Vindiciæ legis

Honoured Madam,

I Have observed your Ladyship careful in two things: to improve the duty commanded in the Law, and to embrace the promise tendered in the Gospel; the former hath been a spur to holiness, the latter a curb to unbelief. The consideration of this (together with the remembrance of those manifold favours which your Ladyship hath plentifully vouchsafed to me and mine) hath provoked me to dedicate this Treatise unto you, which although it hath much controversial matter in it, yet it is not without many practical directions and consolations. It hath been Gods goodness unto you, that although in these times of calamities your portion hath been one of the afflictions in Paul's ⟨image 3⟩Catalogue, without settled abode; yet God hath left your mind fixed and immovable in the truth, being enabled to ¹magnify grace in the highest manner, out of the real sense of your necessity and unworthiness, yet to avoid Antinomianism: and on the other side, to be punctual and exact in the duties of mortification and holiness; yet to take heed of Pharisaical Popery. And indeed, this is the right sense, when we are so diligent in working out our salvation with fear and trembling, as if there were no grace to justify; and yet so resting and believing in the grace of Christ, as if no good thing had been done by us.

I Have observed your Ladiship carefull in two things: to improve the duty commanded in the Law, and to imbrace the promise tendered in the Gospel; the former hath been a spurre to holinesse, the latter a curb to unbeliefe. The consideration of this (together with the remembrance of those manifold favours which your Ladiship hath plentifully vouchsafed to me and mine) hath provoked me to dedicate this Treatise unto you, which although it hath much controversall matter in it, yet it is not without many practicall directions and consolations. It hath been Gods goodnesse unto you, that although in these times of calamities your portion hath been one of the afflictions in Paul's ⟨image 3⟩