`7ER:i,3,4 Epillie totheHÉSaEws; V, Every.Tranfatlion betweenGodand man, is alwayer,confirmedand ratified by pramifes andThreatning$, Rewardsand PuniJhmemi > every trefpafs. V I. The mofi glorious Adminifirators of the Law do floap to look into the Iltiberies ofthe Cefpel. See i Pet. j. 12. V II. Covenant tranfgrefJons are attendedwithunavoidable penalties; every tranfgreßion, that is of the Covenant, difannullingof it, receivedrr,tnoetxeeompence of reward. VIII. The Gofßel is aWordofSalvation to them that do believe. I X. The Salvation tendered in the Geißel, it great Salvation. X. Men are apt to entertain thoughts of efcapinn the wrath of God , though they live in a negleti of theGofßel. Thisthe Apofile infinuates in that interrogation, How Parse efiape d XI. The negloilers of the Gold(hall unavoidably perijh under the wrath ofGod : (Hw Jhsllwe efcape ifwe negleti fo great falvation. Thefe fait Obfervations may be call into onePropofition, and fobe confidered to- gether; namely, That the Gofßel is great Salvation, which who fo negletierh, jhall therefore unavoidably perilh without remedy. We (hall first enquire how the Golltel is faid to be Salvation, and that Great Salvation; and then thew the equity and unavoidable, nefs of their Deltruótionby whom it is neglet-ted; and therein the vanity of their hopes, who look for anefeaping in thecontempt of it. By theGofpe, we underhand with the Aponte the Word preached or fpoken by Chrifl and his Apouiles, and now recorded for our ufe in theBooks of the New Te(la- ment; not exclufively unto what was declared of it in the Types and Prómifes of the OldTellament. But by theway of Eminency we appropriate the whole name andna- ture of the Gofel unto that delivery of theMind and Will of God, by Jefus Chrift, which included and perfeéled all that had preceded unto that purpofe. Now the Gofpel isfalvation upon a double account. Fir(t, Declaratively; In that the Salvation ofGodby Chrift, is declared, taught and revealed thereby. So the Apofile informs us, Kom. t. 16, 17. It is the power ofGod unto falvation, becaufi therein the righteoufnefiof God is revealed from faith to faith; that is the RighteoufnefsofGod in Chrift, whereby Believers (hall be Paved. And therefore it is called, ixeerc sI Osi, ñ comiere-, Titus z: 11. thefaring, or falvation bringing, Grace ofGod. The Grace of God, as that which teacheth and revealeth his Grace. And thencethey that abufe it to their lulls, are faid to turn the grace of God into lafcivioufneJl, Jude ç. that is, theDoâriese of it, which is the Gofpel. And therefore under the OldTellament,. it is called the Preaching or declaring-of glad tidings, ty- dings of peace, and falvation, Nahum.2. r. Ifa. 52. y. and is defcribed as a Proclama- tionofMercy, Peace, Pardon and Salvation unto finners: Ifs. 61. I, z. And life and immortality are laid to be brought to light thereby, a Tim. r. to. It is true ; God had from all Eternity in his infinite Grace contrived the falvation of liinnets> but this Contrivance, and thePurpofe of it, lay hid in his ownWill and, Wifdom, as in an infinite Ábyj ofdarknefs, utterly imperceptible unto Angels and men, untill it was brought to light, or manifefted and declared by the Gofpel, Ephef. 3.9, ao. Cole: I. 25, 26, ay. There is nothing more vain, than the fùppolàls of fome, that there areother wayes whereby this Salvation might be difcovered and made known. The Works ofNature or Creation and Providence, the Sun, Moonand Stars, (howres from Hea- ven, with fruitful feafons , are in their judgement Preachers of the falvationof _Es- teem I knownot whatalfo they fay, that the Keafon of man, by the Contempla- tion of therethings may find out, of I know not what Placability in God, that may incite finners to gounto him, and enable them to find Acceptance with him. But we fee what rumpall the world, and all the Wife menof it, had in the ufe and im- provement of there means of thefalvation of finners. The Apofile tells us not on- ly, that by their Wifdom theyknew not God, 1 Cor. t. 21. but allò, that the more they fearched the greater loftthey were at, untillthey waxedvain in their imaginations, and their foolüb heartswere darkned, Rom. I. z1, And indeed whatever they had amóngft them, I77
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=