VER. 2-4.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 297
mystery,” 1 Cor. i. 7; Eph. i. 9; Col. i. 25, 26; that is, not only a thing secret and marvellous, but such as hath no dependence on any causes that come naturally within our cognizance. Now, whatever men can find out by the principles of reason, and the contemplation of the works of God in creation and providence, it is by natural scientifical conclusions; and what is so discovered can be no heavenly, spiritual, glorious mystery, such as this salvation is. Whatever men may so find out,—if they may find out any thing looking this way,— it is but natwral science; it is not a mystery, and go is of no use in this matter, whatever it be. Moreover, it is not only said to be a mystery, but a hidden mystery, and that “hid in God” himself, as Hph. ui. 9, 10; Col. i. 25,26; 1 Cor. ii. 7, 8; that is, in the wisdom, purpose, and will of God. Now, it is very strange that men should be able, by the natural means forementioned, to discover a heavenly, supernatural wisdom, and that hidden on purpose from their find- ing by any such inquiry, and that in God himself; so coming unto the knowledge of it as it were whether he would or no. But we may pass over these imaginations, and accept of the gospel as the only way and means of declaring the salvation of God. And therefore every word and promise in the whole book of God, that intimateth or revealeth any thing belonging unto this salvation, is itself a part of the gospel, and so to be esteemed. And as this is the work of the gos- pel, so is it in an especial manner its proper and peculiar work with respect unto the law. The law speaks nothing of the salvation of sinners, and is therefore called the ministry of death and condem- nation, as the gospel is of life and salvation, 2 Cor, i. 9,10. And thus the gospel is salvation declaratively.
Secondly, It is salvation efficiently, in that it is the great instru- ment which God is pleased to use in and for the collation and bestow~ ing salvation upon his elect. Hence the apostle calls it “the power of God unto salvation,” Rom. i. 16; because God in and by it exerts his mighty power in the saving of them that believe; as it is again called, 1 Cor. i. 18. Hence there is a saving power ascribed unto the word itself, And therefore Paul commits believers unto “the word of grace,” as that which “is able to build them up, and give them an inheritance among all them which are sanctified,” Acts xx. 32. And James calls it “the ingrafted word, which is able to save our souls,” chap. i. 21; the mighty power of Christ being put forth in it, and accompanying it, for that purpose. But this will the better appear if we consider the several principal parts of this sal- vation, and the efficiency of the word as the instrument of God in the communication of it unto us; as,—
1. In the regeneration and sanctification of the elect, the first external act of this salvation. This is wrought by the word, 1 Pet. i, 23: “ Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorrup-
298 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. II.
tible, by the word of God;” wherein not only the thing itself, or our regeneration by the word, but the manner of it also, is declared, It is by the collation of a new spiritual life upon us, whereof the word isthe seed, As every life proceeds from some seed, that hath in it- self virtually the whole life, to be educed from it by natural ways and means, so the word in the hearts of men is turned into a vital principle, that, cherished by suitable means, puts forth vital acts and operations. By this means we are “born of God” and “quickened,” who “ by nature are children of wrath, dead in trespasses and sins.” So Paul tells the Corinthians that he had “ begotten them in Christ Jesus through the gospel,” 1 Cor.iv.15. I confess it doth not do this work by any power resident in itself, and always necessarily accom- panying its administration; for then all would be so regenerated unto whom it is preached, and there would be no neglecters of it. But it is the instrument of God for this end; and mighty and powerful through God it is for the accomplishment of it. And this gives us our first real interest in the salvation which it doth declare. Of the same use and efficacy is it in the progress of this work, in our sancti- fication, by which we are carried on towards the full enjoyment of this salvation. So our Saviour prays for his disciples, John xvii. 17, “ Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth,”—as the means and instrument of their sanctification; and he tells his apostles that they were “ clean through the word that he had spoken unto them,” chap. xv. 3. For it is the food and nourishment whereby the prin- ciple of spiritual life which we receive in our regeneration is cherished and increased, 1 Pet. ii. 2; and so able to “ build us up,” until it “give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified.”