Thus it is evident, that for many past Ages down to our own, this Opinion of the Gospel's being a new Law was the constant Doctrine of the Anti-christian Church, and eagerly maintained to support the Merit of Works. The Socinians and Arminians, as they joined with the Church of Rome in denying the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness, so they readily embraced this Figment of the new Law; under the covert of which, they introduced an Evangelical Righteousness of our own in conformity to it, by which we are to be justified. I shall not be large in prosecuting this Business, because my Reverend and Learned Brother, Mr. Stephen Lob, will do it sufficiently. I will only offer two fair Evidences; the one of Socinus himself, the other of Episcopius. sTho Christ (saith Socinus) hath his Law, and promulgated it in the Name of God to the World; yet is he not called simply a Law-giver, since his Law was nothing else but a Complement, and Perfection of the Mosaical Law: nor indeed did he chiefly come into the World for that End, that he might make Laws, and be our Legislator; but that he might save us, for which End also he gave to us his Law.t The Remonstrants confess (says Episcopius) that they are delighted with that Manner of Speaking, [viz. that Christ is a certain new Law-giver] not because it savours of this or that Author, much less because they borrowed it from Socinus; but because it is the Phrase of God, and of Scripture, and because it is the Heart and Marrow of all Religion; ⟨p. 74⟩and they believe nothing to be more necessary, than that it should be believed that Christ is the Maker of a new Law.
Thus it is evident, that for many past Ages down to our own, this Opinion of the Gospel's being a new Law was the constant Doctrine of the Anti-christian Church, and eagerly maintain'd to support the Merit of Works. The Socinians and Arminians, as they join'd with the Church of Rome in denying the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness, so they readily embrac'd this Figment of the new Law; under the covert of which, they introduc'd an Evangelical Righteousness of our own in conformity to it, by which we are to be justified. I shall not be large in prosecuting this Business, because my Revernd and Learned Brother, Mr. Stephen Lobb, will do it sufficiently. I will only offer two fair Evidences; the one of Socinus himself, the other of Episcopius. sTho Christ (saith Socinus) hath his Law, and promulgated it in the Name of God to the World; yet is he not call'd simply a Law-giver, since his Law was nothing else but a Complement, and Perfection of the Mosaical Law: nor indeed did he chiefly come into the World for that End, that he might make Laws, and be our Legislator; but that he might save us, for which End also he gave to us his Law.t The Remonstrants confess (says Episcopius) that they are delighted with that Manner of Speaking, [viz. that Christ is a certain new Law-giver] not because it savours of this or that Author, much less because they borrowed it from Socinus; but because it is the Phrase of God, and of Scripture, and because it is the Heart and Marrow of all Religion; ⟨p. 74⟩and they believe nothing to be more necessary, than that it should be believ'd that Christ is the Maker of a new Law.
- sQuamvis Christus suam Legem habeat, eumque Dei nomine mundo tulerit, non tamen simpliciter Legislator dicitur, cum ejus Lex nihil aliud fuerit quam complementum ac perfectio Mosaicae Legis; nec sanè ob id praecipuè in Mundum venit, ut Legem ferret, nosterve Legislator esset, sed ut nos servaret, in quem etiam finem nobis suam Legem dedit. Socin. ad Artic. Cuteni, Thes. 10. pag. 454. tom. 2. oper. 1656.
- tFatentur Remonstrantes delectari see istâ Loquendi ratione, [viz. quod Christus sit novus quidam Legislator] non quia hunc aut illum autorem sapit, nedum quia eam à Socino mutuati, sed quia Dei & Scripturae Phrasis, & quia Religionis totius corculum, ac Medulla est. Nihil aeque necessarium esse credunt, quam ut credatur novae Legis latorem esse. Episcopius, Apolog. Remonstrant. cap. 24. pag. 237. part. 2. tom. 1. oper. Rot. 1665.Fatentur Remonstrantes delectari se istâ Loquendi ratione, [viz. quod Christus sit novus quidam Legislator] non quia hunc aut illum autorem sapit, nedum quia eam à Socino mutuati, sed quia Dei & Scripturae Phrasis, & quia Religionis totius corculum, ac Medulla est. Nihil aeque necessarium esse credunt, quam ut credatur novae Legis latorem esse. Episcopius, Apolog. Remonstrant. cap. 24. pag. 237. part. 2. tom. 1. oper. Rot. 1665.
