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ing matter of great joy; "for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, who is CHRIST the LORD." So that tidings of a Saviour, at least of fuch a SAVIOUR as Chrift the Lord, are good tidings, and the very effence of the Gofpel. Hence it is, that when the evangelical Prophet, Ifaiah, was foretelling Gofpel Days, and defcribing the meffage which the minifters of the Gofpel would, in those days, deliver to mankind, he expreffed himself in the following words: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth tidings of good, that publifheth Salvation, that faith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" This therefore, is the true nature of the Gofpel. It is good tidings, or good tidings of good: and a meffage of peace and falvation. And accordingly, as we learn from the facred writers, they that preached the Gofpel, "preached peace by Jefus Chrift," t and bore witnefs, that it is a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that he came into the world to fave finners." ‡

2. To be a little more particular. The Gospel may be defined thus: "It is that revelation which God hath made of himself, and of his mind and will to mankind respecting their falvation.". This was made firft, obfcurely, and in part, to the ancient Patriarchs, and by them to the early ages of the world, before and after the flood. As to Adam, when God faid, "The Seed of the woman fhall bruise the Serpent's head ;" and to Abraham when he promised him, that "in his Seed all the nations of the earth fhould be bleffed:" and lastly to Jacob, when he affured him, that "Shiloh fhould come, and that unto him should the gathering of the people be." But when the Law was given to the pofterity of Jacob, from Mount Sinai,

* Luke ii. 10, II. + Acts xiii. 26. 1 Tim. i. 15.

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an institution took place, the defign of which was to exhibit to mankind, in a variety of typical perfons, and actions, and emblematical reprefentations, the whole Gofpel, with its Author, origin, and end, its precepts and promifes, its privileges and bleffings, its grace and glory, as it was in due time to be unfolded more fully and clearly by the eternal Word of JEHOVAH, made flesh, and the Spirit of Truth and Holinefs poured out, in all his plenitude of gifts and graces, upon the first difciples and minifters of the divine Immanuel. When this "fulness of time was come," and that fame GOD," who at fundry times, and in divers manners," had, formerly spoken to his ancient people by the prophets, had in thefe laft days fent forth his Son, the brightness of his glory and the exprefs image of his perfon, with credentials and powers, fuch as no other divine Meffenger ever was, or will be invefted with, then the Gospel, which in former ages had been exhibited in types and fhadows, rather fhaded than revealed, was manifefted in all its glory and appeared

"Full orb'd in its whole round of rays complete."

It arofe upon the world with healing in its wings, and fhone forth in all its beauty, fplendour, and importance. "The day-fpring from on high vifited us, to give light to them that fat in darkness, and in the region of the fhadow of death, and to guide their feet into the way of peace." It is this laft, cleareft, and fulleft revelation of the divine Will, refpecting our falvation, that is most properly and emphatically termed the Gospel, and that is here chiefly meant; as alfo, in divers other paffages of the New Teftament, which you may examine at your leifure.

3. The Gofpel, confidered in this view, hast respect to all the offices fuftained by its glorious Author

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Author. In reference to his Prophetic Office, it is a revelation of truths, including doctrines, precepts, promifes, and threatnings, more clear and full than any preceding difcovery. These truths, as they are of a fpiritual and divine nature, and concern chiefly if not wholly, fpiritual and divine things, fo they are to us the most important that can be imagined. They 1ft, refpect GOD the FATHER, whofe nature and attributes, efpecially his moral attributes, as his holiness, juftice, truth, mercy, and love, have been abundantly more plainly and fully revealed to mankind, by Chrift and his Apoftles, than ever they were before. "No man hath feen God," fays St. John, "at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bofom of the FATHER, he hath declared him." "The Son of GOD is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true. And we are in him that is true." 6.6 They fhall know me," fays God, fpeaking of gofpel days, "from the leaft to the greatest." They regard 2dly, the Son of GOD, whose person and offices, humiliation and exaltation, grace and glory, are exhibited and difplayed, by himself and his Evangelifts and Apoftles, as they neither were, nor, in the nature of things, could be before his manifeftation in the flesh. They concern 3dly, the SPIRIT of GOD, not indeed fo much, with refpect to his nature and effence, as his office in the Church, and his operations in the fouls of men, in order to their falvation. These are revealed much more at large, and with abundantly greater evidence, in the New Teftament than in the Old, and we fee with much more clearness than the Jews did formerly, how he enlightens, quickens, ftrengthens, fancties, and comforts his people, and by a variety of gifts and graces, prepares them for, and

gives them a pledge and earnest of eternal felicity and glory. The truths of the Gospel, 4thly, refpect ourselves. They reveal to us our fall in Adam, with the finfulness and guilt, the depravity, weakness, and mifery, entailed upon us thereby, in a much clearer and fuller manner than they were known to the Old Teftament faints. In the mean time our Redemption by Chrift, with the nature and properties, causes and effects of that falvation which is by faith in him, is also manifefted and difplayed in all its love and power, glory and extent, in this fame Gofpel. Here we learn alfo, the Will of GOD concerning us, viz. what he requires us to know, to believe, to experience, to be, to do, to suffer, and to enjoy. The immortality of the foul, the refurrection of the body, the conflagration of the world, the final judgment of Men and Angels, and the reftitution of all things, are among the important and astonishing difcoveries, exhibited to our view in this ever bleffed Gospel.

4. Again, in reference to his Prieftly Office, the Gofpel implies a free and fincere offer of privileges, which Chrift hath procured for us by his death, and received, in confequence of his afcenfion into heaven. What thefe privileges are, I need not now take up your time in endeavouring to fhew. You, my brethren, are well apprized that remiffion of fins, the favour and friendship of God, and adoption into his family, whereby we become his fons and daughters, are among the firft and principal of them. Thefe prepare the way for others, fuch as our heavenly Father's peculiar care and protection, an ample provifion for the fupply of all our wants, temporal and fpiritual, with an affurance that all things, even affliction and death, fhall work for our good. Add to this, that Chrift has procured for us, and in his Gospel offers to us, "fel

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"fellowship with Gop," thro' the eternal Spirit; which, as it implies a title to, and, in fome degree, at least, a meetness for the happiness referved for us in the heavenly mansions, fo it is also an earnest of that happiness in our hearts. These bleffed privileges of the Gofpel to be enjoyed here, are, you know, to be crowned with the everlafting vifion and enjoyment of God hereafter, when his people fhall be admitted to fee his face and behold his glory, fo as to be transformed fully into his likenefs, and poffeffed eternally of his felicity.

5. Once more: if the Gofpel be confidered in reference to the Kingly Office of Chrift, it implies the promulgation of a variety of Laws, enforced with fanctions, the most momentous and awful that can be imagined, even with promifes of happiness, and threatenings of mifery, infinite and eternal. All thefe laws are wife and holy, just and good. They enjoin repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jefus Chrift, in order to our poffeffing any, even the firft of the fore-mentioned privileges, remiffion of fins, or juftification before God. And upon thofe that are juftified and thereby furnished with the main fpring of obedience, Love, they inculcate the uniform practice of piety and virtue in all their branches, directing us in every part of our duty to GOD, our neighbour, and ourfelves, and "teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lufts, we fhould live foberly, righteously, and godly, in this prefent world; looking for the bleffed hope, and glorious appearing of the great GOD, and our Saviour Jefus Chrift."

6. That these Laws of Chrift make a part, and an important part of the Gofpel, is evident from this confideration, that Chrift is as certainly a KING, as he is a Prophet, or a Prieft, and requires our obedience, as much as our faith or con

fidence.

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