ORTHODOXY AND CHARITY UNITED, 4c. ESSAY I. The Substance, or Matter of the Gospel.' SECTION I. THE word, gospel, is used in more senses Than one. Some- times it signifies the history of the life and doctrine, the death and resurrection of Christ. So Mark i. 1. The beginning of thegospelof Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And so it is used in common speech, when we call the writings of the four evan- gelists, the four gospels. But, in the most proper and usual sense of it, in scripture, it signifies a discovery of divine mercy, through a Mediator, to mankind fallen into sin and misery ; therefore in greek it iscalled vsyyMov or glad tidings. The English name; indeed, as derived from its Saxon original, signifies only the word of God : Yet it is now pecu- liarly applied to the word of his grace, which reveals salvation to sinful and miserable man, and therefore it is often called the covenant of grace. This salvation is made up of many benefits or blessings, part of which are bestowed in this world, and the rest in the world that is to come. The revelation of-these benefits, and of the foundation on which they stand, and of the 'way whereby we come to be partakers of them, is the matter, sum and substance of the gospel, in its most general notion among christians. This gospel was not revealed, all at once, in its full glory to mankind. Therehave been several editions of it, or gradual discoveries of this grace, in all the former ages of the world. As soon as ever Adam had sinned, and ruined himself and his posterity too, by laying the foundation of their sin and misery, it pleased God to publish this gospel, by the promise of a Saviour, when he told our mother Eve, that her seed should bruisetheheadof the serpent, that had deceived her ; Gen.- iii. 15. This, by our divines, is usually called the first gospel; for, in the modern language of the New Testament, it signifies, that Jesus Christ should come into this world, to destroy the works of the devil; 1 John iii. S. Doubtless Noah, the secondFather of mankind, hadsome farther discoveries made to him, when therainbow was appointed
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=