Ver. 1 5,16. the Epi file to the Romans. ciou fly to fin ne,bec ufeweearenot un- der the Law but under Grace? Which obje&ion did arife from the ill under- (landing of the Apqfiles words. For his words were fo taken of Come as if he had meant (by not being under the Law ) our freedome from the government and do&rise of the Law, and Co the bridle being caft loofe in our neckes;we might have lived as we lift ; which was very farre from the Apoftles meaning. T t M. Wbat may tee learn from ibis Objetlion ? S r L. Our firft in Nation from this Objc&ion, is to learn how ready and prone tinfoil men be to fnatch up all manner of cccafions which may nourifh liberty in fin, perverting holy doarine to this end: therefore all men muff watch over their owne hearts, being na- turally bent to thefe crooked fhifts, a- voyding the company of finfull men which affe& Inch naturali licenciouf- nefs. Secondly, that the ill under(;an- ding of things well taught,breeds errors and cavillings, and therefore we mull take heed of miftaking good do&rinè. Thirdly, that there is no do&rine fo found,but one or other will carp at it & wreft it: therefore Teachers mufi arme Titus r.g, themfelves with patience.Fourthly,that Minihers of the word,muff have ski( not onely to teach the truth, but how to meet with,& convince fuch gain - layers, T r M. Now tell us what anfwer the A- po/ile make unto the former eavilation:,and bow the 0bjeflion is wiped away? S i L. It is firfl to be noted, that the Apoffle doth not dire &ly anfwer their cavilling argument which is Sophihi- call,being a fallacy from the ambiguity óf the fpeech, (of not being under the Law)which the objeaors took as be- ing meant ofa freedome from the obe- dience of the Law; whereas the Apo - ale under(tood it of the rigorousex- a &ion of the Law, forbidding evill ,things, and giving no ftrength to for- beare them; but rather provoking our lulls more after fuch evils as it forbids. Our Apoffle therfore contents himielfe to anfwer the confequent of the argu- ment : namely, that which was untruly 2 Part. Antwere. concluded and gathered from his owne do&rine; to wit, (that we might freely fin= :)this confequent hee anfwereth two wayes, His fish anfwer is, by words ofdete`tation [God forbid] in ver: 15. hereby teaching us that all wicked and falfethings inferred from the word, mutt be abhorred ofus. In the fecond part of his anfwer, he proves the quire contrary to the objeftion, namely that fuch as be not under law, but under grace, ought not to ferve fin,but Chrift their Lord. T r as. How doth he prove this, by what argument ? S a L. By chele two reafons : the firfl is taken from the condition of fir van tS, in the beginning of the t 6.verfe. This reafon itandeth thus; It is meet that eve- ry one obey him whose fervant he is : butall true beleevers are the fervants of God and not of finne: therefore are they bound not to obey finne,but God,in do- ing his will. Which the Apoffle doth confirme and back by the teffimony of every mans confcience: know ye not that a fervant muff obey him that is his Lord, and that Ch rift is your Lord, and not finne? ye all know this; by the light of nature the one,and the other ye know by the light of the word. T t u. What thing: are we to learn out of thi s firfl reafon? St L. Firft, that it is wifedome in the Minihers of the word, to build their doarine upon knowne and received principles,of which every one is convi- &ed, that they are true. Secondly, we muff judg of our fervice, either to fin or to God, not by our profeflion, but by our pra &iíe and obedience : if we doe fulfill and obey the lulls of fin, then are we the fervants of finne, whatfoever we profeffe or fay to the contrary. Thirdly, that it ftands with great reafon, that a Chriftians life fhould bea continual! obedience to Chrift, becaufe he is our Lord, and bath admitted us to be his fervants;who by nature through Adam, fall,were wholly captives to Satan and fin : but Chrift by his death hath freed us from this captivity, and addiaed us to himielfe, to this end that we fhould Ra not
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