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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