صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

THE BOOK YOU WILL LIKE.

GREAT, GLORIOUS, AND FREE.

THESE words, some few years ago, were constantly being used to characterise a certain country, when some political changes were effected; and they have been used since by a party, for political purposes. But no land can be great, glorious, and free, while superstition reigns in it, and while sin is indulged by its inhabitants. Nor can any party be made great, glorious, and free, by obtaining any civil privileges, or political rights. No, no, elevate a party as high as you will; confer on a country all that you can; yet they will never be great, glorious, and free, except made so by the everlasting gospel, and by the Spirit of our God. Pure truth, and powerful grace alone, are sufficient either for individuals or communities, to make them great, glorious, and free. But these three beautiful words may with justice, and in their fullest sense be applied to two subjects.

First, TO THE SALVATION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS. That is great, glorious, and free. It is great, for it is a deliverance from the greatest evils, and the putting into possession of the greatest good, the greatest part of the human race. What evil is so great as sin? Next to that, what evil is so great as hell? But the salvation which is of grace, and which is in Christ Jesus, is a perfect deliverance from sin, and an eternal deliverance from hell. A deliverance which cost God, his own Son; and which cost the Son of God his life. A deliverance which requires the exertion of the power of the Holy Spirit, and which will bring glory to God for ever. Such a deliverance was never exercised, or purposed, or planned, or provided for, or effected, as this. For salvation is a subject, which, as it filled the mind of God from eternity, will fill the mind of all the elect of God, and all the angels of God, to all eternity. It is so great, that no created intellect can fully grasp it, nor can any tongue or pen fully represent it. It is indeed glorious. All the glorious perfections of God are engaged, and shine forth in it. The glory of heaven and earth will be heightened by it. The glory of each person in the God-head is involved in it. It is the Father's most glorious thought. The Son's most glorious work. The possession of it, makes man more glorious than the angels, and the loss of it, sinks man lower than the devils. As

the sun is the glory of creation, so salvation is the glory of grace. It is also free. So free, that nothing is freer. It is free in every sense. Freely planned by the Father, freely wrought by the Son, and freely ap plied by the Holy Spirit. It was freely promised, freely provided, and is freely given. It is free, for whosoever will. As it is priceless in its value, and therefore no creature could purchase it; so it is freely presented, without money and without price, and therefore any creature may receive, and possess it. It is set forth in the gospel, and over it is written, "Whosoever will, may come and take freely." Yes, as the most necessary blessings in nature are the most plentiful, and therefore the cheapest, so the greatest, the most glorious provision of grace, is the freest. No conditions are appended, it is only, "Ask, and receive:" " "Seek, and find: "Believe, and be saved." This salvation when received into the heart, and enjoyed in the life, makes its possessor GREAT, GLORIOUS, and FREE. It may be applied,

Secondly, TO THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD. Even now, in the purpose of the Father, by virtue of the death of the Son, and in consequence of the certain fulfilment of the promises written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the church may be said to be great, glorious, and free. But the time is coming, and it may soon arrive, when the church will be great. Great in numbers, for more

« السابقةمتابعة »