The Doctrine of the Law and Grace Unfolded

p. 1THE DOCTRINE OF THE Law and Grace unfolded: OR, A Discovery of the Law and Grace, the Nature of the one, and the Nature of the other, as they are the two Covenants, &c.

For ye are not under the Law, but under Grace.

IN the three former Chapters, the Apostle is pleading for the salvation of sinners by Grace, without the Works of the Law, to the end he might confirm the Saints, and also that he might win over all those that did oppose the truth of this Doctrine, or else leave them the more without excuse; and that he might so do, he taketh in hand, First, to shew the state of all men naturally, or as they p. 2come into the world by Generation, saying in the third Chapter, There is none righteous, no not one; there is none that understandeth, there is none that doth good, &c. As if he had said, It seems there is a Generation of men that think to be saved by the righteousness of the Law, but let me tell them, that they are much deceived, in that they have already sinned against the Law. For by the disobedience of one, many, yea all, was brought into a state of condemnation; Rom. 5. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Now in the sixth Chapter, he doth as if he had turned him round to the Brethren, and said, My Brethren you see now that it is clear and evident, that it is freely by the Grace of Christ, that we do inherit eternal life. And again, for your comfort my brethren, let me tell you, that your condition is wondrous safe, in that you are under Grace, for saith he, Sin shall not have dominion over you, that is, neither the damning power, neither the filthy power, so as to destroy your souls; For you are not under the Law, that is you are not under that, that will damn you for sin; But (you are) under grace, or stand thus in relation to God, that though you have sinned, yet you shall be pardoned. For you are not under the Law, &c. If any should ask what is the meaning of the word [UNDER] I answer, it signifieth you are not held, kept, or shut up by it, so as to appear before God under that administration, p. 3and none but that; or thus, you are not now bound by the authority of the Law, to fulfil it, and obey it, so as to have no salvation without you so do; or thus, if you transgress against any one tittle of it, you by the power of it must be condemned: No, no, for you are not so under it, that is, not thus under the Law. Again, For you are not under the Law; what is meant by this word [LAW?] The word Law, in Scripture, may be taken more ways then one, as might be largely cleared. There is the Law of Faith, the Law of Sin, the Law of Men, the Law of Works, otherwise called the Covenant of Works, or the first, or old Covenant, Heb. 8. 13. In that he saith a new Covenant, (which is the Grace of God, or commonly called the Covenant of Grace) he hath made the first old; that is the Covenant of Works, or the Law. I say therefore the word [LAW] and the word [GRACE] in this sixth of the Romans, do hold forth the two Covenants, which all Men are under, that is, either the one or the other. For ye are not under the Law; that is, you to whom I do now write these words, who are and have been effectually brought into the faith of Jesus: you are not under the Law, or under the Covenant of Works. He doth not therefore apply these words to all, but to some, when he saith, But ye, mark, [YE] ye Believers, ye Converted persons, p. 4ye Saints, ye that have been born again. Ye, for ye are not under the Law, implying others are, that are in their natural state, that have not been brought into the Covenant of Grace, by faith in Jesus Christ. The words therefore being thus understood, there is discovered these two Truths in them.

p. 4Doct. 1. First, That there are some in Gospel times, that are under the Covenant of Works.

Doct. 2. Secondly, That there is never a Believer under the Law, (as it is a Covenant of Works, but under Grace through Christ) For ye, you Believers, you Converted persons, Ye are not under the Law, but under Grace; or, for you are delivered and brought into, or under the Covenant of Grace.

For the first, That there are some that are under the Law, or under the Covenant of Works, see I pray you that Scripture in the third of the Romans, where the Apostle speaking before of sins against the Law, and of the denunciations thereof, against those that are in that condition, he saith, What things soever the Law saith, it saith to them that are under; Mark, it saith to them that are under the Law, That every mouth may be stopped, and all the World become guilty before God, Rom. 3. 19. That is, all those that are under the Law, as a Covenant of Works, that are yet in their sins, and unconverted, as I told you before. Again, Gal. 5. 18. He saith, But if you be led by the Spirit, you are under the Law, implying again, that those which are for sinning against the Law, or the works of the Law, either as it is the old Covenant; these are under the Law, and not under the Covenant of Grace. Again, Gal. the 3. the 10. Verse, there he saith, For as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse; that is, they that are under the Law, are under the Curse; for mark, they that are under the Covenant of Grace are not under the Curse. Now there are but two Covenants; therefore it must needs be that they that are under the Curse are under the Law; seeing those that are under the other Covenant, are not under the Curse, but under the Blessing. So then, they which be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham, but the rest are under the Law, Gal. 3. 9. Now I shall proceed to what I do intend to speak unto.