Jam. Y. \9, 20. Brethren, if any of you do cirfrovi the tnith,
and
1153-] BENEFIT OF A sinner's CONVERSION. 87
and one cojivert him, let him know, that he ivhich converteth a sinner from the error ofhia way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
IN the Apostolic age, the power of working miracles was vouchsafed to many ; and was much coveted, not only on account of the benefit which it enabled its possessor to impart, but on account of the honour which it brought to him that exercised it. That power has long since been withdrawn, it being no longer necessary for the support and credit of the Christian cause. Nor need we regret its discon- tinuance ; since there is yet communicated to every true Christian a power of infinitely greater value ; namely, a power to instruct and save the souls of men. We cannot any longer by the prayer of faith save the sick, and raise him up from the bed of sick- ness, and remove the judgments that have been in- flicted on him on account of his sins'': but by in- structing a sinner, and turning him from the error of his sins, we can now, no less than in the Apostolic age, save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins. The miraculous power was in the hands of few, even of *' the Elders of the Church;" but this spiritual power, as my text intimates, is common to all, and is to be exercised by all.
From hence we see,
I. Our duty towards our erring Brethren —
There are still, as formerly, many who, whilst they are called Christians, do materially *' err from the truth"—
[No one can read this Epistle without seeing that very awful errors obtained in the Church, both in relation to faith and practice : and no one can know any thing of the Christian world, and not know, that Christianity amongst them is little more than a name. The very way of salvation, simple as it is, is very little understood. There is scarely any one who is not expecting to be saved in whole, or in part, by some works of his own. The generality imagine that their repentance and reformation are to recommend them to God ; and even those who acknowledge their obligations to the Lord Jesus Christ for what he has done and suffered for them, yet hope to obtain
an ' ver. 14, 15.