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

Suarez, who for strength of Mind, and clearness of Thought, is the best of all the Schoolmen, spends the whole tenth Book of his large Volume about Laws, to explain the Nature of this new Evangelical Law. He at the very first lays down these two Assertions.^p 1. That Christ was not only a Redeemer but a true and proper Legislator. 2. That the Law of Christ, or the new Law, is a true and most proper preceptive Law.

1. pDicendum verò primò est Christum dominum non solum suisse redemptorem, sed etiam fuisse verum, & proprium Legis latorem.—Dico secundo Lex Christi seu Lex nova, est vera ac propriissima Lex praeceptiva. Suarez. de Legibus, lib. 10. cap. 2. pag. 696, 697. Mogunt. 1619.

And then afterward assoiling that Difficulty, How this his new Law can justify, since it consists in Precepts as well as the Old, and so could have no more justifying Virtue in it than that:^q But to this Difficulty (says he) there is also a common Answer, That Grace doth agree to the new Law in it self, and as proper to it: but it was not joined to the old preceding Laws from their own force and Virtue, and as proper to them, but with respect to the Law of Grace: And therefore Justification is simply attributed to the Law of Grace, but not to the former Laws.—For this Reason therefore the Spirit of Grace is said to be proper to the new Law, because this new Law was given in which the Author of Grace was now come, and consummated the Redemption of Men, and merited Grace for all. Yes, he himself is the Author, both of this Law and of Grace.

And then afterward assoiling that Difficulty, How this his new Law can justify, since it consists in Precepts as well as the Old, and so could have no more justifying Virtue in it than that:^q But to this Difficulty (says he) there is also a common Answer, That Grace doth agree to the new Law in it self, and as proper to it: but it was not join'd to the old preceding Laws from their own force and Virtue, and as proper to them, but with respect to the Law of Grace: And therefore Justification is simply attributed to the Law of Grace, but not to the former Laws.—For this Reason therefore the Spirit of Grace is said to be proper to the new Law, because this new Law was given in which the Author of Grace was now come, and consummated the Redemption of Men, and merited Grace for all. Yes, he himself is the Author, both of this Law and of Grace.