Then it was that God made known the Gospel. He graciously disclosed another way of obtaining eternal life, in the room of that which had been lost. He revealed the Covenant of Grace. He promised to Adam a Saviour, by believing in whom both he and his posterity might be saved. From this time then Salvation has been, not of works, but of faith. The Kingdom of Heaven has been opened to all believers: not to those, who try to make themselves righteous; but to those, who by faith accept the righteousness which God has provided for them.St. Paul, in the tenth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, very clearly states this point: "Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law, saying, that the man which doth these things, shall live by them." But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, "If thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."-Hence it is that the same Apostle, in answer to the question, "What shall I do to be saved?" says in the text, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."

Observe what is to be the object of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Every truth, which God hath revealed,

must be received by us with faith. But Jesus Christ is the great, the grand object of Faith. To believe on Him is the grand Direction of the Gospel. When God preached the Gospel to Adam and Eve, that is, when He made known to them the new way, by which through grace, they might enter into life, He pointed out Jesus Christ to them as the object of their faith. He spoke of Him as "the promised seed of the woman, who should bruise the serpent's head." Believing this promise, looking forward to this Great Deliverer, who in due time should come into the world, and destroy the works of the Devil, they should be saved.

When the Gospel was preached to Abraham, he was told, that "in him should all Families of the earth be blessed."* What did this promise mean? It meant that from him, in after ages, the expected Saviour should spring; through whom both Abraham. himself, and all the world, might be saved. Believing this promise, and relying on this Saviour, Abraham was justified by faith. His faith was counted to him for righteousness. As we are told in the New Testament, "he rejoiced to see the day of Christ;" he looked forward to his coming in the flesh, "and was glad." The Gospel was after+ John, viii. 57.

* Genesis, xii. 3.

wards preached to the Children of Abraham, the Israelites. How was it preached to them? In types and shadows. Such were their Temple, their High Priests, their Sacrifices, They were all shadows or representations of good things to come. They all pointed out Jesus Christ to the people, and taught them by faith to look to Him for salvation. The Israelites were forbidden to draw nigh to God but through the mediation of their High Priest, and then only with the blood of slaughtered animals, at the Temple of Jerusalem. Now these laws and restrictions implied, that there was only one way in which sinners could have access to God, namely, through the mediation of another, and by the shedding of blood. And whose mediation, whose blood was thus signified, but the Mediation, the Blood, of Jesus Christ; "the High Priest of our profession;""the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world?''*

Thus we see, that before the appearance of Jesus Christ in the flesh, He was still the object of faith. The Grand Direction of the Gospel was always the same. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." The only difference was, that the worshippers of God, in those times, were directed to believe on a

*Rev. xiii. 8.

Saviour who was to come. We are directed to believe on one who is come. Compared with us also, they had a very imperfect knowledge of Him. They saw only darkly what we see clearly-They did not see as we plainly see, that he was the Son of God with power. Still however He was the object of their faith on him they believed for salvation; and were saved, if saved at all, as we are, not by works, but by the righteousness of faith.

From this statement we may distinctly see the meaning of the Direction in the text.Jesus Christ is the object of faith. To believe on Him, is to believe what the Scriptures tell us of his person and offices; and to rely upon his merits and promises for our own salvation. Faith is described in the word of God, by receiving Christ. Christ is set forth as an unspeakable Gift. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son to be our Saviour. Faith receives this gift, lays hold of it, and applies it. The language of the true believer is this, 'Has 'God in Mercy offered his Son to be my 'Saviour? I thankfully embrace the offer. 'I make no objection on my part. I receive Christ as my Saviour.' And "to as many as thus receive him, to them gives he power to become the Sons of God."Faith

in Christ is sometimes described by looking unto Him. And this expression conveys a striking idea of what is meant by faith. Suppose that we were in circumstances of great distress. Suppose that a person, who was able to deliver us out of our trouble, should come and say to us. Lay aside your 'fears. Look to me in your extremity:' what should we understand him to say by that expression? We should understand him to say, 'I will be your friend. Be not 'discouraged. Rely on me for help. Trust 'to my word. Confide in my promise of 'providing the relief of which you stand ' in need.' Precisely such is the nature of faith. When we are directed to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are directed in other words, to look unto Him with an eye of penitence and hope. We are directed to rely on Him for help; to trust to his word: to confide in his promise of providing the relief of which we stand in need. follows these directions; does look unto Jesus, submits to his righteousness, casts. its care upon Him, and depends on Him for the accomplishment of all his promises. -Such is the Grand Direction of the Gospel. We proceed to consider,

Faith

II. The Grand Promise of the Gospel: "Thou shalt be saved." Salvation is the