A30249:617
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.
I come therefore to those places of Scripture which seem to 1hold forth the duration of the Moral Law for a prefixed time only; even as the ceremonial Law doth. I shall select the most remarkable places, and, in answering of them, we shall see the other fully cleared. And I will begin with that, Luke 16. 16. The Law and the Prophets were until John. It should therefore seem, that the Law was to continue but until Johns time. I will not here stand to dispute whether John Baptist was to be reckoned under the Old Testament, or the New; only take notice that we cannot make a third different estate, wherein the Covenant of grace should be dispensed, as an Antinomian author doth: for our Saviour seemeth fully to conclude, that he did belong to the Old Testament; therefore he saith, The least in the kingdom of heaven is greater then he*: Although in this respect he was greater then any of the Prophets that went before him, that he did not prophesy of a Messiah to come, but pointed with his hand to him who was already come. And, as for the text it self, none can prove that the Law was to be abrogated when John Baptist came; for, least any should by that expression think so, our Saviour addeth, Heaven and earth shall sooner pass away, then that one title should fall to the ground. Therefore the meaning is, that the Law, in respect of the typical ⟨p. 224⟩part of it, as it did shadow forth, and prefigure a Christ, so it was to cease. Therefore the Law and the Prophets are put together, as agreeing in one general thing, which is, to foretell of Christ, and to typify him: And this will be clearer, if you compare Matth 11. 13. with this of Luke, where it is thus set down, All the Prophets and the Law prophesied unto John: whereby it is clear, that he speaks of the typical part of the Law; yet not so, as if the Ceremonies were then immediately to cease, only from that time they began to vanish.
I come therefore to those places of Scripture which seeme to 1