DISCOURSE IL

THE CHRISTIAN SALVATION DESCRIBED AND ACKNOWLEDGED.

1 PET. i. 3-5.-Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.

IT has been finely remarked by a pious writer, that "it is a cold and lifeless thing to speak of spiritual things on mere report: but when men can speak of them as their own as having share and interest in them, and some experience of their sweetness-their discourse of them is enlivened with firm belief and ardent affection: they cannot mention them, but straight their hearts are taken with such gladness as they are forced to vent in praises."

Thus the apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Ephesian Church, when about to unfold the numerous, and varied, and invaluable benefits of the Christian salvation, instead of commencing with a mere formal statement of them, bursts forth into a hymn of thanksgiving, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved : In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one, all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him; in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will; that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom YE also trusted (or rather have obtained an inheritance), after that ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." 2

1 Leighton.

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Eph. i. 3-14.

And in the epistle before us, the apostle Peter, whose object plainly is to confirm the converts to whom he wrote in the faith and practice and profession of Christianity, notwithstanding all the difficulties and trials to which they were exposed, in bringing forward the vast magnitude and the absolute security of the happiness which the Gospel reveals and secures as one of the most powerful motives to perseverance, presents it in the impressive and animating form of devout ascription of praise to a redeeming God, in the name of himself and his believing brethren: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time."

In illustrating this very interesting passage of Scripture, our attention must be directed,-I. To the blessings acknowledged; and, II. To the acknowledgment of these blessings.

The blessings acknowledged are these: (1.) the privilege of being the children of God—“ God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, hath begotten us again;" (2.) an inheritance corresponding with this privilege-the "salvation ready to be revealed in the last time," which is "an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven," and for which Christians are "kept by the power of God through faith;" and (3.) a present well-grounded and joyful hope of this inheritance.

The acknowledgment of these blessings naturally turns our attention (1.) to the author of these blessings-God; (2.) to the character in which he bestows them--" the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ;" (3.) to the principle from which they flow-"his abundant mercy;" (4.) to their vast magnitude and incalculable value; and (5.) to the proper method of Christians expressing their sense of their magnitude and value, by blessing their Divine Author. Such is the outline which I shall endeavor to fill up in the remaining part of this discourse.

I. OF THE BLESSINGS ACKNOWLEDGED.

Let us then, according to this plan, consider, in the first place, the blessings which the apostle here so gratefully acknowledges.

The first of these is the privilege of being children of God, "God, even the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, hath begotten us again.” When it is said, God hath "begotten us," the meaning is, "God hath made us his children;" and when it is said that God hath again," anew, a second time, "begotten us," the meaning is, we were his children in one sense before, but in another, a higher, a better sense, a sense in which we were not his children, he has now made us his children.'

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As his rational creatures, the objects of his kind providential care, all men are the children of God. Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us?" He is "the Father of the spirits of all flesh." "We are all his offspring." But, as Christians, we have become the children of God in a sense in which all men are not his children. The appellation, children of God, as applied to true Christians in a mystical, spiritual sense, like most of their peculiar appellations, is borrowed from one of the titles bestowed on the peculiar people of God under the former economy: "Israel," said Jehovah, is my son, my first-born." Ye are the children of the Lord your God," says Moses. Jehovah is spoken of as "the Rock that begat them." 2

When Christians are represented as the children of God, there are two ideas suggested by the appellation. They are brought by him into the relation of children—and they are formed by him to the character of children.

The relation in which every human being stands to God in the present state, previously to his being personally connected with Jesus Christ as the Saviour, is that in which a violator of the law, convicted and condemned, stands to his sovereign. He is the appropriate object of Divine displeasure; in the language of Scripture, "The wrath of God abideth on him." 3 His ultimate happiness, if he remains in this state, is incompatible with the honor of God, the good order of his moral administration, and the well-being of his rational and accountable subjects.

But in the case of genuine Christians, a change of state takes place. The obedience to the death of God's incarnate Son, makes the salvation of sinners consistent with, conducive to, the illustration of the perfections of the Divine character, and subservient to the interests of the Divine government. Faith in Christ is that which, according to the Divine constitution, interests the individual sinner in the "obedience to death" of God's Son. On believing the truth, then, the individual who was condemned is no longer condemnedhe is forgiven; he who was a sentenced criminal, is now a beloved child. The relation in which he now stands to God, is that of a son to a father. God no longer frowns on him--he smiles on him. He no longer curses him--he blesses him. He was but he now comforts him.” ↑

angry with him,

When God makes men his children, he not only brings them into the relation of children, but he forms them to the character of children. When he gives men the privilege of being his children, he "sends forth into their hearts the Spirit of his Son," who forms in them an habitual temper and disposition, which may be termed "the spirit of adoption." 5 Our sentiments in reference to God, while in our natural condition, are not child-like. Our state is that of condemned criminals, and our character corresponds with our state. The leading feelings of the unrenewed man towards God, are dislike, and jealousy, and fear-" the fear that hath torment." But when God makes us his children, he forms us to the affectionate, confiding 2 Exod. iv. 22. Deut. xiv. 1; xxxii. 18 5 Gal. iv. 4-7. Rom. viii. 15.

1 Mal. ii. 10. Acts xvii. 26-28. John iii. 36.

4 Isa. xii. 1.

character of children. While he leads us to "sanctify him in our hearts," and to fear him without being afraid of him, he disposes us to love him as infinitely amiable and infinitely kind; and to trust in him, as perfectly knowing what is good for us-perfectly able to secure our welfare-perfectly disposed to make us happy.

To be thus brought into the state and formed to the character of God's children, form the two great elements of true happiness, as they form the two grand fundamental blessings of the Christian salvation. They are most intimately connected together. The being brought into the state of children is absolutely necessary to the being formed to the character of children. It is impossible to form a slave to the character of a freeman, without making him free. And the formation of us to the character of children, is the great design of God in bringing us into the state of children. He regards and treats us as his children, that we may regard him and treat him as our Father.

We become the children of God-both in reference to state and character, to condition and disposition-through the belief of the truth; and this belief of the truth is produced and maintained by the influence of the Holy Spirit. We are "the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." We are "begotten" or "born" again, "not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." It is through the faith of the truth that the condemned sinner is forgiven and justified: "He that believeth is not condemned, and can never come into condemnation;” while on him that believeth not, "the wrath of God abideth." And it is through the faith of the truth that the unholy sinner is sanctified. The heart is "purified by the faith." It is through the knowledge and belief of the truth, with regard to God's character as a Father, that we are formed to the disposition and feelings of children. And this faith of the truth is the result of the influence of the Divine Spirit; so that, when born again--born from above-we are "born of the Spirit." So much for the illustration of this first blessing, for which the apostle presents his acknowledgments.

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§ 2.—The inheritance provided for them.

The second blessing is the future inheritance which God has provided for us as his children. He has "begotten us again to an inheritance,”—that is, that we may obtain an inheritance, &c. · If children," says the apostle, "then heirs," --that is, if he bring us into the relation and form us to the character of children, he will give us the treatment of children.'

When God made ancient Israel his children-brought them into a covenant relation with him-he assigned to them an inheritance. That inheritance was, like the economy to which it belonged, material and temporal. It was the large and fertile land of Canaan, which they were to possess in security and peace, but into which they were to enter not immediately—not till after a long course of wandering in the wilderness.

1 Gal. iii. 26. 1 Pet. i. 23. John iii. 18. Acts xv. 9. Tĥ ríorεl.

2 Rom. viii. 17.

When God brings men into the relation of children under the new and spiritual and eternal economy, he assigns to them an inheritance which corresponds with the character of that new dispensation-an inheritance of which they are not to obtain the full possession, till "the end come-the consummation of all things." The inheritance here is obviously the celestial blessedness, properly so called-the final state of good men--that state which, commencing with the general resurrection, is to be continued unchanged, except by indefinite progress, forever and ever. What is figuratively termed "the inheritance," v. 4, is literally described, v. 5, "as the salvation ready or prepared to be revealed in the last time."

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Of that state we can form but very inadequate conceptions, for it has not yet been "revealed." It does not yet appear what we shall be; it will be fully unveiled by-and-by, but not till "the_last time"-the period of "the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." But we may form correct conceptions, so far as they go; and it is of the greatest importance that we should do so. It is a state of complete freedom from evil, both moral and physical, in all its forms, and in all its degrees; and it is a state of perfect holy happiness, suited to a spiritual nature, endowed with intellect and affection and active power, united to a material frame, every way suited to minister to its progressive improvement and enjoyment; a state in which every capacity of blessedness shall be filled to overflowing, and in which the growing capacity shall never outrun the increasing blessedness.

Knowledge and holiness are the two great elements of the celestial happiness. The holy spirits of the just made perfect, clothed upon with their house from heaven-the immortal, incorruptible, powerful, glorious resurrection body, shall be perfectly conformed to God, so far as their limited capacities admit, in knowledge and purity and happiness. God's mind shall be their mind-God's will, their will--God's happiness, their happiness. They shall "know Him as he is--and they shall be like him." This is, I am persuaded, the justest view we can take of the celestial happiness. This is "the inheritance."

The celestial blessedness receives here, and in many other passages of Scripture, the appellation of "the inheritance," for two reasonsto mark its gratuitous nature, and to mark its secure tenure.

An inheritance is something that is not obtained by the individual's own exertions, but by the free gift or bequest of another. The earthly inheritance of the external people of God, was not given them because they were greater or better than the other nations of the earth. It was "because the Lord had a delight in them to love them." "They got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own right hand save them; but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, for thou hadst a favor unto them." And the heavenly inheritance of the spiritual people of God is entirely the gift of sovereign kindness. "By grace are we saved;" "eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord." 4

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1 1 John iii. 3.

2 Ibid. iii. 2.

3 Psal. xliv. 3. 4 Eph. ii. 5. Rom. vi. 23.