Vindiciæ legis

His third Reason is, because they under the Law, were under a School-master, therefore he seeth sin in them, but none in us, being no longer under a School-master. But here is no solidity in this Reason: for first, the chiefest work of a School-master is to teach and guide; and so they are said to be under the Law as a ⟨p. 235⟩School-master, that so they may be prepared for Christ: and thus it is a good argument to Christians under the Gospel, that their lives should be fuller of wisdom and grown graces, then the Jews; because they are not under a School-master as children: As if one should say to a young man, that is taken from the Grammar-school, and transplanted in the University, that he should take heed he doth not speak false Latin now, for he is not in a Grammar-school now, but in an University. Thus you see, the chief notion of a School-master is to prepare and guide, his correcting is accidental; yea, if we may believe Quintilian, a master in this kind, he is against the School-masters beating of boys, as that which would make them of a servile disposition. But Solomon giveth better rules. Grant therefore that this is to be understood of knocks and blows which they had, what can we say under the Gospel, that we are children freed from the rod? though we have not a School-master, yet we have a father to correct us. Heb. 12. 5, 6, 7, 8. Do we not in that place find a plain contradiction of this doctrine? For the Apostle doth there allege a place of the Old Testament, to us now under the Gospel: And, certainly, afflictions are as necessary to the godly now, as fire to the drossy vessel, and filing to the rusty iron. As the scourging and beating of the garment with a stick, beateth out the moths and the dust; so do troubles and adversities corruptions from the children of God.

His third Reason is, because they under the Law, were under a School-master, therefore he seeth sinne in them, but none in us, being no longer under a School-master. But here is no solidity in this Reason: for first, the chiefest worke of a School-master is to teach and guide; and so they are said to be under the Law as a ⟨p. 235⟩School-master, that so they may be prepared for Christ: and thus it is a good argument to Christians under the Gospel, that their lives should be fuller of wisedome and grown graces, then the Jewes; because they are not under a School-master as children: As if one should say to a young man, that is taken from the Grammar-schoole, and transplanted in the University, that he should take heed he doth not speak false Latine now, for hee is not in a Grammar-schoole now, but in an University. Thus you see, the chiefe notion of a School-master is to prepare and guide, his correcting is accidentall; yea, if wee may beleeve Quintilian, a master in this kind, he is against the School-masters beating of boyes, as that which would make them of a servile disposition. But Solomon giveth better rules. Grant therefore that this is to be understood of knockes and blowes which they had, what can we say under the Gospel, that wee are children freed from the rod? though wee have not a School-master, yet wee have a father to correct us.