O no! Greater love than this hath no man, than that he lay down his life for his friend. But Jesus hath magnified his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners and consequently enemies to him, he nevertheless, died for us, so that beholding him bleeding and dying upon the cross, we may well exclaim,

With joy, with grief, that healing hand I see,
The skies it form'd, yet O, it bled for me!

And by so doing he brought life and immortality to light, and purchased salvation for lost and ruined mankind. This brings me to the second particular,

How is he the author of eternal salvation to them who obey him?

In order to set this matter in a clear light, it will be necessary to observe, that when the Apostle speaks of eternal salvation, he no doubt includes that salvation from sin, which we must experience in the present world, in order to prepare us for the enjoyment of eternal salvation in the world to Our Lord himself calls this éternal life. This is life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. If he calls that experimental knowledge of God eternal life, because it is the beginning of it, and our preparation for the enjoyment of it, so might the Apostle upon the same ground, call that salvation from sin, which every true believer enjoys in this life, eternal salvation.

Christ our Redeemer therefore may be considered as the author both of present and eternal salvation, seeing that he, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit; in infinite wisdom and boundless love, contrived that wonderful method of salvation made known to us in the gospel. Whoever seriously considers this, must be constrained to acknowledge that none but the infinitely wise and blessed God, could have found out this most astonishing way to recover lost mankind from the ruins of the fall. A way in which all the infinite perfections of God are wonderfully manifested, and sweetly harmonize.

His mercy and his love, his justice and holiness: His ha tred to sin, and his pity and love to poor perishing sinners, are clearly displayed. The more attentively we consider the plan of our salvation, the more clearly we shall see infinite wisdom, boundless mercy, and inconceivable love shining like the sun in his meridian glory, in every part of it. And

we may therefore say the same thing of it, which the Poet says on another occasion,.

"Endless scenes of wonder rise,

"With that mysterious tree, "Crucify'd before our eyes,

"Where we our Saviour see."

O yes! Endless scenes of wonder rise before our eyes, and shall continue to rise through everlasting ages, while we contemplate the love of God in Christ Jesus to us, who had de, stroyed ourselves, Well may we sing,

When man was lost, love look'd about
To see what help in earth or sky,
In vain, for none appear'd without,
The help did in God's bosom lie.

His wisdom invented, and his own right-hand and his holy arm executed the wonderous plan, and procured salvation for poor perishing sinners,

But Christ may more especially be termed the author of our salvation, because by his sufferings and death he hath procured salvation for us. For we are not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver or gold which perisheth, but with the precious blood of the Son of God, as of a Lamb without spot or blemish, slain from the foundation of the world, O yes! Our salvation, and every part of it, was bought with blood. If we are saved from that dreadful darkness which sin has brought upon our minds, it is because Christ the true light hath appeared, To lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of his people Israel. If we experience the peace of God in our conscience, it is because the Prince of peace hath not only appear'd in the world, but hath made peace for us by the blood of his cross. If divine grace hath been communi cated to us, and if our minds have been renewed thereby, it is because our blessed Redeemer hath procured the gift of the Holy Spirit for us, and hath fulfilled his gracious promise, and sent the Comforter down to visit us.

Christ may also be considered as the author of our salvation; as he by the power of his own blessed Spirit begins, carries on and fully accomplishes the whole work of grace in our souls. The band of our spiritual Zerubbabel lays the foundation of this work, he carries on, and fully completes the building, until the head stone is brought forth with shouting, crying, Grace, grace unto it; so that we shall

rejoice to be eternally indebted to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. And shall therefore cheerfully and everlastingly sing, Unto him who hath loved us, and hath washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests unto God, unto him be glory and honour, dominion and praise for ever and ever, Amen.

Thirdly. What is that obedience which must be performed by those who shall be eternally saved by Christ.

Here it will be necessary to keep close to the word of God, and the more so, as many for want of understanding this, and such like passages of the holy Scriptures, have been led to seek death in the error of their ways. How many have impertinently said, (thinking that the Scriptures fully justify'd them in so doing,) Do not tell us of your Doctrines of Grace, and of salvation by faith alone. We are too well acquainted with the word of God, and understand it too well, to be imposed upon by you in this particular. Does not out Lord say, Not every one who saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he who doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. And does not St. John say the very same thing. Blessed are they who do his commandments, that they may have a right to eat of the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. And, say they, even St Paul, our favourite Apostle saith the very same thing, for he tells us that Christ is the author of eternal salvation only to those who obey him,"

As it is impossible that the God of truth should contradict himself in that revelation which he has made to mankind in his holy word, it concerns us to search the Scriptures that we may know the truth, and be brought to experience it in our own minds. It has always been acknowledged that the Scripture is the best interpreter of Seripture, and that it is very often absolutely necessary, in order to find out what is the mind or will of God, to compare spiritual things with spiritual, or to compare one passage of holy scripture with another. If we do this in the present instance, we shall soon see that these people are dangerously mistaken.

The Apostle informs us, That by the works of the Law shall no flesh living be justified. If there had been a Law given, which could have given life, then righteousness, or salvation, should have been by the Law. But he adds, If right cousness, or salvation, be by the Law, then Christ hath tasted death in vain. Nay he solemnly declares, As many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse, as it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things written in

the book of the Law to do them. If these people are mistaken, and mistaken they most assuredly are, then what is that obe dience which the Apostle has in view?

I answer. The first part of this obedience is that true evangelical repentance which God himself hath made absolutely necessary to salvation, it being expressly declared, Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. From hence we may safely conclude, that there never was, a finally impenitent sinner eternally saved, nor there never will. This will be acknowledged by all who profess to believe the Bible, without exception, except a few wild Anticomians.-Yet many of those who confess this, are strangers to the nature of true repentance. They think that Repentance is no more than an outward reformation of life and manners ;-that it is entirely in our own power, and we may repent and turn to God just when we will,-and when a person hath reformed his outward conduct, and lives in a regular, and, in what is very improperly called a religious way, he has repented to all intents and purposes, and that neither God nor man can justly require any more of him.-And many who believe this, most dangerously defer it till they are just about to leave this world, thinking that it will be quite sufficient, and will answer every valuable purpose to them, if they only repent and turn to God a little before they die.

That true Repentance will be attended with an outward reformation, is most certain, but that there may be an outward reformation when there is no true repentance is equally certain.

Repentance is an internal, rather than an external work,--a change of heart rather than a change of life:---a work wrought in us by the power of the divine Spirit, rather than a work of our own. Neither is Repentance a work in our own power, but is the gift of God, so the Apostle'speaks, Him hath God exalted with his own right hand, to be a prince and a Saviour, to give Repentance and remission of sins unto Israel. All this will be readily acknowledged by many, who nevertheless remain in an impenitent state of mind. "We well know" say they," that repentance is absolutely necessary to falvation. That it is a work wrought in us by the holy Spirit of God, and that we cannot repent when we will, or by any power of our own, and therefore we must wait 'till it fhall pleafe God to give us repentance." All this is certainly true, but how, or after what manner do they wait? It is to be feared in a state of careless indifferency, like Solomon's sluggard. Folding their hands together, and crying

little more sleep, a little more slumber.. Vainly thinking that a time will come, when God will work upon their minds in a more powerful, yea in an irresistible manner, so that they shall be constrained to return to him.

Whereas they ought to wait upon the Lord for repent ance in fervent, and continued prayer, and in the careful and constant use of every means of Grace which he hath appointed; firmly believing that as he expressly commands all men every where to repent, as a wise and infinitely gra cious God, he is certainly willing to give that blessing to all those who are willing to receive it; as it would be absurd in the highest degree to suppose, that he would command impossibilities.

But many there are who come under the same reproof which Stephen gave to his persecutors. Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did, (even) so do ye. They sa against the light, quench good desires, stifle divine con victions, and then say, "They must wait till God shall give them Repentance."-But let a person improve the light which shines into his mind, let him cherish every good desire kindled in his heart, and let him earnestly pray that the Lord would deepen the conviction which the Holy Spirit bath at any time wrought in his mind, and he will soon find, by happy experience, that the Lord will not only give him repentance, but he will also be brought to the God of his salvation, and shall receive pardon and peace at his hand.

2. A second part of this obedience is, that living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ which God hath also made absolutely necessary to salvation. For this is the unchangeable decree of God, He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned.

From hence then it appears; that faith in Christ is abso lutely necessary to salvation, and that a person continuing in unbelief to the end; must needs perish for ever, the gates of everlasting salvation will be eternally shut against him. All that acknowledge the Bible to be the word of God, must needs believe the truth of this. But then we shall find many people as great strangers to the nature of Gospel faith, as others are to the nature of true Repentance. For how many are led to suppose, that to believe in Christ is the easiest thing in the world, to believe is neither more nor less, than to acknowledge him to be the only Saviour of the World,