us freely — and communicating to us fully — and securing to us finally, all the blessings which it has provided for us.
First, it offers them to us freely. It requires nothing to be done by us, in order to merit its bless- ings, or to earn, if I may so speak, an interest in them. They are altogether a free gift of God to man ; as much as ever the manna was which was rained about the tents of Israel, or the stream which followed them through all their wanderings in the wilderness. In this light they are represented throughout the whole inspired volume. It is remark- able, that the very first promise of a Saviour was not only given without any solicitation on the part of our first parents, but it was not, strictly speaking, given to them at all ; it was included in the threatening denounced by God against the serpent who beguiled them, and was not given directly either to Adam or to Eve : " I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed : it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Not only was the Lord Jesus Christ himself the gift of God to man ; but every blessing which he has pur- chased for us comes to us also under that endearing character : as it is written, " The zvages of sin is death ; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord13." Hence all the invitations of the Gospel are sent to us unclogged with any con- ditions : nothing is required but a desire after them, and a willingness to receive them freely at the hands of God : " Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters ; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat ; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price"." Again : " The Spirit and the bride say, Come : and let him that heareth, say, Come : let him that is athirst come : and whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely d." Now this renders the Gospel suitable to us all : for if we were required to do something to
b Rom. vi. 23. c Isai.lv. 1. * Rev. xxii. 17.