Ministery and how Jerusalem the valley of vision zealous in a religious way yet did not know the things of her peace Luk. 19.41 but erred in her heart not knowing God way of peace and life Psal 95.3 In what a dangerous and deep temptation many a poor distressed soul lyeth plunged sore for want of this doctrine and consolation of free-grace 4. And that the relieving enlarging and saving of such a soul is much to be preferred before conversation of life And 5. Lastly As Luther saith That there is no danger in preaching faith free-grace without works for good works will follow where that is truely received but in preaching works and the Law so as it may be done and obeyed is much danger lest free-grace be obscured destroyed unknown men rest in the way of the Law and the gate of eternal life never be opened c. If I say you had considered these and the like you would never have condemned the innocent There be also divers things exceptable in your supposed disputable questions and some that reflect on your self as being inconsistent with what you hold at other times and confirming what you oppose but we may not dwell on what is Cursory Mr. B. pag. 31. Let us see what prejudicial inferences they gather from this doctrine of justification denying them good works to be a way to heaven Thus Doctor Crisp in page 6 c. Answ Methinks that expression of the Doctor is so clear and fully satisfactory that you should not quarrel with it and to me your language is so confused that I cannot skill of it but do fear it will lead the Reader out of the right way Let Christ be the way and good works our imployment or business in the way as he saith and then I see no error nor danger If you do truly good works you do them in Christ abiding in him Ioh. 15.4 in whom you are alive and walk continually by faith doth the soul go out of Christ or leave him when or while it worketh As ye have received Christ Jesus so walk in him Colos 2.6 Now the soul cannot walk in Christ nor have union with him save by faith the believer also walketh in the way of the Law of works but this is his way on earth amongst men and Christ is his way to God and heaven Let me add Christ is set forth so to be our way that he is our salvation also so that in him the soul is at her journies end and need not work to go further for attaining life as if it were a far off and good works were a way to carry and bring us unto it Eternal life is in the Sonne He that hath the Sonne hath eternal life also Joh. 3.36 1 Joh. 5.11 12. Also the words of Bernard are Viaregni not ad regnum of which difference see more in the Assertion of Grace M. B. Thus Matth. 7.17 Strait is the way that leadeth to life What is this way but the work of grace and godliness Answ I might here put you in minde of a threefold work of grace as you will have it First Angusta est via oportet te fieri tenuem si vis per eam venire Caeterum qui operibus onerati sunt sicut cōnchylibus onustos videmus Jacobi peregrinos ii non toterant penetrare Si veneris cum magnis saceis operum plenis depenere oportebit c. Ger. which God hath wrought in and by Christ for man 2. That which he worketh in man 3. And that which man worketh by vertue of his grace Now I need not ask you which of these you mean for it 's seen by your words you take to the third and last which as I conceive cannot be the meaning of the place and I could give reasons for it But I incline to Musculus with others which Authors I have been forced to part with who expound it so That the Doctrine of Christ and faith is the straight way which few indeed do finde and the broad way is false Doctrine and error of all sorts which leaveth the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 13.3 There is a broad way common to the religious Iews Papists and deceived Protestants which leadeth to destruction As for the way of downright wickedness all know that is the way to hell And as many in a blinde zeal are carried to damnation as by prophaness and actual outward sinning And this is a strong inducement to me thus to understand it as that to believe is the straightest way of all others and fewest finde and walk in that way with an upright foot so because Christ is there speaking of Teachers and their Doctrine and not of mans life and manners so that it is doctrine he meaneth to be the straight way for it is doctrine true or false that guideth and carrieth the soul one way or other to heaven or hell and that is either the righteousness of faith or the righteousness of works He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned and no good work can help to save him Mr. B. 2. Denying the presence of them good works in the person justified for thus saith the Author expresly speaking of that of Paul therefore we conclude that a man is justified without the works of the Law Here saith he the Apostle doth not only exclude works from having any power operative to concur in the laying iniquities upon Christ but excludes all manner of works man can do to be present and existent in persons when God doth justifie them And he instanceth of a general pardon for thieves Now one man may take the pardon as well as another Answ Your charge is heavie but I finde no evidence or proof What doth he deny the presence of good works in the person justified or after his justification did he not grant and say that they are our business and imployment in the way your words may be taken as if he denyed that ever a justified person should do good works Bona opera non precedunt justificandum c. Solis ortum sequitur aeris calafactio Melancth Cum peccata remitti constet etiamsi adhuc plena sit natura peccatis Melancth Deus nos in ca persectione in qua Christus resurrexit imactur If with Austine he hold good works do not go before a man to be justified I hope it is no error The air becometh warm not before but after the rising of the Sun Perhaps your meaning would be while justification is in fieri in doing not in facto after it is done yet your words are otherwise And this is to you so dangerous that to your charity it is inexcusable yet your great reading might tell you of divers Orthodox who speak and write as much and the Scripture will warant the same when you come professedly to handle the point hereafter Besides you cannot but know that the Doctor speaks of the sinners justification
your self or your ipse dixit must suffice you said so much indeed pag. 139. but proved not one syllable there nor here Much more might be added to discover the vanity and errour of your opinions and exceptions against us but this shall be all at this present Mr. B. Those that say the Law is abolished as it is foedus but not as it is regula say true The Law may be considered as it is a Covenant or as it is an absolute Rule requiring conformity unto it Now it may be granted that the Law is abolished in the former notion though not in the later Answ Those that say the Law as it is foedus is also regula and where it doth regulate there it is foedus a Covenant and that the Law is neither abolished as foedus nor regula say most truly and properly according to the Scripture If you look upon the Law and consider it as God propounded it you never find an absolute rule where it is not a Covenant we want your scriptum est Though God deal with his people in a Covenant of meer mercy it followeth not that his justice in his Law is abrogated or any whit diminished beside Christ having once answered and fully satisfied that hath also made a clear way for this manner of Gods dealing but this is onely the object of the faith of the Elect. 2. You are ready to grant what liketh you to any one save the truth to the favourers of it In your last page Law was not abrogated at all in any good sense say you but now it may truely be granted thus you play fast and loose as you please In whom now is inconstancy You promise to shew but take time for it and till then we will wait that the Law given by Moses was a Covenant of Grace If you understand it of the Morall Law it will be denied therefore look well what you affirm Mr. B. Whosoever expecteth life and justification by the Law he sets up the Covenant of works again nor is it any advantage to say These works are the works of grace and wrought by the spirit Answ 1. By the Law you must needs understand the Law of nature or as it was given to Adam for your opinion is that the Law given by Moses was a Covenant of grace by which then till it was antiquated it seemeth the Church might expect life and justification so that when God said by Moses Whosoever doth these things shall live in them herein they were to seek righteousness and life and not by faith I know not how you can evade but leave it to your second thoughts 2. You set up the Covenant of works again when you teach that salvation is due to good works by vertue of Gods promise though not of merit this doth none other but set up mans righteousness and the Law as foedus yet in words you would seem sometime to deny it And remember also your own words viz. It is no advantage to these works or works of grace for still it is by doing 3. And by this now we may learn what you mean when you say the Law instrumentally regenerateth and converteth for it did so in Davids time and in the old Testament that Law by your opinion was not the Law of works but the Covenant of grace But seeing you say withall that that Covenant of grace is now abrogated then it is not now to be used to quicken and convert It was of use and force in Davids time but not now say you therefore the Argument is inconsequent Or may we take you thus Christ hath obtained that the Law given to Adam may be instrumentall for the Spirit but how is it then that you bring no other Scripture but Psal 19. and 119. which you grant to be meant of the Law comprehensively that is as here for the Covenant of grace you see this will not prove the Law of works to be a converting word Thus you are found further from the truth and at great variance with your self here is much need of reconciling and salving Mr. B. The Law is a rule to walk by though not a Covenant be justified by Answ The just both liveth and walketh by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 then not by the Law 2. If the Law by Moses be a Covenant of grace then it was to be justified by If you object you mean the Law largely taken for the whole dispensation of Commandments Morall Judiciall and Ceremoniall I reply you cannot make all these of one nature so not all to make a Covenant of grace 2. To say the denomination is given to the better part I answer as no text warranteth this so the natures of the Laws is not thereby changed If you say of the whole heap in the floore It s as Corn that maketh nor proveth not chaffe to be Wheat Also so the judiciall which was for the government of the Jewish Commonwealth is as much the Covenant of grace as the Morall Law But this is to decline the question and to confound what you should keep distinct Mr. B. The Antinomian distinction of the Law abolished as a Law but still abiding in respect of the matter is a contradiction The Law saith the Antinomian in the matter of it was not denied to be a rule according to which a believer walketh and liveth Answ You much wrong your Adversary and more endanger your self if there be any evill in a false accusation as the ninth command for he saith not the Law is abolished as a Law but that it is inviolable and for ever Neither can nor yet would any man so conclude from his words but you his words are as you say The Law in the matter of it is not denied c. but what ground is here to inferre an abolition And where he saith A believer walketh according to the rule of the Law yet it is not by vertue from the Law regulating him but from another power within renewing and disposing the heart thereunto He is like the honest Traveller who keepeth the high way freely of his own accord and taketh pleasure in so doing And yet the work here is so imperfect and he cometh so far short of what is in that Law that he findeth and acknowledgeth a power therein threatning and condemning for it so that his free justification by grace is his continuall Rocke and refuge and his faith therein the sole preserver of his peace and safety But by your doctrine there should be no more need of justification Christ or faith after conversion for the Law hath onely a Mandative power say you but none to condemn or curse I muse that your own experience doth not convince you of your errour Thus we reach and say The Law or more properly and plainly that there may be no evasion God in his Law obligeth and bindeth unto that rule of perfect righteousness and also to the curse inevitably for every failing and disobedience You tell of a
Answ Here you wrong your adversary he speaks of a power and you of an act The Law may actually condemn where and when it cannot actually justifie as it condemneth every transgressor but can justifie onely the innocent and yet the power for to do both is equally in it as a Law Why do you not answer the ensuing Question viz. Can you put your Conscience under the Mandatory power and yet keep it from under the damnatory The Law bids you love your neighbour though your enemy and presuppose you are obedient thereunto yet do you do it so perfectly that the Law hath no power to reprove and condemn you in that particular If the Law condemn you not away with humiliation Confession Repentance Justification and all living by Faith in Christ For now you can so walk according to the rule of the Law that it cannot subject you to the curse and death you are not reproved and judged in your self for any thing your peace and safety is by your just life the Law being curbed and restrained or rather exauthorized or dis-invested of all power to condemn and your life and comfort is not by your Faith in the Son of God who loved you and gave himself for you as Gal. 2.21 There is no condemnation unto you not because you are in Christ as Rom. 8.1 but the reason is in that the Law though a rule yet wanteth power to reign to death We often meet with this groundless and false assertion and now see what is the chief stone that you stumble at Let this now suffice M. B. The same Author again pag. 5. He dare not trust a believer to walk without his keeper c. they are onely kept within compass by the Law but are no keepers of it Answ The word they relates not to believers if you look the place as here you do intimate You onely repeat what we write but confute nothing M. B. The same Author at another time calls it a slander to say they deny the Law who can reconcile such contradictions Answ I see no contradiction nor shew of any you might tell your Reader wherein it lyeth for all are not so quick-sighted as your self But is not this a contradiction in you who say that we grant the Law to be a rule and that a believer is a free keeper of it and yet that we hold and teach the abolition of it Here the task to reconcile is now yours Also that we deny the Law abideth still a slander for which the Law is against you See the the ninth Commandment The Lord layeth it not unto your charge M. B. p. 52. The second interpretation is of the damnatory and cursing power of the Law the Law is not made to a believer so as he should abide under the cursing and condemning power of it Answ You might remember that right now you said The Law a believer is under hath no power to condemn and curse what need he or how can he then be freed from the cursing power See your own instance If the fire had no power to burn what need was there that God should hinder the act You would saign such a fire as is without all power to burn and tell us of such a Law as wanteth power to condemn who will now fear either or rather who can credit such vain words Your sword cuts the throat of the owner for from the removal or restraint of the act or operation the Argument doth not hold for the removal of the thing or the power to condemn but rather on the contrary it strongly and necessarily inferreth and concludeth that there is such a condemning power in the Law in that it is restrained and hindered from the actual doing of it But secondly here is no such miracle wrought upon the Law as was there upon the fire which kept it from burning the three worthies Dan. 3.23 25. though more abundant mercy be shewed for Christ was made under the Law to redeem us from under it Gal. 4.4 Not to take the curse from the Law but to redeem us In what sense and to what end Christ was under as our surety in the same sense are we freed but he was under both the rule and raign of it Yet it will not follow that believers are in no state of subjection and obedience or being enlarged and set at liberty do not run the way of Gods Commandments For they do it though by another efficient from a new principle and for a different end then that of the Law Do and live They are under Christ and moved and led by his Spirit who is the head and husband of his Church But of this more afterwards M. B. Consider some parallel places of Scripture Gal. 5.23 speaking of the fruits of the Spirit Against such there is no Law the Law was not made to these to condemn them Answ And if you refer it to the fruits of the Spirit the Spirit produceth his fruits of himself and of his own accord no outward Law commanding and directing M. B. And if because the godly have an ingenuous free Spirit to do what is good he need not the Law directing or regulating it would follow as well he need not the whole Scripture Answ You would still bear men in hand that we are against the use of the Law which yet we do stand for if lawfully used as your Text requireth and that in all the Authority and Offices of it and this we can and are ready to make good upon occasion yet since this is so often inculcated by you I wish you would give satisfaction in these few things First If the Spirit make the will and affections free to what is good doth it alter and enlighten the understanding also to know what is truth and good and effectually encline move guide and lead aright without the direction and regulating of the Law doth the Spirit which is light and giveth all light and directive power to the Law need the Law in his work 2. You are to prove and cleer better then yet you have done that the Law is instrumental to the Spirit in the works and ways of sanctification 3. Where do you finde that the moral Law doth give help or power unto any jubet non juvat 4. Whereas you say we are flesh and not all spirit c. It may be replyed that by Scripture and all experience sin the wickedness of our nature is rather irritated and strengthened by the Law then weakned and mortified It is such a desperate disease that it makes head more strongly against any legal plaister and application Rom. 7.5 c. M. B. You say it will follow as well that he needed not the Gospel to call upon him to believe Answ Your reason is much unlike for first the Doctrine of the Gospel is not onely the object of Faith but the outward instrument and ordinary means the Spirit useth both to implant faith and to increase it to
exceedingly prone therefore saith I am thy God as I have made my self formerly known unto thee and thou shalt have no other as not worship stocks and stones so not form and conceive otherwise of me in thy heart and minde And verily as the heavenly light of this true knowledge of God which did appear in the word and work of atonement by Jesus Christ began to be eclipsed and darkened in the Church so idolatry and superstition crept in and prevailed till at last it became palpably gross by Images Pictures using of Saints for Advocates and the like And the bright and glorious arising and shining forth of the Sun of Righteousness who hath health under his wings Mal. 4.4 will prove the alone effectual means to disperse dispel demolish and abolish all that trash and superstitions vanities and to instruct and guide mens souls aright into the knowledge of the true God M. B. The practical use is to pray and labour for such a free and heavenly heart that the Law of God may not be a terrour to you Answ You have taken a course for that aforehand for how can the Law be a terrour while you teach that it cannot curse nor condemn but thus a mans heart may flatter him with a false peace in the way of legal conformity having not attained to the righteousness of Faith or of Christ Again that Spirit which maketh the heart so free and heavenly that the precepts of the Law are sweetness and delight cometh not by the Ministery of the Law but of the Gospel this is not the Spirit of bondage to fear but of Adoption Grace and love Therefore let us pray and labour that the Gospell may have a free passage and be glorified LECT VI. Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which knew not the Law c. M. B. Pa. 58. OBservation There is law of nature writen in mens hearts How can the Antinomian think that the moral law in respect of the mandatory power of it ceaseth Ans Your Antinomian thinketh as you also know that the moral law is perpetual and inviolable in respect of the mandatory and damnatory power also within its own territories and dominion there is nothing taken from it thus you mistake him forget your self and abuse your reader and hearers M. B. Page 59. This is good to take notice of against a fundamental error of the Antinomians about the Law in general for they conceive it impossible but that the damning act of the Law must be where the commanding act of a Law is Answ If this errour be fundamental I muse you bring no stronger Artillery to batter and quite raze it 2. Your adversary speaketh of the power and you dispute of the Act there may be power where it is not alway acting 3. I say still The law hath power from the Author of it indifferently to command and to condemne If the Law of our Land should never condemne or punish actually for murder because no man-slayer is to be found yet it hath power to do it nvertheless when occasion shall serve M. B. There are only two things go to the essence of a law c. 1. Direction 2. Obligation Answ These are but your words without warrant or weight which can never carry it your part is to refell the contrary 2. If there be such a law which can onely direct and oblige to it the Apostles Argument may seem to be invalid Gal. 3.10 saying They that are of the works of the Law are cursed c. for a man may be of the works of the Law as it is of power to oblige to direct and oblige only say you and yet be exempt and free from the curse I much marvel that you or any can suppose a law obliging to it for obedience and yet not obliging or binding to answer for disobedience Whatever the Law saith it saith to them that are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 Herein say you lyeth the essence of sin that it breaketh the Law which supposeth the obligatory force of it Answ Sin is a swerving from the rule of direction 1 John 3.4 But can there be sin and not guilt or can you suppose a man to be formally a sinner and yet out of condemnation by the law by preventing that consequence as you call it Lastly a man is properly odious and hateful to God in that he is a sinner and not as he is guilty and subject to the curse which be the effects of justice occasioned only by sin M. B. God by reason of the dominion he had over man might have commanded obedience and yet never a promise of eternal life Answ To what purpose do you here tell us what God might have done where the question is of what God hath done what a law he hath made and put man under which as it commandeth obedience so it condemneth disobedience Rom. 2.8 9. Who God will render unto every one according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality eternal life But to them who are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath Is not here the express and full minde of God in his law and will you curtaile or conceal any part of it Besides how can it stand with divine justice to constitute a Law without power to punish transgressors when he giveth his law in charge he saith That he setteth before them life and death blessing and cursing Deut. 30.19 You may long tell any sober understanding man that he may safely put his hand into the fire it cannot burn him for there may be a fire without power to burn before you can perswade him unto it And yet God hath sufficient power to do this also M. B. As for the other consequent act of the law to curse and punish that is but an accidental act and not necessary to a law for it cometh in upon supposition of a transgression and therefore as we may say of a Magistrate He was a just and compleat Magistrate for his time though he put forth no punitive justice if there be no malefactors offending so is it about a law Answ The Apostle in Gal. 3.19 doth strongly and convincingly conclude against you viz. that the moral law came in with power not only to direct but to reveal wrath curse and condemne for saith he It was added because of transgression that is to accuse and convince of it and to condemne for it that so it might be subservient to the promise in preparing the heart for Christ the blessed Seed This is plaine to be Gods intent in giving and bringing in his law at the first by Moses except you can since then let us see how it is altered or where and when the law was onely given to direct and oblige the other authority and power being denied it or rather taken away
God humble us and yet we will not be humbled man standeth out till he be made to yeeld A frantick man will not be bound or cured besides he is held captive and letted by Satan though voluntarily the strong man must first therefore be cast out by one stronger 2 Tim. 2.26 Eph. 2.2 Yet being overcome converted and made willing by the Spirit of God his will believeth converteth and inclineth according to the way and voice of the Gospel so not at first but afterward man being changed is become willing and active M. B. page 86. Yet fifthly We may hold truly some antecedaneous works upon the heart before these graces be bestowed on us this take to antidote against the Antinomians who speak constantly of the souls taking Christ while it is a grievous polluted soul Answ There is no such fear of hurt by your Antinomian doctrine as you still pretend but is far more danger in your so many antidotes and the poison as is now apparent lyeth and lurketh elsewhere But that the world may yet more fully and cleerly see how in this also you wrong your adversaries 1. It is evident that both the honey-combe and the Assertion do grant and teach as much concerning the antecedaneous work upon the soul as it is Gods and not mans as you can rightly call for And whereas D. Crispe doth compare God to a physician so violently working upon and inforcing his patient c. Is not that a sufficient preparative yet further God giveth saith he an heart to desire and receive Christ c. Now who can be supposed to have an heart desirous of Christ but he that is a sensible sinner apprehensive of his fearful estate without Christ and convinced withall that Christ and Christ alone can reconcile and save The alone tender of our Saviour to any doth imply a lost condition without him and may not God even then let the soul see it hath no Christ and so is in sin and death and thus awakening it at that present stir up the desire and longing after him for salvation and so that free and gracious tender of a Saviour to such becometh very seasonable and acceptable I must you will so vainely quarrel with your friends and the truth too Oh but this will not be received that the soul should take Christ while it is a grievous polluted soul we have this often set before us and I think it is sufficiently answered at least I grow almost weary in replying unto it Will you have this so polluted soul to be half or in part washed and cleansed before Christ do it 2. Do you think that the tears of repentance humiliation confession c. have power to wash the soul from sin as you know Doctor T. did teach or will such acts or exercises diminish the evil of sin when a man is made to know and feel into what wo and misery his sin hath plunged him he cannot by that think better of himself but only grieveth complaineth and feareth the more Thus I write because which is the best I can make of it I take your meaning to be that Christ should be tendered to none but to such as feelingly do acknowledge their sin Now the sense of sickness and pain doth no whit extenuate the same or the confession of a great debt is no abatement of it Further when the woman with the bloody issue desired and sought to many for cure and health in vain was she by that diseased the less in body yea or when through the same or report of Christ she was strongly perswaded that if she could but touch the hem of his garment she should recover did even this perswasion remedy her disease till that vertue went from Christ to effect the cure Two blind men cryed Lord that we might see and were they less blind therefore before Christ opened their eyes then other blind folke who did not so complain nor seek to Christ Indeed these two were not contented with that comfortless condition but that did aggravate misery and afflict more rather then mitigate and ease it only the uncertain hope of some help did somewhat sustaine and relieve their spirits And so to conclude the soul is not less polluted when it knoweth and confesseth with tears its great pollutions and whatever work or exercise else you will put the soul unto it will not thereby cease to be polluted as much as before for it s no act or work of mans but Gods only that cleanseth and healeth sin LECT X. Rom. 2.14 If the Gentiles do by nature c. M. B. Pag. 95. THe law if it was not in it self a covenant of grace yet it was given Evangelically and to Evangelical purposes and therefore the Antinomian doth wholly mistake in setting up the law as some horrid Gorgon Answ Your if importeth that you question the matter and do rather incline to hold the law in it self a covenant of grace and if it be a covenant of grace then it is not a covenant of works for grace and works be as two things most contrary which cannot agree Rom. 11.6 2. If the law in it self was a covenant of grace then there were two of grace 3. You would confound Law and Gospel which you told us out of Luther are to be kept at a like distance as heaven and earth 4. Yet it was given Evangelically say you Answ Who can credit you in this for the law came in a terrible manner as in thunders and lightenings and the Lord descended upon mount Sinai in fire and the whole mount quaked greatly so that all the people trembled Exod. 19.16 18. But the Gospel came in a joyful manner The Angels said unto the shepherds Fear not for behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people Luk. 2.10 Neither was the law in a proper and strict sense given for Evangelical purposes for God purposed by his Gospel to give pardon freedom peace joy refreshing health and rest to the souls and consciences of his people but by the law he intended to reveal sin and wrath to terrifie wound and condemn c. These two ministrations are to produce two contrary effects for humbling bruising and beating down of the soul being convinced of sin guilty of death and worthy of Gods everlasting wrath is the true and proper effect of the law and that for which it was especially given as Gal. 3.19 Wherefore then serveth the law it was added because of transgressions that is to discover them to cause fear and horrour in the conscience and so to conclude or shut up the soul under a fearful and inevitable bondage and malediction verse 22. And thus did Paul set up the law in a most horrid and terrible manner as if there were no Christ neither grace or redemption to be expected from God as Luther saith so that the mistake is wholly yours And if no such indignation and terrour be by the law what need a Mediatour
what Gospel what then doeth it But who will regard how promiscuously he preach seeing if he desire and intend either regeneration healing or conversion of the soul or yet as pag. 192. the increase of grace and holiness the Law as Gospel may indifferently be preached by him and blessed by God And though in respect of the use and end intended the law be subservient yet in their way propounded Gods and mans righteousness and of the effects produced by either viz. life and death they are and must be contrary M. B. And this must needs be the opinion of all sound Divines whatsoever may fall from them at other times as appeareth by their common answer to the Papists question If the Law and the commands thereof be impossible to what purpose then doth he command them Then we answer That those commands are not onely informing of a duty but they are practical and operative means appointed by God to work at least in some degree that which is commanded Answ You know they do not plainly and professedly say this is their opinion and therefore without alledging one sentence out of any directly to second this of yours you labour to derive and infer it as busily as you may such poor shifts are you put unto 2. Neither is it the opinion of all for those are as sound whose answer is That the law doth therefore command things now impossible that we may see our great loss by the fall with our present disability that so we may be humbled a viled and confounded in our selves 3. To incline and dispose the soul to look into the Gospel-way in which all cometh as to beggers by faith and prayer Therefore Augustin saith God commandeth things impossible not as you say that in commanding he may give power but that we thereby feeling our owne utter insufficiency may be occasioned to turn precepts into prayers saying Da quod jubes God bids us turn not thereby to enable us but that finding thereby both the necessity of it and also our inability we may cry Turn thou us and we shall be turned Thus we see whose hand worketh the will and deed 2. You also still mince the matter saying At least in some degree you love to play at small games rather then sit out you are uncertain not resolved as yet what to affirm and stick unto this being a fiction of your owne and no Scripture or Author can be produced to confirm or countenance it It was never questioned but what is wrought by the ministry of the word is to be attributed to the Spirit as the principal efficient and other passages of which he still giveth some verbal touch being already cleared I now proceed to his Arguments M. B. I bring these Arguments to prove the Law and preaching of it the means of Conversion 1. That which is attributed to the whole word of God as it is Gods word ought not to be denyed to any part of it Now this is made the propertie of the whole word of God to be the instrument of conversion 2 Tim. 3.16 Answ 1. Your proposition is unsound and will not be granted many things are often attributed to the word in general which canot be affirmed of every part of it Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things are written were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope that is saith Piscator through patience arising from the comfort of the Scripture viz. that be written aforetime Now in the second premise page 188. you tell us that however the law may be blest to conversion yet it cannot be the ground of our justification adoption and consolation nor a man cannot have hope nor comfort in whatever he doth but it must be the promise onely of the Gospel See how your self will not have righteousness comfort and hope from every part of the word no from no part of the law but do restrain it to the Gospel onely and yet the greatest part of what was then written was law 2. Your Assumption is denyed also viz. That it is the property of the whole word to be the instrument of conversion And your place 2 Tim. 3.16 will not conclude it For first the Apostle speaketh not there of conversion but of conversation manners and life to the converted Secondly If all Scripture were to reprove correct then none is to comfort but one part is to reprove and another for consolation a third for doctrine c. law is to kill and Gospel to make alive what part is for one effect and purpose hath not formally any partial ability or fitness for another let the eye see the tongue speak and the feet walk as being purposely made and fitted for their proper offices The whole Scripture is as a promptuary or full Treasury out of which may be drawne and taken what is needful for faith and manners but what is for manners will be unaptly used to build up in the faith Also Matth. 13. the word compared to the seed is vers 19. called by Christ himself the word of the kingdom or note of distinction and by it is meant the Gospel as all know Lastly for that place Heb. 4.12 let Piscator satisfie you if the context will not serve you he saith it is Sermo Evangelii the word of the Gospel which is effectual to pierce the heart and convince the minde of the truth of the heavenly doctrine in it so that none can with a quiet conscience derogate from the credit or verity of it And he addeth that usitatissimum est c. It is a very usual thing with Paul by the word of God in general to mean the word of the Gospel M. B. 2. Argument is taken from those places where the law is expresly named to be instrumental in this great work not to name that place Rom. 7.14 where the law is called spiritual in that respect as well as in others because it is that which worketh spiritually in us as Paul was carnal because he wrought carnally Answ Indeed that place might well have been spared in this controversie for you finde nothing in it for your turne It is called spiritual because of the spiritual nature of it in opposition to Pauls which was carnal and because Paul was carnal therefore he wrought carnally but his working carnally did not make him carnal Also the law is called spiritual because of its spiritual discovering and convincing power or efficacy but not because of any spiritual change it wrought upon Paul as the whole context and every circumstance there maketh it plain the law let him see the vitiousness of his nature what repugnancy and contrariety was in him to that purity holiness and perfection held forth in the law and so occasionally by the commandment sin became exceeding sinful vers 13. M. B. The places are clear out of Psalm 119. and Psal 19.7 The Law of God is perfect converting the soul That which the Antinomian objecteth
it M. B. A third and last instance out of Scripture in answering of which all is answered from Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith that of the Gospel or doctrine of Faith In the opening of this Text we must take heed of three errors Answ A Caveat against all error is necessary but it is well that you accuse your Antinomian of none of those three And it had been wisdom in you to have taken heed of affectation of singularity for in rejecting all other of the Orthodox you substitute a most doubtful opinion of your owne as may appear by and by M. B. First I may demand whether any under the old Testament were made partakers of Gods Spirit or no. If they were how came they by it there can be no other way found but that God did give his Spirit in all those publick Ordinances unto the believing Israelites so that although they did in some measure obey the Law yet they did it not by the power of the Law but by the power of Grace Answ You might beware of co-incidency with the first error you named of having Faith before the Spirit for ever we come not to Faith by our reason and will yet you grant a giving of the Spirit to believers as if they first believed then received the Spirit but the gifts and operations of the Spirit are divers It s by the Spirit that the soul cometh to union with Christ and after the woman touched the hem of his garment she received a healing vertue but let this pass 2. By your next expression you might seem to be an Antinomian for They obeyed the Law say you but not by the power of the Law but by the power of Grace what difference now but I like not to force the joyning of hands where the parties hearts be not first linked yet the Reader may take it as if you contradicted your self for why are your words so exclusive but if it be not by the power of the Law originally as by the first and principal efficient yet you mean still it is a subordinate and secondary cause or mean of conveyance Egregie sane M.B. Again in the next place which hath alwayes much prevailed with me did not the people of God receive the grace offered in the Sacraments in the Circumcision Paschal Lamb They were partakers of Christ as well as we and yet the Apostle doth as much exclude Circumcision and these Jewish Ordinances from grace as any thing else wherefore that there may be no contradiction in Scripture some other way is to be thought upon about the exposition of these words Answ When a man willingly of himself is going down a steep place every thing will further him If you had not first conceived this silly and weak opinion of your self out of a humour of contradiction and desire to be accounted the vindicator of the Law you needed not to be so puzled and put to such shifts nor to seek out such sandy grounds and tottering Pillars to support what you see cannot be upholden I may so far credit you that this hath prevailed with you as you tell us but I cannot think it alway did so for you have not alway thought of this nor alway been of this private opinion that the Law is the doctrine of regeneration 2. Grant that this prevailed to keep and continue you in that minde yet would I learn if I might be so bold what brought you into it at first sure it came by some immediate inspiration for I see neither clear Scripture nor Author for it 3. As it hath so prevailed with you so I am sensible of no force at all in it whether to incline or carry the judgement unto it at first or to keep the minde the same still Consider better of it It is granted the people of God did receive the grace offered in their Sacraments c. and were partakers of Christ as well that is as truly and as really as we now what is this to your purpose I ingenuously profess I see not wherein it maketh one jot for you or to confirm your tenet what would you infer hence you say the Apostle did as much exclude these ordinances from grace as any things else and as well as much as the Law that must be your meaning Answ Your self have seemed still to exclude the Law from Grace and to make a direct opposition between them 2. As for Circumcision and these Ordinances being in their prime institution types yea signes exhibitive of Christ and if not essential parts yet appendances of their Covenant of Grace which cannot be said of the Law it being a doctrine of another nature and use therefore neither the Apostles nor Prophets in that case and sense did exclude them from Grace but onely as the hypocrites Ceremonia Legis in sua natura consideralae non autem quatenus suo tempore Sacramenta erant gratiae Pisc Gal. 3. and unbelievers did use them as resting in the things done or using them being antiquated and our of date or joyning them with Christ and Faith as necessary observances to salvation c. Now as this assertion will be too bold as unjustifiable That the Apostle doth as much exclude the Jewish Sacraments in their prime pure and right use from Grace as he doth the Law so that Argument is too childish viz. If the believing Jewes were partakers of Christ and did receive grace by these Ordinances so did they receive grace by the Moral Law also If you look again there is neither contradiction in Scripture nor occasion given to seek out such an uncouth and unwarrantable exposition of the words M. B. Some there are that understand by the Spirit c. Answ Here you first present your Reader with Beza's interpretation but that is misliked as not to your purpose Again say you thus it may be explained As by faith is meant the doctrine of faith so by the works of the Law is to be understood the doctrine of the works of the law thus far I approve which the false Apostles taught viz. That Chrict was not enough to justification unless the works of the law were put in as a cause also Answ If you look into Act. 15. and compare vers 1. and 5. it seemeth that they taught Christ for justification for it is said vers 5. they believed and what should they believe in Christ for but for righteousness and yet they required Circumcision and the keeping of the Law of Moses as necessary to salvation vers 1 5. when we are justified we must work to get heaven So many now hold and teach that good works and observing of the Law are not needfull to justification but they are to salvation of which sort you will prove one if I mistake not Contrary to Act. 15.10.11 Now why tempt ye God to lay a yoak on the Disciples necks c. that is as though he
could not save by faith and salvation now not to be sought by grace onely in Jesus Christ saith the Margent But we believe through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to be saved even as they Fathers do Learned Zanchy stateth the question between Paul and the false teachers to be An praeter Christum c. whether besides Christ good works also be necessary to salvation Mr. B. And if this should be the sense of the Text then it was clear that the Galatians were not made partakers of Gods spirit by the corrupt doctrine that was taught them of late by their Seducers but before while they did receive the pure doctrine of Christ and therefore it was their folly having begun in the spirit to end in the flesh this may be a probable interpretation Answ Yet these exceptions may be against the latter part 1. The question made by the Apostle is divisive whether they received the Spirit by the doctrine of faith or by the other for by one they must needs have it And not whether they received the spirit by both doctrines conjoyned and confounded so that you mistake the form of the question 2. They begun in the spirit while they abode in the doctrine of Christ for righteousness and salvation onely and their folly in ending in the flesh was in that besides the righteousness of faith they would have also works of the law for salvation for this is to end in the flesh that is in themselves having begun in Christ by the spirit or as saith Piscator this is called an ending in the flesh because it is a way both heavy and impossible Mr. B. That which I shall stand upon is this The Jews and false Apostles when they went furthest joyned Christ and the observance of the moral Law equally together for justification and salvation whereas the Law separated from Christ did nothing but curse and condemn not being able to help the soul at all Answ It is as probable if not more as I said that they held Christ sufficient to justifie but not to save without works 2. They joyned Christ and the Law for justification and salvation say you And you joyn them for sanctification and salvation so no such great difference 3. If the Law separated from Christ did nothing but accuse and condemn then it seemeth if it be joyned with Christ it will acquit and justifie or you think it hath left that power to condemn being joyned to Christ Came Christ to take that power from the Law or to mitigate and meeken it by uniting it to himself or to redeem his elect from under the Law to live and abide where no Law is to accuse Rom. 8. Who can lay any thing to their charge Is not Christ also our sanctification and redemption as well as our justification without the Law 1 Cor. 1.30 This doctrine is of God saith Paul there but yours is but of man Also you disclaim that the Law of it self is able to stirre up the least Godly affection in us but Christ and Law together can and not Christ without it If the soul be married to Chist her husband he cannot make her to bring forth fruits to God but Moses the former dead husband must be raised up again and so the beleiver hath two husbands to make him fruitfull and both at one time a thing utterly against the Law and the Ordinance of Mariage civill or spirituall for as in the civill two are thereby become one flesh so they that are joyned to Christ are one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Mr. B. More places of Scripture are brought against this but they will come in more fitly under the notion of the Law as a Covenant Answ It 's true there are many more pag. 165. of the Assert unto which as many might be added but you have enough of these the rest you reserve to a more fit occasion And I had thought to have enlarged this point but that it is lost labour and I may ill spare any Mr. B. Thus therefore I shall conclude this point acknowledging that many learned and orthodox men speak otherwise and that there is a difficulty in clearing every particular about this question but as yet that which I have delivered carrieth the more probability with me Answ I thank you for your ingenuous and free acknowledgement I am not alone in this my opinion as yet I think you are in yours for any thing I mean that can be read in the Orthodox for otherwise the whole Colledge would not have given you such hearty thanks and your book so superlative commendation if they inclined not your way 2. Whereas you find difficulty that is because you have taken the staffe by the wrong and worst end contending against the clear truth I will not say against the light and checks of conscience But the more difficult the more fit for one of your quality and parts to encounter with that so your victory might happily have been more glorious Yet you have brought it no further even in your own thoughts but to be questio probabilis and you found it in as perfect condition and state when you entred upon it nay I say more I never read that it was controverted by any Protestant till now but your words imply that you may be of another mind to morrow The Lord instruct and establish us Mr. B. And I will give one Text more which I have not yet mentioned that is Act. 7.38 where the moral Law is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lively cracles that is not verba vitae but verba viva vivificantia so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giving life not that we could have life by vertue of obedience to them but when we by grace are inabled to obey them God of his mercy bestoweth eternal life Answ Before you were onely defensive sheilding your self as busily as you could against those Scriptures that fought against you but now you are disposed to give your adversary one stroke and yet the arm or weapon rather will not serve to fasten one blow either to hurt or fright this is but a childish skirmish or flourish It is granted the moral Law may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lively oracles or words and so it is in its own nature yea and in the Ministry of it life is propounded as Deut. 30.19 I have set before you life and death and Levit. 18.5 Ye shall keep my statutes and my judgements which if a man keep he shall live in them but this life it promiseth to give is upon such tearms and impossible conditions that as yet none was quickned by it but contrarily it brought death upon all by reason of that poysonfull enmity and maliciousness of our common nature whereupon Paul is bold and peremptory to affirm that all that are of the works of the Law are cursed Gal. 3. this inbred enmity is discovered but not cured by
the Law Rom. 3.20 Rom. 7.7 Also you are much deceived when you say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See 1 Cor. 15.45 The first Adam was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a living soul nor as if he could quicken himself or others for that is peculiar to God himself no man as yet quickned his own soul And the opposition in that place sheweth the great difference between those two words for it followeth The last Adam was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quickning spirit in that he both quickned himself being dead and quickneth all his members Lastly see that place Gal. 3.2 If there had been a Law which could have given life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness should have been by the Law In which words Paul intimates that there was never Law given that could vivifie or which had any quickening vertue to impart or communicate unto any I will not trouble you with commentaries directly contradicting and overthrowing your exposition of that place because I perceive you so abound in your own sence that their judgement is not esteemed by you and you have greater store of them to satisfie you when you please then I have And lest you should be mistaken you adde Not that we could have life by vertue of any obedience but when we by grace are inabled to obey them c. Now I thought that you rather should have thus said as more pertinent to the question in hand But that they do instrumentally vivifie convert and give us life to obey them But in this saying of yours you grant as much as we contend for for if grace that cometh by the Gospel do inable us to obey the Law then it is not the Law that instrumentally doth convert and give life and strength to walk in it And your last clause is dangerously ambiguous seeming to import that Christ is not our salvation of himself without our works or obedience to the Law you will speak out more plainly and fully in some other place And you give us a poor reason why you inclined to this your opinion viz. because Socinians deny grace and justification under the Law or old Testament as if there were no middle way to take which could like you but either you must run on the rocks on one side or other Incidit in Scyllam c. Mr. B. And thus I come to another question which is the proper and immediate ground of strife between the Antinomians and us and from whence they have their name And that is the abrogation of the morall Law Answ Toto Coelo erras This is not the controversie except you mean that you do assert the Abrogation of it for it may sooner and more easily be concluded from your tenets then any of ours who hold the Law to be inviolable but this may appear afterward 2. If their name be from hence then if you prove them not guilty of the Abrogation of the Law you and others have falsly accused and standered them for Antinomians and now you for ever quit them from that aspersion I will be bold before the encounter if he that shall prove guilty of the abrogation of it in whole or in part shall be the Antinomian then mutato nomine de te narratur fabula look to your self Mr. B. Paul maketh an objection and he doth it for this end to take away the calumny and reproach cast upon him by his Adversaries as one that would destroy the Law Do we make void the Law Answ If you and your partners in your ministery did go with a right foot in the foot in the Gospel or tread in his steps the same would be charged upon you and you might be glad to pretend or wipe off such aspersions Hoc nomine pessime audiebat inter Judaeos non mode Paulus sed Dominus queque ipse acsi tota sua praedicatione legis abrogationem moliretur Nunquam tanta cautio c. Christ himself saith Calvin who is the wisdom of God could not so preach the doctrine of free-Grace but some took occasion from his words as you from ours to say or think he destroyed the Law hence was that prohibition Do not think I came to destroy the Law Matth. 5.17 Do you think your self more wise or wary in your Preaching then Christ or Paul was if not suspect your self in that you bear not the like reproach When innocency is thus traduced Presertim ver◠facile obtinet falsa hac imaginatio inter vos qui prepostera legis intelligentia c. Calv. and condemned quis stabit The Disciple is not above his Master if Christ and Paul were counted Antinomians Abrogaters of the Law who will not take up the same Cross And it is remarkeable by whom they were so opposed and aspersed even by the preposterous Zelots of Moses Law a generation which ever have and will hinder the free passage of the Gospel and disturb the peace of the Church like Cain Ishmael c. I thought here to have ended Sic ergo nes meminerimus Evangelium dispensare ut nostro decendi modo lex stabiliatur sed nulla alia firmitaetu quam fide Christi suffulta Id. but that in the closure I observe that you approve of Austins intepretation viz. The Law is established because by the Gospel we obtain grace in some measure to fulfill the law we obtain it not then by the Law and do obtain by faith in Christ still not by the Law then obedience in some degree to it Your eyes are strangely holden if you see not how this interpretation maketh fully for us and wholly against your self You adde Which obedience though it be not the Covenant of grace yet is the way to salvation Now there is nothing out of the covenant of grace can be proved to be in a strict and prosense the way to salvation Ubi ad Christum ventum est primum i◠eo invenitur exacta legi◠justitia quae por imputationem etiam nostra sit deinde sanctificatio qua sermantur cordae nostra ad legis observantiam c. Calv. To believe in Christ is the onely way to it Act. 16.31 Mark 16. Christ dwelleth in the heart by faith and he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life Joh. 3.36 By attributing too much to the Law and our works you obscure the glory of Christ and of free-grace mingle Law and Gospel entangle and deject the hearts of the faithfull carry them from Christ and that union in spirit with him hinder the right exercise of faith and prayer c. for you teach that by the Law we receive grace conversion sanctification so that the Law enliveth filleth buildeth satisfieth It doth not make us poor feeble humble empty nothing in our selves that so we may seek out for all receive and live by faith in Christ our head grow up in him and so be built up in this way of
faith to the everlasting Kingdom You thus swerve from the truth and the old and good way LECT XXII ROM 3.31 Do we then make void the Law Here you tell us It is hard to set up Christ and grace and not thereby to be thought to destroy the Law But it is easie with who was never suspected 2. You say Your Antinomians still are mistaken in this point and plunged into a dangerous errour You should make your words good and discover the errour if not help them out we expect this from you 3. But now like blind Sampson unto whose fact you allude you have raised a doctrine which will lead you to lay your hands on the chiefe pillars of the Antinomian edifice Mr. B. The question then at this time to be discussed is whether the Law be abrogated or no by Christ to the believers under the Gospel Answ Who would question it for Christ came not to destroy the Law but taught that every Apex or lota of it is imperishable Matth. 5.17 18. Indeed your doctrine is the Law is deprived of all power to justifie accuse or accurse but who can receive it If these be no tittle or part of the Lawd understand nothing And yet you tell us often of promises of great rewards for your legall obedience and good works cherefore there is a power to justifie command and bless established by you or else which I rather think your tenets be inconsistent and mutually overthrow each other Mr. B. If we would speak exactly and properly we cannot say in any good sense that the Morall Law is abrogated at all Answ If you would keep there denying according to the truth of the Scripture any mitigation at all either totall or partiall we might soon agree shake hands and lay down our weapons Mr. B. We may say it is mitigated Answ It is then because your Tongues are your own or that you will speak before God say so and so without your Warrant Such teaching of mitigating and Evangelizing the Law of Gods accepting the will for deed c. hath occasioned such dangerous confusion of Law and Gospel these sad controverfies in the Church much instabilitie and many mistakes in the peoples minds c. Mr. B. But you must still distinguish when we speak of the Law some parts of it from the whole Some parts of it may be abolished and yet not the whole nature of it for there are in the Law these parts 1. Commands 2. Promises of life to him that doth them 3. The threatnings of eternal death to him that faileth Now the Morall Law although it be abrogated in respect of the two later to a believer yet in respect of the former it doth still abide yea and will continue in Heaven it self as we have already proved that one part of the Law may abide when the other doth not Answ Like Foundation like Building This makes all your opposition dispute and discourse so weak and soon annihilated in that your ground is so faulty and failing 1. Why are you so inconsiderate thus to distinguish where God doth not and so audacious as to mutilate his good Law which he delivered and would have still to be preserved entire and perfect 2. All this tendeth to nothing but to make the Kingdom and way of the Law so easie and tolerable that the soul may here find a requiem where to settle her abode and never enjoy nor come to Christ and dwell under his shadow and Kingdom where Grace through his righteousness reigneth to eternall life Rom. 5.21 3. What is the reason your discourse is so loose and improper did you not even now tell us that to speak properly and exactly we cannot say in any good sense the Morall Law is abrogated and have you so soon forgotten what you said or are you regardless of any good sense or propriety of words You make three parts I would know what parts they may be called Homogeneal all of them truely law as a drop of the Ocean is as verily water as the whole Sea or Heterogeneal as Timber and Stones be parts of a House but not of the same kinde and nature in themselves and the Soul and Body be two essential parts constituting the man yet the one as flesh the other as spirit and not of one of these alone but the compositum of both is the man So here I demand when you tell us we must distinguish some parts of the Law from the whole Whether these parts be essentiall and requisite to the making or constituting of the whole Law If these three be all parts then to take away two will mutilate if not destroy the whole Law the whole consisting but of three cannot be entire and perfect having lost two And the rather I ask this because pag. 139. you say but prove not for it is not your manner your Disciples and so all other must be jurati in verba Magistri that the Law most strictly taken is meer Mandative without any promises at all Now if the meer Mandative be a Law why do you call the other two there excluded as not needfull parts of it and not rather with Dr. Tailer appendices to it 4. To distinguish between part and part may be granted and usefull but as to distinguish between soul and body between Christ and his Church or between the signe and grace in the Sacrament but to separate and sunder one part from the the other you know here its intoleable and destructive and you so distinguish that you plainly separate and cut off two parts from the third as abolished And yet the whole nature of the Law remaineth if we can believe you not abrogated to the believer you have often put your Adversarie to reconcile his tenets when there was no such cause as you see here is to agree yours The Law in regard of the threats and promises say you is abrogated a very bold assertion which never can be made good When you promise eternall life unto every good work a believer doth as pag. 40. is it not a legall and conditionall promise so as no good work no eternall life and how then can you here say that the promises of the Law be abrogated to a believer And when a believer with Noah David Lot c. doth fall into open and scandalous offences do you not threaten and terrifie him that he may be moved and stirred up if he be secure to seek for healing by faith in the blood of Christ And doth not this also convincingly argue that the reproofs and threats of the Law are of force and not abrogated Lastly if the preceptive part continue in Heaven you cannot say that justice there shall be without power for the two other also what though it doth not actually condemn any Is God without power to make another World because he maketh it not And whereas you say That you have already proved two parts to be abrogated and one still abiding you either forget
curse and condemn yet it hath power to rule command and direct 4. The Law with the preface and promise added to it was given as a Covenant of Grace 5. The Law is taken most strictly for that is meer mandatory without any promise at all 6. God doth use his Law as he doth his whole word to beget and to increase the life of Grace 7. While a Minister is preaching any commandment he doth thereby mould and new-frame the heart 8. I suppose that Christ hath obtained of God by his death that such efficacy and vertue should go forth in the Ministery that whether it be Law or Gospel the souls of men may be healed and converted thereupon 9. I cannot yeild to that that the Law worketh only preparatorily 10. There was never in the Church of God meer pure Law or meer pure Gospel 11. Onely two things go to the essence of a Law 1. Direction 2. Obligation 12. In the Moral Law is required justifying Faith Repentance and our Sacraments be commanded in the second Commandment 13. The Moral Law containeth more then the Law of Nature 14. Good works are necessary to Salvation in regard of the presence of them 15. Our holy duties have a promise of pardon and eternal life not because of their worth but yet of their presence 16. To every godly action thou dost there is a promise of eternal life 17. Goods works be conditions without which a man cannot be saved 18. Good works are in their owne nature a defence against sin and corruption 19. Our good works be a motive moving God as a King that preferreth one that saluteth him 20. The State of reparation cannot be absolutely said to be better then that in innocency 21. We are not by Christ more righteous then Adam was or imputed righteousness though infinite in Christ is only imputed to us for that we lost and ought to have and we need no more 22. The Gospel makes known Christ and then the Law thus as it were illightned by the Gospel doth fasten a command upon us to believe in Christ Mr. Rutherf 23. Gods decree of grace in the execution of it may be broken in a linke by some great sin but Christ cannot but soder the chain and raise the fallen sinner 24. The Law hath power to convert by the Spirit 25. Sinners remaining in that damnable state are not to believe but as thus qualified that is humbled wearied self-condemned onely 26. Yet though thou were upon the borders of hell the Gospel excepts thee not from the duty of believing and coming to Christ They that sin against the holy Ghost are condemned for unbelief 27. Saving humiliation is conjoyned with Christ Dr. Tayeler A man may get from under his dangerous state by the attaining and exercise of three saving Graces Faith Repentance and inchoate obedience Repentance wipes off old scores repealeth all the actions of the Law getteth all sins cast into the bottom of the Sea Inchoate obedience hath promise of acceptance and is accounted as full and compleat obedience to the Law The way to escape the yoke and coaction of the Law is to become a cheerful and free observer of it That these are not of the substance of the Law but circumstances appendce and consequences viz. 1. That the Law yoaketh every man to a personal performance of it 2. To exact personal and perfect obedience upon pain of eternal death 3. To urge and force it self upon the conscience with fear and terror 4. That no life or salvation must be expected by the Law but by keeping it wholly and exactly 5. That the Law arraignes and condemnes the sinner and is the Ministery of death Without the law no man can know what God is nor his worship nor how to perform duties Good works be conditions of blessedness Mr. Bedford Christ hath freed us provided that men by faith lay hold on Christ keep close to him and walk according to those rules of holiness that he hath prescribed for in so doing we obtain what the Law promised life and salvation Believers are not under that condition of full and perfect obedience but under a condition of sincerity of obedience The Law as circumstantial viz. as it is a covenant of life and death is abolishod Mr. Bl. in serm Christ came to save none but holy ones Setting up of Familiy-duties like the sprinkling of the blood of the Paschal lamb will keep out the destroying Angel Mr. All. sem As Christ was glorified because he first glorified his Father so we must first glorifie God by our obedience and serve him if we will be saved There is a general equity that if God save any he save them that serve him To be glorified of God is to be received into communion have acceptance peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost Adoption and the inheritance these we shall have by honouring and serving of God here so that by honouring God we do good to our selves Mr. No. The law is the word of Grace that bringeth salvation Grace cometh by the Law as well as by Gospel And so expounded those Texts Tit. 2.11 2 Cor. 6.1 Act 20.32 Mr. H. God made man for happiness and the Law must be his rule and guide unto it The Covenant of Grace is not absolute and free but upon condition of our good works or works are considerations or Causa sine qua non as when a great treasure is promised for going a hundred miles The Covenant of works requireth perfect obedience and the condition of the covenant of Grace is at least a purpose and endeavour to keep the Commandments The Lord give us a good understanding in all things and make us rightly to discern between things that differ To God belongeth glory for ever Amen FINIS Monomachia OR A Single REPLY To Mr. RUTHERFORD'S Book CALLED Christ's dying and drawing of Sinners Vindicating and clearing onely such Positions and Passages in The Assertion of Grace as are palpably mistaken and perverted and so mis-called ANTINOMIAN Wherein also it appeareth that the Adversaries dealing is neither just nor candid By Robert Towne Luke 6.22 23. Blessed are ye when men hate you and when they separate you and revile you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of man's sake Rejoyce ye in that day c. for after this manner their fathers did to the Prophets Joh. 9 39. And Jesus said For judgement I am come into this world that they which see not might see and they which see might be made blinde James 3.14 15. If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lye not against the Truth This wisdom descendeth not from above c. Qui aliorum verba calumniantur illi arte alium fingunt ac formant sermonem quà m ab co quem calumniantur est dictus Moll Jac. 3.14 Aemulationem dixit amaram quia non regnat nisi dum veneno malignitatis infecti sunt ut omnia in amarulentiam
to affirm and maintain it and with a smal touch he there passeth it over And here he saith The Law it self converts not No more doth the Gospel it self as he often saith without the spirit This is as if with Mr. Burgess he meanes that either Law of Gospel is the Spirits instrument for conversion and that we may preach either for that end Mr. Rutherford is unwilling to speak out Loquere ut videam 3. If the Spirit by the Gospel conform us to the rule of the Law It s then true that the Law is a passive rule but not active as actuating to effectuate this thus you grant what I asserted and oppose without cause But at last you tell us the Apostle never speaks of our freedom from the Law as it doth regulate direct and lead us Reply Now this overthroweth what you said even now viz. That the Spirit by the Gospel doth direct and lead us in the way of the Law for then the Law doth not actively lead us Mr. T. pag. 9. What freeth a believer from the curse but because he is a new Creature Mr. Rutherf That new creation is sanctification 2 Cor. 5.17 not justification If any be in Christ that is if he be justified he is a new creature that is sanctified or else by the Antinomian gloss the meaning must be If a man be justified in Christ he is justified in Christ Paul speaks not so non-sense Reply This new creature is the man changed in himself and his state Sanctification is not a new creation but a new qualifying of a man It begets him not nor recreates him not to God nor yet delivereth him from under the curse makes him not the child of God restoreth him not into favour nor doth make him Heir Co-heir with Christ c. See your errour 2. To be justified and to be in Christ is not all one as your gloss is they differ as the cause and the effect or as the antecedent and consequent To be in Christ imports union which is before justification Or it is insition that work of the Father Joh. 15.1 that being ingrafted into him he may partake of his righteousness and holiness both imputatively and inherently if I may use the Aristotelian word More sound or probable is their judgement who teach that regeneration includeth both justification and sanctification Mr. Rutherf How shall it follow that Christ hath loosed us from all debt of active obedience because he hath loosed us from a necessity of perfect active obedience but the Law is spiritualized and lustred with the Gospel Law and free-grace and drawn down to a Covenant of free-grace requires not nor exacts upon perfect obedience under pain of losing salvation It requires obedience as the poor man is able to give it by the grace of God that the man may enter in the possession of eternal life Reply I Reply You can shew no text nor reason why Christ looseth not from imperfect as well as perfect obedience and that from active as well as passive Nay if from prefect much more may we argue from imperfect 2. If our state and case be well considered we are spiritually so poor that we are as unable to pay pence as pounds It is all one to a dead man whether life be tendered unto him upon condition of moving his least finger or the removing of a great Mountain and this is our case Again you can produce no Law 1 That requires not perfect obedience 2 That calls not for obedience as a proper condition of life Do and live 3 That threatens not death upon the least failing in any Iota But you let all see your new divinity 1 I must obey but not perfectly 2 The Law is spiritualized c. drawn down to a Covenant of free-grace 3 No more is required of the poor man then he can give c. Vltra posse viri non vult Deus ulla requirt Thus grace is abrogated promise made void and faith is of no effect Mr. Rutherf Paul sheweth what Law we are freed from of sinne and death and saith Christ died for this end Rom. 8 4. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Whence I argue Those that ought to fulfill the righteousness of the Law by walking after the Spirit and mortifying the deeds of the flesh are not freed from the Law as a rule of righteousness Reply The strength of sinne is the Law 1 Cor. 15.56 2 Christ dyed that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us imputatively or grant inherently yet if this be the end and fruit of Christs death as you say then the Law is no active cause of it but the power of Christs death effecteth it And though this righteousness be for matter one with the Law yet still the Law is but a rule passively according to which the believer is conformed and regulated it not actively regulating Also active walking in the Law is but the expression and effect of sanctification and not properly sanctification it self Adam made holy lived accordingly from that inward form his holy life made him not holy Neither is our holy life to procure or preserve peace favour life as the Law propoundeth requireth it for these consist in faith alone which findeth and enjoyeth Christ to be such a true fulness and All-sufficiency to the soul that self by him and with him is satisfied and so needs no ends of its own in working and obeying Joh. 6.35 He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst Mr. Rutherf We are freed from the Law being once justified so the Antinomians whatever we do is not against a Law or rule the law gives a dispensation to do those things being justified which the unjustified cannot do but in doing it they sinne because the unjustified are under the law as a rule of justice which we are not under We have an Antidated dispensation to sinne Reply You straine your wit if not conscience to make quidlibet ex quolibet But I say Take justification in the full latitude and extent of it or consider a Christian still as justified and so he is freed from under the Law but if you speak of or consider him in his active righteousness of works so as you bring him under the Law so he sinneth yea and is judged and condemned by the Law and you must raise him and bring him up to his justified state ere he can be free and secure from the curse Justification extends to all sins at all times throughout the whole life But it s false that I give an Antidated dipensation that is your indirect inference If you put the believer under the Law as he sinneth like the unjustified so the Law threatneth and curseth both equally Though you tell us unwarrantably of your bare word that the Law hath power to rule where it hath no power to condemn then we may live securely in sin or the works
stay out my Quarter yet I did and then a Writ was procured from the Colonels to apprehend and imprison me My offer was To let me have justice and I would justifie what I taught and held and let them see their errours an easie thing to do but they refused Then I went to London with intention to Petition the Parliament but friends who had better intelligence and experience disswaded and deterred me So finding little hope of relief I returned and removed my family into Yorkshire so giving place to their fiery zeal Gentle Reader I have presumed on thy patience in setting down these passages by which it is clear that they seek themselves and not Christ and his Truth and chuse rather to use Club-law as did Cain the false Prophets Pharisees and Hypocrites in all times of persecution to extinguish or suppress the light of heaven then that it should discover their nakedness and shame If thou ask Why are they bent and enraged more against you Antinomians then any other Sect Answ They can tell thee great things and would have thee believe we are unworthy to live in any Commonwealth But the truth is and many of them cannot be ignorant of it we teach onely what is Orthodox and the old-received truths of God And do desire no more favour then what Justice can deny to none viz. leave to speak for our selves before we be condemned Onely they see the inconsistencie of divers of our Tenets with theirs and Dagon or the Ark must fall And how questionable and unjustifiable their assertions are to any indifferent capacity viewing and considering them in the true light and therefore would put out our Candie It would make a Christian face to blush or his heart rather to bleed to hear what stuff they can put off and vent in their Sermons I resorted to their Exercises divers yeers yet never heard one doctrine of Free-grace of Christ Faith or Justification Legal Reformation is taken for Regeneration and Evangelical Sanctification I have spoken with old and zealous prosessors who knew not what it was to be justified by faith except this was the meaning of it That God would accept of them for their good works and duties If any one which yet Nature is principled for be framed and brought somwhat into a Legal way to performances he is judged a true Convert and may set up his rest If they do well they tell you they can believe sufficiently upon their kinde of works they build their faith The Law is not preached as the ministry of death to cast down and to kill that Christ may be the life and spiritual resurrection but the life that most speak of is to live and walk in the Law yet Paul saith I by the Law am dead to the Law that I may live to God Gal. 2.19 I am resolved of this that if people had experience of a sensible death working in them by the Law and that nothing but the curse and wrath could be had in their works and ways and had felt as sensibly a reviving and quickning in the faith and apprehension of Christ there would be little ground of difference remaining but till that be or at least that the Law be preached for death and not for life and peace as too many do how can the controversie be ended But flesh and blood may object What good success can I promise to this my enterprise I go against the full tyde and violent current of humane policie and learning of such a religious multitude all being combined and conspiring against me Are not my adversaries in number infinite rarely qualified admired for sanctity and zeal backed and invested with worldly Authority countenanced by the times and the sole-esteemed pillars of the Church What am I how dare I oppose them Who is my Patron My answer is 1. I do not come forth in mine own name or strength nor measure my self with them for then hope of prevailing is gone But when God is set against them and his invincible Verity so opposed by them how vain and light then are all these powers and excellencies 2. I have been carried against the stream almost these twenty yeers yet they could not prevail by reason of the Lords strength and presence 3. However the voyage fall out I have not much left to lose onely my outward liberty in part and a few days it may be of my natural life can be in jeopardy And hath the sacred Truth of God and the desired good of his Church been so prevalent that for their sakes I have sustained such loss suffered so many things already and shall I now shrink or be unwilling to sacrifice the loan of what is remaining The Lord leave me not to that temptation 4. In all their opposition I see nothing to convince but am rather thereby confirmed They would see a mote in Dr. Crisp's eye but will not see a beam in their own If to my self I were guilty of any their unworthy imputations or of doing or yet offering a hundredth part of that wrong I received from them or if my conscience did not witness with me that I had sought to give unto them all possible satisfaction more then was desired or would be accepted of then I should not have that inward peace and contentment which now I enjoy And 5. lastly why should I desire a Patron and so become injurious to any in engaging them or rendering them to be suspected I know the Truth is able to protect it self and the servant of it and further then I am found in the way of Verity I seek no shelter The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe Prov. 18.10 Thou Lord hast seen it for thou beholdest mischief and spite to requite it with thy hand The poor committeth himself unto thee thou art the helper of the fatherless Psal 10.14 R. Towne Vindiciae Evangelii OR The Vindication of the Gospel from the unjust Censure and all Aspertions of A 〈◊〉 ntinomy Or A Reply to Mr ANTH BURGESSE'S Vindiciae Legis c. SIR YOur other Advantages are many but God and his Truth are with us therefore we may be confident in our just Cause and Quarrel and the Victory is certainly ours Your whole Colledg and Assembly approve of and commend your Book that is I confess cause of sadness and grief to my spirits but not one jot of terror Truth is of more weight and authority with me then the Consent and Judgment of all the Learning and Principalities in the world and as Luther writ to K. H. 8. I prefer one Paul before a thousand Thom. Scotus c. You anticipate our expectation of your future Reply in your Preface to the Reader I hope you will not for I perceive by this that the light of Truth hath almost overcome you a little more glory of it may happily both convince and convert also But your Ground or Reason of not Replying
grant the Law to be a perpetual and inviolable Rule of Righteousness but that it is a Rule to a Believer quatenus talis he will not grant 2. It is true it hath vim praecepti as well as doctrinae and so it hath vim damnandi a power to curse as he there affirmeth and you neither have nor can refute M. B. What will he say to the Law given to Adam who yet was righteous and innocent and therefore could not be cursing or condemning of him Ans You mean not that the Law had no power to curse and condemn because Adam was innocent for you grant it had that potentially though not actually If then it did not actually curse it was not because the Law wanted that power but in that state of innocency there was no place nor reason actually to curse Henceforth wonder not at the Author for saying the Law hath power to curse which is denyed by Dr Taylor and your self but wonder at your own oversight who while you would oppose and confute your Adversary do grant and affirm all he requireth And yet in your Lect. 6. you deny this power to curse to be any essential part of the Law When Adam had sinned whether did the Law actually condemn or no If yes I demand then whether it were by that authority and power it had before or some new and further power was given it upon the fall Did not the Law say to him yet in innocency What day thou eatest of that tree thou shalt dye Gen. 2. How was it that it threatened death and forbad the eating under such a fearful penalty if it had yet no power to execute and inflict the same You must now yield and cease or fight on with your own shadow M. B. In respect of the Vse of the Law to Believers It hath this Vse 1. To excite and quicken them against all sin and corruption c. because none of the godly are perfectly righteous and there is none but may complain of his dull love and his faint delight in holy things therefore the Law of God by commanding doth quicken him c. Have not Believers Crookedness Hypocrisie Luke-warmness Ans The love of God in Christ revealed and shed abroad in the heart doth quicken but the simple Command of the Moral Law can never effect what you say He that loveth the Lord hateth sin but we love the Lord not by reason of the Law requiring it but because he hath loved us first 1 Ioh. 4.19 and that we be born of God and know God in his Son It 's strange Divinity that the flesh and wickedness of our nature should be cured or weakened by the Law It may discover the malady or disease but not remedy it Put the Law to the old man it will revive and quicken it indeed but not to goodness if we may believe either Scripture or our own experience The strength of sin is the Law 1 Cor. 15.56 And Rom. 7.9 When the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed Such is the poysonful enmity in us by the first Adam that it maketh head against the plaister of the Law being applyed unto it The old man or flesh is enmity to God and all goodness Rom. 8.7 and the more it is stirred and quickened by the Law the more it is enraged But contrarily the Head of the Body that is the Church is Christ from whom it hath nourishment ministred and so increaseth with the encrease of God and by this means the body of sin is weakened and abolished Colos 2.19 Our Sanctification is not begun nor perfected by legal precepts and pressings but by our true and effectual union with Christ Ioh. 15.4 As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me Verse 5. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing M. B. In the third Use of the Law pag. 9. How absurd then are they that say the preaching of the Law is to make men trust in themselves and to adhere to their own righteousness Ans It may be truly said that too many so preach the Law that they establish mans righteousness for this is in the mouth of divers The Minister saith Do well and have well and we are taught That the way to come to glory in Heaven is to glorifie God on Earth by good works Christ saveth none but holy ones c. If the Law were used to discover sin not to cover it to weaken and destroy not to strengthen and build up to binde and cast out not to loose release and admit if the Vail were taken off Moses face and the glory of God in his fiery and terrible Law did break forth so that all found it to be a Ministration of death and condemnation this would be a mean to kill and overthrow all self-confidence and boasting But who doth make that use of it Not one of twenty and your self cannot receive the Law and digest it under such a terrifying and damning notion M. B. pag. 11. The Antinomian before he speaks any thing against or about the Law must shew in what sence the Apostle useth it Ans Your Antinomian is as good a friend to the Law as your self neither do you nor yet can you make it appear that he speaks one word against the Law You are too bold in saying that the Apostle argueth against the Law in any sence but if you so charge him your Conscience may give way to slander us M. B. 5 Caution pag. 13. To distinguish between a Believer and his personal acts Believers sins are condemned they are guilty of Gods wrath though not their persons Ans This your nice and groundless distinction was Dr Taylors shift as it is yours You might have seen the vanity of it in the Assertion of Grace or at least have considered how to satisfie the Objections against it before you present the world with it afresh 1. The Scripture maketh the guilt and curse to redound upon the person as Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every man that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them 2. In your dayly repentance or confession you make in your prayers do you not judg and condemn your self for your sins whereof Conscience doth accuse you What a strange expression is it that sins are guilty of Gods wrath 3. If no guilt redound upon the person there is no more need of Christs blood to cleanse acquit and justifie and to be a continual propitiation for sin The Promise is vain and Faith of no effect unless you will say that you believe dayly to secure not your person but your sins from wrath 4. And the true reason why the sin guilt and curse redound upon any person is because he is put and placed under the Law which revealeth wrath and why all is kept off the Believer it
is not because the Law hath lost its power to accuse and condema as you would bear us in hand but because he is not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 Gal. 4.4 Christ hath satisfied for him taking all his sins guilt and curse unto and upon himself and God hath justified and set him free so he liveth in peace and at rest by Faith in Christ who loved him and gave himself to redeem him Also the grace and benefit of his Justification doth in some sort redound upon the actions of a Believer For was it not by his Faith that Abels sacrifice pleased God Heb. 11.4 There is no such purity perfection or dignity in the best thing you can do which of it self simply considered can procure or finde acceptance with God The Scripture and all Orthodox Divinity do hold forth Christ only as the ground and reason of all acceptation of man his works and ways 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye are an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ You say Dr Crisp is wide and see not your self out of the way of Truth and Charity A man under grace is no more under the Law he is dead to the Law that he may live to God Gal. 2.19 M. B. 6 Caution Law is not to be decryed because we have no power to keep the Law Ans Who cryeth down or speaketh against the Law You cannot shew or name any And who are so much against the Law as your selves who are become vain and needless Advocates for it The blinde Pharisees pretended most zeal for God and his Law who were yet in the state of enmity and by reason of their inward malice and envy against Christ opposition and hatred of the truth of his Doctrine false accusations and seeking to entangle and bring him into danger they lived in the continual breach of the Law Well it is too evident that you with thousand others of your Fraternity cease not to quarrel with except against and to condemn us for Antinomians and yet no demonstrative proof is extant of any such Error or guilt It is easie to lay on load of accusation upon Innocency it self hence such aspersions and indignities cast upon David Paul and that immaculate Lamb Christ himself if the corrupt heart within give way and be bent thereunto How weak is thy heart seeing thou hast done all these things Ezek. 16. The weakest and worst sort have been the most zealous and confident accusers We know say the Jews that this man Christ is a sinner Joh. 9.24 yet they knew no such thing by him What accusation saith Pilate bring you against this man They answered If he were not a Malefactor we would not have delivered him unto thee Ioh. 18.29.30 If so many of that Religion say it it is unquestionably true though there be no reality nor jot of verity in the accusation yet know it that it is an Antinomian part to slander and miscal and to make no crime to appear Thus may the greatest delinquency and guilt of Antinomianism be layd at yours and your fellows doors There is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom you trust Joh. 5.45 M. B. Ibid. It is an expression that an Antinomian * Dr. Crisp useth The Law saith he speaketh to thee if troubled for sin Do this and live Now this is as if a Judg should bid a Malefactor If thou wilt not be hanged take all England and carry it upón your shoulders into the West Indies What comfort were this Now doth not the Gospel when it bids a man believe speak as impossible a thing to a mans power Answ Doth the Doctor in this saying decry the Law Your own words and judgment too do import the like impossibility What a sinister minde is this But all if voyd of prejudice and partiality may clearly see by this his expression that Doctor Crisps main desire design and scope was to instruct erect and comfort a poor distressed and troubled Soul and that therefore he so applyed and ministred Gospel-Cordials Observe the ground and reason of his words if thou be troubled for sin and then you have no cause so to reprove and censure him as you do 2. His counsel and direction differ much from theirs of your way who in such a case bid the dejected man to desire promise and endeavor his utmost to do and walk according to the Law and so put him in hope of mercy in that as it is taught the Law is mitigated Evangelized God accepteth the will for the deed c. The Doctor wisely telleth him of the impossibility of making his peace that way knowing also how apt every one is to take that course that so he may utterly despair of himself self-doings and active righteousness and more readily hearken to the voyce and tydings of the Gospel only And 3. though to believe be as impossible to mans natural power yet it followeth not but that he is rightly put upon the believing the Gospel as Paul did bid the Jaylor Act. 16. to believe in the Lord Jesus that he might be saved The believing way is the only way of life peace and Salvation and the Gospel is to be preached for the obedience of Faith Rom. 1.5 You seek a knot in a rush M. B. 7 Caution I much wonder at one speaking thus The Law doth not only deprive us of comfort but it will let no body else speak a word of comfort because it is a rigid keeper and he consirmeth it by that place Gal. 3.23 But how short this is appeareth 1. Because what the Apostle calleth the Law here he called the Scripture in general before 2. He speaks it generally of all under that form of Moses his Regiment so that the fathers should have no comfort by that means Answ Your Margin might have directed us to the Author or Book if not to the page and place where that had been candid for the circumstances there would have given much light Many sentences of your own if singled separated from what precedeth would speak strangely and make a harsh sound I think that the expression which occasioneth so much admiration in you is either D Crisps or some other reputed Antinomians and his words are Allegorical Though Pauls friends had free access and might minister unto him Acts 24.23 yet many a Martyr in Queen Maries time had not that favor So the Law being a spiritual Jaylor to the Conscience suffereth none in a Legal way to comfort it no work no duty performance or reformation nor man nor Angel The Law came by Moses but Grace Pardon Peace Favor Life Consolation by Jesus Christ 2. That place Gal. 3.23 doth sufficiently confirm it and hath been used for that purpose by such Divines as you have no exception against 3. Your Reasons are invalid For first That Scripture in general is the Law or nothing in the Scripture but the Law which concludeth all under sin Verse 22.
Secondly Grant that it is meant of all even the fathers also under that regiment according to the History and it is true that they had no comfort that way but by that hope to be brought in afterward Heb. 7.19 Therefore the phrase is They waited for the Consolation Luk. 2.25 and looked for Redemption Verse 38. Yet besides that there is a mystical and spiritual meaning of that place as is granted by most and therefore it was alledged M. B. 1 Use of Instruction Law is good if used lawfully c. Answ And is this a lawful use of it to nick-name and miscal your Brother slander falsly accuseth him saying He is against the Law destroyeth it maketh it contrary Christ and his Gospel c. Look on your inward disposition frame of spirit and such outward expressions as these wherewith you have so presented mens eyes and ears by Pulpit and Press in this crystal glass and shame may cover your face and you be brought to such silence that you dare never open your mouth in this way LECTURE II. 1 Tim. 1.8 9. Knowing the Law is good c. Mr. B. In his first way of abusing the Law He preacheth the Law unprofitably not only that darkeneth it with obscure questions but that doth not teach Christ by it and I see not but that Ministers may be bumbled that they have pressed religious duties but not so as to set up Christ and hereby people have been content with Duties and Sacraments though no Christ in them Ans 1. I dare appeal to any of your constant Hearers or to the diligent Reader of this your Book whether any though you pretend the contrary did more darken the Law with obscure questions and vain-jangling about it 2. You are singular that will have a Minister teach Christ by the Law We may all come to your School to learn this new way I muse what a Christ the Law setteth forth it is most like you mean the setting up of Christ by pressing religious duties as your own and next expression is which is a most strange yea and impossible way to any that knoweth or ever received Christ truly 3. I would take you in the best sence if I could yet make any good and sound sence of your words Have you perceived indeed any such failing in Ministers that they may be humbled for pressing dutyes so as they have not set up Christ Your Charge is heavy on whomever it lighteth but you are so wise as to beware of putting your hand into that Hornet's nest for fear they flie not also about your ears save your skin and meddle not too much with that Noli me tangere If I preach Circumcision why do I yet suffer persecution then is the offence of the Crosse ceased Gal. 5.11 But you would have religious duties pressed so as a Christ may be in them what and not a Christ without them a naked Christ But Christ invested and clothed with works as Mr. Fox his complaint was to Queen Elizabeth yea first a Christ and then duties Let the poor sinful miserable and lost soul first be united and married to him in whom dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead and in whom she is then compleat wanting nothing Col. 2.9 10. then tell of duties The true Christ wil be all or none he will be alone without the joyning or mixture of duty as Christ hath satisfied the Father so that in him he is well pleased so are we to preach him and the unsearchable treasures in him that he alone may satisfie the Conscience give true rest to the soul be the way to favor peace and life and be the reason and ground of all respect and acceptance thus a dejected and distressed soul may know and receive him aright and finde sure and everlasting consolation and then may your duties and performances have their due place ends and praise with no danger But if you can make all your duties of pure and meer Christ you are a strange Alchymist this is such Chymical Divinity that I cannot skill of nor well understand Lastly You say people have been contented with Duties and Sacraments though no Christ in them still laying the blame of this upon the Ministers What I except against here is that your words import the people should have Christ in duties as he is in Sacraments which is dangerous or at least doubtful in the meaning As duties do differ much from Sacraments duties being our work what is wrought in and by the Sacraments is properly Gods Act so Christ is so present in the Sacraments that there he is represented and exhibited which I hope you will not affirm of your duties You have many such dark and difficult phrases which the simple by mistaking may be mislead Mr. B. 5. When they do oppose it to Christ c. and to compound Christ and the Law together is to make opposition there can no more be two Suns in the Firmament then two things to justifie there the reconciliation of the Law and Christ cannot be in matter of justification by way of mixture Answ As the Iews error was to oppose the Law to Christ in justification so it is your Error to oppose them in sanctification which you contend to be by the Law Christ of God is made unto us as Righteousness so Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 2. If their composition of Christ and Law was opposition can your compounding of them be any other yea you include Christ in the Law which they never did 3. As two things cannot justifie so Christ and Law both cannot sanctifie therefore the reconciliation of Christ and the Law cannot be neither in matter of Sanctification by way of mixture M. B. In 8 way thus And certainly for this twofold end I may think God suffers this Antinomian Error to grow 1. That Ministers may humble themselves that they have not set forth Christ and grace in all the glory of it How much more may we say that in many Sermons in many mans Ministry the drift and end of all his preaching is not that Christ may be advanced Answ The Error is yours who call light darkness We belong to Christs Barn-sloore Aliquis suit usus in illo your loose tongue is not the Fan to seperate nor can all this boisterous winde blow us away The Doctrine is of God you had need take heed how you fight against it he hath planted it and will defend and water it therefore it shall take root flourish and prosper what you imagine or practise against it is a vaine thing Psal 2.12 There is an Election of Grace who shall receive it though others be blinded and hardened and for their sakes God will have it preached and dispread maugre all malice and spite of man And therefore Ministers may be humbled that they have so much doted upon the Law of works that Christ and the riches of his grace hath been like the chief Corner-stone despised by the builders It seemeth
you know many a mans Ministry guilty herein and about twenty years ago there were fourty for one now So hath God been pleased to cause the Sun of righteousness to come from under the clouds But be bold and let them hear it again they take you to be one of them a fellow-worker a friend your reproof will be well taken and digested much rather now then heretofore Mr. B. 2. Another end may be to have these truths beaten out more the grace of justification because not only of Papists but Antinomians Ans And why because of the Antinomians For their sakes doubtless it is that the most acceptable Doctrine of free grace doth so gloriously shine forth and also if the world have any more insight into that mystical Article of Justification by these labors of yours or of others of this kind thanks may be given to the Antinomians as you still call them Some preach Christ even of envy and strife and some also of good will the one preach Christ of contention not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds but the other of love Philip. 1.15 16. Mr. B. Luther speaks in his Commentary on Genesis much against Antinomists Answ But how unlike are your Antinomians to those even as you are to Luther Mr. B. But yet because people are fallen into a formality of truths it is good to set up Christ Answ Then if other truths were in power you see no need nor would have any care to set up Christ And what availe all other truths besides Christ who is all in all The great Apostle Paul desired to know among the Corinthians not any thing save Jesus Christ and him Crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 All other learning will spoile us if it be not after Christ Colos 2.8 Is there any foundation but Christ doth not all light life power peace consolation goodness felicity flow from Christ What a god or Idol rather do you or your people worship draw nigh unto know put confidence in out of Christ All religion and performances be as a dead and stinking carcase without faith in him Paul counted all other things but losse and dung for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus Philip. 3.8 But give ear you fellow-Ministers and professors all to what your Champion here saith If Christ had been truly set up such falling into formality would have been prevented and now no remedy against this grievous malady but the advancing of him Law and preaching of works never so zealously cannot effect the cure And yet observe how in the closure and first Use of this Lecture he saith How uncharitably and falsely many men charge it generally upon on our godly Ministers that they are nothing but justiciaries and leagal-preachers for do not all sound and godly Ministers hold forth this Christ this righteousness this way of justification c. may not these things be heard in our Sermons daily Now Sir compare that with this your own charge in this place also how then is it you so complain of formality for which cause you would have Christ set up how it is with you now I know not but let me add this That where I have been and there was no want of outward profession and zeal your choice professors etiam Theologi were so ignorant of justification the righteousness of faith and Christ that they sayd they never heard that Doctrine before And being examined further they replyed that their duties and serving of God was their faith and way of peace c. These were men of greatest note and long standing and seeing their error laid open their foundation sandy and their Babel like to fall many of them began to oppose and persecute some are yet alive And I continuing through the good hand of God in Lancashire where I frequented their monthly Exercises at two places yet did I never hear one Sermon of Christ or his righteousness nor no other way to peace and life but to Reform and Conform attending to the rule and precepts of the Law and this was for about the space of eight years In the same twentieth page you misinterpret that place Augmentum gratiae est in illa eminenâ— scientia Filiâ— Dei c. 2 Pet. 3.18 Grow in grace and in the knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ expounding grace to be the effect of grace or inherent holiness whereas the Apostle would have them to grow up and increase in that excellent knowledg of Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the world and of that grace and favor of God that is revealed and manifested in him LECTURE III. 1 Tim. 1.8 9. Knowing the Law is good if a man use it lawfully Mr. B. While our Protestant Authors were diligent in diging out that pretious gold of justification by free-grace out of the mine of the Scripture see what Canons the Councel of Trent made against them as Antinomian You may gather by these their Canons that we hold such opinions as indeed the Antinomian doth Answ The like is our case now For 1. As Luther seemed to have prophecyed truly of our times when he said that after his dayes the Doctrine of free-justification would be lost again as we know it so came to pass and of late years through the preaching and writing of some few it hath been happily revived and brought out of obscurity to open and clear light again yet what Cannons have been both made and shot off against those men and thousands cease not still to consult how to extinguish and suppress the same And 2. of what other spirit can you judg your selves to be then that Councel was led by while you account the same Doctrine Antinomian as they did and also practise to your utmost against it And yet whereas you grant that you hold such opinions-indeed which they condemned you confess your self an Antinomian indeed and cannot so clear your self as your Adversaries do M. B. But our writers answer Here they grosly mistake us Answ And if you do not yet the world may plainly see how you mistake and scandalize us And so ignorant are the most of free-grace and so legally principled that where the Papists stumble there they are offended also M. B. In 2 S. Now if all this were spoken to take men off from that general secret sin of putting confidence in the good works we do it were more tolerable Answ You love not the truth for it self simply but for some end that you like it may be tolerable 2. Yet if you hold and teach good works to be necessarie to salvation yea in regard of presence and that the promise of life is made unto them as you tell us I see no how that sin of confidence in them can be avoided For as my soul thinketh any thing needful to save me so far I will trust and lean to it But the truth is that Christ hath saved us the work is finished and done 2 Tim. 1.9 And God sendeth his Messengers
or Ministers forth to call men in that they may see the salvation of their God know all things are made ready fit down and rest securely comfortably and contentedly in the apprehension and injoyment of it Neither touching this matter can you finde more high expressions in Luther as you tearm them then in the New Testament see Matth. 22.4 All things are prepared Luk. 2.30 31. Mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people Eph. 2.8 9. He hath saved us By grace ye are saved not by works lest any man should boast It is you that are too low of Stature who cannot reach to salvation by simple believing and receiving it unless you be heightened and the hands of your faith be lengthened by good works and there is no fault in the highness of the expression I would learn of you how good works can be present when a lost sinner layeth hold on salvation or on Christ that he may be saved or what the presence of them can availe him or what good work was required of the Jaylor or found in him when trembling as truly wretched and undone and crying what he might do to be saved Paul bade him to believe in the Lord Jesus and he should be saved Act. 16.31 but of this more hereafter as occasion will be given M. B. S 3. If this were their ground of many unsavoury assertions among them c. Answ If you were not too dainty nice and quick in mis-apprehension our assertions would not effend you but be as savoury and acceptable as they be to others of as good judgment as your self M. B. That there may be injudiciousness in them as a cause in part of some their erroneous passages will appear in that they frequently speak contradictions Answ If you have greater perfection in judgment and other parts shame not nor disdain them that want neither be arrogant in your self you have nothing but what you received 2. In the undertaking and managing of this quarrel you bewray great weakness of judgment as all may perceive 3. If speaking of contradictions do argue injudiciousness this is more then evident in you I could give instance in many passages which I observed You condemn that assertion It 's no Law if it have no power as to command so to curse and yet with the same breath do say that a Law is alway condemning potentially though not actually If it be condemning potentially alway then it hath alway power do you not see your contradiction If it do not actually it is not because lex non est damnaus but for want of occasion And the like may be seen in your expressions about the Law and salvation by grace and by works c. Mr. B. ibid. This is a passage often but very dangerous That let a man be a wicked man even as high as enmity it self can make a man yet while he is thus wicked and while he is no better his sins are pardoned and he justified Yet in other passages Though a man be never so wicked yet if he come to Christ if he will take Christ his sins are pardoned Now what a contradiction is here To be wicked and while he is wicked and while he is no better and yet to take Christ unless they hold that to take Christ or to come to him be no good thing at all Answ 1. If you wanted not charity towards your Adversary you might have tolerated and accounted of such-like passages as you do of those high expressions in Luther and you pass by great mountains in Dr. Tayler as if no error were in him and are thus strict to finde out a mole-hil or mote in Dr. Crisp and yet can shew none This is out of no love to truth or hatred of error 2. Many things we say are tolerated in Luther for many special reasons and it is clear to me that the same grounds of toleration were in this Author you so except against 3. The injudiciousness seemeth here to be in you who see not to put a difference between a wicked mans disposition and his condition while he is thus wicked and no better to wit in his state and condition If he will come to Christ take Christ that argueth a change in disposition and will a minde to be delivered and freed from that so cursed and dangerous condition he is in 4. To come to Christ to take Christ be good for the wicked man for he hath no way else left for salvation but first he may thank him from whom that motion and perswasion came who gave him that heart and ability to come None can come to me unless the Father draw him Ioh. 6.45 And 2. If this be all the good you so plead for to come to Christ then he is wicked and no better nor otherwise till he come or begin and have a heart to come and so much his words import which might have prevented this wrangling if you pleased 5. Will you teach a man that this act of comming or taking Christ is a good thing in him to be looked at by him or that it is any whit satisfactory to the justice of the Law or available to the recovery of his lost soul and estate that he may put this act in and reckon it towards his discharge or justification or you will teach and tell him that Christ is all this unto whom he therefore cometh forthat purpose If a notorious Malefactor condemned to dye have a pardon put into his hands or have it for going to the King can he plead his going or doth any account him less wicked or guilty for that Also In the same page 30. and Sect. you are offended with the Authors Rhetorical expressions as is also Mr. Geree Ans But what doth not offend a weak and crazie stomach where the minde is prejudicate and sinister nothing can please else where or when may he better use it then in Christs cause or work and it is to as much if not better purpose then a great deal of reading you shew in this Book making little or no use of your alledged Authors but only for a flourish like him that lighteth a candle and presently puffeth it out If he had his weakness so have we The high-Priest of old being compassed himself with infirmity was thereby to be moved to have compassion on the ignorant and them that were out of the way Heb. 5.2 And you impute it ibid to his injudiciousness that your adversary doth minde onely the promissory part of the Scripture and stand little upon the mandatory Answ Be it so I hold it judiciousness and wisdome in him For 1. There be ten for one yea a hundred for one who are wholly for the Mandatory 2 Besides every mans conscience naturally preacheth the Law of works within him Rom. 2.15 but is unprincipled in grace and the free promise 3. If you did consider what little pure Gospel-light is in the general
Sion-Colledge But this I am bold to say that this is not that Law or Doctrine which came first out of Gods Sion Isa 2. If you teach thus then no man can dare to beleive or receive remission of sins through Christs blood till he be sure he finde first the presence of good works and when will that be that a man can finde good works before he believe or what are the good works he must so necessarily finde and unto which the pardon is promised you might have done wisely and it had been a special work of charity to have given instance in some and then to have shewed both how those good works may be done in the state of unbelief and also how they may be certainly known to be good before faith O poor sinful and trembling soul into what an inextricable labyrinth will this bring thee and when thou shalt be deeply plunged into temptation how to prevent thy fearful desperation by this doctrine is utterly impossible 2. By this you will make people look more to good works then to Christ present and formed in the heart the only hope of glory Col. 1.27 And he that hath Christ hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life whatever works he may pretend to have 1 Joh. 5.12 3. Yea a legal Ministery exhorting to duties performances and conformity to the Law of works will be held sufficient and men need not be bid to examine themselves whether they be in the faith and Christ dwell in them or no 2 Cor. 13.5 but whether they have store of good works and so they may be sure of pardon and salvation But Sir If you will have your Doctrine to have a free passage why do you not prove clear and confirm it your word will not bear and warrant a Tenet of this weighty importance and consequence Where finde you God speaking to the work or not rather to the worker and if the promise be made also to him of pardon or life it is for his faith or rather for Christs sake in whom all the promises are yea and Amon unto the glory of God 2 Cor. 1.20 Gal. 3.16 On that ever such a Doctrine should see the Sun be heard out of any our Pulpits and be suffered to pass the Press and with such applause to be published That good works must necessarily be present when we be justified and God should so respect and love them that he promiseth pardon and eternal life to them or to their presence you mean sure to the man for their presence sake for if they be so good and holy Etiam bona opera egent remissione they need no pardon or if they were not first pardoned by what art become they good If you say yet you will have Christ present too he need but stand as a cypher the promise is not to his presence but to the presence of holy duties Mr. B. Lastly Their ground is still upon that false bottom because our sins are laid upon Christ Answ You need wish to have your words well taken if you dare not build upon it as an infallible verity that your sins are laid on Christ yet others dare and the bottom is firm even a sure Rock when you have done all You add May they not be laid upon us in other respects to heal us and to know how bitter a thing it is to sin against God Answ 1. If the laying of sin on us will heal us what did make us sick or sore the wound is by sin 2. Then our health is not by laying them on Christ and discharging of us or by faith in him by the means of whose stripes we are healed Isa 53.5 2. That phrase of Gods laying of sin upon the justified in any respect is no Scripture-phrase but it is full of danger and most agreeable to the principles of reason a natural conscience and the Law 3. How bitter sin is may best be seen when we see and consider it upon Christ who under the heavy weight of it sweating water and blood cryed so out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me I grant the afflicted conscience knoweth some little of it and if ever God lay sin upon you and let you not see it laid on Christ for your full and final discharge it will then be intolerable Mr. B. 4. In denying them to be signes or testimonies of grace or Christ dwelling in us And here one would wonder to see how laborious an Author is to prove that no inherent grace can be signs c. Answ 1. They can be made no further evidences then it is evident and plain that they arise from true faith and then I must first know that I have faith and be assured I am justified else all such signs will leave me uncertain and may prove to be counterfeits For as this Argument holdeth not Here is light therefore the Sun is up for all light is not from the Sun the Moon and the Candle have proper lights also so all that we call graces and holy duties come not from faith nor are not only found to be in him who is in a justified estate and therefore cannot convincingly argue such an estate VVhat can you instance in being materially good that was not in Paul while he was a Pharisee who was blameless as touching the Law I fear me that it contenteth us that we know teach and profess a Christ crucified and come not to finde Christ truly formed and dwelling in the heart whose presence is the only light peace consolation and rest to the Soul and that is the reason of our eying and requiring of works and graces for testimonies and assurances of a good estate M. B. In answering the Author We may shew briefly how many weak props this discourse leaneth upon 1. In confounding the instrumental evidencing with the efficient Not holy works say they but the Spirit How he doth oppose subordinates Answ The Spirit and works are not subordinate for as is shewed works may be where the Spirit of adoption and faith is not 2. Neither can they be subordinate except the Spirit do infallibly reveal and confirm a good estate by them which you cannot make good Again you say Every man is in darkness and like Hagar seeth not a fountain till his eyes be opened Answ That is true but where do you read that our duties or works do open the eyes and clear this unto us The opening of the eyes is a good work indeed but it is Gods work and not ours Eph. 1.17 M. B. We say that a Christian in time of darkness and temptation is not to go by signs c. Answ And out of darkness and temptation what need is there to put them to that use will you light a candle at noon-day when there is light enough 2. when there is no temptation occasioning the questioning of faith or the estate what need is there to prove either M. B. 3. His arguments go
Christ a distressed and pursued soul may be safe and in peace but nowhere else M. B. Now these speak of Christs death as an universal meritorious cause without any application of Christs death unto this or that soul Therefore you must still carry this along with you that to that grand mercy of justification somthing is requisite as the efficient viz. the grace of God something meritorious viz. Christs sufferings something instrumental viz. faith and one is as necessary as the other Answ The full bent and chief drift of the Doctors ministery is the application of Christ and the benefits of his death unto the soul who so see any thing cannot but so judge I marvel then at this your so palpable accusation 2. Dr. Crisp speaketh of justification as it is Gods alone gracious act in Christ discharging and acquitting all the Elect in him at the time of his passion and resurrection fully and for ever This was done in fore caeli or as others coram judicio Dei As for the instrumentals whether the word to reveal and publish it or faith to apprehend and rest on it they were neither necessary to that Act of God but onely afterward to give evidence and assurance to the several consciences of all those Elect of what was done for them freely by God in Christ upon the cross For there God was in Christ reconciling them to himself 2 Cor. 5.18 M. B. I will but mention one place more Psal 68.18 Thou hast received gifts even for the rebellious also c. adding Is not all this strange Though the Author press sanctification never much in other places yet certainly such principles as these over grow it Answ 1. Why is it that you think this strange viz. That the loathsomness and hatefulness of this rebellion is transacted from the person upon the back of Christ he beareth the sin as well as the shame c. So that God acquitted his Elect and satiffied his justice in Christ their Sure y and by this means it cometh to pass that God can dwell withthose persons Is this any more then what Paul saith in short and plain words viz. Christ was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 and Ephes 2.14 Christ by his Crosse hath slain enmity and made peace Is not Christ the Communis terminus the bond and mean of union and atonement with God by his only sacrifice while we were sinners enemies in our selves we were reconciled in Christ Rom. 5.10 The ground and reason of your opposing is in that you are of opinion that God commeth unto us by or with or because of some inherent graces or qualifications in us which be as a Load-stone to draw and unite his affection and that Christ is but the meritorious cause of this a Papistical conceit God is in Christ and where Christ is there is God present I am in the Father and the Father in me Ioh. 14.10 he that hath the Son hath the Father also and he that hath not the Son hath not the Father He that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Ioh. 13.20 God then loveth uniteth himself and cometh to the soule only in and through Christ In whom he makes us accepted Eph. 1.6 and that only of his grace If the presence of good works you so contend for in justification were granted you yet God hath no respect to them but beholdeth us as sinful wretches plunged into all confusion and being moved to pity us he considereth our persons and receiveth us alone in our Lord Jesus Christ yea he only beholdeth as our selves so all our good works in that perfection of his Son else they could not be accepted nor liked saith Mr. Calvin And these are the only true and most powerful and operative principles of all right sanctification though your legally-forced sanctity or reformation may grow and arise out of another natural principle and dead root Lastly as for that conversion and change of the most rebellious by the Ministery it is the product or effect of this doctrine I muse that a man of your parts and Religion should so stumble in so clear a light LECTURE IIII. 1 Tim. 1.8 9. Knowing the Law is good if a man use it lawfully M. B. Having confuted some dangerous inferences that the Antinomian makes from that precious Doctrine of justification Answ Egregiam vero laudem spolia ampla refers tu Review now your elaborate work and you will not finde one syllable of real confutation you may learn palmodiam canere I only intend to defend and vindicate the assertions and cause of your later Antinomians as you are pleased to call them as for Islebius Agricola he is none of my acquaintance I never read him If you wrong him God is his Judg and avenger yea and this also I would have the Reader know thāt I am minded to pass by whatever I shall henceforth meet withall whether positive or controversal if it do not directly touch or reflect upon his three named Antinomians lest all the rest in this book be taken for orthodox or I be accounted an approver of it for many things in it besides are to me unsavoury and unsound M. B. sect 2. They tell us not only of a righteousness or justification by imputation but also Saintship and holiness by this obedience of Christ And hence it is that God seeth no sin in believers Answ If they tell you of such perfection that God seeth no sin they withal in the same place tell you if you had the same ears to hear it that this justification or Saintship is by imputation and not by inherent sanctification If Christ be held forth unto you by God himself as one that hath washed you and cleansed you from all sin and withal it be given you so to apprehend and receive it what think you now of your self and condition while you abide in this light In the Creed you say I believe a holy Church yet the Church it self is no exterior or visible thing that the world can discern though the persons be visible and her holiness is invisible onely faith which is of things not seen Heb. 11.11 can behold this purity of the Church not in the Law nor any work or inherent thing but as she is washed and made clean in the blood and righteousness of her Redeemer The Church is all fair saith August for her filthiness is taken away by Christ and he hath made her fair Look upon the Christians life and there thou maist finde many things that thou blamest If he look within himself the work of renovation there wrought it is also imperfect and not pure but as he is beheld in Christ who hath sanctified him he is altogether pure and holy but faith only seeth this Mark but this one saying of Calvin To the intent that God may no more be an enemy and take part against us who are
just also to forgive they are arguments to porswade a man to take that course without fear or doubt for man naturally hath that opinion of God that where he sheweth favor unto any it is for some goodness and therefore he dare not come as a naked and meer sinner into Gods sight and presence as is plain in Adam Gen. 3. But if he can bring nothing else he will make promise of amendment in some hope of mercy to be the rather shewed him hence to correct and satisfie our thoughts and to encourage us to take this course to come as we are in our sins making our selves nor our case or matter better then it is he requireth a free and simple confession of sins adding that God is faithful in his promise in which he hath declared a gracious minde to pardon such in his Son and also that his justice the thought whereof in that case chiefly terrifieth is so fully satisfied that now non obstante imò salva justitiae God may in order of his justice forgive and save To that other place 2 Tim. 4.8 I have before shewed how you misinterpret it for that righteousness unto which the crown belongeth is the righteousness of God and not ours Rom. 1.17 Rom. 10.3 of faith and not of works that we have done Tit. 3.5 Rom. 3.22 M. B. Hence some Divines say that though godliness be not meritorious nor causal of salvation yet it may be a motive as they instance if a King should give great preferment to one that should salute him in a morning this salutation were neither meritorious nor causal of that preferment but a meer motion arising from the good pleasure of the King and so much they think that particle for I was an hungry doth imply Answ O how welcome and pleasing is this teaching to mans nature It tendeth to withdraw our eyes and considerations from off Christ unto our selves and from free-grace unto our works whereunto all are most prone by nature If our goodness be a motive moving God 1. Then God seeth something out of himself exciting and moving him to do good and if you hold this foresight of goodness which thus moved him was from eternity you are not far from Arminianisme or Popery and if he was moved at the time of doing good which many of them also hold as the King you instance in then this new and present motion in God to do good is a child of time begot in his minde or occasioned of late and God showeth more kindness then from the beginning he intended Lastly a motive must needs have some influence if not into the act of salvation yet into the minde of God for the salutation worketh upon the kinde nature and heart of the King stirring him up to be so bountiful and the man may thank his salutation in great part for his preferment O happy man I and happy was that time that I met and so saluted the King but the Gospel calleth from all such fleshly rejoycing in our selves that he that rejoyceth may onely so do in the Lord Christ in whom and for whose sake onely God sheweth all favour exalteth and blesseth with all spiritual blessings And why do you bring in and propound this to your hearers and the whole world as now but both because you like and approve of it and would put all upon the like course and practise in hope so to speed But before they had done good or evil it was said Jacob have I loved c. The true God loveth accepteth and saveth freely in Christ without any thing considered in the party M. B. So that God having appointed holiness the way and salvation the end hence there ariseth a relation between one and the other Answ Keep the Law and Works as you told us Luther said here below on the earth and by faith mount up live and converse above in heaven then the way in which the soul walketh to salvation is Christ and his righteousness a way sanctified by his blood Heb. 10.19 20. Believe and be saved and so the relation will be between salvation and Christs righteousness and not our righteousness of works distinguish between believing Abraham and working Abraham as Luther wisely c. Secondly For that place I was an hungry it makes nothing for your purpose For. 1. The kindome was prepared from the foundation of the world therefore God was not moved by works Mat. 25.34 2. It is an argument from the effect of true faith working by love by which faith they being accepted to life eternal did declare and witness the truth of it by such seasonable proper and kindely fruits as is there mentioned all relating to Christ and being expressions of ardent love to him and this is that God may appear to be just therefore he proceedeth to give sentence according to what is manifest to all for faith is hid in the heart and not seen nor known M. B. 3. There is a promise made to them 1. Tim. 4.8 Godliness hath the promises Answ Some by Godliness in that place understand the righteousness of faith by which we become Saints towards God and indeed all true piety is vertually included in it 2. Actual holiness is produced by it and if the promises were to this active righteousness yet not primarily nor yet causally but by reason of justification the sole root and foundation of it There is a secret faith in all that we do saith Luther and unto this God in his promises of any good hath respect and for it or more truely to Christ apprehended by faith is the promise made so that in having Christ we have all the promises else we have none Yet it 's more plaine and direct to take Godliness in that sense it is in 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of godliness that is of Christian religion in general but all tendeth to one though this seemeth to me to be the meaning of it Secondly You say That the promises lye scattered up and downe in the word of God so that to every godly action thou doest there is a promise of eternal life Answ If every Godly action have a promise of eternal life then either so many actions so many eternal lives be due as where promise is of twelve pence a day to a labourer and so many dayes work so many twelve pences become due or at least there be so many rights and interests in it as be holy actions But eternal life can but be due to all holy actions joyntly and to no one singly if it should be due to works 2. It is true that promises be so made in the Law wherein there is a concatenation or linking of all in one yet they are upon such hard conditions that it is poor comfort and small or no hope of having any performed it being impossible The Law is weak through the flesh Rom. 8.3 but the New Testament is upon better promises which are sure to faith because they
condition the free gift of God is eternal life Rom. 6.23 All the Orthodox deny the promise of the Gospel to be conditional for if good works be conditions of life in the Covenant of Grace what then are the conditions of the Covenant of works Or wherein do they differ As this is to confound Law and Gospel Nata est in scholis Pseudo Apostolorum thus to distinguish between justification and salvation so it is remarkable that this distinction and question did first come out of the school of the false Prophets who thereby occasioned great disturbance in the Church as Act. 15.1 5. So Gerard c. M. B. Now by the Antinomian Argument as a man may be justified while he is wicked and doth abide so so also he may be glorified and saved for this is their principle that Christ hath purchased justification glory and salvation for us even though sinners and enemies Answ Methinks your face should blush for shame at the framing of this so appareatly unjust charge and accusation doth any say that Justification leaveth a man wicked Nay do not all and every write otherwise let others judge I say no more But that their principle is undenyably true yet your Logick can finde no ground in it for this corrupt and absurd inference If Christ ever purchased glory justification and salvation for us it was when and while we were sinners and enemies or not at all for he purchased nothing since ye became holy and a friend to God or him neither needed to purchase righteousness and life for any but sinners How are you permitted to err and mislead M. B. 6. They are in their own nature a defence against sin and corruption if we consider the nature of these graces Eph. 6.14 16. there you have some graces a shield some a breast-plate c. Answ 1. Graces as you call them or gifts of Grace are improperly put in and reckoned among good works 2. The defence and power they have against sin is especially in regard of their object Christ his righteousness and promises For thence it is that all they are so good and useful armour If you have Faith and hope and ever was in any great conflict you have found that all your defence help stay and victory was onely from and by Christ the object he is the onely refuge plea and sure Rock when all works will fail M. B. 8. They are necessary by debt and obligation Answ The works of the Law are debts required to be payed first that we may have life and favour but the love and works of the Gospel are for life peace and favour first had and obtained M. B. 9. And the Law of God still remaineth as a rule and directory Answ As it ruleth so it reigneth reproveth and condemneth and when you have walked most precisely according to it it will subdue you and your obedience under the Curse Gal. 3.10 for all you can do is too light when it is put into this balance You say The Antinomian teacheth the abolition of all the Commandments He is an Antinomian indeed that doth so but I must you still thus wrong and slander us M.B. 10. They are necessary by way of comfort to our selves And this opposeth many Antinomian passages who forbid us to take any peace by our holiness Answ There be divers kindes of comfort arising from different grounds and considerations The Doctor speaks of that peace and comfort which ariseth from the true and certain knowledge of remission of sins and reconciliation with God the true proper and pure fountain whereof is Christ crucified as for your works they are like puddle-water a blundered and polluted stream or a deceitful brook yea as a broken Cistern that holdeth little or none You say in temptation they fail and are not to be regarded or looked at See this answered also in the third prejudicial inference Lect. 3. M. B. These good works though imperfect may be a great comfort to us as the testimony of Gods eternal love towards us Thus did Hezekiah 2 King 20.3 he is there a thankful acknowledger of what was in him c. Answ The best and most satisfactory testimony and assurance of Gods love is his giving of that dear Son of his love to die that we might live through him Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 4.9 10. In this he commends sets forth and confirms his love Rom. 5.8 to put it out of all doubt 2 The next testimony is the giving of his Spirit for to reveal the things of Christ the unsearchable riches in him Joh. 16.14 Eph. 3.8 To shed abroad that love in our hearts that so the soul may know it feel the consolation of it c. 3 A third is the delivering and freeing of our hearts and natures from that bondage and pollution of sin by sanctifying us in body soul and spirit yet these are no causes but effects and expressions of his free and eternal love because he loved his own he doth all for them Our works are no causes or motives to him nor yet sure testimonies of Gods eternal love for many a Papist heathen and reprobate for the matter and shew of works exceed divers of them who believe Therefore if you will have them such testimonies and so have comfort from them you must look on them in all their causes especially in 1 The Efficient and the impulsive and moving cause which be neither the light judgement or dictamen of reason and natures principles nor the command coaction and commination of the Law by its rule and authority extorting them from us as being unwilling but they come from a free and voluntary spirit so made by the spirit of regeneration and Adoption moving to do good in love and delight Rom. 8.14 therefore be they called the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Secondly in the subject that the person be reconciled accepted and in favour through Faith in Christ Jesus Heb. 11.6 Lastly to say nothing of the form or object the end they are to be referred unto is not self-praise or profit to procure nor preserve by them our own peace favour or salvation with God which be the effects of Faith in Christ but simply Gods honour his Churches and our neighbours good even as our love is due also Mat. 22.37.39 And if these circumstances required necessarily to every good work Displicet deo dubitatio quare neque cols neque invocari cum dubitatione â—otest Melanct. be considered the soul will finde little need of works as testimonies and arguments of Gods love For that must be out of doubt first for a doubtful Conscience cannot please God by any work or obedience And your example of Hezekiah cometh nothing neer to make good your Assertion For as Gods works for us are testimonies of his love so our works at the most are but witnesses of our love unto him and therefore cannot be testimonies as you affirm of Gods
regenerate to Faith Rom. 10. and to confirm and build up in that way which you nor any can truly affirm of the Law Now this your Rock is passed by without danger M. B. The Swinckfeildeans upon like ground deny the whole Scripture to be needful to a man that hath the Spirit and that which the Antinomian doth limit to the Law that it is a killing letter they apply to the whole Scripture and I cannot see how they can escape this Argument Answ I see with a little help the light may so shine forth that there is hope you will prove ours however we are not here non-plussed See the errour of the Swinckfeild and your own weakness first if we were perfectly holy and happy as in Heaven and Glory we should not need the Scripture no more then the Angels do 2 But we are so onely imperfectly and inchoatly so that the Scriptures are still requisite and needful that we may increase with the increasings of God Ephes 4.12 for the perfecting of the Saints Till we come to the unity of the Faith unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ 3 Again your friend the Antinomian doth not call the Law a killing letter as it is without the Spirit but as it is that instrument or the ministration the Spirit useth to kill and condemn as touching Conscience 2 Cor. 3.9 I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died Rom. 7.9 But this may serve now viz. The Law can but direct in the things of the Law where you can finde no Christian estate nature name way life faith nor hope of his Calling nor to speak properly any thing of Christianity How now shall your Law direct in these things M. B. The Law must needs have a directive regulating and informing power over a godly man as will appear by these two Reasons First we cannot discern the true worship of God from superstition and idolatry but by the first and second Commandment Answ Here is a large field Inopem copia facit this requireth a full Treatise it self as for the explicating it in such manner as may satisfie mens minds being concerning this full of darkness and doubts so for the general necessity of some cleer and special light to be held forth for the informing and directing aright a world of people going far wide through want of this true knowledge In brief thus for the present First God was not onely a God unto his people but had made known also himself unto them before the solemn giving of the Law and he gave not the Law that by the observation and works of it he might be their God and they his people nor yet that thereby they might know and conceive of him in their hearts according to that Law of works And therefore is it observable that he beginneth with these words Hear O Israel I am thy God c. Now as he became their God onely by Christ the promised seed in the face of whom the knowledge of his glory is manifested 2 Cor. 4.6 so his redeemed and peculiar were onely to take notice of him as God in Christ reconciling them to himself blessing all in the alone Messiah giving out all peace life through him and vouchsafing all favour and respect onely in reference unto him To this dispensation manner and kinde of revealing himself to mankinde according to that first promise Dem nisi in Christo suo coli aut cognosci nolit Calv. Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head and in him shall all the Nations be blessed are all to attend for God will not be known nor worshipped out of his Christ Now mans heart naturally is a shop of idolatry infinite are the forms conceptions and images which we frame and have of God within us And as our inward Notions are under which God cometh to our understanding so we think of him worship him seek to please him and lay a foundation for expecting and receiving some good from him And what inscription the Athenians had on their Altar Act. 17.23 the same may be found on a world of our devotions all being to an unknown God For as Christ said to the woman of Samaria Serviunt Deo qui tantum opinionabiliter non natura est deus for the most part we worship we know not what Joh. 4. for he is onely a God in our opinion and conceit and not in truth and his own nature who accepteth respecteth loveth or blesseth any for any work worth or goodness of theirs but the true reason and ground of all favour is Christ Eph. 1.6 Nam verus naturalis Deus sic loquitur Nulla religio sapientia justiâ—ia c. nisi illa unica qua pater glorificatur per filium c. Thus he that in his thoughts falleth from that true knowledge of Christ and that in him he is well pleased with him pacified towards him receiveth loveth him without and before any actual holiness and work or performance of his he necessarily falleth forthwith into Idolatry because he cannot now but imagine such a God and frame him in his own minde which is nowhere to be found A God out of Christ without a Mediatour not satisfied reconciled at peace with us propitious to us Omnis lomo qui relabitus a cognitione Christi necessario ruit in Idololatriam c. c. but requiring and respecting some duty or holiness in us to move him to grant us access audience and all blessings needful an absolute God clothed with glorious attributes terrible to sinners and not justifying the ungodly through Faith in Christ nor loving us when we were enemies and so by his own hand and work reconciling us to himself without any of ours Rom. 4.5 Rom. 5.8 9. such a God do many set up in their hearts and they frame their devotions works and ways suitable with this their image seeking in their own righteousness and holiness to draw nigh and that some goodness or qualification of theirs should commend and ingratiate them unto him A Fryers Coul a Monks hood holy order pilgrimages a strict and Religious life must speak for one sort Alii â—eâ—unant orant c. his se deum placere putant student quaerut Luth. others Fast Pray Vow Reform c. thinking studying seeking by those to pacifie God and procure his favour Now as we may plainly see that the Preface of the Decologue relateth to the Covenant of Grace of Promise of peace and life in the Messiah in which God did commend and make known himself what a God he would be unto them in what way he would deal with them and give them all their peace so God to keep this light in them to suppress or prevent all Idolatry or spiritual and false conceivings and imaginations of him contrary to that his promise whereunto mans nature is
from it 2. As for your instance in the Magistrate I answer If the Magistrate have no power to punish he is no compleat Magistrate See Rom. 13.4 He is a minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil this is one maine part of his effice and as effential to it as it is to countenance and defend the innocent and good Also 1 Pet. 2.14 Governours be sent of purpose for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well 2. Your other instance of confirmed Angels is as ineffectual They were under a law say you Answer Well it is true and those that fell are condemned by that law they were under And now suppose any of them that do stand should yet sin as did the other would they not fall into the same condemnation It may be disputable yet it is currant with most that the Elect Angels are confirmed by Christ now I would learn Whether the benefit they have by Christ is in that the condemning power is taken from the Law they live under so that though they fall it cannot hurt them or is it in that they are upheld and established in their integrity that they cannot fall as did the evil angels and yet the condemnation remaineth in the law still Who then do now need most rectifying I fear you wittingly do oppose the truth And your manner of replying doth confirme this my opinion If what is said be true and evident let it leave you satisfied and not go on against the clear light M. B. Every believer though justified by Christ is under the moral Law of Moses as also the Law of Nature Answ You are too bold and peremptory in your assertion For 1. If believers be under those laws then he is under their curse Sâ— judice nemo noâ—â—ns absolâ—itur Ascendet quisque mentis suâ—e â—â—â—bunale c. for both of them do curse and condemne all that any way disobey them but every one under them do many wayes disobey them Where is there any one if any stirring be in him but he may observe within his own thoughts and feel a sentence given out against him daily for one thing or other that he is found to be guilty of But is it not written that Christ was made under the law to redeem us from under it Gal. 4.4 again Rom. 6.14 you are not under the law but under grace whether now shall we believe Paul thus saying by the infallible Spirit of God or shall we credit you speaking contrary of your own head by a private spirit 2. You say though justified by Christ Now I here would aske whether by justification his condition or estate be not changed he was under the Law before and is he so still what availeth then his justification or where is his liberty wherewith Christ hath made him free Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access unto this grace wherein we stand This grace of justification is like the City of Resuge for the peace and safety of the soul unto which it betaketh it self by faith that so it may finde rest and security by escaping the coademnation and danger of the Law when it is pursued by sin and the tempter Heb. 6.18 so that a Christian by his faith seeketh to be delivered from the law in the purest obedience and best works whereof the conscience cannot be secure nor dare not rest vae etiam laudabili vitae si remota sit misericordia Indeed faith worketh also by love in another sphere and consideration and here in love he is under the law serving his neighbour in the freedome and willingness of his minde Gal. 5.13 according to that exhortation Eph. 5.2 Walk in love as Christ hath loved us and given himself for us c. but this appertaineth onely to our conversation and the things of this life and is so perfect in none but that law he serveth under will finde matter and cause of condemnation so that still the soul elevated and kept above in saith by which it liveth Gal. 2.20 would be found in Christ having his righteousness which is perfect and everlasting and not having its own righteousness which is of the law Phil. 3.9 If there be no curse nor danger in the works of our own righteousness or of the law it having lost its condemning power as you affirme why should Paul be afraid to be found there But in temptation and the time of inward conflict the truth benefit and necessity of this will better appear and so be discerned and readily received and without temptation Christianus nullus est It seemeth your spirits live and abide under the law as under a quiet and peaceable government without sense or fear of condemnation and without inward molestation or chock of conscience in that you tell us of being under both the natural and moral law and yet free from condemnation of either And you would patronize D.T. Regula vitae and yet dare not nor cannot do planè plenè I finde you in doctrine agreeing with Doctor Laud who in a Sermon on Ashwednesday before the King his text being Jer. 6.16 said that the old pathes wherein we might rest were the Creed the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandments and added that the law was like unto a serpent at the hedge bottome which had lost its sting I believed him not though you do And so he told the King and the rest what a pestilential sect the Antinomians were and thus he did labour as you do to make the world believe that there are some abolishers of the law that these against whom you write and all others who go in the same way are such and so not to be tolerated in the kingdome And about the same time D. Gifford after many invectives against that sect and sort for it is spoken against everywhere Act. 28.22 in the closure he gave this wise admonition to his hearers viz. To repent to believe and to do as they should do and so he would warrant them to be saved Here was repentance faith and inchoate obedience as in your friend D. Tailer but in which will you place salvation In all you and these your complices do say and teach and then in none at all doth the truth of God say for If ye be circumcised Christ profiteth nothing Gal. 5.2 You cannot but see as D. Tailor in that his book so others of great note amongst you to preach and print many erroneous things and why do you not blaze or reprove those their assertions as being far more palpable and of more dangerous consequences then is the worst or weakest expression you can finde in your Antinomian authors Is it out of a pure zeal for God I doubt it or you come forth thus Goliah-like to shew your valour and to defie the family of faith And so to gratifie others you
are resolved to venture against the pikes of old tryed and pure truth innocency and a good conscience Well henceforth be better advised like one bemisted you have mistaken your way misrepresented your adversaries and run your credit cause and conscience into a great hazard and you may expect worse in all these without wise and timely retreat The counsel is good if it can be seasonably taken and it cometh from a friend and well-wisher M. B. page 63. This law of nature can never be abrogated And herein we may demand of the Antinomian Whether the law of nature do binde a believer or no whether he be bound to obey the dictates of his natural conscience Answ If a man were not first bound he could not be said properly to be loosed or set free It is granted yet with much limitation and in some things only that every one is bound to obey the dictates of his natural conscience and it is as true to be granted by you also that in case he hearken not at some times or in some things or in case of defect and failing or imperfection this natural law will give out sentence of condemnation for the same as Rom. 2.15 from which it is the peculiar and continual office of faith to set free and secure the conscience So that you do very improperly demand whether the law of nature do binde a believer quatenus so whereas a man believeth that he may be set at liberty in Christ In whom he in his spiritual estate towards God in the things of his peace and life is free as Christ is free with whom by a true and real union he is become one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 And so is passed from judgement of condemnation and from death to life Fidei nil proponi debet praeter meramgratiam aâ—que haec est ejus objectum Calv. John 5.24 And here faith doth not stand bound to give ear to the voice of either implanted or moral law for the procuring or preservation of peace and comfort but turning from both and not regarding them doth direct and confine ear eye the thoughts and meditations of the soul to that alone simple object Christ and to what he speaketh in the word of grace and salvation whose blood sprinkled and shed for remission of sins cryeth for better things then the blood of Abel This is the proper office obedience and exercise of faith So in God will I praise his word Psal 56. here will I settle my thoughts and fortifie them against the dictates and accusations of a natural conscience sense of sin reason law Satan or whatever assaileth If faith give not an acquiescence and rest to the foul in that free and full atonement by Christ and the goodness and favour of God in him it is in danger to be lost for ever And as you have given me this fair occasion so for the more simple and weak Christians sake who is little versed herein and principled otherwise let me further add That although nature do acknowledge a God and that he is to be worshipped and served Nil magis adversatur fidei quam lex ratio Luth. yet this opinion which is also seconded and much strengthened by the moral law is not without danger and is repugnant to the doctrine and knowledge of faith for nothing is more cross to faith then the law and natural reason the maine battel and dispute in a believer is between the dictates of his natural conscience confirmed by the moral law and the principles of his faith and as the law of faith doth enter and prevaile so it captivateth razeth and expelleth the natural and legal knowledge and thoughts of God and imprinteth a divers from them only suiting to the Gospel or covenant of Grace for now since the death of the Testator the covenant is so ratified and confirmed with God that he remembereth the sins of his people no more but abides fully In illa gratuita reconciliatione per obsignationem spiritus acquiescit It a gloria datur Deo non considerat fides quicquâ—d in nobis vel aliis creaturis ei adversari videatur Olev and for ever pleased with them in his Son and through faith herein the conscience also is made to yeeld to it to receive and imbrace it and so is led and brought into this confidence of the quietness and peace of God towards us and hereby effecteth our assured rest in God reconciled for ever which is the true Christian Sabbath Thus every high thing exalting it self against the knowledge of God according to the Gospel is to be cast down and every thought to be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. And by this is glory given unto God while one thing is felt or suggested within and another is believed Let this be well marked of great and continual use in every Christian that the law implanted by nature is ever contradicting and reclaiming against the testimony of God in the word of his grace whence ariseth the difficulty and impossibility of believing save by the power and operation of God Col. 2.12 therefore in the weighty things of faith to hearken to the natural conscience or moral law will quite overthrow whole Christianity and turn aside the soul to destruction The seeds of morality and remanents of the covenant of works may be found in nature but there is no sparke nor intimation of any pure Gospel In innocency Adam was not principled to finde and receive his righteousness peace and life in another out of himself M. B. Think not that because he Christ dyed to free you from the curse of the law that therefore you are freed from the obedience Answ And do not you think nor teach that Christ came to take away the curse and condemning power from the law contrary to his own express words Mat. 5.17 18. where he saith that every jot of the Law is imperishable and in his opening and applying it afterwards he doth as command so reprove threaten and condemne 2. You will not deny but what Christ hath performed for me as my surety that I am so freed from that it may not be required of me to that end as before 3. Christ doth free us that we by his Spirit may serve freely and cheerfully and without all fear in holiness and righteousness before God all the dayes of our life Luk. 1.76 Therefore are we taken into a New covenant that giveth power and fitness so to serve wherein he promiseth the law in our hearts to put his Spirit into us to give a new heart and a new way c. which the covenant of works could not do Jer. 31. Ezek. 36.27 c. M. B. Vse of instruction against the Antinomians who must needs overthrow the directive and obligative force of the law of nature as well as of Moses Ans This is but the old slander the same false charge so often repeated It is by this
evident enough that those things whereof we are accused are not so we overthrow no force at all in your sense thus we have it in confesso that you do deny the condeming power the stones then that you cast may fall upon your own head M. B. 2. Some Swenckfeildians held that a man was never truely mortified till he had put out all sense of conscience for sin Answ Let the understanding reader judge whether this your doctrine of taking away the damnatory power of the law doth not directly tend to that end and can produce no other effect or fruits but senselesseness and wretched security for if I apprehend no danger in the law it revealing no wrath nor threatning nor condemning nor terrifying I can then rest quiet and secure under the law and in sin and so never seek nor desire to come and dwell under the protection of Christ in his Gospel LECT VII VIII IN these two Lectures I finde many things not currant with me and more which are dubious and questionable but as he medleth not with his Antinomian so I willingly let all pass as having no minde to raise or occasion new disputes the Church being too much disquieted already LECT IX Rom. 2.14 For the Gentiles do by nature c. M. B. Sect. 1. ANtinomians seem to deny all the preparatory works upon the heart of man Answ Can there be a heart desiring Christ and willing to receive him for righteousness reconcilation and life and yet be no preparatory work these a man with but half an eye may see and read in Doctor Crisp against whom this exception is made And what other preparation is needful or you do 〈◊〉 may be known hereafter M. B. Holding that Christ immediâ—â—◠〈…〉 himself to grâ—ss sinners abiding 〈…〉 Answ Your terms are ambiguous by that word immediately may be thought as if your adversary denyed all use of means as an Euthusiast or else that Christ communicateth himself before the sinner can or do prepare to meet him or receive him according to that of the prophet I am found of them that ask not after me Isa 65.1 as he called Matthew sitting at the receit of custome Mat. 9.9 and Peter Andrew James and John Mat. 4.18 21. And so he prevented Paul Act. 9.4 5. for will ever the stray sheep seek first to the sheperd or is it not the shepherds office to seek the scattered and lost Luk. 19.10 you are no patron of free-will why then do you wrangle in a matter so clear After that I was turned I repented Jer. 31.19 2. You say to gross sinners Do you make a difference before Christ and Faith come Paul saith There is no difference between the profane Gentile and legal Jew Rom. 3.9 the Jew is in no wise better then the other although the blinde Pharisee thought and judged otherwise Luk. 18.11 or is not Christ as free for one sinner as another for a gross and great offender an idolater a Necromancer as Manasses a blasphemer and persecuter as Paul for Publicans and harlors as for a refined and reformed legalist Alas Sir what then shall become of all gross sinners if Christ may not communicate himself unto them you would have them amended first that may like you but it pleaseth not Christ who is most glorified in the chief of sinners like that skilful physician whose art and faithfulness doth best appear in the healing and recovery of a patient desperately sick But by what power or means shall a gross sinner reforme and amend before Christ come to him who said truly Without me yo can do nothing you seem by this book to be just of the elder brothers that is the Pharisees minde Luk. 15.12 who was offended and murmured because the loose and sinful prodigal was so freely received and kindly welcomed and entertained What your fears or other reasons may be Eph. 1.6 I cannot well tell but Christ took more pleasure in conversing with gross sinners the mercy and grace of God is become most free and rich to the praise of the glory of it when such are freely justified and received into favor and never did nor shall any love so much and be so serviceable and full of expressions of love as such unto whom most are forgiven Luk. 7.47 3. But you add abiding so 1. Answ What after Christ hath communicated himself Impossible 2. You know your adversary can intend no such thing nor hath any such words but his expressions are otherwise as appeareth in his book to any reader 3. And if you mean abiding so till Christ come to him I say then you must work some strange cure on such an one in making him a Proselyte but I forbear M. B. And though they hold us passive at the first receiving of Christ which all Orthodox do yet they express it in an unsound sense comparing God unto a physician that doth violently open a sicke mans throat and poure down his physick whether he will or no. Answ 1. If you think that a man must or may prepare himself you are not so Orthodox as to hold us passive at the first receiving of Christ 2. You stumble at the similitude used but have not other approved Divines compared Gods dealing with man at first to a riders rough handling of a wilde colt who is forced to cast him ere he can shooe him and by a strong hand and sharpe usage to subdue break and tame him Neither of these do imply any more then is warranted Jer. 31.18 and other places Are you of opinion that God in the conversion of a sinner doth nothing against the will of man look then on Manasses Paul Adigondo peccatum in conscientiam the Jailor was there not violence done whilst God useth afflictions without and the terrors of the law within driving sin into the conscience and so compelleth the man to come in Luk. 14.23 no bitter potion or aloes is so unpleasant and loathsome unto the body as the due working of the law is ingrateful to the conscience besides the patient knowing that his physick is given not to kill but of purpose and with a minde to prevent death and to cure the diseased body will more willingly receive and digest what is so untoothsome but the soul when the law revealeth sin and wrath and the spirit of bondage beginneth to work knoweth nothing of Gods purpose herein unless it be that his minde is to destroy and therefore it doth struggle and refist as much as in it lyeth It may be truly said in a good sense that God who worketh the Will and the Deed Phil. 2.12 doth save a man against his will for man of himself is both unwilling to suffer and abide the work of God in him and upon him and also to have salvation in Gods way therefore said Christ You will not come unto me that ye may have life Joh. 5.40 and none will come unless the Father draw him Joh. 6.44 And how often would
by him then you canonize him for Orthodox M. B. But they never used such expressions in the Antinomian sense as if hereby we were made not only perfectly righteous but also holy and without sin Answ When the Authors have the same expressions and use the same words yet if you may be the Glossary your sinister mind can make their sense to vary and differ 2. They who say we are persectly righteous do affirme us to be holy also and without sin in the same sense and manner but not inherently for if the law require holiness and righteousness how can we be justified in Christ from what the Law hath against us and yet not be as well holy as righteous in him and so without sin what can be spoken by the Spirit of God more plainly then this Christ hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood Rev. 15. See also Col. 1.22 And read Luther on Psal 130. vers 3. who there saith They that put not their trust herein alone that by the death of Christ their sins are taken away and Gods eyes closed that he cannot see their sins must needs perish for this onely do the Scriptures set forth that our life resteth wholly and alonely in the remission of sins and in that the Lord will not see our sins but in mercy cover them c. In the reading of which words the said Author of the Honey-comb was much convinced and sore terrified and troubled as he confessed But your carnal reason can put a lower and strange sense upon all such places and so present them in your own shape that nothing may offend any beyond a carnal sense no truth can be admitted what God speaketh plainly will be received no further then wit conceiveth and letteth us see how it may be true and then we will say we belive it but that is not to give credit unto God in what in his word he propoundeth but to assent unto reason as it comprehendeth LECT XV. Exod. 20.1 And God spake c. M. B. HAppily the Law will be more extolled in its digninity then ever by those opinions which would overthrow it Answ It is impossible for any to extoll the Law above the dignity due and proper to it but what you attempt for that purpose doth neither gaine glory to the Law nor commendation to your self 2. You tell us of opinions overthrowing it yet can let your reader see none more subverting and injurious then your own Indeed you bear the world in hand that the adversaries which you have made or feigned to your self do speak against the use of the Law and preaching of it cry down the Law utterly abolish it c. all which with more such-like interwoven stuff is fasly suggested by you to render them erroneous and odious but you can make no such things appear M. B. page 139. For we may either take the word Law for the whole dispensation of the commandments moral judicial and ceremonial or else more strictly for that part we call the moral law yet with the preface and promises added to it And in both these respects the law was given as a covenant of grace which is to be proved in due time or else most strictly for that which is meer mandative and preceptive without any promise at all Answ It is granted the word Law is capable of the two former significations but that in both those respects it was given as a covenant of grace especially in the later more strict sense for the moral law Is a new-coyned and bold assertion lately come out of the mint having as yet no image or superscription upon it save onely ipse dixit to make it currant If your spirits be grown so wanton and confident by reason of some supposed parts or abilities more eminent in your self that you will not keep tract of the Orthodox but slight and reject all humane authority as falling too short of that height you aime at in your aspiring thoughts yet reason requireth it of you to shew your reader some clear text of Scripture upon which you ground your distinction and positions If the moral law strictly and properly so called was given as a covenant of grace Why is it called a law of works requiring mans righteousness And then Paul argued nothing solidly when he said If it be of works it is no more of grace and if of grace it is no more of works else grace is no more grace To admit the one is to exclude and deny the other so inconsistent they be in this point Rom. 11.6 But you take time to prove it and you have your asking and we wait your leisure In the interim you present us with as uncouth and unwarrantable an assertion viz. that the word Law is taken for that which is meer mandative without any promise at all c. It will prove as difficult as bold an enterprize to undertake the proof and defence of this The Scriptures define the law in these words Do and live and so implyeth the contrary viz. He that doth not shall dye so that the mandative is not without the promise nor threatning When Paul saith They that are of the works of the law are cursed Gal. 3.10 doth he not argue convincingly that the works of the law which we do in obedience to its command cannot be secured and set free from the curse And that the law is ever invested with divine authority to promise and threaten to curse and bless to kill and give life I should be afraid so to limit the Lords Soveraignty and to devest him of so much power in his just and holy law as to make him some petite and under-ruler or commander allowing him in his law onely a jurisdiction to make and impose a law without a full and due reigning power having no more light to clear it then as yet you hold forth unto us And now with this wittily-devised key you can pick out and give us the right sense of all those assertions which the learned have concerning the difference between the Law and the Gospel and putting your sense into their words can make them speak as you please But though you can shew us no text to ascertaine the verity of any thing yet you give us a reason as weak and unsound as is your affirmation viz. M. B. For if you take as for the most part they do all the precepts and threatnings scattered up and down in the Scripture to be properly the law and then all the gracious promises where-ever they are to be the Gospel then it is no marvel if the law have many hard expressions cast upon it Answ This reason seemeth to occasion your forged distinction And 1. You would father this upon the learned but tell us of no Author book nor testimony It would have been to your credit and the justification of your weak and questioned cause to have produced one sentence or sillable sounding that way 2.
mistakes First concerning the nature of the life of grace which is not in works nor the expressions of inherent holiness or sanctification for to move and walk in the law of works or of our own active righteousness is a legal life but that is the life of grace which reviveth quickeneth and comforteth the mortified Vita anima est sentire gratiam Dei mors animae est sentire iram Dei Scult dejected and distressed conscience which lay in extreme wo and in the shadow of death being apprehensive of the sentence of condemnation passed upon him by the law and the spirit of bondage If you know not yet what this life is and wherein it consists ask the condemned prisoner whose life is gone by the law and he will say his pardon would be his life which must come from the meer grace and mercy of his Prince Your great reading may tell you that when divinity was more pure and distinct then it is now repentance was said to have two parts Justificat vitae hoc est unde nascitur vita Pisc 1. Mortification 2. Vivisication and the object of both these is the man who is spiritually slain by the law as Rom. 7. and again quickened through the faith of the operation of God and so made partaker of the first resurrection Revel 20.6 hence it s said Col. 2.13 You hath he quickened together with him forgiving you all your trespasses and the efficient or worker of both these is God who killeth and maketh alive and man is the patient the soul receiving the pardon of sins hath entrance into the presence and favour also of God and in his favour is life and his loving kindness is better then life In his presence is fulness of joy saith the Psalmist Hence we read that justification is to life Rom. 5.18 and Christ is the bread of life whoever eateth of him shall live for ever John 6. and whosoever heareth his voice shall live John 5.25 Thus life cometh by believing but law is not of faith Gal. 3.21 If there had been a law that giveth life surely righteousness which is our justification should have been by the law Gal. 3.21 for righteousness and life come both one way but you confess our righteousness cometh not in that way of the law and so I hope hereafter you will say life cometh another way Here let me commend a sentence or two unto your self and the rest of the brethren yet for your sakes I will not English them Vos falsa imaginatione decipitis miseros homines quasi ex lege vivere debent eóque praetextu in lege ipsos detinetis Evangelio interea facitis invidiam quasi in nihilum justitiam redigat quam ex lege habemus atqui lex ipsa est quae nos sibi mori cogit Rom. 7. pulchre describit Paulus neminem legi vivere nisi cui lex est mortua hoc est otiosa fine effectu nam fimul atque lex in nobis vivere caepit jem nobis infligere lethale vulnus quo perimus c. ergò qui legi vivunt nunquam senserunt vigoram legis ac ne gustarunt quidam quid lex sibi vellet Calv. Paulus est hic haereticus omnium hareticissimus estque haereses ejus inandita quia dicit mortuum legi vivere Dēo Pseudo-apostoli docebant nisi vixens legi mortuus es deo hoc est nisi vixeris secundum legem coram deo es mortuus Panlus plane contrarium dicit Nisi fueris mortuus legi non poteris vivere Deo c. hanc doctrinam ratio sapientia humana non capit ideo perpetuò contrarium dicit scilicet si vis vivere deo oportet te legem servare c. Est que hoc principium una maxima omnium Theologorum vivens secundum legem vivit Deo Luth. Est omnino impossibile aliquem simul legi Deo vivere nunc cessante lege peccato morte adsit justitia Christi salus vita aterna Quicquid est in me gratiae justitiae vitae pacis ac salutis id omne est Christi haecn ipse mihi donat aboles legem damnat peccatum mortem mortificat ut ego vivam habeam in ipso aeternam pacem justitiam consolationem vitam Sed Christum intueor amplector qui crucifixus a me apprehensus mihi dat vitam sic viverit in me Christus Corn. He that hath any Christian experience knoweth that when the soul lyeth in death and darkness the apprehension and presence of Christ who is received and cometh into the heart by faith is the onely true light life peace and consolation of it What that law is David so commended to get life by is to be known hereafter together with your second mistake here viz. that the law is the instrument to beget life and to sanctifie for it is too irksome and vain a thing to speak to these every time you east them in our way M. B. p. 153. This is remarakble that though the former tables were broken yet now God enters into a covenant of grace with them as appeareth by proclaiming him self long-suffering gracious but yet God causeth the commandments to he written again for them implying that these may very well stand with the covenant of grace which opposeth the Antinomian Answ God entred into a covenant of grace with them not now but long before see Gen. 17.4 7. As for me behold my covenant is with thee and thou shalt be a father of many nations vers 7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee 2. Though God in great wisdom gave the ten commandments to Abrahams posterity for special ends and purposes as now also it is continued in the Church yet it is not joyned to the covenant of grace as if it should perfect or alter it or adde any thing to it It being intire of it self and distinct from the law their natures offices ends and effects so much differing one from the other Read Gal. 3.15 16 17. A place full of light and satisfaction Brethren I speak after the manner of men though it be but a mans covenant yet if it be confirmed no man disannulleth or addeth thereto vers 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made c. vers 17. And this I say that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the law which was four hundred and thirty yeers after cannot disannul that it should make the promise of none effect And note by the way 1. How the covenant or Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and promise are both one with the Apostle which you stumbled at elswhere 2. That there is not one word of truth in what you say to oppose your adversary but the text is directly against your self 3. Where you say the law may
and trust in any goodness of his owne and to make him to seek out and to hearken after Christ the true and onely right door set open in the Gospel that by him the soul may have entrance being found in him not having its owne righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through faith in Christ The righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3.9 It is a vain and a strange conceit that the soul should convert to God by the preaching of the Law sith it can onely turne and come unto him by faith which nothing doth so much cross and hinder as the Law and it putteth the soul upon a contrary way 3. But if by conversion you mean as happily you do the change of the disposition and frame of the soul It is as certain also and clear that God doth not this by the law but by Gospel thus Act. 15.9 God purifieth the heart by faith and Acts 26.18 they sanctified by faith This is the special commendation that Paul giveth of the Gospel that therein we all with open face behold the glory of the Lord as in a glass and are changed into the same image from glory to glory even by the Spirit of the Lord. Againe can mans nature be changed till he be united and ingrafted into Christ the true vine and doth not vertue come by that insition or union And was it ever taught or read that the law should be that ministery by which this is wrought If the law do not set this object Christ before the soul nor is no mean to bring and joyn it to him how can it be an instrument to give and communicate the Spirit of Christ Indeed a legal spirit or power it hath which hath been effectual to work a great deal of reformation and legal strictness having a specious and deceitful shew and lustre as we see in the Pharisees who therefore were admired in their age O Sir if you would set before your own and the eyes of your people duely and daily that exceeding kindness of God and sweetness of his so surpassing love in Christ in so infinite expressions of it and seek to affect both your own and their hearts with it you would finde what an incredible force and vertue is in it far beyond any power in a legal Ministery to melt gaine and leaven the soul transforming it into its own nature and image which is love and mercy and so disposing you to do all things of the law freely and willingly which are but the offices and duties of love And the law was given not to beget this love but that by requiring it of us either love or enmity as it is in us might be bewrayed and made manifest In a word no sounder further nor better conversion can be wrought by the law then was in Paul before he received the Faith who in that his zeal of God was a blood-sucker and butcher of Christians Christs silly and harmless sheep for he was inwardly in the gall of bitterness c. and so are too many this day as we see finde and feel who might be metamorphozed by the Gospel and of wolves become lambs like Priest like People according to their pasture they feed in viz. as the nature of the doctrine is they receive so they are where much law is there hardness of heart cruelty self-love c. but want of meekness humbleness and mercy And it will ever be true that a legal zeal is persecuting 4. If lastly you hold this last sort of conversion to be by the law viz. to make a loose and profane man strict and religious in his course of life which is properly no souls conversion for both he may be in statu quo prius no changling in his state and his nature was principled for this way this may be granted you but alas who seeth not that this is hypocritical feigned unsound Luther saith The law can but make hypocrites if there be no further work but what is by it This I ingenuously profess what ever you may think of it that my desire is not to know or think of God out of Christ but to confine all the powers and workings of my soul unto that so pleasant and amiable object God reconciled in his Son And so to set him before me gracious propitious loving c. in all the events occurences and conditions of this life And this is the true and onely office and exercise of faith And thus I deal with God even as he also dealeth with me according to Luthers expression without the Law in his Covenant of meer grace the more I can do so the greater confidence I have towards him the better every thing he doeth pleaseth me the more welcome is the Cross and the more apt and able I am to bear and digest it the more is my heart and affections lively and sweetly stirred up and enlarged to love God and to delight my self in him by this mean the soul is made merry and kept joyful in the Lord and like an Instrument in good tune it is ready for use upon any occasion And the inward appearing and manifestation of God unto the soul in love and tender mercy doth melt it and effectually change and overcome the enmity and maliciousness of my naughty heart and nature And this light I endeavour to hold out to all and to walk in this way of loving kindness long-suffering and compassion towards every one in doctrine and life holding it the wisest most direct effectual and Gospel-like course and way thus to overcome the frowardness and evil that is in man with lenity and goodness even as God in this way prevented and overcame me The more I can look into that gentleness aimableness and those fatherly affections in God through Christ Jesus towards me and that secreet bosome of divine love is so laid open the more are all fears banished discontentments swallowed up and I am heartned to go on chearfully in a Christian course as best becometh that holy and heavenly calling And the more abundantly Gods thoughts of peace are discovered unto me the more peace and rest I thereby finde bred and preserved in my thoughts You may account it a licentious doctrine or otherwise asperse it with indignities because you have little skill of it and may bridle your self and disciples by another mean and kinde of woful doctrine but when you have done I wish you might feel how your owne pulses do beat But I proceed You deny the Law to work onely preparatorily in conversion And I thinke he never had experience of convesion that is of your mind you would make men believe you sit downe with a legal reformation as is the case of too many instead of a Gospels-conversion or that the law had never as yet its due and perfect work upon you for then you would sing another song When the commandment came sin revived and I dyed Rom. 7. Did ever any come
to life but by death And when a man hath seen and felt nothing but sin and death in himself the law cannot tell him nor let him know of a righteousness and life ordained for him in another out of himself and therefore here it ceaseth to help He that expecteth conversion by the Law may as well seek light in darkness life in death conversion where confusion terrour and desperation is Who can credit your bare word in this that the law which is found both by Scripture and experience to be the word that revealeth and worketh wrath and death should yet be the ministry also of conversion to the soul I cannot do it M. B. Onely two things must be premised Answ Nay not onely two but a third also viz. that what you say is infallibly true without exception your new divinity must pass for current M. B. First that the law could never work to regeneration were it not for the Gospels promise Answ You mean not that the Gospel-promise should be any ingredient to the ministry of the law and so by the vertue and efficacy of this as some special pearl used amongst other things in themselves of little or no force this cure or work should be effected but you say that vertue should go forth equally and indifferently by law or Gospel and this because God hath promised to give a new heart through Christ as the Medium by and in whom he creates and changes it anew for so you would contradict your self but thus you intend that Gods promise to give this heart is grounded on Christ as the reason of making it but the performance may be by the law But is it your part to make this to appear for truth By regeneration we are become children to God but if this be by the law then are we but like Ishmael children of the bond-woman Well your words want weight and credit too I wonder you should think such private fancies would ever be received having no warrant but your pen. What have you no Text nor Author to produce not one sentence or word from either for confirmation M. B. So that while a Minister preaching of any commandment doth thereby mold and new frame the heart Answ You want a probatum est for it M. B. All this cometh by Christ who therefore dyed and ascended into heaven c. Answ Every word of God is pure add thou not to his word lest he prove thee and thou be found a lyer Prov. 30.5 6. Where is it said that Christ dyed and ascended to give such power and vertue unto the law M. B. So that there never was in the Church meer pure Law nor meer pure Gospel Answ It is a heavy accusation and charge never what not in the Prophets Apostles nor yet Christs time but alway a Miscellaneous or mixt doctrine this seemeth too bold and rash If you shuffle all together it was not alway so the promise in Paradise That the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent and that to Abraham Gen. 12. That in Christ all the families of the earth shall be blessed was surely pure Gospel without any Law M. B. But they have been subservient to each other in the great work of conversion Answ Subserviency was alway granted and taught but that may be without mixture Christ or the Gospel and the Law cannot be and dwell together and as the dead fly marreth the Ointment in the box so the least thing of the law mingled with the Gospel corrupteth it and wholly destroyeth it saith Luther they are so repugnant and opposite you know the nature and operations of contraries and the doctrine of grace and of works are contrary Rom. 11. If of grace it is no more of works You say you approve of Luther Qui scit inter legem Evang discernere c. sciat se esse theologum but you will not meddle with that now Answ No nor no time else it is needless if they were alway intermingled how can they be otherwise now and if either severally or both joyntly may effect true conversion what need we make a difference or why it is of so great consequence to give an exact difference between them I understand not But in the closure you seem as if you would have eat your own words saying God may make the opening of the moral law instrumentally to concur thereunto you are providing hereby some moor rome aforehand for fear of that strait your former assertion brought you into M. B. The second thing which I premise is this That howsoever the law preached may be blest to conversion yet the matter of it cannot be blest to Justification Adoption or consolation Answ More strange still what conversion is it which is not included in Justification by it the soul is re-united and reconciled to God Totus processus a peccate c. The learned have taught and told us that the whole passage and way from sin wrath and death unto righteousness favour and life is by mean of free justification What is blest to justifie is blest to convert us to God but the Gospel and not the Law you grant is blest to Justification Adoption Consolation When Paul did beseech the Corinthians to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.19 20 or to receive the Atonement was not that to turn to God no God had the heart to eschew evil and do good is not to turne unto God My son give me thy heart and then let thy eyes observe my wayes Christ is the way to God Again is it possible to partake of Adoption whereby we become children by one doctrine and to receive the qualification or divine image or likeness reinstambed on us by another doctrine 3. Is not our Reconciliation or coversion the ground of our hope and consolation The promise of the Gospel giveth no ground of hope or consolation to the unconverted 1 Pet. 1.3 We are begotten again to a lively hope Who can have hope in God or consolation from him but he that is regenerated or converted or is there any ground or reason of either but onely in this that we are called and converted to the faith of the Gospel Blessed be God who hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace 2 Thes 2.16 You put in after Not in any thing he doth as if you made no difference between conversion and mans doing or work which is gross And yet elsewhere you erect much hope and consolation of future good and glory upon mans doing and duty which here you deny see pag. 40. where you say there is a promise made to our works c. M. B. Therefore let us not confound Law and Gospel nor yet make them so contrary in their natures and effects that where one is the other cannot be An. If this your doctrine doth not confound them while you say they were never pure nor distinct in the Church and not telling what is Law
is that the Hebrew word doth signifie largely any doctrine and so may comprehend the whole word of God Answ You say that others as well as they Antinomian take the law so largely so that you see your Adversarie is not single in his opinion as you are who can produce no Author but onely say It seemeth good to expound that phrase in such a manner And otherwise it seemeth it would cross your designe else I see nor you do shew no reason But Luther and some others upon that place Psal 19.7 do take the law for the moral law but I dare say you will not stand to their exposition of it Luther saith This is no absolute commendation of the law but it is to be understood legem talem factans esse per fidem non talia facit lex The law worketh not these it self but they are effected by the influence of the Sun of righteousness inwardly quickning reviving and comforting the soul through the faith of the Gospel The law giveth nor hath no such heat or vertue of it self but produceth contrary effects It may indeed saith he convert the eye mouth hand ears omnes vires sed magis avertit cor odio paenarum indignatione prohibitae concupiscentiae sed cor non est rectum spiritus non est fidelis In brief his judgement is that after the soul is justified and converted by the Gospel then it loveth the law which it hated before and now it doeth not avert or as being afraid she from God in his law but with confidence and delight draweth nigh unto him and observeth the things of the law because the Spirit of Christ in the Gospel maketh them sweeter to the soul then all the riches and pleasures of this life Thus it s the doctrine of reconciliation by Christ believed on that marvelously altereth the Christians heart causing it to convert and turn to God as being thereby able to abide his sight and presence and to love his saw Et Amans legem non potest eam satis landare adeo placet quae prius adeo displicuit You say nothing that hath any strength in it against the truth held out and maintained by us And by this you may see whence it was that David so commended the law strictly taken because his heart was so altered by the faith of the operation of God It is remarkable saith Luther that the way to love and keep the law is to believe and receive the Gospel from this belief issueth love and all true obedience and it is not bred and effected by the law commanding and requiring it By faith we establish the law Rom. 3. ult M. B. That opinion which would make Christ not take an instrumental way for conversion of men in his first Sermon wherein he was very large that must not be asserted but to hold that the preaching of the law is not a Medium to conversion must needs be to say Christ did not take the nearest way c. Answ You answer your self page 169. where your words are That our Saviours intent was only to explicate the law better then did the Scribes and Pharisees that so they might be sensible of sin and discover themselves to be fouler and more abominable then ever they judged themselves unto which let me add And that by requiring and so letting the hearers see a necessity of a more absolute righteousness then was held forth even in the doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees he might so destroy all confidence in their own works prevent the establishing of mans righteousness and prepare and dispose them to hearken after his righteousness for he is the end of the law for righteousness to al that believe Rom. 10.4 And by this it may appear that he used the law preparatorily to justification and conversion as you in part are forced to grant it to be the opinion and doctrine of all Orthodox Divines and yet it is thwarted by you who love to have a way by your self M. B. If the law of God have that objectively in it that may work exceedingly upon the heart when set home by Gods Spirit then it may be used instrumentally as well as the Gospel but it hath c. Answ Here is nothing but the vain reason of man If God be otherwise pleased what is it how glorious fit and worthy soever it may seem for this in our eyes The Sun in the firmament is a glorious object to look upon when we have eyes but God useth it not therefore to give and restore the use of sight to those that be blind the seeing man findeth variety of delightful objects to look at among the creatures but they finde him not eyes therefore M.B. 5. If the law of God may be blessed after a man is converted to the increase of his grace and holiness why not then to the first beginning of it That it is for the increase of of Godliness appeareth by experience Answ Every Christians experience teacheth him that the more he inwardly seeth and feeleth that divine love that pardoneth reconcileth and preserveth the soul in that everlasting covenant of sure mercies and peace the more it loveth againe and in love hateth evil escheweth it doth good is every way cheerfully obedient I love the Lord saith David because he heard me when I called upon him in the time of trouble and delivered my soul from death my eyes from tears and my feet from falling What bred and caused love and gained the heart to God at the first that same is of continual force still to enlive and enlarge the affections towards him But because sins are forgiven it is said she loved much Luke 7. and if this Candle be put under a bushel if this Sun the light of Gods countenance do not shine forth upon the Solissequium the soul of a believer it will be dark dull and indisposed to whatever good you can propound to it therefore is it requisite that faith be nourished and ever operative and lively in apprehending and feeding upon that exceeding kindness of God in Christ that so it may be more quick and free in all holy expressions Faith works by love if faith dye or wax cold by which the soul liveth the law can but little work upon or affect the heart Besides as the Christians beginning so his building up and increasing is in another way and by other means then are meerly legal he lives and grows in the Vine Christ and thereby fructifieth M. B. It is hard to think that a Minister having opened any moral duty of the law may not pray to God to cloath that word with power to change the heart of the hearers Answ Why should man thinke it hard or be offended at any thing where he findeth it Gods will that it be so and no otherwise 2. If God reveal not his minde and willingness to put forth any renewing power in the law how can you then pray in faith to be
heard 3. True prayer is for the fulfilling of his promise in his own way and not in ours M. B. If the Ceremonial Law the Sacraments and Sacrifices were blessed by Gods Spirit while they were commanded to be used for the strengthening and increase of grace notwithstanding the deadly nature of them now then the Moral may be blessed c. seeing it stands still in force Answ While those ordinances were in use they were effectual to increase faith and so to quicken confirm and cheer the heart against inward temptations from sin Satan the fear of death of judgement c. for they were instituted for that purpose and fitted also in that they held forth and shadowed Christ Crucified the body and substance life and thing signified If you can prove that the moral law was either ordained or so fitted for that end you say something else water is not so weak as is this Argument M. B. Let the use of them be c. Answ The Lord let you see your error and failing and give you a right use of what is said Indeed the law is holy yet it is manifest that maketh neither heart nor life full of holiness though you abound in legal performances M.B. What is regeneration but the working of the moral law in the heart that is the Image of God Answ Regeneration giveth a new being birth and estate as well as a new Image It maketh us both Sons and also like our heavenly Father but the law is the instrument for neither but the word of truth which is the Gospel of salvation Jam. 1.18 as is cleared before You seem to have a zeal but not according to knowledge and so would lead and hasten on your hearers in a wrong way LECT XXI Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law c. M. B. Let us consider a great mistake of the Antinomian Author in the Assertion pag. 171. where he makes the very ground why they are charged with Antinomianisme to be because they do not hold the law to be used by God instrumentally for the conversion of men certainly this is a great mistake for there are many learned men who hold the work of the law to be no more but preparatory Answ Sir It is no mistake at all for both Dr. Tailor and many others upon that ground have so concluded and condemned us And if your words will sufficiently satisfie the world that this our Opinion and Tenet is so Orthodox and free from Antinomianism as you are enforced to do lest otherwise you should unavoidably as you see and say bring many yea all the learned into the same condemnation with us except your self who yet in so doing might put your owne neck into the coller I doubt not then but the truth will also clear and free us in all other out assertions And so in despight of all ill-will our innocency which hath so unjustly suffered and been so unworthily aspersed a long time by you and others will at last come to light and we shall mirabile dictu stand recti in curia Plead thou our cause O God of our righteousness M. B. Yet for all that they do peremptorily maintaine the use and obligation of the law in respect of believers therefore they are not in that respect condemned for that error Answ Surely if I understand any thing neither they nor yet your self will be so peremptory as to maintain the use and obligation of it to believers quatenus tales To faith or in the state or things of faith there is no obligation nor use of the law If the law be useful to the working Abraham as Luthers phrase and distinction is yet here they all and you also must do so at the last unanimously confess that the law hath power actually to condemn him in all his works and wayes so that by his faith he ever retireth in spirit and returneth to Christ his righteousness that so he may enjoy and preserve his peace freedom life and comfort your best performances need remission of sins much more you for these your Lectures Again if the learned be not condemned for this errour in this respect yet you account it an errour in them and cannot prove it so or else how is it so intolerable in us are you become partial and inequal judges M. B. The question is not whether by the power of the law we come to obey the law but whether Grace may not use the precepts or law preached for the inflaming of our affections so in love with the things commanded that we are thereby made more holy And thus I interpret those Authors that deny the law to be instrumental to holiness that is not animated by Gods Spirit or separated from it An. Now you should address your self to encounter and you begin to shrink in diffidence doubtless of your cause which you perceive so unjustifiable that no advocate will be found to patronize it for did not you in pag. 187. say that you suppose Christ Jesus hath obtained by his death that such efficacy and vertue should go forth of the ministery that whether it be law or Gospel the souls might be healed and converted And now you seem to be no longer of that minde that by the power of the law we come to obey the law which as you mean it is all one with conversion If we come not by the power of the law to obey then it is by the power of the Gospel onely and so we agree If you reply You mean by no power inherent in the law I say There is no inherent or physical vertue neither in the Gospel to effect our conversion 2. Now the question must be onely whether Grace may not use the law c. This is the liberty you can allow your self to alter and to state the question as best liketh you If you misliked the form and terms wherein you found it why became you opponent And now your expressions in this be so uncouth and improper as that grace may use the precepts c. and your meaning in the residue so obscure and doubtful and I so unwilling to wrong you the least jot that I had rather forbear then meddle any further I shall deliver my minde how pertinent to your question or satisfactory to your self it shall prove I know not thus This word of God which revealeth the riches of grace and exceeding kindness in giving righteousness and salvation to the soul is the true and proper instrument for the inslaming of the affections in love both to God his law and all the things of God and the law neither maketh to love God nor its owne commands And here you so mince it that your expression onely is to make us more holy as if already you granted now that the law doth not instrumentally initiate or work sanctification at first but increase it afterward consider this well Lastly Those Authors you mean are not beholden unto you for your so gross and
inconsistent interpretation They say the law is not the instrument of sanctification Gods Spirit sanctifieth not by the law the law is the instrument of no good c. It is true you say and thus they mean that is the law not animated by Gods Spirit or separated from it Answ So neither do either they or any think Law or Gospel to be 2. If that be their meaning they might deny the Gospel to be instrumental also 3. But you read their words in the Assertion of grace to be that the Spirit doth not animate nor use the law in sanctification or conversion save onely preparatorily Now you must either grant us that these Authors unto which might be added all others of any special account are guilty of as much Antinomianisme as your adversaries are in this respect or that your quarrell is as weakly managed as it was causlesly undertaken yea and that you with your society have erred in opinion and practise I shut up all with that so pertinent and pregnant saying of Calvin on Gal. 3.19 Si quis excipiat cum lex regula sit pie recte vivendi cur potius transgressionum quam obedientia causa positadicitur Respondeo Vtrumque veram justitiam demonstret tamen in hac naturae corruptione nihil quam augere trangressiones ejus doctrina donec accedat Spiritus regenerationis qui ipsam cordibus inscribat hic autem non datur a lege sed fide percipitur M. B. I come to consider of those places c. I shall not take all because one answer may serve for many they being built upon the same ground Answ You are farre indeed from taking all but onely such by your perverse usage and wresting whereof you may more subtilly and easily elude and seem to evade M. B. First the state of the question is obscurely propounded by him for thus he saith The promise or the Gospell and not the Law is the seed or doctrine of our new-birth Assert pag. 163. Now here are ambiguities as first the promise or Gospell for by this he seemeth to decide a great question that whatsoever is a promise in the Scripture this belongeth to the Gospell but a command or threatning that belongeth to a law whereas this needeth a great discussion Answ You see a mote in your Brothers eye and consider not the beame in your own How changeable have you been in the assertion and question last discussed and handled you are so inconstant and mutable in your termes sence and scope that it is very uncertain and doubtful as yet what you are resolved to stand to But 2. where its said the Promise or Gospel and not the Law c. do you accuse this of ambiguity surely without cause except for your humour or to take occasion to trouble the simple with a dotage which none of mean understanding would ever question As for your so great question as you call it All the promises in the Scripture cannot belong to the Gospel for the law hath its promises Do and thou shalt live in them where life is promised conditionally of this is spoken before and it is of the By. 3. If the word promise were onely used yet being placed antithetically in opposition to the law who can doubt what should be meant by it Paul in Gal. 3.18 thus useth it If the inheritance be of the law it is no more of promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise Argumentum a contrariis Haereditas est promissione nempe nuda ac simplici seu gratuita non igitur ex lege i. c. promissiâ—ne conditionalis Piscat In Gal. 3. How often doth he in that Chapter as in Rom. 4. oppose law and the promise Also to avoid all ambiguity as much as was possible it followeth Or the Gospel by which it is easie to conceive what is meant by him who hath not a minde to cavil and seek a knot in a rush The learned tell us That in the Scriptures use and sense Testamentum foedus promissio pactum Evangelium ferè sunt Synonyma Well by promise then is meant the Gospel so that controversie is decided and there is no place for ambiguity And if you turne to your named pag. 163. the word promise is not at all in the proposition but a wanton spirit may finde himself sport at his pleasure M. B. 2. The State of the question is not about the Gospel or the law as they are both a doctrine but as the Spirit of God working by one or the other the not attending to this maketh the Argument so confounded Answ The proposition is formally this The Gospel and not the Law is the instrument of true sanctification What need these cautions and vain words as if none can speak plain English but you And as by your Predecessour Dr. Tailer so here we must be stiled and taken for confused men but you onely are distinct and seraphical M. B. 3. He saith It 's not the seed of the New-birth whereas conversion or regeneration is made the writing of the law in the heart and Matth. 13. The word of God in general is compared to seed sown Answ And he saith nothing but he may truely affirm it still 2. You put no difference between regeneration conversion and writing the law upon the heart which yet in propriety of phrase sense and use are distinct as is shewed before who now is guilty of confusion 3. And although the work you mean should be the writing of the Law in the heart yet it followeth not to be by the law for how then should the law in sanctification be established by faith Lastly It is not the word in general but with restriction the word of the Kingdome that is the Gospel that is compared to the seed sown see Mat. 13.19 M. B. The first instance is John 17.17 Sanctifie them c. I answer 1. The word Sanctifie when applyed to men doth not signifie onely justification or renovation but setting apart to some peculiar office or charge Answ The words in the Assertion are To Sanctifie in the sense of the Hebrews from whence it is taken is to separate any thing from a prophane and common use and so to consecrate it to God or to convert it to a sacred and divine use So that if you have learned men for your great and full Library may well exceed my poor and diminished Study who so take it that Christ prayed here for the fitting of the Apostles for their great charge yet that is of fishers to make them fishers of men and so to separate them from their former prophane and worldly calling and trade unto a sacred which thing my words do include and import also 2. But then to sanctifie them must be more then to ordain them for that function even to endue them with a great measure of holiness and gifts requisite for so high a calling Yet 3. All that I read do take the word as I say And sith Christ
not unto themselves but unto us they did Minister the things that are now reported unto you 1 Pet. 1.12 Mr. B. There are two notorious falshoods 1. That God indeed saw sin in believers in the old Testament but not in these of the new Answ To see sin is as an Act of Gods justice in the legall Ministration under which they were in the old Testament but now as is cleared we are not under that Ministration as sometime you yeeld so that it may follow that God might see sin in those and not in these You conceive and think of God without reference to his word and would have sin the object of his eternall and incomprehensible sight in a carnall sense and imagination Can you believe that God remembreth the sinnes of his people no more as his Covenant is Heb. 8.12 And why not then be perswaded of this Mr. B. Was not that place God seeth not iniquity in Jacob spoken of the Church in the old Testament and besides If the Godly were in Christ then doth it necessarily follow by his principles That God must see no sin in them Answ The Authour took that place as I remember to be a Prophesie of a future state 2. Though they were in Christ yet not being adulti but in their time of minority under that legall government God might see and impute sin temporally unto them so there appeareth no absurdity or contradiction but that you love to have your own words Mr. B. The second difference he maketh is that God seeing did therefore punish and afflict for it but he doth not so now So Moses was stricken with death c. Now who seeth not how weak and absurd these Arguments are for doth not the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. speaking of those under the new Testament say That some were sick some did sleep were not Ananias and Sapphira struck dead immediately Answ Your words indeed are that his Arguments are weak and absurd but you make no such thing to appear As for that of 1 Cor. 11. his Answer to it still may suffice for you shew not any invalidity of it nor regard his distinctions there given Besides It will not be granted that those Corinthians nor yet Ananias and Sapphira were believers And so your reason falleth short of the point in question Mr. B. The Arguments of the Antinomians for the greater part do not onely overthrow the use of it to believers but to unbelievers also Answ Their Arguments if rightly conceived of and used do not overthrow the use of the Law to either but then you must keep it within its own proper limits and use it lawfully I grant if you understand those words The Law is a Schoolmaster to Christ historically onely for some make a mysticall and spirituall sence of them also then the meaning is that the same believing Jew who before was under the Law yet since Christ is freed from that servitude and so his state is changed that Pedagogy is no longer yea and believer or unbeliever in the daies of the Gospel we are not to meddle with that administration by Moses but onely to give care to the Gospel which is preached to all for the obedience of faith Rom. 1.2 5. but then it will necessarily follow that he that believeth is actually freed from the yoke of the Law if from the whole occonomy then from every part And he liveth by his faith onely under meer free grace Rom. 6.14 Mr. B. We will grant that to a believer the Law is as it were abrogated in these particulars 1. In respect of justification 2. Condemnation 3. Rigid obedience 4. It s no terrour nor are the godly slavishly compelled to obey 5. It doth not work nor increase sin as in the wicked 6. It is abrogated in many accessaries and circumstances Answ You say you had rather use the word Mitigation then Abrogation as being proper c. And I mislike both as they are used in reference to the Law for both Scripture and experience shew that neither word is incident nor can possibly befall the Law of God for it is inviolable If the Fire burn you not not Sea drown you it s not because they have lost that naturall power to do it but in that you happily are kept out of either such as abide under the Law find no true abrogation or mitigation And if the Law justifie not it 's not because the power of it to do it is lost or lessened for then it could not promise life to the observers saying Do. and live but in that it doth not justifie and give life actually to any that weakness is not in the Law but in man through the flesh Rom. 8.3 for the Law neither can nor ever yet had power to justifie a sinner nor one that failed the least in the observance of it And the like may be said in respect of condemnation The Law curseth and threatneth upon Sinai but cometh not on Mount Sion In Christ we are freed from the Law and so from its Condemnation so the change is in the state of a Christian but no alteration in the Law at all Your own expression cleareth it While the Law by reason of sinne doth pursue me I runne to Christ for refuge and seek to be found in him this I implyeth that the Law hath not lost any of its threatning or cursing power and that my security is not that the Law wanteth power to condemn but that I am in Christ and under his protection Phil. 3.9 As for your third respect of mitigating the rigid obedience as you call it yet I see you are forced to yeeld what D. Tailer and others did not that it cannot be maintained If we fail in the least tittle we are presently gone by the Law And as Christ hath not obtained at Gods hand that the Law should not oblige and tye us to a perfect obedience so you might as truly say he hath not procured that the Law should not justifie us being sinners for this it could not do before But I am glad to have such words from you that all our obedience is accepted not because of any mitigation in Gods justice or for dignity in the duty but onely in and through Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 the best piece of Divinity I find in your Book but then there is no mitigation of rigid obedience in the Law To the fourth To speak properly the Law is therefore no terrour because a believer is not under it for it is a terrour to all that be under it the Christian being under grace is free from terrour And if he be sometime or something afraid that is not because there is not fulness of security in his condition but through the imperfection of faith as children we fear where and when we have no true cause neither doth it argue any less terrour in the Law And you have some strange add unsound expressions in this Section for grant a regenerate and ungenerate part
yet the man is but one and his state but one not two and put the Law with its terrour and compelling power to the flesh what availeth this Can this draw the flesh to the waies of piety as your words are you imagine either that the flesh being and remaining flesh can move in the waies of piety or that the terrour of the Law can change the corrupt heart but can clear or justifie neither It is simple and free believing that leadeth and carrieth the soul into the right way and all the forcing and terrifying of the Law can provoke onely unto an externall and hypocriticall obedience such as is in the Children of the Bondwoman If the spirit in the godly be not alway so willing the Law cannot give aide and quickening to it but rather dampeth and deadeth the spirit of faith and love and doth vivifie the corruption in nature for so saith Paul when the Commandment came sin revived and I died Rom. 7.9 and againe the strength of sin is the Law 1 Cor. 15.56 It 's onely faith in the Gospel of Christ that exciteth to all goodness cheerfully and joyfully so Heb. 11. Noah Abraham Moses are said to do all by faith Sine qua multa faciendo nihil facimus impleudo Legem non implemus What caused life at first must preserve and quicken it being dead or dull 5. And your fifth Assertion is false for the Law doth as is said and proved increase sin even in the faithfull this being the bitter effect of it through the vitiousness of our nature Rom. 7.5 The motions of sin which were by the Law do work in our members to bring forth fruit to death and all along the chapter Paul saith It wrought no otherwise in him in his regenerate estate but that all the power to resist weaken and overcome sin and the flesh was from Christ the head and his spirit Therefore thankes be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ This take notice of that if infidelity be accidentally nourished and faith hindered and opposed by the Law as is most true then sin cannot decrease but doth increase by it Besides is not flesh and corruption in the regenerate of the same kinde with that in the unregenerate If the Law then be the occasion of the reviving of sin in the one why not in the other the nature of the flesh nor the operative vertue of the Law is not altered by grace though they both be overmastered and subdued In the sixth you slander your Antinomian again for disparaging the Law in that it was written in stones What good can it do say you Answ It doth good many waies else God would not have writ it there but that cannot make man good God therefore hath promised to write his Law in the Tables of the heart by his spirit whereby the Gospel also is made effectuall as he pleaseth but this inward writing of the Law is a promise and branch of the new Covenant Jer. 31.33 Mr. B. But the Law continueth to them as a rule which may appear first from the different phrases used concerning the ceremonial law nowhere applied to the moral as which Chemuitius doth reckon up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which are not used of the Morall but when he speaketh of it he saith We are dead unto it We are redeemed from the curse of it which Phrases do imply the change to be wade in us and not in the Law Answ Your supposition is still false for we hold no abrogation mitigation or mutation in the Law as is already cleared 2. This maketh wholly for us for if there be no change in the Law then it continueth in all other offices and regards as well as to be a rule and so hath power to promise and to condemn also Hunc suo jugulo gladio 3. You reason nihil ad Rhombum viz. If the Antinomian could bring such places that would prove it were as unlawfull to love the Lord because the morall Law commands it as we could prove it unlawfull to circumcise c. Answ The rule of comparison requireth that it should be unlawfull to circumcise because the ceremoniall Law commands it And if that Law were of force still and not repealed it were as lawfull to circumcise so that the unlawfulness to do it is not from the nature of the thing but in that the ceremoniall requiring circumcision is abrogated but so is not the moral for then to love were not required But though the morall Law command love yet your heart wanting it it giveth it no power to do it Thus you have gained here nothing to your purpose but lost both labour and credit Mr. B. 2. From the sanctification and holiness that it requireth of the believer which is nothing but conformity to the Law Answ Though the Law require yet it proveth not it to be a rule regulating disposing and framing the soul to holiness for the Law doth not sanctifie but Christ is of God made to be sanctification whereby cometh true conformity to the Law The Law requireth to be just but doth not justifie so it willeth us to be Saints but sanctifieth not There is a mutuall relation between Christ and faith as a quality or vertue faith purifieth not but as it fetcheth and deriveth vertue from Christ Purity is not in us naturally the Law requiring it doth convince us both of the want of it and of the necessity to have it but it supplieth us not with it for then Christ need not be our root of holiness nor we by faith to have it from him but driveth us to Christ in whom all fulness dwelleth You have your Answer to the rest of the Section in what precedeth Mr. B. 3. In that Disobedience to it is still a sin to a believer Answ As Disobedience is a sin against the Law so it is condemned by the Law as was Davids adultery Peters deniall c. else what need they of faith to be justified from them so still by this the Law hath power to condemn as well as to rule As for the evasion you mention I know it not you have not as yet brought us into any such strait or danger as that we need seek evasion The residue of this Lecture maketh nothing for your purpose nor at all against us LECT XXIII Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law yea we establish it HEre you do not invalidate the Authors assertion nor Arguments If the Law and Prophets lasted but till John And as John was greater then any before him so the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater then he You will then find it hard to put John either under the old or new Testament or to evince your Adversary Inter Legem Evangelium interpositus fuit Johannes qui medium obtinuit munus utrique affine Calv. It 's true the Law or Moses and the Prophets write of Christ and agreed in that and did not onely typifie him
heart no not in the least syllable of it untill it be there implanted by the faith of the Gospel Note you well this by the way And however the learned vary somewhat about this yet I can read no word favouring your odde Opinion Now come we to your Arguments Mr. B. The first shall be taken from the relation of the covenanters Argn. 1 God on the one part and the Israelits on the other God did not deal as this time as absolutely considered but as their God and their Father hence God saith he is their God And when Christ quoteth the Commands he brings the Preface Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one Rom. 9.4 Now unless this were a Covenant of grace how could God be their God who were sinners Answ God dealt with them now not absolutely indeed but yet with relation to his promise formerly made by meanes of which he had freely chosen and taken them to be his peculiar people having long before said to Abraham I will be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee Gen. 17.7 And hereupon the constant Martyr Mr. Bradford intending to comfort one dejected and distreffed in mind upon consideration of some failing or want of obedience as I remember writeth to this effect Let this cogitation be still in your mind that before God aske any thing of us he saith he is ours I am the Lord thy God giving himself and then all he hath to be ours And this he doth in respect of himself of his own mercy and truth and not in respect of us for then were grace no grace In consideration whereof saith the Martyr Whatever he commands though of duty we be bounden to accomplish and be culpable and guilty if not yet he requireth the same no further of us then to make more in love and more certaine of this his covenant That he is our Lord God which is made in respect of his grace in Christ Jesus and dependeth nothing on our obedience So this Covenant is most free and most sure for ever and the onely refuge and plea of the soul in the hour of tentation It is more then evident then that God as now so from the first stood reconciled to his people in Christ Jesus and in him became their God and took them into that happy relation of being his people his peculiar treasure and Children And all your Scriptures if now you look on them again do hold forth this and can speak no other truth What infirmity is this Cannot God take a people into Covenant with himself and become their God and Father in Christ his Son and yet govern and put them under the Law but we must then inferre either that all his grace and favour is conditional or else the Law we are made to live under for a time is a Covenant of grace Argn. 2 Mr. B. If we consider the good things annexed to this Covenant it must needs be a Covenant of grace for there we have remission of sin whereas in the Covenant of works there is no way for repentance or pardon In the second Commandment God is described to shew mercy to thousands c. Answ If God promise and shew mercy in this way of obedience as we Parents also commonly do deal with our Children looking pleasantly upon them using them kindly c. when we find them most dutifull and tendering and receiving them lovingly and gently upon their submission after some failing will you so farre forget the truth and your self as to infer and conclude thence that the Covenant is established on our obedience It is one word and way by which we are begotten and become Children to God our Father and he may rule us and shew us favour by another word and way especially whilst we be in minority as Gal. 4.1 2 3. And what could keep the Children of Israel in the conscience of their many faults and failings from despair or what could erect their spirits and preserve still a confidence and cheerfull hope in them was it not as Mr. Bradford said That knowledge and inward perswasion that God was their Father and they his Children by a free and faithfull promise of meer grace in Christ to come Mr. B. 3. Argn. 3 If we consider the duties commanded in the Law so generally taken it must needs be a Covenant of grace for what is the meaning of the first Commandment but to have one God in Christ our God by faith Answ What is said to the other Deus Pater seipsum in Christo abscondidit ita ut nusquam alibi quam in Christo quaeramus agnoscamus c. resolveth this also for this Commandment presupposeth that God was their God and did not now by his Law become their God by promise in the Messiah to come on his part and by faith receiving it on their side And to keep them to his faith in Christ and to prevent defection or Idolatry he propounds himself to be known and acknowledged onely in Christ the promised seed saying I am thy God in my Christ that so they might love him trust and delight in him Mr. B. From the ceremonial Law Argn. 4 All Divines say That this is reduced to the Morall so that sacrifices were commanded by vertue of the second Commandment Now all know that the sacrifices were Evangelical and did hold forth remission of sins c. then there must be grace included Answ Now I understand what you would have reduced to the morall Law And in this passage of yours I observe divers strange things as 1. That the ceremoniall should be reduced to the morall as if the one were not entire and absolute of it self without the other or that they were not distinct species under the same genus the whole Ministration by Moses being divided into Law morall ceremoniall judiciall so that every of the three is absolute of it self for the matter and doctrine contained in it and in respect of the end and use it was given for 2. You cannot let us see one syllable concerning the sacrifices in the second Command The Lord delivered by the same authority he had over them and as equally and immediately required the observation of each of these which in nature and office were so distinct And the charging of Israel with all and every of them is grounded still upon this I am thy God therefore was it that his people were to be instructed governed and ordered as he pleased He signified his will and mind in the matters of faith by the ceremoniall Law 2. Touching morality and duty in the morall 3. And what concerned the polity and republique in the judiciall Law I see not but that you may as well reduce the judiciall to the first Commandment or to the second Table as the ceremoniall to the second Commandment and thus confound all making but one Law 3. And I marke another thing viz. That in this you have one eye and respect to
the consent or opinion of Divines as the best yea sole reason and warrant you have for this whereas you regard not their concurrence in other things 4. Your inference is as strange viz. That there must then necessarily be grace included in the morall Law for suppose your reducement be true yet the same grace was still contained and kept in the ceremoniall as before and it could import no whit of its native vertue or as a physicall ingredient infuse its spirit strength or force to alter and qualifie the Law of works for then grace were no more grace nor works no more works If you make the morall so capacious as to receive into it the other as a greater Orbe the lesser or as your Chest doth a box of oyntment or the Ark the Pot of Manna yet there is no necessity of any influence from one into the other or of any thing to be poured out of one vessell into another but all that grace of remission of sins c. was still preserved and kept in the ceremoniall Law and so no grace in the morall 4. If the Apostle did speak as much against the ceremoniall as morall Law was it not because the people had no further respect then to the act observance or thing done resting in the bare use without faith in Christ the onely treasure hid and propounded in and by them and so they made that to be worke which was grace and so no difference between ceremoniall and morall things Sincere accepâ—â— non sunt proâ—â—ie opera hoâ—â—num sed â—â—ei nam niâ—â—l agimus sed â—â—ferimus nos â—â—eo ad recipiâ—â—ndam ejus â—â—vatiam Cal. And being thus perverted the continuance and use of circumcision and the sacrifices did oppose Christ and grace though they did not so as they were instituted and commanded by God to be used Sacrifices and Sacraments be Gods Ordinances which rightly understood and taken and purely used are not properly mans works but Gods He propoundeth and commendeth thereby unto us his grace and the work of redemption by Jesus Christ the sole object that our faith is to look at and to be exercised about in the use of them If we handle them sincerely we bring no work nothing for acceptation with God but onely are receivers of what he freely giveth unto us It s an easie and too common an errour to turn all into works even Baptism and the Lords Supper whereby the simple nature and verity of them is extinguished and lost Christ profiteth none but such as despairing of Law and works do by faith she onely unto the promise of his grace If a man seek help or comfort in any one act or work he is then bound to seek the same in all the works of the Law and so is a debter to fulfill the whole Law and is quite fallen from grace so is it Gal. 5.2 3 4. Behold I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcised namely in that perswasion that that act will avail you any thing Christ shall not profit you at all c. 5. Lastly This say you hath been alway a strong Argument to perswade you c. And there appeareth no strength in it but it is as weak silly and poor as any and whereas you say alwaies I understand you thus viz. since you entertained that conceit that the Law of works is a Covenant of grace by a mistake herein you might be confirmed in that errour but what bred or occasioned that opinion at first And we now having the same morall Law how is it if the ceremoniall be included in that second Commandment that it doth not bind us also to sacrifice be circumcised c. as it did the Jews else we have not all in the Law Mr. B. This will appear from the visible seal to ratifie the Covenant Argn. 5 which was by sacrifices and sprinkling the people with blood and this did signifie Christ the Mediatour of this Covenant Answ Interpreters vary about the meaning of that Covenant-book or Testament that was sprinkled with blood Exod. 24. If you will contend it was the Law largely taken even for what was delivered on Mount Sinai In which large acceptation that Law blood of sprinkling and other ceremonies then used were typicall and shadows of future good things Heb. 10.1 then you exclude the Morall Law strictly taken as a rule of righteousness for it was not typicall And now what have you gained by making this a Covenat of grace which the Jews lived under or where or what grace is found in the morall Law But when Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you Exod. 24.8 your Marginall note telleth you It was to signifie that the Law being broken by us could alone be satisfied by the blood and death of Christ Let Moses be typicall Mediatour yet it followeth not that it was not a covenant of works if you take it for the Law morall but contrarily that it was no other for a Mediator was therefore needfull because by the Law the people were convinced that there was dissention and variance between God and them in that they were proved to be transgressors of that his Law and the enmity was to be slain and abolished and a reconcilement made by a middle person Argn. 6 The residue of this Section I leave as dubious and obscure of whom you mean I know not Mr. B. If the Law was that same Covenant with that Oath God made to Isaac then it must needs be a Covenant of grace But c. Therefore God remembers what he had promised to Abraham Deut. 7.2 It shall come to pass if ye hearken to these judgements and do them that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the Covenant and mercy which he sware unto thy Fathers Answ Nothing is more evident by this place then that the Law requiring these judgements to be hearkened unto and done was a distinct doctrine from that Covenant made with them in their Fathers For 1. God requires of them the doing of the one but promises that he himself will keep the other the Covenant and the mercy so that this wholly rests and relyeth on him 2. He calls and commendeth himself first to be the Lord their God not upon condition of their doing or obedience but before he required it and as the ground of commanding it 3. The Covenant and mercy was made long before and confirmed by Oath in the dayes of their Fathers these stand all in that text fully against you and for us Yet he dealing with them as a Father with his Children is willing to manifest his faithfulness and love in keeping Covenant and promise made long before in that way of their obedience and dutifulness but that he made that Covenant the same with the Law is denied as utterly false If you say to your Child he shall find you a loving and kind
Father to him so that he will be dutiful and obedient to you now you are not his Father nor he your Child upon this condition though in this way you may manifest and express your affections at your pleasure Now take a view of your six Arguments and let us know what be your second thoughts of them and also your answer to those places so fully meeting and opposing you in this your way as the Angell did Balaam in his way is infirm and nothing satisfactory Mr. B. If that in Gal. 3.18 and Rom. 4.14 be rigidly and universally true then the doctrine of the Socinians would plainly prevail who from these do urge there was no grace nor faith nor nothing of Christ vouchsafed unto the Jews whereas they had the adoption though their state was a state of bondage Answ 1. Truth is to be received in love to it for it self though no errour nor danger a thing impossible should be prevented by it 2. If Socinians do urge those places to inferre that no grace c. come by the Law but by the promise onely made and given long before let us see how you would except against this but both you and the Socinians are wide and deceived though not in the same way 3. They had the adoption indeed but that was by faith in the promised seed and the putting them under that pedagogy of Moses made their state so servile What you say in the rest of this Lecture hath been presented to us before where also the answer and satisfaction is to be found LECT XXV Rom. 3.27 Where is beasting then c. I Cannot cease to muse that you so prosecute your matter in this large acception and sense of the Law knowing that the question is of the morall strictly taken You chuse rather to keep the thickets and bushes then to appear in the open plains we may guess why Yet take notice that the doctrine you raise doth not grow from your text no not in your own exposition for you expound it of the Law of works strictly taken as it is opposed to the Law of faith But your doctrine you so frame and carry as that you tell us The Law as a Covenant of grace given to the Israelites in some sense doth oppose the grace of the Gospel which assertion suppose true yet is no fruit of this tree hath not its rise from your text 2. Being witty to coyne and devise things of your own head without Scripture-ground you say it is for this end viz. To discover the nature of the Law and Gospel a fair pretence and promise without reality of performance for you rather cover and darken then otherwise 3. You bring in Calvin to little purpose who distributes the Law into three kindes and he doth not say that the morall Law differeth only from the Gospel in regard of clearer manifestation but denyeth it to have or contain any grace in it and so in nature and kinde to differ from the Gospel or word of grace and not gradually onely And the like may be said of Pareus 4. You have often received what is thought of your so often sod Coleworts presented here again to the Reader that they under the Law did enjoy grace c. viz. that they had it not by the Law c. Mr. B. That the doctrine of the Law in the more preceptive nature of it may be compared with the doctrine of the Gospel having the grace of God axnexed to it and going along with it now this in some respects is an unequall comparison Answ Why do you now more straiten the Law then did Calvin in that his testimony who takes the Law for that rule of life in which God requireth of us that which is his own giving us no ground of hope unless in every respect we walke according to it And you tell us of the Gospel having the grace of God annexed to it c. as if the Gospel could be separated from that grace which is the subject matter of it for doth the Gospel speak of or hold forth unto us any thing else beside the grace of God is so proper and peculiar to the Gospel that not one word of it is mentioned in the Law for the Law is of works and the Gospel is called the word of his grace But perhaps you will say By grace you mean the spirit of life that reneweth and quickeneth the soul if you do so yet it hath been cleared that although the Spirit do not alway and in all produce and work this work of renovation yet the Gospel is the ordinary instrument that is used for this and not the Law That expression of yours If you take the doctrine or letter of the Gospel without the grace of God is very improper for it is as if you could take the writing without the matter it specifieth and entreateth of Again observe that the difference between the letter of the Gospel and the letter of the Law as you call them is in that the Law is said then to kill when the spirit worketh effectually by it for then sin reviveth in the conscience and so J died saith Paul Rom. 7.9 and so the Commandment was found to be to death ver 10. but the Gospel then killeth and leaveth in death and condemnation when the spirit worketh not in the heart to receive and mingle it by faith Heb. 4.2 Joh. 3.19 2 Cor. 4.4 Your counsel is good to make the parallel equal but this is unequal in you still to make Law and Gospel equally and alike the instrument of grace and life Mr. B. pag. 2 3 4. I come to the Antinomian difference and there I finde such a one that I am confident was never heard of before In Hony Comb God saith he saw sin in believers of the old Testament but not in the new c. Answ Our weakness makes us stumble and to be offended where no cause is sometime and with too much confidence to condemn or reject such pretious truths as are received and justified by the Children of wisdome I have spoken before to this phrase In sobriety of mind ponder this The Scripture doth not say that Christ did actually take and do away sin till he came and shed his blood for that purpose and the object of their faith in the old Testament was the promise of future good things to be done and wrought by Christ when the fulness of time appointed came Gal. 4.4 so that God is said to have patience in bearing with his people till he received full satisfaction Rom. 3.25 and this finished and plenary work of redemption that the Gospel holdeth forth to us was the object of their hope who onely lived in a certain expectation of it according to the promise yet did that faith and hope both sustain save and serve them sufficiently according to that their condition wherein it pleased the Father to place them Their Gospel in brief was That Christ should appear and
dispense them as he pleased more sparingly then then now LECT XXVI Rom. 3.27 Where is beasting theu c. WHatever your reason or ends may be for it yet I see not any good or warrantable ground thus to take and handle the Law and Gospel in a large sense as you say and when you have done I would know what of the Gospel you conceive to be legall and how much Law you take to be Evangelicall Also you prefixe a Text as your foundation but the discourse you erect doth not touch it is not at all supported by it but stands like a Castle built in the Air. Neither do I find the Lutherans posing the Calvinists about the Law in this for both affirm the Law to be a Covenant of works and superadded to the promise holding forth all favour and peace upon such hard conditions to the Jews that they might experimentally be convinced of their folly in seeking it by their own righteousness You must go over it again else what is done will not serve to prove Moses Law a Covenant of grace Indeed we grant the godly Jews did enjoy what Christ premised but it was by such Ordinances as were of grace and not of works as is the Law they eyed or looked at Christ in the promises and not in precepts And as you began so you proceed laying down differences not between the Law and Gospell but between Gospel and Gospel I mean the administration of grace before and now of which others have writ more particularly plainly and profitably Then you tell us They Jews had a twofold consideration 1. as being servile another as being Sons but under age Now that is it that we say As Sons they were free for they were so by Christ promised but their condition was servile and their immunities and priviledges were in a great part vailed and kept from them But note that the Mosaicall pedagogy is antiquated what need was it to handle law or Gospel otherwise then in their strict and proper sense To run over every thing is long and tedious What is said by you of these differences may be granted with these two exceptions first that the law strictly taken is not as you say onely for those who have a perfect and holy nature Paul doth directly cross and contradict it saying The Law is not made for the righteous but for the Lawless and disobedient 1 Tim. 1.9 And Adam was not charged with this law in his integrity but had a Law touching a thing in its own nature indifferent for the keeping of this law was then naturall to him as is flying to a Bird and bearing fruit to a Tree or Hearbe Also it is clear that the law was added because of transgression Gal. 3.19 as if there had been no sinne there should have been no occasion of giving the law And this contradicts your self elsewhere affirming the Law to be an effectuall instrument to regenerate and sanctifie Now who needs to be regenerated and sanctified he that hath a perfect and holy nature or he that is a sinner and impure if you think otherwise what a deceiver are you when you would perswade the filthy and the vile that they may be changed and renewed by the Law of works And thus as your fourth difference is utterly false so your third is found to be defective and not plenary for all is of grace It is the Gospel or word of grace that justifieth and sanctifieth God in that ministration we live under is a free giver and man a meer receiver for God having discovered and made bare the root and heart of man so as he seeth his spirituall poverty and wretchedness by his Law doth then open his graciousness and his bountifull hand by his Gospel that the believing soul may be satisfied with his goodness in every kinde So that now as a Beggar he must live by Almes of Divine liberality being thus made to walk humbly with his God Open thy mouth and I will fill it Psa 81. 2. And in your last difference you set up and pull down say and unsay At first you tell us The Law is conditionall but the Gospel absolute but this is too clear a ground for you to abide upon therefore presently you say I finde this question a troublesome one Thus you trouble your self and others without cause Repentance and faith are no Gospel-conditions but are said to be the reason and end of the preaching of the Gospel It is preached that men may repent and believe Rom. 16.26 Luk. 14.47 yea and that they may be holy too Tit. 2.12 Ephes 4.22 Secondly The Gospel is the seed of them all as is to be cleared afterward they all grow and arise out of the doctrine of grace how then can they be conditions of it for what is a condition but that which is necessarily required that a thing may be so so that it will follow It is no Gospel where there is no faith or repentance or at least none preached to me What am I called upon to believe then The Gospel is the object of faith and in believing are we said to receive and obey it 2 Thes 1.8 The Gospel offereth pardon favour and eteruall life to sinners that they may come receive and partake of all freely yea beseeches men to be reconciled And doth not bid them go and get repentance and faith and holiness elsewhere as they can and then upon condition they bring these they shall be forgiven all their sins be reconciled and saved by the Gospel Indeed where God maketh the Gospel to be effectual there it bringeth forth these fruits there is repentance and saith to believe and it giveth no peace nor consolation to any but the believing soul so as faith is after the hearing of the Gospel so comfort is after faith Rom. 15.13 The God of all hope fill you full of peace and joy in believing In order one precedes another Gospel is preached before Faith that men may believe and then comes peace and consolation upon believing But who would argue hence that Faith is a condition of the Gospel or Peace a condition of Faith They denote a certaine Order that God is pleased to set and observe in his works and dispensations As for Mortification and Sanctification you speak of they are the effects of the Gospel for the soul thereby called and implanted into Christ beginneth to dye unto all things and to live only unto Christ and God in him so increasing with the increasings of God Col. 2.19 And Repentance admitteth of divers considerations in regard of some whereof it is Legall and of others Evangelical but of this next Lecture LECT XXVII Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting It is excluded c. IF this Question Whether the Gospel preach Repentance or no be as you affirme the foundation of Antinomanisme It then much concerneth you in this to play the man that the foundation being razed all may fall to confusion and this the rather also
denieth this to the Law Therefore Mr. B. destroyeth and abrogateth the Law and so is the true Antinomian and least in the kingdom of God This is so plain that I leave it to your consideration with what hath been said formerly In the next place you say The Law hath power over a believer to direct command and oblige to duty but not to condemn Now I reply Suppose a believer hath no will nor disposition to obey in some things or at somtimes hath the Law no further power to threaten and condemn then the Law will soon become an Aesops block vilified and brought into contempt Also grant a believer having the spirit is freely disposed and willing to obey yet his obedience will be but partial and defective and if then the Law have no power to accuse and threaten in that way of new obedience he may trust henceforth in his own works have his peace in that way of duty and not by his Faith in Christ and thus grow self-consident and secure but Paul who consented to the Law delighted in it c. yet in that he attained not to that perfect righteousness of it cryed out Oh wretched man that I am Rom 7.24 And if the curse be now gone to a believer from the Law what further use or need hath he of his justification and of the preserving and maintaining his continual peace onely thereby Lastly Confession of sin self-humiliation self-judging and condemning the accounting of our own righteousness as dung the fear of it and the constant desire to be still found in Christ not having our own righteousness c. these will have no more place in us What need Noah to keep in the Ark if there be no drowning waters without what need Christ a refuge or protection where no power of the Law is to pursue nor no danger to be feared These and many such like be the consequences and fruit of your doctrine or assertions And note that either to curse c. is not so much as an Iota or tittle of the Law a hard thing to affirm much more to prove or you offer too much violence to the good and inviolable law of God in daring to part and seperate these from the Law every whit of it being imperishable and incur that danger your self as Mal. 5.17 18. Yet you have such an evil eye and spite against us that you say pag. 269. Mr. B. The Antinomians do more fall against this text then any who teach the disobligation not onely of the least Command but of the whole Law Answ The contrary is apparently true let the judicious Christian Reader looking through all our discourse hitherto judge how untrue and unreasonable your charge is The law bindeth continually to duty and to the curse for the least failing And faith uncessantly acquitteth and looseth setteth free the soul like those two keys which Christ left to his Church to continue with it untill the end In the law I am bound in faith set free M. B. It argueth impudency of those who would make Luther on their side because of his 6. disputations against the Antinomians Answ But if his disputations be against the Antinomians then they may be against your self and in no wise against us we establish and maintain the law in the utmost extension 2. You shew nothing asserted by any you quarrel withall which in effect may not be found in Luther so that he is for them 3. Yet it is not his opinion but the truth we contend for And whos 's those scattered Propositions were that you have so collected I know not but with a good construction divers of them may be received and justified And are held affirmatively by such as are not suspected guilty of Antinomianisme You spare not still to take and scrape together what you can to make us odious that we may be utterly cashiered saying Luther calleth those Hostes legis organa Satanae quid furores Antinomorum their doctrine is more to be taken heed of then Papists And also present the world afresh with those unfavoury and false records of D.T. M.B. which two have writ more then you lift to defend Psal 52.2 or they could justifie yet you love to have a hand in their sin and had rather side with them whose Tenents are so erroneous and unsound then give a favourable construction to one more Orthodox then your self But I see great mercy from the Lord shining through this thick and dark cloud of your malice You are witnesses to your selves saith Christ That ye are the children of them who killed the Prophets Fill ye up then the measure of your Fathers Mat. 23.31 33. M. B. In their Books every Error is more warily dressed then in secret Answ And still no Error can come to light 2. The Proverb is true You muse as you use I think your ordinary or Pulpit-divinity is more grosse or not so pure as we finde you here and yet upon you review this may be reproveable If your you can see in secret you may judge what is done in secret as God doth else De secret is now judicat Ecelesia M. B. It cannot be denied but in some parts of their books be some good passages as in a wood full of brambles be some violets and primroses Answ What wise man so clear sighted as your self would not gather the fragrant and useful flowers and forbear rather wholly to meddle with the bushes then so to trouble pricke and endanger himself as you have here done M. B. The Author of the Assert of grace disclaims the opinion against the law yet there affirmes such principles from whence this conclusion will necessarily follow Answ It is but your conceit of such a conclusion to make it indeed you must be forced to add of your owne unto the premises but proceed to justifie your Accusation M. B. For first he makes no real difference either in Scripture or use of words between the law reigning and ruling so that if the Law rule a man it ruleth over him now then they deny the law to reign over a believer therefore they must needs hold it cannot be a rule Answ If your Adversary say there is no real difference between reigning and ruling It is your part who oppose him to make the difference appear by Scripture or some way else but this you do in no place so often as you repeat it which maketh me thinke verily you cannot And you are not of that credit with me that your bare word can carry it Yet since you thus slightly pass over that which you make the main ground of your oppsition and this failing all you say falleth to nothing I yet shall add a little to occasion and provoke more diligence and better inquisition hereafter 1. I argue thus To grant or leave unto God onely a power to rule in his law and to deny him the reigning power is to make God in his law like an inferiour Magistrate who
hath no Sovereignty by right ascribed to him 2. That God maketh and imposeth his law with such a command to be obeyed in it doth argue his Sovereignty in his law and mans subjection to him in it as his Sovereign But. 3. In the Scripture-language and use I finde no difference between them Psal 103.19 It is said The Lord hath prepared his throne in heaven and his kingdome ruleth over all Is not this all one with Reigneth Psal 110.2 God saith to Christ Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies As did he not rule and reigne as Lord and King see Luke 19.14 We will not have this man reign over us and verse 27. Those mine enemies that would not have me reign over them bring hither and slay them before me which is meant of Christ whom the Father appointed to be ruler over all to that in ruling he reigneth and they be indifferently used still Ezek. 20 33. As I live saith the Lord surely with a mighty hand with a stretched-out arm and with fury poured out will I rule over you Here is the word Rule and yet dominion and sovereignty in ruling unto the utmost extent Also Rev. 2.27 19. 15. He shall rule them with a rod of iron doth God rule where he reigneth not It s a strange conceit and a bold assertion of you and Doctor T. let it vanish as the smoke The law hath a kingdom and so hath Grace another if we can discerne and distinguish the one from the other we need not to lessen the power of either Lastly And in what sense it is said the law doth not reign over a believer in the same and no other may it be said the law doth not rule him but this is not because either reigning or ruling power be taken from the law but that in a true and proper sense the Scripture affirmeth the believer not to be under the law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 He that knoweth not this mystery cannot stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made him free nor endure in temptation You onely and vainly repeat what you read but consute nothing there is reason why As you do not like so you cannot oppose the clear truth your spirits fail you yet add to that you bring in out of D. T. That a Christian by Christ is freed from the law and also freed to it to love it live and walk in it In regard of that righteousness and salvation he standeth in with God which is the object of his faith he is freed from it but in regard of his holy and unblamable conversation and life here below Christ by his Spirit doth set free and enlarge the heart actively to run the way of Gods commandments so that yet in walking according to this rule he is not ruled by the law but by the Spirit within proceeding from Christ unto whom he stands in subjection as unto his Soveraign Lord and King I hope you will now be satisfied and the world too at least so far as to account of us no more for Antinomians If any thing yet be darke we must consider the Gospel is a great mystery You might well have kept in those reviling and hateful words or have been better advised ere you had shot so reproachful speeches though they be Arrowes taken from the quivers of other men yet is it that you might vent some spite by them and when they return you will finde the point of them towards your self Then you give Antidotes where there is no danger of infection If any need them he may use them in stead of better M. B. He sets up free grace and Christ not who names it often his book or in pulpit but whose heart is inwardly and deeply affected with it Answ A private Christian not gifted to preach or print may be more affected with it then the Minister and yet not so set it up in the hearts of others for want of those means of communication 2. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh If you were inwardly more affected with this doctrine you would preach and commend it more then any other as Paul who desired to know nothing but Christ Crucisied 1 Cor. 2.2 Phil. 1.20 and sought that he might be magnified whether by his life or death the main subject of his ministery was the unsearchable riches in Christ Eph. 3. 8. Consider these words of Luther in his preface to the Galations In my heart this one Article reigneth even the faith of Christ from whom by whom and unto whom all my divine studies day and night have recourse to and fro continually And I perceive that I could not reach any thing neer c. But it is a sure Argument of small reigning or power it hath in that soul whose mouth and pen is so busied to cavil and write against it Also may not another as truly say That he sets up the law not who names it often but whose heart is most sensibly and deeply affected with the power and inward work of it some would be Doctors of the law not knowing what they say nor whereof they affirm 1 Tim. 1.8 And now also who will most heartily and experimentally set up and endear Christ and free-grace he who teacheth the law to be onely a rule of life yet to have no reigning power but disableth it from cursing and condemning so that a man may bless himself and finde peace and rest in the righteousness of his owne works or he that teacheth that the law is ever revealing wrath threatning and pursuing with the dreadful curse and vengeance all that are of the works of the law in that when they have done their utmost they are come short of what it requireth and therefore it will suffer them to have no rest nor confidence save in the righteousness of God by faith Certainly this mans doctrine will much more make Christ and Free-grace desired and prized by all that have any discerning spirit and a broken and believing heart FINIS SIRS AS I have in part vindicated and cleared the lovely Truth so unworthily aspersed and used by your hands so in recompence of my great pains occasioned by you I desire that in patience you would suffer both your selves and others to see your own face and pourtracturei in your nature lineaments and colour without the least painting or mixture at all Truth rejoyceth in the light I have onely contracted and placed together some few of your assertions that were dispersed 〈◊〉 doubting but time may produce a fuller and more perâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—psâ—s and Inventory A Model of new Divinity or certain Miscellaneous Anti-evangelical inconsistent or ambiguous Positions and Tenents which the Adversaries having Decryed depressed and defaced the doctrine of Free-Grace do assert substitute and publish in Pulpit and Press Mr. Burgess 1. THe Law includeth Christ secondarily and occasionally 2. The Law given to Adam was not cursing and condemning 3. The Law hath no power to
grant you repentance Amen Mr. Rutherf pag. 575. There is a twofold keeping in of sinners one meerly legal they care not for Mr. T. Gaole Reply The law is not my Gaole but Gods and both they and you may be made to minde it more then either yet doth you speak too contemptibly Mr. Rutherf Mr. T. will have the believer so free so perfect as the law needs not to teach nor direct him in one stop he doth all without a keeper by the free compulsion of a Spirit separated from Scriptures which is right down A believer is neither under law nor Gospel but a Spirit separated from both guides him Reply When I say the Spirit of the Lord is his keeper do I teach then he hath no keeper 2. He receiveth the Spirit that leads him by the Gospel how false then is your charge who speak or dream of a spirit separated from Gospel and not I. And yet the Spirit breatheth and bloweth in the heart and the voice or sound of it is there heard when there is no sillable of outward Law or Gospel but you have sufficient answer before As for your instances of Joseph and David I ask of you whether it was the Spirit within that kept them from offending or the law T. pag. 5 6. I muse you omit to shew what it is to be under Grace Mr. Rutherf Dr. Taylor did not omit to shew what it is if you did not omit to read his words he is clear to any Reply Before you complained you could not see what was plain before you but now you can see what is not extant this is the fruit of partiality Mr. Rutherf But let your exposition stand you are not under the law as teaching directing regulating believers in the way of righteousness but the Gospel giveth power to subdue sin without any teaching or regulating power of the law But what is the power of subduing sin to the Antinomians not sanctification but justification that is a power to believe that Christ hath obeyed law for me we are obliged to no personal sanctification c. then to be inherently holy is unlawful to Antinomians Reply The exposition is not mine verbatim yet even in your owne expression the light of truth is so clear and convincing on our part that you turn your back on it as afraid to meddle And being disposed to take occasion to wrangle you demand what it is to subdue sin whereas it is set before you even the weakening of the power of sin within us that it domineer not over us Indeed the Prophet Micah 7.19 useth the phrase of subduing by justification and that is a true subduing it in the conscience that it there raign not to death condemnation And yet by your confession this must precede and is the proper cause of subduing it in conversation and then that will necessarily follow issuing out of this faith So that in fine this is but a Papistical cavil That to teach justification is the overthrow of holiness and good works Lastly whereas you tell of obliging to sanctification I answer we are to believe that God will sanctifie us and that throughout and put his Spirit into us to lead us in his wayes and so in that faith desiring and hungering after it to seek to him as a sick man longing for health unto his Physitian and to wait in the use of his ordinances that he may so perform The new Covenant properly requireth nothing of man but God knowing his spiritual poverty and utter disability calleth upon him to seek to him who worketh both the will and the deed of his owne pleasure Open thy mouth and I will fill it Psal 81. Your slanderous conclusion is both against the rule of Gods law and of all humane arts But such extravagancy becometh or still pleaseth Mr. Rutherford T. Assert pag. 6. I deny not the law to be an eternal and inviolable rule of righteousness yet the Grace of the Gospel doth truly and effectually conform us unto it Mr. Rutherf pag. 578. I ask to whom the law is a rule if to Believers then they must be under it 2. That rule the grace conformeth unto we must be under 3. An inviolable rule of justice cannot be violated without sin Then the Believer cannot violate the law and murder but they must sin and violate the rule c. Reply It s true the law is an inviolable rule but not to him as a Believer or in the things of his Faith but here he departs from it for he doth not the Law to be saved but believeth after the rule of the Gospel 2. If you consider him morally I see not but he may be conformed to the rule of the law and yet not under it but under grace and the rule of the spirit which conformeth him 3. In this your moral or civil conception of him you take him quite out of Christs kingdom where grace reigneth And now grant he doth murder and sin It is death and condemnation by the same rule and law so that he must be totally removed out of the limits of the law before he can be freed and secured from either sin or death You leave faith and fall from grace in all your arguments And they are as forcible to maintain the condemning power of the law to believers as the regulating for where the law regulates it may condemn and so it doth the best Saint here if you bring him and his life under it T. Assert pag. 7. Through faith is bred assured confidence lively hope c. M. Rutherf pag. 579. This is a close perverting of the word of truth the Antinomians faith may here be smelt then whoever once wavereth or doubteth are yet under the law of works A doctrine of despair to broken reeds who cry I believe help my unbelief Reply I must commend to you Jam. 1.6 7. But observe good Reader what is here excepted against viz. Through Faith in Christ is bred assured confidence lively hope pure love towards God invocation of his name without wavering fear or doubting not questioning his good will audience acceptance which would never be effected by all the zeal and conscience towards God according to the law of works And now judge impartially what truth can be current with Mr. Rutherf I aske 1. can assured confidence lively hope c. come or be effected any way else then by faith in Christ If there want light at Noon-day Read Heb. 3.9 where your Bible-Note saith That he calleth that excellent effect of faith whereby we cry Abba Father confidence and to confidence he joyneth hope which is termed a lively hope that God begets unto 1 Pet. 1.3 see also Heb. 10.22 23. Rom. 15.13 and 10.14 How shall they call on him on whom they have not believed But it is like this moveth M. Rutherf that it is said that these cannot be attained by all the zeal according to the law of works yet Paul clears it Eph. 2.18 That
through Christ we have entrance unto the Father and Eph. 3.12 By him we have boldness and entrance with confidence by faith in him If Mr. Rutherf object But these are not in full and absolute perfection where yet true faith may be Who saith so or who but Mr. Rutherf would so closely pervert the truth that I may retort his owne words Being justified by faith we have peace c. In whom believing ye rejoyce c. God hath begotten us againe to a lively hope c. Rom. 5.1 1 Pet. 1.3 8. Nay saith Mr. Rutherf This is a close perverting of the truth for he doubts not but that there are many weak believers of a trembling timerous and troubled spirit whose faith is not yet able to over-master their fears which cause torment and disquietness but I cease And Mr. Rutherf hereby smels our faith Reply Naribus utilis yet no unsavory errour And know it that it is the effect of the law of works upon the natural conscience and the unbelief of the Gospel that keep the soul in bondage through that slavish fear Mr. Rutherf ibid. The covenant of grace commands faith and also good works as witnesses of faith but Mr. T. will have good works in any Notion of an Evangelick command to stand at defiance with the covenant of grace Repl. What contend you for if you grant grace to be the fountain-cause of all holy walking then not the law 2. If it be a lively and free fountain then doth holiness issue out of it as a pleasant stream and how now do good works stand at defiance with the covenant of grace Besides it is said Catachrestiâ—â—s abusively and not properly that the covenant of grace commands faith and good works for it promiseth to give both to them who have power to neither Lastly these works are not done as conditions to obtain eternal life for that is said passim to be by faith without works faith for salvation good works for conversation Mr. Rutherf ibid. The man under the law cannot give himself to be ruled by the law after the minde and will of God as Mr. T. saith except Antinomians be Pelagians Reply It s a palpable wrong I have no such words as that a man under the law can give himself to be ruled by it after the mind and will of God you have a strange conscience that no better bridleth you though your affections be void of love to your Adversary I might more truely reply by your doctrine That a man under the law can do it for you free none from under it or else you are not ruled by it after the mind and will of God And that is most propable who now is the Pelagian But to deal plainly what say you of Paul and many zealous Jews who in earnest applied themselves to do the things of the Law so that Paul saith touching it he was blameless and that before his conversion to the faith To do it after the mind and will of God is your addition Mr. Rutherf Paul speaks of a man under the Law in the flesh and in opposition to that under Grace married to Christ he that is dead to the Law married to Christ and serves God spiritually And it 's clear the Apostle counts it a part of deliverance from the Law and a fruit of our marriage to Christ that we bring forth fruit to God walk holily and serve in newness of spirit Reply Jam convenimus What contend you for all is granted that I desire or said for 1. then Christ and not the Law as a husband makes fruitfull 2. Then there was a serving of God under the Law in the oldness of the letter 3. Where or how then find you me to be against holy walking and according to the rule of righteousness Is not this your false slander Assert How can Christ redeem us from the Law except in the same sense and extent that Christ was under it Mr. Rutherf 1. Christ was under the Law of Ceremonies I hope Gentiles were not under that Reply The question is of the moral and you talk vainly of ceremonial Mr. Rutherf If Christ was under the Law as a rule to free us from it why commands he to imitate him Reply Christ was under the Law for life even to obtaine favour and salvation for us so he is in the end of the Law for righteousness to all that believe 2. It is by his spirit and power any imitate him walking as he did and so do keep the Law as he did freely in love not for self-life or self-ends for so did Christ who sought not himself Assert pag. Mr. T. hath a strange evasion The spirit is free why will you controle and rule it by the Law whereas the nature of it is freely to conforme heart and life to the outward rule of the law without the help of the law as a crooked thing is made straight c. Mr. Rutherf To do the will of God meerly as commanded from the power of an outward commandment is legal saith Saltmatsh and Mr. T. saith it is to controul the free spirit Three means saith T. are passive to hear read receive Sacraments are so many restraints laid on the free spirit Reply I say again If the spirit rule you according to the Law then neither Law nor you do rule it but the Law is onely the rule or pattern according to which the Spirit formeth you What can be more plain to him that will see and grant any truth And this makes no contrariety but a sweet harmony between the word and the spirit yea and establisheth the Law by the faith and Spirit of the Gospel And here you would range us among the old Anabaptists Enthusiasts c. and love to expatiate having burst the banks and bounds of charity and truth I am not more strange to you then this is to me That you are of such a spirit 2. Where say I that meanes are passive The Spirit is pleased to blow sweetly by all Evangelical meanes as Preaching Prayer Sacraments c. and we rightly using them do carry our selves passively that the Spirit may thereby breath and give life to our Spirits and that we may have it more abundantly Mr. Rutherf What T. meaneth in saying The spirit freely conformeth the heart to it Reply The sense is easie and plain if your mind were not finister Mr. Rutherf If the meaning be that the Law of it self cannot convert a man to God Antinomians father most falsly such dreames on us but if the Spirit conform us to the outward rule of the Law then must the Law be yet a rule to our obedience Reply When you please you can spell out my meaning But 1. Whether it be your dream or no I leave it Yet you know that your Brethren so hold and teach and may be forced to own this brat or novell-assertion of theirs 2. As if Mr. Rutherf were in a dream he in his other book would seem
of the law and need no more make use of justification nor have Christ for our shadow and protection Mr. Rutherf p. 591. That the Saints are meer patients and blocks in all their holy walking is gross libertinisme Reply But how unjustly do you charge this upon your Adversary who saith onely in the act of sanctification in which the Spirit onely acteth Is not this to pervert what is spoken M. Rutherf No way cryeth to the conscience of the traveller This is the way as the law doth in its directing and ruling power c. Reply The law materially is resembled to the high-way and its true the high-way calleth not to the passenger to keep his way yet the authority of the King doth so call and require so then it is not the law as we consider it and speak of it but God the Author of the law who commandeth to walk in it And if God in so doing convince you of unrighteousness for your going astray Is not his grace in the Gospel your dayly needful refuge and plea or you still are in no danger nor fear because law cannot condemn for God say you is pleased with what the poor man can do or give Thus you live under a law securely which is as weak as your self and will be content with with any thing as you list or can obey Whereas I on the other side say that the law hath lost no power nor part of its perfection Matth. 5.17 18. And therefore it convinceth all of sin and condemneth such as are found under it because in many things we sin all In our best works we are found faulty and judged that we may finde no rest nor safety but in the righteousness of Christ by faith Let the Reader judge who is in the errour But it is no marvel you so mis-call mistake pervert your Adversary and falsly accuse him as you do passion and yet have no check of conscience for it seeing you are so principled that you may transgress and do any thing impure that is Scot-free by your law and are not led by a right-Gospel-Spirit Town pag. 10. The law wrappeth every man in sin for the least transgression Mr. Rutherf pag. 593. Still Antinomians bewray their engine If me say being justified we have no sin we lye 1 John 1.10 then there cannot be a man nyon the earth but he is under the curse of God Antinomians say the justified are freed from the curse then they have no sinne nay they cannot sinne by their Argument for they will have the curse essentially and inseparably to follow sinne which is most false Reply 1. If we be justified from the curse then from the sin which yet we have remaining in us Coram judieio Dei for the cause is taken away before the effect 2. Else by the contrary Christ is not our righteousness in justification which is opposed to sin but onely our blessedness in stead of the curse that was upon us how then is it said he brought in everlasting righteousness Dan. 9.24 And that we are made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 So there is no man indeed but he is under the curse if the blood of Christ have not washed him from his sinne as Rev. 1.5 He hath loved us and washed us from our sinne 3. In order justification is after sinne and it being extensive to all sinnes past present and to come it must presuppose future sinnes also as done before it abolish either sinne or curse due for sinne 4. You say It s most false that sinne and the curse be inseparable but you neither prove nor can shew any thing to the contrary Indeed a carnally secure heart is apt to separate them and is thereby hardened presuming to sinne without danger or fear Deut 29.19 If you allow of his engine as better suiting with your own you may well mislike ours 5. Here you tell us of an unscripture-like and ungrounded distinction of a twofold misery and guilt and so of deliverance c. But I confess I understand not your meaning and would be loth to mistake or pervert you as you do me Your Simile giveth me most light viz. That as the rising of the Sun is the way to the full noon-day c. I answer but so it is no act of ours but of the Spirit sanctifying us throughout till we be perfected in our selves and so it is not simply our repentance and new-obedience which are consequences effects and expressions of that renovation or sanctification And I demand also Is not that blot it self so taken away ut non imputetur as not reckoned to us by the death of Christ though it abide physically or inherently yet in our accounts it is abolished and blotted out Lastly I must that you will except against that expression in Assert pag. 15. The Law of workes is so inwrapt and entwined together that if a man lay hold on any even the least link he inevitably pulleth the whole chaine upon himself And yet what you say is of no force Your repentance and love of brethren if you understand your self do pull the whole Law upon you as they be your acts You cannot oblige your self in part and in some degrees onely as you please Wo to that life most commendably passed over if the grace of the Gospel be not to pardon all imperfections All our righteousnesses are as filthy ragges Isa 64.6 Therefore durst not Paul be found in his own righteousness Phil. 3.9 Mr. Rutherf pag. 595. Our obedience is not full and perfect onely it 's so counted and accepted in Christ Reply If this were all your meaning that our obedience or works as proceeding from us or as we perform them are imperfect yet are accepted as perfect in Christ I could receive it But you explain your self otherwise 1. You say It is not so and yet it is accounted perfec doth not God account it rightly as it is 2. You are against all sound Protestant Divines if you hold of acceptance with God of any work because of any proper formal inherent dignity in it or if you do not make Christ the alone ground reason and cause of all acceptance whether of persons or performances 3. It is true God accounts not us non-sinners in our selves and free from all indwelling sinne for that were an untruth but he both justifieth us by faith in Christ and makes us pure and free from all spot of sinne before his Judgement seat Col. 1.22 1 Joh. 1.7 The blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sinne Now you are pleased to expatiate and to amplifie your self needlesly and wilfully to wrest our words as if â— we did not hold the good works of the regenerate to be faulty in themselves 2 As if we meant by the removal as you call it or abolition of finne such an annihilation of sinne in its essence root and branch that it should not dwell in us here whereas you know and read the
contrary Yet that both Tree and the Fruit the believer and his work are acceptable in Christ is no new divinity but according to Scripture and all the Orthodox Tit. 1.15 To the pure all things are pure Your Scriptures 1 Joh. 1.8 Jam. 3.2 do speak of works as proceeding from us not as presented in Christ who justifieth and freeth us from all the evil and filth cleaving to them I retort If God can accept of us or our performances out of Christ what need we then continually to deal with God in Christ 1 Pet. 1.6 Heb. 13.15 By him let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually Whatsoever you do in word or deed Do all things in the name of our Lord Jesus giving thankes to God even the Father by him Colos 3.17 But this is open wrong which you do us in saying that we hold works perfect simply in themselves or to be accepted for any worth or inherent dignity in them which is your doctrine rather we teach That Abels sacrifice was accepted by faith that is by Christ believed on and not for any merit in it Heb. 11.4 The Scriptures and Testimonies of the Orthodox which you read in the Assertion might have prevented all this labour if you had been so advised Consider that of Calvin in that l. 3. cap. 17. sect 8.9 Qua jam sequuntur bona opera Sepulto etiam imperfectionis vitio quod bona opera fedare folet quae fiunt a fidelinus b. opera justa confentur c. c. Those good works which follow after justification are esteemed and valued otherwise then by their own desert or dignity for whatever imperfection is in them it is covered with Christs perfection whatever blemish or filthiness in them it is cleansed by his purity lest it should be questioned or examined before Gods judgement seat Therefore saith he the fault of all our transgressions being blotted out whereby men are hindered from bringing forth any thing acceptable to God and the imperfection and defect which is wont to defile all good works being buried all the good works of the faithfull are acknowledged to be just c. Thus may all see how palpably you have mistaken me in this as in the other passages And how indirectly and falsly you do inferre That we may be justified by works or we make them meritorious c. whereas we say plainly that the person is first justified without and before all works and that then they become accepted and pleasing by the same way and reason that the person came into favour For as God stands and appears propitious to us in Christ and so his works and dealings with us and disposals of us be pleasing and welcome to us even so we being received and accepted in Christ what we do through him is pleasant to God but not because of any formal and intrinsecal dignity in the work So that we study to deal with God onely in Christ and are now incouraged unto all good works for who can have a heart to do any good work till he by faith know that he pleaseth God by Jesus Christ So Christ alone is exalted and magnified Salus semel donatur ut oporibus acquirenda non sit To seek Heaven by works and deservings is to wrong yea to shame Christs blood and unto such it is shed in vain When the Gospel is preached unto us we believe the mercy of God and in believing receive the Spirit the earnest of eternal life and be in eternal life already and feel in our hearts already the sweetness thereof and are overcome with the kindness of God and of Christ and therefore love the will of God and of love are ready to worke freely and not to obtain that which is given already and whereof we be heirs by Grace freely Tindall Martyr A brief REPLY to the Exceptions taken by Mr. Rutherford in his Tryal and Triumph of Faith against the supposed Antinomian Errours 1 Exception THe first Exception is against the Assert of Grace pag 112 113. Where it is said That Christ onely did bear our sinnes and the punishment of them so that the justified are not punished for sinne Mr. Rutherf answereth with a twofold distinction 1. Of justice legal and sinne revenging 2. Of a mixt justice which is in a Father and so saith That the sinnes of the Saints are not onely against the legal but also a wrong done against his mixt justice Where God doth punish their sinnes though not satisfactorily to his Law Reply 1. To assert a mixt justice is to temper and mingle Law and Gospel without warrant and to hold forth God in a Covenant made up both of free-grace and works which yet be inconsistent Rom. 11.6 2. Our Divines distinguish indeed between punishment and chastisement and so call these corrections of Children and not punishment properly for that every punishment is in some sort satisfactory And so will that be inferred which by them is objected against the Papists viz. If the Saints be punished for their sinnes temporally then Christ satisfied for pounds and left us to satisfie for pence 3. The true and intrinsecal nature and property of all justice offended requireth satisfaction so that our punishments must be satisfactory also so far as the sinne deserveth else who or what satisfieth doth this mixt justice take its pennyworth and full due out of the flesh and bones of Gods Children so as God neither can cease beating till he hath given all the stripes the fault deserveth and when correction is past then the Fathers justice is quieted 4. And if you put them under the Government of justice tempered with mildness and mercy which is Law Evangelized a new crotchet and dream then the Law of strict justice which is the decalogue is no longer a rule our sinnes must be no longer examined and measured by it but judged as they are offences of this mixt and fatherly justice So now Christ may be set aside we shall no more need him for Advocate neither is there use of faith when we sinne but our sufferings must in this condition pacifie not Christs passion that onely was of use and efficacy to bring us into this state and under this Government Who now are become the total abrogators of the Moral and pure Law yea and as it is a rule to live and walk by Can you tell us how much of justice and what a measure of mercy is in this new rule and Government But the result is That our sins after justification have a double relation and had but one before one to the strict Law and that Christ contented the other is to a milder justice against which our stripes must be opposed that by them we may be healed It s granted during the Mosaical-pedagogie there was some shew yea ground for somewhat but not for all that here you assert for God did in that dispensation veil his Paternity which now in Christ is done away And your Scriptures
You may seem to disparage the learned too much as if confining or ascribing all the promises to the Gospel or accounting them to be Gospel they should deny any promise to appertaine to the law Whereas I think you cannot alleadge one learned Author who doth not grant the law to have its promises also yea and to make this difference also between legal and Evangelical promises that the Evangelical are free and absolute the legal conditional Promiss alia conditionales aliae gratuita yet never read I of any hard or undue expressions cast upon the law as you insinuate If the curse be not sometime expressely set down yet it is implicite and necessarily included wher-ever the law is mentioned taking it for law moral but you reserve this to a future time and so it is referred M. B. pa. 141. In the moral law is required justifying faith and repentance c. the second commandment requireth the particular worship of God insomuch that all the ceremonial law yea our Sacraments are commanded in the second commandment Answ 1. You may as well say also that the judicial law is included in the first commandment and the second table and so jumble and confound all in one law which in their delivery nature use and end are so distinct 2. Justifying faith is so called only from the object of it unto which it hath respect Non aliunde nos salutem quam ex evangelio consequi quoniam non alibi suam nobis justitiam Deus patefacil quae sola nos ab interitu leberat Calv. but this object is not propounded in the moral law for the soul to have respect unto therefore it is an error to teach that justifying faith properly so called is required in the moral law and a confounding of law and Gospel The righteousness of God is the object of justifying faith therefore it is called the righteousness of faith also Rom. 10.6 and that in opposition to the righteousness of the law v. 5. and it is only revealed in the Gospel whence Paul inferreth it to be the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 17. and the Gospel is preached for the obedience of this faith Rom. 1.5 that is to call and bring men unto this justifying faith but if the law do it it is not the proper office and end of the Gospel 3. What requireth repentance must necessarily propound a promise of pardon and acceptance unto the penitent but the moral law knoweth nor offereth no such mercy to any sinner 4. God cannot be rightly worshipped nor known but in Christ the Mediator by whom alone we have access with boldness and confidence Deus nisi in Christo suo coli nec cognosci Eph. 3.12 but the law teacheth not Christ 5. And if our Sacraments be commanded in the second commandment then they were commanded the Jews for whatever the law requireth it is of them that live under it as did the Jews Rom. 3.19 but I hope our Sacraments were not commanded them to use yea and we by that are to be circumcised who now have the second comman dment 2. If all the ceremonial law be commanded there then the ceremonial doth not differ in nature and kind from the moral but as a part from the whole Where is the specifical dissirence then so that you have vainly distinguished the law into moral ceremonial and judicial many other arguments might be used to let you see your great mistake but I forbear in a case so clear M. B. The moral law hath more particulars then can be in the law of nature hence the Apostle saith he had not known lust to be sin had not the law said so c. Ans As the moral law is not so comprehensive as to containe justifying faith and repentance so neither do you evince it to be more extensive or large then the law of nature having more particulars then be in that these be your private crotchets How will it stand with the justice of God to require more then was given to our nature at first And the invalidity of your reason is evident for though the Apostle had not known lust by it yet you know that much of that law lyeth dead and obscure in us there be many seeds and remanents of it which to us be imperceivable till the Ministery of the moral law do fetch those sparks from under the ashes revive and bring them to light And lust lurketh in our corrupt nature as fire is in the slint not known nor taken notice of till the law as the steel beat it out and cause it to sparkle abroad but it followeth not that the moral law containeth more because it revealeth more 2. You take the natural law as it is obliterated and imperfect in our corrupt nature and the moral law in its perfection an unequal comparison 3. The sin of lust was there before the law came now if there were not a law of nature or in nature against which it was how came it to be sin by what law had it a being for the knowledge of it you say was only by the moral law As you pass along you are ever and anon like a rash and passionate Schoolmaster lashing your adversaries without cause accusing them as guilty of crying down the law preaching against it reviling it c. and the like aspersions you cast upon them which argue and bewray too much gall and distemper in you but such passages I pass over being minded not to reply to every extravagant expression but only to give satisfaction in what is material LECT XVI Exod. 20.1 And God spake c. LAstly observe in general that God did not give them his law till he had humbled them Answ The principal end of giving the law is that by it as an instrument God may humble us beating down that pride and presumption in our spirits conceiting and boasting of what we neither have nor are M. B. p. 151. To signifie that the law could not be a way of justification Ans And yet you said but lately that the law requireth justifying faith to what end is it if it show no way to justification nor cannot justifie as you say afterward or how can it then be a covenant of grace M. B. God doth use the law as he doth his whole word to beget and increase the life of grace in us and in this effect of the law to increase life David doth often commend it Ans 1. There be two principal and essential parts of the Covenant of Grace 1. To hold out the way of justification peace and life 2. To promise and give the Spirit of regeneration and renovation So Jer. 31.33 34. and Ezek. 36.25 26. And the law doth neither of these therefore it is no covenant of grace 2. There is nothing more against Scripture and the maine current of all true divinity then to teach that the life of grace is begot by the law Here are two great