IT is an unhappy thing that so ma­ny professors of Christianity are ashamed of the gospel of Christ, al­though the Saviour warns all against such an amazing piece of ingratitude in a most serious manner, saying, "Whosoever, therefore, shall be a­shamed of me, and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the glo­ry of his father, with the holy an­gels." Yet notwithstanding these awful warnings given by the judge of [Page 4] all, this sin of being ashamed of the gospel of Christ prevails exceedingly at this day, and professors of Christi­anity seem ashamed to have it known in the world, that they have any con­nection either with Christ or his gos­pel, although he has said, "Also I say unto you, whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the son of man also confess before the angels of God;" and again, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my fa­ther which is in heaven." What can be more terrible than to have Christ ashamed of us before his father, and the holy angels? Or more glorious than to be owned and confessed by him? And yet we find that satan's children and servants are much bold­er in his service than Christians in ge­neral are in the service of their God. The more is the pity! This is "for a lamentation, and shall be for a la­mentation;" I remember to have [Page 5] heard of a certain Christian who hap­pened in company with some wicked worldlings, whose conversation was very trifling and profane; he bore it as long as he was able, and then ex­claimed thus, "Gentlemen, you make me ashamed of myself; you serve such a bad master so faithfully, and I who have so good a master, even Jesus, am almost ashamed to own him." I believe this reproof may be taken by professors in gene­ral.

St. Paul was so happy that he could say with truth, that he was not ashamed of the gospel; and oh, that we may all be so blessed as heartily to join him in the words of my text, and each one say with the heart, mouth, and conduct, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto sal­vation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

Let us, in the first place, consider what the gospel is:

[Page 6] Secondly, What St. Paul meant by not being ashamed of it:

And lastly, The reasons why none should be ashamed of it.

The gospel signifies good news, glad tidings of great joy; and may be taken in general to comprehend all the declarations of God's good will towards his poor creatures; to­gether with all those gracious encou­ragements, invitations, and promises, given us in the sacred pages, through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

As this subject is very copious, I must beg your patience, while I at­tempt to set forth some of the many gracious declarations made in the gospel of our God.

But before I proceed directly to shew what the gospel is, give me leave to remind you, that you are not to attend thereto as scholars or critics, but as poor, helpless, miser­able sinners, who have the greatest need of the real enjoyment of those [Page 7] rich treasures which it brings; and believe me, that the gospel will never be of much real service to you, till you feel your need of it, as a hungry man feels his need of food, or as a thirsty man feels his need of drink, or a sick man feels his need of health, &c. For it is a truth, that the glorious blessings of the gospel must be as truly enjoyed by the spi­ritual senses of the soul, to be of service thereto, as food and drink must be received into the body, in order to nourish it.

I shall now proceed to mention some of those glorious truths, which are good news to men. That GOD taketh no pleasure in the death of the sinner, is very good news, much better than we are commonly taught to believe; for some have the daring boldness to tell us, that GOD is as much glorified, and pleased with the damnation as with the salvation of his creatures; which they vainly give [Page 8] as the reason why the torments of hell shall never end. But let us see what pains GOD takes to root this belief, of his delighting in the death of a sinner, out of our minds. He says, "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD; and not that he should return from his ways and live?" Here he first proposes it by way of a question, but in such a manner as implies a strong negative; have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? Can it be sup­posed that I have any pleasure there­in at all? but lest any should answer the question in the affirmative (as many do) GOD farther says, "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD, wherefore turn, and live ye." And left any thing should be wanting to confirm this truth, GOD in the most solemn manner adds his oath, and because he could swear [Page 9] by no greater, he swore by himself; saying, "Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, oh house of Israel?"

I remember well the senseless ca­vil I formerly used against the force of this text; which was, that the death spoken of was a state of cap­tivity in Babylon, with which God threatened them unless they turned to him, and which he had no plea­sure in inflicting upon them; never considering, that if he took no plea­sure in that short outward calamity, he certainly could take no pleasure in that dreadful curse of the second death, which will come upon the wicked, or those who die in their sins.

[Page 10] But now, since God hath sworn that he taketh no pleasure at all in the death of a sinner, I think it is safer to believe him, than to believe those who tell us, that he delights as much in the damnation of the wicked, as in the salvation of the righteous.

Now if this were all the good news that we could find, it would be very good; to think that our God takes no pleasure in our death, and even pities us when we feel the consequences of our transgressions, put the case that he was not able to help us, would be infinitely more comfortable than to be told, that he was full of fury against us, and willed our destruction. But, blessed be God, this is not the only good news the gospel brings us; we are informed that there is not only com­passion, but help, in God for us; "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thy self, but in me is thine help; I have [Page 11] laid help upon one that is mighty; there is forgiveness with thee; that thou mayest be feared; the LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy; the Lord is good to ALL; and his ten­der mercies are over all his works."

We are also told in the scriptures, that "God is love;" that "he is in one mind, and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth." God says, "I am the LORD; I change not; therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."

The gospel not only assures us that God is love, and unchangeable goodness in himself, but that he hath manifested it in that amazing gift of his son, to be our saviour; this great truth upon which our salvation depends, is abundantly de­clared in the sacred pages; "For GOD so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him, should [Page 12] not perish, but have everlasting life; for GOD sent not his son into the world to condemn the world (which was already condemned) but that the world through him might be saved;" said Christ to Nicodemus. And St. Paul says, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly; for scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die; but GOD commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." And he elsewhere says, "Moreover, brethren, I declare un­to you the gospel, which I preached unto you, which also ye have receiv­ed, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in me­mory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain, for I delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins, according to [Page 13] the scriptures; and that he was buri­ed, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures."

If we consider the gospel as the history of the mysterious incarnation, the wonderful birth, the holy life, the cruel, shameful, and bitter death, the glorious resurrection, the trium­phant ascension, and powerful pre­valent intercession of our dear Re­deemer; and then attend to these de­lightful blasts of the gospel trumpet, viz. good will, peace, pardon, love, wisdom, power, redemption, recon­ciliation, salvation, and then remem­ber that the gospel not only pro­claims a Saviour suitable to all our needs, but also brings near to us a full supply for all our wants, such as life for the dead, strength for the weak, health for the sick, deliverance for the captives, rest for the weary, food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, clothing for the naked, sight for the blind, cleansing for the pol­luted, [Page 14] light for them that are in darkness, and comfort for all that mourn; we shall view such a beauty in the gospel, if we receive it aright, as will make us to "rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory;" and cause us to cry out, that we are "not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of GOD unto salvation, to every one that be­lieveth." Let us then attend briefly to each of these particulars.

The incarnation of Christ, or his taking our nature into union with himself, is one of the glorious truths of the gospel; of this St. Paul saith, "without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness; GOD was ma­nifest in the flesh;" and again he says, "GOD sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law." This was according to the pro­phesy of Isaiah, who said "Rehold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Imma­nuel;" [Page 15] of this mysterious incarna­tion the Lord spake also by Jeremiah, saying "How long wilt thou go about, oh thou backsliding daugh­ter! For the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man." A most won­derful thing indeed! This was joy­ful news to Mary, and is also to all of us; how did she rejoice when Christ was conceived in her womb, and said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath re­joiced in God my Saviour; for he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden; for behold from hence­forth all generations shall call me blessed; for he that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is his name; and his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to ge­neration, &c."

But as the incarnation of Christ is good news, so also is his birth. How did Isaiah rejoice in it, long before [Page 16] its actual accomplishment! "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsel­lor, The Mighty God, The Everlast­ing Father, The Prince of Peace." And when Jesus was born, the an­gels from heaven proclaimed the good news to the shepherds, and said, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." This blessed messenger was suddenly joined by a multitude of the heaven­ly host, who praised God, and said, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace; good will towards men."

If angels rejoiced in the good news of a Saviour born, how much more ought we, for whom in a more espe­cial manner he was made flesh, and [Page 17] dwelt among us! This St. Paul calls the gospel of God, to which he was separated, "Which God had promised afore by his prophets, in the holy scriptures, concerning his son, Jesus Christ our Lord, made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the son of God with power, by the spirit of ho­liness, by the resurrection from the dead."

Thus the birth of the Saviour is good news to all people, and belongs to the gospel, as one of the essential truths of the same. The history of the holy life of Christ is known in sacred writ, by the name of the gospel; thus there is the gospel according to St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John; and St. Luke begins the book of the Acts with these words, "The for­mer treatise have I made, O Theo­philus, of all that Jesus began, both to do, and to teach." The glorious things taught and done by Jesus, are [Page 18] all worthy to be dwelt úpon, as they open a rich treasure to poor souls in the mystery. It is good news to men, to be told that the Saviour passed through life in such a manner as to have a sympathy with all the sons and daughters of distress; if you are poor, this was his case; he said, "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head;" his nourishment was often very coarse, and his fare hard; alas, how little do some professors think of this, when they complain of every thing, as being too mean for them to eat, drink, or wear! If you are persecuted and belied, so was he; they said he was mad, had a devil, was a gluttonous man, and a wine bibber, a deceiver, a blasphemer, a sabbath breaker, and in fine, that he was both an enemy to God and man; all this the Saviour bore for us; and cannot we bear a little for him? Are [Page 19] you tempted? So was he, in all points like as we are, yet without sin; and therefore knows how to succour them that are tempted. Are you forsaken by your friends for the truth's sake? So was he. Should you be persecuted to death, he was so too. Should a cruel shameful death be your lot, it was his also. Should the countenance of the father be hidden from you, it was the case with him. Thus in every circum­stance of life or death, Christ hath a sympathy with his brethren.

The miracles which Christ wrought upon the bodies and souls of man­kind, may be reckoned as glad tid­ings, not only to those who felt the immediate benefits of his goodness, but to us also; he healed the sick, and he is able to heal us who have sickness of soul; he raised the dead to life, and he is able to raise souls from the death of sin, to a life of holiness; he caused the blind to see, [Page 20] the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, the lame to walk, he cleansed the lepers, he relieved the distressed, he cast out devils, he gave reason to those that were mad, he fed the hun­gry with bread, he preached the gos­pel to the poor; and all these mira­cles he is able and willing now to work upon the souls of men; which is the best of news to those that feel the need of an all powerful Saviour, to do these things in and for them.

As the miracles of Christ are good news to men, so are his words. Oh, what good news it is to hear, that "God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten son, that whoso­ever believeth in him should not pe­rish, but have everlasting life; that God sent not his son into the world, to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved; that all that the father giveth him, shall come to him; and that he that cometh shall be in no wise cast out!"

[Page 21] The rest which Christ hath pro­mised to the weary, and the safety to those that put their trust in him, is good news; as are also all those gra­cious promises, which the Saviour made in his life; of which time would fail me to make mention.

The death and sufferings of Christ contain glad tidings for men; that he died for us, is good news, that he died for all men, is better still, and that "he shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied," is the best of all.

He died for us, who believe in his name; he has opened the way, for us to follow him through death, into endless life; "He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works; that he might deliver us from this present evil world; ac­cording to the will of God, and our father."

[Page 22] But the gospel farther assures us, that Christ died for all, as well as for his church; "He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." There are many passages which declare that he died for all, but never one in all the book of God, that says that he did not die for all; and indeed if the scripture was silent in the matter, there is one ar­gument that would be sufficient to convince any candid, ingenious, un­prejudiced mind, that Christ died for all without exception, viz. Christ died out of love to his poor fallen crea­tures; not one could be restored un­less Christ died; he must have shed all his blood to redeem but one, or few; and he could just as easily die for all, as for one, or a small num­ber; it would cost him no more pain to die for all, than for some only; his blood hath as sufficient virtue to cleanse the sins of ten thousand [Page 23] sinful worlds, were there so many, as of one soul.

I do not know that any would pre­tend to deny any part of the argu­ment, and if all the parts are allowed, it will follow, that it would be reason­able to suppose (even though the scrip­ture was silent upon the matter) that Christ died for all, since he could as easily die for all, as for a few. That "he shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied," is a most glorious truth; he shall not lose his labour; to him "every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear; all things are given to him; but now we see not yet all things put under him; God hath highly exalted him, and hath given him a name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Je­sus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

[Page 24] The design of God is, "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him; and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." Thus shall the Saviour see the fruit of his labour, in the en­tire destruction of sin, and the "works of the devil," and the sub­jection, and obedience of all things to himself.

Thus the death of Christ is good news to men, in that it was for all; and shall be effectual to all, for the destruction of the old man, or body of sin in all.

Next, the resurrection of Christ comes under consideration; this is such good news, and so much de­pends upon it, that if it were not [Page 25] true, we should be yet in our sins; our preaching, faith, and hope, would be in vain; they that are fallen asleep in Christ, would all be lost; and the gospel would be without a foun­dation; but blessed be God, we know that "Christ is risen from the dead, and is become the first fruits of them that slept; for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." The resurrection of Christ confirmed his doctrine, proved him the son of God, the Saviour of the world, fulfilled the prophesies that went before of him, laid a firm foun­dation for our faith and hope, as­sures us of the resurrection of our bo­dies at last, shewed his superiority over death, hell, and the grave, was a certain prelude of the glory of his kingdom, and of his being victorious at the last over all his enemies; and to say all in a word, the resurrection of Christ is a full and certain proof, that all the promises of God, not yet [Page 26] accomplished, shall be fulfilled in their season; considered in all these points of light, the resurrection of Christ is one of the greatest, best, and most important pieces of news that ever was, or ever will be proclaimed to mankind, and which the apostles made the principal subject of all their discourses.

The ascension of Christ is another of the glorious truths of the gospel; Christ has "ascended on high, he hath led captivity captive, he hath received gifts for men, even for the rebellious also, that God the LORD might dwell among them." His public ascension shews his heavenly original, for says Christ, "And no man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven, even the son of man which is in Hea­ven; what, and if ye shall see the son of man ascend up where he was before? In his ascension he "led cap­tivity captive," and thereby shewed [Page 27] "that he had first descended into the lower parts of the earth; he that descended is the same that ascended up far above all Heavens, that he might fill all things." The ascen­sion of Christ into the Heavens was a joyful sight to his apostles, who be­held him go up; then we read, "And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God." It is said in the psalms, "God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet;" and what a glorious day it was, when Jesus our great forerunner "entered for us into the holy place, having ob­tained eternal redemption for us; into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; who, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of majesty on high!"

[Page 28] "Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the Heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our profession; let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need; looking unto Jesus, the au­thor and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God;" who says, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my father in his throne."

Thus the ascension of Christ is good news to us; he is gone into Heaven on our account, is accepted there, and will come again "the second time, without sin unto salvation."

The intercession of Christ is good news to men; and therefore it is [Page 29] said, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that con­demneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us; where­fore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them; and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righ­teous."

It is glorious news that we have such an high priest at the Father's right hand, who remembers us con­tinually, and who is touched with a feeling of our infirmities; for he was in the days of his flesh "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Christ's intercession should embolden us to draw nigh to God by prayer and supplication; for he is the angel that offers up "the [Page 30] prayers of all saints, with much in­cense upon the golden altar, which is before the throne;" and he will cause our petitions to come up with acceptance before God.

Thus the gospel, as it sets forth the incarnation, birth, life, death, re­surrection, ascension, and intercession of Christ, is good news to mankind, and what we have no reason to be ashamed of; since "it is the power of God to salvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

The gospel proclaims "good will to men;" God's will respect­ing us is good, he wills our life, and not our death; he is gracious, and "long suffering to us ward, not will­ing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance;" cer­tainly God has good will towards his creatures, since he "will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth; for this is [Page 31] the will of God, even your sanctifi­cation." He has more good will to­wards us than we can conceive, since all the good will we have towards each other comes from him; he is the fountain of kindness; and this good will of God is not only pro­claimed by the gospel, as one of the truths thereof, but it is the very foundation upon which it stands; for if God had no good will towards us, he would never have taken the least pains for our salvation, or have sent us any glad tidings respecting the same.

The gospel also publishes peace; God saith "I create the fruit of the lips; peace, peace to him that is far off; and to him that is near saith the LORD; and I will heal him."

Of Christ it is said, "For he is our peace, who came and preached peace to you that were afar off, and to them that were nigh;" he is called "The prince of peace;" and [Page 32] the gospel is called, by way of emi­nence, "The gospel of peace; as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

The gospel proclaims Christ, who is the great peace maker; it pro­claims peace for dying rebellious men; it makes proposals of peace to mortals; teaches them how to make peace with God, by taking hold of his strength; the language of it to man is "Acquaint now thy self with him, and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee;" and they who obey the gospel shall find "peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus;" and they shall have that kingdom within them which is "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." It is said of [Page 33] Christ, "And he shall speak Peace unto the heathen;" the gospel is the way of his speaking, "I will hear what God the Lord will speak, he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints; but let them not turn again to folly." How often Christ used these words when he was upon earth, "Peace be unto you!" And the language of the gospel is still the same to those that believe. The spi­rit of the gospel is a spirit of peace; "The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righte­ousness, quietness, and assurance for ever; great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall of­fend them; thou wilt keep him in perfect peace; whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee." Christ saith to his disciples, "Peace I leave with you, my Peace I give unto you; these things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might [Page 34] have peace." Thus the gospel pro­claims peace.

Another of the glorious blasts of the gospel trumpet is pardon, or the forgiveness of sins; "Be it known unto you therefore, men brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." The language of the gospel is "Re­pent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him▪ and to our God, and he will abundantly pardon." Christ himself, when he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God, said, "The time is fulfilled, [Page 35] and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe the gospel; and the apostles went out, and preached that men should re­pent." So that it appears, that the gospel proclaims pardon in connection with repentance and faith; where these are found, pardoning mercy is nigh. Christ "was manifested to take away sin, if we confess our sins, he (God) is faithful, and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness; the blood of Jesus Christ his son, cleanseth us from all sin."

Christ is as able now as ever to pardon or take away sins, and to say to the soul, "Son, or daughter, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee; thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace; blessed are they whose ini­quities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered."

Alas, we should have but little hope from the gospel, did it not [Page 36] bring us the glad tidings of pardon; for we have a long black catalogue of sins. Let us reckon them up. Let us think of them over and over again.

"The crown is fallen from our head, wo unto us, that we have sinned; oh that our heads were [Page 37] waters! and our eyes a fountain of tears, that we might weep day and night for our sins!"

Perhaps some may think the above catalogue tautology, or repetition; but I fear we have been guilty of a greater tautology in committing sins than I have in mentioning them; but, blessed be God, the gospel pro­claims pardon and cleansing for them all, through faith in a dear redeem­er's name, to the repenting soul.

I am next to observe that the gos­pel proclaims love. "Love is (said to be) the fulfilling of the law," and I am sure that it is the very substance, and essence of the gospel; for therein a crucified Saviour is proclaimed, and the apostle John says, "Hereby per­ceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us; in this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten son into the world, that we might live through him; herein is [Page 38] love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins; and we have known and believed the love that God hath to us; God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwell­eth in God, and God in him; be­hold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God."

The whole gospel, from beginning to end, appears to be one grand de­sign, of everlasting, self moved, re­deeming, correcting, and restoring love. God himself being love, and having loved all his creatures when he made them, must love them still, unless he is changed since, which cannot be; for with him "there is no variableness, nor shadow of turn­ing;" and therefore it is evident, that his love seeks the recovery, and restoration of his fallen creatures, and by all possible methods to bring them back again to himself; for having [Page 39] loved us "with an everlasting love, with loving kindness, with the cords of love, and the bands of a man," he hath drawn, and will continue to draw us, till we shall all return again to the ocean of infinite good­ness.

Oh my brethren, could we but view that love, which is in God to­wards each of us, it would cause us to forsake all things, to be wholly swallowed up therein; but I am not able to express, or declare the fullness of it to you; "Oh come, taste, and see that the Lord is good;" sure I am, the love of Jesus is the most powerful attraction; if this will not draw our souls to God, what will?

But the gospel not only proclaims love, but wisdom too: "We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory;" Christ is preached as the wisdom of God; and he "of God [Page 40] is made unto us wisdom, righteous­ness, sanctification, and redemption." The wisdom of God appears great, in creation; wonderful, in provi­dence; but oh, how will it for ever shine in redemption! In the cross of Christ, the most consummate wis­dom appears; therefore we preach Christ crucified, "unto the Jews, a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." God's wisdom is so great, that not one of his gracious designs shall fail; and the very ways that his enemies take to frustrate them, shall be the means of their accomplishment; thus "he taketh the wise in their own craftiness." Had the love of God been ever so great, if his wisdom had not been equal, love would have been unsuc­cessful; but love and wisdom joined, are able to do great things; especi­ally [Page 41] when we consider another thing that the gospel proclaims with them, even power; love, wisdom, and power, all agree in the salvation of man; what love desires, wisdom de­signs, and power performs. The gos­pel not only proclaims the power of God, but is itself called in my text, "The power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;" the glorious gospel proclaims "What is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty pow­er, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead; for though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God; for the preaching of the cross is to them that perish fool­ishness; but to us that are saved, it is the power of God;" the gospel is not to be preached with the "entic­ing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit, and of [Page 42] power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God; for the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." The gospel proclaims the power of God, in raising Christ from the dead, also Christ's power in raising us from the death of sin; as also the power that is given to him, to subdue all things, and totally to destroy all the works of sin, death and the devil. "God hath spoken once, twice have I heard this, that power be­longeth unto God;" and oh, what a comforting thought is this, that the God of love is also a God of wisdom, and of power, so that his designs of grace shall not fail!

In the gospel is proclaimed, "The love of Christ, that passeth know­ledge; the manifold wisdom of God; and the exceeding greatness of his power."

The gospel publishes redemp­tion to all, through the blood o [Page 43] Christ; "Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers; but with the pre­cious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot; in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, ac­cording to the riches of his grace; Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the spirit, through faith; being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made un­der the law, that he might redeem them that were under the law; that we might receive the adoption of sons."

Christ is said in scripture to have "by his own blood entered in once [Page 44] into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us; and for this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the First Testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." Thus we see that re­demption through or by the blood of Christ is a scripture doctrine, and proclaimed in the gospel, and is for all; but there is an order to be ob­served therein; for first, we read of a peculiar number, called "The hundred and forty and four thousand, which had the name of God written upon their foreheads. These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins; these are they which follow the lamb whi­thersoever he goeth: These were re­deemed from amongst men, being the first fruits unto God and the lamb; and in their mouth was found [Page 45] no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God; and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth; the four beasts, and four and twenty elders, fell down before the lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints; and they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth." Thus we see a redemption the first born, and first fruits; but does this exclude the rest of man­kind from any share in the redemp­tion [Page 46] of Christ? Far from it; for St. John says, "After this I beheld, and lo a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the lamb." Here we see a body quite different from the church of the first born, and first fruits, which yet at last are to share in the glorious salvation of Christ; these though they came out of great tribulation, washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb. But as if this was not enough to prove the redemption of all, St. John says, "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I, saying, Blessing and honor [Page 47] and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and un­to the lamb for ever and ever." It is impossible to find a single rational being in the universe excepted in this description; and therefore it is plain that all shall at last share in the re­demption which is proclaimed in the gospel; which is a redemption, from sin and death, through the all pow­erful, all cleansing blood of our glo­rious redeemer.

Another glorious truth which the gospel publishes, is reconciliation be­tween God and creatures, without which there could be no possibility of salvation or restoration for fallen in­telligences; and therefore the scrip­ture speaks of reconciliation often, and the gospel proclaims it to man­kind as good news; "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life. And all things are [Page 48] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconcili­ation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation; now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: We pray you in Christ's stead, Be ye reconciled to God."

Christ hath abolished in his flesh the "Law of commandments con­tained in ordinances, for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one bo­dy, having slain the enmity thereby. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his bre­thren; that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest, in things pertaining to God, to make reconci­liation for the sins of the people."

[Page 49] Thus you see that the gospel is called "The word of reconcilia­tion," it informs us that the blood of Christ hath opened a way for an entire reconciliation between God and us; therein we are kindly in­treated to be reconciled to God, since the alteration must be on our part. Christ by his death laid the founda­tion for a perfect reconciliation be­tween Jews and Gentiles; and the gospel assures us that he will finally reconcile all creatures to God, him­self, and to each other.

"For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven; and you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled;" and can and will at last reconcile all things to [Page 50] himself. Oh glorious period, when all enmity, malice, and wrath shall cease out of the creation, and all creatures shall be reconciled to God and each other, through Jesus Christ the great reconciler!

Thus the gospel brings us the glad tidings of reconciliation.

The gospel of Christ also pro­claims salvation; and this one word includes all that hath been spoken.

The very name "Jesus" signi­fies "a Saviour;" thus said the an­gel "And thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins:" and so we read, "And when eight days were accom­plished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb." Every time we read or hear that sweet name JESUS, we should remember that is always sig­nifies a Saviour, and thus the angel [Page 51] said "For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Christ and his salvation is the sum of the gospel, which in my text is said to be "the power of God unto salva­tion to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

When Simeon took the child Je­sus into his arms he said, "Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salva­tion, which thou hast prepared be­fore the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glo­ry of thy people Israel." This sal­vation shall be so universal, that "every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." When Christ came into the house of [Page 52] Zaccheus he said, "This day is sal­vation come to this house; for the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lofts"

Wherever the gospel is received in the love of it, thither salvation comes, and the blessed effects of it are per­ceived in the soul; the gospel salva­tion, if it prevails in the heart, de­livers from the love, reigning power, and guilt of sin, from the curse of the law, and the wrath to come.

This is called in scripture "The end of faith; even the salvation of souls; of which salvation the pro­phets have inquired and searched dili­gently." This salvation is wholly as­cribed to the grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came [Page 53] into the world to save sinners;" this is glorious news indeed, that Christ came into the world to save sinners; if this is worthy of all acceptation, as doubtless it is, how much more is it so when we are told he came to save or restore all; as St. Paul says, "This is a faithful saying, and wor­thy of all acceptation; for therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the saviour of all men, speci­ally of those that believe." Those who believe, and follow Christ, shall be saved from the second death, "and shall not come into condemnation;" but the grace of God shall finally extend to the salvation or restoration of all men, and therefore we are taught to pray for all men; "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved or restored, and to come to the knowledge of the truth; for there is one God, and [Page 54] one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testi­fied in due time." Thus the salva­tion proclaimed in the gospel, is a great, a glorious, a powerful, and universal salvation; "Behold, now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation," even the gos­pel day, and while that lasts, the day of salvation shall last also; for so long as the everlasting gospel shall be pro­claimed, so long shall the everlast­ing salvation of God be manifested to his creatures. This salvation is published to mankind, that they may look unto Jesus, who saith, "Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else;" but wo to them who reject the gospel, "For if the word spoken by angels was sted­fast, and every transgression and dis­obedience received a just recompence of reward, how shall we escape if [Page 55] we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him? See that ye refuse not him that speaketh, for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven."

But blessed are they that can re­joice and say, "The Lord is my light, and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Behold, God is my salvati­on; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength, and my song; he also is become my salvation; therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation."

God is frequently called "The God of our salvation. Salvation is of the Lord; his blessing is upon his people; surely his salvation is [Page 56] nigh them that fear him; that glo­ry may dwell in our land;" and the Lord saith, "And to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I shew the salvation of God." Thus we have seen that the gospel pro­claims salvation to men through Je­sus Christ; the whole scripture seems full of this glorious sound salvation; all sorts of characters are called to attend thereto; God saith, "Heark­en unto me, ye stout hearted, ye that are far from righteousness; I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry; and I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory; heark­en unto me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD; hearken unto me, my people, and give ear to me, O my nation; my righteousness is near, my salvation is gone forth; lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall va­nish [Page 57] away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner; but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished: Hearken un­to me ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revil­ings; for the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them up like wool; but my righ­teousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to genera­tion." Here you see there is no ex­ception, all are called to hearken to the joyful news of God's salvation. This is a most glorious subject, and you that love it, will not be weary of hearing of "The grace of God that bringeth salvation, that hath appear­ed to all men, teaching us, that de­nying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, [Page 58] and godly, in this present world. This salvation is the theme of the blessed saints above, and shall be the song of all men at last, when they shall submit to Jesus; when they come out of great tribulation, they shall cry and shout aloud, "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the lamb;" O glo­rious period, when all shall experi­ence the salvation of our God! This theme of the salvation published in the gospel, is so glorious; that no heart can conceive, tongue declare, nor pen describe its beauties; O that every soul in the universe could hear it, and feel its blessed ef­fects! How would they rejoice with joy unspeakable! Glory to God, it shall be testified to all in due time; and its power shall be felt by the most stub­born hearts. That powerful hand that hath laid the foundation, "shall bring forth the head stone with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it." O [Page 59] my brethren, let us take the apostle's advice, who says, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trem­bling, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." We enjoy a blessed dispensation; a glorious price is put into our hands to get wisdom with; O let us not misimprove it, for great will be our condemnation if we do. Let us consider that Christ came not to save us in but from our sins; and let us constantly remember that sal­vation is nothing but a deliverance from sin and its effects; therefore we should seek continually to be purged and cleansed from "all fil­thiness of flesh and spirit, and to be perfecting holiness in the fear of God, that we may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless; and let us account that the long suf­fering of our Lord is salvation; and to day after so long a time, as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, [Page 60] harden not your hearts." They who believe in this salvation shall never have occasion to be ashamed of their confidence, "Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation; ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end." So we see that it is a sure, never fail­ing, full, free, rich, powerful and universal salvation, which the gospel proclaims; and is worthy of the at­tention of all mankind. Let us there­fore adore the God of our salvation, "who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." In the midst of all the de­lusions, errors and darkness of our day, which so exceedingly prevail, and shall bring a terrible destruction upon those who believe not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighte­ousness, we may say with the apostle, [Page 61] "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren, be­loved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the spirit, and belief of the truth; whereunto he called you by our gos­pel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." We will now conclude this part of the blessed subject, that we have dwelt upon so long, with the words of David, "Turn us O God of our salvation, and we shall be turned; cause thy face to shine upon us, and we shall be saved; wilt thou not revive us again; that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salva­tion."

THE gospel of Christ proclaims a saviour suitable to all our needs, and those glorious blessings of which it speaks, are brought nigh to us therein; so that we have no occasion to say in our hearts, "Who shall ascend into heaven? that is to bring Christ down from above; or, Who shall descend into the deep? that is to bring up Christ again from the dead;" for the word is nigh un­to us, the blessings of the gospel [Page 63] continually seek to open themselves in our mouths and hearts, that we might feel the power in our souls, and obey the precepts in our lives.

The gospel brings near life for the dead; by nature we are dead to the divine life, we are poor fallen miser­able creatures, full of the darkness and fire of hell, surrounded with a body of gross flesh and blood, which when­ever it falls off (unless we have the life of God revealed in us) leaves us shut up in our own wrathful fire, which is our proper hell. People may deny being in a fallen state, but he only who never felt, nor ever shall feel natural hunger, thirst, sorrow, pain, death, selfishness, envy, pride, wrath, vexation, disappointment, cha­grin, or misery of any kind, can say with truth, that he hath no share in the fall. We feel in us a "carnal mind, which is enmity against God, which is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be;" and [Page 64] must therefore be slain. "For to be carnally minded is death;" and from this dreadful death the gospel comes to deliver us; "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; "Christ saith, Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God; and they that hear shall live:"

"I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. He that believeth on the son hath ever­lasting life: He that hath the son hath life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." The language of the gospel is, "Hear, and your souls shall live;" and the scriptures of the New Testament often speak of Christ as our life, as giving himself for the life of the world; and where the spirit of the gospel is received, it de­stroys [Page 65] or crucifies the life of the old man, which consists in selfishness, self righteousness, envy, pride, ma­lice, wrath, and the works of the flesh; and raises up the life of God in the soul, which consists in bene­volence, humility, meekness, and submission to the will of God; or as the apostle expresses the matter, the spirit of the gospel brings forth its own fruit, which is "love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temper­ance; against such there is no law; and they that are Christ's have cruci­fied the flesh, with the affections and lusts."

The gospel brings strength for the weak; it is said of Christ, "A bruis­ed reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench till he send forth judgment into victory." It is good to feel our own weakness, that we may be able to say with St. Paul, "When I am weak, then am I [Page 66] strong; I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

St. Paul had a gracious answer, when he prayed to have the thorn in his flesh removed, which was, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Upon which St. Paul says, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

By receiving the gospel in our hearts, we are enabled to say, "God is the strength of my heart," for "surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength."

"Wait on the LORD; be of good courage; and he shall streng­then thine heart; he giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength; they that wait upon the LORD shall re­new their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall [Page 67] walk and not faint; for as thy days, so shall thy strength be." Thus the gospel may be said to bring strength near to the weak, as it teaches us where all our help lies, and directs us how to obtain it; and not only so, but the power of God in the gospel strengthens and enables us to do his will, and to bear those things which are laid upon us, which of ourselves we could not endure; and thus through the strength of God revealed in the gospel, "The feeble shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them." What a blessed thing it is, when we are sur­rounded with many powerful foes, to know that through the "blood of the lamb, and the word of our testi­mony," which is the gospel, we shall overcome them! And when we are called to do, or suffer the will of God (for which we are not sufficient of ourselves) to know that our suffi­ciency [Page 68] is of God, and that the strength which the gospel brings near, is abundantly sufficient to enable us to do and suffer all that is required of us!

The gospel brings health for the sick; Christ says, "They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick."

By nature we are all diseased, "The whole head is sick;" but a consider­able part of our misery is that we know it not, or do not consider it; but when a soul truly comes to be sick of sin, the health brought by the gospel is ready for its relief. Christ is represented as a physician, and he is more excellent for the soul than any man is or can be for the body. An earthly physician though he may have great knowledge of the constitutions and disorders of bodies, yet knows not all, he may be often ignorant both of the constitution and disorder; but Christ, the great [Page 69] physician of souls, knows the frame and temper of every mind, he knows also every disease or disorder that can be found in fallen creatures; he never can be imposed upon or mis­taken in any case.

A physician of the body, though he may have great skill in curing diseas­es, is not able to cure all; neither his skill nor his medicines are sufficient at all times, and for all disorders; but Christ hath both wisdom and virtue enough to cure the dreadful disease of sin, and all that dismal train of evils attendant upon the same.

The best physician of the body is sometimes without those medicines which are most suitable for the dis­eases of his patients; but Christ has a salve for every sore, a balm for every wound, a cordial for every fainting soul; and in a word, every thing necessary for the utter destruc­tion of sin, and the salvation of the [Page 70] poor miserable creatures that are in­fected thereby.

A physician may be skilful, and have store of medicines, but may not be at hand when he is needed, and the patient may perish for want of assistance; but Christ is always nigh to us, he is a God always at hand, all things are naked to his sight; he knows our needs, and when to apply his mercies to us for our good; "he is not far from every one of us, if haply we might feel after him and find him, for in him we live, and move, and have our being. The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."

A physician commonly expects a great reward for his attendance and means; but Christ heals us freely, and his grace is without money, and without price.

A physician may have great love for his patients, may take a tender [Page 71] care of them, may give them me­dicines, &c. but few would give much of their blood, if necessa­ry for their patient's health, and perhaps no [...] would give all their blood to save the lives of those whom they attended; but Christ saw the dreadful estate into which we were fallen, he saw and knew that nothing but his heart's blood could heal our sickness, or cure the dreadful wounds that sin had given us, and he freely gave his life to de­stroy our death, and shed his blood as the powerful medicine to restore our health, and to be in us the prin­ciple of a new life, or heavenly bo­dy. Thus the gospel brings health to the sick, inasmuch as it brings Christ, the great physician, near to our souls; so that we may say with the prophet, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?" [Page 72] Because she refuses to apply there for relief, not sufficiently feeling her need.

The gospel brings deliverance for the captives; freedom for those that are in slavery, and the opening of the prison doors to those that are bound. By nature we are captives of Satan, slaves to sin, and prisoners bound in chains of iniquities, but the glorious gospel brings us deliverance, freedom and enlargement. Christ is anoint­ed by the spirit of the Lord, and is sent "To preach good tidings to the meek, to proclaim liberty to the cap­tives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to set at li­berty those that are bruised; to bring out the prisoners from the pri­son, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty? Or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, Even the captive of the mighty shall be taken [Page 73] away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered. The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail." Christ said to the Jews which believed on him, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free;" they could not admit that they were in bondage, as they were Abraham's seed; but Jesus said, "Verily, veri­ly I say unto you, Whosoever com­mitteth sin is the servant of sin; and the servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the son abideth ever; if the son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."

The gospel teaches us that the way to be free from the bondage and sla­very of sin is to die thereto, "For he that is dead is freed from sin; be­ing then made free from sin, ye be­came the servants of righteousness; [Page 74] for when ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteous­ness; but now being made free from sin, and having become ser­vants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlast­ing life." Thus the liberty which the gospel proclaims is not a liberty or licence to sin (as some suppose and even affirm that we say) but a free­dom from sin, which is the only true liberty in the world; for whatever freedom false teachers may promise mankind, while they themselves are servants of corruption, the gospel teacher us that true liberty consists only in dying to sin, and living to righteousness, or in glorifying God in our bodies and spirits, which are God's. The gospel proclaims that Christ hath a power both over the living and the dead, and he who once descended "and preached to the spirits in prison, which sometime were disobedient, when once the [Page 75] long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah; he who hath the keys of hell and death; who open­eth and no man shutteth, and shut­teth and no man openeth;" hath all power to break the chains that hold the creation in the bondage of cor­ruption, and to bring the whole "into the glorious liberty of the children of God; and by the blood of his covenant, to send forth his pri­soners out of the pit wherein is no water." Thus the gospel may be truly said to bring deliverance to the captives, &c. as it proclaims an all powerful saviour, with whom all things are possible.

To you who have been already made free by the power of the gos­pel, St. Paul's exhortation is not amiss, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not, entangled again with the yoke of bondage; for bre­thren ye have been called unto li­berty, [Page 76] only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." Let us always remember that the spirit of the gospel is a spirit of true freedom, as the apostle saith, "Now the Lord is that spirit; and where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty." Christ makes us free from sin, that we may be engaged in his service, which is perfect freedom in itself, as a liberty to sin would be the greatest slavery imaginable.

The gospel brings rest for the wea­ry; "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest; take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls▪ for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light," says the glorious redeem­er. And it is a truth, that "we which have believed do enter into rest; for he that is entered into his [Page 77] rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his."

There is a rest into which believ­ers in Christ enter by faith, which is a rest from their own works of sin, the spirit of the Lord causes them to rest in peace. And "there is a rest which remaineth for the people of God," which we are exhorted to la­bour after, that we may enter there­into, and not fall short through un­belief; this is the rest of the Lord, which shall be glorious; and happy are they who by the grace of God shall obtain it.

The gospel proclaims the true rest to mankind, saying, "This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest, and this is the refresh­ing;" yet, alas, how much is this heavenly rest rejected! But those who sensibly feel the burden and weight of their sins, and can find no rest in themselves, will hear the news of rest in Christ with joy, and esteem [Page 78] it as the best of tidings; Christ to such is "As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land; a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall; a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest." He is all that a weary, trembling, fainting soul can desire, both for safety, rest, and re­freshment.

The gospel brings food for the hungry, and drink for the thirsty: Christ says "I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst; for the bread of God is he which cometh, down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world; I am that bread of life; this is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die; I am the liv­ing bread, which came down from hea­ven, if any man eat of this bread, he [Page 79] shall live for ever; and the [...] that I will give, is my flesh [...] I will give for the life of the [...]; verily, verily I say unto you, [...] ye eat the flesh of the son [...] man, and drink his blood, ye [...] no life in you; whoso eateth [...] flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day; for my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink in­deed; he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him: As the living father hath sent me, and I live by the fa­ther; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me; this is that bread which came down from heaven; he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. It is the spirit that quicken­eth; the words that I speak unto you they are spirit, and they are life." These are our Savlour's own words, spoken in one discourse, and shew us that our souls must as really [Page 80] and truly feed on him by faith, to have eternal life, as our bodies must feed on earthly food, in order for their support.

The language of the gospel is "Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk with­out money, and without price; where­fore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your la­bour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness."

The language of wisdom to men without understanding is "Come eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled."

Christ said to the woman of Sama­ria, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that faith, to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have [Page 81] given thee living water: Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." And the evangelist John says, "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink; he that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." And St. John elsewhere hath these words. "And the spirit and the bride say, Come; and let him that heareth say, Come; and let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

St. Peter also exhorts us to lay aside "all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings; and as new born babes, to desire the sincere milk of [Page 82] the word, that we may grow there­by; if we have tasted that the Lord is gracious;" and the psalmist says, "Oh taste, and see, that the Lord is good." Now from all these pas­sages, and many more that might be mentioned, we see that the gospel brings near food to the hungry, and drink to the thirsty; yea the gospel itself is often compared to food and drink; Job says, "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food;" David says, "How sweet are thy words to my taste! yea sweeter than honey to my mouth;" Jeremiah says, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them;" and Solomon says, "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country."

They who receive the gospel aright, find it as pleasant and useful to their souls, as food and drink are to the bodies of those who hunger and thirst; yea Christ hath said, [Page 83] "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled;" thereby teaching us that spiritual things are as really the objects of the spiritual faculties, or senses of the soul, as natural things are of those of the body; and that our desires, or faith, must go forth, and long for the bread and wa­ter of life in order to obtain it, as really as our bodies hunger and thirst after their food and drink.

Yea our Saviour has taught us to ask food for our souls of our heaven­ly father, with the same freedom and importunity as children ask food of their parents; and he has assured us that God will no more deny us, if we hunger, thirst, ask, seek, and knock aright, that is if our hearts, wills, and affections go out in long­ing after spiritual food, than parents would mock the hunger and requests of their children, with stones, ser­pents and scorpions.

[Page 84] The gospel brings near clothing for the naked; Christ exhorts the church of the Laodiceans, saying, "I coun­sel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear." We come into the world naked, having lost the white garment of innocence and immortality, and are clothed only with the flesh and blood of the fallen Adam; therefore one great design of the gospel is to direct us how to ob­tain the true wedding garment, wherein we may stand complete be­fore God; this garment is the image of Christ, or the house from Heaven, which we are exhorted to put on. We become clothed with the gar­ments of salvation, in the same man­ner as we are clothed with the flesh and blood of Adam, viz. by being born again of the water and spirit, as we have been born of the flesh; [Page 85] by feeding on Christ spiritually, as we naturally feed on earthly food; and by growing up into conformity to the Saviour: and thus we come to bear the image of the heavenly, in the same manner as we have born the image of the earthy, viz. by a parti­cipation of nature, and proper nou­rishment, by which we grow up [...] conformity, to the image either [...] Adam or Christ, according to the principle that rules in us, be it the earthy or heavenly.

When we come to be completely clothed in the image of Christ, hav­ing "put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him in righteousness, and true holiness," then we may say with the prophet, "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the gar­ments of salvation, he hath covered [Page 86] me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Such who in this time obtain this pure gar­ment, shall be admitted to the mar­riage supper of the lamb, being ar­rayed in this "fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righ­teousness of saints; the king's daugh­ter is all glorious within; her cloth­ing is of wrought gold; she shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle work."

The prophet exhorts the church saying, "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem;" and the apostle exhorts us to "be clothed with humility;" and the language of Christ is, "Behold I come as a thief, blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments; lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."

[Page 87] It is said of the church of Sardis, "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their gar­ments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy; he that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment."

It is a blessed thing "to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven, if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked; for we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swal­lowed up of life."

The gospel teaches us how to ob­tain that wedding garment, without which none can be admitted into the kingdom of God, or be received as guests at the marriage supper of the lamb; and we are exhorted to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ," that we may stand complete in him at last, "without spot, or wrinkle, or any [Page 88] such thing." They who come wholly to be clothed with the na­ture of Christ here, will be imme­diately received into his presence with joy; but those who have even died as martyrs for Christ, before they have thoroughly obtained this robe (as doubtless many have) are represented in scripture, as having their souls under the altar, and cry­ing to God to avenge them; and it is said, "And white robes were gi­ven unto every one of them;" also the "great multitude that no man could number, stood before the throne, and before the lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb."

All these passages shew, that none can be perfectly happy till they have obtained the white garments of sal­vation, or have put on righteousness [Page 89] as a robe, and washed all their stains away in the blood of Christ. Those who adventure to come to the hea­venly feast, without the wedding garment on, will be found speech­less, and be bound hand and foot, and cast "into outer darkness, where there shall be weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth;" from whence they never shall come out, till the garment or body of sin shall be total­ly destroyed, in order that they may be clothed in white robes, and re­ceived into the presence of God.

The glorious gospel brings near clothing for the naked, and we should make it our great concern to "be found in Christ, not having our own righteousness, but that which is thro' the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."

The gospel brings near sight for the blind; Christ was anointed for the "recovering of sight to the blind," he was given "for a covenant to the [Page 90] people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes;" and the pro­phet speaking of the kingdom of Christ, says, "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened;" and again he says, "Hear, ye deaf, and look, ye blind, that ye may see;" and Christ sent word to John, saying, "The blind receive their sight, &c." and there are among the miracles of Christ several very particular instan­ces of his giving sight to the blind; at one time we read of "two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David; and the multi­tude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace; but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I should do unto you? they said unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be [Page 91] opened. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him." There is a similar account of one "blind Barti­meus, the son of Timeus, who sat by the high way side, begging," who called upon Jesus with the same ear­nestness, and under the same discou­ragements, and received his sight in the same manner; this instance is twice mentioned in the scriptures. There is also that wonderful relati­on of the man that was born blind, and healed by Christ, set down at large by St. John, and which is wor­thy of our attention; he could say, when reviled by the Pharisees, "One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see;" and he bore such a faithful testimony for Christ, and so reproved the Pharisees, that they cast him out of the synagogue; upon which Christ observes, saying, "For judgement I am come into this world; [Page 92] that they which see not might see, and that they which see might be made blind."

As Christ opened the eyes of those whose bodies were blind, so the de­sign of the gospel is "to open the eyes of the people, and to turn men from darkness to light: for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Je­sus Christ."

Christ counsels the Laodicean church, saying, "And anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou may­est see."

Blindness is one of the greatest natu­ral infirmities that we are subject to, and spiritual blindness is a criminal disorder, much more terrible: We are by nature blind to our own character, to the character of the deity, to the glorious way of salvation by Christ, to the beauties of the gospel, and in [Page 93] general to spiritual things; "the na­tural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God; for they are fool­ishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiri­tually discerned."

We love darkness rather than light, yea we even hate the light, and shut our eyes against it, because it re­proves us; but when we come to be willing to receive the gospel, and the love of the truth, we then find that "the commandment of the LORD is pure enlightening the eyes;" and that "the entrance of his word giv­eth light;" and thus we are saved from our blindness, and brought to see things as they are, and "with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the spirit of the Lord."

The gospel proclaims and brings near cleansing for the polluted; we are all defiled and polluted with ini­quity; [Page 94] but there is "a fountain opened for sin and uncleanness." The great atonement of Christ was intended to cleanse us from sin, and not to extinguish a wrath in the De­ity, as some imagine; hence it is said of Christ, "When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high; for if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkl­ing the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God? And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission; it was there­fore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be puri­fied with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacri­fices [Page 95] than these; for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins; wherefore Jesus, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate; he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous unto good works." And we are told that "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin," and "that he was manifest­ed to take away our sins." Surely nothing can be plainer than that the design of the atonements under the law was to cleanse from ceremonial pollution, and it is evident that the blood of Christ was shed to cleanse us from all our filthiness. Oftentimes in scripture God is pleased to promise cleansing to the polluted, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool: Then will I sprinkle clean [Page 96] water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you; I will also save you from all your un­cleannesses." So we read, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful, and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness:" so that it is evident that one grand design of the gospel is to bring near cleansing for the polluted. Since none but the pure in heart can see God; "nothing that defileth can enter into the holy city; nothing that worketh abomination, no whore­monger [...] nor unclean person hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God; know ye not that the unrighteouss shall not inhe­rit the kingdom of God? be not de­ceived; neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effe­minate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor co­vetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, [Page 97] nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God; and such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God," says St. Paul to the Corinthi­ans; and to the Galatians he says, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lascivious­ness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, va­riance, emulations, wrath, strife, se­ditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God;" and Christ himself says, "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, mur­ders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies, covetous­ness, wickedness, deceit, lascivious­ness, an evil eye, pride, foolishness, [Page 98] all these evil things come from with­in, and defile the man." Since then it is evident that we must be cleansed from all impurity, before we can enter into the kingdom of God, what reason have we to magnify that rich grace, that brings cleansing for our polluted souls! Let us therefore apply "to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel;" that all our pollutions may be washed away, in that foun­tain which only is able to cleanse us from all "sin and uncleanness."

The gospel brings near light for them that are in darkness; Christ in the gospel says "to the prisoners, Go forth; and to them that are in dark­ness, Shew yourselves." Yea he bringeth "them that sit in dark­ness, out of the prison house;" and says "I will make darkness light be­fore them."

The scripture saith, "Who is among you that feareth the LORD, [Page 99] that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God;" and the prophet says, "Re­joice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me; he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righ­teousness. Light is sown for the righteous; unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness."

As the gospel is compared to light in many places in scripture, it is a very natural idea of it to suppose that it enlightens those who receive it, and directs them in the way wherein they should go. David says, "Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path." The gospel is of more use to the souls of men than the light of the sun is to their bo­dies; and if Christ's disciples are called "The light of the world," [Page 100] with how much propriety may his gospel be called so! Without the gospel, what darkness should we grope in! What ignorance of God and ourselves would overshadow us! And it is to be lamented, that even where the gospel shines in its purity, it is hidden to many, "In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, left the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them;" the fault lies not in the gospel, that men see not, but in that enmity which causes them to shut their eyes against the light. But where the gospel is re­ceived in the love of it, light is not so dear to the eyes, neither so plea­sant, nor useful to the body, as the knowledge of the truth is to the soul.

The gospel brings near comfort for all that mourn; it is said of Christ that he is anointed "to comfort all that mourn, to appoint unto them [Page 101] that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." Christ says, in that never enough admired sermon on the mount, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." Mourning in its own na­ture is good for the soul, as it tends to hinder the rank weeds of pride and vanity from springing up; and for this reason it is that Solomon says, "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting; sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better; the heart of the wise is in the house of mourn­ing; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth." But the mourn­ing that is most commended in scrip­ture, is a mourning for sin, as it is against a holy God, and as it has pierced the Saviour, and wounded the soul; thus it is said, "But they [Page 102] that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniqui­ty; and I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for an only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born. In that day shall there be a great mourn­ing in Jerusalem; and the land shall mourn, every family apart; all the families that remain, every family apart and their wives apart." Now the gospel proclaims and brings near comfort for such as these; "Com­fort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her iniquity is pardoned." And we read in Ezekiel's prophesy where the [Page 103] Lord said, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof." Thus the mourners are preserved and com­forted, for Christ says, "Blessed are ye that weep now; for ye shall laugh; wo unto you that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep". All men must have a season for mourning, because of their sins, and happy are they who mourn in time, for they shall rejoice during those long ages of mourning, in which those that laugh now shall la­ment, with bitter "weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth." Those who now sorrow after a godly sort do well; "For godly sorrow worketh repent­ance to salvation, not to be repented of;" such who thus mourn, shall have their consolation abound. The mourn­ing church is frequently comforted in scripture with such gracious promises [Page 104] as these, "The ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness; and sorrow and sighing shall flee away; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light; and the days of thy mourning shall be ended." Yea there are some pro­mises of comfort to all mankind, but not till they have had their season of wailing and lamentation, which all fallen creatures must have before they can be the subjects of that com­fort which the gospel brings; and a dreadful season of woe and mourning there must be for the rebellious, be­fore the Lord "will swallow up death in victory, and wipe away tears from off all faces;" but a period will certainly come when "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." Thus [Page 105] in the fullest sense of the words, the gospel brings near comfort for all that mourn.

So we have seen that the gospel of Christ is a bundle of GOOD NEWS; and a RICH TREASURE sufficient to supply all our wants; "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." The gospel, viewed in all these points of light, appears to be a most glori­ous dispensation of grace, well cal­culated for the glory of God, the de­struction of Satan's kingdom, and the welfare of mankind; and is so excellent that we have no reason to be ashamed of it.

Here this sermon may be properly di­vided.

I Come, secondly, to shew what St. Paul meant by not being ashamed of the gospel.

[Page 106] I. He was not ashamed to believe it as a man; the gospel contains no­thing that any need be ashamed to believe; nothing unjust, unreason­able, mean or trifling; nothing un­worthy of a God, nor contrary to his plan of moral government; neither does it make void his law, but estab­lishes it.

And is not the description of the gospel here given, worthy to be be­lieved by every rational creature?

Need any one be ashamed to be­lieve a plan so calculated for the glo­ry of God, and the good of man­kind? Has any thing been laid down contrary to the ideas we have of in­finite wisdom, power, and goodness united, or degrading to the charac­ter of the Deity? If not, we have no reason to be ashamed of believing it.

II. St. Paul was not ashamed to profess, and confess it as a Christian; he was not ashamed to confess his dear Saviour before men; he wit­nessed [Page 107] a good profession before many witnesses; before Jews, and Gentiles, Pharisees, and Sadduces, before the chief captain, and Felix, before Fes­tus, and Agrippa, yea and before Nero himself; as well as before man­kind in general wherever he came. He was never ashamed to confess his re­ligion (which the Jews called heresy) plainly and publicly; he chearfully submitted to be baptized at the bid­ding of Ananias, and thereby made an open profession of that faith which he before had persecuted, and sought to destroy; and to the day of his death he adorned the doctrine of God his Saviour, in all things. Let us imitate him in this respect, and let us not be ashamed of the gospel before mankind, but be willing to confess with the mouth what we be­lieve with the heart; "for with the heart man believeth unto righteous­ness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

[Page 108] III. St. Paul was not ashamed to preach it as a minister; and in this sense more especially he speaks in the words of my text, that he was not ashamed of it; that is, that having believed it himself, he was not a­shamed to proclaim it to others; and even to those at Rome, where he might expect the greatest opposition. From the time of his conversion he began to preach the gospel, and con­tinued in the work steadily to his death; and was perhaps the greatest, most faithful and successful preacher that ever was, or ever will be till Christ shall come; he himself says, "I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." Yea he says to the Romans, "From Jerusalem and round about unto Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." And speaking to the elders of the church of Ephesus he says, "The Holy Ghost witnesseth in [Page 109] every city, saying, that bonds and afflictions abide me; but none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gos­pel of the grace of God."

But I must transcribe a consider­able part of the New Testament, if I would give a full account of the la­bours of this faithful servant of Christ. Passages enough have been mentioned to show that he was so far from being ashamed to preach the gospel, that he gloried and rejoiced exceedingly in proclaiming the free grace of God to mankind, both by word and by writing. Most of the first gentile churches were planted by him, his sermons doubtless were the means of converting many thou­sands, and his writings have convey­ed the gospel which he preached down to this generation, and will to [Page 110] all succeeding ages, till time shall be no more. Thus it appears that he was not ashamed to preach the gos­pel; neither ought any of the mi­nisters of Christ to be ashamed or afraid boldly to testify (according to the measure given unto them) this good news of salvation, to mankind of every rank and class.

IV. St. Paul was not ashamed to contend for it as a good soldier of Je­sus Christ; and perhaps that was his meaning when he says, "If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not?" It is likely that he met with great oppo­sition at Ephesus, where he abode and preached three years, from men so rude and unreasonable that they might be justly compared to beasts. He desired the Thessalonians to pray that the apostles might "be deli­vered from unreasonable and wicked men; for all men have not faith." [Page 111] Those who deny the gospel, and re­fuse to believe divine revelation, pre­tend to be led by reason, but they are commonly the most unreasonable and wicked of mankind; and there is no doubt but Paul often had to contend with such. He contended and disputed with those who sought to force the Gentile converts to con­form to the customs of the Jews; he once even withstood Peter "to the face; because he was to be blamed;" and he says of those who came in pri­vily to spy out their liberty which they had in Christ Jesus, "To whom we gave place by subjection, no not for an hour, that the truth of the gos­pel might continue with you," mean­ing the Galatians.

St. Paul contended with Jews and Greeks, with the philosophers of all sects, with the Judaizing teachers, with both open and secret enemies, with "principalities," and "pow­ers," and "the rulers of the dark­ness [Page 112] of this world." But though he had so many to contend with, yet he came off a conqueror, yea and more than a conqueror, through Je­sus Christ; and no wonder, for he says, "So fight I, not as one that beateth the air; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but migh­ty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down ima­ginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

St. Paul pursued his enemies so well with these weapons, that he could say at last, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith;" and as he had done, so he exhorted Timothy, saying, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life; thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." Thus we [Page 113] see that the blessed apostle gloried in being "set for the defence of the gospel;" and we ought none of us to be ashamed "earnestly to contend for the faith which was once deliver­ed unto the saints;" but let us re­member that "if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully;" we are exhorted to "stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel;" but let us always remember to speak "the truth in love," and avoid contentions, and strifes "about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers;" yet let us never be ashamed, when called, to contend for the gospel, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.

5. St. Paul was not ashamed to suf­fer for it as a martyr; and in this re­spect he appears as one of the great­est patterns that ever was beheld among mankind; a volume might be wrote on this subject, but I shall [Page 114] only give a few extracts out of his own writings upon it, and which he was obliged to mention, in order to silence the many groundless cavils, and insinuations used against him by false teachers; or sometimes for the encouragement of those to whom he wrote. First of all I shall mention a passage in which he includes the apostles in general, but which applies in a special manner to himself; he says to the Corinthians, "For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death, for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men; we are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong, ye are honorable, but we are despised: even unto this pre­sent hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffetted, and have no certain dwelling place; and labour working with our own hands; being reviled we bless, being [Page 115] persecuted we suffer it; being de­famed we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off scouring of all things unto this day: we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed, we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not de­stroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body: in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in dis­tresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, and fastings, by pureness, by know­ledge, by long suffering, by kind­ness, by the Holy Ghost, by love un­feigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness, on the right hand, and on the left, by honour, and disho­nour, by evil report, and good re­port, [Page 116] as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastned, and not killed; as sor­rowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having no­thing, and yet possessing all things."

All this he saith of the apostles, in­cluding himself; of himself alone he saith (when compelled thereto by the Corinthians and the false teach­ers) "Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more, in la­bours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft; of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one; thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered ship­wreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of water, in perils of rob­bers, in perils by mine own country­men, in perils by the heathen, in pe­rils in the city, in perils in the wil­derness, [Page 117] in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness; besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in neces­sities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake."

We have seen already that his suf­ferings for the gospel's sake were very great. Let us now see whether he was ashamed of them, or not; and for this purpose we must exa­mine some more of his epistles, and we shall find that he gloried in them.

To the Galatians he says, "But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world; I am [Page 118] crucified with Christ; from hence­forth let no man trouble me; for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus;" which probably were the marks of the whippings he had received for Christ's sake.

To the Ephesians he calls himself "Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for the Gentiles;" thereby glorying in the very name of "prisoner" for the gospel's sake.

To the Philippians he declared that he had an earnest expectation, and a hope, that in nothing he should be ashamed, but that with all bold­ness, as always, so at that time Christ should be magnified in his body, whether by life or by death; and he says, "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; having the same conflict, which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me; and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service [Page 119] of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suf­fer need, for I have learned in what­soever state I am, therewith to be content."

To the Colossians he says, "I Paul am made a minister; who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the church." And he desires their prayers, "That God would open a door of utter­ance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds," saith he. And at the close of his epistle he saith, "Remember my bonds." Thus it is evident that he was not ashamed of them himself. To the Thessalonians he says, "But even after that we had suffered before, [Page 120] and were shamefully intreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God, to speak unto you the gos­pel of God with much contention." Thus it appears that he was not discouraged at all. In his first epistle to Timothy he declares, that they suffered for believing universal sal­vation, for he says, "This is a faith­ful saying, and worthy of all accep­tation; for therefore we both la­bour, and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the saviour of all men, specially of those that believe; these things com­mand and teach." Paul tells the Hebrews that they had compassion of him in his bonds; and he ex­pected Philemon to hearken to his entreaty the more for his "being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ;" and he begins his epistle in a differ­ent manner from any other, with these words, "Paul a prisoner of [Page 121] Jesus Christ;" and he beseeches him for one Onesimus, whom he had be­gotten in his bonds; thereby glory­ing in them as honorable. In his epistle to the Romans he says, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

But of all his epistles, the second to Timothy, wrote a little before his death (and which was perhaps the last he wrote) most deserves our consideration, under this head, for therein he declares his sufferings for the gospel, and his boldness in the same, in a very particular manner. He says to Timothy, "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but be thou partaker of the afflic­tions of the gospel, according to the power of God; for the which cause (even for the gospel's sake) I also suffer these things; nevertheless [Page 122] I am not ashamed; for I know in whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." It was no small part of Paul's sufferings that his friends forsook him; of this he seems to complain most; this he mentions to Timothy, saying, "This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia are turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermo­genes. Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world: at my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me; I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge." These were grievous suf­ferings. While he is upon this sub­ject, he mentions, with great respect and gratitude, a person of another spirit, saying, "The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesipho­rus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; but [Page 123] when he was in Rome he sought me out very diligently, and found me; the Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day; and in how many things he minis­tered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well."

This man's kindness was abun­dantly repaid by the prayer which the apostle made for him, and which without doubt was answered.

St. Paul goes on to exhort Timo­thy to "be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus;" and says, "Re­member that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead, according to my gospel; wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds, but the word of God is not bound; therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eter­nal glory; it is a faithful saying; for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer [Page 124] with him, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we believe not, he abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself: But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, pur­pose, faith, long suffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecu­tions I endured; but out of them all the Lord delivered me; yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

Thus I have considered Paul's suf­ferings for the gospel, so far as he has mentioned them, but there is one scene of which he could not write, even his death, and which I suppose happened soon after he wrote this epistle; but for this great change he was well prepared. Happy Paul! Oh, who would not rather envy his situ­ation than that of the greatest mo­narch or conqueror on earth? With what calmness did he meet his ap­proaching [Page 125] fate! Hear his dying song! Oh, could we make it our own! "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand; I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righte­ousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." Thus we see St. Paul was not ashamed to suffer for the gospel as a martyr; and why should we be ashamed to suffer some little reproaches and derisions for its sake?

Let us remember such a shining example as his, and be followers of him, as he was of Christ. And let us remember St. Peter's exhortation, who says, "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the [Page 126] flesh, hath ceased from sin; rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his glo­ry shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy; if ye be re­proached for the name of Christ, hap­py are ye; for the spirit of glory, and of God resteth upon you; if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf: Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful creator."

Having thus far considered my sub­ject, I come, lastly, to give the rea­sons why none should be ashamed of it.

First. The gospel is GOOD NEWS, as has been shewn at large; and men are not commonly ashamed to proclaim good news; Solomon says, "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far coun­try;" [Page 127] a man that hath cold water, is not ashamed to carry it to one that thirsts, for he expects that it will be gratefully received; so a man the most timorous, that hath good and acceptable news, is not ashamed to proclaim it before the greatest multi­tude. Those who are known com­monly to bring good news, are ge­nerally well accepted in company; David said of Ahimaaz, "He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings;" they who have common good news are bold; and why should any be ashamed of the gospel, since it is the best news that ever was, or ever can be proclaimed to men? It is good news from heaven, and con­tains more glad tidings than can be found besides, in all the words or writings that ever were, or ever shall be spoke or written, from the fall of man to the end of time; and there­fore none need be ashamed of it, in any sense that has been, or that might have been mentioned.

[Page 128] Second. Another reason is, that it is the GOSPEL OF CHRIST, and therefore we should not be ashamed of it; it proclaims him in all his offices, and in all his media­torial fulness, as the complete sa­viour of all; and we ought never to be ashamed of any thing that tends to represent Christ and his salvation in an agreeable and beautiful light to mankind, which the gospel certainly does.

Christ was not ashamed to be born for us in a stable, and to be laid in a manger, to be a poor destitute child, and a despised man, to be without a place "where to lay his head," to be tempted, ridiculed, reproached, be­lied, blasphemed, mocked, whip­ped, spit upon, crowned with thorns, buffetted, blindfolded, accused of blasphemy and treason, treated as a fool, as the greatest sinner (a rob­ber and murderer being preferred or chosen before him) and to crown [Page 129] the whole, made to bear his cross, stripped intirely naked, and nailed thereto, then raised up between the heavens and earth, as unworthy of either, between two thieves, as being the greatest criminal, though per­fectly innocent; there naked was he exposed upon the cross, before the great multitude gathered to the feast; his dying agonies were made the sub­ject of laughter, and the bitterest ri­dicule, his thirst was mocked with gall and vinegar, his person, mi­racles, and prophesies, were scorned, contemned, and treated with scoffs, sneers, disdain, the vilest blasphe­mies, most insolent jests, and the most cruel ironical sarcasms. All this and much more he was not ashamed to bear for us poor sinners. He "for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame; being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and be­came obedient unto death, even the [Page 130] death of the cross;" the most bit­ter, ignominious, and accursed of all deaths; and shall we be ashamed of him, his truths, ways, works, words, ordinances; and his religion, which is called "The Gospel?" Shall we be ashamed to believe, confess and profess, defend, proclaim, and suffer for the same! Oh, let it never be so amongst us! The gospel may be called Christ's, as it is of him, pro­claims him, and is proclaimed by his authority; and we ought never to be ashamed of any thing belonging to our dear Saviour, since he was not ashamed to die for us.

Third. Another reason why we should not be ashamed of the gospel is, that it is true and faithful; it is not only good news, respecting Christ and his salvation, but it is true; other good news may prove false, and he that proclaims it, and they who believe it, may be ashamed; but "the scripture saith; Whosoever [Page 131] believeth on him (meaning Christ) shall not be ashamed;" this truth is often repeated in scripture; and we are farther told there, that "God willing more abundantly to shew un­to the heirs of promise, the immu­tability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lye, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and sted­fast, and which entereth into that within the vail." So that it is evi­dent that we have a good foundation (for that "hope that maketh not ashamed") even the word and oath of the great JEHOVAH; and let us remember that "the strength of Is­rael will not lye, nor repent; for God is not a man that he should lye, nor the son of a man that he should re­pent; hath he said, and shall he not [Page 132] do it? o hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? yea let God be true, but every man a lyar. He that believeth not God, hath made him a lyar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his son, and this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his son; he that hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal that God is true." St. Paul says, "As God is true, our word to ward you was not yea and nay; for all the promises of God in him Christ are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. God is faith­ful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Lord."

I trust that sufficient passages of scripture have been mentioned under each head in these discourses, to show that they are founded upon the un­erring rule, the word of truth; and therefore we need not be ashamed of [Page 133] the gospel of Christ set forth there­in, since it is true. Truth never need to hide its head, for great it is, and shall finally prevail; let us abide thereby, and it will abide by us.

Fourth. Another reason why we should not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ is, that it is of infinite im­portance; it is not only good, and true, but contains matters of the greatest moment and concern; in com­parison of which all the good news that ever was or ever will be pro­claimed, is light and trifling. What is it to hear of the birth of princes, compared to the glad tidings of the birth of the son of God, the prince of peace, the saviour of the world, the king of glory? What is it to hear or read of the brave, generous, heroic actions of the greatest of men in any station, compared with the life and wondrous works of the son of God while on earth? What is it to hear of the greatest warlike [Page 134] atchievements, battles fought, victories won, triumphs obtained, nations de­stroyed, countries subdued, the found­ing and subverting of empires, the rise and fall of mighty states, king­doms, and monarchies, compared to the wonders of Christ's death, resur­rection, ascension, and glorification? He fought the most dreadful of all battles, performed the most glorious atchievements, obtained the greatest victory and triumph, overturned the mighty empire of Satan, which he will at last intirely destroy, and hath set up his own, which will finally prevail over all; and he shall not only destroy his foes, but bring all that have rebelled against him, into a willing subjection to him again. What is it to hear of and possess tem­poral happiness, peace, health, hap­piness, plenty, liberty, independence, free trade, increase of corn, wine, oyl, silver, gold, precious stones, and riches in general, increase of learn­ing, [Page 135] arts, sciences, manufactures, &c. compared to the glorious news which the gospel proclaims, and the rich treasures and blessings which it brings to mankind. The things of earth are fading and transient; riches, ho­nours, pleasures, friends, and all earthly enjoyments, may soon leave us, or we them; not so the things of God and Heaven, which are pro­claimed and brought nigh by the gos­pel of Christ; they are permanent and unfading, and when we come once fully to possess them, they never can be taken from us, nor we from them. The greatest and most perfect enjoyment of earthly things cannot satisfy the soul; but Christ and his salvation can give solid and never ending contentment. "The things that are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eter­nal." As much as the soul exceeds the body, and eternal ages exceed transient moments, and the riches of [Page 136] heaven those of earth, of so much more importance is the gospel than all the good news besides, that ever was or that ever will be proclaimed to mankind; which is a sufficient reason why we ought not to be ashamed of it.

Fifth. Another reason why none ought to be ashamed of the gospel is, that it is not only of great impor­tance in itself, but concerns all man­kind. This can only be said of the universal everlasting gospel, for upon the supposition that Christ died only for a few, the gospel cannot be said to be good news to all; but as it has been proved (if any thing can be proved) from scripture, that Christ died for all without exception, and that all shall be at last restored to God through Jesus Christ, and be­ing cleansed in his blood, shall be purged from all sin; it follows that the gospel concerns all the children of [Page 137] men; which is a good reason why none should ever be ashamed of it.

Sixth. Another reason (and indeed the very reason that the apostle gives) why none should be ashamed of the gospel is, that "it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

Wherever the gospel is received by faith into the heart, it works such a divine effect as shows it to be the power of God; the soul by its in­fluence is brought to renounce sin, the works of the flesh, the world, the service of Satan, self righteous­ness, self love, and all things for Christ's sake; and thus by being conformed to his image, enters into the state of salvation. The change which the gospel makes in the hearts of those who believe, is great and glorious beyond description; it causes them to hate sin, love holiness, love the character of God, his laws, &c. [Page 138] It brings them to submit to Christ, as their lord and king, their prophet, and priest. It turns "them from darkness to light, and from the pow­er of Satan unto God;" it heals them of their diseases, and supplies their wants in the manner that has been represented; and thus produces such a change for the better in them, that we have no reason to be ashamed of it. It has pleased God oftentimes to attend his word preached with ex­ceeding great power, whereby mul­titudes have been suddenly turned to God; such was the case when Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, three thousand were then added to the Lord, and to the church. The apostles had oftentimes great success, "God bearing them witness with signs, and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost; according to his own will;" and thus causing them to triumph over all opposition; for which cause they [Page 139] were "not ashamed of the gospel of Christ," for they knew that the pow­er of God would attend the preach­ing of the same, and that it would work effectually in those who believ­ed, even unto the salvation of their souls, whether they were Jews (to whom the gospel was first ordered to be preached) or Gentiles; for "God is no respector of persons." The gospel shall finally bring all men to believe, and be the power of God to salvation to them all; for God "worketh all things after the coun­sel of his own will;" and he "will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth; for there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus: who gave him­self a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." Wherefore since it is so, we shall never have any rea­son to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

[Page 140] Seventh. The last reason that I shall mention is, that the gospel is published by the highest authority; and therefore we need not be ashamed of it. When we see any political news published by the authority of our rulers, we are not ashamed to believe and report it; and we certainly ought to glory in the gospel, seeing it is proclaimed by the authority of him who said, "All power is given un­to me, in heaven and in earth; go ye therefore and teach all nations; go yè into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. The LORD gave the word; great was the company of those that published it;" and it is worthy to be pro­claimed from pole to pole; through every land and in every language; which God grant may speedily be the case.

Many other reasons might be given, and much more might be added upon this excel­lent subject, but what has been said is suffici­ent to show that we have no cause to be ashamed of the GOSPEL OF CHRIST.