Christ in the Old Testament

This text affords many openings for controversy. It can be made to bristle with dillicnlties. For instance, — there might be a long discussion as to the manner in which the fall of Adam can justly be made to affect the condition of his posterity. When this is settled there might arise a question as to the exact way in which Adam’s fault is connected with ourselves — whether by imputation of its sin, or in what other form; and then there might be further dispute as to the limit of the evil resulting from our first parents’ offence, and the full meaning of the fall, original sin, natural depravity, and so forth. There would be another splendid opportunity for a great battle over the question of the extent of the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus Christ; whether it covers, as to persons, the whole area of the ruin of the Fall; whether, in fact, full atonement luis been made for all mankind or only for the elect. It would be easy in this way to set up a thorn-hedge, and keep the sheep out of the pasture; or, to use another metaphor, to take up so much time in pelting each other with the stones as to leave the fruit untasted, I have, at this time, neither the inclination nor the mental strength either to suggest or to remove the difficulties, which are so often the amusement of unpractical mimls. I feel more inclined to chime in with that ancient father of the church who declined controversy in a wise and explicit manner. He had been speaking concerning the things of God and found himself at length confounded by a certain clamorous disputant, who shouted again and again, “Hear me! Hear me!” “No,” said the father, *’ 1 will not hear you, nor shall you hear me,- but we will both be quiet and hear what our Lord Jesus Christ has to say.” So we will not at this time listen to this side nor to that; but we will bow our ear to hear what the Scripture itself hath to say apart from all the noise of sect and party. My object shall be to find out in the text that which is practically of use to us, that -which may save the unconverted, that which may comfort and build up those of us who are brought into a state of reconciliation with God; for I have of late been so often shut No. 1,591. I up in my sick chamber that when I do come forth I must be more than ever eager fur fruit to the glory of God. We shall not, therefore, dive into the deeps with the hope of finding pearls, for these could not feed hungry men; but we will navigate the surface of the sea, and hope that some faA’ouring wind will bear us to the desired haven with a freight of corn wherewith to supply the famishing. May the Holy Spirit bless thc’ teaching of this hour to the creation and nourishment of saving faith.

I. The first observation from the text is this — the appointed way OF OUR salvation IS BY THE FREE GIFT OF God. We Were rulued by the Fall, but we are saved by a free gift. The text tells us that “the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesns Christ,. hath abounded unto many.” “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” “Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Although this doctrine is well known, and is taught in our synagogues every Sabbath day, yet this grand essential truth is often enough forgotten or ignored, so that it had need be repeated! again and again. I could wish that every time the clock struck it said,. “By grace are ye saved.” I could wish that there were a trumpet voice ringing out at day-break both on sea and land, over the whole’ round globe the words, “By grace are ye saved.” As Martin Luther said of a certain other truth so say I of this, “You so constantly forget it that I feel inclined to take the Bible and beat it about your head, that you may feel it and keep it in remembrance.” Men do not naturally love the doctrine of grace, and therefore they cast it out of their minds as much as possible. The larger portion of mankind da not believe that salvation is of grace: another part of them profess ta believe it, but do not understand its meaning; and many who do understand it have never yielded to it or embraced it. Happy are they who belong to the remnant according to the election of grace, for they know right well the joyful sound, and they walk in the light of the glory of the grace of God which is in Christ Jesus.

Observe, that salvation is a free gift, that is to say, it is bestowed upon men by God tvithoiU reqard to any merit, supposed or real. Grace has to do with the guilty. Mercy in the very nature of things is not a fit gift for the righteous and deserving, but for the undeserving and sinful. When God deals out to men his gracious salvation they are regarded by him as lost and condemned, and he treats them as persons who have no claim upon him whatsoever, to whom nothing but his free favour can bring deliverance. He saves them, not because he perceives that they have done anything that is good, or have hopeful traits of character, or form resolutions to aspire to something better; but simply because he is merciful, and delights to exercise his grace, and manifest his free favour and infinite love. It is according to the nature of God to pity the misei-iible and forgive the guilty, “for he is good, and his mercy endureth for ever.” God has a reason for saving men; but that reason does not lie in man’s merit in any degree whatever. This is clear from the fact that he often begins his work of grace upon those who can least of all be credited with goodness. It was said of our Lord, “This man receiveth sinners,” and the saying was most emphatically true. Sovereign grace selects such as Rahab the harlot, and Manasseh the persecutor, and Saul of Tarsus, the mad zealot against

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Christ: such as these have been seized upon by efface, and arrested in infinite love, that in them the Lord might manifest the power and plenitude of his mercy. Salvation is a work which is begun by the pure, unpurchased, free favour of God, and in the same spirit it is carried on and perfected. Pure grace, which lays the foundation, also brings forth the topstone.

Sahation is also brought to men irresperUce of any mnrlt lohich God foreseen will be in man. Foresight of the existence of gt-ace cannot be the cause of grace. God himself does not foresee that thei’e will be any good thing in any man, except what he foresees that lie will put there. What is the reason, then, why he determines that he will put it there? That reason, so far as we are informed, is this, “He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy.” The Lord determines to display his love, and set on active work his attribute of grace, therefn-e doth he save men according to the good pleasure of his will. If there be salvation given to men upon the foresight of what they are yet to be, it is clear it is a matter of works and debt, and not of grace; but the Scripture is most decided that it is not of works, but of unmingled grace, for saith the apostle, “If by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Our text is express that salvation is “the free gift,” and that it comes to us by “the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ.”

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