$1g THE FOAM or THE GOSPEL. «. includes predictions, commands, promises, threatenings, histc ries, examples, and almost whatever is necessary to enforce those duties upon the consciences of men, which are as means ap- pointed, in order to partake of the privileges. So the gospel contains in it narratives of matters of fact, or histories; Mark i. 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 ; Co} i. 5. The hope which is luid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of truth of thegospel. Thegospel reveals truthsbefore unknown to men. So life and immortality are brought to light by the gospel. 2 Tim. s. 10. that is, doctrines of the heavenly state. Commands. 2 Cor. ix. 13. By the experiment of this ministration they glorify Godfor your professed subjection to the gospel of Christ. This subjection to the gospel, implies, that liberality is commanded in it. Acts xvi. 21. Believe in theLord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt besaved. This is the command given to the convincedjailor. Promises and threatenings. Mark xvi. 15, 16.Preach thegospel to everycreature ; he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, he that believeth not shall be damned. Predictions, particularly of the final judgment. Rom. ii. 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 i. 15. Believe the gospel; and there it signi- fies a declaration of grace to sinners. Sometimes it is said to be the objectof obedience. Rom. x. 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 Rom. i. 9. Whom I serve in the gospel. 1 Cor. ix. 14. They that preach the gospel, should live of the gospel: viz. be maintained, not merely for preaching apro- mise, 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, &c. 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 languageof scripture seems tofavour the one as well as the other. But this is the mischief that ariseth
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=