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

His first set of Scriptures are such as express the Gospel to be either giving Precepts, and issuing out Commands, and prescribing what is our Duty; or reproving the Negligent, or threatening the stubborn Offenders, or promising Blessings on the Condition of such Duties performed as are required. It would make this Discourse too large, which is, I know not how, grown under my Hands to a greater Bulk than I first designed, if I should particularly examine every Text; it will be enough to show, that however there are Precepts and Commands in the Books of the New Testament, yet these are not properly the Gospel, but parts of the Law, only employed in its Service; that the Threatenings denounced do not properly belong to the Covenant of Grace, (for what hath Love, and Mercy, and Favour, to do with Wrath, and Justice, and Expressions of Vengeance?) but it useth the Ministry only of a violated Law, whose proper Office it is to threaten the Disobedient, to condemn the Unbelieving and Impenitent Sinner, and to demand Justice against him. If I also show at last that those places of Scripture (which look like Promises of Blessings to us, on condition that we perform the commanded Duties) viewed nearly, prove to be no more than so many Declarations of the Connection of the Blessings of Grace; and that as Faith is the first bestowed, it goes not alone, but is attended with a numerous Off-spring: When all this is done, then the right Sense of those Texts which seem to infer to be a Condition of our Justification by this Evangelical Law, will be fully cleared; the meaning of the alleged Scriptures will be so plain, as it will appear that they do not so much as look towards the favouring that Opinion of the Gospel being a new Law, for which they are produced.

His first set of Scriptures are such as express the Gospel to be either giving Precepts, and issuing out Commands, and prescribing what is our Duty; or reproving the Negligent, or threatning the stubborn Offenders, or promising Blessings on the Condition of such Duties perform'd as are requir'd. It would make this Discourse too large, which is, I know not how, grown under my Hands to a greater Bulk than I first design'd, if I should particularly examine every Text; it will be enough to shew, that however there are Precepts and Commands in the Books of the New Testament, yet these are not properly the Gospel, but parts of the Law, only employ'd in its Service; that the Threatnings denounc'd do not properly belong to the Covenant of Grace, (for what hath Love, and Mercy, and Favour, to do with Wrath, and Justice, and Expressions of Vengeance?) but it useth the Ministry only of a violated Law, whose proper Office it is to threaten the Disobedient, to condemn the Unbelieving and Impenitent Sinner, and to demand Justice against him. If I also shew at last that those places of Scripture (which look like Promises of Blessings to us, on condition that we perform the commanded Duties) viewed nearly, prove to be no more than so many Declarations of the Connexion of the Blessings of Grace; and that as Faith is the first bestow'd, it goes not alone, but is attended with a numerous Off-spring: When all this is done, then the right Sense of those Texts which seem to infer to be a Condition of our Justification by this Evangelical Law, will be fully clear'd; the meaning of the alledg'd Scriptures will be so plain, as it will appear that they do not so much as look towards the favouring that Opinion of the Gospel being a new Law, for which they are produc'd.