A30249:260
Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the…Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the…
Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the errors of Papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially, Antinomians in XXX lectures, preached at Laurence-Jury, London / by Anthony Burgess ...Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the errours of Papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially, Antinomians in XXX lectures, preached at Laurence-Jury, London / by Anthony Burgess ...
London: printed by James Young for Thomas Underhill, 1647
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. This putteth men upon speaking and preaching contradictions: 1For so some have said, that the Calvinists; though they be Calvinists in their Doctrines, yet they are Arminians in their Uses. And they say, How incongruous is it, to tell us we can do nothing of our selves, and then to make this use, Therefore let us seek out for the grace of Christ? But to answer, 1. This contradiction may be cast as well upon Christ and Paul: Take Christ for an instance, John 6. in that Sermon, he bade the Jews labour for that meat that perisheth not, and yet at the same time said, None can come unto me, except my Father draw him. Might not the Arminian ⟨p. 96⟩say, How can these two things stand together? So John 15. our Saviour telleth them, Without him they can do nothing, and yet at the same time he exhorteth them, to abide in him, and keep his commandments: So Paul; take two instances from him, Rom. cap. 9. & cap. 11. The Apostle there showeth, God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and that it is not of him that runneth or willeth, but of God that calleth; yet he bids them that stand take heed lest they fall: and, Be not high-minded, but fear. So Phil. 2. 12, 13. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it's God that worketh in you both to will and to do. This reason, in their sense, would quite overthrow the former. Nay (say they) it being attributed thus to God, and to man, it seemeth both do it How this may be answered, we shall see anon. But to make u• speak contradictions, because we press a duty, and yet acknowledge Gods grace or gift to do it, is to make a perpetual discord between precepts and promises: For the same things which God commands us to do, doth he not also promise to do for us, as, to circumcise our hearts, and, to walk in his commandments How much better is that of Austin, O man, in Gods precepts acknowledge what thou oughtest to do, in his promises acknowledge that thou canst not do it? But 2. we may return upon them, that their Sermons and Prayers are contradictions; they say, they can do it, and then they pray God they may do it: They say, the Will may receive the grace of God, and may obey God calling; and then they pray, God would make them obey his calling; as much as to say, O Lord, make me to obey if I will.