c Ps. lxxii. 16. d Ps. Ixxii. 15, 17. e Ps. xxi. 1—5.
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ was Lord, to the glory of God the Father f."
The accomplishment of his Father's eternal purposes was to be yet a further part of his reward : " The pleasure of the Lord was to prosper in his hands." The pleasure of Jehovah, yea, his chief delight, is to save sinners. This was the end he proposed to him- self in his eternal counsels, when he entered into cove- nant with his dear Son. He has given proof of this, in that he has sworn, "he has no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live." " He willeth that all should be saved and come to the acknowledgment of the truth : " and, with respect to his elect, " it is his good pleasure absolutely to give them the kingdom8." Nor, if we would entreat him to convert and save our souls, can we use any more suitable expressions than those of the Apostle, who prays, " that he would fulfil in us all the good pleasure of his goodness11." But his sending of his Son, in order " that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have eternal life," is such an evidence of his love to sinners, as supersedes the ne- cessity of any other proof, and must fill the universe with everlasting wonder and astonishment.
Now, as before the incarnation of Christ, the salva- tion of men was effected by the Father, so, since the coming of Christ, it has been carried on more imme- diately by the Son. During the first four thousand years of the world the work of conversion went on but slowly ; there were few, very few, who experienced the saving efficacy of divine grace. But, when the office of rescuing sinners from the power of Satan came to be devolved on Jesus, then, according to the stipulation in the text, " the pleasure of the Lord was to prosper in his hands." And how marvellously has it prospered, notwithstanding all the opposition of men and devils ! There is not a day, an hour, a mo- ment, wherein he is not beholding with joy the success of his endeavours : the ignorant are enlightened, the weak established, the doubting comforted, and all the
' Phil. ii. 8—11. e Luke xii. 32. h 2 Thess. i. 11.
973.] Christ's death a condition of salvation. 105
hosts of the redeemed prepared for glory : nor shall his success be ever interrupted. To the latest period of time he shall go forth conquering, and to conquer, till all his enemies be put under his feet, and all his ransomed ones be seated on thrones of glory.
And now what should we learn from this subject ? Surely we must see in it,
1. How difficult a work is the salvation of man !
Was there no other way whereby it could be ef- fected? Could there be no remission without shedding of blood ? And must that blood be the blood of God's only Son ? Must he take our nature and offer him- self without spot to God, before our peace could be made, or a way be opened for our restoration to hap- piness ? Go, then, ye careless ones, who think all anxiety about the soul superfluous ; go read the terms of this covenant ; and see whether the salvation of man be so easy to be effected as you have hitherto imagined : see what a stupendous effort of wisdom and love was necessary before there was even a pos- sibility for one of us to be saved ! and, if such exer- tions were necessary on the part of the Father and of Christ, do ye suppose that there is no occasion for exertion on your part ? Did Christ purchase for you not merely an exemption from death and hell, but also from all solicitude about your eternal interests ?