A30249:731
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.
According to this purpose Aquinas hath a good distinction about an end; That an end is two-fold: Either such, to which a thing doth naturally incline of it self: Or secondly, that which becometh an end, by the mere appointment and ordination of some Agent. Now the end of the Law, to which naturally it inclineth, is eternal life to be obtained by a perfect righteousness in us; but the instituted and appointed end, which God the Lawgiver made in the promulgation of it, was the Lord Christ: So that, whatsoever the Law commanded, promised, or threatened, it was to stir up the Israelites unto Christ. They were not to rest in those precepts or duties, but to go on to Christ; so that a believer was not to take joy with any thing in the Law till he came to Christ, and when he had found him, he was to seek no further, but to abide there. Now this indeed was a very difficult duty, because every man naturally would be his own Christ, and Saviour. And what is the reason, that under the Gospel believers are still so hardly persuaded to rest only on Christ for righteousness, but because of that secret self dependence, within them.
According to this purpose Aquinas hath a good distinction about an end; That an end is two-fold: Either such, to which a thing doth naturally incline of it self: Or secondly, that which becometh an end, by the meere appointment and ordination of some Agent. Now the end of the Law, to which naturally it inclineth, is eternall life to be obtained by a perfect righteousness in us; but the instituted and appointed end, which God the Lawgiver made in the promulgation of it, was the Lord Christ: So that, whatsoever the Law commanded, promised, or threatned, it was to stir up the Israelites unto Christ. They were not to rest in those precepts or duties, but to go on to Christ; so that a beleever was not to take joy with any thing in the Law till he came to Christ, and when he had found him, he was to seek no further, but to abide there. Now this indeed was a very difficult duty, because every man naturally would be his own Christ, and Saviour. And what is the reason, that under the Gospel belevers are still so hardly perswaded to rest only on Christ for righteousness, but because of that secret selfe dependance, within them.
Having premised these things, I come to show how Christ is