CAP. An xpoftion of the H A P. IL them, which had any ambiance of ail obfcure Apprehenfon of fume way of falva- tion by Atonement and Interceffion, as in their Sacrifices, and Mediations of'iít- riortr Deities ; which the Apofile alludes unto, a Cor. 8. 5, 6 ; as they had it by Tra= ditionfrom thofe who were fomewhat inttruded in the Will ofGod by Revelation, fo they turned it into horrible Idolatries, and the titmott contempt of God. And this was the iffue of their difquifrtions, who were no left wife' in the principles of inbred Reafon, and theknowledge of the works of nature, than thole who now contend for their Ability to have done better.' Befides, the falvation offinners is a My- Jferie, as the Scriptureevery where declareth, a bleffed, a gloriousMyfferie, Rom. r6.í5. The Wifdom ofGod in a Myfferie, a Cor. 2. 7. Ephef s. 9. Col. r. 25, z6. That is, not only a thing ferret and marvellous ; but fiseh as bathno dependance on' any Caitfcs that come naturallywithin our Cognizance. Now what ever men can find out , by the Principles of Reafon, and the contemplation of the works of God, in Creation and Providence, it is by natural fcientifical concluftons ; andwhat is fo difcovered, can be nöheavenly, fpiritual, glorious Myfterie i filch as this falvation is. What ever men May fo find out, if they may find out any thing looking this way, it is but natural fci- ence, it is not a Myfferie, and fo is of noufe in this matter, what ever it be. More- over, it is not only faid to be a Myfferie, but an hidden MyJierie; and that hid in God himfelf as Epher 3. 9, rò. Col. 1.25,26. I Coe. Z. y, S. That is, in the Wffdam, Purpofe, and Will ofGod. Now it is very ftrange that met fhouid be able by the the natural means fore- mentioned ; todifcover an heavenly, fupernatural Wif m, and that hidden on purpofefrom their findiñg by any (itch enquiry, and that in God him- felf; fo coming unto the knowledge of it, as it were whether he would or no. But we may pafs over thefe Imaginations s and accept of the Gofpel, as the only way and means ofdeclaring the falvation of God. And therefore every WordandPronife in the whole Book ofGod, that intimateth or revealeth any thing belonging unto this Sal- vation, is itfelfa part of the Gofpel, and fo to be efteemed. And as this is the work of theGofpel, fo is it in an efpecial manner, its proper and peculiar work with re- fped unto theLaw. The Law (peaks nothing of the falvation of finares s and ìs therefore called theMiniffryof death andcondemnation, as the Gofpel is of life and fal- vation, z Cor. 3. 9, 10. And thus the Gofpel is falvation declaratively. Secondly, It is Salvation Efieiently; in that it is the greatInftrument which God is pleafed to ufe, in, and for the Collation andbellowingfalvation upon hisEled. Hence the Apoftle calls it the Power of God unto falvation, Rem, i. 16. Becaufe God in and bye it exerts his mighty Power in the faving of them that believe ; as it is again called, r Cor. t. 18. Whence there is a faving Power'afcribed unto the Word it felf. And therefore Paul commits believers unto the Word ofgrace, as that which is able to build them up, and give them an inheritance among all them that are fantiifted, Ads20.32. And James calls it, the ingrafted Word, which !s able to fave our flubs, Chap. r. 21: The mighty Power ofChrifhbeing put forth in it, and accompanyingof it, for that purpofe. But this will the better appear, if we confider the feveralprincipal parts of this Salvation,and theEfficiency of theWord as the Inttrument ofGod in the com- municationof it untous. As. Fied, In the Regeneration and Sanctification of the Elect, the firtt external Alfofthis Salvation. This is wrought by the Word, 1 Pet. s. 23. We are born again, not ofcor- ruptible feed, but of incorruptible by the Word ofGod. Wherein not only the thing it felf, ofour Regeneration bythe Word, but the manner of it alto is declared. It is by theCollation ofa newJpiritual life upon us, whereof the Word is the fedd. As every life proceedsfromfame feed, thathath in its felf .virtually the whole life to be educed from it by natural wayes and means, fo the Wordin the heartsof men is turned in- to a vital principle, that chetifhed byfuitabk means puts forth vital ads and operati- ons. By this means are we born of God and quickned, who by nature are children of wrath, dead in trefpafs and fins. So Paul tells the Corinthians, that he had begotten them in ;farmChrifl by the Gofpel, 1 Cor. 4. 15. I confefs, it doth not do this work by any Power refident in its felf, and alwayes neceffarily accompanying its Adminifirati- on. For then all would be fo regenerated unto whom it is preached, and there would be no negletlers of it. But it is the Infirument of God for this end ; and mighty and powerful through God it is for the aecotnplìfhment of it. And this gives us our fief[ reallnterett in theSalvation which it Both declare. Of the fame life and Efficacyis it in the progrefsofthis work inour Sandificarion; by whichWe arecar- tied on towards the full Enjoyment of this falvation. So our Saviour prayes for his Difciples
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