from which may the Grace of God recover and preferve them! In the mean time, I hope those who heartily unite in their Sentiments of these great Doctrines which I have mentioned, and maintain a correfpondent Practice of ftrict Holinefs and Dependance upon Jefus Christ our great High-Prieft, and our Sacrifice, will be taught by fome of these Papers, to learn the Duties of Chriftian Love more perfectly, agreeable to the original Defign of the holy Founder of our Religion. It fhould be obferved here, that though the chief part of these Essays were written at the time which is mention'd, yet there happen to be now and then a few Lines or Pages, and fome few Citations from elder or later Authors, which were not all written or inferted at that time. Let it be observed also, that all the Characters here mentioned are general and indefinite; and there is not one Character or Name, that is now written 2 written in these Papers, or ever was, that was defign'd to be apply'd to any particular Perfon: For the Author avoided it with Care in all these Writings, and in all his Reviews of them, that no fingle Perfon whatsoever fhould be fo particularly defcribed, as to imagine himself to be intended, and much less to be diftinguished by any Reader. May the divine Blef fing attend every humble Attempt to eftablish the Chriftian Faith, and to confirm and enlarge our Love. Amen. THE I Sect. 2. The Subftance of the Gospel argued and proved. The Form of the Gospel. Sect. 1. Is the Gofpel a Conditional Promife? Sect. 1. The Characters of Chrift as our Deliverer from the Sinfulness of our Natures. Sect. 2. The Characters of Chrift as our Deliverer from the Guilt and Punishment of Sin. Sect. 3. The Reasons why Chrift and his Salva- tion may be reprefented to us under thefe various Sect. 2. An occafional Vindication of the Apostles from the Charge of Uncharitableness. ESSAY I. The SUBSTANCE or MATTER of the GOSPEL. T SECT. I. HE Word, Gofpel, is ufed in more nifies the History of the Life and Doctrine, the Death and Refurrection of Christ. So Mark i. 1. The Beginning of the Gospel of Jefus Chrift the Son of God. And fo'tis used in common Speech, when we call the Writings of the four Evangelifts the four Gofpels. But in the most proper and ufual Sense of it in Scripture, it fignifies a Discovery of Divine Mercy, through a Mediator, to Mankind fallen into Sin and Mifery; therefore in Greek it is called EvalYEXIOV, or Glad Tidings. The English Name indeed, as derived from its Saxon Original, fignifies only the Word of God: Yet it is now peculiarly applied to the Word of his Grace, which reveals Salvation to finful and miferable Man, and therefore it is often called the Covenant of Grace. This Salvation is made up of many Benefits or Bleffings, Part of which are bestow B ed |