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which leads me to consider, III. The use of the law both to sinners and saints. To sinners. 1. To convince of sin. Sin is a transgression of the law, by which it is known that it is sin, being forbidden by the law; By the law is the knowledge of sin. 2. To restrain from sin. 3. To condemn and punish for sin; for sinners it is made and against them it lies, to their condemnation, unless justified in Christ, 1 Tim. i. 9, 10. It is of use to saints. 1. To point out the will of God unto them; what is to be done by them, and what to be avoided. 2. To be a rule of life and conversation to them. David' says, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path, Psal. cxix. 105. 3. It is as a glass; in which a believer, by the light of the Spirit of God, may see his own face, what manner of man he is. I have seen an end of all perfection, says David; thy commandment is exeeeding broad. Hence, 4. They are led to prize and value the righteousness of Christ, since by it the law is magnified and made honourable. Now, Iv. The law of God continues under the present dispensation for the said uses: Christ came not to destroy, but to fulfil it. 1. It does not continue as a covenant of works; for it never was in the power of man since the fall to perform the conditions of such a covenant. 2. Nor does it continue as to the form of administration of it by Moses; it is now no longer in his hands, nor to be considered as such; the whole Mosaic economy is broke to pieces, and at an end. 3. It continues not as a terrifying law to believers, who are not come to mount Sinai, and are under that stormy and terrible dispensation; but they are come to mount Sion, and to all the privileges of a gospel church state. 4. Nor is it a cursing and condemning law to the saints. As sinners and transgressors of it, they are subject to its curses; but Christ has redeemed them from the curse of the law, being made a curse for them. 5. Yet it continues as a rule of walk and conversation to them, as before observed; and is to be regarded by them as in the hands of Christ; by whom it is held forth as

King and Lawgiver, in his church. Believers are not without law to God, but under the law to Christ, 1 Cor. ix. 21.

OF THE GOSPEL.

GRACE and truth, the word of grace and truth, the gospel, came by Jesus Christ, in a clearer and fuller manner than it had been made known before. Concerning which the follow. ing things may be noted;

I. The name and signification of it. The Greek word euangelion, used for it throughout the New Testament, signifies, a good message, good news, glad tidings; such the gospel is; a message of good news from God; such was the gospel Christ was anointed to preach, and did preach, even good tidings, Luke iv. 18. Isai. Ixi. 1. and which his ministers bring, whose feet are beautiful upon the mountains, Acts xii: 32, 33. The Hebrew word used for the gospel, and the preaching of it, signifies good tidings also. When the angel proclaimed the birth of Christ to the shepherds, he is said, to bring good tidings of great joy to all people, Luke ii. 10, 11. Our English word gospel, is of a Saxon derivation; in which language, spel signifies speech; and so gospel is either good speech, which carries in it the same idea with the Greek and Hebrew words; or God's speech, which he has spoken by his Son, by his prophets, and by his ministers.

Now this word is variously used; sometimes it is put for the history of Christ's birth, life, and actions; such are the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Mark begins his history thus; The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God, Mark i. 1. Sometimes the gospel is to be taken in a large sense, as including the word and ordinances, Matt. xxvii. 19, 23. Mark xvi. 15, 16. And sometimes strictly, for the doctrine of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation by Christ. Hence, 1. The gospel is called, the gospel of salvation, the word of salvation, and salvation itself, Eph. i. 13. Acts xiii. 26. and xxviii. 28. II. It is called, The gospel of the grace of God, Acts xx.24. because

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salvation, from first to last, is all of grace, and not of works, Eph. ii. 8. 111. It is called, The gospel of peace, the word of reconciliation, the word preaching peace by Christ, Eph. vi. 15. 2 Cor. v. 19. Acts x. 36. Iv. It is called, The gospel of the kingdom, Matt. iv. 23. because it treats both of the kingdom of grace here, and of the kingdom of glory here. after John iii. 5. Matt. v. 20.

II. i he author and origin of the gospel.-1. It is not of man, says the apostle, I neither received it of men; nor was I taught it, Gal. i. 11, 12. 2. The gospel is from heaven; it comes from God, Father, Son, and Spirit, from God the Father, and is therefore called the gospel of God; that is, the Father concerning his Son Jesus Christ, Rom. 1-3. It comes also from Christ, the Son of God; and is called the gospel of his Son, Rom. i. 9—16.

III. The effects of the gospel when attended with the power and Spirit of God. 1. The regeneration of men, who are said to be born again by the word of God, 1 Pet. i. 23. Hence ministers of the gospel are represented as spiritual fathers, 1 Cor. iv. 15. 2. It is called the Spirit which giveth life, and is said to be the savour of life unto life, 2 Cor. ii. 16. 3. The gospel is frequently spoken of as light, a great light, a glorious light, Psal. cxix. 130. 4. By it faith in Christ comes; hence among other reasons, it is called the word of faith, Rom, x. 8-17. 5. It is called the word of righteousness, and the mistration of righteousness, Heb. v. 13. 2 Cor. iii. 9. 6. It affords sp-itual food, and is the means of feeding and nour ishing souls unto everlasting life, Heb. v. 13, 14. 7. Another effect of it in gracious souls is, it yields much spiritual peace and comfort; when Philip preached Christ and his gospel in Samaria, there was great joy in that city, Acts viii. 5—8. IV. The properties of the gospel.-1. It is but one, there is not another, as the apostle says, Gal. i. 6, 7. 2. It is called from the objects of it, the gospel of the circumcision, and the gospel of the uncircumcision, Gal. ii. 7. 3. It is a glorious gospel; so it is called in 2 Cor. iv. 4. it has a glory in it ex

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ceeding that of the law; the glory and the person of Christ is held forth in great, splendour and brightness. 4. It is an everlasting gospel, which is the epithet given it in Rev. xiv. 6.

V. I shall close this chapter with a brief answer to some que ries relating to faith, repentance, and good works; as to what they belong, whether to law or gospel. 1. Whether faith is a duty of the moral law, or is to be referred to the gospel? to which it may be answered, that as the law is not of faith, so faith is not of the law. For special faith in Christ as a Saviour, or a believing on him to the saving of the soul, the law knows nothing of, nor does it make it known. 11. Whether repentance is a doctrine of the law or of the gospel? the answer to which is, that such who sin, ought to repent of sin; this God has com manded, the law of nature teaches; and so far as this is to be considered as a duty incumbent on men, it belongs to the law, as all duty does; but repentance which has salvation annexed to it, is, as is faith, a blessing of the covenant of grace; agrant from God, a gift of Christ as a Saviour, 2 Cor. vii. 10. And so is a doctrine of the gospel. The apostle Paul, who was a most evangelical preacher, divides his whole ministry in these two parts; Repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, Acts xx. 21. 111. Whether good works belong to the gospel, or to the law? or rather, whether there are any works that belong to the gospel distinct from the law? to which may be replied, That the gospel taken in a large sense, includes both the doctrines and ordinances of the 60spel: but strictly taken, is a pure declaration of pce, a mere promise of salvation by Christ. All duty good works belong to the law; promise and grace belong to the gospel; the works of the law, and the grace of the gospel, are always opposed to each other, Rom. iii. 20-28. Eph. ii. 8.

BOOK II.

OF THE GRACE OF CHRIST, AS EXPRESSED IN HIS STATES OF HUMILIATION AND EXALTATION, AND IN THE OFFICES EXERCISED BY HIM IN THEM.

OF THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST.

THE Incarnation of the Son of God is the mistery of God. liness, and, without controversy, great, 1 Tim. iii. 16. It is the basis of the christian religion; a fundamental article of it; and without the belief of it no man can be a christian; Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God; And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God, 1 John iv. 2, 3. The heathens had some faint notions of it. Confucius said, that the Word would be made flesh; several of the deities and heroes, of the heathens, Greeks and Romans, are represented as having no father. Now whatever notion the heathens had of an incarnate God, was the broken remains of a revelation their ancestors were acquainted with. I shall consider,

I. The subject of the incarnation, or the divine Person that became incarnate. The evangelist John says it was the Word, the essential Word of God; The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, John i. 14. The divine Person who came in the flesh, or became incarnate, is always distinguished from

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