the written Word or reuealed will of God without any ordinary meanes of illumination or instruction and so beholding the matter of the Morall Law but very darkly and confusedly and feeling the worke in their hearts by their conscience witnessing and their thoughts accusing or excusing one another and their wils grudging and rebelling against the tenor of it So doe they vnderstand the Morall Law Theologically which besides the naturall light and sight of the Law written by nature in their hearts doe consider it and receiue it as the written Word of God as an expresse forme of a principall part of the reuealed will of God a right rule of direction for religion and religious conuersation a portion of the Couenant of Grace as it is written in our hearts by the finger of Gods Spirit a part of Gods image which in the new man is created after God in righteousnesse and true holinesse the knowledge whereof they attaine vnto by the word of Grace and the sense and feeling of the worke thereof by the spirit of Grace so beholding the beauty thereof more cleerely and distinctly and feeling the power thereof more effectually and obeying the precepts thereof more willingly and looking for the acceptance of their imperfect obedience in and by the only perfect and absolute obedience of Christ Iesus only They that thus I say doe vnderstand the Morall Law to be in force in the daies of the Gospell as for ought I know the best Diuines and best Christians doe doe vnderstand it Theologically which as yet you say you cannot see that you can doe Iunius de Theolog. vera cap. 2. thes 5. cap. 3.6 ca. 4. thes 7. cap. 7. cap. 8. Iunius that great Scholler and worthy Diuine in his Booke de Theologia will helpe you to light your candle if that will doe you any good in this your darknesse He giues this definition of Theology Theologia est rerum divinarum sapientia and this diuision Theologia est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nimirum Dei ipsius sapientia aut est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à Deo informata And leauing the former rather to be adored than curiously inquired into he afterwards subdiuides the latter to be Theologia visionis or Revelationis and then he tels vs that this Theologia revelationis is either naturalis or supernaturalis and in handling these two he worthily setteth forth the weake sight and light of humane vnderstanding and reason according to the principles and conclusions of the Law of Nature and noteth the error obscurity and insufficiency of this naturall wisdome therewithall And then a little after he defines the absolute supernaturall Theology which doth especially concerne the present businesse after this manner Iunius de Theolog. vera ca. 12. thes 23. Theologia absolutè dicta est sapientia rerum divinarum secundum veritatem divinam à Deo inspirata per enuntiativum sermonem in Christo commissa servis ejus atque in Testamento Vetere Novo per Prophetas Apostolos Euangelistas consignata quantum ejus hic nobis expedit revelari ad gloriam ipsius Electorum bonum According to the tenor of this definition of Theology I will now proue vnto you if I can that the Morall Law of God is now in force being vnderstood Theologically Whatsoeuer in it selfe is now diuine the knowledge whereof is diuine wisdome inspired of God according to diuine truth and by word in Christ committed to his seruants and in the Old and New Testament ratified by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists as much of it as here is meet to be reuealed vnto vs to Gods glory and our good That same is and may be according to the definition of Theology Theologically vnderstood and is now in force so vnderstood But the Morall Law of God is diuine and the knowledge thereof is diuine wisdome inspired of God according to diuine truth and by the Enunciatiue word in Christ committed to his seruants and in the Old and New Testament ratified by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists as much of it as here is meet to be reuealed vnto vs to Gods glory and our good Ergo The Morall Law is and may be according to the definition of Theology Theologically vnderstood and is now in force so vnderstood The Major of this Syllogisme is euident by the definition of Theology The Minor is made good by the Scriptures and by the practise of Christ and his Apostles and the judgement of the most judicious and Orthodox Diuines as in euery branch thereof may be proued by the Scriptures alledged and by the testimonies before and after mentioned and produced The Morall Law is diuine because it is holy Rom. 7.22 24. spirituall just and good Rom. 7.22 24. The knowledge thereof is diuine wisdome because it maketh the simple wise Psal 19. illighteneth the eies Psal 119. and maketh Dauid wiser than his teachers because it teaches the feare of God which is the beginning of wisdome yea the end of all and whole man feare God and keepe his Commandements Psalm 111.10 Psal 112.1 Eccles 12.13 It is inspired of God according to diuine truth because God hath put it in our mindes and written it in our hearts by the finger of his spirit Heb. 8.10 2 Cor. 3.3 17 18. Nehe. 9.13 14. And the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God which searcheth and reuealeth the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 11. And by the Enunciatiue word in Christ committed to his seruants because it was giuen by audible voice by word and writing vnto Moses and by him to the Israelites and so by and in Christ a Prophet like vnto him giuen also by word and writing vnto vs Act. 7.38 Hebr. 11. Matth. 5.17 18 c. And in the Old and New Testament ratified by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists by Dauid Psalm 19.7 8 9. Psalm 119. throughout by Esay Isa 8.16.20 Seale vp the Law among my disciples to the Law and to the Testimonie by Matthew Marke Luke Paul Peter Iames and Iohn Matt. 22.37 38 39 40. Mark 12.29 30 31. Luk. 10.26 27. Act. 28.23 Rom. Chapters 2.3.4.7.13 2 Pet. 2.15.21 Iam. 2.10 11. 1 Ioh. 2.7 8. 3.23 and infinite other texts of Scripture which might be heaped vp to this purpose And is not the end of the Law for Gods glory and our good justified out of the Scripture also seeing by the light of the Law shining in the works of the Law God is glorified here Matth. 5. Phil. 1.11 Luk. 1.75 and we when our faith worketh by loue gather and get assurance that we shall be glorified hereafter Gal. 5.6 2 Pet. 1 10 11. Psal 119.1 Iam. 1.25 And thus may you see if you can see any thing at all that the Major of this Syllogisme being granted and euery branch of the Minor now proued the conclusion against you must needs follow as necessarily inferred That the Morall Law according to the definition of Theology is
THE OFFICE AND VSE OF the Morall Law of God in the dayes of the GOSPELL Iustified and explained at large by Scriptures Fathers and other Orthodoxe Diuines SO FARRE AS OCCASION was giuen by a scandalous Pamphlet sent abroad of late into the hands of diuers good Christians pretending great reason and reading for the vtter abrogating and abolishing of the whole Law of MOSES since the death of CHRIST By WILLIAM HINDE sometimes Fellow of Queenes Colledge in Oxford and now Preacher of Gods Word at BVNBVRY in CHESHIRE HOS 8.12 I haue written vnto him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing MATTH 5.19 Whosoeuer shall breake one of these least Commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen LONDON Printed by Iohn Haviland for Thomas Pavier and are to be sold at his shop in Ivy Lane 1622. Antinomus Anonymus OR A SCANDALOVS Pamphlet of a namelesse Aduersary of the Morall Law of God intending thereby to proue if he could that In the Church of Christ since his death the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished SIR This pamphlet was directed and sent unto a religious and gracious Gentleman Mr. Iohn Foxe late Steward to the right Honorable the Earle of Darby of his L. of Berry and Pilkinton in Lancashire you may well thinke mee slacke in performance of my promise and not vnlike but you in respect thereof thinke that I faint in the cause but it is farre otherwise with me for the more that I consider of it the more I am confirmed in the truth of it and the more I discerne the many errors that rise out of the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell Luther on Gal. 3.21 saith The knowledge of this difference keepeth all Christian doctrine in its true and proper vse Also it maketh a faithfull man iudge ouer all kinde of life ouer the Lawes and decrees of all men and ouer all doctrine whatsoeuer and it giueth them power to trie all manner of Spirits And on Gal. 4.27 he also saith As it is the most principall and speciall article of Christian doctrine To know that we are iustified and saued by Christ so is it also very necessary to know and vnderstand well the doctrine concerning the abolishment of the Law for it helpeth very much to confirme our doctrine as touching faith and to attaine to sound and certaine consolation of conscience when we are assured that the Law is abolished and especially in great terrors and serious conflicts Thus far Luther who as you see agreeth with mee that the point is of great consequence and very necessary to be knowne of all that truly seeke Christ Iesus I will set you downe as briefly as I can what I conceiue and some testimonies for the same that are briefe and point you to some others that are more large The point is this In the Church of Christ since his death the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished or abrogated For as saith Tossanus in 2 Cor. 3. Licet unus sit Deus una semper fuerit Ecclesia idemque substantia foedus varia tamen hujus dispensatio fuit ut aliter agitur cum homine in infantia aliter in adolescentia aliter maturajam aetate Quo nomine Paulus ad Galatas 4o. Iudaeorum populum puero inter tutores educato comparat Lex fuit quidem à Deo data per virum Dei Mosen promulgata nec sine peculiari gloria sed Euangelium suam habet propriam gloriam quod non est literale solum ministerium aliquod jubens sed habet conjunctam efficaciam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus sancti 1 Cor. 2. Gal. 3. And Gualther on Gal. 3.19 20. Quia homines non semper stant conditionibus quas Deus ipsis praescribit aliter atque aliter cum ipsis agendum est Ideo tunc queque propter causas legem addi oportuit quae ad tempus duravit quam diu ejus usus fuit At nunc novi Testamenti tempus est quando lex Prophetae Euangelio cedunt ut tam Gentibus quà m Iudaeorum reliquijs in Regnum Dei vim facientibus locum dent 1. The whole Epistle to the Galatians importeth so much for it is the generall argument of that Epistle And that there is meant the Morall law as well as any other in Gal. 3.19.23 See also Calu. Iust 3.19.4 Beza in Gal 3.22 Perkins on Gal. 3.11.23 Pareus in argumento in Gal. 3. and in Columna 153. D. 229. A. 232. C. 246. C.D. 274. D. who though they speake but only vpon one or two places yet it will appeare that the like must be vnderstood in the whole Epistle One word in chap. 3.19 mis-translated in most vulgar translations drawes many men awry Serueth Neither the Greeke nor any Latine translation hath it But grant the word must needs come in to make vp the sense I cannot see how it can be sensibly in the present tense but rather in the preterimperfect tense seeing it is a question and the answer to it is in the preterimperfect tense plainly as both Bezaes note and others expound it Not vnlike to this is in Rom. 3.20 commeth or is which being read came or was of the time past maketh the sense good otherwise I cannot vnderstand the words for the time it is aduerse to Now that followeth immediatly after and therefore cannot be the same Another thing in this Epistle is worth noting that the Apostle cap. 4.1 by the Heire in minoritie meaneth the Synagogue or Church of the Iewes afore Christ or the Iewes themselues and by full age he meaneth the Church of Christ since his death or Christians themselues See Socrates lib. 5. ca 21. Tho. Aquin. 1. 2. q. 91. a. 5. 2. 2. q. 1. 7. 2. Calv. in Gal. 3.24 4.1 Gualther in eundem Beza in eundem Piscator in eundem Pareus in Gal. 4.3 col 265. B. 274. A. 276. A. 290. D. Perkins in Gal. 4.3 setteth it out very fully and withall sheweth most plainly that the words We or Vs are to be vnderstood of Paul himselfe and others that were Iewes And so doth Pareus expound them on Gal. 3.24 Luther not well vnderstanding this exposition but generally taking the nonage of the heire to be the state of the vnregenerate and the full age to be the comming of Christ in spirit to any man concludes the end of the Law to be at the comming of Christ into any mans heart though on the same Gal. 4.1 he acknowledgeth an end of the Law at the comming of Christ but doth not fully handle it so Whereas it is plaine that the Apostles meaning was so For he writ to the Churches of Galatia which were in a sort fallen from Christ Calv. in Gal. 1.2 and not particularly to them alone that were true beleeuers as he did to the Romans Ephesians Philippians and Colossians
you seeke to destroy the whole Morall Law of God also If 3 Ierem. 11.19 Ieremie held them to bee of a cruell disposition that deuised deuices against him saying Let vs destroy the tree with the fruit thereof and let vs cut him off from the land of the liuing that his name be no more remembred of what disposition then shall wee take you to be that would cut downe this tree of Gods Law together with the fruit thereof first f Manu formatoris nostri in ipsis cordibus nostris veritas scripsit Quod tibi non vis fieri ne feceris alteri Vide August in Psal 57. vers 1. planted in Paradise in the heart of Adam some roots whereof doe yet remaine in the naturall man which being g Lex Dei in cordibus scribitur non quia per naturam praeventa sit gratia sed quia per gratiam reparata est natura Vide August de vera Innocent cap. 258. transplanted by grace into the heart of the regenerate and spirituall and there rooted by faith watered by the word and warmed by the spirit doe yeeld sweet fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse to the praise and glory of God by Christ Iesus But seeing we cannot stay your hand let vs see if we can take away the dint of your stroake and abate the edge of your axe wherewith you strike to destroy the whole Morall Law Wherein howsoeuer we may faile yet are we well assured that rather shall the head fly from the helue and both fall into the bottomlesse pit and you cry out and confesse as once one of the sonnes of the 4 2 Kings 6.5 Prophets did in such a case Alas master it was but borrowed than euer this tree of the Morall law of God shall be hewen downe by your hands And first I cannot but admire againe your high conceit of your selfe great confidence in your cause and setled resolution to h Elati sibi placentes Hypocritae quaestus gratiâ inanis gloriae operantes Omnes hi decidunt à veritate alienum ignem afferentes ad altare Dei i. alienas doctrinas Vide Iren. aduersus Haeres lib. 4. cap. 43. stand stoutly to the defence of it for whereas your friend to whom you write might thinke that by reason of your slacknesse you did faint in the cause as you obiect for him you answer for your selfe in these words But it is farre otherwise with me for the more that I consider of it the more I am confirmed in the truth of it and the more I discerne of the many errors that arise out of the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell Bigge words messengers of a braue heart Your cause concerning the whole abolishing of the whole Morall Law is now no longer a bare assertion but a setled perswasion for you are confirmed in the truth of it neither came you vnto this by any light opinion but by mature deliberation for you haue more and more considered of it and this consideration hath brought you with it a greater measure of illumination for by the light of this truth you are able to discerne many errors which by reason of their blinde ignorance none else can see but such as you thinke good to lend your spectacles vnto to discouer them And from all these ariseth your courage and resolution that it is so farre from you to faint in the cause that being more and more confirmed in the truth of it you are now fully resolued to set your best wits and your friends aworke stoutly to maintaine and defend it But what said the 5 1 King 20.11 King of Israel to the King of Syria Let not him that girdeth on his harnesse boast himselfe as he that putteth it off Be not so confident that your building will stand vnlesse the foundation be sure and the frame sound and good If the 6 Luc. 6.48 49. foundation be â—and and the frame 7 1 Cor. 3.11 12 13 14 15. hay and stubble it will neuer abide the touch much lesse the force either of water or of fire Many there are that build Castles in the aire and thinke them to be turrets of truth and forts of defence But when the Lord shall awaken them out of their dreame and anoint their eies with the 8 Reu. 3.18 eie-salues of grace and 9 1 Ioh. 2.27 truth they shall then see that what they built was but vpon the sand of fancie not vpon the rocke of Faith and their whole frame more like the 10 Gen. 11.4 9. Tower of Babel then the fort of 11 Cant. 4.4 Sion For as 12 Prou. 18.11 the Rich mans riches are his strong tower but only in his owne imagination so are the poore mans fancies his fortresses of faith and truth but alas only in his owne 13 Rom. 1.21 2 Cor. 10.5 vaine conceit and opinion But to make way vnto your matter you seeme to giue some reason of this your great confidence and resolution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because say you the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell doth breed many errors which you haue discerned and the true knowledge of this difference keepeth all Christian doctrine in its proper vse And for this you cite Luther on Galat. 3 21. Answer Your ignorance of this difference hath bred this your error touching the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law as i Irena advers Haeres lib. 3. cap. 12. Et ea quae est sec Mosen Lex Gratia Noui Test utraque apta temporibus ad utilitatem humani generis ab uno eodem praestita Deo Irenaeus advers Here 's lib. 3. cap. 12. Ierenaeus obserued of the Marcionists Omnes qui sunt malae sententiae Mosis legem diffimilem contrariam Euangelij doctrina arbitrantes jam non sunt conversi ut differentiae utrinsque Testamenti inquirerent causas You shall anon haue a particular answer to your owne reason But first of all seeing you haue appealed vnto Luther vnto Luther shall you goe That which you alledge out of him on Gal. 3.21 we doe willingly acknowledge as good and wholsome doctrine which how little it will stand you in stead nay how much rather it stands against your opinion you shall heare by and by if first wee may heare Luther plainly deliuer his iudgement touching the abolishing or continuing of the morall Law Writing vpon the same Epistle and chapter which you cite and vers 24. he hath as you may reade these words The k Luth. in Gal. 3. vers 24. true vse of the Law is to teach me that I am brought to the knowledge of my sinne and humbled that so I may come vnto Christ and be iustified by faith But faith is neither Law nor worke but an assured confidence which apprehendeth Christ who is the end of the Law Rom. 10. And how not that he hath abolished
Gospell and doth he not conuince them all of sinne by the present vse of the Law Obserue what he saith verse 19. Now we know that whatsoeuer the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it speaketh to them that are vnder the Law Doth he not vse the present time for the manifesting of the present vse of the Law three times together in this verse and concludeth in the next That therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified in his sight because by the Law commeth or is the knowledge of sinne So o Beza in Rom. 3.19 20. Beza on this place doth expound it and p Paraeus in Rom. 3. v. 20. Paraeus rendreth the words thus Per legem habetur agnitiâ— peccati whence he concludeth ergo non justitia and q Caluin in Rom. 3.20 alibi Quid enim quaeso ist sibi volunt tegem propter transgressiones positam esse Gal. 3.19 per legem esse cognitionem peccati Rom. 3.20 legem peccatum efficere See Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 5. sect 6. See Aug. lib. de Spiritu litera cap. 13. Caluin giues the sense of these words Per legem agnitio peccati to be this Lex convincit nos peccati damnationis You see then these learned men take these words otherwise than you doe That by the Law commeth not came or is not was the acknowledgement of sinne As for that which you alledge out of Galath 4.1 I must confesse I neither know how it maketh any thing at all for your point or purpose nor can I conceiue what you meane to goe about to make so large proofe of that which no man doth deny What here you write hath neither dependance nor consequence neither ioints nor sinewes much like vnto a shadow which hauing some proportion of a mans body hath yet neither life nor substance in it For what if we yeeld you all this that the Apostle by the Heire in his minority meaneth the Church of the Iewes before Christ and by the same in his riper age the Church of Christ since his death What is there here I say not of any power but of any colour to proue the abolishing of the Morall Law Is the Morall Law therefore wholly abolished because the Mosaicall regiment in Rites and Ceremonies in Types and Figures in Legall burdens and Leuiticall seruices together with the rigour and terror of the Law is now ceased and abrogated You might as well say the Heire when he was a childe was kept in vnder sharpe and seuere Tutors and Gouernors but being now come to age he may now liue as he list Or the Church in her infancie was in bondage to the Ceremoniall Law therefore in her riper age she is not bound to obey either God or man by the duties of the Morall Law I could wish you would aduisedly consider what our SAVIOVR CHRIST himselfe saith I came not to r Est igitur damnanda Antinomorum libertinorum detestanda haeresis saith Bez. in 1 Tim. 1.9 and so say I. destroy the Law but to Å¿ Mat. 5.17 18 19. fulfill it and whosoeuer he be that shall breake one of the least of these Commandements and shall teach others so to doe he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen but whosoeuer shall doe and teach them he shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen And remember againe what S. Paul hath once told you already t Rom. 3.31 Doe we make void the Law by faith God forbid nay rather we establish the Law Christians indeed are freed from the bondage and burdens of the Law of Moses but yet must they take vpon them u Mat. 11.23 29 30. Christ his yoke and burden for his yoke is easie and his burden light Yea they are charged to beare one anothers burdens and so to fulfill the x Gal. 6.2 Law of Christ that their faith may y Gal. 5.6.13 worke by loue and they by loue serue one another and so shew that they delight in the z Rom. 7.22 Law of God concerning the inner man a Luc. 1.74 75. seruing the Lord in righteousnesse and holinesse all the daies of their liues that is according to both the Tables of the Morall Law Touching your quotation out of Socrat. Eccl. Hist lib. 5. cap. 21. I haue seene what he saith but can see nothing for the abolishing of the Morall Law He blameth them that contend so much for Iewish Ceremonies keeping of Easter obseruing Daies and Moneths as neuer hauing well considered that Quando religio Iudaica erat in Christianam commutata accurat is illas Mosaicae legis observationes rerum futurarum figuras penitus evannisse and so vrgeth that out of Galath 4.21 against them But what will you say if out of the same Chapter I bring you some euidence that Socrates doth not abolish but establish the Morall Law b Socrates Eccles Hist lib. 5. c. p. 21. Apostolis propositum fuit non ut leges de festis diebus celebrandis sancirent sed ut rectè vivendi rationis pietatis nobis authores essent The Apostles saith Socrates neuer purposed to make lawes for holydaies but to teach vs both by words and writing the way of godlinesse and good liuing And did not the Apostles this especially by vrging and applying the duties of the Morall Law in both Tables vnto Christians both for their persons and callings Reade and consider Rom. 1.2.6.7 12.13 Cap. 1 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 3. Ephes 5.6 Chapters Moreouer Socrates in the same Chapter complaineth of the Churches of the Gentiles for the breaking of the Morall Law and violating the c Acts 15.20 Apostles Commandement Acts 15. Caeterum nonnulli his neglectis omnem scortationem rem quidem indifferentem arbitrantur sed tamen de diâ—bus sestis tanquam de vita decertant Dei d Vide Iunium de polit Mosis cap. 8. col 1552. praecepta evertunt ipsis sibi leges sanciunt In which words doth he not blame such as professing themselues to be Christians did yet account fornication which is a breach of the seuenth Commandement in the Morall Law to be a thing indifferent and so following their owne lust did ouerthrow Gods Law You haue gained nothing then by your allegation out of Socrates but lost more than you lookt for at his hands And as little haue you got by that which you take from Mr. Perkins againe out of Galat. 4.3 Antinomus who as you say setteth it out very fully What is that which he setteth out so fully The abrogation of the Morall Law If you meane that Answer as that you must meane if you meane to speake to the purpose then you offer him too too hard measure againe to charge him with that he neuer spake and to gather that he neuer scattered Or is it that the Church vnder the Law was but as the Heire in his minority but the Church vnder the
all this to the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Such things as were but accidentall or * Zanch. in Hos cap. 2. p. 45. col 1. accessory to the Couenant made with Abraham or to the promulgation or administration of the Legall Couenant amongst the Iewes are all abolished But the Morall Law which for substance was euer the same rule of righteousnesse before the fall before the t Muscul loc de foedere Dei p. 144. Law giuen by Moses and before the publishing of the Gospell by Christ Iesus was then and is yet still of good and great u Vrsin de lege divina p. 278. vse in the Church of God For as the x Aug. Ep. 49. ad Deogâ—at Couenant of Grace made betwixt God and man in Christ Iesus was euer since the fall one and the same in the daies of Adam Abraham Moses and of Christ and his Apostles though the administration thereof was diuers according to the different ages and estates of God Church and children so the Morall Law of God was euer the rule of obedience in all those times for all duties of loue to God and man and shall so continue together with the Gospell euen vnto the end of the world although it was not alwaies either deliuered vnto or vrged after the same manner vpon Gods people Abraham y Vide Zanch. in Hos c. 2. p. 44. col 2. Paraeus in Rom. 2. v. 25. Gen. 17.1 before the Law written hauing a portion of this Couenant was charged to walke before God and to be vpright I demand by what rule must Abraham thus walke Doubtlesse by the rule of the Morall Law written in his heart and by the word and will of God reuealed by his Spirit Moses Dauid Samuel Daniel and all other holy Prophets and holy men in the daies of the Law were in the same z Hyper. in Heb. cap. 3.1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. Aug. cont duas Ep. pelag lib. 3. ad Bonis cap. 4. Couenant of Grace by faith in Christ Iesus and yet as during the time of the Iewish Paedagogy they conformed themselues in the outward worship of God to the Ceremoniall Law looking by faith vnto Christ the a Col. 2.17 substance of those b Heb. 10.1 shadowes so did they frame their affections and actions for a sober righteous and holy life according to the Morall Law which yet they did not follow for righteousnesse to be justified and saued by the workes of it as the greatest number of the c Rom. 10.3 4 5. Iewes did but because they knew that the Law of God was a d Psal 119.105 light vnto their feet and a lampe vnto their paths and God did call them to the Law and to the e Isai 8.16 20. Testimony and charged the Prophet to binde vp the Testimony and to seale vp the Law amongst his disciples Isa 8.16.20 So likewise hath our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles the f 2 Pet. 1.19 night of darke Ceremonies being dispelled by the bright day of the Gospell continued and g Matt. 5. cap. 22. cap. v. 36 37 38 39 40. Gal. 5.14 Iam. 2.8 9. established the Morall Law of God being now a part of his written word and reuealed will to be for euer vnto all Christians the rule of life and the line of loue by which we must measure out all our duties and seruices of piety towards God and charity towards men before him and his for euer In which regard loue which is the summe of the Law is said by the Apostle h 1 Ioh. 2.7 8. Iohn and by i Ioh. 13.34 Ioh. 14.15 Ioh. 15.10 11 13. Christ himselfe to be both an Old Commandement and a New an Old Commandement because the duties of loue were euer enioyned and required from the beginning and a New because the same Law of loue was vpon new grounds of loue both renewed and reenforced by Christ himselfe the Lawgiuer Argument 10 Now whereas in your tenth Argument you seeme to conclude That because the Morall Law was giuen with manifest tokens of Gods wrath Antinomus in great terror and is called a fiery Law Deut. 33.2 therefore it was giuen to the Iewes only and so consequently is now vtterly abolished Answer and belongs not now vnto vs Might you not as well and wisely i. indeed as absurdly conclude also that because the Day of the Promulgation of the Gospell is called by the Prophet Ioel and by k Ioel 2.28 Peter The great and terrible day of the Lord a day wherein the Lord will shew l Act. 2.16 17. wonders in heauen aboue and signes in the earth beneath bloud and fire and vapor of smoke when the Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into bloud therefore the Gospell sure being giuen and the Holy Ghost being sent with such manifest tokens of Gods wrath as also by a m Act. 2.2 3 c. rushing and mighty winde and fiery tongues which did make many amazed and as it were at their wits end doe both belong vnto them that were then present whether Iewes or Proselytes but neither of them vnto vs Christians to whom no such fiery feares and bloudy terrors doe belong at all For shall not the like causes in the like case produce and bring forth the like effects Or shall fires and feares proue the abolishing of the Law when the like meanes are vsed by the wisdome of God for the publishing and establishing of the Gospell Argument 11 But let vs now heare your eleuenth Argument if it can speake any thing more directly to the point and purpose Antinomus than his fellowes haue done I cannot finde say you that saluation was euer promised to him that should keepe the Law Answer And what then I pray you will you needs inferre hereupon that the Morall Law is vtterly now abolished What true Christian doth now seeke for saluation by the keeping of the Law Or who is he that maintaineth the vse of the Morall Law for this purpose How often haue we told you That we looke for saluation and justification by the n Rom. 3.24 25 28. righteousnesse of faith in Christ Iesus and not by the keeping or fulfilling of the o Phil. 3.9 Morall Law If the Morall Law indeed had no other vse but this you speake of then had your Argument spoken something to the purpose but seeing it is vrged and vsed by vs as a chrystall glasse of Gods will to discouer vnto vs the spirituall blemishes and beauties of our hearts and liues and as a guide to teach vs to walke in his waies telling vs what to doe and what to leaue vndone and seeing it hath many other speciall p Vide Calu. de usu Legis in Harmo in 4. lib. Mos p. 442 443. offices as formerly you haue heard both for Gods glory and our good we can neuer yeeld this vnto you for a sound Argument That therefore the
that as Iunius saith non humana traditione sed Christi ipsius observatione atque instituto and so commended to the Churches and receiued by them as Augustine himselfe confesseth and declareth more at large elsewhere Antinomus Now whereas you say That the Holy Ghost in the New Testament doth not exact naturall precepts such as the Decalogue is for that is fulfilled in one word Loue Answer Gal. 5.14 I answer hereunto That if you haue as great felicity as I see you haue facility to contradict your selfe and to marre with one hand what you haue made with the other you are worthy more pitty than blame and haue more need at this present of a Physitian to purge you than of a Diuine to answer you Notwithstanding we will yet make triall whether you can be sensible of your error and see what you haue said or done amisse herein by asking a question or two and crauing your direct answer to the same I demand then Is not the Epistle to the Galathians a part of the New Testament Gal. 1.1 Yes it is And did not the Apostle Paul pen that Epistle by the instinct of the Holy Ghost Gal. 5.13 No doubt he did And did not the Holy Ghost by Paul require and exact of the Galathians Gal. 5.6 the duty of loue Yes he did for he commands them verse 13. Rom. 13.8 9 10. To serue one another by loue And is not this loue both a fruit of faith and a duty of the Morall Law Yes indeed it is both for in this very Chapter Gal. 5.6.14 the Holy Ghost testifieth that a true faith worketh by loue verse 6. and in the 14. verse erewhile alledged telleth vs also that this worke or duty of loue must be measured by the Morall Law For saith he the whole Law is fulfilled in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Why now you haue dealt honestly you haue answered directly and truly Gather vp your seuerall answers now and binde them vp in one proposition and you will finde that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sed sero sapiunt Phryges your second thoughts are often wiser than the first so your latter position is better and truer than your former opposition Your former opposition was That the Holy Ghost in the New Testament doth not exact naturall precepts such as the Decalogue or Morall Law is for that is fulfilled in one word Loue Gal. 5.14 and now your latter and truer position is this That the Holy Ghost in the New Testament euen in the Epistle to the Galathians doth require loue not as a naturall but as a spirituall and morall duty being both a fruit of faith and the summe and substance of the whole Morall Law Gal. 5.6 and 13.14 Gal. 5.6 13.14 Certainly if your left hand be not better able to defend your selfe than your right hand hath beene to offend your aduersary you will feele the smart of your owne weapon thus beaten downe vpon your owne head more sensibly hereafter in a better mood than yet you can doe for the present in your hot bloud As for that peece which you patch and adde to the same sentence Antinomus That none of the works of the spirit are properly commanded in the Decalogue What Answer None of the works of the spirit commanded in the Decalogue properly This is a proper lie with a witnesse Tell me I pray you are not the works of the spirit there commanded where the works of the flesh are forbidden Are not adultery fornication idolatry witchcraft Gal. 5.19 20 21. hatred heresies murther drunkennesse and the rest mentioned Gal. 5.19 20 21. Are not all these forbidden in the Law and the contrary vertues or duties as chastity purity piety charity c. commanded in the same also Take the Law as Paul takes it not as it stands in opposition to the Gospell but as it stands in communion and conjunction with it and the same spirit of truth speaketh in both and requires spirituall duties in both Phil. 1.11 as the fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse to the praise and glory of God by Christ Iesus Rom. 7.12 14. Besides such as the Law it selfe is namely spirituall Iam. 2.8 9 10 11 12. holy just and good such must also the works of the Law needs be Lastly S. Iames beares witnesse hereunto very plainly and effectually saying If you fulfill the royall Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe yee doe well This the spirit speaketh vnto the Churches by Iames vpon the same ground of the Morall Law and that not only in that generall summe of the second Table Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe but in mentioning some of the speciall Commandements as Doe not commit adultery Doe not kill prouing also that the Christians to whom he writes among the twelue Tribes now dispersed stand now bound to obey the whole Morall Law First because if they faile in one point they are guilty of all as if they commit no adultery yet if they kill they are become transgressors of the Law Secondly because they are charged not only to shunne that which is euill but to follow that which is good and that according to this rule of the Morall Law Iam. 2.12 as in the very next verse the spirit speaketh and commandeth So speake yee and so doe as they that shall be judged by the Law of liberty I would you would take the paines to reade Augustines Epistle vnto Hierome August Epist 29. ad Hiero. touching the exposition of this place of Saint Iames you shall there I doubt not finde him of an other minde than your selfe for the continuing of the office and vse of the Morall Law in binding all Christians to all duties of loue euen in the daies of the Gospell required in the same The like you may also see in his first Booke de doctrina Christiana August de Doct. Christ lib. 1. cap. 30. in his Bookes de litera spiritu contra adversarium Legis Prophetarum And now hauing deliuered your selfe of your maine businesse Antinomus and rid your hands of that confused stuffe which stucke in your fingers you are at leasure to bring vs in a Simile to illustrate as you say the conclusion of your fift section and another to illustrate the generall point If your section and your point haue no greater light than your Similies bring them Answer they may both stumble and fall in the darke for all the helpe that they shall haue by their meanes I haue heard that nullum Simile currit quatuor pedibus no Simile runs vpon foure feet but how shall that run or goe or stand which being maimed and starke lame hath neuer a sound neither legge nor foot at all If Venice and England in your supposition were vnder one and the same King and Gouernour vnder the same Law and Lawgiuer yet
brought in amongst them as against the 9 1 Tim. 1.20 2 Tim. 19. gangrene of Hymeneus and Philetus in Pauls time and against the heresie of 10 1 Ioh. 2.18 23. Bez. in 1 Iohn 2.18 Ebion and Corinthias in the daies of Iohn but in succeeding Ages also was wonderfully blest of God and crowned with many a glorious victorie by the disputes and writings of the Lords Worthies confuting and confounding the errors and heresies of their times as 11 Act. 18.24.28 Apollo did the Iewes being eloquent men and mightie in the Scriptures and speaking and writing by such a measure of Gods 12 As Steuen did Act. 6.10 Spirit as the Aduersaries of Gods grace and truth were not able to resist Such the Lord in his gratious prouidence euer raised vp in the distresses of his Church and distractions of his children to be as 13 Obad. v. 21. 1 Tim. 4.16 Sauiours vnto his people to preserue them from the froward crooked generation to continue them in their stedfastnesse lest otherwise they should haue beene 14 2 Pet. 3.17 pluckt away with the common error of the wicked Such a one was b Iust Mart. Dial. cum Tryph. Iustin Mart. against Trypho the Iew c Jrenaeus adversus Haeres scripsit libros 5. Ireneus against Valentinus many other Heretikes d Origin scrips lib. 8. contra Celsum Origen against Celsus e Tertull. scripsit lib. 5. contra Marci Tertullian against Marcion f Cyprian in Epist 3.8.12 lib. 1. Cyprian against the Novatians g Athan. Orationes 5. contra Arrianos Athanasius against the Arrians h Cyrill Alexand. contra Iulianum libros 10. Cyril against Iulian Ierome against the Luciferians many others Augustine against the Donatists who also wrote a whole booke against Heretikes and heresies both of former and latter times as also did Epiphanius So did Hilary also Eusebius Vincentius Lirinensis and others as they had any more speciall occasion so to doe Lactant. lib. 4. cap. 30. Nicephor Callist lib. 14. cap. 48. Theodor. de Haeret. fabulis Now as there were some of these Heretikes that rose vp in armes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against God and Christ his sonne as the i Vide Magdebur Cent. 1 2 3 c. Valentinians the Manichies the Arrians the Donatists and many other so there were some of the same litter stirred vp by Satan as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to barke against Moses and the Prophets the Morall Law and the whole Old Testament as the i Vide Magdebur Cent. 1 2 3 c. Marcionists and Manichies Basilidians Cerdonians and k Camorar in Catalog Haereticorū many others as Augustine testifieth who also wrote two speciall bookes of purpose Contra Adversarium legis Prophetarum Danaeus in August de Haeresibus And as the flames which the former sort of Heretikes kindled in the Church are not yet so fully quenched but that here and there some brands taken out of those fires as out of that of Arrius which as l Ingemuit totus Orbis Arrianum se esse miratus est Hieron tom 2. adversus Luciferian pag. 143. Ierome witnesseth had almost set the whole world in combustion doe now and then flye abroad to worke like mischiefe So neither are the Heresies of the latter sort so extinguished but euen at this day some m Bulling advers Anabapt lib. 2. c. 15. sparkes thereof are blowne vp and cast abroad againe if not to burne vp the whole Old Testament as n Q. Curt. lib. 5. p. 145. Alexander being drunke set Persepolis on fire yet to set the whole Law of Moses on a light fire for the vtter abolishing of the same and therein especially the Morall Law of God as if that were now worthy of no better entertainment amongst Christians then such as 15 Ierem. 36.23 Iehoiakim gaue vnto Ieremies Prophecie when in a furious passion he cut it in peeces and cast it into the fire or as if men had resolued to say vnto the Lord 16 Iob 21.14 15. Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies Who is the Almightie that we should serue him and what profit shall we haue if we pray vnto him 17 Psal 2.2 3. Let vs breake asunder these bands and cast away these coards from vs we will not haue this man to 18 Luk. 19.14 rule ouer vs. Such metall as this and of the same stampe coined in the mint of mans reason and bearing the image not of Caesar but of Christ as though it must needs passe for currant amongst all that professe the Gospell being of late come abroad and put into my hands I held it requisite to make some 19 1 Ioh. 4.1 1 Thess 5.21 triall of it and for that end to bring it to the touchstone of Gods word and to weigh it in the ballance of the Sanctuarie that as farre as well we may we may iudge aright both of the worth and weight of it The coyne that is suspected to be but base metall and going for gold to be at the best but copper gilt and is now to be further tried and examined is this That in the Church of Christ since his death the whole Law of Moses is wholly abrogated and abolished Of which both coyne and Coyner matter and Author I may say as o August contra Adversarium Legis Prophetarum lib. 1. cap. 1. Augustine said of a booke of the like subiect against the Law and the Prophets diuulged first by a namelesse Author and afterwards sent vnto him by his friends for answer Prius quaesivi cujusnam esset erroris non enim soli Manichaei legem Prophetásque condemnant sed p Iren. advers Haeres lib. 3. cap. 12. Marcionistae alij nonnulli quorum sectae non ita innotuerunt populis Christianis nescio cujus sit Haeretici mihi non apparet cujus sectae sit iste blasphemus I first inquired what kinde of error or heretike this should be for not only the Manichies doe condemne and so goe about to abolish the Law of Moses yea the whole law wholly too but the Marcionists also q Bucan loc 19. de lege q. 28. many others as doe the Libertines r Bulling advers Anabapt lib. 4. cap. 4. Anabaptists Familists and Antinomians euen of our times also But seeing I could not finde out either his name or sect by his writings as neither could Augustine in the like cause and case I resolued then to frame my answer as ſ August lib. 1. con Adversar legis c. 1. he did his book Contra Adversarium legis Prephetarum and vpon the same ground defendenda t August ibid. cap. 1. est adversus ejus linguam Scriptura divina quam malelicis disputationibus insectatur I will God willing defend the morall law the written word of God against his word and writing
tongue and pen and that much after the same manner also as Augustine did Et u August lib. 1. cont Adversarium legis cap. 1. quoniam quoquo modo Christianum se videri cupit unde ex Euangelio ex Apostolo ponit aliqua testimonia etiam Scripturis ad Novum testamentum pertinentibus refellendus est That seeing he would seeme to be a kinde of Christian and so sets downe diuers testimonies of the new Testament and of the learned expositors of the same hee shall in like manner be encountred and confuted by them both yet I say not to the same end ut x August ibid. ostendatur in reprehensione veterum inconfideratias quam versutius insanire but that being contrarie minded he may be instructed in the spirit 20 2 Tim. 2.25 26. of meeknesse to see if God peraduenture will giue him repentance to the forsaking of his error and acknowledging of that truth which I hope he shall see is not abolished but established in and by our Sauiour 1 Mat. ◠17 Christ Iesus And so I come to looke this Aduersarie of the morall law of God in the face and to trie both the worth of his treasure whereof he 2 Reuel 3.17 boasteth not a little and the force of his armour wherein he 3 1 Sam. 17.45 trusteth too much Yet not in any confidence of my owne either power or policie but in the name of the Lord and in the power of his might whose counsell and strength I craue for this warre and who doth not only furnish his souldiers with spirituall weapons 4 2 Cor. 10.4 5. mightie through GOD to cast downe strong holds but teacheth also their 5 Psal 144.1 hands to fight and their fingers to warre and their armes to breake euen a bow of steele Thus came 6 1 Sam. 17.45 50. Dauid furnished and encouraged against Goliah thus came the poore simple 7 Ruffin Eccles Histo lib. 1. cap. 3. Confessor against the proud and wittie Philosopher and both of them preuailed against their aduersaries Dauid against his for his confusion the Confessor against his for his conuersion Aduersary of the Morall Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SIr you may well thinke me slacke in performance of my promise and not vnlike but you in respect thereof thinke that I faint in the cause but it is farre otherwise with me for the more that I consider of it the more I am confirmed in the truth of it and the more I discerne the many errors that rise out of the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Gospell Answer Sir how slacke you haue beene in performance of your promise I know not but it seemes you haue made some recompence of your slacknesse by your surenesse as you thinke that you might iustifie and make good the common prouerbe Though I be slow yet am I sure And I wish you had beene as prouident to bestow your studies well as you are confident that your cause is good or that your confidence be not greater then either your cause or your handling of it can wel afford for what is there in this your cause viz. In the Church of Christ since his death the whole law of Moses is wholly abolished and abrogated that can assure you of any warrant for the truth of it and what is there in your manner of dealing in it that can bring you any comfort or breed so great confidence in the so resolute defence of the same Had you drawne your pen and sharpened your stile either against the a August Quaest Veter Nov. Testam quaest 69. Ceremoniall Law that it is wholly vanished as a shadow because the Body is exhibited and abolished as a type because the truth is come Christ Iesus or against the b Et cont Adamant cap. 16. Iudiciall that it is abrogated also so farre as it was peculiar to the Mosaicall and Iewish policy you might peraduenture haue found some sorry c See Dana in August de Haeresib Centur. 2◠Aduersarie else-where both of former and of latter times but the most iudicious Diuines both ancient and moderne you should haue found your surest friends Nay further had you beene of opinion that euen the Morall law as it was giuen by God to Moses and by Moses to the Church of the Iewes is now in some circumstances of time place persons tables Testament manner measure terror rigor and the like * Vide Cal. Harmo in 4. Lib. Mosis p. 442 443 444. See these Fathers Iren. aduers Haeres Lib. 4. cap. 21. c. Numquid haec decologi praecepta cessasse dicenda sunt Absit inquit Augustin Quaest Vet. Nov. Test cap. 69. in Gal. cap. 3. altered and changed in the Church of Christ since his death you would not I thinke haue found many if any at all much differing and dissenting from you But seeing you haue drawne out your sword such as it is against the whole Law of Moses not against the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall only but euen against the Morall also and that not to alter or change it in some circumstance but to abrogate and abolish the very substance of it and that not in part but wholly too I know not the man that will stand with you strike one stroake for you or bid you so much as God speed in this cause or course 1 Numb 12. When Aaron and Miriam rose against Moses in great bitternesse both of spirit and speech the Lord tooke them vp sharply with this rebuke My seruant Moses is faithfull in all my house how then were yee not afraid to speake against my seruant Moses I make no doubt but euen at this day the Lord doth reckon of the Morall Law as of his seruant yea and doth esteeme it in his vse a faithfull seruant in his Church also how then were not you afraid to speake to write to fight with all the wit and power you haue against the whole body of the Morall Law and that not onely to weaken the credit and power of it but vtterly to abolish the very substance and being of it therewithall Seemeth it a small matter in your eies absolutely to abolish both Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Law d Lex Christianis est thesaurus abscōditus c. vide Irenae advers Haer. lib. 4. cap. 43. which yet retaine a e Bulling advers Anabap. lib. 2. cap. 15. lib. 4. cap. 4. spirituall and morall equity and as they are part of Gods Word shall endure for euer but you must needs deale in like sort with the Morall Law also You are farre I hope from 2 Ester 3.5 6. Hamans minde though in this your courses be not much vnlike he thought scorne to lay hands on Mordecai alone therefore he sought to destroy the whole people of the Iewes in one day and you thinke scorne to abolish the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall law alone and therefore
is of good and great vse for preseruing of true Christian doctrine for iudging of all kinde of life and lawes of men and for triall of spirits And all this we willingly grant assent vnto And how I pray you doth this point agree with yours That the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished Nay doth it not rather pull yours in peeces and wholly deuoure your whole Law and your wholly too As p Exod. 7.12 Aarons rod deuoured the rods of the Inchanters of Aegypt Luthers rod hath this truth written vpon it The Law of Moses is of great and good vse therfore it deuoures yours which beares engrauen vpon it this error The whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished But take you good leaue to make your owne Argument your selfe and let vs see of what strength and consequence it will be Luther say you * Antinom affirmeth that the Law of Moses is of good and great vse for preseruing of true Christian doctrine for iudging of all kinde of life and lawes of men and for triall of spirits Therefore you conclude that he agreeth with you in this point That the whole Law of Moses is wholly abolished * Answere As much agreement there may be betwixt fire and water light and darknesse truth and error as betwixt his Antecedent and your consequent Will you see what life and light sinewes and ioynts it hath by another like vnto it The Ancient Canons of the 4. first generall q 1. Concil Nicen. 2. Constantinop 3. Ephesin 4. Chalcedon Vide Euseb de vita Constant lib. 3. cap. 7. Theodoret. Eccles Hist lib. 5. cap. 6. 9. Euagr. Histor Eccles lib. 2. cap. 4. Counsells are of great and good vse for preseruing of true doctrine for iudging all kinde of life lawes and opinions of men and for triall of spirits Ergo All the Canons of the first 4. generall Counsels are wholly abolished and abrogated What connexion is here betwixt the Antecedent and the consequent Would not the cleane contrarie be more necessarily concluded Ergo All the Canons of the 4. first generall Councels are yet in force and neither wholly nor in part abolished nor abrogated Non r Cicero lib 4. Acad quast ovum ovo similius quà m Servilius Servilio One egge is not more like another then this Argument is like to yours And what thinke you of this Luther himselfe on Gal. 3. the same chapter which you alledge for you doth most euidently fight against you Å¿ Luth. on Gal. 3. fol. 131 152. There is saith he a double vse of the Law the first vse is to bridle the wicked and to restraine sinne as men vse to restraine Lions and Beares with bonds and chaines that they teare and diuoure not euery thing they meet And this he calleth a ciuill vse of the Law Another vse of the Law is diuine and spirituall which is as Paul saith to increase transgression i. o reueale vnto man his sinne his blindnes his miserie his impietie his ignorance hatred and contempt of God death hell iudgement and the deserued wrath of God Of this vse the Apostle intreateth notably in the 7. to the Romans Luther you see doth otherwise iudge of colours then you doe certainly either your eyes were not matches or your spectacles not of the same nor so true a sight as his were You say the whole Law is wholly abolished he saith and not onely faith it but proueth it by Scripture too That it is not wholly abolished but hath yet his double vse both ciuill and spirituall t Quint. Orat. Instit lib. 5. cap. 12. Ascâ—nius Paedi in Cic. Orat. pro M. Scauro Valerius Max lib. 3. cap. 7. Q. Varus Hispanus Marcum Scaurum Principem Senatus socios in arma ait concitasse Marcus Scaurus princeps Senatus negat vtri vos Quirites convenit credere You I know not who say that Luther a Captaine of the Lords hoast hath both stirred vp others and taken armes himselfe for the abolishing of the whole Morall Law Luther a leader of the Lords armies doth vtterly denie it whether of you two should now be better credited let the Christian reader iudge But it may be you take hold of this that Luther mentioneth the u Luth. on Gal. 4.27 fol. 222. abolishing of the Law saying it is necessary to know and vnderstand well the doctrine of the abolishment of the Law c. Gal. 4.27 Men that are in danger of falling or drowning will catch at any thing which may seeme to helpe them although it be vtterly vnable to doe them any good So said x Hieron advers Ruffin Apol. lib. 2. Ierome of Ruffinus Tantum me diligit ut raptus turbine in profundum dimersus meum potissimum invadat pedem ut mecum aut liberetur aut pereat You catch at this word Abolishment of the Law and yet it will neither stay you nor stand you in any stead for Luther speakes only of the abolishing of certaine vses of the Law as for righteousnesse iustification life and saluation for terrifying accusing condemning those that are iustified by faith in Christ Iesus so farre he acknowledgeth and we with him that the * Calu. de usu legis Harmon in 4. Libros Mosis p. 442 August de Spiritu litera cap. 4. 5. 10. Morall Law for these offices and vses is abolished The very light and euidence of the opposition which in the same sentence he maketh betwixt Moses and Christ workes and faith seruitude by the Law and libertie by the Gospell iustification and condemnation terrors and conflicts of conscience and sound and certaine consolation of the same might haue manifested and made knowne thus much vnto you had you been as carefull to seeke the truth of his doctrine and to taste his true meaning in it as you were willing to feed your owne fancie only with the bare letters and leaues of it y Tertul. Scorpiâ—…c advers Gnostic cap. 7. Tertullian saith Verba non sono solo sapiunt sed sensu nec auribus tantùm audienda sunt sed mentibus As z Hieron in Gal. 1. Non in verbis sed in sensu non in superficie sed in medulla non in sermonum folijs sed in radice rationis pag. 162. Ierome said of the sense of the Scripture it is not in cortice orationis sed in radice rationis so may we say of mens writings we must seeke for the meaning by the matter as well as by the letter and lend our eares to listen and obserue what they desire to speake and not make them speake only what we desire to heare vnlesse we will be like little children who hauing some fancie running in their heads imagine the bells to ring and sing as they thinke and speake Let me in loue aduise you when you alledge an Author to giue euidence for any point bring not in testem sine testimonio a man that hath nothing to
the establishing of the Morall Law Quid igitur saith x Beza in 2 Cor. 3.11 he writing vpon 2. Corinth 3.11 Num lex abolita sanè quod ad ceremonias attinet cessavit At enim dices num hac in parte abolitum est Mosis ministerium minimè verò semper enim sunt homines ad Euangelium praedicatione legis praeparandi You may here see if you will but turne your eie aside vnto this place that he is so farre from thinking the Morall Law to be abolished that he answereth that obiection and so dasheth out the braines of your opinion with a minimè verò and further affirmeth that the y Vide Bez. Theol. Epist Epist 10. p. 104. Law is to be preached as frequently and necessarily as men are to be prepared for the receiuing of the Gospell Consider also what the same z Beza in 1 Epist Joh cap. 2.7 Lex posita est regendae sanctorum vitae c. Est igitur damnanda Antinomorum Libertinorum detestanda â—…esis Bez. in 1. Tim. cap 1. v. 9. Beza saith writing vpon 1. Iohn 2.7 A New Commandement I write vnto you there he putting a difference betwixt the Morall Law and the Gospell saith Lex quid sit faciendum Euangelium quid sit credendum docet sciendum est igitur sic esse haec duo distincta ut tamen unum alteri subserviat Nec enim Euangelio lex aboletur quatenus quod rectum est praecipit sed duntaxat quatenus mortem omnibus ipsam perfectè non praestantibus minatur Lex mortis terrore nos monet ut de vita in Euangelio quaerenda cogitemus lex jam nobis suavis est seccundùm interiorem hominem magister sicut copiosè docet Apostolus Rom. 6.7.8 capitibus Hinc illud toties à Christo iteratum de Deo proximo diligendo mandatum I pray you consider these particulars out of this testimony and tell me then whether Beza be with you or ouer-against you 1. That the Law and Gospell are distinguished but neither of them both abolished 2. The Law and the Gospell doe mutually serue one another in their seuerall offices and vses 3. The Law is not abolished by the Gospell but established by the same 4. The Law to them that are in Christ See Bez. Epist Theolog. Ep. 20. of the vse of the Morall Law euen for Christians at large is a sweet Master or Teacher in whose lessons and instructions they delight in the inner man 5. That all these offices and vses of the Morall Law are warranted and confirmed by the authenticall Authority of Christ himselfe and his Apostle Paul All these points being set downe by Beza so sound and sufficient for establishing the Law are as so many strong Arguments to conuince you of errour that goe about to abolish it and as so many rebukes also of your vnaduised and injurious dealing with so worthy a Diuine whom you will needs draw in to speake to your minde though neuer so contrary to his owne true meaning Let vs now come to heare your third witnesse Mr. Perkins whether he can speake any more to the matter than Caluine and Beza haue already done * Antinomus You cite him on the Galatians Answer 3.11.23 And tell me I pray you what you haue found here for the whole abolishing of the Morall Law Vpon these words verse 11. No man is justified by the Law a Perkins in Gal. 3.11 he saith that by the Law is meant not onely the Ceremoniall but also the Iudiciall and the Morall Law and that Paul enlargeth his disputation from one part to the whole Law And he giueth a good reason why he would abrogate the vse of the Morall Law as well as of the Ceremoniall in the matter of justification for they saith he which thought Ceremonies necessary to justification would much more thinke Morall duties necessary All this we willingly acknowledge with Mr. Perkins What would you conclude hence Is this your Argument from this place No man can be justified by the workes neither of the Ceremoniall nor of the Morall Law ergo the whole Morall Law is abrogated wholly as well as the Ceremoniall Law We grant the Antecedent and deny the Consequence or Argument For how doth this follow The Morall Law doth not justifie ergo it doth not instruct nor edifie vnlesse it had no other neither office nor vse but that alone Will you see the fallacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by another of the like stampe b 1 Sam. 8.7 Samuel hath ceased to rule correct condemne the people as a Iudge ergo c 1 Sam. 12.23 24. Samuel hath ceased to pray for the people and to teach and shew them the good and right way as a Prophet Or to vse the Apostles comparison A d Gal. 4.1 Gal. 3.24 Schoolemaster ceaseth to nurture and keepe his scholer vnder the rod and in the rudiments of Grammar as a childe ergo he hath no sufficiencie nor ability to teach him greater or better things being now of riper age But to leaue this Argument weake and feeble as it is shall I be bold to aske you a question Doe you reade and alledge your Authors for satisfaction or contention for colouring and countenancing of an error or for searching and lifting out the truth I would gladly if I might safely conceiue the best but it seemes strange vnto me that seeing e Perk. on Gal. 3.12 Mr. Perkins in the very next leafe vpon the 12. that is the very next verse hath so plaine and euident sentences to confute you that euer you durst alledge any thing out of him as standing with you or for you His words be these I say that the law written in our hearts is still the law of Moses And againe Since mans fall the Lord repeates the Law for weighty causes 1. To teach vs that the Law is of a constant and vnchangeable nature 2. To aduertise vs of our weaknesse and shew vs what we cannot doe 3. To put vs in minde that we must still humble our selues vnder the hand of God after we haue begunne by grace to obey the Law because euen then we come farre short in doing the things which the Law requireth at our hands Who would once imagine that a man fearing God and bearing an honest minde to learne and seeke out the truth would not haue sought and seene a little farther into Mr. Perkins before he would or durst haue produced him for a witnesse against himselfe and against the truth also If all this be not yet sufficient will you for your full satisfaction heare his finall determination of the question He proposeth it thus f Perk. on Gal. 3.23 p. 251. How farre forth is the Law abrogated and answereth this The Morall Law is abrogated in respect of the Church and them that beleeue three waies First in regard of justification and this Paul proues at large in this Epistle Secondly in respect of the
malediction or curse Rom. 8.1 Thirdly in respect of rigour for in them which are in Christ God accepts the endeuour to obey for obedience it selfe Neuerthelesse the Law as it is the rule of good life is vnchangeable and admits no abrogation and Christ by his death did in this regard establish it Rom. 3.31 What say you now to these words of Mr. Perkins Doth he determine the question with you and for you that the Morall Law is wholly abolished or doth he not plainly resolue to the contrary that as it is the rule of good life it is vnchangeable and for euer by the death of Christ established Antinomus Your next Testimony is out of Paraeus in Argumentum Epist ad Galatas and in other places vpon that Epistle Answer I haue not that Booke by me but vnlesse Paraeus be much contrary to himselfe which I cannot so easily conceiue of so judicious a Diuine you shall see I haue reason to thinke that vpon the Galatians he speaketh nothing for your opinion seeing vpon the Hebrewes Cap. 8. pag. 400. 401. g Paraeus in Heb. 8. p. 400. 401. he purposely and aduisedly writeth so much against it Lex Moralis saith he est aeterna justiciae norma and then he sheweth how farre the Old Testament is abrogated 1. Quantum ad doctrinae spiritualis gratiae circumstantiam de futuro 2. Deinde quantum ad conditionem impossibilem perfectae obedientiae 3. Quantum ad onus legalium rituum sacerdotij Levitici Denique quantum ad jugum politie Mosaicae populi Iudaici cervicibus impositum Whereupon he inferreth thus Vnde Manichaeonum fanaticorum refutatur error qui abrogationem veteris Testamenti non folum ad tria illa sed ad legem etiam moralem malè trahebant and a little after he addeth De Lege Morali de Mosis atque Prophetarum libris doctrina aeternitatem agnoscimus de ritibus politia minimè By this you may euidently perceiue that Paraeus is of opinion that howsoeuer the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Lawes of Moses be abrogated yet the Morall Law is perpetuall and eternall and that they are men tainted with heresie or frensie that would draw the Morall Law into the same estate of abrogation with them And if you will looke backe a little to the seuenth Chapter and sixteenth verse of the same Epistle you may see as much as this and somewhat more h Paraeus in Heb. cap. 7. ver 16.18 Obiter hic annotemus discrimen legis Moralis Ceremonialis Illa perpetua spiritualis est ista caeduca carnalis fuit And againe vpon verse 18. Probat nunc legis abrogationem inde pendentem Et est taecita occupatio Quicquid sacerdotio fiat lex Dei est immutabilis Id inquit non nego de lege Morali nunc verò loquor de praecepto carnali lege Ceremoniali See more in Paraeus in Ep. Rom. cap. 3.8.31 cap. 7.7 Nam Valentiâ—…ani c. And this may sustice to cleare Paraeus that what you haue taken you haue mistaken from him as approuing your opinion vpon the Galatians which you see he disproueth on the Epistle to the Hebrewes Let vs now proceed to that which followeth There is a word * Antinomus you say Galat. 3 19. mistranslated in most vulgar translations which drawes many men away Serueth Wherefore then Serueth the Law Neither the Greeke you say nor any Latine translation hath it If neither the Greeke nor any Latine translation haue it Answer then it may peraduenture be added amisse but mistranslated as you say it cannot be And why doth not this word Serueth serue your turne Because forsooth it is in the Present Tense Serueth and not in the Preterimperfect Tense Serued Wherefore then serued the Law And why would you haue it serued and not serueth Because I guesse you would haue all men to know that the Law was of some force and vse in times past but now is of neither for the time present and so serued in the time past serueth your purpose very well for the present businesse But be it as you would haue it serued is serued either in the Greeke or any Latine translation or doth not the Law now in the daies of the Gospell serue to the reuealing conuincing and condemning of transgressions as before it serued to the same end and vse in the daies of the Law or suppose it serued more then to that end than now it serueth serueth it now therefore to no other vse at all But you say Many haue beene drawen awry by this word serueth Surely you are the first that euer I heard either make any exception against it or stand in any danger or feare of it And k Beza in Gal. 3.19 Beza whom you alledge may be vnderstood to take it rather in the Present than in the Preterim-perfect Tense Quorsum igitur lata lex est and Quum lex posita sit hominibus redarguendis Implying thereby not only whereunto the Law serued when it was first ordained but that it l Vide Beza in 1. Ep. Tim. cap. 1. v. 9. Finis legis est charitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. cap. 1. v. 9. serueth yet to the same vse in some respect though in diuers things the vse be changed Not vnlike vnto this you say is in Rom. 3.20 Commeth or is By the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne which being read came or was of the time past maketh you say the sense good Not vnlike vnto that is this indeed i. of as little either weight or worth And why may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be thus translated For by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne but must needs be rendred thus For by the Law came or was the knowledge of sinne You haue your reason I hope in readinesse for if the former stand in the present time then your opinion must needs fall presently for then there is a present vse of the Law to discouer sinne But if that fall and the latter come in his stead then you conceiue hope that your opinion for the abolishing of the Law being now in danger of falling shall hence haue a prop to stay it vp withall and what a one I pray you why surely a sorry one either this or none By the Law came or was the knowledge of sinne Ergo the Law is now abolished and by the Law commeth not now any knowledge of sinne This is indeed as you said truly not vnlike the other the Law serued for restraining or condemning transgressions ergo now it serueth neither for these nor for any other vse at all But doth not the Apostle proue by the Law whether written in Tables of stone or in m Rom. 2.15 Tables of the heart that both Iewes and Gentiles are n Rom. 3.19 20. all vnder sin not only that they had beene but that euen then at that present they were And was not this in the time of the
not so effectually spiritually and comfortably as in the latter daies he hath done by his Sonne Can any man I say inferre hereupon that the Morall Law is wholly abolished Nay hath not p Haec omnia non dissolventis erant legem sed adimplentis dilatantis in nobis Iren. advers Haeres li. 4. cap. 27. Christ from his blessed mouth charged vs not once to thinke that he came to destroy the Law He came not to destroy it but to fulfill it And doth not he renew the beauty and vigor of the Law when he doth cleare it and deliuer it from the foolish and false glosses of the Pharisies and commends the duties thereof to the practise of his owne followers and Disciples Besides all this seeing Christ in this first verse is as you alledge opposed to the Prophets you may by as good reason conclude that all the sacred Records of the Prophets are now cancelled and cast out of the Church by the comming of Christ in whom they were accomplished as that the Morall Law first written by the finger of God is now vtterly abolished because by Christ himselfe it was fulfilled and if by that which followeth the heauens and earth must vanish but he remaine you meane that the Morall Law must needs vtterly perish if Christ remaine remember then I pray that Christ himselfe hath said the like of the Morall Law which the Apostles said of him Heauen and earth shall passe but one iot or tittle of the Law shall not passe till all be fulfilled Vpon which words q Bulling in Mat. 5.18 Bullinger saith Per collationem rerum maximè stabilium immotarum significavit perpetuam legis constantiam r Calu. in Mat. 5.18 Caluine ſ Bez. Muscul Vitus Theod. Perk. on the same Beza Musculus Vitus Theodorus Perkins are all of the same minde writing vpon the same place Of these I will only mention Mr. Perkins his words The meaning of this verse saith he is That the Law of God is vnchangeable not only in the whole but for euery part thereof and the fulfilling thereof shall neuer haue an end But you goe forward and out of cap. 3. * Antinomus you say Moses was his seruant It is true Answer and so were all the holy men of God that penned the rest of the holy Scriptures too What then must it needs follow that because Christ is come as Lord in and ouer his owne house which is his t Heb. 3.6 Church that he hath disallowed and disanulled whatsoeuer Moses or others of his seruants haue done before him This were enough to shake the very foundation of the wals of Sion and to lay leuell with the ground the stately palaces of Ierusalem What they haue done either in or for the building of Gods house touching the substance and essentiall parts thereof whether u Ephes 2.20 Heb. 6.1 2. foundation of faith or x Phil. 3.16 Gal. 6.16 rule of life that Christ himselfe tels you againe he came not to destroy though they were but his seruants in the house and he Lord ouer it yet thinke not saith he that I am come to destroy either the Law which is the y Iam. 2.8.12 rule of life or the z 2 Pet. 1.19 20. Prophets which are a part of the foundation of faith He came not to abolish but to * Bez. Epist Theologic 20. pag. 104. establish these things But why did you alledge only the former part of the verse Moses was a Seruant and not the latter for a testimony of those things which should be spoken after to shew what seruice the Apostle speakes of in this place Why there was a reason in it for the latter words speaking of Moses seruice in the matters of the Ceremoniall Law as Paraeus and other worthy Diuines doe giue the meaning of them the alledging of these would haue quite maid your Market in that for which you brought in the former namely to the ouerthrow and abolishing of the Morall Law As for that you adde Antinomus out of Hebrewes Cap. 8. He is the Mediator of a better Testament which being the New he abrogateth the Old Ierem. 31.31 And that by the Old is meant as you say that which was written in the Tables of Stone Answer Deut. 4.13 I answer with reuerend * Bez. in Heb. 8.6 Tertul. advers Iudaeos cap. 3.4.5.6 advers Marcion lib. 5. c. 4. Beza That Christ is said to be the Mediator of a better Couenant hauing better promises Nempe quoniam figurabant ritus Levitici quod ipsi non praestabant cum credentium animos ad Christum venturum sive ad novum pactum remitterent He opposeth the Euangelicall Couenant to the Leuiticall as the better to the worse the New vnto the Old entring into the comparison of the Old and transitory Testament being but for a time whereof the Leuiticall Priests were Mediators with the New the euerlasting Mediator whereof is Christ to shew that this was not only better than that in all respects but also that that was abrogated by this This proueth not then the absolute abrogation of the Morall Law as you intend it but only the abolishing of the Leuiticall Priesthood with all their Mosaicall Sacrifices and Ceremonies as by the words going before ver 4 5 6 7. Heb. 8.4 5 6 7. you may plainly see the Apostle meant it Antinomus And because you appeale to the Geneua Note vpon Ierem. 31.31 as approuing your exposition of that which out of Hebrewes 8. you alledge for the abrogating of the Morall Law Answer we are content to turne aside with you thither also not refusing the censure or sentence which as vmpire it shall giue in this matter Tertull. expoundeth this place Ier. 31. v. 31. of the abolishing of the Ceremoniall and not of the Morall Law Lib. advers Judaos c. 3. Vpon these words I will make a New Couenant Ier. 31.31 the Geneua Note is this Though the Couenant of Redemption made to the Fathers and this which was giuen after seeme diuers yet they are all one and grounded on Iesus Christ saue that this is called New because of the manifestation of Christ and the abundant graces of the Holy Ghost giuen vnto the Church vnder the Gospell May not this Note giue you notice of thus much That the Diuines of Geneua making but one Couenant both in the daies of the Law and in the daies of the Gospell doe only acknowledge an alteration thereof in some circumstances of manner measure persons places times and types meanes and ministers and the like and that partly in the Morall but especially in the whole a In Epistol Theol. 8. Bez. Epist 20. Vide Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 11. sect 7. in hunc locum ex Ierem. 31.31 Ceremoniall Law but doe not so much as intimate any vtter abolition of any part of the substance of it whether concerning the foundation of
faith or rule of life And how then doe you imagine can the Geneua Note make for your purpose to proue by this place the abrogation and vtter abolition of the Morall Law To giue some weight vnto your light opinion and sleight exposition of this place you haue burdened your margent with a multitude of witnesses as if they had now iointly setled and established you in the same Not much vnlike me thinkes herein vnto Philotus Cous mentioned by b Athen. Dipnosophist lib. 9. cap. 23. lib. 12. cap. 29. Athenaus who was of so light and slender a body that he had weights of lead tied to his heeles left by some blast or puft of winde he should haue beene whirled and blowen away But wherefore doe you beare vs in hand that so great a cloud of witnesses as you haue painted your margent withall doe all stand for you and with you in the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law And yet you haue not drawen one drop from them all to giue vs some taste of their vniforme consent with you in your opinion Are they clouds without water witnesses without testimonies Titles without euidences Like Apothecaries boxes that beare goodly and faire names without but haue not a drugge nor a dram of any thing that is good within The Authors which you name I acknowledge to be good men and full of good things as c 2 Cor. 4.7 Vessels of the Sanctuary trusted with the Lords treasure and imployed for their d 2 Tim. 2.27 Masters vse And I haue sought and searcht e Caluin Vatah. Tremel Musc Zanch. Hipp. c. their f Caluin Vatah. Tremel Musc Zanch. Hipp. c. storehouses with what diligence for the time I could yet can I finde none of your leauen in their lumpe nor any of their Gold to gild your drosse Shall I deale plainly and fairely with you I will make you a free and franke offer Set me downe the Testimonies of the Authors which you alledge for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law set them downe I say totidem verbis and if of the two and twenty which you name in your margent I doe not proue that one and twenty are vtterly against you I will acknowledge you victor and yeeld you the whole cause without more adoe g Cicero de Orat. Tully saith That an Orator as well as a Warrior must doe something ad specimen non ad vulnus something for a flourish not all for fight and so it seemes you doe though not as a glozing Orator yet as a h Teren. in Eun. Act. 4. sc 7. bragging Souldier you braue vs as with a troupe of horse and foot and then they be but shadowes in stead of souldiers much like those images of men which as i Jul. Frontin lib. 3. stratag cap. 8. Iulius Frontius recordeth Cyrus the King of Persia besieging the City of Sardis did put vpon long Poles and armed them like Persian souldiers and set them vpon one side of the City as an Army of men to delude and terrifie Craesus and the Citizens therewithall Now surely if any should be so credulous as to beleeue or so timorous as to feare that all these Authors are armed souldiers which you haue set vp in the margent as vpon one side of your City to defend your cause I would haue him answered only with the words of k Iudg. 9.36 Zebul to Gaal Iudg. 9. Thou seest the shadowes of the Mountaines as if they were men But now to leaue your shadowes and to deale with the substance of that which you thinke yet remaineth in the Epistle to the Hebrews for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law * Antinomus You vrge That because the Tables of Stone wherein the Morall Law was written were remoued with the Tabernacle and other like Adjuncts therfore the Morall Law is vtterly abolished Answer And who taught you this Logicke to reason à remotione Accidentis ad remotionem subjecti Must it needs follow that because the Tables of Stone wherein the Law was written be abolished that therefore the Law it selfe is vtterly abolished together with them Were the Tables of Stone so essentiall to the Morall Law that it had neither birth before them nor being after them Nay was it not written in the Tables of the heart first in the state of l Primordialis lex data est Adae Euae in paradiso quasi matrix omnium praeceptorum Dei Tertul. advers Iudaeos cap. 2. ibi lege plura de lege Innocencie as in faire and golden Characters and continued after the fall as the Law of Nature but as it were in dimme and darke letters and yet more plainly m August quaest Vet. No. Test quaest 4. renewed to * Gen. 17.1 18.19 Abraham and the Patriarkes before it was euer written in Tables of Stone for the more manifest direction and conuiction of the n August quaest Vet. No. Test quaest 4. Iewes And hath not the Lord according to the Couenant of Grace changed the Tables of Stone into the fleshie o August de vera Innocentia ca. 258. Tables of our hearts the killing letter into the quickning spirit not putting out but putting in his p August de spir litera cap. 14. 21. lawes into our minde and writing them by his Spirit vpon our hearts and so causing vs to walke in his Statutes And hath he not done all this that as q Luc. 1.74 75. Zachary speaketh We might serue him according to his Law without feare in righteousnesse and holinesse the summe and substance of both r Matt. 22.37.39 Tables all the daies of our life How then doth the remouing of the Tables of Stone proue vnto vs the remouall of the Law written in them Nay if the remouing of the Tables of Stone would proue the abolishing of the Law written in them then the Morall Law was abolished not only as you say after Christs death but many hundred yeeres before Christs birth For in the Second Temple there was not the Arke of the Testimonie wherein the Tables were kept nor the Tables themselues neither As not onely ſ Joseph lib. 5. de Bello Iudai cap. 14. Iosephus and the t Petrus Galat. de Arcanis Catholicae verit lib. 4. cap. 9. Iewish Rabbins with others u Morn de veritate Chr. Relig. cap. 29. Phil. Morn De veritate Rel. x Ludov. Vives de veritate Chr. fidei lib. 3. cap. 11. Lud. Viv. de verit Christ fid lib. 3. doe record but the sacred y 2 King 24.13 Story also beareth witnesse seeing all the Vessels of the Temple and all the precious Instruments thereof that were of gold as the * Ex. 15.11 Arke it selfe was wherein the Tables of Stone were kept were all carried away to Babel either in the former Captiuities of Iehojachim and Ieconiah or the last which was the worst of z 2
Chron. 36.7.10.18.19 Zedekiah when the City was sackt the Temple spoiled and both by the Chaldaeans burnt with fire Besides all this it is most certaine that as the Arke of the Couenant and the parts of it the Cherubins and the Propitiatorie Couering or Mercy Seat were all Ceremonies and Types of CHRIST and shadowes of good things to come in the daies of the Gospell so was both the writing of the Law in Tables of Stone and the putting of those Tables being the 1 Deut. 9.9 11. Tables of the Legall Couenant in the 2 Deut. 10.5 Arke which was therefore called the 3 Deut. 10.8 Arke of the Couenant these also I say were Typicall and Ceremoniall but the Law it selfe both before and then and now and for euer was and is and shall be Morall still To make this a little more plaine The Arke was a figure of Christ and a pledge of Gods gracious a Numb 7.89 presence where he promised to speake with his people and whereunto he called them to speake with him This did signifie that there could be no intercourse of mercies and duties betwixt God and vs but in and by b Matt. 3.17 Christ alone The c Exod. 25.21 Deut. 10.8 Tables of the Couenant were put in this Arke and kept in it to signifie not only that all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge were hid in d Col. 2.3 Christ but that the Law of God is fulfilled and the justice of God satisfied and the wrath of God appeased in and by e 2 Cor. 5.18 21. Act. 4.12 Christ alone These Tables were of Stone f Exod. 34.1 4. hauing the Law of God written by the g Deut. 9.10 finger of God in them to signifie that in the New Couenant he would change our hearts of stone into h Ezek. 36.26 27. hearts of flesh and write his lawes by the i 2 Cor. 3. â—… finger of his spirit in the fleshy Tables of our hearts and both cause vs to walke in his Statutes and also accept of our obedience in Christ Iesus The Arke when the Tables of the Law were put in it had a k Exo. 25.17 21. Propitiatory Couering put vpon it Exodus 25. This did signifie another part of the Couenant That in Christ alone the Lord will couer l Heb. 8.10 12. Rom. 3.25 and be mercifull to our sinnes and remember our iniquities no more Hebr. 8.10 11. Rom. 3.1 Ioh. 2. Vpon the Propitiatory or Mercy Seat were the two m Exod. 25.20 Cherubins looking downe into the Arke this did signifie That as the holy n Heb. 1.14 Angels were appointed to be ministring Spirits for the good of them that are Heires of saluation so doe they desire and delight to o 1 Pet. 1.12 looke into Christ and his Church and the mysterie of the Gospell reuealed in the same Now these things considered this I say That so farre as these Tables of the Couenant had any thing Ceremoniall in them or any thing concerning other circumstances of persons time place terror rigour and the like being peculiar to the Church of the Iewes in that estate of the Mosaicall Pedagogie so farre I say they are p Temporalli horum administratio fuit Iren. advers Haeres lib. 4. cap. 8. remoued together with the Arke and Altar Tabernacle and Temple and other Leuiticall Sacrifices and Ceremonies Iudaicall types and rites whatsoeuer But the Morall Law contained in the Ten Commandements could not be Ceremoniall no more than a substance can be a shadow for then should Morall and Ceremoniall haue beene confounded whereas euen by their writing in Tables of Stone and that by the finger of God they were distinguished neither was there then any thing for the substance of it nor is now as now it stands vpon record in the Booke of God but it doth concerne vs as well as them according to that of the Apostle We know that the Law is good if a man vse it lawfully and therefore though the Tables of Stone be remoued the q Age Marcion omnésque jam commiserones coodibiles ejus Haeretici quid audebitis dicere Resciditnè Christus priora praecepta Non occidendi non adulterandi non furandi c. An illa servavit quod deerat adjecit vide Tertull. adver Marcion li. 4. ca. 36. Morall Law is yet continued and hath exceptis excipiendis his proper vse and force still That which you draw from Mount Sinai hath not strength enough to withdraw all vse of the Morall Law from Mount Sion The r Heb. 12.12 13. Apostle enforceth his exhortation vnto Christian obedience and patience vnder the Metaphors of lifting vp their hands that hang downe and their feeble knees the better to enable them to resist and hold out in running the race that is set before them by Arguments drawen from the comfortable and admirable priuiledge of the Gospell and kingdome of Grace farre aboue those which the Hebrewes themselues had vnder the regiment of Moses in the estate of the Law This you say truly and we doe acknowledge That greater mercies require greater duties But when you say He doth not presse his exhortation by the Law giuen in Mount Sinai you are conuinced of a grosse vntruth by the two last Å¿ Heb. 12.28 29. verses of the same Chapter where the Apostle presseth this exhortation Let vs haue grace to serue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare by an Argument drawen from the Law Deut. 4.24 viz. Antinomus For our God is a consuming fire That which the t Heb. 12.26 27. Apostle allegeth out of u Agg. 2.6 Aggai and you vrge out of both concerning things that are shaken may indeed shake in peeces all the Iewish Ceremonies and Sacrifices as most Diuines doe agree But the Gospell is so farre from shaking the Morall Law in that manner that it doth rather ioine and shake x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Iustin Mart. Quaest Resp ad Orthod p. 354. hands with it as if that which is spoken in another place were also verified in them Mercy and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace doe kisse each other So farre therefore as the Lord hath ioined them together let no man be so bold as to seeke or sue out a Bill of * Bez. Theol. Ep. Ep. 20. p. 103. diuorce to put them asunder Thus haue you seene and felt too if you be not darkned in your minde by prejudice and selfe-conceit and so strangely hardened which God forbid against all touch of truth what sorry successe you haue had in discharging your many Arguments out of the whole Epistle to the Galatians and out of the whole Epistle to the Hebrewes notwithstanding all the powder and shot which you haue borrowed from so many men or rather by fraud and force haue taken from them We come now vnto your third great Argument namely the practise of the
Apostels in all their Epistles which you seeme to me to haue both mounted higher and charged deeper as a principall peece of Ordnance for this speciall seruice of battery and beating downe to the ground not only the wals and windowes but the stateliest and strongest towers and bulwarkes of the Morall Law * Antinomus You say The practise of the Apostles in all their Epistles vseth brotherly exhortations still calling them brethren This English I vnderstand not but I conceiue you would say Answer That It is the practise of the Apostles in all their Epistles to vse brotherly exhortations still calling them to whom they write Brethren And what of that I pray you Is the practise of the Apostles therefore against the Morall Law because in their Epistles they vse brotherly exhortations and call them to whom they write Brethren Why then belike Moses himselfe both spake and wrote against the Morall Law when endeuouring to keepe men in obedience to the sixt Commandement he vsed brotherly exhortations and called them brethren y Act. 7.26 Exod. 2.13 Sirs you are brethren why doe you wrong one to another Act. 7.26 And tels vs not only that they two were brethren but hath left it vpon record that they were also his brethren z Exod. 2.12 Exod. 2. And Lot also like enough practised somewhat against the Morall Law when labouring to preuent the villany of the Sodomites in the breach of the seuenth Commandement he vsed brotherly exhortations calling them brethren saying a Gen. 19.7 I pray you Brethren doe not so wickedly I had thought that neither the name of Brethren nor brotherly exhortations had beene so peculiarly appropriate to the Gospell but that both might be vsed for the furtherance of the duties and restraint of the breaches of the Morall Law Neither are rebukes or threats in my opinion so proper to the Law that they may not haue their place and vse in the Gospell also Ahab was neuer a whit the better because he could say in foolish pitie of King Benhadad Is he yet aliue he is my b 1 King 20.32 Brother For there is * August ad Macedon Ep. 64. Sicuti est aliquando misericordia puniens ita crudelitas parcens crudelitas parcens Nor was Paul euer the worse because he wrote so sharply to the c 1 Cor. 5.3 4 5 13. Corinthians and dealt so seuerely with the incestuous person as to deliuer him vp to Satan for there is misericordia puniens The Apostles in their Epistles haue not only oile to supple but wine to search imitating that good d Luc. 10.34 Samaritane that vsed both in the cure of the wounded man Neither doe they alwaies apply milde lenities but sometimes sharpe corrasiues to their ill affected or afflicted patients Could you obserue that the Apostle calleth the Galathians ten times Brethren in that Epistle and could you take no notice of the sharpe and bitter rebukes and reproofes which he vseth against them e Gal. 3.1 3. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you Are yee so foolish I am f Gal. 4.11 20. afraid of you I stand in doubt of you g Gal. 4.9 How turne you againe to beggerly rudiments Behold I h Gal. 5.2 3 4. Paul say vnto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Christ is become of none effect vnto you whosoeuer of you are justified by the Law you are fallen from grace I i Gal. 5.12 would they were euen cut off which trouble you yea if he were an k Gal. 1.8 9. Angell from heauen let him be accursed Haue not these ten rebukes almost ten times as much acrimony and tartnesse as the naming of them ten times brethren hath lenity and mildnesse Paul a Preacher of the Gospell knew there was vse of both and at this present saw that euen the Galathians his l Gal. 4.12 19. brethren and his little children had need of both although a people that had receiued and did professe the Gospell If then your reason be good The practise of the Apostles stands against the Morall Law because they vse in their Epistles brotherly exhortations to them to whom they write and call them brethren then the practise of the Apostles stands against the Gospell also because in the same Epistles they oftentimes rebuke them as wicked and threaten them sometimes as accursed creatures But * Antinomus you say They ground their exhortations neither vpon Moses Law nor vpon any other Commandement but on the mercies of God in Christ as may be seene in all their Epistles Now certainly Answer this is one of the strangest and boldest speeches that euer I heard from any man bearing the name of a true Christian and making some shew of reading and learning as you doe Are you such a stranger in the Epistles of the Apostles that you could yet neuer finde any of their exhortations grounded on the Commandements and terrors of the Law And dare you be so bold as to say They are all grounded only on the mercies of God in Christ And that this may be seene also in all their Epistles Haue you read Rom. 12.1 m Rom. 12.1 I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a liuing sacrifice c. And haue you not read in the same Apostle 2 Tim. 4.1 n 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearing preach the Word c. o Rom. 11.22 He that bids vs behold the goodnesse of the Lord bids vs behold his seuerity also vnto the Iewes that fell seuerity but towards vs goodnesse if we continue in his goodnesse otherwise we are threatned to be cut off also And Some as p Ep. Iud. v. 23. Iude speaketh we must deale withall in compassion and by the looking for of the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life and others we must saue by feare plucking them as brands halfe burnt out of the fire He that exhorteth vs to q Col. 3.13 Forbeare and forgiue one another if any haue a quarell against any and that vpon this ground of Gods mercy in Christ euen as Christ for gaue vs Col. 3.13 doth likewise exhort vs Not to r Rom. 12.19 auenge our selues but rather to giue place vnto wrath vpon another ground of Gods justice and that taken out of the Law Deut. 32.35 for it is written vengeance is mine and I will repay it saith the Lord. He that saith of the Ministers of the Gospell as of Å¿ 2 Cor. 5.20 Ambassadors of peace We beseech you in Christs stead to be reconciled vnto God saith also being himselfe one of the same as an Herauld of Armes t 2 Cor. 5.10 11. We must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ to giue an account of whatsoeuer we haue done in our bodies be it good or
euill knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5. All their perswasions and exhortations then you may see are not in all their Epistles grounded as you say vpon mercy but some vpon justice not all vpon loue but some vpon feare not all vpon the promises of the Gospell but some vpon the threatnings of the Law against all disobedience both to Law and Gospell According to that of the Apostle u Iud. Ep. v. 14 15. Iude Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement vpon all and to conuince all that are vngodly among them of all their vngodly deeds which they haue vngodly committed and of all their hard speeches which vngodly sinners haue spoke against him And that also of the Apostle x 2 Cor. 10.5 6. See Tertull. on this place 2 Thess 1.8 9. lib. 5. adver Marc. cap. 16. Vide etiam Zanch. in 2 Thess 1.8 9. Paul We haue in readinesse to take vengeance of all disobedience 2 Cor. 10.5 which the Lord Iesus shall accomplish when he shall be reuealed from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shal be punisâ—ed with euerlasting destruction from the presence of thâ—â—ord and from the glory of his power 2 Thess 1.7 8â—… Had you aduisedly considered these and other such like passages in the Epistles of the Apostles you would either neuer haue thought what you haue said before or neuer for very shame haue written that which followeth after viz. And though sometimes Antinomus yea often they vse the Imperatiue mood and some words of Commandement yet they are so tempered with mildnesse you say and without penalty as that there is no forme of Commandements much lesse any allusion to Moses Law or the Ten Commandements So tempered with mildnesse Answer and without penalty Now surely I wonder in what temper you were when these things ranne in your head or fell from your hand Had you forgotten that the Apostle did as well sharply threaten the y 1 Cor. 4.21 Corinthians with a rod as mildly offer to come vnto them in loue and in the spirit of meeknesse Or did you not consider that the same Apostle doth not alwaies as it were stroake their heads and commend them in tearmes of loue but as occasion requireth sometimes strikes their naked consciences with some sharpe rebukes and threats some bitter taunts and terrors as with the twigs and ierks of his rod also He that saith 1 Cor. 11. z 1 Cor. 11.2 Now I praise you Brethren that yee remember me in all things and keepe the ordinances as I deliuered them to you taketh them vp more sharply for the abuse of the Sacrament euen in the a 1 Cor. 11.22 same Chapter verse 22. What haue yee not houses to eat and to drinke in Or despise yee the Church of God and shame them that haue not What shall I say vnto you shall I praise you in this I praise you not And he that in another b 1 Cor 4.14 place saith I write not these things to shame you but as my beloued sonnes I admonish you 1 Cor. 4. doth he not afterwards vpon just occasion more sharply rebuke them I speake to your c 1 Cor 6.5 1 Cor. 15.34 shame Is it so that there is not a wise man amongst you no not one that shall be able to judge betweene his brethren And againe Some haue not the knowledge of God I speake this to your shame 1 Cor. 15.34 Are not these words as sharpe and tart as the former are milde and gentle Is there not a burning fire of zeale in the latter as well as a warming fire of loue in the former Fire I acknowledge in both and holy fire too but yet of a different degree and temper the one milder and the other sharper and both of speciall vse in their time and place In distilling of flowers and hearbes a soft fire will serue the turne which in melting of mettles will doe no good at all And although according to the common Prouerbe A soft fire will make sweet Malt yet must it be a hot fire to make good d Hos 7.6 7 8. bread or good e Exod. 1.14 bricke This wisdome God hath giuen the f Isa 28.26 27 28. Husbandman to beat out Fitches with a staffe and Cummin with a rod but to thresh with a threshing Instrument and to turne the Cart wheele ouer the stronger graine that the bread Corne may be bruised and fitted for present vse And this wisdome God hath giuen his g Isa 28.26 1 Cor. 3.9 2 Pet. 3.15 Apostles as his chiefe Husbandmen that in dealing with his people which are Gods husbandry they should vse both mildnesse and sharpnesse lenity and seuerity a staffe or a threshing instrument as the nature or quality of the seed soyle or season shall require But who would not thinke to heare and take your words that all the Epistles were so full of milde speeches and sweet exhortations that there were not any sharpe rebukes much lesse any ironicall taunts and least of all any terrible threats at all to be found in all or any one of them For * Antinomus you will haue All to be mildnesse without any sharpnesse all but commanding words without any forme of Commandements all mercies and promises without any penalty or punishment no vrging of any precept of the Law no not so much as an allusion to Moses Law or the Ten Commandements And all this you vrge to this end to proue That now in the daies of the Gospell the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished Answer When the people would teach the Prophets to speake and forbid the Seers to see saying Prophecy not vnto vs right things but speake vnto vs smooth things prophecy deceits The Prophet h Isa 30.8 9 10. The Apostles doe reproue sins and threaten sinners out of the Morall Law See 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ran. Ceasu Praelect 183. p. col 861. 862. 863. Isay was charged to write it in a Table and to note it in a Booke that it might be for the time to come euen for euer and euer That this is a rebellious people lying children that will not heare the Law of the Lord. If you goe about to teach the Apostles to speake and forbid these Seers to see saying They neither command seuerely nor rebuke sharply nor threaten terribly i. They Prophecy no right things vnto vs but speake all smooth things vnto vs all mildnesse no sharpnesse all mercy no judgement all promises no penalties all words of commanding but no forme of Commandements all loue and fauour but no rigour nor terror take heed lest your sinne be not written as with a i Ier. 17.1 pen of a Diamond before the Lord and the censure thereof also for you your leaders and followers made as
which shall deuoure the aduersaries And this he enforceth further not only by an allusion but by a manifest allegation of Moses Law q Heb. 10.28 29. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden vnder foot the Sonne of God c. For we know him that hath said r Heb. 10.30.31 Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompence saith the Lord and againe The Lord shall judge his people It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God And this shall suffice for answer to your third generall Argument drawen from the practise of the Apostles in all their Epistles Your fourth Argument is this Argument 4 Antinomus Wheresoeuer the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law there is neuer any exception of the Morall This is vtterly vntrue Answer for where the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law it is either first The abrogation of the Law handled diuers waies First in the matter of Saluation Secondly in the matter of justification in the matter of Saluation as Acts 15.1 10. and there in the same Chapter the Morall Law is excepted because abstaining from Idolatries and Fornication being breaches of the first and second Table of the Morall Law is there inioined as from things of necessity to be refrained Acts 15.28 Or secondly in the matter of justification as Rom. 3.28 We conclude saith the Apostle that a man is justified by faith without the workes of the Law and yet there also vnto that obiection Doe we then make void the Law through faith he answereth as it were with detestation God forbid yea we establish the Law Rom. 3.31 So in the like Argument in the Epistle to the Galathians where he doth vtterly abolish the Law for righteousnesse in the Å¿ Gal. 2.16 Rom. 3.28 31. act of justification he doth yet establish the vse of the Morall Law for leading a godly and Christian life when he telleth vs that Faith t Gal. 5.6 worketh by loue and by loue we are bound to u Gal. 5.13 serue one another and the rule of loue is the Morall Law which he there vrgeth as a bond euen now in full force and vertue binding all Christians to obedience when he addeth this reason For all the x Gal. 3.14 Law is fulfilled in one word euen in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Leuit. 19.18 Matt. 22.39 And is not this an euident exception of the Morall Law made by the Holy Ghost and that euen in the same Epistle nay in the same Chapter where he handleth the abrogation of the Law also Thirdly the abrogation of the Law is handled as it was a wall of partition Or thirdly the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law as it was a wall of a Ephes 2.13 14 15. partition betwixt Iewes and Gentiles as Ephes 2.13 14 15. and yet in the same Epistle he requireth and vrgeth the duties of the Morall Law as b Ephes 4.24 25 26 28. Cast off lying and speake the truth Be angry and sinne not Labour with your hands and steale not c Ephes 5.2 3 4 5 6. Walke in loue and hate not flie fornication and all vncleannesse and name it not And all this to be done vpon promise and penalty as euer they will haue any inheritance in the kingdome of God or auoid the danger of the wrath of God Nay further to cut off all occasion of cauill as if one should obiect That these duties are not vrged for obedience to the Morall Law but to the Gospell the Apostle by a special direction of the Holy Ghost doth in expresse words exhorting children to obey their Parents make mention of the d Ephes 6.1 2. first Commandement with promise and setteth downe both precept and promise out of the Morall Law as yet of speciall force to draw them thereunto And yet we doe not say that these duties are either so vrged vpon vs or performed by vs as duties of the Law for righteousnesse to liue by them Rom. 10.5 but as fruits of the righteousnesse of faith in the Gospell discerned and measured by the Law yet not by the rigour but by the e Rom. 12.2 13.8 9. tenor of it offered also and accepted only in the obedience of Christ Iesus who according to his Couenant hath put his f Heb. 8.10 10.16 Lawes in our mindes and written them by the finger of his Spirit not in Tables of stone but in the g 2 Cor. 3.3 fleshy Tables of our hearts That as the Apostle speaketh the righteousnesse of the Law might be h Rom. 8.1 4. fulfilled in vs who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Or fourthly Fourthly the abrogation of the Law is handled touching Iewish obseruation the abrogation of the Law is handled as touching i Col. 2.16 17. Iewish and superstitious obseruations Col. 2.16 17. and typicall signification shadowing k Heb. 10.1 forth good things to come as Hebr. 10.1 And yet in both these Epistles where the law of carnall Commandements i. the Ceremoniall Law is cancelled and abolished the Commandements of the Law which is spirituall namely the Morall Law are confirmed and established as euidently appeareth by the plentifull and powerfull exhortations and injunctions for the performance of both generall and speciall duties of the Morall Law As for example Col. 3.14 l Col. 3.12 14. Aboue all things put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse Heb. 10.24 m Heb. 10.24 Let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto lsue and good workes And n Rom. 13.8 9. loue you haue already heard is the fulfilling of the Law and when o Gal. 5.6 faith worketh by loue faith worketh by the rule of the Law and he that walketh in loue p Gal. 6.16 walketh by the line of the Law Which may yet be further seene by those speciall duties of Superiours and inferiours appertaining to the fift Commandement as of husbands and wiues parents and children gouernours and seruants Col. 3. 4. and Heb. 13. mentioned and vrged out of the Morall Law in both places By this time you may perceiue that euen in the same places where the Holy Ghost handleth the abrogation of the Law there is contrary to your assertion some exception of the Morall Law Nay I say more that wheresoeuer the Holy Ghost handleth the full and finall abrogation of the Law for all exercise in Gods worship or vse in the Church of Christ there he euer giueth instance in the Ceremoniall Law and neuer either mentioneth or meaneth the Morall Law And againe where he handleth the abrogation of the Law only in some circumstances or for some particular ends or vses he sometimes ioineth the Morall and the Ceremoniall * Aug. in Epist ad Galat. cap. 3. Calu. in Rom.
3.20 both together as Rom. 3. and Gal. 2. 3. q Rom. 3.28 By the workes of the Law whether Morall or Ceremoniall r Gal. 3.16 no flesh shall be justified Å¿ Gal. 3.19 The Law was giuen because of transgressions t Gal. 3.24 The Law was our Schoolemaster vnto Christ Take then whether of these you like best If in handling the full and finall abrogation of the Law you say there is no exception of the Morall and thereupon inferre that the whole Morall Law is wholly abrogated why may not I as well conclude the cleane contrary In handling the full and finall abrogation of the Law there is no mention made of the Morall therefore the whole Morall Law is not wholly abrogated but rather established and confirmed And if you say that in handling the abrogation of the Law touching some circumstances only or some particular ends or vses there is no exception of Morall and therefore the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished then I say that your Antecedent is too weake to inferre this Consequent and fitter a great deale to serue my turne against you if it be of any force at all in this conclusion ergo The Morall Law in some circumstances and for some ends and vses only is abrogated and so you faile of your proofe and purpose labouring thereby to proue that the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished Argument 5 Let vs now see if your fift Argument be of any better proofe or power for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Antinomus Moses Law was giuen only to the Iewes Exod. 19.3 4. c. and 20.2 12. Deut. 4.1 and 5.1 with diuers other Testimonies to the same purpose ergo The whole Morall Law is wholly now abolished Answer I answer first If by Moses Law you meane the whole body and bulke of the Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall Law and also that both for circumstance and substance tearme and time end and vse persons and things it was thus giuen to the Iewes only then is this your Antecedent false for howsoeuer these were first and principally charged and imposed vpon the Iewes as his u Exod. 19.5 peculiar people the * Zanch. in Hos cap. 2.44.45 Ceremonials for Gods worship the Iudicials for ciuill gouernment and the Morall Law for some speciall circumstances and vses more binding that people vnto God in the forme of a Couenant than any other people in the world besides Yet were not all a Exod. 12.38 Vide August Ep. 49. quaest 2. Cum enim nonnulli commemorantur c. other people or persons so excluded or debarred but that if they did renounce their Idolatry and would become Proselytes entertaining the b Exod. 12.44 48 49. See Beza in Mart. 23.15 of Proselytes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rajn Thes 4. pag. 113. Iewish Religion they were receiued into the fellowship of the Couenant and that by Gods speciall Commandement and made partakers of the Seales and benefits thereof together with the Iewes accordingly So were the mixt multitude that came out of Egypt with the Israelites the seruant bought with money and the stranger and sojourner were admitted to the Passeouer if they would first be circumcised and then they were accepted into the Church as if they had beene borne in the land c Exod. 12.49 One Law shall be to him that is home borne and to the stranger that sojourneth amongst you and that not only for the Ceremoniall but euen for the Morall also as is expresly set downe in the fourth Commandement where both Magistrate in Assembly and Master of a family stand charged to looke that the d Exod. 20.10 stranger within the gates doe keepe holy the Sabbath day Secondly If by the Law of Moses you meane the Doctrine of Moses which as a holy Prophet he hath written and set downe vpon record in his fiue Bookes and which Christ himselfe alledgeth by the name of the Law of e Luk. 24.44 Moses as testifying of himselfe and his sufferings Luke 24.44 I say the Law of Moses in this sense was giuen as well vnto vs of the Gentiles as to them of the Iewes seeing Whatsoeuer is f Rom. 15.4 written is written for our instruction and edification And Paul himselfe made this vse of the g Act. 28.23 28 30 31. Law when being at Rome vnto such as came vnto his lodging He expounded and testified the kingdome of God perswading them concerning Iesus both out of the h Puerilis error est saith Flaâ— Illyric libros legales nihil continere quod ad Euangâ—lium spectat suspicari Clau. Scrip. par 2. p. 30. Law of Moses and out of the Prophets and this he did not only to the Iewes but to the Gentiles also Acts 28.30 31. Thirdly If by the Law of Moses you meane the Ceremoniall obseruations which Moses by Commandement from the Lord prescribed to the Iewes as the manner and forme of his solemne Worship and as Figures and Types of good things to come in Christ as the Euangelists and Apostles doe vsually when they * Act. 15.5 13.38 Luk. 2.22 speake of the Law of Moses then I say The Law of Moses in this sense was giuen vnto the Iewes only not only as a partition wall betwixt them and the Gentiles but as a yoke to restraine them a i Col. 2.13 14 15. hand-writing to conuince and condemne them and as a sharpe and seuere k Gal. 3.24 Schoolemaster to driue them to seeke for helpe and l Mal. 4.2 healing vnder his wings who was and is the m Ioh. 1.17 truth of those types and n Col. 2.17 substance of those o Heb. 10.1 shadowes Christ Iesus But the Law of Moses in this sense will doe you but little seruice to the drawing in of your conclusion for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law Fourthly If by the Law of Moses you vnderstand the Morall Law or Ten Commandements as needs you must if you will dispute ad idem or speake to any purpose then why might you not as well haue set it so downe and dealt plainly as wrap vp your meaning in such ambiguity and obscurity and that not only in this Argument but in fiue or six of those also which follow after We will then take your Argument as we thinke you intend it Antinomus to be this The Morall Law was giuen only to the Iewes ergo The Morall Law in the Church of Christ since the death of Christ is wholly abolished If the Antecedent were sound Answer the consequent would doe well enough to serue your turne But how doe you proue that the Morall Law was giuen only to the Iewes I must guesse at your proofes by your places which you quote as I conceiue for this purpose for you put me to fish for your meaning out of Exod. 19.3 4 and Exod. 20.2 12. Antinomus Deut. 4.1 and 5.1 and 7.6 and 14.2 and 26.16 and 33.4
Psal 147.19 20. Psal 103.7 Psa 81.4 5 8. All which places I haue searcht and seene and will now tell you what I haue found by fishing in them That of Exod. 19.2 3 Exod. 19.1 2 3 4 5. c. you seeme to vrge on this manner Moses had charge from God to speake to the house of Iacob and to the children of Israel If yee will obey my voice and keepe my Couenant then yee shall be a peculiar treasure vnto me aboue all people and yee shall be vnto me a kingdome of priests and an holy nation and hereupon you would inferre that the Morall Law was giuen vnto the Iewes only Answer That the Morall Law for the manner of deliuery promulgation and diuers circumstances of persons times places and forme of Legall Couenant was peculiar to the Iewish Nation we doe now againe as often before most willingly acknowledge Moses was to the Iewes a p Deut. 18.18 Prophet to teach them a q Ioh. 1.17 Lawgiuer to gouerne them a messenger and r Gal. 3.10 19. Mediator to deale betwixt God and them r Gal. 3.10 19. a rigorous exactor of absolute obedience a Å¿ Heb. 2.2 10. seuere auenger of all disobedience 28 29. yea he was a minister of u 2 Cor. 3.7 9 14. condemnation to all them that could not see through the veile that was vpon his face into the end of the Law Christ Iesus and thus the Iewes euen vntill this day the veile remaining yet vpon their hearts in the reading of the Old Testament will needs be x Ioh. 9.28 Moses disciples still But as thus the Law was giuen vnto them by Moses so was y Iob. 1.17 grace and truth with the true end and vse of the Law brought vnto vs by Christ Iesus who being our z Act. 3 22 23. Prophet a Iam. 4.12 Lawgiuer b Act. 5.31 Prince and c Heb. 8.1 Priest d Malac. 3.1 Messenger and e Heb. 8.6 Mediator of a better Couenant our f Heb. 7.22 surety and g Matt. 1.21 Sauiour from all our sinnes hath redeemed vs from this Iewish Paedagogie and bondage h Gal. 4.4 of the Law and yet hath according to his Couenant i Heb. 8.10 put his lawes into our mindes and written them in our hearts by the finger k 2 Cor. 3.3 of his spirit and reckoneth and accounteth vs as much as euer he did the Iewes to be now his l 1 Pet. 2.9 10. peculiar people a chosen generation a royall priesthood or a kingdome of priests a holy nation his m 2 Cor. 6.18 sonnes and daughters children of Abraham according to the n Rom. 9.7 8. faith though not according to the flesh o Heb. 8.8 the house of Iacob the house of Iudah and p Gal. 6.16 the Israel of God By which titles dignities and priuiledges the Apostles Peter and Paul and others doe call vs of the Gentiles to obey the Commandements of the Morall Law euen now in the daies of the Gospell as Moses did the Iewes in the place which you alledge Exod. 19.2 3 4 5. by the same meanes at the giuing of the Law For example because we are a q 1 Pet. 2.9 12. compare with Exod. 19.2 3 4 5. and Tit. 2.14 with Deut. 7.7 and Ezek. 36.26 27. with Iam. 2.8 10 12. chosen generation a royall priesthood c. therefore we must be of honest conuersation 1 Pet. 2.9 12. because we are his peculiar people therefore we must be zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 because we are the Israel of God we must therefore walke according to this rule because he hath put his lawes and his spirit in our hearts therefore we must so speake and so doe as they that shall be judged by the Law of liberty Of all these we may say as S. Iohn r 1 Ioh. 2.7 saith of the Commandement of loue which is the summe of the Law Brethren we write no new Commandement vnto you but the old Commandements which yee had from the beginning These are no new Commandements of the Gospell but the old Commandements of the Morall Law renewed in the Gospell In which respect we may say againe with S. Iohn Å¿ 1 Ioh. 2.8 A new Commandement or these are new Commandements which we write vnto you And as Christ t Ioh. 13.34 himselfe said in the same sense A new Commandement giue I vnto you that yee loue one another which yet was an old Commandement enioined by u Leuit. 19.18 Moses in the Morall Law and now only renewed and reenforced by Christ in the Gospell who came not as you imagine x Matt. 5.17 to destroy the Morall Law but to fulfill it to repaire the breaches and renew the beauty of it These things thus considered we say plainly That whatsoeuer appertained vnto Moses his literall carnall legall personall and terrible ministration or promulgation of the Morall Law that together with all the circumstances thereof was peculiar to the Iewes only and we now make no claime to any part or parcell of it But whatsoeuer was then in the Decalogue or y Deut. 1.13 Ten words of God substantiall morall spirituall just and good teaching and prescribing all duties of z Matt. 22.37 38 39 40. loue to God and man that we say for ought yet we see is a Matt. 5.18 perpetuall and remaineth still b Rom. 13.8 9 10. in force and vse for c Iam. 2.12 vs as the Morall Law of God recorded by Moses as a d Ioh. 5.46 47. pen-man of the Holy Ghost expounded by the e Matt. 22.40 Prophets f Matt. 3.15 5.17 fulfilled g Matt. 5.19 22 28 34 39 44. renewed and h Ioh. 13.34 established by i Matt. 5.19 Christ himselfe k Act. 28.23 preached and l Rom. 7. 13. Iam. 2.10 pressed by the holy Apostles vpon m 11 12. all that beare the name of Christ and professe the Gospell and so further to be published and vrged by the n Matt. 28.20 See Bez. Epist Theol. Ep. 20.104 Ministers of the Gospell as occasion shall require euen vnto the n Matt. 28.20 See Bez. Epist Theol. Ep. 20.104 end of the world Neither doe we now receiue the Morall Law as Moses disciples to the same end and vpon the same tearmes as did the Iewes but as the disciples of Christ who is our o Iam. 4.12 Law-giuer who hath taken away the p 2 Cor. 3.14 veile from Moses his face and hath so reuealed by his spirit both the image of God and the good and acceptable q Rom. 12.2 will of God in the Morall Law through the r Eph. 5.8 9 10. light of the Gospell that now we all as with open Å¿ 2 Cor. 3.17 18. face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory
hath appeared and teacheth vs that denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world which is the summe * Armin. disput de peccato actua thes 8. sect 4. and substance of the whole Morall Law As for that promise of long life and prosperity Exod. 20.12 annexed to the fifth Commandement Exod. 20.12 which * Antinomus you vrge as if it were appropriated only to the Land of Canaan that you might binde fast the Morall Law vnto the Iewes onely The Apostle Paul Answer Ephes 6.2 shall giue you vpon the same ground of generall equity an effectuall and full answer thereunto For pressing and perswading there diuers duties of the Morall Law he requireth and allureth children to honour and obey their Parents both by precept and by promise of the first Commandement of the second Table Children saith he Ephes 6.1 2. obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right Honor thy father and mother which is the first Commandement with promise that it may be well with thee and thou maiest liue long on the earth The precept he setteth downe in the same words as it is written in the Law Exod. 20.12 The promise he a little changeth not in the substance and quality of it but in the circumstance of persons and place and that according to the rule of generall equity and conueniency for the better vnderstanding and enioying of the same The substance and quality of the promise to such children as honour and obey their Parents is one and the same be they Iewes or Gentiles viz. long life and a prosperous estate in this world and this is perpetuall as the precept it selfe is The circumstances of persons and place are different in both places For in the giuing of the Law Exod. 20.12 Exod. 20.12 the promise was at that time directed to the people of the Iewes to be made good in the Land of Canaan running in this tenor That thy daies may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee But in the renewing and applying of the Law in and since the dayes of Christ the promise is directed to all beleeuers both Iewes and Gentiles as the Apostle doth here deliuer it to the Ephesians in these tearmes That it may be well with thee and that thou maist liue long not only in Canaan or in Ephesus but on the earth i. whatsoeuer thy estate or wheresoeuer thy abiding be How opposite and contrary to the Apostles judgement and dealing is your position and opinion You will needs wholly abolish the whole Morall Law the Apostle doth establish it you will needs haue it to be giuen to the Iewes only the Apostle saith it belongeth to the Gentiles also you will needs abolish the precept because of some circumstance wanting now in the promise the Apostle passing by or letting fall the circumstance as temporall preserueth and maintaineth the substance and equity of them both as perpetuall you will needs restraine and confine the blessing of long and happy daies vnto Canaan the Apostle doth extend and enlarge it to euery City and Countrey to euery corner and quarter of the earth euen ouer the vniuersall world Let this suffice for answer to the scriptures which you haue brought out of the 19. and 20. Chapters of Exodus Antinomus as for the rest which you heape vp out of Deuteronomy and the Psalmes to the number of a dozen more being all one in substance with the former and diuers of them the very same in the same words Me thinks you deale as wisely herein Answer as if hauing offered to pay a shilling in two sixpences you should to shew your store of siluer draw out twelue single pence also to discharge the summe as reckoning the payment to be better in many peeces than in few because the shew and flourish is not so great in few as in many But seeing it is so ordinary with you to deliuer in your Scriptures and Testimonies by number rather than by measure and so to carry out or couer an error with some colour and shew of truth I will follow you no further in this maze but either put you ouer for answer vnto that which I haue answered to the former of like nature or else giue you ouer to runne round in your owne circle vntill you waxe giddy with your owne conceit and course as many others of like temper haue done before you Those which you alledge out of the New Testament some of them are flat against you and not one of them will proue your point That the Morall Law was giuen to the Iewes only That of Matthew 10.6 I send and 15.24 Matt. 10.6 Matt. 15.24 See Calu Instit li. 2. cap. 11. sect 12. I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel would serue with greater shew of probability to proue that the Gospell was not sent vnto the Gentiles than that the Law was giuen only to the Iewes Howbeit the meaning of Christ is not to binde himselfe or the Gospell only to the Iewes and to exclude the Gentiles but that for his personall ministration he was first and so they a Act. 13.46 principally to offer the bread of life to the Iewes being Gods children and so to seeke the lost sheepe of the house of Israel And albeit he commanded his Apostles for a season that they should not go into the way of the Gentiles but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel yet after his resurrection when he renewed their commission he gaue them in charge to goe and teach b Matt. 28.19 20. all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost The Apostles were first indeed to offer the food of the Gospell vnto the Iewes but when they as wanton or wicked children turned away their food from them they waxed bold and said Loe c Act. 13.46 we turne vnto the Gentiles that the Prophecy of Isaiah might so be fulfilled in all this Out of d Isa 2.3 Sion shall goe forth a Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Isaiah 2.3 As for that of Acts 14.16 How doth this follow Antinomus The Lord in times past suffered all Nations to walke in their owne waies Ergo the Morall Law was giuen to the Iewes only for the time past and not vnto vs of the Gentiles for the time present Answer For although the Gentiles had not the Law e Rom. 2.15 written in Tables of stone to teach them to walke in the waies of God so euidently as the Iewes had yet had they the effect of the Law written in their hearts in times past but now since the daies of the Gospell the beleeuers of the Gentiles haue the same Morall Law written in the fleshy f 2 Cor. 3.3 Tables of their heart by the finger of Gods Spirit with much clearer light g
of Christ to come and all this but more darkly p Rom. 16.25 26. and obscurely few taking any great notice thereof vntill the daies of Iohn yet now Christ being come in Iohns daies Iohn beareth better witnesse of his comming not only seeing him with his owne eies but shewing him and q Ioh. 1.29 pointing him out as it were with the finger vnto others yea r Ioh. 1.32 33 34 c. See Calu. Instit lib. 2. cap. â— 16 cap. 11. sect 5. preaching him to be the true Messiah promised before now exhibited figured in Ceremonies before more darkly now manifested in his owne person more clearely seene and sought after but of a few before but now so followed and flockt vnto that since the time of Iohns preaching of the kingdome of God The Å¿ Luk. 16.16 Matt. 11.12 kingdome of God suffereth violence and euery man presseth into it This Scripture then may proue that vpon Iohns preaching of Christ Behold the t Ioh. 1.29 36. lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world all Ceremonies and Prophecies concerning Christ to come were now accomplished and the Morall Law by him and in him alone to be fulfilled which we willingly grant but not that the u Tertull. expounding this place Luk. 16.16 saith Legis Prophetarum ordo exindè cessavit per adimpletionem non per destructionem lib. 4. câ—nt Mar. cap. 33. whole Morall Law is wholly abolished which is that which you willingly would but yet cannot proue For euidence and assurance of this which I say I need seeke no further than your owne witnesses Luther Erasmus Caluine Perkins Paraeus who all in the very places you alledge speaking of the continuance of Moses Law only â—ntill Christs death doe plainly auouch this only of the Iewish Paedagogy the Ceremoniall Law in types and shadowes the letter of the Law the rigour and terror of the Law the burden and seruility of the Law c. but not one of all speakes one word of the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law together therewithall Luther saith Christ is the end of the Law Rom. 10. Luth. on Gal. 3.24 25. p. 173. And how not that he hath abolished the old Law and giuen a new but he is the end of the Law to all that beleeue that is to say euery one that beleeueth in him is righteous and the Law shall neuer accuse him Luth. in Gal. 3.24 And albeit he speake of the abolishing of the Law by Christs death pag. 6. yet let his owne words cleare his owne meaning in the page following Luth. on Gal. 3. v. 25. p. 174. As touching the conscience we are fully deliuered from the Law and therefore that Schoolemaster must not rule in it that is he must not afflict it with his terrors threatnings and captiuity for Christ hath remoued all these offices of the Law out of the conscience putting out the hand-writing that was against vs Col. 2. Erasmus in Rom. 7.1 speaketh only of the Ceremoniall Law Antinomus At Mosis lex quoniam typis Câ—…remonijs Christum adumbrabat ad tempus aliquod tantùm data est donec exoriente luce cederent umbrae Answer apparentibus veris facesserent simulachra verorum Erasmus in Gal. 3.19 25. in Gal. 4.1 To the like purpose he hath the like words in Gal. 3.19 25. 4.1 but neither word nor syllable for the absolute abrogation of the Morall Law either at or after Christs death Caluine writing vpon Gal. 3.23 saith The Apostle compares the Law to a prison when he saith before faith came we were kept vnder the Law shut vp vnto the faith which should afterwards be reuealed and a little after he sheweth what is meant by faith and what Law that is whereof the Apostle speaketh saying Fides hic propriè significat plenam revelationem eorum quae tunc latebant sub obscuritate umbrarum legis Calu. in Gal. 3. v. 23. Faith in this place doth signifie a full reuelation of those things which then did lie hid vnder the darknesse of the shadowes of the Law And writing upon verse 25. Calu. in Gal. 3. v. 25. Vide Zanch. in Hosea cap. 2. p. 45. col 1. he directly proposeth and answereth the question in hand Quaeritur an lex ita sit abrogata vt nihil ad nos pertineat Respondeo Legem quatenus regula est benè vivendi fraenum quo in timore Domini retinemur stimulus ad corrigendam pigritiam carnis nostra denique quatenus utilis est ad docendum corrigendum c. hodiè non minùs valere quam olim manereque intactam Now surely I doe wonder how you could euer with any honesty produce Mr. Caluine and cite this very verse for abolishing the Morall Law at Christs death as his opinion seeing he doth so directly resolue and determine for the establishing of the right vse of the same Morall Law euen before your owne eies and that vnto the worlds end What should I say either your blindnesse is palpable or your boldnesse most intolerable in this strange dealing Perkins on Gal. 3.19 abused Vide Calu. de usu Legis Harmon in 4. lib. Mos p. 442.443 After the same manner doe you deale with Mr. Perkins who writing vpon Gal. 3.19 moueth this question Whether the Law serue to reueale sinne after the comming of Christ for Paul saith it was added for transgressions till Christ and answereth The Law serueth to reueale sinne euen to the end of the world yet in respect of the Legall or Mosaicall manner of reuealing sinne it is added but till Christ Mr. Perkins doth acknowledge there is vse of the Morall Law euen vnto the end of the world and you will needs haue him to be on your side and to say as you say That it did continue but till Christs death at the most Paraeus in Rom. 10. p. 1043. in Rom. 3.20 Lastly Paraeus findes no more fauour nor receiues any better measure at your hands as he that hath list and leasure may see in Rom. 10. pag. 1043. 1002. in Rom. 5.20 Thus are you well and worthily beaten with your owne rod though not in that seuerity which your injurious dealing with so worthy men doth deserue for I hold it much better to conuince and instruct in the spirit of meeknesse than to reproue and rebuke with too much acrimony and sharpnesse vnlesse a man be forced ad urendum secandum when no other milder meanes will serue the turne as sometimes euen the best and gentlest Chirurgions are constrained to doe Your seuenth Argument followeth Argument 7 feeble and faint as it is Quia velut carne spoliatos artus ostendit as a Quintil. Instit Orat. lib. 5. cap. 12. Quintilian saith of such an Argument Instit Orat. lib. 5. It was instituted to be a Schoolemaster to the people of God till the comming of Christ Galath 3.24 Ergo The Morall Law is now
vtterly abolished Is there any sinewes or joints nay is there any life or soule in this Argument What if the Law were giuen as a b Gal. 3.24 Schoolemaster to the Iewes is therefore the Morall Law of no force nor vse to vs Christians of the Gentiles But I demand what Law is it which you say was instituted as a Schoolemaster vnto the Iewes If you say the Ceremoniall we grant that it was a Schoolemaster not only teaching obscurely by signes and sacrifices types and figures that c Tota Legis Occonomia rudis quaedam erat disciplina rudibus conaeniens Beza in rude people of the Iewes in their non-age to looke vnto Christ to come but also conuincing and condemning them seuerely of all manner of sinne and keeping them continually vnder the rod and whip in d Gal. 4.3 the bondage of seruants as an heire in his minority is vnder sharpe e Gal. 4.1 Caluin Jnstit li. 2. ca. 11. sect 2.5 tutors and gouernors though he be lord of all that so they might be driuen to looke and long for the time of release and liberty in Christ appointed by the Father If you meane the Morall Law we doe not deny but for the manner of deliuery measure of obedience forme of Legall Couenant rigour in exacting terror in threatning and seuerity in accusing and condemning as it was in Moses hand the f 2 Cor. 3.7 9. ministery of condemnation and a killing letter it was then to the Iewes a sharpe and seuere g Gal. 3.24 Schoolemaster to driue them vnto Christ Iesus not directly as teaching pointing out or promising Christ vnto them but indirectly and as it were occasionally forcing them by h Ioh. 3.14 sorrow and feare and despaire of their owne righteousnesse for obtaining life by the Law to cast about and seeke for some remedy and releefe elsewhere as sicke men enquire for a i Matt. 9.12 Physitian and such as are wounded seeke for a Chirurgion which because it could no where be found vnder heauen but k Act. 4.10 11 12. See Calu. de usu Legis in Harmo in 4. lib. Mos p. 442.443 only in Christ Iesus they were occasioned by the Law to flie vnto the Gospell and enforced as it were to appeale from Moses vnto CHRIST resting and relying vpon him alone who hath l Mal. 4.3 healing vnder his wings for m Luk. 4.18 binding vp all their n Ad justitiam Christi lex moralis homines revocabat ut ad medicum Bez. in Rom. 3.21 wounds and curing all spirituall maladies and miseries whatsoeuer And thus also for the substance though not for euery circumstance according to the Iewish Paedagogie the Morall Law as we haue often said before hath yet in the Church of Christ some speciall vse and office still and that not only for the wicked to humble them but euen for the godly to conuince them to rebuke them to stirre them and spurre them vp to all holy duties and to teach and instruct them what to doe and what to leaue vndone euen after they are called to beleeue and liue in Christ Iesus To this purpose o Luth. on Gal. 3.24 See Calu. summa legis in Harmo in 4. lib. Mos p. 440.441 Luther speaketh most excellently vpon Gal. 3.24 The Law was our Schoolemaster vnto Christ The Law doth not only terrifie and torment as the foolish Schoolemaster beateth his schollers and teacheth them nothing but with his rods he driueth vs vnto Christ like as a good Schoolemaster instructeth and exerciseth his schollers in reading and writing to the end they may come to the knowledge of good letters and other profitable things that afterwards they may haue delight in doing of that which before being constrained vnto they did against their wils and a little after he addeth The true vse of the Law is to teach me that I aâ—…â—…rought to the knowledge of my sinne and humbled that so I may come vnto Christ and be justified by faith c. That which you alledge out of p August de Doctr. Christi cap. 6. August de Doct. Christ cap. 6. helpeth you nothing in this businesse for he speaketh only of the Iewish Paedagogie in their Sacrifices and Ceremonies which their estate he calleth servitutem custodiam tanquam sub paedagogo puerorum and tearmeth their Ceremonies signa saying they were signa quae temporaliter erant imposita servientibus And what is this to the abrogation of the Morall Law q Beza in Gal. 3.23 4.1 3. againe abused Puerilis est jactantiae accusando illustres homines nomini suo famam quarere Hieron Ep. 13. Beza you doe abuse againe he mentioneth the Ceremoniall Law only in both places Gal. 3.23 and Gal. 4.1.3 Nunc eandem Ceremonialem Legem confiderans ut Euangelicarum promissionum umbram figuram docet illam quoque hoc respectu cessasse quam comparat cum paedagogo postea cum tutore Gal. 4.1 And will you inferre vpon this Beza saith The Ceremeniall Law which to the Iewes was a Schoolemaster and Tutor vnto Christ is now ceased Ergo The Morall Law is vtterly abolished since the death of Christ The place of Mr. Perkins Galath 3.23 hath beene cleared before let me now stop your mouth once for all for euer mentioning Mr. Perkins name as being of your opinion for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law and I will not goe far to fetch a stoppell but euen to the other side of the leafe which you haue quoted r Perk. on Gal. 3.23 Seeing faith is now come saith he it may be demanded what is the guard whereby we are kept now Answ The precepts of the Morall Law The sayings of the wise are as nailes and stakes fastened to range men in the compasse of their duties Eccles 12.11 If this stoppell will not serue your mouth is huge wide till you send me the measure of it I shall not fit it right to serue your turne Antinomus Vnto your eighth ninth and tenth short Arguments I will make no long answer Argument 8 9 10. they being all of one nature may receiue one manner of satisfaction and resolution The * Aug. ad Bonif. cont duas Epist Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 4. Law of Moses as it was giuen vnto the Iewes in the letter for the outward forme of Legall Couenant in Mount Sinai Answer is resembled to Hagar that bringeth forth children vnto bondage as she did Ismael and being giuen in such horror and terror bestoweth nothing but the spirit of feare vpon her children And in this regard we say It is the old and no part of the new Couenant See Muscul loc Com. de Discrim Veteris Nov. Iestam that is of the Gospell which on the contrary bringeth forth children vnto spirituall liberty as Sarah did Izaacke and bestoweth vpon them the spirit of Adoption making them heires of promise and fellow-heires annexed with Christ Iesus But what is
Morall Law is now wholly abolished because you cannot finde that saluation was euer promised to the keeping of it But tell me in good earnest could you neuer finde that euer saluation was promised to the keeping of the Law Haue you not read q Leuit. 18.5 what is written in the Law You shall keepe my Statutes and my judgements which if a man doe he shall liue in them Or doe you thinke as some r Basilidiani Pepusiani Adamit Danaeus in Augu. Haeres Heretikes haue done that this and the like promises made vnto the Iewes concerne only the comforts of this temporall and not the blessing of eternall life Thinke you what you list it greatly skils not so long as we know that the most judicious and religious Å¿ Calu. Harmo in 4. lib. Mos pag. 445. 450. August contr Faust lib. 4. cap. 2. Diuines euen such as are pillars in the house of God doe thinke otherwise the Scripture bearing witnesse to their opinion herein when it tels vs That in the keeping of the Law there is a t Psal 19.11 Eccles 1.2 2.11 Psal 119.1 2. great reward a reward of greater weight and worth than any or all earthly things being but vanity and vexation of spirit can afford this being the best end of all and the whole man both for his duty and felicity to feare God and to keepe his Commandements For Blessed are they that are vndefiled in the way who walke in the Law of the Lord and blessed are they that keepe his Testimonies and seeke him with their whole heart Came this blessednesse then may you say vpon any or could euer any attaine vnto it by the workes of the Law I answer Neuer any either did or could attaine vnto this blessednesse of eternall life by their keeping u August lib. 4. cont duas Epist Pelagian ad Bonif. cap. 5. of the Law by reason of their wants and weaknesses defectiue and imperfect obedience vnto the same but all that euer were are or shall be so blessed must attaine thereunto only by the righteousnesse of x Phil. 3.9 faith in the absolute and perfect obedience of Christ Iesus And yet notwithstanding that which you say you could neuer finde we haue now not only found out for you but brought it to your hand viz. that saluation hath beene promised to him which should keepe the Law whosoeuer he were that could fulfill it in all things accordingly A further proofe whereof you may yet take if you please from the answere of our y Luk. 10.28 Matt. 19.16 c. Sauiour to the Scribe or Lawyer demanding of him what he should doe to inherit eternall life What is written in the z Leuit. 18.5 Ezek. 10.11 Law saith he how readest thou And when the Lawyer had answered out of the Law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength and with all thy minde and thy neighbour as thy selfe Christ replied vnto him Thou hast answered right this doe and thou shalt liue In which words our Sauiour Christ doth both expound the promise made in the Law to the keeping of the Law viz. doe this and liue not of this temporall but of a Luk. 10.25 28. Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 eternall life and also maketh himselfe a promise of Saluation to him that would keepe the Law if so be he could doe it accordingly Certainly it is strange to me that you could neuer finde out thus much before seeing both Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles haue laid it downe so plainly before your face that had your eies beene in your head as a wise mans are nay had they beene but in your heeles you might haue runne and read seene and found the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rajn Censuâ—… Praelect 183. col 862. promise of saluation made vnto him that should keepe the Law both in the old and new Testament The b Mark 8.24 blinde man in the Gospell that had but a little glimmering light and sight saw men walking as trees and you that would be loth to be reckoned amongst the blinde or * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.9 Gen. 21.15 19. purblinde cannot see wood for trees but like Agar cry out you can finde no water and yet the well lieth open before your eies But it may be though the well were open yet your eies were shut as hers also were that she could not see till the Lord had opened them which I pray the Lord may doe for you also and then shall you see more plainly both this and other points of Gods truth which though you haue sought yet haue you not seene and though you haue groped after them yet haue you not found them because the Lord hath hid them from your eies I come now vnto your last Argument Of such Arguments as these your dozen are Quintilian speaketh thus Si non possunt valere quia magna non sunt valebunt forsan quia multa sunt Orat. Instit lib. 5. cap. 12. which makes vp the full dozen Repentance you say is a part of the Gospell Rom. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.9 It is And what doe you collect or conclude hence Ergo the Morall Law is vtterly abolished Of what force this your Argument is you may see by the like The Prodigals returning to his Father was a part of his reconciliation with him Ergo his humiliation vpon the sense and sight of his sinne was of no vse at all for that purpose Remission of sinne from God is a part of justification Ergo confession of sinne to God is now of no vse at all The promises of grace are a part of the Gospell Ergo the precepts of the Law of God are no rules of obedience in the daies of the Gospell If these Arguments be firme and sound then such is this of yours also but if they be so feeble and weake that they haue no strength either to beare or bring forth a good conclusion then must I take yours in this cause for the like vntill you can shew me some difference or dislike betwixt them for what though repentance a See Lactan. li. 6. de vero cultu cap. 24. de vocab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 377. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being taken for our 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.2 effectuall renouation 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.5 regeneration 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.13 conuersion 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.4 newnesse of life turning from our sinnes to embrace and obey the Gospell be indeed a part of the Gospell because none can come vnto this but they that haue the b Act. 2.18 spirit of grace powred vpon them and the word of grace c Iam. 1.18 21. ingraffed in them and the d Ephes 2.8 Phil. 1.29 gift of grace to beleeue
and serue your humour for the vtter abrogation of the whole Morall Law but to confirme the contrary truth for ratifying and establishing thereof amongst Christians in the daies of the Gospell Shall I trouble you yet with one other conclusion out of Musculus for your further satisfaction that he is not for certaine of your minde for the vtter abrogation of the Morall Law Muscul loc com de abrogatione Legis Quare tam abest saith he ut damnemus usum Decalogi ut admodum etiam laudemus eorum studium diligentiam qui primi illum ad catechizandum neophytos vsurpandum esse judicarunt We are so farre from condemning the vse of the Decalogue or Morall Law that we doe much commend their care and diligence which first did judge it fit to be vsed for catechizing nouices or the ruder sort in religion By this you may see how farre Musculus is gone from you though you labour neuer so much to draw him to stand by your side and to speake in your behalfe He is farre from condemning the vse of the Morall Law you are eager and hot in pursuing of it euen vnto death and vtter destruction He will allow and commend the vse of it and them that vse it too for catechizing children or nouices in religion there is neither man woman nor childe younger nor elder that can intreat you to giue them leaue or liberty to haue any thing at all to doe with it And here by the way I pray you be aduertised that howsoeuer this allegation be sufficient to confute your opinion yet doe not I so alledge it as altogether to approue it nor can I so either thinke or speake of the Decalogue or Morall Law as here your Musculus doth write of it for whereas he will not allow it any other place in the Church but in the Catechisme nor the explication thereof to be needfull for any but for nouices and children I am of opinion that the ministry and industry of the most judicious religious and best experienced Diuines may well and worthily profitably and comfortably be employed in seeking and searching out the infinite and admirable wisdome together with other the deepe things of God which are hid in the Morall Law and that not only for their owne priuate instruction but for the edification of the ripest and chiefest of Gods children And whosoeuer he be that thinks so little and so light knowledge of the Morall Law will serue the turne that it is to be held only as milke for babes and not as strong meat for men of riper age I am afraid that as he doth depresse and abase the Law of God more than is meet so doth he aduance himselfe too high aboue his pitch being rashly puft vp in his fleshly minde and knowing little or nothing in this particular as he ought to know For howsoeuer it be true that in the Morall Law there be some generall things so easie and shallow that euen a little lambe may wade in them Psal 19.7 Psal 119.18 yet considering the infinite variety of matter contained in the specials and particulars of the same there are many things to be found of greater depth and difficulty wherein a huge Elephant may swimme also Otherwise I can hardly thinke that euer the holy Prophets being all interpreters of the Morall Law and Christ himselfe the Lawgiuer Matt. 5. Iam. 4.12 best worthy and best able to expound and explaine the true meaning of it and Christs Apostles who were taught by his spirit the true sense thereof would euer either all or any of them haue taken all or halfe that paines in opening and applying extending and enlarging Execrandi igitur sâ—…t Libertini Antinoâ—…i cateri Legem Moralem repudiantes Thes Geneu thes 28. clearing and explaining vrging and enforcing of the Morall Law and that both by word and writing preaching and exhorting as we know by their publike records they haue all done and that amongst the Priests and Prophets Doctors and Expounders of the Law Scribes and Pharisies and Rabbines such as professed the greatest skill and vnderstanding of the Law if either all or any of them had beene of his minde That it is sufficient for such as are more ripe in faith to know this summe of the Law Loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thy selfe but for the ruder sort and nouices it is meet that they be instructed in the Decalogue being a more plaine forme of liuing and fit for such persons only Antinomus The other places of Musculus which you point your finger at Answer namely of the Couenant of the difference of the Old and New Testament of the abrogation of the Legall Sabbath I haue read and perused and finde nothing in all or any of them being rightly vnderstood which I doe not willingly assent vnto If you vpon a more setled and serious reuiew of those places shall yet imagine there is any thing in them which may seeme to sauour of your opinion and beare any either colour or countenance for the vtter abolishing of the whole Morall Law when you shall be pleased to note out and send vnto me the expresse words which you conceiue doe make for your purpose you shall God willing haue a returne of a more particular and expresse answer vnto the same Meane-while I pray you now for your further satisfaction to admit of this my reference also to Musculus his Common-places for establishing of the Morall Law and the right vse thereof seeing your reference for the vtter abolishing thereof doth neither serue your turne nor satisfie me at all In that place de Legibus Muscul loc com de Legib. and those sections de usu Legis Mosaicae de vi efficacia Legis he hath sufficiently expressed himselfe that howsoeuer his writing in other places might be taken or mistaken by others yet he is of opinion Muscul de usu effica Legis That the Morall Law is now in the daies of the Gospell of speciall vse and efficacy euen for himselfe and others for the godly and for the wicked as men stand in the estate of nature or in the state of grace Now if it so fall out Muscul loc com in divisione Decalogi that Musculus may seeme vnto you in those places which you haue mentioned and the like to crosse himselfe and to be of another minde concerning the continuance office and vse of the Morall Law amongst Christians in the daies of the Gospell what answer can be fitter both for him and you in this case than the very same which he himselfe giues vnto Augustine when he found him inconstant and differing from himselfe in the diuision of the Decalogue Quaso quomodo aequum esse poterit ut unius idque sibi ipsi non constantis authoritas omnibus alijs praeferetur Deinde si placuit authoritas Augustini quare non placuit in
circumstances and accessories of the Morall Law Thirdly doth not Zanchius auouch euidently the cleane contrary Fourthly why then doe you blame his exposition as establishing the forme as well as the matter of the Morall Law Fiftly how doe you that haue so long stood out against the Morall Law for the absolute abrogating of it euen the whole Law and wholly too now so come in vnto Zanchius and others that haue stood for it that you yeeld them and vs the whole substance and matter of the Morall Law to be in force still and content your selfe only to carry away the shadowes accessories and circumstances of the same to feed your fancy with an idle and adle conceit of a glorious victory Egregiam verò laudem spolia ampla tulisti Virgil. Exhortat ad Confiliarios Regis Galliae It is recorded of Paulus Vergerius a man very gracious with Pope Paul the third that when he attempted to write against Luther he was so ouercome with the force of Luthers Arguments that he changed his opinion and became a conuert of Luthers religion I wish it were so well and no otherwise with you that the Lord would giue you such a teachable and tractable heart and spirit that whereas you haue read Zanchius Luther Caluine and other Orthodoxall Writers with a minde and purpose to draw them to your error and so to call them in both as witnesses and counsellors against the Morall Law you may so be conuinced your selfe by the euidence of the truth which they deliuer and the force of the reasons which they render for the continuance and maintenance of the Morall Law that if hitherto you haue not yet henceforth you may renounce your error and embrace the truth with them But I see you haue made your selfe a bolting hole that by way of distinction you might haue an euasion For say you it cannot be denied Antinomus but the matter of the Decalogue being the Law of Nature is in force as it is the Law of Nature and vnderstood Philosophically but how it can be in force Theologically vnderstood for that say you is our question in hand being we haue no warrant in Scripture for it but the contrary Answer you say you cannot see And I say if the mist of Philosophy had not blinded the eies of your Theology you might haue seene as much as this comes vnto and more too For I demand First may it not now be denied that the whole Morall Law is wholly abrogated as you affirme seeing it cannot be denied but the matter of the Morall Law is yet of force as you now confesse Secondly if the matter of the Morall Law be of force at this present as the Law of Nature commanding is not the forme also in force by our conformity thereunto in obeying And thirdly if both matter and forme the essentiall parts of the Morall Law be yet continued as it is the Law of Nature that is a naturall rule of righteousnesse and holinesse to such as are in the state of nature is it therefore so depriued of all spirituall force and vse that it cannot be also a spirituall rule of righteousnesse and holinesse to such as are called to the estate of grace Fourthly shall Plato and Aristotle confine vs for teaching or learning of Naturall or Morall duties to their Physicks or Ethicks their Naturall or Morall Philosophy Or would you restraine Christians from hearkning to Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles for their better instruction and direction in the same Surely if true beleeuers haue now no other benefit nor vse of the Morall Law but as it is the Law of Nature and Philosophically vnderstood then is the Law written so distinctly by Moses a penman of the Holy Ghost not written Rom. 15.4 2 Tim. 3.16 as other Scriptures are for our learning Then was Abrahams direction for reformation to no purpose Luk. 16.29 They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them Then may infidels and heathens see as farre into the nature and danger of sinne as true Christians can Then may naturall reason be a light vnto our steps and a lanthorne vnto our feet without the Law written And when all this proues true then shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and your Naturall and Morall Philosophy true Diuinity Caluine writing de usu Legis saith Calu. in Deuter. Append. de usu Legis Meritò vocatur bene justè vivendi regula atque hic finis Legis omnibus fere notus est Naturaliter quidem insculpta est boni mali notitia hominibus quò reddantur inexcusabiles This last he speaketh of the Law of Nature as common to all men and seruing only to leaue them without excuse and presently after he speaketh of the Morall Law written by Moses and giuen by God by a singular priuiledge to the Israelites and so to vs as the Doctrine of good-liuing Rom. 4.15 which albeit as Paul saith it be in it selfe holy and the Commandement just and good yet Asperum est saith he quod alibi dicit legem iram operari propter transgressiones esse positam Gal. 3.10 19. And marke I pray you to whom this is asperum so sharpe and bitter nempe hominibus profanis qui tantum Philosophicè judicant Consider and obserue by this that in Caluins judgement they that will judge of the Morall Law Philosophically they are such as are offended with it grieuously and liue profanely Consider also that seeing the Doctrine of the Morall Law deliuered expresly and distinctly in writing to the Israelites was for that time a singular priuiledge and pledge of their adoption aboue and before all other people if you will absolutely cancell this writing and depriue vs of all lawfull vse of this Law being so holy and heauenly a Doctrine and rule of good-liuing consider I say lest you make vs Christians in worse estate than the Iewes and in as bad as the Gentiles our priuiledge lesse than the Israelites according to the flesh and our portion no better than theirs who are strangers from the life of God Antinomus according to the faith But you say how the Morall Law can be in force Theologically vnderstood being no warrant in Scripture for it you cannot see Answer If you wanted light only some helpe might be had but if you want sight too we haue no faculty nor faith of miracles to make a blinde man see only we will lay the matter so plainly in open view that he that can and will see shall and may see that which you say you cannot see To this end it is very requisite that we sift out your meaning what it is to vnderstand the Morall Law Theologically By the opposition which you make of vnderstanding it Philosophically and Theologically it should seeme that as they vnderstand it Philosophically which vnderstand it naturally by the light of naturall reason only Rom. 2.15 without
and may be Theologically vnderstood and is now in force so vnderstood If yet you desire to heare what our Diuines speake also for this point albeit I thinke you can finde none to speake a word against it yet to doe you a pleasure I will call in one or two sufficient witnesses to giue testimony thereunto Caluine hauing rebuked them that judge Philosophicè of the Morall Law Calu. in Deut. in Append. de usu Legis pa. 441 443. addeth these words to shew there is now a Theologicall vse of it Ille verò legis usus Theologicus est quia nihil aliud potest quà m detegendo nostram injustitiam mortem duntaxat afferre And as he sheweth this is one Theologicall vse of the Law by discouering vnrighteousnesse to bring vs in danger of death so doth he afterwards in the same place finde out another Theologicall vse of it Vbi autem intus cordibus legem suam insculpsit simul prodest exterior doctrina legis sic enim filios suos gubernat spiritu regenerationis ut simul tamen velit ad vocem quoque suam esse attentos dociles That so soone as the Lord hath written his Law in our hearts then doth the doctrine of the Law doe vs good making his children by his spirit more teachable and tractable to heare and obey his will Iunius also in his learned Booke de vera Theologia brings in the Morall Law jus Morale as opposite to the Law of Nature which he calleth jus Naturae and there very plainly auerreth that the Morall Law is a principall or speciall part of the subject of true and sacred Theology Fran. Iun. lib. de vera Theolog. cap. 13. thes 24. His words be these Hoc vero jus morum quo homines ad Deum oportet accedere sacrae voluntati ejus quà m maximè fieri potest conformari sacra Theologia exponit perfectissimè Now if sacred Theology doe most perfectly expound the Morall Law then is the Morall Law Theologically vnderstood yet in force which you haue not yet the eies to see and not in force only as it is the Law of Nature as you haue had the face and forehead to affirme Now because you say There is no warrant in the Scripture for this that the Morall Law Theologically vnderstood is yet in force I pray you answer me directly to this one question which I hope will cleare the point in question Did Saint Paul when he said I had not knowne concupiscence to be sinne Rom. 7.7 except the Law had said Thou shalt not couet Did he vnderstand the Morall Law Philosophicè or Theologicè You cannot say Philosophicè for then he might haue knowne so much by the Law of Nature before his conuersion hauing as he had a double helpe the light of naturall reason and the benefit of Gamaliels Doctrine and yet he acknowledgeth that without the Law sinne was dead i. vntill he had a spirituall insight into the tenth Commandement he had no manner of sense and feeling of concupiscence to be sinne against it Besides neither Plato nor Aristotle nor the wisest Moralists that euer wrote could euer search into this depth and finde out this truth of God hid from the eie of Nature in the tenth Commandement that inclinations to sinne or motions and imaginations of sinne without consent or delight were to be accounted a breach of the Law and worthy of death If he then did not vnderstand the Law when he so said Philosophicè I conclude he must needs vnderstand it Theologicè and so without question he did speaking of it so diuinely graciously and religiously and disputing of the nature and vse fruits and effects thereof both in the estate of nature and in the estate of grace so spiritually so feelingly and effectually For the other place Rom. 3.31 which you except against as not plainly expounded by Zanchius Antinomus Because you say it may be vnderstood of the whole Law as well Ceremoniall as any other Answer and that for the time past Doe you not offer Zanchius some hard measure in charging him to expound it of the Morall Law only which he doth not and the Apostle also saying he speaketh of the time past whereas the words which the Apostle vseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are both of the time present And doe you not see how in yeelding this place to be meant of the Morall Law though not of it only you doe conuince your selfe of an error in going about to abolish the Morall Law which by confessing the truth with the Apostle you doe now establish As for Erasmus Antinomus we haue seene enough of his minde already and returned you more by way of recompence and satisfaction from his writings than you will be willing to receiue either from his or our hands Answer And here you fall into a great commendation of Erasmus an impertinent and needlesse peece of seruice and worthy no other answer than was once giuen in a like case Plut. apoth Lacon in Antalcida Quis quaso vituperat But you say with some indignation His Paraphrase though commanded to be had in Churches is too much neglected That is a fault And books you say of farre meaner quality are much esteemed That I feare me is a scornfull flout If you aime at the Defence of the Apology of the Church of England Iewels Defence of the Apology and his Reply now commanded to be had in the Churches consider I pray you there is roome enough for both and though the Apology be admitted yet the Paraphrase is not excluded Can you not thinke well and speake well of Erasmus his gold but you must cast out some words of disgrace against our Iewel Let the Ring and the Diamond haue either of them their due place and praise If herein I misse of your meaning beare with my mistaking and hereafter either speake more plainly or not so dangerously Antinomus As for that which followeth you bring me such confused stuffe such shreds and peeces gathered here and there out of Luther on Galath Bez. 2 Cor. 3.11 August de spirit lit as is wonderfull One Simile runnes after your fift section gone many a mile before another looks hard after the generall point and then you conclude with an exhortation and then hauing made an end before you had done you come in with a word or two to illustrate your second section I cannot but conceiue that now your head grew mazy Answer or else hauing cut your garment too short or put forth your arme further than your sleeue would reach you runne and seeke about for peeces and patches shreds and snips to see if you can make vp that which you haue marred neuer regarding how they sute with your stuffe for matter or colour so they may patch vp your coat and serue your turne in your owne imagination Luther on the Galathians hath not so much by much as you say
for the abolishment of all Lawes by Christ For in the first place pag. 176. Luth. on Gal. pag. 176. a. b. he speaketh of the abolishing of the Iewish Ceremonies where once one hath put on Christ Iesus Where Christ is put on saith he there is neither Iew nor Circumcision nor Ceremony of the Law any more For Christ hath abolished all the Lawes of Moses that euer were he meaneth all such as might accuse or terrifie a beleeuing conscience and stand in opposition vnto CHRIST as the words following doe manifestly declare And in the next place pag. 177. Luth. on Gal. pag. 177. he speaketh of the abolishment of all Lawes indeed but only in the matter of justification before God deseruing of grace and eternall life Will you heare him deliuer his minde in his owne words God hath indeed saith he many Ordinances Lawes Decrees and kindes of life but all these helpe nothing to deserue grace and to obtaine eternall life So many as are justified therefore are justified not by the obseruation of mans Law nor Gods Law but by Christ alone who hath abolished all Lawes These be Luthers owne words Now if you will needs conclude hereupon that Luther is of opinion that the whole Morall Law is wholly abolished should you not deale injuriously with him and deceitfully with vs You haue beene already told of the fallacie A dicto secundùm quid ad dictum simpliciter you haue here occasion to remember it againe Your last place of Luther pag. 223. Luth. Galat. p. 223. hath beene answered before and so hath that of Beza in 2 Cor. 3.11 and that also which you repeat againe of the perpetuity of the Decalogue in Nature and the perpetuity of it in Diuinity vnto all which I say now no more but if I cannot stay you but you will needs Cramben bis coctam ponere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you shall not draw me to taste any more thereof nec Actum agere Juvenal Sat. 7. Nam quaecunque sedeus modo legerat haec eadem stans Proferet atque eadem cantabit versibus ijsdem Occidit miseros crambe repetita Magistros One thing there is in the last clause touching the perpetuity of the Decalogue in Nature where you haue interlaced as an exception against the perpetuity of the fourth Commandement Antinomus The Morall Law or Decalogue say you is perpetuall in nature sauing the fourth Commandement Answer And why I pray you is not the fourth Commandement perpetuall in nature as well as the rest if it be Morall as well as the rest why is it only mortall and the rest perpetuall Deut. 4.12 13. August de spirit lit cap. 14. If it be Ceremoniall absolutely then how comes it to passe that it was deliuered by the voice of God and written by the finger of God in Tables of Stone being one amongst the rest of the Ten Commandements of the Morall Law which are all perpetuall in nature seeing nothing absolutely Ceremoniall amongst all the Ordinances of Moses was euer so deliuered or so written Againe how can that be a Ceremony which was giuen of God vnto man in the estate of innocency Gen. 2.2 3. when yet there was no sinne and so no need of a Sauiour and therefore no vse for any Ceremony Exod. 16.29 Cap. 35.3 Ier. 17.21 Act. 1.12 Exod. 35.2 3. to signifie or set forth either one or other That there was something Ceremoniall in the fourth Commandement as it was specially giuen by Moses to the Iewes in their Legall worship as that Seuenth day which they did celebrate their strict rest from all bodily labour their Sabbath daies journey their kindling of fire c. we doe not deny but that therefore the fourth Commandement is not morall nor perpetuall in Nature this doth not nor you cannot proue As for that which you alledge out of Augustine August de spirit lit cap. 14. de spirit lit cap. 14. In decem praceptis excepta Sabbati observatione dicatur mihi quid non sit observandum à Christiano I cannot but wonder and wonder againe that you going about to batter downe the fourth Commandement and borrowing an Engin out of Augustine for that purpose haue in your simplicity brought with you such a one as doth not demolish but vnderprop and establish all the rest of the Commandements of the Morall Law to be now of force and vse amongst all Christians For I may say out of Augustine also as you doe August lib. 3. cont Faustum Dicatur mihi in decem praeceptis quid non sit à Christiano observandum Let any man shew me what there is in the Ten Commandements of the Morall Law which is not now to be obserued of all Christians August tractat 20. in Iohan. As for the Sabbath which Augustine seemeth to except he meaneth the Iewish and Legall Sabbath taking it in the letter for corporall rest and that figuratiuely as signifying both a rest from sin which he takes to be that servile opus August ad Inquisit Ian. lib. 2. cap. 12. from which the Iewes must rest and the heauenly rest also of which he thinks the Sabbath was a type And vnto this I say Whatsoeuer Augustine can proue by the euidence of the Scripture to be Ceremoniall and Iewish in the fourth Commandement we will not challenge that to be morall nor perpetuall But if he only say the fourth Commandement is figuratiuely to be vnderstood and that no corporall rest from labour but a spirituall rest from sinne is there signified and commanded and that corporale ocium Sabbati is not to be obserued of a Christian because that figure is fulfilled in Christ and yet doe not proue what he saies out of the Word of God we will take that good leaue and liberty which elsewhere he hath giuen not to beleeue it August ad Hieron Epist 19. August adver Cresconium lib. 2. ca. 31. because he hath said it but because he hath brought some probable reason or euidence of the Scripture to perswade vs of the truth of it and vntill then to stand perswaded as we doe that euen the fourth Commandement as well as the rest of the Morall Law excepting some Iewish Ceremonies annexed thereunto is yet in force not only as the Law of Nature and Philosophically considered but Theologically and in true Diuinity truly vnderstood And here we pray you not to mistake vs in this point concerning Augustines judgement he doth not absolutely abolish the fourth Commandement in abrogating the Legall and Iewish Sabbath but that he teacheth and maintaineth that though the day be changed August Epist 119. ad Ianuar. cap. 12. Epist 86. ad Casulanâ—…m which was the seuenth obserued from and for the Creation yet the first day of the weeke succeeded it in regard of Christs resurrection called dies Dominicus by S. Iohn celebrated in holy duties by the Apostles Iunius in Gen. c. 2. and
with some difference of circumstance considering the diuersity of place people and condition for a season vntill the Kings sonne and heire take the gouernment more eminently and conspicuously vpon him at which time he shall renew the former Lawes remouing all difference of circumstance and establishing the same Lawes in substance by writing them in fairer Tables and confirming them by better both seales and witnesses vnto them both as to one people I would then know of you out of the depth of your English or Venetian policy whether now the Venetian Lawes being brought and read either to condemne or acquit a man accused or to giue direction for order and gouernment here with vs we in England might not hold our selues bound by vertue of those Lawes to yeeld obedience thereunto accordingly and yet not as vnto the Venetian Lawes as formerly they were in diuers circumstances imposed and exacted but now as vnto the royall Law of one and the same King who by one and the same Law will rule and gouerne both Venice and England as one and the same people If you be pleased to take the light of this comparison in your hand it will shew you if your sight be any thing like both the vanity and weaknesse of your conclusion in your fift section and the darknesse and obscurity of your sorry Simile which you haue brought to set a fairer glosse vpon the same Your other Simile which you bring to illustrate the generall point hath I acknowledge much more light in it if by the generall point you meane the Law giuen by Moses as it stands in opposition against the Gospell according to that of Iohn Ioh. 1.17 The Law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth by Christ Iesus For whether you vnderstand the Ceremoniall or Morall Law or the Prophets either as interpreters of the same or foretellers of the good things to come imported by any of them 2 Pet. 1.19 it is most true as you alledge out of 2 Pet. 1.19 That the Doctrine of the Gospell doth as farre exceed for beauty brightnesse and glory the Doctrine of Moses and the Prophets as the Sunne-light doth Starre-light Mal. 4. Col. 2.17 2 Cor. 3. Ioh. 12.46 and as the body doth the shadow and the face of Christ the veile of Moses In which respect Christ himselfe said of himselfe That he was the true light that was come into the world and that his disciples were happy and blessed that saw those things which they saw Luk. 10.23 24. and heard the things which they did heare whereas many Kings and Prophets had not seene them though they had desired to see them And in regard hereof he is termed by the Prophet Malachy The Sunne of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 Isa 9.1 2. Ioh. 1.17 So then we say They that sate in darknesse haue seene a great light and vnto them that sate in the shadow of death hath the light shined Whatsoeuer was darknesse in Ceremony it is dispelled Act. 3.24 whatsoeuer was a farre off in Prophecy it is fulfilled Luk. 24.44 and whatsoeuer was a handwriting against vs in the Law of Moses it is cancelled Col. 2.14 15. But what light doth this your Simile giue to the vtter abolishing of the whole Morall Law which by the comming of Christ is not obscured but more beautified Rom. 3.31 and not abolished but more established and confirmed In the next but not in the last place as me thinks in good manners according to due order it should haue done comes in your conclusion by way of exhortation and Doctor-like direction to all Christians Antinomus especially Diuines to take paines rightly to vnderstand the Doctrine of Christian liberty c. Answer As if none but your selfe alone were either so industrious or judicious so studious or religious as to haue taken any paines or to haue gotten any knowledge like your selfe in all or any of these things Knowledge puffeth vp 1 Cor. 8.1 but loue edifieth and if any man thinketh he knoweth any thing he knowes nothing as he ought to know and againe Gal. 6.3 If any man thinke himselfe to be something when he is nothing he deceiueth himselfe It had in my opinion sauoured of more humility and modesty if you had after you had set downe your judgement and reasons for the vtter abolishing of the Morall Law in meeknesse of wisdome submitted your selfe and your writings to the judgement of the religious and judicious both Ministers and people in our Churches 1 Cor. 14.32 for euen the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets and not to haue cast such odious aspersions of ignorance and negligence as you doe vpon them For suppose some amongst many deserue so sharpe a censure and rebuke yet I doubt not but euen they seeing your grosse ignorance great negligence and I feare me some things euen against knowledge and conscience too in these your owne writings will quit you with this or the like answer Et si nos quidem digni sumus hac contumelia Maenius absertem Neuium cum carpeâ—…t heus tu Quidam ait ignoras te Horat. Ser. lib. 1. sat 3. tu omnium indignus qui faceres tamen Although we haue deserued such a contumely or reproofe as this yet you of all others might worst doe it For Quis tulerit Graccos de seditione loquentes Who can endure the turbulent and seditious Gracchi to speake against sedition Or traiterous Athalia to cry out treason treason Or a man that for want of light or diligent looking to his waies doth himselfe stumble and tumble and fall dangerously oftentimes to reproch others and some it may be more vigilant and diligent than himselfe with such ignorance and negligence Antinomus that they runne into strange questions as men in darknesse stumbling at one thing and catching hold of another thing that auailes them nothing If these be not swelling words of vanity Answer I mistake both your spirit and speech if they be I desire you may see what is amisse and amend it and learne to conceiue more humbly of your selfe and more charitably of your brethren As for the speciall points which you commend vnto our study and industry viz. The Doctrine of Christian liberty the difference of the Law and the Gospell and of the Old and New Testament and of the Couenants of both and so the right abrogation of Moses Law I suppose there is not one of all those but hath in handling of this businesse beene already touched and so hath giuen some light both to discouer your error or heresie if you hold it wilfully in going about to abolish the whole Law of Moses and that wholly too and to cleare this truth also that the Morall Law of God giuen by Moses to the Iewes is not since the death of Christ in the Churches of Christ wholly abolished and abrogated but is yet in force still for many holy offices and
spirituall vses confirmed by Christ and continued by his Apostles for the good of Christs Church euen vnto the worlds end Now if you thinke that all that hath beene said and done be not nor cannot be of any such force with you as to conuince you of error or to confirme this truth it may be herein the fault will proue rather yours than mine For as Non est Oratoris persuadere sed dicere quae ad persuadendum sunt idonea It is not required of an Orator to perswade but to deliuer such things as in themselues may be fit and auailable for perswading So neither can it be required of an Answerer to satisfie a wrangling Disputer but to giue what may serue for a sufficient satisfaction to his insufficient objection Ezeckiel is commanded to speake Ezek. 3.4.7 euen though Israel will not heare And Paul doth charge Titus Tit. 1.9.10 to endeuour by some doctrine and exhortation to be able to conuince the gainsayers and to stop the mouthes of such as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnruly vaine-talkers and deceiuers subuerting whole houses and teaching things they ought not for filthy lucre sake Vpon like occasion and in a matter not much vnlike I held my selfe charged after the same manner to endeuour according to my ability to conuince you of this your error and to stop your mouth if it may be which you haue opened so wide against the truth with the witnesses and with the word of Truth And this was I after a sort enforced to attempt because I knew you had laboured by speaking and writing if not for filthy lucre yet for foolish humour sake things which you ought not not only to corrupt the mindes of the simple by words of deceit but to subuert the hearts and houses of some of my neerest and dearest friends with a great and pompous shew of reading and learning which had they not formerly beene better instructed and established in the true knowledge of Gods Word both Law and Gospell might easily haue bred some distraction in their mindes and trouble in their hearts Pudet haec opprobria nobis dici potuisse non potuisse refellâ—… I may truly say I held it both sinne and shame that so opprobrious things should be objected against the holy Law of God and put into the bosomes of good and gracious people as a parcell of Gods truth and a pledge of your loue and not to be resisted by some encounter August Bonis Epist 23. and refuted by some answer to the same Respondi sicut existimo quaestionibus tuis saith S. Augustine to Bonifacius quantum attinet ad minus capaces ad contentiosos non satis quantum autem ad pacatos intelligentes plus fortè quà m sat est Let me speake vnto you in almost the same words I haue answered as I thinke your positions and oppositions against the Morall Law of God for such as are lesse capable and such as are contentious not sufficiently enough neither for length nor strength but for such as are tractable and teachable peraduenture more than enough for both And here if the length of my answer procure me any blame either with you or other of my friends seeing your Pamphlet was but short which drew the same from me I must plead my just defence as Augustine did his to the same Bonifacius requiring a briefe answer to some hard questions proposed vnto him His literis saith he lectis relectis recordatus sum Nebridium amicum meum qui valdè oderat de quaestione magna responsionem brevem In like manner hauing read ouer and ouer againe your short Pamphlet and seeing the question was great and quotations many and large though your paper was not much nor long I could not abide to frame a short answer nay I must needs frame a long August Epist 23. ad Bonif. to so large and great a question and that for the same reason which moued Nebridius so to desire an answer at length in such a case Because in matters obscure ad pietatis doctrinam maximè pertinentibus especially appertaining to the Doctrine of piety as this of the Morall Law especially doth he that would diligently search and see into them had need to enlarge himselfe and hold that course Concerning your last Will and Testament and the light that it bringeth to your second section Zanch. in Hos I referre you to Zanchius in Hoseam where you shall finde the like Simile and withall a paire of snuffers to top your light that it may burne more clearly And if that will not serue you may haue Torchlight from Caluine which I will now put into your hands before I leaue you you may see how loth I am to leaue you in the darke whereby you may once more be admonished of your error and the danger of it and haue light enough to lead you vnto the truth and prouoke you also to the entertaining and embracing of it Speaking of the sweetnesse and lightsomnesse of the Morall Law vnto all that can doe as Dauid did i. finde and apprehend Christ the Mediator in the same He addeth these words Quod discernere dum imperiti quidam nesciunt Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 7. sect 12.13 totum Mosen animosè explodunt duasque legis tabulas valere jubent quia scilicet Christianis alienum esse arbitrantur adhaerere doctrinae quae mortis administrationem continet Which different office and vse of the Law saith Caluine whiles some ignorant persons know not how to discerne they doe boldly and couragiously hisse out all Moses Law and bid farewell to the two Tables of the Morall Law because forsooth they thinke it strange for Christians to cleaue vnto that Doctrine which containeth the administration of death or damnation in it Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur You may view your face in this glasse and take euery word home with you to your owne house and withall take I pray along with you what he addeth in detestation of this your opinion Caluin Instit lib. 2. cap. 7. sect 13. Facessat longe ex animis nostris profana istac opinio Let this profane opinion be farre remoued from our mindes And consider seriously I beseech you of that which he speaketh so resolutely for the establishing of the Morall Law as well as in the commendation of the vse of it Quod si absolutum saith he in ea justitiae exemplar eminere nemo inficietur aut nullam esse nobis rectè justeque vivendi regulam oportet aut ab ea nefas est discedere But if saith Caluine no man can deny but that in the Morall Law there is manifestly to be seene a most absolute patterne of righteousnesse either we must haue no rule at all of right and just liuing or it is great wickednesse to depart from the Morall Law Certainly me thinks to a reasonable and ingenuous man this might be sufficient satisfaction for embracing the truth and relinquishing of so vnsound and vnsauoury an opinion I could compasse you about with a cloud of witnesses to this purpose But it must be euen this Law of God written in your heart by the finger of Gods Spirit which through the power and grace of Christ shall helpe to illighten your eies to see the beauty and conuert your soule to feele the vertue euen of this Morall Law of God which you now so oppose and oppugne which I doubt not but in due time the Lord will doe if as I hope you doe you belong vnto him Meanewhile we will pray for you and wait in patience to see if peraduenture the Lord may giue you repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 2 Tim. 2.25 26. that when you shall haue recouered your selfe out of this snare of Satan and we shall heare or see that he which persecuted the Law in times past doth now publish and professe obedience thereunto we with other of Gods children that wish you well in Christ may be prouoked by your light which may shine in the workes of loue the summe of the Law Gal. 1.23.24 to reioice in your recouery and to glorifie God in youre behalfe FINIS