A discourse of the true nature of the Gospel demonstrating that it is no…

This might be sufficient to inform us, in what Sense we are to apprehend the Expressions of any of the Reformed Divines, when they give the Name of a Law to the Gospel: for since this signifies no more among them than the joyful News of God's Mercy and Love, and his being reconciled to Sinners in the Blood of his Son, the meaning of the Word Law, when attributed to this Gospel, that it may be suitable and consistent with such a Notion of it, must design nothing more than a Doctrine of Grace and Peace. But if I now bring Instances, that they tell us in so many express words, that when they call the Gospel a Law, they intend the Word in no other Sense than this alleged, it will clear the puzzled Cause, and leave no remaining Doubt of their true ⟨p. 37⟩Sense and Meaning. I will not multiply Citations, one or two are enough; and indeed Luther and Calvin are an Army alone.

This might be sufficient to inform us, in what Sense we are to apprehend the Expressions of any of the Reformed Divines, when they give the Name of a Law to the Gospel: for since this signifies no more among them than the joyful News of God's Mercy and Love, and his being reconciled to Sinners in the Blood of his Son, the meaning of the Word Law, when attributed to this Gospel, that it may be sutable and consistent with such a Notion of it, must design nothing more than a Doctrine of Grace and Peace. But if I now bring Instances, that they tell us in so many express words, that when they call the Gospel a Law, they intend the Word in no other Sense than this alledg'd, it will clear the puzzled Cause, and leave no remaining Doubt of their true ⟨p. 37⟩Sense and Meaning. I will not multiply Citations, one or two are enough; and indeed Luther and Calvin are an Army alone.

Luther tells us, ^aThat all Justiciaries esteem Christ to be a new Legislator, and judg the Gospel to be no other than a Book which contains new Laws concerning Works; as the Turks dream about their Alcoran: But there are Laws enough in Moses. The Gospel therefore is a preaching concerning Christ, that he forgives Sins, gives Grace, justifies and saves Sinners. But now that Precepts are found in the Gospel; those are not the Gospel, but Expositions of the Law, and Appendixes of the Gospel.