plete, a finished salvation; from sin, and all the tremendous consequences of sin; from death, hell, and the grave; and his righteousness their everlasting covering to all eternity. (Isaiah Ixi. 10.) Such are the outlines of that salvation, which the servants of the most high God shew the way of to the church in preaching Christ. They do, as the Scriptures do, hold up, and proclaim the person of Christ, the work of Christ, the glory of Christ, the blood of Christ, the righteousness of Christ: and shewing that the whole church of Christ hath "redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace." (Eph. i. 7.) Let the present suffice in defining on Scripture ground, what is implied in the way of salvation; namely the person and work of Christ. Let us pass on to the second branch proposed, namely; how the servants of the most high God prove their being so, by the Lord sending them to his people, in giving their ministry an efficacy through the Lord the Spirit's teaching, in the hearts of his people. And here the illustration might be shewn, in the work of grace wrought in the minds of the Lord's chosen, from the first act of regeneration, until all is consummated in glory. No sooner is the child of God, by the new birth, called out of "darkness into God s marvellous light;" but the whole nature is prepared for the gradual apprehension of the mighty change. The spiritual eye is enlightened, to see the hope of Christ's calling. The spiritual ear is unstopped, " to know the joyful sound. The spiritual mind which before was darkness, is now "made light in the Lord." And the spiritual feet are taught to "run the way of God's commandments :" now the redeemed and regenerated soul is set at happy liberty. In short; the man, "being in Christ Jesus, is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.” (2 Cor. v. 17.) But we must not stops here. While the servants of the most high God thus follow up their ministry, in shewing the way of salvation, where alone it is, and where only to be found; they do as fully shew that the whole is of free, rich, full, and sovereign grace. The Lord that freely gives, doth as fully provide for the cordial reception of it in the minds. of his people. The hand of God the Father is in it, in "drawing the soul to Christ." (John vi. 44.) The divine operation of God the holy Ghost is in it, in convincing the heart of sin, and shewing the absolute needs-be of Christ. (John xvi. 1-15.) And the blessed manifestations of God the Son are in it, from beginning to end, in those unceasing love-tokens he sheweth, in giving them to see, and know, that his whole heart is their's, and that "He rejoiceth over them (as he saith of himself,) for good, with my whole heart and my whole soul!" (Jerem, xxxii. 41.) And now then, what is the result of all that I have been saying? Where shall we look, to what congregation shall we go, so as to say under the preached word: “These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation?" Nay let us not look farther than our present assembly, for an answer to the question. If there hath been shewn you the way of salvation, by holding up to your view the person of our most glorious Christ, and his great and finished salvation; have you such divine teaching within, while hearing the word without, in the Spirit bearing witness to your spirit of the truths of God? Pause, I beseech you, over the solemn question, (for it is a solemn one) and do not hastily pass away from it until the Lord hath given you an answer of peace. And let it never be forgotten by you, that the Lord, who provides the salvation, is the Giver of grace to receive it. So that it is suited in all its bearings, to the most desperate state of the most desperate sinner. The poor man we read of in the gospel found himself one of the very characters for whom it was intended. He came to Jesus, we are told, full of leprosy, (and the poorest sinner is full of sin) and as the Lord had taught him to believe, so he found the salvation of Christ suited to his circumstances, and immediately his leprosy was healed. (Luke v. 12.) No state so lost, no case so deplorable, no misery so great, but what the salvation by Christ can be answerable unto. For "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." (1 John i. 7.) I only add a prayer, in the offering of which I pray you to rise up, and join your spirit with mine; that the Lord who hath brought us together, on this occasion will bless us together, with the unction of his Holy Spirit! Lord! grant if it be thine holy will, that thy people before thee may have to say through thy divine teaching, that the words delivered at this, time may be such as the servants of the most high God shew" in the way of salvation." And like the Samaritans, each for himself may be led to say as they did, from personal conviction-"Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves, and know, that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world!" (John iv. 42.) |