Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

1. As a Prophet he delivers to the people his Fathers will, both in his own Person, and by his Servants the Ministers. In his own Person when he was upon earth as a Minister of the Circumcision; ¹and by his Servants the Ministers from the beginning of their mission till the end of the World; Thus the Gospel is called, A great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. Christ in his own personal preaching is said but to have begun to teach, Acts 1.1. and the consummate publication was the sending of the holy Ghost to these Select Vessels, who were to carry abroad this Treasure unto all the world; it was begun by the Lord, and it was confirmed by them that were the Disciples of the Lord. In this respect we cannot look on the publishing of the Gospel to the world, but as very glorious; was there not a resemblance of state and glory in the preaching of Christ? You have heard how a forerunner was sent to prepare his way, as an Herald to proclaim his approach, and then was revealed the glory of the Lord; but because the publication was not consummate ⟨p. 178⟩till afterwards,² Christ carries it on in greater state afterwards than he did before; When he ascended up on high, he then led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, as Princes in time of their solemn inauguration do some special Acts of magnificence and Honour; they proclaim Pardons, open Prisons, Create Nobles, fill Conduits with wine; so Christ to testify the glory of his Gospel, at the day of his instalment, and solemn readmission into his Fathers glory, he proclaims the Gospel, gives gifts unto men for the perfecting of the Saints, ³for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ.

1. As a Prophet he delivers to the people his Fathers will, both in his own Person, and by his Servants the Ministers. In his own Person when he was upon earth as a Minister of the Circumcision; ¹