IN the words of the Apostle are to be enquired, 1. What is meant by the Law: namely, The Morall Law in the ten Com­mandements, containing our whole duty to God, and to our neighbour. 2. What it is to be under the Law: namely, not under the rule and obedience of [Page 2] the Law, for our Apostle loo­seth no Christian from that; but Christians are not under the raigne of the Law, by the raigne of which, sinne raigneth unto death. This being the A­postles reason, that the raigne of the Law, puts them under the reign of sin. 3. Who are these that are not under the Law? Yee: that is, beleevers, justified and sanctified persons, that are dead to sinne, and alive unto God in Iesus Christ our Lord, verse 11. and onely these, seeing the naturall man is yet in his sinnes, and under the whole power of the Law in the ri­gour and extremity of it. Rom: 7. 6. We are delivered from the Law, being dead unto it wherein we were holden. But who are these? those that serve in new­nesse of spirit, not in oldnesse of letter; that is, which now serve God in a new spirituall man­ner, excited and wrought by [Page 3] the spirit; and not according to the olde corruption of our na­ture before grace,It is the priviledge of belee­vers, not to be un­der the Law. nor accor­ding to the externall letter of the law, which onely breedeth externall actions. And that it is the priviledge of beleevers appeareth by these reasons.4 Reasons.

1. Because Christ was made under the Law, to redeeme those that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sonnes, Galat. 4. 4. The reason is good; Christ was under the Law, therefore Christians beleeving are not under it; and, Christians are redeemed from being under the Law, and ther­fore are no longer under it.

2. As many as are under the Law,Gal. 3. 10. are under the curse. But it is the priviledge of belee­vers, not to be under the curse; for they that are of the faith of Abraham, are blessed with faith­full Abraham. Therefore they are not under the Law.

[Page 4] 3. It is the priviledge of beleevers, to receive the spirit of Christ. Rom. 8. 14. As many as are Christs, are led by the spirit of Christ: and therfore they are not under the Law. Gal. 5. 18. If yee be led by the spirit, yee are not under the law.

4. It is the priviledge of be­leevers to have eternall life, and the inheritance, by promise, and not by the tenour of the Law; and therefore all they, and only they are free from being under the Law. Gal. 3. 18. If the in­heritance be by the Law, it is no more by promise. But God gave it to Abraham by the promise. Were beleevers under the Law, they should have the in­heritance by the Law: but they have it not by the Law, but by promise; and therefore are not under the Law. For the Law and the promise in the cause of righteousnesse, and life, will not [Page 5] be agreed, no more than light and darknesse, fire and water, whose natures are most abhor­ring.

Quest. But what or where­in is this priviledge of not be­ing under the Law?

Answ. This priviledge will appeare the clearer, if we con­sider the danger of being under the Law,The dan­ger of be­ing under the Law, in 4 things in foure things. First, in that the Law wrappeth e­very sinner in the curse of God, both in this life, as also in the life to come; so as hee is no where secure, but lyeth naked to the curse meeting him at e­very corner. The Law is a thun­derbolt to blast him in his per­son, in his estate, in his name, in his goods, in his calling, in his comforts, in all his enterprises, and occasions; the sentence is passed upon him, and where e­ver he is, hee is in the way to execution. It would daunt, and astonish the hardiest, and sto­niest [Page 6] heart, to heare the sen­tence of death pronounced up­on it for violating the law of his Prince and Country. It would marre all his merri­ments to conceive hee were presently to suffer but a tempo­rall death for offending the law of man. And it would much more spoyle the pleasure of sin, if the sinner could with an hea­ring eare, heare the sentence of eternall death denounced by the Law, against soule and bo­dy, for violating the righteous Law of the eternall God. If an house were ready to fall upon a mans head, how would hee bestirre himselfe, and winde every way to hye himselfe out of the danger. But the burden of the Law is more intollera­ble than the weight of all the sands, and mountaines in the world; and this oppressing weight is ready to fall on the head of every sinner: which [Page 7] how should it amaze, and af­fright them, and make them restlesse, till they bee gotten without the reach of the dan­ger.

2. The Law in the raigne of it shuts up heaven, (which re­ceives no trangressour) and set­teth the gate of hell wide open upon the sinner; and not one­ly casteth him into hell hereaf­ter, but bringeth an hell into his conscience before hell; that if his heart be not dead within him as Nabals, it is restlesse as the raging sea, tormenting him for the present with hel­lish feares, dreadfull horrours, and selfe-accusing; the biting and gnawing of which worme is the very entrance into hell, and a beginning of the eternall torments of it: for the avoi­ding whereof many wicked men have chosen death, and hastned their owne execution, as farre more sufferable and ea­sie.

[Page 8] 3. The Law in the raigne of it, thrusts the sinner under the power of the Divell, as a con­demned malefactour into the hand of the executioner, to be ruled at his will. Now must hee blinde his eyes, and as it were by an handkerchiefe over his eyes, hee must pinion him, and binde him hand and foote, and by effectuall delusions pre­pare him to his death. And what is more just, than that he who will not be led by the spirit of God, should be given up to be ruled by the Divell.

4. The Law in the raigne of it, addeth a sting, and sharpneth the point of all afflictions, which by it become the begin­ning of hell, and properly cur­ses; retaining their naturall a­crimony and poyson; and are as the red sea, even a well, and a devouring gulfe to drowne the Egyptians, which same sea is a wall and paved way to save [Page 9] the Israelites. It armeth all Gods creatures against the sin­ner, who are ready in their se­verall rankes to revenge their Lords quarrell, till he enter in­to that new covenant; of which see Hosea 2. 18. It is the Law that makes death a doore to hell, and a downefall to eternall perdition: the Law is merci­lesse, and knoweth no other condition, but doe or die: so as if a man dye under the Law, there is no expectation but of death without mercy.

Quest. 2. But how may a man get from under this dange­rous estate?

Answ. By the attaining and exercise of three saving graces.How a man may get from under this dangerous state. First, Faith in the Son of God; which 1 apprehendeth Christs righteousnesse for the fulfilling of the Law. 2. Faith establish­eth the Law; both because it at­taineth in Christ Remission of sinnes, and so remission of the [Page 10] rigour of the Law, as also an Imputation of that full righte­ousnesse which the Law requi­reth. 3. Faith is the Law of Christ, by obedience of which Law every beleever must live,Habak. 2. 4. and is answerable to the obe­dience of the whole Law.

The second grace is Repen­tance, and timely turning unto God; this helpeth a man from under this danger. 1. In that it flyeth from the dreadfull sen­tence of the Law, and knock­eth at the gate of mercy; it seeks and sues for pardon, and will not give over, till it have got a gracious answer, that all the sins are remitted. 2. In that it wipes off all old scores, repea­leth all the actions of the Law, getteth all sinnes cast into the bottome of the sea, never to be remembred any more: nay it gett [...] not onely sinnes [...], but [...]ven the law it selfe [...] [...]ort buried to the pe­nitent [Page 11] person: as Moses bo­dy, and is unknowne where it was laid.

The third grace is new and inchoate obedience to the Law, which is a kinde of fulfilling it. For 1. It is a worke of the spi­rit in the regenerate, who hath written the law in their hearts, and made them of rebells and enemies to the Law, and the righteousnes of it, lovers of the Law, and lovers of obedience. 2. It hath the promise of ac­ceptance, and is accounted as full and compleat obedience to the Law: and themselves now called perfect and undefiled in the way. God looketh not now on their obedience as theirs, but as on his owne worke in them, nor approveth the per­son for the work, but the work for the person.

Quest. 3. How may we know a man gotten from under this da [...]ger of the Law?

[Page 12] Answ. By sundry notes or markes.Sixe notes of tryall, to know one gotten frō under the danger of the Law. First, by subjection to the Gospel in the power of it; when a man contenteth not himselfe with a title of faith, or a shew of profession, or a forme of godlinesse, or a name that he liveth; but groweth in the knowledge and obedience of the Gospell: for would a man be saved, and obey neither the Law nor Gospell? No, no, the Apostle concludeth him under the whole power of the Law, that knoweth not, nor obey­eth the Gospel of Christ, 2 Thes: 1. 8.

2. By thankefull walking wor­thy of the Gospel: Ephes. 2. 10▪ this man knoweth that all the regene­rate are Gods workmanship; and that the end of all our free­dome from sinne, is the free and cheerefull praise of God: and therefore he cannot but be thankfull to Christ his delive­rer from under so hard and [Page 13] cruell a Master as the Law, which did nothing but accuse, accurse, terrify and condemne him: now will he highly prize his freedome, and glory in his happy liberty: now will he live to Christ, and for Christ; and ascribe all his happinesse unto him, as doth the Apostle for that happy victory over sinne and the Law, 1 Cor: 15. last: and Rom: 7. 24, 25.

3. There is now peace of conscience, which formerly (if waking) did bite and sting; but now excuseth and acquitteth. I meane not here a sencelesse or brawny conscience, the issue of a dead conscience; which like a dead man, lay him under a Church or mountaine, he is quiet, feeleth nothing, com­plaines of nothing: so lay the secure sinner under the intole­rable burden of innumerable sinnes, his conscience is quiet, and complaineth not. But this [Page 14] peace followeth not from un­feelingnesse, but from feeling sin pardoned, from perceiving sin subdued, and from discer­ning sinne repented of, striven against and conquered: for the spirit of grace is ever a spirit of mourning, and from that sowing in teares ariseth the harvest of joy.

4. Hee that is got from un­der the Law is now a Law to himselfe, that is, he willingly submitteth himselfe to the rule and obedience of the Law: the way to escape the yoake and coaction of the Law is to be­come a free and cheerfull ob­server of the Law. Which standeth in three things. 1. In a care to doe the duties which the Law requireth, and in such manner as the Law doth re­quire, so neare as we can, Psal: 119. 6. Rom: 7. 22. 2. In hu­humility and griefe that we are so short of the Law in our best [Page 15] duties; that when wee have done all we can, we are so un­profitable, and that even all our righteousnesse is as a stained clout. 3. And all this out of love of God, and of obedience, not for feare of hell or judge­ment: whence Gods people are called a willing people. Psal: 110. 4.

This must every beleever aime at; for hee that willingly liveth in the breach of the Law is certainly under the curse of it.

5. A man gotten from un­der the Law, giveth up him­selfe to the leading of the spirit: Gal: 5. 18. If yee be led by the spirit, yee are not under the Law. Now to be led by the spirit is, 1. To suffer the spirit of God to guide the minde, with knowledge, for he being the spirit of illumination, his office is to lead the Saints into all [...]uth. 2. To allow him to [Page 16] carry and order the heart, will, and affections with cheerful­nesse, and constancy in all good duties, whence hee is cal­led a free spirit, not onely be­cause he worketh in himselfe freely, and as the wind blow­eth where he will; but from his powerfull effect in the Saints, who by his strong and mighty gales are caried strong­ly in their motions of grace and obedience. This finde and challendge thy freedome from under the Law. But if the spi­rit that rules in the world guide the course, or Satan car­rie a man into the foule lusts of uncleannesse, worldlinesse, vo­luptuousnesse, malice, or the like, as the swine into the lake; this man is under the whole curse and raigne of the Law, because he is under the power and reigne of his sinne.

6. There is joy and thank­fulnesse for others freedome as [Page 17] for a mans owne: he that is truly converted is unfeignedly glad for the worke of Gods grace in others, Rom. 6. 17. God be thanked that yee have beene the servants of sinne, but now ye have obeyed the forme of do­ctrine, &c. Eph. 1. 5. Phil. 1. 5. A godly Pastour with Paul wisheth all as himselfe, except his bonds. A godly parent will rejoyce to see his children to walk in the truth. A father or hus­band cannot content himselfe with his owne safety from a deadly danger, and see his wife and children left in it still. A godly Master as Ioshua will have all his house serve the Lord with himselfe, and will not endure in his family, a wic­ked servant, a vassall, and slave to the Divell, and sinne; but will pull him out of the fire or water, or turne him out of doores: yea every sinner con­verted himselfe, wil strengthen [Page 18] the brethren, as Peter, and Da­vid, Psal: 51. 13. By these notes may a man try and discerne whether he be yet under the Law or not.

HAving shewed that it is the priviledge of justified persons not to be under the Law; we are now in the next place to limit this proposition of the Apostle within his own bounds; which ancient bounds while our Libertines remove or break downe, they open a sluce or floodgate unto all loos­nes and licentiousnes, both of opinion, and practise.

For the right understanding [Page 19] of our Apostles meaning, we must consider the Law two wayes. First, in the substance of it: or, secondly, in the cir­cumstances or appendices be­longing unto it.

The substance of the Law standeth in five things.The sub­stance of the Law in 5 things.

1. The Law in the substance of it,Psal. 119. 89. is an eternall doctrine, shewing what is good, what is evill, never changed, never a­bolished, never abrogated, (no not by Christ) but is as a beame from an eternall Sunne; and the Sunne being eternall, how can the beame but be so also? and thus beleevers are still under the teaching of it; without which no man can know what God is, nor what is his wor­ship, nor what is the manner of his worshipp, nor what duties wee are to performe, nor how to performe them, either to himselfe, or to our brethren.

[Page 20] 2. The law in the substance of it, is a revealer of sinne. Rom. 3. 19. By the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne; and every sinner, yea even beleevers are still under the rebuke of it, so long as in many things they offend all, and stand in need of the Law, both to worke them to humility and repentance af­ter new sinnes committed, to worke them to a feare and re­verent awe of God, and to drive them out of themselves unto Christ, for recovery out of their daily infirmities; for were there no law, there were no transgression, nor discovery of it, Rom. 4. 15.

3. The Law in the substance of it is a rule of good life, and as the Gospell teacheth how to beleeve, so the Law teacheth how to live: the Law is as the touchstone to try what is gold in us, and what is drosse; it is as the line and plummet to [Page 21] shew what is straight, and what is crooked: and thus is under the direction of it both for matter and manner of all actions which please or dis­please God. For as the Law civill is the rule of civill life, so Gods Law is the rule of godly life: and as a good workman that is Master of his trade, will have his rule ever at his back, or in his hand, to measure eve­ry peece of his worke, that it may stand levell and square; so even the beleever hath as con­tinuall need of the rule of the Law, which (the Apostle saith) is profitable for doctrine, cor­rection, reproofe and institution even of the man of God. 2 Tim. 3. 17.

4. The Law in the substance is the expresse idea or represen­tation of the Law of nature written in our hearts in the time and state of innocency, and the naturall principles of it can­not [Page 22] be quite extinct, or shaken out of the heart of the worst man; for the very Heathens had it written in their hearts, Rom. 2. 15. and much lesse can it be shaken out of the belee­ver, in whom it is renewed and rewritten in their spirits by the finger of Gods spirit, Ier. 31. 33. Nay the beleever cannot chuse but be framed to a cheerefull and spirituall obe­dience of it, so long as the spi­rit performeth that office in them.

5. The Law in the substance of it, promiseth a righteous­nesse, and eternall life to all the performers of it: and no belee­ver expecteth another righte­ousnes, nor another life, nor on any other condition, than the same in the Law; onely in an­other manner and meanes the same life must be attained, by our ful performāce of the law, though not in our selves, but [Page 23] in our surety; and by the same righteousnes, not inherent in us,The belee­ver is un­der the whole sub­stance of the Law. but imputed unto us. So as by this former consideration we see that the beleever is still under the whole substance of the Law.

And now in the second place seeing the justified person is so many wayes under the Law, how saith the Apostle that the beleevers are not under it? To resolve which point, we must now consider the circumstan­ces and appendices of the Law, which make it an heavie yoak,Seven ap­pendices of the Law, in none of which the beleever is under the Law. an intollerable, and insuppor­table burden, in regard where­of the beleever is not under it. These appendices of the Law are seaven.

First, one consequent of the Law is, that it yoaketh every man to a personall performance of it; for himselfe must doe all things that are written in the Law, to live in them.

[Page 24] And this is now an impossible obedience, Rom. 8. 3. because of our flesh. But Christ having perfectly fulfilled the Law for the belee­ver, and becomming the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth: in this regard they are not under this rigour of the Law, which knoweth no surety, no Media­tour, no imputed obedience, but in every mans owne per­son; and yet the Gospell re­mitteth no part of the sub­stance of the Law, which re­quireth perfect obedience: on­ly it tendreth it in the person of the surety, and gets accep­tance when perfect obedience is done for the person, though not by him.

2. Another appendix of the Law is, that this rigorous exa­ction of personall, and perfect obedience is urged upon paine of eternall death: [...] for, Cursed is every one that continueth not [Page 25] in all things that are written in the booke of the Law, Deut. 27. 26. and Gal. 3. 10. Now the beleever is not under this co [...] ­sequent of the Law: for Christ was made a curse for us, and re­deemed us from the curse of the Law, Gal. 3. 13. and by him be­ing justified by faith, we escape this damnatory sentence, Rom. 8. 1. But it is one thing to be free from the curse of the Law, another from the Law it selfe: and it is no good sequell, We are free from this sanction of the Law; therefore from the substance.

3. Another appendix of the Law is,In which regard it I [...] called [...] that it urgeth and for­ceth it selfe upon the conscience with feare and terrour; for as was the manner of the Lawes delivery at the first, so it still thrusts it selfe upon the sou [...] by coaction and constraint. A [...] thus the beleever is not und [...] the Law; for the grace of [...] ­empteth [Page 26] him from the rigo­rous exaction of it, and frameth his heart to a willing, and cheerefull endeavour in obe­dience; for what the Law pre­scribes to be done, it helpeth in the doing of it: and as Christ himself became under the Law not forced or coacted, but free­ly; so is now the Christian.

But this being but an ad­junct, shall we argue from re­moving an accident, to the re­motion of the subject? or be­cause we are not under the Law as a rigorous exactour, and ter­rible revenger, therefore we are not under it as a righteous commander, and holy condu­ctour?

The 4 consequent of the Law is, that it acknowledgeth no justification or life, but by com­ [...]eat obedience; [...] [...] no life or sal­ [...]ation must be expected by the [...]w, but by keeping it wholly [...] exactly. And thus it is an [Page 27] impossible yoake; for by the workes of the Law no flesh can be justified, Rom: 3. 20. so as now the beleever is not under the Law for justification, unto whom Christ is made righte­ousnesse, and whose perfect o­bedience is imputed, Rom: 4. 5. But it is no good argument, that because the Law is fulfilled by Christ, it is therefore abo­lished by Christ: surely every simple man can distinguish be­tweene accomplishing and abo­lishing the Law: nor it will not follow, that because the Law cannot justifie, therefore it cannot instruct, guide, or edi­fie.

The 5 consequent is, that the Law is the vigour and strength of sinne; that it arraignes, and condemneth the sinner, and is the minister of death, 2 Cor: 3. 7. But there is no condemnation to those that are in Iesus, Christ, Rom: 8. 1. for that heavie sen­tence [Page 28] of the Law is transferred upon Christ himselfe, and car­ried off the beleever. But it will never hold weight or wa­ter in argument, that because a beleever is freed from the dam­natory power of the Law, he is free therefore from the manda­tory and directory power of it.

The 6 consequent or appen­dix of the Law is, that thereby sinne is excited and provoked by our owne corruption rebel­ling against the Law, Rom: 7. 11. which is not by the fault of the Law, which remaineth holy, just, and good, v. 12. but by our wicked nature,Quod non lic [...]t acrius urit. which is more violently carried to that which is forbidden;Gens hu­mana ruit in vet [...]tum [...]e [...]as. even as an untamed colt, the more it is hampered, the more mad and stirring it is. But the be­leever is not thus under the in­citation of the Law, who by grace is in great part freed from [Page 29] this reluctation and resistance, and by the same grace made tractable and willingly subject to the Law, which they dis­cerne to be so concordant, and a very counterpaine of the ho­linesse and justice of God him­selfe; and thinke themselves so farre from being loosed from the Law by the doctrine of grace, that they are faster tyed to the obedience of it.

The 7 and last appendix of the Law, is to consider it as the Law of Moses, and in Moses hand given to the Church of the Iewes; in which respect it had many circumstantiall refe­rences to that people, and ma­ny accessories in the admini­stration towards them; besides some strictnesse, rigour, and terrour to that people under rudiments: In regard of which, beleevers in the new Testa­ment are not under the Law as it was in Moses hand; but sun­dry [Page 30] references and circumstan­ces, as suppose, time, place, per­sons, tables, testament, man­ner, measure, terrour, rigour are altered, and changed in the Church since Christs death. But it will prove no good rea­son, that because an heire in minority is under tutours and rods, therefore he may being come to yeares live as he list, and become a lawlesse man: or that because the Law as given by Moses to the Church of the Iewes is in some circumstances altered, therefore it must be in the whole substance of it abo­lished and that wholly: or that because the Church of the olde Testament was under a strait Law, therefore the Church in the new Testament must be under none.

The summe of all is compri­sed in these three following conclusions:

1. That the regenerate are [Page 31] never sine Lege, Regenerat are not without a Law. that is, with­out Law: of wicked men is said, that they are lawlesse, and described to be disobedient, 1 Tim. 1. 8 [...]. un­godly, sinners, unholy, prophane, the genuine epithites, and right characters of our late Anomists and Antinomists; but the regenerate are no such.

2. That the regenerate are not (as our Text saith) sub Le­ge, Nor under the Law in 5 respects. not under the Law: name­ly in respect, 1. of Iustification by the Law: 2. of Condemna­tion by it: 3. of Personall and perfect obedience, which Ch [...]ist in their stead hath undertaken, and performed: 4. of Coaction and constraint, from which the spirit of liberty hath freed thē in great part: 5. of the sundry accessories of Moses his admi­nistration to that people to whom it was delivered: in these regards, and some other they are not under the Law.

3. That the regenerate may [Page 32] be truly said to be in Lege, But under, that is, within the compasse of the Law that is, in, or under the Law, or within the compasse of the Law; in respect, 1. of the do­ctrine, rule and instruction of it: 2. of their subjection unto it, who frame their lives secun­dum Legem, according to the Law: 3. of the spirits inscrip­tion, who writing it in their hearts keepes them within the compasse of it, and holdeth them in the respect and cheer­full obedience unto it. And thus we have cleared the mea­ning of the Apostle in this, and other phrases of the like sound, Ye are not under the Law.

NOw because the sonnes of Belial are come out, and tumultuously are risen (as did [Page 33] the heathens) against the Lord, and his most righteous Law,Psal. 2. 2, 3 saying, Let us break these bonds, and cast these cords from us; for we are under the teaching of grace, and under the rule of the spirit, all our worke is done to our hand, and we have nothing left for us to doe, and therefore the Law to us is as the seven green cords on Sampsons armes, which he brake off as a thred of tow when it toucheth the fire, Iudg. 16. 9 and our selves as loose, and at liberty from it, as he was from them; for the whole Law is a­bolished to us wholly. Therefore we are to prove against them, that true beleevers have both a true use of the Morall Law, and besides their lively faith, wherin they have received the spirit, have need of the dire­ctions, and doctrines of the Morall Law, for the perfor­mance of the duties of it: and that by these reasons.

[Page 34] If the same sinnes be forbid­den after faith as before,1 Reason All the same sins are forbid­den after faith as before. then is the Law in some force to belee­vers. But the same sinnes are forbidden them after faith as be­fore. And therefore the Law is in some force to them.

The proposition is cleare, because the Law onely discove­reth and revealeth sinne, Rom. 7. 7. as the Gospell doth the remedy. The assumption is also manifest, be­cause the Law is an eternall truth, and is never at agreement with any sinne in whomsoe­ver. Concupiscence before faith is sinne, and no lesse sinne after faith in the regenerate: Davids murder, and adultery were sins after faith; and the same man that beleeved in God, com­mitted adultery with Bath­sheba.

Object. These were foule sins in themselves, but not in him because he was justified.

Answ. Then Nathan was [Page 35] deceived in saying, Thou art the man: and David, when he said, I have sinned. Had Da­vid sinne after faith? then was David under a Law for obedi­ence: for every sinne is the transgression of the Law, 1 Ioh. 3. 4. and where no Law is, can be no trans­gression. The like of Peter in the new Testament apparantly a beleever, for Christ prayed that his faith should not faile; yet after that fell into those foule sinnes against the Law, rash swearing, and false swea­ring, and cursing himselfe; which were foule sins in him, as well as in themselves; why should he else goe out, and weepe bitterly? Peter, as full of shifts as he was to save his skin, was to seeke in this shift, to turne off all his sinne, and sorrow at once, that being a beleever, and in the new Te­stament, the Law had nothing to doe with him.

[Page 36] This argument our Nova­tians and Famelists can by no other shift avoid, but by fly­ing to a perfect purity in them­selves: for this is a dangerous, and desperate principle of their Catechisme rife in the mouths of their Novices, Be in Christ, and sinne if thou canst; and is very coherent with their other tenents: for were the Morall Law indeed wholly abolished, why should they not worship false Gods, sweare, breake the Saboth, rebell, kill, whore, steale? what should hinder them from rayling, and revi­ling all Ministers and people, besides their owne sect, as in a dead faith,The Saints are perfect not perfe­ctists. as onely morall men in state of death? all this is no sinne: abolish the Law, and thou maist say, Sin if thou canst. But oh vaine men.Psal. 119. 120. Can David sinne, and for his sinne his flesh tremble with feare of Gods judg­ments? Can Peter at the side [Page 37] of Christ sinne, and that after so many warnings of Christ himselfe? Doth Paul know but in part, and after faith find a law in his members rebelling against the law of his minde? Rom. 7. 15. 19. 23. and that after grace received, the good hee would doe, hee did not, and the evill hee would not doe, that did hee? and are you in so high a forme beyond these worthies, that you cannot sinne if you would? Ponder a little these places of Scripture and if you be still mad of your perfe­ction,Hypocra­tis magis fomentis, quam mo­nitis no­stris indi­gent. I will say of you as Ierom of your fellowes; You had more need of physick to purge your braines, than perswasion to informe your judgements. Eccles: 7. 20. There is not a just man on earth that doth good, and finneth not. 1 Kings 8. 46. For there is no man that sinneth not. Object. No? Hee that is borne of God sinneth not. Answ. The Apostle saith not simply [Page 38] and absolutely that he hath no sinne,Non dicit non pec­cat, sed non dat o­peram pec­cato. Beza. or sinneth not; but hee sinneth not industriously, hee makes not a trade of sinne, he sinnes not as the wicked doe, nor sinneth not in raigning sin,Qui am­bulant in viis Do­mini, non operantur peccatum, et tamen non sunt sine pecca­to. August. in Psa. 118 conc. 2. nor sinneth unto death, with­out returne and repentance, because the seede of God abi­deth in him, and destroyeth in him the worke of the Divell. Prov. 20. 9. Who can say, I am pure from sinne? Who? I can say so, and I can, saith every Li­bertine; my sin may be sought for, and cannot be found; and mine, saith another, is washed off, that it cannot be seene; and mine, saith a third, is as a bot­tle of inke dispersed in the sea, and not to be discerned. And indeed thus it is in the justified in respect of Gods account, and imputation; but while they speak so magnifically of them­selves in respect of the presence of sinne, they onely blow up [Page 39] their bladder bigger, which all the while is swelled up but with stinking winde and emp­tinesse. But they would have some places out of the new Te­stament, as men beyond the reach of the olde.Non pec­care Dei iustitia est, hominis iustitia, in­dulgentia Dei. Bern. ser. 23 in Cantic. And so they may. Iam. 3. 2. In many things we sinne all: We all; all Apo­stles, all Christians; sin, that is, transgresse the Law; in many things, by daily failings and er­rours: and therefore all we in the new Testament, since Christs death, though we be justified by faith,Nunc be­ne vivitur si sine cri­mine; sine peccato au­tem qui se vivere exi­stimat, nō id agit ut peccatum non habe­at, sed ut veniam non acci­piat. Aug. Enchirid. are under the rule and obedience of the Law; because we sin in many things. 1 Ioh. 1. 8. If we say we have no sinne, we deceive our selves, and there is no truth in us. Wee: Who? The Apostle speaketh of carnall men, say some of the Libertines: as if the Apostle was a carnall man: but the for­mer verse expresseth who they be that have sinne; those that [Page 40] walke in the light; Haec est re­generato­rum perfe­ctio, si se imperfe­ctos esse agnoscant. August. those that are in communion of Saints, and have fellowship one with an­other; and those that are ju­stified and sanctified, whom the blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne hath cleansed from all sinne.

If the same duties be requi­red of all after faith as before, 2 Reas. and every conscience bound to the performance; then the Law in the whole use is not abolished to beleevers. But the first is true:The same duties are required after faith as before. and therefore the second. The former appeares, because where any duty is comman­ded, there the rule of that duty is implied: and this rule is the Morall Law, which bindeth all men to all duties of it both be­fore and after Christ, being an eternall measure of all that is right or crooked.

That it is a rule of duty be­fore Christ, they deny not; and that it is a rule of duty since [Page 41] Christ, I make it plaine thus.

1. Because Christ himselfe did confirme, expound, esta­blish and fortify the Law by his word and authority, which was the scope of his large Ser­mon upon the Mount, in Mat. 5. 6. and 7 chapters: which had it beene to be utterly abo­lished,Quod ac­curatius Christus exposuit, magis per­tinere ad Christia­nos credi­tur. he would rather have declaimed bitterly against the Law as our Antinomists doe, & have rather commended the Pharises for weakning it by their glosses; than have vindi­cated it, and restored to the full strength and power of it.

2. Our Lord not onely con­firmes it in it selfe by his do­ctrine and life, but also in the conscience of every Christian. Matth. 5. 19. He that breaketh the least of these commande­ments, and teacheth men so to doe, shall be least in the king­dome of heaven: but he that shall teach and observe them, shall be [Page 42] called great in the kingdome of heaven: that is, shall be ho­noured, and counted a worthy member in the Church of God. No, saith the Libertine, we must not teach the Law in the Church; and those that doe are legall Preachers, that lead men into a dead faith; we must doe nothing, because God com­mands us: nay we not onely reverse the least of them, but all at once, and teach others so to doe. See now if fire be more contrary to water, or Christ to Belial; than Christ to these sonnes of Belial, that will be under no yoke of the Law, no rule, no obedience.

3. The Apostles after Christ bring converted Christians e­very where to the rule of the Law, and frequently alledge the Law to urge the duties of it: and therefore the Law ceaseth not to be the rule in the new Testament; for if it had, they [Page 43] would not have pressed exhor­tations by the Law. Rom. 12. 19. Dearely beloved, avenge not your selves: Why? For it is written, Vengeance is mine. Rom. 13. 8, 9. pressing the duty of love, the onely debt besee­ming a Christian, he urgeth it by this argument; because, love is the fulfilling of the Law; and repeateth all the commande­ments of the second Table, not to repeale or reverse any of them, but to confirme them as the rule still, and comprehen­deth them all in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe. Ephes 6. 1. Children obey your parents; and presseth the duty from the Law; for this is the first commandement with pro­mise. Heb. 12. 28. Let us have grace to serve God acceptably, with reverence and feare. Why? For our God is even a consuming fire. Did not now the Apostles come as well with a rod, as [Page 44] with the spirit of meeknesse? 1 Cor. 4. 21 did not they perswade men, as know­ing the terrour of the Lord? 2 Cor. 5. 11 did not they call mens eyes, not onely to behold the goodnesse of God, but also to behold his seve­rity? Rom. 11. 22. Dare now an audacious Libertine step out and tell the Apostles (as they tell us) that they were legall Preachers, that they taught men popery and justification by workes; and that they made men onely morall Chri­stians, because they held the Law before them as the rule of all duties both of piety and charity?

If Christ came not to abo­lish the Law,3 Reas: Christ cam not to a­bolish the Law, and therefore it is not a­bolished. but to fulfill it, then the Law is not abolished: for either Christ abolished it, or none; and either by his comming, or not at all. But Christ chargeth us, not to thinke that hee came to abo­lish [Page 45] it, Matth. 5. 17. For what is it to destroy the Law, but to take from it that vertue and power whereby it is a Law, and to make it of none effect.Christ cam not to de­stroy the Law, why? And that Christ came not to destroy the Law is ma­nifest: because 1. It is his owne Law, which must endure for ever in heaven, Psal. 119. 2. Because it is holy, just, and spirituall, Rom. 7. 13. Which words imply, 1. That there is in it a supernaturall, divine, and unperishing vertue, resem­bling God himselfe, who shall as easily be destroyed as his Law. 2. That it serveth to be a divine direction of all men▪ in all holy, just and spirituall du­ties. 3. That it is an holy instru­ment of the spirit, by which he leadeth out the faithfull into the practise of those duties. 4. That whosoever have the spirit sent to dwell, and rule, and to write the Law in [Page 46] their hearts; they cannot de­tract from the Law; but the more spirituall themselves are, the more doe they discerne the spirituall power of it, and frame to the spirituall observance of it: so did the Apostle in this place; so David, Psal. 19. 7, 8. and 119. 39.

Nay Christ came to fulfill it, But to ful­fil it, how? in himselfe, and in his mem­bers. 1. By preaching, illu­strating, and inforcing the Law, by vindicating it from false glosses, and restoring to the full and first strength of it; by all which he sheweth it to bee immutable and eternall. 2. By plenary and full satisfa­ction of it, and by his perfect, and personall obedience, both active and passive; so as he ful­filled all the righteousnesse of it; and left not one iota of it unfulfilled. 3. By donation of his spirit, writing the Law in the hearts of the elect, and in­citing [Page 47] them to new and cheer­full obedience of it; for to this end the Saints receive the law of the spirit of life, that they may not walke after the flesh any more,Rom. 8. 2. but after the spirit,

If the Apostles after Christ did not abrogate the Law,4 Reas. Nor the Apostles a­bolished the Law. but establish it; then it is not abo­lished to beleevers in the new Testament. But they by the doctrine of faith did not. Rom. 3. 31. Doe we abrogate the Law by faith? God forbid; nay wee establish it. Where the Apostle cryes downe that grosse con­ceit of the contrariety of the Law and Gospell, so as one of them must needs devoure the other, as Moses rod did the rods of the inchanters. True it is they are a distinct and divers doctrine; but in God and his word is no contrariety▪ And true it is the Law and Gospell will never stand together in the [Page 48] justification of a sinner before God,Lex et fi­des mutuo se iuvant, mutuo si­bi dant manus. P. Mart. yet they friendly concur and agree in Christian conver­sation, wherein they are inse­perable, as also they are in Chri­stian institution: yea here they helpe one another, as one hand doth another. Whēce the holy Apostles who knew that the Gospell was not properly and substantially the Law; yet usu­ally in the publication of the Gospell confirme the authori­ty of the Law.But con­firme the authority of it. See some instan­ces. Rom. 1. 18. The Gospel is the power of God to salvation: and by it not onely the righteousnes of God is revealed from faith to faith, but the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlines: not that the Gos­pell is a ministery of wrath, but a witnesse that wrath hangs o­ver the heads of wicked men rejecting the Gospell. Rom. 2. 16. Christ shall judge the secrets of men according to my Gospell: [Page 49] that is, according to the wit­nesse of the Gospell preached by me. 1 Iohn 2. 1. Brethren, I write these things to you that you sinne not: and what did he write else but the sweet tidings of the Gospell,1 Ioh. 1. 9. that is any con­fesse his sinnes, God is faithfull and just to forgive them; and that if any sinne, wee have an advocate with the Father, &c? For as no man can teach any duty of the Law, but ther­in calls to faith: for call to the love of God, the substance of the first Table; must not he be first beleeved, and then loved? or to prayer; how can they call on him on whom they have not beleeved? and so in the rest: so neither can a man preach faith without some reference to the Law; for can a man be­leeve a remedy without know­ledge, & search of the wound? nay it is the Law that fits us to prize Christ a physitian, or [Page 50] else would we never meddle with him, no more than he would seeke out for a garment that hath no sence of his shame or nakednesse. What if the Law know not, nor command one to die, or satisfie for another; yet it doth not denie, or ex­clude, or hinder the mercy of God revealed in the Gospell, but maketh way unto it. The Apostles therefore did not ab­rogate the Law by faith; nay (saith our Apostle) we establish it. From whence the argument will rise stronger: If the Apo­stles did stablish the Law by the doctrine of faith, then is not the Law abolished to beleevers in the new Testament. But they did establish the Law by faith.

Quest. How doth faith sta­blish the Law?

Answ. 1. In shewing that all the menaces and curses of it are not in vaine, but all fulfil­led in Christ, who was laid [Page 51] under them all to free us from them.

2. It fulfils the Law, because it bringeth before God the perfect fulfilling of the Law for justification; though not in our selves, yet in our surety, in whom wee have perfectly fulfilled it, and shall live by it; the Law must be absolutely ful­filled by us in our surety, or we cannot live.

3. It stablisheth the Law, be­cause faith worketh by love: which love is the fulfilling of the Law: so as by faith being justified, as we are in a stron­ger obligation to the duties of it, so we begin a new obedi­ence to all the commande­ments,Dicatur mi­hi in decem praeceptis quid non fit a Christia­no obser­vandum. Cant. Faust. lib. 3. and there is no duty which a Christian is not firme­ly obliged unto. Tell me (saith Augustine) what there is in all the ten commandements, what it is that a Christian is not bound unto?

[Page 52] 4. Because by faith we can pray, and by the prayer of faith obtaine the spirit of God, by whom we are supplied with needfull strength to obey the Law:Fides im­petrat gra­tiam qu [...] Lex imple­tur. so August: faith obtaines grace, by which the Law is fulfilled: and Ambrose saith, that faith stablisheth the Law, because faith shewes those du­ties to be done which the Law commandeth to be done.Quia quae in Lege di­cta sunt fa­cienda, per fidem osten­duntur fac­ta. Ambros. And thus have we strengthened our fourth argument, which hath proved that the Apostles of Christ abolished not the Law, but established it: and there­fore it is not without use and force in the new Testament.

In whomsoever must be a constant endeavour of confor­mity to the Law,5 Res: Every be­leever is bound to strive to conformi­ty with the Law. to those the Law is not abolished. This is plaine, because where any thing is to be regulated, there the rule is necessary. But every [Page 53] beleever after conversion must strive to a conformity with the Law, 1. in his inner man, 2. in his outward man, 3. in his whole man.

1. In his inner man,1. In his inner man▪ he must delight in the Law of God, Rom. 7. 22. both in his minde he must serve the Law of God, verse 25. and in his affections hee must love the Law. Psal. 119. 97. Oh how love I thy Law. Psal. 1. 1. The blessed man delighteth in the Law of the Lord: not onely in the knowledge of it (which an hypocrite may) but in the conformity of their hearts and affections with it; they carry friendly affections to the Law. Our Antinomists outboast all men in point of their justification.Iustificati amici Legis efficiuntur. Ambr. in Rom. 8. But St: Am­brose his rule denieth them to be justified, because they are not friends with the Law. And Mr. Luther, whom they chal­lendge as their friend, and fa­vourer, [Page 54] rangeth them among unjustified,Qui dicit se diligere Legem men­titur; tam enim ama­mus Legem, quam ho­micida car­c [...]rem. and unregenerate men; of whom he saith, that they love the Law, as well as a murderer loveth the prison, and so well love these the Law, and therefore by his censure rejected among the unrege­nerate.

2. In his outward man,2. In his outward man. and action the justified man must testifie that the Law of God is written in his heart: so the A­postle, 1 Ioh. 2. 17. He that ful­filleth the commandement abi­deth for ever. What is this commandement, and what is it to fulfill it? The commande­ment is the same which he had delivered in the former part of the chapter, consisting of two branches. 1. To beleeve in the Sonne of God, as our onely satisfaction, our onely advocate, and the reconciliati on for the sinnes of the world, v. 1,. 2. That we embrace him [Page 55] as our unerring patterne of our lives, and walke as he walked, v. 6. Quest. How did hee walke? Answ. 1. In the ge­nerall observation of the whole Law. 2. In speciall: In the per­fect love of the brethren, v. 9. and in the contempt of the world. Now must Christ walk in the obedience of the com­mandements, and must not the Christian? Yes, saith the Apo­stle, Every Christian must ful­fill the commandement.

Object. What will you teach justification by workes?

Answ. No, we call not men to legall fulfilling of the com­mandement, but evangelicall: as 1. when the minde delight­eth in the Law of God, as ho­ly, just and good. 2. When the heart hides it, to conforme unto it. 3. When the affection desireth to fulfill it, rejoyceth when he can attaine to any o­bedience, and sorroweth when [Page 56] he faileth in it. 4. When in his actions he beginneth that obedience which shall end in perfect fulfilling: this the Gos­pell accepteth, and accompteth a fulfilling of the commande­ment. Thus the Apostle, Rom: 8. 4. The righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in us, which walke not after the flesh, but af­ter the spirit: that is, Christ by his meritorious obedience to the death, hath not onely freed us beleevers from the condemning power of sinne, but from the commanding power of it; and so renewed our na­ture, as that the Law of God shall be fulfilled in us: and that two wayes. 1. By application of his owne perfect fulfilling of it unto us; with whom we by faith being united unto him, whatsoever is his being the head, is ours also being mem­bers. 2. By our sanctification it is fulfilled in us inchoately: [Page 57] that is, by obedience begun here, which at last shall be per­fected, so as not the least mo­tion or desire contrary to the Law shall be left in our nature. Thus is the righteousnesse of the Law fulfilled, not by us, but in us, even here below; and is our rule both in earth and in heaven.

3. In his whole man, 3. In his whole man. the be­leever must grow up to the i­mage of Christ, and to the con­formity of his holinesse, which is no other but the perfect i­mage of God expressed in the Law. This growth in grace, and sanctification, is called the rising up to full holinesse, as the Sunne riseth up higher till perfect day. Prov. 4. 18. The way of the just is as the light, which shineth more and more till perfect day. But this cannot be done without the helpe of the Law, the onely rule by which, and the scope unto which it [Page 58] must be directed. For 1. how should a beleever free from sin know himselfe in the service of righteousnesse, as Rom. 6. 18. if he be under no command, or if his obedience be without rule or direction? 2. or how should he discover his daily errours, to be humbled for them? how should he remem­ber from whence he is fallen? or be raised to doe his first workes (for all this must further his sanctification) without the rule of the Law? 3. Or, how should he see the imperfection, and uncleannesse that cleaveth to his best duties, whereby he is kept from proud Pharisaisme, and the arrogant conceits of these libertine perfectists; but by this stra [...]ght, and unaltera­ble rule of the Law? By all which reasons it appeareth it that the Morall law is not without force and [...] unto be­leve [...].

WEE never reade of hereticke,Nisi dum Scriptu [...]ae bon [...]e intel­liguntur ō [...] bene, & quod in ijs non ben [...] in­telligitur, etiam te­mere & audacter asseritur; Aug. expos. in Ioh. trac. 18. but hee would challenge the sacred Scriptures as the groūds of his heresie, which indeede are the onely hammer of here­sie: and even so these spiders, who sucke poyson out of the sweetest flowers, set a flourish and varnish over their poyson­full opinions with some Scrip­tures, either wrested and wri­then out of their owne sence, or broken off from other Scrip­tures & thēselves;Habent [...]crip [...]uras [...] a [...] sp [...]ciem, non a [...] sa­lutem▪ De [...] Baptis con­tra Donat. lib. 4▪ for they have the Scriptures, as Aug: saith, the Donatists had the Sacraments for ostentation rather than for salvation. This vizard we shall put off in the 9 chapter, which [Page 60] shall vindicate the Scriptures fouly mistaken and misapplied by them, and restore them to their true sence and strength against themselves; for no sword is so fit to take off Goli­ahs head as his owne, and no weapons can be more keene a­against these, as those which wee shall wrest out of their owne hands. But in the meane time we will first lay open the true grounds of this unhappy schisme, and the right rise of these palpable errours. And these I observe to be three. 1. Grosse ignorance: 2. swel­ling pride: 3. love of licenti­ousnesse, joyned with the ha­tred of holinesse,The first maine ground of this schism Ignorance as we shall discover in their order. As truth hath no enemy but fals­hood, neither light any con­trary but darknesse; so the cleare rayes and beames of sa­ving knowledge, issuing from Christ the Sunne of righteous­nesse, [Page 61] are darkned and obscu­red in corrupt mindes by the clouds and mists of ignorance, the common mother of mi­stakes and errours: for what can a man in the darke doe o­ther than misse his way, and marre his worke? And what hath made these audacious Li­bertines bold but blindnes? who while they busie their heads in idle and fruitlesse speculations, and waste their discourses in idle and impertinent questions, are grosly ignorant in the very principles of Catechisme,Hi quidem hom [...]nes in­docti sunt, ac idiotae, qui non us­que adeo e­volvendis chartis sunt exercitati, ut exijs de­ [...]ria sua addisc [...]re potuerint. Instruct. advers. Li­bert. cap. 1. and farre to seeke in the very low­est grounds of religion. I re­member Mr. Calvins observa­tion concerning the same secta­ries of his time: That whereas other heresies were raised, and defended by men of learning, wit, education, and reading: this was set on foot, and maintai­ned by ideots, rude, & illiterate men, that never learned their [Page 62] frensie by turning bookes, but in some coblers or artificers shops and places of rude resort: for the basest schoole (saith he) will serve to teach a man to blaspheme God: and to prove his assertion, he nameth the two chiefe champions, who in his time raised and spread it about Geneva, both wel known to him and drew a great mul­titude after them;Alter cubi­cularius, alter hosti­arius liben­ter fieri su­stinuer [...]t. Cap 4. c [...]us­dem libri. of whom one would willingly have had the preferment of an hostler or porter; and the other of a chamberlaine or tapster; fit captaines for their skill to le­vie, and lead such a band: and even such are the bricks that at this day are framed out of such clay; a base sort of people, whose ignorance (in the high conceit of knowledge) layes them open to delusion, and wrappeth them in errors, so as none that savour of liberty comme [...]h amisse unto them: [Page 63] whereof while I give a list, or catalogue, let none thinke that I father any childe on them but their owne (if they will owne their owne writings) or any o­pinion, but such as for the loos­nesse of it, and likenesse with the rest of the brood, will fa­ther it selfe.

I know I have to deale with men as slippery as eeles, who can play fast and loose with their owne tenents at their pleasure (for what can holde them whom Gods Law can­not) Sure I am, many of them will deny those to be their opi­nions, or in this sence; or re­ject them on some private per­sons, or absolutely deny what they resolutely holde, if any way they may either advan­tage themselves, or disadvan­tage their impug [...]er. Nor here­in I am not uncharitable: It is not long since one of their Ma­sters (in the hearing of a Mi­nister,Iune 12. [Page 64] who himselfe related the story unto mee) taught a number of silly women gathe­red into his house on the sa­both day; That the Law was wholly abolished: That God could see no sinne in the justi­fied: That they were as per­fectly pure as the Angels; yea as Christ himselfe: with great vehemency and contention both establishing these and the like grounds and principles of his Catechisme, and revi­ling our legall Preachers, that leade men into a dead faith. But upon the thursday after, meeting the same Minister at the High Commission Court, and fearing some danger to­wards him; he disclaimed to him with as much earnest­nesse, all that hee had then taught in every particular. The Minister onely dismissing him with admonition, to con­sider how hee could answer [Page 65] God and his owne conscience, in seducing so many silly wo­men against his knowledge, onely to maintaine his teeth. It shall not much trouble mee whether they owne them or renounce them: I avow them to be errours, and not onely creeping in the darke, but em­boldening themselves into the light, and such as are very pre­judiciall to many well-meaning but weake mindes, for whose satisfaction and setling I have set them downe as I have met with them in their papers, with some short antidot and preser­vative against them, intending rather a short survey, than any large refutation of them.

[Page 127] THe undivided companion of ignorance is pride; for no man that ever aright knew God or himselfe, but the nea­rer he approached to God with Abraham, the more did he humble himselfe in dust and ashes. But here is a generation of men swelled up with pride, and blowne up with a pre­sumption, that they are gotten into the highest forme of per­fection: they can scorne and disdaine the directions of the Law, as being far beyond it; for they have attained a full perfe­ction not of justification onely, but of sanctificatiō also already; they are free not onely from the power of sinne, but from the presence also: Christ himselfe is not purer, or more free from sinne than they are: nay being borne of God they cannot sin if they would: if they doe acts of sinne in high nature; yet where is no Law is no trans­gression: [Page 128] God cannot see them in that glasse. Hence they can loose themselves from most ministeries, but some teachers of their owne sect; and deride the holy labours of godly Prea­chers, who with zeale and piety persuade men to walke according to rules. Oh what an height of pride are those pri­vate peremptory persons come unto, who complaine that their heads have aked to heare some godly and worthy Preachers; and have professed,So Quin­tinus the Libertine tolde Cal­vin to his face, that he dis­liked his course, be­cause hee under­stood it not. In­struct ad­vers. Liber. cap: 7. that for the gift of two pence they would never more heare sundry such, as I know to be of long conti­nuance as shining and burning lights; as they may well be in the first ranke of Gods wor­thies, that have beene of best desert in our Church. And where is the humility of that teacher that makes his bragge, Your teachers understand not mee. No? the more is your sin [Page 129] and shame. Doe you preach a­mongst a tumult of artizans, and illiterate men, so as our Ministers cannot understand you? what is the reason you doe so hide your selfe; seeing light feareth nothing but dark­nesse, and truth nothing but to be hid. I must say to you, as Ierome of the crabbed Poet Persius: Si non vis intelligi, non debes legi. If you will not be un­derstood, you ought not to be read: so if you will not be un­derstood, you ought not to preach; unlesse perhaps it may be more beneficiall to the Church, that if you doe preach, you be not understood. Alas that men professing the do­ctrine of godlinesse, and preten­ding the practise of wisedome and sobriety, should by the pride of their hearts become thus disguised, and transported into raptures and fits next to frenzie and madnesse. But a­gainst this windy conceit of [Page 130] perfection I will now say the lesse,The win­dy conceit of perfecti­on refuted because I have dealt more fully against this pernicious er­rour before in the third chap­ter.

Yet here 1. let it be considered wherein the Scripture placeth the perfection of Saints here below; and that is not in the want of sinne, but in the fight against sinne; and not in the absence, but in groaning in the presence of sinne. For 1. would Christ teach men without sin to pray daily for forgivenesse of sinne? 2. Would hee com­mand those to pray daily not to be led into temptation, that cannot sinne if they would? 3. Did hee ordaine the Sacra­ment of the Supper for men perfect, that want nothing, to whom nothing can be added; or to the sicke, who neede the physitian, and to such as hun­ger and thirst after righteous­nesse, which is a sen [...]e of de­fect, [Page 131] not of perfection. Magnum illud electio­nis vas per­fectum ab­ruit, profe­ctum fate­tur, Bern. in Can [...] ser. 49. 4. Are they in holinesse and perfecti­ons of grace beyond the Apo­stle Paul, who many yeares af­ter regeneration complaineth that he found evill present with him, and a law in his members rebelling against the law of his minde; Cunctorun in carne iu­storum im­perfectae perfectio est, Hieron: lib. 1. ad­vers: Pe­lag: and professeth that he had not attained, and that all is here in part, and imperfect till that perfect come. 5. Are they perfect without sinne, why doe they then as other sin­full men doe? hath death any commission where is no sinne? or if their sinnes be gone, and their persons justified, and yet they die: why deny they that any correction abideth any whose sinne is pardoned, un­lesse they will say they die one­ly for triall.

Secondly, Sanctification hath three degrees in this life,Three de­grees of sanctifica­tion, and the highest imperfect. the highest of which is imperfect.

1 Is the death of the body of [Page 132] sin. Which is not all at once, but resembleth the death of Christs body on the crosse, which was diminished by degrees, till his spirit by his last breath was surrendred to his Father. Thus is it in the christian, whose last breath of sinne, and of the body goe out together.

The Second degree is the bu­riall of the body of sinne, which is a further proceeding in mor­tification, as buriall is a pro­ceeding of death, and a con­sumption of the dead body not all at once; but by little, and lit­tle. So mortification is not an act of a day, but of the life.

The Third degree of sancti­fication, is a raising from the grave of sinne to a new life, by vertue of Christ his Resurrect­ion: that looke as a graft set in to a new stock, draweth juice and life from that stock, not all at once and then no more; but still draweth, and by drawing, [Page 133] groweth by degrees unto the full height and age of it: evē so is it here, christian life is continued as naturall by dayly supply and addition of that which is daily wanting.Why God would not free his servants from all sinne in life as well as in death God indeed if he had pleased, might in a moment have freed his servants from all sinne, as well in life as in death; but he wold not: because his wisdome pro­cures himselfe more glory in his protection and assistance of the Saints: and in the victory of his servants against sin, than if they were free from sinne.

The fiercer the enemies were that rose up against Moses in the wildernes, and against Io­sua in the Land of Canaan, the more it turned to the glory of Gods mighty power, in giving them possession in despight of them all. And so greater ho­nour returneth to the Lord, be­cause greater is his grace in making the sinnes of the Saints [Page 134] remedies of sinne; to humble them for sinnes past, to shame them for sinne present, and to worke in them feare & watch­fulnesse against sinne for time to come; then if he should at once abolish sinne in them. All which, these men shake off their hands as easily as Samp­son did the greene cords, when the Philistins came upon him.

Thirdly, As he that exalteth himselfe must be brought low; so the Scriptures shew those to be in highest estimation with God that have beene, and are least in their owne eyes:The lowly speeches of Saints. A­braham seeth himselfe but dust and ashes. Iacob seeth himselfe lesse than the least mercie. Gi­deon saith of himselfe, Who am I? or what is my Fathers house, but the least in all Israel? Iudg: 6. 13. Iohn Baptist, than whom a greater was not borne among women, said, I am not worthy to loose the latchet of his shooe. [Page 135] The Centurion, I am not wor­thy that thou shouldst come un­der the roofe of my house. Pe­ter, Goe from mee, Lord, for I am a sinfull man. Paul, I am the least of all the Apostles, but the chiefe of all sinners. But we never read nor heard those vaine voyces from any truely regenerate man:The haughty and lofty speeches of Liber­tines. I am perfect. I am pure, so as nothing can be added unto me: I cannot sin if I would: Gods eternall power can see no sinne in me: I am beheld no otherwise then Christ him­selfe, Tu audes Novatiane mundum te dicere; qui etsi operibus mundus es­ses, hoc ipso verbo im­mundus [...]e­res: Ambr: de poenit l. 1. c. 6. for I am Christed with Christ, and Godded with God: I will neither greive for my sin, nor pray for pardon of sinne, and the like. No no, true grace (which St. August: calleth the first, second, and third grace of Christians) would keep the heart from these high staires, and straines of pride; it would fetch them off such mounted thoughts, and change them in­to [Page 136] mournefull complaints, that they must needs, will they nill they admit the Cananit and Ie­busits within their borders, & that they must finde sinne in them as a law forcing them to the evill they would not. Rom. 7. 24.

And godly experience con­cludeth, that humility is a signe of worth, but hautines is never without emptinesse and vani­ty. Emptiest vessels sound low­dest; and the husbandman li­keth better those heavie eares of corne that hang downe their heads, than the light and emp­ty ones that stand so upright. Fewer words would serve wi­ser men. I will onely say to this proud perfectist, as Con­stantine the great did to Ace­sius one of the proud Bishops of the Catharists, Pone Ac [...]siscalam, qua solus coelum ascende. Set up a lad­der Acesius, by which thou a­lone maist climbe to heaven.

AS pride attends ignorance, so an inseperable fruit of pride,Col. 2. 18. is vainly to be puft up by a fleshly minde, not holding the head: for pride resteth not in those low and humble prin­ciples of Christ, but not endu­ring Gods yoakes, nor the suit and service of Christianity, raiseth vaine reasonings a­gainst obedience, and plot­teth new devises for more scope and elbow-roome than the Gospell alloweth them [Page 138] that must walke in the strait and narrow way to eternall life. And this righteous judgement of God hath overtaken this sect of men with whom wee deale: of whom, the Apostle affirmeth,2 Pet: 2, 19 that while they pro­mise liberty, themselves are the servants of corruption.

I know that many that as yet know not the depth of Satan in this errour;Many too charitable, not seeing the depth and dan­ger of this errour. nor are dived into the mysterie and mischiefe of these opinions, doe conceive more slightly of their tenents, and more charitably of their persons than there is cause; and some may thinke it were fitter they should fall of themselves, than be thrust downe by the hand and strength of others: and that the labour might have beene better bestowed against more dangerous persons, and fundamentall errours much more prejudiciall to the truth of the Gospell. But I wish such [Page 139] to consider whether any errour can be more pernicious than that which rejecteth all rules of holy, and strict walking with God? What will it availe us to contend for, or establish a faith which is dead, Iam: I, 26. severed from the life and fruites of ho­linesse? or what greater ene­mies can we deale against than enemies of righteousnesse, who are not onely fallen from the abnegation of the knowne and received truth, but to the oppugnation of it: a fearefull fruite indeede of their decli­ning: but men having once lost the way of truth, know not where they shall lodge.

And it will not be amisse to looke into their modell of new Divinity, and how cunningly they have molded the whole lumpe, and kneaded it together, that every peece and position of it may let themselves loose from all bands of duty and obe­dience. For,

[Page 140] 1. They must not live in the presence of God,The con­fused lump of Liberti­nisme in 9 poysonfull positions. nor hold him in their sight as a God seeing their sinnes or actions, or dis­pleased with the evill of them: and why now should they for­beare any sinne?

2. They must not acknow­ledge God a rewarder of his owne grace, or any good duty to which he enableth: and how then can they desire to doe good, or be good?

3. They must not see their sin a violation of the Law, nor as it is an enmity against God, nor as causing wrath to worke in them either humiliation for sinne past, or detestation of sin present, or feare of it for time to come.

4. Neither Gods will, nor their owne wills moves them not to forbeare any sinne: not the former, because they are free from all lawes; not the lat­ter, because the will of man is [Page 141] turned against sin by vertue of inherent holinesse wrought by the spirit (which they dis­claime) so as onely the light of their mind may condemne it; and the unseemelinesse of it in a professour may restraine it, else they are loose to any.

5. They cannot be sick of evill motions, nor detest evill thoughts, nor watch against temptations, nor care for the purging of their hearts; for how can they sinne being born of God? or if they could, they are not to be countable for any sin, nor can God take notice of thē. Christs most innocent soul was vexed with the molesta­tiō of injected motions of evil, though instantly rejected, but these must not, they are so holy

6. They must not live by any rules,Lex Dona­tistarum. Quod vos lumus san­ctum est, August. but by a wilde and spati­ous pretence of immediate, and enthusiasticall direction. Enemies are they to per­swasion and exhortations; [Page 142] for because Christs perfections are their perfection. In vaine it is to perswade either for good thoughts into the minde, or good inclinations into the will, or good actions into the life. They desire not their hearts, nor wills, nor actions to agree with Gods law, for it is quite abolished. And much lesse doe they turne the precepts of God into prayers as the Saints ever used to doe. Oh with what vi­olence must headstrong men be caryed unto unrighteousnesse, when the word as a bridle must not hold them in, nor check or controll sinne in the soule, to lessen either the power or practise of it?

7. They must not brooke a­ny longer the difficulty of re­pentance, nor endure the paines of mortification, because they cannot deny [...]hemselves, nor must they ever remember sins past, as the Saints have done [Page 143] with much [...]uite, both [...] owne hum [...]liation, Deut. 9. 6. [...]. and for their excitation to gra­titude and thankfulnes to God for mercy, as the Apostle 1 Tim 1. 12. 13.

8. That they may hold their sinnes more securely, they free themselves from all feare of woe and judgement, and from all the strokes of God, or his word, and so by themselves dote in a false peace. For Gods hand cannot reach them, for he cannot be displeased with their sinnes, and much lesse tempo­rally correct them: and thus they refuse all crosses, either as meanes of mortification, or of profiting in holinesse. Heb. 12. 7. Psal. 119 71. And they flye the stroke of Gods word, in a faithfull and free ministery, and cannot endure this legall prea­ching, as men that must hold their sinnes; but must not heare of them, nor beare reproofe of their iniquity.

[Page 144] 9 To all these profane opi­nions,The ex­tream dan­ger of Li­bertines A rai [...]ing R [...]bsakey, whose pa­pers I have in my hands, re­vileth our Ministers, & denoun­ceth them ipso facto to stand accursed by the ho­ly ghost, & excom­municate by S. Paul, for going about to establish and set up the golden calfe of their own sanctifica­tion. They be his own words. The Lord rebuke thee Satan. they disclaime all pre­cepts, and practise of sanctifi­cation, and all increase in holi­nesse. They revile the Preachers that call and urge men by rules and motives to sanctification, as calling men backe to the ju­stification of the Law. What a case now are these mē in? how can they expect heaven, that not only loose themselves from the holines of them that must be inhabitants there, but hate it, and resist it? whereby they cast themselves from the turret of perfection, farre below the state of nature. For though e­very naturall man is destitute of personall holinesse, and of the love of it; yet every naturall man will not disclaim, revile, or contest against it. 2 How can they justifie their calling, and out-boast all men in the assu­rance of their calling? Seeing [Page 145] there is no effectuall calling but unto holines. 1 Thes. 4. 7. God hath not called us to uncl [...]anes, but unto holines. And if every beleever be a Saint by calling, Rom. 1. 7. how can they be called that se­ver sanctification (that is the love and practise of holines) from effectuall calling? They onely have received the grace of new creation, that are crea­ted to good workes, which God hath ordained to walke in, Eph: 2. 10. 3. How doe they frustrate the end of their adoptiō, which they pretend▪ for why are wee adopted to be sonnes, but to bee made conformable to the image of Christ? Rom. 8. 29. for can he be a sonne that beareth not the image of his father? That onely was Ce­sars Coyne that carried Cesars superscription 4. May this loose conceit prevaile,The sacred office of Christs Priesthood violated. the maine of­fice of Christs priesthood shall be in vaine, both in respect of his Sacrifice, and of his Inter­cession: [Page 147] his Sacrifice, because for this Cause he sanctified himselfe, that beleevers should be sancti­fied through the truth, Ioh. 17. 19 His intercession and prayer is that the elect may be sanctified, verse. 17. Father sanctifie them. Shall Christ as a Priest sacrifice himselfe, and make such earnest prayers for sanctification of be­leevers? and is there no such thing, or if there be, may not we preach it, and vrge it? or can any libertine disavow and scorne it, but hee must also re­nounce & reiect the priesthood of Christ? I hope no man will cōceive these to be slight things which entrench upon the foun­dation. 5. But how comes it to passe, that they reading the scriptures, and in them so many, and so expresse and vnavoidable places▪ calling the saints not on­ly to the study, and practise of holinesse, but also to growth and encrease in holinesse, that yet [Page 147] they should persist in this delu­sion;How they come to be blinded against so cleare a light. yea and defend it against so cleare a light? Surely because they will not submitt to Gods authority, but have pulled them selves from under his rule, he hath in justice put them out of his favour, and given them up to themselves, and to Satan to blinde them, who are so willing to bee blinded: and hee is cun­ning enough under a pretence of Christian liberty to hold thē in perpetuall chaines of spiritu­all bondage; else could they not seeke to elude so cleare places. As 1. cal us to holinesse, 1 Thes. 4. 16. 4. This is the will of God, even your sāctificatiō. 1 Pet. 1. 15. be ye holy in all maner of conversatiō, for it it is written, Be ye holy as I am holy. 2 Which call Gods people to increase in holinesse, 1 Thes. 4. 1. We exhort you to in­crease more and more, and this is a commandement given us by our Lord Iesus Christ. verse 2. 2. Pet. [Page 148] 3. last, But grow in grace, and in the knowledge, &c. 1 Cor: 15. 58. Be abundant in the work of the Lord. Rev. 22. 11 Let him that is righteous be righte­ous still, and let him that is holy be holy still. Is now the spirit of God idle in all these and the like precepts? or doth hee call men now to the justification of the Law? or is he idle in his exhortations to sanctification? or are wee so while wee urge men in the words of the same spirit?

The objections are light and windy, as the opinion it selfe is.

1 Object. That beleevers are carried by an inward principle of new creation: a good tree cannot chuse but bring forth good fruite, without all these outward motives.

Answ. The principle of good fruit is within the sappe in the roote, but there be externall [Page 149] helpes, without which it will never be produced; as the Sun, the soyle, the ayre, the shew­ers, the gales of winde. So a beleever, a tree of righteous­nesse, hath an inward principle flowing from his root, which is Christ, without whom he can doe nothing; but it is fruit­full by meanes not to be neg­lected, because they are of his owne appointing, and wherin he wil make us fruitfull. 1 Cor: 15. 10. By the grace of God I am that I am: and his grace was not in mee in vaine; but I laboured, though not I, but grace in me.

2 Object. God spirit is all in all, and doth all in us, and we have nothing to doe.

Answ. God leadeth belee­vers by his spirit into good workes, and produceth holy acts in them, but not without use of meanes. For 1. he puts the Law into their hearts: 2. [Page 150] transformes them by obedience into the image of the word: Rom. 6. 12. 3. He still prompteth and sug­gesteth according to the word, in the things of Gods glory and worship; the spirit in­cites to the use of the meanes of grace, of the holy ordinan­ces, to the pleasures and de­lights of Gods house, and such things as uphold our spirituall being.

3 Object. But Christ is our righteousnesse, and sanctificati­on; what use of any righteous­nesse or holinesse of our own?

Answ. Christ is not the righ­teousnesse of justification to a­ny person that is not washed, and sanctified, 1 Cor: 6. 11. 2. None can be righteous by a righteousnesse infused from Christ, but thence floweth an inherent righteousnesse renew­ing our nature: for he gives us a godly nature, 1 Pet. 1. 2. and purifieth our soules by the spirit: and thence [Page 151] issueth an externall righteous­nesse of life, which is an evi­dence of our justification by faith:Ioh. 4. 14. for he that doth righte­ousnesse is righteous.

4 Object. But what can be added to perfection? If we be not compleat in Christ, there is defect in his merit; and they that drinke of his waters thirst no more: and wee can de­sire no more than wee have in Christ.

Answ. But that perfection here to which nothing can be added, is the dreame of waking men, contrary to the Scrip­tures, contrary to the practise of Saints, whose studie was and is to increase more and more. Contrary to their expe­rience, the best of whom com­plaine, that they have not yet attained, nor never shal, till that perfect come. Contrary to their prayers, and vehement desires after further grace. Contrary to [Page 152] the nature of true grace, which is still desirous of more. For it is not possible, but that they which have tasted how good the Lord is: 1 Pet: 2▪ 2. should desire the sin­cere milke of the word to growe by it.

2 The Saints have not so drunke as yet, that there re­maineth no thirst after Christ▪ for there is a twofold thirst.Sitis du­plex, vel Indigentiae totas [...]s, Coposioris fruitionis. The former is of totall indigen­cy, or a whole want of Christ; and this is satisfied in the be­leever, that hee shall never so miserably thirst againe. The lat­ter is a thirst after a more plen­tifull fruition of Christ and his spirit, and graces; and this is never fully satisfied in this life, but the privation of the former thirst, is the generation and po­sition of this latter. Revel. [...]2. 17. Let him that is athirst come.

5. Object. But we are cal­led to the liberty of the Gos­pell, [Page 153] and are free from all com­pulsion of Lawes, and from all other rules than the motions of the Spirit: for where the spirit of God is, there is liber­tie. 2 Cor. 3. 17.

Answ. What kinde of li­berty this is, we have seene al­ready, which is not from the rules and direction of the Law, for the Apostle saith not, that wee are called to liberti­nisme, or a freedome from o­bedience to doe what we list,Our liber­tie here is not from the rule of the Law; but from the rule of sinne. as being without the reach of the Law; but a freedome from the rule, and command of sin, and a sweete peace and ease in in the soule, not grounded on rejecting the commandements, but rather upon a free and sincere regard and love of them. Thus David professeth, that hee will walke at liber­tie, not because hee will cast off the precepts, but be­cause hee did seeke the precepts. [Page 154] But we have stayed long in dis­covering 1. the ignorance, 2. the pride, 3. the profane licen­tiousnesse of this schisme: wee must proceede to that which followeth.

IT is not unusuall with impo­stors, when they ure driven off the authority of the Scrip­tures, to shroud and hide them­selves with some humane te­stimonies wrested, and for most part distorted from the true meaning and intention of [Page 191] their alledged Authours: and even so doe these men pretend that they have the consent and authority of sundry Protestant Writers, of great note and name in the Church, to streng­then and confirme their novel­ties: wherein they are impu­dent to admiration; seeing there is never a learned man that ever I met with that si­deth with them in the abroga­tion of the Law; nay not any, but as occasion is offered, doth urge the Morall Law as of great use to guide all true beleevers, and justified persons in the right way of godlines, and all Christi­an dutyes.One of this lear­ned sect said. Wee are of Lu­ther, and was before the Apo­stles. With what boldnes doe they claime Mr. Luther to be wholly theirs, and them­selves to bee wholly of his judgement: and that they hold nothing in this point but what they sucked from his breests? let us therefore see in this one instance how they serve all the rest.

[Page 192] And first I affirme that M. Lu­ther was so farre from being an Antimonian▪ that no man doth more expressely and soundly o­verthrow and contradict this wicked opinion than he, nei­ther can any man desire a stron­ger humane witnes against thē thā M. Luther. Read his words with a pause and judge. Satan (saith hee) stirreth up daily new sects: and now last of all he hath raysed up a sect of such as teach, the ten commandements are to be taken out of the Church, Luther. pre­face to Comment on the Gale. & that men should not be terrified with the Law. And after, such is the blindnesse and presumption of franticke heads. And are they o­ther that challenge Luther the patrone of a Sect, which him­selfe saith, the Devill hath rai­sed?

And page 171. He speaketh of three sorts of men that abuse the Law. First those that seeke justification by the Law. Se­condly. [Page 193] Those that will utterly exempt a christian man from the Law, as the brainsicke Anabap­tists went about to doe. And of this sort are very many also at this day which professe the Gos­pell with us, who dreame that Christian liberty is a carnall li­berty to doe whatsoever they list, &c. on cap: 3. 25.

And on cap. 3. 19. pag: 153. Here I admonish (saith hee) all such as feare God, and espe­cially teacher of others, that they diligently learne out of Paul to understand the true and pro­per use of the Law; which I feare after our time will be troden un­der foote, and utterly abolished by the enemies of the truth. It is easie from these words of Mr. Luther to collect, that, 1. Hee did not conceive the Law thrust out of all use by Christ: for then why should men fea­ring God learne the true use of it? 2. That if hee feared men [Page 194] would abolish it, then his judgement was it ought not to be abolished. 3. That if hee esteeme this sort of men that would abolish the Law, ene­mies of the truth: then certain­ly he is not their patron in this loose and carnall opinion.

And pag. 154. Forasmuch as wee diligently and faithfully teach these things: we doe there­fore plainly testifie, that we re­ject not the Law, and workes, as our adversaries doe falsely ac­cuse us: but wee doe altogether establish the Law, and require the workes thereof, and wee say the Law is good and profitable.

And cap: 5. 14. pag. 254. It is necessary that godly Preachers should as diligently teach the do­ctrine of good workes, as the doctrine of faith: for Satan is a deadly enemy to both. Is Lu­ther now yours? Is hee not as contrary, and directly contra­dictory to your foolish tenents [Page 195] as the Sunshine of midday is to the darkenesse of midnight? Doth not he disclaime you as adversaries, yea as false accu­sers, while you challenge a line or syllable of his doctrine in the patronage of your delusi­ons? You reject the Law, and workes; he professeth, he re­jecteth neither: you abolish the whole Law wholly; but he establisheth it: you reject them for legall Preachers that teach not Christ aright, who urge men to the duties of the Law; but he imposeth it as a necessary part of their office to urge the Law, yea as necessary as to teach the doctrine of faith. For shame therefore ne­ver claime Luther more, nor father your fooleries on him, than whom you have no stron­ger enemy.

Object. But doth not Mr. Luther say, on [...]ap. 3. 28. That Christ hath abolished all lawes [Page 196] of Moses that ever were?

Answ. Y [...]s, all the lawes of Moses whereof he speaketh in that place: for take the whole sentence, and yee shall know his minde. 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 Lawes of Moses that ever were: that is, all ceremoniall Lawes. Yea and the Morall Law so farre as in Moses hand accusing, terrifying, and con­demning the beleeving consci­ence: in which regard it should be utterly ignorant whether there were any Moses, any Law, any Iew. Ibid:

Object. Page 177. So many as are justified, are justified not by observation of mans Law, nor Gods Law, but by Christ alone, who hath abolished all Lawes. Doth not Mr. Luther clearely say, that all Lawes are abolish­ed?

[Page 197] Answ. Nothing is more true; for even the Morall Law in respect of justification is a­bolished to the beleever, which is Mr. Luthers expression: but that either the Law it selfe in the substance of it, or in respect of all other uses is abolished, Luther saith not: and wee say with Luther, Accursed be that doctrine, life, and religion, which endeavoureth to get righteous­nesse before God by the Law, or workes thereof.

Ob. Luther on c: 4 27 p. 222. saith, that a Christian laying hold on Christ by faith, hath no Law, but all the Law to him is abolished with all his terrours, and torments. And page se (que): We say that the Morall Law, or the Law of ten commandements hath no power to accuse, and ter­rifie the conscience in which Ie­sus Christ reigneth by grace: for hee hath abolished the power thereof.

[Page 198] Answ. And we say so too, and holde it our happinesse to beleeve this sweet Gospel. But Luther speakes here, and every where else of certaine uses of the Law, either for justificati­on, righteousnesse and salvati­on; or else for terrour, accu­sation and condemnation: and thus wee have proved long since, and at large, that it is a­bolished to the beleever.

2. We say, that to abolish the power of the Law, is not to abolish the Law: and to abo­lish the power of accusing and terrifying, is not to abolish all the power of it. And all their shreddings and cuttings, and poore allegations out of Mr. Luthers workes, doe onely prove the magnifying the Ar­ticle of Christian righteousnes against the righteousnesse of the Law, and workes: where­in Luther was for the singular good of the Church most ve­hement: [Page 199] but none of them doe so much as glance at the abo­lishing of the Law as a doctrine or rule of life;Non sunt su [...] lege quoad iu­stificatio­nem, accu­sationem, condemna­tionem, co­actionem, &c. which Mr. Lu­ther not in a few places ac­knowledgeth to binde all men from the beginning of the world to the end of it.

But whereas no man better knew Mr. Luthers judgement than his owne schollers and followers, it will not be amisse to heare them expressing their Masters minde in this argu­ment,Est igitur sententia vera, et forma sa­norum ver­borum, esse aliquem le­gis usum in renatis, & is triplex est &c. and delivering unto us what they received from him, from whom to depart in any thing they held almost piacu­lar.

Chemnitius a most learned and moderate Lutheran, in his common place de lege cap. 10. and 11. directly refuteth these Antinomists, De Lege Dei cap 10. cir­citer fi [...]em, & cap. 11. De digni­tate doctri­nae Legis contra An­tinomos. and sheweth that the regenerate are not under the Law in respect of justifica­tion, accusation, condemnation, [Page 200] or coaction: but yet affirmeth a threefold use of it in the rege­nerate: 1. as a doctrine to di­rect in duties: 2. as a glasse to see the defects of them: 3. as a correcter, and restrainer of remanent corruption. In all treading in the very steppes of of Luther, as we have decla­red.

Fredericus Baldwinus a lear­ned professour in Wittenberg, Sanctissimo suo merito tabulas Le­gis abscon­dit, non ut Leginullam a [...]plu [...] debeamus obedienti­am, sed ne maledictio­ne f [...]r [...]at [...]os qui sint in Christo. Passionis typicae lib: 2. typ: 6. hath these words. Christ our Savi­our by his most holy merit hath hid and covered (alluding to the propitiatory) the tables of the Law; not that we owe no further obedience unto it, but that it may not strike with ma­ledictiō those that are in Christ: for the Law is abrogated by Christ,Abrogata Lex non quoad obe­dientiam, sed quoad maledictio­nem. not in respect of obedi­ence, but in respect of maledi­ction. Many more were easily induced to speake the same thing; but I content my selfe [Page 201] with these, from whom none of the rest dissent: and con­clude, that if Mr. Luthers schol­lers understood their Masters doctrine better than these Li­bertines; then they sew but a fig leafe to cover their naked­nesse, by stretching any of Mr. Luthers phrases to the proving of their profane opinion.

And as Mr. Luther hath a­bundantly cleared unto us this truth, so have we the consent of all godly, learned Protestant Writers both ancient and mo­derne, whom I might induce as a cloud of witnesses; not like that cloud which Elias his servant did see as bigge as a mans hand, but like the same cloud when it covered the whole heavens.

My spare time is not so much, nor perhaps the Rea­ders, neither in so cleare a case were it so needfull to make this volume swell with such [Page 202] numberlesse testimonies of or­thodox Divines, as professedly refute this profane and lawles, and as brainles a fancy. I will onely therefore shew these de­linquents against the Law to be cast by the verdict of an whole Iurie of godly Divines. And because they shall not deny but they have faire triall and pro­ceeding, we have empannelled twelve men, the most of which they acknowledge their friends and well-willers, (even as they challenge Mr. Luther the fore­man to be wholly theirs) and one man shall not speake for all, as in ordinary trialls; but as it is in great and extraordi­nary trialls, every one shall deliver his owne sentence.

The first of them is Mr. Cal­vin,Tametsi digito Dei Legem scripta [...] in cordibus habent, bi­fariam ta­men adhuc in Lege pro­ficiunt: est enim illis optimum organum, &c. who in the second booke of his Institutions, cap. 7. sec. 12. having spoken of two uses of the Morall Law; addeth a third, which especially concer­neth [Page 203] the faithfull: namely that therby they must daily more cer­tainly know what is the will of God to which they aspire: as also by the frequent meditation of it,Vt frequen­tie ius me­ditatione excitetur ad obsequi­um, in eo roboretur, & a delin­quendi lu­brico retra­hatur. they should be excited to the obedience of it, and streng­thened in that obedience, and re­strained from the offences of it.

In the 13 section he answers the Libertines objection: But because the Law containes the ministration of death, therefore Christians must reject the Law. Farre be from us (saith he) such a profane opinion:Facessat longe ex a­nimis nostris profana istaes opinio. for Moses excellently sheweth, that the Law which can beget nothing but death among sin­ners,Sed una est, perfecta, et inflexibilis vivendi re­gula. hath among the Saints a better and more excellent use: and what that is hee sheweth, namely to be one, perpetuall, and inflexible rule of life.

In the 14. section he answe­reth at large that objection, that the Law is abrogated to the [Page 204] faithfull,De morali adhuc lo­quor. Non quod illis amplius non iubeat quod rectum est, sed dūtaxat ne sit illis quod antea erat, hoc est ne eorum conscient as perterrendo &c. speaking still of the Morall Law: namely, not that it doth not still command what is right as it did before, but that it is not that to them as it was before, in terrifiyng their con­sciences, confounding, condem­ning and destroying them. In which sense saith he, Paul ma­nifestly sheweth that it is abro­gated; not in respect of insti­tution of life, but of the former vigorous obligation of consci­ence. sect. 15. Thus have I a­bridged M. Calvine his larger Tractat upon this Argument,Non ad in­stitutionem pertinet, sed ad constrin­gendae con­scientiae vigorem. wherein wee see him wholly consenting to the doctrine we have propounded through our whole discourse.

Adde only her unto that in the 3 booke cap. 19. sect 2 Christian libertie,Vt fidelium conscientiae sese supra Legem eri­gant, to­tam (que) Legis iustitiam obliviscun­tur. consisteth first in this: That the consciences of the faithfull in the confidence of their justification before God, must lift themselves above the [Page] Law,Neque hinc recte quis colligat Le­gem fideli­bus super­vacaneam esse, quos no [...] ideo docere et exhortari, &c. & forget the whole righ­teousnes of the Law (Yet saith he no man must hence collect that the Law is needlesse: For it doth not therefore cease to teach, to exhort, and incite to good, though before Gods tri­bunall it hath no place in their consciences.

The Law therefore,Manet igi­t [...] per Chri­stum [...] Legis [...], quae [...] do cendo, ad­m [...]ne [...]do, ob [...]urgan­do, co [...]ri­gendo ad omne opus b [...]num for­met ac com­paret. by Mr. Calvins de e [...]mination abideth by Christ a [...] inviolable doctrine, the which by teaching us, by admonishing, by rebuking, and by correcting, doth secure & pre­pare us to every good worke.

The second is Reverend Be­za, in his defence against Castil­lion, on Rom. 7. 6. farre be it from me saith he, that I should assent to you, who say the Law is dead to them, to whom it is cheifly a­live, Absit [...]t ego tibi assen­tiar; qui d [...]cis legem ijs esse mor­tuam qui­bus maxi­me vivit, id est, quos h [...]bet maxime of sequentes. Veque enim rex, [...]. that is, those that are most obedient unto it, meaning belee­vers. For a King doth not more manifestly regine over any, thē those which freely and willing­ly [Page 206] obey his Lawes. See also his judgement constant to himselfe in his annotations upon 2 Cor. 3. 11. In what regard the mi­nistery of Moses is abolshed; concluding that the ministry of the Law is ever to be retained in the Church. And in his notes upon 1 Ioh: 2. 7. he saith. Nei­ther is the Law abolished by the Gospell so farre forth as it commandeth that which is right:Neque enim Evan­gelio Lex [...] est praecipit. sed, &c. but onely so farre as it threatneth death to all that doe not perfectly fulfill it: and as the Law by the terrours of death admonisheth us to think of seeking life in the Gospell, so the Gospell supplieth us with the grace of regeneration, whereby according to the mea­sure of the spirit and grace,Vt Lexiam sua vis sit nobis se­cundum interiorem hominem Magister. we begin to will and to doe: that now the Law becommeth to us in respect of the inner man, a sweet Master, as the Apostle plentifully teacheth, Rom: 6. 7. and 8. chapters.

[Page 207] The third is learned Doctor Whitaker, the Iewell of the V­niversity of Cambridge, who when Duraeus the Iesuite ob­jected against Mr. Luther the same which these Libertines affirme of him, that it was his judgement that the Decalogue appertaineth not to Christi­ans; thus gravely answereth: That Luther most truly affir­med the Decalogue, that is, that condition of the Deca­logue, either of full and perfect obedience, or of malediction for disobedience not now to pertaine to Christians; because Christ to them hath taken a­way that condition. 2. That Luther saith no more than the Apostle doth in sixe or seven places there alledged:Per Lutheri latera A­postolo vul­nus infli­gunt. and ther­fore they must first accuse the Apostle, or through Luthers sides wound the Apostle. 3. He sets downe his owne judg­ment most expresly. The Law [Page 208] (saith he) pertaineth to Chri­stians;Lex perti­net ad Chri­stianos, nec id unquam negavit Lutherus: nam illa tustitia Le­gi [...] [...] Lib. 8. de para­dox, p. 703 neither did Luther ever deny it: for that justice of the Law is immortall, and every one ought to indeavour with all his strength to live mo [...]t exactly according to the prescript of the Law. Thus we have this pro­ [...]ound and most worthy Do­ctour affording us a double strength; and together with [...] brings us Mr. Luther wholly and constantly avou­ching the same truth which we have defended through our whole discourse.

The fourth is, judicious Mr. Perkins, from whose gracious mouth and Ministery I recei­ved in my youth often the same holy truth, as now in his fruitfull writings appeareth e­very where. As in his golden chaine, chap: 31. having set downe the use of the Morall law in the unregenerate, he cō ­cludeth, that the use of the Law [Page 209] in the regenerate is farre other­wise: for it guideth them to new obedience, which obedience may bee acceptable to God through Christ. And upon Gal: 3. 12. hee answereth this question; why the Lord saith, He that doth the things of the Law shall live: considering that no man since the fall can doe the things of the Law: and shew­eth that still the Lord repeateth his law in the olde tenure: 1. To teach that the law is of a con­stant and uncheangable nature: 2. to advertise us of our weak­nesse and shew us what wee can­not doe: 3. To put us in minde still to humble our selves, after we have begun by grace to obey the law; because even then wee come farre short in doing the things which the law requireth at our hands. And on verse 23. he inquireth, that now seeing faith is come, what is the guard whereby wee are now kept?

[Page 210] Answ. The precepts of the Morall Law. The sayings of the wise are as nayles, or stakes fast­ned, to range men in the compasse of their owne duties. Ecclesiast. 12. 11. And most plainely he coucheth our whole doctrine concerning the Law, in the ans­wer of our question upon vers. 15. eiusdem capitis. The questi­on is how farre the Morall Law is abrogated. Answer. Three wayes. 1. In respect of Iustifi­cation. 2. Of malediction. 3. In respect of rigour. For in them that are in Christ, God accept­eth the indeavour to obey for o­bedience it selfe. Neverthelesse (saith he) The Law as it is a rule of good life, is unchangable, and admitteth no abrogation: And Christ in this regard did by his death establish it. Rom. 5. 31.

And on c. 4. 5. The Law must be considered two wayes. First as a rule of life. Thus Angels [Page 211] are under the Law, and Adam before his fall, and the Saints now in heaven: and none yeeld more subjection to the Law than they, and this subjection is their liberty. Againe consider it as a grievous yoke three wayes, none can beare it, &c. And in his Treatise of conscience, cap. 2. saith, That the Morall Law bin­deth the consciences of all men, at all times to obedience.

The fifth is our learned and industrious Doctor Willet: Bel­larmin (saith he) is not ashamed to slaunder us, that wee af­firme christian liberty to stand herein, that we are altogether freed from the obedience and subjection of the Law: Vt Mo­ses cum suo decalogo nihil ad not pertinent. But we call God and all the world to record, that we wit­nes no such thing: knowing tha-Christ came not to dissolve, but to fulfill the Law. Here therefore Bellarmin fighteth with his owne [Page 212] shadow. But Christian liberty consisteth in three things that we are exempted: 1 From Ce­remonyes: 2 From the curse and guilt: 3 From the servi­tude and reigne of sinne. &c. And upon Exod. cap. 20. com­mandement 10. quest. 9. saith thus. The Morall Law is not now in force quoad justificatio­nem: that is, in respect of justi­fication; but it bindeth quoad obedientiam, in respect of obe­dience, for we are boūd to keep all the precepts of the Law: but yet quoad modum obedientiae et terrorem, in respect of terrour, and rigorous manner of obedi­ence we are not bound. &c.

The sixth is that grave and learned Bishop Downam, whom I must honourably mention, not onely for his worthy parts and labours in the Church; but in the speciall reference of a pain­full and worthy Tutor and tea­cher of my selfe in the Vniver­sity. [Page 213] That right Reverend Bi­shop, in his Treatise entituled, The doctrine of Christian liber­ty, doth exactly (as his manner is) open and cleare this whole doctrine, and in section or pa­ragraph 15. hath these words: The Papists charge us, that wee place Christian Liberty in this, that we are subject to no Law in our conscience, and before God, and that we are free from all necessity of doing good works, which is a most divelish slan­der; for though we teach that the obedience to the Law, is not required in us to Iustification: but that wee are free from the exaction of the Law in that be­halfe: yet we deny not, but that unto sanctification, the obedience of the Law is required, & we by necessity of duty bound to the ob­servation therof. And againe, We confesse to be free from obedience, is to be servants of sinne, and the willing & cheereful worship of God is true liberty.

[Page 214] And we acknowledge that the Morall Law of God is perpetu­all and immutable, and that this is an everlasting truth, that the creature is bound to worship and obey his Creator: and so much the more bound, as he hath re­ceived the greater benefits. And after, the more a man is assured of his free justification, the bet­ter he is enabled, and the more he is bound to obey it. And the Law hath singular use in them that are justified, 1. as a rule of direction for al obedience. 2 As a glasse of detection of our im­perfection to keepe us humble. 3 As a rod of correction in re­spect of he flesh and old man for mortification &c. And con­cludeth that section thus. We are therefore in our sanctificati­on freed, though not from the o­bedience; yet from the servi­tude and bondage of the Law, in three respects.

The seventh is, that learned [Page 215] Bishop Davenant a speciall or­nament of our Church, and one worthy to succeed that fa­mous Iewell in the sea of Salis­bury. In his elaborate com­mentary upon Coloss: hath these words on cap: 2. 14.Cum Chiro­graphum legis abr [...] ­gatum et deletum sit quoad vim damnato­riam, colli­gimus illud adhuc habe­re vim di [...]rectoriam: non igitur, &c. Seeing this handwriting of the Law is abrogated and abolished in re­spect of the damnatory power of it; wee gather that it yet retai­neth a directory power; wee may not therefore hence take to our selves a liberty to sinne, but an alacrity in our service to God, &c.

The eighth is, Bishop Cow­per▪ an ingenious and reverend Divine, who in his fruitfull Commentary on the 8. to the Romans, delivereth himselfe wholly unto us in this point, & in the end of the 4 verse hath these words:

Albeit by Christ we be de­livered from the curse of the Law, yet wee are not exempted [Page 216] from the obedience thereof. In re­spect of the one, the Apostle said, we are not under the Law, but under grace. In respect of the other he had said, that the Law is good, and our Saviour protesteth, he came not to de­stroy the Law, but to fulfill it, both in himselfe and his mem­bers, not onely by righteousnes imputed, but also inherent. For the Law stands to us as a rule of our life; wee love the holines thereof, and strive to conforme our selves unto it.

The ninth is that most sound and learned professour of Di­vinity in Basil, Amandus Pola­nus, who in the 6. booke of his Syntagma cap. 10. proveth the decalogue, which is the summe and substance of the Morall Law, to belong unto beleevers, and is of great use among Christians, by nine strong ar­guments. I will forbeare the recitall of them, because the [Page 217] booke is common, and easie to be consulted.

The tenth is learned Ame­sius, professour of Divinity in the Vniversity of Franeker, Quasi ab­rogata et quoad [...]im iustifican­di, et quo [...] vim con­demnandi, &c. who speaking of the Morall Law saith, that although in re­spect of the faithfull, it is as it were abrogated, both in respect of the power of justifiing which it had in the state of integrity: and in respect of the power of condemning, Valet tamē ac viget quoad vim dirigendi, et aliquam etiam vim retinet con­demnandi, quia pecca­tum arguit, et condem­nat [...]m ipsis fidelibus, quamvis, &c. which it had in the state of sin: yet it is of strength and force, in respect of the po­wer of directing. Yea, and it re­teineth (saith he) some power of condemning: because it re­buketh, and condemneth sinne, even in the faithfull: although it cannot indeed condemne the faithfull themselues, that are not under the Law, but under grace.

The Eleventh is Hieronimus Zanchius, a laborious and per­spicuous writer. Who in 1 Ioh. [Page 218] 2. saith,Observatio [...] Legis est ne­ [...]essaria Christiano homini, ne (que) a fide sepe­rari potest. that the observation of the Law is necessary to a christ­ian man: neither can it be sepe­rated from faith. And in his Common place on Eph. 2: Loco quinto de legis Mosaicae abroga­tione, sect. 9. speaking of the Morall Law saith, consider the substance of it, it is manifest that it is not abrogated: that is, that Christ hath not delivered us from our duty, whereby wee are bound according to the eternall will of God, to worship God, to love our neighbour, and to de­meane our selves honestly and modestly, &c. And after, If we consider the substance of the Law, that is, the summe of do­ctrine concerning piety; wee deny with Christ, that the Law is simply abrogated; who said, I came not to destroy the Law. But if wee consider the accidents which wee have de­clared, it is manifest that it is abrogated. Thus Mr. Zanchius [Page 219] wholly agreeth with us in our grounds laid downe for the o­pening of the point: cap. 2.

The twelfth is our owne worthy Estius, from whose learned tongue I received many gracious instructions in my youth whilest he lived in the Vniversity. This godly man in his exposition on the com­mandements, pag: 37. saith, That the Law shall keepe the use that ever it had since the fall till the generall resurrection, and therefore is as needful now to bee understood as at any time. To whom agreeth Bu­canus, who saith, that the Law in respect of the precepts of it shall not be abolished neither in this life, nor in the life to come; for God requireth per­petuall love both toward him­selfe, and toward the Creatour suo ordine, &c. loc. de lege.

All these worthies have pas­sed a joynt sentence against [Page 220] these violaters of Gods most righteous Law, and pro­nounce them guilty of high treason & transgression against the Lord; and of spreading scandalous words and wri­tings against the dignity, equi­ty and validity of his eternall Law; and so against himselfe the most righteous judge and authour of it: and in so high and presumptuous a sinne, in vaine expect they that any should pleade for them. It was Elies speech to his sonnes,1 Sam: 2. 12. sonnes of Belial, that is, lawlesse men, and Libertines, that knew not the Lord. If one man sinne against another, the Iudge shall judge it: but if a man sinne a­gainst the Lord, who shall pleade for him? verse 25. which im­plieth a sinne of an high nature directly against God, and ve­ry hardly forgiven: surely so is this sinne of an high nature di­rectly against the glory of [Page 221] God, and the majestie of his Law; yet upon their returne and repentance, as they have a Mediatour in heaven to pleade pardon, so also the Saints in earth cannot but pleade and pray for the pardon of those for whom Christ in hea­ven pleadeth: and even so is our earnest prayer that they may be helped out of their er­rour, and come backe into the way of truth. But in one sence (howsoever they applaud themselves) they have none to pleade for them, never a learned man, nor judicious Divine that came in my hands, or under mine eye in all my reading for these many yeares; nor any classicke authour that leaneth that way. I must needes witnesse to Mr. Calvin, that they learned not their de­lirium (as he calleth it) out of bookes. And if you will yet persist selfe-wise, and ascribe [Page 222] more to your selves, than to all the Protestant Divines of such singular learning and holinesse; then may you make use of my service in producing so many godly writers and witnesses a­gainst you;I have one of your franticke papers, that have accursed foure most worthy Preachers by name, and all the rest whom you are not at lei­sure to name, that are on their opi­nion and practise. to fill up your list and catalogue of false teachers that preach not Christ aright: and to the names of London Preachers, which your scanda­lous scattered papers, and lost libells mention as Pharisaicall enemies to the truth now by you discovered: you may put in Calvin, Beza, Whitakers, Perkins, and the rest of the godly Bishops, and renowned Doctours, who are so cleare also against that which you call truth. It will make a greater noise, that you can contemne such conquered adversaries: for what are your London Mini­sters to them? Much rather doe I wish you would in time consider how dangerous your [Page 223] way now is, while you rise up against the most impregnable, and unconquerable Law of God: how the Scripture bran­deth them for wicked men,Prov. 28, 4 that forsake the Law,Psal: 119, 15 and depart from the Law; and much more that disclaime and revile it. And if those that be partiall in the Law, that is, take some, and leave some, be made de­spised of God, Mal. 2. 9 and vile before all people: how much more shall those that reject it all, and in every part, bee justly branded (as you are) for a vile generation of men.

THese premises being all duely considered, it re­maineth that such as desire to learne Christ aright, should take his directions how to de­meane themselves towards his Law, which is so holy, just, and good. To which purpose it shall not be amisse to lay these grounds in our consciences, and order our selves by them.

First, That in the Liberty from the Law, consists the chiefe stay and comfort of a Christian; because being now [Page 225] freed from the guilt of sinne, from the curse of sinne, and from exaction of an inherent and personall righteousnesse to justification: hee may now without respect of his owne o­bedience, and without regard of any righteousnesse of his owne, relie upon the mercies of God, and merits of Christ, and challenge his righteous­nesse before God, with the the Apostle, Phil: 3 9.

Secondly, That upon this li­berty of justification, (wherein is no respect at all of our per­sonall obedience) issueth ano­ther liberty of sanctification; which is a freedome from the bondage and staine of sinne, not wholly and at once, (as is our justification) but in part and degrees: and here although the obedience of the Law be quite shut out of our justifica­tion, yet it is required unto sanctification, and we necessa­rily [Page 226] bound unto it; but not to bee thereby justified, seeing wee must necessarily be justi­fied before we can be obedi­ent.

Thirdly, that the Law is an eternall doctrine, Psal. 119. 89. and abides for ever; yea David saith, it endures for ever in heaven: that is, not onely his decree appeares stable by the govern­ment, and perpetuall Law which hee hath set in the hea­vens, and cannot be broken: but as Saint Basil expoundeth it, it abideth inviolably obser­ved by heavenly inhabitants, even the holy Angels them­selves: so as though it may be contradicted, controverted, and resisted by Libertines on earth; yet it is not abrogable for ever, but abideth stable in heauen. Doe the Angels in heaven observe it as a rule of holinesse, and doe not the Saints in heaven? doe they [Page 227] live by divers charters? And if the Saints in heaven, who have attained full perfection, and perfect sanctification, are bound to the Law, are the Saints in earth so perfect, as they are loose from it? Hath not Christ done as much for them as for these?

Fourthly, That the Law of God is the rule of godly life:Psal. 119. 24 in which regard holy David calleth it a counseller, and a directer unto good duties: and therefore wee must acknow­ledge the necessity of this part of the word. The Sunne is not more necessary for the day, nor the Moone to governe the night,Psal, 119, 105. nor a lanterne or candle for a darke house; than this part of the word, so long as wee are in the night of the world: for without this light we grope in the darke, nothing can be seene, no action can be well done, nothing wanting [Page 228] can be found, no crooked thing can be straightened, no streight thing tried; nay all our way in which this light of God shineth not, is darknesse, and tendeth to utter darknesse. The pillar of the cloud and of fire, was not more necessary to Is­rael in the wildernesse, for their station or motion to­wards Canaan, than is this shi­ning pillar of Gods Law to guide us unto heaven: and as it was their happinesse that their pillar lasted them till they entred Canaan; and it had not beene for their ease to have rejected it in their way: so ought we to esteeme our selves happy in the fruition of this holy doctrine, and direction; and on the contrary these Li­bertines to be unhappy men, who being in as darke, as heavie and dangerous a way, and wildernesse, put out their light, and breake to peeces, [Page 229] and cast away their lant­horne.

Fifthly, Being the rule of godly life, we must square all our duties thereby; even as a workman applieth his rule to every part of his worke, and declines not to the right hand or to the left: and holy wis­dome requireth no lesse, but that, that should be the square of all, which must bee the judge of all things done in the flesh be it good or evill. And hence is it that the LORD writeth his Law by his spi­rit in the spirits of the e­lect, and imprinteth it in the fleshly tables of their hearts, that all their motions, actions, and affections should be conformable unto it. But how doe these lawlesse men, affirming the Law to be whol­ly abolished, denie it to bee written in their owne hearts? and consequently that they [Page 230] want the spirit, promised to be sent into the hearts of the elect for this purpose: And that ei­ther themselves are none of the elect, or that the spirit is wanting in his office, which were an high blasphemy.

Sixthly, That as the Law is a reveiler of duty, so it is a re­veiler of sinne too: and disco­vers the sinfull defects of our best obedience. And because by the Law is the knowledge of sin, therefore by the obedience and works of the Law can no flesh be justified. That same Law that discovereth and condem­neth a traytor, cannot acquit him: and it were madnes for him to expect life, from that Law which hath sentenced him with death. Shall franticke Pa­pists ever finde life and righte­ousnesse by the works of that Law which condemns that ve­ry fact? And are not they next to fr [...]nzy, that after all this so [Page 231] open disclaiming it; would fa­sten upon us, that because wee teach the Law, wee therefore teach justification by the Law. Nay, we are so farre from con­senting to any such poysoned assertion. That when the Gos­pell promiseth salvation and e­ternall life, to repentance and good works, wee deny them promised to these, as perfor­mances of the Law, but only as they are fruits of lively faith, by which the promises of eter­nal life are apprehended.

Seventhly, that the Law be­ing a constant reveiler of sinne, wee must by the Law be still drawne neerer unto Christ: not onely by the Law to see our sinne, and in our sinne our need of Christ: but we must see the Law fulfilled for us in Christ: else can we never looke com­fortably towards the Law. And because it revelleth sinne: not [Page 232] onely before we come to Christ, to bring us first unto him, but it reverses sinne when we are come to Christ: wee must by it be brought to Christ still. And it is false that they say, that the Law is indeede a scoolemaster to bring us once unto Christ, but then wee have done with it, and it with us; for it must ever bring us to Christ▪ so long as by sinne wee estrange our selves from him, or him from us. That place in Galat. 3. 24, 25. nothing contrarieth our doctrine:Non am­plius sub paedagogo, quoad [...]u­stificatio­nem, dam­nationem, coactio­nem, sig­nificati­nem; sed quoad do­ctrinam, obedienti­am. Par. in locum. After faith came we were no longer under a school­master: that is, such a schoole­master as it was. The place is notably opened by learned Pa­reus, to whom for brevity sake I remit the Reader.

Eighthly, Wee must con­ceiue the Law in the substance of it, the image of God written in the heart of Adam in inno­cency, and by the finger of the [Page 233] same spirit written in the hearts of all the elect: and con­sequently must feare & tremble to sin against this Law, which floweth from the righteous na­ture of God, and the impug­ning of which is the violating of his owne image, and nature, so farre as wee can reach it. A man may breake the Prin­ces Law, and not violate his Person▪ but not Gods: for God and his image in his Law, are so straitly united, as one can­not wrong the one, and not the other.

Ninthly, Wee must frame our selves to love this righte­ous Law, for this image of God ingraven upon it: yea and the more that wicked men hate and resist it, the more that sonnes of Belial rise up against it; wee must love it the more, obey it so much the more, maintain and defend the power and honour of it, with so much [Page 234] the more zeale and earn estnesse, so did holy David, Ps. 119. 126. Wicked men have destroyed the Law, therefore I love it above fine gold; where the Prophet concludeth them enemies to God, that are enemies to the Law. And 2. that then is the time to pleade for God and his Law, when wicked men most oppose and oppresse it. Now then is the time when the godly must awaken them­selves not onely to observe, but also to preserve it.