The Law and the Gospel Reconciled, Tenets
Poſitions, that the Antinomians and ſuch like Libertines and ſectaries hold with their vſuall euaſions and diſtinctions.
THeſe Antinomians teach, that God ſees no ſin in his iuſtified Children, and though he know ſin to be in them, yet he ſees it not; thus making God like to a blinde man, who ſeeth not thoſe thinges, which he knoweth. And where wee obiect, God ſees ſin in his iuſtified Children, for hee reproues, and corrects them for it: they anſwere, that particular congregations conſiſt of a mixed multitude, ſome belieuers, ſome not, and vponupon the vnbelieuers onelyonly are the corrections and reproofes, and not on the other. And when tis obiected, God ſaw ſin, reproued and corrected it in Dauid a belieuer in Chriſt, who ſayth Pſa. 69.5. Thou knoweſt my fooliſhneſſe, and my ſins are not hid from thee: they anſwere with mayntaining that the iuſtification of the Saints before Chriſts death, and ſince, is not alike, but becauſe there is great difference in the manifestation, to them before, and vsus now: therefore there is a difference in their iuſtifying. God did ſee ſin thorough the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt imputed vntounto Dauid, but not through that which was imputed to Paul. ſo they.
Obiect. But Paul himſelfe prooueth, that the iuſtification of all the Saints, both before and ſince Chriſts death, is alike. But this they will not allow of, but ſtill will hauehave euaſions. Ob. But he ſees their Sinnes daily, becauſe dayly hee commands them to pray for pardon. To this they anſwere that that Petition is to be ſayed eyther onelyonly for modeſtie, or elſe for the further manifeſtation of their iuſtification, Ob. But doth iuſtification aboliſh Sin cleane out of a belieuer? No, for then we ſhould lye, 1 Ioh. 1.8, 10. Ob. But do you ſee ſin in you, and doth not God ſee it? No God ſees it not, for hee lookes vponupon vsus onelyonly in the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt; in that greene glaſſe all he lookes on in it, is greene. And to this purpoſe they miſapplie many ſpeeches out of Luther on … and others. Ob. But we are indeede perfectly iuſtified, but not perfectly ſanctified in this life: becauſe the righteouſneſſe whereby we are iuſtified is Perfect, inherent in Chriſt, and onelyonly imputed vntounto vsus; but our ſanctification is from Chriſt, and inherent in vsus, not perfect in this life, but ſtill imperfect. For that they anſwere, firſt, that the Scripture ſpeaking of ſanctification, meaneth it in a large ſenſe, comprehending iuſtification vnderunder it; and ſo they will not admit, or very hardly, of that diſtinction betwixt iuſtification, and ſanctification, but iumble them together. And ſecondly they ſay, that a belieuer, is as perfect here, as euer hee ſhall bee hereafter, but onelyonly in regard of manifeſtation, and to that purpoſe they alledge this text, Becauſe as he is, ſo are wee in this world. Ioh. 4.17.
Ob. But the Scripture eueryevery where excites vsus to grow in ſanctification, and the more wee grow therein, the more aſſurance wee hauehave of our iuſtification. But this they deny, for they will not hauehave our ſanctification to prooue our iuſtification, but that muſt bee manifeſt vntounto vsus onelyonly by fayth.
Ob. But ought not a belieuer to walke in an holy courſe of life? That word,*One of the… writ in a lett… to an orthodo… Miniſter, It is vayne babling when men are caſt downe to rayſe them by duties, and fl… daubing, to bu… men on doeings though duties dyed in the blood of Chriſt Then Paul was a babbler in deed a… the Athenians called him, who thus raiſed by duties: as Heb. 12.12.13.14 Then Peter was a daw who built by duties, 2 Pet. 15: to 15 we accordingly teach duties but diſclame merits, as Chriſt teacheth vsus Luc: 17.10 he there commendeth duties but condemneth merits; So wee. ought, they cannot brooke, but they ſay that he cannot but walke in an holy life.
Ob. But what then is the rule of that holy life?
Anſw The matter of the Law, ſay they, but not the Law, as it is a Law; for they are not vnderunder the Law; but vnderunder grace, and the Law is not giuen to a righteous man 1 Tim. 1.9. The Law of louelove onelyonly now ſetteth them a worke to walke in an holy life, for they are free now, not onelyonly from the curſe of the Law but alſo from it, as it is a command, or rule of life.
And therefore they ſay, They muſt bee farre from any thought of diſpleaſing God at all by any thing they faile in; So as they muſt take heede of being caſt downe for any failings. Flat contrary both to the Apoſtles precept, and to the Corinthians practiſe, 1 Cor. 5.1, 2.3.4.5. and 2 Cor. 7.9, 10, 11.
Againe: Neyther (ſay they) muſt we thinke of …a…ſi… God at all in whole, or in part, by any thing at … ſet vp a calfe of our owne works to dance abou… … like is their Rhetoricke, whereby they pe… … poſe vponupon their Simple Diſciples, who are like Reeds eaſily ſhaken with eueryevery wind of nouell doctrines, ſuch as tend to carnall liberty, & to poſſeſſe the ſoule with ſpirituall pride. But the Scriptures do not ſo teach vsus Chriſt. Read 1. Theſ. 4.1. Col. 1.10. 1 Cor. 7.22. Heb. 12.5. o… ha… … which our pleaſing of God (there commended) by weldoing, the fruite of a liuely fayth is not meant of pleaſing by way of ſatiſfaction, for ſo Chriſt onelyonly pleaſed God: but of acceptation in and through Chriſt. But if we ſhall once bee poſſeſſed with this conceit, that neyther our Sins diſpleaſe God, no… our beſt ſanctified actions do pleaſe him; what ſhall … and falſe fleſh to become eyther as ſenſeleſſe, ſtockes and ſtones, or as ſenſuall beaſtes: putting no difference, not … conſcience of good and euill, when (I ſay) wee … per…aded, that neyther our beſt actions pleaſe God … worſt diſpleaſe him? This is right Stoicall doctrine, to bee … with nothing at all, to repent of nothing, and … … rence betweene the …ling of a coc… and of … … ctrine which nature it ſelfe abhorr … …o Orat… condemnes. The ſecond ſuch lik… … that they hold. And who … ſame, they …me and … th… dead fayth.
FINIS.
End of the text · Henry Burton, The Law and the Gospel Reconciled (1631)