That their Law was so strict, that no man could perfectly keep it all. 5. That every Sin deserveth death indeed, though their Law punished not every sin with death by the Magistrate. 6. That their Law was never Obligatory to the Gentile world, who had a Law written in their Hearts; and therefore not the common way of Justification. *7. That their Law, as such, discovered sin, but gave not the Spirit of Grace to overcome it: Insomuch as though he himself desired perfectly to fulfil it without sin, yet he could not, but was under a captivity, that is, a moral necessity of imperfection, or sins of infirmity, from which only the Grace of Christ could as to guilt and power deliver him. 8. That no man ever came to Heaven by that way of merit which they dreamed of, but all by the way of Redemption, Grace, free Gift and pardoning Mercy. Therefore their conceit that they were just in the main, and forgiven their sins, and so justifiable by the mere dignity of Mose's Law which they kept, and by the Works of the Law, and not by the free Gift, Pardon and Grace of a Redeemer, and by the Faith and practical belief of that Gift, and acceptance of it, with thankful penitent obedient hearts, was a pernicious error. But the true way of Righteousness was to become true Christians, that is, with such a penitent thankful, accepting, practical belief or affiance to believe in God as the Giver of Salvation, in Christ as the Redeemer, and his Spirit as our Life and Sanctifier, and to accept Christ and all his procured Benefits, Justification and Life, as purchased by his Sacrifice and meritorious Righteousness, and given in the New Covenant on this condition, and so to give up our selves to his whole saving-work, as to the Physician of our Souls, and only Mediator with God. This is the sum of Paul's Doctrine on this point.
That their Law was so strict, that no man could perfectly keep it all. 5. That every Sin deserveth death indeed, though their Law punished not every sin with death by the Magistrate. 6. That their Law was never Obligatory to the Gentile world, who had a Law written in their Hearts; and therefore not the common way of Justification. *7. That their Law, as such, discovered sin, but gave not the Spirit of Grace to overcome it: Insomuch as though he himself desired perfectly to fulfil it without sin, yet he could not, but was under a captivity, that is, a moral necessity of imperfection, or sins of infirmity, from which only the Grace of Christ could as to guilt and power deliver him. 8. That no man ever came to Heaven by that way of merit which they dreamed of, but all by the way of Redemption, Grace, free Gift and pardoning Mercy. Therefore their conceit that they were just in the main, and forgiven their sins, and so justifiable by the meer dignity of Mose's Law which they kept, and by the Works of the Law, and not by the free Gift, Pardon and Grace of a Redeemer, and by the Faith and practical belief of that Gift, and acceptance of it, with thankful penitent obedient hearts, was a pernicious errour. But the true way of Righteousness was to become true Christians, that is, with such a penitent thankful, accepting, practical belief or affiance to believe in God as the Giver of Salvation, in Christ as the Redeemer, and his Spirit as our Life and Sanctifier, and to accept Christ and all his procured Benefits, Justification and Life, as purchased by his Sacrifice and meritorious Righteousness, and given in the New Covenant on this condition, and so to give up our selves to his whole saving-work, as to the Physician of our Souls, and only Mediator with God. This is the sum of Paul's Doctrine on this point.
- *Jansenius. Aug. To. 2. c. 4. asserteth, That the chief difference between the old Law and the new, is, that the old was written in Stone and Tables, and the new only in memory and in the heart, and so maketh the Creed to be more properly this Law than the Scriptures, as being written only on particular occasions. But though we thankfully confess that the essentials of Christianity are so plain and few as may be remembered, yet the Creed is contained and explained in the Scripture, and without written Records, our Faith would have been but ill preserved, as experience and reason prove.Jansenius. Aug. To. 2. c. 4. asserteth, That the chief difference between the old Law and the new, is, that the old was written in Stone and Tables, and the new only in memory and in the heart, and so maketh the Creed to be more properly this Law than the Scriptures, as being written only on particular occasions. But though we thankfully confess that the essentials of Christianity are so plain and few as may be remembred, yet the Creed is contained and explained in the Scripture, and without written Records, our Faith would have been but ill preserved, as experience and reason prove.
