A77854:522
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.
Having therefore dispatched briefly these controversies, I come to another, wherein the Antinomian doth directly derogate from the profitable effect and benefit of the Law. This therefore is an assertion which an Antinomian Author maintaineth, that the Law is not an instrument of true sanctification, and that 1the promise or the Gospel is the seed and doctrine of our •ew birth: and for this he bringeth many arguments, and the judgements of diverse learned men, Assertion of grace, pag, 163. And it may not be denied, but that many speeches might fall from some men, which might seem to comply with that opinion. I shall now labour to maintain the positive part, viz. that the Law of God preached, may be blessed by him instrumentally to work the conversion of men: and it is necessary to make this good; for, were the contrary true, it would be a Ministers duty in great part, to lay aside the preaching of the Moral Law, as not instrumental, or subservient to that main end of the Ministry, which is the conversion of souls. Nor can I yield to that, that the preaching of the Law works only preparatorily, or some terrors about sin, and can go no further; but (I suppose) that Jesus Christ hath obtained of God by his death, that such efficacy and virtue should go forth in the Ministry, that whether it be by Law, or Gospel he preacheth, the souls of men may be healed, and converted thereupon: Only two things must be premised;
Having therefore dispatched briefely these controversies, I come to another, wherein the Antinomian doth directly derogate from the profitable effect and benefit of the Law. This therefore is an assertion which an Antinomian Authour maintaineth, that the Law is not an instrument of true sanctification, and that 1the promise or the Gospel is the seed and doctrine of our •ew birth: and for this he bringeth many arguments, and the judgements of diverse learned men, Assertion of grace, pag, 163. And it may not be denyed, but that many speeches might fall from some men, which might seem to comply with that opinion. I shall now labour to maintaine the positive part, viz. that the Law of God preached, may be blessed by him instrumentally to worke the conversion of men: and it is necessary to make this good; for, were the contrary true, it would be a Ministers duty in great part, to lay aside the preaching of the Morall Law, as not instrumentall, or subservient to that maine end of the Ministery, which is the conversion of soules. Nor can I yeeld to that, that the preaching of the Law workes onely preparatorily, or some terrours about sinne, and can goe no further; but (I suppose) that Jesus Christ hath obtained of God by his death, that such efficacy and vertue should goe forth in the Ministery, that whether it be by Law, or Gospel he preacheth, the soules of men may be healed, and converted thereupon: Onely two things must be premised;