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…

In the asserting of this difference, one scruple is to be removed, which is this, How could the Jews be said to be in more servitude then the Christians; merely because of those ceremonies and sacrifices? for, seeing they were commanded by God, and had spiritual significations, they did thereby become helps unto their faith, and were exercises of their piety. As under the Gospel none can say that the Sacraments are a burden, and tend to bondage, because they are visible signs: But rather God doth hereby condescend in his great love unto us for, as Chrysostom observeth, if we had been incorporeal, God would not then have appointed visible Sacraments, (no more then he doth to Angels) but now consisting of soul and body, he doth institute some things in an accommodated way to help us, and to promote our faith.

In the asserting of this difference, one scruple is to be removed, which is this, How could the Jewes be said to be in more servitude then the Christians; meerly because of those ceremonies and sacrifices? for, seeing they were commanded by God, and had spirituall significations, they did thereby become helpes unto their faith, and were exercises of their piety. As under the Gospel none can say that the Sacraments are a burden, and tend to bondage, because they are visible signes: But rather God doth hereby condescend in his great love unto us for, as Chrysostome observeth, if wee had been incorporeall, God would not then have appointed visible Sacraments, (no more then he doth to Angels) but now consisting of soul and body, he doth institute some things in an accommodated way to helpe us, and to promote our faith.

But this may be answered, that although they were spiritual in signification, yet they being many, and requiring much bodily labour, they could not be observed without much difficulty: and therefore no priest, or Levite, that was spiritually minded, in those days, but would rather choose to exercise the ministry under the Gospel, then to busy himself in the killing of beasts, and flaying of them, which was their duty to do. Therefore well did Augustine observe the love of God in appointing for us Sacraments, fewer in number, easier in observation, and more clear in signification. Again, those bodily exercises did rather fit those that were children, and were more convenient to that low condition, then unto the full age of the Church: and Sacraments, though they be an help, yet they suppose some imbecility in the subject: therefore in heaven there shall be none at all. Only take notice, that Popery, having introduced so many ceremonious observations, and such a multitude of Church precepts, hath made the times of the Gospel to be the times of none-age again. This also discovereth that such are not spiritual,