Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-11-10


The ministry Of the gospel is only good
news there is not one word Of bad news, not
one line, not ono syllable or title, but only
glad tidings, sweet and good news to the
heart Of the worst of sinners. Beloved,
there is nothing ia all the gospel but only
good news as that the poor shall have sal
vation by Christ, that the broken-hearted
should be healed that the captives should
be delivered, that the blind should receive
their sight, tha they who were bruised should
be set at liberty. that they who were slaves
should have the year of Jubilee, the accept
little in all this but only good news.
The gospel holds forth to poor sinners
that there Is love. am eternal love, an infin-
ite love, in Gods breast to them. Aman might
think that God would hate such an one as
am and reason would think that love should
proceed from something amiable in the OBJ
ject some beauty or bounty; but God sees
me to be wicked and sinful, and, therefore,
reason would think that God must damn me,
world without end. The gospel comes to
such a sinner, and tells him the case is other
wise It is not so poor sinful man or wo-
man and though God hates sin above all
things in heaven or he'll, yet God loved thee,
knowing what thou vert God hath au in
finite, special love to thy poor soul yet hates
thy sin "God so loved the world that lie
rave His only begotten SON" There was
love in God, out Of which He gave His Son,
Jesus Christ, to die for us. This, the gospel
aud the Spirit of God in it, reveals to the
poor soul, "When was an enemy to Cod
lie was my friend when | hated Him, lie
loved me; nay, before ! was, God had
thoughts Of an infinite, eternal love to me-"
The gospel holds forth to a sinner, that,
as God had am infinite love TO him, so it was
not a cold love that ended in nothing but
out of this love God would send His Son Je-
sus Christ into the world to save sinners.
This is one Of the main principles of the gos-
pei, that the Father, out Of His love- sent
Ills own Son into this world to lay down
His life for sinners.
II holds out TO MS that, as the Father, out
OF His love. sent the Son, so jesus Christ,
actually and really, is come into the world
and took our nature and body, and the in
firmities Of both, aud sanctitied our nature
that lie took, and IN that nature became our
surety. public person for US, an adyoatc a
second Adam. An these are good news for
poor sinners. every part of them.
Thus the gospel tells us that Jesus Christ
as lie died for our sins, so lie rose again
for our Justification; whereby poor sinners
arc assured that they are justified and freed
from all their sins, aud whereby they shall
rise TO grace here and 10 glory hereafter.
Every title Of this is glad tidings to poor
sinners.
Then the gospel tells you that after His
resurrection he conversed with His disciples,
giving them instructions how they should
| order the churches of God, and preach the
/ gospel to the end Of the world; that lie went
/ up into heaven, and as soon as lie came
there, sent His Holy Spirit to us to unite US
| to Himself, to be our intelligencer to make
/ known the heart of Christ to us, to lead Us
| into all truth, and comfort rs in all dis
| tresses that when lie went up to heaven lie
made way for poor sinners to come there
and that there he iutercedes for us, and
succors us and pities us who are in the fiesf
as lie once was; that III due time He vii
/ come again from heaven as lie went and
bring n crown with Him, and subdue all Ills
peoples enemies and give them the same
| glory that He hath, The gospel tells you
moreover, that all this love and grace anc
mercy and salvation, 10y Jesus Christ here
and in heaven, is made sure to US by an ever
/ lasting covenant, sure and perfect in every
point. Put all together, and from the first tC
the last you shall not find in the ministry ot
the gospel if it be truly and soundly opened
any syllable but what is wholesome anc
comfortable, and sweet and glad tidings tC
the worst sinners