themselves, for they expected to hear nothing but, the sentence of death; but they were mistaken, for God was pleased to give them a promise of his Son. In all ages he gave some hints of his intended mercy; but never so plainly as by the Gospel, or good news of salvation by Grace. We must take care to distinguish the Gospel from the Law. The Law of the Ten Commandments requires perfect love and perfect obedience; and it curses to Hell every man who breaks it but once. Ignorant people expect little from the Bible, but to teach them their duty, and how to be good, and so to get to Heaven by their obedience. To be sure, the Bible doth teach us our duty; and it would be well if people learned and did it better; but the first design of the Bible is to reveal Christ as a Saviour. design of the law is not only to teach us our duty, but to convince us we have not done it; to show us our sin, and our danger, and to oblige us to fly to Christ, that we may be saved by grace.

The

Again-the Gospel is called the Grace of God, because it is the instrument of his grace; it is what he sends by his ministers, and blesses by his Spirit, "to open men's eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." Nothing but the truth of God will do this. All the finest preaching in the world about virtue and morality will do no good as to the conversion or salvation of a sinner. It often makes men proud of themselves, keeps them ignorant of Christ, and make them "go about to establish their own righteousness;" which is "to frustrate the grace of God," and is as much as to say that "Christ died in vain." But the Gospel is the sword of the Spirit, the rod of his strength, and the power of God to salvation, to every one that believeth. You see, therefore, with what good reason the Gospel is called the Grace of God.

We are now to show that,

II. The Gospel bringeth salvation.

It

It

The grand object of this Gospel is salvation. supposes the guilt and danger of man as a sinner. declares what Christ has done and suffered for our deliverance. It declares God's readiness to forgive all manner of sin and blasphemy, if we come to him by Jesus Christ. In short, it is to restore man from all the effects of his fall. Is he far gone from God?-it is to bring him back. Is he fallen?—it is to raise him up. Is he condemned on account of sin?—it is to justify him from all things. Is he an enemy of God? —it is to make him a friend. Is he a slave of Satan? -it is to make him free. Thus it bringeth salvation. It brings it to the ear. The trumpet of the Gospel sounds with an inviting voice; it is a joyful sound. No music was ever so sweet as the sound of mercy to a convinced sinner and faith cometh by hearing. It is the will of God that this sound should go out into all the earth, and that the Gospel should be preached to every creature. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

It brings it to the mind, or understanding. All God's children are taught of God; and every one that is taught of God cometh to Christ. Many people plead their ignorance, and think they shall be excused on account of it; but the Gospel is sent on purpose to enlighten the ignorant; and it will be our own fault, and our ruin, if we remain in the dark; it can only be because we love darkness rather than light. The Gospel is a glorious light, and when it is attended with the power of the Spirit, it chases away all the natural darkness of our minds, and makes us clearly see the wonderful plan of salvation by grace.

It brings it to the heart. It comes with power and life.

It is not entertained with a cold and formal assent, as a matter of small concern, but cordially welcomed as the messenger of life. It is said of Lydia, in the Acts of the Apostles, that "the Lord opened her heart, so that she attended to the things

which were spoken of Paul." He does the same for all real Christians; they receive the word with joy : they approve of it heartily. It brings peace to their troubled consciences, and it brings love to God and man into their hearts.

It brings it to the life. It is designed to regulate the conduct, and make the believer holy in all manner of conversation and godliness. But this will appear more plainly hereafter.

III. The Gospel of salvation hath appeared to all

men.

To all nations of men; it was not confined to the Jews, as they thought it would be. Jesus Christ ordered it to be preached to all nations, to all the world, to every creature. Accordingly, on the day of Pentecost, the Apostles preached it in a great variety of languages to people of various countries; and afterwards they, and many other preachers, went into all the countries then known.

To all sorts of men. This is the chief design of the word. In human society there must be various ranks and orders of men, and they must be distinguished by different names; but the gospel knows no distinctions; it is equally sent to high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, male and female; for "Christ is all, and in all." Col. iii. 11. Let none, therefore, think they may be excused from regarding it, Many of the rich think the Gospel is well enough for the poor; but they are too wise to need it. Many of the poor, on their part, think religion rather belongs to the rich; but they are so ignorant, and have so much to mind for the body, that they think they may be excused. But you see this salvation is sent to all men;-and, "how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" But again, this Gospel is sent

To sinners of every degree: great sinners or little sinners, if it be proper to call any so. Jesus Christ came to call, not the righteous, but sinners to repentance;

and none but those who feel themselves to be sinners will regard his call. Such persons heard him gladly on earth, while the proud Pharisees, who thought themselves good, despised him, and abused him, as the friend of publicans and sinners. Blessed be God that sinners, however great, are not excluded from the hope of the Gospel!-Christ commanded it to be first preached at Jerusalem, among his murderers; where, probably, many of them where converted; and to this very day," the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin.” Let it also be observed, that our text says, the Gospel bringeth salvation: not, it shall bring it hereafter; but it bringeth it now. It brings it near at this moment; "the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thine heart." Many people dreadfully mistake the matter, who look only for a salvation hereafter; they do not think of being saved till they die; -but salvation is a present business; and if we are not saved before we die, we shall not be saved at all. We must now be enlightened, convinced, believe in Christ, pass from death unto life, and thus be made new creatures, or we can never enter into the kingdom of Heaven. O that this Gospel may now bring into our hearts a present salvation! We proceed to the last and principal thing in our text.

IV. The Gospel which bringeth salvation, teacheth us to live a holy life; "it teacheth us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world;" that is, it teacheth us, What a holy life is, the necessity of living such a life, and how we may attain it.

I. The Gospel, which bringeth salvation, teacheth us what a holy life is; the true nature, and full extent of it. We have no other sufficient rule. The world affords nothing but imperfect examples; and our own deceitful hearts would often curtail the perfect rule. This is our teacher. Let us ever hear and read it with this view. Let it be as light to our feet, and a lamp to our paths.

This holy guide directs us, in the first place, to deny ungodliness, to renounce, abhor, and forsake all infidelity, idolatry, and impiety of every kind; every thing contrary to the four first commandments. If the devil, or wicked men, or our own wicked hearts, would tempt us to neglect the worship of God, or to take his name in vain, or to break the Sabbath, we must deny and refuse to do it. We must also deny worldly lusts, all irregular inclinations and desires forbidden by the last six commandments. These are worldly lusts; such as the men of the world gratify and place their happiness in. These will often ask for indulgence; they will plead very strongly that they are natural, that there is no harm in them, and that all the world indulges them; but they are "worldly lusts," and must be denied, unless we are willing to be damned with the world; for “the end of these things is death." These are the things that chain men to the world, and to a life of sense; make us like the brutes, cause us to forget God, to neglect the salvation of our souls; and

for these things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." This ungodliness and these worldly lusts, must, therefore, be denied; and this is that self-denial which our Lord insists upon, and without which we cannot be his disciples.

But this is not all. We are taught by the Gospel how to live. We are to live soberly, righteously and godly; these three words tell us our duty to ourselves, to our neighbours, and to our God.

To live soberly is, not only to obstain from drukenness, which is a shameful sin, but from all excess in eating, drinking, and other bodily indulgences. It is to be sober and moderate in our passions, our recreations, our speech, our dress, and whole behaviour: it is to be temperate and moderate in all lawful things, using the world as not abusing it: using it as pilgrims and strangers; not making it our rest or portion; but making all worldly comforts secondary things, subser