Consider the Gospel generally —
[In it is revealed salvation, salvation purchased by the blood and righteousness of God's only-begotten Son. What a mystery is this! The God of heaven and earth assuming our nature, that in that nature he may expiate the guilt of a ruined world ! We are accustomed to hear of this, and there- fore listen to it without emotion: but what should we think of it, if it now reached our ears for the first time ? Truly " great is this mystery of godliness ! " We, through unbelief and indif- ference, think little of it : but " the angels," though infinitely less interested in it than we, " desire day and night to look into it," and to comprehend, if it were possible, the heights and depths of love that are contained in itb.]
Consider it more particularly —
[Mark well the character of this salvation; its freeness, its fulness, its suitableness ! It is as free as the light we see, or the air we breathe. It has come to us unsolicited, unsought : and it is given to us " without money and without price c." The whole world are invited to come to Christ as to an overflowing fountain, and to " take of the water of life freely d." So full is it, that it neither wants, nor is capable of, any addition. Nothing is left to be supplied by man : he gives nothing, but receives all. " All is treasured up for us in Christ e," " who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctifi- cation, and complete redemption f." If only we are content to receive out of his fulness, we shall never lack any thing that is necessary either for our present or eternal happiness g. And this is exactly such a salvation as is suitable to fallen man. If we were required to add any thing to what Christ has done and suffered for us, in order to render it sufficient for our salvation, what could we add ? What have we of our own, but sin? The more any one knows of himself, the more he would despair, if any thing were required of him, as a price whereby to purchase an interest in Christ. Doubtless we must repent, and believe, and obey the Gospel, before we can be saved : but repentance, faith, and obedience, though necessary as means to an end, merit nothing at the hands of God ; nor have we of ourselves any sufficiency for those things : even those graces are wrought in us by the Spirit of God, who " gives us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure." Salvation, from first to last, is altogether of grace; and therefore it is equally suitable to all; to the thief when dying on the cross, as to Nicodemus, or Nathanael, whose whole life and conduct had been so exem- plary, and who lived to adorn the doctrine they professed.
b 1 Pet. i. 12. c Isai. lv. 1. i Rev. xxii. 17.
• Col. i. 19. f 1 Cor. i. 30. s John i. 16. Gal. ii. 20.
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