Of all enquiries which can occupy the human mind, the most important by far is, what must I do to be saved? Without wishing to underrate the value of those subjects which receive the attention of the statesman, the physical investigator, or the political economist, it leads no laboured demonstration to shew, that the subject of Salvation is infinitely more momentous than them all. They bear on the interests of the body; but this relates to the well-being of the soul. They are conversant about the interests of time, but this, about the interests of eternity. We therefore conceive it our duty, in the commencement of our feeble attempt to diffuse divine knowledge, to open with a few brief observations, descriptive of the "Way of Salvation."

It is the testimony of scripture concerning mankind, that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." "There is none righteous, no not one." There is further this terrible declaration, "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things, that are written in the book of the law to do them." Seeing then that a curse rests upon all, who continue not in the whole law, and seeing none of the sons of men is righteous, according to the law, it follows that every human being, is through his sins, exposed to the wrath and curse of God. Being a sinner, man is in danger of everlasting misery. Having broken God's law, he is exposed to the displeasure of the divine law-giver, which, (unless escaped from) must pursue him through all eternity.

To some, perhaps this may appear a sombre and repulsive view of man's condition, and they may be ready to say, - Surely a God of goodness cannot punish his creatures, and make them miserable; it cannot coexist with his benevolence to deal forth vengance on being so insignificant as men, be their transgressions ever so great. Ignorant and presumptious men have reasoned in this way, but their fancies will not bear the scrutiny of enlightened reason. God is a Sovereign. It is altogether inconsistent with the dignity of a sovereign to permit his authority to be spurned with impunity. God is a law-giver. He has enacted a code, brief and simple, but clear and authoritative. It is inconsistent with the very idea of a law-giver, to enact statutes and then be indifferent whether they be kept or not; or to tolerate, or wink at the violation of them. Should he do so, he virtually drops the reins of Government from his hands, and ceases to be a Sovereign. These are points however, which God himself has very fully cleared up. He tells up peremptorily, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." He will render "unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil."

Can we be saved, then? And if so, how? The same inspired word which declares to us that we are condemned, announces to us that there is a way of Salvation. God hates sin: He is of purer eyes than to behold evil. But he desireth not the death of the sinner. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem us who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Jesus Christ became our substitute, and was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He became cursed for us, and by his sufferings and death, he hath rendered satisfaction for our sins. He hath magnified the law of his Father, and made it honourable, and by his obedience and sacrifice, he hath procured eternal hapiness for all them who believe in Him.

This is the sum of the Gospel message. Christ hath procured Salvation for all them who believe in him. He offers Salvation to all who desire it, to all who need it, without money and without price. He says, "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." "Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." On God's part, there is thus no difficulty. He has provided, and revealed a "way of Salvation." Jesus is the author of eternal Salvation to all them that believe.

It only remains that the sinner avail himself of God's provision, that he come to Him in the way He has pointed out. It remains that the sinner receive Christ to the saving of his soul. The word is, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."

To believe in Christ, means much more than an intellectual credence of the scripture revelations respecting Him. A man may receive as truth all that is taught in the Bible concerning the Deity, the humanity, and work of Christ, and yet not believe, with the heart unto righteousness. Education, and the candid application of the human faculties to the examination of Scripture, may lead to a sound creed, and a clear perception of the relations and tendencies of revealed truth. But to believe savingly, the heart and affections must be interested. Christ is offered in the Gospel to men as a Saviour, on the supposition that they are sinners, and that they are concious of being so. He comes offering the forgiveness of sins; that they may be received, with the heartiness and intensity of desire to which he is entitled, there must be a deep, a painful sense of guilt, an ardent desire for pardon. There must in short be an awakened concience, crying earnestly, how can I escape the wrath I deserve. Where such a state of mind exists, the convinced sinner is prepared not merely to believe what he is told about Christ, but to entrust himself to Christ, - to commit his case into His hands. And this is the state of mind in the true believer in every one who has entered on the way of Salvation. He trusts in Christ alone for pardon and reconciliation with God. He knows he desrves to perish. He receives the testimony respecting Jesus, that He came to save the perishing, and he goes to him saying Lord save me lest I perish. And whosoever does this shall be saved, shall have everlasting life. Him that cometh unto Jesus, He will in no wise cast out. He will keep that which is committed to Him. He will deliver from wrath all who truly and heartily confide in Him. But this confidence to be efficacious must be implicit and unreserved. There must be no doubting of his ability or his willingness to save. He is Omnipotent and therefore able to do all things. He is holy and true, and His word must be rested on with unhesitating reliance. There must also be no mingling of confidence in our own works, with confidence on His work. Our works are all imperfect, all more or less infected with sin, therefore they can be of no account whatsoever in the reckoning between us and God. We must depend on Christ entirely and exclusively. We must attempt to lay no other foundation than that is laid, even Christ Jesus. The Apostle Paul beautifully describes this renunciation of self-confidence, and this all-absorbing confidence in Christ, when he says "We are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the Church, touching the righteousness which is of the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." One of the best uninspired delineations of the feelings of a true believer is contained in the following lines of the venerable Toplady -

Reader - Whosoever thou art, thou art by nature a sinner, in danger of perishing. There is a way of salvation open to thee, through the merits of Jesus Christ. Trust thyself to Him, and He will save thee. Flee to Him, and He will receive thee, and wash away thy sins, and cover thine unworthiness, and make thee happy evermore. - Rev. James Forbes.

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