Goodwin - BX9315 G6 v1

.dn Expojition of the EpijUe ,.~ void a Defign. This was the great defign of God, which he had in hisHeart by Srrr-t. XV. mingling any thing with it, you frufhate the defign ofGod, and you turn from ~ him, and not only turn from him,but turn from h1m to another Gofpel; for what is the Gofpel? but the Laws and Statutes ofthe great King, free Grace : therefore it is called the Gofpel which bringeth Salvation, as being the matter of it. And the Gofpel is faid to have two that are the Subject matter of it, the one is Chrift therefore it is called the Gofpel of Chri£1:, and the Word of Chri£1:: the other i; Grace, and therefore likewife the Gofpel is called the Word ofhis Grace, and the Gofpel of his Grace: and the Mini!l:ry which Pa11l had received, what was it? To te!l:ify the Grace of God. And to divert from it the Apo!l:le interprets it to be a turmng to another Gofpel, and he pronounceth a Curfe to any that fhall do it, even unto Angels themfelves. How are Chriftians defcribed,their Perfons,and the Work ofGrace upon them? Read the New Teftament, how are the~r Perfons expreffed ? They that receive ab11n– da11ceofGrace, Rom. 5· 17. He might have faid Believers; No, but thofe that re– ceivea/mudance o[Grace, and he oppofeth it to Unbetievers and Men condemned : they are freeGrace Receivers, you may well call them fo. And fo in .Aas I6. 7. they are called fuch as believe through the Grace ofGod. And then how is the Work ofGod upon them defcribed? how is the Work ofConverfion defcribed? Col. 1. 6. ,Since )'e k!'cw the Grace o[God: yea he cloth di!l:inguifb, as we ufeto di– flinguifh upon the Work of Grace, in faying, there is a counterfeit Work, and a true Work; fo he likewife by way of difiinction, calls it the knowledg ofthe Grace ofGod in truth ; Since )'e knew the Grace o[God in Trutb, faith he, for it is a hidden·Mi!l:ery to entertain it in the true Notion ofit, and therefore he makes it ·proper to a faving Work: So in Eph. 4· 21. If fo be ye have heard him, and been tmtght ty him, a5 the Tmth is in ]efw. It is the greate!l: thing in the World to fet– tle Men's Hearts in the true Grace ofGod, as the expreffion is, I Pet.)· I 2. to have a right knowledg ofit, as Salvation is attributed to it, and to fever it from what ever is in a Man's felf, and yet to give that Due, to what is in a Man, that bdongs to it. My Brethren, to tru!l: perfea:!y in the Grace that is offered (fo indeed the Original rather reads it, in r Pet. 1.) That is brought to light in the Revelation ofJefus Chri£1:, to truft ptrfea:ly in it, not by halves, but fully, and to have the right Art ofdoing it, and not to turn this Grace into Wantonnefs, ·tO fettle the ·Gofpel upon a right Wheel, for it runs upon free Grace, and yet to fay, that Works, and Faith, and Holinefs is required, to do this practically in a Man's own Spirit, is the hardeft thing in the World. Therefore the Apo!l:le Peter faith, I have written to teflijj to )'Oil, this is the tme Grace in whic,byejland; that is, I have opened the Gofpel to you. But let me tell you, there is nothing the Heart ofMan is apter to divert from, Gal. I. 6. I marvel, that JOlt are fo foo~t ren1oved from him, that caUed )'Oil i11to the Grace o[Chrijl. Men are eafily put by ; for carnal Reafon that comes, and that would mingle Works, and fomething in a Man's felfwith it: And then Self-Love will come, and turn the Grace of God into wantonnefs, and make a clean other Gofpel ofit. This very little Sentence, BJ Graceye are foved, is the main thing ofthe Gofpel; · now what to attribute unto Faith and Holinefs, you fhall fee when we come to the 8th verft. In the mean rime let this fuffice, I have fpoken. SERM._

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