in him ? What then is there in your case that renders you an exception? Oh, do not so dishonour your adorable Saviour, as to doubt his sufficiency for the work that has been assigned him. Know that his blood is a sufficient " propitiation, not for your sins only, but also for the sins of the wliole world ;" and the weakest creature in the universe is authorized to say, " I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me." Put away then your unbelieving fears ; and look to him to ** accomplish in you all the good pleasure of his goodness." So shall you find that " he is able to save you to the uttermost ;" and soon you shall join in that blessed song, " To Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and our Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen 'i."]
•> Rev. i. 5, 6.
THE END OF CHRISt's INCARNATION.
1 John iii. 8. For (his purpose the Son of God was vianifested, that he might destroy the jvorks of the devil.
THE author of this Epistle survived all the other Apostles ; so that, long before his death, the pro- fessed followers of Christ had had ample opportu- nity of shewing what the effects of religious prin- ciple would be, after that the impulse of novelty should have ceased : in some the sacred fire would burn with undiminished ardour; but in others it would languish so as to leave room to doubt whether it were not altogether extinguished. Hence, in this General Epistle, St. John lays down a variety of marks, whereby men might judge of their state before God. In the chapter before us he shews the indispensable necessity of holiness, and the extreme danger of imagining ourselves in a state of acceptance with God, whilst destitute of his image on our souls: he shews this, as from other topics % so especially from this, that the indulgence of any sin counteracts the very end for which Christ came into
the
* vcr. 3— 10.
1185.] THE END OF CHRISt's INCARNATION. 251
the world ; since ** he was manifested on purpose to destroy the works of the devil." Let us inquire,
I. What are those works which Christ came to destroy —
Satan, envious of the happiness of man in Para- dise, endeavoured to bring him to the same state of guilt and misery to which he himself was reduced. How successful he was, it is needless now to men- tion : we all without exception experience in our- selves the sad effects of Adam's fall. Two things in particular that wicked fiend has introduced :
1. Sin—
[This was unknown to man, till Satan Invaded the peaceful regions of Paradise, and prevailed on Eve to eat of the forbidden tree. He questioned the prohibition itself, or at least the equity of it ; and then, denying that any evil con- sequences would ensue, he urged the vast advantages that would be derived from transgressing the Divine injunction ; and thus " beguiled Eve by his subtlety." From that time he has practised upon others in a similar way, " blinding their eyes'"," and putting all manner of wickedness into their hearts*^. It is at his instigation that all the children of dis- obedience execute their wicked purposes'^: he, as their father, teaches them, and, constrains them, as it were, to fulfil his will.
Even the godly he tempts, and labours to deceive by Innu- merable "wiles," and most subtle "devices®:" and, " if it were possible, he would deceive the very elect."]
2. Death —
[This also he introduced ; for by sin came death, as its proper " wages," and its necessary consequence. Satan had assured our first parents that " they should not die :" but in this he shewed himself " the father -of lies :" and by it he became " a murderer from the beginning V The very instant they obeyed his voice, they died : temporal, spiritual, eternal ^eath became their portion, and the portion of the whole human race ^ : nor would any child of man have ever seen the face of God in peace, if the Lord Jesus Christ had not Inter- posed to " destroy this work of the devil." As to the great mass of mankind, they are experiencing all the bitter effects