The Law and the Gospel Reconciled, To the reader
To the Reader.
CHriſtian Reader, if this Treatiſe may ſeeme to any to bee ſuperfluous, as defending that, which noe good Chriſtians deny: yet conſidering how fruitfull theſe laſt times are in bringing forth the ſpurious ſpawnes, and monſtrous birthes of all kinds of hereſies, among which this of the Antinomians, a moſt peſtilent and pernicious ſest, is not the leaſt, which denyeth any further vſe of the Morall Law to belieuers, no not as a rule of conuerſation, as of duty to be conformed vntounto: and ſeeing alſo how many counterfeit Chriſtians are ready, & do daily intertaine this Libertine doctrine, which lets looſſe the raines to all licentiouſneſſe, as both the Doctors and Diſciples of this Antinomian hereſie, the Sons of Belial, do euidently proue in the practiſe of their lawleſſe and graceleſſe life: & laſtly waighing, how this Antinomian frye is, as an enemy to true fayth, and the power of religion, ſo a friend to all other hereſies now on foote, ſpecially to Popery, ſeruing as a way maker for it, by breaking downe the wals of the City of God, that ſo Romes Troian Horſe, full of traiterous Engines and armed Engineers, may finde the eaſier reentry for the erecting of their Dagon, instead of Gods Arke: I hope thou wilt not eſteeme either my paines loſt in writing, or thyne in reading this ſmall tract. And howſoeuer there is ſmall hope, that thoſe, who hauehave already deepely drunke in this ſweete deadly poyſon, will eaſily admit of any Antidote or Preſeruatiue, or ſuffer it kindly to worke vponupon them, ſo intoxicated they are with the ſpirit of giddyneſse, and (I feare) many of them iuſtly giuen ouer of God to a reprobate ſenſe, hauing fallen from the truth of the Ghoſpell once acknowledged of them: Yet I doubt not, but (by Gods grace) this Treatiſe will be a meanes to preſerue all ſound and ſimple-hearted chriſtians in the true fayth of Ieſus Chriſt, neuer to be ſeduced by ſuch ſpirits of errour, and perhaps to reduce into the way of the truth all ſuch honeſt-hearted poore ſoules, as hauehave beene beguiled by them.
OnelyOnly this let mee premoniſh thee of: that whereas in the fourth page I promiſe to affix the Copy of that letter at large, which gaue occaſion of this Treatiſe: I hauehave ſince altered my minde for theſe reaſons: 1. Becauſe … coppy is very large: 2. Becauſe I hauehave ſet downe the ſubſtance of it in all the particulars throughout this Tract: 3. Inſtead thereof, I hauehave added (vponupon occaſion offered, when I had ended this treatiſe) as a branch thereof, a ſhort diſcourſe toucbing the Sabbath day, the Morality whereof ſome hauehave of late impugned, as not binding Chriſtians in the obſeruation of the Lords day; the diuine Inſtitution whereof they alſo deny. So as if I hauehave not made good my promiſe in a matter of no neceſſity, nor of much moment: thou wilt pardon mee, if J hauehave made thee amends, in adding that, which is of farre greater importance and benefit. And if herein alſo I hauehave not in all poynts ſatiſfied thy iudgement to the full, concerning the Law of the Sabbath, and of the diuine inſtitution of the Lords day inſtead of the Iewes Sabbath: I ſhall (by Gods grace) ſhortly giuegive thee further ſatiſfaction in a fuller and ampler Treatiſe, purpoſely penned in anſwere to a booke lately come forth, which would vtterly euacuate the Lords day for the Christian Sabbath, and reduce vsus to the Iewes Sabbath-day agayne. Which will bee a worke ſomuch the more neceſſary, by how much this Iewiſh Sabbatarian findes already many Maléferiatos homi…es, idle and giddy-brained Chriſtians to imbrace his booke, which is written with Amighty, confident, and Gyantlike ſpirit, as if the Arguments thereof were inuincible. Jn the meane time inioy this, and pray for mee, that God would aſſiſt me in that greater worke, and in all things that may moſt concerne his glory, and the benefit of his Church. Farewell.
Thine in Chriſt Ieſus Henry Burton.