The term evangel, or gospel, importing good tidings, evinces, that it is designed not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance and salvation.
The blessings, which it announces, lead to the same conclusion; liberty is offered to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; those who labour and are heavily laden, are invited to seek, and obtain rest: those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, are assured that they shall be filled; the riches of grace and of glory are promised to the poor in Spirit; sight is offered to the blind; and howsoever diseased, those who are afflicted are invited to come to the great Physician; and even those who are dead in sin are revived by his life-giving word. Such are the circumstances of the worst of men, who are consequently the objects of the mercies proffered in the gospel.
The unregenerate elect, who stand amongst those who will not be saved, are like them, possessed of prevailing inclinations to sin, and equally impotent to good: they are all equally guilty of an aversation of heart from God, and so possess in themselves nothing which can evidence a right to gospel blessings more than others.
The invitations of the gospel are in universal terms, and although such terms are sometimes restricted by the sense, yet where no such restriction appears, they are to be taken in their own unlimited extent; the ransom is asserted to have been rendered for all; the Lord willeth not the destruction of any, but that all should turn and live; Christ proclaimed to sinners, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink; and directed his disciples to go and teach all nations; and it is his will, that the gospel should be preached unto every creature.
If in the day of final account, the abominable crimes of Sodom and Gomorrha shall evince less guilt than the impenitency of Chorazin and Bethsaida; the aggravation of guilt, which the gospel produces, demonstrates that its messages are directed unto the worst of men, as well as others.
Those who are guided by the light of nature, are guilty, because they violate the rule of conscience: such as possessed the law of God were still more guilty, but sinners under the light of the gospel, who trample under foot the blood of Christ, and despise and reject the mercies of the gospel, are guilty in the highest degree. It is just that they should not receive the offered pardon, but remain under the condemnation of the law, the dominion of iniquity, the slavery of Satan, and be left in their beloved darkness until they sink in despair. Yet nothing but their own aversion rejects the invitation, or prevents their salvation: they are straitened in their own bowels, and are the causes of their own destruction. Thus salvation is offered in general, and God is just, though the application of it is plainly special.
[6]. Vide Fuller’s “Gospel worthy of all Acceptation.”
[7]. See Vol. II. page 333.
[8]. This is what is generally called the formalis ratio of liberty.
[9]. We generally say, that whatever is essential to a thing, belongs to it as such. And there is a known rule in logic, A quatenus ad omne valet consequentia; and the then absurd consequences, above mentioned, would necessarily follow from it.