SERMON XII.

THE GOSPEL THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION.

ROMANS i, 16.

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

THERE perhaps is no object upon which we can fix our contemplations, that more decisively shews us the power and efficacy of religious motives, than the conduct of the Apostles, and first teachers of christianity, in their great work of proclaiming the gospel of Christ to mankind. They were, as we know, "men of like passions" with ourselves; and our own experience tells us, that human nature is averse to suffering. It is true, that at one period, all the disciples of Jesus forsook him and fled, for fear of the contempt and danger

which they thought would attach to them, in case of its being known that they were his followers: yet soon after, we behold these very same persons acting in a directly opposite manner. The coward becomes brave, and he who once was terrified at the slightest appearance of danger, now stands forth to face the frown of the world, and dares to tell the enraged and haughty rulers, (who threatened their severest displeasure, in case of his perseverance in preaching the doctrine of Jesus,) that it was "right to obey God, rather than "man;" and that he and his companions could do no other than declare what they had seen and known, concerning the salvation that God had provided for the sinful posterity of Adam. We see the once timid followers of Jesus go forth and proclaim to men of every nation, and of every character, that He who had been

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despised and rejected of men," was, indeed, the only source of pardon to sinners; and that his was the only "name under heaven given "unto men, whereby we must be saved." We see them, in the accomplishment of their design of publishing this doctrine to the whole world, facing labours and hardships; and even persevering in their exertions, when bonds, and imprisonment, and death, seemed to be the only rewards which awaited them.

Now, we may well ask, why did they act thus? What motive could suffice to induce them to pursue such a line of conduct? What was the peculiar excellency of the doctrine they had to communicate, which made them resolve to publish it, in defiance of all ordinary maxims of worldly policy?

We may reply, that they acted thus, because they were aware of the guilty, ruined, and miserable condition, to which men were reduced by sin;-because they knew that man, as a sinner, is exposed to a danger from which he cannot deliver his own soul;—and because they were well aware they possessed the only remedy for the evils, which thus prevailed in the world. Their hearts were warmed with disinterested good-will to man; and they therefore were willing to forego all consideration of their own ease and worldly interest, in order that they might proclaim to all men, the "faithful saying, that Christ Jesus came into "the world to save sinners." This was the feeling which animated the first preachers of Christianity, and St. Paul was not behind any of them, in respect of this glowing zeal for the everlasting advantage of his fellow men.

It seems, indeed, that there were persons who wished to insinuate, that he was in some degree swayed by worldly motives, and

that while he would willingly proclaim his doctrine among those, from whom he expected little opposition, he was backward to appear as the advocate of Jesus of Nazareth, among the great, the wealthy, or the learned of the world. And when he had declared his determination to visit the rich and licentious city of Rome, for the purpose of preaching the gospel, and was afterwards, for a long time, prevented from carrying his design into effect; they wished to make it appear, that he was afraid or ashamed there to stand forth and preach salvation, through one who had been ignominiously crucified at Jerusalem. In reply to the insinuations of all such persons, he says—“ Now I "would not have you ignorant, brethren, that "oftentimes I purposed to come unto you,

(but was let" or hindered" hitherto) that 1

might have some fruit among you also, even as "among other Gentiles. I am debtor both to "the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to "the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as "in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to

you that are at Rome also." And, he then subjoins the remarkable declaration contained in our text:-" For I am not ashamed of the "gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God “unto salvation, to every one that believeth."

From these words we may take occasion to inquire, first, What is that doctrine which the

Apostle intends by the gospel of Christ ?-and, secondly, What is the import of his commendation of this doctrine?" It is the power of God "unto salvation, to every one that believeth."

I. First, then, we are to inquire, what does the Apostle mean by the gospel of Christ? This is an expression which we very frequently hear used; and yet there is reason to apprehend, that many of those who use it, are far from having an accurate idea of what the gospel is.

We may remark, then, that the gospel of Christ is not a doctrine of man's devising. Were it such- did it take its origin from human wisdom, or human subtlety; the misunderstanding, or the rejecting of it, could not be accompanied by those dreadful consequences, which we are assuredly taught to expect. It is a doctrine, which owes its existence to a source infinitely more exalted than human reason. It takes its origin from the wisdom of God, who knew what blessings were adapted to the wants and circumstances of man; and from his goodness, which resolved to provide a method for supplying him with those blessings.