Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-11-23
&eadiug fur the Sabbath.
CGNDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
(orlginal.
GREAT SALVATION.

is often very incorrect. Nothing is hazarded
by saying that men universally underrate all
Gods favors. Especially do most men place
an under value upon gospel blessings. How
eyer much we may owe to God, as God Of
creation and providence, we owe inestimably
more to him rs a God Of salvation. On ac
count of the blessings which Cod in and
through Jesus Christ bestows upon all men,
our hearts should be filled with gratitude and
our mouths with praise but instead of this,
Our hearts are full of Stolid Indifference and
our mouths with complainingS. Of men, uni
versally, it may be truthfully said that they
are more stupid than the OK or the ass. The
former of these proverbially stupid brutes
knows its owner, and the latter it's masters
crib but men neither know Him from whom
they derive all good, nor do they place prop
er estimate upon the gifts he bestOws upon
them.
The salvation of lost human beings may be
regarded great salvation, for very many rea
sons. We may he assisted in forming our es-
innate of the greatness of such salvation, by
contrasting it with the loss sustained by not
being saved. If we desire to place a proper
value upon health, we have only to contrast it
with sickness. All the blessings which God be-
slows upon us are positive. The same is true
in respect to Affections. Health is not simply
the absence of sickness. 1t is this and some
thing far greater. 1t is actual enjoyment
positive good. The same is true with respect
to sickness. 1t is not simply the absence of
health. 1t is this and something far worse.
Co ot, nj ct,ffa ri,,r
TO be lost in the sense in which that express
| sion is used in the Scriptures, is not simply
not to be saved. 1t is this, and something far
more to be dreaded. To be lost is not simply
to be deprived of all good. This is no insig-
nfcant calamity, but to be lost is a far great
er. 1t is to be made positively miserable, both
in soul and body.
| The salvation which is offered freely, fully
and in good faith, in the gospel, is great sal
vation on account of what it actually cost.
| This is a mode of estimating it's value, which
every one can understand. Every one knows
| that articles Of merchandise are estimated by
what they cost. To ask what an article cost
or what was paid for it, is the direct mode Of
ascertaining the value which is placed upon
that article In the same way are we able to
| learn the value of that salvation which is Of
fered to us in the gospel. DO we desire to
know it's intrinsic value, we have only to ask
what did it cost, or what was paid for it.
The universal testimony of the Scriptures is
that our souls salvation is so precious that no
created being is able to furnish the ransom
price. Salvation can not be purchased with
gold or silver, with houses and land, nor with
all created things. The price which infinite
wisdom placed upon it was the life Of the Son
of God. So far as we know, God never did
anything greater than when he furnished the
ransom price of our salvation.
To create all worlds cost him only word.
He gave the command and all things sprung
into existence, but to save souls, the Son of
God died. God, the Father, placed upon God,
the Son, the niquity of us all. The salvation
offered to us in the gospel is great salvation,
because of the great number who are benefit
ted by it. There is sense in which it may be
said that all men everywhere, and under all
| circumstances, are benefited by the work OF
Jesus Christ No man on earth, can truth
fully say that the gospel bestows upon him no
blessings, neither can any one of Adams race,
who is now, or may hereafter be confined in
that fearful place where God has forgotten to
be gracious, say, "Jesns Christ never did any
thing for me-" The effects of the obedience
and death of Jesus Christ are universal. They
| extend to everything connected with this
world. The beasts of the field, the fowls Of
the air and the fish of the sea, all experience
some of the blessed effects of the redemption
work of Jesus Christ Every sentient crea-
ture on earth has, in some way, been benefit
ted by what Jesus Christ did and suffered.
Not only 50, but the earth itself has felt the
rede ling power of the Lamb Of God.
On account of these general benefits the
salvation which is offered to us in the gospel
is a great salvation when however, we con-
slider it's particular benefits, its greatness ap.
pears most manifest.
From the Scriptures, we learn that the num-
Der Of those who will ultimately be saved is so
great that no man can number them. These
will reap not only general and temporary bene-
fits, but particular and eternal blessings. The
character of the blessings bestowed upon the
redeemed is such that no finite mind is capable
of comprehending them, much less are there
words in any language capable of describing
them Here in this world of sin and sorrow,
God is to them sun and shield, and whatever
may be their surroundings, God promises that
his grace shall be sufficient for them. When
Jesus appears the second time, without sin
unto salvation, they shall appear in his like
less, and be, by the triune God, crowned with
glory. 1t is great salvation, because it shields
ne from Co6' avanpinr wrath and raStOraS IS
to his favor, which is better than life.
The Apostle Paul tells us it is great saliva
ton, because it was proclaimed by the Lord
himself, and confirmed to us by them that
heard him. Previous to the incarnation of the
Saviour, God sent prophets, and priests, and
angels to announce the glad tidings, that help
had been laid upon one who was mighty to save,
and that in the fullness of time, the redeeuier
would come. This glad news was proclaimed
in the garden of Paradise, by the Saviour him
self, Immediately after sin entered our world |
The Apostle reasons thus. An important
message demands an important messenger,
and as the message increases in greatness so
must the messenger increase in dignity and |
worth. Reversing the process the reasoning |
leads to the conclusion that the character of |
the messenger indicates the Importance of the
message. Prophets and priests were greater
than ordinary men, therefore, the message
brought by prophets and priests was greater
than that brought by ordinary men. Angels |
are greater than prophets and priests, there
fore, the message brought by angels was great
er than that brought by prophets and priests.
Jesus Christ is greater than angels, therefore,