And here consider, if we look upon the Moral Law in that notion as it was given to Adam in Paradise, I mean as it was a Covenant of Works, or as the Covenant thereof was Works; so that whosoever would receive life and salvation, must perform perfect obedience to the same, according as it is written, He that doth these things shall live in them. And again, Moses describes the righteousness which is of the Law, That the man which doth these things shall live by them: in this sense as it was given to Adam in Paradise to justify or save men, the Doctrine of Faith doth make void the Moral Law.
I will not stand disputing, whether the Law, as given by Moses, could have given life and righteousness; or whether God did primarily intend in publishing this Law by Moses on Mount Sinai, to send man to fetch his life out of the Law; this we know, that whatever strength there is in the Law ex se. Yet by reason of sin it is weakened, and it is impossible that life and salvation should come to man by it, as the case now stands: it was long since concluded. That by the Works of the Law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. And Paul confesseth, We are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ: And again, I through the Law am dead to the Law: We constantly teach, That every Christian by the Gospel, is freed from expecting life by any obedience to the Law.
Again, if we look upon the Moral Law in its execration, and as it is enabled with a power to curse men to hell for their sins; I say, as it is a sentencing, killing, and death-ministring Letter, the Gospel hath made it void unto believers; it hath no power to fasten the curse of heaven upon the person of any believer; though all their sins are cursed sins, even such as deserve the grand curses of the Law, yet no curse for sin can come from the Law upon them; the curse of the Law seized on Christ to the utmost, that the blessing might befall them: Further, if we shall look upon the Law in its strictness and rigour, as it hath a power to challenge and exact a punctual and personal obedience to it self, without which, it allows no man favour with God, or life from God, then it is also made void by the Doctrine of Faith, the right and strictness of the Law is fulfilled in us by our surety, its not expected that it should be fulfilled by us in our own persons.
Besides, if we shall consider the Moral Law in its coactive or coercive power, as it doth by fears and terrors wrought in the conscience, urge and constrain an obedience to it self, making men and women servile and slavish in all acts of duty; thus is it made void to beleevers under the Gospel: I do not conceive that the Spirit of bondage, or the Spirit of fear, or the Spirit of unwillingness, lays so upon a believer, that he must be forced to do required service; nay, rather he is a Law unto himself, willingly performing what is right and required, Luke 1. 74. Rom. 8. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 9. 2 Tim. 1. 7. 1 Joh. 5. 3. For this is the Love of God, that we keep his Commandments; and his Commandments are not grievous. To conclude, if we shall consider the Law Moral in its irritation, as it hath in it an accidental or occasional secret sin-provoking, enraging, or exasperating power, whereby it stirs up in men an earnestness to the commission of sin; thus is it made void to the believer.
John Sedgwick, Antinomianism Anatomized. Or, A Glass for the Lawless: Who deny the Ruling use of the Moral Law unto Christians under the Gospel (London: Samuel Gellibrand, 1643), pp 9-10.
Reformed Covenanter 