The Office and Use of the Moral Law, Treatise · Commentary (1 of 3)

The Office and Use of the Moral Law · Treatise · Commentary (1 of 3)

p. 6Aduerſary of the Morall Law. foreign.SIr, you may well thinke me ſlacke in performance of my promiſe, and not vnlike but you in reſpect thereof thinke that I faint in the cauſe: but it is farre otherwiſe with me, for the more that I conſider of it, the more I am confirmed in the truth of it, and the more I diſcerne the many errors that riſe out of the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Goſpell.

Anſwer. Sir, how ſlacke you hauehave beene in performance of your promiſe I know not, but it ſeemes you hauehave made ſome recompence of your ſlackneſſe by your ſureneſſe (as you thinke) that you might iuſtifie and make good the common prouerbe, Though I be ſlow, yet am I ſure. And I wiſh you had beene as prouident to beſtow your ſtudies well, as you are confident that your cauſe is good; or that your confidence be not greater then either your cauſe, or your handling of it can wel afford; for what is there in this your cauſe, viz. [In the Church of Chriſt ſince his death, the whole law of Moſes is wholly aboliſhed and abrogated] that can aſſure you of any warrant for the truth of it? and what is there in your manner of dealing in it, that can bring p. 7you any comfort, or breed ſo great confidence in the ſo reſolute defence of the ſame? Had you drawne your pen, and ſharpened your ſtile either againſt the aaAuguſt. Quaeſt. Ʋeter. & Nov. Teſtam. quaeſt. 69.Ceremoniall Law, that it is wholly vaniſhed (as a ſhadow) becauſe the Body is exhibited; and aboliſhed (as a type) becauſe the truth is come Chriſt Ieſus; or againſt the bbEt cont. Adamant. cap. 16.Iudiciall, that it is abrogated alſo, ſo farre as it was peculiar to the Moſaicall and Iewiſh policy: you might peraduenture hauehave found ſome ſorry ccSee Dana. in Auguſt. de Haereſib. Centur. 2^•.Aduerſarie elſe-where, both of former and of latter times, but the moſt iudicious Diuines both ancient and moderne, you ſhould hauehave found your ſureſt friends. Nay further, had you beene of opinion, that euen the Morall law as it was giuen by God to Moſes, and by Moſes to the Church of the Iewes, is now in ſome circumſtances of time, place, perſons, tables, Teſtament, manner, meaſure, terror, rigor, and the like, **Ʋide Cal. Harmo. in 4. Lib. Moſis p. 442, 443, 444. See theſe Fathers Iren. aduerſ. Haereſ. Lib. 4. cap. 21. &c. Numquid haec decologi praecepta ceſſaſſe dicenda ſunt? Abſit, inquit Auguſtin. Quaeſt Vet. & Nov. Teſt. cap. 69. & in Gal. cap. 3.Gal 3altered and changed in the Church of Chriſt ſince his death: you would not I thinke hauehave found many (if any at all) much differing and diſſenting from you. But ſeeing you hauehave drawne out your ſword (ſuch as it is) againſt the whole Law of Moſes, not againſt the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall only, but euen againſt the Morall alſo, and that, not to alter or change it in ſome circumſtance, but to abrogate and aboliſh the very ſubſtance of it, and that not in part, but wholly too; I know not the man that will ſtand with you, ſtrike one ſtroake for you, or bid you ſo much as God ſpeed in this cauſe, or courſe. 11Numb. 12.Num 12When Aaron and Miriam roſe againſt Moſes in great bitterneſſe both of ſpirit and ſpeech, the Lord tooke them vp ſharply with this rebuke, My ſeruant Moſes is faithfull in all my houſe, how then were yee not afraid to ſpeake againſt my ſeruant Moſes? I make no doubt but euen at this day the Lord doth reckon of the Morall Law as of his ſeruant, yea and doth eſteeme it in his vſe a faithfull ſeruant in his Church alſo: how then were not you afraid to p. 8ſpeake, to write, to fight with all the wit and power you hauehave againſt the whole body of the Morall Law? and that not onelyonly to weaken the credit and power of it, but vtterly to aboliſh the very ſubſtance and being of it therewithall? Seemeth it a ſmall matter in your eies, abſolutely to aboliſh both Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Law, ddLex Chriſtianis eſt theſaurus abſcō ditus &c. vide Irenae. adverſ. Haer. lib. 4. cap. 43.which yet retaine a eeBulling. adverſ. Anabap. lib. 2. cap. 15. & lib. 4. cap. 4.ſpirituall and morall equity, and as they are part of Gods Word ſhall endure for euer, but you muſt needs deale in like ſort with the Morall Law alſo? You are farre I hope from 22Eſter. 3.5, 6.Hamans minde, though in this your courſes be not much vnlike: he thought ſcorne to lay hands on Mordecai alone, therefore he ſought to deſtroy the whole people of the Iewes in one day: and you thinke ſcorne to aboliſh the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall law alone, and therefore you ſeeke to deſtroy the whole Morall Law of God alſo. If 33Ierem. 11.19.Jer 11:19Ieremie held them to bee of a cruell diſpoſition, that deuiſed deuices againſt him, ſaying, Let vsus deſtroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let vsus cut him off from the land of the liuing, that his name be no more remembred: of what diſpoſition then ſhall wee take you to be, that would cut downe this tree of Gods Law, together with the fruit thereof, firſt ffManu formatoris noſtri, in ipſis cordibus noſtris veritas ſcripſit, Quod tibi non vis fieri, ne feceris alteri. Vide Auguſt. in Pſal. 57. verſ. 1.Ps 57:1planted in Paradiſe in the heart of Adam, ſome roots whereof doe yet remaine in the naturall man, which being ggLex Dei in cordibus ſcribitur, non quia per naturam praeventa ſit gratia, ſed quia per gratiam reparata eſt natura. Vide Auguſt. de vera Innocent. cap. 258.tranſplanted by grace into the heart of the regenerate and ſpirituall, and there rooted by faith, watered by the word, and warmed by the ſpirit, doe yeeld ſweet fruits of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe to the praiſe and glory of God by Chriſt Ieſus. But ſeeing we cannot ſtay your hand, let vsus ſee if we can take away the dint of your ſtroake, and abate the edge of your axe, wherewith you ſtrike to deſtroy the whole Morall Law. Wherein howſoeuer we may faile, yet are we well aſſured, that rather ſhall the head fly from the helue, and both fall into the bottomleſſe pit, and you p. 9cry out and confeſſe, as once one of the ſonnes of the 442 Kings 6.5.2 Kgs 6:5Prophets did in ſuch a caſe, Alas maſter, it was but borrowed, than euer this tree of the Morall law of God ſhall be hewen downe by your hands.

And firſt I cannot but admire againe your high conceit of your ſelfe, great confidence in your cauſe, and ſetled reſolution to hhElati, ſibi placentes, Hypocritae, quaeſtus gratiâ, & inanis gloriae, operantes. Omnes hi decidunt à veritate, alienum ignem afferentes ad altare Dei, i. alienas doctrinas. Vide Iren. aduerſus Haereſ. lib. 4. cap. 43.ſtand ſtoutly to the defence of it; for whereas your friend to whom you write might thinke that by reaſon of your ſlackneſſe, you did faint in the cauſe (as you obiect for him) you anſwer for your ſelfe in theſe words: But it is farre otherwiſe with me, for the more that I conſider of it, the more I am confirmed in the truth of it, and the more I diſcerne of the many errors that ariſe out of the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Goſpell. Bigge words, meſſengers of a braue heart. Your cauſe (concerning the whole aboliſhing of the whole Morall Law) is now no longer a bare aſſertion, but a ſetled perſwaſion, for you are confirmed in the truth of it, neither came you vntounto this by any light opinion, but by mature deliberation [for you hauehave more and more conſidered of it] and this conſideration hath brought you with it, a greater meaſure of illumination, for by the light of this truth you are able to diſcerne many errors which (by reaſon of their blinde ignorance) none elſe can ſee, but ſuch as you thinke good to lend your ſpectacles vntounto, to diſcouer them. And from all theſe ariſeth your courage and reſolution, that it is ſo farre from you to faint in the cauſe, that being more and more confirmed in the truth of it, you are now fully reſolued to ſet your beſt wits, and your friends aworke ſtoutly to maintaine and defend it. But what ſaid the 551 King. 20.11.1 Kgs 20:11King of Iſrael to the King of Syria, Let not him that girdeth on his harneſſe, boaſt himſelfe as he that putteth it off. Be not ſo confident that your building will ſtand, vnleſſe the foundation be ſure, and the frame ſound and good. If the 66Luc. 6.48, 49.Luke 6:48Luke 6:49foundation p. 10be …and, and the frame 771 Cor. 3.11, 12, 13, 14, 15.1 Cor 3:111 Cor 3:121 Cor 3:131 Cor 3:141 Cor 3:15hay and ſtubble, it will neuer abide the touch, much leſſe the force either of water or of fire. Many there are that build Caſtles in the aire, and thinke them to be turrets of truth and forts of defence: But when the Lord ſhall awaken them out of their dreame, and anoint their eies with the 88Reu. 3.18.Rev 3:18eie-ſalues of grace and 991 Ioh. 2.27.1 John 2:27truth, they ſhall then ſee that what they built was but vponupon the ſand of fancie, not vponupon the rocke of Faith, and their whole frame more like the 1010Gen. 11.4, 9.Gen 11:4Gen 11:9Tower of Babel, then the fort of 1111Cant. 4.4.Song 4:4Sion. For as 1212Prou. 18.11.Prov 18:11the Rich mans riches are his ſtrong tower, but only in his owne imagination; ſo are the poore mans fancies his fortreſſes of faith and truth, but alas only in his owne 1313Rom. 1.21. 2 Cor. 10.5.Rom 1:212 Cor 10:5vaine conceit and opinion.

But to make way vntounto your matter, you ſeeme to giuegive ſome reaſon of this your great confidence and reſolution,foreign. becauſe (ſay you) the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Goſpell, doth breed many errors which you hauehave diſcerned, and the true knowledge of this difference keepeth all Chriſtian doctrine in its proper vſe. And for this you cite Luther on Galat. 3 21. Anſwer. Your ignorance of this difference hath bred this your error touching the vtter aboliſhing of the Morall Law, as iiIrena. adverſ. Haereſ. lib. 3. cap. 12. Et ea quae eſt ſec. Moſen Lex, & Gratia Noui Teſt. utraque apta temporibus, ad utilitatem humani generis, ab uno & eodem praeſtita Deo. Irenaeus adverſ. Hereſ lib. 3. cap. 12.Ierenaeus obſerued of the Marcioniſts: Omnes qui ſunt malae ſententiae, Moſis legem diffimilem & contrariam Euangelij doctrina arbitrantes, jam non ſunt converſi ut differentiae utrinſque Teſtamenti inquirerent cauſas. You ſhall anon hauehave a particular anſwer to your owne reaſon. But firſt of all, ſeeing you hauehave appealed vntounto Luther, vntounto Luther ſhall you goe. That which you alledge out of him on Gal. 3.21. we doe willingly acknowledge as good, and wholſome doctrine; which how little it will ſtand you in ſtead, nay how much rather it ſtands againſt your opinion, you ſhall heare by and by, if firſt wee may heare Luther plainly deliuer his iudgement touching the aboliſhing or continuing of the morall Law. Writing vponupon the p. 11ſame Epiſtle and chapter which you cite, and verſ. 24. he hath (as you may reade) theſe words: The kkLuth. in Gal. 3. verſ. 24.Gal 3:24true vſe of the Law is to teach me, that I am brought to the knowledge of my ſinne and humbled, that ſo I may come vntounto Chriſt and be iuſtified by faith. But faith is neither Law nor worke, but an aſſured confidence which apprehendeth Chriſt who is the end of the Law, Rom. 10. And how? not that he hath aboliſhed the old Law, and giuen a New, or that he is a Iudge that muſt be pacified by workes, as the Papiſts hauehave taught, but he is the end of the Law to all thoſe that beleeue, that is to ſay, eueryevery one that beleeueth in him is righteous, and the Law ſhall neuer accuſe him; The Law then is good, holy and iuſt, ſo that a man vſe it as he ſhould doe. By which euidence we may iuſtly giuegive ſentence both againſt your opinion (for the whole aboliſhing of the whole Morall Law) and againſt your allegation alſo out of Luther, vponupon whom you would father the baſe and baſtard fruit of your owne braine, to make it either more plauſible or more probable by this meanes:Seuen Obſeruations out of Luthers allegation. for may we not hence moſt euidently conclude that Luthers iudgement concerning the Morall Law is this: firſt, that it is not aboliſhed: ſecondly, that it is of good vſe: thirdly, that it ſerueth to bring vsus to the knowledge and ſenſe of ſinne: fourthly, that it driueth vsus out of our ſelues and our owne righteouſneſſe which is of the Law, to ſeeke for righteouſneſſe by faith in Chriſt only: fiftly,Jrenaeus is of the ſame iudgement for eſtabliſhing the Morall Law. In lege & in Euangelio primum & maximum praeceptum eſt, Diligere Dominum Deum ex toto corde. Irenaeus adverſ. Hareſ. lib. 3. cap. 25, 26 that Chriſt hath not aboliſhed the old Law: ſixtly, that the Law may be ſaid to be at an end in Chriſt, becauſe as it cannot iuſtifie, ſo can it not iuſtly accuſe or terrifie any that are righteous by faith in him: laſtly, that the Goſpell doth not aboliſh the nature and right vſe of the Law, (for according to the Apoſtle, the Law is holy, iuſt, and good) but only taketh out of the hearts of true beleeuers the accuſing and accurſing power of it. Which points being ſo apparantly contrarie to your poſition. p. 12I hauehave the more fully and diſtinctly ſet downe for your better ſatisfaction, that you may either let fall your opinion, ſeeing you hauehave Luthers both heart and hand againſt it, or elſe neuer run againe vnderunder his wing to ſeeke for any ſuccour or ſhelter for the ſame. I now come vntounto your reaſon which you ſeeme to alledge for your ſo great confidence in this cauſe:foreign. namely, Becauſe the ignorance of the true difference betweene the Law and the Goſpell doth breed many errors, which you ſay you hauehave already diſcerned, and the true knowledge of this difference keepeth all Chriſtian doctrine in its proper vſe.

Anſwer. In which words what doe you elſe but eſtabliſh that which you goe about to aboliſh? For whiles you ſay you diſcerne many errors to ariſe out of the ignorance, and much good to come in, by the knowledge of the difference betweene the Law and the Goſpell, doe you not ſee your owne error and ignorance herein alſo, that laying it downe in your poſition for ſound and true doctrine [that the whole law of Moſes is wholly aboliſhed] you notwithſtanding doe acknowledge not only that the mmErgo Lex Creatoris etiam ab Adverſario probata eſt: nec diſpeadium ſed compendium ab eo conſecuta eſt. Tertul. adverſ. Marcion. lib. 5. cap. 4.Law is, but alſo that it is of good, and great vſe, pulling downe with the one hand that which you hauehave built, or would build with the other: for if the whole Law of Moſes be aboliſhed, then the ignorance of it will breed no error, nor the knowledge of it can build no truth: for young Logicians can tell vsus, that Non entis non eſt actio nee ſcientia.

Againe, if the whole Law be wholly aboliſhed, it is not poſſible it ſhould be diſtinguiſhed by any difference from the Goſpell; for as Non entis non eſt ſcientia, ſo Non entis non eſt differentia. What difference can be deſigned betwixt that which is not, and that which is, that which is wholly aboliſhed, and that which is eſtabliſhed? If you ſay as before, that the difference of the Law from the Goſpell may be knowne and acknowledged, and be of good and great vſe; then I ſay you are too p. 13bold in your aſſertion to maintaine that the whole Law is wholly aboliſhed: for if this were true, you leaue the Law neither breath nor being, neither nature nor vſe, neither ſubſtance nor circumſtance, neither difference nor nnforeign. Diog. Laert. lib. 9. p. 694.Accidence; neither place in the booke of God, nor ſo much as a nights lodging vnderunder the roofe of the Church of God. Which to affirme becauſe it were both abſurd and impious, I hope vponupon better aduice you will ſee, and acknowledge, that your point was cut out too long and too large, when you thus ſet it "downe. The point is this, That the whole Law of Moſes "is wholly aboliſhed: & the rather, becauſe you hauehave now cut it ſhorter & narrower with your owne hands, telling vsus that it is not aboliſhed [for it is] nor wholly aboliſhed [for it is of good vſe] it hath eſſence and difference, and may be knowne, and not onelyonly knowne in it ſelfe, but diſtinguiſhed from the Goſpell, and the diſtinct knowledge hereof ſo profitable and needfull, that the ignorance hereof is a mother of many errors dangerous and hurtful. If I acknowledge this with you for a truth, then muſt you acknowledge with me your poſition for an error, and if you will hauehave your poſition [That the whole Law is wholly aboliſhed] to be true, then is all this that you hauehave ſpoken of the profitable and neceſſary knowledge of the difference of the Law and the Goſpell falſe. You ſeeme to boaſt that you faint not in the cauſe, and that you are confirmed in the truth of it, but conſider I pray you, whether you faile not in your ooHieron. adverſus Ruffin. p. 218.courſe, ſeeing you doe not onelyonly trip and interfere, but ſtumble and fall at your firſt ſetting forth: **Statim de portu egrediens navem impegit. So ſaid Ierome to Ruffin, & I vntounto you. Cic. Tuſcul. lib. 1.Is the truth diuided, or doth the truth differ from it ſelfe. **Statim de portu egrediens navem impegit. So ſaid Ierome to Ruffin, & I vntounto you. Cic. Tuſcul. lib. 1.I ſee a man may take a fall though he doe not faint; and thinke himſelfe confirmed in the truth, when he is vnſetled in vncertainties, and diuided from it. Pugnantia te loqui non vides? ubi eſt acumen tuum? But to recouer your ſelfe againe you ſay, Luther agreeth with you in this point: How ſhould Luther agree with him that cannot p. 14agree with himſelfe? But how or wherein doth he agree with you? Antinom.That the point is of great conſequence, and very neceſſary to be knowne of all that truly ſeeke Chriſt Ieſus. Anſwer. What point? his, or yours? His point is, That the knowledge of the difference of the offices of the Law and Goſpell is of good and great vſe, for preſeruing of true Chriſtian doctrine, for iudging of all kinde of life and lawes of men, and for triall of ſpirits: And all this we willingly grant, & aſſent vntounto. And how I pray you "doth this point agree with yours; [That the whole Law "of Moſes is wholly aboliſhed?] Nay doth it not rather pull yours in peeces, and wholly deuoure your whole Law, and your wholly too? As ppExod. 7.12Exod 7:12Aarons rod deuoured the rods of the Inchanters of Aegypt? Luthers rod hath this truth written vponupon it, The Law of Moſes is of great and good vſe; therfore it deuoures yours which "beares engrauen vponupon it this error, The whole Law of "Moſes is wholly aboliſhed. But take you good leaue to make your owne Argument your ſelfe, and let vsus ſee of what ſtrength and conſequence it will be. Luther (ſay you) **Antinom.affirmeth that the Law of Moſes is of good and great vſe, for preſeruing of true Chriſtian doctrine, for iudging of all kinde of life and lawes of men, and for triall of ſpirits: Therefore you conclude that he agreeth with you in this point; That the whole Law of Moſes is wholly aboliſhed. **Anſwere.As much agreement there may be betwixt fire and water, light and darkneſſe, truth and error, as betwixt his Antecedent, and your conſequent. Will you ſee what life and light, ſinewes and ioynts it hath, by another like vntounto it. The Ancient Canons of the 4. firſt generall qq1. Concil. Nicen. 2. Conſtantinop. 3. Epheſin. & 4. Chalcedon. Ʋide Euſeb. de vita Conſtant. lib. 3. cap. 7. Theodoret. Eccleſ. Hiſt. lib. 5. cap. 6. & 9. Euagr. Hiſtor. Eccleſ. lib. 2. cap. 4.Counſells are of great and good vſe, for preſeruing of true doctrine, for iudging all kinde of life, lawes, and opinions of men, and for triall of ſpirits. Ergo, All the Canons of the firſt 4. generall Counſels are wholly aboliſhed and abrogated. What connexion is here betwixt the Antecedent, and the conſequent? Would not the cleane contrarie be p. 15more neceſſarily concluded; Ergo, All the Canons of the 4. firſt generall Councels are yet in force, and neither wholly nor in part aboliſhed, nor abrogated. Non rrCicero lib 4. Acad. quaſt.ovum ovo ſimilius quàm Servilius Servilio: One egge is not more like another, then this Argument is like to yours. And what thinke you of this; Luther himſelfe on Gal. 3. (the ſame chapter which you alledge for you) doth moſt euidently fight againſt you.ſſLuth. on Gal. 3. fol. 131, 152.Gal 3 There is (ſaith he) a double vſe of the Law, the firſt vſe is to bridle the wicked and to reſtraine ſinne, as men vſe to reſtraine Lions and Beares with bonds and chaines, that they teare and diuoure not eueryevery thing they meet. And this he calleth a ciuill vſe of the Law. Another vſe of the Law is diuine and ſpirituall, which is (as Paul ſaith) to increaſe tranſgreſſion, i. o reueale vntounto man his ſinne, his blindnes, his miſerie, his impietie, his ignorance, hatred and contempt of God, death, hell, iudgement, and the deſerued wrath of God. Of this vſe the Apoſtle intreateth notably in the 7. to the Romans. Luther you ſee doth otherwiſe iudge of colours then you doe: certainly either your eyes were not matches, or your ſpectacles not of the ſame, nor ſo true a ſight as his were. You ſay the whole Law is wholly aboliſhed: he ſaith, and not onelyonly faith it, but proueth it by Scripture too, That it is not wholly aboliſhed, but hath yet his double vſe both ciuill and ſpirituall. ttQuint. Orat. Inſtit. lib. 5. cap. 12. Aſc…nius Paedi. in Cic. Orat. pro M. Scauro. Valerius Max, lib. 3. cap. 7.Q. Varus Hiſpanus Marcum Scaurum Principem Senatus, ſocios in arma, ait, concitaſſe: Marcus Scaurus princeps Senatus negat: vtri vos, Quirites convenit credere? You (I know not who) ſay, that Luther a Captaine of the Lords hoaſt, hath both ſtirred vp others, and taken armes himſelfe for the aboliſhing of the whole Morall Law; Luther a leader of the Lords armies doth vtterly denie it; whether of you two ſhould now be better credited let the Chriſtian reader iudge. But it may be you take hold of this, that Luther mentioneth the uuLuth. on Gal. 4.27. fol. 222.Gal 4:27aboliſhing of the Law, ſaying it is neceſſary to know and vnderſtand well the doctrine p. 16of the aboliſhment of the Law, &c. Gal. 4.27. Men that are in danger of falling or drowning, will catch at any thing which may ſeeme to helpe them, although it be vtterly vnable to doe them any good. So ſaid xxHieron. adverſ. Ruffin. Apol. lib. 2.Ierome of Ruffinus, Tantum me diligit ut raptus turbine & in profundum dimerſus, meum potiſſimum invadat pedem, ut mecum aut liberetur aut pereat. You catch at this word Aboliſhment of the Law, and yet it will neither ſtay you, nor ſtand you in any ſtead, for Luther ſpeakes only of the aboliſhing of certaine vſes of the Law, as, for righteouſneſſe, iuſtification, life and ſaluation, for terrifying, accuſing, condemning thoſe that are iuſtified by faith in Chriſt Ieſus; ſo farre he acknowledgeth, and we with him, that the **Calu. de uſu legis. Harmon. in 4. Libros Moſis. p. 442 Auguſt. de Spiritu & litera. cap. 4. & 5. & 10.Morall Law for theſe offices and vſes is aboliſhed. The very light and euidence of the oppoſition, which in the ſame ſentence he maketh betwixt Moſes and Chriſt, workes and faith, ſeruitude by the Law, and libertie by the Goſpell, iuſtification and condemnation, terrors and conflicts of conſcience, and ſound and certaine conſolation of the ſame, might hauehave manifeſted and made knowne thus much vntounto you, had you been as carefull to ſeeke the truth of his doctrine, and to taſte his true meaning in it, as you were willing to feed your owne fancie only with the bare letters, and leaues of it. yyTertul. Scorpi…c. adverſ. Gnoſtic. cap. 7.Tertullian ſaith, Verba non ſono ſolo ſapiunt, ſed & ſenſu: nec auribus tantùm audienda ſunt, ſed & mentibus. As zzHieron. in Gal. 1. Non in verbis ſed in ſenſu, non in ſuperficie ſed in medulla, non in ſermonum folijs ſed in radice rationis. pag. 162.Gal 1Ierome ſaid of the ſenſe of the Scripture, it is not in cortice orationis, ſed in radice rationis, ſo may we ſay of mens writings, we muſt ſeeke for the meaning, by the matter as well as by the letter; and lend our eares to liſten and obſerue what they deſire to ſpeake, and not make them ſpeake only what we deſire to heare; vnleſſe we will be like little children who hauing ſome fancie running in their heads, imagine the bells to ring and ſing as they thinke and ſpeake. Let me in louelove aduiſe you, when you alledge an Author p. 17to giuegive euidence for any point, bring not in teſtem ſine teſtimonio, a man that hath nothing to ſay for you, much more take heed you call not in ſuch to ſpeake in your cauſe, as are oppoſites and aduerſaries vntounto it, and cannot but ſpeake what they hauehave heard and ſeene, and ſet both heart and hand againſt you. Let Luther your firſt witneſſe ſecond my aduice, and if you will ſuffer him to ſpeake, he will diſcouer your ſtrange dealing, in bringing him to giuegive euidence againſt his conſcience, and to ſpeake to your minde that which he neuer meant. aaLuth. on Gal. 4.27. p. 223.Gal 4:27In the very next page to the words which you alledge as his opinion, that the whole Law of Moſes is wholly aboliſhed, he thus cleereth himſelfe: We ſay that the Morall Law, or the law of the ten Commandements hath no power to accuſe and terrifie the conſcience in which Chriſt Ieſus raigneth by his grace, for he hath aboliſhed the power thereof. Marke well his words. What hath Chriſt aboliſhed? The power of the Morall Law, not the Law it ſelfe, nor the whole Law wholly, but the power of it: and what power? not all power, but the power of accuſing, terrifying and condemning: and in whom hath it loſt this power? not in the wicked, vnregenerate, and reprobate, but in that conſcience in which Chriſt raigneth by his grace. And in the page following bbLuth. on Gal. 4.27. p. 223. b.Gal 4:27he hath theſe words to the ſame purpoſe; When our ſinne is pardoned through Chriſt who is Lord of the Law, the Law being a ſeruant, hath no more power to accuſe and condemne vsus for ſinne, and wee are now made free, foraſmuch as the Sonne hath deliuered vsus from bondage. And in this ſenſe both he, and we, doe acknowledge that the Law is wholly aboliſhed to them that beleeue in Chriſt Ieſus, notwithſtanding, ccProſectò illam Dei legem, non ſolum illi tunc populo, verùm etiam nunc Nobis, ad inſtituendam rectè vitam neceſſariam, nemo dubitaverit. Aug. Lib. 3. contra duas Epiſtol. Pel. ad Bonifac. cap. 4. & lib. 4. cap. 5.it remaineth ſtill in force for ſome ſpeciall offices and vſes, both againſt the wicked, and for the godly, and that not only to driue them vntounto Chriſt, vponupon ſight and ſenſe of their miſerie, to ſeeke for releefe in his obedience; but to direct them p. 18alſo how to walke aright in the waies of God, when they are once come vntounto him. Yea and further alſo, (becauſe in many things we ſinne all, and there is no man that ſinneth not) the beſt of Gods children, euen after their effectuall calling and conuerſion, ſtand in need of ſome of the ddHieron. Auguſtino Tom. 2. p. 341.offices of the Law, as 1. to know the eeRom. 7.7.Rom 7:7nature and qualitie, manner and meaſure of their ſinne by the ffIam. 1.23.25.Jas 1:23Jas 1:25glaſſe of the law, for as Paul knew that concupiſcence (euen without conſent) was ſinne, becauſe the Law (that is, the tenth Commandement) ſaith, Thou ſhalt not couet: ſo he that will finde out his ſinne, muſt diſcouer it by the light, and meaſure it by the line of Gods law, for ſinne (ſaith gg1 Iohn 3.4.1 John 3:4Iohn) is tranſgreſſion of the Law, 1 Ioh. 3.4. and Paul affirmeth, that where no Law is, there is no tranſgreſſion, Rom. 4.15.2. It ſerueth alſo to hhAd hoc lex data eſt, ut ſuperbo ſuam infirmitatem nota faceret, &c. vide plura apud Aug. de poenit medicina c. 1.conuince the conſcience, to afflict the heart, to breake the ſpirits & ſubdue the pride euen of godly and gratious men, and all this only to humble them, not to diſcourage them, to make them to remember and conſider whence and whither they are iiReu. 2.5.Rev 2:5fallen, that they may repent, doe their firſt workes, and recouer their firſt louelove, and that in the ſenſe of their miſerie (when the Lord ſhall powre the kkZach. 12.10.Zech 12:10ſpirit of Grace and ſupplications vponupon them) they may looke vponupon him whom they hauehave pierced, and mourning ouer him, may ſeeke and ſue for mercy and refreſhing from him alone that hath promiſed to heale the llIſay 61.1.Isa 61:1broken hearted, to eaſe the burdened, and to mmMath. 11.28.Matt 11:28refreſh them that are tired with the labour, or wearied in the waies of ſinne. Thus did the nnLuk. 15.18, 19.Luke 15:18Luke 15:19Prodigall, I will goe vntounto my father. Thus did Adulterous ooHoſ. 2.7.Hos 2:7Iſrael, I will returne vntounto my firſt husband, for then was it better with me then now, Hoſ. 2.7. And hereunto ppLuth. on Gal. 3.19. fol. 154. b.Gal 3:19Luther giueth further teſtimonie, Gal. 3.19. The Law is as a glaſſe that ſheweth vntounto a man himſelfe, that he is a ſinner, guiltie of death, and worthy of Gods euerlaſting wrath and indignation. To what end ſerueth this humbling, this bruiſing and beating p. 19downe by this hammer, the Law I meane? To this end, that we may hauehave an enterance vntounto grace. So then the qqSo alſo ſaith Aug. epiſt. 89. ad Hilarium. Iubet ideo ut facere juſſa conati, & in noſtra infirmitate ſub lege fatigati adjutorium gratiae poſcere noverimus. vide etiā Auguſt. Tract. 17. in Joh.Law is a Miniſter that prepareth the way to Grace, for God is the God of the humble, the miſerable, the afflicted, &c. Can there be any more plaine & pregnant euidence to conuince you of error in this your opinion [That the whole Law is wholly aboliſhed] then this which is given in againſt you, by your owne witneſſe, that it is not only yet continued, but alſo for ſo neceſſarie vſes, offices, and ſeruices, for euer eſtabliſhed? euen ſo long as there ſhall be any need for a ſinner to be humbled, and of a rrVeniat Medicus & ſanet aegrotes. Medicus quis eſt? Dominus noſter Jeſus Chriſtus. — — Auguſt. in Eua. Ioh. Tract. 3.Sauiour to be ſought vntounto. And yet if all this be too little, hearken to his admonition, and obſerue his proteſtation touching this particular, and you ſhall yet hauehave a more ample and effectuall ſatisfaction and conuiction in the ſame. ſſLuth. on Gal. 3.19. fol. 153. b.Gal 3:19Luther on Gal. 3.19. Here I admoniſh (ſaith he) all ſuch as feare God, and eſpecially ſuch as ſhall become teachers of others hereafter, that they diligently learne out of Paul, to vnderſtand the true and proper vſe of the Law, which, I feare after our time will be trodden vnderunder foot, and vtterly aboliſhed by the enemies of the truth. Hearken I pray you to this admonition, and trie the truth of your opinion by theſe foure points contained in it. 1. That yet there is a true and proper vſe of the Law. 2. That Paul the Apoſtle doth teach what the true and proper vſe of the Law is. 3. That all that feare God, eſpecially Miniſters, ought to learne it, as he doth teach it. 4. That they are enemies of the truth, that goe about to tread it vnderunder foot and to aboliſh it. And now obſerue his proteſtation: ttLuth. on Gal. cap. 3.19. fo. 154. a.Gal 3:19Foraſmuch as we teach thoſe things both diligently and faithfully, we doe therefore plainly teſtifie, that we reiect not the Law and workes, as our Aduerſaries doe falſly accuſe vsus, but we doe altogether eſtabliſh the Law, and require the workes thereof, and we ſay that the Law is good and profitable. Put your poſition in the ballance and ſcale with this proteſtation, p. 20and it will be found lighter then vanitie it ſelfe: For firſt whereas you ſay the law is abrogated, as if it were now of no vſe at all, Luther ſaith, it is good and profitable. Secondly, where you ſay the whole Law is wholly aboliſhed (as if you would place it in the ſame condition with Rahels children for which ſhe mourned becauſe they were not) Luther ſaith, We doe altogether eſtabliſh the Law, and require the workes of it. Thirdly, whereas you charge Luther to be one that goeth about to aboliſh or reiect the Law, he takes you for no friend, but for an Aduerſary in ſo doing, and reckons no other of your allegation out of him, but as a falſe accuſation laid againſt him.

Antinom.But if Luther will not ſerue your turne, you can make a freſh ſupplie by Toſſanus and Gualter, whom you hauehave ſet to ſtand in ſubſidiis paulo poſt principium: And what helpe can you hauehave from them, that ſpeake nothing more in your cauſe, nay much leſſe (if leſſe can be) then Luther did; for where uuToſſan. in 2. Cor. cap. 3.2 Cor 3Toſſanus ſaith, Licet unus ſit Deus, & una ſemper fuerit Eccleſia, idemque ſubſtantiâ foedus, varia tamen hujus diſpenſatio fuit, ut aliter agitur cum homine in infantia, aliter in adoleſcentia, aliter in matura aetate; and you would hereupon conclude, that the whole law of Moſes is therefore wholly aboliſhed; Anſwer. doe you not ſee how feeble and weake this collection and concluſion is? The words themſelues beſides the light which the Simile addeth thereunto, might hauehave ſhewne you ſo much at the firſt view, if you had with any heed and diligence looked vponupon them: for when he granteth that the xxSo doth Aug. contra Adverſa. Leg. lib. 1. cap. 17.Couenant both before and ſince the comming of Chriſt for ſubſtance is the ſame, differing only in the manner of diſpenſation,Novum Teſtam. in veteri eſt figuratum, & Vetus in Novo eſt reuelatū. Vide Hyper. in Heb. cap. 3. p. 158.Heb 3 or adminiſtration, doth he not plainly confirme the contrarie to your concluſion? viz. "Therefore the whole Law of Moſes ſince the death of "Christ is wholly aboliſhed: For how can that which for ſubſtance is the ſame, be ſaid to be wholly aboliſhed? p. 21And how can that be wholly aboliſhed, which only in ſome circumſtance is altered & changed? An vtter abolition argues a deſtruction of the ſubſtance. A diuers diſpenſation intimates only an alteration of that which for ſubſtance remaineth the ſame ſtill. And this the Simile which he annexeth may teach you, vnleſſe you will denie that Samuel yy1 Sam 3.1.1 Sam 3:1ſtanding before Eli, is not the ſame Samuel which his mother Hannah zz1 Sam. 1.23.1 Sam 1:23nurſed, becauſe he is now of riper age, weareth a linnen Ephod, and eateth of the Prieſts portion, whereas then he was a Babe in a childes coat, and had no other meat but milke which he ſucked from his mothers breſts. After this manner ſaith Toſſanus may we iudge of the Couenant, Idem Deus, eadem ſemper Eccleſia, idémque ſubſtantiâ foedus. But God our Father dealeth with his Church as with his childe. In her aaEzek. 16.Ezek 16infancie hee feedeth her with bb1 Cor. 3.2.1 Cor 3:2milke, in her riper age with ccHeb. 5.14.Heb 5:14ſtrong meat, or as a father nourtureth his ſonne in his minority, He keepes him vnderunder ddGal. 4.1.Gal 4:1Tutors though he be Lord of all, but when the time appointed of the Father is come, he ſets him at libertie, and puts him in poſſeſſion of the inheritance prouided for him. The Iewes were as the Lords childe, eeExod. 4.22.Exod 4:22Iſrael is my firſt borne, heires of the ſame promiſes, and hauing intereſt in the ſame ff1 Cor. 10.1, 2, 3.1 Cor 10:11 Cor 10:21 Cor 10:3Couenant of grace with vsus, but they were but in their ggGal. 4.3.Gal 4:3infancie and minoritie in compariſon of the Church vnderunder the Goſpell, fed with carnall and with earthly things, and vnderunder the regiment of Moſes Lawes, and Ceremonies, as vnderunder ſo many ſeuere Tutors, and ſharpe hhGal. 3.24.Gal 3:24Schoolemaſters, taught as it were, the principles of Religion by iiHeb. 10.1.Heb 10:1Types and figures kept kkGal. 4.9.Gal 4:9in bondage vnderunder the rudiments of the world, preſſed and oppreſſed with an intolerable llActs 15.10. Vide Iuſtin. M. Dialog. cum Tryphone Iudeo.Acts 15:10burden of Legall and Leuiticall rites and ordinances, and all this to breake the ſpirits of a mmforeign. Iuſtin Mart. Dial. cum Tryphon. Jud. p. 205.ſtiffnecked people, to conuince them of all vnrighteouſneſſe, to humble them by the rigour of the Law, and the terror of the Curſe, p. 22and either to lead or driue them to ſeeke for life and libertie, righteouſneſſe and happineſſe in Chriſt alone, as he was darkly ſhadowed vntounto them in their ceremonies and ſacrifices, and in the fulneſſe of time ſhould be exhibited in great power and vertue, beautie and glorie. To this very purpoſe doth the ſame Toſſanus alledge out of 1 Cor. 2. and 2 Cor. 3. That the Goſpell hath his proper and peculiar glorie, and that aboue the Law. Cùm non ſit literale ſolum Miniſterium aliquod jubens, ſed conjunctam habeat efficaciam & foreign ſpiritus ſancti. Which we willingly yeeld and aſſent vntounto, ſeeing the law contained in the 10. Commandements did exact abſolute obedience, but gaue neither promiſe nor power of grace to performe it: But the Goſpell in the nnHeb. 8.10.Heb 8:10Couenant of grace, requiring vsus to ooMarc. 1.15.Mark 1:15repent, and beleeue the Goſpell, promiſeth and powreth out vponupon vsus the ſpirit ppEzek. 36.26, 27. Zach. 12.10.Ezek 36:26Ezek 36:27Zech 12:10of grace to worke this repentance and faith in vsus, and to cauſe vsus to walke in his Statutes, and to keepe vsus that we doe not depart from him any more. And in this ſenſe the Apoſtle ſaith of the qqRom. 6.14.Rom 6:14Romans and all true beleeuers, You are not vnderunder the rrLex j…bere novit, Gratia juvare. Aug. ad Innocent. Epiſt. 95.Law, but vnderunder grace. As it he had ſaid, neither doth the Lord now vrge, nor doe you now accept of the Law, vponupon the former condition (Doe this and liue) as if we were to ſeeke iuſtification and ſaluation by the workes of it, but the Lord hath left it, and we receiue it as ſſPſal. 119.105.Ps 119:105A light vntounto our feet, and a lanthorne to o…r ſteps, that being his ttEpheſ. 2.10.Eph 2:10workemanſhip in our new birth created vntounto good workes, which God hath ordained that we ſhould walke in them, we might hauehave ſome good helpe by the law uuRom. 12.2. Rom. 13.9, 10.Rom 12:2Rom 13:9Rom 13:10to proue what is the good and acceptable will of God, and ſo viewing our faces in this xxIam 1.23, 25.Jas 1:23Jas 1:25Glaſſe, and in that alſo of the yyTit. 2.11.Titus 2:11grace of God which hath appeared vntounto vsus, we might learne to deny vngodlineſſe and worldly luſts, and to liue religiouſly, ſoberly and righteouſly in this preſent world. Thus may you ſee that the teſtimonie which Toſſanus is brought in to giuegive on your behalfe, will p. 23not ſtand you in any ſtead to procure any credit or to adde any ſtrength vntounto your cauſe; and as little either comfort or helpe doth that afford you which **Antinom. Gualt. in Gal 3. ver. 20.Gal 3:20you alledge out of Gualter to the ſame (that is as I conceiue) to as little or no purpoſe; for in the place you cite on Gal. 3.19, 20. ſpeaking of the Law, Quae duravit ad tempus, quamdiu ejus uſus fuit; he meaneth the old Teſtament or Moſaicall gouernment, which conſiſteth in the ſubſtance of the Ceremoniall, and in ſome circumſtances of the Morall Law; and this (we grant) was but to endure for zzSee Tertullian …dverſ. Iudaeos cap. 3.4.5 6.a time, viz. vntill the comming of Chriſt. Which to be the true ſenſe and meaning of the words, appeareth moſt euidently by three oppoſite clauſes, which follow in the very words which you alledge. 1. At aaGualt. in Gal 3.19, 20.Gal 3:19Gal 3:20nunc novi Teſtamenti tempus eſt] therefore he ſpeaketh in the former words of the old Teſtament.bbHaec Occonomia abrogatur. Bez. in Gal. 3.24. & in Gal. 4.1.Gal 3:24Gal 4:1 2. Quando lex & Prophetae Euangelio cedunt] therefore he ſpeaketh of the Moſaicall gouernment; the Ceremonies and Circumſtances whereof, were all aboliſhed, and all the Prophecies thereof accompliſhed at the comming of him that was the ccHeb. 10.1. Ioh. 1.17.Heb 101 John 1:17truth of thoſe Types, the ſubſtance of thoſe ddCol. 2.17.Col 2:17ſhadowes, yea the aime and eeRom 10.4.Rom 10:4end of the Law and the Prophets, Chriſt Ieſus. 3. Vt tam gentibus, quàm Iudaeorum reliquijs in regnum Dei vim facientibus locum dent,] therefore he meaneth, not (as you would hauehave him) that the Morall Law is wholly aboliſhed, but only ſo much of Moſes Law, as made any difference betwixt **Epheſ. 2.14, 15. Col. 2.14.17.Eph 2:14Eph 2:15Col 2:14Col 2:17Iewes and Gentiles, or might proue any hinderance to their happie enterance into the kingdome of God, ſo much only is vaniſhed away as a cloud, or miſt, at the riſing of the ffMalac. 4.2.Mal 4:2Sunne of righteouſneſſe, in the ggRom. 13.12, 13.Rom 13:12Rom 13:13day of the Goſpell. But it may be you reckon of theſe whom hitherto you hauehave ſet forth, as if they were but milites levis armaturae, ſcouts or light horſemen, to try the coaſt and to make a flouriſh. Now you begin to plant your great Ordnance, to muſter your men, range your Armie, and to p. 24charge the enemy with a ſharpe aſſault for the vtter aboliſhing of the whole Morall Law. For the effecting whereof **Antinomus.you are bold to ſay; 1. That the **Fortunam Priami cantabo, & nobile bellum. Quid dignum tanto feret hic promiſſer hiatu? Horat. de Arte Poetica.whole Epiſtle to the Galatians importeth ſo much. 2. That the whole Epiſtle to the Hebrewes is to the ſame purpoſe. 3. That the practiſe of the Apoſtles in all their Epiſtles confirmeth the ſame, ſeeing they neuer ground any exhortation vponupon Moſes Law, nor vſe any forme of commandements, much leſſe make any alluſion to Moſes Law or the ten commandements: and ſo you goe on with fourth, and fift, &c. vntill you hauehave made vp a full dozen. The mother of hhIudg. 5.28.Judg 5:28Siſera truſting too much in her ſonnes valour, his chariots, and his men of warre, fed her fancy with a conceit, nay with an aſſurance of a ioyous and glorious victory; Why is his chariot ſo long a comming? Why tarry the wheeles of his chariot? Her iiIudg. 5.29, 30.Judg 5:29Judg 5:30wiſe Ladies anſwered her, yea ſhe returned anſwer to her ſelfe, HaueHave they not ſped? hauehave they not diuided the prey, to eueryevery man a Damoſell or two, to Siſera a prey of diuers colours? But yet for all this Siſera being cut ſhort of his life, by kkIudg. 5.24.Judg 5:24Iael the wife of Heber, the mother of Siſera alſo came ſhort of her hope, and the ſucceſſe of that warre was nothing anſwerable to the confidence and conceit which ſhe had, and held of it. I feare me, the conceit of your great preparation, together with the confidence in your men and munition, hath bred in you not much vnlike both ſpirits and ſpeeches in this conflict, and it may be ſome of your wiſe friends (as her wiſe Ladies) hauehave beene ready enough to ſoothe you vp with ſome anſwer, anſwerable to your preſent humour: Yea (rather then faile) you will returne anſwer to your owne words: Great helps breed great hopes. What? Shall we not ſpeed? ſhall we not diuide the prey? ſhall not this conflict end in a conqueſt? and ſhall we not obtaine honours and fauours, as a prey of diuers colours? If your conceit be ſuch and ſo high, take heed, both you and it doe not take a fall? p. 25llIudg. 5.26, 27.Judg 5:26Judg 5:27A hammer and a naile in the hand of a weake woman, if the Lord will giuegive wiſdome and ſtrength to handle them aright, may quickly diſpatch Siſera, daſh his mothers hopes, and turne all his, and her ioyes into ſorrowes, and their glory into ſhame. And is not my word, ſaith the Lord, as an hammer mmIerem. 23.29.Jer 23:29, and are not the words of the wiſe (that is, ſuch as ſpeake according to this word) as nnEccleſ. 12.11.Eccl 12:11nailes faſtened by the Maſters of the aſſemblies? What though there be want of wiſdome in the head, and of ſtrength in the hand of him that ſhall vſe them, yet he that ſtandeth in Gods oo2 Chron. 20.15.2 Chr 20:15cauſe, and fetcheth his ppIer. 23.22. Epheſ. 6.11.13.Jer 23:22Eph 6:11Eph 6:13weapons out of the Lords Armory, and commeth in the qq1 Sam. 17.45.1 Sam 17:45name of the Lord againſt his aduerſary, may reſt aſſured that the Lord will manifeſt his wiſdome in fooliſhneſſe, and perfect his rr2 Cor. 12.9.10.2 Cor 12:92 Cor 12:10ſtrength in weakneſſe, and that he will ſo teach his ſſPſal. 144.1.Ps 144:1hands to fight, and his fingers to warre, that as the tt2 Chro. 20.15.17.20.2 Chr 20:152 Chr 20:172 Chr 20:20battle is, ſo ſhall the victory be the Lords alſo. In this confidence alone I hauehave entred this encounter and am come forth into the field againſt you. The mounting of your great ordnance with ſo "great words, The whole Epiſtle to the Galathians, &c.

The **Parturient montes, naſcetur ridiculus mus. Horat. de Art. poetica.whole Epiſtle to the Heb. the practiſe of all the Apoſtles in all their Epiſtles, &c. doth not ſo much amate me as amaze me. I doe not ſo much feare the danger as wonder at the manner of your dealing. The peeces which you mention, I acknowledge, and reuerence as ſome of the Lords great ordnance: but all the powder and ſhot that you hauehave giuen them, can make them neither ſpeake nor do any thing againſt the truth, but for the truth. You hauehave mounted them too high, and hauehave ouercharged them too much, ſo that whiles you would diſcharge them againſt one of the bulwarks of Sion, you ouer-ſhoot your marke, and cauſe them with greater force to recoile vponupon your little Babel, which you hauehave built to make you a name in the earth, inter filios terrae, among the ſonnes of the earth.

**Antinomus.You ſay, The whole Epiſtle to the Gal. importeth ſo p. 26much, for (ſay you) It is the generall Argument of the ſame. Doth the whole Epiſtle to the Galath. import, that in the Church of Chriſt ſince his death, The whole law of Moſes is wholly aboliſhed and abrogated? Or is this the generall Argument of the ſame? Anſwer. What if that Epiſtle neither in whole nor in part doe import ſo much? What if that which you ſay of the whole aboliſhing of the whole law of Moſes, be neither the generall Argument of the whole Epiſtle, nor any ſpeciall or particular Argument of any part or parcell of the ſame?The Argument of the Epiſtle to the Galatians. It is very likely that what you affirme herein, you hauehave rather taken vponupon truſt, than vponupon triall; for had you but ſearched into the Epiſtle it ſelfe for the ſubject and ſpeciall ſcope of it, and well conſidered the eſtate of that Church, at that time, when the Apoſtle writ vntounto it, you might hauehave eaſily vnderſtood, that the purpoſe of the Apoſtle, was not to proue that the whole law of Moſes was wholly aboliſhed; but that only in the matter of iuſtification by faith in Chriſt, the law of Moſes neither Ceremoniall nor Morall, could ſtand them in any ſtead. For wheras at that time, uuHieron. in Ep. ad Galat. cap. 1. Auguſt. p…aefat. in Epiſt. ad Gal.Gal 1certaine falſe teachers had laboured to withdraw the minde and hearts of the Galatians, from that ſincerity of the Goſpell (touching the righteouſneſſe of faith in Chriſt alone) which Paul had taught them, by inducing and perſwading them to entertaine the Ceremonies of the law of Moſes, as neceſſary to juſtification and ſaluation; and ſo to ioine the worke of the law with faith in Chriſt: Paul being much troubled at their backſliding, and deſiring to recouer and recall them to their former ſtanding, directeth this Epiſtle vntounto them; wherein as he juſtifieth both his calling to be an Apoſtle, and the Doctrine of faith in Chriſt alone for juſtification and ſaluation, to be of God and not of men, ſo he euidently proueth, that by the workes of the law no fleſh can be juſtified, that xxTertullian alſo juſtifieth this, that not the abrogation of the morall, but of the ceremoniall law, is the Argument of the Epiſtle to the Galat. Sed quae velit intelligi elementa, primas ſcilicet literas legis ipſe declarat, di…s obſervatis & annos, & ſabbata opinor, & coe…as pu…as, & j…j…nia, & d…s magnos: ceſſare enim ab bis ſicut à circumciſione oportebat. vide Tertul. adverſ. Marcion. lib. 5. cap. 4. See alſo Juſtin Mart. Dial. um Tryph. Iudaeo.Circumciſion, new Moones, Iewiſh Sabbaths, and all other ceremonies, p. 27types, and figures of Moſes law, (leading as a Schoole-maſter vntounto Chriſt) were now aboliſhed, and that if either Iew, or Gentile, did either entertaine or maintaine them as neceſſary to ſaluation, mingling Law and Goſpell, faith and workes, types and truth, Moſes and CHRIST together, for our acceptation and reconciliation with God, they did not only abaſe themſelues in returning vntounto beggerly rudiments, and putting themſelues vnderunder their former yoake of bondage, but they did further (as farre as lay in them) make void the death of Chriſt, and fall from Grace; whereupon he exhorteth them to ſtand faſt in that liberty wherewith Chriſt hath made them free, and ſo to vſe their liberty that it be not any aduantage to the fleſh, but that they may ſerue one another by louelove, Galat. Chapters 2. 3. 4. 5.

That this is the ſcope and drift of the Apoſtle, and the ſpeciall Argument and ſubiect of the Epiſtle to the Galat. if the Text it ſelfe, which I hauehave cited, doe not make it euident, or the Teſtimony which I hauehave giuen thereof, ſeeme to you to be inſufficient,Hieron. praefat. in Epiſt. ad Galat. I pray you admit of the euidence that two or three more eminent and more ancient witneſſes will giuegive in vntounto this point. Hierom. in Prooem. in Epiſt. ad Gal. Sciatis eandem eſſe materiam, & Epiſtolae Pauli ad Galatas, See Tertul. againe more plainly determining of the Argument of the Epiſtle to the Gal. Principalem adverſus Iudaiſmum epiſtol…m nos quoque confitemur quae Galata… docet: ubi Apoſtolus in Chriſto poſt Iohannem revelato, vetera infirmat, nova vero confirmat. Tertull. lib. 5. adver. Marc. cap. 2.Mark 2& quae ad Romanos ſcripta eſt. Nullus quidem Apoſtoli ſermo eſt, vel per epiſtolam, vel praeſentis, in quo non laboret docere antiquae legis onera depoſita, & omnia illa quae in typis & imaginibus praeceſſerunt, i. otium ſabbati, circumciſionis injuriam, calendarum, & trium per annum ſolemnitatum recurſus, ſcrupuloſitatem ciborum, & per dies ſingulos lavacra iterum ſordidanda, gratiâ Euangelij ſubrepente ceſſaſſe, quam non ſanguis victimarum, ſed ſides animae credentis impleret. Et paulò poſt ſcribit Apoſtolus ad eos qui ex gentibus fidem Euangelij receperant, & rurſum retrò lapſi quorundam fuerant authoritate deterriti, aſſerentium, Petrum quoque & Iacobum, & p. 28totas Iudaeae Eccleſias Euangelium Chriſti, cum lege veterimiſcuiſſe: ipſum etiam Paulum aliud in Iudea facere, aliud nationibus praedicare, & fruſtra eos in crucif…rum credere, ſi id negligendum putarent, quod Apoſtolorum principes obſervarent.

By this you may perceiue, that Saint Hierom taketh the Argument of the Epiſtle to the Galatians, to be the ſame with the Argument of the Epiſtle to the Romans; wherein the Apoſtle proueth, that by the workes of the law, whether Ceremoniall or Morall, no fleſh can be juſtified before God; vſing the ſame words in both Rom. 3.20.28. and Gal. 2.16. And this he vrgeth as the principall ſcope of the Epiſtle to the Galat. That Paul laboureth to reproue them for their declining from the ſimplicity of the Goſpell vntounto Iewiſh Ceremonies, teaching them that Circumciſion, their new Moones, ſolemne Feaſts, and all other their Legall Seruices and Sacrifices were vtterly aboliſhed, and in no ſort to be mingled with the Goſpell. I ſay therefore in a word with Saint Ierome, Onera aaSee Aug. lib. 4. cont. duas Epiſt. Pelag. ad Bonif. c. 5.legis Ceremonialis eſſe depoſita, & opera legis Moralis in juſtificatione peccatoris eſſe perpetuò deponenda. And if you ſhall obiect as you doe, Doe you not then make void and aboliſh the Law through faith, I anſwer with bbRom. 3.31.Rom 3:31Paul, one greater than Ierom, God forbid, yea we eſtabliſh the Law. And if S. Paul eſtabliſh the Law, how dare you goe about to aboliſh it?

ccChryſoſt. in Epiſt. ad Gal. cap. 1.Gal 1Chryſoſtome alſo gathereth the Argument of the Epiſtle to the Galatians, out of Gal. 5.2.4. I Paul ſay vntounto you, That if yee be circumciſed Chriſt ſhall profit you nothing; and againe, Whoſoeuer of you are juſtified by the Law, yee are fallen from grace: Whereupon he inquireth, Quid igitur tandem hoc erat; and immediately anſwereth, Qui ex Iudaeis crediderant partim occupati perſuaſione ddAuguſt. is of the ſame minde, in praef…t. in Epiſt. ad Galat.Iudaiſmi, partim inanis gloriae fiti temulenti, dum ſibi doctorum cupiunt parare dignitatem authoritatem que , profecti ad Galatas docuerunt, illis opus p. 29eſſe circumciſione, ſervanda ſabbata & novilunta, nec tolerandum eſſe Paulum, qui harum rerum tolleret obſervationem: Nam Petrus, Iacobus, ac Iohannes, haec (ut aiebant) non prohibebant, &c. And a little after he addeth, Proinde cùm cerneret totum Galatorum gentem inflammatam, ac periculoſum incendium adverſus illorum Eccleſiam excitatum eſſe; ſcribit Epiſtolam ad univerſos ad iſta reſpondens, &c. Compare your Aſſertion with Chryſoſtomes opinion, and you ſhall finde that the Argument of the Epiſtle to the Galatians is not (as you would hauehave it) that the whole Law of Moſes is wholly aboliſhed, but that the Ceremoniall Law is ceaſed, and may not in any ſort be ioyned with the Goſpell; and that the workes of the Law, both Ceremoniall and Morall, are for euer in the matter of juſtification and ſaluation diſinabled and diſcarded. eeTheodor in Arg. Epiſt. ad Galat.Theodoret is of the ſame minde, with Chryſoſtome, and ſetteth downe the Argument of the Epiſtle to the Galatians, in almoſt the ſame words. ffOecumenius in Arg. Epiſt. ad Gal.Oecumenius alſo to the very ſame purpoſe ſaith, Quum benè decti ab Apoſtolo Galatae fuiſſent, ſincere que in Chriſtum credidiſſent, peregrè profecto Apoſtolo, ſic à nonnullis ſurrepti ſunt, ut circumciderentur, Apoſtolus ſcribit ad eos, redarguit cos quod ſtultè egerint, & immutati fu…nt: …iſſerit de lege, & de ea quae ſecundū Abraham eſt, ſide, argumentatur que tum ex lege ipſa, tum exuxoribus ipfius Abrahae allegoricè ſumptis, quod & umbra & circumciſio ipſa ad tempus uſque data fuit, & Chriſti adventu ſuperva…aea facta. By the judgement of Oecumenius therefore, touching the Argument of the Epiſtle to the Galatians, your judgement being put in the ſcale with it, will be found to be too light, there being no diſpute (in his opinion) for the whole aboliſhing of the whole Law of Moſes, Morall as well as Ceremoniall, (as you would hauehave it) but only for the abrogation of the Ceremoniall, now that Chriſt is come in the fleſh (as he doth deliuer it) and we willingly aſſent vntounto it. Agreeable hereunto is the judgement of p. 30ggAu uſt. lib. contr. Fauſtum.Auguſtine, hhAmbroſ. in Epi. ad Galat. cap. 1.Gal 1Ambroſe, iiH…r. in Pſal. 118. foreign.Ps 118Hilary, kkBeda. in Arg. Epiſt. ad Gal.Beda, llIuſtin. Mart. in Dial. cum Tryphon.Iuſtin Martyr, whoſe teſtimonies I hauehave not leaſure to ſet downe at large, the places I hauehave quoted, you may ſearch if you deſire to ſee; Only I pray you conſider, what mmEraſm. in Arg. Epiſt. ad Gal.Eraſmus whom you alledge ſo often and commend ſo much, hath himſelfe ſet downe concerning the Argument of the Epiſtle to the Galatians. Agit in hac Epiſtola quod nuſquam non agit, ut à legis Moſaeicae ſervitute, invitet ad Euangelij gratiam: and afterwards, Demonſtrat legem Moſaicam ad tempus modò fuiſſe datam, & ad unum Chriſtum illum, ſpectaſſe omnia: and leſt you ſhould miſtake his meaning, as if he compriſed the Morall Law herein together with the Ceremoniall, he ſheweth euidently by the words following, that he meanes only the Ceremoniall and not the Morall Law: And therefore he addeth: In illa [Moſaica lege] fuiſſe carnem, in Euangelio ſpiritum; in illa umbras, in Euangelio lucem; in illa imagines, in Euangelio veritatem; in illa ſer vitutem, in Euangelio libertatem. Could you ſee thus much in Eraſmus, and that vponupon the Argument of the Epiſtle to the Galatians, ſo directly croſſing that which you affirme, and not reſt ſatisfied therewithall, to the altering of your opinion, touching the Argument of the ſame Epiſtle? Or were you ſo vnaduiſed, that you would not your ſelfe aduiſe with one of your beſt friends, what his opinion were of this Argument, and yet commend him vntounto others to ſeeke, and take aduice and ſatisfaction from him in this point? But we will leaue you to aduiſe better with Eraſmus, if yet you will take paines to looke vponupon him, and come now to conſider what counſell or comfort you hauehave from Caluin, Beza, Perkins, Parraeus, whom I gueſſe by your quotations you hauehave conſulted withall. Theſe **Antinomus.you alledge, to proue that the Morall Law is wholly aboliſhed as well as the Ceremoniall, as if they had interpreted that place of Gal. 3.19.22.23. to that purpoſe. **Anſwer.Let vsus examine your witneſſes, and ſee if p. 31the euidence they bring in, will ſerue your turne. You cite Caluin. Inſtit. lib. 3.19.4. Caluin hath not one word for the whole aboliſhing of the Morall Law in that place; he only ſheweth that the faithfull are now freed by Chriſt from the yoake and rigour of the Law, that now they obey the Law not as conſtrained by force, or compelled by feare, but as of a willing and ready minde, induced thereunto by louelove, knowing that they come to God as children to a father, that will in Chriſt accept of their obedience to the Law, albeit they come farre ſhort of that perfection which the Law requireth in rigour at their hands: and this he maketh manifeſt by one precept of the Law: Legis praeceptum eſt, ut diligamus Deum ex toto corde, ex tota anima, &c. This, ſaith he, the beſt cannot doe in that perfection that the Law requireth, Volunt, aſpirant, conantur, ſed nihil eâ quâ decet perfectione faciunt: What then? he nnCaluin. Inſtit. lib. 3. cap. 19. ſect. 5.anſwereth in the next ſection, That when poore ſoules ſhall perceiue that (being freed from the ſeuere exaction and rigour of the Law) paterna leuitate ſe à Deo appellari; hilares & magna alacritate vocanti reſpondebunt, & ducentem ſequentur. Is there one word or ſyllable in all this, tending to the vtter aboliſhing of the Morall Law? Nay is there not much to the contrary? For doth he that ſaith, we are freed from the rigour, yoke, and bondage of the Law, affirme (in ſo ſaying) that the Morall Law is wholly aboliſhed, or are we therefore diſcharged of all obedience to the Law altogether, becauſe by faith in Chriſts obedience, we ſtand not charged with the exact and rigorous obſeruation of the ſame? Doth not ooCaluin. Inſtit. lib. 3. cap. 19 ſect. 4.Caluin himſelfe in this very ſection which you alledge, giuegive inſtance in one precept of the Morall Law as now in force and of great vſe, for beleeuers to frame their hearts and liues in obedience thereunto? Doth he not ſay plainly, Legis praeceptum eſt ut diligamus Deum? He doth not ſay (as it ſeemes you would hauehave him) Legis praeceptum p. 32fuit, as implying the Law was once, but now is not; as, ppVirg. Aeneid. li. 2.fuit Ilium, & ingens gloria Teucrorum, ſed jam ſeges eſt ubi Troia fuit; or as Tullie alſo could ſay: qqCicer. Tuſcul. quaeſt. lib. 1.Triſte vocabulum [fui] ſubeſt enim haec vis, habuit non habet: but he ſaith [legis praeceptum eſt] as being yet ſtill in force [ut diligamus Deum] as binding himſelfe and all the faithfull, to a filiall and cheerefull, not to a rigorous and ſeruile obedience in the duties of it. But ſeeing you hauehave done Caluin ſo great wrong, as contrary to his minde and meaning, yea to his words and writing, to charge him with that he neuer wrote, ſpoke, nor thought, will you doe him that fauour, as to let him ſpeake for himſelfe, and deliuer his owne opinion, in his owne words, whether he be of your minde or no, touching the vtter aboliſhing of the whole Morall Law? Neque hinc rectè quis colligat (ſaith rrCaluin. Inſtit. lib. 3. cap. 19. ſect. 2.he, hauing proued that the Law hath no place nor power in the juſtification of a ſinner before God) legem fidelibus ſupervacaneam eſſe, quos non id…o docere & hortari, & ſtimulare ad bonum definit, tamet ſi apud Dei tribunal in eorum conſcientijs locum non habet: and he addeth a little afterward, In hoc fitum eſt legis officium, ut eos officij ſui admonendo ad ſanctitatis & innocentiae ſtudium excitet. Me thinkes Caluin ſeemeth to frame his ſpeech of purpoſe, as if he meant to anſwer one in your coat, and to meet with your opinion, though he were neuer acquainted with your perſon. For you will hauehave the whole Morall Law to be wholly aboliſhed; he blames the very conceit of ſuch as thinke it needleſſe or ſuperfluous; indeed he acknowledgeth that it is of no force for our juſtification, but confeſſeth withall, that it is of great vſe for edification and ſanctification. You will hauehave it not only ceaſed, but abrogated, as hauing neither any office nor vſe: he ſaith, it is ſo farre from being abrogated, that yet it doth not ceaſe to teach, to exhort, and to pricke the faithfull vnderunder the Goſpell, forward vntounto that which is good, p. 33and teſtifieth that it is a ſpeciall office of the Law, by admoniſhing them of their duty, to ſtirre them vp vntounto holineſſe of life. You ſay, The whole Epiſtle to the Galatians, and the generall Argument of it importeth, that the whole Morall Law is wholly aboliſhed: and he to the cleane contrary, addeth theſe to his former words: ſſCaluin. Inſtit. lib. 3. cap. 19. ſect. 3.In hoc cardine totum fere argumentum Epiſtolae ad Galatas vertitur; giuing vsus thereby to vnderſtand, that by the Argument of the Epiſtle to the Galatians, the Morall Law is not aboliſhed, but in ſpeciall office and vſe, euen now and for euer in the daies of the Goſpell to be continued. The words I hauehave cited out of Caluin, I hauehave not fetcht very farre, being ſo neere neighbours to the place whence you tooke yours. Yours out of the fourth ſection,Caluin. Inſtit. lib. 3. cap. 19. ſect. 4. & ſect. 2. &. 3. where yet you hauehave nothing which makes for you, and mine out of the ſecond & third ſection, where you may ſee almoſt eueryevery line is drawen to my hand, cleane ouerthwart and croſſe vntounto your opinion. What may a man (that would willingly thinke well of you) thinke of your dealing in this allegation? Did you reade the fourth, and not the ſecond nor third ſections? That had beene great negligence, eſpecially, there being ſo neceſſary dependance one vponupon another: Did you reade them and not vnderſtand them, taking that to be for you, which was altogether againſt you? That had beene too groſſe ignorance. Did you reade and vnderſtand, that Caluin in thoſe ſections had nothing to confirme, but much to confute your opinion? And would you notwithſtanding, beare vsus in hand that he ſtood as firme on your ſide, as you had ſet him faire in your margent? This were wilfully to ſhut your eies againſt the light, and to endanger the comfort of a good conſcience. Which of theſe faults you are fallen into, I leaue to your ſecond thoughts to conſider, and to amend what you finde amiſſe. Thus we leaue Caluin, who doth neither proue, nor approue your opinion, but plainly p. 34reproues it rather. Let vsus now examine Beza **Antinomus.your next witneſſe, and ſee if his teſtimony will ſtand you in any ſtead, for the vtter aboliſhing of the Morall Law. Anſwer. In the place which you alledge in Galat. 3.22. he ſpeaketh ſomething of the abrogation of the Ceremoniall, but not a word of the abolition of the Morall Law: his words will witneſſe what I ſay, and conuince you of no ſmall fault in this allegation alſo. ttBeza in Gal. 3.22.Gal 3:22Antea docuerat (ſaith he) legem ceremonialem abrogatam eſſe, tum quatenus nos arguebat peccati, ac mortis per tranſgreſſiones, tum quatenus fuerat ipſius damnationis externum Chirographum: Nunc autem eandem ceremonialem legem conſiderans (ut promiſſionum Euangelicarum ſuo tempore exhibendarum umbram & figuram) docet, illam quoque hoc reſpectu ceſſaſſe, &c. What could be ſaid more diſtinctly, or more effectually, for expounding that very verſe of the abrogation of the Ceremoniall, which you ſay, he expounds of the aboliſhing of the Morall Law? Beza uuBeza in Gal. 3.23.Gal 3:23ſaith, That the Apoſtle vnderſtands the Ceremoniall Law in this 23. verſe, and that (being but a ſhadow and figure of the promiſes of the Goſpell) it ceaſed when Chriſt was exhibited: and you ſay (how truly let others judge) that the ſame Beza ſaith, that the ſame verſe is to be vnderſtood of the Morall Law, and that he proueth thereby, that the whole Morall Law is wholly aboliſhed. There may be as much agreement betwixt light and darkneſſe, fire and water, truth and errour, as betwixt Beza his Aſſertion and your Allegation in this point. But will you with patience heare his opinion direct and downe-right, not for the aboliſhing, but for the eſtabliſhing of the Morall Law? Quid igitur, ſaith xxBeza in 2 Cor. 3.11.2 Cor 3:11he, writing vponupon 2. Corinth. 3.11. Num lex abolita? ſanè, quod ad ceremonias attinet, ceſſavit. At enim dices, num hac in parte abolitum eſt Moſis miniſterium? minimè verò, ſemper enim ſunt homines ad Euangelium praedicatione legis praeparandi. You may here ſee, if you p. 35will but turne your eie aſide vntounto this place, that he is ſo farre from thinking the Morall Law to be aboliſhed, that he anſwereth that obiection, and ſo daſheth out the braines of your opinion with a minimè verò, and further affirmeth, that the yyVide Bez. Theol. Epiſt. Epiſt. 10. p. 104.Law is to be preached as frequently and neceſſarily as men are to be prepared for the receiuing of the Goſpell. Conſider alſo what the ſame zzBeza in 1 Epiſt. Joh cap. 2.7. Lex poſita eſt regendae ſanctorum vitae &c. Eſt igitur damnanda Antinomorum & Libertinorum deteſtanda …eſis, Bez. in 1. Tim. cap 1. v. 9.John 2:71 Tim 1:9Beza ſaith, writing vponupon 1. Iohn. 2.7. A New Commandement I write vntounto you: there he putting a difference betwixt the Morall Law and the Goſpell, ſaith, Lex quid ſit faciendum, Euangelium quid ſit credendum docet: ſciendum eſt igitur ſic eſſe haec duo diſtincta, ut tamen unum alteri ſubſerviat. Nec enim Euangelio lex aboletur, quatenus quod rectum eſt praecipit, ſed duntaxat quatenus mortem omnibus ipſam perfectè non praeſtantibus minatur. Lex mortis terrore nos monet ut de vita in Euangelio quaerenda cogitemus, lex jam nobis ſuavis eſt ſeccundùm interiorem hominem magiſter, ſicut copiosè docet Apoſtolus, Rom. 6.7.8. capitibus. Hinc illud toties à Chriſto iteratum de Deo & proximo diligendo mandatum. I pray you conſider theſe particulars out of this teſtimony, and tell me then whether Beza be with you, or ouer-againſt you. 1. That the Law and Goſpell are diſtinguiſhed, but neither of them both aboliſhed. 2. The Law and the Goſpell doe mutually ſerue one another in their ſeuerall offices and vſes. 3. The Law is not aboliſhed by the Goſpell, but eſtabliſhed by the ſame. 4. The Law to them that are in Chriſt,See Bez. Epiſt. Theolog. Ep. 20. of the vſe of the Morall Law euen for Chriſtians, at large. is a ſweet Maſter or Teacher, in whoſe leſſons and inſtructions they delight in the inner man. 5. That all theſe offices and vſes of the Morall Law, are warranted and confirmed by the authenticall Authority of Chriſt himſelfe, and his Apoſtle Paul. All theſe points being ſet downe by Beza ſo ſound and ſufficient for eſtabliſhing the Law, are as ſo many ſtrong Arguments to conuince you of errour, that goe about to aboliſh it; and as ſo many rebukes alſo of your vnaduiſed and injurious p. 36dealing with ſo worthy a Diuine, whom you will needs draw in, to ſpeake to your minde, though neuer ſo contrary to his owne true meaning. Let vsus now come to heare your third witneſſe [M^r. Perkins] whether he can ſpeake any more to the matter than Caluine and Beza hauehave already done. **Antinomus.You cite him on the Galatians. Anſwer. 3.11.23. And tell me I pray you, what you hauehave found here for the whole aboliſhing of the Morall Law? VponUpon theſe words, verſe 11. No man is juſtified by the Law: aaPerkins in Gal. 3.11.Gal 3:11he ſaith, that by the Law is meant, not onelyonly the Ceremoniall, but alſo the Iudiciall, and the Morall Law, and that Paul enlargeth his diſputation, from one part to the whole Law. And he giueth a good reaſon why he would abrogate the vſe of the Morall Law, as well as of the Ceremoniall, in the matter of juſtification: for they (ſaith he) which thought Ceremonies neceſſary to juſtification, would much more thinke Morall duties neceſſary. All this we willingly acknowledge with M^r. Perkins: What would you conclude hence? Is this your Argument from this place? No man can be juſtified by the workes neither of the Ceremoniall nor of the Morall Law, ergo, the whole Morall Law is abrogated wholly as well as the Ceremoniall Law. We grant the Antecedent, and deny the Conſequence, or Argument. For how doth this follow, The Morall Law doth not juſtifie, ergo, it doth not inſtruct nor edifie? vnleſſe it had no other neither office nor vſe, but that alone. Will you ſee the fallacy, foreign, by another of the like ſtampe? bb1 Sam. 8.7.1 Sam 8:7Samuel hath ceaſed to rule, correct, condemne the people as a Iudge; ergo, cc1 Sam. 12.23, 24.1 Sam 12:231 Sam 12:24Samuel hath ceaſed to pray for the people, and to teach and ſhew them the good and right way, as a Prophet: Or to vſe the Apoſtles compariſon, A ddGal. 4.1. Gal. 3.24.Gal 4:1Gal 3:24Schoolemaſter ceaſeth to nurture, and keepe his ſcholer vnderunder the rod, and in the rudiments of Grammar as a childe, ergo, he hath no ſufficiencie nor ability p. 37to teach him greater or better things, being now of riper age.

But to leaue this Argument weake and feeble as it is, ſhall I be bold to aske you a queſtion? Doe you reade and alledge your Authors for ſatisfaction or contention, for colouring and countenancing of an error, or for ſearching and lifting out the truth? I would gladly if I might ſafely, conceiue the beſt; but it ſeemes ſtrange vntounto me, that ſeeing eePerk. on Gal. 3.12.Gal 3:12M^r. Perkins in the very next leafe, vponupon the 12. that is, the very next verſe, hath ſo plaine and euident ſentences to confute you, that euer you durſt alledge any thing out of him, as ſtanding with you or for you. His words be theſe: I ſay that the law written in our hearts, is ſtill the law of Moſes. And againe, Since mans fall, the Lord repeates the Law for weighty cauſes: 1. To teach vsus that the Law is of a conſtant and vnchangeable nature: 2. To aduertiſe vsus of our weakneſſe, and ſhew vsus what we cannot doe: 3. To put vsus in minde that we muſt ſtill humble our ſelues vnderunder the hand of God, after we hauehave begunne by grace to obey the Law, becauſe euen then we come farre ſhort in doing the things which the Law requireth at our hands. Who would once imagine that a man fearing God, and bearing an honeſt minde to learne and ſeeke out the truth, would not hauehave ſought and ſeene a little farther into M^r. Perkins, before he would or durſt hauehave produced him for a witneſſe againſt himſelfe, and againſt the truth alſo. If all this be not yet ſufficient, will you for your full ſatisfaction, heare his finall determination of the queſtion. He propoſeth it thus; ffPerk. on Gal. 3.23. p. 251.Gal 3:23How farre forth is the Law abrogated? and anſwereth this. The Morall Law is abrogated in reſpect of the Church, and them that beleeue, three waies: Firſt, in regard of juſtification, and this Paul proues at large in this Epiſtle: Secondly, in reſpect of the malediction, or curſe, Rom. 8.1. Thirdly, in reſpect of rigour; for in them which are in Chriſt, God accepts the endeuour to obey, for p. 38obedience it ſelfe. Neuertheleſſe, the Law as it is the rule of good life, is vnchangeable and admits no abrogation, and Chriſt by his death did in this regard eſtabliſh it, Rom. 3.31. What ſay you now to theſe words of M^r. Perkins? Doth he determine the queſtion with you and for you, that the Morall Law is wholly aboliſhed, or doth he not plainly reſolue to the contrary, that as it is the rule of good life it is vnchangeable, and for euer by the death of Chriſt eſtabliſhed.

Antinomus.Your next Teſtimony is out of Paraeus, in Argumentum Epiſt. ad Galatas, and in other places vponupon that Epiſtle. Anſwer. I hauehave not that Booke by me, but vnleſſe Paraeus be much contrary to himſelfe (which I cannot ſo eaſily conceiue of ſo judicious a Diuine) you ſhall ſee I hauehave reaſon to thinke that vponupon the Galatians he ſpeaketh nothing for your opinion, ſeeing vponupon the Hebrewes, Cap. 8. pag. 400. 401. ggParaeus in Heb. 8. p. 400. 401.Heb 8he purpoſely and aduiſedly writeth ſo much againſt it. Lex Moralis (ſaith he) eſt aeterna juſticiae norma; and then he ſheweth how farre the Old Teſtament is abrogated. 1. Quantum ad doctrinae ſpiritualis gratiae circumſtantiam de futuro. 2. Deinde quantum ad conditionem impoſſibilem perfectae obedientiae. 3. Quantum ad onus legalium rituum, & ſacerdotij Levitici. Denique quantum ad jugum politie Moſaicae, populi Iudaici cervicibus impoſitum. Whereupon he inferreth thus, Vnde Manichaeonum & fanaticorum refutatur error, qui abrogationem veteris Teſtamenti non folum ad tria illa, ſed ad legem etiam moralem malè trahebant; and a little after he addeth, De Lege Morali, & de Moſis atque Prophetarum libris & doctrina, aeternitatem agnoſcimus, de ritibus & politia minimè. By this you may euidently perceiue, that Paraeus is of opinion, that howſoeuer the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Lawes of Moſes be abrogated, yet the Morall Law is perpetuall and eternall, and that they are men tainted with hereſie or frenſie, that would draw the Morall Law into the ſame eſtate of p. 39abrogation with them. And if you will looke backe a little to the ſeuenth Chapter and ſixteenth verſe of the ſame Epiſtle, you may ſee as much as this, and ſomewhat more. hhParaeus in Heb. cap. 7. ver. 16.18.Heb 7:16Heb 7:18Obiter hic annotemus diſcrimen legis Moralis & Ceremonialis. Illa perpetua & ſpiritualis eſt, iſta caeduca & carnalis fuit: And againe vponupon verſe 18. Probat nunc legis abrogationem inde pendentem. Et eſt taecita occupatio: Quicquid ſacerdotio fiat, lex Dei eſt immutabilis. Id inquit, non nego, de lege Morali, nunc verò loquor de praecepto carnali, lege Ceremoniali. See more in Paraeus, in Ep. Rom. cap. 3.8.31. & cap. 7.7. Nam Valenti…ani. &c.Rom 3:8Rom 3:31And this may ſuſtice to cleare Paraeus, that what you hauehave taken, you hauehave miſtaken from him, as approuing your opinion vponupon the Galatians, which you ſee he diſproueth on the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes. Let vsus now proceed to that which followeth.

There is a word **Antinomus.you ſay Galat. 3 19. miſtranſlated in moſt vulgar tranſlations, which drawes many men away, Serueth; Wherefore then Serueth the Law? Neither the Greeke (you ſay) nor any Latine tranſlation hath it. If neither the Greeke nor any Latine tranſlation hauehave it, Anſwer. then it may (peraduenture) be added amiſſe, but miſtranſlated (as you ſay) it cannot be. And why doth not this word Serueth, ſerue your turne? Becauſe (forſooth) it is in the Preſent Tenſe, Serueth, and not in the Preterimperfect Tenſe, Serued, Wherefore then [ſerued] the Law? And why would you hauehave it [ſerued] and not ſerueth? Becauſe I gueſſe you would hauehave all men to know, that the Law was of ſome force and vſe in times paſt, but now is of neither for the time preſent, and ſo [ſerued] in the time paſt, ſerueth your purpoſe very well for the preſent buſineſſe. But be it as you would hauehave it, ſerued; is ſerued either in the Greeke or any Latine tranſlation? or doth not the Law now in the daies of the Goſpell, ſerue to the reuealing, conuincing, and condemning of tranſgreſſions, as before it ſerued to the ſame end and vſe in the daies of the Law? or ſuppoſe it ſerued more p. 40then to that end than now it ſerueth; ſerueth it now therefore to no other vſe at all? But you ſay, Many hauehave beene drawen awry by this word [ſerueth:] Surely you are the firſt that euer I heard either make any exception againſt it, or ſtand in any danger or feare of it. And kkBeza in Gal. 3.19.Gal 3:19Beza whom you alledge, may be vnderſtood to take it rather in the Preſent, than in the Preterim-perfect Tenſe: Quorſum igitur lata lex eſt, and, Quum lex poſita ſit hominibus redarguendis: Implying thereby, not only whereunto the Law ſerued when it was firſt ordained, but that it llVide Beza in 1. Ep. Tim. cap. 1. v. 9. Finis legis eſt charitas. foreign. 1. Tim. cap. 1. v. 9.1 Tim 1:9ſerueth yet to the ſame vſe in ſome reſpect, though in diuers things the vſe be changed. Not vnlike vntounto this, you ſay, is in Rom. 3.20. Commeth or is, By the Law commeth the knowledge of ſinne, which being read [came] or [was] of the time paſt, maketh (you ſay) the ſenſe good. Not vnlike vntounto that, is this indeed, i. of as little either weight or worth. And why may not, foreign, be thus tranſlated; For by the Law [commeth] the knowledge of ſinne, but muſt needs be rendred thus, For by the Law [came or was] the knowledge of ſinne? You hauehave your reaſon, I hope, in readineſſe; for if the former ſtand in the preſent time, then your opinion muſt needs fall preſently: for then there is a preſent vſe of the Law to diſcouer ſinne. But if that fall and the latter come in his ſtead, then you conceiue hope that your opinion for the aboliſhing of the Law, being now in danger of falling, ſhall hence hauehave a prop to ſtay it vp withall; and what a one I pray you? why ſurely a ſorry one, either this or none; By the Law [came or was] the knowledge of ſinne, Ergo, the Law is now aboliſhed, and by the Law commeth not now any knowledge of ſinne. This is indeed (as you ſaid truly) not vnlike the other; the Law ſerued for reſtraining, or condemning tranſgreſſions, ergo, now it ſerueth neither for theſe nor for any other vſe at all. But doth not the Apoſtle proue by the Law whether written in Tables of ſtone, p. 41or in mmRom. 2.15.Rom 2:15Tables of the heart, that both Iewes and Gentiles are nnRom. 3.19, 20.Rom 3:19Rom 3:20all vnderunder ſin; not only that they had beene, but that euen then at that preſent they were. And was not this in the time of the Goſpell, and doth he not conuince them all of ſinne, by the preſent vſe of the Law? Obſerue what he ſaith verſe 19. Now we know that whatſoeuer the Law, foreign, it ſpeaketh to them that are vnderunder the Law. Doth he not vſe the preſent time, for the manifeſting of the preſent vſe of the Law, three times together in this verſe, and concludeth in the next, That therefore by the deeds of the Law no fleſh ſhall be juſtified in his ſight, becauſe by the Law commeth, or is, the knowledge of ſinne. So ooBeza in Rom. 3.19, 20.Rom 3:19Rom 3:20Beza on this place doth expound it; and ppParaeus in Rom. 3. v. 20.Rom 3:20Paraeus rendreth the words thus: Per legem habetur agniti… peccati; whence he concludeth, ergo, non juſtitia; and qqCaluin. in Rom. 3.20. & alibi. Quid enim quaeſo iſt. ſibi volunt tegem propter tranſgreſſiones poſitam eſſe, Gal. 3.19. per legem eſſe cognitionem peccati, Rom. 3.20. legem, peccatum efficere. See Caluin. Inſtit. lib. 2. cap. 5. ſect. 6. See Aug. lib. de Spiritu & litera, cap. 13.Rom 3:20Gal 3:19Caluin giues the ſenſe of theſe words, Per legem agnitio peccati, to be this, Lex convincit nos peccati & damnationis. You ſee then theſe learned men take theſe words otherwiſe than you doe; That by the Law commeth [not came] or is [not was] the acknowledgement of ſinne. As for that which you alledge out of Galath. 4.1. I muſt confeſſe, I neither know how it maketh any thing at all for your point or purpoſe, nor can I conceiue, what you meane to goe about to make ſo large proofe of that which no man doth deny. What here you write, hath neither dependance nor conſequence, neither ioints nor ſinewes; much like vntounto a ſhadow, which hauing ſome proportion of a mans body, hath yet neither life nor ſubſtance in it: For what if we yeeld you all this, that the Apoſtle by the Heire in his minority, meaneth the Church of the Iewes before Chriſt, and by the ſame in his riper age, the Church of Chriſt ſince his death? What is there here, I ſay not of any power, but of any colour to proue the aboliſhing of the Morall Law? Is the Morall Law therefore wholly aboliſhed, becauſe the Moſaicall p. 42regiment in Rites and Ceremonies, in Types and Figures, in Legall burdens, and Leuiticall ſeruices, together with the rigour and terror of the Law, is now ceaſed and abrogated? You might as well ſay the Heire when he was a childe was kept in, vnderunder ſharpe and ſeuere Tutors and Gouernors, but being now come to age, he may now liue as he liſt: Or, the Church in her infancie was in bondage to the Ceremoniall Law, therefore in her riper age ſhe is not bound to obey either God or man, by the duties of the Morall Law. I could wiſh, you would aduiſedly conſider what our SAVIOVR CHRIST himſelfe ſaith; I came not to rrEſt igitur damnanda Antinomorum & libertinorum deteſtanda haereſis, ſaith Bez. in 1 Tim. 1.9. and ſo ſay I.1 Tim 1:9deſtroy the Law, but to ſſMat. 5.17, 18, 19.Matt 5:17Matt 5:18Matt 5:19fulfill it; and whoſoeuer he be that ſhall breake one of the leaſt of theſe Commandements, and ſhall teach others ſo to doe, he ſhall be called the leaſt in the kingdome of heauen; but whoſoeuer ſhall doe and teach them, he ſhall be called great in the kingdome of heauen. And remember againe what S. Paul hath once told you already: ttRom. 3.31.Rom 3:31Doe we make void the Law by faith? God forbid, nay rather we eſtabliſh the Law. Chriſtians indeed, are freed from the bondage and burdens of the Law of Moſes, but yet muſt they take vponupon them uuMat. 11.23, 29, 30.Matt 11:23Matt 11:29Matt 11:30Chriſt his yoke and burden, for his yoke is eaſie, and his burden light. Yea they are charged to beare one anothers burdens, and ſo to fulfill the xxGal. 6.2.Gal 6:2Law of Chriſt; that their faith may yyGal. 5.6.13.Gal 5:6Gal 5:13worke by louelove, and they by louelove ſerue one another, and ſo ſhew that they delight in the zzRom. 7.22.Rom 7:22Law of God concerning the inner man, aaLuc. 1.74, 75.Luke 1:74Luke 1:75ſeruing the Lord in righteouſneſſe and holineſſe all the daies of their liues, that is, according to both the Tables of the Morall Law. Touching your quotation out of Socrat. Eccl. Hiſt. lib. 5. cap. 21. I hauehave ſeene what he ſaith, but can ſee nothing for the aboliſhing of the Morall Law. He blameth them that contend ſo much for Iewiſh Ceremonies, keeping of Eaſter, obſeruing Daies and Moneths, as neuer hauing well conſidered, that Quando religio Iudaica erat in Chriſtianam commutata, p. 43accurat. is illas Moſaicae legis obſervationes, & rerum futurarum figuras penitus evanniſſe; and ſo vrgeth that out of Galath. 4.21. againſt them. But what will you ſay, if out of the ſame Chapter, I bring you ſome euidence, that Socrates doth not aboliſh, but eſtabliſh the Morall Law? bbSocrates Eccleſ. Hiſt. lib. 5. c. p. 21.Apoſtolis propoſitum fuit, non ut leges de feſtis diebus celebrandis ſancirent, ſed ut rectè vivendi rationis, & pietatis nobis authores eſſent: The Apoſtles, ſaith Socrates, neuer purpoſed to make lawes for holydaies, but to teach vsus both by words and writing the way of godlineſſe and good liuing. And did not the Apoſtles this, eſpecially by vrging and applying the duties of the Morall Law in both Tables vntounto Chriſtians, both for their perſons and callings? Reade and conſider, Rom. 1.2.6.7 12.13. Cap. 1 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 3. Epheſ. 5.6. Chapters. Moreouer, Socrates in the ſame Chapter, complaineth of the Churches of the Gentiles, for the breaking of the Morall Law and violating the ccActs 15.20.Acts 15:20Apoſtles Commandement, Acts 15. Caeterum nonnulli his neglectis omnem ſcortationem rem quidem indifferentem arbitrantur, ſed tamen de di…bus ſeſtis tanquam de vita decertant, Dei ddVide Iunium de polit. Moſis cap. 8. col. 1552.praecepta evertunt, ipſis ſibi leges ſanciunt. In which words, doth he not blame ſuch as profeſſing themſelues to be Chriſtians, did yet account fornication (which is a breach of the ſeuenth Commandement in the Morall Law) to be a thing indifferent, and ſo following their owne luſt, did ouerthrow Gods Law? You hauehave gained nothing then by your allegation out of Socrates, but loſt more than you lookt for, at his hands: And as little hauehave you got by that which you take from M^r. Perkins againe, out of Galat. 4.3.Antinomus. who as you ſay, ſetteth it out very fully. What is that which he ſetteth out ſo fully? The abrogation of the Morall Law? If you meane that, Anſwer. (as that you muſt meane, if you meane to ſpeake to the purpoſe) then you offer him too too hard meaſure againe, to charge him with that he neuer ſpake, and to gather that he p. 44neuer ſcattered. Or is it, that the Church vnderunder the Law, was but as the Heire in his minority, but the Church vnderunder the Goſpell, as the Heire come to age? If this be your meaning, we acknowledge he handleth this point of difference betwixt them very fully, and as many other Diuines alſo doe, very ſoundly too. But what of all this? M^r. eePerk. on Gal. 4.3.Gal 4:3Perkins ſaith, The Fathers of the Old Teſtament, were children in reſpect of vsus, two waies: Firſt, in regard of the Moſaicall gouernment, becauſe they were kept in ſubjection to more Lawes than we: Secondly, in regard of reuelation, becauſe God hath reuealed more to vsus than to them. And this he ſaith truly and well. Is there any thing here to be found for the vtter aboliſhing of the Morall Law? If there be, why doe you not ſhew it? If there be not, why make you ſuch a vaine flouriſh for it?

HaueHave you yet any more to ſay out of the Epiſtle to the Galatians? **Antinomus.Yes it ſeemes you yet looke for ſome helpe from Luther vponupon Galat. 4.1. where you ſay, He acknowledgeth an end of the Law at the comming of Chriſt, Anſwer. but doth not fully handle it ſo. Me thinkes you hauehave no great confidence in this allegation; Luther, I doubt, hath not ſo fully handled the matter, as to fulfill your minde in it. You know right well, that ffLuth on. Gal. 4.1. See Muſcul. in Mat. 5.17.Gal 4:1Matt 5:17Luther ſpeaking of the ending of the Law two waies; Firſt, at the comming of Chriſt in the fleſh at the time appointed of his Father, Galat. 4.4. Secondly, at the comming of Chriſt vntounto vsus daily by his Spirit; doth only meane ſuch an end of the Law, As that when Chriſt is come into our hearts by faith, the Law hath not that dominion ouer vsus, to accuſe, to terrifie, to kill, to condemne vsus ſpiritually, and before God, as formerly it had: And all this we acknowledge may well be, and yet the Morall Law be of good and great vſe ſtill. **Antinomus.But though Luther did not fully handle it ſo, yet it is plaine (you ſay) that the Apoſtles meaning was ſo: Anſwer. And I ſay, that if the Apoſtles meaning were ſo plaine, as you will p. 45hauehave it, (to wit, that the Morall Law is vtterly at an end) then might this our labour be plainly at an end alſo. But becauſe ſome others (it may be) cannot ſee this ſo plainly as you can, we deſire it may be made a little more plaine vntounto vsus: For, the reaſons which **Antinomus.you render; That the Apoſtle writeth not particularly to true beleeuers alone amongst the Galatians (as you ſay, he did to the Romans, Epheſians, Philippians, and Coloſſians) but without diſtinction of true beleeuers from others, to them that profeſſed Chriſt, calling them brethren, and that (as you affirme) he ſheweth them all, that they are now no more vnderunder the Law, Cap. 4.1. by the Simile of an Heire, and after by an Allegory of the free woman and the bond, and that Cap. 5. he exhorteth them to ſtand faſt in that liberty. Theſe reaſons I ſay, Anſwer. doe not make it plaine, that the Apoſtles meaning was in, or by the Epiſtle to the Galatians, to put an abſolute end to the Morall Law, for the vtter aboliſhing of the ſame (as you would hauehave it) but that the ggGal. 2.16. Cap. 3.11, 12, 13.Gal 2:16workes of the Law, whether Morall or Ceremoniall, in the matter of our juſtification before God, and ſaluation by faith in Chriſt, are vtterly to be excluded, and abandoned, and that by hhGal. 3.26. Cap. 5.1.Gal 3:26faith in Chriſt alone, the Galatians and all other true Chriſtians, are freed and ſet at iiIren. aduerſ. Haer. lib. 4. cap. 5.liberty, as from the burden and bondage of the Ceremoniall Law, ſo from the rigour and terror, dominion and malediction of the Morall alſo. kkGal. 5.1.Gal 5:1And this is the liberty wherewith Chriſt hath made them free, and wherein the Apoſtle exhorteth them to ſtand faſt, and not to be againe intangled in the yoke of bondage. That this is the true ſenſe and meaning of the Apoſtle, it is moſt manifeſt and plaine, by that his earneſt and zealous proteſtation, which immediately he annexeth: Behold I llGal. 5.2, 3, 4, 5. See Tertullian adverſ. Marcion. lib. 4. cap. 33. lib. 5. cap. 2.3.4. that the Law is fulfilled in Chriſt, not aboliſhed by Chriſt.Gal 5:2Gal 5:3Gal 5:4Gal 5:5Paul ſay vntounto you, that if you be circumciſed, Chriſt ſhall profit you nothing: For I teſtifie againe to eueryevery man that is circumciſed, that he is a debter to the whole Law. Chriſt is become of no effect vntounto you, whoſoeuer of p. 46you are juſtified by the Law, yee are fallen from grace. For we through the ſpirit, wait for the hope of righteouſneſſe by faith, &c. Thus farre we hauehave followed your ſteps in the Epiſtle to the Galatians, where we hauehave not left you ſo much as the breadth of a foot, to ground or ſettle your opinion vponupon. Now you flie to the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes, where you looke for ſuccour and ſhelter as in a City of refuge; for you ſay, The whole mmSee Zanch. judgement of the Argument of the Hebr. Zanch. in Hoſ. cap. 2. p. 45.Hos 2Epiſtle is for your purpoſe: But we will purſue you with the ſword of the Lord, and of nnIudg. 7.18.Judg 7:18Gideon, i. The word of God, and the writings of the Lord his ooIn Epiſt. ad Heb. principalis propoſitio eſt, Ceremonias veteris legis eſſe abrogatas. Chemloc. de lege, Caluin. Inſtit. lib. 2. cap. 11. ſect. 7.Worthies, and doubt not but we ſhall either draw or driue you thence alſo.

Is the whole Epiſtle to the Hebrewes to the ſame purpoſe? viz. For the vtter aboliſhing of the whole Morall Law, for hauing any being or well being, any office or vſe in the Church of Chriſt? It ſeemes indeed you hauehave taken poſſeſſion of the gates, the middle and the vtmoſt parts thereof, as if all the forts and fences, the turrets and towers, were your owne already. But ſhall we make an aſſault, and try what right or reaſon you hauehave ſo to doe? **Antinomus.Your firſt reaſon of ſo bold a ſpeech, is this; In the very firſt verſe he oppoſeth the ſpeaking of Chriſt to all that were afore him, he being Heire of all things, whom the Angels muſt worſhip, and the heauens and earth muſt vaniſh, Anſwer. but he muſt remaine. And what makes this for your purpoſe? Is the Morall Law therefore aboliſhed, becauſe Chriſt is oppoſed to all that went or were before him? Or is this an oppoſition of contrariety or of diſparity? Doth the ſpeaking of God by Chriſt argue an aboliſhing, and not rather an accompliſhing of all that was ſpoken before him? Or can any man with any ſhew or ſhadow of reaſon inferre, that becauſe in former times God ſpake foreign and foreign, by the Prophets in viſions and dreames, by ceremonies and ſacrifices, by reuelations and propheſies, by thunderings and lightnings, and p. 47the like, and by all theſe more darkly and obſcurely, not ſo effectually, ſpiritually, and comfortably, as in the latter daies he hath done by his Sonne; Can any man, I ſay, inferre hereupon, that the Morall Law is wholly aboliſhed? Nay hath not ppHaec omnia non diſſolventis erant legem, ſed adimplentis, & dilatantis in nobis, Iren. adverſ. Haereſ. li. 4. cap. 27.Chriſt from his bleſſed mouth charged vsus not once to thinke that he came to deſtroy the Law? He came not to deſtroy it, but to fulfill it: And doth not he renew the beauty and vigor of the Law, when he doth cleare it, and deliuer it from the fooliſh and falſe gloſſes of the Phariſies, and commends the duties thereof to the practiſe of his owne followers and Diſciples? Beſides all this, ſeeing Chriſt in this firſt verſe, is as you alledge, oppoſed to the Prophets, you may by as good reaſon conclude, that all the ſacred Records of the Prophets are now cancelled and caſt out of the Church by the comming of Chriſt, in whom they were accompliſhed, as that, the Morall Law firſt written by the finger of God, is now vtterly aboliſhed, becauſe by Chriſt himſelfe it was fulfilled, and if by that which followeth [the heauens and earth muſt vaniſh, but he remaine] you meane, that the Morall Law muſt needs vtterly periſh if Chriſt remaine, remember then I pray, that Chriſt himſelfe hath ſaid the like of the Morall Law, which the Apoſtles ſaid of him; Heauen and earth ſhall paſſe, but one iot or tittle of the Law ſhall not paſſe, till all be fulfilled. VponUpon which words, qqBulling. in Mat. 5.18.Matt 5:18Bullinger ſaith, Per collationem rerum maximè ſtabilium & immotarum, ſignificavit perpetuam legis conſtantiam. rrCalu. in Mat. 5.18.Matt 5:18Caluine, ſſBez. Muſcul. Vitus Theod. Perk. on the ſame.Beza, Muſculus, Vitus Theodorus, Perkins, are all of the ſame minde, writing vponupon the ſame place. Of theſe I will only mention M^r. Perkins his words. The meaning of this verſe, ſaith he, is, That the Law of God is vnchangeable, not only in the whole, but for eueryevery part thereof, and the fulfilling thereof ſhall neuer hauehave an end. But you goe forward, and out of cap. 3. **Antinomus.you ſay, Moſes was his ſeruant. It is true, Anſwer. and ſo were all the holy men of p. 48God that penned the reſt of the holy Scriptures too; What then? muſt it needs follow, that becauſe Chriſt is come as Lord, in, and ouer his owne houſe, (which is his ttHeb. 3.6.Heb 3:6Church) that he hath diſallowed and diſanulled whatſoeuer Moſes or others of his ſeruants hauehave done before him? This were enough to ſhake the very foundation of the wals of Sion, and to lay leuell with the ground the ſtately palaces of Ieruſalem. What they hauehave done, either in, or for the building of Gods houſe, touching the ſubſtance and eſſentiall parts thereof, whether uuEpheſ. 2.20. Heb. 6.1, 2.Eph 2:20Heb 6:1Heb 6:2foundation of faith, or xxPhil. 3.16. Gal. 6.16.Phil 3:16Gal 6:16rule of life, that Chriſt himſelfe tels you againe, he came not to deſtroy; though they were but his ſeruants in the houſe, and he Lord ouer it, yet thinke not, ſaith he, that I am come to deſtroy, either the Law, which is the yyIam. 2.8.12.Jas 2:8Jas 2:12rule of life, or the zz2 Pet. 1.19, 20.2 Pet 1:192 Pet 1:20Prophets, which are a part of the foundation of faith. He came not to aboliſh, but to **Bez. Epiſt. Theologic. 20. pag. 104.eſtabliſh theſe things. But why did you alledge only the former part of the verſe, [Moſes was a Seruant] and not the latter [for a teſtimony of thoſe things which ſhould be ſpoken after] to ſhew what ſeruice the Apoſtle ſpeakes of in this place? Why? there was a reaſon in it, for the latter words ſpeaking of Moſes ſeruice in the matters of the Ceremoniall Law, (as Paraeus and other worthy Diuines doe giuegive the meaning of them) the alledging of theſe would hauehave quite maid your Market in that, for which you brought in the former, namely, to the ouerthrow and aboliſhing of the Morall Law. As for that you adde,Antinomus. out of Hebrewes Cap. 8. He is the Mediator of a better Teſtament, which being the New, he abrogateth the Old, Ierem. 31.31. And that by the Old is meant, as you ſay, that which was written in the Tables of Stone, Anſwer. Deut. 4.13. I anſwer with reuerend **Bez. in Heb. 8.6. Tertul. adverſ. Iudaeos, cap. 3.4.5.6. & adverſ. Marcion. lib. 5. c. 4.Heb 8:6Beza, That Chriſt is ſaid to be the Mediator of a better Couenant, hauing better promiſes; Nempe quoniam figurabant ritus Levitici, quod ipſi non praeſtabant, cum credentium animos ad Chriſtum venturum, p. 49ſive ad novum pactum remitterent. He oppoſeth the Euangelicall Couenant to the Leuiticall, as the better to the worſe, the New vntounto the Old, entring into the compariſon of the Old and tranſitory Teſtament, being but for a time (whereof the Leuiticall Prieſts were Mediators) with the New, (the euerlaſting Mediator whereof is Chriſt) to ſhew that this was not only better than that in all reſpects, but alſo that that was abrogated by this. This proueth not then the abſolute abrogation of the Morall Law, as you intend it, but only the aboliſhing of the Leuiticall Prieſthood, with all their Moſaicall Sacrifices and Ceremonies, as by the words going before, ver. 4, 5, 6, 7.Heb. 8.4, 5, 6, 7.Heb 8:4Heb 8:5Heb 8:6Heb 8:7 you may plainly ſee the Apoſtle meant it.Antinomus. And becauſe you appeale to the Geneua Note vponupon Ierem. 31.31. as approuing your expoſition of that which out of Hebrewes 8. you alledge for the abrogating of the Morall Law, Anſwer. we are content to turne aſide with you thither alſo, not refuſing the cenſure or ſentence which as vmpire it ſhall giuegive in this matter.Tertull. expoundeth this place Ier. 31. v. 31. of the aboliſhing of the Ceremoniall, and not of the Morall Law, Lib. adverſ. Judaos c. 3.Jer 31:31 VponUpon theſe words (I will make a New Couenant, Ier. 31.31.) the Geneua Note is this, Though the Couenant of Redemption made to the Fathers, and this which was giuen after, ſeeme diuers, yet they are all one, and grounded on Ieſus Chriſt, ſaue that this is called New, becauſe of the manifeſtation of Chriſt, and the abundant graces of the Holy Ghoſt, giuen vntounto the Church vnderunder the Goſpell. May not this Note giuegive you notice of thus much; That the Diuines of Geneua, making but one Couenant, both in the daies of the Law, and in the daies of the Goſpell, doe only acknowledge an alteration thereof in ſome circumſtances of manner, meaſure, perſons, places, times, and types, meanes, and miniſters, and the like, and that partly in the Morall, but eſpecially in the whole aaIn Epiſtol. Theol. 8. Bez. & Epiſt. 20. Vide Caluin. Inſtit. lib. 2. cap. 11. ſect. 7. in hunc locum ex Ierem. 31.31.Jer 31:31Ceremoniall Law; but doe not ſo much as intimate any vtter abolition of any part of the ſubſtance of it, whether concerning the foundation of faith, or rule of life? And how p. 50then doe you imagine can the Geneua Note make for your purpoſe, to proue by this place the abrogation and vtter abolition of the Morall Law? To giuegive ſome weight vntounto your light opinion and ſleight expoſition of this place, you hauehave burdened your margent with a multitude of witneſſes, as if they had now iointly ſetled and eſtabliſhed you in the ſame: Not much vnlike me thinkes herein, vntounto Philotus Cous mentioned by bbAthen. Dipnoſophiſt. lib. 9. cap. 23. & lib. 12. cap. 29.Athenaus, who was of ſo light and ſlender a body, that he had weights of lead tied to his heeles, left by ſome blaſt or puft of winde, he ſhould hauehave beene whirled and blowen away. But wherefore doe you beare vsus in hand, that ſo great a cloud of witneſſes as you hauehave painted your margent withall, doe all ſtand for you, and with you, in the vtter aboliſhing of the Morall Law? And yet you hauehave not drawen one drop from them all, to giuegive vsus ſome taſte of their vniforme conſent with you in your opinion: Are they clouds without water? witneſſes without teſtimonies? Titles without euidences? Like Apothecaries boxes, that beare goodly and faire names without, but hauehave not a drugge nor a dram of any thing that is good within? The Authors which you name, I acknowledge to be good men, and full of good things, as cc2 Cor. 4.7.2 Cor 4:7Veſſels of the Sanctuary, truſted with the Lords treaſure, and imployed for their dd2 Tim. 2.27.2 Tim 2:27Maſters vſe: And I hauehave ſought, and ſearcht eeCaluin. Vatah. Tremel. Muſc. Zanch. Hipp. &c.their ffCaluin. Vatah. Tremel. Muſc. Zanch. Hipp. &c.ſtorehouſes, with what diligence for the time I could; yet can I finde none of your leauen in their lumpe, nor any of their Gold to gild your droſſe. Shall I deale plainly and fairely with you? I will make you a free and franke offer. Set me downe the Teſtimonies of the Authors which you alledge for the vtter aboliſhing of the Morall Law, ſet them downe, I ſay, [totidem verbis] and if, of the two and twenty which you name in your margent, I doe not proue, that one and twenty are vtterly againſt you, I will acknowledge you victor, and yeeld you the whole cauſe without p. 51more adoe. ggCicero de Orat.Tully ſaith, That an Orator as well as a Warrior muſt doe ſomething, ad ſpecimen, non ad vulnus, ſomething for a flouriſh, not all for fight; and ſo it ſeemes you doe, though not as a glozing Orator, yet as a hhTeren. in Eun. Act. 4. ſc. 7.Acts 4bragging Souldier, you braue vsus as with a troupe of horſe and foot, and then they be but ſhadowes in ſtead of ſouldiers; much like thoſe images of men which (as iiJul. Frontin. lib. 3. ſtratag. cap. 8.Iulius Frontius recordeth) Cyrus the King of Perſia beſieging the City of Sardis did put vponupon long Poles and armed them like Perſian ſouldiers, and ſet them vponupon one ſide of the City as an Army of men, to delude and terrifie Craeſus and the Citizens therewithall. Now ſurely if any ſhould be ſo credulous as to beleeue, or ſo timorous as to feare, that all theſe Authors are armed ſouldiers, which you hauehave ſet vp in the margent, as vponupon one ſide of your City to defend your cauſe, I would hauehave him anſwered only with the words of kkIudg. 9.36.Judg 9:36Zebul to Gaal, Iudg. 9. Thou ſeeſt the ſhadowes of the Mountaines, as if they were men. But now to leaue your ſhadowes, and to deale with the ſubſtance of that which you thinke yet remaineth in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, for the vtter aboliſhing of the Morall Law; **Antinomus.You vrge, That becauſe the Tables of Stone wherein the Morall Law was written, were remoued with the Tabernacle, and other like Adjuncts, therfore the Morall Law is vtterly aboliſhed. Anſwer. And who taught you this Logicke, to reaſon à remotione Accidentis, ad remotionem ſubjecti? Muſt it needs follow, that becauſe the Tables of Stone wherein the Law was written be aboliſhed, that therefore the Law it ſelfe is vtterly aboliſhed together with them? Were the Tables of Stone ſo eſſentiall to the Morall Law, that it had neither birth before them, nor being after them? Nay was it not written in the Tables of the heart, firſt in the ſtate of llPrimordialis lex data eſt Adae, & Euae in paradiſo, quaſi matrix omnium praeceptorum Dei, Tertul. adverſ Iudaeos cap. 2. ibi lege plura de lege.Innocencie, as in faire and golden Characters, and continued after the fall as the Law of Nature, but as it were in dimme and darke letters; and yet more plainly p. 52mmAuguſt. quaeſt. Vet. & No. Teſt. quaeſt. 4.renewed to **Gen. 17.1. & 18.19.Gen 17:1Gen 18:19Abraham and the Patriarkes, before it was euer written in Tables of Stone, for the more manifeſt direction and conuiction of the nnAuguſt. quaeſt. Vet. & No. Teſt. quaeſt. 4.Iewes? And hath not the Lord according to the Couenant of Grace, changed the Tables of Stone into the fleſhie ooAuguſt. de vera Innocentia ca. 258.Tables of our hearts, the killing letter into the quickning ſpirit, not putting out, but putting in, his ppAuguſt. de ſpir. & litera, cap. 14. & 21.lawes into our minde, and writing them by his Spirit vponupon our hearts, and ſo cauſing vsus to walke in his Statutes? And hath he not done all this, that as qqLuc. 1.74, 75.Luke 1:74Luke 1:75Zachary ſpeaketh, We might ſerue him according to his Law, without feare, in righteouſneſſe and holineſſe (the ſumme and ſubſtance of both rrMatt. 22.37.39.Matt 22:37Matt 22:39Tables) all the daies of our life? How then doth the remouing of the Tables of Stone, proue vntounto vsus the remouall of the Law written in them? Nay, if the remouing of the Tables of Stone, would proue the aboliſhing of the Law written in them, then the Morall Law was aboliſhed not only, as you ſay, after Chriſts death, but many hundred yeeres before Chriſts birth. For in the Second Temple, there was not the Arke of the Teſtimonie wherein the Tables were kept, nor the Tables themſelues neither: As not onelyonly ſſJoſeph. lib. 5. de Bello Iudai. cap. 14.Ioſephus and the ttPetrus Galat. de Arcanis Catholicae verit. lib. 4. cap. 9.Iewiſh Rabbins, with others, uuMorn. de veritate Chr. Relig. cap. 29.Phil. Morn. De veritate Rel. xxLudov. Vives de veritate Chr. fidei lib. 3. cap. 11.Lud. Viv. de verit. Chriſt. fid. lib. 3. doe record, but the ſacred yy2 King. 24.13.2 Kgs 24:13Story alſo beareth witneſſe, ſeeing all the Veſſels of the Temple, and all the precious Inſtruments thereof that were of gold (as the **Ex. 15.11.Exod 15:11Arke it ſelfe was, wherein the Tables of Stone were kept) were all carried away to Babel, either in the former Captiuities of Iehojachim, and Ieconiah, or the laſt which was the worſt, of zz2 Chron. 36.7.10.18.19.2 Chr 36:72 Chr 36:102 Chr 36:182 Chr 36:19Zedekiah when the City was ſackt, the Temple ſpoiled, and both by the Chaldaeans burnt with fire. Beſides all this, it is moſt certaine that as the Arke of the Couenant, and the parts of it, the Cherubins, and the Propitiatorie Couering, or Mercy Seat, were all Ceremonies, and Types of CHRIST, and ſhadowes of good p. 53things to come in the daies of the Goſpell, ſo was both the writing of the Law in Tables of Stone, and the putting of thoſe Tables (being the 11Deut. 9.9, 11.Deut 9:9Deut 9:11Tables of the Legall Couenant) in the 22Deut. 10.5.Deut 10:5Arke, which was therefore called the 33Deut. 10.8.Deut 10:8Arke of the Couenant; theſe alſo I ſay, were Typicall and Ceremoniall, but the Law it ſelfe, both before, and then, and now, and for euer was, and is, and ſhall be Morall ſtill. To make this a little more plaine. The Arke was a figure of Chriſt, and a pledge of Gods gracious aaNumb. 7.89.Num 7:89preſence, where he promiſed to ſpeake with his people, and whereunto he called them to ſpeake with him: This did ſignifie, that there could be no intercourſe of mercies and duties betwixt God and vsus, but in and by bbMatt. 3.17.Matt 3:17Chriſt alone. The ccExod. 25.21. Deut. 10.8.Exod 25:21Deut 10:8Tables of the Couenant were put in this Arke and kept in it, to ſignifie, not only that all the treaſures of wiſdome and knowledge were hid in ddCol. 2.3.Col 2:3Chriſt, but that the Law of God is fulfilled, and the juſtice of God ſatisfied, and the wrath of God appeaſed, in and by ee2 Cor. 5.18, 21. Act. 4.12.2 Cor 5:182 Cor 5:21Acts 4:12Chriſt alone. Theſe Tables were of Stone, ffExod. 34.1, 4.Exod 34:1Exod 34:4hauing the Law of God written by the ggDeut. 9.10.Deut 9:10finger of God in them, to ſignifie that in the New Couenant, he would change our hearts of ſtone, into hhEzek. 36.26, 27.Ezek 36:26Ezek 36:27hearts of fleſh, and write his lawes by the ii2 Cor. 3.…2 Cor 3finger of his ſpirit in the fleſhy Tables of our hearts, and both cauſe vsus to walke in his Statutes, and alſo accept of our obedience in Chriſt Ieſus. The Arke when the Tables of the Law were put in it, had a kkExo. 25.17, 21.Exod 25:17Exod 25:21Propitiatory Couering put vponupon it, Exodus 25. This did ſignifie another part of the Couenant, That in Chriſt alone the Lord will couer llHeb. 8.10, 12. Rom. 3.25.Heb 8:10Heb 8:12Rom 3:25and be mercifull to our ſinnes, and remember our iniquities no more, Hebr. 8.10, 11. Rom. 3.1 Ioh. 2. VponUpon the Propitiatory or Mercy Seat, were the two mmExod. 25.20.Exod 25:20Cherubins looking downe into the Arke: this did ſignifie, That as the holy nnHeb. 1.14.Heb 1:14Angels were appointed to be miniſtring Spirits, for the good of them that are Heires of ſaluation, ſo doe they deſire and delight to oo1 Pet. 1.12.1 Pet 1:12looke into p. 54Chriſt and his Church, and the myſterie of the Goſpell reuealed in the ſame. Now theſe things conſidered; this I ſay, That ſo farre as theſe Tables of the Couenant had any thing Ceremoniall in them, or any thing concerning other circumſtances, of perſons, time, place, terror, rigour, and the like, being peculiar to the Church of the Iewes in that eſtate of the Moſaicall Pedagogie; ſo farre I ſay, they are ppTemporalli horum adminiſtratio fuit, Iren. adverſ. Haereſ. lib. 4. cap. 8.remoued together with the Arke and Altar, Tabernacle and Temple, and other Leuiticall Sacrifices and Ceremonies, Iudaicall types and rites whatſoeuer. But the Morall Law contained in the Ten Commandements, could not be Ceremoniall, no more than a ſubſtance can be a ſhadow, (for then ſhould Morall and Ceremoniall hauehave beene confounded, whereas euen by their writing in Tables of Stone, and that by the finger of God they were diſtinguiſhed) neither was there then any thing for the ſubſtance of it, nor is now, (as now it ſtands vponupon record in the Booke of God) but it doth concerne vsus as well as them, according to that of the Apoſtle, We know that the Law is good, if a man vſe it lawfully: and therefore, though the Tables of Stone be remoued, the qqAge, Marcion, omnéſque jam commiſerones & coodibiles ejus Haeretici, quid audebitis dicere? Reſciditnè Chriſtus priora praecepta, Non occidendi, non adulterandi, non furandi, &c. An & illa ſervavit & quod deerat adjecit? vide Tertull. adver. Marcion. li. 4. ca. 36.Morall Law is yet continued, and hath (exceptis excipiendis) his proper vſe and force ſtill. That which you draw from Mount Sinai, hath not ſtrength enough to withdraw all vſe of the Morall Law from Mount Sion. The rrHeb. 12.12, 13.Heb 12:12Heb 12:13Apoſtle enforceth his exhortation vntounto Chriſtian obedience and patience, vnderunder the Metaphors of lifting vp their hands that hang downe, and their feeble knees (the better to enable them to reſiſt, and hold out in running the race that is ſet before them) by Arguments drawen from the comfortable and admirable priuiledge of the Goſpell and kingdome of Grace, farre aboue thoſe which the Hebrewes themſelues had, vnderunder the regiment of Moſes, in the eſtate of the Law. This you ſay truly, and we doe acknowledge, That greater mercies require p. 55greater duties: But when you ſay, He doth not preſſe his exhortation by the Law giuen in Mount Sinai, you are conuinced of a groſſe vntruth, by the two laſt ſſHeb. 12.28, 29.Heb 12:28Heb 12:29verſes of the ſame Chapter, where the Apoſtle preſſeth this exhortation [Let vsus hauehave grace to ſerue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare] by an Argument drawen from the Law, Deut. 4.24. viz. Antinomus.For our God is a conſuming fire. That which the ttHeb. 12.26, 27.Heb 12:26Heb 12:27Apoſtle allegeth out of uuAgg. 2.6.Hag 2:6Aggai, and you vrge out of both, concerning things that are ſhaken, may indeed ſhake in peeces all the Iewiſh Ceremonies and Sacrifices (as moſt Diuines doe agree.) But the Goſpell is ſo farre from ſhaking the Morall Law in that manner, that it doth rather ioine, and ſhake xxforeign. Vide Iuſtin Mart. Quaeſt. & Reſp. ad Orthod. p. 354.hands with it, as if, that which is ſpoken in another place, were alſo verified in them: Mercy and truth are met together, righteouſneſſe and peace doe kiſſe each other. So farre therefore as the Lord hath ioined them together, let no man be ſo bold as to ſeeke or ſue out a Bill of **Bez. Theol. Ep. Ep. 20. p. 103.diuorce to put them aſunder.