A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

Great and precious promises. From the Instrument we pass to the materials conveyed; Promises. This is the conveyance of the Gospel, therefore it is called a covenant; Faedus promissionis; the covenant of promise. The law gave menaces; the Gospel gives promises. It was the condition of the law, Do this and live: it is the Promise of the Gospel; Believe and thou shalt be saved. Indeed they had promises under the law, but not by the law: for whatsoever was promised in the old Testament, belongs properly to the new. Lex imperat, fides impetrat: the law came by Moses, and by the Law death: Grace comes by JESUS, and by grace life, Cajetan says truly of the Law, that it does claudere sibi ⟨p. 62⟩subditos sub peccato; praecipiendo, non adjuvando; That it shuts up all those are under it, under sin; by commanding, but not by helping. But the Gospel brings mercy; Promittit, immittit; offert, affert; to our houses, to our hearts. Irenaeus, to some of his time that asked, Quid novi attulit Christus; What new thing Christ: brought with him into the world; answered, Illum cuncta renovasse; That he had made all things new,ⁱ Old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new. He fulfilled the old Prophecies by his new works: ceased the old Sacrifices by his new Sacrifice: abolished the old Sacraments, those bloody ones of Circumcision and Occision, by his new Sacraments: gave us a new Commandment, a new Testament: puts in the room of old menaces, new Promises. And these new things are Virtute majora, utilitate meliora, actu faciliora, numero pauciora; For virtue greater, for profit better, for use easier, for number fewer. Our faith is more lightsome to beleeve in Christum missum; theirs, more obscure, in Christum promissum, Kilius. ^kBut is the Law against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been a Law given, &c. whereto then serveth the Law? yes, it hath a civill and a religious use: Civill, to restrain us from, and chastise us for sins: and for this cause it is honoured even of the Politicians of the world, who though they will not themselves believe the Gospel, yet would have other men observe the Law, for their own peace and tranquillity's sake Religious, for it is our School-master to bring us to Christ, Galath. 3.24. Now the office of a School-master is double, Dirigere, & corrigere: