came also to give his life! He had given much before; he had said much, and done much, and suffered much at length he gave his life!-his life a ransom! Here was the greatest act of beneficence that ever was performed. All else was given for the good of men; this was given in their stead." A ransom!" The word means a price of redemption. The princes of the earth often ransom their own freedom by the lives of their subjects: they spread their conquests, and seek their security, by the sacrifice of thousands. But, behold the Prince of Peace! He gives up his freedom for the liberty of his people; He dies to procure the life of his enemies; He is betrayed, and bound, and scourged, and crucified, for us men, and for our salvation !-He gave his life a ransom for many. It was once asked; "Lord, are there few that be saved ?" No! there are many. If it be required, How many? The answer of the Bible is, "A great multitude, which no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. "They shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south; and shall sit down in the kingdom of God*." What an exalted view does this present of the gracious purpose and munificence of God, the God of Love! He " commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for ust.” And what shall we say of His love who died? It "passeth knowledge!" Language, therefore, must utterly fail to express it. Rest, my friends, in the belief of this truth; the ransom of the Saviour was for many; the redemption which is in Christ Jesus regards not a few solitary individuals, but an innume * Rev. vii. 9. Luke xiii. 29. + Rom. v. 8. rable multitude. These shall all share in its present inestimable blessings, and reap the full harvest of its eternal enjoyment. This again teaches us important truths, and urges to important duties. It teaches, 1. The deplorable condition of sinners.-And are not we sinners? "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God*." The idea of a ransom supposes bondage; a price of redemption implies slavery. Such is our state, our unhappy state, unless we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have redemption "through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace t." Wretched, then, is the condition of those who trifle with the blood of Christ! And if this be your case, are you not in slavery? You lie under the curse of a broken law you are prisoners of Almighty Justice; the willing vassals of Satan; the dupes of error; tied and bound with the chain of your sin. Do you reply, “This is a hard saying, who can hear it?" It is the true saying of God: "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant," the slave, "of sin." "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are whom ye obey? §" -and, "Of whom a man is overcome, of the same he is brought into bondage." It avails not to think lightly of this matter: the fact is, there is no bondage like yours; none attended with such degrading circumstances, and leading to such tremendous ruin. It teaches, 2. The amazing compassion of the Saviour.— He gave his life-his life a ransom for many; for a multitude, " a great multitude, which no man can ↑ John viii. 34. * Rom. iii. 23. + Eph. i. 7. number," of rebels and miserable offenders! "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends *." But, behold! the Saviour's love was more than human; he suffered for his worst enemies! He died for the ungodly-for sinners, even the chief! The sacrifice he offered was himself: "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ t." He gave his life; he could not give more; and he gave it freely, cheerfully, and with deliberate design. It deserves to be particularly noticed; "The Son of Man came to give his life a ransom. It was the fixed purpose of his heart, that which he had always in view, and from which he never shrunk. All that insult and cruelty, all that bitter agony and bloody sweat, all that pressure of human guilt, and frown of Almighty wrath, were ever before him. "This was compassion like a God, That when the Saviour knew 3. The subject encourages our application to him, and dependence on him as the Saviour.-Was his life a ransom for many? Then, says the man awakened to a sense of danger, why not for me? He looks for no additional revelation; he expects no voice from heaven assuring him of his part in the redemption of Christ: as one needing redemption, he resolves to apply; and, in simple reliance on this declaration, he rests : "Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out f. See this illustrated in the well-known fact of a poor, half-witted man, who carried parcels in the *John xv. 13. - + 1 Pet. i. 18. 1 John vi. 37. streets of London. Attracted by the singing in a place of public worship, he entered and stood among the people. The minister took his text ;-" This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. of whom I am chief*." Joseph's attention was fixed; he listened with eagerness; his heart was impressed. At the close of the service he was heard to say; Joseph never heard this before; Jesus Christ, the God who made all things, came into the world to save sinners like Joseph: and this is true, a faithful saying!" Soon after, being seized with a fever, and dangerously ill, this was his constant language: "Joseph is the chief of sinners; but Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, and Joseph loves him for this!" Some of his well-meaning neighbours visited him, and asked him about "the actings of his faith." Joseph," he replied, May this can act nothing: Joseph has nothing to say for himself; only this, he is the chief of sinners; but it is a faithful saying, that Jesus, who made the world, came to save sinners: and why not save Joseph?" This poor, illiterate man reasoned well. Can we reason better? Here was faith in lively exercise; encouragement springing from the right source; a steady reliance on the one eternal Rock. faith, this encouragement, this reliance, be mine! Is it not warranted by the important declaration in the text? "The Son of Man came to give his life a ransom for many." Why, then, not for you -for me? "Men and brethren, unto you is the word of this salvation sent." " But, if refuse it, you seem resolved to prove that the Saviour's ransom is * 1 Tim. i, 15. you yours and In not for you. your heart you say, He is not my Saviour, nor will I seek his help. "We are per suaded," however, "better things of you, and things which accompany salvation, though we thus speak*.' Look unto Jesus. Labouring and heavy laden, come unto him. He "once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." He, "his own self, bear our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness." "The chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." What 4. The subject stimulates us to seek diligently the salvation of others.-Was the ransom of the Redeemer for many; and do we read in the word of truth, that “all nations shall be blessed in him," and "all nations shall call him blessed?" concern should we feel for the spread of the glorious Gospel, the glad tidings of Redeeming Love! It is this Gospel which God honours, in diffusing the knowledge of his Son, and in bringing souls to himself: "it is the power of God to salvation, to every one that believeth." But let us bring matters nearer home.-Parents, your children are "by nature the children of wrath :" they are the subjects of pride; in bondage to evil passions; and early prone to innumerable errors and sins, which decidedly prove the dangerous captivity of their state. And care you not for the redemption which is in Christ Jesus? that your tender offspring may be ransomed and saved by him, and brought into the happy liberty of the sons of God?-Masters, your servants have souls, and their souls are enslaved till Christ make them free. Are you not seeking * Heb. vi. 9. |