A77854:165
Vindiciæ legis
Vindiciæ legis: or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the errors of papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially, Antinomians. In XXIX. lectures, preached at Laurence-Jury, London. / By Anthony Burgess, preacher of Gods Word.Vindiciæ legis: or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the errours of papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially, Antinomians. In XXIX. lectures, preached at Laurence-Jury, London. / By Anthony Burgess, preacher of Gods Word.
London: printed by James Young for Thomas Underhill, 1646
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.
The 3d. Question, In what sense they are said to do the things of 1the law, and that by nature. To do the things of the law is not meant universally of all the Heathens, for the Apostle showed ⟨p. 58⟩how most of them lived in the Chapter before: nor secondly universally in regard of the matter contained in the law, but some external acts, as Aristides and Socrates, with others. And here its disputed, Whether a mere Heathen can do any work morally good? But we answer, No: for every action ought to have a supernatural end, viz. the glory of God, which they did not aim at; therefore we do refuse that distinction of a moral good, and theological, because every moral good ought to be theological: 2they may do that good matter of the law, though not well. And as for the manner how, by nature; those Interpreters that understand this Text of Gentiles believers, say, Nature is not here opposed to Grace, but to the law written by Moses; and therefore make it nature enabled by grace: but this is showed to be improbable. By nature therefore we may understand that natural 3light of conscience, whereby they judged and performed some external acts, though these were done by the help of God.
The 3d. Question, In what sense they are said to doe the things of 1the law, and that by nature. To doe the things of the law is not meant universally of all the Heathens, for the Apostle shewed ⟨p. 58⟩how most of them lived in the Chapter before: nor secondly universally in regard of the matter contained in the law, but some externall acts, as Aristides and Socrates, with others. And here its disputed, Whether a meere Heathen can doe any worke morally good? But wee answer, No: for every action ought to have a supernaturall end, viz. the glory of God, which they did not aime at; therefore we doe refuse that distinction of a morall good, and theologicall, because every morall good ought to be theologicall: