Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the…Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the…

First, that the Law could never work to regeneration, were ¹it not for the Gospel-promise. Nemo potest implere legem, per legem, None can obey the Law, by the Law merely. Had not God graciously promised to give a new heart through Christ, there had been no way to make any thing effectual that we preach out of the Law; so that (for instance) while a Minister, preaching of any Commandment, doth thereby mould, and new frame the heart; all this benefit comes by Christ, who therefore died, and ascended into Heaven, that so the things we preach may be advantageous to our souls: so that there never was in the Church of God mere pure Law, or mere pure Gospel. But they have been subservient to each other in the great work of conversion. The question is not then, whether converting grace, be ex lege, or vi legis, of, or by the power of the Law, but whether it may be cum lege, with the preaching of the Law. I know it's of great consequence to give an exact difference between the Law and the Gospel. It is well said of Luther, Qui scit inter Legem & Evangelium discernere, gratias agat Deo, & sciat se esse Theologum: but I shall not meddle with that now. This is that which I assert, That, as to the point of a mans conversion, God may make the opening of the Moral Law instrumentally to concur thereunto, only this cometh by Christ.

First, that the Law could never work to regeneration, were ¹it not for the Gospel-promise. Nemo potest implere legem, per legem, None can obey the Law, by the Law meerly. Had not God graciously promised to give a new heart through Christ, there had been no way to make any thing effectuall that we preach out of the Law; so that (for instance) while a Minister, preaching of any Commandement, doth thereby mould, and new frame the heart; all this benefit comes by Christ, who therefore died, and ascended into Heaven, that so the things we preach may be advantagious to our souls: so that there never was in the Church of God meer pure Law, or meer pure Gospel. But they have been subservient to each other in the great work of conversion. The question is not then, whether converting grace, be ex lege, or vi legis, of, or by the power of the Law, but whether it may be cum lege, with the preaching of the Law. I know it's of great consequence to give an exact difference between the Law and the Gospel. It is well said of Luther, Qui scit inter Legem & Evangelium discernere, gratias agat Deo, & sciat se esse Theologum: but I shall not meddle with that now. This is that which I assert, That, as to the point of a mans conversion, God may make the opening of the Morall Law instrumentally to concur thereunto, onely this cometh by Christ.