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

There is a Difficulty remains, arising from the third Verse; which at first sight seems to point to us, that the Gospel is such a Law, by which Christ exerciseth Judgment as on a Tribunal, and executes Justice. But ⟨p. 14⟩the Appearance of Difficulty is so slight and thin, that it will vanish as soon as seen, if we do but consider that the word Judg may very well import no more, than that Christ will judg what Course of Salvation is best for us to take, that he will determine the Case; and it is better for us to acquiesce in the Decision of his unerring Judgment, which cannot be deceived, nor ever will mislead us, than to pursue our own mistaken Apprehensions, which bewilder us continually.

There is a Difficulty remains, arising from the third Verse; which at first sight seems to point to us, that the Gospel is such a Law, by which Christ exerciseth Judgment as on a Tribunal, and executes Justice. But ⟨p. 14⟩the Appearance of Difficulty is so slight and thin, that it will vanish as soon as seen, if we do but consider that the word Judg may very well import no more, than that Christ will judg what Course of Salvation is best for us to take, that he will determine the Case; and it is better for us to acquiesce in the Decision of his unerring Judgment, which cannot be deceiv'd, nor ever will mislead us, than to pursue our own mistaken Apprehensions, which bewilder us continually.

But if we take his Judging, as having an Influence or Effect upon those who are under his Kingdom and Judgment; it may be considered, not as the Act of a Judg pronouncing Sentence, and Condemning, but as the^a Administration of a Wise, Good, and Gracious King preserving and protecting his Subjects, and defending them against their Enemies. That the word Judging is taken in such a large Sense in the Hebrew Language, there needs no more to prove it, than that the Princes of Israel, whom God raised up, and spirited to be the Liberators of his People from the Tyranny of Moab, Ammon, and Midian, and to defend them against those cruel and implacable Enemies, are not only called Judges, but the Book which contains the History of their Administration and Government, is titled by that Name. Or if we attribute to Christ the rigorous Administration of a severe Judg, and that he comes in all the terrible Solemnities of Justice; yet this doth not belong to the Dispensation of his Gospel, but to the Economy of his Laws, when he comes to avenge the Violation of them by Sinners. To those who live and die under a Covenant of Works, he is a Judg to be sure, and a dreadful One too; and they who seek Righteousness by the Works of any Law, he will deal with in that way of Trial, which they have put themselves upon, and they shall stand at the Bar of Judgment, which by their own Consent they have so foolishly chosen. Thus Christ will be all Justice, without any mixture of Mercy, to the Despisers of his Grace, and to those who refuse him as a Saviour, and as the Lord their Righteousness. But this is no measure belongs to the Administration of his Gospel, as any part of it, nor appertains to the Office of a Redeemer, but is the proper Royalty and Authority of a Creator, of him who is the Sovereign, the supreme Lord, and God the Judg of all. If we consider the Scope and Design of the Text, it will seem very much to look toward such a Meaning, that Christ will not judg those to whom he hath made such a promulgation of his Law, or Doctrine of his Grace, which he had spoke of ver. 2. if by Faith they had received it, and answerably