his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." "* JESUS CHRIST came into the world -not to condemn, not to punish,-not to destroy, but to save. His message was a message of love. His ministry was a ministry of mercy. He "came to seek and to save that which was lost f;" to "save sinners;" to "call sinners to repentance ;" to purchase salvation for them; to propose to them terms, by which they might be saved. We ask, then,

4. What is meant by being saved? What is the salvation, which JESUS brings to sinners? To be saved is to be delivered from danger. Sinners are in the greatest danger. Having broken GoD's law, they are exposed to the curse of that law. Having corrupted themselves, destroyed God's image in their souls, and become the slaves of sin and Satan, they are in danger of the wrath to come.". There is a wrath to come. ready it is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." Now it "abideth ||" on sinners. Hereafter it will come upon them to the

Al

Matt. ix. 13.

:

*

uttermost "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil.” This is the end of sin; the end, which sinners have brought upon themselves, and which of themselves they cannot avoid. But JESUS opens to them a way of escape. He delivers from the wrath to come." He offers to redeem them from this curse of the law; to pluck them as brands out of the fire; to save them from the dreadful consequences of sin, from the malice of Satan, from the prison of hell, from "the bitter pains of eternal death." +

Great however as this deliverance is, it is but a part of that salvation, which JESUS provides for sinners. To him it was but a small thing to bring them out of misery. He purposed also to bring them to happiness: yea, to much greater happiness than that which they had lost by sin. It did not satisfy his mighty love merely to rescue them from hell. He opened to them the kingdom of heaven. He designed not only. to take away their guilt, and procure the pardon of their sins; but to restore them to a state of favour with GOD; to place them again among his children; to break the

* Rom. ii. 9. † 1 Thess. i. 10.

Burial service.

chains of sin, with which they were tied and bound; to renew their souls to the divine image and likeness; and so having fitted them for dwelling with himself in glory, to bestow on them the gift of eternal life. This is his salvation. Hence it is called an "eternal salvation ;". "the salvation which is in JESUS CHRIST with

eternal glory."* Hence to be saved, in the scriptural meaning of the word, signifies to be delivered from every thing which is evil and dreadful, and to be put in possession of every thing which is good and happy. It describes the greatest possible change in the state of a sinner, which words can express, or thoughts conceive, Represent to your minds those deep and dark abodes, where unpardoned sinners, together with the devil and his angels, are suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Then lift up your eyes to heavenly places. There see the saints in light, for ever set free from sickness, grief, and death, rejoicing with joy unspeakable in the favour and presence of the Lord, bearing his image, and beholding his glory. And thus see what is meant by being saved; what is that salvation, which JESUS brings to sinners.

* Heb. v. 9.-2 Tim. ii, 10.

Upon the whole, then, our report is this: That there is salvation for sinners through

JESUS CHRIST; that the Son of GoD ⚫ came down from heaven to be their SAVIOUR; that by HIм a way is opened into heaven for those who must otherwise have miserably perished in their ⚫sins.'

Let us enquire,

II. What is the account here given of this report. Is it a true report? This is the first thing to be asked: for every thing depends on this. If it be not true, it is worth nothing. In answer to this question, St. Paul assures us, that it is a faithful saying; one, which is undoubtedly true; one, on which we may most certainly depend; a saying entitled to full credit. In fact, it is a report, which has the same claim to our belief with the Bible itself. For it runs through the whole Bible, and it is to be found in almost every part of it. It cannot, therefore, be disbelieved, without disbelieving the Bible itself; while every proof, which

con

firms the truth of the Scripture, confirms also the truth of this saying in the text. Consider then what manifold and abundant testimony is given; look at the many won

derful miracles by which God at different times has confirmed the truth of his word. Look at the long train of prophecies, many of which have been exactly fulfilled, many of which are at this very day fulfilling. By all these witnesses GoD declares, that the saying in the text is a faithful saying. Look at the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST. By what stronger proof could GoD have shown that JESUS CHRIST was come into the world to save sinners, than by raising him from the dead to complete that salvation? Attend to another kind of proof; to the experience of thousands of millions, who have found this saying "a faithful saying;" who coming. to JESUS CHRIST for salvation, have felt the blessings of it; have found their hearts changed, and their souls delivered from the power of sin; have been begotten again unto a lively hope; and even in this present life have enjoyed the foretaste and earnest of eternal salvation. These are a cloud of witnesses to the truth before us. GOD grant! that the number of them may yet be greatly increased! Grant that more and more of us may be enabled from the heart to say,

I know that JESUS CHRIST has come into the world to save sinners, for he has saved me. He has set me free from the chains of sin. He has delivered me from