goods, and have need of nothing" in their own estimation, and unconscious that " they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked e:" and whilst they continue so uncon- scious of their need of a Redeemer, it is not to be wondered at that they are so little affected with the tidings of redemption. O remember, that a " ransom" implies captivity, and " re- demption " bondage : and beg of God to shew you what slaves you have been to sin and Satan, in order that you may appre- ciate as you ought the Gospel of Christ. " The whole need not a physician, but they that are sick:" and till you feel your disorder, you will despise the remedy.]
2. What is to be done in order to render it more effectual ?
[In hearing the ministers of Christ, we do not sufficiently bear in mind whose word it is that they preach unto us, or the deep interest we have in it : we rather consider them as performing an official duty when they deliver a discourse, and ourselves as having performed our duty when we have heard it. But we must have far other views of the Gospel than these : we must consider the word we hear, as God's word, and as God's word to ourselves in 'particular. We must con- sider God as looking down with pity upon us in our destitute condition, and saying, " Deliver him from going down into the pit; for I have found a ransom." We must regard him as longing for our happiness, and seeking to fill us with his richest consolations. In a word, we must view the Gospel as Jeremiah did the ropes and other materials which Ebed-melech let down to extricate him from the dungeon, where he must otherwise have perished. He needed no persuasion to fit the materials to his arms, in order to secure the proffered deliver- ance f : so we should thankfully embrace the salvation of Christ, regarding it as altogether the fruit of his love, and the effect of his power. Did we but attend the ordinances in such a frame as this, they would soon prove " the power of God to the sal- vation" of our souls.]
e Rev. hi. 17. f Jer. xxxviii. 9 — 12.