Section 2

Question. Is the Gospel a new Law?

Whether Commands and Threatenings belong to the Gospel?

Answer. The word Gospel or euaggelion though it signifies Glad Tidings in its original Derivation, yet it is used in Scripture sometimes in a larger Sense, as well as sometimes in a more proper and limited one.

When it is used in its proper and limited Sense it denotes a mere Declaration of the good Will of God for the Recovery of fallen Man: So the Texts before cited Galatians 3:8. Hebrews 10:16, 17. And so 2 Corinthians 5:19 where the Gospel is called the Word of Reconciliation, the Substance of it is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the World to himself, not imputing their Trespasses to them. So the first Gospel that ever was preached to Adam, after the Fall, was a free Discovery of Mercy, Genesis 3:15. The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpent's Head.

When the Word Gospel is used in its larger Sense, it includes Predictions, Commands, Promises, Threatenings, Histories, Examples, and almost whatever is necessary to enforce those Duties upon the Consciences of Men, which are as Means appointed, in order to partake of the Privileges.

So the Gospel contains in it Narratives of Matters of Fact, or Histories, Mark 1:1. The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which seems to refer to all the following History of his Life and Death; and the four Histories of the Evangelists are called Gospels, which Title (if not Divine originally, yet) has been the Language of the Church, through so many Ages of Christianity.

The Word Gospel contains, also, some Doctrines, Colossians 1:5. The Hope which is laid up for you in Heaven, whereof ye heard before in the Word of Truth of the Gospel. The Gospel reveals Truths before unknown to Men. So Life and Immortality are brought to Light by the Gospel, 2 Timothy 1:10. that is Doctrines of the heavenly State.

Commands, 2 Corinthians 9:13. By the Experiment of this Ministration they glorify God for your professed Subjection to the Gospel of Christ. This Subjection to the Gospel, implies, that Liberality is commanded in it. Acts 16:21. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. This is the Command given to the convinced Jailor.

Promises and Threatenings, Mark 16:16. Preach the Gospel to every Creature; he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, he that believeth not shall be damned.

Predictions, particularly of the final Judgment. Romans 2:16. God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ, according to my Gospel. That is, according as I have preached.

It is plain, that sometimes the Gospel is said to be the Object of Belief, as Mark 1:15. Believe the Gospel; and there it signifies a Declaration of Grace to Sinners. Sometimes it is said to be the Object of Obedience. Romans 10:16. All have not obeyed the Gospel: there it must include Duties and Commands.

It is also evident, that in many Places of the New Testament, the Gospel is used to signify the whole Ministry of the Apostles, and all the Subjects of their preaching, as Romans 1:9. Whom I serve in the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 9:14. They that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel, (namely) be maintained, not merely for preaching a Promise, but for the whole of their Ministration; and therefore the Apostle sometimes calls it my Gospel, and our Gospel, to signify his whole Ministry.

Nor do I think there is any great Difference, whether we include Commands, Threatenings, et cetera in the Word Gospel, taken in a large Sense, or call them Appendices and Attendants of the Gospel, taking the Word in a Sense more proper and limited: For the Language of Scripture seems to favour the one as well as the other.

But this is the Mischief that arises between Christians that differ in their Sentiments or Expression of Things, they imagine that while one is true, the other must needs be false; and then they brand each other with Error and Heresy; whereas if they would but attend to Scripture, that would show them to be both in the Right, by its different Explication of their own Forms of speaking. The Gospel has, or has not Commands and Conditions in it, according to the various Senses in which it is used.

And in this way of Reconciliation I cannot but hope for some Success, because it falls in with the universal fond Esteem that each Man has of his own Understanding; it proves that two warm Disputers may both have Truth on their Side: Now if ten Persons differ in their Sentiments, it is much easier to persuade all of them that they may be all in the Right, than it is to convince one that he is in the wrong.

QUESTION. Whether the Gospel is a New Law?

Answer. A Law in the proper and full Meaning of the Word, includes these three Things in it.

1. That there be some Command given out, wherein some Duty is required, or Sin forbidden by the just Authority of a Superior.

2. That there be a Sanction, or Penalty annexed to the Neglect of that Duty required, or the Commission of that Sin forbidden: This Sanction is not always expressed, but it is always implied; for the Authority that is sufficient to impose a Command on any Person, must also be sufficient to punish the Breach of this Command, and the Offender is liable to bear it; otherwise the Command would be a mere Advice, and not a Law.

3. That the Performance of this Duty or Duties required, and Abstinence from these Sins forbidden, is our proper Righteousness, or Matter upon which we are justified in the Court of this Law.

These three Things are implied in every strict and proper Law: And I might prove it by Instances of the chief Laws that Scripture speaks of (namely) The Law of Innocency, the Law of Nature, and the Jewish Law.

Thus it was in the Law of Innocency or Covenant of Works with Adam; the Duties required, were all that the Light of Nature and Reason enjoined to Adam in such Circumstances, to which there was one positive Prohibition added, Thou shalt not eat of the Tree of Knowledge, et cetera. and the Sanction and Penalty is expressed; In the Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, Genesis 2:17. and Adam's Observance of this Law would have been his Righteousness in the Sight of God, and justified him before God, according to the general Language of this, and all Laws. The Man that does them shall live in them, Galatians 3:12. And it is generally agreed, that the Tree of Life was a Symbol or Seal of Immortal Life to Adam, if he obeyed the Law.

Thus it was also in the Law of Nature, or moral Law, which is very little different from the Law of Innocency, and this Law is plainly described by the Apostle, Romans 2:12, 13, 14, 15. The Work of the Law is written in the Hearts of the Heathens, that is The general Commands and Penalties may be found by the Light of Nature, and the Doers of this Law shall be justified. Not that Saint Paul means, that any Person shall actually be justified by his Doing, but that this is the way of Justification, according to the Law of Nature.

Thus it was, also, in the Jewish Law or Sinai Covenant, which was not the Gospel, but an additional Constitution, relating only to the Jewish Nation, to be governed by God as their peculiar King. And it was really distinct from the Covenant of Grace or Gospel of Salvation, whereby Adam, Noah, Abraham, and the Israelites themselves were to be saved. Some Persons, indeed, call it a legal Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace (with whom I will not contend) but it is more agreeable to the Language of Scripture, to call it a distinct Covenant, or a Covenant or Law of Works, as a Jewish Appendix to the Gospel.

It is true, indeed, the Jewish Law had much of Grace in it as well as much of Terror, and in many Parts of it, it represented, typified, witnessed and held forth the Gospel or Covenant of Grace, whereby all Believers in all Ages are to be saved, as well as the original Law of Nature, or the general Covenant of Works, whereby all Men are cursed and condemned; and the Apostle makes use of it in all these Views in his Epistles to the Romans, Galatians and Hebrews: But the Jewish Law in its own proper Nature and Design, was a special or particular Covenant of Works with temporal Promises and temporal Threatenings.

The Duties enjoined were chiefly contained in the four last Books of Moses, and commonly called the Moral, the Ceremonial, and the Judicial or Political Law: The Sanction is written in many Parts of those Books; some of the Threatenings or Penalties were to be inflicted on particular Offenders by the Magistrate, such as, beating with Rods, stoning to Death, Fines and Amercements of Money or Goods, et cetera. Some were to be inflicted on the whole Nation by God himself, if they transgressed this Law, such as Plagues, Famine, Banishment from the Land of Canaan, et cetera Deuteronomy 28. and the justifying Righteousness according to this Law, was their Obedience to the Precepts and Ordinances of it. Deuteronomy 6:25. And it shall be our Righteousness if we observe to do all these Commandments before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us. So Deuteronomy 24:13. so Romans 10:5. Moses describes the Righteousness which is of the Law, That the Man which does those Things shall live by them.

Now let us consider how far the Gospel partakes of the Nature of a Law, and may be so called.

1. The Gospel taken in a large Sense, has so much of the Nature of a Law in it, that there are Commands given, Duties enjoined, Sins forbidden; and it has a Sanction also, for there are terrible Penalties annexed to the Contempt or Rejection of it, even a much sorer Punishment than was threatened for the Breach of the Law of Moses, Hebrews 10:28, 29. And because it partakes so much of the Nature of a Law, and has such Resemblance to it, it is in a few Places of Scripture called a Law, without Dispute. Isaiah 2:3. The Law shall go forth from Zion. Romans 3:27. The Law of Faith.

2. The Gospel is not a Law in the full Sense of the Word, for it lacks the third requisite of a Law. Whatsoever Duties are required in the Gospel, the Performance of those Duties by us is not described in Scripture as the Matter of our Righteousness before God. There are many Blessings promised, and Blessednesses pronounced in the Gospel upon the Discharge of various Duties of Holiness, which are prescribed in the New Testament; but in the Court of God and his Word, a Sinner is not justified by any, or all these Duties. Faith itself, which is the first and great Requirement of the Gospel, is not our justifying Righteousness, but is the Way and Means to obtain, or be possessed of a justifying Righteousness. The Righteousness by which we are justified under the Gospel does not use to be represented as a Righteousness wrought in us, or by us, or as a Righteousness of Works, or a Righteousness of Man; but it is mentioned as a Righteousness from without us, a given Righteousness, Romans 5:27. a Righteousness imputed without Works, Romans 4:6. And it is commonly called by Saint Paul, the Righteousness of God; it is a Rectitude in the Court of God including or inferring an Absolution from Guilt, and a Right to Heaven appointed, prepared and bestowed by God himself upon all them that believe; and it is received by our Faith or trusting in Christ. The Righteousness of God is by the Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, Romans 3:22. And it is called the Gift of Righteousness, in Romans 5:17 as a very distinct Thing from the Gift of Faith. Ephesians 2:8.

And here we may do well to take Notice that though there are a great many Differences between the Gospel, which Saint Paul preached, and the Jewish Law, such as the Multitude of arbitrary Commands in the natural and civil Life, the Burden of many Ceremonies, the Temporal Promises and Threatnings, etc. yet the grand Point of Difference, which he frequently insisted on, is the different way of Justification (namely) That the one is by Works, the other not. (Always remembering that before God as the great Lord of Conscience, and with Regard to eternal Life, the Jews were to be justified and saved by the same Gospel, and by Faith, even as Abraham of old, and Christians now. But with regard to God, considered as their Political Governor or King by the Sinai Covenant, they were to be justified by Works.) The Blessed Apostle therefore treating accurately of these Matters ever distinguishes the Gospel from the Law, whether it be the Law of Nature, the Law of Innocency, the Jewish Law, and indeed, from every thing that has the full Nature and Form of a Law, by this particular Mark (namely) that our Obedience to the Law would be our justifying Righteousness if we performed it; but Obedience to the Gospel is not our Justifying Righteousness. So Romans second and third Chapter.

The Jewish Law (considered as a special Covenant, or as it includes or represents the general Law of Nature) says, Peace to every Man that works Good, to the Jew, and the Gentile: and the Doers of the Law shall be justified; Romans 2:10, 13. But the Righteousness of God, that is that Righteousness whereby we are justified according to the Gospel, is a Righteousness without the Law, a different thing from a Law-Righteousness, and is now manifested by the Gospel, and comes upon every Believer, Romans 3:21, 22, etc. So Romans 10:5, 6. The Righteousness of the Law says, The Man that does those things shall live by them: But the Righteousness of Faith says, verse 9. If you shall confess with your Mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe with your Heart — you shall be saved. So Galatians 3:11, 12, etc. The Law is not of Faith, for this very Reason, because the Law says, Do this and live, or Obey and be justified. But the Gospel says, The Just shall live by Faith. Believe and you shall be saved. And in the following Verses, the Gospel is represented under the Term and Title of a Promise to distinguish it more evidently from a Law: for if there had been a Law which could have given Life, verily Righteousness should have been by the Law. Galatians 3:21. But Scripture has concluded all under Sin, that the Promise by the Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. This is the common Language of Scripture.

And therefore instead of representing the several Duties enjoined in the Gospel, as the Matter of our Righteousness before God, the New Testament sends us expressly to Jesus Christ for Righteousness. So Saint Paul tells us, Romans 3:2, 5. Christ is set forth as a Propitiation — that God might justify them that believe, and yet be a just and righteous God, Romans 5:17, 18, 19. They that receive — the Gift of Righteousness shall reign in Life by one Jesus Christ. — So by the Righteousness of one, the free Gift came upon all Men to Justification of Life. — By the Obedience of one, that is Christ, shall many be made righteous. God will have a Righteousness in his Gospel whereby Grace shall reign to eternal Life, Romans 5 last verse though it is not a Righteousness of our own Works, as the Objection in the very next Verse, Romans 6:1. evidently proves, and so Romans 10:3. Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness to all that believe, 1 Corinthians 1:30. Christ is made of God Righteousness to us; and 2 Corinthians 5:20, etc. where the Gospel is particularly described as the Word of Reconciliation, we are told that Christ was made Sin for us, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him, and this Righteousness is expressly called the Righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, 2 Peter 1:1. because it is the immediate Result of his Obedience and Death. And it is upon this account in the Old Testament, he is more than once called the Lord our Righteousness. But when I explain in what Sense Christ is our Righteousness, I would take more time and room, lest if I should not keep exactly to the common Forms of Expression, I should want a larger Vindication.

Now though our Obedience to the first and great Command of the Gospel (namely) Believing in Christ, is not our Righteousness, (lest it exclude Christ and the Righteousness of God) yet it is the way of our partaking of this Righteousness; and therefore our Justification or Justifying Righteousness is so often called the Righteousness of God by Faith, and the Righteousness of Faith; e ek pisteos dikaiosune. Romans 9:30. Romans 10:6. dikaiosune dia pisteos, and epi te pistei. Philippians 3:9. all which are more properly rendered, The Righteousness that is by or through Faith, or, that comes upon our believing. In other Places it is expressed, that we are justified by Faith; but still in Opposition to the Works of any true and proper Law. And it is in this Sense that Faith is said to be imputed or accounted for Righteousness. Romans 4:5. it is not said, Faith is our Righteousness, or instead of a perfect Righteousness, but logizetai eis dikaiosunen, that is in order to our Justification; meaning, that of all the Graces wrought in us, or Actions done by us, Faith is the only thing that God makes account of or reckons to our Advantage, in order to our Justification, or our obtaining a justifying Righteousness; and that not as a Work or Duty performed, as is proved by the Context, but chiefly for this very Reason, because it renounces every thing of Works, and goes out of Self to depend entirely on Grace, which is the Design of all that fourth Chapter, by a parallel Instance of Abraham's not depending on his own Sufficiency of Nature, but on God's Power to fulfill the Promise.

Nor is this Exposition of the Words eis dikaiosunen forced or strange, for they are used exactly in the same Sense in other places, even when it is joined with pisteuo, Romans 10:10. With the Heart Man believes unto Righteousness, that is in order to his obtaining a justifying Righteousness, or in order to Justification; so verse 4. Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness to every one who believes.

This Account of things gives a plain Reason why the Gospel justifies and accepts those Persons who perform an honest and sincere, but a very poor, inconstant and imperfect Obedience to the Commands contained in it, although those Duties are there commanded in Perfection, (namely) because it is not our Obedience to those Commands that is the justifying Righteousness of the Gospel, but another Righteousness that is given us, that is a Freedom from Guilt, and a Right to Life, when we obey the first great Command (namely) Believing or trusting in Christ.

Whereas a proper Law requires perfect Obedience for Justification: The Language of every proper Law is this; Cursed or condemned is every one that continues not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them, Galatians 3:10. and Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one Point, he is guilty of all. James 2:10. That can be no justifying Righteousness according to a Law which does not arise to the Perfection of the Command, both for Kind, for Degree, for Continuance, and for every Circumstance. But the Gospel proposing another justifying Righteousness to be received only by our Faith, whether this Faith be strong and perfect or no, yet (if it be true) it receives the Righteousness, and the Believer is justified. If a Criminal lay hold on a Pardon with a trembling paralytic Hand, he is as safe from Condemnation, as he that with Courage and Strength reaches out his Arm to seize it; because it is not his Hand, but the Pardon secures him. If an Israelite stung by a fiery Serpent, could but just look with half an Eye to the brazen Serpent, he was healed, as well as another that beheld it with strong and steady Eyes. If the Manslayer was never so lame and feeble, yet if he could but reach the City of Refuge, he was as secure from the Avenger, as he that fled to it with the swiftest Feet. So he that commits his guilty sinful Soul to Christ for Salvation, though with a feeble Faith, and far short of Perfection, yet a Righteousness is given him; the Righteousness of God is unto and upon all that believe, for there is no difference; and a weak Believer is as secure from Hell as a stronger, though he cannot have so much present Evidence or Comfort: And the Reason of his Safety is because his believing is not his justifying Righteousness, but is only a means to attain it.

This is my present best Set of Thoughts upon this Subject; and though I have copied them all from the Word of God, so far as I have been able to understand the Meaning of it, yet some subtle Disputer may arise and tell me, he could embarrass my Scheme with so many Objections, and press it with such powerful Difficulties as are far above my Skill to solve, and so constrain me to renounce it.

If this Disputer can show me that any part of it is contrary to Scripture, I renounce it freely; but though he might perplex it with Difficulties which I could not easily answer, yet I would not merely for that Reason be bound immediately to renounce it: For there are many Texts of Scripture itself which are so embarrassed and perplexed by the caviling Wit of the Deists, or Socinians, that it may be exceeding hard to give a fair and satisfactory Account of them; yet none of us, who are Christians, dare to renounce the Scripture, nor those very Texts that have so much Darkness about them; because we have so much stronger Proof of the Truth of Scripture. How many Difficulties are there in the Chronological and Historical parts, that seem scarce reconcilable by all the Learning and Reason of Men; and perhaps that Spirit only can reconcile them who knows what were his own Designs in writing, what the Idea that the first Writers fixed to each Word, what the Sense which they intended to convey to the first Readers, and what accidental Variations may have crept into the Text by the Ignorance or Negligence, the Bigotry or Sacrilege of the Transcribers. I have learnt from my youngest Years of Philosophy, not to renounce any Proposition, for which I see plain and sufficient Evidence from Reason and Revelation, though many Difficulties may attend it which I am not at present able to solve. I know the Weakness of human Nature.