That such salvation from evil, both in its punishment and in its power, is unspeakably desirable, it is almost unnecessary to assert. It is also a matter of experience and observation, that all means devised or pursued by men for accomplishing those ends, that is, for securing the pardon of sin and a change of moral nature, have failed; they have been insufficient in the outset, because they were not appointed or approved by God, in a matter in which we have chiefly to do with him, as in the pardon of sin; and they are found to be insufficient in the result, for they have not brought the power to regenerate man, they have not removed the penalties nor the source of evil. But Christianity is a method of salvation exactly suited to this state of things, meeting man's whole case in theory, and found to be effectual in practice. For, 1. We act on Divine authority. We are not left to invention, conjecture, or experiment, but we have the testimony of God himself to rest upon; "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth," Isa. xlv. 22. He who alone can forgive, says he will forgive; he who alone can save, says that he will save; and he from whom we have departed, himself invites us to return. Therefore have we confidence at the outset. 2. Grace is the grand principle of this salvation, and therefore it is suited for the unworthy and the helpless. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son," John iii. 16; "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," Rom. v. 8. By grace are ye saved," Eph. ii. 8. As it is impossible for a sinner to merit salvation, this scheme of grace demands no price; so that a sinner, as such, can embrace it and be saved; and the greatest sinners may be saved by grace as well as the least transgressor. 66 3. This grace is exercised through a Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is called "The Saviour," because on him is devolved the office of saving us. He being the Son of God, became also the Son of man, by uniting himself with true humanity. By a gloric as contrivance of Divine wisdom he possesses, by personal union in himself, the Divine nature, which has been sinned against, and the human nature, which has sinned. How this is accomplished, is to us, like all the other secrets of the Deity, incomprehensible. "The very existence of Godhead is to us a mystery, much more this special" manifestation of God in the flesh," 1 Tim. iii. 16. The Lord Jesus Christ, as Mediator, taking the place of sinners, by perfect obedience in our nature honoured the broken law of God, and magnified its authority; and by intense suffering, even unto death, he endured, in the sinner's stead, the awful penalty annexed to transgression. So that the glory of God's moral character is maintained by the righteousness of a substitute who is of infinite glory in his own person; and, at the same time, the penitent transgressor has a sure ground of acceptance in returning from his sins to his God, because atonement has been made for sin in the sacrifice of the Son of God in our human nature. God is thus "just, and yet the justifier of them who believe in Jesus," the Mediator, Rom. iii. 26. God was, and is, in Christ, (as Mediator,) reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto men their sins, 2 Cor. v. 19. The Lord Jesus Christ now lives and appears as Mediator in heaven: and, being every where present by his Divine nature, he is ready to receive all who come unto him; wherefore it is written," He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them," Heb. vii. 25. How blessed a discovery is this! 4. Regeneration also is another principle in Christianity as a scheme of salvation. We hold that God, who at first created man in his own image, who has constant power over his own creatures, even in their fallen state, and who is just as able to regenerate us now as he was to make us at first, is pleased to send forth his Holy Spirit to deliver the human soul from the bondage of innate evil, and to renew it unto that which is good. The Spirit of God imparts to us a new and divine life, whereby we become of one moral nature with God, so that we consent to his will, and love his law, By this change we and seek our chief happiness in him. As it was formerly our nature to do evil, so now is it to do good. By this regeneration we become true children of God; and "whosoever is born of God sinneth not," 1 John v. 18. become true Christians; for "if any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed things are become new," 2 Cor. v. 17. say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," John iii. 3. away; behold, all "Verily, verily, I Such is Christianity as a scheme of salvation. Reader, are you disposed to inquire, "What must I do to be saved?" Do you seek salvation from the guilt and punishment of sin? Then, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," Acts xvi. 30, 31; “ Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world!" John i. 29. Or, seek you salvation from the power of evil within you ? Then receive the promise of the Spirit to regenerate you: pray thus, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me," Ps. li. 10; and submit yourself to that good Spirit of God, who "worketh in us both to will and to do of God's good pleasure," Phil. ii. 13. Thus pardoned and thus renewed, you will become an heir of eternal life, and be fitted for heavenly glory. IV. Lastly; Christianity, as to the inward experience or power of it in the soul, is true happiness. The two grand hinderances to real blessedness in this world are the guilt and the power of evil, as already shown; the one bringing down the displeasure of God, and the other by an inward consciousness displeasing ourselves. But when, by the salvation of Christ, we are restored to the favour of God, and are delivered from the dominion of sin, then is the foundation of true blessedness laid, and Christianity, as a living power within us, becomes pure happiness. It is peace. "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," Rom. v. 1. It is joy. "Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice," Phil. iv. 4; "In Christ Jesus, though now we see him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory," 1 Pet. 6; i. 8. It is hope. "We rejoice in hope of the glory of God;" "which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil," (that is, in heaven,) " whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest for ever," Rom v. 3; Heb. vi. 19, 20. It is love. "Faith worketh by love." Gal. v. "The love of Christ constraineth us," 2 Cor. v. 14; "Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love," 1 John iv. 7, 8. It is light." God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," 2 Cor. iv. 6. It is morality. "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works," Tit. ii. 11-14. It is generous ardour. "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him,” Phil. iii. 8, 9. It is noble fellowship. "Ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel," Heb. xii. 22-24. It is confidence. "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day," 2 Tim. i. 12. It is triumph. "I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord," Rom. viii. 38, 39. It is glory. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God! Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is," 1 John iii. 1, 2. "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen," Rev. i. 5, 6. And, finally, Christianity, in its very nature and exercise, is a life of gracious and tender invitation to others to partake of the same blessings with ourselves. "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ," 1 John i. 3; "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God," 2 Cor. v. 20; "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely," Rev. xxii. 17. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all" them who read these words, to persuade them of the truth, to draw them to him, to save them perfectly, and to fill them with the fulness of Christianity, which is the blessed life of God in the soul, for evermore. Amen, Lord Jesus, so be it. And let the reader, in candour and humility, bend the knee, and, lifting up the heart to heaven, say, "Amen, Lord Jesus, even so be it." THE ENGLISH MONTHLY TRACT SOCIETY, J. & W. Rider, Printers, Bartholomew Close, London. |