ing; the eternal Son of God, the great Immanuel, covered with fhame, dragged to an unrighteous tribunal, not to abide the decrees of juftice, but to bear the effects of blinded rage! See him, O fhocking fight! blindfolded, buffetcd, and spit upon, feverely fcourged, crowned with thorns, arrayed in purple, adored in derifion! See him nailed to the cross! O fhameful, O tormenting, O most accursed manner of death! Is it poffible to conceive the grace of this amazing humiliation, this infinite condefcen. fion? I would even call it incredible condefcenfion, but that happily it carries upon it this great truth, That God's ways are not as our ways, nor his-thoughts as our thoughts. Apply it therefore, O finner fies the love of God. all this fhame, all this fhall I not glory in the cross? ry in any thing but the cross?

and fee

how it magni

Was all

this abafement,

fuffering

for me? and

Shall I even glo

As it magnifies

the divine power, as it magnifies the divine mercy, fo it magnifies the finner. Is it any lefs to our honour than to his fhame? We can never appear fo valuable as when our falvation is purchafed by our Saviour's dying groans.

3. In the last place, The real Chriftian has reafon to glory in the cross, for its efficacy as a principle of fanctification. This is plainly implied in the claufe immediately following the text for "by it the world is crucified unto me, "and I unto the world." The apoftle certainly has this alfo in view, when he celebrates the

doctrine

doctrine of the crofs as the

wifdom and the

And indeed to

power of God unto falvation. every believer the cross, confidered only as the truth, and as operating by faith on the understanding and heart, is fuch an argument to duty, as there is not another in the whole compafs of human knowledge that may once be compared to it. Does any thing fet in fo ftrong a light the obligation of God's most holy law? Does any thing fet in fo ftrong a light the infinite evil of fin the infinite holiness of God? the infinite danger of fin? Muft not the reflection of every believer be, "Who can stand before this "holy Lord God? If fuch things be done in "the green tree, what fhall be done in the "dry?"

But what is the great fource, evidence, fum, and perfection of fanctification? Is it not the love of God? And how fhall this be produced? how fall it be preferved and improved, in fo effectual a manner, as by believing views of the cross of Chrift, the most tender and costly expreffion of his love to us? 1 John iv. 19. "We love him; because he first loved us." How does this fill the Chriftian with indignation against fin, which he must confider as "crucifying "him to himself afresh !" br. How does it endear to him his Saviour's commands! how does it infpire him with zeal in doing his will, and fortitude in fuffering for his cause! Will any thing fo effectually determine us to love our fellow-creatures, as his command and example ?

ample? Will any thing fo effectually perfuade us to discharge the most important duties to others, I mean, feeking their eternal welfare, as the value of a precious foul eftimated by the crofs? Will any thing fo effectually difpofe us to the most difficult duties to others, I mean, meekness, patience, and forgiveness, as the great debt cancelled to us by his fufferings on the cross? Is it poffible that his own words, in that awful feafon, can ever be forgotten, "Fa"ther, forgive them; for they know not what "they do?" I cannot at prefent enlarge further on these views; but well might the apoftle, and well may every Chriftian, glory in his Mafter's cross, for the unspeakable benefit he receives from it: For, 1 Cor. i. 30. "of him "are ye in Chrift Jefus, who of God is made ❝ unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."

I proceed now to make fome practical application of what hath been faid. And,

1. From what hath been faid, you may learn what is the great and leading doctrine of the go. fpel, the fum and fubftance of the truth as it is in Jefus, viz. the doctrine of the cross, or Chrift fuffering the wrath of God, to redeem us from hell. This was the great defign formed in the councils of peace, early intimated in the first promife, gradually unfolded in after ages, and completely manifefted in the fullness of time. The Saviour was the fubject of the ancient promifes, the hope of the ancient patriarchs, the VOL. I. fubftance

R

fubftance of the New-Teftament difpenfation, and the burden of the everlafting gospel. He faith of himself, Rev. i. 8. “I am Alpha and O. "mega, the beginning and the ending, faith the "Lord, which is, and which was, and which is "to come, the Almighty." On his glorious character, and precious blood, the inspired apofiles delighted to dwell. Did they then mistake their meffage did they mislead their hearers? No; it was, and it shall ever remain an unchangeable truth, what the apostle declares, 1 Cor. iii. II. "For other foundation can no man "lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

On this foundation, every thing that is agreeable to the will of God, in doctrine or practice, must be built. Every other part of the word of God derives light and beauty from the cross; every other part of the word of God derives force and meaning from the crofs; every other part of the word of God derives life and efficacy from the cross. Let us therefore remember its influence and value, and never lofe view of it. Let us defpife the ignorant reproaches of thofe who flander it as unfavourable to moral virtue. 1 dare not fay indeed, that it is very favourable to an oftentatious parade of human merit; but I am fure it is the only way of producing felf-denied obedience to the will of God.

2. From what hath been faid, you may fee the guilt and danger of the enemies of the cross, and at the fame time may learn who they are who deferve this character. They may be divided into two diftinct claffes: 1. Those who

are

are enemies in principle to the cross, who have no fenfe of their own unworthinefs, of the evil of fin, or the neceffity of an atonement. Such may fometimes retain the name of Chriflians, and contend that they ought to retain it, while they oppofe, with the utmoft virulence and malice, its most important and fundamental truth. I cannot think, without horror, on the guilt and ingratitude of all fuch perfons, and the fearful punishment which they fhall meet with at laft, when this despised Saviour " fhall come in the "clouds, and every eye fhall fee him."

2.

They are alfo enemies to this truth who are governed in temper and practice by a spirit directly eppofite to that of the crols. The fhame and reproach which the crofs implied are not fuffi. ciently attended to, nor the humility and felf-denial neceffary to all thofe who would be the fol lowers of a crucified master. Are there not many who will have no religion but what wil be pliable, and accommodate itself to the maxims of the world? Loaded with prudence, they are unwilling to break measures, either with the good or the bad. Dazzled with human pomp, they defpife every thing in religion, but what, either in fubftance or circumftances, is grateful to human pride. Fashionable practices, however dangerous or vicious, they have not courage to oppose. It were well, if they would confider the ancient form of confeffion at baptifm. Do you renounce the devil, and all his works? I do. Do you renounce the world, its pomps, its pleasures, and its vanities? I do. R 2

And this

was