could say. This reflection is most obvious to those who can read him in the original: but no disadvantages. of a translation can wholly confine that inimitable ardour with which he seems to pour his whole soul into his words, when he is speaking of his Lord and Saviour. And he who can read the first chapters of his epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians, and Hebrews, the second to the Philippians, or many similar passages, with indifference, must be, I say, not merely a person of small devotion, but of little taste and sensibility..

And how deeply his mind was impressed with the mercies he had received in his conversion and call, is equally conspicuous. He takes every occasion to aggrandize the goodness of God to himself; to exaggerate and deplore the guilt and misery of his former life, in which he once trusted; and to lament the small returns he was able to make for such blessings; even when he could say, without boasting, that he had " laboured "more abundantly" than the most diligent and zealous of his fellow-servants.

A powerful abiding sense of these two points upon the apostle's mind, have given rise to many sudden, lively, and beautiful digressions in the course of his writings. The context to the passage I have read is of this kind. Having incidentally spoken of the Gospel in the 11th verse, he is suddenly struck with the reflection of his own misery while ignorant of it, and the wonderful goodness of God, in affording him the knowledge of salvation, and honouring him, who was before a blasphemer, with a commission to publish the same glad tidings to others. This thought suspends his argument, and fills his heart and mouth with praise. And having acknowledged, that "the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant" towards himself, he subjoins

the words of the text, for an encouragement to others ; assuring us, that his case was not so peculiar, but that multitudes might be partakers with him in the same hope of mercy.

The words easily resolve into two parts:

First, A short, but comprehensive proposition, ineluding the purport of the whole Gospel, "that Jesus "Christ came into the world to save sinners."

Secondly, A commendation of this doctrine in a twofold respect," as a faithful saying," and as "worthy "of all acceptation;" each of these illustrated by the instance of himself; when he adds, "of whom I am "chief."

I. The apostle well knew the different reception the Gospel would meet in the world; that many poor guilty souls, trembling under a sense of sin and unworthiness, would very hardly be persuaded, that such sinners as they could be saved at all. To these he recommends it as "a faithful saying," founded upon the immutable counsel, promise, and oath of God, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners; sinners in general; "the chief of sinners;" such as he represents himself to have been. He knew, likewise, that many others, from a mistaken opinion of their own goodness, or á mistaken dependence on something of their own choos ing, would be liable to undervalue this faithful saying. For the sake of these, he adds, "it is worthy of all ac"ceptation." None are so bad but the Gospel affords them a ground of hope: none are so good as to have any just ground of hope without it. There was a time when St. Paul could have made a fair profession of himself likewise: he could say, "circumcised on the

eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Ben"jamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, as to the law

"a Pharisee, as to the righteousness which is by the law, blameless;" Phil. iii. But he has been since taught, to "count all things but loss for the excellency "of the knowledge of Christ;" and is content to style himself the chief of sinners.

Having thus attempted to show the design and meaning of the words, I propose, something more at large, to unfold the proposition, and point out some of those important and extensive truths it contains. I say, some of them; for it is not possible that either men or angels can fully sound the depth of this one sentence," that "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners." I shall afterwards infer, and enforce the other part of the text, that it is indeed "a faithful saying, and worthy of "all acceptation." And may He, who came into the world to procure salvation for sinners, and is now exalted on high to bestow it, accompany the whole with his promised blessing.

The tenour of the proposition readily suggests three inquiries. First, Who this person is, here spoken of, Jesus Christ? Second, What is meant by the salvation he is said to have undertaken? Third, By what means he effected it?

Let us, first, speak of this gracious, this wonderful person, Jesus Christ. We already bear his name as professed Christians; and we speak of him as our Master, and our Lord: and so far we say well. But, as he has told us, many will call him Lord at the great day, to whom he will profess, "I never knew you " whence you are, depart:" so it is to be feared there are many now, that outwardly acknowledge him, who neither know whence he is, nor who he is. Though we have Moses and the prophets, the apostles and evangelists, continually with us; though it is the immediate

aim and intent of all their writings, in every history, promise, prophecy, type, ceremony, and law, to set him before our eyes; and though there is hardly an image in the material creation but is adopted by the Scriptures to shadow forth his excellency; ignorance of Jesus Christ, and what he has done for his people, is the great cause that religion appears so low and contemptible to some, and is found so tedious and burdensome by others. Let us therefore attend to the record God has given of his Son; for I propose in this article to say little of my own, but to lay before you the express, powerful, indubitable testimony of Holy Scrip

ture.

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And here we are taught, first, That Jesus Christ is God. The first words of St. John's Gospel are full to this point: "In the beginning" (that is, at the commencement of time and things, when as yet nothing else existed), "was the Word, and the Word was with God, "and the Word was God.". To prevent a possibility of mistake, and to confirm the eternity of this divine Word in the strongest manner, it is immediately added, "the same was in the beginning with God. All things "were made by him." And, lest this likewise should be either contested or misunderstood, it is guarded by an universal negative, " without him was not any thing "made that was made." Further, to prevent, if possible, the surmise, that, in these glorious words, the Eternal Word acted with a deputed power only, the apostle subjoins, "In him was life," life essentially; and from him, as the fountain, life and light proceeded to his creatures: "In him was life, and that life was "the light of men." To this agrees the declaration of St. Paul': "For by him were all things created that " are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisi

ble, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities,

or powers: all things were created by him and for "him;" (by his power and wisdom, for his glory and pleasure). "And he is before all things, and by him "all things consist," Col. i. Elsewhere he speaks of him expressly, as, "over all, God blessed for ever; "who upholdeth all things by the word of his power; "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." It were easy to enlarge this way; but I shall content myself with observing this general proof of the divinity of Christ, that the Scriptures, which were given to make us wise to salvation, do ascribe to him the names of God, particularly Jehovah; the essential attributes of God, such as Eternity, Omnipresence, Omnipotence; the peculiar works of God, as Creation, Providence, Redemption, and Forgiveness of sin: and, finally, commands us to pay him those divine honours, and to rely on him with that absolute dependence, which would be idolatry if referred any where below the Supreme Majesty of heaven and earth.

Again, we learn from Scripture, that Christ is truly and properly Man. This is indeed wonderful! therefore styled "the great mystery of godliness;" 1 Tim. iii. But that he, of whom we have begun to speak, is the very person who came into the world to save sinners, we have abundant proof. The apostle John, whose testimony we have already cited, says, a few verses lower, John, i. 14. "And the Word" (that glorious Word, which was God with God) "was made "flesh, and dwelt amongst us, and we beheld his glory," (that is, we, his disciples, whose eyes were spiritually enlightened, for the world in general saw nothing of it), "as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." In other places it is said, "Himself

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