The Whole Body of Religion, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Concerning the Goſpell, and the abrogation of the Law by the Goſpell.
FOraſmuch as the Goſpell in the firſt place, and then alſo the Sacraments, to wit, Baptiſme and the Lords ſupper, are the outward inſtruments and meanes, by the lawfull uſe and adminiſtration whereof, our Redeemer and Lord Ieſus Chriſt is wont to offer and diſpenſe unto the would the benefit of redemption, and remiſſion of ſinnes, and communicate himſelf unto us his choſen by the power of his Spirit; and likewiſe incorporate us into himſelf and ſo make us really partakers of ſalvation and life which he hath in himſelf: Therefore we have ſtudied and endeavoured briefely and plainly to declare unto the Church of God, what is our faith, and belief concerning them.
DOCTRINE I. What the Goſpell is.
AS concerning the Goſpall then, according to the ſignification received and uſed in the Church, we believe that it is none other but the heavenly Doctrine concerning Chriſt, preached by Chriſt himſelf and his Apoſtles, and contained in the books of the New Teſtament, declaring unto the world moſt wellcome and joyfull tidings: to wit, that mankind, by the death of Ieſus Chriſt, the onelyonly begotten Son of God, is redeemed: ſo that for as many as repent and believe in Ieſus Chriſt, free pardon and forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, ſalvation, and eternall life is prepared. For which cauſe it is worthily called by the Apoſtle, the Goſpel of our ſalvation.Eph. 1.13.
DOCT. II. That the Goſpel was indeed promiſed by the Prophets, but publiſhed by the Apoſtles.
FOr though this myſterie was revealed unto the Fathers, even from the beginning of the world, and the Prophet alſo ſpoke concerning it: yet they preached promiſes Evangelicall, that is, of the Goſpell, which the Iews retained amongſt themſelves, rather then the Goſpel it ſelf, which was to be publiſhed to all nations. For they propheſied and foretold that which was to come, but did not declare any thing preſent or paſt: As the Apoſtle teacheth in the Epiſtle to theaRom. 1.2. Romanes; and Peter in his firſtb1 Pet. 1.10. Epiſtle.
DOCT. III. That the Fathers, by faith in the promiſes concerning Chriſt the Redeemer to come, were ſaved: as well as we, which now believe the Goſpell.
YEt we doubt not, but that the Fathers which believed the promiſed of the Goſpel concerning the coming of Chriſt, and his breaking the Serpents head, were ſaved: as well as we which now are ſaved by faith in the Goſpel declaring unto us that Chriſt is come, and that he hath redeemed the world. As the Apoſtles abundantly teacheth both in other places, and eſpecially in the Epiſtle to thecRom. 4.3. Romanes, concerning Abraham; and in thedHebr. 11.1. Epiſtle to the Hebrews, concerning all others. That it is high blaſphemie to ſay that the Fathers had onelyonly promiſes of earthly things, and that they received them; but not heavenly, as remiſſion of ſins and eternall life. For what the Goſpel is to us, properly taken: the ſame were the promiſes of the Goſpel to them; that is,aRom. 1.26. The power of God unto ſalvation to every one that believeth.
DOCT. IV. That the Doctrine of the Goſpel for the ſubſtance thereof, is moſt ancient; yea eternall.
FRom whence we underſtand, that the Doctrine of the Goſpel as concerning the ſubſtance thereof, is not new, but moſt ancient, being preached to the Fathers, even from the foundation of the world: That the Goſpel not without good reaſon is called by Iohn thebRevel. 14.6. Everlaſting Goſpel.
DOCT. V. What the parts of the Goſpel be, and how many.
THe Goſpel may be reduced to three heads concerning our duty: The firſt is,cAct. 20.21. Repentance, towards God: The ſecond, faith toward our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: The third, careaMatt. 28.20. to obſerve all things whatſoever Chriſt hath commanded us.
DOCT. VI. The explication of the opinion fore-going.
FOr the Goſpel propounding and ſetting before us Chriſt with the full grace and merciemercy of God, with full expiation and remiſſion of ſins, with perfect ſalvation and eternall life, requireth onelyonly three things of us. The firſt is, that grieving heartily and truely for the ſins committed in the whole courſe of our life paſt, we deſire of God even from our hearts and ſouls to change and renew our minds, wills, and affections, to the obedience of his divine will, earneſtly ſtudying for it and begging it of him by our prayers. The ſecond is, that by faith laying hold on Chriſt with all the treaſure of his merits, we believe certainly & without all manner of doubting, that all our ſins, of the grace and merciemercy of God for Chriſt's ſake onelyonly, are pardoned and forgiven for ever; that we are received into grace, and made the Sons of God, and heires of eternall life. The third and laſt is, that being perſwaded of the free pardon and forgiveneſſe of our ſins and eternall ſalvation, for Chriſt's ſake and merits, we afterwards labour to keep and obſerve all things whatſoever Chriſt hath commanded us, for the glorie of God, and the ſalvation of our neighbour: keeping faith alwayes even unto the end, and ſtedfaſtly believing that whatſoever ſins we commit in our new obedience are not imputed to us, and that for Chriſt's ſake onelyonly: as alſo, that, by the imputation of Chriſt's moſt perfect obedience, righteouſneſſe, and holineſſe, unto us; our imperfect obedience is made perfect, and ſo reputed, and accepted for moſt perfect, in the ſight of God. The commandments of Chriſt may be all reduced unto three: That denying ungodlineſſe, and worldly luſts, we ſhould live SOBERLY (in reſpect of our ſelves) RIGHTEOUSLY (in reſpect of our neighbour) and GODLYaTit 2.12. (in reſpect of God) in this preſent world: a13.Looking for that bleſſed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our ſaviour Ieſus Chriſt. This we believe to be the ſum of all. that Chriſt requireth of us in the word of his Goſpel: and therefore, that they are true Goſpellers▪ and Chriſtians indeed, whoſoever with ſtudious care and diligence give themſelves wholly to the obſervation hereof.
DOCT. VIII. In what things moſt eſpecially the Goſpel differs from the Law.
ANd it appears ſufficiently by what hath been ſaid, That we confound not the Law with the Goſpell: For, although we confeſſe that God is the Authour of the Law, as well as the Goſpel; and again, thatbRom. 7.12. the Law of it ſelf is holy and juſt, and good, as well as the Goſpell: yet we believe that there is a great deal of difference between them; and that not onelyonly, becauſe that was delivered to the Iews onelyonly; whereas the Goſpell belongeth unto all nations: nor yet onelyonly, becauſe that was temporatie, and to laſt onelyonly untill Chriſt; whereas the Goſpel is everlaſting: not yet onelyonly, becauſe, that was delivered by Moſer, and expounded by the Prophets, whereas the Goſpel was brought unto us by Chriſt, and publiſhed unto the whole world by the Apoſtles: Not for theſe reaſons onelyonly, I ſay, but more eſpecially for theſe which follow: Firſt, becauſe the matters of the Law conſiſts in commandments, with curſes irrevocable added thereunto, if they be broken in the leaſt part. It hath indeed the promiſes not onelyonly of earthly and temporall bleſſings; but alſo of heavenly and eternall: but yet they are all with a condition of moſt perfect righteouſneſſe and obedience, and not of free grace. But the Goſpel is properly the meſſage of glad tidings, freely ſetting before us Chriſt our Redeemer, freely pardoning and forgiving ſins, and ſaving us: not requiring any thing at our hands for the attainment of ſalvation, but onelyonly true faith in Chriſt, which we cannot have without repentance together with a care to do Gods will, as we declared before. Secondly, becauſe the Law did not enable us for the doing of that which it required; for it gave us no power whereby we might be ſaved▪ and ſo was inſufficient, anda1 Cor. ….6. a killing letter, andb7. the miniſtration of wrath and death, rather ſtirring up ſin, then taking it away. But the Goſpel requireth no more of us, then it enableth us to performe, and ſo communicateth really unto us what is offered: foraſmuch as the holy Ghoſt worketh thereby in the elect, at the preaching thereof, ſtirring up in them true faith, whereby to lay hold on Chriſt when he is offered unto them, and together with him everlaſting ſalvation. ForcRom. 10.17. faith cometh by hearing of the Goſpel: but obedience cometh not by hearing the Law: For the holy Ghoſt at the hearing of the Law did not enable them to keep it, whoſoever heard the ſame: whereas it doth ſtirre up faith in the elect at the hearing of the Goſpel. For which cauſe, as the Law is called the killing letter, ſo the Goſpel is called the quickning Spirit, or thea2 Cor. 3.6. Spirit giving life: And therefore it is a true and effectuall inſtrument and meanes unto ſalvation to every one that believeth. From whence followes a third difference, which is this, that the Law was not wrote in the hearts of men: but in tables of ſtone, ſo that there was not any change in men wrought thereby: But the Goſpel is wrote in the hearts of the elect by the holy Ghoſt, and worketh in themb2 Cor. 3.18. a change, and true renovation, being uſed by the holy Ghoſt as an inſtrument of our ſanctification and ſalvation.
DOCT. VIII. That by the Goſpel, the Law of Moſes is partly taken away, and partly not.
IT appears manifeſtly by what hath been ſaid, what our faith is concerning the abrogation of the Law, by the Goſpell. We believe firſt, that by the Goſpel, foraſmuch as it declareth unto us the fulfilling of all things, which were fore-told by types and figures in the old Teſtament, concerning Chriſt (as we ſhewed before in the 11. Chap.) The Law concerning Ceremonies and ſacrifices, and all the externall Moſaicall worſhip is abſolutely abrogated, according to that of the Apoſtle teaching, that they wereaHebr. 9.10. impoſed on them untill the time of reformation: and that of the Evangeliſt, thatbIohn 1.17. the Law was given by Moſes, but grace and truth by Ieſus Chriſt. Secondly, Foraſmuch the Goſpel is one inſtrument of the holy Ghoſt, whereby we are ingrafted and united unto Chriſt, and made partakers of redemption and ſalvation (as we ſhewed in the 12. Chap:) In that regard we confeſſe that even the Morall Law alſo, as concerning the curſe denounced againſt the tranſgreſſours thereof, is by the Goſpel of Chriſt abrogated: according to that of the Apoſtle,cRom. 8.1. There is no condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Ieſus. A ſigne whereof, this is, that theydibid. walk not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit. But foraſmuch as the Doctrine of the Goſpel requireth repentance of us, and ſanctitie of our whole life, and that we live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly: In this regard, I ſay, it taketh not away the Morall Law: For it agreeth altogether with the Doctrine of the Goſpel concerning eſchewing vices, and following after virtues. Thirdly, and laſtly, foraſmuch as Chriſt by his Goſpel hath not taken away the Politicall or civill Laws, by which commonwealths are governed, which are agreeable to the Law of nature: Therefore we leave it free to Magiſtrates to uſe the Laws which were delivered to the commonwealth of the Iews, and to govern their people thereby, conſidering that there are none more equall and juſt then they, Wherefore, if there be any one that dare preſume to ſay that by the Goſpel of Chriſt the government of commonwealths is overturned or troubled, he offers great injurie to the Goſpel of Chriſt. Concerning the Goſpel of Chriſt, this is our faith.
DOCT. VIII. Errours.
WE therefore hold, that the Antinomi, or the profeſſed enemies of the Law are to be condemned, and whoſoever do diſlike the Morall Law, and baniſh it out of their Churches, as if it were either contrarie to the Goſpel, or nothing pertaining unto Chriſtians: and further thoſe, which miſlike and finde fault with Magiſtrates forgoing about to bring in Politicall Laws of Moſes into their commonwealths.