Three Questions, Part 1

Three Questions · Part 1

p. 48THE DOCTRINE OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY.

THe knowledge of this Queſtion is very neceſſary, and yet dangerous; Neceſſary, that the conſciences of men bee not kept unſtabliſhed; Dangerous, becauſe carnall men doe wantonly abuſe it. I intend not ſo much as maybe ſpoken of it, but ſo much as p. 49may bee fit for this Comment, and an ordinary Sermon.

There is a various Liberty: 1. A liberty in cauſes and effects, that mutable order between an Agent & an Effect, both voluntary. That the Agent may either worke, or not worke ſuch an Effect. This is oppos'd to Neceſſity. 2. A liberty in the Will, a naturall faculty of the reaſonable creature, to chuſe or refuſe an object of its owne proper motion.Libertas in genere, eſt ſtatus ſecundum quem quis eſt ſui Juris et alteri nō obligatus. Armin diſp. pub. 20. Thus the reaſonable is left to his owne Election. This is oppoſed to Coaction. 3. That Liberty which is the right of a creature, either Perſon, or Thing, to worke of its p. 50owne proper motion, according to naturall Law; with the enjoyment of uninterrupted convenient good things together with which it workes, and the freedom from ſuch defects as are hinderances, and burdenous to that natural law. The two former are not here meant, onelyonly this third, which is oppoſed to ſervitude, is proper to this place: yet not in al reſpects; for againe, this Liberty is twofold; Civill, and Spirituall: The latter is that which concernes our Queſtion, & concerning which, I would propoſe to ſpeake of.

1. The Deſcription of it.

2. The Ends of it.

p. 513. The conſequents from it.

1. Concerning the Deſcription, we have found it in the third kind of Liberty, which is oppoſed unto ſlavery, and may therefore call it, A ſpirituall Immunity from the evils and burdens of the ſervitude of the Law.

1. It is an Immunity; therefore it ſuppoſeth wee were once bound. The words in our Common-Law, which gives light unto this peece of Divinity, Immunity, Freedom, Franchiſe, Enfranchiſement, do all ſignifie an exemption from ſomewhat wee were under before. The word Liberty, is of a more reſtrained ſignification,Bracton. lib. 2. cap. 2. and notes p. 52a privilege held by grant or preſcription, whereby a man enjoyes ſome favour beyond an ordinary ſubject. But the other words are more expreſſive. Manumittere, Manumittens, manumittendum manutenebat, quam deinde cum ſolveret inquiebat, Hunc liberum eſſe volo. Iuſtinian.which ſignifies to Make Free, is properly to ſend one out of his hand, becauſe ſo long as a ſlave continues in his ſervitude, he is in the hand of his Maſter. Liberty from the law, is the delivering us from that hand, or power of the Law, by which wee were formerly held. So a Franchiſe is a privilege from ordinary Iuriſdiction, and that is called a Franchiſe Royall,An 15. Ric. 2. cap. 4. An 2. Hen. 5. cap. 7. in ſome Statutes, where the Kings Writ runneth not. Such an exemption p. 53hath the Chriſtian from Moſaicall Power, yet we were once under it.Crompt. Iuriſd. f. 141. Brit cap. 19 Bract. lib. 2. Bract. lib 5 Tra. 5. For againe in our Common-Law, wee ſay a man is Enfranchiſed, when hee is Incorporated into ſome ſociety, or body Politike. Hee that by Charter is made Deniſen of England, is Enfranchiſed. Now a Deniſen is an Alien enabled. My readings in this buſineſſe out of the compaſſe of my proper ſtudy, may miſtake, but that I entend it for, is true, that wee were before Aliens, till we became incorporate into the body of Chriſt, by which onelyonly we plead our Freedome.

2. It is a Spirituall Immunity, therefore not Civil; p. 54againe, therefore not Carnall. Wee are neither exempted from obedience to men, nor God.

3. An Immunity from the evils & burdens of the Law, or more largely of ſervitude.

1. From the evils of ſervitude: They are two:

1. From the curſe of the Law. The law Iuſtifies none, we muſt therefore be either freed from the law, or not at all Iuſtified; For as many as are of the works of the Law, are under the curſe; for it is written, Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things in the book of the Law to doe them. Gal. 3.10. Deut. 27.26. But here is our freedome. Gal. 3.13. p. 55Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, being made a curſe for us. Hee became a curſe for us, and was made, for our ſakes, as the greateſt ſinner, he ſtood in place, as David the Adulterer, as Peter the Denyer, as Paul the Perſecutor. Wee muſt ſee our Chriſt, wrapped as well in our Sinnes, as in our fleſh. He was numbred with the Tranſgreſſors, and he bare the ſinne of many, Eſa. 53.12. He was made ſinne for us, who knew no ſinne, that we might bee made the righteouſneſſe of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21. Thus is hee pleaſed to call our ſinnes, his; and he ſpeakes in David his Type, Pſal. 40.12. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon mee, ſo p. 56that I am not able to looke up, they are more than the hayres of my head. Chriſt ſtanding thus a ſinner, the law accuſed him, and after accuſation, kild him. But hee hath ſatisfied, and the Law is overcome; we have learned to triumph: O death where is thy ſting? The ſting of death is ſinne, and the ſtrength of ſinne is the Law; but thankes be to God, which giveth us the victory through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, 1 Cor. 15.55, 56, 57. When the Law curſeth, ſends out Writs, ſues out Attachements; wee plead Immunity, and ſend the law to Chriſt, by whom we aree freed.

2. From the power of ſinne, the other evill of ſervitude. p. 57Yeeld your ſelves unto God,Ante legem non pugnamus, ſub …ege pugnamus, ſed vintimur, ſub gratia pugnamus, & vincimus▪ in pace ne pugnamus quidem. Aug. in Rom. 6.Rom 6 for Sinne ſhal not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the Law, but under grace, Rom. 6.14. They are incouraged to the Combat by a double motive, the goodneſſe of their cauſe, the eaſineſſe of their conqueſt. When wee are freed from the Law, which onelyonly commands, but gives no ſtrength to obey, rather takes away our ſtrength, & addes ſtrength to ſinne, then are we under grace, which beſide that it forgiveth that which is paſt,Quae praeterquam prioradimittit, ad futura quoque cavenda animat. Chryſ. it doth arme us to take heed of that which is to come: as Chryſoſtome ſweetly expounds the Romans: To whom the holy p. 58Apoſtle glorieth, Rom. 8.2. The Law of the ſpirit of life in Chriſt Ieſus, hath made mee free from the Law of Sinne. From theaaOſiander. accuſing, thebbCalvin. power, theccLyranus. bond, theddEraſmus. right, theeeChryſoſt. guilt of ſinne, theffP. Mart. law of the members.

2. We are freed not only from the evils, but from the burdens of ſervitude.

1. From the Coaction of the Law: for the Law doth burden a man, and hinder the alacrity of his obedience. A precept of the Law is,

Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy ſtrength.

To bee empty of all other loves, to ſet the ſole p. 59affection upon God. Here the moſt perfect faile, for though our love unto God be ſincere, yet we are, many times, drawne off with other luſts. But the Law tels us, He is curſed that continues not in all. Now we ſee what ever we endevor, we are ſtill under the Curſe; our workes are, Mala quia imperfecta, therefore evill, becauſe not perfectly good. This dulleth the heart, and diſcourageth it from any offer. The peeviſh eye of a froward Maſter, makes the ſervant heartleſſe. What ſhould I do any thing, ſeeing whatſoever I doe, I cannot pleaſe. This is the burden of the Legally righteous: the taske it ſet, p. 60they muſt either doe it, or ſmart for neglect. The Iſraelites are beaten i… they bring not in their tale of bticke, Exod. 5.14. But here is our Liberty, God ſpareth us, as a man ſpares his owne ſonne that ſerveth him; Mal. 3.17. The Command is given, Let not ſinne reigne in your mortall Body: and the Promiſe is added with the Command; Sinne ſhall not have dominion over you. The Law cannot coact us, but grace unloads us, removes our burthens, and ſweetens our labours.

2. Wee are freed from Indifferents, when they prove burdens.

1. Things. The Iewes were bound to uſe and refuſe p. 61many things, the Vſing and Refuſing of which had elſe beene Indifferent. They muſt abſtaine from Swine, from things ſtrangled, and the like. We have liberty of a freer uſe of Gods creatures; being not ſubject to ordinances; Touch not, Taſte not, Handle not, Col. 2.20.21.

2. Men. We are not ſubjected to ſuch commands, as whereby they would bind the conſcience. Now the conſtitutions of men are either,

1. Civill and politicall; Theſe wee have a rule for, that wee muſt obey them, though in 1 Cor. 7.23. hee ſeeme to give exemption; Yee are bought with a price, be p. 62yee not the ſervants of men: yet, Rom. 13.1.5. we have that other expounded, Let every ſoule bee ſubiect to the higher powers, for the powers that bee, are ordained of God. Who reſiſteth the power, reſiſteth the ordinance of God: Wherefore yee muſt needs bee ſubiect for conſcience ſake.

2. Eccleſiaſticall; Theſe concerne either,

1 The matter of Gods worſhip; then we renounce them as great preſumptions; for Divine worſhip cannot have inſtitution from humane command.

2. Or the manner of worſhip, tending to decency: Here Conſtitutions may order, not bind; order p. 63the carriage, not binde the conſcience.

But concerning both theſe and thoſe Conſtitutions, I meane, both Eccleſiaſticall and Civill, I would deliver my ſelfe a little more fully; and to that end, wil preſent a few concluſions touching Indifferents, their nature and extent.

1. An Adiaphoron or Indifferent, is, Res media, a middle thing, which ſtands ſo to two extremes, that it may alike incline to both. And in the ordinary, though not proper uſe of the word,Medium Abnegationis. Medium Participationis. Aquin. it is a Medium betweene morall good and evill. Now ſuch a Medium, is either of meere Abnegation, p. 64ſo all Subſtances, whether naturall or artificiall, are Res mediae, Indifferent things; or of ſome participation, which ſo farre agrees with either extreme, as the extremes agree between themſelves; ſo no Subſtances are properly Indifferents, but Actions only: Actions therefore which are neither commanded nor forbidden, and which in their intrinſicke nature, have neither obedience, nor diſobedience, are indifferent.

2. Indifferent Actions in their owne intrinſicall nature, nothing differ among themſelves, but are all equally far from good and evill: But there are ſome p. 65which, for the moſt part, have evill circumſtances accompanying them, and therfore ſound in the worſe ſenſe, as if they did incline to evill; as to be an accuſer may be indifferently good or bad, yet we ill interpret that name. On the contrary, ſome Actions commonly accompanied with good circumſtances, as to be ſtudious, ſound wel, and are conceived to tend to good, though a mans ſtudy may as well be evill and corrupt.

3. Indifferents ceaſe to be Indifferents, when by Authority, they are commanded or forbidden. Nothing ought to bee commanded, but onelyonly good; p. 66nor any thing but evil prohibited. What is indifferent in the nature, cannot ſimply, abſolutely, and perpetually be forbidden, or commanded; but commanded as it comes nearer to good; and as nearer to evill, forbidden.

From theſe grounds wee may draw Rules, for our freedome from, or obedience to, for changed Indifferences, and the Conſtitutions of men.

2. Wee have the nature of our freedome deſcribed; now the Ends both of it, and of the doctrine of it, are;

1. To pacifie the conſcience, that that great Director, may not be left floting, p. 67but may know what ground it hath, and how it may proceed.

2. To remove away ſuperſtition, that the minde may know, it is not tyed to a throng of needleſſe obſervances, and diſcouraging feares.

3. To direct us in our worke, in the comfort and readineſſe of our ſet working.

3. There remaines the third propoſed, The Conſequents from the former.

1. The freedome is ſpirituall; therefore,

1. Not Civill: Then are the Anabaptiſts mad, who would reject all law, and make the whole world levell; denying obedience p. 68to Lawes and lawfull Magiſtrates; a diſeaſe begun in the diſtempered heads of Iohn of Leiden, and the mad men of Munſter; oppoſed among others chiefly by the holy zeale of Luther, whoſe doctrine of Reformation was dangerouſly miſtaken by thoſe fanatickes: which I …he rather note, becauſe ſome halfe iſſues of that monſtrous Birth, call that bleſſed Apoſtle of our later times, to patronize their conceits and errours about the morall Law.

2. Not Carnall whence then are our ordinary exceſſes in the uſe of good things; our ſurfetting tables, and variety of delicates p. 69doe ſufficiently witneſſe our carnall licenciouſneſſe, that I need not inſtance the pride of our faſhions, the immoderateneſſe of our pleaſures. But theſe are Indifferents: True, if they bee uſed indifferently, but Exceſſes are not. What may bee lawfully uſed, by an inordinate deſire to it, and delight in it, is made uncleane. Such Inordinates are defiled, and by the witneſſe of the Apoſtle, Titus 1.15. To them that are defiled nothing is pure. Our Saviour hath ſhewed a difference, Luke 6.2. Woe unto you that are rich, for yee have received your Conſolation: Woe unto you p. 70that are full. 'Tis lawfull to enioy an eſtate; Why then is the Woe againſt them? They are immoderate, when being Rich, they receive their Conſolation, and are Full: It argues, they have made their ſtate, their Happineſſe. This is the peoples ſinne: Amos 6.1.6. Woe to them that are at eaſe in Zion, that drink wine in Bowles, and annoynt themſelves with chiefe oyntments.

When wee come to be at eaſe in our enioyments, we abuſe our Liberty. But theſe things are then truly Indifferent, when wee are come to Pauls Reſolve, Philip. 4.11, 12. I have learned to be content, I know p. 71how to bee abaſed, and how to abound, to be full, and to be hungry.

2. Though Spirituall, it is an immunity. Then if wee have a Charter from heaven, how dare any deny it, or with-hold it. Thoſe miſerable men that are under the Popiſh yoake, have many heavy loads laid on their Conſciences; the Pontificials dealing with the Abuſed, as Pharaohs Taskemaſters with the afflicted Iſraelites, they load them hard, and then beat them, when they are loaden.

3. The ends are:

1. To quiet the Conſcience; therefore not to afflict the Conſciences of p. 72others. They abuſe their Liberty, that uſe it unſeaſonably, to the hindering of the weake. Some young Chriſtians of Corinth would eate Idolothyts, meats offered to Idols, to that end onelyonly, to ſhew their Liberty, but they are anſwered by the Apoſtle, Licent quae expediunt, 1 Cor. 10.24.Theod. reads with Interrogative. Omnia mibi licent? Sed non expediunt. Chryſoſt. Ambroſ. read without. All things are lawfull for mee, but all things are not expedient. And in another place, hee applyes it more directly, Brethren, yee have beene called unto liberty, onelyonly uſe not liberty for an occaſion to the fleſh, but by love ſerve one another: Gal. 5.13. Chriſt hath looſed the yoake, not that wee ſhould bee more wanton, p. 73but more chearefull; as S. Chryſoſtome hath well followed the minde of the Apoſtle; who,Non monet, ut illegitima fiat vitae ratio, ſed ut legem tranſcendat Philoſophia: ſoluta enim ſunt legit vincula, non ut dejiciamur, ſed ut erigamur ad altiora: Etenimtam is quiſcortatur, quam is qui in Virginitate perſev… rat, legis terminos exceſſit, verum non eodem m… do, ſed hic quidem in deteriora prolapſus, ille …ero ad meliora provectus, ſic ut alter praetergr… ſus ſit legem, alter ſuper-greſſus; Hoc itaque dic Paulus, Chriſtus Iugum vobis relaxavit, nō ut exilati. aut calcitretis, ſed ut abſ que jugo compoſitè incedatis Chr. in loc. Qui per charitatem ſervit libere ſeruit. Aug. 1 Cor. 8.11. ſtrongly argues againſt this abuſe, from the great danger of it, to the perverting of a weake brothers ſoule. If thou haſt knowledge, and eateſt Idolothyts, another ſhall be encouraged to doe it ignorantly, and therfore ſinfully. Through thy knowledge, ſhall thy weake brother periſh, for whom Chriſt dyed? Wilt thou ſuffer thy brother to periſh for ſo p. 74ſmall a cauſe, he taking occaſion to doc as aaTuo actu illum occidis, quando a te fieri videt, quod ille aliter inteligit, & tu eris occaſio mortis fratri, quem Chriſtus ut redimeret, cruciſigi ſe permiſſit. Amb. in 1. Cor. cap. 8.1 Cor 8Ambroſe ſpeakes, what he underſtands not: or as bbChriſtus pro fratre mori non recuſavit, tu autem ne in anima quidem inducis …ad…tis …becillita… te de…tas, & …mmo…? Chryſ.Chryſoſtome, Chriſt dyed for him, and wilt not thou deny thy ſelft for him? But the danger is not more to the weak brother, then to the wilfull offender; for it followes in the next verſe,cc…. …hryſ. Aug de verb. Dom. Serm. 16. But when yee ſinne ſo againſt the brethren, ye ſinne againſt Chriſt.

2. A ſecond end is, to remove ſuperſtition, therefore it doth plainely condemne ſuch as uſe their liberty to ſuperſtition. They dare venture upon any obſervations, unwarranted by any thing, but blinde Cuſtome, & plead, All is lawfull.

p. 753. A third end is, to direct us in our walke; wee therefore have liberty, and are made acquainted with our liberty, that we might know how unconſtrainedly to frame our obedience; making uſe of the Law, but not in ſervitude unto it; which therefore condemnes ſuch as quite caſt away the Law, as if of no uſe, and prove themſelves of lawleſſe and ungoverned humours, true Libertines.

Give me leave to make a double application, or uſe, of this Truth.

Vſe 1. If we be at liberty, by the Law dead unto the Law, let us then ſtand faſt in our liberty, and labour page missing p. 84ders. Nor deſire wee ſo to plead, for thou wilt ſay to ſuch, Depart from me. We have not ſought ſuch a righteouſneſſe, and therefore we ſing for ioy.

I now proceede, to follow the Apoſtle againe in his owne method; we are ſtill upon his firſt argument, which is continued in the 20. verſe. Hee had told us before, that he was Dead unto the Law; Now he expounds his meaning, I am crucified with Chriſt. Chriſt was upon the Croſſe as a publicke perſon: hee was dead to the Law, becauſe crucified; being dead the Law could no more command. And hee being dead to the Law, we being p. 85crucified with him, are dead with him; We are crucified with Chriſt, for he was in our ſtead, as a burgeſſe in a Parliament, for a whole Corporation: or there is a Donation to us, of Chriſt, and al his, ſo that his death is ours. Yet this death gives life and liberty; Nevertheleſſe I live, yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me. Chriſt lives in us, in our hearts, ſo that this our ſpirituall life, is no other, than the life of Chriſt living in us, really, and numerally the ſame; for as the life of the naturall body and head,Rollocus in loc. is really & numerally the ſame, becauſe of that ſtrict coniunction of the head and body; ſo, and much more p. 86is this, as the coniunction is greater, and more cloſe: and therefore is Chriſt called,Amb lib. 2. de poen. c. 20 Our Life, Col. 3.4. Hee that lives in Chriſt, ceaſeth to be what he was before: It is a pretty ſtory which we finde in Saint Ambroſe; A young man who had looſely miſ-ſpent his time, taking a iourny into other parts, was, by the mercy of God, converted; at his returne home, hee is met, and ſaluted by his wanton Love; hee entertaines her with a coy and ſtrange looke; Shee wondring at his carriage, and thinking his Travel might make him forget his former acquaintance, begins to tell him who ſhee was, It is I, it is I: p. 87but the new Convert returnes an anſwer much like rhis of the Apoſtles,Sed ego non ſum ego. Ambr. ib. But I am not I. When we are crucified with Chriſt, we live not any longeraaNon vivit ille, qui quondam viuebat in lege, qui…pe qui perſequebatur Eccleſiam: vivitautem in eo Chriſtus, ſapientia, fortitudo, ſermo, pax, gaudidium, caeterae que virtututes, quas qui non habet, non poteſt dicere. vivit in me Chriſtus. Hier. in loc. our own life. Hee ſaith not, Hee lives in Chriſt, but which is more divinely elegant, Chriſt lives in him. As ſinne is ſaid to live in us, when we obey it; ſo, when Chriſt guides us, he lives within us. This he ſeemes to promiſe, Ioh. 14.19. Becauſe I live, ye ſhall live alſo. We muſt not live onelyonly in our owne perſon, but muſt ſtill have our eye on Chriſt, as it were, the forme of our ſoule, whereby it lives, and is actuated. If we ſeparate Chriſts perſon from ours, Then we abide p. 88under, and live in the Law. Thus hath the Apoſtle by preoccupation, anſwered that obiection, If you are dead, how doe you then live? He anſwers by diſtinction of a double life;Non ſufficit noſtrarelinquer…, niſi retinquamus et nos, &c. Aliud ſumus perpeccatum lapſi, aliud per naturam conditi, &c And a little after, Extinctus fuerat ſaevus ille perſecutor, & vivere coeperat pius praedicator. Greg. in Evang. Hom. 32. Naturall, that is my owne; Spirituall, that is the life of another, made mine; I, as Paul, am dead, but I live as a Chriſtian. The furious perſecutor was crucified, the godly preacher now lives, as Gregory excellently explicates that of our Saviour, He that will bee my Diſciple, let him deny himſelfe. But again they might obiect, thou liveſt by thine owne life, we ſee thee breathing, moving, performing the actions of a natual life. p. 89Wee ſee thy fleſh, but Chriſt we ſee not. That he cleares, Indeed I live in the fleſh, but 'tis as no life. I ſee, ſpeake, eate, drinke, ſleepe, but 'tis not the fleſh that leads me; in theſe very outward things, I am alſo guided by my Chriſt. This hee pleads againſt the malitious, 2 Cor. 10.2, 3. There are ſome which thinke of us, as if wee walked according to the fleſh, though we walke in the fleſh, wee doe not warre after the fleſh: We live not ſo, as to obey the command of our luſts. He lives by faith, and in the latter words of this verſe, hee noteth to us the cauſes of his faith; I live by the faith of the Sonne of God, p. 90who loved me, and gave himſelfe for me. Theſe together, firme the beleever, that Chriſt is the Son of God, that the Son of God loves us, that hee manifeſts his love by his death for us. Faith ſtayes not upon the Sonne of God, as ſimply ſuch, but upon the Sonne, loving and dying; therefore it is ſaid, Rom. 3.25. through faith in his bloud.

Hitherto have wee purſued the firſt Argument of this Apoſtolike truth; or according as our method cals it, The firſt Reaſon of Pauls Doctrine; I ſhall paſſe the others more briefly, to haſten to his uſe or application.

Argum. 2 2. The ſecond argument p. 91is in the laſt verſe, the 21. verſe of this ſecond Chapter.

The Text.

VERS. 21. I doe not fruſtrate the grace of God; for if righteouſnes come by the Law, then Chriſt is dead in vaine.

IT is an argument, ex abſurdo, from a double abſurdity, that would eaſily follow upon the granting of a contrary to this truth.

1. If wee ſhould ſeeke Iuſtification by the law, then wee ſhould make fruſtrate the grace of God. foreign, I do not make fruſtrate. The p. 92word,Ambr. Non ſum ingratus gratiae Dei. Aug. Non irritam facio gratiam Dei. foreign, doth ſignifie.

1. To contemne, as Heb. 10.28. the word is uſed, foreign, Hee that deſpiſed or contemned Moſes Law.

2. To reiect, as Ioh. 12 48. foreign, &c, He that reiecteth me, and receiveth not my words.

3. To diſanull, as Gal. 3.15. foreign; If it be a mans Covenant, no man diſannulleth it.

How great is that evill, and conſequent abſurdity, by ſeeking a legall righteouſneſſe, to make fruſtrate, that is, to contemne, to reiect, to diſannull the grace or free diſpenſation of mercy of God? What ſin p. 93is there more hainous? and yet what more common? When wee doe expect of our owne, wee doe, as it were, ſpit upon Chriſt, contemning him as vile: We, as it were, tread him under foot, caſting him away as unuſefull; we, as it were, fruſtrate all his merits, as being of no value; High and fearefull ſinnes, of a bloudy Dye, and treaſonable nature. For thus we ſet workes in the place of Chriſt, and rebelliouſly diſplace from the Throne, the right Soveraigne.

2. The ſecond abſurdity is, that then it would follow, That Chriſt dyed in vaine. If righteouſneſſe come by the Law, then is p. 94Chriſt dead, foreign, that is the word in the Greeke Text. foreign, commonly ſignifies, gratis, gratuitò, freely; Rom. 2.24. foreign: Being iuſtified freely. But here it ſignifies, without merit, or raſhly, or to no purpoſe,Hieron. & omnes Graeci Tum mors Chriſti Supervacanea. Ambr. & Aug. Hilar. in Pſa. 119. in lit. לPs 119 or without a cauſe; as the Ancients conſent. So doth Reaſon; for of one effect, there can bee but one proper cauſe, and by it ſelfe: Nature ſaw this, and**Ʋnius effectus non poteſt eſſe, niſi una cauſa pro. prie, & per ſe. Ariſt. lib. 2. poſt. cap. 16 delivered it.

Righteouſneſſe cannot be of both, it muſt bee of the law, or of faith; if of the law, then Chriſt died to no purpoſe, which were blaſphemy to imagine: for then ſhould God be uniuſt, for no cauſe to loade him p. 95with his wrath. They are but little leſſe blaſphemous, who dare affirme, that he dyed but to merit, Firſt grace: That is to ſay, hee dyed foreign, to no purpoſe. But 'tis our comfortable knowledge, he dyed to merit, not primam gratiam, but integram Iuſtitiam, not only the firſt grace, but perfect righteouſneſſe, and therfore dyed to great purpoſe, for good cauſe. Argum. 3

3. The third Argument is in the firſt and ſecond verſes of the third Chapter.

The Text.

GAL. 3.1. O fooliſh Galatians, who hath bewitched p. 96you, that you ſhould not obey the truth, before whoſe eyes Ieſus Chriſt hath beene evidently ſet forth, crucified among you.

VERS. 2. This onelyonly would I learne of you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

IN the firſt verſe of this Chapter, before hee addes new arguments, hee uſeth a reprehenſory Apoſtrophe, to the ſeduced Galatians, hee prepares them to heare, before hee proceeds to teach; a wiſdome fit for all that diſpenſe the Word, leſt being unprepared, and unbroken up, inſtead of ſowing, we ſcatter p. 97and loſe the ſeed. He calls them,aaVet lat. Inſenſati Aug. Stulti. Hier Rudes Fooliſh Galatians; not as a Nationall brand, as Hierom bbHier in praef. in lib. hunc.imagines: ſo as the Cretans were called Liars; the Dalmatians furious; the Graecians light or inconſtant, and ſo of others, but onelyonly as a fit expreſſion of his vehement zeale againſt their ſinne. Nor is it againſt the precept of Chriſt,Chryſ in loc. Iran lib. 4. cap 27. Imp …pu… in Mat 5 Homil 2. Aug. deſerin non. l. 1.Matt 5 Mat. 5.22. for, we may be angry; Paul, Peter, Chriſt himſelfe was ſo: and it is lawfull to reprove. It was raſh and cauſeleſſe anger which our Saviour condemned; there may bee an anger of reproofe whereby God may be honoured: that muſt be our caut…on and care, leſt p. 98otherwiſe we ſerve not the Lord,Aug ut ſu pra, cap. …0. Tho. Aquin …ae. queſt. 72. a…. 2. but our paſſions, as both Saint Auſtin and Thomas have divinely explicated it. 'Twas a iuſt reprehenſion, for they are all Fooles that over-throw Chriſt. Is it not extreme folly to overthrow our peace, our comfort, the meanes of our reconcilement? To oppoſe the righ…eouſneſſe of Chriſt, is to …orfeit all theſe, and to make our ſelves miſerable.

This reproofe, …e partly mitigates, and partly aggravates.

1. He mitigates, by tranſlating the fault, in a kinde, from them upon others. foreign? Who hath bewitched you? foreign ſignifies p. 99ſometime to**Symmach lib 6 c 78 Sidonius. lib. cap. …. Envy. In this ſenſe, his reproofe is not onelyonly moderate, but mixed alſo with the tacite commendation of their vertue, which hath procured its owne uſuall attendant Envy, from the Divell, and wicked men.Plin l. 8. c. 8 Theophraſ. lib de Cha. Ariſt. in probl. Plutar. Convi…. lib. 5. Virg es. 3. Neſcio quis teneros oculus mihi faſcinat agnos. Gei innoct. lib. 9. cap. 4. Leon. V…r. lib. 3. But more properly we may take foreign, for foreign, to kill with the eyes; as more ancient Philoſophers, and more lately, Leon, Varius, have handled and proved it. Thus the Apoſtle might ſeeme, according to the vulgar opinion, to allude unto that, That they were blinded and miſ-led by impoſtors. Hereticall teachers are bewitchers, that as thoſe made falſe things p. 100appeare as true, ſo theſe. They fell not through malice, but deceit, being bewitched, that they ſhould not obey the truth. It is the great policy of the Divell, and his, to keepe nature blind, or if not blind, yet rebellious, that men might not underſtand the Doctrin of free Iuſtification; which Doctrine moſt ſtrongly fights againſt the kingdom of Satan. Thus the Apoſtle hath wiſely dealt his blow, by a gentle mitigation, while the offenders might ſee affection in him, without Arrogancie.

All are not fitted for a rough handling; in our reproofes we muſt endevour …th to be plaine and pleaſing; p. 101by the former, wee ſhall ſhew our ſelves honeſt, by the latter, diſcreet.

His pleaſingneſſe hath appeared in the mitigation, his plainneſſe will appeare in the aggravation of their fault.

2. He aggravates by the evidence of that doctrine which they had received. That others did bewitch them was their malice, but that they would bee bewitched, having beene ſo clearely taught, was their extreme weakeneſſe. They …ell not from a truth, that they were ſcarcely acquainted with, but what was drawne before them with a pencill, clearely p. 102wrought and diſcerned. It is a dangerous matter to leave a knowne T…uth. When Chriſt is evidently taught, hee is, as it were, painted forth unto us. They had ſo underſtood the Goſpell, that they had ſeene him, as it were, ſpit upon, ſcourged, reviled, crucified, and yet had forſaken the faith in him. I cannot leave this, (though I intended but a ſhort Comment) without touching at two or three obſervations very briefly.

Obſer. 1. By faith beleeving the Goſpell taught, they ſaw Chriſt before their eyes.

Faith ſees things that are farre removed, and p. 103makes them ours; The evidence of things not ſeene. Reaſons eye is farre more dull than this: This ſees truth in a promiſe for after times and beholds it with ſuch a ſtedfaſtneſſe, as if it were already preſent. Becauſe God hath promiſed it ſhall be, my faith ſees it already here. Let me inſtance one more particular; In the Sacrament of the Communion, an unworthy Communicant diſcernes not the Lords body; Naturall men ſee but a covered table, ſome outward ſignes, Bread and Wine, poore alas, and inglorious Elements; But Faith beholds much under thoſe vailes, it ſees Chriſt, his body and bloud, it taſts p. 104and feedes upon Chriſt in the Euchariſt, and attracts nouriſhment from what it feeds upon.

Obſerv. 2. When Paul taught the Goſpell, Chriſt was drawne forth before their eyes. It was Paul, whole worke but to paint out Chriſt. Himſelfe had determined to know nothing but Ieſus Chriſt, and him crucified: And hee will teach; but what he might ſavingly know; And my ſpeech, and my preaching was not with inticing words of mans wiſedome, 1 Cor. 2.24. Our preaching muſt be plaine and lively: plaine, that Chriſt may bee truely painted before us: lively, that in the freſh knowledge p. 105of his death, hee may bee crucified among us. They are bad Preachers that paint themſelves in their owne colours, inſtead of Chriſt. While in our ordinary Sermons, we doe unneceſſarily tell you, how many Fathers wee have read, how much we are acquainted with the School-men, what Criticall Linguiſts we are, or the like: 'Tis a wretched oſtentation; we doe over much affect our owne picture, and paint unto you our owne Schollerſhip. It is not fit, that Divinity ſhould bee ſordidly attended, but with ſuch words as may both take the ſenſe and the underſtanding. Yet there p. 106is moſt wiſedome and efficacy in Gods Oratory, the ſacred Scrrpture-expreſſion; and wee preach with moſt authority, when we deny our ſelves. I ſpeak not, as affecting a ſluttiſh hādling, but a Sermon wel dreſſed with fit words, rather thā fine; but eſpecially in the evidence of the Spirit, & with power. This way we ſhall draw the heart into the eare, and as wel Touch, as Affect. So our Saviour taught, it was the will of the Father which hee publiſhed, and hath received that praiſe by the Evangeliſt, from the Spirit of God, He taught as one having Authority, and not as the Scribes, Mat. 7.29.

p. 107Obſer. 3. The doctrine of Chriſt crucified, is ſet before their eyes. Let me now direct you, what is the beſt ornament of your houſes, and your hearts too, The Crucifix. Let that be hung every where: I meane, not a wooden, or braſen, or though of ſome purer mettall, gold or ſilver; but the ſaving knowledge and contemplation of Chriſt in the heart. Let him bee before your thoughts, as if your eyes ſaw him ſtretched along, and nailed to the Croſſe, his head bending in a ſolemne and yeelding poſture, his armes ſpread, as if wooing our embraces. This, let this be all our Superſtition; not to adore an p. 108Image, but to make uſe of more profitable Preaching. Images were not brought into the Church, till preaching grew ſlacke. I need not inſtance you the Canon of Eliberis, Conc. Elib. An. 305.the Iudgement of Origen, the zeale of Epiphanius, Hieron. in Epiſt. Epi. Greg. lib. 9. Epiſt. Ep. 9.the deciſion of Gregory to his Maſſilian. That of an ancient, in the Library of the Fathers, is expreſſe for all;Biblioth. patr. Tom. 9 None of the Antient Catholickes ever thought that Images were to be adored. Away with thoſe new ſuperſtitions, let this be our Crucifix, our Image, to beleeve in Chriſt, and make uſe of his death.

The Apoſtles reprehenſion of theſe Galatians, hath kept us from the third Argument, p. 109delivered in the ſecond verſ. That by which ye received the Spirit, that is it which iuſtifies you, you received not the Spirit by the workes of the Law, but by the hearing of Faith. Spiritus foreign.There is the Spirit of Son-ſhip, and the Spirit of Gifts; Chryſoſtome underſtands it of the latter:Accepiſtis Spiritum Sanct. edidiſtis miracula, &c. Chryſ. in loc. but the Argument of the place ſeems to meane the former. The Law is not the Miniſter of the Spirit and life, though the Spirit worke by the Law, Ioh. 16.8. Therefore they could not receive the Spirit by the works of the Law; an aſſurance of their Sonne-ſhip. But the Goſpell is properly the Miniſter of the Spirit, that p. 110works confidence & faith. Now the Spirit is not given but to them that are Iuſtified, and by that by which they are iuſtified. Hee referres the truth of this unto themſelves, that they might be foreign, the own ſelfe condemners. Hee ſpeakes, as Saint Ambroſe hath the phraſe,Loquitur au…em ad huc cum Stomacho. Amb. in oc ſtill with ſome ſtomack againſt them. Or as another urgeth it, If I added no more ſubtle and accurate reaſons, this were enough which I will now require of you, and which the rudeſt and moſt unlearned will grant me; This would I know, Received ye, &c.

Argum. 4 4. The fourth Argument is in the two following p. 111verſes, the third, and fourth.

The Text.

VERS. 3. Are ye ſo fooliſh? Having begunne in the Spirit, are yee now made perfect by the fleſh?

VERS. 4. Have ye ſuffered ſo many things in vaine? If it be yet in vaine.

VVHat is fooliſh and abſurd, is not to be beleeved or entertained. But it is an abſurd thing to bee perſwaded, That ſuch as have begun in the Spirit may bee made perfect in the fleſh. The one propoſition is implyed, the Minor is expreſſed, p. 112and not without the former vehemence; foreign, Are ye ſo fooliſh? The folly or abſurdity will appeare, whether we conſider the thing logically, or phyſically, or theologically. 1. It is logically abſurd, to expect a more noble effect from an ignoble cauſe: to ſeeke perfection from the fleſh. 2. It is phyſically or naturally abſurd, to attribute more efficiencie to that which is paſſive, than to that which is Active; more to the fleſh, than to the Spirit. 3. It is theologically abſurd, or abſurd in Divinity, whether we underſtand it properly, or metonymically: 1. properly, The fleſh is as p. 113graſſe; The voyce ſaid, Cry; All fleſh is graſſe; and all the goodlineſſe thereof, is as the flower of the field: The graſſe withereth, the flower fadeth becauſe the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it; ſurely the people is graſſe, Eſa. 40. 6, 7. It is a withering fading thing. But the Spirit is Divine; and powerfull, and conſtant, becauſe Divine. Shall a thing, begun by Divine agency, be compleated by weake fleſh? 2. Metonymically, the Spirit is Spirituall grace and faith; the Fleſh is ceremony, and the workes of the Law. It was an errour brought in by thoſe ſeducers, They would admit of Pauls doctrine concerning p. 114Iuſtification, but they wold have the Law added to; and give up their ſentence peremptory to the councel, Except yee be circumciſed after the manner of Moſes, Orig. lib 3. in Rom. 3.Rom 3yee cannot be ſaved, Acts 15.1. An abſurd error; As if the beginning of Light ſhould be from the Sunne, and the encreaſing of it from the nights darkeneſſe. And what elſe doe the Papiſts meane, when they cal faith, Radicem Iuſtificationis, The root or beginning of Iuſtification? The Ieſuites explaine themſelves when they ſay, They therefore call it the beginning, becauſe faith doth diſpoſitively beget charity and meritorious workes, by which properly we are iuſtified p. 115formally and materially. This is that doctrine which the Apoſtle hath pronounced abſurd and fooliſh; which abſurdity is further confirmed in the fourth verſe; If that were their expectation, then had they ſuffered much in vaine for the Faith which they now reiected. The propoſition obſerves unto us: 1. That the Galatians ſuffered much. 2. That the ſufferings of the Galatians, as of all Gods people, tend to Reward, not of deſert, but of appointment. 3. That the Reward is to perſevering in thoſe ſufferings. 4. That all ſufferings for the faith are loſt, if the Galatians turne unto Law-workes againe. The fifth p. 116verſe hath but the ſame force of Argument with the ſecond, and therefore I omit it, though if it were ſeaſonable to the queſtions in hand, and that I intended not brevity in this Comment, I might diſpute it; How farre**Aug. de Civit dei. lib 22.….8. Chryſ. hom. 14. …n mat. miracles doe confirme the Faith, and are neceſſary; what the**Hegeſip lib. 3. cap. 2. Epiph. Har. 66. Greg. …uron hiſt. Fran. l. 2 c. 3. Pa… …iac. Re. Rom. lib ult impoſtures of Hereticks have beene about them; what the lyes of the**Lyndanus Alan copus, Dial. 6. Papiſts have beene concerning ours: but I haſten, and therefore omit them.

Argum. 5 5 The fifth Argument followes in the foure next verſes.

p. 117The Text.

VERS. 6. Even as Abraham beleeved God, and it was accounted to him for righteouſneſſe.

VERS. 7. Know yee therefore, that they which are of faith, the ſame are the children of Abraham.

VERS. 8. And the Scripture foreſeeing that God would iuſtifie the Heathen through faith, preached before the Goſpell unto Abraham, ſaying, In Thee ſhall all Nations be bleſſed.

VERS 9. So then they which bee of Faith, are bleſſed with faithfull Abraham.

p. 118Sed quid juvat …ſta ſu …ſſ…, cum caete…a qua re equit, inſania ipſius adverſa ſint? Hier.MArcion the Hereticke, tore out theſe foure verſes out of his Copy: but as Hierome anſwers roundly: But what will it helpe him to have taken away theſe when thoſe things that are left, doe ſufficiensly oppoſe his madneſſe.

As Abraham, the Father of the faithfull, was iuſtified, ſo alſo are his Sonnes. But Abraham was Iuſtified by Faith: Therefore, Wee in the ſame manner. The propoſition, though not in the Text, is plaine by an Argument, A pari, there is the ſame Covenant, made to the Father, and the Sons; Gen. 17.7. I will be thy God, and of thy ſeed after thee. The p. 119Covenant was the ſame, and the ſame**Iraen lib. 4. cap 38. Condition; Rom. 4.11, 12. Hee received the ſigne of Circumciſion, a ſeale of the righteouſneſſe of the faith, that he might be the father of al them that beleeve, though they bee not circumciſed, that righteouſneſſe might be imputed to them alſo; and the Father of Circumciſion to them who are not of the Circumciſion onelyonly, but alſo walke in the ſteppes of that faith of our Father Abraham which he had being yet uncircumciſed.

The Aſſumption is in the ſixth verſe, cited from the Teſtimony of Moſes, Gen. 15.6. Hee beleeved in the Lord, and it was counted to him for righteouſneſſe. p. 120Though Abraham were abounding in workes,Tert. de pati. cap. 6. and glorious in his obedience; yet not them, but his faith is imputed. The concluſion in the ſeventh: foreign, The old Latine renders that; Ye know; which wee read, Know yee: Thus referring it to their owne collection; which is onelyonly amplified and cleared, in the two following verſes: out of which I would onelyonly touch at ſome obſervations.

1. The ſame way of Iuſtification was had both in the Old, and the New Teſtament.

2. The Goſpell is not New; as the Romiſh are wo… to … t…e Reformed p. 121with the title of New-Goſpellers: It was preached to Abraham, In thy ſeed all Nations ſhall be bleſſed. And long before him, to Adam; in the promiſe of the ſame ſeed.

3. The New Teſtament hath much foundation in the Old, and therefore we may confirme the Doctrine of this by that: Againſt the froward cavills of ſome, who in their reaſoni…gs wil not admit of thoſe writings. But, chiefly, let mee not omit that which Luther hath obſerved,M. Luth. in Gal, in loc. How much the children o… the beleeving Abraham, and the begetting Abraham differ. The begetting Abraham was a worker, the beleeving p. 122was righteous: His faith was upon Chriſt, the obiect of his faith. We are bleſſed, not with the working, but the faithful Abraham.

6. The ſixt Argument Argum. 6 is delivered in the tenth verſe.

The Text.

VERS. 10. For as many as are of the workes of the Law, are under the curſe, for it is written, Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them.

AS many as are of the workes of the Law, are p. 123under the curſe of the Law: Therefore the Bleſſing or Iuſtificatiō is not of works. The propoſition is proved, Deut. 27.26. That continues not; Manere, is, Omnia implere perfectè, to continue or rem…ine in all, is to performe a…l perfectly; as a Quadrat,foreign a Cubicke or ſquare figure, to ſtand unmoved. The phraſe in the beginning, is metaphoricall, The that are of the law, as it were retainers to the Law, and goe after that. Nat…re loves that courſe, and the young man comes with ſuch like deſire, Maſter, what ſhall I doe, to inherit life? Matth. 19.16. But ſuch ſhal have repayed bitter wages, They are under the p. 124Curſe. The Papacy then is the way to perdition, becauſe it ſets men to that ſervice. But are there not precepts in the Law? Have not thoſe precepts promiſes annexed? How then are ſuch under the curſe? The works of the Law performed, put us not under the Curſe; but the workes attempted and failed in: for if wee could perfectly fulfill them, wee ſhould bee ſaved by them. But the Law is not Doeable, which is not from the Law, or from God, but from our ſelves; and comes to paſſe, thus: Rom. 8.3. What the Law could not doe, it could not doe, in that it was weake through the fleſh. Let me obſerve:

p. 1251. The Artifice of Paul; he pleads upon ſure groūd, It is written. All have recourſe to ſome firſt principles, Phyſicians to experimented Aphoriſmes, Lawyers to the Statute, Divines to the Canon: So our Apoſtle here, It is written. This he pleaded to Agrippa, as his warrant, Act. 26.22. I continue unto this day, witneſſing both to ſmall and great, ſaying none other things than thoſe which the Prophets and Moſes did ſay ſhould come.

2. They are VnderUnder the Curſe, that continue not in all; not onelyonly that violate all, but any: So that Apoſtle, Iam. 2.10. For whoſoever ſhall keepe the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he p. 126is guilty of all. 3. The Curſe named, is eternall; for it is oppoſed to Iuſtification and life, the eternall Bleſſing.

Argum. 7 7. The ſeventh Argument is in the 11. and 12. verſes.

The Text.

VERS. 11. But that no man is Iuſtified by the Law in the ſight of God, it is evident; for the Iuſt ſhall live by faith.

VERS. 12. And the Law is not of faith; but the man that doth them, ſhall live in them.

RIghteouſneſſe is by Faith; the Law is not p. 127Faith: Therefore Righteouſneſſe is not by the Law. No man is Iuſtified by the Law, Coram Deo, before, or in the ſight of God; before men, workes may Iuſtifie: Was not Abraham our Father Iuſtified by workes, when he had offered Iſaak his ſonne upon the Altar? Iam. 2.21.

Men iudge, foreign, according to appearance; but ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 2.2. Wee are ſure that the Iudgement of God is, foreign, according to Truth: Therfore they that live before God, that is, attaine life, muſt live by Faith. This hee citeth from the Prophet Habakuk, chap. 2. verſ. 4. A Scripture which Paul hath ſeemed much to have delighted p. 128in, by his often Quotation of it. Wee cannot live by the Law; the reaſon is added. The Covenant of it, is to them that doe it. Yee ſhall keepe my Statutes and my Iudgements, which if a man doe, he ſhall live in them; I am the Lord. Lev. 18.5. He that hath walked in my Statutes, and hath kept my iudgements to deale truly, he is iuſt, hee ſhall ſurely live, ſaith the Lord God, Ezek. 18.9. But the Covenant is other to Faith; ſo that Legall and Evangelicall Iuſtification, cannot meet together, as this ſame Apoſtle diſputes in another place, Rom. 11.6 And if by grace. then is it no more of works; otherwiſe grace is no more grace. But if it bee p. 129of workes, then is it no more grace, otherwiſe worke is no more worke. It cannot be of both, it muſt bee of one: Now it is not of that, therfore of this: Not of that, the Law; for it is expreſſed, foreign, No man is Iuſtified by the Law, it is evident. Argum. 8

8. The eighth Argument is in the thirteenth verſe, and fourteenth.

The Text.

VERS. 13. Chriſt hath redeemed us from the Curſe of the Law, being made a Curſe for us: for it is written, curſed is every one that hangeth on a Tree.

p. 130VVE are Iuſtified by that, by which we have redemption from the Curſe: But by faith in Chriſt we have redemption. Therefore by that are wee iuſtified. The Minor propoſition, is the maine of the 13. and 14. verſes. The Conſciences of the Galatians might have beene ſtraightned and burdened with the mention of the Curſe; but are met, and ſweetned with this; Confidite, ſalva res eſt, Be not diſmayed, there is a way of freedom found, Chriſt hath Redeemed us. This Argument is the ſumme of comfortable knowledge, drawn from the marrow of the p. 131Goſpell, and delivers to our notice,Hier. in Eſa. 50. Vide Ambr. in Loc. Et ſi propius aſpicias videbis Chriſtum maledictum torum factum a quibus ecciſus eſt. Crux enim Salvat…ris peccatum, & maledictum eſt Isdaeorum. Septuag Aquilam, & Theodotionem Maledictio dei eſt, qui ſuſpenſus eſt. Symmachus Quia propter blaſphemiam dei ſuſpenſus eſtIsa 50 thoſe great myſteries: 1. Who hath redeemed us; Chriſt. His was the worke, and to him, by the glorified, is the prayſe of the worke, Thou art worthy, for thou waſt ſlaine, and haſt redeemed us to God by thy bloud, Rev. 5▪8. 2. Whom he hath redeemed; VsUs: Abraham, and Moſes too. None, but by him. 3. From what; The Curſe: from active and paſſive, from both wrath and paine. 4. How it was done. Hee was made a curſe: (to omit the variety of reading, and propriety of the word) He derived unto himſelfe what was our due, being made, of God, and of himſelfe, p. 132Sinne for us. Thus Chriſts death is our life, his Croſſe our Triumph, his Malediction our Bleſſing. 5. To what end all was wrought: that the bleſſing might come. The bleſſing of Abraham could not come, unleſſe the curſe were taken away. The bleſſing, is the grace of Reconciliation, Adoption, Iuſtification and Life; which hee cals againe, foreign, The promiſe of the Spirit; Spirituall grace. 6. The meane by which, His, Ours: faith. That wee might receive the promiſe of the Spirit through Faith.

We cannot but obſerve, 1. The greatneſſe and hainous nature of ſinne; ſuch, p. 133that it made Chriſt a Curſe, and put him to death. That ſpeare, thoſe nayles, were thruſt in, not ſo much by the Iewes malice, as by our ſinnes. At length, let us learne the price of them, and together to avoyd them. How dare wee with ſo much ſecure boldneſſe, ruſh upon that which coſt ſo deare a rate, the bloud of Chriſt? 2. The wiſedome and goodneſſe of Gods order,Crux Chriſti amaras aquas vertit in dulcem ſaporem, et ſecurim perditam, niſſa influenta Iordanis levavit. Hieron. bleſſing by the Curſe, ſweetneſſe from the Croſſe of Chriſt. It was the wonder of Gods power, and the glory of that wonder, that in the Creation, God did produce, Aliquidex nihilo, ſomething out of nothing; here is p. 134more; good out of ill, heaven out of hell, the Bleſſing to us, by Chriſt a Curſe for us.

Argum. 9 9. The ninth and laſt Argument is added in the foure following verſes.

The Text.

VERS. 25. Brethren, I ſpeak after the manner of men; though it bee but a mans Covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man diſannulleth, or addeth thereto.

VERS. 16. Now to Abraham and his ſeed, were the promiſes made. Hee ſaith not, And to ſeedes, as of many, but as of one. And to thy Seed, which is Chriſt.

p. 135VERS. 17. And this I ſay, That the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Chriſt, the Law which was foure hundred and thirty yeares after, cannot diſannull, that it ſhould make the promiſe of none effect.

VERS. 18. For if the inheritance be of the Law, it is no more of promiſe: but God gave it to Abraham by promiſe.

The Inheritāce is of promiſe: Ergo, not of the Law. That is the argument and the concluſion in the 18. verſe. Hee frames it by an occupatory Apoſtrophe, turning his ſpeech, as it were, more directly to p. 136them, to anſwer an Objection, they might make.

Obiect. The Inheritance was of promiſe, before the Law was given; but after the Law given, it came to be of the Law: for the latter Sanction doth derogate from the binding of the former. Hee anſwers, 'Tis true; unleſſe the former were ratified or confirmed.VVeſt. par. prim▪ Symb. l. 2. ſect. 50. Fitz de nat …re. fo. 169. B. 116. Vlpian, l. pactum. H. de pol…cit. In our Common-Law, we call a ratification or confirmation, a ſtrengthening of an eſtate formerly had, and yet voydable, though not preſently voyd. But the Inheritance by promiſe was confirmed and foure hundred and thirty yeares before the Law was given; verſ. 16, p. 13717. Brethren, whom before hee called Fooles, now hee cals Brethren: we muſt lay aſide the ſpirit of bitterneſſe; and though there may be a diviſion of Iudgements, yet there ſhould not be of hearts. I ſpeake after the manner of men, with humane and popular ſimilitudes and expreſſions. Our Sermons may have ſomewhat of the Scholler, and of the Orator, though wee ſpeake Gods Word, yet in mans language, when either the matter or occaſion requires it. If mans bee, much more is Gods Covenant inviolable.

Obiect. But the Reaſon doth not hold. Others indeed, cannot undoe mens p. 138Covenants, but themſelves by conſent can.

Anſ. Yet here it cannot be ſo, for when Covenants are made to be perpetuall, if one breake, he is perfidiout; if both, they are inconſtant. God is neither; the one were to admit wickedneſſe, the other infirmity in him; either of which were to make him not God. The Law could not make voyd the promiſe; for, 1. foreign, The Covenant was before confirmed. 2. foreign, of God; who hath liberty, and Saveraignty. 3. foreign; in Chriſt, the Mediatour of the Covenant. The promiſes of the Law, and the Goſpell, doe much differ. p. 139The promiſes of the Law are to particular perſons, thoſe of the Goſpell to us in Chriſt. It comforts us abundantly in our infirmities; we neither expect nor receive the promiſes immediately from God, but from Chriſts hand. Again, foreign, excludes merits. God gave the Promiſe to Abraham, though the Law were afterward given, it could not make the gift voide. If a rich man adopt another freely, and after ſome yeers lay ſome commands upon him, yet it hinders not, that the Adoption is free; for the Inheritance is not becauſe of thoſe commands.

p. 140There needes no more for the Argument; onelyonly the Text of it doth occaſion a double queſtion; one Hyſtoricall, another Chronologicall.

The Hyſtoricall Queſtion, is, what Ratification the Apoſtle ſpeaks of? We read of three Confirmations: 1. One by a faederall Sacrifice, Gen. 15.18. when upon Gods command, Abraham had offered, and divided his Sacrifice, in that ſame day the Lord made a Covenant with Abraham. 2. Another, by a generall expreſſion, Geneſ. 17.1, 2. when Abraham was ninety yeares old and nine, the Lord appeared and ſaid, I am God All ſufficient, walke p. 141before mee, and bee upright. 3. A third by a ſolemne oath, Gen. 22.16. By my ſelfe have I ſworne, ſaith the Lord, In bleſsing I will bleſſe thee. Here the firſt of theſe is ſignified: For, 1. Though a Promiſe were made, there is no mention of a Covenant before this. 2. And from this wee have the right number of yeares, after mentioned.

The Chronologicall queſtion depends upon that former, how the years may be computed. Steven names but 400. yeares, Act. 7.6. ſo was the prophecie,Epiſt. ad Dam Queſt. 47. in Exod & De Civit Dei. lib. 16 cap. 24. Gen. 15.13. Hierome hath troubled himſelfe, and left the knot ſo faſt as he found it: So hath Saint Auſtin. No p. 142leſſe Genebrard and Dunus, reckoning from the diſcent of Iacob; and others, from Abrahams departure out of Haran, Gen 12.4 But if we reckon from his 85. yeare, we ſhall find a right Computation.

From that time, till the birth of Iſaac, w…re 15. yeares: And Abraham was an hundred years old when his ſonne Iſaac was borne unto him, Gen. 1.5. From the birth of Iſaac, till the birth of his ſonne Iacob, were 60 yeares: And Iſaac was threeſcore yeares old when ſhee bare them, Gen. 25.26. From the birth of Iacob, t…ll his diſcent into Aegypt. were 130. yeares. And Iacob ſaid unto Pharaoh, the dayes p. 143of the yeares of my pilgrimage are an 130 yeares: Gen. 47 9. From Iacobs diſcent unto his death, were 17. yeares: And Iacob lived in the Land of Aegypt ſeventeene yeares, Gen. 47.28. From his death, till the death of Ioſeph, were 53. yeares; which appeares from ſome cōpared Texts, Gen. 41.46.45. 6 50.26. From the death of Ioſeph, till the birth of Moſes, were 75 yeares, as is gathered from received Chronologers. And from his birth, till the departure of …ſrael from Aegypt, were eighty yeares: And Moſes was fourſcore yeares old, when he ſpake to Pharaoh, Exod. 7.7. Now the peoples departure, and p. 144the giving of the Law, were the ſame yeare; That the firſt Month, the foureteenth Day, This the third day of the third monethmonth Theſe being ſumm'd, make up the propoſed number.

I have done with the two former generall parts of the Apoſtles method; 1. The Explication of the Doctrine of Free Iuſtification. 2. The Confirmation of it, by teſtimony of Scripture, and by nine Arguments.

Applic. 3.I now proceede to the third general part, the Application of this Doctrine.

Hee applyes it by diſcovering the Vſe and Abrogation of the Law. Which he performeth in this manner.

p. 1451. By clearing two Objections againſt what hee had delivered.

2. By a more plaine diſcuſſing of the Queſtion, concerning the Law; how abrogated, how uſefull.

1. Hee cleares Objections; They are two:

1. The firſt Objection, Obiect 1 and the Solution of it, in the 19. and 20. verſes.

The Text.

VERS. 19. Wherefore then ſ…rveth the Law? It was added becauſe of Tranſgreſsions, till the Seed ſhould come, to whom the promiſe was made, and it was ordained by Angels in the hand p. 146of a Mediatour.

VERS. 20. Now a Mediatour, is not a Mediator of one, but God is one.

THe obiection may bee thus; If the Inheritance be by Promiſe, what need the law then bee given ſo long after? So Auguſtine underſtands it. But let us ſee it in the fuller force.Aug lib. 1. Retra. c. 24. foreign? To what end then ſerveth the Law? Either Righteouſneſſe is by the Law, or the Law is in vaine. But the Law is not in vaine. Therefore, Righteouſnes comes by it. This is the falſe pleading of Iuſticiaries. If, ſay they, the Law is not to Iuſtifie, why then is it given? Why are p. 147we burdened with it? Why bound to obey it? The envious workemen in the Vineyard, could not endure that ſuch as had not wrought ſo much as they, ſhould yet receive the ſame wages: Why have we toiled the whole day, if others, as well as wee, receive every one a penny? Merit-mongers endure not the Doctrin of a free grace, but murmure againſt the Goſpell, as the Chiefe-Prieſts againſt Chriſts Sermon. Hee had told them, Mat. 21.31. Verily I ſay unto you, That the Publicans, and the Harlots goe into the kingdome of God before you. This they cannot beare, They perceived that he ſpake of p. 148them, and would have laid hands upon him, but that they feared the multitude; Mat. 21.45, 46. What? Have wee beene ſo ſtrict in our Legall Obſervances? Have wee worne ſo long Phylacteries? Shall Publicans? Shall poore men? Shall ſinners? Shall ignorants? Shall women bee equall with us? Then the Law is to no purpoſe; and to as little purpoſe is our Obſervation of it. Then let us ſinne; let us breake the Law; let us doe nothing; nay, let us doe any thing, if this Doctrine may bee Preached. When our Saviour Preach'd, they ſaid, hee made men Rebels unto Caeſar: So when wee p. 149Preach Free Iuſtification, they ſay, This is to make men lawleſſe, to make them altogether careleſſe, to hinder good workes. If the Law Iuſtifie not, then wherefore ſerveth it? This is the obiection.

But the Apoſtle anſwers, They make not a ſufficient enumeration, for there is a third end of the Law, by them not mentioned. This, Logicians call,Fal…acia conſeque… tis, vel non cauſae. A fallacy of the Conſequent; They are not true, but fallacious in their arguing. So the Papiſts are wont to wrangle: If workes doe not Iuſtifie, why are they then done? If the Sacraments conferre not grace, and ex opere operato, by the very worke p. 150done; why are they adminiſtred? To what are they profitable? If Chriſts body be not really preſent in the Sacrament, if it be not orally eaten, to what purpoſe is the Supper? Is it but a bare naked ſigne? Theſe are Paralogiſmes, captious argumentations. Is there no end, becauſe not that end which wee will needs appoint. The law doth not Iuſtifie, ergo, 'tis in vaine: A vain Conſequence. My money cannot Iuſtifie mee, my eyes cannot, my hands cannot: are they all therfore in vaine? Or ſhall I caſt away my mony, pull out my eyes, or cut off my hands? Away with ſuch frowardnes. All have their p. 151proper uſes. Mony for traffique, eyes for ſight, hands for action, workes for gratitude, the Law for direction, Faith for Iuſtiſtcation. The Law is good, if it bee uſed as Law, if it keepe within its owne bounds. As things are diſtinct, ſo are their uſes. The Sunne hath uſe and operation ſutable to it ſelfe; So the water, ſo the earth; the Sun ſends influence and refreſheth, the water cooles and moyſtens, the earth gives encreaſe. So the Law hath it's uſe.

It was added,] foreign, it was ſet or added to, that is,Poſita, pro Appoſt…a (…) ad…cta pro miſſioni. it was adjected or added unto the Promiſe. God gave the Promiſe, that the p. 152Inheritance ſhould bee by that;Cryſ. …om 4. Hier. tom 9 —Latam ſuperbienti populo, ut quoniā gratiam Charitatis niſi humiliat acciperenon poſſet, & fine hac gratiâ nullo modo praecepta legis impleret tranſgreſſione humiliaretur, ut quaereret gratiam, nec ſe ſuis meritis ſalvum fieri opinaretur, ut eſ ſet non in ſua poteſtate & viribus iuſtus, ſed in manu mediatoris iuſtificantis impium. Aug. afterwards he added the law, as an Acceſſory; Not that the Inheritance ſhould be by it, but for another end.

It was added, foreign, becauſe of Tranſgreſsion] The Law was not unprofitable or purpoſeleſſe, but for tranſgreſſions; which Chryſoſtome and Hierom underſtand, that it might keepe and reſtraine them from ſin; Auguſtine, that it might teach them to know and acknowledge their ſinnes. So the Apoſtle frequently, Rom. 3.19, 20. Now wee know whatſoever things the Law ſaith, it ſaith to them who are under the Law; that every mouth may be ſtopped, and all the world p. 153may become guilty before God; for by the Law is the knowledge of ſinne. Rom. 4.15. Where no Law is, there is no tranſgreſsion. Rom. 7.7. I had not knowne ſinne, but by the Law; for I had not knowne luſt except the Law had ſaid, Thou ſhalt not luſt. Briefly, the Law was added,

1. To manifeſt ſinne, that it might be inſtar ſpeculi, as a glaſſe to diſcover the deformed.

2. To reſtraine ſinne, that it might be, inſtar fraeni, as a bridle to curbe us from our forward venturings.

3. To puniſh ſinne by Threats, that it might bee, inſtar verberis, as a ſcourge to correct our wantonnes: p. 154Curſed is every one that remaines not in all things.

4. To encreaſe ſinne by irritation, that it might be, inſtar ſtimuli, as a ſpurre to irritate; But this is by accident, for the Law is holy, and the Commandement is holy, and iuſt, and good, Rom. 7.12. The Law then cauſeth ſinne to encreaſe,Chryſ in loc. Gennad. in loc. Lyranus. Non cauſaliter, ſed conſequutivè, Conſequently, not cauſally; and that, Non ex parte legis, but, noſtri; through our defect, not from the nature of the Law. For;

1. Wee ruſh upon that more greedily which is forbidden, like a River which makes a greater noyſe, and overflowes w…th more violence when it meets with a p. 155ſtone or banke in the way. Whether it bee that our deſires are more toward ſuch things as are without our power, as things prohibited are; neglecting what is eaſie and ſoone accompliſhed: or whether it be only from the nature of our human paſſions, which the more they are ſuppreſſed, the more they are inflamed; like fire kept in, which breakes forth the more violently:Perer. numer. 78. Or whether it bee onelyonly from the perverſneſſe of mans will, and his meere oppoſition to the will of God. Whether it be from any, or all of theſe; we find it in our nature, Nitimur in vetitum, cupimuſ que negata, wee tend p. 156to forbidden things, and the Law by accident encreaſes ſinne.

Minus peccati eſt, ſi quod non prohibetur, admittas. Orig. Amb. lib. de Iob. cap. 4. Aug lib. 1. qu, ad Simp…ic qu. 1.Job 42. The Law by accident encreaſeth ſinne, becauſe then wee ſinne with aggravation. His ſinne is greater who offends againſt a knowne will, than he that out of ignorance doth it.

3. Againe, the number of ſinnes is multiplied, by reaſon of the variety and multiplied number of precepts given by the Law. The Apoſtle often mentioneth theſe ends of the Law, and with ſome phraſes, not eaſily perſpicuous. Rom. 7.8.Calu. lib. 1. de pec. Hyperius. Tolet. Annot. 11. Sinne taking occaſion by the Commandement, wrought in mee all manner of Concupiſcence. The burning of p. 157an houſe may be the occaſion of the building it anew; and a rub in the way may occaſion the turning out of the path. Yet neither of theſe are ſo in themſelves, but are taken as occaſions: So our corrupted natures take occaſion to ſinne, when the law of commandments intends the deſtruction of our building, and, the hindring of our courſe. So the Gangrena, and the Elephantiaſis, Ambr. li. 1. de patr. Iac.are the worſe for medicine. It followes,

Added becauſe of tranſgreſſions, foreign, untill the ſeed ſhould come;] Who the Seed is, was before declared, verſ. 16. Hee ſaith not, And to Seeds, as of p. 158many, but as of one; And, foreign, To thy Seed, which is Chriſt.

But doth the comming of Chriſt terminate the duration of the Law? Doth the Law ceaſe to reveale, to reſtraine, to puniſh, to irritate ſinne, after Chriſt is come? How then is our Saviours witneſſe of himſelfe true? Thinke not that I am come to deſtroy the Law or the Prophets, I am not come to deſtroy, but to fulfill, Mat. 5.17. Is not the Law eternall? Or why is the mention of ſuch a period?

Yes: The Law continues, and the uſe continues to the worlds end; but neither in a Moſaicall manner. Thus what the Apoſtle p. 159ſpeakes, It was added till the Seed; we may underſtand,

1. Simply, concerning all Lawes iudiciall, ceremoniall, morall, as Moſaicall. The Law did convince by Rites, and by precepts, as by them: So the handwriting of Ordinances was againſt us. Iſrael was a ſtiffe-necked people, modo frenis, modo calcaribus indigens, therefore the yoake was laid upon them, which thoſe Fathers were not able to beare, Acts 15.10. Thus they ceaſe; for Chriſt hath blotted out the Hand-writing of Ordinances that was againſt us, which was contrary to us, and tooke it out of the way, nailing it to his Croſſe, Col. 2.14. In the Law, there was p. 160a full revelation of ſinne, but a darke revelation of grace. In the Goſpell, there is a more plentifull diſcovery of both, of ſinne, and grace.

2. Limitately, in reſpect of the morall Law;Iraen. lib. 5. cap. 21. Si uſque ad ad Chriſti ventum data lex eſt, quid eam longius ultra tempus praefixum proferre conaris? Chryſ- It is an univerſal and perpetuall glaſſe, yet ſomewhat abrogated, in regard of coaction & condemnation, when the Seed comes.

To whom the Promiſe was made, foreign,] He ſpeaks of the Seed to whom was the Promiſe; But how are the promiſes ſaid to bee made to Chriſt, ſeeing rather they belong to us? Some Greeke Caſtigations,Muſcul. in loc. inſtead of foreign, Cui promiſſa, To whom, doe read …, p. 161Quod promiſſum, The Promiſe which was made. So there were no Queſtion; but the Originall, is, foreign, Cui, referring to the word, foreign, The Promiſe which was made to Abrahams Seed, verſ 16. In thy Seed, that is Chriſt, ſhall all the Nations of the earth bee bleſſed. It is ſaid, made unto Chriſt; either becauſe for his ſake and merit, or becauſe unto us, in Chriſt as the head; in him is our hope and health, there is no other name. To Chriſt properly and primarily is the Promiſe, wee have elſe no intereſt in it, nor title to it. It followes:

And it was ordained by Angels.] Thus hee prevents an p. 162Obiection; If the Law were added onelyonly for ſuch a period; it is then vile, and we may ſay, the Law is ſinne, Rom. 7.7. This is anſwered, by deſcribing thoſe two Elogies of the Law, commended from the manner of its promulgation, Ordained by Angels, and in the hands of a Mediatour.

Firſt, It was ordained by Angels,foreign. foreign being put for foreign, Ordination for Miniſtration; ſo Steven uſeth the word, Acts 7.53. foreign, They received the Law by the Diſpoſition of Angels. Chryſ. in loc. Amb. in loc.Chryſoſtome reſtraines it to Moſes and Aron; Ambroſe ſomewhat enlargeth the ſenſe to all the Prophets untill Iohn the p. 163Baptiſt. Rollocus in Gal. 3.Gal 3That learned Rolloc. underſtands it, both of the Angels, and of Moſes. But it ſeems more properly meant of the Angels; who, 1. attended upon the mount, ſervants in ordinary attendance, who conſtantly wait in Gods court. 2. Witneſſed the delivery of the promulged law to the hand of Moſes. 3. It is moſt likely, there was uſed an Angels voyce, when the Sound of a Trumpet, and the voice of words was heard, Heb. 2.19. And therefore the ſame Epiſteler cals it, The word ſpoken by Angels, Hebr. 2.2. As Princes deale and conferre by their Commiſſioners and delegated inſtruments; ſo might they p. 164perſonate God; and may be ſaid to ordaine the law, becauſe the worke of the chiefe Agent is applyed to the Inſtrument; as in another caſe, if Timothy continue in ſound Doctrine, he ſhall ſave himſelfe, and them that heare him; 1 Tim. 4.16.

It was ordained by Angels, Therefore,

1. The Law is a treaſure of God, of great price, and to be valued by us, at a fit and high rate:Haec lex praeſtantior ali…s, quanuis promiſſione in…erior. Though it be inferior to the Promiſe, it excels all other Lawes, and the rather in the manner of the miniſtration.

2. Wee may feare the breach of ſuch a Law, that had ſo glorious an ordination: The Angels were p. 165witneſſes, and will bee revengers: Steven ſpeakes this to the aggravation of their ſinne, They received it from Angels, and have not kept it. The company ſometimes reſtraines a ſinfull purpoſe; There is an inviſible Company to behold us; Let be our feare, or rather our ſincerity, to preſerve the Law without breaches.

3. Thoſe Angels that were faithfull to give the Law, will bee ioyfull to witneſſe our Repentance, when wee have broken it. Our Saviour hath told us, There is …oy in heaven at the converſion of a ſinner. An untaught ſigh, or a tearefull drop of a penitent, is pleaſing p. 166to God and Angels.

4. Laſtly, if upon our neglects or contempts, we breake that law, and are not penitēt for our breach, wee may, wee muſt iuſtly feare and expect to bee made a publicke ſhame before the faces of thoſe glorious Angels, in the day of account and retribution. For as the Law-giver was accompanied, ſo ſhall the Iudge, He ſhall come with the multitudes of his holy Angels.

In the hand of a Mediator. This is the ſecond Elogy o… commendation of the law▪ Ordained in the hand of a M… diator. foreign, The ſame phraſe is uſed by Steven, of the Miniſtry of Moſes, i… p. 167bringing the Law; and in both a double Hebraiſme. The Praepoſition, In, ofttimes ſignifies an inſtrument, and intermediate cauſe: Hoſ. 12.10.In manu prophetarumaſſimulatus ſum. Vul. Lat. In manu Chaggai. I have uſed ſimilitudes in the hand, or, by the Miniſtery of the Prophets. Hag. 1.1. The word of the Lord came In the hand of Haggai. Againe, the word Hand is put ſometimes for a primary praecipient Cauſe, Is not the Hand of Ioab with thee in all this? 2 Sam. 14.19. Sometimes for a cauſe, though praecipient, yet ſecundary. And ordinarily for an inſtrument, ſo here; By the miniſtry of a mediator.

The word foreign is diverſly tranſlated: By ſome p. 168aaTertul. pax ſequeſtra. Ʋirg.Sequeſter, one that ſtands diſpoſed, yet indifferent to both parties. By ſome,bbCaietan. Dimiator, a parter of ſtakes betweene two: but the Ieſuite corrects the Cardinal, and is bold to call it, A new and falſe word. Vox nova & falſa. Tollet.By ſome, Interceſſour, but ſuch an one, refers but to one party,Eraſmus. as the Tribune of the people to the Senate. The word that wee have rendred to us, A Mediator or a Middeler,Not foreign, of foreign, but foreign doth moſt expreſſe it. The Current of moſt runnes to expound this of Chriſt: but yeelding to thoſeccChryſoſt. Theoph. Occum. Ambr Primaſius Lombar. Thomas. Gagnaeus. Antients their owne Due, yet I cannot ſee how that ſenſe can free it ſelfe from an unthought of touch of Arrianiſme, to p. 169make Chriſt an inſtrument and inferior to the Angels, by whom it was ordained, We will rather admit it as ſpoken of Moſes: For the Law was given by Moſes, Ioh. 1.17. While the Apoſtle preferres Chriſt before Moſes, He is the Mediatour of a better Covenant. Heb. 8.6. Hee ſeemes to allude to what the people deſired, Exod. 20.19. Speak thou with us, & we wil heare, but let not God ſpeak, leſt we dye. And to what Moſes concerning himſelfe, witneſſeth,foreign. Deu. 5.5. I ſtood betweene the Lord and you, at that time, to ſ…ew you the word of the Lord. Neither doth this interpret…tion wan… Antiquity, for we have found it in Epip… p. 170and in Gennadius, Gennad. apud Gr. Scholia. Epiphan. Haereſ 66. Contra Manich Theodor.among the Greeke Scholiaſts in the workes of Epiphanius.

The Papiſts doe uniuſtly inferre from hence, That the Angels or Saints may beeaaPet Aur. parad. 85. Richeomus de Sanctis, cap. 18. Salmero in 1 Tim. d ſp. 17. Lind. Pan. l. 3. c. 30. Mediatours, becauſe Moſes was; for,

1. Moſes was ordained to be a Mediator, they never had commiſſion.

2. He was preſent with whom he was a Mediator, theſe have no fellowſhip with us.

3. He was but once, and in one thing, Theſe are pretended ſuch, at al times, and in all things.

4. He was a Mediator to the people from God, theſe are imploied to God from the people. In all of p. 171which they faile in their ground, & derogate much from the ſole Mediatourſhip of Chriſt. How farre is ſuch a Doctrine from the leaſt ſhadow of reaſon;foreign. Ath de Tri. dial 5 Conſtit. Ap. l. 2 …. 28. Chryſ. …e paen…t 5. Homil Ignatius ep. ad philad. et ep ad Antioch. foreign. Muſt not a Mediatour bee Medius, betweene God and man? But ſo an Angel, or a man cannot. And Chriſt himſelfe, if hee had beene onelyonly God, or onelyonly man, could not have been a Mediator. It followes in the Text:

Now a Mediator is not of one, foreign,] They that interpret Chriſt to be the Mediator, are diſquieted for a fit ſenſe. Some give this; If Chriſt bee a Mediator, he cannot bee of one, but muſt needs bee of p. 172two at leaſt; but God is one, but one; Therefore he muſt bee Mediator, as of God, ſo of men alſo. But what is this, either to the place, or the mind of Paul? Others pleaſe themſelves in this; A Mediator is not of one, but of two at the leaſt, if then Chriſt bee a Mediator, as indeed he is, It is of God and men, yet ſo, that Chriſt the Mediator being true God, it followes not that there are two Gods, of which, one gives ſatisfaction to the other; But Chriſt is one and the ſame God, with the Father and the holy Spirit. But for what reaſon ſhould they imagine the Apoſtle here to inſert the p. 173doctrine of the Trinity. That of Ambroſe, Mediator non eſt unius tantum a populi, ſed duorum, id eſt, Gentilis, ac Iudaici, quos Chriſtus tum inter ſe copulavit ſublata di ſtinctionis ratione tum utrum que Deo conciliavit, interim tamen Chriſtus eſt unus ac verus Deus. Ambroſ.of the two people; and that other of ſome others, of the two natures, are more ſubtile, yet of as little agreement to S. Pauls intent, as the former. They have intangled themſelves in their owne conceptions: But underſtanding it of Moſes, wee may finde a more open paſſage from among theſe difficulties, in this more genuine expoſition. A Mediator is betweene two, or more parties that are at difference: Now the Cauſe of a Difference, is ſome tranſgreſſion done either by both againſt each other, or onelyonly by one of the parties againſt the other. Now p. 174the tranſgreſſion or offence cannot be in God, for God is one, hee is alwayes the ſame, ever iuſt.

Thus it appeares how this belongs to the former Argument, The Law was added for tranſgreſsions. The people were at oddes with God, Moſes is the Mediatour, or Miniſter of that Law, which ſhewes tranſgreſſions, and makes the people to Iuſtifie God, and condemne themſelves as tranſgreſſours againſt him.

Before I leave this, let mee make a double application from the main thing intended in the Obiection and the Anſwer, namely, the Obſervation.

1. Of the uſe of the Law, p. 175Ie was added for Tranſgreſſions.

2. Of the continuance of that uſe, Added till the Seed came.

1. Concerning the uſe of the Law: The ſame phraſe noteth it to be,

1. Civill.

2. Spirituall.

1. The Civill uſe is for Tranſgreſſions, to reſtraine ſinne: yet by this we may preſſe the Apoſtolike Argument, That Righteouſnes cannot be by the Law; for when the Law reſtraines us from being ſinfull, it doth not therefore make us not ſinfull, or truly righteous; but rather ſheweth us to bee unrighteous, and for that cauſe wee need a Law p. 176of reſtraint. A man that abſtaines from murder or theft, for feare of the halter or the racke, is not therefore leſſe murderous or theeviſh in his diſpoſition, but Cares not venture upon the ſtrictneſſe of the Law. A Beare is a ravenous and devouring creature; when it is tyed in a Chain, it cannot devoure; Is it therefore not a Beare, or leſſe ravenous, becauſe tyed; nay, the chaine rather argues it to be cruell. So, we we ſee fierce Maſtiffs muſled, and tyed up, not that they are gentle, but the chaine is an argument of their fierceneſſe. If man had not beene ſinfull, there had not needed a Law. p. 177Now reſtraint by the Law, is not righteouſneſſe, but a proofe of our unrighteouſneſſe, and ſhewes that wee would be evill, if we either could or durſt.

2. The Spirituall uſe, is for tranſgreſſions, to increaſe ſinne to our ſight; to diſcover unto us, the nature of it, and of miſery conſequent. The Law, as another ſtrong Hercules, ſets upon, and ſubdues the Monſter of the preſumption of our owne Righteouſneſſe. It is an ordinary and moſt dangerous diſeaſe, to bee ſtrong in the opinion of our owne Something. Men that are not notoriouſly evill, thinke themſelves holy: Such was the Phariſies p. 178vaunt, I thanke God I am not as other men, nor as this Publican; becauſe hee was no extortioner, no drunkard, hee thought himſelfe exactly what hee ſhould bee. The Law is to remove us from ſuch boaſtings, to melt our ſwellings, to deſtroy our ſtrengths. Is not my word like a fire, ſaith the Lord, and like an hammer that breaketh the Roches in pieces? Ier. 23.29. Our hearts are thoſe Rockes, we ſtand high, and exalted againſt God, till the hammer batter us, and bring us into ſhivers. Wee are proud in our ſtandings, and therefore the Law is in its right place, when it ſpeaks Command and Terror, and ſaith p. 179to the amazement of the conſcience, See what thou haſt done, and what thou art like to ſuffer. Wee may conſider this ſomwhat better in the obſervation and application of that ſtory, of the manner how the Law was given. The people of Iſrael were an holy people, they had, according to the precept, ſanctified themſelves, waſhed their cloathes, abſtained from their wives. Their fault was, they were but too holy, they had it too much in their thoughts & tongues, We are an holy people, the people of God.

They muſt bee driven from this, if ever they bee fit for an humble ſervice. p. 180The Law muſt bee given with terror, that when they ſhould ſee and heare and conceive nothing but horrors, fire, and ſmoake, and clouds, and thunders, and earthquakes; ratling and confuſed noyſes, flames darkely, yet dreadfully appearing through pillers of ſmoake, they might, affrightedly, runne from the foot of the mountaine. The Text tels us, Exod. 20.18. And all the people ſaw the thundrings, & the lightnings, and the noyſe of the Trumpet, and the Mountaine ſmoking, and when the people ſaw it, they removed, and ſtood a far off; and they ſaid unto Moſes, Speake thou with us. Now they ſee their cleanſing p. 181and their holineſſe to bee nothing worth: Before, they were holy, very holy; now they finde, they were not able to abide in his preſence. Ah Lord, how wonderfull art thou, and fearefull in thy ſpeakings! O royall law, and powerful Law-giver! There was a Light upon Sinai, but it was onelyonly ſuch a flame, whereby they might ſee themſelves to be miſerable. The Law and the Goſpell are both Lights; the Light in the Goſpell, is to ſhew us Chriſt; 'tis as the ſtarre which led the Sages unto Bethlem, and ſhewes us the place where the Babe lyes, but the Light in the Law is not without ſmoake, or as p. 182Lightning from a cracke of Thunder, & to that end, that wee may diſcerne our ſelves wretched. The Law and the Goſpell are both voyces; the voyce of the Goſpell is a ſtill ſmall voyce, it cheares up in ſpeaking; the voyce of the Law, is a wind, and earthquake, and thunder, 1 Kin. 19.11, 12. And both the fire, and the noyſe, is, that we might be humbled, for then wee are fitted for mercy. The whole need not the Phyſitiā, but they that are ſick; Chriſt came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repē tāce. We cānot expect help frō Chriſt, til we be ſick, til we be ſinners. Ah, wee are too ſound, we are too holy; wonder not at ſuch expreſſions: p. 183Wee are too holy, and while wee are thus righteous, Chriſt doth not call us. Hee comes to ſave ſinners, that is his worke; till wee bee ſinners, Chriſt cannot come unto his worke: If ever we would have mercy, let us ſee that we need it. If we dare challenge mercy, we know we ſhall bee repulſed. Come humbly unto God in the acknowledgemēt of wants and doubt not of ſupply. If a Beggar tel me, though hee crave a penny, yet hee hath mony enough in his purſe, meat enough in his bagge, and friends that wil provide for him, he moves me to no compaſſion; but if his diſtreſſes cry, and he p. 184pleades himſelfe moneyleſſe, and breadleſſe, and friendleſſe, and altogether helpleſſe, I cannot tell how to deny him. God would have us ſuch ſupplicants; wee are ſtrengthleſſe, and meritleſſe, and altogether worthleſſe; Mercy, Mercy, onelyonly. This the Law drives us to, and then wee are fit for a Bounty.

2. This is the Lawes uſe, now let us ſee the continuance of that uſe: It was added till the Seed ſhould come. As the phraſe is in another caſe; If the dayes of the Law had not beene ſhortned, no man could have beene ſaved: But the tyranny is now limitted, and wee, by Chriſt, may cry Victory, Liberty. p. 185We may underſtand it;

1. Literally; The Meſſiah come, is the end of the Law; All the Prophets, and the Law, prophecyed untill Iohn, Mat. 11.13.

2. Spiritually, The Law ſtayes in force, but till it hath made us tremble; now we leave the Law, and lay hold upon the Faith. One Deepe calleth upon another, Pſal. 42.7. When all the water-ſpouts, and billowes are gone over us, then ſhall our praier be unto the God of our life. The Law, when it hath acted its owne part,**This is to be underſtood of the law as given by Moſes, not as it is a new commandement given by Chriſt, as you ſhall heare hereafter. muſt goe off the Stage; if it have humbled us, and brought us low unto the Duſt, The act is done, let it with-draw into the Tyring-roome p. 186to be diſapparelled. Let Muſicke now, and Grace enter. But**i.e. the paedagogy of the law. the Law will not eaſily give place, it would be working ſtill. When wee are humbled to lowneſſe, to nothing, yet then we begin to enquire, What ſhall we doe? What ſhall ye doe? It is ſuggeſted by the uſurping Law, and the proud enquiry of Nature not enough humbled. We are not now**i.e. To be led on ſtil and onelyonly by Moſes his law. to doe, it is Faiths Scene. We ordinarily meet with this Impoſture from the Divels both malice and ſubtilty. Take an inſtance, A man that hath laviſht out his time of health, without heed, or care, or conſcience of his wayes; p. 187when he is laid weake and ſicke upon his pillow, and his conſcience begins buſily to preſent unto him his former ſins, and the wrath due unto his ſinne; when now he ſees himſelfe ſinful, and therfore miſerable, & apprehends Death and Hel ready to ſwallow him, hee fals upon this reſolve, I have looſely miſ-ſpent my time heretofore, but if I live, and recover ſtrength, I will mend, and endevour to ſerve God better. Mark, I pray, he thinkes not at all of Faith, but onelyonly of his Workes, as if he were ſtill under the paedagogie of Moſes. Ah deluded man, ſee at length the policy of that Tyrant, to draw p. 188you from Beleeving; hee would ſet you onelyonly on working. Let mee ſpeake a bold word, but a true one, The remedy is as dangerous as the diſeaſe; for this is to uſe the paedagogie of the Law ſtill, when the Seed ſhould come. A man in that caſe, upon the apprehenſion of wrath, ſhould ſpeed himſelfe to Chriſt, and when hee hath gained aſſurances there, then his former reſolve, viZ. of mending his life, would bee very ſeaſonable; for without this method, hee ſeekes his Righteouſneſſe but from himſelfe. Beloved, our taske is then at the hardeſt, when we thinke 'tis done. Be acquainted with Satans methods: p. 189When the conſcience is very much humbled, & a promiſe of grace is offered, the diſtreſſed readily replyes, Ah, but I have no mony to purchaſe it withall. Suffer not theſe Law-thoughts to diſhonor Chriſts freeneſſe. Hee offers freely, Come and buy without money, without price. Ah, but I have no friends to deale for me: It is the Law that ſpeakes ſtill; but he is a friend to the friendleſſe, in him the fatherleſſe find mercy. But will he reſpect ſuch a poore worthleſſe wretch as I am? If I had any thing, if I had but that Faith you ſpeake of, I could come more confidently to him, and expect p. 190performances. They are proud reaſonings, under the ſhew of Humility, and 'tis the humor of Ephraim, Wherewith ſhall I come before the Lord? The Law loves Soveraignty, and would ſtill have us his, according to the Apoſtles phraſe, To bee of the workes of the Law. But the Law of Moſes ſerveth but till the Seed comes; when faith and grace appeares, let Moſes reſigne the Chaire unto Chriſt.

I have ſpent more lines than I intended, upon this application, and the clearing of the firſt Objection. Obiect. 2

2. The ſecond Objection, and the Solution of it, are contained in the foure p. 191following verſes, the 21, 22, 23, 24.

The Text.

VERS. 21. Is the Law then againſt the promiſes of God? God forbid: for if there had been a Law given which could have given life, verily righteouſneſſe ſhould have beene by the Law.

VERS. 22. But the Scripture hath concluded all under ſinne, that the promiſe, by Faith of Ieſus Chriſt, might be given to them that beleeve.

VERS. 23. But before Faith came, we were kept under the Law, ſhut up unto the Faith, which ſhould p. 192afterward be revealed.

VERS. 24. Wherefore the Law was our Schoolemaſter, to bring us unto Chriſt, that we might be Iuſtified by Faith.

Obiect. IF the Law bee for Tranſgreſſions, then it is againſt the Promiſe: The argument is from the contrary effects of the Law and Promiſe; The Law manifeſts ſinne, terrifies, condemnes: The Promiſe offers grace, quites, ſaves; ſo they are one againſt the other. But the Law is not againſt the Promiſe: Therefore the Law is not for Tranſgreſſions, and that ground failing, which was the Medium, or third, put p. 193In, unto the ſolu…ion of the former obiection, then it will follow, If the Law be not for Tranſgreſſions, which was ſuppoſed in that anſwer, then either the Law Iuſtifies, or it is in vaine. But the Law is not in vaine; Therefore Iuſtification is by the Law. This is the ſtrength of the Objection.

But the Apoſtle anſwers,

1. Reiectione, Shortly, and yet ſharpely, by rejecting ſuch an abſurdity: God forbid.

2. Ratione, Soundly, by good argument. It would rather follow, That the Law were againſt the Promiſe, if righteouſnes were by the Law. And ſo his Retorſion, p. 194and the Argument ſtands thus; If righteouſneſſe ſhould be by the law, it could not be by promiſe. But the Law is not againſt the Promiſe. Therefore it cannot Iuſtifie; Righteouſneſſe cannot bee by the Law.

God forbid. Becauſe wee failed in the condition, ſhall God faile in the promiſe, that the Inheritance ſhould no longer be by it, but by our obſervation of a ſtricter added Law? God forbid; for our ſinnes cannot hinder Gods promiſe; nor is God a lyar, becauſe we are lyars. Though wee change, he is immutable.

Againe, we may obſerve ſomething more, in one p. 195phraſe uſed by Paul, To give life, is of the ſame ſignification as to Iuſtifie. If there had beene a Law which could have given life; that is, which could have Iuſtified. Wee may finde one by the other; if wee bee truly Iuſtified, we ſhall find our ſelves truly quickened Away with a dead faith, 'tis the ſtaine of our Doctrine, of Free Iuſtification. There are many plead, The witneſſe of Bloud, that they ſtay upon the merits of Chriſt, yet can find no witneſſe of water, the life of Sanctification. But both are ioyned by the Apoſtle, and muſt bee found in the conſcience; There are three that beare witneſſe in earth, p. 196The Spirit, and Water, and Bloud, and theſe three agree in one, 1 Ioh. 5.8.

Hee proceedes to prove that the law could not give life:

1. From the contrary effect of it, The Scripture hath concluded all under ſin.

2. From the accidentary uſe of it, That the Promiſe by faith might be giuen.

1 The contrary effect of the Law, The Scripture hath concluded all under ſinne.

The Scripture, foreign] It is referred unto God, Rom. 11, …2 God hath concluded all under unbeleefe: The conioyned ſenſe is, God in the Scripture.Chry. in loc. Some underſtand it of all Scriptures; others ſay, this foreign, is p. 197that foreign, the killing-letter, mentioned elſewhere. Rather the Scriptures of the old Covenant. By the way, wee may obſerve, that God, the Law,Panigarolla lect. 1. Diſcep Cathol. carranza. Con…r. 1. Lorichius in Fort…l haereſ. 5. the Scripture, thoſe words are promiſcuouſly uſed; How then doe the Papiſts call the Scripture a dead letter? What is ſo honoured by the Spirits witneſſe,foreign. Chryſ. in 2 ad Cor. Homil. 13. we may ſafely receive as the …udge of controverſies. Hence that holy Chry. ſpake it with ſo much zeale, Wherefore I entreate and beſeech you all, that not much heeding what this or that man thinkes of theſe things, you would require all theſe things out of the Scriptures. What could have been ſpoken by p. 198us more directly: That tis a wonder, the Ieſuites proclaime him not, a Lutheran, an Hereticke.

Hath concluded under ſin, foreign,] The Scriptures have ſhewed men their guilt, by which ſight they are ſo impriſoned and fettered, that they can ſee no eſcape, unleſſe there bee a freedome by Chriſt.

The Scripture ſhuts up, thus,

1. By promiſes, Gen. 3.15. The Womans Seed ſhall bruiſe the Serpents head. Gen. 22.18. In Abrahams Seede ſhall all the Nations of the earth be bleſſed: Theſe imply that wee are under the Curſe, which in this manner, and thus onelyonly is to p. 199bee removed.

2. By the Law: Deut. 27.26. Curſed be hee that confirmeth not all things written in the Law to doe them. But is God the cauſe of ſinne, becauſe hee ſhuts all under ſinne? No: The Iudge who impriſons a malefactor, is not the cauſe of his offence; his is an act of Iuſtice, becauſe hee hath offended But how then doth he ſhut up? Is it becauſe heaaOrig. O…d. gloſ. Tollet. Gorrhan. onelyonly permitted? That is not enough. Or that by his Law hebbChryſ. pronounced them guilty? That is not enough. OrccHier. Oecum. Decreed it onelyonly for the glory of his grace to others? That is but too much. But heeddAug cont Jul. l 5 c. 3 puniſhed them with their own gives p. 200and fetters. The ſta…e of nature is a ſtate of bondage; men as they are ſinfull, ſo they are ſhut up under ſin, puniſhed w…th it, and kept unto wrath. Like an impriſoned malefactor, burthened equally with his memory, and his feare, while the one preſents ſinne, the other execution; ſo is man under the law.

Concluded all) The word is large, and ſignifies both men and actions, foreign, Al things. For things created unto mans uſe, follow the ſtate & condition of man; he being ſhut up under ſin and miſery, they, in a manner, are impriſoned with him.Vide Bez. Annot. VntoUnto them that are defiled, nothing is pure, Tit. 1. p. 20115. The creature is ſubiected unto vanity, and not of its own minde, Rom. 8.20. This being the contrary effect of the law, to ſhut up all, it could not give life.

2. The accidentary uſe of it, is, That the Promiſe might be given.Quoniam Iudaei ne ſentieb…nt quidem ſua pecca…a, non ſentientes autem, nec deſiderabant remiſſionem: deait legem▪ quae proderet vulnera, quo medicum requirerent. Chryſ. By it ſelfe, and properly, the law is for tranſgreſſions; but by accident, being ſhut up, we are ſent by it unto Chriſt for deliverance.

That the Promiſe: 'Tis a Metonymie; The promiſed Bleſsing.

By Faith: This referres not to the next word before, The Promiſe by Faith, but to a word following, foreign daretur, That the Promiſe might be given by Faith.

p. 202By Faith of Ieſus Chriſt: A limitation of Faith, from the proper obiect of it. As faith is, upon a word, and living practike Faith is upon a word of promiſe, ſo ſpecial Iuſtifying Faith, is upon a word of promiſe of Ieſus Chriſt; it laies hold onelyonly upon that.

Might be given] The law is not contrary to the promiſe. Wee are not ſhut up, that the promiſe might be …verted, taken away, or h…ndered: but that way might be made for it, and the promiſed bleſſing might be given; for ſubordinates are not contrary.

To them that beleeve, foreign] To them that are ſo qualified, th…refore not p. 203unto all. The Promiſe is not Vniverſall, therefore, neither is redemption.

This uſe of the Law, is, but ex accidenti; 'tis in its owne way, when it reveals unto us our evill, when it terrifies the conſcience with ſuch ſenſible apprehenſions, when it kils: But all this, that God may raiſe us up againe. The Law was from Sinai with thunder, but that the people might be made bettter, not with a ſlaviſh, but a Sonne-like feare; And Moſes ſaid unto the people, Feare not; for God is come to prove you, that his Feare may bee before your faces, and that yee ſinne not, Exod. 20.20. The Priſon is entended to ſhut men up, p. 204and hold the encloſed, but by accident, it makes men ſeeke out for Baile, and to find Sureties.

But before Faith came] The word, Faith, is uſed in many ſenſes, ſometimes for the habit of Faith, ſometimes for foreign, that full perſwaſion which is from Faith; ſometimes for the Doctrine of Faith▪ ſometimes for the knowledge of the Faith, ſometimes for the profeſſion of Faith, ſometimes for the Truth, and ſometimes for the gift of working miracles;Amequam Chriſtus natus, mortuus, ſurrectus eſſet, et praedisaretur. Iuſtinian. in Gal. but the word, foreign, To come, agrees with none of theſe; but moſt properly referres to Chriſt; but before Chriſt came. The Phraſes, foreign p. 205foreign, and foreign, unto faith, and unto Chriſt, are of the ſame value and ſignification. Chriſt is our Faith, and in ſuch a ſenſe, hee is elſewhere call'd our Hope. Wee muſt know this, that wee may know.

1. That the old Fathers were not without faith, though Chriſt were not yet come in the fleſh, hee was the ſame then, and might come unto their apprehenſions.

2. How Faith is imputed to us for Righteouſnes; Metonymically ſo underſtood, Chriſt is imputed.

Wee were kept under the Law, foreign,aaLex veluti muro quodam continens illos, et rectè vivendi quaſi neceſſitatem imponens illos venturae ſidei reſervabat, quod erat praecipuum Iudaeorum beneficium. Chryſ. ſome underſtand it of the Lawes Reſtraint from ſinne; p. 206bbLegem Evangelicam intelligit, quae Chriſti liberationis myſteria credenda proponit. Clem. Alexan. Strom. lib. 1.Some of the Lawes accidentary uſe to ſend to Chriſt: Others, that as a thing depoſited, ſo were we treaſured. And ſome, That as children in their pupill-age are defended from dangers, ſo we by the Lawes care. Theſe are ſtrained. The word uſed in the Text, foreign, is more than foreign, To keepe, or have cuſtody; It ſignifies to be kept up as in a priſon, or a place of ſtrength and ſafety; to be circled with a compaſſing ſtrength. The Law was a wall unto the Iewes to hinder their paſſage, and exorbitances: So the ſenſe of Chryſoſtome is true: It was alſo as a Frontier to ſeparate the Iewes p. 207from other people, thus were they nigh unto God, Deut. 4.7. and differenced from their neighbors, When God ſhewed his Word unto Iacob, his Statutes and his Iudgments unto Iſrael: Pſal. 147.19. But what the Apoſtle meanes, is more clearely expreſſed by another of the Apoſtles words, foreign, Wee were ſhut up as it were cloſe priſoners. The priſon is a place, in which captives are held, & without eſcape; they are rounded about with ſtrong wals, and have no way to get forth. Such are thoſe terrors of cōſcience, which ariſe when the Law hath done its worke, they ſtraiten the ſoule, and keepe it p. 208cloſely fettered, that it ſees no way to eſcape wrath; and then it ſpeakes deſpairingly, Whither ſhall I goe from thy Spirit? Or whither ſhall I flye from thy preſence? Pſal. 139.7. I am lockt up, and know not whither to turne; Thus the Law ſhuts us up; But,

Shut up unto the faith, which ſhould after be revealed, foreign; There is the time of our impriſonment, and our comfort: we are ſtraightned, but not to be kept in the dungeon. Hee is the right Divine, I meane, the true practicke, that can joyne theſe two together in time of his temptation: The Lord taketh pleaſure in them that feare p. 209him, in them that hope in his mercy, Pſal. 147.11: Wee muſt feare before God, as priſoners bound, and yet hope that he will be mercifull, becauſe hee is a gracious God: and then hee taketh pleaſure in us.

This is the true Art of Diuinity, and wicked men have not this skill, but they divide inſtead of joyning▪ they either divide fea…e from hope, and grow preſumptuous, or hope from feare, and grow deſperate: So Caine when hee was in feare, loſt his hope, and being ſtraightned, made his fetters more cloſe and hard upon himſelfe. Sometimes hee was too peremptory, and no feare, when he made p. 210no matter of murther and the hiding of murther, but anſwers boldly, to the demand of God, for his brothers bloud, Am I my brothers keeper, Gen. 4.9. At another time, when he grows ſenſible, hee is altogether dejected and without hart, he anſwers deſpairingly to Gods cenſure, My ſinne is greater then can be forgiven, my puniſhment is greater then I can beare, Gen. 4.13. An untaught man, that could not better diſtinguiſh of time, and collect to his owne advantages; we muſt ſtudy this knowledge; The Law can be our Iaylor but till Chriſt come into the conſcience.

Wherefore the Law was p. 211our Schoole-master to bring us unto Chriſt, foreign: The Schoole-maſter is appointed to inſtruct, and to keepe youth as it were in priſon, til that looſer age be tamed and guided. But they continue not under the rod, but are fitted for a higher Maſter, or higher employment. Moſes was but an under-maſter, and therefore his methods of teaching are corrected by a greater. Moſes deſcribeth the righteouſneſſe which is by the Law, That the man which doth thoſe things, ſhall live by them: but the righteouſnes which is of faith, ſpeaketh on this wiſe; If thou ſhalt confeſſe with thy mouth the Lord Ieſus, p. 212and ſhalt beleeve in thine heart, that God hath raiſed him from the dead, thou ſhalt be ſaved, Rom 10.5.6.9. The Iewes were in the Lowerſchoole, and all the parts of the Law, ſent them unto Chriſt. 1. The precepts requiring a righteouſneſſe, ſhewed their unrighteouſneſſe, and ſent them elſewhere to ſeeke it. 2. The Promiſes were on ſuch a condition, the condition of doing, as was to them impoſſible, and put them upon their farther ſearch. 3. The Threatnings ſet them directly under the curſe, which could be ſcaped onelyonly by Chriſt. 4. The ceremonies of Sacrifices and waſhings, and whatever p. 213of the ſame kind, lead them typically to their end. All Lawes ſent them, onelyonly with this difference: 1. The morall, by an accidentary direction: 2. The Ceremoniall, by direct ſignification, and duration: 3. The Iudiciall, by duration, and diſtinction. How the Law leads us, hath bin aptly, yet diverſly expreſſed by expoſitors; as a ſeverer Maſter over a wanton youth; So SaintaaLex Moſ…s populo laſcivienti ad inſtar paedagogi ſeverioris, appo…ita eſt, ut cuſtodiret eos, et futur… fidei prapararet. Hi … D al. 2 con Pela. Hierome. Not that the Law is againſt Chriſt; the Schoolmaſter is not adverſe to the Maſter, but helpes; ſo Saint bbPaedagogi non … verſatur praeceptori, ſed ad uvat arcens …oleſcen tem ab om ni vitior eddens illum ideneum. Chryſ.Chryſoſtome And that to fit us unto an higher being, another form, as he Scholler fitted by the …aedagogue, p. 214for Philoſophicall ſearches, or State-government; ſoccClem Ale. l. 1. pad. c. 6. Paedagogus parvulis aſſignatur, ut laſciviens refraenetur alas, et prona in vitia corda teneantur, dum teneraſtudije eruditur infantia et ad majores Philoſophiae, ac regendae reipublicae diſciplinas, metu poenae coercita preparatur. Clement Alexandrinus. A Scholler, though inſtructed by him, yet expects not his inheritance from his Paedagogue, but when the time is fit, hee leaves him for what hee was entended for; when wee give our names to Chriſt, Tutor a nobis, Curator que diſcedunt, then in that kind our Maſter leaves us; ſo bothddGre. Naz. Orat 42. Nazianzen, and eeTert. l. de monagamiaTertullian, andffIran. l. 4. c. 5. Iraeneus. We are young ones while the Law doth ferule us; ſo ggRol in Gal.Rolloc. The expreſſions are all good, if weighed with their due graines. The Law is the Schoolmaſter or Paedagogue; the Goſpell is the p. 215Maſter, or higher inſtructer: Here is the manner of our ſalvation, there are two Formes, and two Maſters: The VnderUnder-forme,Status, 1. Captivorum. 2. Puerorum. 3. Pupillorum. Rol. ibid. or Claſſes, under the Law, in which we are Captives, Children, Pupils: And the higher Forme, or Claſſes, under the Goſpell, in which wee are free, at fuller age, and from under Guardians. Which Divinity diſcovers and condemnes two ſorts of Schollers.

1. Such as learn nothing in either Schoole or Form; the thundrings of the Law no whit afright them, nor the ſweet voyce of the Goſpell pleaſe them, but under both remaine unbetrered.

p. 2162. Such as learne, but with a falſe method, in the higher forme firſt, who being never humbled, yet take hold of mercy, with which they have nothing to doe, and unto which they can lay no challenge; as being not wounded, and therefore not fitted for a plaiſter. It followes;

That we might be Iuſtified by Faith] The Law brings us unto Chriſt: But what? as to another Law? No; but that we might be Iuſtified by Faith; and Faith leads us to him, as a Iuſtifier, not as a Law-giver; though in a ſecond relation hee be our Law-giver, and wee owe him our obedience.

p. 217Thus are the Objections cleared, now proceed wee to the ſecond thing propounded according to the Apoſtles method in this third general part, namely,

2. The more plaine diſcuſſing of the Queſtion, concerning the Law, How abrogated? How uſefull? This is laid downe in the 25. verſe.

The Text.

VERS. 25. But after that Faith is come, we are no longer under a Schoole-Maſter.

THe paedagogicke uſe ceaſes, and the Law layes downe the Ferule. p. 218When C…riſt raignes in the conſcience by his Spirit, then the Law lives no more in the conſcience to our Burthen. He hath quickned you together with him, having forgiven you all treſpaſſes, blotting out the Handwriting of Ordinances that was againſt us, which was contrary to us, and tooke it out of the way, nailing it to his Croſſe, and having ſpoyled Principalities and Powers, hee made a ſhew of them openly, triumphing over them in it, Col. 2. 13, 14, 15. And now, as that honoured holy Luther applyes it,Bened Iuſt Com in Gal. 3.Gal 3 If the Law begin to vexe us, let's not hearken unto it. When a man is come to the age of man, though the Paedagogue ſhake his p. 219Rod over him, at which he was wont to quake, when the Paedagogue had power to uſe that maſterly Scepter, yet now he feares it not. 'Tis true; while ſin remaines (as it doth remaine, ſo long as wee remain men) the Law comes often, to our humiliation; but for feare of danger, Chriſt muſt likewiſe come often ſpiritually into the conſcience, that while wee ſee ſinne, wee bee not overwhelmed. So the Law is ſtill for our mortification, according to our more or leſſe of Faith. There is leaven hid in our Dough, but we are not al leavened▪ whē we ſee our …elvs i… … Chriſt, … nothing … p. 220leaven; but when our ſelves as our ſelves, wee finde much unleavened, and the Law comes againe and againe. But I'll not more enlarge my ſelfe in a paraphraſe, but fal more ſtrongly to the Queſtion, that great Queſtion, How farre the law is abrogated.