and more enlarged, till the " mystery itself be finished," and every redeemed sonl be perfected in bliss.]
From this wonderful subject we may see,
1. What guilt they contract who pervert the Gospel of Christ —
[A blending of any thing with the merits of Christ is, as St. Paul informs us, a substitution of " another Gospel" in the place of that which is revealed ; or rather, it is "a per- version of the Gospel of Christp." And how many are there who are guilty of this? In fact, it is with the utmost difficulty that any one is kept from this sin. All are ready to lean to their own righteousness, and, in one way or other, to look to themselves for something to recommend them to God, and to entitle them to his favour. But, whoever does this, makes the cross of Christ of none effect11. Shall this declaration be thought harsh? Look then, and see what this conduct does: see what contempt it poui's on the wisdom of God, and on all that he has done for the salvation of man. See how it dis- honours and denies every perfection of the Deity. In blending any thing of our own with the work of Christ, we deny that justice was so inexorable, or holiness so immaculate, or truth so inviolate, or mercy itself so great, as the Gospel represents: and we assert, in opposition to it all, that man, with all his infirmities, can by his own good works lay a foundation for boasting before God. Brethren, this is, of all sins, most venial in the sight of man, but most hateful in the sight of God. Nor is this without reason : for other sins withstand only the authority of God ; whereas this makes void all the counsels of his love, and all the purposes of his grace. I say then to you, as the Apostle does, that whoever he be that entertains in him- self, or encourages in others, such a conceit as this, must be accursed ; yea, " though he were an angel from heaven, I repeat it, he must, and shall be, accursed r."]
2. What folly they commit who neglect it —
[The angels are not interested in this mystery as we are : yet, behold, how earnest they are in searching into it! Yet, to the generality of those who call themselves Christians, it is little better than " a cunningly-devised fable." Methinks, if men were fond of science of any kind, they might be expected to find pleasure in this : for there is no mystery so deep, there is none so certain, there is none which will so richly repay the labour of investigation, as this. This observation I should make, if this mystery were merely a matter for speculation
p Gal. i. G, 7. 1 Rom. iv. 14. Gal, v. 2, 4. r Gal. i. 8, 9.
v 2