2. It is God's instrument for the salvation of a ruined world —
[Look back, and see what it is that has been the means of saving so many myriads of our fellow-creatures, when of the fallen angels not so much as one has ever been saved ? What saved Adam, but the Gospel, which promised that " the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head?" What saved Abraham, but the Gospel, which was preached to him in these words ; " In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed ? " Could you go up to the third heavens, and hear, as Paul did, the songs of the whole heavenly choir, you would hear but one note amongst them all, ascribing " salvation to God and to the Lamb for ever." Is this then a subject for us to be ashamed of? Shall we be ashamed of that, which alone has put a difference between us and devils ? of that, which is " the rod of God's strength," whereby he has brought millions, through seas of difficulty, to the full enjoyment of the heavenly Canaan ? The brazen serpent that healed the Israelites in the wilderness, though it was only a piece of brass, became an object of idolatrous regard : and shall we make " the glorious Gospel of the blessed God an object of shame and contempt? If we marvel at them for giving God's honour to a piece of brass, what wonder must it create amongst all the heavenly hosts, that any creature, to whom the Gospel of salvation comes, should treat it but with the profoundest veneration, and the most ardent gratitude !]
3. It is actually effectual for the salvation of every one that believeth —
[Never did it fail in any instance : it is equally effectual for " Jew or Gentile," and for the vilest, as well as the best, of the human race. It will leave none under the guilt and con- demnation of their sins, none under the power and pollution of them. The righteousness which it provides for sinners is so pure and perfect, that, when clothed in it, they stand before God without spot or blemish. The grace treasured up for them in their living Head is so abundant, that the weakest of mankind, even though he be opposed by all the hosts of hell, shall find it sufficient for him. It will not bring him out of six difficulties, and leave him to perish in the seventh y; but " will keep him to the endz," and suffer "nothing to pluck him out of his Redeemer's hands a." Is this then a thing to be ashamed of? and shall they be ashamed of it who profess to expect sal- vation by it? Methinks, a man must be almost as destitute of reason as of piety, who can account it any ground for blushing,
y Job v. 10. z 1 Cor. i. 8. a John x. 28.