> Gefpel-Cenverfction. 3 live and could write an Epiftle to this Congregation, or any o- ther Congregation, the maindrift ofhis preaching or writing would be, to thofe that had heretofore received the Gofpel, That they would make it their great care that their Converfa. tions be as becomes the Gofpel of Chrift. Only letyour Converfation) The word here, is a word taken from the ordering ofa City, or a Commonwealth, wherein e- very one a6ls in their own fphere, and is freviceable eachunto other, to the publick good ; fo faith he, the Church of God, it is as a City, as a Common-wealth wherein every Chriflian is to aft in his own fphere, and every one laboring for the good each ofother in a comely order, that fo there may not only be peace in the Churches, but edification of all, and the Gofpel may thrive and profper, that's the meaning of this word tran- hlated here, Let your Converfation ; As ifhe fhould fay, Do not think it enough that you have forceenlightenings, that you have fore flirrings, force affe6tions are moved by the Miniftry of the Gofpel, reft not there, but look toyour Converfation. It is not enough for Chriflians to have knowiedg, and to be able to fpeak of the Gofpel, and have force ftirrings of affeti- on, but they muff look to their Converfatí.ons, Let your Con- verfation be, As it becometh the Gofpel of Chrift] For theopening of thefe words there are thefe two things confiderable Firft, What is this Goffl of Chrift that here is fpoken of ? And fccondly, What is it to live as becometh the Gofpel of Cheiß ? Letyour Converfation be a-s becometh the Gofpel of Chrift. TheGofpel ofChrift in general is this : It is the good Tydings that God bath revealed concerning Chrift, This hathcome unto your ears, the good Tydings concerning Chrift, for fo the word [Gofpel] the Greek word lignifies nothing elfe but the good f3,?a ,,, Tidings ; the good Tydings that comes from Heaven unto you concerning Jefus Chrift, that is the gofpel of Chrift. More largely it is this,As all mankind were loft in Adam and become the childrenofwrath,put under the fentence of death, God though he left his falling Angles and bath referved them in the chains of eternal' draknefs, yet he bath thought upon the children of men, he bath provided a way of atone- C z ment
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