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INTRODUCTION.

WHATEVER degree of natural wisdom may be attained by those who are without Christ and without God in the world, certain it is, that the only true saving knowledge of God that ever was, or ever will be communicated to man, is by and through the revelation of Jesus Christ: and therefore such as reject Christ, and take their own wisdom for their guide, never were, nor ever can be saved. And in no better situation are they who profess faith in an absent Saviour, who believe that Christ was once upon earth, but is now departed to some remote and unknown heaven, where it is impossible for the weak capacities of mortals to reach him; when in truth, nothing but the real and abiding presence of Christ, by the indwelling of his spirit, ever did, or ever could save one soul.

And as Christ is the only Saviour, the only true light of the world, to lead souls into the knowledge and enjoyment of God, and as there is no other name or substance under heaven given among men, whereby any can be saved; it follows, beyond all contradiction, that until Christ made his appearance in the world, the world was in darkness, without the saving knowledge of God, without a Saviour, and consequently without salvation.

II. Man was at first created under the law and government of God; but having violated that law, he never could again be brought into his true order and line of subjection, until God sent forth his own Son into the world for that purpose.

It is true, a law was given to one particular nation, by which great restrictions were laid upon that lawless disposition, which governed man in his fallen state; but it availed nothing as to the redemption of the soul from the influence of that disposition; nor could it bring any into that perfect obedience with which God was well pleased: hence it was truly said, I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live.

But when Christ Jesus made his appearance; as a wise legislator, his first work was to form a law, by which man

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