good will and kindness of him who made the offer:Therefore, that there can be ro goodness manifested or exercised, in making an offer of the greatest good, to him who does not receive it; and there is really nothing offered. But all this is implied in saying, that falvation by Chrift cannot be offered to those who by rejecting him, shall not be saved, but perish forever. It is known to God, that some to whom the gospel is preached, and falvation by Chrift offered, will reject it, and who they are who will do fo, and confequently fail of falvation. But if their refusing the offer, be consistent with their having it really made to them; then the knowledge that they will refuse to accept it, cannot render the offer lefs real and fincere, But that the bleffings of the covenant of grace are, offered to all, without exception; and all to whom the gospel comes, are invited and commanded to repent and believe, is as evident and certain a truth, as any contained in the Bible. When Chrift fent his difciples to preach, he directed them to fay to all, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." "And they went out and preached, that men fhould repent. ""* And they offered peace and falvation to every person in the houses, into which they entered.+ And Christ himself " preached the gospel of the kingdom of God, saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent ye, and believe the gospel. And "Now God commandeth all men, every where to repent."§ That is, to comply with the condition of the covenant of grace, and be faved: For, as has been fhown, repentance is put for the whole of converfion, and implies faith, and is connected with pardon and falvation. Chrift fays, " He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him."I None can reject him, to whom he is not offered. There fore Mark vi. 12. + Luke x. 5. Acts xvii. 30. John xii. 48. fore he, with all his benefits, is offered to all who hear the gofpel. The Apoftle Paul, offered falvation to all who were present and heard him preach in a fynagogue of the Jews, " Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whofoever among you feareth God, (that is, all who are not of the stock of Abraham, but profelytes from other nations) to you is the word of this falvation fent."* And when the Jews contradicted him, and blafphemed, He and Barnabas faid to them, "It was neceffary that the word of God fhould firft have been fpoken to you: But feeing ye put it from you, and judge yourfelves unworthy of everlafting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." But to quote any more of this kind, is needless: And not so much would have been offered on this head, were it not that there are some who think that falvation by Chrift cannot be offered to any but to those who are elected, and fhall believe, and be faved. And as no man can know who they are, so as certainly to diftinguish them from others, falvation cannot be offered to any, on any condition or terms whatever. How contrary this notion is both to the fcripture, and to reason, and how inconfiftent with preaching the gospel to any, will appear from the observations which have been now made. IMPROVE MEN T. HOW great is the privilege, which all enjoy, who live under the gospel! Salvation is fent unto them, and laid at their feet, and Chrift is waiting for their acceptance, flanding at the door, and knocking for admittance.How amazing, how inconceivably great is their folly, madness and guilt, who reject this moft benevolent counfel of God against themselves, and perifh by flighting this offer, and defpifing the Redeemer! Acts xiii. 26, † verfe 46. How How fafe and happy are they who lay hold of this covenant of grace! By infinite wisdom it is formed and fuited to the ftate and circumftances of man, and contains every thing he can want to eternity. They may efpouse the language of St. Paul, "God hath faved 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 Chrift Jefus, before the world began."* "Who fhall separate us from the love of Chrift? Neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, fhall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord."+ The Manner of the Difpenfation of the Covenant of Grace, and the Preaching of the Gospel. IN the conclufion of the preceding fection, it has been obferved and fhown, that the covenant of grace, is to be exhibited and proposed to all men; and that the bleffings contained in it, to those who comply with it, are to be freely offered to all to whom the gospel is preached; which Jefus Chrift has commanded to be preached to all nations, to every creature, that is, to all mankind. It is now more particularly to be confidered, how this is to be done, and what is implied in preaching the gospel. This fubject may be ftated and illuftrated under the following particulars. * I. PREACHING the gofpel, implies a declaration of the whole system of truth and duty, contained in divine revelation; as all these are implied in the gospel, and have relation to the covenant of grace. Though fome truths are more effential and important than others, and the gospel may be faid to be preached, while fome are overlooked; yet it cannot be fully preached, unless the whole are brought into view; and must be in a degree defective, by opposing and rejecting any revealed truth. Therefore, to preach the gospel, is to declare all the counfel of God, as the Apostle Paul did. Every doctrine revealed in the Bible, and every duty prescribed, has a connection with the whole; and all make but one confift ent fyftem. The whole may be summed up and epitomized, in a more general and comprehenfive way, by expressly mentioning only the leading and moft effential truths contained in the gospel, while others, though not mentioned, are implied; and every particular truth, and branch of duty, may be more particularly brought into view, and explained, as there is occafion, and opportunity offers; in which the longest life may be spent in teaching, and making advances in learning, and the knowledge of the truth. Some of the most effential truths implied in the covenant of grace, or the gospel, have been brought into view in the foregoing part of this work, and others are yet to be confidered, in their order and connection, together with the duties which are included and enjoined. It appears from what has been faid in the preceding chapters, especially in that on the nature of faving faith, that there is fuch order and connection in revealed truth, and fuch dependence of one on another, that fome things must first be taught, understood and believed, before others can be brought * Aas xx. 27. brought into view, so as to appear in their true light.This may be illuftrated by the following inftances, fome of which have been already mentioned. The being of God, his attributes and perfections, in which the divine character consists, must first be underftood and believed; as this is the foundation of all religious truth, fo that every other revealed doctrine depends wholly upon it. Confequently, a grofs mistake respecting the character of the Deity, will lead to error through the whole fyftem of theology, and pervert the gofpel. This knowledge of God is neceffary, in order to know what is the nature of his moral government, and the reason and extent of his law, and the obligation under which men are to obey it. And a right conception of the moral government and law of God, is neceffary, in order to know what is the moral character and state of man, viz. wholly depraved and finful, under the curfe and displeasure of God, infinitely guilty and wretched, according to the sentence of a moft righteous and good law. All this must be exhibited, understood and believed, before redemption by Chrift can be understood, or come into view. Those truths are therefore implied in the gospel, and the covenant of grace; and the gospel cannot be preached without exhibiting them in a true and proper light. In the light of these truths, the way is prepared to discover, and set before men, the design and work of redemption; the perfon, character, defign and work of the Redeemer, and the grace and falvation opened in the gofpel; and to fhow what is neceffary, in order to be faved by Chrift, and in what this falvation confifts; and what are the duties, and promifes, and threatnings, which are revealed in the Bible. II. THE publishing of the covenant of grace, and preaching the gofpel, does not difannul the law of God, or discharge men from duty and obedience; but re |