Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht

SECT. 6. The Law and the Gospel differ in nature and substance.

1. IN regard that the Morall Law and the Gospel differ in very nature and substance; for the one is naturally imprinted in

the heart of man, and the other is revealed and wrought by grace; the first the Apostle testifieth where he saith, The Gen∣tiles which have not the Law, doe by nature the things con∣tained in the Law, Rom. 2. 14. the other also is witnessed by the same Apostle, Rom. 2. 24. We are justified freely by grace; the Ar∣gument then may be framed thus:

The Morall Law is grafted into the heart of man by nature, but faith in Christ is not by nature, but by grace above nature▪ for if it were naturall, then all men shoule have faith, which the Apostle denyeth, 2 Thes. 3. 2. faith then in Christ belongeth not to the Law.

2. The effect of the Law of workes and the Law of faith are* 1.1 divers, for the one worketh feare, and the other love and peace, as the Apostle saith, Ye have not received the spirit of bondage to feare againe, but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba father. Rom. 8. 17. The same Apostle also saith, that the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life, 2 Cor. 2. 6. thus then the argument standeth.

The same thing cannot be the instrument of contrary things, of life and death, peace and terrour, love and feare, for a foun∣taine cannot send forth salt water and sweet, Jam. 3. 12. but the Law is the minister of dread, of feare, and terrour, ergo not of life, and peace; and so consequently not of the faith of the Gos∣pel, which bringeth all these.

3. The same thing doth not make the wound, and give a plaster to cure it; the Law doth shew us our sinnes, faith by grace in Christ healeth them; The Law reviveth sinne, without the Law sinne is dead, Rom. 7. 8. But we are dead to sinne, and alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 6. 11. the same cannot make us dye to sinne and revive sinne, the Law doth the one, therefore not the other.

4. The Preachers, publishers, and givers of the Law and the Gospel were divers, the Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, Joh. 1. 17. but if justifying faith were commanded in the Law, then grace also should come by the ministry of Moses that gave the Law, and so prove the Scrip∣tures false.

5. The qualities and conditions of the Law and the Gospel

are divers, the Law promiseth life to him that worketh; Moses thus describeth the righteousnesse of the Law, that the man which doeth these things shall surely live thereby, Rom. 10. 5. but the Gospel requireth not the conditions of working, but beleeving, to him that worketh not, but beleeveth in him that justifieth the un∣godly, his faith is counted for righteousnesse, Rom. 4. 5. if then faith were commanded in the Law, to beleeve should also be a work of the Law, and then the Apostles conclusion should be in vaine, who faith, I conclude that a man is justified by saith with∣out the workes of the Law; but if faith be excluded out of the workes of the Law, then it is not commanded, or contained in the Law, for then it should be a work of the Law.

Notes

• * 1.1

  They differ in effects.