The benefite of Christs death, or the glorious riches of Gods free grace which euery true beleeuer receiues by Iesus Christ, and him crucified. First compiled and printed in the Italian tongue: and afterwards translated and printed in the French tongue: and out of French into English, by A.G.

CHAP. II. How the Law was giuen by God, to the end that we knowing our sinne, and hauing not any hope of ability to make our selues righte∣ous by our owne works, should haue recourse to Gods mercy, and vnto the righteousnesse of faith. (Book 2)

OVR God therefore minding of his in∣finite goodnesse and mercy to send his onely Sonne to set free the wretched chil∣dren of Adam, and knowing that first of all it behooued him to make them vnder∣stand their owne misery: chose Abraham, (in whose seede hee promised to blesse all Nations,) and accepted his off-spring for his peculiar people, vnto whom, (after their departure out of Egypt, and deliuerance from the bondage of Pharao,) he by the meanes of Moyses, gaue the Law, which forbiddeth all lusting, and commandeth vs to loue GOD with all our heart, with all our soule, and with all our strength,

in such wise, as our whole trust be reposed in him, and we ready to leaue our life for his sake, to suffer all torments in our members, and to be bereft of all our goods, dignities, and honours for the loue of our God, choo∣sing to dye, rather then to doe any thing that may dislike him, be it neuer so little: and do∣ing all things in that behalfe with a merry heart, and with all forwardnesse and cheere∣fulnesse. Moreouer, the Law commandeth vs * 1.1 to loue our neighbour as our selfe, meaning by the Neighbour, all manner of men, as well friends as foes: and it willeth vs to doe to euery man as we would be done vnto, and to loue other mens cases as our owne. And so by looking in this holy Law as in a cleere looking glasse, man doth out of hand espy his owne great imperfection and vnablenesse to obey Gods Commandements, and to render him the honour and loue which he ought to yeeld to his Maker. The first office of the Law then, is to make sinne knowne, as * 1.2 Saint Paul affirmeth. And in another place he saith, I had not knowne what sinne is, but by the Law. The second office of the Law, is to make sinne increase, forasmuch as we being quite gone from the obeying of God, * 1.3 and become bond-slaues to the diuell, being full of wicked workes and inordinate affe∣ctions,

cannot abide that God should forbid vs to lust, which increaseth so much the more, as it is the more prohibited: by rea∣son whereof Saint Paul saith, that sinne was dead, but the Law came and raised it vp a∣gaine, and so it became out of measure great. The third office of the Law, is to shew the * 1.4 wrath and iudgement of God, who threat∣neth death and euerlasting punishment, to such as keepe not the Law throughout in all points. For the holy Scripture saith, Cursed * 1.5 is hee that performeth not throughly all the things that are written in the booke of the Law. And therefore Saint Paul saith, That * 1.6 the Law is a ministery, and that it bringeth forth wrath. The Law then hauing discoue∣red sinne, and increased it, and shewed forth the wrath and indignation of God who threatneth death, executeth his fourth office, which is to put a man in feare, who thereup∣on * 1.7 falleth into sorrowfulnesse, and would faine satisfie the Law: but forasmuch as hee seeth cleerely, that he is not able: he waxeth angry against God, and would with all his heart that there were no God, because he fea∣reth to be sore chastised and punished by him, according as Saint Paul saith, That the wisedome of the flesh is the enemy of God: Be∣cause * 1.8 it neither is, nor can be subiect to the

Law of God. The fifth office of the Law (which is the principall end, and the most ex∣cellent * 1.9 and necessary office of it) is to con∣straine a man to goe vnto Iesus Christ, in like wise as the Hebrewes, being dismayed, were constrained to appeale vnto Moses, saying: Let not the Lord speake vnto vs, lest * 1.10 we dye, but speake thou vnto vs, and we will o∣bey thee in all things. And the Lord answe∣red: Verily, they haue spoken exceeding well. Yea, they were not praised for any other thing, then for their desiring of a Mediator betwixt God and them, which was Moses, who represented Iesus Christ, that should be the Aduocate and Mediator betweene God and man. In respect whereof God said vnto Moses, I will raise vp a Prophet among their brethren like vnto thee, and I will put my Word in his mouth, and he shall speake vn∣to them all the things that I shall command him, and I will punish all those that will not obey my Word, which he shall speake in my name.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Who is our neigh¦bour.
• * 1.2

  The first office or duty of the Law, Rom. 3. and 7.
• * 1.3

  The se∣cond of¦fice of the Law.
• * 1.4

  The third office of the Law.
• * 1.5

  Deut. 27.
• * 1.6

  2 Cor. 3.
• * 1.7

  The 4th. office of the Law.
• * 1.8

  Rom. 4.
• * 1.9

  The fifth office of the Law.
• * 1.10

  Exod. 20.