lived, and tell them that they are perishing sinners, but that they had good news for them;—that the Son of God had become also the Son of man; had obeyed God’s laws for them, and made satisfaction to God for their sins, by dying on a cross; that he was now risen from the dead, and glorified at God’s right hand; and that whosoever believed these things, and made an open profession of their belief, should be saved from the wrath to come; but that whosoever should treat these things as idle tales, and not receive them in love, should be condemned to suffer eternal misery in hell for their unbelief.’
A female slave now rose, and, in a very humble strain, asked if there was nothing which God required us to do, in order to obtain the pardon of our sins. ‘Does he not even command us to cut and scourge our flesh, that he may be pleased with us?’ ‘No,’ said her master; ‘you have heard that Jesus did all that was necessary for obtaining our pardon; and nothing more glorifies the riches of his grace, and the finished work of his Son, than our believing that pardon and eternal life are freely granted to us through Jesus Christ.’
Every eye was fixed on Mr Sharp while answering these simple but important inquiries. ‘Lord, I believe,’ said one —‘And so do I,’ said another. Then they wept bitterly that ever they had offended such a kind and compassionate God, and anxiously inquired how they should live to his praise and glory for the future.
The only preacher in the town, where this family resided; was a mere fop, who spent most of his time in the company of the gay and thoughtless, and was as much so as any of them. His discourses on Sabbath were dry dissertations in favour of benevolence and charity, and against lying, stealing, and other gross vices; but he seldom mentioned the name of the Saviour, and never spoke of the necessity and glory of his righteousness. The family were disgusted with his life,-and starved under his preaching. They resolved, for the future, only to hear me preach to them on the first day of the week.
Formerly, they had been accustomed to call a certain building the ehurch; but, by my instructions, they began to learn that a ehurch of Christ was eomposed of a number of living stones, or believers assembling together statedly, for the purposes of mutual edification; watching over one another; observing all the-ordinances commanded by the Lord Jesus, as King and Head of his body, the Chureh. When they understood this, they looked round on each other, to find one who came nearest to a Christian bishop, as described by St Paul, which description I faithfully repeated to them.
