212 RATIONAL DEFENCE OF THE GOSPEL. cred text, that each of us may pronounce bol ily the words of this great apostle, I dm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Now, that our meditations may proceed regularly on the present theme of discourse, let us consider, I. What the gospel of Christ is, that we may not mistake it. --II. What is included in this expression, I am not ashamed of it. III. What thereis in this gospel that might be supposed any way to expose a man to shame ; and I shall take occasion under this headto give particular answers to some of the most import- ant obfectións that might be made against thegospel, and skew that there is no just reason to be ashamed of it. IV. I shall con- sider what is that general answer to all oltjections; that universal guard against sinful shame which is contained in my text, and which will bear out everyChristian in his faith and profession of the gospel of Christ, vi:. that it is thepower of God to the sal- vation of every one who believes.And, V. I shall draw some proper inferences. First, What is the gospel of Christ? I answer in general, It is a revelation of thegrace of God to fallen man through a Mediator. Or, It is a graciousconstitution of God for the recovery of sinful and miserableman, from that deplorable state into whichsin had brought him, by the meditation of Christ : Or, in the words of my text, it is thepower of God, or his powerful appointment, for the salvation of every one who believes. The word gospel, in the original, ,i yír OY signifies good news, or glad tidings. And surely, when a sinner who is exposedto the wrath of God, is sensible of his guilt anddanger, It must needsbe glad tidings to him to hear of a way of salvation, andan all-sufficient Saviour. This constitution of God for our sal- vation has hadvarious editions, if I may so express it, or gra- dual discoveries of it made to mankind, ever since Adam first sinned, and God visited him with the firstpromise of gracebefore he turned him out of paradise. But the last and most complete revelation of this gospel was made by the personal ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, andmore especially by his apostles, when his own death, resurrection, and exaltation had laid the complete foundation for it. From the books of the New Tes- tament therefore we mayderive this larger description of the gospel of Christ. It is a wise, aholy, and gracious constitutionof God for the recovery of sinful man; by sending his own Son Jesus Christ into theflesh, to obey his laws which man had broken, to make a proper atonement for sin by his death, and thus to procure the favour of God, and eternal happiness for all that believe and repent, and receivethe offered salvation ; together with a promise of the HolySpirit to work this faith and repentance(in their hearts,,
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