Page:Christ the saviour of the world (1).pdf/3

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Chriſt the Saviour of the world.
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Saviour of the world.' And herein we may conſider.

I. The goſpel, or glad tidings itſelf, viz. That 'the Father ſent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.' Here is glad news to the world, Chriſt's miſſion. The promiſe of this miſſion was made to fallen Adam in paradiſe: Believers, under the old Teſtament, lived and died in the faith of it. But the apoſtles teſtified it as a thing performed; 'the Father ſent' or, 'hath sent the Son.' The party ſent, is the Son of God, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; no other was fit for this miſſion. The party ſending, from whom he had his commiſſion, was the Father, the firſt Perſon of the glorious Trinity. None of a lower dignity could ſend one of his dignity. The character in which he was ſent, is 'the Son, Saviour of the world.' So the words are without any ſupplement; of which there is no need here. So Chriſt is ſaid to have come a teacher from God. John iii. 2. i. e. in the character of a divine teacher. As one is ſent ambaſſador to ſuch a court, that is, conſtituted by his prince ambaſſador to that court, and accordingly ſent away in that character: ſo Chriſt was conſtituted nominated, and appointed by his Father, Saviour of the world, and ſo ſent away into the world in that character. The world is the world of mankind indefinitely, ruined by Adam's ſin. John iii, 16. 'God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten