(2.) They preached it in its sufficiency.

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He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; wherefore God also hath highly exalted him.” He is exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins." For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."

(3.) They preached it in the extent and duration of its efficacy.

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If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." 'But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down at the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him," but "if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins."

3. In the variety of his offices.

They preached Christ as a prophet; they have recorded many of his sayings, and no doubt many others were delivered orally. The precepts and example of Christ were the rule of practice on which the apostles insisted when pressing the high claims of holiness in heart and life. They preached him as a priest. They proclaimed his ascension to heaven in the character of advocate for men; they made known that he ever liveth as intercessor before the throne of God; they represented him as the Lamb slain in the midst of the throne. They preached him as a King. "Him hath God

highly exalted," to dispense, as sovereign of the universe, the blessings of pardon and salvation to his guilty subjects. They preached the universal extension of his kingdom; the entire overthrow of all his enemies; the subjugation of

all things to his will; the putting down of all authority and power. They proclaimed him as the universal judge. "The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent, because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained."

II. THE DIVERSITY OF EFFECTS WHICH ATTENDED ITS PUB

LICATION.

1. To some it was offensive.

It was to the Jew a stumbling block, to the Greek foolishness. It did not meet the worldly expectations of the one, and it had no charms for the other. The one was disappointed in it, the other treated it with scorn. It was offensive to both Jew and Greek, because it was opposed to their pride; it poured contempt on their pretensions; it was in opposition to their preconceptions and to their predilections. 2. To others it was the manifestation of the wisdom and power of God.

The wisdom of God is witnessed in the gospel, in the way in which the difficulties were obviated which opposed the salvation of man. In the adaptation of means which it supplies for this object :—these are the sacrifice of Christ and the agency of the Spirit. It is also seen in the conditions which are appointed as necessary to the possession of its benefits, and in the choice of the instruments who were ordained to propagate it.

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The gospel is the power of God, for its promulgation is accompanied by the energy of the Holy Spirit. It is the power of God, for by its means, men are turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." B- -S.

LXIV.

CHRIST CRUCIFIED.

1 COR. ii. 2.-" For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified."

What a noble declaration is this! He who made it was a man of no ordinary intellect, of no common attainments;

it is the declaration of one who was trained at the feet of Gamaliel, who was well versed in all the literature of the time, and who had the power of appreciating it. They to whom the declaration was made, were celebrated for their learning, their systems of philosophy, and their elegant literature; yet Paul was "determined not to know anything among them, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."

I. HIS DETERMINATION.

Paul presented himself at Corinth in the character of a public teacher. As such he could have added to their information on many subjects; he could have corrected many of their false views, and expose the folly of many of their systems; he could have instructed them in true philosophy, in opposition to their own "philosophy, falsely so called;" he could have treated every subject eloquently; he could have invested the most common subjects with interest; he could have thrown fresh light around all, and have exhibited them in aspects entirely new; yet, although he was thus gifted, he determined to confine himself to one topic, though that was to the Greek foolishness, "Jesus Christ, and him crucified."

1. The object of his regard. "Jesus Christ."

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A name of contempt with many, but to the apostle the chiefest among ten thousand. It is the name of the Saviour, of the Mighty One of Jacob," who is mighty to save. "Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." It is the name of the God-man, of the anointed of the Father, of the well-beloved Son, of him who has the government on his shoulder, of him who has sat down on the throne of God till all things are subdued under him. But it was not as the governor of the world, that he was the subject of Paul's determination..

2. The aspect in which he regarded him. fied."

"And him cruci

"God forbid," exclaims the apostle, in another place, "that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." Christ crucified is everything to guilty sinners; it is the foundation of every hope in which we indulge; it is the ground of every expectation that we form; "other foundation can no man lay," for there is no other name given under heaven whereby we can be saved;" nor could we have been saved by his, had he not been crucified. Christ cruci

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fied is the foundation of the world's hopes; for it tells of infinite justice satisfied; the law magnified, and the way opened, for the forgiveness of sin.

II. HIS REASONS FOR THIS DETERMINATION.

"I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." This knowledge has various characteristics which other knowledge is destitute of.

1. It is certain.

There is no uncertainty about the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and him crucified. The religion of Christ is one of facts; it is based on facts; it teaches facts; its doctrines are facts; its duties are facts; its rewards are facts. It is supported by all kinds of evidence.

2. It is suitable.

The knowledge of Christ crucified, is just the knowledge that a sinner, a guilty, helpless, lost, undone sinner, stands in need of. Every penitent feels its suitability, every believer rejoices therein.

3. It is extensive.

The knowledge of Christ includes the knowledge of a great many other things. The penitent, believing sinner, however ignorant of many things, has yet more extensive, and more certain knowledge, than the wisest philosophers of Greece or Rome. He is assured of the existence of a God; he knows something of his nature and character; he is acquainted with the soul's immortality; with the doctrine. of the resurrection, and that of the future judgment; things with which the wisest of the ancients had no certain acquaintance. He knows something, too, of the evil of sin; he has learned that at the cross; he knows something too of the principles of moral obligation; he is acquainted also with the richest development of the Divine character ever made to the world; he sees it in the cross of Christ.

4. It is sanctified.

The knowledge of Christ crucified, uniformly changes the character and nature of man. The effects of this knowledge are the same everywhere. The Gospel exerts precisely the same kind of influence, and is productive of the same changes, on the savage, on the civilized, on the barbarian, on scythian, and bond or free. This knowledge moulds them who possess it, into the image and likeness of its great subject. "He who has this hope in himself, purifieth himself even as he is pure."

Q

J.

LXV.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

1 CORINTHIANS XV. 34.-" Some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame."

The Corinthians, highly distinguished in the possession of extraordinary gifts, were in many respects shamefully ignorant. We have a proof in the text. Knowledge lies at the foundation of practical religion, it is the parent of piety. Ignorance is the fruitful source of every species of wickedness. The grossest abominations of the heathen, the licentiousness and iniquity of the civilized world, are t be traced to an ignorance of the blessed God.

I. THE KNOWLEDGE SPOKEN OF.

This knowledge is not of the Divine essence; such knowledge is too wonderful for us; it must infinitely and eternally surpass the grasp of the most gigantic mind. "Canst thou by searching find out God?"

1. It is theoretical.

It is head knowledge, being in a considerable degree intellectual. 66 The heavens declare the glory of God," from the visible things of the creation may be inferred the existence of a great first cause. From his word we deduce his being, and wisdom, and power, and goodness; from his invaluable word we learn exclusively, his justice, his holiness, and his mercy. From the Bible alone we acquire clear, satisfactory, consistent knowledge of God. Here is a revelation of himself, as self-existent; of his omnipresence; and of the greatness of his power. Here we find holiness, leading him to view sin with detestationjustice which pledges him to punish all that is offensive to his holiness. Here he is seen as the just God, yet compassionate Saviour. Here stern justice embraces mercy, and is converted into tenderness by overflowing grace. 2. It is experimental.

Our knowledge of God may be mere theory, but if he remove the vail from our understandings, discover to us our sins, cause us to feel ourselves loathsome and foul, our knowledge will be more than theory, it will partake of the