the Law not as constrained by force or compelled by feare but as of a willing and ready minde induced thereunto by loue knowing that they come to God as children to a father that will in Christ accept of their obedience to the Law albeit they come farre short of that perfection which the Law requireth in rigour at their hands and this he maketh manifest by one precept of the Law Legis praeceptum est ut diligamus Deum ex toto corde ex tota anima c. This saith he the best cannot doe in that perfection that the Law requireth Volunt aspirant conantur sed nihil eâ quâ decet perfectione faciunt What then he n Caluin Instit lib. 3. cap. 19. sect 5. answereth in the next section That when poore soules shall perceiue that being freed from the seuere exaction and rigour of the Law paterna leuitate se à Deo appellari hilares magna alacritate vocanti respondebunt ducentem sequentur Is there one word or syllable in all this tending to the vtter abolishing
Gospell as the Heire come to age If this be your meaning we acknowledge he handleth this point of difference betwixt them very fully and as many other Diuines also doe very soundly too But what of all this Mr. e Perk. on Gal. 4.3 Perkins saith The Fathers of the Old Testament were children in respect of vs two waies First in regard of the Mosaicall gouernment because they were kept in subjection to more Lawes than we Secondly in regard of reuelation because God hath reuealed more to vs than to them And this he saith truly and well Is there any thing here to be found for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law If there be why doe you not shew it If there be not why make you such a vaine flourish for it Haue you yet any more to say out of the Epistle to the Galatians * Antinomus Yes it seemes you yet looke for some helpe from Luther vpon Galat. 4.1 where you say He acknowledgeth an end of the Law at the comming of Christ Answer but doth not fully handle it so Me thinkes you haue no great confidence in this allegation Luther I doubt hath not so fully handled the matter as to fulfill your minde in it You know right well that f Luth on Gal. 4.1 See Muscul in Mat. 5.17 Luther speaking of the ending of the Law two waies First at the comming of Christ in the flesh at the time appointed of his Father Galat. 4.4 Secondly at the comming of Christ vnto vs daily by his Spirit doth only meane such an end of the Law As that when Christ is come into our hearts by faith the Law hath not that dominion ouer vs to accuse to terrifie to kill to condemne vs spiritually and before God as formerly it had And all this we acknowledge may well be and yet the Morall Law be of good and great vse still * Antinomus But though Luther did not fully handle it so yet it is plaine you say that the Apostles meaning was so Answer And I say that if the Apostles meaning were so plaine as you will haue it to wit that the Morall Law is vtterly at an end then might this our labour be plainly at an end also But because some others it may be cannot see this so plainly as you can we desire it may be made a little more plaine vnto vs For the reasons which * Antinomus you render That the Apostle writeth not particularly to true beleeuers alone amongst the Galatians as you say he did to the Romans Ephesians Philippians and Colossians but without distinction of true beleeuers from others to them that professed Christ calling them brethren and that as you affirme he sheweth them all that they are now no more vnder the Law Cap. 4.1 by the Simile of an Heire and after by an Allegory of the free woman and the bond and that Cap. 5. he exhorteth them to stand fast in that liberty These reasons I say Answer doe not make it plaine that the Apostles meaning was in or by the Epistle to the Galatians to put an absolute end to the Morall Law for the vtter abolishing of the same as you would haue it but that the g Gal. 2.16 Cap. 3.11 12 13. workes of the Law whether Morall or Ceremoniall in the matter of our justification before God and saluation by faith in Christ are vtterly to be excluded and abandoned and that by h Gal. 3.26 Cap. 5.1 faith in Christ alone the Galatians and all other true Christians are freed and set at i Iren. aduers Haer. lib. 4. cap. 5. liberty as from the burden and bondage of the Ceremoniall Law so from the rigour and terror dominion and malediction of the Morall also k Gal. 5.1 And this is the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free and wherein the Apostle exhorteth them to stand fast and not to be againe intangled in the yoke of bondage That this is the true sense and meaning of the Apostle it is most manifest and plaine by that his earnest and zealous protestation which immediately he annexeth Behold I l Gal. 5.2 3 4 5. See Tertullian advers Marcion lib. 4. cap. 33. lib. 5. cap. 2.3.4 that the Law is fulfilled in Christ not abolished by Christ Paul say vnto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing For I testifie againe to euery man that is circumcised that he is a debter to the whole Law Christ is become of no effect vnto you whosoeuer of you are justified by the Law yee are fallen from grace For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousnesse by faith c. Thus farre we haue followed your steps in the Epistle to the Galatians where we haue not left you so much as the breadth of a foot to ground or settle your opinion vpon Now you flie to the Epistle to the Hebrewes where you looke for succour and shelter as in a City of refuge for you say The whole m See Zanch. judgement of the Argument of the Hebr. Zanch. in Hos cap. 2. p. 45. Epistle is for your purpose But we will pursue you with the sword of the Lord and of n Iudg. 7.18 Gideon i. The word of God and the writings of the Lord his o In Epist ad Heb. principalis propositio est Ceremonias veteris legis esse abrogatas Chemloc de lege Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 11. sect 7. Worthies and doubt not but we shall either draw or driue you thence also Is the whole Epistle to the Hebrewes to the same purpose viz. For the vtter abolishing of the whole Morall Law for hauing any being or well being any office or vse in the Church of Christ It seemes indeed you haue taken possession of the gates the middle and the vtmost parts thereof as if all the forts and fences the turrets and towers were your owne already But shall we make an assault and try what right or reason you haue so to doe * Antinomus Your first reason of so bold a speech is this In the very first verse he opposeth the speaking of Christ to all that were afore him he being Heire of all things whom the Angels must worship and the heauens and earth must vanish Answer but he must remaine And what makes this for your purpose Is the Morall Law therefore abolished because Christ is opposed to all that went or were before him Or is this an opposition of contrariety or of disparity Doth the speaking of God by Christ argue an abolishing and not rather an accomplishing of all that was spoken before him Or can any man with any shew or shadow of reason inferre that because in former times God spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Prophets in visions and dreames by ceremonies and sacrifices by reuelations and prophesies by thunderings and lightnings and the like and by all these more darkly and obscurely
not so effectually spiritually and comfortably as in the latter daies he hath done by his Sonne Can any man I say inferre hereupon that the Morall Law is wholly abolished Nay hath not p Haec omnia non dissolventis erant legem sed adimplentis dilatantis in nobis Iren. advers Haeres li. 4. cap. 27. Christ from his blessed mouth charged vs not once to thinke that he came to destroy the Law He came not to destroy it but to fulfill it And doth not he renew the beauty and vigor of the Law when he doth cleare it and deliuer it from the foolish and false glosses of the Pharisies and commends the duties thereof to the practise of his owne followers and Disciples Besides all this seeing Christ in this first verse is as you alledge opposed to the Prophets you may by as good reason conclude that all the sacred Records of the Prophets are now cancelled and cast out of the Church by the comming of Christ in whom they were accomplished as that the Morall Law first written by the finger of God is now vtterly abolished because by Christ himselfe it was fulfilled and if by that which followeth the heauens and earth must vanish but he remaine you meane that the Morall Law must needs vtterly perish if Christ remaine remember then I pray that Christ himselfe hath said the like of the Morall Law which the Apostles said of him Heauen and earth shall passe but one iot or tittle of the Law shall not passe till all be fulfilled Vpon which words q Bulling in Mat. 5.18 Bullinger saith Per collationem rerum maximè stabilium immotarum significavit perpetuam legis constantiam r Calu. in Mat. 5.18 Caluine ſ Bez. Muscul Vitus Theod. Perk. on the same Beza Musculus Vitus Theodorus Perkins are all of the same minde writing vpon the same place Of these I will only mention Mr. Perkins his words The meaning of this verse saith he is That the Law of God is vnchangeable not only in the whole but for euery part thereof and the fulfilling thereof shall neuer haue an end But you goe forward and out of cap. 3. * Antinomus you say Moses was his seruant It is true Answer and so were all the holy men of God that penned the rest of the holy Scriptures too What then must it needs follow that because Christ is come as Lord in and ouer his owne house which is his t Heb. 3.6 Church that he hath disallowed and disanulled whatsoeuer Moses or others of his seruants haue done before him This were enough to shake the very foundation of the wals of Sion and to lay leuell with the ground the stately palaces of Ierusalem What they haue done either in or for the building of Gods house touching the substance and essentiall parts thereof whether u Ephes 2.20 Heb. 6.1 2. foundation of faith or x Phil. 3.16 Gal. 6.16 rule of life that Christ himselfe tels you againe he came not to destroy though they were but his seruants in the house and he Lord ouer it yet thinke not saith he that I am come to destroy either the Law which is the y Iam. 2.8.12 rule of life or the z 2 Pet. 1.19 20. Prophets which are a part of the foundation of faith He came not to abolish but to * Bez. Epist Theologic 20. pag. 104. establish these things But why did you alledge only the former part of the verse Moses was a Seruant and not the latter for a testimony of those things which should be spoken after to shew what seruice the Apostle speakes of in this place Why there was a reason in it for the latter words speaking of Moses seruice in the matters of the Ceremoniall Law as Paraeus and other worthy Diuines doe giue the meaning of them the alledging of these would haue quite maid your Market in that for which you brought in the former namely to the ouerthrow and abolishing of the Morall Law As for that you adde Antinomus out of Hebrewes Cap. 8. He is the Mediator of a better Testament which being the New he abrogateth the Old Ierem. 31.31 And that by the Old is meant as you say that which was written in the Tables of Stone Answer Deut. 4.13 I answer with reuerend * Bez. in Heb. 8.6 Tertul. advers Iudaeos cap. 3.4.5.6 advers Marcion lib. 5. c. 4. Beza That Christ is said to be the Mediator of a better Couenant hauing better promises Nempe quoniam figurabant ritus Levitici quod ipsi non praestabant cum credentium animos ad Christum venturum sive ad novum pactum remitterent He opposeth the Euangelicall Couenant to the Leuiticall as the better to the worse the New vnto the Old entring into the comparison of the Old and transitory Testament being but for a time whereof the Leuiticall Priests were Mediators with the New the euerlasting Mediator whereof is Christ to shew that this was not only better than that in all respects but also that that was abrogated by this This proueth not then the absolute abrogation of the Morall Law as you intend it but only the abolishing of the Leuiticall Priesthood with all their Mosaicall Sacrifices and Ceremonies as by the words going before ver 4 5 6 7. Heb. 8.4 5 6 7. you may plainly see the Apostle meant it Antinomus And because you appeale to the Geneua Note vpon Ierem. 31.31 as approuing your exposition of that which out of Hebrewes 8. you alledge for the abrogating of the Morall Law Answer we are content to turne aside with you thither also not refusing the censure or sentence which as vmpire it shall giue in this matter Tertull. expoundeth this place Ier. 31. v. 31. of the abolishing of the Ceremoniall and not of the Morall Law Lib. advers Judaos c. 3. Vpon these words I will make a New Couenant Ier. 31.31 the Geneua Note is this Though the Couenant of Redemption made to the Fathers and this which was giuen after seeme diuers yet they are all one and grounded on Iesus Christ saue that this is called New because of the manifestation of Christ and the abundant graces of the Holy Ghost giuen vnto the Church vnder the Gospell May not this Note giue you notice of thus much That the Diuines of Geneua making but one Couenant both in the daies of the Law and in the daies of the Gospell doe only acknowledge an alteration thereof in some circumstances of manner measure persons places times and types meanes and ministers and the like and that partly in the Morall but especially in the whole a In Epistol Theol. 8. Bez. Epist 20. Vide Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 11. sect 7. in hunc locum ex Ierem. 31.31 Ceremoniall Law but doe not so much as intimate any vtter abolition of any part of the substance of it whether concerning the foundation of
b Rom. 3.20 By the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3. c Rom. 4.31 Doe we then abrogate the Law by faith God forbid nay rather we establish the Law Rom. 4.31 d Rom. 7.7 12 22 23. See Tertull. vpon these and other places of the Epistle to the Rom. 7. Quia lex peccatum Absit Erubesce Marcion Absit Abhominatur Apostolus criminationem legis ô summum praeconium legis Tertull. aduers Marcion lib. 5. cap. 13. I had not knowne sinne but by the Law for I had not knowne lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not couet wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandement i. the tenth Commandement is holy just and good I delight in the Law of God after the inner man So then in my minde I serue the Law of God but with the flesh the law of sinne Rom. 7.7 12 22 25. Are not these plaine allegations of the Law more than bare allusions And doe not these pregnant Testimonies graciously establish the nature and vse of the Morall Law which you most wickedly goe about to abolish Will you yet see more euident for better satisfaction and assurance Owe nothing to any man saith the Apostle but to loue one another Loue is a Christian duty you will not deny 1 Cor. 13. By what argument or reason doth he presse them hereunto Euen by a sound Argument drawen from Gods Law For he that loueth another hath fulfilled the Law he meaneth partibus non gradibus and what Law he sheweth by reckning vp the seuerall Commandements of the second Table For this saith e Rom. 13.8 9. See Paraeus in Rom. 13.8 9. Aug. de spirit lit cap. 14.21 he Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not couet and if there be any other Commandement it is brieflie comprehended in this saying namely Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Loue worketh no ill to his neighbour therefore loue is the fulfilling of the Law May you not now f Erubesce Marc. Abhominatur Apostolus criminationem legis blush at your bold ignorance to say and that with such confidence That in all the Epistles there is not so much as any allusion to the Morall Law or Ten Commandements seeing there is here so expresse mention of the same And what will you say to that exhortation of the Apostle to the Ephesians Children g Ephes 6.1 2. obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right And how doth he enforce this duty and proue the equity of the same Doth he not plainly alledge the first Commandement of the second Table and the promise annexed thereto for this end and purpose saying Honor thy father and mother which is the first Commandement with promise that it may be well with thee and thou maist liue long on the earth The euidence of this one place is such and so sufficient to conuince you of grosse blindnesse in this particular that I will not seeke any further for more lights but only leaue this in your hand and pray that the scales may fall from your eies that you may see the truth by it I come now to the reason which you render of all this Antinomus For it is the goodnesse of God say you that leadeth to repentance Rom. 2.4 c. 2 Pet. 3.9 and not the thundering of the Law To this I answer Answer That the goodnesse of God indeed doth lead vs to repentance according to that which you alledge out of Rom. 2.4 But where you absolutely exclude the thundering of the Law as of no vse nor force in this businesse tell me I pray you what you thinke of the very next verse h Rom. 2.4 5. But thou after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render to euery man according to his deeds Whether are these any thunderings of the Law or no Euery word hath his weight Wrath of God day of wrath righteous judgement of God just recompence according to the worke so shall the wages be If the goodnesse of God leade vnto repentance doe not these threatnings driue vnto it If the mercies of God moue vs to obedience doe not the terrors of God remoue vs and withdraw vs from impenitency and profanenesse Nay doth not the Apostle in the same place for this very end ioine them both together i Rom. 2.7 8 9 10. Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule of man that doth euill of the Iew first and also of the Gentile but glory honour and peace to euery man that worketh good to the Iew first and also to the Gentile As for that which * Antinomus you alledge also out of 2 Pet. 3.9 The long suffering of the Lord to vs ward 2 Pet. 3.9 not willing that any should perish but that all shall come to repentance I acknowledge it as a point of the mercy and truth of God Answer But whereas you would haue this long suffering to be the only meanes without all threatnings or terrors to bring vs to this repentance looke backe I pray you to the k 2 Pet. 3.5 6 7. 5 6 7. verses of the same Chapter and be not willingly ignorant of the judgements of God there mentioned by the ouerflowing of waters whereby the Old world perished and by the burning and flaming fire whereunto this world is reserued against the day of judgement and perdition of vngodly men And looke forwards also to the very next words following viz. l 2 Pet. 3.10 But the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night in which the heauens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with feruent heat the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp And tell me whether these threatnings of the Day of the Lord be not as terrible as the lightnings and thunderings at the giuing of the Law the seeing and hearing whereof made m Exod. 19. Heb. 12.18 19 21. Moses to say I exceedingly feare and tremble And if you thinke these be not vrged to leade vs or draw vs to repentance then consider I beseech you what vse and application the Apostle makes hereof euen vnto all the faithfull in the words following n 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolued what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conuersation and godlinesse Now for conclusion of this point Let vs heare how the Author to the Hebrewes doth vrge vs To prouoke one another to loue and to good workes This he doth not only by the boldnesse or liberty which we haue to enter into the Holiest by the o Heb. 10.19 bloud of Iesus but also by the p Heb. 10.27 looking for of judgement and fiery indignation
3.20 both together as Rom. 3. and Gal. 2. 3. q Rom. 3.28 By the workes of the Law whether Morall or Ceremoniall r Gal. 3.16 no flesh shall be justified Å¿ Gal. 3.19 The Law was giuen because of transgressions t Gal. 3.24 The Law was our Schoolemaster vnto Christ Take then whether of these you like best If in handling the full and finall abrogation of the Law you say there is no exception of the Morall and thereupon inferre that the whole Morall Law is wholly abrogated why may not I as well conclude the cleane contrary In handling the full and finall abrogation of the Law there is no mention made of the Morall therefore the whole Morall Law is not wholly abrogated but rather established and confirmed And if you say that in handling the abrogation of the Law touching some circumstances only or some particular ends or vses there is no exception of Morall and therefore the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished then I say that your Antecedent is too weake to inferre this Consequent and fitter a great deale to serue my turne against you if it be of any force at all in this conclusion ergo The Morall Law in some circumstances and for some ends and vses only is abrogated and so you faile of your proofe and purpose labouring thereby to proue that the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished Argument 5 Let vs now see if your fift Argument be of any better proofe or power for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Antinomus Moses Law was giuen only to the Iewes Exod. 19.3 4. c. and 20.2 12. Deut. 4.1 and 5.1 with diuers other Testimonies to the same purpose ergo The whole Morall Law is wholly now abolished Answer I answer first If by Moses Law you meane the whole body and bulke of the Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall Law and also that both for circumstance and substance tearme and time end and vse persons and things it was thus giuen to the Iewes only then is this your Antecedent false for howsoeuer these were first and principally charged and imposed vpon the Iewes as his u Exod. 19.5 peculiar people the * Zanch. in Hos cap. 2.44.45 Ceremonials for Gods worship the Iudicials for ciuill gouernment and the Morall Law for some speciall circumstances and vses more binding that people vnto God in the forme of a Couenant than any other people in the world besides Yet were not all a Exod. 12.38 Vide August Ep. 49. quaest 2. Cum enim nonnulli commemorantur c. other people or persons so excluded or debarred but that if they did renounce their Idolatry and would become Proselytes entertaining the b Exod. 12.44 48 49. See Beza in Mart. 23.15 of Proselytes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rajn Thes 4. pag. 113. Iewish Religion they were receiued into the fellowship of the Couenant and that by Gods speciall Commandement and made partakers of the Seales and benefits thereof together with the Iewes accordingly So were the mixt multitude that came out of Egypt with the Israelites the seruant bought with money and the stranger and sojourner were admitted to the Passeouer if they would first be circumcised and then they were accepted into the Church as if they had beene borne in the land c Exod. 12.49 One Law shall be to him that is home borne and to the stranger that sojourneth amongst you and that not only for the Ceremoniall but euen for the Morall also as is expresly set downe in the fourth Commandement where both Magistrate in Assembly and Master of a family stand charged to looke that the d Exod. 20.10 stranger within the gates doe keepe holy the Sabbath day Secondly If by the Law of Moses you meane the Doctrine of Moses which as a holy Prophet he hath written and set downe vpon record in his fiue Bookes and which Christ himselfe alledgeth by the name of the Law of e Luk. 24.44 Moses as testifying of himselfe and his sufferings Luke 24.44 I say the Law of Moses in this sense was giuen as well vnto vs of the Gentiles as to them of the Iewes seeing Whatsoeuer is f Rom. 15.4 written is written for our instruction and edification And Paul himselfe made this vse of the g Act. 28.23 28 30 31. Law when being at Rome vnto such as came vnto his lodging He expounded and testified the kingdome of God perswading them concerning Iesus both out of the h Puerilis error est saith Flaâ— Illyric libros legales nihil continere quod ad Euangâ—lium spectat suspicari Clau. Scrip. par 2. p. 30. Law of Moses and out of the Prophets and this he did not only to the Iewes but to the Gentiles also Acts 28.30 31. Thirdly If by the Law of Moses you meane the Ceremoniall obseruations which Moses by Commandement from the Lord prescribed to the Iewes as the manner and forme of his solemne Worship and as Figures and Types of good things to come in Christ as the Euangelists and Apostles doe vsually when they * Act. 15.5 13.38 Luk. 2.22 speake of the Law of Moses then I say The Law of Moses in this sense was giuen vnto the Iewes only not only as a partition wall betwixt them and the Gentiles but as a yoke to restraine them a i Col. 2.13 14 15. hand-writing to conuince and condemne them and as a sharpe and seuere k Gal. 3.24 Schoolemaster to driue them to seeke for helpe and l Mal. 4.2 healing vnder his wings who was and is the m Ioh. 1.17 truth of those types and n Col. 2.17 substance of those o Heb. 10.1 shadowes Christ Iesus But the Law of Moses in this sense will doe you but little seruice to the drawing in of your conclusion for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Fourthly If by the Law of Moses you vnderstand the Morall Law or Ten Commandements as needs you must if you will dispute ad idem or speake to any purpose then why might you not as well haue set it so downe and dealt plainly as wrap vp your meaning in such ambiguity and obscurity and that not only in this Argument but in fiue or six of those also which follow after We will then take your Argument as we thinke you intend it Antinomus to be this The Morall Law was giuen only to the Iewes ergo The Morall Law in the Church of Christ since the death of Christ is wholly abolished If the Antecedent were sound Answer the consequent would doe well enough to serue your turne But how doe you proue that the Morall Law was giuen only to the Iewes I must guesse at your proofes by your places which you quote as I conceiue for this purpose for you put me to fish for your meaning out of Exod. 19.3 4 and Exod. 20.2 12. Antinomus Deut. 4.1 and 5.1 and 7.6 and 14.2 and 26.16 and 33.4
Act. 2.17 18. of knowledge in their mindes and much greater power of grace in their hearts h Heb. 8.10 11. and liues than euer the Iewes that first had it written in Tables of stone had For proofe whereof if other Scriptures were silent yet those which you produce for your selfe will speake enough to serue my turne Rom. 7.14 and 3.19 and 9.4 5 6 7 8. Hebr. 1.2 2. For if the Morall Law be i Rom. 7.14 spirituall if it k Rom. 3.19 conuince the whole world as guilty before God if it belong vnto the true l Rom. 9.4 5 6 7 8. Israel the children of Abraham Rom. 9.6 7. compared with Hebr. 8.10 and if God hath in these last daies spoken m Heb. 1.1 2. more plainly and opened his will more effectually by his Sonne as the Scriptures you alledge beare witnesse with me then haue we that are beleeuers of the Gentiles the Morall Law of God both in a clearer light of n 1 Ioh. 2.27 knowledge in our mindes and in a greater o Phil. 1.9 10 11. power of grace in our hearts and liues than euer the body of the people of the p See Muscul loc com de leg cap. de lege spiritus Vrsin de lege diuina p. 278 279. Iewes had which if it be true then haue you spunne a faire threed who drawing out a line and twisting a cord to binde the Morall Law vpon the Iewes only haue before you were aware made them both of that length and strength that they reach vnto and binde it vpon the Gentiles also I come now vnto the Testimonies of learned men whose names and writings you pretend for your cause and peruert to your owne purpose as being of the same minde and wrapt in the same error with you That the Morall Law was giuen to the Iewes only But take heed whilst you beare men in hand that you haue witnesse from them lest vpon due search you your selfe be found to beare false witnesse against them Let vs make triall of your dealing with some of the most judicious and religious of them And first for Caluine I haue read the Epistle q Calu. Epist 58. That Christ is the end of the Law but as you cite no sentence so can I finde no syllable to proue that the Morall Law was giuen to the Iewes only he that must finde out what you set him to seeke especially in so large a field had need to plow with your heifer and to haue some more particular markes of your meaning to lead him thereunto But although I found not what I sought yet in seeking I found what I there sought not viz. That Caluine speaking of the Ceremonies and Sacrifices of the Law hath these words Lex nihil adduxit ad pèrfectionem tantum instar r Gal. 3.24 paedagogi dirigebat deducebat ad Christum qui legis ipsius finis Å¿ Rom. 10.4 est complementum vt tradit Apostolus Now it may be that you finding these words in Caluine that Christ is the end of the Law did imagine that Christ had made an vtter end of the Morall as well as of the Ceremoniall Law either not knowing or not obseruing that there is an * Christus finis perficiens non interficiens Aug. in Ioh. Tract 55. end of accomplishment as well as an end of abolishment Christ hath both accomplished and abolished the Ceremoniall Law the Morall Law he hath accomplished but not abolished That which t See Calu. Ep. 58. was imperfect in both touching the Legall Couenant for righteousnesse by the workes of both is abolished in both and only perfected in him who for righteousnesse is the end of both CHRIST IESVS to all that beleeue in his name Rom. 10.4 Vpon which place u Paraeus in Rom. 10.14 Paraeus hath these words Consensâ—… legis Christi hinc apparet errant qui putant legem repugnare Christo Christum abolâ—… legem Hence appeareth saith he the consent of the Law and Christ and they are deceiued that thinke the Law is contrary vnto Christ or that Christ doth abolish the Law Antinomus Your next quotation of Caluine Rom. 3.19 telleth vs That whereas the Iewes would needs put off all those rebukes and threats of the Law from themselues vnto the Gentiles the Apostle doth there apply the Law to them particularly x Calu. in Rom. 3.19 Ne ad solas Gentes restringant quae in ipsos promiscuè competunt Lest they should restraine vnto the Gentiles only those things which did belong vnto them both together Answer Now as there the Iewes were blamed for restraining the Law vnto the Gentiles so are you here to be rebuked for restraining the Law vnto the Iewes only especially out of this place where the Law is said to y Rom. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stop euery mouth i. to conuince both Iewes and Gentiles of sinne in such a manner as that they can haue nothing to plead for their clearing or just defence and not only so but to hold fast the whole world as liable to Gods curse for the breach of it If you haue aduisedly read the other z Calu. Instit lib. 2. cap. 1. sect 1. li. 2. cap. 11. sect 11. places and Chapters of Caluine Instit lib. 2. cap. 1. lib. 2. nay if you haue but read the very contents of the Chapters and 13.14.16 and 17. sections you cannot but sinne against knowledge and conscience too in citing these places as making for you which stand in open force and fight against you For albeit Caluine doth acknowledge that both the Morall and Ceremoniall Law were giuen vnto the Iewes which no man doth deny yet doth he not say that the Morall Law was giuen vnto the Iewes only which is that which you affirme And although he grant as we doe that the Ceremoniall Law is now by Christ abolished yet doth he manifestly proue that the Morall Law doth yet continue and retaine some speciall force a See Bez. Theol. Ep. Ep. 20. p. 103.104 and vse still which is that which you deny I referre you to the same Booke of his b Calu. Instit lib. 2. cap. 7. sect 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Institutions which you alledge and section 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. of the seuenth Chapter c Ad Sacramenta pertinent Circumcisio carnis Sabbatum temporale neomenia Ad mores autem non occides non machaberis Augustine in Galat. 3. hath nothing that I can finde to proue that the Morall Law was giuen to the Iewes only something he hath to the cleane contrary For distinguishing the workes of the Law into Ceremoniall and Morall d Nunquid ergo potest Apostolus non curare c. Aug. in Gal. 3. he demandeth whether the Apostle could as little care whether a Christian were a murtherer an adulterer whether he were chaste and innocent as he careth
not whether he be circumcised or vncircumcised in the flesh By which his demand it may euidently appeare that howsoeuer he thought the workes of the Ceremoniall Law were now ceased yet he thought also that the workes of the Morall Law were now to be practised and so the Morall Law it selfe not to be giuen to the Iewes only but still to be continued amongst Christians also See Aug. contr Advers leg proph lib. 2. cap. 7. Erasmus in his Paraph. in Gal. 3.14 speaketh of the Ceremoniall Law which he faith was giuen vnto the Iewes as a Schoolemaster to a rude people Vt paulatim proficientes ad Christum perducerentur à quo solo veram expectarent justitiam pristinis diffisi ceremonijs And how will this proue that the Morall Law was giuen vnto the Iewes only But doth he e Erasm on Rom. 2.14 15. not say in his Paraphrase on Romans 2. that the Gentiles were à lege Mosaica alienae Yes he doth and he tels you what he meaneth when he addeth Nullo Mosaicae legis praescripto monebantur but only had rem legis non tabulis sed mentibus inscriptam Antinomus They were not admonished what to doe and what to leaue vndone by any prescript of Moses but only had the substance or effect of the Law engrauen not in Tables but in their hearts And what of all this Answer Is this a good Argument The Gentiles that were strangers from the life of God were strangers from the written Law of God Ergo The Morall Law was giuen vnto the Iewes only and not vnto vs Christians of the Gentiles no more than vnto those that were without God and without Christ before vs f Ad Graecas Calendas When you proue this Argument to be good I will acknowledge your skill to be greater and your cause to be better than it doth yet proue to be The like answer and offer I make to the quotations out of Erasmus in Rom. 5.13 and 7.1 Antinomus That which you bring out of g Zanch. de fide cap. 13. sect 7. Zanch. de fide cap. 13. sect 7. is spoken of Moses Law opposed to the Gospell as may appeare by the differences which there he setteth downe betwixt them and so he saith it was giuen to the Iewes only Answer But you doe him wrong to cite him for a witnesse to your bill put vp against the Morall Law as belonging to the Iewes only whereas in the very h Zanch. de fide cap. 13. sect 8. next section which it seemes you tooke not paines to reade he testifieth to all the world That in as much as the Doctrine of the Gospell requireth repentance and holinesse of life and that we should liue soberly Vide Caluin Har. in 4. lib. Mosis p. 443. righteously and godly in this present world Eatenus etiam non tollit legem de moribus so farre forth it doth not take away the Morall Law and he giueth a good reason hereof Tota enim consentanea est cum doctrina Euangelij de vitijs vitandis virtutibus persequendis For the Morall Law is wholly agreeable to the Doctrine of the Gospell concerning the eschewing of vices and ensuing of vertues Antinomus i Bucan loc 22. quaest 18. Bucanus 22. loc 18. q. saith That the old Couenant did properly belong vnto Abraham and his posterity the Israelites but the New vnto all Nations And what will you inferre hereupon That the Morall Law was giuen only to the Iewes and doth not now at all belong vnto vs If this be your Argument I say Answer as you haue not changed your Bowe so you haue chosen an arrow of the same flight and feather with those which you haue shot before as much able to hurt the sides of the Morall Law as a rush is able to pierce a rocke A strange man you are and as strange a course you hold there are few Diuines that doe so fully and distinctly set downe the differences betwixt the Law and the Gospell and the seuerall vses of the Morall Law euen now amongst Christians as k Bucan loc 22. loc 19. 20. 21. Bucanus doth and yet dare you be so bold as to piddle and picke out something out of his writings and those the very same which testifie against you as though he had giuen you his hand or lent you his sword to strike one stroake at least in your behalfe Reade ouer Bucan loc 22. againe and loc 19. and 20. and 21. and tell me at your leasure whether then you thinke him to be a man of your minde for the vtter abolishing of the whole Morall Law In the meane time take I pray you one note out of the same l Bucan loc 19. quaest 28. Bucan loc 19. for your admonition It is the error of the * Let Antinomus view his face in this glasse Antinomians and Libertines saith he to thinke that Christians haue now no vse of the Morall Law of God nor that the Decalogue is to be preached in the Christian Church because the faithfull are regenerate by the spirit I know not whether you be of this number but I feare me you are much of their temper * Hiero. August Tom. 2. pag. 341. Manichaeus Marcion destruebant Legem quam sanctam spiritualem juxta Apostolum novimus saith Hierome Paraeus in Rom. 3.19 you haue mistaken there is nothing in that place to serue your turne and Perkins in Gal. 3.23 hath beene cleared before I only adde that if you will be pleased to reade and receiue that which Mr. Perkins hath written vpon that Chapter nay vpon that verse touching the nature and vse of the Morall Law I am of opinion you will neuer looke hereafter that Mr. Perkins will euer be brought to open his mouth in this businesse any more But Moses Law you say in your sixt Argument was giuen to continue till Christs death at the most Antinomus Argument 6 Luk. 16.16 Rom. 7.1 Ergo the whole Morall Law is now wholly abrogated and abolished Answer And I say for answer That if by Moses Law you meane the Morall Law as in the former Argument I haue shewen that you must and ought then is your Antecedent false if by Moses Law August contr duas Epist Pelag. ad Bonif. lib. 3. cap. 4. you vnderstand the whole body of the Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall Law as it was giuen to the Iewes in that their estate of minority and legall seruility then I grant your Antecedent and deny your Consequent The Scripture which you alledge out of Luk. 16.16 The m Luc. 16.16 Law and the Prophets were vntill Iohn may as well proue that the Prophets are now of no force ☞ as that the Morall Law is now of no vse The meaning thereof is this That whereas the n Ioh. 5.16 Law and the o Act. 3.24 Prophets did testifie promise signifie and prophecie
and obey the Gospell bestowed vpon them yet neuerthelesse this maketh nothing against the speciall offices and vses of the Morall Law either for the e Act. 2.37 conuiction of sinners or direction of Saints to prepare them for repentance by e Act. 2.37 pricking of their f Psal 19.7 8 9 10. 2 King 22.19 hearts or to bring forth fruits worthy of g Mat. 3.2 8 10 12. repentance for the well ordering of their liues The Law hath his vse to worke h Mat. 27.3 Vide Bez. in Mat. 3.2 in Act. 5.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poenitentiam The Gospell his force to worke i 2 Tim. 2.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resipiscentiam and both are needfull for Christians euen at this present as formerly they haue euer beene k Calu. in Act. 2.36 Caluine speaking of the last clause of Peters Sermon wherein he chargeth the Iewes that they had crucified Christ Iesus saith he did this Vt majori conscientiae dolore tacti ad remedium aspirarent and so layeth open the hainousnesse of that sinne in these words Cujus caedes non crudelitatis modo sceleris plena erat sed etiam immanis adversus Deum perfidiae sacrilegij îngratitudinis denique apostasiae testimonium and then he giues in the next words this reason of this course Verum ita vulnerari oportuit ne ad quaerendam medicinam tardi essent Here I doe demand whence had the Iewes this sight and sense of so many sinnes in that one of crucifying the Lord Iesus as of cruelty wickednesse perfidiousnesse sacrilege ingratitude against God and apostasie from God Whence had they that l Act. 2.37 pricke in their hearts and wound in their conscience for these sinnes Had they no light by the Law to conuince them no stroke by the Law to wound them If sinne be a m 1 Ioh. 3.4 transgression of the Law and by the Law comes the n Rom. 3.20 knowledge of sinne and if sinne be not o 5.13 7.7 imputed nor pressed but by the Law how can it be but the Law had some hand in wounding and afflicting their hearts for these sinnes and in opening their eies to see and discerne the same I deny not for I doubt not but the p Ioh. 16.8 Spirit as the finger of God had his especiall and principall worke in their humiliation and conuersion that is not the question The Spirit may worke by the q 2 King 12.19 Law to make vs sensible of sinne and to cast vs downe vnder the weight of Gods wrath for it as well as it may worke by the r Isai 61.1 Act. 10.43 44. Gospell to make vs looke vp vnto Christ and to raise vs vp to some hope and assurance of the mercy of God for pardon and forgiuenesse of the same It is sufficient for me both against your position and allegation if in the worke of their repentance containing both their Å¿ Act. 26.18 Act. 3.19 1 Thess 1.9 Auersion from sinne and their Conuersion vnto God the Morall Law had any either u Lex facit ut non modò intelligam sed cum morsu conscientia sentiam experiar in me esse peccatum Muscul loc com de legib p. 135. force or vse which I am well assured any judicious and indifferent Reader by this which hath beene said will judge that it had When Dionysius as x Apollod de Orig. deorum lib. 3. p. 57. Apollodorus reporteth had cast Lycurgus into a fury or frensie he in that distemper taking a hatchet in his hand whiles he thought he had smitten downe the branch of a Vine with the same hand and hatchet slew his owne sonne What Dionysius he was that cast you first into this fit or frensie error or heresie I know not but it seemes whiles you haue lift vp your hand and your hatchet your skill and pen to cut downe the Morall Law a branch of Gods Vine the dint and danger of the stroke hath light vnawares vpon your owne soule as his did vpon his owne sonne though not absolutely to kill it yet to wound it vnto death vnlesse the Lord recouer it by giuing you repentance and effectually cure it by powring in the balme of his mercy and truth which I pray he may doe in the offerings and sufferings of Christ Iesus y 2 Tim. 2.24 25 26. Antinomus Answer Your many other Arguments which for breuity sake as you say or rather for leuity sake as I conceiue you omit for vanity sake I see you must needs call vpon and that by name as if you had in readinesse a fresh supply of armed men in case of danger to renew the fight and win the field Terent. Eun. Act. 4. Scen. 16. Simalio Dorax Syrisce sequimini Câ—…do alios ubi centurio est Sanga manipulus furum Eccum adest Vbi alij Thus doe you well resemble bragging Thraso behauing himselfe proudly and brauing his aduersary vainly both with that he hath and also with that he hath not For hauing brought out your best appointed forces into the field you call on still Vbi alij as though there were yet so many and so many and many more behinde whereas poore man you haue not a man more neither tag nor rag to follow you seeing solus Sanio seruat domum Take so much of this to your selfe and your former Arguments as may best fit you and reserue the rest for the other which yet sit at home with Sanio to keepe the house Your reference to Musculus Common-places giues no better satisfaction now we haue taken the paines to view all the quarters and corners of those speciall places which you haue beene pleased to send vs vnto for that purpose For if either you will stand vnto Musculus or Musculus will not stand against himselfe you may and shall euen there and thence receiue resolution to satisfie you that there we finde no such satisfaction as you haue dreamed may be found in those places He that seriously readeth and aduisedly considereth what Musculus hath written in the place De abrogatione Legis Mosaicae may easily perceiue both by the title and the text that he principally aimeth at the abrogation of the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall and the Morall Law only so farre as it was Lex litera Muscul loc com de abrogatione Legis Magisterium Mosis Ministerium Mosis virtus peccati litera occîdens iram maledictionem mortem operans And all this neither hurteth vs nor helpeth you for the vtter abrogating of the whole Morall Law For albeit for these offices it may be said to be abolished to them that are true beleeuers in Christ Iesus in which respect they are said not to be vnder the Law but vnder grace yet for other vses and offices the Morall Law is in force still as to be a rule of obedience to discouer corruptions and transgressions to be a bridle
that as Iunius saith non humana traditione sed Christi ipsius observatione atque instituto and so commended to the Churches and receiued by them as Augustine himselfe confesseth and declareth more at large elsewhere Antinomus Now whereas you say That the Holy Ghost in the New Testament doth not exact naturall precepts such as the Decalogue is for that is fulfilled in one word Loue Answer Gal. 5.14 I answer hereunto That if you haue as great felicity as I see you haue facility to contradict your selfe and to marre with one hand what you haue made with the other you are worthy more pitty than blame and haue more need at this present of a Physitian to purge you than of a Diuine to answer you Notwithstanding we will yet make triall whether you can be sensible of your error and see what you haue said or done amisse herein by asking a question or two and crauing your direct answer to the same I demand then Is not the Epistle to the Galathians a part of the New Testament Gal. 1.1 Yes it is And did not the Apostle Paul pen that Epistle by the instinct of the Holy Ghost Gal. 5.13 No doubt he did And did not the Holy Ghost by Paul require and exact of the Galathians Gal. 5.6 the duty of loue Yes he did for he commands them verse 13. Rom. 13.8 9 10. To serue one another by loue And is not this loue both a fruit of faith and a duty of the Morall Law Yes indeed it is both for in this very Chapter Gal. 5.6.14 the Holy Ghost testifieth that a true faith worketh by loue verse 6. and in the 14. verse erewhile alledged telleth vs also that this worke or duty of loue must be measured by the Morall Law For saith he the whole Law is fulfilled in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Why now you haue dealt honestly you haue answered directly and truly Gather vp your seuerall answers now and binde them vp in one proposition and you will finde that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sed sero sapiunt Phryges your second thoughts are often wiser than the first so your latter position is better and truer than your former opposition Your former opposition was That the Holy Ghost in the New Testament doth not exact naturall precepts such as the Decalogue or Morall Law is for that is fulfilled in one word Loue Gal. 5.14 and now your latter and truer position is this That the Holy Ghost in the New Testament euen in the Epistle to the Galathians doth require loue not as a naturall but as a spirituall and morall duty being both a fruit of faith and the summe and substance of the whole Morall Law Gal. 5.6 and 13.14 Gal. 5.6 13.14 Certainly if your left hand be not better able to defend your selfe than your right hand hath beene to offend your aduersary you will feele the smart of your owne weapon thus beaten downe vpon your owne head more sensibly hereafter in a better mood than yet you can doe for the present in your hot bloud As for that peece which you patch and adde to the same sentence Antinomus That none of the works of the spirit are properly commanded in the Decalogue What Answer None of the works of the spirit commanded in the Decalogue properly This is a proper lie with a witnesse Tell me I pray you are not the works of the spirit there commanded where the works of the flesh are forbidden Are not adultery fornication idolatry witchcraft Gal. 5.19 20 21. hatred heresies murther drunkennesse and the rest mentioned Gal. 5.19 20 21. Are not all these forbidden in the Law and the contrary vertues or duties as chastity purity piety charity c. commanded in the same also Take the Law as Paul takes it not as it stands in opposition to the Gospell but as it stands in communion and conjunction with it and the same spirit of truth speaketh in both and requires spirituall duties in both Phil. 1.11 as the fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse to the praise and glory of God by Christ Iesus Rom. 7.12 14. Besides such as the Law it selfe is namely spirituall Iam. 2.8 9 10 11 12. holy just and good such must also the works of the Law needs be Lastly S. Iames beares witnesse hereunto very plainly and effectually saying If you fulfill the royall Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe yee doe well This the spirit speaketh vnto the Churches by Iames vpon the same ground of the Morall Law and that not only in that generall summe of the second Table Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe but in mentioning some of the speciall Commandements as Doe not commit adultery Doe not kill prouing also that the Christians to whom he writes among the twelue Tribes now dispersed stand now bound to obey the whole Morall Law First because if they faile in one point they are guilty of all as if they commit no adultery yet if they kill they are become transgressors of the Law Secondly because they are charged not only to shunne that which is euill but to follow that which is good and that according to this rule of the Morall Law Iam. 2.12 as in the very next verse the spirit speaketh and commandeth So speake yee and so doe as they that shall be judged by the Law of liberty I would you would take the paines to reade Augustines Epistle vnto Hierome August Epist 29. ad Hiero. touching the exposition of this place of Saint Iames you shall there I doubt not finde him of an other minde than your selfe for the continuing of the office and vse of the Morall Law in binding all Christians to all duties of loue euen in the daies of the Gospell required in the same The like you may also see in his first Booke de doctrina Christiana August de Doct. Christ lib. 1. cap. 30. in his Bookes de litera spiritu contra adversarium Legis Prophetarum And now hauing deliuered your selfe of your maine businesse Antinomus and rid your hands of that confused stuffe which stucke in your fingers you are at leasure to bring vs in a Simile to illustrate as you say the conclusion of your fift section and another to illustrate the generall point If your section and your point haue no greater light than your Similies bring them Answer they may both stumble and fall in the darke for all the helpe that they shall haue by their meanes I haue heard that nullum Simile currit quatuor pedibus no Simile runs vpon foure feet but how shall that run or goe or stand which being maimed and starke lame hath neuer a sound neither legge nor foot at all If Venice and England in your supposition were vnder one and the same King and Gouernour vnder the same Law and Lawgiuer yet
spirituall vses confirmed by Christ and continued by his Apostles for the good of Christs Church euen vnto the worlds end Now if you thinke that all that hath beene said and done be not nor cannot be of any such force with you as to conuince you of error or to confirme this truth it may be herein the fault will proue rather yours than mine For as Non est Oratoris persuadere sed dicere quae ad persuadendum sunt idonea It is not required of an Orator to perswade but to deliuer such things as in themselues may be fit and auailable for perswading So neither can it be required of an Answerer to satisfie a wrangling Disputer but to giue what may serue for a sufficient satisfaction to his insufficient objection Ezeckiel is commanded to speake Ezek. 3.4.7 euen though Israel will not heare And Paul doth charge Titus Tit. 1.9.10 to endeuour by some doctrine and exhortation to be able to conuince the gainsayers and to stop the mouthes of such as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnruly vaine-talkers and deceiuers subuerting whole houses and teaching things they ought not for filthy lucre sake Vpon like occasion and in a matter not much vnlike I held my selfe charged after the same manner to endeuour according to my ability to conuince you of this your error and to stop your mouth if it may be which you haue opened so wide against the truth with the witnesses and with the word of Truth And this was I after a sort enforced to attempt because I knew you had laboured by speaking and writing if not for filthy lucre yet for foolish humour sake things which you ought not not only to corrupt the mindes of the simple by words of deceit but to subuert the hearts and houses of some of my neerest and dearest friends with a great and pompous shew of reading and learning which had they not formerly beene better instructed and established in the true knowledge of Gods Word both Law and Gospell might easily haue bred some distraction in their mindes and trouble in their hearts Pudet haec opprobria nobis dici potuisse non potuisse refellâ—… I may truly say I held it both sinne and shame that so opprobrious things should be objected against the holy Law of God and put into the bosomes of good and gracious people as a parcell of Gods truth and a pledge of your loue and not to be resisted by some encounter August Bonis Epist 23. and refuted by some answer to the same Respondi sicut existimo quaestionibus tuis saith S. Augustine to Bonifacius quantum attinet ad minus capaces ad contentiosos non satis quantum autem ad pacatos intelligentes plus fortè quà m sat est Let me speake vnto you in almost the same words I haue answered as I thinke your positions and oppositions against the Morall Law of God for such as are lesse capable and such as are contentious not sufficiently enough neither for length nor strength but for such as are tractable and teachable peraduenture more than enough for both And here if the length of my answer procure me any blame either with you or other of my friends seeing your Pamphlet was but short which drew the same from me I must plead my just defence as Augustine did his to the same Bonifacius requiring a briefe answer to some hard questions proposed vnto him His literis saith he lectis relectis recordatus sum Nebridium amicum meum qui valdè oderat de quaestione magna responsionem brevem In like manner hauing read ouer and ouer againe your short Pamphlet and seeing the question was great and quotations many and large though your paper was not much nor long I could not abide to frame a short answer nay I must needs frame a long August Epist 23. ad Bonif. to so large and great a question and that for the same reason which moued Nebridius so to desire an answer at length in such a case Because in matters obscure ad pietatis doctrinam maximè pertinentibus especially appertaining to the Doctrine of piety as this of the Morall Law especially doth he that would diligently search and see into them had need to enlarge himselfe and hold that course Concerning your last Will and Testament and the light that it bringeth to your second section Zanch. in Hos I referre you to Zanchius in Hoseam where you shall finde the like Simile and withall a paire of snuffers to top your light that it may burne more clearly And if that will not serue you may haue Torchlight from Caluine which I will now put into your hands before I leaue you you may see how loth I am to leaue you in the darke whereby you may once more be admonished of your error and the danger of it and haue light enough to lead you vnto the truth and prouoke you also to the entertaining and embracing of it Speaking of the sweetnesse and lightsomnesse of the Morall Law vnto all that can doe as Dauid did i. finde and apprehend Christ the Mediator in the same He addeth these words Quod discernere dum imperiti quidam nesciunt Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 7. sect 12.13 totum Mosen animosè explodunt duasque legis tabulas valere jubent quia scilicet Christianis alienum esse arbitrantur adhaerere doctrinae quae mortis administrationem continet Which different office and vse of the Law saith Caluine whiles some ignorant persons know not how to discerne they doe boldly and couragiously hisse out all Moses Law and bid farewell to the two Tables of the Morall Law because forsooth they thinke it strange for Christians to cleaue vnto that Doctrine which containeth the administration of death or damnation in it Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur You may view your face in this glasse and take euery word home with you to your owne house and withall take I pray along with you what he addeth in detestation of this your opinion Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 7. sect 13. Facessat longe ex animis nostris profana istac opinio Let this profane opinion be farre remoued from our mindes And consider seriously I beseech you of that which he speaketh so resolutely for the establishing of the Morall Law as well as in the commendation of the vse of it Quod si absolutum saith he in ea justitiae exemplar eminere nemo inficietur aut nullam esse nobis rectè justeque vivendi regulam oportet aut ab ea nefas est discedere But if saith Caluine no man can deny but that in the Morall Law there is manifestly to be seene a most absolute patterne of righteousnesse either we must haue no rule at all of right and just liuing or it is great wickednesse to depart from the Morall Law Certainly me thinks to a reasonable and ingenuous man this might be sufficient satisfaction for embracing the truth and relinquishing of so vnsound and vnsauoury an opinion I could compasse you about with a cloud of witnesses to this purpose But it must be euen this Law of God written in your heart by the finger of Gods Spirit which through the power and grace of Christ shall helpe to illighten your eies to see the beauty and conuert your soule to feele the vertue euen of this Morall Law of God which you now so oppose and oppugne which I doubt not but in due time the Lord will doe if as I hope you doe you belong vnto him Meanewhile we will pray for you and wait in patience to see if peraduenture the Lord may giue you repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 2 Tim. 2.25 26. that when you shall haue recouered your selfe out of this snare of Satan and we shall heare or see that he which persecuted the Law in times past doth now publish and professe obedience thereunto we with other of Gods children that wish you well in Christ may be prouoked by your light which may shine in the workes of loue the summe of the Law Gal. 1.23.24 to reioice in your recouery and to glorifie God in youre behalfe FINIS