IntroduE. Of the Lam in general; Chap; J. promifes, and to Fay that Chrifl gave no 'Law., but onely explicated and vindicated the Lawfrom the falfegloffes of the Scribes and Pbarifees, in Math:5.6. and7. as if the moral Law were no part or the Gold, or what Saint Pau! fpeak of the Lawof Mofes , and the-wok of that Law were to be extended to the Laws ofCheifl alto, and the warts of the Gofpel, and that the onely or chief life of the Lawnow, is tobring Men to Chrifl from whichand other the like principles unawares by them laid, andby the vulgus of our Divines fwellowed without examination, the Antinomiens, Libertines, FamiliFts , and ether Sectaries have by neceffery csnfequence drawn thofe damnable Dotfrines, which thefe Divines little dreamt of, or if they hetel con(dered, Ifoppofe they wouldhave tbefe principles and retracted them , or elfe .bane fpoken more warily then they have done. The truth is, that in that Sermon on the Mount Chrifl de-j livers the new Law or Law of the Gofpel , wherein the fubftance of Cbriflian Religion , and the wej ti Salvation is contained, and that he cloth not therein on ly barely expound the Décalogue given by Motes, but as aLegiflator delivers his Law to be obferved by allthat believe onhim according to the tenure of the fecond Covenant , was the conlien opinion of all the Fathers , and of the whole Church , as among others is fully provedby the incomparable H. Grotius, both ioahis commentson Mat. 5. and in his Book delure belli & pacts, L s. c. 2. n. 6. andifany defirea lift ofnames, and teflimonies of Fathers, and antient writers to that purpofe , they may read them in a trail written by a learned andjuditious Divine Dr. Hamond, in the paffages between him and Mr. Cheyne +. p. 129.- 130. &C. And that this learned Prelate was of the fame mind, is evident in his other works perfeúed by himfelf , efpecially in his Sermon on .Pfalm 2. 7. p. 16, 7 . where among other things we read thus. The very Gofpel hateher Law , a Law Evangelical `thereis, which Chrift Preached : andas hedid , fo mull we do the like. It is not with. out danger to let any fach conceit take head, as though Chriftien Religion hddno Law- ' points in it , cotlifted only of pure Narratives' , believe them, and all is well. And true it is , that fuch points there be , but they arenot all , there is aLaw beJide.r , and ` it bath precepts, and they are to be preached , learned, and asecLaw to be obeyed by all. `Look, but unto the grand Comm:Yon (by which we all preach) which Chrifi gaveat hisgoing outof the4Yarld. Go, faith he, preach the Gofpel toall Nations, teaching them to obferve the things wdich 1have commandedyou : lo, here is commanding and `here is obferving; fo the Gofpel (tonfifts not only of certain Articls labe believed, but ofcertain Commandments alfö, and they are to be obferved. NowI know not how , we are clean fallen from the rearm Law, that we areeven fallenout with it, the name of Lare we look, ffrangely at , we 'bun it inour common talk, to this it is come, when ` Menfeekto liveas they lift. We have Gofpel'dit fo long, that the Chrillian Law is ` clean gone fromus: and I(hall tell you what is come by drowning this tearm , Law , Religion is even come to be counted res precaria , no Law , no no , buta matter of `mere entreaty,general perfwaf:on', &c. The reverend regard , the legal vigor the ` power , the penalties of it arenotfet by. The Rules, noreckoning made ofthem asof ` Law writs , none but only as of Phyficlbills, ifyou like them , you may aft them , ` ifnot , lay them by , andthis comesby drowning the tears , Law. Ifthe Name once `be loll, the thing it felf will not long flay. Andafter. Chriflian Religion was in 'thevery belt times called Chriftiana Lex, the Chriftian Law, and the Bifhops Chriftia- ` na: Legis Epifcopi, Bithops of the Chrifiian Law, andall the antient Fathers liked `the tearswell, and took it upon them.:. Toconclude , Gofpel it how we will, ifthe Go.. /pethath not the Legalia ofit , . acknowledged allowed, and preferved to it , ifonce it lofe the force and vigour 'of a Law , it's a fign it declines , it grows weak, and' `unprofitable, and that is a fign it will net long left , we mullgo look our Salvation ` by fame other way, &c. Thus we fee how he coniradiits the popular erreursof theft times about Law , and Gofpel; and therefore it cannot be conceived that his difcourfe here tends to the nourifhing of fnch dangerous andnovel opinions as our folifidians do now cryup. If we have the fum of thefe two we may affure our felves, thatwe have as much as is needful for ourSalvatiots, and the rum of them both are neceffaryprinciples. The Evangelift hath them both in one verfe. The Law was given by Mofes, but Graceand truth came by fefusaryl. feeing then that there are the twoparts, John 5. rq: we are to confider in the firft place, which of them is firfì to be handled. We fay we muff fpeak firft of the Law. H a I. Firft 3
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