Tillotson - BX5037 T451 1712 v2

r36 the hosit exiO9r be o111, II X`:. 4144. theGofpel givestdsof it,. thin-the War Id trailtbetore witrat eftre ei i nOrIbMe rave by Chrift's,atnfriog, than theHeathensorGÏews had.bet rroa9fimoigedrslns r.: That the Gofpel hath brought to us a cleaíânrdifeovery'b Ztai#t thavktho Rìiil,ttis 1aere expreiy laid ; that God's gracious Purpáferconcerni ng tiled Salvaltiaitt, sevhfiilt`ii4 before the World began, decreedito be accomplilh'd in r hrift;.àsnocwtaigrielith Eby his coming into the World; ter. g. Whobathfaved and calls duìtrddthlinO7ittl*7fhak, not according to our?WorkJ, but acoording to his own Porpofeanderdilaldá ci p0 38w n us in Chrifl Jefus befoke'the World began, but is nowmade manifej l: C c WhAftlihielm deafly fpoken, nom;: <andnot till nom, importing that before rkie 'i,appeàringR3Nibri- viour, it was hi greatmeafure hid from the World, and that men had very`laf1@ ßìd obfcure Apprehenfions of it, till it wasbrought to light by the Gofpel. And t ì 's196t only affirmed in this place, but very frequently all over the New Teftamerit.enIb ll mention:fomeofthemolt exprefsplaces to this purpofè, John 6. 8. Wher41114f of Chriffs-Followers left him, he asks theTwelve, Will ye alfe go away ? Towhötri Peter anfwers;fLord, to wham (hall wego ? Thou haft the words of eternal life. Asrif he had fakl,,a WWat Maher Should we chufe to follow rather than thee, who bringeftto the Wpnádit eglad tidings of eternal life ? What Difcipline or Inftitution is there in the Worlitithst gives filch encouragement to its éollowers ? Others may protnifegreat thipgkûtethis World; but in the Declarations and Promifes of another Life, we can- not relyiapbn any one but him that comes fromGod, as we are fully perfwaded thou daft for it follows in thenext Verfe, And we believe, and are fare that thorn art the Chrt;,t the. Son of the living God. ú ztetzz: so, &c. The6race ofGod which brings Salvation hath appeared to all men, &c Where the Revelationof the Gofpel is call'd the Grace ofGod which brines Salvatio; t+bateis, ;which difcoverstothe World that Eternal H:ppinefs, which was in a great meafure hid from it before, andencouragethmen by the hopes ofthat Bleffing to live ta,HoJyLife. The Apoftle to the Hebrews doth all along in hisEpiifle, ufetliisas an Argument o theJews, to take them off from the MofarcalInftitution, and topetfwade themsto entertain the Do&rine of the Gofpel, as making clearer Difcoveries, and gi- ving greater AffuranceofEternal Life and Salvation, than theLaw did, Heb. 2. 2, 3, 4, 5.. For if.the Word fpoken by Angels was fledfaß', and every Tranfgreffion and difobe- diencereceived ajufl recompence of reward: How Shall we efcape, ifwenegleEtfo great Sal- :: nation, which at the firfl began to be fpoken by theLord, andwas confsrmecl unto so by them that heardhim ; God alto bearing them witnefs, both with fgns and wonders, and with diversmiracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghofl, according to his own will ? For unto the Angels bath henot put infubjetlion the World to come, whereof we (peak. That is, it the Promifes and Threatnings of the Law, which was delivered but by the minifiry of Angels, were made good, and the Offenders under that Difpenfation were feverely punifh'd, what (ball become of us, if we negle& the Difpenfationof the Gofpel, which reveaistous greater things, even Eternal Lifeand Salvation, and which receiv- eth fo great a confirmation b th from Chrift himfelf, by whom it wasfirlt delivered, and alfofrom his Apo(tles, who publi(h'd it to the World, and gave teftimony to it by fo manyMiracles? And it follows, at ver. 5. For unto the Angels bath he not put into fisbjeilion the World to come, whereofwenowSpeak. Themeaning of which is this, the Promifes and Threatnings ofthe Law which was delivered byAngels were Tem- . poral, and Such as refpeEted thisWorld; but now God bath fent his Son, he path io.him made Promifes of a greater Salvation, he bath put into his hands the great things.of another World, and bath given him Power to promifeEternal Life, and to give it to as many as he pleafes. So the danger of contemningthe Gofpel, molt needs be much greater than that of the Law, becaufe the Happinefs which the Gofpel pro- miles, is fo much greater : For unto the Angels, who delivered theLaw, God have noPower and Commiffion to make clear and exprefs Promifes of the Rewards of a- nother World. Unto the Angels did he not put intoSsbJefus,, the l'horlel to come; but fobath he done tohis Son, Ile bath committed all Judgment to him, and bathgevenbins power to raite up thofe who have donegood, unto the Refurreo`lion ofLife, and thofe that have clone evil, unto the RefurreElion of Damnation. As our4A-aionr hinifelt fpe_.ks, John 5. 22. And thus He bath put the 1Vorld to come into Sstbjhllion to his Son, having impowered him to encourage; end argue men to the OhedieicL,of his laws, by the Rewards and Punìflimcnts of another World Whereas rhé'f kt'detiver'd by Angels, bad only the San&ion of temporal Threattüugseiti tPromtft l'. j i6 The Go- fpeLiscall'd the potter ofan Eternal Lift, in `op ti'oti tothdifl wl;ich is'caÍl'da - 'ealgal

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