our text, and according to the whole tenor of Scripture, and the voice of reason too, that there are three in one. And what is there in all this absurd or contradictory?— Were we to affirm that they are one, in the same respect as they are three, it would, no doubt be a contradiction in terms; we say not that three persons are one person, or three Gods are one God; but we say that the three persons are one God. This is revealed, therefore we believe it; and though we cannot fully comprehend it, we think it becomes such weak and fallible creatures as ourselves humbly to receive it, with other truths, as the word of God, and not of man.

But it is by no means enough merely to assent to the doctrine; we ought to make a practical use of it. It is far from being a matter of speculation; it is a branch of our "most holy faith." We should be concerned not to hold this, or any other truth, in unrighteousness: and no doctrine, however true and important, will avail us, without an experience of its sanctifying power on our hearts.

Let us be concerned then, as perishing sinners, to apply to each of the divine persons: to the Father, for the pardon of our sins through his infinite love and free mercy; to the Son, for an interest in his blood, righteousness and intercession; and to the Holy Spirit, for his illuminating, sanctifying, quickening, and influencing comforts.

Let us adore and praise the eternal Three; the Father for his electing love, and the unspeakable gift of that love, the Lord Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son. Let us adore and praise the dear Redeemer, ascribing blessing, and honour, and glory, and praise, to him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Let us adore and praise the Holy Spirit for his gracious influences, accompanying the word of truth, whereby we knew ourselves, and felt the power of the Gospel to our salvation. Thus shall we resemble the blessed angels, who are incessantly praising the glorious Trinity, and crying, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."

We shall close the whole with that excellent Collect used by the Church of England on Trinity Sunday.

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto

us, thy servants, grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the divine Majesty to worship the Unity; we beseech thee that thou wouldst keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest One God, world without end. Amen."

SERMON XXXIV.

THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL.

Romans, i. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.

F we wisely consider the signs of the times, we are constrained to say," this is a day of rebuke and blasphemy." Knowledge increases: arts and sciences flourish ; commerce is extended; almost every thing is in a state of improvement-but what shall we say of religion? Alas, how many among us content themselves with the name and the shadow of it, while they deny its power. How many others, still more careless, neglect even the form of godliness while others, grown bolder in sin, are weary of the Gospel itself; dispute its truth; revile its power; and are seated in the chair of the scorner: in a word, are "ashamed of the Gospel of Christ."

Not so that great and good man, whose words we have read. He was a bold and successful minister of the Gos ́pel. He had preached it in many countries, but hitherto had no opportunity of preaching it at Rome; but hearing that there were Christians even there, he sends them this letter, expresses his love to their souls, and his earnest desire to come and preach Christ's Gospel there. It was a great and populous city, one of the greatest in the world, and he well knew he should meet with much opposition, and perhaps be in danger of his life; yet he says, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ," adding this good reason for his boldness, "for it is the power of God to salvation," to every believer, whether Jew or Gentile.Now, that it may, by the blessing of God, be so to us, let

us,

I. Take a general view of the nature of the Gospel. II. Consider the important design and use of it—it is "the power of God to salvation ;" and then,

III. Shew that there is no reason why we should be ashamed of it, but rather that we ought to glory in it.

I. Let us take a general view of the nature of the Gospel. What is the Gospel? what do we mean by it? It may be feared that many who are called Christians would be at a loss for an answer to this question. Now there are several points of view in which we may behold the Gospel. It certainly contains a history of the most remarkable and important events, especially the incarnation of the Son of God, his holy and spotless life, his amazing miracles, his excellent sermons, his bloody passion and cruel death, his resurrection from the grave, and his ascension to glory. The Gospel also contains the purest and best system of morals that was ever offered to the world; and would to God they were but practised? The Gospel likewise displays the infinite perfections of God, his holiness, justice and love especially; for " he who was in the bosom of the Father had declared him." The Gospel demands our attention also, as it affords a wonderful discovery of a future state, an eternal heaven and hell, in one of which each of us must soon be fixed for ever. In all these respects the Gospel discovers and requires our serious and cordial regard.

But all this falls infinitely short of the true nature of the Gospel. The word Gospel, in the original, signifies, Good news, or Glad tidings, as it is written in the prophet Isa. lii. 7. and quoted by St. Paul, Rom. x. 15. "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of Good things." Observe, glad tidings of good things. This is a just description of the Gospel; never were there things so good as those contained in the Gospel; never were there tidings so glad, as those reported by the Gospel. You are to consider the Gospel as a message of mercy from God to sinners-as a declaration of his good will to lost and ruined man. Take it in Christ's own words-" God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Or,

it in the words of St. Paul, "this is a faithful saying.

and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners." Now you will observe in these texts, the condition of those to whom these glad tidings are sent a world of men ready to perish, and who must have perished, if God had not sent his Son to save them. They are sinners whom Christ came to save. My friends, we can never rightly understand one word of the Gospel, unless we know and feel our miserable and perishing estate as sinners. In Adam we all fell. From him we derive a sinful nature. Our minds are total darkness, as to God, and the things which belong to our peace. Our hearts are disaffected to God: we shun him; we fly from him, as Adam did when he had sinned. And, as to our lives, they are lives of rebellion against him. Our carnal minds are" enmity against God, they are not subject to the law of God, neither can they be," till renewed by grace. And being breakers of the holy law, we are under the curse and penalty of it; obnoxious to the divine wrath, and liable, every minute, to death and damnation.

Now, do we know this; do we believe this; do we feel and lament that this is our case; and does this lead us to cry out, in good earnest, "Men and brethren, what must we do to be saved?" If so, we are prepared to receive the good news of the Gospel. To such persons, especially, is the word of this salvation sent. It informs them that God, in his infinite mercy to sinful man, has sent his only begotten Son to take our nature; and in this nature, and as our surety, to obey the laws which we had broken; to make an atonement, or satisfaction for șin, by his death, and so reconcile us to God. And also, that he will give his Holy Spirit to his people, by whose influences accompanying the Gospel, their minds shall be enlightened in the knowledge of the truth; they shall be enabled to believe in Jesus; to repent of their sins after a godly sort; and to become new creatures, so as to love, obey and enjoy him here, and at length to be made perfectly happy in heaven for ever.

And is not this good news? So the first Christians thought. When Philip went down to Samaria and "preached Christ" there, we are told "there was great joy in that city." When the Galatians first heard a Gos

pel preacher, they received him "as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus; and had it been possible, they would have plucked out their eyes, and have given them to him;" such was the blessedness they then enjoyed. And when the poor heathen jailer of Philippi was brought to the saving knowledge of Christ, he "rejoiced, believing in God, with all his house." And so it will be with us, in some measure, if we are sensible of our need of Christ, and if we heartily receive this good news. If an army of rebels, subdued in war, and at the will of their conqueror, were doomed to death, would it not fill their hearts with joy to be told that the king, for the sake of his son, had freely pardoned them all, and received them to his favour, and would never more remember their offence? Or if a company of miserable prisoners, in such a place as the French bastile, or the Spanish inquisition, who had endured all the horrors of a rigorous confinement for many years were to hear the sound of liberty and freedom, would it not gladden their very souls? Such are the "glad tidings of great joy" which the Gospel brings to this present company to-day? and such will be their effect too, if you believe to the saving of your souls.

And this, you will perceive, is a very different scheme from that of those, who tell us, that if we are but sincere, and do as well as we can, God is merciful, and we need not fear; and who make no more of Christ than a good man, who came to teach good things, and to set us a good example, and to assure us that God will accept our repentance and sincere obedience, instead of that which his law requires. Beware of this merely moral scheme; it will be poison to your souls. If Paul had taught only morality, he need not have said, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ." The philosophers of Rome would have made no objection to it; but it was the satisfaction of Christ, the sacrifice of Christ, the righteousness of Christ, which they despised. The cross was the stumbling block of the Jews, and the banner of the Gentiles. But nothing deserves the name of Gospel, which does not make a precious Jesus "all in all," "the first and the last," in our whole salvation. Therefore, when the salvation began to be corrupted by false teachers, who told them they must be cir