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

I know that it will be said, That tho those Precepts in the Gospel, which command and direct Moral Duties, appertain to the Moral Law, yet Faith in Christ the Redeemer, and Repentance, do not seem to be in the least so much as hinted in any of its Commands: For since the Law was given as a Rule of the Actions of Holy and Innocent Creatures, who needed not a Redeemer, there could be no occasion to command them to believe on One; and Adam in his State of Integrity, was no more obliged to such a Faith, than the Blessed Angels are to believe on the Saviour of lost and wretched Men. And since Repentance is a Duty too, which presupposeth the Person engaged to it, to ⟨p. 45⟩be an Offender, and guilty, How could it be commanded to a Creature who had never sinned? How could it be a Duty for him to own his Crime with Shame and Sorrow, who never yet had transgressed, or prevaricated in his Obedience? Since therefore Faith in Christ, and Repentance, are Duties which suppose the Man to be a Sinner, it would seem that such Precepts are not implied in a Law given to him before his Fall; but are the proper Precepts of a second Remedial Law, which God hath provided for the Relief and Help of this miserable Creature.

I know that it will be said, That tho those Precepts in the Gospel, which command and direct Moral Duties, appertain to the Moral Law, yet Faith in Christ the Redeemer, and Repentance, do not seem to be in the least so much as hinted in any of its Commands: For since the Law was given as a Rule of the Actions of Holy and Innocent Creatures, who needed not a Redeemer, there could be no occasion to command them to believe on One; and Adam in his State of Integrity, was no more oblig'd to such a Faith, than the Blessed Angels are to believe on the Saviour of lost and wretched Men. And since Repentance is a Duty too, which presupposeth the Person engag'd to it, to ⟨p. 45⟩be an Offender, and guilty, How could it be commanded to a Creature who had never sinned? How could it be a Duty for him to own his Crime with Shame and Sorrow, who never yet had transgressed, or prevaricated in his Obedience? Since therefore Faith in Christ, and Repentance, are Duties which suppose the Man to be a Sinner, it would seem that such Precepts are not implied in a Law given to him before his Fall; but are the proper Precepts of a second Remedial Law, which God hath provided for the Relief and Help of this miserable Creature.