indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife ; and some also of good-will ; the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds ; but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the Gospel. What then ? notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached ; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice b."
In discoursing on these latter words, I will shew,
I. What we are to understand by preaching Christ —
This is a term frequently made use of to express the preaching of the Gospel. In the passage before us, it is repeated no less than three times ; and it is admirably adapted to convey at once to the mind the whole complex idea of proclaiming, in all its parts, the great mystery of redemption. Under this term is comprehended a full exhibition of,
1. Our need of Christ —
[The fall of man, and the consequent guilt and misery of the human race, form the ground on which a Saviour is neces- sary. The angels, that have never fallen, need no Saviour: but, as we have fallen, and are wholly incapable of restoring ourselves either to the image or favour of God, we need one to do it for us. This, then, must be fully opened, in order to preach Christ with effect: and all our hearers must be fully informed, that they are under the wrath of God — that they can never atone for their own sins — that it is impossible for them to renew their own natures — that their hope must be altogether in God's mercy, through Christ — ]
2. Christ's suitableness and sufficiency to save us —
[Not all the angels in heaven were competent to this task. But the Lord Jesus Christ was God equal with the Father, and therefore was capable of accomplishing what no finite power could effect. By assuming our nature, he could suffer in our place and stead ; whilst his Godhead imparted to those sufferings a value, sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world. Besides, having now in himself essentially all the fulness of the Godhead, and a communicative fulness ex- pressly treasured up in him, as our mediator, for the benefit of his Church, he can impart to every one of his members all
b ver. 14 — 18. vol. xvm. c