Sunday, November 24, 2013

GLAD TIDINGS!


What is the meaning of gospel?  Glad tidings.  What are these tidings?  Pardon, Justification, Sanctification, Redemption, and Glory.  For what are these blessings? For all who believe Acts 16: 31;  Who are they that 'will believe . As many as are ordained to eternal life, Acts 13: 48. Why are these tidings denominated glad tidings? Because they are bestowed upon, secured for, and wrought in all the objects of electing love by Jehovah, in his Trinity of Persons; independent of creature merit in creature wisdom creature seeking creature asking or creature diligence.
So that God the Father in sovereignty declares, I will put my fear in their hearts, and they shall not depart from me. I will set up one shepherd over them, into whose hands I will give my people, and he shall feed them with my pardoning love through his redeeming blood; even my servant David, David's Lord and David's son; he shall feed them, with the counsels of my heart as seen in his person, with the purposes of my mind as known in his life, with the honors of my law as discovered in his death, and with the glory of my designs as exhibited in his exaltation. I will make with them a covenant of peace, in their covenant head, the Shepherd who shall feed them, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land, will cause the reigning power of indwelling corruption to cease, so that it may annoy but shall not destroy my true-born children; they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, notwithstanding their enemies, conflicts, and dangers; and sleep in the woods I will occasionally indulge them with my smile upon earth, and as the effect thereof, they shall repose upon my bosom while traveling a waste howling wilderness.
Thus we see the blessings of the gospel given in sovereignty, and not one word can be found about the gift of these unspeakable blessings depending upon any act, skill or worth of the creature.
(By William Tant 1837 – An Offering of the Gospel)
 

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