hath God highly exalted him, hath given. him a name above every name, and committed to him all power in heaven and in SERMON XXX. the Lord's Supper. ON GLORYING IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST. GALATIANS VI. 14.-"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." earth. By the appointment of Providence, Preached at the celebration of the Sacrament of suffering hath ever been the path to honor. Ought not Christ, therefore, also to have suffered, and to enter into his glory? As, upon earth, he submitted to the lowest degree of abasement, and appeared in the form of a servant, he is now in heaven, exalted to the highest pinnacle of honor, and appears in the form of God." My ways are not as your ways, and my As, in his state of humiliation, he was thoughts are not as your thoughts," said poor, and had not where to lay his head, he the Lord to the Old Testament church. is now the Lord of nature, and inherits the And never, surely, did the Eternal Wisdom treasures of heaven and of earth. Instead so disappoint the expectations and blast of the mock title of King of the Jews, the hopes of men, as by the cross of our which they wrote upon his cross, he is now Lord Jesus Christ. Had men been conin very deed the King of kings, and the Lord sulted concerning the state in which it of lords. Instead of the crown of thorns, was most proper for the Messiah to apwhich pierced and wounded his blessed pear, they would have introduced him into head, he is now for ever encircled with a the world with all the circumstances of crown of glory. external pomp and splendor; they would What dignity does it reflect upon all have put into his hand. the sceptre of doour race, that one who wears our likeness, minion over the nations, and subjected to who is not ashamed to call us brethren, his kingdom all the people of the earth, now sits upon the throne of Nature, now from the rising to the setting of the sun. holds in his hand the sceptre of Provi- A Messiah, whose glory should not strike dence, and exercises uncontrolled do- the senses, whose kingdom was not to be minion over the visible and invisible of this world, who was to be made perworlds! What abundant consolation will it administer to Christians in all their afflictions, what openings of joy will it let down into the vale of tears, when we recollect that the Governor of the world is a God who partakes of our own nature, who, in the days of his humanity, had a fellow feeling of all our wants; who, like ourselves, was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; who, by consequence, will be more apt to sympathize with his fellow-sufferers, and to send relief to those sorrows of which he himself bore a part. fect through sufferings, who was to tri- It clouds, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will be like the Most High." Pride, although not made for man in his best estate, hath not forsaken him in his worst. Even the fall did not efface the strong impression from his mind. As if he had continued the same noble being he came from the hands of his Creator; as if he had been still the happy lord of the inferior world, he retained the consciousness of his original excellence, when that excellence was no more; he surrendered himself to delusions which flattered his vain mind; he tried new paths to elevation and worldly greatness; he even appropriated to himself the attributes of the divinity, and, possessed with the madness of ambition, arrogated to himself those honors which are due to God only. Hence the world deified mortal men, worshipped as its creators those to whom it had lately given birth, and adored as mortal and divine the human creatures whose death it had beheld. As man fell by pride, it was the appointment of Heaven that he should rise by humility. This doctrine was early delivered to the world. God testified by his prophets, that he knew the proud afar off; that the proud in heart was an abomination to him, but that he would hear the cry of the humble; that though he dwelt in the high and holy place, he would dwell also with that man who was of a humble and contrite spirit. But more than instructions were requisite to reform the sentiments, and change the spirit, of a world which had been so much intoxicated with dreams of earthly greatness, and so long enchanted with spectacles of human glory. Accordingly it pleased God, in the fulness of time, to send forth his own Son into the world, in fashion as a man, in the form of a servant, to become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, and hath appointed all Christians to glory in his cross, nay, to glory in nothing else. "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." These words might give occasion to many useful discourses. All that I intend at present is, to show you by what means we are to glory in the cross of Christ. In the first place, then, We are to glory in the cross of Christ, by frequently meditating upon the circumstances of his death and passion. The human actions and events in which we glory, become often the objects of contemplation; they present themselves spontaneously to the mind, and become the favorite ideas of the soul. We turn them on all sides, we view them in every light, we delight in them, we dwell upon them, we make them our meditation day and night. Surely, then, it becomes us to revolve often in our mind this great mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh, and dying on a cross for the salvation of the world. The angels in heaven, as we are told in Scripture, desired with earnest eyes to look into the sufferings of Jesus; much more should we make the sufferings of Jesus the object of our meditation, for he took not on him the nature of angels, but of the seed of Abraham, Call up to thy mind, then, O Christian! the doleful circumstances of thy Saviour's passion, the sad variety of sorrows which he suffered, the torment of body and agony of mind which he underwent, the cruel, the ignominious, and accursed death which he endured. Make these things present to thy mind, till the blended emotions of contrition and sorrow, of awe and wonder, of joy and pleasure, of gratitude and love, take possession of thy heart. "Can you not watch with me one hour? said our Lord to his disciples, when he entered into his agony. "Can you not watch with me one hour?" saith our Lord to his disciples in every age, when they are about to renew the memorials of his death and passion. Agreeably to his dying charge, accompany thy Redeemer, O Christian! in the last scene of his sufferings. Look to him with such a lively sense and feeling of his sorrows, till, like Paul, thou art crucified with Christ. While all nature is thrown into disorder, while the rocks are rent, and the dead arise, wilt thou continue unmoved? Wilt thou continue harder than the rocks, and more insensible than the ashes of the dead? No; while thou thus musest, holy affections will be kindled, and the heavenly fire will burn; from the altar which was erected on the hill of Calvary, a living ember will touch thy lips, and purify thy heart. In the second place, We are to glory in the cross of Christ, by giving his death that rank in our estimation, and that place in our affections, which its importance requires. Our virtues are insufficient to procure our acceptance with God, or merit a title to happiness in the life to come. 'Even man, our Redeemer. This merit we must do more than admire; upon it we must rest as the ground of our acceptance with God, and the foundation of our title to eternal life. The blessed above ascribe their salvation not to their own righteousness, but to the merits of their Redeemer; "Unto him that loved us," is the strain of their When we glory in any thing to an ex-song, "Unto him that loved us unto the traordinary degree, we prefer it to all death, and washed us from our sins in his others, we give it the chief place in our own blood, be praise and honor and blessheart, and rest our happiness in a great ing. "These are they," said the angel measure upon it. And thus it becomes to the apostle John, " who have come out us to glory in the cross of Christ; thus it of great tribulation; they have washed becomes us to prefer it to all things, to their robes, and made them white in the give it the highest place in our heart, and blood of the Lamb, therefore are they to rest our eternal happiness on it alone. before the throne.” The manifestation of the Son of God is, in all regards, the most wonderful of the divine works, and to us in particular is the most important event that distin- in his state of innocence, could not preguishes the annals of time. His death tend to have merit with his Creator. By upon the cross was the most splendid part the law of his nature he was bound to of his mediatorial office; the most illus-render obedience to that God from whom trious instance of his love to men, and the he received his being, and to whom he most meritorious act of his obedience to owed his preservation. The moral law was God. By his death, the wrath of God the law of his being. When he had done was averted from the world, and the his best, he did no more than was his atonement requisite for the sins of men duty. If man, then, in a state of innowas made. By his death the glories of cence, could not claim the crown of heathe Godhead shone out with new lustre, venly glory, as the reward of personal the majesty of the moral law was not only merit, shall man in a state of guilt pretend sustained, but rendered illustrious, and a to have merit with a holy God, with whom dignity was reflected on virtue which it evil cannot dwell, and who is of purer had never known before. To his death we eyes than to behold iniquity? Supposing are indebted for the pardon of our sins, the day of judgment arrived, where is the for adoption into the family of Heaven, man that durst face the tribunal of the and for our hopes of a happy immortality Almighty, and demand one of the thrones in the future world. His death upon the of heaven upon the footing of personal cross quenched the fire of hell, and set righteousness? The most arrogant preopen the gate of heaven for a repenting sumption durst not aspire so high. But, world to enter in. blessed be God, that though we are unworthy, yet worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive blessing, and honor, and praise, because he hath redeemed us by his blood, and hath given us a right to sit down with him upon his throne. To fallen man the cross is the tree of life; there grow the fruits which are for the healing of the nations; fruits, which, if we take and eat, we shall live for ever. In the cross of Christ, therefore, we do not glory aright, if we admire only the circle of virtue which shone out in his suffering state; if we admire only the patience with which he submitted to all the appointments of Providence, the fortitude with which he encountered all the dangers of life, the magnanimity which induced him to forgive his enemies, the charity which prompted him to pray for those who had bound him to the accursed tree, and that noble principle of love to mankind, the spring of all his undertakings as In the third place, We are to glory in the cross of Christ, by commemorating his death in the holy sacrament. Those events in which a nation glories fession at these tables, than to appear be- the most, those events which restored or | lemn, more awful, to witness a good consecured to them their liberties, from which they begin an era of happy time, are commemorated with a laudable spirit of joy. A day is set apart, that the memory of such glorious deeds may be transmitted down to posterity, and that the names of those who distinguished themselves on the occasion, as patriots or as heroes, may receive a just tribute of praise from all succeeding times. Agreeably to this, the Chris tian church hath in all ages set apart certain times to keep in remembrance this most important event, the death and passion of our Redeemer. It was the commandment of our Lord himself; it was his commandment, given in that night in which he was betrayed; it was his last commandment to his disciples, "Do this in remembrance of me." And surely the disciple who loves his Lord, will be cautious how he disregards his dying charge.. There are, indeed, persons in the world, who bear the Christian name, and who, notwithstanding, never join in this solemn ordinance. Although they were baptized into the faith of Jesus, and have never publicly renounced Christianity, yet, instead of glorying in the cross, they seem to be ashamed of it, and testify plainly to the world, that they pay no regard to the dy ing charge of their Lord, and that they would blush to be seen at a communiontable. How such persons can reconcile their conduct to any sense of duty, to any idea of Christianity, is beyond my capacity to discover. Sure I am, if they have any conscience, if they have any reflection, if they have any feeling at all, it will interrupt their peace of mind in life, it will shut up the chief avenues to comfort in their last moments, and prevent that tranquillity and fulness of joy which is then the portion of the Christian, to think that they have lived in the wilful neglect and contempt of an express injunction of their Lord, and may have, in some degree, incurred the guilt of those whom the apostle declares to have trodden under foot the Son of God, and to have counted the blood of the covenant wherewith they might have been sanctified, an unholy thing. You say you are unfit to approach the table of the Lord. Let me ask you, Are you fit to die? Do you think it more so any man I address these things to those who absent themselves from this ordinance, from a wilful disregard. To those who are restrained by their unhappy fears and scruples, I speak in a different language, and such persons I can assure, that they who, after serious, and diligent, and mature preparation, still think themselves unworthy, are not the least acceptable guests at the table of the Lord. Do you feel a grateful sense of the love of Jesus to mankind, particularly that amazing act of his love, in giving his life as a ransom for the world? Have you such a value for the covenant established by your Sa- | a tear to the distresses you cannot relieve, viour's blood, that you are resolved to accept of it with gratitude, and adhere to it with all your soul? Have you such a regard to holiness and universal goodness, that you determine to lead decent, and pious, and exemplary lives? If you have these, come to express that gratitude, to accept that covenant, and to seal those Vows at the foot of the cross. Jesus breaks not the bruised reed, nor quenches the smoking flax. The humility of the heart will not banish the Eternal Spirit from taking up his residence with you. In the fourth and last place, We are to glory in the cross of Christ, by living to those purposes and for those ends for which Jesus died. We glory in the Reformation from Popery, when we maintain and defend that pure religion which was then established. We glory in the Revolution, when we support the rights and maintain the liberties which were secured to us at that memorable period: and, in like manner, we glory in the cross of Christ, when we fulfil the intention, and answer the purpose for which Jesus died. Jesus died, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. In this view, Christians, your whole life is glorying in you are glorying in the cross of Christ; for he, upon the cross, exhibited a most illustrious instance of benevolence, in giving his life for the happiness of the world. When you yield to the sweet impulse of natural affection, when you indulge the tender sensibilities of the heart, when you cultivate the spirit of a generous friendship, and join in the endearing offices of social life, you are glorying in the cross of Christ; for he, upon the cross, gave us a most amiable display of these virtues. One of his last acts on earth was an act of natural affection and friendship; from the cross he recommended his mother to the care of the friend whom he loved. In short, whenever you make advances in the divine life, and add to your faith virtue, and to virtue, patience, and temperance, and brotherly kindness, and charity; whenever you do a good deed, whenever you think a good thought, you are glorying in the cross of Christ; for he, upon the cross, perfected this character, and finished the pattern of universal goodness for the world to study, to imitate, and to admire. SERMON XXXI. the cross of Christ. When you suppress Preached at the celebration of the Sacrament of the motions of irregular desire, when you conquer the excess of passion, and subdue the Lord's Supper. PLISHED. JOHN XIX. 30.-"It is finished." the vices which war against the soul, you ON THE SALVATION OF MAN BEING ACCOMare glorying in the cross of Christ; for he, upon the cross, crucified these your enemies, and died that you might be delivered out of their hands. When you check in yourselves the spirit of animosity, when THESE are the last words of Jesus. The your heart relents towards him against words which he uttered when his hour whom your wrath was kindled, when you was come; when in the presence of a great forego resentment, forgive an injury, and assembly, he breathed out his soul in hold out the ready hand of reconciliation | agony upon the cross. It was ordered by to your offending brother, you are glory- the providence of God, that as Jesus by ing in the cross of Christ; for he, upon the cross, displayed a most amazing instance of forgiveness, in praying for those who brought him to that accursed death. When your heart expands with benevolence There is something grand and awful in to mankind; when you feed the hungry, assembled multitudes of men, especially clothe the naked, and rescue the oppressed; when convened on any great occasion, when you feel the distresses of your un- such as to pass sentence of life and death. happy brethren and relieve them, or give | In that silence of the mind, that awful his death was the Saviour of the world, he should die publicly, when all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, were assembled at Jerusalem. |