Vindiciæ legis

The last Question is, How they declare this Law written in their ¹hearts? And that is first externally, two ways: 1. By making good and wholesome laws to govern men by; and, 2dly. By their practice, at least of some of them, according to those laws: And secondly internally, by their consciences, in the comfort or fear they had there.

The last Question is, How they declare this Law written in their ¹hearts? And that is first externally, two waies: 1. By making good and wholsome lawes to govern men by; and, 2dly. By their practice, at least of some of them, according to those lawes: And secondly internally, by their consciences, in the comfort or feare they had there.

1. 1The Law written in mens hearts two ways.The Law written in mens hearts two waies.

Observat. There is a law of Nature written in mens hearts. And if this be not abolished, but that a believer is bound to follow the direction and obligation of it, how can the Antinomian think that the Moral Law, in respect of the mandatory power ⟨p. 59⟩of it, ceaseth? Now, because I intend a methodical Tractate of the several kinds of Gods Law, you might expect I should say much about Laws in general; but because many have written large Volumes, especially the School-men, and it cannot be denied but that good rational matter is delivered by them; yet, because it would not be so pertinent to my scope, I forbear. I will not therefore examine the Etymology of the words that signify a Law; whether Lex in the Latin come of legendo, because it was written to be read (though that be not always necessary;) or of ligando, because a law binds to obedience; or of deligendo, because it selects some precepts: nor concerning [Greek or Hebrew] in the Greek, whether it come of [Greek or Hebrew], which is improbable; or of [Greek or Hebrew], because it distributes to every one that which is right: neither the Hebrew word [Greek or Hebrew], which some make to come of [Greek or Hebrew], to instruct and teach; others of the word [Greek or Hebrew], that signifieth a disposition, or compiling of things together, as laws use to be. In the next place, I will not trouble you with the definition of a law, whether it be an act, or habit, or the soul it self: only this is good to take notice of, against a fundamental error of the Antinomian, about a law in general; for they conceive it impossible but that the damning act of a law must be where the commanding act of a law is, and this is frequently urged (as I showed the last time:) Therefore observe, that there are only two things go to the essence of a law, (I speak not of external causes) and that is, first, Direction, secondly, Obligation: 1. Direction, therefore a law is a rule; hence the Law of God is compared to a light. And,