portion of it which forms our text, and by the argument of which it makes a part. In the chapter immediately preceding that from which our text is taken, St. Paul makes this important assertion,-"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." If he came into the world to save sinners, surely he came that he might save all; for "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God'." The apostle having laid this sure foundation, proceeds to build upon it; and having made grateful mention of the mercy bestowed upon himself, and having ascribed all honour and glory to the only wise God, he lays a charge on Timothy, his son in the faith; and what is that charge? It is no other than to publish that faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. In conformity with this charge, St. Paul, as we find in the beginning of the second chapter, exhorts that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. The apostle does not in this place exhort that we should pray and give thanks for some men or for some in authority; but, in the most comprehensive manner, he teaches us to pray for all men, especially for 1 Rom. iii. 23. those who are permitted to rule over us. If St. Paul thought that some men or some rulers were shut out from the favour of their Maker, and doomed by his decree to perdition, he would not have taught us to pray for all men, or rather he would have regarded such a prayer as the expression of a bold and impious wish to set aside the Divine appointment. If he thought that even a few were, by the Divine decree, excluded from the redemption which is in our Lord, he would not have directed us to pray for all men; still less would he have given us this direction if he thought, as some profess to do, that many, nay rather, that most men are by Divine appointment purposely prevented from obtaining any benefit from the sufferings of the great Sacrifice for the sins of the world. It cannot be said that Paul gave this exhortation on behalf of those in authority, because the supreme governor of the country in which he lived was distinguished for his goodness, for on the contrary, he who then held absolute dominion was so infamous, that if we wish to express a barbarous oppressor and an example of every vice, we use his name. Nero then ruled over the Roman empire. Deeply sunk as this man was in vice, St. Paul would not have him excluded from the prayers of the Christians of those times; and in doing so he acted as his Divine Master had done towards those who persecuted him even unto the death-the cruel death of the Cross; when even for these he prayed, 12 saying, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do '." After having exhorted, that prayer should be made for rulers, the apostle adds, "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life." In these words we see the prudence of the apostle, who would not lose any opportunity of endeavouring, by every innocent method, to disarm the hostility of worldly governors to the Gospel, "so that the word of the Lord might have free course 2;" but while we commend his prudence, we must not deny him the praise of sincerity. No doubt he was sincere, and if so, we must admit that he thought that those for whom he directed prayers to be made, were not outcasts from the mercy of their Maker and Preserver. He ex horts that prayers should be made for all men. It follows, therefore, that he thought all men to be objects of the Divine mercy. He had already taught that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners 3. He knew that no man cometh unto the Father but by Jesus, who is "the way, the truth, and the life;"" and that by Him alone we have access unto the Father 5." From all this it follows by inevitable consequence, that none are shut out by an irrevocable decree, from the mercy of our heavenly Father in his Son; and that the redemption, which is in Christ Jesus, is intended to restore the whole of mankind to a situation of 1 Luke xxiii. 34. 4 John xiv. 6. 2 Thess. iii. 1. 3 v. 15. favour and of hope as to this world and of the next, equal at least to that in which they were before the transgression of the first Adam'. We are not only directed to use prayers and supplications and intercessions for all men, but we are also, on the authority of St. Paul, exhorted to give thanks for all men. It would be impossible for us to do this with sincerity, if we believed that by far the greater part of the human race are, by a divine decree, left under condemnation, the expectants of future and endless misery, without hope in this world and without any interest in the Redeemer. If this were our belief, rather than give thanks for all men, we should desire that they had never been called into existence. When we give thanks to the Searcher of all hearts, if they are not given in sincerity and truth, they cannot be but an abomination in His sight. When therefore St. Paul exhorts us to give thanks for all men, he would teach, and would have us believe that faithful saying, so worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, that is, as we have shown, the whole of the human race, "for the Scripture hath concluded all under sin "." St. Paul having required us to pray, and to give thanks for all men, continues, in the words of the text, "for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour."-He is indeed our Saviour, for 1 Rom. v. 15-21. 2 2 Gal. iii. 22. in the words of the 4th verse, He "will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth;" and in order to carry His gracious intention into effect, He has devised and executed a plan of mercy which transcends the imagination and the comprehension of man: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved '." He who is called by the inspired apostle, "God our Saviour," and of whom it is said, on the same authority, that He will have all men to be saved, has not failed to make provision amply sufficient for the accomplishment of His gracious purpose. He who is thus spoken of by the apostle, cannot have decreed that by much the greater part of those who fell into misery through the sin of the first Adam, shall not be enabled to rise to happiness, through the obedience of the second Adam, who is the Lord from heaven 2. He who wills that all men should be saved, will not deny to any the means by which alone they can be saved." If men being evil, know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more shall our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him 3." These, be it always remembered, are the words of 1 John iii. 16, 17. 21 Cor. xv. 47. 3 Luke xi. 13. |