The question is (said the old Antinomians) whether or no, there be a law given to the just man, or the new man, that is, whether or no doth the Law teach the new man, or the unrenewed part to do good works, and require them of him, or doth it teach him that he must do good works, as a mere patient or doth he, without the Law urging, teaching, commanding, do the Law, being created in Jesus Christ to good works, or more shortly, whether is the Law a mere patient toward a ⟨p. 84⟩just man; or is it active in teaching, ruling, regulating of him in doing of good works, for to teach, rule, exact, require, command, do all import some activity, or is the law proposed as a teacher and commander only to the flesh, or to the unrenewed part of a believer?1 this is the cardo hinge of the controversy (say theyk) Saltmarsh saith, We being once justified, have no need of one beam of light from the Law to teach us: no more then the world has need of the first days light of the creation, or of a candle, when the Sun is risen, and lTown saith, the Law in teaching, ruling, or commanding, is a mere patient, that is, the Moral Law is as close abolished in teaching us, what we shall do, as the Ceremonial Law, now if the Spirit should teach us to be circumcised and to keep the Ceremonial Law, that Spirit should be judged to be Enthusiastical and not of God; for the Apostle saith the contrary, Gal. 5.1. and calleth it a falling from Christ, if then the Spirit teach us to honour our Parents, not to kill, whereas the Law teacheth us no more, that we should do such a duty, then the Law teacheth us to be circumcised, or then if a Candle-light should show us what is black, we are to believe it is so, and the light of the sun, show the contrary, we were to believe that black is not black; so if the Spirit teach the Mother to kill her child, and offer it in a sacrifice to God, because it was baptized, as an Anabaptist mother in Dover lately hath done;
The question is (said the old Antinomians) whether or no, there be a law given to the just man, or the new man, that is, whether or no doth the Law teach the new man, or the unrenewed part to doe good works, and require them of him, or doth it teach him that he must doe good works, as a meere patient or doth he, without the Law urging, teaching, commanding, doe the Law, being created in Jesus Christ to good works, or more shortly, whether is the Law a meere patient toward a ⟨p. 84⟩just man; or is it active in teaching, ruling, regulating of him in doing of good works, for to teach, rule, exact, require, command, doe all import some activity, or is the law proposed as a teacher and commander onely to the flesh, or to the unrenewed part of a beleever?1 this is the cardo hinge of the controversie (say theyk) Saltmarsh saith, We being once justified, have no need of one beam of light from the Law to teach us: no more then the world has need of the first dayes light of the creation, or of a candle, when the Sun is risen, and lTowne saith, the Law in teaching, ruling, or commanding, is a meere patient, that is, the Morall Law is as close abolished in teaching us, what we shall doe, as the Ceremoniall Law, now if the Spirit should teach us to be circumcised and to keep the Ceremoniall Law, that Spirit should be judged to be Enthysiasticall and not of God; for the Apostle saith the contrary, Gal. 5.1. and calleth it a falling from Christ, if then the Spirit teach us to honour our Parents, not to kill, whereas the Law teacheth us no more, that we should doe such a duty, then the Law teacheth us to be circumcised, or then if a Candle-light should show us what is black, we are to beleeve it is so, and the light of the sun, show the contrary, we were to beleeve that black is not black; so if the Spirit teach the Mother to kill her childe, and offer it in a sacrifice to God, because it was baptized, as an Anabaptist mother in Dover lately hath done;
- 1Antinomians say that the Law is a mere patient to a believer and doth neither command, direct, nor give him any glance of light to do Gods will, the spirit is his only light.Antinomians say that the Law is a meer patient to a beleever and doth neither command, direct, nor give him any glance of light to doe Gods will, the spirit is his onely light.
- kSaltmarsh fr. gr. p. 146, 147.
- lTown asser. gr. p. 10. what if it be affirmed that even in true sanctification, the law of works is a mere passive thing, as the Kings high way, which a christian freely walketh i•? you can never have face to deny it. Psal. 119.•, 2.Town asser. gr. p. 10. what if it be affirmed that even in true sanctification, the law of workes is a meere passive thing, as the Kings high way, which a christian freely walketh i•? you can never have face to deny it. Psal. 119.•, 2.
