vation of sinners. It was wholly itual blessings in heavenly places from his infinite benevolence, that in Christ, according as he hath he formed the purpose of their chosen us in him before the foundsalvation. But when did he form ation of the world." And again this purpose? This question has in the same epistle, " Unto me is been variously answered by such this grace given, that I should persons, as have attempted to ex- preach among the gentiles the unplain the gospel. Many have sup- searchable riches of Christ; and posed, that the plan of salvation was to make all men see what is the not an original design of God, but fellowship of the mystery, which was adopted upon the apostacy of from the beginning of the world mankind. They imagine, that hath been hid in God, who created God intended, when he formed our all things by Jesus Christ; to the first parents, that they and their intent that now unto principalities posterity should always be perfect- and powers in heavenly places ly holy and happy. And they might be known by the church suppose, that after God saw sin the manifold wisdom of God, achad entered the world, he formed cording to the eternal purpose, the scheme of salvation, that he which he purposed in Christ Jesmight overrule the existence of us our Lord." Here the scheme evil to his own glory and the good of redemption is declared to be of his intelligent creatures. But the eternal purpose of God and this supposition is highly deroga- his ultimate design in the work of tory to the infinite wisdom of the creation. It appears, therefore, creator and governor of the uni- from the divine character and deFor it implies a great de- clarations, that the gospel, in its fect, either in his natural or mor- origin, is from eternity. The al attributes, to form a scheme, plan was formed and fixed eternal which needed such an important ages before the work of creation and essential alteration and amend- was begun. It is the first and sument. It is, therefore, more ra- preme design of God, which intional to suppose that the scheme cludes all his other designs and of redemption was his original and all the means of their accomplisheternal purpose. And if we ex- ment. The scheme of redemption amine the scriptures we shall find is so far from being only an apthe most explicit and positive de- pendage to the scheme of creation, clarations, that God formed the that the design of creation is wholplan of the gospel before the ex- ly subservient to the supreme and istence of any other being. To ultimate design of redemption. the saints at Ephesus the apostle writes--" Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spir verse. 2. The gospel is everlasting in its nature. The scheme of salvation through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ was not only formed in eternity, but it was formed upon immutable principles and upon an eternal foundation. It resulted from the united perfections of the Deity. His whole mind was employed in forming this great design. He clearly perceived whatever was possible, and in view of what infinite wisdom, infinite goodness and almighty power could do, he saw the plan of the gospel to be the best scheme, that he could devise and effect. When God formed this plan he had a perfect knowledge of all things, that ever can be known by his rational creatures, or even by himself. It is not, therefore, possible that any imperfection should ever be discovered, or any amendment ever be devised, in respect to the purpose of redemption. For this reason the gospel must be immutable and everlasting in its nature. If the design of God in the gospel were defective or imperfect, it might be revised and amended and consequently might not be eternal. But since it was formed in the council of infinite knowledge, wisdom and goodness, it is the best of all schemes, that were possible and is established upon an immutable foundation. It cannot be amended in a single iota by the united wisdom of all rational creatures, that ever can exist; nor by the manifold wisdom of the only wise God. This perfect and glorious scheme can never be, in the least degree, varied through the ages of eternity. God, therefore, will forever work all things after the counsel of his own will according to the everlasting gospel of his grace. Hence the psalmist says, "The counsel of the Lord standeth forever;-the thoughts of his heart to all generations." And God says by Isaiah, "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." As the gospel is founded upon the immutable perfections of God, it is, in its nature, as eternal as his existence, and as immutable as his perfections. It is, therefore, everlasting in its nature as well as in its origin. 3. The gospel is everlasting in its effects. It forever interested and gratified the affections of Jehovah. It was the great subject of his contemplation and felicity. He clearly perceived its great and happy effects, which, in prospect, afforded him perfect and infinite satisfaction. But it could not have any influence except upon his own mind, until he began to create other beings. The work of creation was the first effect of the purpose of redemption through Jesus Christ. As it is written, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him: and he is before all things and by him all things consist." From these words it is evident, that all things were created in reference to the purpose of redemption, which the Lord Jesus Christ engaged to perform. As this purpose began to operate in the creation of all things, so it has continued to operate in their preservation and government. It has operated upon the material system and also upon the lower species of living creatures. The whole creation groaneth under the evils and pains, which are connected with the purpose of God in the salvation of sinners. These effects are temporary.The world will be burnt and the brutes will cease to exist. The scheme of the gospel has also operated upon rational creatures, and its effects upon such creatures will be eternal. It involved the rebellion of the apostate angels in heaven and established the elect angels in everlasting holiness and happiness.-The scheme of the gospel has occasioned the universal rebellion of mankind. For the purpose of God in the redemption of sinners could not have been effected, unless Adam had fallen from his original rectitude and his posterity had become sinners. The state of the world from the fall of Adam unto this day has been affected by the influence of the gospel upon the character and condition of human beings. The gospel brought the Lord Jesus Christ into the world, nailed him to the cross, raised him from the grave to heaven and placed him as head over all things unto the church. The gospel opened the way for the effusions of the Holy Spirit. And ac cording to the gospel God forms vessels of mercy and vessels of wrath and fits every human being for his future and eternal condition. Nor will there ever be in the universe a rational creature, whose character will not be formed by the influence of the gospel. And the characters of rational creatures, as they will be formed through the influence of the gospel, will continue forever; and their condition will agree with their character and be equally permanent. They, who are in their moral character formed into the image of God, will enjoy his favor forever; but they who are not formed into his moral image, will fall under his everlasting displeasure. It is one of the plainest doctrines of the gospel, that the happiness of the righteous will continue forever and that the misery of the wicked will never end. In his description of the final judgment the supreme Judge has said, "Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal." According to the Savior's representation of the final judgment, the gospel operated from the foundation of the world and by its influence formed the tinue through the endless ages of eternity. As long as God shall preserve and govern the moral world he will work all things according to his eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus. The scheme of the gospel always has been and always will be the measure of the divine conduct. Though this scheme will be brought to a consummation at the judgment of the great day; yet it will not then be so finished, that there will be no occasion for God to govern his intelligent creatures, wherever they may be placed; whether in a state of perfect blessedness or of endless perdition. And his government of his rational creatures in eternity will continue and extend the influence and effects of his great purpose of redemption, The gospel, therefore, will be literally and absolutely everlasting in its effects; which will be seen and felt, with increasing attention and sensibility, by every rational being forever and ever. The origin, the nature and the effects of the great purpose of redemption, through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, illustrate and establish the sentiment, that the gospel is, with the highest propriety, called the everlasting gospel. This sentiment, which has been illustrated all things, his own supreme object. God could not devise, establish and accomplish the purpose of redemption through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, without a supreme object, which should be worthy of himself. But could God, in the past ages of eternity, have found any object, that should be worthy of his supreme affection, except himself; when there was no other being in existence? Or, in the future ages of eternity, can God find any being, except himself, that shall be worthy of his supreme affection; when there can be no other being, to whom he shall not give existence? And when all other beings, that ever shall exist, are before the mind of God, can they, in his view, be more worthy of his supreme affection than himself? Though God should create worlds upon worlds without cessation and without limitation forever; yet he could not cause such a system of created existence, as should possess more knowledge, wisdom, power, goodness and happiness than do forever exist in himself. Whatever might be the multitude and magnitude of the creatures, that God could create, yet these created beings cannot be more worthy of their own supreme affection, or of his su preme affection than their crea- redemption, which he purposed tor. The creator must, in the in Christ Jesus, and which he pernature of things, possess knowl- forms through the blood of the edge and wisdom, power and good- everlasting covenant, by the powness, beauty and happiness incom- er and grace of the Holy Spirit. parably superior to what he can 2. If the gospel be the eternal communicate to created beings, system of divine conduct, thenwhatever might be their multitude God has, according to the gospel, or their magnitude. No created decreed all things. The scheme being can be eternal, or self-ex- of the gospel includes the exististent, or omnipotent. No created ence, the powers, the actions and being can be holy as God is holy, state of the holy and unholy anor just as God is just, or good as gels. It includes the existence, God is good, or gracious as God is the properties, and operations of gracious, or true as God is true. the material system. It includes Though created beings may be the existence, the character, the like God in the nature of his ra- conduct and state of the common tional powers and in the nature of parents of the human family, and his moral perfections; yet they of their innumerable descendants. cannot be like him in the duration The scheme of the gospel inand extent of his natural and moral cludes the mediation, the incarnaperfections. God must forever be tion, the crucifixion and exaltation the only supreme, eternal, inde- of the Lord Jesus Christ; his appendent and self-existent being; pearance at the final judgment, and the only being, who can ever his resignation of his mediatorial possess infinite perfection. He authority, the approbation and must, therefore, be unto himself complacency of his Father and and to all other beings the only his God and his everlasting comworthy object of supreme atten- munion and blessedness with his tion, affection and enjoyment.-- redeemed people in Heaven. It And before God, created beings also includes the office and agenmust forever be as nothing. Ac- cy of the Holy Spirit in the incording to the plainest and strong- struction and sanctification of the est dictates of reason, God must spiritual body of the Lord Jesus be, because he ought to be, the Christ. And it includes the great only worthy object of his supreme and happy effects, which the Hoaffection in all his designs, and in ly Spirit produces, through his all his conduct. If the gospel be special influence, by all the means a rational system, it must agree that have been used since the with the perfections of Jehovah. world began, or shall be used unAnd if it agrees with his perfec- til the world shall end, in order to tions, he must be his own supreme accomplish the purpose of reobject in the eternal purpose of demption. The everlasting gos |