The Debt Book, Chapter 16
CHAP. 16. That louelove is a fulfilling of the Law according to the meaſure of it, and that yet hence it doth not follow: either that the perfect fulfilling of the Law is poſsible in this life: or that any can be iuſtified by the workes of the Law, in this ſtate of corruption.
FOr hee that loueth another hath fulfilled the Law.] Theſe words are a reaſon of the former exhortation. The argument is thus. The mutuall louelove of Chriſtians is the fulfilling of the Law, therefore wee ought to louelove one another. When louelove is ſaid, Cantic. 8. 6. to bee ſtrong as death: non potuit (ſaith Auſtin) Charitatis fortitudo magnificentiùs exprimi, quàm quòd morti comparatur: The ſtrength of louelove could not be more magnifically expreſſed, then when it is compared vntounto death. As he ſaith of the ſtrength of louelove, that it could not be expreſſed in more loftie termes: ſo may I ſay of the ſupereminent excellencie of louelove, it could not be ſet downe in higher termes, then in calling it the fulfilling of the Law. Concerning which words ſundry things may be enquired, both for the meaning and certaintie of them. As firſt, the thing in hand being mutuall charitie and brotherly louelove which is limited and confined to the ſecond table of the Law, and is no further extended; how the performance of it can bee ſaid to fulfill the Law? ſeeing in this dutie (ſuppoſed as good as can bee in this life) a man onelyonly fulfilleth the ſecond table of the Law.
The anſwer herein is this: that though he that loueth his neighbour intirely, do but fulfill the ſecond table expreſly, yet he performes the firſt alſo by neceſſarie conſequence. For all religious louelove to men floweth originally from our louelove to God: and our louelove to God dependeth wholly on his louelove to vsus. *1 Ioh. 4. 19We louelove him becauſe he loued vsus firſt. As therefore a great brightneſſe of the ayre at midnight, argueth the ſhining of the Moone, and that preſumeth an illumination from the Sunne, becauſe theſe depend one on another: ſo the diffuſing of our charitie on our neighbours proueth our louelove to God, and our louelove to God preſumeth his louelove to vsus firſt, for the inſeparable dependance which they hauehave on each other. We may alſo briefly anſwer, that our brotherly louelove fulfilleth the Law, that is, that part of the Law which doth punctually require it.
The other queſtions ariſe from the ambiguitie of the ſpeech, Hath fulfilled the Law. Out of which our aduerſaries draw two concluſions. Firſt, that the fulfilling of the Law is poſſible in this life. Secondly, that a Chriſtian may be iuſtified by the workes of the Law.
For the firſt, the Rhemiſts in their marginall notes vponupon theſe words ſay this. Here we learne that the Law may bee, and is fulfilled by louelove in this life, againſt our aduerſaries, who ſay, it is impoſſible to keepe the Commandements. The argument may thus be framed. He that loueth another, or that loueth his neighbour fulfilleth the Law. But eueryevery true Chriſtian can, and muſt, and doth louelove his neighbour; therefore eueryevery true Chriſtian can, and muſt fulfill the Law. Firſt, to the propoſition I ſay, that he that loueth another fulfilleth the Law, according to the qualitie and meaſure of his louelove. Qualis & quanta dilectio, talis & tanta eſt legis impletio: ſo farre as he loueth, ſo farre he fulfilleth the Law. But ſay they, in the aſſumption; eueryevery good Chriſtian can, and may, and doth louelove his neighbour. To this I anſwer, that louelove is either perfect and full in the affections and offices of it, without any errour or defect at all: this is that which fulfilleth the Law, according to the ſeueritie of it to the vttermoſt, but it is impoſſible in this life through the weakeneſſe of the fleſh. There is another louelove which is true, ſincere, and heartie, yet not without imperfection, for in many things we all fall ſhort in affections, in actions, *Gal 5. 17The fleſh luſteth against the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh, ſo that we cannot do as wee would. *Phil. 3. 12▪ 13.I hauehave not (ſaith Paul) attained vntounto perfection. This louelove is poſſible, but not perfect, the other is perfect, but not poſſible to vsus compaſſed as we are with imperfections; and conſequently the perfect impletion of the Law in this life is not poſſible.
The ſecond argument depends on this, framed by thoſe, who by building iuſtification vponupon the workes of the Law, put themſelues vponupon the hazard of falling from grace. The argument is thus. Hee that fulfilleth the Law is iuſtified thereby; according to that word, *Gal. 3. 12.He that doth theſe things ſhall liue by them. But euerie true Chriſtian fulfilleth the Law by louelove; therefore eueryevery true Chriſtian is iuſtified by the Law. Stapleton propounds it thus Stapleton Antidot.in ſenſe, and triumpheth like a conquerour againſt Caluin and Beza. His argument is thus. The fulfilling of the Law is true righteouſneſſe; but he that loueth his neighbour fulfilleth the Law; therefore he that loueth his neighbour obtaineth true righteouſneſſe, or true iuſtification thereby.
The ſtrength of theſe arguments is in the ambiguitie of the phraſe: for true it is; He that fulfilleth the Law ſhall be iuſtified thereby, if he fulfill it in all points perfectly; otherwiſe not iuſtification, but malediction is of the Law. But he that loueth his neighbour fulfilleth the Law. That I grant is true, he that loueth perfectly without any defect fulfilleth the Law perfectly; but where is that man, that euer ſo loued, or obſerued the Law without errour or imperfection?
Was there euer Patriarke, Prophet, or Apoſtle without ſinne?
Doth not Dauid the man after Gods owne heart confeſſe this ſinne with much contrition againſt himſelfe, Pſal. 32. 5. and Pſal. 51.
Doth not *Dan. 9.Daniel the like againſt himſelfe and all the people?
Doth not *Rom. 7.Paul after his conuerſion yet lament his vnwilling ſubiection vntounto ſinne? When the beſt of men condemne themſelues, is it not impudent pride in anie to iuſtifie himſelfe by the workes of the Law? Can any bee ſo partiall in his owne cauſe, or ſo ſenſleſſe of his owne eſtate, as not to tremble at his dayly tranſgreſſions, ariſing from the ſinke of originall corruption?
I know for the opening of this ſpeech in hand, the learned bring this diſtinction. There is, impletio legis quoad partes, or quoad gradus; We fulfill the Law ſay they, according to the parts, or according to the degrees. According to the parts, when we hauehave reſpect to all the commandements, as well in one thing as in another, not allowing our ſelues in the neglect or breach of any; thus farre ſay they we attaine. But according to the degrees or perfection required in the ſtrict letter of the Law, (for which cauſe it is called the killing letter,) ſo we do not fulfil the Law.
In this diſtinction ſome ſatisfie themſelues, but for mine owne part I am of opinion, that the beſt men faile, not onelyonly in the degrees, but euen in the parts of the Law, omitting at ſome time the very duties of louelove by infirmitie, ignorance, negligence, or temptation, ſo that our beſt fulfilling of the Law is, when that which is not fulfilled is forgiuen: according to that of Auſtin, Omnia mandata Dei tunc implentur, quando quod non fit, ignoſcitur; All the commandements of God are then fulfilled, when that is forgiuen which is not fulfilled. And our beſt iuſtification is; Quando fides impetrat, quod Lex imperat: When faith obtaineth in Ieſus Chriſt that perfect righteouſneſſe, which the Law enioyneth by a liuely application of the ſame to the conſcience. As our louelove is not perfect in regard of our defects in matter, meaſure, and circumſtance: ſo it cannot be meritorious, becauſe it is a debt, and ſuch a debt as is neuer fully payd, but ſtill remaineth due. No debt is merit; Eſt ae natura meriti, vt ſit opus indebitum, pramium ex indebito faciens debitū: It is of the nature of merit, that it be a work not due, & which makes the reward being nor due of it ſelfe, due to the doer.
Is all our labour of louelove then loſt, becauſe it is vnperfect? and becauſe our fulfilling of the Law is vnperfect? or becauſe when wee hauehave done our beſt, yet our louelove is not meritorious? or becauſe our beſt fulfilling of the Law, is but onelyonly a true and ſincere obſeruation of the Commandements, but not a full obedience of the Law foreign, in exactnes? Is all our labour I ſay then loſt? God forbid: for though wee cannot attaine vntounto perfection in this life, it is reſerued for the next: our righteouſneſſe being here eclipſed with manifold defects: yet the neerer wee come vntounto it, the more conformable we are to God, and to his Law, then which nothing is more beautifull, or more bleſſed.
Paul profeſſeth that though hee had Phil. 3. 12. 14.not as yet attained, yet he aſpired with great indeauour, and preſſed toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in CHRIST IESVS: euen ſo ſhould wee doe alſo, who come much ſhorter of perfection then he did: the remainders of ſin continuing more, & the Image of Chriſt being leſſe renued & reſtored in vsus then in him. We ſhould, I ſay with all our ſtrength & intention of ſpirit, ſtriue to be aduanced to a higher pitch & meaſure of grace, of goodnes, of louelove with the fruites therof; knowing that louelove is the *Iohn 13. 35.marke of Gods children: the proofe of *1 Iohn 47.our regeneration: the ſeale of our tranſlation *1 Ioh. 3. 14.from death to life: yea ſuch an euidence hereof as will ſhew it ſelfe and ſtand vponupon record in the effects, when other ſignes may faile in the day of temptation: knowing alſo that hatred, which is contrary hereunto, is the diuels *1 Ioh. 3. 10. Ioh. 2. 11.brand on the veſſels of wrath; he that hateth his brother walketh in darkneſſe, and knoweth not whether he goeth, becauſe darkneſſe hath blinded his eyes, euen his iudgement, the eye of the inner man. For *Auſtin & gloſſa ordin.Ira eſt feſtuca, odium eſt trabs in oculo; anger is a moate, but hatred is a beame in the eye.
The ſumme is this. Debts muſt be paied to whom they are due. LoueLove is a Debt; therefore it muſt be paid to all, as time, and place, and power doe permit: that by yeelding hereof in obedience to the Commandement, our louelove to God himſelfe may appeare, *Iohn 14, 15.who meaſures our louelove by our obedience. Who if he diſcerneth the readineſſe of the ſpirit, though the fleſh bee weake: if a promiſing and chearefull heart, though ability bee not great, hee will drawe vsus on to further proofe.
*Iohn 15. 2.EueryEvery branch that beareth fruit hee purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit, to the honour and glory of his owne name, and to the benefit of his Elect.
FINIS.
Errata.
PAge 3. line 15. for tooke reade take. p. 12. l. 12. for haereditale r. haereditate▪ p. 35. l. 2. for ſilences r. ſilence. p. 43. l. 16. for euer r, ends p. 47. l. 16. for founders r foundreſs. p. 56. l. 23. for mutant. r mutent. p. 61. l. 11. for no, r. a. p. 67. l. 13. for ofter, r. often p 92. l 14. for ſaueurs r. ſauers p. 95. l. 7. add to the end of the l. ſubſtance. p. 99 for moderate r immoderate. p 103. l. 9. for which r. whom. p 125. l. 1. for doing r. doings. in the Marg, for Theophilact, 1. Theophylact. p. 139. l. 16. for this, r. his.
End of the text · Henry Wilkinson Sr, The Debt Book (1625)