SEAM. XIX.1 NONE EXCLUDED FROM HOPE. 319 and misery through the abounding of sin: By the law is the knowledge of sin; and where sin has abounded, grace has much more abounded, Rom. iii. and v. II. The Jews had this same gospel preached to them many ages before in types and emblems, in sacred ceremonies and dark prophecies. Now it was fit that the types and prophecies should be explained, and the grace contained therein revealed first to them ; for here- by the gospel obtained a great confirmation, and estab- lished its own truth, when it appeared in all the parts of it so exactly answerable to the ancient figures, and to the predictions of many hundred years. It was fit that the Messiah should appear among them first, where his cha racter and picture had been drawn for many ages before, that so he might be known and distinguished whensoever he should visit the world. It was fit that his doctrine should be first published in plain language, where it had been long written and spoken in metaphors. Thus the gospel went forth first from Jerusalem, that it might be preached and proclaimed with more glorious evidence among the rest of the nations. III." Jesus Christ, who is the subject and substance of the gospel, was himself a Jew, of the seed of Abraham, of the nation of Israel. He was born, he lived, he died amongst them. All the great affairs of his birth, hiâ life, his ministry, his death and resurrection, were tran- sacted in their country, and in the midst of them. It was fit the benefit thereof should be first offered to them. If this gospel of Christ had been first preached to the gentiles, while it was kept silent and secret amongst the Jews, there might have been reason to suspect that there was some fraud or falshood at the bottom, and that this doctrine would not bear the light in the country where these things were done, and that it would not stand the test of examination in the land of Judea, and therefore the story was told first among strangers : And thus the gentiles might have found some difficulty to re- ceive it, and been prejudiced against the belief of it. But now, when it is published through all the land of Israel, and the apostles appeal to their own countrymen for the truth of these transactions ; when it has stood the test of public examination there, where the things were
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