world ;" that, by believing in Him, they might regain all that they had lost in the first Adam, and all of which sin and Satan had despoiled them. Holiness was the possession, and heaven the heritage of man, whilst he retained his innocence : but he lost them ; and must be restored to them by the Lord Jesus Christ: and, through the preaching of the Apostles, multi- tudes, not of Jews only, but of heathens also, were restored. Those who were bound, as it were, in chains, and immured in dungeons, were liberated by the Lord Jesus Christ ; and they came forth, even as Lazarus had done, at his bidding, and became visible and living monuments of his power and grace. " Being made free by him, they became free indeed e." Hence St. Paul, expressly referring to the prophecy in my text, de- clared that the period spoken of was then arrived : " Behold, now is the accepted time : behold, now is the day of salvation." But,]
2. It is still existing at this present moment —
[To this hour, in despite of all the powers of darkness, yea, and of the weakness and wickedness of man, are the in- terests of Christ and his Church still " preserved." Thou- sands do yet look to him as their Covenant-head, and receive through him all the blessings of salvation. Blessed be God ! we yet see, I trust, in the midst of you, those who " have been begotten again to an inheritance that is incorruptible and un- defiled, and that fadeth not awayf;" and who, by the word and Spirit of God, are " turned from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto Godg." " To those, therefore, who are yet in prison I feel myself authorized to say, Come forth ; and to those who are in darkness, Shew yourselves." I declare that this is the accepted time, as truly as that was in the apostolic age ; and that " no one, who will come to Christ, shall ever be rejected11." " To you, Beloved, is the word of this salvation sent : " and without hesitation I declare unto you, that " all who will believe in Christ shall be justified from all things1."]
3. It will be completely and fully arrived in the Millennium —
[However low the cause of Christ may sink (and it has sunk very low at different periods since its first promulgation), it shall be "preserved," yea, and shall be "established" too, over the face of the whole earth. There is not in the universe a people, however ignorant or enslaved in sin, who shall not be " brought forth into the marvellous light of his Gospel." Jews and Gentiles shall alike partake of his blessings. For all,
e John viii. 36. f 1 Pet. i. 3, 4. s Acts xxvi. 18.
h John vi. 37. ' Acts xiii. 39.