A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the…

And Grotius on the place. Non perduxit homines ad justitiam illam veram & internam, sed intra ritus & facta externa constitit: Promissa terrestria non operantur mortis contemptum, sed eum operatur melior spes vitae aeternae & caelestis. Which is thus enlarged by another; The Mosaical Law got no man freedom from Sin, was able to give no man strength to fulfil the Will of God, and could not purchase Pardon for any that had broken it. This therefore was to be done now afterwards by the Gospel, which ⟨p. 201⟩gives more sublime and plain Promises of pardon of Sin, which the Law could not Promise, of an Eternal and Heavenly Life to all true penitent Believers; which gracious tenders now made by Christ, give us a freedom of access unto God, and Confidence to come and expect such mercy from him. Ans. (1) What is here spoken, if it intend the Law in it self and its carnal Ordinances without any respect unto the Lord Christ and his Mediation, may in some sense be true. For in it self it could neither Justify nor Sanctify the Worshippers, nor spiritually or eternally expiate Sin. But (2) Under the Law and by it, there was a Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace, which was accompanied with Promises of eternal life. For it did not only repeat and re-enforce the Promise inseparably annexed unto the Law of Creation, do this and live, but it had also other Promises of Spiritual and eternal things annexed unto it, as it contained a legal Dispensation of the first Promise or the Covenant of Grace. But (3) The Opposition here made by the Apostle is not between the precepts of the Law and the precepts of the Gospel, the Promises of the Law and the Promises of the Gospel, outward Righteousness and inward Obedience; but between the efficacy of the Law unto Righteousness and Salvation, by the Priesthood and Sacrifices ordained therein, on the one hand, and the Priesthood of Christ with his Sacrifice which was promised before and now manifested in the Gospel, on the other. And herein he doth not only show the Preference and Dignity of the latter above the former, but also that the former of it self could do nothing unto these Ends; but whereas they had represented the Accomplishment of them for a Season, and so directed the Faith of the Church unto what was future, that now being come and exhibited, it was of no more use nor Advantage, nor meet to be retained.

And Grotius on the place. Non perduxit homines ad justitiam illam veram & internam, sed intra ritus & facta externa constitit: Promissa terrestria non operantur mortis contemptum, sed eum operatur melior spes vitae aeternae & caelestis. Which is thus enlarged by another; The Mosaical Law got no man freedom from Sin, was able to give no man strength to fulfill the Will of God, and could not purchase Pardon for any that had broken it. This therefore was to be done now afterwards by the Gospel, which