What the Gospel Is¹

The gospel, strictly taken, contains neither commands nor threatenings, but is glad tidings of salvation to sinful men through Christ, revealed in doctrines and promises; and these revealed to men as sinners, stout-hearted, and far from righteousness.

In the gospel, taken strictly and as contra-distinct from the law, for a doctrine of grace, or good news from heaven, of help in God through Jesus

¹An extract from The Old Gospel Way, edited by Andrew A Bonar. This small book should be available in October, God willing, from Free Presbyterian Publications. It contains extracts from a volume compiled by John Brown of Whitburn (a son of John Brown of Haddington) entitled Gospel Truth accurately stated and illustrated. In this work, Brown had collected extracts from the writings of the Marrow men (Thomas Boston, the Erskines and their associates) which illustrate the heart of their teaching in defence of Evangelical truth (see also footnote 2). More recently, Bonar selected some of the best of Brown’s extracts. The footnotes that follow indicate the authors of the individual quotations.

Christ, to lost, self-destroying creatures of Adam’s race (or, the glad tidings of a Saviour, with life and salvation in Him to the chief of sinners), there are no precepts. All these (the command to believe and repent not excepted) belong to and flow from the law, which fastens the new duty on us, the same moment the gospel reveals the new object.

That in the gospel, taken strictly, there are no precepts seems evident from the holy Scriptures. In the first revelation of it, made in these words, The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent (Gen 3:15), we find no precept, but a promise, containing glad tidings of a Saviour, with grace, mercy, life and salvation in Him, to lost sinners of Adam’s family. And the gospel preached unto Abraham, namely, “In thee [that is, in thy seed, which is Christ] shall all nations be blessed” (Gal 3:8, compared with Gen 12:3, 22:18; Acts 3:25, is of the same nature).

The good tidings of great joy to all people, of a Saviour born in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord, brought and proclaimed from heaven by the angels (Lk 2:10), we take to have been the gospel, strictly and properly so called; yet is there no precept in these tidings. We find likewise, the gospel of peace, and glad tidings of good things, are in Scripture convertible terms (Rom 10:15). And the word of the gospel, which Peter spoke to the Gentiles that they might believe, was no other than peace by Jesus Christ, crucified, risen, and exalted to be Judge of quick and dead, with remission of sins through His name, to be received by everyone believing in Him (Acts 15:7, 10:36).²

This is in proper terms the gospel: namely, the special doctrine touching man’s redemption and reconciliation with God, by means of Jesus Christ: the revelation whereof was indeed the gladdest tidings that were ever brought to the ears of mortal man. Which gospel, in strict terms, the angels preached (Lk 2:10), and afterward Christ, and His apostles, fully explained the mystery of it to the world.³

By way of eminence and excellency, it signifies the most happy and pleasant news of the comforting coming of our Redeemer Jesus Christ – though it is sometimes taken in a general, and at other times in a special sense. When taken generally, it contains the gospel promise of Christ, and the

²The Representers’ Answers to Queries. When The Marrow of Modern Divinity was condemned by the Church of Scotland General Assembly in 1720, twelve Marrow men appealed against the decision by producing a document called the Representation and Petition. In the debate that followed, the Assembly summoned the Representers to respond to a series of queries submitted to them by the Assembly. Their Answers to Queries was the response of the Marrow men.

³William Pemble (1592?-1623) was a Puritan divine and an able preacher. He was the author of many books, all of which were published after his early death.

accomplishment thereof (as Gal 3:6). But taken more especially, and when restricted to the coming of Christ, (1) it denotes the history of Christ manifested in the flesh (as Mark 1:2); (2) it is taken for the joyful doctrine and publication of the reconciliation of sinful men unto God, by the gracious pardon of their sins, purchased to them by the expiatory death of Christ, offered indefinitely to all, revealed to the poor in spirit, and to babes, but applied particularly to believers for their salvation, and that for displaying the everlasting praise of divine mercy mixed with justice.⁴

1. The gospel is a report from heaven of salvation for poor sinners from sin and from the wrath of God; however dear[ly] bought, yet freely made over to you in the word of promise, so as that ye may freely take possession of it. This report being brought to the sinner, faith trusts it as a true report, believing that God has said it; and trusts to it as good, laying our salvation upon it. So the soul greedily embraceth the Saviour, and the salvation brought to it in that report; as ever a drowning man would take hold of a rope let down to bring him out of the waters.

2. The gospel is the report of a crucified Christ made over to sinners, as the device of heaven for their salvation. It is proclaimed by the authority of heaven that Christ has died and, by His death, purchased life and salvation for lost children of Adam; and that they and every one of them may have free and full access to Him. Faith trusting this report as true and good, the soul concludes the Saviour is mine, and leans to Him for all the purchase of His death, for life and salvation to itself in particular.

3. The gospel is the report of a righteousness wherein guilty ones may stand before a holy God. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: and by faith one believes there is such a righteousness, that it is sufficient to cover him, and that it is held out to be trusted on for righteousness. And so the believer trusts it as his righteousness in the sight of God, disclaiming all other, and betaking himself to it alone.

4. The gospel is the report of pardon, under the great seal of heaven, in Christ, to all who will take it in Him. “Be it known unto you . . . that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:38,39). This pardon is proclaimed openly by the authority of heaven, full and free without exception of any of lost Adam’s race, to whom the report comes. The soul by faith believes this to be true, and applies it to itself, saying, This pardon is for me, it is good and suitable to my case. I will therefore lean to this word of grace for my pardon, and come in, for this is the word of God that cannot lie.

⁴Leyden Professors. This is a reference to the Theological Faculty of the University of Leyden in Holland, which included many eminent Reformed theologians.

1. The gospel is the report of a physician who cures all the diseases of the soul infallibly and freely, and respects no patients. The soul believes it, and applies it to his own case, and says, Then I will trust Him for removing the stony heart out of my flesh, for curing me of the evil of backsliding, the fever of raging corruption, the running issue of my predominant lust, and the universal corruption of my nature.

2. The gospel is the report of a feast for hungry souls, to which all are bid welcome, Christ Himself being the matter and maker of it too. The soul, weary of the husks of created things, and believing this report, accordingly falls a-feeding on Christ (His flesh, which is meat indeed; and His blood, which is drink indeed), believing and applying to itself all that Christ was, did, and suffered, as that whereof the soul shall reap the benefit, which is the feeding by faith on a slain Saviour.

3. The gospel is the report of a treasure. In it are the precious promises, within them precious Christ, with His merit, like the gold mentioned in Revelation 3:18: “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich”. The field it is hid in may be yours (in possession); the gospel offers you the covenant as that field. Faith believes this report, and the soul lays hold on the covenant, and trusts entirely to the treasure hid there, for the payment of all its debts, for its through-bearing during life and through death, and for procuring it eternal happiness.

4. The gospel is the report of a victory won by Jesus Christ over sin, Satan, death, and the world, and that in favour of all that will join the glorious conqueror. Faith believes this report, and trusts to it for its victory over all these, as already foiled enemies.⁵