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…

I Shall in the next place discuss that famous Question, about the abrogating of the Moral Law: only I must answer to some Objections that are made against the former position, That the Law may be used by God in the preaching of it to mans Conversion, in the sense explained: which, if not attended unto, may make the assertion seem harsh, and incredible. But before I answer the Objections, let us consider a great mistake of the Antinomian author, Assert. of grace, pag. 171. where he makes the very ground, why they are charged with Antinomianism, to be, because they do not hold the Law to be used by God instrumentally for the conversion of men. Certainly this is a great mistake, for there are many learned men, who hold the work of the Law by the power of Gods Spirit to be no more then preparatory; yet for all that, do peremptorily maintain the use and the obligation of the Law in respect of believers. Therefore they are not in this respect condemned for that error.

I Shall in the next place discusse that famous Question, about the abrogating of the Morall Law: only I must answer to some Objections that are made against the former position, That the Law may be used by God in the preaching of it to mans Conversion, in the sense explained: which, if not attended unto, may make the assertion seem harsh, and incredible. But before I answer the Objections, let us consider a great mistake of the Antinomian author, Assert. of grace, pag. 171. where he makes the very ground, why they are charged with Antinomianisme, to be, because they do not hold the Law to be used by God instrumentally for the conversion of men. Certainly this is a great mistake, for there are many learned men, who hold the work of the Law by the power of Gods Spirit to be no more then preparatory; yet for all that, do peremptorily maintain the use and the obligation of the Law in respect of believers. Therefore they are not in this respect condemned for that errour.

Another consideration that I will propound is this, ¹That the work of conversion is not wrought totally in a man without the Gospel: for, as I told you, now in the preaching of the Word there is not mere Law, nor mere Gospel, but they are to be composed and to be made helpful to each other; and also, whatsoever benefit or effect we get in the hearing, preaching, or meditating upon the Law of God, it is to be attributed unto the Covenant of grace in Christ. And therefore all these places, which attribute conversion and holiness to the Gospel, do not at all make against my Assertion; for the Question is not, Whether