SERMON XIX. None Excludedfrom Hope. ROM. i. 16. TheGospel of Christ, it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. IVE E have seen. the gospel of Christ vindicated in the former discourses on this text, and the glorious doctrines of it guarded against the variousreproaches of an unbelieving world : Wehave heard what a powerful instrument itis in the handof God for the salvation ofperishing sinners. Wehave been taught theway to partake of this salvation, and that is by believing ; and we havelearned what influence our faith has in this sacred concern- ment. I proceednow to the lastthing whichI proposed, and that is to shew the wide extent of this blessing of the gospel; for it brings salvation to every one that believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Where the word Greek is used in opposition to the Barba- rian, as it is in the fourteenth versebefore my text, it signifies the learned part of mankind, as distinguished fromthose that are unlearned ; theGreeks being the most famousamong the nations for wisdom, knowledge, or learning in that day : But when this same word stands in opposition to the Jew, as it does here inmy text, then it includes all the heathen world, so that when the apostle says, the gospel brings salvation both to the Jew and the Greek, lie chews the extent of this benefit to all mankind that bear and receive it. It may be worth our while to spend a few hints upon the order in which the apostle represents the communication of this blessing, viz. to the Jew first, and then to the Greek or Gentile. When he describes, in the secondchapter of this epistle, the terms or conditions of the covenant of works, he sets mankind in the same order ; he pronounces indignation and wrath upon every soul thatcloth evil, of the Jew first, andalso of the Gentile; but glory, honour and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to theGentile. So when he declaresthe bles- singsof the covenant of grace or the gospel, he brings the salva- tion first upon the Jews, and then upon the Gentile nations : And one reason of it may be this, that the Jews having been favoured with an earherand more express discoveryof the nature and will of God than the heathens, they seem to stand fairest for the par-
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