A77854:685
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.
And the first is this, The Law in some measure of it is made 1known by natural light, and so agreeable to a natural conscience. I say in some measure; for there is much of the duty of the Law that is unknown to natural consciences, yet the most external and outward duties are known, and accordingly as the truth of them is discerned by natural light, so the will doth join with them as good to be done (though not in a godly way.) But it is otherwise with the Gospel, for the very truth of it must be wholly revealed by God, so that no natural acumen in the world, could ever have excogitated this wonderful remedy, of justification and salvation by Christ. And as it is thus above knowledge, so the heart is more averse from this way.
And the first is this, The Law in some measure of it is made 1knowne by naturall light, and so agreeable to a naturall conscience. I say in some measure; for there is much of the duty of the Law that is unknowne to naturall consciences, yet the most externall and outward duties are knowne, and accordingly as the truth of them is discerned by naturall light, so the will doth joyne with them as good to be done (though not in a godly way.) But it is otherwise with the Gospel, for the very truth of it must be wholly revealed by God, so that no naturall acumen in the world, could ever have excogitated this wonderfull remedy, of justification and salvation by Christ. And as it is thus above knowledge, so the heart is more averse from this way.
- 11. The Law in some measure is known by the light of Nature, but the truth of the Gospel must be wholly revealed by God.
And by this you may see, why it is such an hard thing to believe, why the people of God are so hardly persuaded, when loaden with guilt, to roll their souls upon Christ. The reason is, there is nothing in his natural conscience to further him in this duty. Press a man against murder, theft, adultery, here is natural conscience joining for this duty: but urge him to believe, this is altogether above nature. Hence it is also, that naturally we seek to be justified by the works we do; so that to be justified by faith is another way, then corrupted nature in