Christ crucified, or, The marrow of the gospel, evidently holden forth in LXXII sermons,…

But it may be asked, Why will God have Christ in the Offer of the Gospel brought so near the Hearers of it? Answ. 1. Because it serves to commend the Grace and Love of God in Christ Jesus, when the Invitation is so broad, that i• is to all; it speaks out the royalty of the Feast, upon which ground 2 Cor. 6.1. it's called Grace, the Offer is so large and wide. 2. Because it serves for warranting and confirming the Elect in the receiving of this Offer, for none of the Elect could receive Him if He were not even laid to their Door; It's this which gives us warrant to receive that which God offers; it's not because we are elected or beloved of God before time, or because He purposed to do us Good, that we believe, these are not grounds of Faith, being God's secret Will; but we believe, because God calleth and maketh the Offer, inviteth and promiseth, knowing that He is faithful, and we may trust Him; Hence David says, I will never forget thy Word, and, in God will I praise his Word; for the Word in its Offer speaks alike to all, and to none particularly: Indeed when it comes to the Application of Promises for Consolation, that is to be made according to the qualifications in the Persons, but the Offer is to all. 3. Because by this means the Lord hath the fairer access to found His Quarrel and Controversy against Unbelievers, and to make their ⟨p. 12⟩Ditty and Doom the clearer in the day of the Lord, when its found that they never received the Offer, My people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me, therefore I gave them up to their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own counsels; and this is an approbation given to Justice here, it's well-waired seeing they would not receive Thee, that they get worse in Thy room.

But it may be asked, Why will God have Christ in the Offer of the Gospel brought so near the Hearers of it? Answ. 1. Because it serves to commend the Grace and Love of God in Christ Jesus, when the Invitation is so broad, that i• is to all; it speaks out the royalty of the Feast, upon which ground 2 Cor. 6.1. it's called Grace, the Offer is so large and wide. 2. Because it serves for warranding and confirming the Elect in the receiving of this Offer, for none of the Elect could receive Him if He were not even laid to their Door; It's this which gives us warrand to receive that which God offers; it's not because we are elected or beloved of God before time, or because He purposed to do us Good, that we believe, these are not grounds of Faith, being God's secret Will; but we believe, because God calleth and maketh the Offer, inviteth and promiseth, knowing that He is faithful, and we may trust Him; Hence David says, I will never forget thy Word, and, in God will I praise his Word; for the Word in its Offer speaks alike to all, and to none particularly: Indeed when it comes to the Application of Promises for Consolation, that is to be made according to the qualifications in the Persons, but the Offer is to all. 3. Because by this means the Lord hath the fairer access to found His Quarrel and Contraversie against Unbelievers, and to make their