The Christian religion is not a mere system of ideas, like the philosophy of Plato or Aristotle. It rests on a lasts of historic fads. The great central fact of the gospel is thus expressed by Jesns himself : " God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life, " John 3 : 16 ; and by the apostle Paul thus : " This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.