tion : the whole earth is full of his goodness. But man, the glory of this lower world, has participated the fruits of his kindness in far the most ahundant measure ; having been endued with nobler faculties, and fitted for incomparably higher enjoyments than any other creature. In some respects, God has loved man more than the angels themselves : for when they fell, he cast them down to hell, without one offer of mercy : but when man transgressed, God provided a Saviour for him. This provision, I say, was wholly owing to the love of God the Father : it was the Father who, from all eternity forseeing our fall, from all eternity contrived the means of our recovery and restoration. It was the Father who appointed his Son to be our Substitute and Surety ; and in due time sent him into the world to execute the office assigned him : and it is the Father who accepts the vicarious sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. He accepts at the hands of his own Son the payment that was due from us, and confers on us the reward which was due to Christ. Thus the Father's love con- trived, appointed, and accepts the means of our sal- vation ; and therefore in my text he himself is called " our Saviour ;" '' the love of God our Saviour." This title belongs more immediately to the Son, who died for us : but yet, as the Father is the original cause of our salvation, he is properly called " our Saviour." Nor is it the text only that represents the Father's love as the source of our redemption ; the Scriptures uniformly speak the same language : " God so loved the word, that he gave his only- begotten Son :" " God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us :" and again, " Herein is love ; not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the pro- pitiation for our sins."
This love, however, did not fully appear till after the ascension of our blessed Lord. The text says, " After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared^ The word in the original refers, I apprehend, to the shining forth of